Echoes Of Loyality

The Sakuragawa town always smelled like summer.

The sun was at its peak today, but still it couldn’t stop the children of Sakuragawa town from playing. Kaito, Hideaki, and Yasuda were good friends. They were all born here, played here, and laughed here together. There was a very good bonding between this trio. Kaito and Yasuda were closer to each other than Hideaki.

Today as well, they were playing beside the lake of Sakuragawa town. The town was known for its beautiful sakura trees and the lake. Every year in spring, the lake got covered with petals of sakura trees, which made the lake even more beautiful.

“Let’s go there!” Kaito said. They ran, Kaito was ahead of them, Hideaki was trying his best to keep up.

“Wait for me, Kaito! That’s unfair!” Hideaki shouted

Meanwhile, Yasuda was the quiet type. He was walking behind. He was not running like them nor laughing, hands in his pockets, watching them like he was only a guardian to protect them.

Kaito turned to see Hideaki behind, and he got tripped by a stone. Just then, Yasuda was already present beside Kaito.

“Stupid, who told you to look back while running ahead?” Yasuda said, helping him up.

“But you are still helping, aren’t you?” Kaito grinned.

Hideaki stopped beside them, hands on knees, breathing heavily.

“Hey, it’s like you just ran a marathon, hehe,” Kaito teased.

“Ah… ah… it’s your fault. You guys ran too fast,” Hideaki replied.

They sat on the stones in front of the lake. The wind passed them, carrying their soft laughter and smiles. Among them, Yasuda was the type who listened more and spoke less, but he also enjoyed the time with his friends. They were small, innocent, unknown to the reality of the world ahead of them.

“Hey, let’s throw stones in the lake and see whose stone will go far,” Kaito suggested a game.

“I will win. You will lose. Better think before challenging, Kaito,” Hideaki grinned at him.

“Ohhh, very proud, huh? Let’s find out,” Kaito grinned back.

They stood beside the shore of the lake, took stones in their hands, and threw them one by one. The stones went straight into the lake, and water splashed up. Kaito’s stone went the farthest, and he won. Hideaki got second, and Yasuda got third. Yasuda didn’t like to play much; he just liked to spend time beside them—it was enough for him.

“Hahh! I won, Hideaki. Hmph, better not be proud again,” Kaito beamed.

“Yeah… agh, haha,” Hideaki laughed.

They all laughed openly at his reaction. As the sun started to sink low, hiding behind the mountains, it cast long shadows of trees and of the young boys sitting beneath them.

“Hey, what do you guys want to become in the future?” Hideaki asked.

“Oh, I want to become a professional singer and get many fans!” Kaito replied proudly.

“Ohh, really? I want to become a professional pianist. Let’s make a band together,” Hideaki beamed.

“Yasuda, what about you?” Kaito questioned him.

“I… I have not decided yet,” Yasuda murmured.

“You haven’t yet? It’s alright. Become a singer like us. We will make an amazing band,” Kaito cheered him.

“Ohh! Great. It’s set then. Let’s make a promise,” Hideaki said.

“Huh?” Kaito and Yasuda said in unison.

“We will stay friends forever and then make a band in which all three of us will sing together,” Hideaki almost shouted and held his hand out.

“Great, great! It’s a promise then,” Kaito placed his hand on Hideaki’s.

“O-okay…” Yasuda hesitated, then placed his hand.