Pokeking
Member
Time moves on from one minute to the next. The phone vibrates and Joe Esposito’s “You’re the Best” starts blaring. Hayato opens his eyes slightly, then slightly more, then wide awake. His bedsheets and blanket were askew again. The former slumbering teen had been lying on his stomach. He turned over and looked up at the nondescript ceiling. His eyes looked backward and up at the framed poster of Toshiro Mifune from the movie Yojimbo rested above the headboard, the actor’s focused eyes and sword raised high seemingly looking down at him as if challenging him to make the most of today or else.
His sleepwear consisted of a distinct hue of blue, North Creek high blue to be exact, and graphite grey gym shorts. Sleepwear and gym wear attire was interchangeable. Why shouldn’t they be? There were times when I head straight to the gym after waking up. Off in the corner, in a cat bed designed like a sneaker, his roommate awoke. Shadow slunk out of his bed and rubbed against the young man’s legs all the way to the utility room.
The morning of September 22 was just like other school days for Hayato Ike Sanada. Wake up, feed Shadow, shower, and get ready for school.
Many minutes later, he put on his jeans and spritzed his chest with cologne and applied deodorant/antiperspirant. He then pulled an olive-green Henley shirt over his head. He combed his hair which was in a quiff. He got his phone and studied the weather. Fall was definitely here. He opened his closet and took his letterman jacket out of the vacuum sealed plastic. After placing it on, he studied his appearance. <Hey there handsome.> He looked back at Mifune and how the actor had his hair. He wished he could have his hair like that and appear like his samurai ancestors. He chuckled ruefully. He wholeheartedly though he would look like a modern-day samurai if his hair was just like that. If only. There’s this one guy in my class who has his hair in a similar style to Mifune’s. What’s his name? What’s his name? Nathaniel? Nolan? Norman? None of those names sounded quite right. I do feel it starts with N. Meh. I’m lucky I get to have my hair like this. When I told my parent I wanted my hair like this, they though I wanted to be a bosozoku. No, I’m not going be a biker hooligan. I don't have a motorcycle and I have no interest in getting on one.
Hayato gathered his things and headed to the kitchen to have his breakfast. Today was rice and salmon. He used hashi to stuff his mouth. The chopsticks gripped the slivers of fish and clumps of rice while Shadow looked with hopeful attention. <Not for you. You already ate.> Finished, he placed the empty bowl in the sink and crafting his lunch which would be more familiar to his contemporaries. It was a chicken sandwich and an orange, pretzels, and a bottle of water. He put them into his lunch kit. He made sure that the house was secure, and Shadow was safe and able to keep himself occupied while he was gone.
His parents Kaito and Ayumi? They had left forty minutes before he woke up. They worked in the city at Takeda Enterprises. Twenty years ago, they were offered a promotion and other perks to relocate. Although they were friendly with their neighbors and enjoyed participating in many town gatherings, they felt that they were guests in this land. One day, they would leave and head home with their son in tow. He knew he might find contentment in Kyoto, but his heart would always be here. He locked the house and got in his blue Rubicon. He took out his sunglasses from the glove compartment and after placing them on, he headed to school.
North Lake High was close. If he wanted to, he could actually walk there. Head left passing four houses then turn left and go four blocks. Another left and walk two blocks to get to school. Not today.
Hayato parked in the Senior lot which was in the front, and he headed to the main entrance which was before him. As soon as he walked through the doors, he took off his sunglasses. Many recognized him and happy to see him, “Hey Hunter” or “Yo H-Train”. Many of his fellow jocks, especially his comrades on the football team, called him H-Train. If they didn’t play sports, they called him Hunter. He played running back and was renowned for his power and speed. No one called him by his real name. Ever since an embarrassing scene in Kindergarten, he went by the nickname of Hunter. In a way, he had crafted a persona to use when at school. It was like he a superhero. Maybe, someday, I can find a guy who I can open my heart to and show that I'm more than just your run of the mill football jock. Regrettably, he believed that the likelihood of that happening while still at school was slim. That guy. I wish I remembered his name. He can afford to be open. I just can't take that chance. At least my parents know.
Hayato stood in front of his locker and rummaged through it to get ready for first period: government.
His sleepwear consisted of a distinct hue of blue, North Creek high blue to be exact, and graphite grey gym shorts. Sleepwear and gym wear attire was interchangeable. Why shouldn’t they be? There were times when I head straight to the gym after waking up. Off in the corner, in a cat bed designed like a sneaker, his roommate awoke. Shadow slunk out of his bed and rubbed against the young man’s legs all the way to the utility room.
The morning of September 22 was just like other school days for Hayato Ike Sanada. Wake up, feed Shadow, shower, and get ready for school.
Many minutes later, he put on his jeans and spritzed his chest with cologne and applied deodorant/antiperspirant. He then pulled an olive-green Henley shirt over his head. He combed his hair which was in a quiff. He got his phone and studied the weather. Fall was definitely here. He opened his closet and took his letterman jacket out of the vacuum sealed plastic. After placing it on, he studied his appearance. <Hey there handsome.> He looked back at Mifune and how the actor had his hair. He wished he could have his hair like that and appear like his samurai ancestors. He chuckled ruefully. He wholeheartedly though he would look like a modern-day samurai if his hair was just like that. If only. There’s this one guy in my class who has his hair in a similar style to Mifune’s. What’s his name? What’s his name? Nathaniel? Nolan? Norman? None of those names sounded quite right. I do feel it starts with N. Meh. I’m lucky I get to have my hair like this. When I told my parent I wanted my hair like this, they though I wanted to be a bosozoku. No, I’m not going be a biker hooligan. I don't have a motorcycle and I have no interest in getting on one.
Hayato gathered his things and headed to the kitchen to have his breakfast. Today was rice and salmon. He used hashi to stuff his mouth. The chopsticks gripped the slivers of fish and clumps of rice while Shadow looked with hopeful attention. <Not for you. You already ate.> Finished, he placed the empty bowl in the sink and crafting his lunch which would be more familiar to his contemporaries. It was a chicken sandwich and an orange, pretzels, and a bottle of water. He put them into his lunch kit. He made sure that the house was secure, and Shadow was safe and able to keep himself occupied while he was gone.
His parents Kaito and Ayumi? They had left forty minutes before he woke up. They worked in the city at Takeda Enterprises. Twenty years ago, they were offered a promotion and other perks to relocate. Although they were friendly with their neighbors and enjoyed participating in many town gatherings, they felt that they were guests in this land. One day, they would leave and head home with their son in tow. He knew he might find contentment in Kyoto, but his heart would always be here. He locked the house and got in his blue Rubicon. He took out his sunglasses from the glove compartment and after placing them on, he headed to school.
North Lake High was close. If he wanted to, he could actually walk there. Head left passing four houses then turn left and go four blocks. Another left and walk two blocks to get to school. Not today.
Hayato parked in the Senior lot which was in the front, and he headed to the main entrance which was before him. As soon as he walked through the doors, he took off his sunglasses. Many recognized him and happy to see him, “Hey Hunter” or “Yo H-Train”. Many of his fellow jocks, especially his comrades on the football team, called him H-Train. If they didn’t play sports, they called him Hunter. He played running back and was renowned for his power and speed. No one called him by his real name. Ever since an embarrassing scene in Kindergarten, he went by the nickname of Hunter. In a way, he had crafted a persona to use when at school. It was like he a superhero. Maybe, someday, I can find a guy who I can open my heart to and show that I'm more than just your run of the mill football jock. Regrettably, he believed that the likelihood of that happening while still at school was slim. That guy. I wish I remembered his name. He can afford to be open. I just can't take that chance. At least my parents know.
Hayato stood in front of his locker and rummaged through it to get ready for first period: government.
