Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The cold silence of the hospital room settled with Sunny, numbing his fingers.

Basil's blond hair spilled across the pillow under his head. His thin, weakened frame felt delicate and fragile even for a boy who was already so gentle.

Sunny kept a close watch over Basil as he slept, hoping for any sign of awakening. Annoyingly, every once in a while, grey fuzziness filled up Sunny's vision. Losing an eye brought both pain and a significant loss of visual perception. The worst part of it all was that he could barely perceive depth anymore.

Several times over the past few days, he'd reached out, believing that the object he wanted to grasp—a cup of water, a fork, a plate of food—was a lot closer than it actually was. He nearly crashed his face against solid stone when his unsteady fingers failed to grasp their target, saving himself only by keeping his other hand steady on the back of his chair. Life would never be the same again without both eyes.

Sunny's half-blinded vision was not as painful as everything else he had gone through.

I lost my sister.

I want to cry and cry and cry.

Mari...she's gone.

I can't stop crying.

His friends hadn't taken his confession well. When his words pulled open the curtain over his crimes, his voice fading into silence, a giant wave of sadness crashed over his emotions. Too much sadness.

He could feel the change in their mood. He could see the cloud that had settled over their eyes as they stared back at him.

A knot formed in his gut when he saw the flash of anger across their eyes.

"How could you do that to your own sister?" Aubrey spoke first. "How could you push her when she was right by the stairs?"

Sunny opened his mouth but the words failed to come to his lips.

He could feel their seething anger at him and he understood that words wouldn't do any good. He could explain all he wanted, that he didn't see the stairs behind her or that he hadn't meant to shove her with enough force to make her fall, but in the end his hands were still stained with blood.

"That's an awful secret to keep from us for so long," Kel said, his eyes glancing between Sunny and Hero.

Hero's face was so full of conflict.

"I can't believe you," Aubrey went on. "You killed your sister and you couldn't even come clean. No wonder you locked yourself inside for four years."

Sunny didn't know whether to talk about all the anguish he went through inside his head. It wouldn't help.

"I...don't even know what to say to you," Kel added. But then he turned to face Aubrey.

"Aubrey, I think Sunny understands how bad he messed up. It takes a lot of guts to confess the truth. Maybe we shouldn't scream at him."

Hearing Kel defend him, Sunny felt a tiny shard of hope that he could be forgiven. He knew he could always count on Kel to stand up for him.

"Kel, I can't just forgive him for doing that to Mari," Aubrey replied.

Hero finally spoke. "Sunny. You...seriously...messed...up."

Sighing, Hero stepped towards Sunny with his hand outstretched in a reconciliatory gesture. "But...I sort of had the feeling this whole time that something wasn't right. I just never imagined you could actually pull it off. This probably ate away at you for so long. I'm glad you came clean with everything."

"I'm truly sorry," Sunny said, lowering his head.

But when Sunny raised his eyes, Hero had suddenly dropped his hand, leaving nothing for him to grasp on to. Maybe it had never been a reconciliation in the first place; maybe Sunny had merely clung too hard on to the false hope that all his friends would forgive him.

"You made me think Mari would've really done that," Aubrey went on, her eyes filled with tears, filled with grief and rage. "You convinced me she would've just left us all behind without a sign! You're the worst!"

Sunny felt his heart dropping into a dark and unreachable abyss.

"I—I guess I need time to think about this, too," Kel said with a color of sadness over his face. "Sunny. I know you're hurt...but I don't even know what to think right now. I can't believe you'd do that to your own sister. I want to...I want to think it over, talk with my brother a bit."

Aubrey's tears flowed down her cheeks. "Poor Mari. She didn't deserve this."

"She deserved better," Hero agreed.

"Mari, I'm so sorry," Aubrey went on, sobbing.

One by one, they began to leave the room.

As they passed by, Sunny felt their last stares at him, eyes filled with a mixture of anger, sadness, and pity, the kind of stares one might throw at a criminal just before being sentenced.

Just before closing the door behind him, Hero decided to say one last thing.

"We'll keep it under wraps," Hero spoke in a cooler voice. "I know you're sorry, but I'm still furious. I'll just...try not to make things worse for you."

And then the door closed, leaving Sunny all alone with an unconscious Basil.

I told them all the truth.

They reacted as well as I'd imagined.

Days passed by wordlessly.

His friends didn't come back. He kept wondering if they would at least return to check up on Basil, but besides his mom, the only people who showed up were the doctors who came to monitor Basil's condition. Sunny had little to say to them besides a few "thank you's".

There was one more thing about Sunny's confession.

He'd minimized everything Basil had done.

Basil had been the one who'd pushed Sunny to hang his sister up on a rope after she stopped breathing completely.

Instead of revealing that fact, Sunny had said that he'd come up with the whole plan and persuaded Basil, a witness, to go along with it.

I wanted to protect my best friend.

Sunny didn't know why he covered for Basil. And he didn't just stop there, either.

When his mom visited, he went even further for Basil by telling her that he'd lost his eye in an accident involving garden shears.

She was in tears that her son had just lost his right eye, and pressed him on whether Basil truly shared any culpability.

"Mom, Basil didn't do anything," Sunny said. "I went to his room and started punching him. I took the garden shears in his bedroom and tried to stab him. He tried to protect himself and I dropped the shears from my hand. I tripped and fell and my right eye got stabbed when I landed on them."

"Sunny, do you know what you're saying?" she replied. "Are you sure, sure that you just went into his room and started punching him?"

"I'm really sorry. I was mad that he, that he went along with what I did to, you know. I had a nightmare that night and wasn't thinking straight. He was just trying to protect himself but..."

"Sunny, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have left you alone those three days."

"Mom, it's okay. My head's clear now. I've come clean with everything."

"Sunny, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Mom, please don't cry. I just want Basil to wake up so I can tell him that I'm sorry."

He tried his best to console his mom for the rest of her visit. She'd lost her daughter, her husband, and now her son had just lost his eye; he started crying too. His words became a garbled mess, but he tried hard to make the point that he'd done everything wrong and Basil was not at fault in any way.

Why he went so far to protect Basil from any blame—he felt he had to.

Maybe Basil had protected him for too long, taking all the blame and all of Aubrey's bullying for what he did to his photo album.

And he knew Basil didn't mean to stab his eye. Basil had been in a bad state that night; Sunny understood how much pain Basil was in after learning that his grandma had died.

Adding in that Basil had also learned that his best friend was moving away, right when he appeared to be coming back for him after having abandoned him for four years—

No one deserved to face that much loss.

Sunny had cried when he let in his feelings of sadness for his sister's death that he'd repressed for so long. He became sad and filled with guilt again when his heart uncovered the turmoil Basil had felt over the years, abandoned by his best friend who'd promised that they would go through their pain together.

After pushing away his sadness for so long, crying felt very relieving. But his sadness could not go away if Basil didn't wake up.

Four days had now passed since his friends had left. After her visit, his mom called him every day. Sunny reassured her that he was fine after confessing the truth, that his head was totally clear now, and that he wouldn't go crazy again.

She'd also seen all the flowers people around town had sent to him. So, at the very least, she could feel comforted in that her son was well liked by everybody around town—except his friends whom he'd confessed the truth to.

Right now, she was out moving all their stuff to their new home in the city, but she also apparently had some additional business there to attend to.

Basil, please wake up.

The feelings boiling within Sunny's heart as he watched Basil breathing steadily but lying unconscious on his bed were impossible to put into words.

Out of all his friends, his feelings towards Basil had always brought the most conflict to his sense of self-understanding.

The memories inside himself all felt like a jumbled mess. He still could not fully differentiate between the Basil of his dreams who wore a pretty flower crown, the shadow Basil that pulled him away from the comfort of headspace towards the painful realities of waking life, and the real Basil whom he had ignored for four years.

When the real Basil woke up—if he would ever open his eyes again—

Would he be the kind, smiling Basil that always accompanied his sister at the picnic blanket with a beautiful flower crown on his head, taking photos of all his friends?

Would he be the darker, more serious shadow Basil who felt incredible anger and sorrow at his best friend for abandoning him despite promising that they would always be together?

The little he'd seen of the real Basil in those last three days only told him that the real Basil hid a tremendous web of loneliness and anxiety behind a smile that wore thinner with each passing day.

Even as he watched Basil now, he could see filaments of a dark web behind his head, the shadows of Something that had entangled his best friend for as long as he could remember.

Sunny understood why his heart ached.

He did not understand why it ached so much.

A sudden ringing sound snapped his mind to attention towards the phone on the small table by his chair. The caller was his mom again. Sunny picked up the call.

"Hello, Sunny?"

"Yes, mom? I'm still doing fine. Basil hasn't woken up yet."

"I'm glad you're doing okay, Sunny."

"Mom, what is it?"

"Sunny, I've been arranging some matters at our new place."

He could sense the hesitancy in his mom's voice. She had something to say to him that made her feel worried that it would bother her son.

"What kind of matters?" Sunny probed.

"I've been talking to Basil's parents."

Sunny felt tension spreading through every nerve in his body.

Over the past four days, his mom had been the relay between the hospital and Basil's worried parents. Because he told his mom that he'd started the fight with Basil for no reason, she would've had to relay that news to Basil's parents, and no doubt they'd harbor intense animosity towards him for beating up their son out of the blue.

Or would they?

Sunny had never met Basil's parents before and he had no idea what kind of relationship Basil shared with them. It was probably no relationship at all. Polly had taken care of Basil far more than his parents ever did.

Still, any parent would feel incredibly worried if their son was lying unconscious inside the hospital after a brutal fight with his supposed best friend whom he hadn't seen in four years.

But why won't they come and visit?

"Basil's parents have been really worried about the two of you," she said.

Sunny got the feeling that his mom was skirting around the real subject she called to discuss.

"Did you tell them that the doctors said that Basil is going to be fine?" Sunny asked. "And that he just needs some rest right now?"

"Yes, I did. They're glad that Basil is doing fine..."

Yet they won't visit him?

"But, they've asked me to take Basil with us to our new home for a while."

That dropped on Sunny's head with the weight of a brick.

"What?" Sunny replied, totally unprepared to hear that. "Why would they ask you to do that? Can't you say no?"

"It's complicated," she answered. "But I agreed to their request."

"How is it complicated? What's wrong with Basil staying at his current house being taken care of by Polly?"

"It's not going to be the same for him because his grandma isn't around any longer."

"But how is moving out to live with us any better? Isn't that just going to make things more stressful for him?"

"Sunny, I'm sorry. I know it's difficult because the two of you just had a fight, but you should think about fixing your mistakes right now because you were the one who put him in the hospital in the first place."

The ache in Sunny's heart grew ever more painful.

"Look on the bright side, Sunny," she went on. "It'll be easier to make amends with him if he lives together with us at our new home."

"Mom, Basil hasn't even woken up yet," Sunny said. "Why didn't you wait to reply to his parents until he's at least woken up first? Hear his opinion on it?"

A short silence.

"They really wanted me to," she spoke. "I'm sorry for dropping this on you—and Basil—out of the blue."

Sunny felt a bit angry at his mom, but he was angrier at Basil's parents.

Despite finding out that Basil had gotten into a fight that landed him in the hospital, they weren't even willing to visit him, and now they wanted to throw all responsibility for their son onto someone else.

But Sunny knew he would be a big hypocrite if he sought to avoid responsibility for Basil entirely.

His actions had traumatized Basil, gotten him bullied for years, knocked him out so badly that he was still lying unconscious in the hospital. He was in no place to argue with his mom on the part about making amends.

Still, having his best friend move in with him felt like too much of a burden for him to handle at the current time.

"Mom, this isn't fair," Sunny complained. "I—I don't know. It's just...not what I expected to hear."

"Sweetie, I know it'll be hard on you at first, but I promise I'll help make things work out," she said. "I've already moved all of Basil's plants to our new home since I know he likes to take care of them."

She spent the past four days doing all that?

That meant the deal was sealed and he couldn't object any further. Even if he spent all day complaining, she'd already moved all of Basil's plants to their new home and it would be a great hassle to move all of them back just because Sunny couldn't handle living with his best friend for a while.

"And Sunny, I've booked a therapist for you who you can talk to about your feelings. I've met her. She's really nice. I know the two of you will get along."

"Therapy? Mom, I don't know."

"Sunny, it's really important that you do this. We need to find out why you went to Basil's room and started punching him for no reason."

This situation was entirely his own fault.

"Okay, mom," Sunny gave in. "I'll try my best to get along with Basil at our new home."

"Thanks, sweetie. I'll come over and pick you two up soon. Oh, and please call me if Basil wakes up!"

"Okay. Bye."

"Bye, Sunny."

Sunny put down the phone with a heart full of mixed feelings.

He felt angry at Basil's parents, angry that they were still avoiding responsibility for their son even after all that had happened.

What's going to happen to Polly?

Another emotion, guilt, pushed its way in and made him feel all sorts of internal conflict.

After four years of traumatic separation, they were suddenly pushed together closer than either of them had ever expected. Both of them would get no time to think and work through their feelings by themselves. They'd live under the same roof, see each other every day, have no way of escaping complicated and painful emotions from being so close again.

One more feeling eased its way inside his heart, and unlike his other feelings, this one gave him a very small sense of relief.

He wouldn't be lonely in his new city with his best friend by his side.

The first signs of Basil stirring awake jolted Sunny out of his thoughts.

He rushed to Basil's side, watching him turn and mumble and slowly, ever so slowly, start to return to awareness.

Sunny's heart beat so fast it might spring out of his chest.

Basil, please open your eyes!

It was night time; the light inside the room was always on. All traces of sleep had vanished from Sunny's mind.

He held his breath as Basil appeared to just slightly lift his eyelids.

Sunny didn't know what to say or how to feel. He just stood there. The next few moments determined whether he would be able to forgive himself for the rest of his life, and he realized he was totally unprepared to face them.

Basil's weary eyes opened and came to land on Sunny.

As their eyes locked together, Sunny felt a glimmer of an emotion inside his heart that swept away all his other feelings.

In that moment, the only thing he could do was smile.

Seeing Sunny's smile, Basil smiled back.

The web of shadows that had entangled Basil inside its ruthless grasp for so long, the Something that Sunny had seen that night when they'd fought—

That web receded, vanishing behind Basil's head.

Sunny knew Basil must have seen his own Something—the shadow with a singular eye—fade away as well.

"Sunny," Basil spoke in a soft voice.

"Welcome back," Sunny said, perhaps not the best choice of words to say, but he'd never been good with words anyways.

Basil was a little confused but he kept smiling. "You came back for me."

"Basil, you're in the hospital right now, and you're going to be just fine," Sunny said. "And...I'm sorry for everything I've done."

Basil looked him over up and down. "Sunny, it's okay. I'm not mad at you."

Sunny felt tears welling up in his left eye.

His best friend was okay, and his best friend had heard his apology.

He still had lots more to say, but for now they could be together again and not be angry or sad with each other—for the first time in so long.

"How are you feeling?" Sunny asked.

Basil lifted his hands and rubbed his eyes. "My head's a bit dizzy. And my throat's all dry."

Sunny quickly filled a cup with water and gave it to Basil to drink.

"That's better," Basil said, drinking the whole cup. "Thank you, Sunny."

"Do you need anything else?" Sunny asked.

"N—No, not really."

Sunny could tell that there was something on Basil's mind. He was probably wondering what had happened since their fight inside his bedroom that night.

Before talking about any of that, Sunny reached for a hug.

He embraced Basil tightly in his arms, holding his best friend close enough to feel that he was warm and alive.

A sweet, belonging feeling rose in Sunny's chest as he held Basil close to his heart.

They hadn't hugged each other in so long. Even in the days before the incident, Sunny had never been one for hugs; he'd only really hugged Basil when their friends all shared a group hug together.

The hug they shared let Sunny express through touch the words that he wanted to say—

I'm so glad you're alright.

The times we smiled together, our precious memories that you captured in your photos, and all the things you did for me—

Thank you so, so much.

I'm sorry I couldn't come back for you sooner.

Sunny held Basil in his arms, his heart full of relief and joy to see his best friend awake and smiling again.

Basil lifted his weak arms, a little surprised, and gently hugged Sunny back.

"I'm just really glad that you're okay," Sunny whispered.

"I'm happy that you're happy, Sunny. Thank you."

They didn't part their embrace for a long time, and when they did, Sunny still sat close by Basil's side on his bed.

Sunny spent the next half hour recounting everything that had transpired since that night. When he mentioned his confession to their friends about what they did, Basil grew a little anxious, but he managed to smile after hearing that they no longer had to keep up that awful lie.

I hid Basil's culpability to my friends, but I'll tell Basil that I told them everything...

It's only right after everything Basil did to protect me...right?

He didn't explicitly tell Basil that he'd put all the blame for coming up with the plan to hang his sister onto himself.

Neither did he tell Basil that he told his mom he'd just walked into his room that night, started punching him out of the blue, and accidentally got his eye stabbed when he fell onto those garden shears.

But he did say that their friends were mad at them.

The light in Basil's eyes watered when he heard how their friends had left upon hearing Sunny's confession.

"I understand how they might feel," Basil said. "They must be so mad at us."

"Yeah."

"Sunny, do you think..."

Basil's words trailed off.

Basil must have wanted to ask him whether he thought his friends would ever forgive them. Along with that question, it struck Sunny that Basil must be feeling worried that he would be in for a really hard time once he moved back to his house in Faraway.

This might be a good opportunity to mention that he wouldn't be going back to his house.

I still don't know why my mom agreed to that request, but I guess there's no point arguing about it now.

"Basil, I've got some weird news for you," Sunny began. "I don't know how to break it to you...so I'm just gonna say it."

Basil gazed at him with surprise. "Sunny?"

"Your parents asked my mom to bring you to live with me at our new place in the city. She's coming to pick the two of us up."

Chapter Text

"So I guess we'll be living together for a while," Sunny said, scratching his head nervously.

Basil didn't know what to say. His head threatened a storm of emotions. Did he even hear Sunny correctly? They were going to be living together? Why now? Filled with a gnawing, irrepressible anxiety his thoughts became all muddled. What had happened to him and his already shattered life? What would happen to Sunny...?

Sunny smiled.

The light that glimmered in Sunny's eye was precious.

Seeing that smile, the storm in Basil's head calmed. That smile reassured Basil that Sunny wasn't mad at him. With this relief that only Sunny could provide, his terrifying emotions faded away.

Basil smiled back.

As long as Sunny was smiling and happy, Basil could let himself rest. He could momentarily let go of his need to control his overwhelming emotions.

I was afraid you would be angry to live with me, Sunny.

"I'll try to make everything up to you," Sunny spoke in a more reassuring voice. "'Cause of that fight we had."

"I—It's okay, Sunny," Basil said. "I'll be fine."

"Are you sure, Basil? I can tell my mom if you aren't okay with moving in with me."

"I'm okay with it..."

Covered in bruises and aching all over, Basil should have been the portrait of misery. But Sunny could always make him feel better with a smile.

With Sunny by his side, Basil could endure the worst of his tumultuous feelings.

Even after our fight, I still feel this way towards you, Sunny.

I'm such a joke, aren't I?

Sunny suddenly winced. He brought his hand up to his bandaged right eye, fingers shaking with pain.

Only now did Basil remember what had happened that night.

The garden shears in his hands represented his last resort. Unable to cope with the death of his grandma and with Sunny moving away, he felt like he was being swallowed by Something, and only those shears could drive it away.

It wouldn't hurt, not even a little bit compared to the storm inside his head—fear and doubt and anxiety gnawing away at his being until he was nothing but a dismantled mess. Those shears were his weapon. They'd tear through those biting thoughts, those fanged feelings that threatened to swallow him whole. He would finally destroy that monstrous shadow filled with eyes and mouths.

But when Sunny came into his room, he saw that one-eyed shadow floating behind him, tormenting his best friend. He aimed his last resort at that Something instead. To save Sunny.

These bruises on my arms, the pain I feel when I touch my face...

We had a fight that night.

Basil's breath caught in his throat.

He'd stuck those shears inside Sunny's right eye.

"Sunny, your eye—"

"Don't worry about it, Basil. It doesn't hurt that bad," Sunny responded.

"But I took away your eye..."

The reality of what he'd done sank in. Its effect was immediate and brutal. He wanted to scream.

I maimed my best friend's eye.

Why hadn't he realized it sooner?

Since the moment he'd woken up inside this hospital, Sunny had only been looking at him with his left eye—

It was all his fault—

Agony swept through every nerve in his body, crisscrossing lightning. It set his emotions on fire.

Because of me, Sunny—

No, no, no, no, no, no—

Basil wanted to die right then and there.

Sunny's lost half his vision, probably for the rest of his life—

He's going to hate me—

I deserve to be abandoned again—

A warm hand held his own.

Basil blinked, the feeling of that hand so familiar and yet it came from such a buried long-lost memory.

He looked, and saw that the hand that clasped his belonged to Sunny.

But why?

You hate me, don't you?

He failed to make any sense out of it.

Basil blinked again. He felt burning tears streaming down his cheeks. He could barely see through the water that fogged his vision, but managed to make out the hazy outline of Sunny's face, revealing a faint image that he didn't understand.

He didn't understand why Sunny had stayed for him.

He didn't understand why Sunny didn't seem to be mad at him.

He didn't understand why Sunny held his hand after everything he'd done.

I don't deserve to have you by my side, Sunny.

Words failed to reach Basil's lips. He could only stay there and cry, expecting Sunny to leave him at any moment—

That Sunny holding his hand was all a lie, a hopeful illusion conjured up by his own delirium in his final, dying moments.

Basil waited for the truth to reveal itself, that he was all alone.

Heavy, burning seconds passed by.

Sunny stayed by his side.

I don't understand.

The terror of being abandoned yet again remained deep inside his heart. He couldn't escape it.

Sunny, you're still here.

He couldn't understand what he was seeing. Sunny ought to have disappeared by now.

This had happened so many times before, him imagining that Sunny was there, that Sunny had come back for him, only for reality to shatter his hopes—he was actually alone.

I don't want to be hurt by reality anymore.

To have his hopes be raised, and then for reality to snatch it all away—it was too painful to bear.

But in spite of all his attempts to clear up the truth, all his blinking and waiting and even wishing to be all alone again, Sunny was still there.

Sunny, or at least the image of him, just wouldn't go away.

An image wouldn't hold my hand for so long.

Basil felt something stirring in his chest.

An image wouldn't feel so warm.

He didn't want to admit it, didn't want to bring himself to think, much less say those words—

"Sunny came back for me."

Yet no matter how many times he blinked away tears, no matter how much he tried to clear his head—

Sunny was still there.

Sunny was not going to go away.

It's...

It's really you this time, isn't it?

As Sunny gripped Basil's hand without any sign of letting go, the painful anxiety that had been burning inside him gradually began to cool down. The rapid beating of his heart calmed, going just a little faster than normal now. His agony sank into quiet, tentative relief.

Somewhere, deep inside the most treasured parts of his memory, he unearthed an emotion quite like what he was feeling right now.

A long time ago, Basil remembered a boy who sat at his side, quietly listening as he unloaded all his problems and fears onto him.

The boy was a really good listener. He didn't interrupt to offer any advice. He didn't voice a cookie cutter sentence of half-hearted empathy. He just calmly listened with his full attention, fully taking in all of the words he heard from Basil without any hint of judgment.

That kind of quiet listening was special.

Basil hadn't understood why at that time he valued Sunny listening to his problems so much. After all, he could always rant to his grandma or to his parents on the phone. They often offered him good advice, sometimes even shared their sympathies to let him know that his feelings were valid.

But the way Sunny listened was different altogether.

He'd never pieced it together at any moment across those four years that Sunny had disappeared from his life, those times when he felt deep in his heart that something was missing, something so valuable to him that he'd never feel the same way again if he couldn't get it back.

In the present moment, with Sunny holding his hand as tears flowed from his eyes, as he lay all bruised and battered on the hospital bed, he started to understand.

The boy that had listened to him was special in a way that no other person could ever be.

That boy, with his simple, neat-cut hair, his inexpensive and nothing-special clothes, the quiet expression on his face—

This boy offered him kindness.

Basil had never met someone like him before, someone who was so willing to listen to everything he said without making him feel like he could lose him because of something bad that he said.

This boy became my best friend.

When others listened to Basil rant, even if they were sympathetic to his problems, their words always suggested that his feelings were ultimately the outcome of his own failures—his failure to change the world to meet his desires, or his failure to reconcile his expectations with what reality threw at him.

This boy showed me that, in just one person's eyes, I was fully welcome to share the deepest, most fragile parts of who I am.

By listening in that quiet way, this boy accepted him and accepted all his feelings.

As Basil lifted a hand to wipe the tears from his eyes, those internal flames that had moments ago been burning all his nerves were washed away by cool, gentle waves of relief.

Relief that this boy was Sunny.

Had those flames continued to eat away at his being for any longer, that fanged shadow maw covered with eyes might have even come back.

Sunny knew how I'd feel when I opened my eyes and saw what I'd done to his right eye.

A new wave of tears threatened to break from Basil's eyes.

He stayed at my side to comfort me even when all my other friends left.

These new tears flowed freely, and Basil did not feel hurt by them.

He held my hand until I could understand that he was truly here for me.

Basil managed to smile through all his tears.

Sunny was here, and Sunny wasn't going to go away.

I have to apologize to him.

"Sunny, I'm so sorry for what I did to your eye," Basil said, his voice choked so badly he struggled to make out his own words. "I'm so sorry for being such a bad friend."

"You're my best friend," Sunny reassured.

Hearing those words, Basil broke down completely inside.

He tried to maintain his composure as hot tears flowed out all over again, letting in all the pain and guilt caused by everything that he'd done. Hanging up Mari's corpse, being such a huge burden to Sunny during his last three days in Faraway Town when Sunny should've passed the whole time smiling and laughing with all his friends, trying to kill Sunny on that very last night—

It was all too much to bear. Holding on to Sunny's hand was the only thing that kept him tethered.

And then it was all too much again, when Sunny pulled him forward with their clasped hands and embraced him.

"Basil, it's okay," Sunny said. "I'm not mad at you or anything."

Basil managed to keep himself from crying out loud, although Sunny could definitely tell just by looking at the expression on his face how much he wanted to.

"S—Sunny, I'm so sorry."

Sunny pat him gently on his back.

It was so comforting to feel Sunny's arms wrapped around him, to feel Sunny patting him.

Though more sorry's and more words begging for forgiveness hung on the edge of Basil's lips, Basil just quietly cried until he'd let out all his tears.

I don't want to part from this embrace with you.

Basil didn't want his words to become any more of a burden on Sunny.

Sunny had already given him too much by waiting here by his side, holding his hand, telling him he wasn't mad at him, embracing him.

Basil couldn't understand why he deserved such kindness from Sunny. The words he wanted to say—

"I'm so sorry for hurting you when you were supposed to be happy on your last day here."

"I'm sorry for doing such a horrible thing to you and your sister."

"I'm such a monster for trying to preserve our happiness in that terrible way."

"Sunny, please tell me that you won't leave me again."

Those words wouldn't make things any better between them.

So he could only cry.

"Basil, I'm sorry too," Sunny spoke. "You protected me even though I ruined all your photos. You were bullied for years while I did nothing to help you. I'm sorry."

There were tears in Sunny's voice.

"I'm so sorry for not keeping my promise to you, Basil."

Basil didn't have it in his heart to feel any anger at Sunny for doing those things.

Just a few nights ago, he'd tried to kill Sunny and ended up maiming his eye for life, so if anything, any anger in his heart had already been expressed—

—expressed too far.

"Sunny, I'm not mad at you," Basil said softly. "You had it really hard the past four years. I wanted to be there for you, but, I guess I'm not always going to be the person you need the most in your life—"

"You were," Sunny spoke, hugging him tighter.

Basil's eyes grew wide with surprise.

"I could've been there for you, and we could've gone through everything together," Sunny said. "Instead I holed myself up in my room because I couldn't face my fears."

Sunny pulled back to look Basil in the eyes. "I couldn't face you."

"Sunny, it's alright."

"It's not. I feel really bad about the way I treated you, Basil. You were my best friend and I abandoned you."

I almost killed you, Sunny...

A trail of water flowed down Sunny's cheeks, falling onto Basil's blue hospital robe and darkening it.

Basil didn't know what to say.

I feel that what I did to your eye was worse.

He just let Sunny rest against his shoulder, holding Sunny tight with his arms with the reassurance that he wasn't going to let go.

And I don't want to say that everything evened out in the end.

It felt so unusual to be the one offering the shoulder for someone else to cry on.

Basil was used to being the one unloading all his problems and painful feelings onto Sunny, not the other way around. But now that Sunny had shown his tears to him, he almost felt a sense of relief, a sense that all the pain and trauma that they'd gone through was mutual after all.

Sunny was finally sharing his innermost feelings to Basil.

"I forgive you," Basil spoke, letting those words out as soon as they came to him.

"I forgive you too, Basil. Let's be happy living together, okay?"

A small sliver of happiness grew in Basil's heart, hearing those words.

Throughout all the tears, all the sadness, he'd almost forgotten about Sunny telling him that his mom intended to pick him up to take him to their new home, where he'd be living together with Sunny for a while.

Basil didn't understand why his parents would ask Sunny's mom to do that out of the blue, but he had a feeling it was because of grandma.

Just as quickly as his tears had dried up, they came back all over again with a renewed sadness.

Grandma...

She was the first person to give him a home.

Basil's earliest memories were of a house somewhere far away, caretakers shuffled constantly in and out. His parents worked busy, demanding jobs and were unable to spend time to take care of him. They hired lots of caretakers but also let go of them for reasons that he never got to hear.

As a child, when his arms reached out, they grasped nothing.

He wanted someone to hold on to—his mother, his father, anybody— but no one ever stayed around long enough for him to realize that he could latch on to them for support if he ever felt afraid or lonely.

Then one day his parents sent him away to live with his aging grandmother in Faraway Town.

She felt like a strange figure at first. Strong-willed and full of action, she encouraged him to learn to take care of all the plants that she kept inside her home. He would always remember her words on how important it was to water the flowers just right.

"Don't water the flowers too much, or they'll drown in their soil."

"Don't forget to water the flowers, or they'll wilt and die."

Those words, repeated by his grandma every day and solidified in his daily routine, taught Basil that if he ever felt sad or down, he could always do something to ensure the preservation of another life, even if they were just the lives of flowers.

His grandma wasn't the most affectionate or comforting person—she struggled to express her feelings, and she always favored action over talking—but she was there for him for longer than anybody else, and her words stuck with him.

Because of his grandma, he learned how to make himself useful instead of being a burden. He learned that as long as he watered the flowers, he made each day of his life worth living through.

Her way of living became the thing he grasped on to when he reached out his arms.

If there's someone or something that needs my help in order to live, I'll always help them.

Then school began.

Basil was always a bit shy and nervous around people he didn't know. He struggled to make friends at school. During recess, he hung out by himself in a corner while all the other kids played together.

His teachers noticed this and encouraged him to approach the other kids to ask them if he could join in their games. Basil reluctantly decided to try it out.

At first, things were okay. The other kids accepted him into their group and let him play games like hide-and-seek, tag, tetherball, and other playground stuff.

One day, he found a pretty pink flower growing in the field. It had been uprooted and couldn't survive any longer. He felt a little sad for the poor thing, so he placed the flower in his hair as a way of preserving its memory.

He went back to the playground and approached the other kids.

"What's that in your hair?" a boy asked.

"A daisy," Basil replied. "I found it in the field."

"Why're you wearing that?"

"I think it looks pretty!" Basil said with a glowing smile.

The boy turned to the other kids in the group. In a mocking tone, he sang, "Basil likes flowers! Basil likes flowers!"

Basil didn't understand what was wrong with that.

The other kids all turned towards him and started mocking him, calling him a girlie boy, a sissy, and a bunch of other words he didn't recognize yet.

He felt his face burning with embarrassment as everyone started laughing at him.

But he shrugged it off—lots of other kids got laughed at and got called names during recess. It was probably just a routine every kid had to go through at some point. He always wanted to look on the bright side, and, well, everyone was happy right now! He couldn't ask for anything else.

Later, after school, a bunch of boys approached him.

Basil smiled, recognizing the boy who'd sang "Basil likes flowers!" among them. He usually went straight home after school to go and water the flowers, but deep down, he'd always wanted to have someone to talk to before going home.

"Hey, flower boy," that boy said, approaching with the rest of his group.

"Hello," Basil said, smiling. "I was just about to go home, but if you wanna talk—"

They shoved him to the ground.

Before Basil could defend himself, they pulled the flower out of his hair and started stomping on it. Horrified, Basil tried to protect the flower, but every time he got back up, they shoved him back down, laughing the whole time.

When those boys finally left, Basil picked up the remains of the flower. It was ripped to pieces.

His heart hurt, and he didn't understand why.

Even so, he put the tattered petals back into his hair. It was a beautiful flower and he didn't want it to just...disappear forever.

Once he arrived back home, he told his grandma what had happened.

He barely remembered what she said to him afterwards, because he broke down crying in the middle of telling everything.

But he did remember that she gave him a hug, the first time she'd ever hugged him. Then she gently took the broken flower out of his hair.

Together, the two of them created a memorial for the flower, burying it in the garden behind their house. His heart felt a little less pained knowing that the flower would now rest alongside all the other flowers they grew.

However, the next day, he discovered that his nickname, Basil the flower boy, had stuck.

"Go away!"

"No one wants to play with a sissy like you!"

"Basil the flower boy! Basil the flower boy!"

He went back to spending recess by himself, alone in a corner.

Those same boys from yesterday came again after school. They asked him where his flower was.

A frightening feeling grew inside his heart.

If I tell them, they might come to my garden to dig up the flower and destroy it all over again!

Basil tried to run away, but the boys surrounded him.

He didn't even have a moment to defend himself before they shoved him to the ground.

They laughed and jeered at him each time he tried to get back on his feet, shoving him down over and over again. It was so painful.

Basil screamed for help.

All of a sudden, he heard a familiar voice.

"Get away from him, you assholes!"

His grandma ran up to those boys and immediately threw them off of him. She pushed one of them so hard that he fell down headfirst and got knocked out.

The other boys, fear scrawled across their faces, ran away.

"Fucking assholes," she said. "They don't even have the dignity to stay awake during a fight."

Basil stared at the boy lying on the ground. The boy lay completely still.

"He's breathing," grandma said after examining him.

Something didn't feel right. The boy was breathing, but why didn't he open his eyes? Why didn't he get back up?

Grandma pulled Basil to his feet. "That should teach those boys not to mess with you. Now, let's get out of here before someone sees us."

"What about that boy? Is he going to be okay?" Basil asked.

"Oh, he'll be okay. But, in case he isn't, there are some things you can do if you ever find yourself in a situation where somebody just won't wake up..."

Luckily, the boy was okay. He was out of school for two months due to a "concussion from an accident."

It seemed none of those boys wanted to report that they'd been beaten in a fight by an old woman. Grandma never got into trouble for what she did.

Basil didn't hang out with those kids anymore, and they didn't bother him either. He went on taking care of flowers, every once in a while finding ones to wear in his hair as a way of preserving their memory when they could no longer go on living. When the flower eventually wilted, he buried it in the garden behind his home.

"Sunny, I'm so glad you stayed here for me."

The loss of his grandma a few days ago had come as such a shock to Basil. He didn't know how to handle losing her at all.

"You've been through so much the past few days," Sunny said with a gentle smile. "Of course I'll stay for you."

That smile made Basil's heart flutter.

Whenever I see Sunny's smile, I can forget any grief and pain for just that moment.

There were two people in his life he'd always treasure close to his heart: Sunny, and his grandma.

His grandma was the first person he'd latched on to. The one who raised him.

She was someone who always took action to help others, someone who taught him the value of taking care of things more delicate than himself.

Her being there for Basil meant so much to him. She was a warm fire who melted the cold solitude inside Basil's mind after growing up alongside so many gone-away caretakers. But only his mind.

His heart, Sunny—

Sunny was the star at the center of everything.

Sunny was a boy who accepted the flower Basil had offered him, unlike all the other boys, and he even wore that flower in his hair as he lay in the grass with all his friends just so he could look more like Basil.

Sunny was the boy who listened attentively to him reading his favorite books as they sat together under the tent late at night.

Sunny was the one who showed him genuine kindness by totally accepting him for who he was, even when he revealed all his frivolous problems and inner fears.

Sunny was his best friend who held his hand, who made a promise that they would face everything together, and who—

—Who kept his promise at the end by coming back for him.

Sunny, you stayed for me even when all our friends left.

You smiled when I opened my eyes.

You held my hand as I cried,

and you embraced me with words of forgiveness even after everything I did.

Basil threw his arms in a hug around Sunny, and Sunny hugged him back again.

Holding Sunny close, he could feel Sunny's calm, reassuring heartbeat.

"Sunny, will I really be living together with you from now on?"

"Yeah. I don't know for how long, but my mom pretty much confirmed it. She already moved all your plants from your house over to our new place."

I know I shouldn't say this...

Living with you has always been my dream.

"Oh," Basil replied plainly, hiding his feelings. "Umm, I h—hope you're okay with me living with you."

"Yeah, I'm fine with you coming along."

"I promise I won't be a burden on you or anything like that!"

"Don't worry, Basil. You're still my best friend."

Those words comforted Basil, could almost make him cry all over again, but with tears of joy this time.

He noticed that a tiny glimmer of light had returned to Sunny's eyes, a light that had been lost since the day that his sister died.

A glowing star.

"You're the closest person in my life now, Sunny," Basil spoke quietly.

Sunny smiled, a faint red blush coming over his cheeks.

Sunny, why are you blushing?

Basil couldn't understand all the feelings going through his heart when he saw that blush. His emotions were still a storm inside him—a blinding storm, but as long as Sunny was smiling by his side, that was okay. The storm would be gentle.

His heart felt so warm.

Chapter Text

Basil chatted with Sunny over the next several hours, catching up on all the things they had been doing over the past four years that they were apart.

Having shut himself inside his room for most of that time, Sunny didn't have much to talk about compared to Basil. Sunny mostly talked about the things he did with Kel, Aubrey, and Hero during those "last" three days in Faraway.

Sunny mentioned some of the dreams he had, and the many adventures that he went on as a persona he called Omori. That was very interesting to Basil.

It's so sweet that you dreamed of going on adventures with all of us, Sunny.

Basil understood how much pain Sunny had been in, how badly Sunny would've wanted to forget. He couldn't fault Sunny for wanting to spend some time in a world where they were all together and happy again.

"But I'd rather forget about Omori and everything," Sunny said. "I feel that I'm ready to live in the real world again."

"I'm glad you're back. Still, things might be different now. Kel, Aubrey, and Hero didn't forgive us, did they?" Basil asked.

The nervous curl of Sunny's lips indicated that he was still working through those feelings.

"Sorry," Basil said with lowered eyes. "I know it was hard for you to confess the truth to them. I should've been awake. I should've heard their words myself."

Sunny spoke a little nervously. "It's okay. I'm sure they're a lot angrier at me than at you. Because I made everything worse by locking myself in my house for four years while you still went outside and tried to talk to everyone."

"But I came up with that plan to hang Mari. I lied to them for all these years."

"I promise that they're not madder at you than they are at me." Sunny blinked a couple of times. "I did the worst thing. I pushed Mari..."

Sensing a tremendous discomfort in Sunny, Basil offered to change the topic. "Sunny, I'm sorry. Let's talk about something else."

"Yeah, let's put all this behind us."

I agree. Let's move on from this whole thing.

Even if our friends are going to be mad at us, we still have each other to rely on, right?

Ironically, they didn't opt for a much lighter subject.

The topic of their conversation switched to Basil's personal activities during Sunny's supposed final three days in Faraway. Those memories were hard to relive, but Basil wanted to confront them with Sunny's help.

Basil had spent the whole time taking care of grandma when he wasn't out dealing with Aubrey's gang. On the night after the second day, grandma's breathing became shallow, sounding like she was close to passing on.

Basil could still remember the feelings in his heart when he heard her last gasps of breath.

Grandma, are you really going to leave me?

If you're gone, grandma, I'm going to be all alone again.

I don't want to be alone...

Reliving that heartache gave Basil pinpricks of pain all over his skin, and he started to sweat.

But Sunny was there. Sunny held his hand.

"I'm here, Basil," Sunny promised. "I won't leave your side."

Sunny, thank you.

"I'm okay, I'm okay," Basil spoke.

The last image he remembered of his grandma's face just before she died was the hardest to accept.

He took deep breaths, calming his racing heart until he could talk again. "Grandma didn't want a funeral after she died. She said it was a waste of money and told us to bury her body with some flowers as soon as she passed away."

"That's what you spent the third day doing?" Sunny spoke softly. "Basil, I'm sorry. It must've been hard on you."

Basil wiped a tear from his eye. "I'm just glad I helped her fulfill her last wish."

Originally, she wanted us to bury her body in the garden behind our house, but...

Mom and dad wouldn't agree to it. They were going to sell her house after she passed away and no one would want to buy a house with a dead body in the backyard.

When grandma died, I took her a little ways off from the lake where we all used to hang out, away from all the construction that's being done there. I found a patch of flowers growing in the woods.

Basil remembered speaking his last goodbye.

Grandma, rest peacefully with the flowers you loved all your life.

His vision grew all misty. The loss of the person he felt closest to for most of his life was really now beginning to sink in.

Whenever he took care of his plants, he might by instinct think to himself, "I can't wait to show grandma the sunflowers that bloomed!" or "Hey, grandma, the new buds are sprouting!" and then he would realize—

She wasn't around anymore.

She wasn't around to smile with him after a hard day of gardening work, wasn't around to congratulate him when she saw the flowers that bloomed thanks to his care.

Her warm embrace, her protective smile, her laughter as she cracked her dark jokes—

Even her tears were all gone.

Basil felt hot trails of water flowing down his cheeks. He couldn't feel his heart anymore. The whole world seemed grey and endlessly miserable with the loss of his grandma.

Grandma, I wish...

I almost wish I could come with you—

A comforting hand wiped the tears from his face. The arms that those hands belonged to wrapped around his chest, pulling him into a close embrace.

He felt the heat of a living body, the life of a beating heart.

"Basil, I'll make it all up to you," Sunny said quietly.

"Sunny, it's okay—"

"I never should've abandoned you so irresponsibly. All the pain you feel is my fault. I won't leave you like that again. I'll stay with you from now on. I'll stay by your side until..."

Sunny, I—

"I'll stay until things can go back to the way they were before!"

Basil made a heartbreaking smile.

He knew things could never go back to the way they were before. Not without grandma. Not without Mari.

But it meant so much to him that Sunny cared enough to say those words.

Thank you.

And he had to stop crying so much.

"Sunny, thank you so much," Basil said, lifting his arms to hug his friend back. "I really appreciate everything you do for me."

"I know my actions these past four years haven't shown it, but I truly do care about you," Sunny spoke.

Those words brought a brand new blush to Basil's cheeks.

The feeling inside his chest was warm and so very sweet. Basil didn't want to admit it but he still did feel that same way about his best friend.

Sunny, it's okay if you need some time alone to work through all your feelings.

I want the two of us to make some new memories together. New and happy memories...

But I can wait until you're ready for all that.

Those were the words that Basil wanted to say, but the feelings growing inside his chest prevented them from being voiced.

He knew it was selfish, but he didn't want Sunny to part ways from him just yet.

"I care about you too," Basil replied. "I care about you so much..."

With those words, they fell into the silent comfort of just being there for each other. No more words were exchanged. It was enough to be reunited.

As the darkness of the night became cleared by the soft blue light of dawn and the sounds of morning birds chirping could be heard outside the window, Basil felt his weary mind growing sleepy. He still needed some extra rest to recover from his injuries.

And, judging by the dark circles under Sunny's eyes, so did he.

Basil parted first from their hug. "I feel much better now. Guess we both need some sleep, huh?"

"I'm going to take a nap," Sunny said as he sat back into his chair with his head laid against the wall.

Basil wondered if Sunny would be open to sharing the bed. It'd be a tight squeeze, and not necessarily more comfortable than falling asleep sitting upright in his chair.

He dismissed that thought from his mind.

"Ummm, Sunny?" Basil said, thinking that maybe he could have the chair and Sunny could have the bed.

"Goodnight, Basil," Sunny spoke, and he was already out.

"Oh—oh, goodnight, Sunny."

Basil closed his eyes.

He felt a newfound peace in his heart that he'd lost for so many years.

The truth was out and he didn't have to hide anything anymore. Even better, his relationship with his best friend had been mended and now they were going to help each other heal through their shared trauma just as they had promised on that fateful night.

Secretly, Basil felt really happy that he'd be living with Sunny.

I guess my parents plan to sell my grandma's house and eventually get me to move back in with them, later.

I haven't seen them in so long, though.

I wonder where their busy jobs have taken them now?

Basil let go of that train of thought. It was never productive trying to figure out what his parents were going to do next.

But before drifting off to sleep, he couldn't stop thinking about what would happen to him now.

Sunny's mom was coming to pick the two of them up. She was going to drive him over to their new home in the city.

What would she say to him?

What would she think about him, knowing that he had stabbed out her son's eye?

She probably distrusted him a lot already for having come up with that plan to frame her daughter's death as a suicide.

No matter how he looked at it, she was not going to be the most warm and endearing person towards him.

The only person he could cling to now was Sunny.

He had to trust that Sunny would work things out between the two of them and his mom. Trust that being by Sunny's side would be enough to make them both happy.

Happiness seemed like such a distant concept, swimming amidst this ocean of sadness.

I trust Sunny.

"...Come on...wake up and help..."

"...Do I have to..."

"...Let's move this...and that...into the car..."

"...Mom...can't I just...a little more sleep..."

"...Can sleep...on the drive there..."

Basil opened his eyes.

Bright yellow afternoon light shone through the window of his room. Sounds of feet shuffling about and other movement filled his ears. The smell of an unfamiliar yet strangely nostalgic perfume hung in the air.

Oh, it's the perfume Mari and Sunny's mom wear.

Basil sat up and stretched. He blinked and rubbed the tiredness out of his eyes. When his vision recovered, he found himself staring straight into the faces of Sunny and Sunny's mom.

It's been so long since I last saw you, Mrs. S!

I remember how Kel, Aubrey, and Hero all assumed a different pronunciation of your last name, so Mrs. S was what we just ended up settling with...

To his surprise, Mrs. S was smiling at him.

I thought you'd be mad at me as soon as you saw me.

Maybe Sunny talked to you and told you to be nice to me now that we'll all be living together under the same roof?

I knew I can always trust Sunny!

"Good morning, Basil!" Sunny spoke.

"It's been so long since I've seen you, Basil!" Mrs. S said. She held up a bag containing an egg and sausage breakfast muffin sandwich and a bunch of delicious smelling hash browns. "I'm glad to see you're all right."

Sunny glanced between his mom and Basil with a nervous expression. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better," Basil replied honestly.

"That's great! Here, you can eat all this," Mrs. S said as she placed the bag of food into Basil's hands.

Basil felt his stomach growling. He couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten something. He was actually ravenous. "Thanks...?"

"Please don't feel rushed to eat everything. You can take as much time to eat as you'd like," she reassured him.

She is way nicer to me than I expected!

But is she just hiding her anger at me? She can't possibly be so nice to me knowing that I stabbed her son's eye out...

Mrs. S turned towards her son. "Sunny, go get Basil a glass of water to drink. He looks really thirsty."

"Okay, mom," Sunny said as he went over to the sink.

"Hurry up! Basil can't eat with a parched throat, you know."

Basil raised his eyes in surprise.

Why is she being so demanding to Sunny?

Before Basil could even voice a "I'm really not that thirsty", Sunny had brought the glass of water to his mouth. Basil decided to drink the whole glass out of courtesy.

"If you need anything, please don't hesitate to let me or Sunny know," Mrs. S said.

Basil smiled. "Thank you, but—"

"I know you're nervous about having to move out of your home so quickly after something so terrible happening. I'm really sorry about the loss of your grandma."

"It's okay," Basil said even though he wasn't entirely sure.

"Maybe you want to stay a little while at your house in Faraway? We're going there in a few hours to move the rest of your stuff."

Basil didn't feel the need to stay very long at his grandma's house, especially if all his plants had already been moved out of there. He'd miss the place for sure, but he didn't want to take up any more of anyone else's time.

"Do you know what happened to Polly, my caretaker?" he asked.

"Your parents told me she's moved on to another job," Mrs. S answered.

Wha—? So quickly already?

"Ummm, okay," Basil said. "Did she leave anything behind for me?"

"I saw a note on the dining table, but I didn't read it."

"O—Okay, I'll take a look at it when I go to my house to pack up all my stuff."

"Alright. Once you're all ready to go, I'll drive you and Sunny over."

She turned at Sunny again. "Make sure he's doing okay, alright? I'm going to talk to the doctors to finalize some stuff."

"'Kay, mom."

Sunny's eyes flitted nervously towards Basil, then to his mom as she exited the room, then back at Basil again.

"No need to be polite," Sunny said. "Eat up! You must be hungry."

Sunny wasn't wrong, but Basil couldn't shake away the feeling that there was something off about the conversation between Sunny and his mom.

"Sunny, is everything okay between you and your mom?" Basil asked.

"She's just a little mad at me because I hit you so hard that you were out for six days while I was unconscious for only two."

"Ummm." Basil looked down at his food, feeling a little uncertain about eating yet. "She knows that I'm okay now, though?"

"Yeah, but you know my mom. She really doesn't like it when I lash out at others."

"But I stabbed out your eye..."

Sunny shook his head vigorously. "Don't worry about that, really!"

"Doesn't she...care?"

"I think she already forgave you. After all, she's willing to let you live with me!"

Basil averted his eyes. "Even if she forgives me, she probably still resents me deep down. I feel like a burden on you two. I'd just make your new home uncomfortable because she knows what I did to you. To Mari."

Sunny quickly reached out and grasped Basil's hands.

"You are not a burden," Sunny said. "I promise."

"But—"

"No buts. You are coming to live with me and that's final."

A light sparkled in Sunny's eye, and it was full of warmth and courage.

Seeing the way Sunny smiled so brightly at him, Basil felt relieved. A heavy pressure eased off of his shoulders.

Basil could not forgive himself yet for hurting Sunny's eye, no matter how much Sunny told him that it was okay. His hand had taken away half of Sunny's vision for life. Even if it had been an accident, he had stolen away something precious and irrecoverable from someone whom he loved so much.

He had to bear the burden of that guilt for a while before he could think about self-forgiveness.

I want to do something to help me forgive myself.

As he thought about it, he realized that perhaps, he could be the person to help Sunny ease back into life outside.

He remembered his grandma's words.

"Don't forget to water the flowers, or they'll wilt and die."

Those words weren't just about the necessity of watering flowers every day.

Those words embodied the importance of taking action when it was necessary, setting goals, and working towards those goals day by day.

Basil knew that he sometimes acted too much, took things too far.

But caring for someone who needed caring, showing kindness to a friend who felt sad and lonely, being there by their side through all their pain—

Those actions could never be wrong.

Basil had grown up from the person he'd been before. He was no longer a foolish child who believed that covering up a tragedy, sweeping all that pain and trauma under the rug, could be a good idea. The events of the past few days had taught him the importance of fully facing the truth.

You taught me that lesson, Sunny.

You confessed the truth to our friends, knowing that they might never forgive you.

You showed me how brave you were willing to be, to face the truth head on when I was so cowardly that I would rather have buried it in my grave.

A wet shimmer obscured Basil's vision.

I have to make it up to you.

The warm sparkle in Sunny's eyes gave Basil the strength to smile, to hold Sunny's hands with the new resolve that burned deep inside his heart.

You are the most important person now in my life, Sunny.

I'll protect you.

I want to make sure you achieve your fullest potential.

There was a long road ahead, a new home, a new school, a new life. And Basil resolved to be by Sunny's side at every step of the way.

Together, they would make some new and happy memories.

"Sunny, I know you don't want me to think of myself as a burden," Basil spoke softly. "But I want to do more—I want to be helpful to you! I want to—"

Basil heard a growl coming from his stomach.

"Take care of that first, okay?" Sunny replied, smiling.

"O—Okay..."

Basil blushed as he took out the food from the package that Sunny's mom had handed to him.

This is delicious. I really haven't eaten in many days, huh...

A few hours later, Sunny's mom returned to their room. By then Basil had satiated his hunger and gotten back on to his feet. He'd practiced standing and walking and jumping, confirming to himself that he felt okay. Though his bruises still hurt, he'd regained his sense of balance and the food provided energy again in his body.

"How are you doing, Basil?" Mrs. S asked.

"Pretty good. Can I still call you Mrs. S, by the way?"

"Sure you can! Are you ready to leave the hospital?"

"Yes, let's go."

"Alright. Sunny, help Basil walk downstairs. Make sure he doesn't fall."

That was a little excessive, but Sunny obeyed his mom and took Basil by the hand to support him as he walked out of his room.

I guess I don't mind holding your hand...

The doctors ran a few checkups on Basil to make sure that his health was alright before they checked him out of the hospital. Sunny gave Basil his green vest and brown shorts to wear, having anticipated that he couldn't walk out in a hospital robe.

Basil spent the rest of the day packing all his stuff in his house in Faraway. He really didn't have much to pack aside from some books, small furniture, utensils, gardening tools, clothes, blankets, bedsheets, and a pillow. The rest of the stuff belonged to his parents and, according to Sunny's mom, they'd take care of moving that out after the house was sold.

He found the note Polly had left him and saw that it was a letter of goodbye with some best wishes for the future, alongside a phone number to contact her.

Thanks, Polly.

I know I wasn't the easiest to take care of and I appreciate everything you did for me.

I'll call you later to express my gratitude and my apologies.

Once Basil's belongings were all loaded into the car—it really did all fit in the trunk—they drove onto the road out of Faraway and towards the city that would become their new home.

By the time they got on the highway, it was already late in the afternoon, and Sunny's functioning eye started to look rather sleepy. Sunny's head dipped as he began to nod off.

Basil felt something heavy in his chest as he gazed at Sunny.

I feel so much sorrow for you.

Sunny had lost his sister, and now he had lost his eye.

Having missed school for four years, he was no doubt behind in life compared to everyone else at his age and would need to do a lot of work to catch up. Not to mention all the trouble that might come in the future due to neglecting his health—Sunny's bony arms and weak thin frame confirmed his own words that he slept in bed literally all day for all those years.

Basil felt a responsibility to take care of Sunny. He would be kind to Sunny, he would teach Sunny how to care for himself, and he would protect Sunny from anyone or anything that tried to hurt him in the city or at school.

I'll stay by your side from now on, always.

Just as those thoughts went through his head, Basil heard Sunny stirring, moving.

Sunny had fallen asleep beside him in the back seat of the car—

Basil blushed hard as Sunny leaned his head against Basil's shoulder, almost curling up against Basil with his delicate fingers wrapping softly around Basil's arm.

Their knees touched, Sunny's right leg reclining until it rested gently against Basil's.

Basil felt his heart beating quickly, but he didn't move out of this position. If Sunny wanted to take a nap against him, then he was all his.

The gentle orange evening light, a late summer sky with sparse clouds, the sight of streetlamps zooming by—

The mood of this picture, with Sunny breathing softly against his shoulder, unearthed feelings that had been buried deep inside Basil's heart.

Just like back then.

A small smile came over Basil's lips as those feelings made something in his chest feel very sweet and warm until his head felt all light, the world totally bright and colorful.

He was aware of those jittery knots forming inside his stomach, aware that he still very much loved and cared about his best friend...maybe in a way that meant he wanted to be more than just friends.

But would Sunny feel the same way towards me?

Basil remembered his resolve.

My objective is to take care of Sunny to make sure he gets the healing he deserves.

Whatever might come next of their relationship, he would comply fully with what Sunny wanted.

No matter what, I'll be there for you.

"I'm glad that you and Sunny are friends again," Mrs. S spoke quietly.

Basil blushed again when he realized that she had seen Sunny sleeping against him, could probably still see Sunny sleeping on him in the front mirror.

"Ummm..."

"You know, I wasn't sure at first how I felt about bringing you to live with me and Sunny in our new home," she went on. "I was worried that the two of would have trouble getting along with each other."

A hearty laugh escaped her lips. "But I'm glad to see that you two still care about each other. These past four years have been really hard on Sunny—and I'm sure they've been hard on you, too. I'm just happy to see that Sunny still has a friend to be there for him...he has such a hard time making new friends."

Hearing all those kind words directed at him, Basil didn't even know how to respond. "Th—Thank you?"

"I should be thanking you for going along with such a sudden change to your life," she said. "Basil, if there's anything you need from me or Sunny, really, don't be afraid to ask."

It wasn't my choice to begin with, but...

I admit that I'm really liking this arrangement.

"Thanks, Mrs. S. And don't worry, I'll take care of Sunny for you! I'll make sure he doesn't feel so lonely or sad again!"

She just nodded and smiled.

Wait...did I say too much?

I think she's happy with me, though.

Basil still couldn't understand how Mrs. S had forgiven him already for taking out her son's eye.

Regardless, he would begin to atone for it now by doing whatever he needed to do to take care of Sunny, to make Sunny healthy and happy again.

Let's start a new life together.

Sweet feelings filled Basil's heart as Sunny gently stirred against him. Sunny made no attempt to move his head from Basil's shoulder, still holding Basil's arm with his soft fingers.

Their car rode off into the night towards the bright, nightless city.

Chapter Text

Their new home was smaller than their previous, being a two bedroom apartment instead of a full house. One observation worth noting the moment Sunny stepped into the place was that there were two bedrooms. For three people.

“You’ll be sharing the bedroom with Basil,” his mom told him.

“Wait, mom! Is Basil fine with sharing a room with me?”

“While you were asleep on the car ride here, Basil told me that he’d be happy to sleep on the futon in your bedroom.”

She gestured towards their room, which already had a second futon unfurled beside the one that Sunny would use.

Sunny had not asked his mom to bring the mattress or the bed frame from his old home over to their new place. After lying on that bed for the better part of four years, Sunny welcomed a new sleeping arrangement. However, he did not expect his mom to prepare something as basic as a futon for him. He thought he’d just be getting a new bed and had been hoping for an even softer mattress.

Now I get a mattress as hard as the floor itself!

On the bright side, sleeping with only a cotton futon between his back and the painfully hard floor might motivate him to get out of bed earlier in the morning.

Wait, that’s not a positive at all…

The other thing Sunny noticed about the place was how loaded it was with plants.

His mom really had brought all of Basil’s plants over to their new house. Shelves full of potted flowers lined the walls of the entrance corridor, the living room, their bedroom, and the bathroom; there were even a few in the kitchen. The only room that didn’t contain any flowers was his mom’s bedroom.

All the soil from the plants contributed an earthy scent to the entire place. Sunny kind of liked that smell. It reminded him of happier days from his childhood, days spent hanging out with Basil and reading together with him late at night over at his house. The flowers also added a nice variety of pleasant colors and fragrances to the place’s otherwise bland, empty décor.

Basil came into the living room carrying the last of his belongings from the trunk. “That’s the last of it. Thanks for letting me bring all my stuff over, Mrs. S!”

“You’re welcome! Basil, if there’s anything else you need from me, please don’t feel afraid to ask.”

“Ah—ha, it’s okay. I’m pretty happy with everything so far.”

Basil seems to be taking everything well, too.

I owe him a lot for doing so much to protect me while I was holed up inside my room.

Sunny didn’t understand why, but when he woke up from sleeping in the car, he found that a warm glow of happiness had returned to Basil’s face.

Over the past week or so he’d spent watching over Basil in the hospital, and during those three days before in Faraway Town, he’d noticed just how anxious and sullen Basil had grown compared to the Basil he remembered from the past. He knew that this was his own fault for abandoning his best friend, for being too weak to live up to his promise. Basil had lost his smile because of him.

When Basil awoke in the hospital, those ocean-green eyes had been full of tears, reflecting a heart that was despondent over the death of his grandma. Though Basil had smiled at Sunny at first, his eyes quickly watered. Before long, Basil’s mask broke down, and his face was full of sadness and loss. Sunny had never felt such a strong desire to comfort another person before.

That sadness lingered over Basil’s expression this morning. Sunny could tell how hard Basil tried to maintain a positive attitude when his mom came to pick him up. It wasn’t until just now that Sunny saw a faint veneer of warm recovery on Basil’s face.

I’ve been too hard on Basil and too easy on myself.

Even though I lied to my friends and to my mom about Basil’s involvement in covering up Mari’s death, as well as how I lost my eye in our fight, I feel it’s the only way to pay Basil back for all the hurt and trauma I’ve caused him over the years.

Sunny would find a way to make everything up to Basil if it was the last thing he’d ever do.

When Basil smiled at him in the hospital, when Basil looked at him with tired but contented eyes after he awoke from his nap in the car, Sunny could feel that his best friend still cared about him.

The faint warm glow in Basil’s expression then, that small happiness that bloomed in spite of everything, reassured Sunny that whatever would happen from here on, he could still find comfort and security by his best friend’s side.

It was selfish to believe that Basil would always be there for him, but whenever he felt that gentle stirring in his chest, he could for a moment feel certain of it.

So why is that feeling in my chest so tight?

Basil came up very close to Sunny. He felt his chest grow even tighter.

“Oh, sorry, Sunny,” Basil said, a light pink on his cheeks. “I just have to pass through…”

“My bad,” Sunny said, stepping out of the way so that Basil could access their bedroom.

Did I really just stand there and stare at the wall, thinking about everything?

I have to stop doing that from now on!

Sunny clutched his chest lightly with his fingers.

Ever since he confronted Omori, he’d opened himself up to all kinds of feelings that he’d been trying to repress. Sadness, loneliness, guilt, fear, repentance, devotion, self-absolution. They were painful to experience, but he’d been hiding from them for too long.

In order to move on from the past, he had to let himself feel everything that there is for him to feel, even if that meant exposing his weak will to the totality of the pain that came with acknowledging all the consequences of his actions.

This new warmth in his chest, this heart-constricting feeling, was definitely not something he had expected.

“Sunny, I’m going to take a shower,” Basil said, coming out from the bedroom with a towel and change of clothes in his arms.

“Sure,” Sunny replied, his heart beating strangely faster.

Basil seemed a bit flustered. “We only have one bathroom. Are you sure you don’t need to use it first?”

“I can wait for you to finish showering first.”

“O—Okay.” Basil hurried into the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind him.

Sunny did not recognize the source of that tightness in his chest. He didn’t want to.

Oddly enough, he recalled feeling a similar sensation several times over the course of his adventures in Headspace. Whenever the Aubrey in his dreams came close to Omori, whenever she said something nice to Omori or cheered him on, he remembered that Omori would feel a light stirring in his chest. But it wasn’t as overwhelming as the feeling he experienced right now.

Actually, it wasn’t just Aubrey.

A dashing captain of a crew of space pirates. A cute pink bow-wearing sweetheart who reigned over a grand castle. Feisty sea witches who conducted all sorts of bizarre yet eye-catching experiments. And a flower crown.

Many things inside Headspace gave him that stirring in his heart. They made his body feel all lusty and restless, and being a teenage boy, he knew what to do to seek immediate relief from those feelings. It was just really embarrassing to confess to what exactly had sourced those feelings in the first place.

But in the real world, the feeling was somehow different, more gripping, and it absolutely strangled him.

He was afraid that if he looked too carefully at the cause of the constriction in his chest, he’d arrive at some very unsettling conclusions. As much as he tried to avoid repressing his feelings anymore, he knew that some of them were best left unexamined until he was ready to confront them.

“Mom, how long do you think Basil’s going to stay here for?” Sunny asked.

“As long as he needs to,” she replied firmly.

That’s what I thought you’d say…

“Or until his parents ask for him to come back to live with them,” she added. “They’re pretty busy, though, so expect Basil to stick around for a while. Maybe even for the rest of high school.”

The rest of high school?

Sunny didn’t even want to think about school right now. The new term was coming up and he had an ungodly amount of catching up to do.

After barely passing middle school with grades that teetered on the edge of failure, he’d begun the first term of grade nine before he just stopped caring about school entirely. Those courses left undone represented credits he needed to earn if he wanted to pass high school and, in his dad’s words, have a chance at making something out of his life.

From here on he’d be taking extra courses each term, plus summer school, in order to catch up with the grade he should be in at his age.

Just thinking about the amount of studying he’d need to do gave him the memorable desire to retreat back into a monochromatic world as a monochromatic person.

Erhh, bichromatic?

Sunny went into his bedroom and sat down on his futon with a resigned exhalation of breath.

At least not everything was going to be awful; he had his best friend with him. Basil would be going to the same high school as himself. Even if they were a couple of grades apart, they could talk to each other and hang out together at lunch. Basil might even be able to help out with his homework.

”Stop relying on others so much and learn to take care of yourself for once.”

Sunny was surprised to hear that voice again inside his head.

It came from a very familiar black-and-white figure.

Omori?

Why was he back?

Sunny closed his left eye to clear his mind. He’d felt sure he didn’t have to deal with that part of himself anymore.

Then again, if self-criticism was back on the table, there was a very convenient voice inside his head to do that for him.

Maybe it’ll be different this time around.

Self-criticism is okay. Putting myself down to the point where I’d want to kill myself is not.

Sunny was not about to succumb to Omori’s machinations again.

Just like he’d learned to do with all his other feelings, he’d face Omori head-on. No matter whether Omori made him feel happy, sad, angry, or fearful, once he confronted the emotion inside him, it’d leave its mark, then gently fade away. That mark could be a smile, a frown, his tears, or something else; he’d let it show without reservation.

Okay, maybe a little reservation.

Obviously, he wouldn’t become extremely dramatic and expressive out of the blue. Years of being neutral-faced meant that he defaulted to showing less emotions than the average person. But when confronted with powerful feelings, he’d give those emotions the space they needed, fully feeling their impact on him.

Without burdening other people too much, of course.

It was a hard balance to strike.

The point is: sensitive Sunny, in; emotionless Omori, out.

”You’re forgetting about another feeling,” a familiar voice spoke.

Sunny couldn’t believe it.

In his vision, he saw a shadow boy walking in through the door, a pair of bright glowing eyes.

Not just Omori, but even Stranger had returned.

”You have to confront that tight feeling deep in your heart one day,” Stranger said. ”The sooner you do it, the better off things will be. For both yourself and your best friend.”

Sunny blinked.

It feels funny hearing Stranger say that, considering that in some ways, he IS my best friend..

But despite Stranger’s urging, he was not ready to acknowledge the source of that warm stirring inside his chest.

”Putting things off again?”

”You again,” Omori noticed Stranger's appearance with contempt.

Stranger blinked at Omori. ”I guess I should've expected you.”

Sunny glanced at the computer that his mom had already moved into the room that he now shared with Basil. She’d informed him earlier today that they had Internet at their new place. He realized he could finally do more on the computer than just play blackjack all day.

…He wasn’t sure whether he was ready to do everything he used to do on the Internet now that Basil shared his room.

I’m going to have to learn how to use the Internet mainly for studying and research.

Sunny turned on his computer and opened up Netscape Navigator. He instantly thought of going to download some games, like Tetris or Snake. His hard drive needed to be populated by more entertaining programs than Blackjack.

After some quick searching he downloaded an MS-DOS game, Mario & Luigi. He died by a Piranha Plant.

“Sunny! It’s almost eleven. Go to bed!” he heard his mom shout.

With a sigh, he turned off the game. At the same moment, Basil had finished showering and walked inside his room.

“H—Hey, Sunny. How are you liking your new place? I really hope all these plants aren’t bothering you.”

“It’s okay,” Sunny answered. “I think it’s nice to have a lot of plants around. And you don’t need to call this place mine as if it only belongs to me. It’s our place.”

Basil blinked in a flustered manner. “R—Right.”

“Did you enjoy the shower? Was the water warm?” Sunny asked.

What kind of a question is that to ask your best friend?

“It was the perfect temperature,” Basil said in an even more embarrassed tone. “Why? Do you want to go shower now?”

Sunny was used to not showering for many days in a row. It was kind of bad but he really didn’t accumulate much sweat on his body when he spent most of each day lying in bed.

Okay, that was a lie. His hair got greasy easily.

Now that he was sharing his sleeping space with Basil, he did not want to gross Basil out.

“Yeah, I’ll take a shower,” Sunny said, grabbing a towel and his own change of clothes.

Taking a shower in a new place felt incredibly strange to Sunny. He’d only known one bathtub in his entire life and having to wash his body standing up in a shower stall was a very different sensation. He was not sure that he would be able to get used to it.

It feels like the showers back from gym class got transported into my home!

Not having a bathtub in their washroom felt like a large downgrade in living quality.

A creeping fear of deep water came back to him as he watched the shower water flow down the stall drain. He felt sure he’d overcome that fear by now and did not let himself get bothered any more by it.

Once he was done showering, he came back to his bedroom to find Basil already lying on the futon, wrapped up in light blankets. Basil’s eyes fluttered on the edge of sleep. Yet despite looking ready for bed, Basil had left the light in the room on for some reason.

“You don’t have to leave the light on for me if you plan on going to sleep before me,” Sunny said, smiling and turning the lights off for Basil.

“Oh, okay. Thanks, Sunny.”

“This is your room too,” Sunny said as he sat down on his own futon. “You don’t have to worry about bothering me. I know you’re a pretty clean and responsible person anyways.”

Basil blushed at that. “You think too highly of me.”

Sunny laid his head down on his pillow and tucked himself under his own, larger blankets. “You’re much more responsible than me, that’s for sure. I could never take care of all these plants.”

He turned his head to the left to look at Basil. “Maybe you could teach me a thing or two about gardening tomorrow?”

“Ummm, if you’d like me to, sure!”

“Thanks, Basil.”

I don’t know if I have the strength for gardening yet but I guess it can’t hurt to try.

Basil tried to get me to garden with him before, and it didn’t turn out well because I was so afraid of spiders.

I’ve kinda gotten over that fear now, and all we have here are potted plants, so maybe I won’t have to worry about too many spiders anymore.

“I hope I don’t spill water all over the floor again,” Sunny mentioned.

“Yeah, that would be bad in this place, wouldn’t it?”

“Mom would probably kill me.”

Basil smiled. “Unless, umm, some spiders came along with my plants on the car ride here, you don’t have to worry about seeing spiders anymore.”

“I think I’ve gotten over my arachnophobia.”

“Really?”

Sunny smiled back. “I’m not as scared of them as Hero is, that’s for sure! Though I might get startled if I see a spider without expecting it. But I’m not going to let myself be paralyzed by my fears anymore.”

“O—Oh, that’s, you’ve become really brave, Sunny!”

“I have?”

“I’m really proud of you.” The soft pink blush on Basil’s face was visible under the light that shone through their room window. “You’ve done so many brave things these past few days.”

“I just realized that there were things I had to do.”

The smile on Basil’s face faded away, becoming a more concerned expression. Seeing that look, Sunny felt a small twinge of pain in his chest.

“Basil? What’s wrong?”

“Sunny, I…I’m just slowly starting to come to grips with what I really did to you that night,” Basil said. “Not only that night, but also what I’ve been trying to do all these years…”

“I forgive you, Basil.”

“I know you don’t hold it against me, but I’m still really mad at myself,” Basil spoke. “The fact that I couldn’t accept what happened to your sister. The fact that whenever I thought you were trying to leave me, I would see Something behind you. That night, when we fought, I…almost killed you because I was so deluded by my belief that Something was there, trying to pull you away from me…”

I saw the same terrifying visions around you, too.

“It’s a part of me that I really want to change,” Basil continued. “I don’t know if I’ll see Something again, and I hope I don’t, but if I do…”

“Then we’ll face it together,” Sunny promised.

Basil looked straight into Sunny’s working eye. His lips quivered with a mixture of too many unexpressed feelings.

“Don’t worry, Basil. I can tell if and when you see Something again,” Sunny said.

It’s the same signs I’ve started to recognize in myself.

That terrified look in your eyes—an overwhelming fear, created by repressing feelings for too long, avoiding the truth that reality bombards us with.

I’m sure I had the same stressed out look in my eyes.

Basil’s eyes turned downward. “Sunny, if...”

“When we see Something again, we’ll help each other get through it, alright?” Sunny said.

“If it’s too scary for you, Sunny, you don’t have to face it—”

“No, I want to. I’m done running away. I want to face my fears by your side.”

A light glimmered in Basil’s eyes. “If you’re going to do all that for me…then I’m going to look out for you, too! I’ll make sure to stay beside you if you have to face Something again. We’ll stay together, right?”

“Yeah, we will. I promise.”

Basil’s quivering lips finally settled into a small smile. “Thank you. It means a lot to me.”

“And I’m keeping my promise this time.”

“I know you will, Sunny!”

Your voice just sounded happy again.

“Thanks for believing in me, Basil.”

Basil blushed again, then he yawned. “I’m sure it’ll be a while before we might see Something again. Maybe there’s lots for us to do in this city. You still want me to teach you gardening tomorrow, right?”

“Right.”

“Okay. Then let’s get plenty of rest.”

“Goodnight, Basil.”

“G—Goodnight, Sunny.”

As Sunny watched Basil’s soft blue eyes drift off to sleep, he suddenly felt that tight feeling in his chest again, accompanied by a jittery stomach.

The night in the city was very different.

It lacked the deep quietness of Faraway Town. He could hear cars driving by on the streets outside. Loud conversations drifted up into the air and reached their apartment. Those sounds created a restless atmosphere that was not conducive to sleep at all.

Not only the light from the moon, but the collective light from all the other buildings in the city shone through their window.

I’m really in a new home now.

…How am I ever going to get used to sleeping in a place like this?

At least it looked like Basil did not have to struggle with falling asleep.

Sunny tossed and turned in bed, throwing his blankets off when he felt too hot and covering himself up again as soon as he became cold. He found his eye landing repeatedly upon Basil’s thin frame, observing Basil’s gentle breathing as he slept soundly after too many years spent living with the burden of a horrifying secret.

Basil’s blankets were very thin compared to his own.

Asleep, Basil had curled up with his arms and legs pressed close together. He looked kind of cold.

Sunny felt his cheeks growing incredibly hot as a very curious thought appeared inside his head.

He didn’t want Basil to feel that him being here was any burden. He didn’t want Basil to be uncomfortable in a place that he deserved to call his own room.

Their futons were side by side.

As sleep started to settle into Sunny’s own brain, the lights of the city seemed to grow further away. The sounds of all the cars and voices below felt distant too.

Just before drifting off to sleep, Sunny put his thought into action.

He spread out his blanket to his left.

I’d rather not be caught sleeping like this…

He saw how Basil slowly unfurled his curled up arms and legs as the new, larger blanket covering him returned some much needed warmth to his body.

But I want him to feel comfortable sleeping in his own room.

Sunny rolled his eye and turned his face away.

This was embarrassing.

There was no way Basil wouldn’t call him out on this once he woke up.

Still.

It wasn’t too weird for best friends to be sleeping under the same covers…

Right?

Chapter Text

Basil opened his eyes. The morning sunlight streaming in through the window danced over the outline of a boy who slept soundly beside him, coloring his black hair a captivating shade of dark brown.

He blinked to clear his vision and verified that Sunny was sharing a blanket with him.

Ahhhh! Sunny?

Hot red warmth rose in Basil’s cheeks. His eyes weren't lying to him; he felt more well rested than he’d been in a long time, so he couldn’t simply be imagining things.

You offered me your blanket even though I didn’t ask for it...

Did I seem cold while I was sleeping last night?

The thoughts that followed must’ve turned his face all pink with embarrassment. Basil refused to voice those feelings, even inside his head. He knew his best friend cared about him, but to believe that his best friend would feel something more—as he did for Sunny—was asking for too much after already being offered generosity.

Basil smiled from the heart.

He really appreciated the gesture. Sunny had enough kindness in him to make sure that his friend didn’t sleep cold at night.

Basil carefully removed the blankets over himself and gave them back to Sunny. He didn’t want to wake Sunny up, knowing that Sunny preferred to sleep through the mornings and was groggy whenever he woke up early.

As he stood up to walk out the room, he couldn’t help the feeling that Sunny looked so peaceful, asleep under the morning sunlight.

“Good morning, Mrs. S,” Basil spoke quietly outside their bedroom.

“Morning, Basil,” she replied with a bright smile. “How was your sleep last night?”

“It was great!”

Did Mrs. S see Sunny and I sleeping under the same covers? I don’t think she would’ve come into our bedroom without knocking…

“Sunny didn’t bother you?” she asked.

Basil wished he could express that Sunny did the exact opposite of bothering him.

“No, not at all,” Basil replied, deciding to keep Sunny’s good deed secret.

“Sunny used to always stay up late playing video games,” she continued. “I used to try so hard to get him to sleep on time so that he wouldn’t miss his alarm in the morning. If you ever catch Sunny playing games after eleven, feel free to drag him to bed!”

She laughed, and Basil smiled as well.

Sunny can play all the video games he wants!

They spent the morning cooking breakfast together. Mrs. S remarked with wonder at how knowledgeable Basil was at cooking, even though all he did was fry some eggs and sausages. Basil told her he was just trying his best to make a decent breakfast but she just kept shoving gratitude towards him.

Given Sunny’s knowledge of cooking, Basil knew that not every kid received the same kitchen training his grandma had taught him.

When Sunny finally awoke, Basil had already eaten and prepared an extra plate of eggs, sausages, and toast for him. Sunny was incredibly hungry. He devoured the plate, washing the food down with a glass of orange juice.

“Thanks for cooking for me, Basil,” Sunny said. “That was delicious.”

“No problem!”

“You should learn how to cook from Basil,” Mrs. S said. “You’re growing up, Sunny, and you need to start learning to take care of yourself.”

“I’m bad at cooking,” Sunny protested. “Remember when I tried making eggs but I burnt my hand on the stove?”

“I know. But you should try again one of these days.”

“I don’t wanna learn to cook right now. There’s lots of other things I have to catch up on first, right?”

She sighed at his response while she washed their dishes. “If you don’t learn how to cook, how are you going to survive when you become an adult?”

“Maybe I’ll be lucky and Basil can cook for me.”

Lava rose into Basil’s cheeks, hearing those words.

Did Sunny just imply that I’ll still be around to cook for him by the time we’re both adults?

Sunny turned at Basil and smiled at him.

“Sunny, don’t joke around,” Mrs. S scolded.

“It’s o—okay,” Basil said. “I don’t mind cooking for Sunny. I can also teach him once he’s ready!”

“Gosh, Basil is so helpful,” she said to Sunny. “You should learn to cook from him soon.”

“Actually, Basil was going to teach me gardening today,” Sunny replied. He faced Basil. “Gardening lessons are still on, right?”

“Y—Yes!” Basil said.

“Gardening?” Mrs. S spoke. “Okay. I think it could be useful for you to learn to take care of Basil’s flowers.”

I’m glad she approves!

Mrs. S stood up and grabbed her wallet. “I’m going to head out to buy some groceries.”

“Okay,” Basil said. “See you later, Mrs. S!”

“Oh, you’re too nice,” she said back. “Sunny never says goodbye to me or anything like that when I have to go out!”

Sunny rolled his eye.

While Mrs. S was out, they spent the morning gardening together. Basil let Sunny water the sunflowers.

He taught Sunny the right amount of water to fill the watering can with, how to properly water each pot based on the quantity of soil and flower size—the flow of water from the watering can was important!—and how to assess when the sunflowers were watered enough, when they needed watering again.

As the morning sun rose into the sky and bathed the city landscape in bright light, the sunflowers placed upon the windowsill seemed to ever so gradually turn to face the sky outside.

Grandma, I’m doing good, aren’t I?

The lessons you’ve taught me—I’m passing them on to Sunny today.

Basil had expected Sunny to be a little clumsy, to spill a bit of water over the floor as he watered the flower pots. To his surprise, Sunny took the job a lot more seriously than before.

Sunny listened carefully to Basil’s instructions and carried them out with a meticulous hand that had no doubt been colored, perhaps traumatized, by the knowledge of what a pair of hands could do if they weren’t too careful.

When a few drops of water dripped over the mouth of Sunny’s watering can onto the floor, Basil grabbed a piece of tissue to clean it up. But Sunny had been prepared; before Basil could help, Sunny had already cleaned the floor with a small handkerchief towel he kept inside his pocket.

“No worries,” Sunny spoke, smiling.

Basil felt his face flushing at that smile. It was so cute.

He was glad that Sunny had made the effort to change and learn something new. But Basil would never be the type of person to criticize Sunny for who he was on the inside.

You still are the Sunny I remember.

But life has shaped us both in an incredible way, hasn’t it?

Basil wanted to watch over Sunny as he adapted to regular life again. He’d protect and guide his friend at every step of the way.

Sunny didn’t show it, but Basil knew that Sunny had the most sensitive heart, one that deserved to be shielded from harm.

Having heard, back at the hospital, some of Sunny’s stories about the dreams he experienced back when he was a shut-in, Basil knew Sunny cared the most about preserving their happiness out of all his friends. Someone who didn’t care about their friends would not spend years dreaming about the days when they were all together and happy. Only Sunny could devote so much of himself to protecting those days where everyone’s smiles seemed eternal.

Even if it was selfish to live alone in that dream world, Basil could understand the wish of the boy who spent years trying to believe that world was real.

My best friend has a heart too fragile for the life he was burdened with.

That’s why I have to be there for him.

“You did a really great job, Sunny!” Basil said once all the flowers had been watered.

“Thanks,” Sunny responded with a tired smile. “You taught me a lot about taking care of flowers today.”

Basil blushed at that compliment. “Because you’re such a good learner.”

Sunny turned his left eye away. “Really? I was awful at gardening before.”

“I can tell that you’ve set your mind to learning gardening with me. That’s why you did so well!”

”You’re such a good learner, Basil,” grandma had once said to him.

”I thought you’d hate taking care of flowers—most boys do—but you’ve soaked in all my knowledge about gardening so quickly!”

”You’re kinda like a flower yourself, eh Basil?”

Basil smiled in spite of the sadness he felt in his chest, remembering all of his grandma’s words.

Sunny, as keen an observer as always, took notice of this. “Basil, is something making you sad?”

“Oh, u—hmm, I, uh, I was just thinking about my old gardening lessons with my grandma.”

Basil didn’t want to burden Sunny with his sad feelings but he really couldn’t think of anything else to say to Sunny at the moment.

Sunny walked close towards Basil, patting him softly on his shoulder. “You can talk to me about it if it helps you feel better.”

Basil’s heart was beating in overdrive. He didn’t want to admit these feelings but it felt so good to be patted by Sunny like that.

“Thank you, Sunny,” Basil spoke quietly.

He saw a little smile over Sunny’s face. Whatever remained of the frost that had coated Basil’s heart over the years was melted away by that smile.

I don’t actually want to talk about how sad it feels to lose my grandma.

Instead, I want to talk about something…happy. A happy memory I shared with her.

Basil glanced at all the flowers in his house, the pots stacked upon the shelves, the sunflowers placed by the windowsill, the neat rows of carefully organized plants that sat all along the walls of the living room and the entrance corridor.

Those flowers didn’t fit this urban apartment as well as they did the garden of his grandma’s house.

Still, I’m grateful that Mrs. S brought all my flowers over with me.

Knowing my parents, they wouldn’t have bat an eye at letting all the flowers in grandma’s house die, uncared for, after she passed away…

Maybe I can find a new home for these flowers in this city?

Basil remembered a dream his grandma used to have.

“Sunny, I want to share something with you,” he spoke.

“Sure,” Sunny replied.

“My grandma had a dream once,” he began. “She dreamt she was walking through a big field full of flowers. Everywhere she went, flowers just kept showing up! She thought the field would come to an end eventually, but no matter how far or how long she walked, the field kept going on and on. More flowers kept appearing. It was the most beautiful place she’d ever seen.”

Sunny nodded in his characteristic way, showing that he was listening intently to Basil’s every word.

"Grandma had that dream when she was just a young girl,” Basil continued. “She told me she wanted to take all her children to that flower field one day. Except, ummm, my dad never liked flowers, so that was kind of a letdown. But after having that dream, she kept searching for a place like that all her life.”

“Did she find it?” Sunny asked.

“She…never told me,” Basil replied. “I’d like to believe that she found it, though.”

Basil turned his eyes down as he spoke those words.

Sunny gazed at the sunflowers he’d just watered on the windowsill. “Maybe. Who knows? The world’s a lot bigger than what we’ve seen.”

“Haha…I appreciate the thought, but an endless field of flowers? That can’t exist!”

“What if we plant one?”

Basil perked up. “Huh?”

“I watered a lot of flowers in my dreams,” Sunny said, smiling. “It was kind of fun, actually. Maybe it’d be really fun to take care of a vast field full of flowers.”

Sunny, you always know how to speak to my heart…

“Ah—ah, that would be nice, wouldn’t it?” Basil replied.

Just then, the front door opened. Mrs. S came back with her hands full of groceries.

“You boys should take some time to explore the city,” she said. “It’s a really big and interesting place! Much more interesting than the Faraway suburbs, that’s for sure.”

“Hey, Mrs. S,” Basil spoke. “Yeah, this city feels totally different from our home before, huh?”

“We finished watering all the flowers for the day,” Sunny mentioned.

“Sunny was a great help!” Basil added. “He picked up gardening really quickly and he made watering my plants so much easier for me.”

“Oh, he did?” Mrs. S said. “Well, Sunny, I’m glad you’re making an effort to learn new things. I bet you boys are really hungry right now. How about I whip up lunch?”

“Let me help!” Basil offered.

Sunny seemed embarrassed to sit around and do nothing while his mom and his friend cooked lunch. Basil made a mental note that maybe he shouldn’t act so productive in case Mrs. S scolded Sunny for being lazy in comparison.

I don’t even think Sunny’s lazy at all—he just needs time to readjust to life outside the bedroom again.

At the lunch table, Mrs. S brought up a topic for which she asked permission from Sunny to discuss in front of Basil. Sunny agreed to talk about it without much fuss.

“Sunny’s going to be seeing a therapist tomorrow,” she said.

“Oh, that sounds nice,” Basil replied, feeling awkward because he didn’t know what to really say.

Sunny’s left eye flitted back and forth between the two.

“I just want Sunny to talk to someone about his feelings, find out what’s been going on with him since, well…that incident,” Mrs. S continued. “He hasn’t exactly been himself, has he?”

Umm, sorry to not be with you on this, Mrs. S, but neither was I!

After what I did…what I made Sunny do to his sister…I think I’m the one that needs therapy…

“I really feel better now that I’ve confessed the truth to my friends,” Sunny spoke. “I guess therapy might help, too.”

Sunny’s mom knows about the truth?

Shouldn’t she be a lot angrier at me?

“Sunny, when you see the therapist tomorrow, make sure you discuss all your feelings with her,” she said. “Don’t worry about getting in trouble—I made very sure that this therapist wouldn’t report you about, well, you know.”

I think she knows what I did, but…

Why hasn’t she shown any sign of being mad with me?

Basil kept his mouth shut.

“Okay, mom,” Sunny said. “Can we talk about something else?”

“So school starts in a couple of weeks, huh?” Mrs. S responded with a nod.

Sunny groaned. “Can’t believe I have to go back to grade nine.”

“By the way, Basil, your parents registered you for the high school nearby,” she said, facing him. “You’ll be going to the same school as Sunny, but—” and she turned back to Sunny ”—in grade eleven.”

Basil smiled as best as he could. “I’ll help Sunny as much as I can with his courses!”

“Thank you, Basil, but Sunny needs to study hard by himself, okay?” She looked at her son. “You have a lot to catch up on.”

“I know, mom,” Sunny said. “Can we not talk about school? I can worry about school once it starts.” He glanced at Basil. “How about we go explore the city a bit?”

Basil turned at Sunny. “Where do you want to go?”

“I don’t know, just walk around?”

“…Sure, sounds good to me.”

I don’t know this city at all, but as long as I have Sunny by my side, I’ll be okay.

“Okay, you boys can go explore the city this afternoon,” Mrs. S said. “But be back by 6 PM for dinner.”

“Yeah, we’ll be back before then,” Sunny promised.

After helping Mrs. S wash the dishes, Basil put on a light white shirt suitable for the weather outside. To his dismay, he didn’t have any flower pins left.

I wonder where I can get any around here?

He was also not used to having to ride an elevator down to the ground floor just to be able to go outside. It felt like his home had become that much more disconnected from the outside world.

On the bright side, it was a nice and sunny day out.

The bustling city streets and tall buildings felt like a totally alien world compared to the quiet suburbs of Faraway. Aside from a few patches of grass on the sidewalk, there were no lawns, no gardens, no summer flowers to decorate the grey cement. Cars rushed by at deathly speeds. There were so many cars on the road that Basil felt like the city was a place for cars to live, not humans.

At least there were lots of small pretty trees on the sidewalk. The late summer heat had dried brown their leaves.

Basil didn’t feel entirely unfamiliar in this environment. He remembered living in a city with his parents when he was very young, before he moved in with his grandma. The details of that time were hazy in his memories but he remembered the large crowds, the endless stream of cars on the roads, the towering skyscrapers that loomed above his head.

This city was very much alike.

Sunny was shy as he walked by Basil’s side. His working eye glanced nervously at all the new sights. He did not make eye contact with any of the strangers that passed by, actively avoiding their gaze. When they crossed roads, Sunny seemed wary of the cars that waited perpendicular to their path, as if paranoid that any of them might speed forward and run them over.

After living in Faraway for the better part of my life, I feel a bit anxious around all these cars, too…

Who thought it was a good idea to let everyone drive a two ton death machine?

Basil missed Faraway already.

He tried to look on the bright side of things. City living would probably be more convenient for Sunny, since there were convenience stores and restaurants on every block; Sunny wouldn’t starve here as long as he had money in his pockets.

Basil remembered how back then, Sunny was so averse to walking far distances that he wouldn’t even bother going to Faraway Plaza to grab food when he felt hungry, preferring to starve until his parents cooked his next meal. Now they could just leave their building and find three restaurants plus two grocery stores on the other side of the street.

There were many more things to do in the city compared to Faraway. Glancing at a public map, Basil saw parks, museums, public squares, libraries, music halls, movie theatres, and even a garden conservancy. They could be fun to visit. He might even be able to do some volunteering at the garden.

I should also look for a part time job if I have time.

If I have spare money on my hands, I could take Sunny out to lots of places to have fun!

“Any place you want to visit?” Basil asked.

“Not really,” Sunny responded with a shrug.

“How about the library?”

A glint of light flickered in Sunny’s eye. “Okay.”

The hot, muggy air hastened their pace so they could get indoors.

On their way to the library, they passed by the city square which hosted a large, bustling district of businesses that Basil assumed constituted the high-end professions such as banking and law.

My parents told me that if you see a building with lots of glass windows and no balconies, it’s probably a bank or an IT firm.

Basil had never cared much about getting a high paying profession. He remembered grandma complaining that that was all her son and her daughter-in-law cared about—making money. Ridiculous amounts of money.

My parents always moved around a lot, job hopping every two years to claim ever higher salaries.

I forgot what their jobs were...

When they walked past a building with a digital monitor looming above its front door, numbers and names flashing across the screen, Basil suddenly received a pang of déjà vu.

He couldn’t recall exactly what was on the monitor but he felt it had something to do with the stock market his parents always talked about. There were so many terms in that sector that he could never keep track of them all or what they meant.

Stocks? Indexes? Funds?

Why does that monitor feel so familiar…?

Is this a city a place where my parents have worked before?

He received a chill down his back when he considered the possibility that his parents might be in this city.

Six years had passed since he’d last seen his parents. He wouldn’t know what to say to them if he saw them again.

Why didn’t you visit grandma when she was about to die?

That was the question he’d start with if he felt like being confrontational.

Grandma always told me that her relationship with her son was a bit strained, yet she never explained why.

Basil shook those questions out of his head. His parents could wait. He was with Sunny right now and he wanted to take care of Sunny, help him adjust back to life outside.

When they reached the library, they were surprised by how big it was compared to the library back in Faraway.

The air conditioned inside provided immeasurable relief to Basil. And to Sunny too, judging by the sweat on his hair.

This library was a haven for book lovers. It had five floors, each floor exhibiting an open design, allowing people to look out from the railing and see the whole library. The towering bookshelves reminded Basil of stories from his childhood where the characters visited giant libraries that always had a book to help them on their quest.

Basil loved reading, and not just books on flower care and botany. He’d always loved reading novels together with Sunny. Mari used to recommend lots of great books and Basil would read them while Sunny listened to his voice with wide, curious eyes.

They’d read detective novels, fantasy stories, fairy tales, urban fiction, science fiction, bildungsroman, and many other genres. Sunny didn’t seem to prefer any genre, only that Basil was the one reading the book to him.

Basil nearly blushed thinking about that.

Sunny, would you like me to read novels to you again, just like we did back then?

Maybe we can find a book that you’d really enjoy.

After browsing the library for the better part of an hour, Basil was surprised to find that Sunny had picked up a bunch of comics and manga.

“I didn’t know you enjoyed comics, Sunny!”

“I like the art in them,” Sunny replied.

Oh right, Sunny is a really good artist!

Haven’t seen any of his drawings lately, though.

“Did you find any books, Basil?” Sunny asked.

“Uh, a few…”

Basil had been searching for the same novels he used to read with Sunny, wondering if Sunny would enjoy hearing him read them out loud to him again. It was kind of a childish wish. They were both sixteen years old now and reading books to each other was not really something friends or even best friends did for fun…

I shouldn’t be so wishy-washy.

Sunny’s growing up, he’s not going to appreciate me reading books to him as if we’re still children.

Still, he could always hope.

Basil brought along a book about characters growing up in a quaint seaside village that he’d read before—on Mari’s recommendation—and sat beside Sunny at a table.

He started reading the novel, but he found himself distracted by what Sunny was reading. Every few seconds, Basil’s eyes glanced over to see what was going on in the panels that Sunny flipped through.

At first the comics were stereotypical action hero stuff, but when Sunny flipped open the manga he’d picked up, Basil felt his face flushing red.

The manga was a popular shoujo that featured a cast full of pretty boys with long hair. It was about a budding romance between a teenage girl and her cute crush, the captain of the tennis team. In one of the chapters, there was a subtle hint that two of the boys were into each other.

I read that manga because I was curious if the two boys ended up together.

I’m still waiting for the latest volume to be translated into English…

He couldn’t believe that out of all the manga Sunny could’ve chosen to read, he went for that one.

One of the boys in the story even wore a flower pin in his hair!

Basil felt his face growing redder and redder as Sunny flipped through the pages of the story. He wanted to ask Sunny why he picked that manga but couldn’t grow the courage to do so.

Eventually, Sunny turned towards him.

“Did you read this manga before, Basil?”

How did he know?

“Umm, yeah, I did,” Basil replied quietly, averting his gaze.

“I thought you’d like this book,” Sunny spoke before turning back to resume reading.

Basil felt close to fainting.

A thousand different interpretations of what Sunny had just said flashed through his head.

”I thought you’d like this book”?

He couldn’t figure out if Sunny meant what Basil thought he meant.

Basil’s head felt light. Maybe it was from all the heat outside. Maybe he just needed to drink some water.

He tried to focus back on reading the novel in front of himself but he just couldn’t concentrate.

Just being beside Sunny was making him all flustered.

Sunny finished the book. He turned back at Basil and smiled.

“That was fun,” Sunny said lightheartedly. “I’m going to see if they have the next volume.”

Chapter Text

The manga Sunny was reading had caught his eye because of the attractive cover. He’d picked up the book, drawn towards the beautifully illustrated characters all of whom had long, colorful hair and pretty, glowing eyes. Nevermind that most of them were boys! At least he found the heroine to be quite alluring, so if anyone—ahem, Basil—asked, he could just say that he liked the main character, an adorable sixteen year old bookworm girl who had a crush on the captain of the high school team.

As he read through the book, he discovered that the captain was an awesome character. He was a kind and devoted person who cared a lot about the people he was close to. Anyone could fall for that personality. With his fluffy dirty-blond hair and those beaming aqua eyes—

Fluffy blond hair? Blue-green eyes?

Basil seemed to be reading his own books with a distracted air when he suddenly stood up from his chair.

“H-Hey Sunny, do you mind if I head out for a few minutes? I just want to go buy something.”

“Sure,” Sunny replied.

“See you in a bit. Don’t leave the library without me!”

“Don’t worry, I won’t.”

Sunny was midway through reading the second volume when a familiar black and white presence began to appear next to him. The black-eyed boy, still dressed in a dark tank top and striped shorts, sat next to Sunny and watched over him observantly as he flipped through the manga.

Why are you back?

”You can’t get rid of me. You thought you did when you accepted the truth, but I only temporarily melted away.”

I don’t need you.

”Are you certain of that?”

Omori leaned his elbow against the table and propped his face against his hand. As Sunny read through each panel and chapter, Omori drummed his fingers against the library table. Those dark, lightless eyes scrutinized Sunny with a keen glare, as if daring him to try to seek the truth.

Sunny almost reached the end of the second volume. He found the heroine to be an attractive-looking girl but her personality was just so bland compared to the captain of the tennis team. She had good grades and was nice and respectful to all her friends and family, reminding him a bit of his own sister. Yet the captain was just so much more interesting. Although he put on a positive exterior, his relations with his family were rough and it seemed that with each passing day, he was getting more and more stressed out over all his social obligations. To make matters worse, he had a dark secret that nobody dared to mention.

Omori tapped a finger against Sunny’s arm.

What do you want?

”You have feelings you consider undesirable.”

I don’t have any!

”Things are different between us now, Sunny. Since our confrontation, I’ve realized that you’re tougher than you seem. You faced the truth and pulled through your confession even though I told you that you weren’t going to make it. So I’m not going to ask you to kill yourself again…”

So what are you doing here?

”You have new troubled feelings and you’re not ready to accept them yet.”

I don't! Stop telling me I do!

Omori’s eyes pierced through Sunny’s weak mental barrier.

But before that confrontation with his inner demon could escalate, Basil came back wearing a brand new red flower pin in his hair.

“Hey, Sunny!” Basil announced with his characteristic smile. “I found a store that sold flower pins!”

“That looks great on you,” Sunny replied.

“Ah-ha, thank you! So, how’s the book? If you really like it, we could come back here with our IDs tomorrow and get library cards.”

“It’s good,” Sunny replied. “I’ll ask my mom for my ID next time. You brought your ID along when you moved out of your house, right?”

Basil nodded. “Also I, umm, found some books that we used to read together.”

Sunny glanced at the books in front of Basil’s chair on the table and discovered that he’d regathered a whole collection of mystery novels that they used to read together.

Personally, he loved those novels, and he especially loved all the different voices Basil used when he narrated the dialogue. Back when they were kids, he could stay up all night listening to Basil read those tense confrontation scenes between the detective protagonist and the villainous murderer. Basil knew how to narrate with so much emotion.

I guess I’m the villainous murderer now.

”You’ve got a great accomplice in your crime, too,” Omori added. ”You never would’ve pulled off your escape without him, huh?”

I didn’t ask for your input, Omori.

“I’d love to hear you read those books to me again,” Sunny said to Basil with an openhearted smile. “Some new novels, too.”

Basil’s face went quite red. “Yeah, wouldn’t it be fun reading together just like back then? But I guess we’ll have to put these books back for today.”

“Let me help.”

While Sunny and Basil went to return their books, Omori followed behind.

”Flower pins and flower crowns in your head...”

Be quiet already!

”Your undesired feelings are related to Basil?”

What? Basil is just my best friend!

”You can always count on me to eliminate those feelings. I’ll get rid of them once and for all.”

Don’t you dare touch Basil!

”I’m not going to do anything to Basil.”

You better not.

”I’m just here to lock your feelings away beneath White Space until you’re ready to face them…or until they get so overwhelming that you’ll fall back into Black Space. It's easy for me to take over once you are exposed to the darkest parts of your-”

“Uh, Sunny?” Basil spoke. “You’ve been staring at the wall for like half a minute.”

“Oh, sorry,” Sunny said, shaking his head. He glanced at the nearby clock on the wall, which said five thirty PM. “Is it time to go?”

“Yeah, we’d better get home before your mom gets mad at us.”

“Right. Let’s go.”

The sun was setting by the time they got back home. Sunny noticed just how different the sunset looked in the city compared to in Faraway. The tall buildings obscured the sun, preventing him from seeing that familiar orange disc as it descended beyond the horizon. He expected darkness but instead saw lights shining everywhere. The city at night was a spectacular landscape, full of glimmers.

At the dinner table, Sunny ate quietly while Basil and his mom chatted about their day.

He was uncomfortably wary of the fact that his mom would only act nicely towards Basil so long as she believed in the lie that he made to protect Basil.

My mom thinks I tried to kill Basil with his garden shears but accidentally stabbed my own eye out because I tripped.

She probably feels so sorry for Basil that he has to deal with a horrible person like myself.

“Did you two discover any good places to go to?” she asked in a way that insinuated he should join in their conversation.

“We went to the library and found some great books,” Basil replied. “Next time we’re thinking of bringing our IDs along so we can get our own library cards.”

“Sunny got back into reading?” she said, facing her son. “That’s really good news.”

“I’ve always liked reading,” Sunny said; kind of a lie because he barely ready anything during his four years shut inside his room. “Especially manga.”

Basil glanced at Sunny with a cute smile.

“It’s good that you enjoy reading, but I hope you can pick up a textbook and focus on studying once you get back to school,” she replied.

“I’ll study when I need to. Why can’t I read for fun?”

Basil backed Sunny up on that. “I love reading novels together with Sunny! He’s such a good listener.”

“It’s just a matter of priorities,” his mom responded. “Once school starts, Sunny needs to make sure he puts his courses front and center.”

Sunny rolled his working eye. He didn’t like how his mom kept talking down to him as if he was a child that always needed supervision and reminders.

Not that he was entirely without sympathy for her. The past few years did not inspire confidence in his own abilities.

But since confessing the truth and making up with Basil, he’d discovered that he felt a lot more open to trying out new things. He felt capable of taking constructive action. He didn’t know why exactly he’d changed.

It felt as if a part of him suddenly clicked, suddenly understood that just lying there waiting for good things to happen to himself was not going to work.

Maybe it was all because of his desire to make Basil happy.

A black and white shadow boy in a tank top lingered behind him. The boy observed his mind carefully, his piercing dark eyes capable of picking apart all his feelings with surgical precision.

”Do you want to make Basil happy only because you desire to atone for how you’ve hurt him over the past years?”

Not right now, Omori.

Sunny banished that inner demon from sight. He found he could do that rather easily now…at least for the time being.

“That’s a really nice flower pin you’re wearing,” mom said to Basil with a smile.

“Thank you! I found a store that sells them near the library. It’s a really nice bouquet shop too.”

“Sounds like a really nice place for you and Sunny to visit someday.”

Sunny felt his face going full red.

Excuse…me?

What do you mean by that, mom?

Even Basil blushed at that statement, though he hid it by focusing on eating his food. Still, Sunny knew Basil well and he could notice that pink growing over his cheeks.

“I think I’m done eating for today,” Sunny spoke, pushing his plate away from himself.

“You should finish your food. You’re growing up and you need to start eating more,” mom replied.

“But I’m full already.”

She sighed audibly. “Sunny, you didn’t eat most of the vegetables. I know I tried to be lenient with you back then, but now, I really think you should pay more attention to your health.”

Her eyes turned at Basil. “Just look at Basil. He eats all the vegetables on his plate.”

Sunny blinked. He felt a tension pain in his damaged eye. “I think I need to go rest for a bit.”

“Sunny? Are you alright?” Basil asked.

“I’m fine,” Sunny answered. “I’ll call you if I need anything.”

“Okay…”

After lying on his futon in his room for a few minutes, he went to the bathroom.

He took off the bandage over his right eye and inspected it up close in the mirror. The bleeding had completely stopped, leaving him with a grey pupil that did not function. The loss of sight felt more deeply impacting without the bandage covering that half of his head. Now he’d verified it, for sure.

It hit him hard.

I don’t want to show my sadness to Basil.

It’d just make him more anxious; he’ll get so distraught over seeing me sad.

Even now, Sunny felt so sorry for Basil.

Here Basil was, stuck in a new city with a friend who’d done nothing but hurt him for most of the past years of their lives.

Maybe Basil had forgiven him, maybe Basil was happy to live with his best friend again. It didn’t matter. Sunny felt the need to redeem himself.

I let Basil get bullied for four years because I couldn’t deal with my own feelings of guilt over all those lost happy memories in his photo album.

I have to make up for it by doing what I can to make him happy.

Sunny placed the bandages back over his right eye. He smiled in spite of his sadness.

His smile would be for Basil from now on.

Back inside his bedroom, he turned on his computer and went to play some video games.

From the sounds of clinking plates and running water, Basil was helping his mom wash dishes in the kitchen. They were having a lively conversation over proper plant care and he didn’t want to bother them.

Bored of Mario and Luigi DOS, he went online to browse some forums, looking for other games to play. He ended up downloading a Super Nintendo emulator and grabbing some ROMs off a bunch of shady sites with way too many popups.

Earthbound looked like a fun game to try out.

In the middle of playing the intro sequence, he felt a presence standing behind him. He turned his head around.

“H—Hi, Sunny!” Basil said with a nervous smile. “S—Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt you. I just wanted to watch what you were playing.”

“No worries,” Sunny replied, smiling back.

“What’s the game about?”

“Not sure to be honest.” It was a very different kind of game than what Sunny was used to. “I’m this kid who’s going off to investigate some meteorite crash…”

Before long, the story, the music, and the characters engrossed them into the game. Basil pulled up a chair and watched Sunny play through Earthbound attentively. They didn’t have Nintendo controllers so they were stuck playing with a keyboard. Sunny let Basil take over every once in a while, especially if he died during a battle.

Basil turned out to be better at video games than Sunny expected.

Maybe it was because Sunny was terrible at math and Japanese role-playing games required a bit of number crunching. Or maybe Sunny just had to learn to pay attention to his HP in battle.

They were so immersed in the game that they didn’t even notice their mom walking into the room, hours later.

“Hey, it’s eleven PM. You two should be going to bed soon,” she said.

“Fine,” Sunny replied. “Just let me save first.”

She folded her arms. “Sunny, you have to learn to go to bed on time from now on.”

“It won’t take us more than ten minutes, I promise!” Basil replied, much to Sunny’s surprise.

And, it turned out, to his mom’s surprise too.

“Well…okay,” she said. “Goodnight, you two.”

“Goodnight,” they responded.

But they’d lied. The emulator had save states, so there was no need to reach a save point to save—they just wanted to play some more!

Later, after taking turns to brush their teeth in the washroom, the two found themselves lying side by side on their futons once more.

That was a really enjoyable gaming session.

Sunny would never have expected it but playing video games together with Basil could be their evening activity from now on. Of course, once school started they’d have to contend with homework and all, but they still had two weeks of summer vacation left before that and Sunny had downloaded plenty of game ROMs for them to play together.

The upcoming weeks looked bright—gardening in the morning, exploring the city and reading at the library during the day, playing video games together at night.

Sunny realized that he felt really happy that Basil was with him at this new stage in his life.

He turned towards Basil and found himself smiling genuinely.

“That was really fun,” Sunny spoke quietly. “I mean, all of today.”

Basil smiled back. “I enjoyed today, too!”

“Let’s play more video games tomorrow.”

“Yeah. I liked that game.”

Under the dim light of the moon that shone through their window, Sunny could make out the bruises that still marked Basil’s face, bruises that colored his smile with a memory of their fight, painful memories that Sunny’s own hands had inflicted.

He found his hand wandering of its own accord towards Basil’s face.

Sunny’s fingers brushed softly against Basil’s cheek, softly across the bruise under his left eye—

“Sunny?”

Flushing with embarrassment, Sunny’s hand warped back to himself.

“S—Sorry,” Sunny stuttered. “I was afraid you were still hurt.”

“No, not at all!”

“You wince sometimes.”

“Oh…I guess you saw…”

In response, Basil’s hand moved towards Sunny’s bandages. His fingers pressed against Sunny’s right eye, eliciting a strangely comforting feeling—

Then Basil’s hand was gone instantly.

“Basil?”

“Sorry!” Basil replied. “I just wanted to check on you too. D—Did I hurt your eye?”

“Not one bit,” Sunny said with a reassuring smile. “I’m more concerned about the bruises I gave you. They look painful.”

“Sunny, these bruises are going to recover one day, but your eye—"

“Don’t worry about it,” Sunny insisted. “One day I’m going to buy an eyepatch to wear over it. I’m going to look awesome.”

Basil tried to smile, but Sunny could tell that there was a lot of hurt behind that smile. A lot of sadness hidden away behind a happy face.

Behind both their faces.

“Sunny, I know I did really awful things to you,” Basil said quietly. “You don’t have to tell me not to worry about it.”

“I was worse,” Sunny replied. “I can’t imagine what you went through during the years where I left you.”

“It’s okay—”

“See? You’re saying it too.” Sunny put on a jokish smile.

Sensing that comparing each other’s woes and trying to be the guiltier one was not a good use of his time, Sunny decided to just go to sleep.

“We’re going to get well together, okay?” Sunny said as he tucked himself under his blankets.

A quiet pause. “Thanks for reassuring me, Sunny.”

Sunny turned towards Basil once more. “I’m actually pretty glad you’re here with me.”

Basil looked so embarrassed. “Ah—ha, really?”

“I might have just stayed inside all day today if it weren’t for you being here with me.”

Basil blushed visibly, even in the darkness. “I just thought exploring the city might be fun!”

“Yeah, and it was so worth it.”

“Ahh—ah, you think so?”

“Definitely.”

“Th—Thank you?”

“Goodnight,” Sunny said, to avoid making Basil feel any more embarrassed.

“G—Goodnight, Sunny.”

Before drifting off to sleep, Sunny felt a black and white presence lie down next to him.

The presence did not bring along his knife or his expected unnerving aura, much less try to wrest control away from his own body.

But, sensing Omori being there, Sunny suddenly remembered that Basil’s blankets were really thin, while the nights were getting colder. Basil had already fallen asleep.

Back over Basil his personal blanket goes.

“The therapist you’re going to see, her name’s Ms. Sato,” mom said on their drive to the therapist’s office. “She’s a really special therapist! We got along as soon as we met and I kind of told her what happened, so you don’t need to hide anything when you talk to her.”

I can’t believe you’d just tell her about our family secret.

“Sunny, you ready?” she asked as she parked her car.

“Yeah. Sure.”

They entered the therapist’s office, and after checking in for their appointment, Sunny sat in the waiting room while his mom left to go explore the neighboring stores.

Ms. Sato came and greeted Sunny with an inscrutable expression.

“Hey, Sunny,” she said.

“Hello.”

“Wanna go somewhere else?”

“Uh, what?”

“We don’t have to stay in this office if you don’t want to. Sometimes my clients enjoy talking to me while we’re on a walk.”

“Okay?”

“Or if you’d prefer, you can just lie down and take a nap. You don’t have to talk to me if you don’t want to.”

Seriously?

The office felt stuffy and cramped, too reminiscent of his old room. “I’d rather go outside.”

“Let’s take a walk around the block. How does that sound?”

“Okay.”

They went outside and started walking across the block. Ms. Sato didn’t even try to get Sunny to talk to her. He had no idea what the point of all this was if all she was getting paid to do was to take him on a walk.

I’d rather walk around with Basil!

Once they made a loop around the block, she turned towards Sunny. “Wanna go back to the office, or keep walking?”

Is this some kind of a joke?

He shrugged. Maybe something would happen if he went back to the office, so he decided to go with the more chaotic option. “Let’s keep walking.”

They made another loop around the block.

This time, Ms. Sato didn’t even bother asking. She followed Sunny as he walked right past the entrance to her office as they got started on their third loop around the block.

Sunny was starting to feel bored. “What’s the point of doing this?”

“I’m just going along with what you want to do,” Ms. Sato said.

Her very aloof, very unbothered expression was one of the weirdest things Sunny had ever seen.

“Are you going to talk to me about my problems, eventually?” Sunny asked. “Prescribe me meds?”

“If you’d like me to.”

“Aren’t you the therapist? Aren’t you supposed to know what I need?”

“It’s all up to you,” she said simply.

Sunny rolled his left eye. Figures that his mom would get him the most unconventional therapist in the city.

“Okay, fine, I’ll talk,” Sunny said. “My mom told you what I did, right?”

“Yes.”

“Are you gonna report me for it?”

“No. I won’t do anything you don’t want me to.”

“Well…don’t you feel kinda bothered by what I did?”

“A bit,” she said simply.

Sunny felt exasperated. “Can you just tell me how you intend on helping me?”

“I intend on helping you in whatever way I can,” she responded. “Not every person responds to talk therapy. Some people dislike words. Some just want to do something that feels meaningful, take productive action. Other people just want to take a nap. Get some rest after weeks, months, or even years of bad sleep or working too much. It’s up to you to figure out what it is you want to do. I’m here to guide you as best as I can.”

Fine, I’ll talk about my problems.

“I’m…kind of confused right now,” Sunny said. “But, like, I don’t want to tell you everything.”

“That’s fine. Tell me what you’re comfortable with saying.”

“I just have a whole bunch of secrets. They’re not as bad as what I did before that my mom told you about. But they’re still secrets. I’m keeping a secret from my mom. From my friends.”

Even from my best friend.

“It’s just…I feel like I have to atone for some things I did, not too long ago,” Sunny went on. “That’s why I’m keeping these secrets. But if they ever found out, I, just, I don’t know. I don’t know what I’d do.”

“Yeah, that sounds like a huge burden,” Ms. Sato responded.

“So, what should I do?”

“Hmmm. Let me think about it a bit.”

You’re the therapist but you need to think about what I need to do?

I guess not everyone instantly has all the answers…

One more loop around the block, and then Ms. Sato stopped, prompting Sunny to stop alongside her.

“Do you ever think about the world the way you wish it to be?” she asked.

Sunny raised both his eyes. “Yeah, doesn’t everybody?”

“Right. Everybody has some world that they wish the real world was more like. Everybody notices the disparity between that world and reality. It’s disappointing to see that disparity, isn’t it?”

What are you getting at?

“What do you do when the world isn’t the way you want it to be?” she asked.

“I, uh…I…”

I used to just dream that the world was exactly what I wished it to be, with all my friends and my sister by my side.

I can’t do that anymore. Maybe, that’s why I feel this way…

Maybe it’s why I’m keeping secrets.

To create the world that my friends, and my mom, would wish to see.

No, that’s not true

It’s the world I want to see.

A world where my friends aren’t mad at Basil, where my mom thinks Basil is completely innocent, while I take all the blame.

I made it this way because…I just can’t take the other possibility.

I don’t want Basil to experience even more pain and suffering, which I know would happen if everyone were to discover the truth.

“I guess I try to change the world to fit what I want,” Sunny answered.

“And does that work?”

…Right now, it doesn’t.

I don’t want to admit it, though.

That’d be like confessing that keeping these secrets isn’t the answer.

Ms. Sato went on, sensing Sunny’s hesitancy to reply. “I won’t tell you to accept the world the way that it is. I won’t tell you to try harder to change the world either.”

So what’s the point of all of this?

"Thing is, people hate boredom, so after they achieve their goals, they feel dissatisfied,” she spoke quietly. “Some might keep setting new goals. They might work so hard that they burn out. On the other hand, if they just accept the world the way that it is, they’ll feel so bored, they might even become depressed. I don't mean to sound miserable. I'm just telling you some of my clients' experiences.”

That’s...pretty miserable, not gonna lie.

Isn’t therapy supposed to make me feel better?

“So what should I do?” Sunny asked desperately.

“It’s not easy to say,” she replied. “I think, in a way, it helps to confront all these possibilities, and let yourself feel how they make you feel. Be in the present and feel bored by it. Then work on your goal and feel dissatisfied while it's not accomplished. And set new goals while knowing that you’ll always want more after achieving them. I think that state of mind, to feel all those feelings, and ultimately be okay with them, that’s the best we might ever be able to do.”

...That’s a lot to take in.

“So with your secrets,” she said, looking closely at him, “for now, keep them, but be ready to lose them. Try to be aware of the way you feel when you keep those secrets hidden. Be aware of how you’re going to feel if those secrets became revealed. And be aware of when you might have to speak the truth yourself. It might make you sad to have to feel all that at once, but sadness isn’t something to avoid. Take time to sit gently with your sadness, feel it completely. As long as you’re caring towards your own feelings, everything might just work out in a way that suits you.”

I’m not so sure I share your optimism there…

Sunny wasn't sure if he liked her advice. Maybe she wasn't the right therapist for him. Still, he decided to just imagine how he’d feel if all his secrets were let out.

It was a scary thought.

He’d feel horrified, bleakly sad, as he’d possibly be hated enough to be…abandoned. By everyone. How could he ever take that feeling? It would return him to total despair.

Like the time he confronted Omori, when he was beat down by the sheer torment of his guilt, the anguish of all those inescapable lies, the agony of exposing his entire being to the horror of a reality where he killed his own sister.

The truth always overwhelmed him.

He remembered that sheer, vulnerable, crushing feeling...and yet, he also remembered, choosing to continue. At a moment when he felt every feeling, he chose to stand up and play.

Maybe he could do it again.

Maybe he could feel even the worst of his feelings, simply because it was his own.

Chapter Text

“Is this the stop for Clear Skies Conservancy?”

“Yup,” the bus driver replied.

“Thank you!”

Basil stepped off the bus. He’d gone far enough from the city that the noise of traffic and the smog in the air felt absent here, though he could still see the city skyline in the distance. A preserve of trees and grassy fields now stood between him and that concrete jungle.

Earlier this morning, Sunny had gone off to see his therapist.

Sunny never felt comfortable being alone with people he doesn’t know…

I really hope he’s doing fine by himself.

Last night, Sunny’s mom told Basil that he could check out the garden near the city. She’d already looked up the bus route and gave him a set of directions to get there. And though Basil had enough spare change to spend on bus tickets, she just wouldn’t say no to paying for the trip for him. He essentially received a free round trip to Clear Skies Conservancy.

Basil breathed in deeply the fresh air. It carried a tinge of the wild, reminding him of Faraway a bit, but also quite different. Perhaps the scent came from the new variety of flowers found inside this garden.

He followed the trail from the street up into the wooded hills. A large house stood at the top, welcoming visitors. Pleasant gardens filled with flowers and potted plants surrounded the house. The beautiful array of colors in the garden—tulips, peonies, roses, sunflowers, petunias, and more—reminded Basil of his old house in Faraway, grandma’s house. A house now abandoned.

The sign at the entrance informed him he was entering Clear Skies Conservancy, the oldest nature conservation project in the city that had been running for over fifty years. Basil knocked before opening the door.

I wonder what kind of person runs this place?

An anxious ache in his heart gave him feel nervous jitter. He’d always been a little shy visiting other people’ homes. He hoped that he would be able to get along with the garden owner.

The only person he saw inside the house was an old woman with short graying black hair, wearing big glasses. She greeted Basil with a friendly smile.

“Hello. How can I help you?”

“Umm, hi,” Basil replied shyly. He tried to appear positive. “I’m new to this city, and, umm, I’ve always loved taking care of plants…”

“It’s good to see young people interested in plants,” she said. “Would you like me to take you on a tour of this place? I can show you all the plants we have around here.”

“Thank you! Yes, please.”

Basil felt pleasantly surprised by the elegant flower gardens the old woman maintained all by herself. He learned that her name was Mrs. Li, and she had built this conservancy with her late husband out of a desire to create a nature preserve near the bustling city that anyone could visit to get closer to nature. She had been a gardener all her life and knew how to take care of far more different kinds of flowers than Basil could have imagined.

Grandma would’ve loved to see this garden…

Mrs. Li informed Basil that teenagers in high school often volunteered at her garden over the summer. They helped water the plants, remove weeds, eliminate invasive species out in the woods around the garden house, and plant new seeds.

“I’d love to volunteer here!” Basil offered. “Are there any positions still available?”

“Around this time, students are going back to school, so we see a drop in volunteers,” she said. “I think next week a few positions should open up.”

Basil snatched the opportunity. “Can I sign up?”

“Sure you can.”

Excitement filled Basil’s heart. He put his name down on the volunteering sign up sheet; Mrs. Li must have sensed his eagerness to start gardening.

“Today’s a day off for the volunteers, but flowers don’t have day offs when it comes to needing water,” Mrs. Li said with a smile. “My grand-daughter is arriving at noon to help but I could use a hand right now.”

“I’ll help out,” Basil promised.

Since it was his first time working in this garden, she supervised him as he carried jugs of water out to water the potted plants that needed watering. In a short time, Basil showed Mrs. Li that he was an experienced gardener.

While walking through the house, Basil noticed all the unique art pieces hanging up on the walls. They ranged from cartoonish drawings to impressionist paintings to beautifully realistic pieces of art. Most of them were drawings of plants and flowers, but there were a few of people and places.

“These paintings are really nice!” Basil said to Mrs. Li. “Did you paint them?”

“No, my grand-daughter drew all of them,” she answered with a proud smile. “I’m glad you like them.”

“I’m not a very good artist myself,” Basil admitted.

“Neither am I!” she said with a laugh.

With heavy jugs of water in his hands, he began making round trips from the house out to the garden to water all the plants.

The morning sun rose high into the air. Working up a sweat in this garden felt nice. It gave Basil the rare feeling that he’d finally found a place where he belonged. The city had its fun attractions like the library, but Basil’s home would always be a garden, surrounded by flowers.

He especially enjoyed watering the sunflowers.

Basil’s thoughts kept turning to his personal promise to Sunny, his promise that he’d take care of his best friend as he reacclimated back to life outside. He’d try to spend as much time with Sunny as possible in the upcoming days, help him out with stuff, and with studying once they went back to school. He wanted to be the bright sunflower in the uncertain days of Sunny’s new life.

It was a promise that kept him anchored to life while the sadness in his heart, the void that grew from grandma’s passing, threatened to swallow him up.

Not just grandma’s passing, but my guilt over taking out Sunny’s eye…

I just can’t forgive myself for it.

The more he thought about his actions during those final days in Faraway, the more embarrassed and filled with shame he became.

So distraught over the prospect of Sunny moving away, he’d grown completely delusional, even imagining that Something was taking Sunny away rather than Sunny leaving by his own volition.

”Stay away! Stay away from Sunny!”

Those words gripped his chest. They sucked the oxygen out of his lungs, a shameful reminder that his own hand had raised the shears that struck out at Something behind Sunny, Something taking Sunny away from him.

A swift, flailing movement of his arm removed his best friend’s vision, half of it, for life.

I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to make it up to Sunny.

I’ll do whatever I can to be less of a bother to him and his family…maybe spending my days gardening here could erase my unnecessary presence in his home…

Yet back at the hospital, Sunny had promised that he would stay together with him from now on.

It’s okay, Sunny. You don’t have to do that for me.

Just say the words and I’ll leave you alone.

A sad smile came over Basil’s lips as drops of water indicated the cessation of water flow from his current jug. Even though he felt affection for his best friend, he wouldn’t care if his best friend didn’t feel the same way back. He always told himself that it was enough for Sunny to be happy.

He picked up the next jug to continue watering the sunflowers in front of him, snapping out of his stormy thoughts when heard his phone ringing in his pocket.

It wasn’t actually his phone, just the phone Sunny’s mom had given him this morning so that they could stay in contact throughout the day. He answered her call.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Basil. How’s the garden?”

“It’s great! Thank you so much for showing me this place. I’m having a wonderful time gardening right now.”

“Wow, they let you garden there?”

“As a volunteer, yeah.”

“That’s good to hear. Anyway, Sunny’s done with therapy for the day. I’ll drive over to pick you up in a couple of hours.”

“Thank you! But you don’t have to, I know the bus route home.”

“Oh, Basil, you don’t need to be so self-reliant. I’m sure Sunny wants to visit the garden, too. I’ll come by with Sunny, okay?”

“Ah—ah, okay, alright.”

“See you soon.”

Mrs. S has done a lot for me.

He owed a lot to her, accepting him into her new home at his parent’s request. Despite how nice she was, she had the most reason to be upset with him for what he did to her daughter. He still couldn’t make any sense out of it.

Why doesn’t she get mad at me?

At this point, I’d feel better if she got angry at me—I deserve it, after all that I’ve done.

Basil finished watering the sunflowers with a cloud of negative thoughts shrouding his mind.

When he went back to Mrs. Li’s house with his empty watering cans, he was surprised to find an extremely familiar face standing there talking to her. He felt sure he’d seen her somewhere before, those big red glasses.

Is that Mrs. Li’s grand-daughter?

She turned at Basil as he approached. “Hello!”

“Hey,” Basil responded shyly.

“My name’s Mincy,” she introduced herself, a name that also sounded familiar.

“I’m Basil,” he replied.

He thought he saw a flash of recognition in her eyes, but she didn’t bring it up.

“Basil helped me water the plants this morning, so you have less work to do this afternoon,” Mrs. Li said to Mincy. “How about starting with the hydrangea?”

“Sure thing,” Mincy replied.

“I’ll h—help!” Basil offered, not wanting to spend a second being idle.

“Thanks.”

Basil couldn’t shake off the feeling that he’d seen Mincy somewhere before. As he helped her water the flowers in the garden, she finally brought it up.

“Umm, have I seen you around before?” she asked.

“Yeah, I think s—so too,” Basil replied. “I’m from Faraway Town.”

“Oh, I was just in Faraway!” she said, smiling with recognition. “I think I saw you at the park.”

I might’ve caught sight of you around, but I was too busy trying to get my photo album back from Aubrey to really notice back then…

“That’s probably where I saw you, too,” Basil said, a little embarrassed that he didn’t identify her earlier.

“Wow, we’re both from Faraway, huh,” Mincy spoke. “That’s really…hehe, far from here.”

“I had to move here,” Basil replied, proceeding to a pot of orchids after finishing with the hydrangeas.

“Oh, I see,” Mincy said casually.

He considered asking Mincy why she came all the way here but decided it might be rude to ask if she didn’t ask him first. Better not to talk about his own sudden removal from Faraway in any case.

Basil noticed Mincy taking out a pencil and sketchpad from her pocket and drawing on it after she was done watering the flowers. Not wanting to interrupt her, he moved on to another patch of flowers.

Mincy must’ve drawn all those pieces inside Mrs. Li’s house…

Sunny used to love drawing in his own journal, too.

With Sunny occupying his thoughts again, Basil couldn’t think about anybody else.

One thing that was making him feel all warm and fuzzy inside was knowing that Sunny shared his blankets with him each night. He never asked for extra blankets, but he always woke up to find Sunny’s blankets spread out over his own. Sunny’s blankets were much larger than the little one he used to cover his own body, and to be perfectly honest, it provided him such much needed warmth…

He didn’t let his thoughts wander any farther than that.

Sunny couldn’t just be doing that by accident, could he?

Just thinking about it made him blush all red.

This subject wasn’t something he could just bring up in conversation with Sunny. He didn’t want to make Sunny feel uncomfortable. Even if Sunny had been stuck indoors for the past four years, any boy his age would by now understand that sharing blankets was a very intimate thing to do and no boy would want to get caught—

Intimate.

Basil turned completely red. If Mincy looked at him now, she’d probably ask him what’s going on, afraid that he could be suffering from heat stroke.

Focus on gardening, Basil!

Sunny is your best friend. He might care about you, but you shouldn’t think of him as any more than that.

The water flowing from his can spilled a few drops over to a nearby patch of sunflowers, already watered by his hand earlier this morning.

I can’t let my abnormal feelings affect my relationship with Sunny.

A voice in his head, belonging to his grandma, reminded him, ”Your feelings are perfectly normal.”

”It’s okay for a boy to wear a flower in his hair, so go ahead and put on whatever makes you feel comfortable.”

Basil shut his eyes.

What would grandma think of my feelings for Sunny…?

He shook his head. He tried to focus—he lived to help Sunny adjust to his new life, he had to atone after taking out Sunny’s eye. Feelings would just get in the way of his goal. Best to get rid of them.

And then the phone rang in his pocket again.

“Basil, we’re here at the garden,” Mrs. S spoke through the phone.

“Oh—oh, okay. I’ll come on over.”

“Wait, Sunny wants to explore the garden with you. Why don’t you wait there for us?”

“Ummm…why?”

“He wants to get some exercise out in nature. This area looks beautiful!”

“Okay? I’ll wait, then?”

“Thanks, Basil. We’ll be right there soon.”

Basil’s hands trembled, but his head also felt a bit lighter.

Whenever he was alone for too long, his head became a storm of anxious thoughts. He could wander that labyrinth of painful and confusing emotions for hours, never finding the exit.

But as soon as Sunny showed up, as soon as he even heard that Sunny was coming to see him—

The way out of the labyrinth became illuminated by a ray of sunshine that pierced through the storm.

I can’t believe I’m so dependent on him.

…But Sunny won’t be there for me forever, so I have to learn to be happy on my own.

Basil went back to Mincy to pick up another watering can. The hot afternoon sun covered his back with sweat.

He wondered how Sunny’s therapy session went.

Having by now explored most of the places where Mrs. Li planted her flowers, he’d also noticed that the whole of the Clear Skies Conservancy was actually a lot bigger than just the garden. It included the woods and hills behind the house, with a trail leading into the dense trees. He wondered what was inside the woods.

“Hey, Basil,” Sunny’s voice broke through Basil’s thoughts.

Sunny and Mrs. S walked towards them from the back porch of the house. Mrs. Li came along as well.

Mincy turned towards Sunny, instantly recognizing him. “Sunny?”

“Mincy?”

“I didn’t know you were here!” she exclaimed.

“Oh, you two know each other?” Mrs. Li asked.

“Yeah, I know Sunny from back in Faraway,” Mincy replied, then her tone darkened. “Wait, Sunny. I heard you got sent to the hospital…what happened to your eye?”

Basil averted his gaze.

“Just an accident,” Sunny responded evasively. “Don’t worry about it.”

“That looks bad!”

“It doesn’t hurt anymore. The doctors said I’ll be fine.” Sunny smiled, and it hurt Basil’s heart to see his best friend try to cover for his own guilty actions.

“Is your eye going to be okay?” Mincy asked.

Sunny’s smile dropped. “My sight in that eye probably won’t be coming back.”

“I’m so sorry…”

“It’s alright.”

“Are you sure it’s never coming back?”

“I’ve already gotten used to it.”

Mincy looked despondent. “Okay…”

Sunny tried to change the subject. “Just wondering, how come you’re all the way here in this city?”

Mincy still seemed concerned. “I lived with my aunt in Faraway. Just a few days ago, she was laid off from her job and had to go back to her home country. I didn’t want to go with her because…I’m embarrassed to say…I don’t know the language that well! So, yesterday, I moved in with my grandma in this city to finish high school here.”

Basil raised his eyes in astonishment. He’d assumed Mincy was just visiting. It was crazy that another person from Faraway had moved here along with Sunny and himself.

His crimes seemed to be following him in the form of a brigade of potential witnesses, people who knew the Sunny before his eye was irreversibly scarred by a bad friend’s bad life decisions.

“Are we going to the same high school then?” Sunny asked. “The one by the library?”

“Yup, that’s the one,” Mincy replied.

Wow…

“I’m glad you now have friends you know in this city,” Mrs. Li said cheerfully to Mincy.

“Isn’t it great?” Mrs. S added. “I was so afraid Sunny wasn’t going to know anybody here, but it’s so relieving to see people he knows attending the same high school with him.”

Basil smiled nervously.

“If you don’t mind me asking, how come you moved here?” Mincy asked Basil.

Oh.

I’ll tell the truth.

“Ummm…my grandma died, and my parents plan to sell her home in Faraway. In the meantime, they sent me to live with Sunny at his new home.”

Mincy smiled. “Oh, you two are living together?”

Basil glanced over and thought he saw a faint blush on Sunny’s cheeks. “Yeah…”

“Lucky! Sunny encouraged me when I showed him my art.”

So that’s how they know each other.

“Ah—ah, yeah, Sunny’s a really nice person,” Basil stammered.

Now Sunny was the one averting his eyes; he picked up a watering can and went over to the remaining unwatered hydrangeas, probably trying to deflect the attention being thrown towards him.

“You’re gardening too?” Basil asked.

“Thought I’d sign up to get some volunteering hours,” Sunny replied with a smile.

Basil’s head felt light again.

Living together, going to the same high school, volunteering at the same place…

I don’t get it, why is Sunny being so nice to me?

He should hate me for permanently damaging his eye, yet…he’s doing everything together with me…

Basil made himself look happy. “That’s really good!”

“All the gardening tips you taught me yesterday are gonna be really helpful,” Sunny added.

“Basil, you taught Sunny gardening?” Mincy asked.

Basil just smiled again. “Y—Yeah.”

“Ah, it’s so nice that you’re both volunteering here! This garden means a lot to me and my family.”

For the rest of the afternoon, they helped Mrs. Li water the remaining plants in her garden. Mincy chatted with Sunny, and they seemed to get along well talking about art. Sunny even mentioned that he might be interested in getting back into drawing again.

Basil couldn’t help but feel all warm and fuzzy again. He only wished to see Sunny happy.

“I hope you don’t mind me asking…how did therapy go?” Basil asked Sunny at the dinner table.

“It was okay,” Sunny replied. “I talked about some things that were on my mind. I think I feel better now.”

“Did you talk to her about everything you needed to?” Mrs. S asked.

“Yeah. She helped clear up most of the things that were bothering me...”

The lack of detail in this conversation evidently indicated that there was not much more to say. Everyone still treaded on a thin tightrope. Basil didn’t want to prod deeply into Sunny’s private thoughts for fear of being intrusive. Sunny must have wanted to avoid talking about very painful memories. Mrs. S probably tried to avoid bringing up trauma in general to what she presumed must be her two very damaged children.

Children?

Basil almost made a double take on his own thoughts.

What else should I call myself if not that?

I suppose, to Mrs. S, I’m not too different from how I was to Polly.

Just a useless kid who needs to be taken care of because my parents can’t bother to spend any time with me.

“Basil,” Sunny spoke, “Thanks for letting me come to the garden today.”

“You’re welcome?”

“I’m honestly glad you’re exploring all these places in the city. I wouldn’t have been brave enough to talk to Mrs. Li by myself.”

Sunny ate some meat loaf, chewed, and swallowed. “Because of you, I got to meet Mincy again. And I’ve found a place where I can really enjoy volunteering with you!”

“T…Thank you?”

“I can’t wait to go gardening with you again.”

Heat rushed into Basil’s face uncontrollably. Words like that from Sunny were honey to his ears.

Nectar.

Divine, honeyed milk.

He couldn’t stop blushing, because that feeling in his chest, the feeling of receiving thanks from Sunny, it was the best reward he could ever receive in the world.

Sunny’s smile, Sunny’s kind words, they pumped his brain with lovely, lovely chemicals.

All his dark, stormy thoughts became washed away by soft, fluffy feelings that rolled over him like an ocean of smooth feathers.

Life was a dark, cold night, and Sunny was the bright ray of dawn.

Basil failed to hide his blush, but embarrassment couldn’t hold a candle to how happy he felt.

I hope Mrs. S doesn’t start to suspect things…

“Gardening’s a good hobby,” she just said.

“It’s a good workout too,” Sunny added.

“Oh, before I forget,” Mrs. S spoke, getting up from her chair. “Basil, a letter arrived from your parents.”

Huh?

Mrs S handed Basil a letter from her mailbox.

I haven’t received a letter from my parents in so long.

Not to mention, they usually call me if they want to talk to me instead of sending something by mail…

I don’t have a good feeling about this.

“Thank you,” Basil said to Mrs. S. Then, turning to the bathroom, “excuse m—me.”

“Are you feeling alright?” Sunny asked.

“Don’t worry about me! I’ll be fine.”

Inside the bathroom, with shaking fingers, Basil opened the letter.

He took out the piece of paper from inside, expecting it to be something horrible. Maybe his parents were finally done with him, done with this burden they had to carry for sixteen years, and they were officially disowning him.

It would be nice to get the farce over with, at least.

His eyes scanned the sheet of paper trembling in his hands.

What the…?

It was a cheque for two thousand dollars, with instructions on opening a bank account to deposit that money for his personal use.

Chapter Text

Basil’s heart rattled at breakneck pace against his rib cage as he stepped out of the bathroom to deliver the news about his two thousand dollar cheque.

I never asked for this money.

Sunny and Mrs. S threw inquisitive glances at him as he walked out of the bathroom.

“I’m back,” Basil spoke, his voice jittery.

What would Sunny and Mrs. S think, knowing that my parents would casually send me a two thousand dollar cheque?

“My parents sent me money,” Basil said, displaying the cheque to the two of them. “I—It’s a real cheque, right?”

“That looks real alright,” Mrs. S replied. “Wow, they just gave you two thousand?”

“I—It’s not like I asked for so much money from them,” Basil stammered. “They just gave this cheque to me for no reason!”

Mrs. S gave a confused smile. “I guess they want you to enjoy yourself in the city.”

“Y—Yeah…”

I still don’t understand anything. Why would my parents send me to live here in the first place…?

Sunny wasn’t buying any of it. “Basil, I wish your parents would visit you.”

Basil tried to avoid making a really anxious face as he turned to Sunny. “My parents are really busy with work all the time. I’m sure they’d visit me if they weren’t so swamped by their jobs!”

Or maybe they still wouldn’t.

In some ways he knew what his parents were doing.

Why waste time on visiting me when they could just give me money to spend so I’d be less of a bother to them?

Sunny’s left eye turned down at his plate. “Sorry. I wasn’t sure what to really say.”

“S—Sunny, it’s alright. I know my parents aren’t around very much. Two thousand dollars is better than nothing, right…?”

As understanding dawned upon Basil, his brain decided to replay all his flaws. He’d always been anxious, clingy. Sometimes he screamed in front of other people for no reason. No one would want to take care of a child like that.

No one except his grandma.

He had to remember that even the hospitality Sunny’s mom showed him was temporary. One day, they’d see the other side of his personality, and he’d be exposed as the worthless piece of trash that he was. He’d be thrown out onto the streets in no time at all.

“Basil…please don’t feel bad if your parents don’t visit you,” Mrs. S said. “Sunny and I will do our best to support you.”

But why? I hung your daughter…

Even Sunny seemed surprised by her saying that.

“I know you’ve had it rough the past few years. I want to help make things easier for you,” she went on. “So cash that cheque in and enjoy yourself! Let me worry about everything else.”

Sunny looked at Basil intently. “Mom’s right. We’re here for you. Just let me know if there’s anything you need!”

Sunny, Mrs. S, I…

I don’t deserve this kindness from you…

I’m sure you’ll both understand once you see the real side of me—

Sunny smiled at Basil.

As tense as he felt, Basil couldn’t hold back his own smile.

Sunny’s smile was brighter than all the stars in the night sky. Basil knew he didn’t deserve it, didn’t deserve to see a sight so beautiful. Yet here it was all the same; he felt the throbbing in his chest grow a bit calmer.

“Thanks, you two,” Basil spoke softly.

“Go have fun with Sunny after you’re done eating,” Mrs. S said. “Let me take care of the dishes today.”

“R—Really? But I can help with the dishes, it’s no problem—”

“Let’s play Earthbound again!” Sunny offered.

Basil couldn’t turn down a request from Sunny. “Okay…”

They went back to their room, grabbed the chairs, and turned on the computer.

Playing Earthbound with Sunny turned out to be as immersive as yesterday’s gaming session. As they battled through encounter after encounter, reading the whimsical dialogue and listening to the catchy melodies, Basil managed to somewhat forget about the feeling that his parents wanted to abandon him. Video games, he discovered, were nearly as engaging as books.

Both books and games could tell amazing stories, and with video games he could even interact with the story and its characters. It was really fun asking Sunny to do random stuff like going way off the intended path and finding awesome items.

At the end of the day, when they were tucked in bed again, Sunny turned to face Basil before going to sleep. He smiled, but he also looked a little sad.

Sunny?

“Thanks for playing video games with me again,” Sunny said.

“No problem, Sunny!”

“I kinda feel bad, though,” Sunny said in a voice almost as low as a whisper.

“What’s wrong?”

“I keep getting this feeling…after therapy today…that I’m not as good of a friend to you as you were to me.” Sunny pushed himself closer to Basil’s bed, making Basil blush lightly.

“Sunny, I made a lot of mistakes—"

“I should’ve been aware of how much you always did to protect me. Even if, even if sometimes, it made things worse, at least I should’ve said something. I should’ve acknowledged how much you cared about me.”

Sunny’s working eye blinked, revealing a flicker of water. “I’m sorry. You were my best friend. But I was a crappy friend in general.”

“Sunny, that’s not true!” Basil replied. “You came back for me…”

“I let you down so many times before that.”

“It’s okay, Sunny. I did awful things to you. I’m already happy that you’re willing to give me another chance.”

“I owe you a lot more chances than I deserve myself.” Sunny’s hand reached out from under his blanket to pat Basil on the shoulder. “It took me a while to realize that. I really owe a lot to you.”

Your words, your touch…

I don’t even know how to express this feeling inside my chest.

“Sunny, it’s alright. I’m glad you’re my best friend.”

I wish my words reflected my heart.

A mild red grew on Sunny’s cheeks. “’Kay…let’s just leave it at that.”

“Yeah, let’s go to bed.”

Therapy changed you somehow, I can tell.

As their eyes closed, Basil felt a familiar dose of insomnia keeping him from being able to fall asleep. His anxiety-prone mind kept him up at night often, sometimes making him spend entire nights tossing and turning without ever falling asleep. He wondered if his insomnia might get better now that he slept beside Sunny.

But even if it did get better, it’d just get worse again once they inevitably parted ways. It would happen sooner or later; best friends might care about each other, but they rarely stayed together for life. Not unless…

Basil didn’t let his thoughts go in that direction.

Another reason Basil stayed awake was to see if Sunny would really do that again tonight.

Fifteen minutes passed. Basil pretended to be asleep by lying completely still and breathing softly.

Then—

He felt it.

A blanket being laid softly over his body.

Basil kept his eyes shut, not wanting to embarrass Sunny by suddenly taking notice. He was sure that Sunny was placing his own blanket over him, not just accidentally tossing his blanket over.

He heard Sunny settle back on his own futon, the two of them wrapped gently under the same big blanket.

Sunny…

A little smile.

I don’t know whether you understand that best friends don’t normally sleep under the same blanket…but it’s okay…

For the time being, we can sleep like this together.

Basil’s mind calmed down. He felt sleep finally coming to him, despite today’s anxious discoveries, despite tomorrow’s worries.

And tomorrow came quickly.

Outside the window was a cloudy morning sky. The light that streamed through the window illuminated Sunny’s beautiful round hair. His sleeping face looked so peaceful. Basil wished his own hair was like Sunny’s, wasn’t so prone to sticking out the way it did behind his head. Sunny had the prettiest head of hair in the world.

He’d already planned lots of things to do today.

After watering his flowers, he walked to the bank with the cheque that his parents had given him. It was his first time opening a bank account. He’d never worried about money before since either grandma or Polly always took care of things for him, no doubt using his parents’ voluminous funds. But now that he had so much money in his own hands, his head began to swim with possibilities.

Something about living in the city, with all its shops and restaurants, encouraged him to enjoy the options that money offered.

Except I want to spend this money on gardening or to help Sunny in some way.

At the bank, he waited in line for a clerk to be available. His chest grew a little anxious. Once one of the clerks called “next!”, he hurried in front of her window and gave her his parents’ cheque.

She guided him through the process of opening a new bank account. After signing a bunch of forms, he received an account card that could be used to take money out from the bank, along with a credit card. In the letter that his parents had sent him, they advised him to use the credit card for all his purchases to generate returns on them, but he had to also mark the date every month to pay off his balance on time…or else.

It all sounded so complicated. The world of finance wasn’t for him and he already knew he would just make the minimum effort required to manage his bank account.

Mrs. S brought lunch for him. She also brought a Sunny.

“Library again?” Sunny suggested.

“Okay,” Basil replied, a shy smile.

Basil suddenly felt more like an adult now that he had his own credit card. He could buy anything Sunny wanted. Of course he’d use discretion and purchase things that only Sunny’s mom would approve of.

Well…maybe he’d get Sunny something cool every once in a while!

The only other card he needed was a library card. At the library, he used the ID that he brought for use earlier at the bank to register a card, then he checked out ten books he remembered he loved reading with Sunny when they were kids. One of them was a mystery thriller with a really awesome villain that used crazy machines to carry out all his schemes. Basil still remembered the ridiculous voice he used for that villain; it made Sunny laugh so much. He couldn’t wait to read all these books together with Sunny again.

They still had lots of time remaining before they had to go back home for dinner. It was a hot day and neither Sunny nor Basil were in the mood to confront the humid heat to explore the city. They decided to stay in the library until five PM, reading books quietly by each other’s side.

Basil’s phone suddenly rang. To his surprise, the caller wasn’t Mrs. S, but rather, according to the name displayed on the screen—

Kel?

He didn’t want to bother Sunny, who appeared deeply immersed in the latest volume of that shoujo manga he kept reading. Basil stood up from his seat and went outside the library to take the call.

“Hello?”

“Hey—wait, is that you, Basil?” Kel’s voice answered.

“Y—Yeah, it’s me.”

“How are you doing, Basil? Wow, I didn’t expect you to answer the call!”

“Oh—oh, I’m doing just fine.”

A short pause.

“Basil, I just want to say that I’m sorry. We shouldn’t have stormed out of the hospital that day. Me, Aubrey, and Hero, we all should’ve stayed by your side until you woke up.”

They…stormed out?

“Ummm, it’s okay,” Basil responded.

“…I don’t think it was okay. Uh, wait, Sunny did tell you about what he told us, right?”

“Y—Yeah.”

“Sorry for bringing bad memories up like this. I know it was a terrible thing that happened and you probably just want to move on from it.”

Ah, so they all know everything…

I’m surprised Kel even wants to talk to me now.

“But, uh, just wanted to let you know, we all feel really bad about leaving you like that. We were just so shocked and confused and angry at the time…none of us were thinking about how bad it’s been for you.”

“Don’t worry! It might sound weird for me to say this, but…I’m just happy that the truth’s out,” Basil tried to say comfortingly.

“We’ve all been losing sleep over it. We were pretty bad friends ourselves, come to think of it…so, I guess we just wanted to call to tell you—”

“—Basil, I’m so sorry,” Aubrey’s voice came through the phone.

Aubrey’s there too?

“Basil, I’ve been so awful to you these past few years,” Aubrey said, sounding like she was on the verge of tears. “I’m so, so sorry for everything that I’ve done.”

“Aubrey, it’s okay,” Basil said. “I forgive you.”

Hearing those words, Aubrey sounded like she broke down crying. “Basil…I’ve just been such a terrible friend…I should’ve thought about why you got so anxious the past four years…instead I…I was the worst person to you…I don’t think I even deserve your forgiveness…”

“Umm.”

I thought I should be the one asking for forgiveness?

Are they so quick to forgive me over what I did to Mari?

“I should’ve come back to the hospital for you,” Aubrey went on. “We all should have.”

“Aubrey, it’s okay,” Basil said. “I’m not mad or anything.”

“Hey, Basil?” Hero’s voice came through the phone as well.

“Hero?” Basil replied. “Uh…hello.”

“I’m really, terribly sorry for not being there for you. I…kind of had the feeling that Mari didn’t really…you know. I regret not talking to you about it sooner. I could’ve done something to get you out of that mess.”

Hero should be the angriest at me, but he’s so willing to forgive me, too?

“I heard you’ve moved into the city with…Sunny,” Hero continued. “Please don’t hesitate to let us know if you need any help or support.”

“Ummm, thank you, Hero,” Basil replied. “I want you to know, I feel awful about what we did to her. I’m so sorry…what I did was horrible—”

“It wasn’t your fault,” Hero interrupted.

Not my fault? Even though…I hung Mari?

“What you went through, nobody should have to experience that,” Hero spoke. “So from now, if you need any help, just tell us. We’ll always lend a hand.”

“Aaah…I don’t know what to say…you’ve forgiven me so quickly.”

“Of course we would!”

I can’t believe my friends are so nice…

Kel seemed to get the phone back into his hands. “Sorry if that was a lot to handle at once, haha. We all just wanted to have our chance to apologize to you.”

“It's fine. You’re all such great friends…” Basil spoke. “Again, I’m sorry—”

“We’ll always be your friends, Basil.”

Basil felt tears welling up in his eyes.

After all that he did, after hiding the truth for so long, hurting his friends so badly with his mistake, they all forgave him so quickly.

He didn’t deserve their kindness.

“I promise I’ll never lie to you ever again,” Basil spoke softly.

“We know you won’t,” Kel responded, no doubt with his signature smile. “Oh, and…let us know if Sunny does anything, weird, again, okay?”

“Uh…sure?”

“We heard from Mrs. S that your parents asked you to move in with her and Sunny. That’s so bizarre…I’m not sure they understood what really happened…”

Huh? Why the sudden mention of Sunny being weird?

Basil’s field of view grew dark. His surroundings became covered in growing shadows.

Don’t they know that Something behind Sunny killed Mari—

Deep breaths, Basil.

Slow and steady.

He held his breath and counted to eight to try to calm himself down, a technique his grandma had taught him. It didn’t work during those last days in Faraway when she passed away, but now that the truth was out, he felt more confident that it’d work again.

The shadows slowly faded from his vision. No more eyes and mouths.

He didn’t have to lie anymore; he didn’t have to pretend that it was Something behind Sunny that killed Mari.

Maybe they still don’t forgive Sunny yet for being the one who…did that to Mari in the first place.

“Basil?”

“Thanks for worrying about me, but honestly, I’m doing okay here,” Basil replied. “Sunny and I are getting along really well.”

“Wow, I’m, uh, glad to hear that.”

Yeah, Sunny’s still my best friend!

—was what he wanted to add, but something gave him pause.

It sounded like Aubrey had snatched the phone from Kel again. “If you can’t stand it anymore, if you ever need a place to just run off to, I’ll always offer you my home, okay Basil?”

“Ummm…thank you, Aubrey!” Basil replied. “I really appreciate it.”

Kel grabbed the phone back from her. “Let’s talk about some lighter topics, okay?”

“Sure.”

Over the call, Basil talked about everything he’d seen and done in the city. Kel marveled at his descriptions of the city skyline; Aubrey congratulated him for finding a new garden where he could volunteer his gardening skills; Hero expressed happiness that he was able to get a library card to enjoy all the books the city library offered. Everyone seemed glad that life was beginning to look better for him.

None of them asked about how Sunny was doing.

I guess…it’s much harder to forgive the person who…

Dark, writhing shadows. An eye, hanging open.

Basil closed his eyes and took a deep, drawn-out breath to clear his head.

It must be much harder for my friends to forgive Sunny for killing Mari.

“Anyway, we’ll call again soon,” Kel promised.

“Thanks for calling!” Basil replied. “It was so nice to talk to you all again.”

“Bye, Basil!” he heard from all three of his friends. “We’ll always be there for you!”

“Bye, Kel. Bye, Aubrey. Bye, Hero!”

Basil waited for them to close the call before putting the phone back into his pocket and returning to the library.

“Did my mom call?” Sunny asked when he arrived back.

“N—No, it was…our old friends.”

A slight flicker in Sunny’s expression, but Sunny managed to smile.

Sunny probably knows that they haven’t forgiven him yet.

I don’t want to make Sunny feel bad…I deserve just as much hatred and anger directed at me for what I did…maybe even more…

“What did they say?” Sunny asked.

Basil recounted his conversation with his friends except for the bit where they all seemed to forgive him and not Sunny. He tried to give the impression that his friends were still a little mad at himself. It was a delicate dance of words.

Sunny nodded along without saying anything. Sensing his discomfort, Basil moved on to their lighter discussion about his new life in the city.

“…And then I told him that you were volunteering at the garden with me,” Basil spoke. “Kel said it’s really great that you’re learning to garden, too.”

“Next time he calls, tell him that I love gardening now,” Sunny replied, smiling. “Basil, erhh, I can tell from the way you’ve been talking that…they haven’t forgiven me, have they?”

Basil’s expression darkened. “Ah—ah, umm…”

“It’s okay, you don’t have to reassure me,” Sunny said. “Maybe they’ll never forgive me. I did…take Mari from everyone.”

I wish they’d just forgive you already.

Sunny cast his eyes downwards. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you feel sad.”

"It’s okay—”

“Let’s get going,” Sunny said, gathering all his books into his arms. “It might rain this afternoon, so we should get home a bit sooner.”

“Oh—oh, alright.”

Sunny…I’m so sorry.

I’ll try to convince our friends to forgive you.

They left the library with backpacks full of novels, manga, and comic books. And it did start raining on their way back home.

After such a humid day, the rain gave the air a very pleasant scent. Basil was surprised that even in the city, the rain after a hot day could smell so refreshing.

He observed the way Sunny’s dark hair grew slick, curled, as rain fell over his head.

He’s so pretty.

Their summer break was short.

School’s about to begin again.

Summer break hadn’t really felt like summer break over the past four years, and Basil was sure Sunny went through the same feeling. With no friends and a huge cloud of denial hanging over his head, Basil had lived in crippling anxiety. Even in sleep, there had been no such thing as a ‘break’ for him.

Now, Sunny was finally back in his life. Although pain and guilt still lived inside Basil, he always felt less anxious as long as Sunny remained by his side.

Each day they watered the flowers in the morning; they explored the city in the afternoon if the weather was nice, and if not they went to the library; at night they read books together or played video games on Sunny’s computer. Twice per week they went volunteering at Mincy and Mrs. Li’s garden, where Mrs. Li always greeted them with a warm smile. Sunny got along really well Mincy as they talked about manga and drawing art.

Basil loved reading books with Sunny so much. He felt lucky and super appreciative that Sunny still let him read aloud to him. He didn’t even mind if Sunny got sleepy early. Sometimes Sunny would fall asleep with his head against Basil’s shoulder, listening to all the different voices Basil used.

My best friend means his words when he tells me that he still cares about me.

Even after everything that’s happened, we’ve gotten back together with the fun things we used to do when we were kids.

Basil glanced at Sunny as he finished reading the book with the villain that used crazy machines for all his schemes. Sunny’s eyes were drifting shut, but he was still awake enough to give Basil an appreciative smile.

“So what’d you think?” Basil asked.

“I liked the ending,” Sunny answered. “I remember when you first read that story to me, it blew my mind how they turned all his machines around for good.”

“Yeah, that part was awesome!”

The clock struck ten thirty. Sunny’s mom was making them go to sleep early tonight since tomorrow would be their first day of school.

As Sunny climbed into bed, Basil placed all the books strewn about their room back on the shelf. He laid down on his futon and pulled the covers over himself.

In about fifteen minutes Sunny would place his own blankets over him, but only if he faked being asleep convincingly enough. If he still appeared to be awake, Sunny wouldn’t do it.

Before closing his eyes, Basil looked over at Sunny and smiled.

I don’t know if I can ever express the words to thank you for doing all these fun things together with me.

Maybe this is all just a dream. Maybe I’m still back in my room in my grandma’s house, the night after she died, contemplating with the garden shears in my hand…

Moonlight shone through the curtains.

Basil opened his eyes again and glanced around, half expecting Sunny to disappear before his eyes.

His eyes fell upon the figure of a boy peacefully sleeping by his side, a patch over his damaged right eye, his soft black hair illuminated dark silver by the moon.

The blaring of car horns on the street outside convinced Basil that his life here with Sunny was real.

I guess things are going to change once we go to school tomorrow.

You’ll be able to meet new classmates, new friends…we won’t be able to see each other all day.

Whatever happens, I’m just happy we were able to spend these two weeks doing fun activities together again.

With a small smile over his lips, Basil closed his eyes and waited for sleep to take him.

A blanket swept over his body after ten minutes of dreamless rest.

Chapter Text

The street on the way to school was filled with students. Basil walked at a brisk pace by Sunny’s side, the two entering their new high school with anxious hearts along with genuine hopes for the future.

I want Sunny to enjoy high school, get back into the flow of life, and make lots of new friends.

Too bad they weren’t going to have any classes together. Basil was two grades ahead of Sunny, so at best they could only see each other at lunch during the school day. He hoped to join some clubs with Sunny so that they could hang out together after school.

All the voices talking around them reminded Basil of sneering crowds and bullies, eager to pick on him. Bad memories from Faraway Town’s high school. He’d always been defenseless, an easy target.

Before his anxiety got the better of him, Basil reminded himself that nobody here knew who they were. This was a fresh start, a new life without any baggage.

At the entrance hall in the school, they looked at a map to find their lockers. Both were assigned lockers on the second floor, but in different halls. Basil glanced around at the unfamiliar hallways, doors, classrooms, labs. He soaked in the sights he’d have to accustom himself to for a couple of years if his parents didn’t intend on moving him again.

At the hall where they had to part ways, Basil faced Sunny and tried to give a cheerful smile. “I guess I’ll see you later.”

“Meet in the cafeteria at lunch, right?” Sunny asked, smiling back.

“Yeah.”

Just like we agreed upon this morning.

“Good luck, Sunny.”

“Good luck with your classes too! Grade eleven must be a lot harder.”

The cheerful, beaming smile Sunny made at Basil could melt his heart. It was a parting smile, a farewell that promised reunion. Basil would never be able to understand what he did to deserve seeing such a bright smile.

“Ah—ah, don’t worry about me, I’m used to high school.”

“Okay, see you later then.”

They waved goodbye, and as Basil walked to his locker he realized that he felt better going to a school with Sunny, all things considered. This was much better than Faraway’s high school—nothing could match the feeling of being in the same high school as Sunny.

A few glanced at his face as he passed by. He knew that look.

Why is that boy wearing a flower in his hair?

Basil tried to ignore them. He’d get by as long as he kept his head low.

He reached his locker and placed his bag inside, wondering what kind of friends Sunny would make. He took out his notebook for his first class and closed his locker, memorizing the code on the lock. As he walked away he thought he heard a crowd of boys talking behind him, snickering, but he couldn’t hear exactly what they said.

While Sunny’s morning class was on the first floor, Basil’s was on the third. He walked up another flight of stairs until he reached his classroom and took his seat near the center of class.

Half the faces in the classroom stared at him and at the flower pin that he wore.

What do they want with me?

A voice spoke to him.

“Nice flower,” the red-haired girl sitting to his left said.

“Thanks,” Basil replied honestly.

“You look like a gardener,” she continued.

“Really?” Basil spoke, surprised. “How could you tell?”

“Not sure. I could see it in your eyes.”

“Ah—ha…well, you’re right.”

“What kinda plants do you grow?”

Class hadn’t started yet, so Basil had time to make conversation. “Flowers, mainly.”

“Could’ve guessed. So what flowers do you like?”

“Ummm…I really like sunflowers, but, I plant all kinds of different flowers and it’s not like I have any personal favorites or—"

“Why sunflowers?”

Basil felt a slight heat rising into his cheeks. He’d never told anybody but Sunny why sunflowers were his favorite. His answer was very cheesy and quite personal, not exactly the kind of information he’d share with a stranger he just met, even if they were taking biology together for a year.

She went on without waiting for his reply. “Gladiolus are my favorite flowers.”

Huh.

“Oh, I love gladiolus flowers too!” Basil said. “I grow a few in my garden.”

“What do you like about them?” she asked.

Wow…people don’t usually show so much interest in me after I tell them I like flowers.

“They…they’re known as sword flowers, aren’t they?” Basil said. “And they represent strength of character. Whenever I look at gladiolus flowers, I think of someone who’s honest, who stands by their convictions…”

Basil’s eyes turned sharply away. He couldn’t believe he’d revealed all that to someone he’d just met a few minutes ago. She probably thought he was some obsessed flower nerd who spent too much time reading into flower symbolism.

“That’s right,” she replied. “I’m impressed by how much you know about flower meanings.”

“Ah—ah…maybe, yeah…”

“I think they’re pretty, especially pink gladiolus,” she added. “When I was young I wished I could be like them. Pretty, yet strong.”

Basil turned his eyes back at her with surprise. Her words felt genuine.

She was the first person he’d met, besides himself, who wished she could be a certain kind of flower. His grandma hadn’t been as much into flower meanings; she’d found happiness in taking care of as many different plants as she could handle. He got into flower symbolism because of his love of reading, and he’d found several books at the library in Faraway Town on that subject.

“That’s a really nice quality to look up to!” Basil responded, smiling.

She smiled back. “Good choice for you, too.”

“Umm, good choice…?”

“You said you liked sunflowers. I’ve always respected dandelions,” she spoke. “They’re resilient. They can grow in any condition, even in the cracks of sidewalks.”

Oh, oops.

Should’ve clarified that I meant the sunflower genus, not the sunflower family.

“Ah—ha…thanks, but I wasn’t actually thinking of dandelions,” Basil said, his face growing redder with embarrassment. “I meant, uh, Helianthus sunflowers. The ones with big yellow petals.”

“Oh, sorry.”

“I—It’s alright. I guess I like sunflowers because…they’re flowers that always face towards the sun,” Basil spoke, smiling embarrassedly. “That’s how I want to be like, someone who always sees the bright side of things.”

She suddenly laughed. “My bad.”

Basil didn’t understand why she was laughing. “Did I say something weird?”

“That’s the total opposite of dandelions,” she replied, still laughing.

“Really? Why’s that?”

“Because people who try to always see the bright side of things aren’t resilient at all. They’re the first to crack under pressure.”

Basil’s eyes averted her gaze. He had no idea what he could say in response to that.

She was so blunt. Didn’t even try to be nice.

“Ooops, that was rude, wasn’t it?” she spoke after her fit of laughter.

“Ummm…”

“Sorry, I’m not really good at reading people’s thoughts or feelings. Did I hurt your feelings?”

I’ll try to be nice to her.

“It’s okay,” Basil replied. “Umm, yeah, I guess people who try too hard to be happy might not be the best at being able to handle really tough situations.”

I’m one to know.

“People who are positive all the time are nice to talk to, but you can’t really grow close to them unless you get them to admit what bothers them,” she said.

“Umm, huh?”

“Just speaking from experience.” Her smile was mischievous. “You look kinda like that, too. I can tell you try to be positive but you’ve got a lot weighing you down!”

Haha…am I really that easy to read…?

The instructor walked into the room and began to organize his teaching materials on his desk at the front of the classroom.

“I had a friend once who always tried to be positive even in bad situations,” the red-haired girl said. “She didn’t turn out well at all.” Something flashed across her eyes. “Well, maybe I shouldn’t judge. Anyway, nice talking to you.”

“I—It was nice talking to you, too!” Basil responded awkwardly.

“Sorry if I said some weird things. What’s your name, by the way?”

“Basil.”

“Nice to meet you, Basil. My name’s Marie.”

Uh.

Marie.

Mari.

“Hope we can be lab partners!” Marie concluded before turning to face the instructor as he began his lesson.

Basil was awestruck by that conversation. He’d never met someone so weirdly blunt and affable, but knowing all the stuff that he did, he was in no position to call anybody weird.

Morning biology passed by at the pace of watching paint dry. It was all review. Basil couldn’t wait for the plant biology unit to begin.

I wonder how Sunny’s doing?

Last night, Sunny told him that he wanted to try to make some new friends at school. Basil encouraged him to put himself out there and try his best.

Although Sunny looked older than most in his grade, and his eyepatch would definitely draw attention, Basil was sure that Sunny could make new friends easily. People would be interested in him. He could gain a lot of rep by saying that he’d gotten his eye slashed in a fight. Everything ought to go well as long as he hid his past.

Maybe Sunny already has tons of new friends by now.

Basil stared out the classroom window. The clouds in the sky couldn’t obscure the sunny blue sky.

He wondered what kind of friends Sunny would make. Because Sunny wasn’t different like himself, Sunny could probably get along with all kinds of people. Sunny might appear quiet at first, but once people got to know him, they’d discover what a nice, friendly, likable he was on the inside.

Basil knew his own character was the exact opposite. He tried to be positive but his inner world consisted exclusively of dark, worrying thoughts leading to runaway anxiety.

Maybe Marie’s right, I’m only trying to appear positive to hide what a terribly fragile person I am on the inside.

Luckily, there were ways he could convince his brain to not care about how much of a horrible, twisted monster he was.

As long as Sunny was happy, as long as Sunny was smiling and having fun, nothing else mattered. Basil would make himself the most detestable creature in the universe if doing so meant that he could assure Sunny’s safety and happiness.

A bell rung.

“See you later, Basil,” Marie said, breaking him out of his thoughts. Class had just ended.

“Oh, see you soon,” Basil replied in a distracted tone. Marie didn’t seem to care though and she waved goodbye.

The rest of his morning classes flew by as his thoughts became more and more occupied with the prospect of Sunny making lots of new friends, Sunny moving on with life, Sunny finding someone who’d be a better ‘best friend’ than that anxiety-ridden flower boy could ever be.

As long as he’s happy.

Basil’s lips curved into a sad smile. He’d always known that such a day would be inevitable. He’d known since back when they were children.

Because he blushed at pictures of Aubrey back then, Sunny was…normal. Normal people lived happy lives surrounded by laughing friends and smiling faces. Even though Sunny’s life had gone through a rough bump in the road, he’d eventually find his way. He’d find a friend group he belonged in, a friend group that wasn’t mad at him for the mistakes he’d made years ago. Then the people who burdened him could be discarded away. Nobody who was normal would want to hang out with a boy who wore a flower in his hair, who was full of anxiety, who didn’t have normal tastes in love and attraction—

Basil, no matter what anyone says, to me you are a normal boy.

Basil blinked, yet his smile remained sad. Grandma.

Of course, he was not normal. Sunny was.

When the day came for Sunny to move on, Basil understood that he’d just have to deal with it without screaming or going crazy. Parting on bad terms was a horrible, awful thought.

He’d been planning for that day since he was a kid; he would’ve assumed that it had already happened during the years that Sunny made himself a shut-in, if it hadn’t been for the fact that his mind had been burdened with the crucial task of keeping Sunny’s secret hidden.

In a way, it was that secret that had kept himself tethered to Sunny, an anchor that—he hoped—would always bring Sunny back to him, perhaps to scold him, perhaps to cry at him, but at the very least back to him.

It was okay.

Sunny’s life was better without that secret. Sunny could finally move on and live the fullest, happiest life he could achieve, no longer burdened with a pest called Basil.

It was okay, because for a brief time, Sunny had smiled at him.

You smiled because of something that I did for you.

Basil wasn’t actually sure why Sunny had valued him enough to spend time with him every day over the last two weeks, but each time Sunny smiled, Basil memorized that moment and placed it deep within his heart, a sacred treasure.

He’d use that treasure as a source of strength, even if Sunny left him.

It was enough.

Basil’s sad smile quivered. He couldn’t wait to meet Sunny at lunch and see him with all his new friends.

Of course, he would never make himself a bother to Sunny. If hanging out with an abnormal figure like himself ruined Sunny’s reputation, if any of Sunny’s friends spoke even a word asking him what kind of a freak was Basil, he’d make himself invisible. Even though it’d be painful, even if it meant never talking to Sunny ever again, he’d do it to make Sunny happy.

After four years shut inside his house, not being able to enjoy the exhilarating teenage years that every normal boy deserved, Sunny of all people deserved to be happy.

Basil’s quivering smile fell.

Who was he to even think that he was important to Sunny?

I always said you were my best friend because I selfishly wished to reassure myself that you’d always be there for me.

It would be best for himself to just fade away, to go back to a quiet life of gardening and raising flowers and reading books. Sunny might’ve said that he liked gardening but once he had some real friends by his side, he wouldn’t have any time for a lame hobby like that anymore. He’d go to shopping malls with his new friends after school, see movies together, go on exciting dates and all those other things high school kids were supposed to do.

That’s the life I want you to enjoy.

As lunch approached, Basil gathered all his notes and supplies and went over to his locker to pack them away. He had to be careful from now on. If he saw Sunny speaking with a new friend, it was in his best interest to avoid them. Because of his abnormal looks and tastes, just being recognized by Sunny could be bad for Sunny’s reputation.

With a heart rattling against his chest, Basil went over to the cafeteria.

Sunny’s mom had given them both money to buy lunch. Chicken fingers was on the menu today.

While waiting in line, Basil gazed around, hoping to catch sight of Sunny with his new friends—but not to be seen by Sunny. He kept wondering what those friends would be like.

With that eyepatch, Sunny would undoubtedly be super popular with girls.

The lineup for chicken fingers was surprisingly long. Basil found himself waiting for over fifteen minutes. His stomach growled. He started to grow more anxious, wondering where Sunny was.

Maybe he’s made so many new friends already that they decided to go out into the city for lunch.

Yeah, that had to be it. Popular people wouldn’t go to a drab place like the school cafeteria for lunch, they’d be eating out at the malls or at fancy restaurants.

A soft pat on his right shoulder snapped Basil out of his thoughts and sent a shock through his body when he spun to find himself facing Sunny.

“Oh—oh, h—hey,” Basil stammered. His eyes darted around, searching for Sunny’s new friends, but found only empty space.

Sunny was all by himself.

“Hi, Basil,” Sunny replied. “How was classes?”

“Oh—oh, they w—were alright. Y—Yours?”

“I kinda got lost in math.”

“Th—that’s okay, Sunny! High school math is challenging at first. I—I’ll help you!”

Sunny seemed mildly amused by Basil’s wild expressions. “You look a little nervous.”

“Ah, I do? Haha, I think it’s because it’s my first time ordering food at this cafeteria,” Basil lied.

Sunny moved into the line right beside him, to the dismay and groans of several others waiting behind them.

“Erhhh, you don’t like chicken fingers?” Sunny questioned further.

“N—No, they’re okay. I’m just, I’m always jittery the first time I do something at a new place.” Basil faked a bright smile. “Did you make any friends?”

Sunny just giggled. It was heartstoppingly cute.

“Uhh…Sunny?” Basil asked again, “how many new friends did you make?”

“Zero,” Sunny replied.

Basil blinked multiple times.

Just like that, a whole morning’s worth of ruminating and worrying and anxietying had all gone to waste. Shattered to pieces. Flushed down the toilet.

“Sorry…” Basil muttered. “Just, you said you wanted to try making new friends last night so…I assumed—”

Sunny patted Basil on the shoulder again. “It’s hard. I’m kind of an outcast because of my age and…you know.” He gestured at the right half of his face.

“That’s alright, I’m sure you’ll make lots of friends soon!” Basil encouraged, feeling absolutely horrible deep down for what he did to Sunny's eye.

Sunny laughed again. “I’m not in any rush. Let’s just hang out together at lunch and after school.”

“Really?”

Sunny looked confused. “Why not? You’re my only friend in this school, of course I’d like to hang with you every day.”

Basil felt his mind being lifted up into rosy clouds.

You’re too nice to me…

I know it won’t last, but, just hearing those words from you makes me—

He was certain he was smiling like a complete idiot right now.

I guess every time I’m in a new place, my mind starts worrying and gets caught up over all sorts of weird thoughts.

He let himself enjoy the bliss of being by Sunny’s side.

As they received their food from the cafeteria servers, Basil remembered that last night, Hero had called him and given him an email address. Basil never used computers, much less had an email, but one of his courses this morning had just mandated him to get an email. It was to help the instructor check for plagiarism or something like that. He’d have to go to the computer lab later and register an email for himself.

Maybe I’ll get to talk to Hero more often and find out how college has been going for him.

Basil explained his need to get an email address to Sunny.

“Sure, we can go to the computer lab after we eat,” Sunny responded. “I’ve been meaning to get an email myself.”

“Oh, really?”

“It’s good for a lot of things. Mincy told me at volunteering that she’s thinking of setting up a website for her grandma along with an email address that they could use to keep track of volunteers and everything. We should add ours to their list once we get them.”

“Good idea!” Basil didn’t realize that Sunny already planned to use his email. “Huh, why doesn’t everyone get an email?”

“Well…you have to watch out for computer viruses…”

“Viruses?”

Sunny made a weird smile. “I almost destroyed my laptop last week because of a virus. They’re programs that infect your computer and make bad things happen.”

Huh, what was I doing last week…?

Oh, I think I was helping out Mrs. S with her groceries that day.

It felt funny realizing that while he was out, Sunny had nearly destroyed the laptop that they used almost every evening.

“Don’t click on any flashy icons or pop ups when you go on the Internet,” Sunny warned. “And never give your password to any site, ever! In fact, just don’t give your email address to anyone. It’s all just scams anyways.”

“N—Not even to my biology teacher?” Basil asked.

“Eh, well, maybe they’re okay.”

“How did you get rid of the virus?”

“I system wiped the computer. And reinstalled Windows XP. And played Earthbound back to where we left off.”

Wow…

“That’s why our save files looked a bit different when I came back?” Basil asked.

“Yeah…haha…”

Basil couldn’t stop himself from laughing at Sunny’s dedication. “Must’ve been a really bad virus if you had to go through all that before I got back.”

Sunny lowered his head and focused on eating his food, quietly.

Afternoon classes passed by more smoothly for Basil. To his surprise, he discovered that he shared another class with Marie, precalc.

“Basil!” she greeted him when he saw her sitting in the classroom. “Glad to see you here!”

He was embarrassed but happy that she appeared so excited to see him. “Hey, Marie.”

“Did you make your email already?” she asked.

“Yeah. Do you want it?”

“Of course! Let’s share notes and everything.”

Basil passed Marie a note with his email address written on it, and received hers. He frowned slightly looking at it. His email simply combined his first and last name with his birth year, hers was something very cheesy and saccharine and…unprofessional. Basil felt his face going red just looking at it.

There’s a name in there…Alice???

“Who’s Alice?” Basil asked.

“Have you read Alice in Wonderland?”

“Yeah?”

“I loved Alice when I was a kid. She’s my best friend. We grew up together and now she’s my girlfriend.”

G—Girlfriend?

"Umm, imaginary friend?" Basil asked for clarification.

"Yup."

Basil was so taken aback that he just stood there, stunned by Marie’s words. He couldn’t imagine having an imaginary girlfriend and wondered, did Sunny ever have an imaginary girlfriend too? Sunny had a very active imagination and he must’ve been lonely during those four years shut inside his room.

Marie didn’t seem to mind one bit, revealing all that.

“I don’t mean to bother you, I think you have a lovely email,” Basil said, “but isn’t our biology teacher gonna feel weird if he sees you using this email?”

She laughed. “Well, that’s his problem.”

Wow, she seems like she’s got everything figured out.

Basil smiled back. “I guess you’re right.”

Maybe I should learn to care less about what others think of me and be more free-spirited, like her.

But…I still wonder what Marie would think of me if I told her what I’m really like.

He looked forward to seeing Sunny on their way back home so he could tell him about this strange new classmate he’d been talking to. He hesitated to use the word friend to describe her yet. Part of him also worried about speaking her name in case it reminded Sunny too much of his sister.

At least their names weren’t that similar in pronunciation. Mari was pronounced MAH-ree, Marie was pronounced Muh-REE.

Once class was over, Basil waved goodbye to Marie and packed everything into his locker. He found Sunny waiting for him at the entrance doors to the school.

On his way out of the school front lobby, he heard a group snickering behind him as he walked by. They reminded him of the same group he saw this morning. There were a couple of familiar faces: a boy with a blond hair buzz cut, and a girl who had long wavy black hair with pronounced eye shadow makeup. He couldn’t hear what they were saying so he ignored them, though he felt a little intimidated.

“How was your first day?” Basil asked Sunny as they walked home together.

“I fell behind in every class already.”

“Oh no! Please ask me if you need any help.”

“In math, why is everything a graph now?”

“Ah—ah…that’s just the Cartesian plane.”

Sunny gazed emptily at the air in front of him. “The what plane?”

“Oh…sorry! Just draw a cross, the vertical line is called the y-axis and the horizontal one is called the x-axis. That’s the Cartesian plane. You’ll need to remember that for everything.”

Sunny made a grumbling noise. “Sounds so tedious.”

“Yeah, it’s not very exciting, but it’s useful for a lot of stuff in science.”

“You’re going to save my life so many times this year,” Sunny said with a self-deprecating smile.

Basil blushed, hearing those words. Everything Sunny said unintentionally made him happier because they’d get to spend more time together.

He hated being selfish. He hated making himself happy at Sunny’s expense. Problem is, he couldn’t help it. Any moment spent with Sunny was an enjoyable one.

“How are your classes?” Sunny asked.

“Not bad. I talked to a classmate who’s in two of my classes, she seems to get along with me,” Basil responded.

“What’s her name?”

“Umm…Marie.”

Sunny’s expression flickered, but he just laughed. “I hope I get to meet her.”

“Y—Yeah, if she’s around during lunch I can introduce you.”

“Thanks, Basil!” Sunny patted him on the back again. “I’d never be able to make new friends without your help.”

Chapter Text

At the street junction where Sunny and Basil left the school grounds, Sunny unexpectedly turned down the sidewalk instead of crossing the junction.

“Where are you going?” Basil asked.

“I don’t wanna go home yet,” Sunny replied, a mischievous curl of his lips. “Let’s go to the mall instead.”

Basil raised both eyes in surprise. “The mall? Why?”

“Why not? Looks like a lot of people go there after school.”

They’d only glimpsed sections of the mall over the past couple of weeks, mainly window shopping. Basil figured that the mall was a huge place, a sprawling shopping center with loads of clothing stores, tool shops, furniture shops, tech emporiums, gaming stores, grocery stores, and food courts. It was like Faraway Plaza magnified a hundred times or more.

“Do you need to buy something?” Basil asked.

Sunny smiled. “Nope, let’s just hang out.”

Basil raised his eyes with surprise. He didn’t expect Sunny to want to go to the mall with him. Perhaps this was just a temporary fling; maybe once Sunny made some more friends he’d go to the mall with them instead.

In any case, Basil was more concerned about what Mrs. S would think if they swerved off to the mall instead of going straight back home after school. “Shouldn’t we go back home first so your mom doesn’t worry about us?”

Sunny’s smile grew a little wider. “I called my mom and told her we’d get back home a little later today.” He fished out a new cell phone from his pocket.

Right, Sunny’s mom recently bought him a new phone.

“Oh,” Basil spoke, “you planned on going to the mall with me today?”

“Yup.”

Ummm. Not what I thought you planned to do after school, at least not with me.

I guess if it’s just to hang out, it’s fine.

“Ah…okay, let’s go to the mall,” Basil conceded.

Basil followed after Sunny as they walked down the street towards one of the many mall entrances spread throughout the city blocks. He saw crowds of students from their high school making the mall their destination too, and wondered if he’d catch sight of Marie or another familiar face in here.

The jam packed crowds inside the mall, no doubt contributed by more than a few back to school shoppers, gave Basil an uneasy claustrophobic feeling. He preferred wide open green spaces, but figured that in a way the mall had its own appeal. To some, the rampant consumerism offered by the promise of sales discounts, the glitter of expensive brands, and the promise of fashionable new clothes must be a paradise.

Basil didn’t take Sunny to be that kind of person. And he was right.

They were lost on what to really do in the mall and just wandered about without a destination in mind. The Sunny that Basil knew from back in the day would’ve balked at the thought of hanging out here and would’ve done anything to stay home instead. He didn’t understand what caused the sudden change in Sunny’s personality.

Well, everything different about Sunny that he’d seen recently, he attributed that to the impact of having stayed completely inside his house for four years. Anyone would want to go out, hang out, and get some fresh air after that ordeal.

“Hey, look, a book store,” Sunny pointed out.

“Oh, sure, but, ummm, do you want to go to Hobbeez first?”

Basil wasn’t aware that Hobbeez was a franchise, but the rather obvious letters painted bright orange hanging above the store to the right of the bookstore clarified that matter.

“Nah, book store,” Sunny insisted. “I think you’d enjoy it more.”

“You don’t just have to go to the places I’d enjoy,” Basil protested. He was much more of a library person than a book store person in any case.

“Just? Come on, Basil,” Sunny said, a hint of a grin, “I love reading books too.”

I guess you’re right…

The bookstore attracted a different sort of crowd than the average teenager hanging out after school at the mall. And, as it turned out, artists loved the brand new volumes of comics and manga offered within.

“Hey, Sunny!” Mincy spoke, noticing them as soon as they entered the store. “Hey, Basil.”

“Hi, Mincy,” Sunny replied with a delighted smile, walking over towards her.

“H—Hello,” Basil said, following Sunny.

“What’re you here for?” Mincy asked Sunny. “Looking for the latest edition of Tennis Crush?” She held up a volume in her hand that even Basil hadn’t read yet.

“Not really here for anything,” Sunny replied. “But now that you mention it…”

“It’s good,” she said, offering the book to Sunny, who took it in his hands and started flipping through. “They’re getting really close to revealing the guy’s family secret.”

Wow, sounds like I want to read it too!

Basil’s hand moved towards his wallet, remembering his new credit card that his parents had registered for him that could spend up to two thousand dollars. He might end up making his first purchase with the card today.

“Sunny, let’s get it,” Basil offered. “I want to read the new volume too.”

“Sorry, I think Mincy plans on buying it,” Sunny replied. “She was here first and—”

“No, you can have it,” she said. “I already read the scans online in Japanese.”

“Wait, wha?” Basil said. “You can speak Japanese?”

“I’ve been learning. But, I’m really not very good at it,” she responded with a self-deprecating laugh.

“Good enough to read manga? That’s impressive,” Sunny said.

“Manga’s pretty basic…”

“But if you can read manga, you must’ve memorized over a thousand Kanji,” Sunny said. “I still kind of shudder when I think about learning all those characters.”

Yeah, I remember back then, Mari was teaching Sunny Kanji characters, but he always complained about how hard it was to memorize so many of them, and finally gave up after a few years.

“Learning all those Kanji wasn’t the hardest part,” Mincy tried to say humbly, averting her eyes. “It’s the grammar that really confused me.”

Basil, who didn’t know any second language beyond a few classes in Spanish, came to feel distinctly inferior to his two multilingual friends. Even if Sunny didn’t really get the Kanji reading part down.

“I’m going to check out some other books,” Basil said, smiling, moving to another section of the bookstore.

“Okay,” Sunny responded, then went back to discussing manga with Mincy.

Having caught up on all the books he loved from his childhood in the past couple of weeks, Basil had refreshed his memory on the names of his favorite authors. He kept a keen eye out for any new books released by those authors in the bookstore’s mystery, thriller, science fiction, and fantasy sections. It didn’t take long for him to find several new books published by the ones who were still alive.

(One of the books he’d enjoyed was Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray. There was a character in that story, also named Basil, who had certain…tastes…that matched his own. Too bad Oscar Wilde was long dead. Can’t expect any new books from him.)

Basil flipped through the new titles, delighted to find out what they had to offer.

Whenever he immersed himself in the writing of an author whom he loved, he always grew the feeling that he was returning to the home of an old friend. Even if the story and its characters were completely different, just being able to recognize that author’s style of writing, that feeling of familiarity—it was wonderful in too many ways.

During those long years spent taking care of his sick grandma as he waited for Sunny to come back to him, the characters written by these authors were his lifeline, his only friends. Some of them kept dark secrets that reminded him of his own, and so he felt he had somebody who shared his burden.

Not all of those characters developed into better people; many plunged down paths of no return, delving into alcoholism, self-harm, hurting their friends, their families, betraying those closest to them, some ultimately ending their lives in gruesome murders and suicides…

He stopped that train of thought before it went any further.

Sunny came back for me at the end.

I’ll always be grateful. I have to live to help him in whatever way I can.

The good thing was—most of the newer titles released by these authors weren’t so dark. He found three books that he wanted to read and brought them along with him as he went back to Sunny and Mincy.

“Hey, Basil,” Sunny spoke, “Mincy just told me that she wants to start a new club at school.”

“Oh, that sounds great!” Basil replied. “What kind? Book club? Art club?”

“Manga club!” Mincy replied.

Ehhh…

Basil just smiled.

Manga was not exactly the most popular hobby of students back in Faraway High School. Sure, a few enjoyed it, but they were bookish types like himself who didn’t advertise their hobby at a whole club. If any of them did start a manga club, they were certain to get laughed at by the bullies, who were much worse than the delinquents.

Maybe it’ll be different here.

Thinking about it, Basil actually liked the idea. Mincy didn’t think starting a manga club here would make her a laughingstock; she clearly held a lot of confidence in her hobby. Maybe she could popularize manga at their school. Then he wouldn’t have to feel so self-conscious whenever he found himself…reading…

Okay, he’d still feel ridiculous self-conscious about getting caught reading that type of manga in public.

“Sounds like a great idea for a club!” Basil responded.

I wonder if Sunny would be able to make lots of new friends at this club?

Mmmm, but if he does, they probably won’t be considered the popular ones…

Basil blinked as he felt an embarrassing heat coming up into his face.

Somehow, he’d convinced himself inside his thought labyrinth earlier today that Sunny would get to be one of the popular students, or at least he'd be able to hang out with the most popular groups at school. Having now heard Mincy’s manga club idea, if Sunny planned on becoming a regular at such a club, he was going to be jock repellent.

I want Sunny to be well-liked, but it’s more important to me that he gets to pursue the hobbies he enjoys.

“I just need a teacher to supervise the club,” Mincy mentioned.

“Oh, my English teacher might be interested,” Sunny said. “She told us today that manga was one of her favorite genres and that she’d read lots of amazing manga on par with her favorite books.”

Wow, Sunny’s English teacher is like that?

School in the city sure is different…

“What’s her name?” Mincy asked.

“Ms. Kowalski,” Sunny replied.

“Alright! I’ll try to find her and ask her about starting a manga club.”

“I can ask her for you,” Sunny offered.

“Really? That’d be awesome. Thanks!”

Basil smiled along with her. Of course, if he had time, he’d join the manga club too.

“Anyway, I gotta get going,” Mincy said. “I was just visiting this bookstore to check out some new manga, but I always read the scans in the original Japanese.” She smiled cheekily. “See ya!”

“Bye,” Sunny and Basil said as she left the store.

“Hey, I recognize those authors,” Sunny said, looking at the books in Basil’s arms.

“Oh—oh, yeah, I read their novels to you, didn’t I?”

“Those were great! I wouldn’t mind listening to what they’ve written recently,” Sunny said, adding the latest volume of Tennis Crush on top of Basil’s pile.

Basil blushed at the thought of them continuing their evening book reading sessions. “O—Of course!”

Sunny is being too nice to me. I don’t know how to handle it.

I feel like I have to make it up to him somehow…maybe I’ll try really, really hard to convince our old friends to forgive him.

Basil purchased all their new books with his credit card, committing to his memory that he now had a balance that he needed to pay off at the end of the month. It felt kind of bad to be using the money that his parents had lent him, though.

If I had a job, I’d feel much more deserving of this credit card.

Well…guess I should focus on school for now instead of finding a job.

After leaving the bookstore, they hung out for another hour around the mall, mostly window shopping, before they decided that the growing ache in their bellies needed to be addressed.

“I don’t want to go back home just yet,” Sunny said. “Let’s try something from the food court first.”

Basil didn’t want to deny Sunny food, that would just be mean. “Mom might get angry at you if you’re not hungry for dinner, though…”

“Nah, she’ll get over it,” Sunny said, smiling.

From the way Sunny smiled, Basil grew the strange feeling that Sunny had a very well prepared comeback planned when it came to an issue between him and his mom about food.

They went over to the food court, where the smell of deliciously greasy—nastily greasy—food brought Sunny to a counter selling Singaporean Fried Noodles. He chose a box of noodles with shrimp and veggies.

“That’ll be eight seventy-four,” the person behind the counter said.

Sunny turned towards Basil with an embarrassed smile. “Erhhh, I actually don’t have enough change in my pockets…”

Basil took out his credit card. He tried to give a warning look, but just couldn’t resist pleasing Sunny, and ended up smiling genuinely instead. “Here you go.”

“Thanks so much. I’ll have to pay you back later.”

“It’s okay, Sunny.”

“I’ll come up with the money somehow.”

Once Sunny got his hands on the box of noodles, he devoured almost half of it in under two minutes. He appeared embarrassed as he turned his face at Basil, grease covering his lips. “Sorry.”

Basil offered Sunny some tissues. “Here.”

“No, I was wondering if you wanted to eat some,” Sunny said. “You did buy it, you know.”

“Well…”

Basil had never tried Singaporean Fried Noodles before, and seeing the way Sunny dug into it, he was starting to feel rather hungry. He nodded and started going over to the condiments section of the food court to obtain his own utensils when he suddenly found a pair of chopsticks holding up fried noodles to his face.

Sunny, you…

Sunny smiled. “Try it now!”

I have hygiene standards...

Sunny was not the best at maintaining good personal hygiene, he knew. He’d heard from Kel that Sunny apparently had the greasiest hair when he first came out of his house.

You seriously don’t think I’d mind eating food off your chopsticks?

Only one explanation made sense.

After explaining how bad disposable utensils were for the environment the other day, Sunny must have gotten convinced. Sunny didn’t want Basil to open the wrapping of a disposable fork that he’d just throw away quickly after using if Basil didn’t like the noodles. Taking one bite from Sunny’s own chopsticks was just an environmentally friendly taste test!

Against all reasonable hygiene, Basil accepted. He just couldn’t refuse…

Sunny brought his chopsticks close to Basil’s lips. Basil ate the batch of noodles off Sunny’s chopsticks.

I’m eating food that Sunny…

“It’s pretty good,” Basil said with a smile. He liked the noodles’ texture and salty taste.

“Want more?” Sunny asked.

“It’s okay…”

“I really don’t mind, you bought it for me!”

“Ah—ah…sorry, I meant should get a fork to eat the rest.”

Basil went and got a fork, finishing the box of noodles with Sunny. He wished this scene didn’t look so suspicious, two boys sharing the same box of noodles at the mall food court. Sunny didn’t seem to mind. He probably just didn’t know what others would think.

Basil’s head was swimming in a sweet pool of ambrosia. He tried his best to hide it from Sunny.

“How was the first day of school?” Mrs. S asked.

“It was alright,” Sunny replied. “I already got homework to do, though.”

“You should get working on it tonight. I don’t want to see you playing any video games until you’re done.”

“Okay, mom…”

Sunny’s fork tilted a drumstick back and forth, a drumstick that he expressed a clear lack of interest in after today’s food court snack.

“How about you, Basil?”

“School was okay,” Basil replied. “I got along with one of my new classmates.”

“That’s great! How are they like?”

Do I really have to explain Marie to Mrs. S?

“Well, she’s…”

***

At lunch the next day, Basil went to help Sunny out with his new courses. They went to the school study room and there Basil discovered that Sunny had forgotten nearly everything he learned about algebra and geometry.

“To isolate for x when it’s in the numerator, you have to…Sunny, are you even listening?”

“Sorry.”

Sunny’s hand had moved unexpectedly close to Basil’s face, and Sunny quickly retracted it. His working left eye observed the traces of bruise marks on Basil’s cheeks intently. “Do those bruises still hurt?”

“Not much anymore.”

The expression on Sunny’s face worried Basil. It almost felt like Sunny was about to press his fingers against Basil’s cheek to check whether or not those bruises actually didn’t hurt.

“Sunny, pay attention,” Basil spoke.

“Sorry, I just feel bad,” Sunny said. “My eye doesn’t hurt at all anymore but those marks on your face are still…very noticeable. I’m always afraid that you might get hurt really badly one day because—”

“Sunny,” Basil grumbled, “these bruises can’t compare to losing half your vision.”

“I don’t really care about losing my sight.”

Basil rolled his eyes. This wasn’t the first time they compared who did worse to the other.

But I think if you asked anybody, they’d say that losing an eye is one hundred percent worse.

The past few times they argued about it, Sunny would always come up with a weird scenario like “what if I gave you brain damage because I hit you so hard. You were out for longer than I was, that could be a sign of a concussion” at which point Basil would retort that he could’ve also done brain damage to Sunny since injury to the retina could carry over to the optic nerves. They’d been over so many scenarios by now that they both knew it was better to just drop it as soon as they started comparing.

“Anyway, back to algebra,” Basil continued. “If x is in the numerator, you have to multiply both sides by the denominator—”

“I already got that part,” Sunny responded. “My question is, what if x is in the denominator?”

“You don’t have to worry about that yet. You’ll learn that case later.”

Sunny looked disappointed. “That just makes me feel like they’re teaching us half the whole solution and expecting me to be satisfied somehow.”

“Okay, but what’s the answer?”

“x is…seven?”

“No, you forgot to subtract the three on the other side!”

The bell rang, signaling that it was time for afternoon classes. “Sorry, my next class is a bit far away,” Basil said, packing up all his supplies. “Have to get going.”

“I’ll meet you after school,” Sunny said with a smile.

Basil smiled back. “I’ll wait for you if I’m done school first!”

On his way to his next class, Basil passed by a familiar crowd of students who gave off the air of the delinquents from Faraway, but less in the realm of outcasts and significantly more like judgmental bullies. He felt a pair of eyes glancing over him as he passed by.

“Hey, flower boy,” a girl called out. “Wanna add some makeup to your face?”

What? I’m not interested in makeup…

Basil turned around and saw that girl with long wavy black hair and pronounced eye shadow makeup he’d seen yesterday. The boy with a buzz cut standing beside her laughed at her comment.

“It’s free!” he advertised, pointing to a glitter bottle in her locker. “I know you’d like some mascara!”

Basil spun around and marched to his next class while trying to block out those words.

He supposed this was the part where people at school were going to start making his life hell.

I hope Sunny doesn’t get bullied just for being seen around me.

A friendly voice suddenly spoke right beside him.

“Ignore those creeps,” Marie said, appearing seemingly out of nowhere. “That girl used to be my friend, but she started hanging out with the wrong crowd around middle school, so I let go of her.”

“…Thanks,” Basil replied in a quiet voice. “It’s okay. I’m used to being told comments like that—”

“That doesn’t make bullying okay,” Marie interrupted. “If she does that to you again and I’m around, I’m going to give her a piece of my mind.”

Basil tried to smile. “I appreciate it.”

“So who’s that guy you were hanging out with in the study room at lunch today?” Marie asked.

“Oh, that was my friend,” Basil said. “Maybe I’ll introduce him—”

“You can keep him. I’m not into guys.”

Basil raised his eyes.

“I’m sorry, I assume too much,” Marie said, flushed with embarrassment. “If you meant you wanted to introduce him to me as a friend, then yeah, that’d be great!”

“Ummm…okay…”

“Sorry, the people I used to hang out with always tried to set me up on a date with this guy I hated,” Marie went on. “But I know you wouldn’t do that.”

“I’m sorry they did that to you,” Basil empathized.

“Don’t worry, I’ve ditched all those losers.”

She was probably not aware of it, but Basil wasn’t as flustered by her comment about him “introducing” Sunny to her to go on a date as he was by her comment “You can keep him”.

As he arrived to class and sat down in his usual seat beside Marie, he felt his face growing redder and redder.

“Wow, you turned into a tomato,” Marie said. “They should really turn up the aircon in this room.”

“Yeah, they should,” Basil responded quietly.

Chapter Text

“And so, the thief was never caught. Many say that was for the best. Her ideas and inventions made the city the most prosperous place in the country,” Basil narrated.

He placed down the book after finishing reading it. Sunny wore the awestruck face he’d always put on after Basil finished a story he really enjoyed, the same face Basil remembered seeing when they read books together as children.

“What do you think??” Basil asked.

“I didn’t expect everyone involved in the heist to get away with it,” Sunny replied.

“Yeah, but the victim ended up becoming happier after he lost his diamond ring, so in a way he got a good outcome, didn’t he?”

“That’s, well, debatable,” Sunny said. “Most victims of robbery aren’t happier after it. But maybe there’s always the rare crime that ends up benefiting everyone.”

“For him, only because he was so greedy,” Basil noted.

“I guess people sometimes become happier only after losing something.”

“That’s true.” Basil thoughtfully added, “Some might interpret that what he really lost was his greed, which burdened him more than his ring.”

“But if the lesson is that greed is bad, why did the thieves just end up becoming greedier after they made lots of money?” Sunny objected.

“Ummm.”

“Maybe the real lesson is that sometimes, a bad deed becomes convenient for everyone,” Sunny said in a remarkably suggesting tone.

“Y—Yeah…”

“Well, except for his fiancée,” Sunny added with a slight laugh. “But he was able to get a replacement ring for her, so as long as she never finds out about his stolen heirloom, he’s going to be fine.”

Are things really better just because people don’t find out?

Basil averted his eyes; he noticed Sunny did the same.

“Uh…” Basil said. “Maybe this wasn’t the best book for us to read.”

The mood became sensitive. Even though Sunny had confessed the truth to his friends, what had happened to Mari was still a touchy topic between them that they avoided talking about if possible. The elephant in the room had shrunken, but it had never left. It might stay with them their whole lives.

“Sorry,” Sunny said. “I didn’t mean to—”

“It’s okay,” Basil said, trying to smile. “I know, I know. We…did a terrible thing. But the important thing is that we’ve admitted the truth and now it doesn’t haunt us so badly anymore.”

Sunny simply smiled.

“Oh, Kel told me the other day,” Basil continued, “someone moved into your old home.”

“Did Kel talk to them?” Sunny asked.

“Yeah. They’re an old couple who wanted to retire in a quiet town like Faraway. Kel says his parents might invite them over for poker and drinks on Friday.”

“That sounds like a good way to get to know them,” Sunny said cheerfully.

Kel almost seemed…

I want to try to get my friends to forgive Sunny, but I don’t know how to approach them about it. I don’t even understand why they’d forgive me but not Sunny.

Basil sighed. He couldn’t hide the negativity in his facial expression; Sunny certainly picked up on it.

“What’s wrong?” Sunny asked.

“Umm…”

Should I tell Sunny? I don’t want to make Sunny feel bad.

“Basil, if there’s something you need to tell me, even if it’s bad news, I want to hear it,” Sunny insisted.

I guess I’ll tell him.

“Kel also told me…the day the old couple moved in, he felt kind of relieved,” Basil spoke nervously. “Kel said that he didn’t feel like you’d really moved away until the new people moved in.”

Sunny’s face dropped, but he picked it back up with another smile. “I know. I didn’t leave the house for years, so whether I was still there or not, Kel felt like nothing had changed. And I know…they might never forgive me for taking Mari away from them.”

Those words stung Basil. He hated seeing Sunny look so guilty. He hated the fact that his friends still couldn’t forgive Sunny.

Basil tried to comfort him. “I’m sorry—”

“You don’t have to be sorry for anything,” Sunny said. “Whatever our old friends think of me, I know I deserve it.”

A boiling emotion welled up inside Basil, emerging from his heart. He wanted to tell Sunny that he wasn’t the problem—his former friends not forgiving him was the problem.

“Sunny, I wish they’d all forgive you,” Basil said. “It’s not right that they want to still be friends with me but not with you.”

Sunny hesitated before replying. “You were a victim, but I was the murderer.”

“That’s…that’s just not true,” Basil said, a choke in his voice. “I did something horrible.”

“And it’s not your fault. At all,” Sunny responded. “When you walked in and saw my sister at the bottom of the stairs, it must’ve been…I’m sorry. If you don’t want to talk about it—”

“Sunny.” Basil felt wetness in his eyes. “I don’t…I don’t blame you either. I blame myself. If I didn’t try to cover things up, we wouldn’t have gone through all that—”

“You can’t know that you made things worse,” Sunny stated in a quieter voice. “None of us know what would’ve happened if you hadn’t been there for me. Maybe I would’ve gotten thrown into juvie. I think that’s what probably would’ve happened. I mean, I’m not saying that that’s better or worse than what we went through, but…I just think, in spite of everything, I like things the way they are right now.” A glint of happy light sparkled in Sunny’s left eye. “We both did terrible things, we both came clean with it—and we forgave ourselves. Right?”

Basil was not used to being told by Sunny that everything was okay, but he appreciated Sunny’s thoughtfulness and showed a small smile.

"Of course, I’m not saying to do that again,” Sunny added. “I’m just saying, we shouldn’t assume that the alternative where you didn’t cover for me would’ve been better.”

“Ah—hah…I guess so.”

It’s so hard to go back to what went through my mind in that moment.

When I saw what had happened, all I wanted to do was to protect you, Sunny.

You were my best friend. You were so kind to me.

A kind heart like yours didn’t deserve what would be coming to you if I didn’t do what I did.

Yet…I just made everything worse.

Sunny leaned towards Basil and placed a hand on Basil’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, Basil. Maybe this was too much.”

Basil blinked away his sadness. He had to be stronger, he couldn’t let himself be such a downer when Sunny was the one being so brave. Sunny was the one facing all the slings and arrows from his former friends. “I know, Sunny. We should just…we have to be comfortable with the truth, and we need to move on.”

“That’s right,” Sunny said, smiling.

Even after weathering everything, your smile is still so bright.

Before Basil could say anything, there suddenly came a knock on the door.

“Excuse me,” Mrs. S spoke. “Basil, a new letter arrived for you from your parents.”

My parents? Again?

She opened the door and handed Basil an envelope. Noticing Basil’s tearful eyes, she faced Sunny with an accusative pose. “Something wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” Sunny replied. “We were just…”

“We just read a really sad book,” Basil created an excuse to save Sunny.

“Wow, must’ve been a tragic novel,” she spoke. “With all that’s happened to us…maybe you two should read some happier novels from now on?”

“We’ll try to,” Sunny said, turning his left eye away.

“I’ve cut some watermelon slices for you in the kitchen if you want some,” she added, then left the room.

Sunny turned at Basil. “It’s fine, you should go read your parents’ letter.”

“It’s okay, I’ll read it here,” Basil replied, already opening the envelope.

At this point I’m just going to assume that my parents want to get rid of me.

I might feel better if I read their letter with Sunny nearby.

Basil opened the envelope and took out the piece of paper inside—

It was a cheque for five thousand dollars. Nothing else.

“Uh.”

Sunny raised his working eye. “What is it?”

This is…too much.

“More money,” Basil replied. “I don’t even know why.”

“Another two thousand dollars?” Sunny asked.

“Ummm…five thousand.”

Sunny gazed at Basil with an incredulous expression. “Your parents are giving you five thousand dollars just like that?”

“It’s not like I wanted it,” Basil replied. “I don’t even know what to use it for! And there’s no explanation either. This is so confusing.”

Sunny’s expression wavered. Basil didn’t blame him; was he supposed to look sympathetic or happy for his friend? What look do you give someone exactly if they got a whole ton of money that they didn’t ask for?

Basil decided he needed to get to the bottom of things. “I’m going to call my parents.”

“Okay.”

I hope they respond for once.

Basil opened up his cell phone’s contact list and found the number that his parents had given him for emergency calls.

(He also had Polly’s number if he needed her.)

The dial sound rang five times.

“We’re sorry, but the number you’re looking for is not currently available.”

Basil sighed.

Every time he called his parents, they’d never pick up. If he left a message on their receiver, it was a coin toss on whether or not they’d respond, weeks later. Last time he talked to them, several months ago, they had told him that Polly was his emergency contact from now on.

But who’s my emergency contact now that Polly’s no longer taking care of me?

Basil closed his cell phone and picked up the cheque lying on the floor of their room.

“No luck?” Sunny asked.

“They’re always too busy to respond,” Basil said. “I think…they might’ve been afraid that two thousand dollars wasn’t enough for me. Maybe they thought I needed extra school supplies. They’re always like this. They do things without asking me first, and now they’re sending me money that I never asked for.”

Sunny scratched his head awkwardly. “Well, if they’re just giving money to you…you might as well use it for youself, right?”

Basil tried to smile. “I guess. But there’s nothing I really want to spend it on right now.”

“Yeah. Save it for a rainy day.”

I’ll cash the cheque in at the bank tomorrow.

“Maybe I’ll need it for an emergency later,” Basil added pessimistically.

Hopefully it’ll just sit in my bank, untouched.

Basil had gotten to know the names of his tormentors just by listening around.

The girl with the excessive mascara was named Bethany, while the boy with the buzz cut was called Wayne. If anyone needed poster stereotypes of high school jocks, they had no better samples than Wayne and Bethany, captain of the school football team and star cheerleader respectively. To put a twist on this classic pairing, Wayne was not Bethany’s boyfriend—yet. He had a competitor.

Sunny and Basil were eating lunch in the cafeteria together when they heard a fight break out in the middle of the room. During an argument, Wayne had shoved another boy with curly brown hair, and that boy had just responded with a punch to Wayne’s face. Obviously, the school football star did not take kindly to this insult.

Marie told me that Bethany had two boys chasing after her, Wayne and the other one with the curly brown hair—I think his name’s Alfred.

I wonder how Marie knows so much about the school jocks anyway?

A chair flew into the wall.

The chaos of the brawl had gathered a crowd of noisy spectators. Basil groaned. He just wanted to finish eating so he could help Sunny study for his upcoming math test. The study room was full, and it was raining hard outside, so they couldn’t go to the city library; they had to make do with the cafeteria.

As it turned out, even leaving the cafeteria was about to become an issue.

The crowd followed Wayne and Alfred as they brawled across the room until the two were fighting right by the entrance doors. Basil couldn’t see what was going on but he figured none of it was worth looking at, anyways.

Until Wayne shoved Alfred so hard that he fell through the cafeteria doors and landed by the edge of the top of the stairs just outside.

The crowd gasped. Basil saw Wayne walk out, expecting him to deliver the finishing blow—but, to everybody’s relief, the fight stopped right there before things got grim. Now they were just exchanging verbal insults. A muscly teacher stormed through the crowd and grabbed the two boys, dragging them away to the principal’s office while ordering the crowd to disperse.

As the crowd parted, Sunny looked over at the stairs outside the cafeteria and blinked consecutively.

“Wow,” Sunny spoke, “even those idiots know better than to fight near the stairs.”

Basil tapped his chair nervously. “S—Sunny?”

Sunny faced Basil and gave a self-hating laugh. “Sorry. Not the best thing to say…”

“N—No, it’s okay, I just didn’t expect that from you!”

“I’m sorry,” Sunny repeated. “I’m so stupid. I should’ve thought about it before saying that to you…”

Basil didn’t want Sunny to feel any more guilt. Without really thinking about it, he came up with something to reassure Sunny. “Don’t worry, I’m glad you followed through with that joke.”

“You are?”

“I wouldn’t want you to leave me…hanging.”

Sunny turned slowly towards Basil and blinked.

The two of them stared at each other in stunned silence.

Sunny’s lips quivered.

His mouth parted…and he broke into disbelieving, uproarious laughter.

Sunny wore such a happy face that Basil started laughing as well—

A loud clap of thunder exploded outside, silencing their laughter along with all the noise in the room.

Their eyes stared at each other again. Sunny blinked. Basil blinked.

That thunder’s timing…

Sunny’s lips quivered.

Basil felt something bubbly swelling up from his chest.

It’s too…

Sunny’s mouth was smiling…

Perfect—

In an instant they broke into awkward, self-deprecating laughter. Amidst the cafeteria’s quieter noise after that thunderclap, every head in the room turned towards them to see what was going on.

Tears came to their eyes. What they’d said was so ridiculous. Their laughter became genuine. They laughed like they’d never laughed before, not since the carefree days of their childhood, laughing like the sun would never stop shining even amidst the rain and thunder.

Also, Basil had never felt so embarrassed in his life, being stared at by everybody, but for some reason, he couldn’t help himself. He just kept laughing. Sunny kept laughing. Loud, self-deprecating, uncontrollable laughter.

Tears streamed down their faces. Basil saw snot coming out of Sunny’s nose.

To escape the utter embarrassment, they got up from their seats and fled the room, laughing all the way.

Basil and Sunny laughed and laughed and laughed, laughing down the halls, laughing into the boy’s bathroom, laughing until they were hanging onto each other by the sink, desperately trying to catch their breath.

Their thoughts were in perfect sync.

That awful joke, Basil’s horrible reply, Sunny’s astounded face, Basil’s guilty look, the clap of thunder that had come at the perfect time—

It all worked out too well and they simply couldn’t stop laughing.

I needed that laugh.

Coughing and sputtering, still full of chuckles and giggles, Basil and Sunny managed to stand back on their own two feet. They looked at each other’s faces.

Sunny was a mess of snot and tears.

“I never knew you could come up with dark jokes like that,” Sunny said.

“I’m going to get dragged into the flaming pits,” Basil replied with a defeated tone.

“My sister is going to haunt me so badly tonight. I’ll see you there.”

“See you too.”

The happy bubbles swirling inside Basil’s chest stayed with him throughout that rainy afternoon. He felt guilty about it too. That had been a horribly dark joke to make when he didn’t know whether they’d fully recovered from their trauma yet—or if they would ever—but he’d said it to ease Sunny’s own awkward guilt after his comment about fighting by the stairs. If whatever he did had a chance to make Sunny feel better, Basil wouldn’t hesitate to deprecate himself.

I won’t let Sunny feel embarrassed if I can embarrass myself for him.

Today was also the first meeting of Mincy’s manga club.

Basil had to stay a few minutes after his last class to copy some notes. His mind had wandered due to all that laughter and he’d found it hard to concentrate while the instructor was teaching the lesson. It had been so worth it to laugh like that.

The rain continued pouring hard outside. Perhaps that was a good thing; if people were hesitant to go home then they might become interested in Mincy’s club. Though there were a lot of other clubs at this school that they could go to.

Basil had been searching for a gardening club, but word was that the last gardening club at the school had ended years ago. No surprise there. Gardening required a lot of equipment and hard work, and few would care enough to supply the plants.

One of the biology teachers, a botanist, told Basil that anyone interested in gardening at this school would rather spend their time at Clear Skies Conservancy just outside the city where they could earn valuable volunteering hours.

A few other clubs caught Basil’s interest, like book club, theatre club, animal lovers club. He wanted to check them out but could never find the time because he’d rather hang out with Sunny after school. Today, his after school activity was definitely going to be manga club.

More than a dozen students were already there, their chatter creating a welcomingly lively mood. He spotted Sunny talking to Mincy.

“Sorry I’m late!” Basil said to Sunny when he entered the room.

“I was wondering where you were,” Sunny replied, still giggling.

Basil giggled too. “I had to take a bunch of notes.”

“What are you two laughing about?” Mincy asked.

“N—Nothing, we just said something dumb at lunch,” Basil replied.

“What was it?” she inquired further.

Basil laughed awkwardly, and the smile on Sunny’s face suggested it was time to end the discussion. “It’s an inside joke. Trust me, it was really stupid…”

“So the latest volume of Tennis Crush,” Sunny switched topics, “I liked how they went back to the incident at the warehouse, but I also feel like they’re really dragging out the big reveal.”

“I feel that too,” Mincy said. “Honestly, I think I already know what the big secret is and they should’ve just revealed it two volumes ago when his best friend came so close to helping him get out of that mess.”

Really? I thought the story’s pacing was okay…

Basil glanced around the room, at all the groups that were talking to each other. No familiar faces, no Marie. He spotted the teacher supervising them; Ms. Kowalski was reading a manga of her own.

I guess this club is going to be pretty popular after all.

“The tennis captain’s best friend…don’t you think he kind of likes him?” Sunny mentioned out of the blue.

As soon as Basil heard those words, his face snapped towards Sunny.

Basil felt a volcano exploding lava up into his cheeks.

“Wow, you felt that too?” Mincy said. “Didn’t know boys could spot that kind of thing!”

“It’s really obvious,” Sunny said. “He always blushes when he’s around his best friend, too.”

“Actually, I think it’s more that they keep doing really nice stuff for each other,” Mincy said. “Like, remember the chapter when they bought ice cream together and he chose his best friend’s favorite flavor, mint, even though he didn’t like it that much himself?”

“They act like they’re already a couple,” Sunny agreed.

Giggling, Mincy turned at Basil. “What do you think?”

Uhhh…

Ummm…

“I…well, I think th—that they, umm, he and his b—best friend…they really get along better than anybody else, s—so maybe…it’s, umm, trying to say…they’re m—meant for each other!” Basil stammered.

“Haha. It’s a shame that he’s going to end up with the protagonist, though,” Mincy replied.

“She’s barely even talked to him,” Sunny added.

“Gawd, I hate that,” Mincy groaned. “They tease the gay ship but they always end up pairing the main guy with the main girl. Even if they have no chemistry together.”

Does Sunny even know what a ship is?

Basil did not expect his first meeting at the manga club to be going in this direction already. His own face must be so red by now. He wanted to hide himself from Sunny but it would be mighty suspicious if he decided to bolt out of the room right at this moment.

“Mincy, it’s almost three thirty,” Ms. Kowalski spoke, bailing Basil out.

“Oh, right,” Mincy said and walked over to the front of the classroom.

Thank you, Ms. Kowalski! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

“Hey everyone, welcome to the manga club!” Mincy announced to everyone present. “I’m sure you’re all eager to…”

Mincy’s words faded away from Basil’s attention as his thoughts turned back to what they had just been discussing.

He’d never heard Sunny mention guy to guy attraction before.

Apparently Sunny could spot the signs of that blooming ship in this manga. Of course, to Basil it was obvious, but…Sunny wasn’t like that, was he?

Sunny loved girls. He had a crush on Aubrey when he was young.

Why would Sunny even bring up love that wasn’t…normal…?

Don’t most guys find that kind of thing uncomfortable?

Even revolting?

Basil took a deep breath and counted to eight.

I shouldn’t delude myself anymore.

I…think Sunny’s just very perceptive, and maybe he’s accepting of different types of love.

Yeah, that was it.

Sunny wasn’t like himself. Sunny didn’t have those feelings of attraction to people of the same gender.

Sunny was simply observant enough to notice that a very close friendship between two guys in a story could hint at something more between them. And Sunny was nice enough to be accepting of that kind of relationship; that was probably due to Mari’s influence.

Mari once publicly berated a couple of bullies at school for making fun of two boys who tried to kiss each other. She’d tell Sunny that two boys kissing was okay, Basil imagined.

Of course, Basil would still never delude himself into believing that Sunny would like to try that.

Maybe Sunny knows…

I hope he’ll accept me, but I know that he’ll never love me back.

I have to be content with that.

“…and that’s why we’re going to be hosting manga drawing lessons. At the end of the semester, we’re gonna have a full manga showcase!”

Basil snapped back to attention, mostly because he caught a sliver of excitement dawn on Sunny’s face at hearing those words.

“That’s right, every Friday if you come to this club, you’ll receive world class manga drawing lessons—facial expressions, body poses, dramatic angles—everything that Ms. Kowalski and I have studied and practiced!”

Wow, Ms. Kowalski can draw manga too?

“I dabbled in drawing manga in my spare time,” Ms. Kowalski added to Mincy’s speech. She opened up her laptop and showed a few slides of manga that she’d illustrated using art software.

Wait, is that a Sailor Moon fan manga?

He’d heard people on the Internet mention the term for fan manga once before. What was it, doujin or something?

“By the end of the semester, we hope you’ll all be able to draw great manga that you can proudly display at our showcase!” Mincy said.

…A manga showcase, huh…?

I feel like it’d be kind of embarrassing—

“Let’s take lessons together,” Sunny said to Basil. “I’ve always wanted to learn how to draw manga.”

“Ah—ha, yeah, that sounds like it’ll be really fun,” Basil replied in an uncertain tone.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to, Basil.”

Skipping out on a chance to spend more time with Sunny is out of the question.

“N—No, I do want to learn!” Basil said.

Even though I’m terrible at drawing.

Mincy concluded her speech and everyone got back to their own groups to resume their prior conversations. Basil got worried that they’d go back to that—luckily, the talk of manga lessons and a manga showcase had switched Sunny’s attention away.

“Are you interested in our manga lessons?” Mincy asked.

“For sure,” Sunny replied.

“Great! So you have any ideas of what you want to draw first?”

“Hmmm.” Sunny rolled his left eye upwards in thought. “I’ve got a lot of things I want to draw.”

“You know,” Mincy brought up, turning at Basil, “I’ve always felt that Basil would look pretty cool as a manga character”.

Basil felt his whole face scorching.

Sunny put a finger on his chin and looked at Basil with an observant eye. “Yeah, he’s already got the hair, doesn’t he?”

Basil glanced at the two of them. “W—Wait, you can’t seriously think so—”

“That flower in his hair would look so cute if he were a manga boy,” Mincy added.

“Maybe we should use him as a model,” Sunny suggested.

Chapter Text

“And what proportion of the peas would be green instead of yellow in the second generation?”

The rest of the class was silent. Marie was on a roll answering the teacher’s questions, as usual. Few wanted to call attention to themselves by raising their hand to answer a question in case they got it wrong. But in spite of Marie’s insistent hand raising, the instructor really wanted someone else to provide the answer.

Basil raised his hand. “One third?”

“That’s correct!” his biology teacher replied approvingly. “Great work, Basil.”

At least I don’t have to explain how I got my answer…

Having earned his participation credit for the day, Basil leaned back in his seat to relax, watching Marie answer the rest of the questions for the class.

He kind of felt bad for students who raised their hand to attempt the problem but got the answer wrong. Marie would then provide the correct answer, her hand being the one the teacher inevitably fell back on.

Their instructor gave them some time to review among themselves at the end of the class.

“Think you’re ready for the test this Friday?” Marie asked Basil.

“Yeah, I don’t think it’ll be that hard.”

“This unit must be easy for you since you’re a gardener.”

Basil smiled even though that was quite an erroneous assumption. Marie made lots of strange connections. “No…”

“Why not?”

“It’s not like I’m running experiments to see what alleles are in my plants.” Basil laughed a bit at the thought of himself doing that.

Come to think of it, grandma told me she once owned a much larger garden in her old family home before she moved to Faraway.

She left a lot of her favorite plants and memories behind when she moved.

It must’ve been such a wonderful garden, with so many different kinds of plants and flowers to look at.

A scientist studying botany would have loved that garden.

“I like science, but not that much,” Basil said lightly.

“Guess I shouldn’t have assumed,” Marie admitted.

Basil normally didn’t push topics but this one just felt funny to him. “Sorry, but didn’t you say you do a bit of gardening yourself?”

“I do,” Marie responded.

“So…did the thought ever occur to you about conducting experiments on your plants?”

“That’s not me,” Marie said, lowering her voice. “Alice does that.”

Basil blinked.

Well, I guess that’s the end of that subject.

The bell rang signifying the end of class.

As they packed up, Basil looked forward to the busy schedule ahead of him this afternoon. Today, manga club, where he’d be getting his first drawing lesson. Then they’d go over to Clear Skies Conservancy to do some additional autumn volunteering. With the weather turning cold, Mrs. Li needed some help moving many of her potted plants indoors and Mincy wouldn’t be able to handle all of it with the small remaining cohort of volunteers.

He looked forward to all the time he’d get to spend with Sunny.

Basil saw Bethany and her crew of bullies pass by his classroom outside. He tried to hide his face, hoping they wouldn’t stick around for long so that he could get out of class with minimal disturbance.

Luckily for him, they were gone by the time he finished packing all his stuff.

Marie walked together with him on his way to his locker. Basil decided to use this opportunity to ask a question that had been on his mind during the past couple of weeks. “Marie, how come you seem to know everything that’s going on between, umm, the people at school who are like, uh, jocks?”

I hope you aren’t going to reply with some strangeness involving Alice.

“Well, I used to be friends with all of them,” she said.

This was a surprise. “What happened?”

“I mentioned what happened. They kept trying to set me up on a date with this guy I hated, so I just ditched them.”

Oh, it’s that group…

“But back in middle school,” she continued elaborating, “we were all part of this big online chat group. You know that girl, Bethany, right? She actually introduced me to the group. Even though I don’t talk to her or any of them anymore, I never actually left the group. When I get bored, I log on and read the messages they send each other. It’s lame but it passes the time.”

“They’re not bothered by that?” Basil asked, feeling like she was kind of a stalker doing that.

Mmmm, maybe stalker was too harsh. Eavesdropper?

Lurker?

“Well, they never bothered to kick me out. Maybe it’s ‘cause I just don’t respond.”

Basil wondered if he could get a chat group going between his own friends in Faraway. Maybe he could help them reconcile things with Sunny. “What program do you use for the chat group?”

She told him the application name and he made a note to check it out later. “Thanks.”

“Were you wondering whether I’d ever go back to them?” Marie asked. She smiled warmly. “Not that group, never.”

“Oh, it’s okay,” Basil said.

“Bethany and I…are not on good terms,” Marie spoke in a tone that felt uncharacteristically serious. Basil had never heard her speak that way. “’Kay, I’m heading over to my locker. Bye.”

“Bye.” Basil waved as she went down another hall.

At manga club, Basil sat beside Sunny as Mincy and Ms. Kowalski began their art lesson. He didn’t really pay much attention to it, though. Sunny’s cute hair, one strand sticking out parabolically with exquisite artistic finesse, distracted him.

They got to the self-practice part. For a simple manga face, Basil followed the written instructions step by step but the end result looked like garbage no matter how many times he tried to draw it.

Basil exhaled in frustration. He noticed that Sunny kept glancing towards him as he drew.

Basil didn’t want to intrude on the privacy of Sunny’s art until he was finished, but recalling the conversation the other day where Mincy called himself a manga boy, he couldn’t resist taking a peek.

Those words still brought a flush of red to his cheeks.

Do I really look like a manga boy…?

I’ve always just dressed how I wanted to, with the flower pin in my hair and the types of clothes that…well…Sunny likes to wear.

He couldn’t help but notice from one glimpse of Sunny’s art that the face he was drawing had those tufts of hair that poke out at the back.

Basil blushed deeply.

“How does he look?” Sunny asked, holding up the piece of paper.

“Like…myself…” Basil answered plainly.

Sunny smiled with a faint pink on his face. “His name is Stranger. He’s one of the main characters of this story that I’ve been thinking about.”

Stranger?

“So he’s based on me?” Basil asked, embarrassed.

“Yeah…a bit.” Sunny’s eyes diverted away. “I mean, he has a name, but at the start of the story, he’s just going to be called Stranger by everybody.”

Do I sometimes feel like a complete stranger to you, Sunny?

“Oh—oh, I see,” Basil said.

“I’ll tell you more about it later. I’m still outlining most of the story right now.”

Basil wished Sunny would use someone else as a model. He wished Sunny would pay less attention to him.

The more attention Sunny paid to him, the worse he’d feel once Sunny found a girlfriend and started to reserve less time for him. It was bound to happen. He saw how well Sunny got along with Mincy. They had so many hobbies in common; what did Sunny enjoy doing with him in comparison, really? Gardening, maybe, but he most likely just wanted to get volunteer hours. Reading? Gaming? That was all filler.

He could see Sunny being in a relationship with Mincy. If he wanted to be honest with himself, it hurt to see it. But if that was who Sunny chose to be with, he’d have no choice but to accept it. The best thing he could do was to brace himself for that future, and smile.

If I can smile for him when it happens, then Sunny won’t hate me.

Basil decided he might as well help Sunny accelerate the process.

“H—Hey, Sunny,” Basil spoke, “you’re pretty good friends with Mincy, huh?”

“Yeah, she’s really interesting,” Sunny replied.

’Really interesting’. That choice of words…

I knew you liked her.

“Have you ever thought that…maybe…”

Basil felt himself blushing as the words came to the tip of his tongue. It was so hard to get them out. He just had to say it. He just had to—

“Hey, Basil!”

His head spun and he saw Mincy staring at him.

“How’s your art going?”

“W—Well…I’ve been trying to practice the face drawing method you taught me, b—but I don’t think I’m very good at it,” Basil stammered.

“You just have to practice it over and over again,” Mincy replied, glancing at his art. “Don’t worry. I was way worse than you when I started drawing.”

“Ah, is that r—really true?” Basil tried to smile; his mind was still on Sunny and not at all on his art. “I guess I’ll keep w—working on it, then!”

“Yup, keep it up and you’ll be a great manga artist in no time.”

Mincy went to look at Sunny’s art.

“Wow, did you just draw Basil?” Mincy asked, eyeing Sunny’s sketch of Stranger.

“He’s called Stranger,” Sunny replied.

“Woah, that’s a cool name. Sounds like a nickname for the dark, brooding protagonist of a gritty shonen manga.”

Sunny just laughed. “I was thinking more shoujo.”

“Ah. So he must be the cool anti-hero type that everyone fawns over, ne?”

“Haha,” Sunny giggled. “Yeah. He’ll be popular with everyone.”

Basil blushed furiously. “Come on, Sunny. I’m not that cool…”

“Nonsense!” Mincy replied before Sunny could. “You look so cool, Basil.”

“Ah—ha…”

“I bet that flower you wear in your hair is why Sunny finds you so irresistible that he has to draw you,” Mincy added with a wink.

Basil’s face burned up so hot he wouldn’t be surprised if that flower disintegrated into ashes.

“C’mon, Mincy…” Sunny said, blushing equally as hard. “I just thought Basil would look pretty cool as a manga character.”

Yeah…that means Sunny doesn’t want Mincy to believe that he’d ever be into boys.

“I was just joking,” Mincy replied.

“It’s okay,” Sunny said, smiling through his reddening face.

“Anyway, I gotta go check out other peoples’ art,” Mincy said, waving and whirling away.

Sunny and Basil exchanged embarrassed glances.

They promptly went back to drawing their respective art pieces.

Gardening in the cool autumn weather always reminded Basil of his first year of living with grandma, a year of learning all the different kinds of plants she owned and how to take care of them all. He didn’t like the cold very much, but grandma would push him to garden until he’d worked up a sweat and the cool autumn air felt very refreshing against his skin.

Perhaps those memories were the reason why he felt strangely sad as he helped Mrs. Li move all her potted plants indoors.

He had to admit, Mrs. Li owned way more plants in her garden than he ever did himself. He wondered how Mrs. Li’s garden compared with the one his grandma maintained in her old family home back when she was a lot younger.

Grandma never took any photos of that garden…

I remember she was quite suspicious of cameras because she thought the bright flash would damage her plants.

It took a while for me to convince her that it was okay for me to take photos of all my friends!

Basil’s arms were drained of all their strength by the time he moved the last potted plant indoors. Glancing behind him, Sunny’s legs wobbled as he struggled to hold a rattlesnake plant.

Basil ignored his own tiredness and went over to help ease Sunny’s burden, earning a sweet word of thanks.

“Good work, everyone,” Mrs. Li said once they were all done. “I couldn’t have done all this moving without your help. I’m not as strong as I used to be, haha!”

“Wow, did you move all these plants around by yourself back in the day?” Mincy asked her grandma.

“Hah, I suppose I ought to give some credit to my husband. Now that he’s gone, I—”

Mrs. Li suddenly broke into a fit of coughing. Mincy rushed to her side, supporting her and holding her hand as she coughed violently for half a minute.

Basil felt a queasiness growing in his own chest.

Grandma had coughed like that before she…

“I’m okay, don’t worry,” Mrs. Li spoke. “It’s the fall wind. Always gets me coughing.”

“Grandma, you have to get more rest,” Mincy insisted.

“Yeah, I know. Still, there’s one last thing I have to do today before I turn in to bed—”

“I’ll take care of it for you,” Mincy said.

Basil and Sunny both watched Mincy as she helped Mrs. Li to a chair. Then Mincy went behind the receptionist counter and took out some flowers from a vase there.

Those are white lilies…

“Hey, wanna come along?” Mincy asked them. “I have to get these flowers to a place that’s a bit of a walk from here.”

Basil turned at Sunny. “Ummm, would Mrs. S mind?”

“Nah, mom already knows we’ll be home late tonight,” Sunny replied.

“You don’t have to come along,” Mincy said. “But you’ll miss out on seeing something beautiful if you don’t!”

Sunny nodded. “Let’s check it out.”

“Okay,” Basil agreed.

I hope Mrs. Li is going to be okay.

Basil felt the tension in his chest ease as he saw that some other volunteers were going to stay behind to look after Mrs. Li while they went out.

“Where are you taking us?” Sunny asked.

“It’s a secret,” Mincy replied with a wink.

“D—Do you really think it’s okay for us to come, then?” Basil asked. “Mrs. Li sounded like she had to do something important…”

“Oh, I was just kidding,” Mincy said. “I just don’t want to spoil the surprise before you see it!”

They walked into the thick woods behind the garden, entering on to a leaf-covered trail that looked like it hadn’t been used by anybody in a long time. Perhaps this was a secret path that only Mincy and Mrs. Li knew about. Basil started to really wonder what lay at the end of the trail.

The sun descended from the sky. A couple dark grey clouds drifted by overhead, looking like it was about to rain. Luckily, there were only a few of those clouds; most of the sky remained clear. Orange dusk light streamed through the trees.

Basil felt himself being drawn back to a time when everyone was still together. They were all walking through the woods behind Faraway Park in the evening after a whole day of bug hunting. Hero and Mari went in the lead, Kel and Aubrey arguing again behind them. Sunny walked by Basil’s side; Sunny’s eyes were tired after a busy day of playing outdoors. Basil kept his own eyes alert for any sign of danger in the woods.

He remembered how Sunny’s pace began to lag behind. When Sunny tripped over a branch, Basil instantly reached out to hold and support him before he fell.

With Sunny’s warm hand clasped in his, Basil pulled his best friend along, walking at a pace that the two felt comfortable with as they made their journey back home.

I remember thinking back then that I’d always hold you up if you fell, no matter what happened.

Basil glanced at the Sunny walking beside him now, his right eye covered by a patch.

I could have done much better.

“We’re almost there,” Mincy spoke.

Ahead, the trail came to an end and shortly after it, there appeared to be an opening in the trees.

We must’ve walked through the whole woods behind the garden.

They stepped off the trail, the crunch of leaves beneath their shoes. With Mincy by their side, Sunny and Basil walked together through the opening in the trees.

Basil’s eyes grew wide.

A whole field…

A whole field of flowers.

It stretched on in every direction, as far as his eyes could see.

Wildflowers grew across the whole field, yellow and red and white, their petals floating through the air carried by the wind. Everywhere Basil looked, he saw more flowers. White dandelion puffs swirled up into the sky. Orange leaves flew from the forest behind them and came to their final resting place among the grass. A blanket of flowers embraced them. The grass reached up to their ankles.

Red, pink, purple, orange, yellow, and white petals danced together as the sun descended beyond the horizon, casting one last streak of warm evening light through the clouds before only shadows colored the field.

He’d never been surrounded by so many flowers before.

Basil followed Mincy, his mind almost in a trance, swallowing in the sights of this place. He’d never seen anything like it before. It was like a field from a dream, a field that stretched on eternally, the home of all flowers.

A part of him felt that by stepping among the flowers in this field, he trespassed a sacred place.

He understood why this was an important place to Mincy and to Mrs. Li, and grew sad at the thought that Mrs. Li couldn’t visit here today.

Mincy took them to a spot in the field that Basil had no idea how she was able to find. Nothing distinguished the spot from any other spot in the field until they came close to it and saw that a patch of only white lilies grew out of the soil there.

She placed the white lilies in her hand onto this patch. The wind could not reach those lilies as they intertwined with their own kind.

“This is where my grandfather was buried,” Mincy spoke. “Mrs. Li visits him every month to bring these white lilies, but recently, she’s been too tired to make the trip by herself. That’s why I do it for her now.”

Basil felt something quaking inside his own chest.

Sunny’s face was solemn. He gazed motionlessly at the white lilies covering this patch of the field.

Grandma was also buried out in the woods, surrounded by flowers.

Having placed the flowers, Mincy stood up and looked at Sunny and Basil. “So, nice place, huh?”

“Thanks for showing us,” Sunny replied in a quiet voice. “I never knew there was a flower field so close to the city.”

“Most people don’t,” Mincy replied. “In fact, one of the reasons why grandma and grandpa chose to build a garden by the woods is to hide this place. When they first saw this field, they knew that they didn’t want lots of tourists from the city to come here and trample on all the flowers. That’s why they tell all the volunteers not to enter the woods.”

She looked back at the patch where her grandfather lay, underneath all those white lilies. “I know you guys won’t tell anybody, either. It’s important to protect this place…pretty soon there might not be many places on our planet left like it!”

Basil and Sunny nodded.

“Anyway, I wanted to show you two this place as thanks for being here with me,” Mincy said quietly. “When I first moved from Faraway to this city, I was really nervous. I didn’t have any friends. But when I saw that you also moved here,” and she looked at Sunny with a bright smile, “it really helped reassure me. I’m just glad the two of you came to my grandma’s garden that day so we could discover that we’re all here.”

“No problem,” Sunny replied with his cute smile. “Gardening is fun.”

Basil smiled too. “Aren’t we lucky that we all came to this city together?”

“Yeah, we are,” Mincy said.

Grandma…

In your dreams, you saw a field of flowers that stretched on, endlessly.

You walked and walked and walked, and you kept thinking that it’d come to an end somewhere, but it just kept on going, flowers everywhere…

Basil felt his eyes growing misty. He turned his face away from Sunny and Mincy.

The wind blew tufts of blond hair from his eyes. A cool darkness began to settle over the field as the evening sky revealed glimmers of stars that could not be seen in the city.

A flower petal floating between his fingers flew far away.

Is this the place that you saw, grandma?

That night, Basil received a call from his parents.

He froze when he saw his dad’s name appear on his cell phone. He almost didn’t want to pick it up.

With a shaking hand, he clasped his phone and clicked the button to answer the call.

“Hello?”

“Basil,” his father spoke. “How have you been lately?”

I…

I can’t believe it took you this long to ask me that question!

“I’m fine,” Basil replied, knowing that his parents wouldn’t care in any meaningful way even if he said he was not fine.

“That’s good to hear. I’m very busy with a client right now but I have around five minutes to talk about stuff if you have anything on your mind.”

Basil felt his fingers trembling.

Anything on my mind…?

I have so much on my mind that I don’t even know where to begin!

He wanted to scream at his dad in fury.

Basil took deep breaths to steady his mind. There was so much he wanted to ask his parents that he couldn’t possibly fit it all in under five minutes. He needed to prioritize. He had to quickly come up with two or three questions whose answers from his parents would matter the most.

Question one: why didn’t you visit grandma when she was about to pass away?

Question two: why did you ask Sunny’s mom to take me to live with her?

He couldn’t decide on a third question between all the possibilities—the cheques, their jobs, why didn’t you care about me when I was unconscious at the hospital—and decided to just spit out the first one.

“Why didn’t you visit grandma when she was about to pass away?” Basil spoke. “I called you so many times when I was at the hospital and…she was…”

“I was busy dealing with four of my clients,” dad responded. “They had very urgent cases and I couldn’t take time off to visit her.”

“But…she’s your mother!”

“Basil, you know grandma and I never reconciled with each other. She was never nice to me. I don’t know how she treated you, but I was never planning on visiting her on her death bed in the first place.”

Basil froze, his hands turning stiff.

“W—What happened between you and grandma?” Basil asked, his voice shaky.

“You don’t remember?”

I don’t think you ever told me in the first place.

“Basil, your grandma had an unhealthy obsession with work,” dad explained. “When I was young, she made me work in her garden every day. I told her I didn’t like gardening. She didn’t care and forced me to take care of her stupid plants even when I was sick. The thing she did that finally shattered our relations was making me work when I caught tuberculosis.”

Grandma was like that back then…?

“I was so sick. I had a hundred and two degree fever and could barely move. She still made me water her plants. I collapsed onto the floor and you know what she did? She told me that I just needed some water and rest! With a tuberculosis infection! In the middle of the night I crawled out of her hellhole of a house and dragged myself to the hospital. The doctors finally treated me with antibiotics. I would’ve died if I’d listened to her.”

Basil’s breath caught in his throat.

Grandma was never like that to me…

When I got sick, she took me to the doctor, let me rest as much as I wanted to, and never forced me to work.

The fire in Basil’s chest grew cold.

“Dad, I’m sorry she did that to you,” Basil replied.

To be honest, I could see that she was obsessed with working in her garden every day.

But it’s the same with you and your job, dad…

“Basil, I hope grandma died peacefully,” dad spoke after a tense silence.

Basil paused, then said, “she did.”

“Okay. Good. Anyway, I know I promised you five minutes but my client is calling me again…I’ll talk to you some other time. Bye.”

“Bye, dad.”

He hung up.

Basil sat down on his futon. He looked at all the plants in his room, plants that his grandma once owned, plants that now belonged to him.

Was his dad justified in not visiting his mother on her deathbed because she almost let him die when he was young?

Had she truly been so bad to him…?

Why couldn’t his dad see that he was also neglecting his own family by being so busy with his work?

I don’t even know what to say to him anymore.

Mincy’s grandfather had died. Sunny’s sister had died. Grandma had died.

His dad almost died when he was young because of grandma.

Mrs. Li was getting old and weak.

Basil had almost died by his own hand.

I just wanted to protect Sunny’s secret.

I couldn’t do it while grandma was still around because I didn’t want her to feel sad about me…

Maybe she always knew that her son didn’t care about her.

Maybe she also realized that her grandson wanted to take his own life.

At that point, maybe she’d decided that life wasn’t worth continuing anymore.

Death seemed to be everywhere in his life.

Basil listened to the sound of rain falling outside, to the sound of water running in the kitchen as Mrs. S washed the dishes, and to the sound of water flowing in the bathroom shower.

He buried his face in his knees.

It felt fitting that the warm water sliding down his cheek did not produce a sound.

Chapter Text

Basil did not want Sunny to see him cry.

He wiped his tears. Crying so much just made him a burden on others. He put on a smile when Sunny returned to the room, but Sunny saw through him instantly.

“What’s wrong?” Sunny asked. “Please tell me if something’s on your mind.”

I guess I can’t hide anything from you, Sunny.

“My parents just called,” Basil replied slowly. “I didn’t get much time to talk, but…”

“Did they say something?”

“My dad, he, he kind of explained why he didn’t visit my grandma when she passed away,” Basil spoke quietly.

Should I tell Sunny what my dad told me?

Sunny’s always been a friend who let me confide to him all my problems, wishes, and dreams.

I’m afraid I’ll just burden him more. Haven’t I been enough of a burden already?

Sunny sat down by Basil’s side with a reassuring smile. Basil’s head was filled with doubt, yet when he gazed at Sunny he saw an eye shining with an understanding light. It told Basil that he was all ears for him.

Even though I’m such a bother to you…

You always looked at me like that back when we were both just kids.

Basil remembered how Sunny always used to listen to him with that comforting expression.

With that meaningful gaze, Sunny had listened to Basil speak about parents who were never there, about loneliness as the boy who was always left out by the other kids at school, about a grandmother who lost her strength to garden as she grew old, and about the bullies who had stomped to shreds a beloved pink flower he found growing in the schoolyard field.

The way you listened to me was a treasure that I held closest to my heart.

Basil’s eyes grew misty as he let his words flow. “Dad told me that grandma almost let him die when he was young. She wouldn’t take him to the doctor when he had a tuberculosis infection and he had to crawl to the hospital all by himself. That’s why he didn’t visit her on her deathbed.”

The startled look in Sunny’s eye prompted Basil to add his own feelings on the matter. “Grandma was never like that to me. She always took me to the doctor when I got sick. I don’t know what made her change…or why she did that to my dad in the first place. I just don’t understand anything.”

Sunny wrapped an arm gently over Basil’s shoulder and pulled him close, their heads touching.

A warm trickle of water rolled down Basil’s cheek.

Sunny isn’t the most talkative person…

Yet I’ve always loved how quietly you listened to me ramble about all my problems.

Sometimes you listen better by not saying anything.

They stayed alongside each other, arms wrapped around each other’s shoulders.

Basil wasn’t necessarily looking for answers or advice when he complained about his problems. He just wanted someone to listen to him, to feel his scared and anxious and uncertain feelings together with him. He knew it was selfish to ask someone to do that for him. But Sunny always understood that that was what he wanted.

Not words. Just someone who could absorb his feelings.

The rain falling outside grew to a light drizzle. The bright city lights that shone through the window were refracted by a thin veil of water into a calm shimmer.

“Thank you,” Basil spoke.

To be honest, I still believe I’m a burden to you and I don’t want to be such a bother any longer.

Basil gently parted from Sunny even though it felt cold to pull away from him. He wiped the water from his eyes and smiled. “I’m okay now. Grandma’s gone…I can’t find any answers from her anymore. I just have to keep on living life, right?”

Sunny looked into Basil’s eyes and nodded.

I won’t throw away this life that you gave me when you came into my room to save me on that night that grandma passed away.

He let his sad feelings settle with him. There were lots of things to do still.

Basil was starting to get the hang of this online chat group thing.

Hero: Driving lessons?

Basil: Yeah. I think it’s about time I get my driver’s license.

Basil: I got some extra money from my parents, so I hired a driving instructor to give me lessons on Saturdays.

Hero: Wow, that’s a good use of your money. Good luck, Basil. I know you can do it.

Basil: Thanks, Hero! Maybe once I get my license, I’ll drive back to Faraway and we can all meet up again.

Hero: That sounds great. Looking forward to it.

The group chat that Basil had set up was only between himself, Hero, and Sunny so far. He was still waiting for Kel and Aubrey to accept the invitations he’d sent out, though he figured he probably wouldn’t be seeing them online much. Aubrey didn’t have access to a computer and Kel was practically married to his basketball now that he’d gotten accepted to his junior varsity basketball team.

Well, perhaps Aubrey could access a computer if she’d bother to go to the library every once in a while.

…Maybe that might be too much for her.

Basil noticed that Hero and Sunny didn’t really talk to each other on the chat group. To his dismay, he almost felt like a middleman between them. Getting his friends to forgive Sunny was not going to be easy if they did not even want to talk to him.

“Hey, Basil.”

Basil looked up from his computer to find Sunny walking towards him, having just entered the school computer lab.

Ever since they saw that flower field behind Mrs. Li’s garden, Sunny started to smile in a really honest way. Basil remembered seeing Sunny smile like this back in the times before the incident, a smile he wore on his face after a cheerful summer day of playing with all his friends. It was such a heartwarming smile.

Basil also noticed the dark sleep deprivation circles beneath Sunny’s left eye.

“You look a bit sleepy!” Basil replied, well-meaning. “Have you been getting enough sleep lately?”

“I go to bed whenever you go to bed, right?” Sunny said.

“Do you manage to get eight hours of sleep?” Basil questioned further.

“I do.” Sunny turned his eye up in thought. “Do I look like I’m not getting enough sleep?”

“S—Sorry,” Basil said. “I didn’t mean to bother you...”

“It’s okay,” Sunny replied, smiling warmly once more. “I feel fine.”

Basil turned his own eyes away. Maybe it was his own fault. Maybe he’d really done damage to Sunny’s nerves when he struck his eye, and the health problems were starting to become visible now.

Do you really feel okay?

Your broken eye, having to adjust back to school life, your friends still not forgiving you…

I can imagine how tired you must feel.

Basil wanted to tell Sunny how sorry he was for always being such a burden on him. He wanted to let Sunny know that no matter what his old friends might think of him, his best friend will always still be there for him.

Too bad saying something cheesy like that in the computer lab where lots of other students could overhear would be embarrassing as heck. He simply smiled and nodded.

The Halloween decorations hanging around the room reminded Basil that the school was having a Halloween evening party in a few days. Maybe sleep deprived Sunny could show up in a really cool costume that made use of the darkness underneath his eye.

Oh, what am I thinking?

Yeah, maybe Marie was right. He shouldn’t try to spin everything into a positive.

I’ll tell Mrs. S to let Sunny sleep in a bit more.

That afternoon, Basil went to manga club for another drawing lesson. He was starting to get the hang of drawing a simple manga face. Still, he always felt much more interested in what Sunny was drawing.

Which was always Strangers. Endless pages of Strangers.

Ahhh…why is Sunny using me as a model so much?!?!

Besides Stranger, Basil noticed another character that Sunny started to draw. The character had Sunny’s cute round haircut and wore a black tank top plus striped shorts, a blank neutral expression on his face.

“Who’s that?” Basil asked.

“His name is Omori,” Sunny answered. “He’s the other main character in the story that I’ve been thinking about.”

Stranger and Omori…

“What’s he like?” Basil asked.

“Remember how I used to be?” Sunny replied with an embarrassed smile. “Quiet, boring, cliff-faced.”

“You weren’t boring!” Basil protested.

“Sorry…I think I was. I kinda have bad history with Omori,” Sunny explained. “Y’know, Basil, during those days when I locked myself inside my house, I kinda believed that I was Omori. I was trapped inside this world that I created inside my head, reliving the days when my sister was still around. Playing all day with our old friend group. Whenever I tried to leave that world, Omori would stop me. He was…kind of like, my guilt and depression. I couldn’t go back to you because of him.”

“Oh…”

“I’m really sorry for not leaving my house sooner,” Sunny spoke.

Hearing those words, Basil felt a miserable pain inside his chest.

Sunny had always been the most sensitive one. That’s what made him such a good listener. While everyone else had their own goals, their own dreams and ambitions, Sunny just wanted to be happy with all his friends by his side. He’d sit down by your side just to absorb all your emotions, feeling everything that you felt, the light in his eyes like a quiet reflection of all your happiness, sadness, and anger.

The flip side of being so sensitive was how easily he could become trapped in his own head.

Basil knew how fragile you could be when the world took everything away from you. He understood how in one moment, Sunny’s world had collapsed in the most horrifying way possible. No one could survive that kind of collapse unscathed. Unable to deal with that horror, a nightmare made worse by hands that clasped a body to hang its neck from a tree, all Sunny could do for years was hold on to those memories of better times.

I’m so, so sorry.

A hand placed upon Basil’s shoulder. Warm fingers gripped him with comforting tightness.

“My bad,” Sunny said softly. “I shouldn’t bring these things up.”

“I should be the one saying sorry,” Basil replied. “If it weren’t for what I did, you might have…you might have moved on without having to experience all that guilt and trauma.”

I didn’t just hang your sister.

I stole four of the most precious years of life where you should have been making lots of friends, experiencing love, having a kiss with your first crush, and so much more.

I…don’t know how I can even express how sorry I am…

Sunny suddenly pulled Basil into a hug. In front of all of manga club.

Basil blanked out. He couldn’t understand. He grew speechless as Sunny pulled him close, gently patting him on the back. He couldn’t formulate any words or coherent thoughts as delicate strands of Sunny’s soft black hair brushed against his own blond tufts. The warm touch of Sunny’s skin, a gentle press of cheek against his own, sent cozy feelings through Basil’s body, flushing his face red.

Sunny…?

Hugging me in front of so many people like this…?

Basil knew everybody in the room had to be looking at them. He felt so embarrassed he couldn’t say a single word.

Part of him didn’t want Sunny to do this. He didn’t want Sunny to draw so much suspicious attention towards himself, hugging a boy…

Please, Sunny—

I don’t deserve this from you.

“I’m sorry for everything,” Sunny whispered.

A soft but firm hand caressed his back, comforting him, reassuring him in a manner that only Sunny knew how to do.

Slowly, finally, Sunny pulled away.

Basil didn’t want to turn his head to look at all the eyes that were probably staring at them.

“Feeling okay?” Sunny asked.

“Y—Yeah, I feel fine,” Basil lied. “It’s kinda…dramatic to do that here, don’t you think?”

“I don’t think anybody cares.”

“Ah—ah…really?”

“Nope.” Sunny wore a cheeky smile. “No one’s looking at us.”

Basil nervously turned his head around.

Sunny didn’t lie. Everyone was too busy paying attention to their own art to care about the hug just now. Maybe a few heads had turned, perhaps a few eyes had glanced in their direction, but none of them stayed.

Oh.

I guess it would be kind of creepy for people to stare.

Basil’s eyes turned down at the art on his own piece of paper.

Compared to the beautiful portraits of Omori and Stranger that Sunny had drawn, his own art, a stock manga face, was kinda crummy.

Something fluttered inside his stomach.

I…I’m kinda queasy…

I’m happy that Sunny hugged me, but I’m also so ashamed to feel this way…

I wish he didn’t care about me so much. Isn’t it about time Sunny should try to get a girlfriend?

Basil tried to smile. “I’ll get back to drawing.”

“Okay,” Sunny said, also returning to his own art. “Let me know if you need any help!”

Five minutes later, a phone rang in the room. Basil concentrated on his crummy drawing but couldn’t help overhearing Mincy’s voice. She sounded very worried.

He turned his head up as Mincy closed her cell phone and made an announcement to the room.

“I have to go,” she said. “Ms. Kowalski will finish the rest of the lesson. Sorry, everyone!”

Without even waiting for a response, she rushed out of the room.

Sunny turned at Basil, his face looking a little more pale. “Erhh. That’s not good. Maybe something bad happened to Mrs. Li…?”

“Should we go check up on her?” Basil asked.

“I don’t know if that’d be good. We should wait until Mincy tells us the news,” Sunny replied.

“O—Okay…”

Basil’s shoulders sank. Trouble just kept coming.

They didn’t see Mincy around at all during the next couple of days at school.

Basil could see that Sunny tried his hardest to not let that bother him. The school Halloween Party was coming up and Sunny had decided to help out with putting up the decorations. In the meantime, Basil prepared their costumes. He’d bought some cloth and props from a convenience store and worked with Mrs. S to sew everything together.

This year, Basil decided to create a scarecrow costume for himself. He missed the countryside around Faraway Town and figured that dressing up as a scarecrow would remind him of lush grassy fields and verdant woods. To give his costume a unique flair, he bought a black triangular hat filled with cloth stripes designed to look like long, orange hair, and added a pink flower pin to the hat.

Sunny decided to go for a vampire costume. His mom had laughed, mentioning that a vampire suited him. Maybe it was because he avoided sunlight for four years. In any case, Basil helped her sew a black and red cape and bought some fang props that Sunny could wear inside his mouth.

The day of the party, Sunny spent an unusually long time in the bathroom putting everything on.

Is he adding makeup or something?

Basil was already fully dressed in his scarecrow costume. The fake orange hair inside his hat fell in front of his eyes, partly obscuring his vision. What was the point of having fake hair again…?

It was six in the evening. The party would took place inside the school cafeteria.

I wonder if Marie’s going to come?

Maybe we might even see Mincy…I hope she and her grandma are doing okay.

Sunny finally emerged from the bathroom. Basil turned to face him and got startled when Sunny walked up to him and placed a flower crown around his scarecrow hat.

“Where did you get the flower crown?” Basil asked, astonished.

“I made it,” Sunny replied, smiling. His vampire fangs showed prominently in his smile. “I went to the store where you buy flower pins and bought all these flowers so I could make a crown for you!”

You still remember how to make flower crowns from back when Mari taught us…

Basil blushed red. Luckily, that couldn’t be seen through the fake hair falling over his face. “Thanks, Sunny…this is such a thoughtful gift!”

“No problem.”

Your smile, your kindness…

Sunny, I’ll always treasure these moments we share.

They walked to school through the brightly lit city streets in the evening and saw plenty of other students also wearing costumes. It reminded Basil of the days when him, Sunny, Kel, and Aubrey all went trick-or-treating together. Hero and Mari tagged along too. Back then, the prospect of growing up and going to high school had felt so remote.

One year, Kel was dressed as a mummy, Aubrey as a witch, Sunny as a zombie, and Basil’s costume was a Noir detective. He forgot what Hero and Mari wore because he remembered being too focused on Sunny’s funny shambling zombie walk, which to be honest, did not look too different from him trying to keep himself awake after a long day. Basil also remembered how Sunny had bumped face first into him after shambling around a bit too much, and to make up for that embarrassing accident, Sunny gave Basil half his candy from the next three houses they trick-or-treat’ed at.

Basil grew nostalgic just thinking of that memory.

(Actually, now he began to recall that Mari and Hero were dressed as a dragon, together. How did they ever fit under that costume?)

They reached school and made their way to the cafeteria, where all the tables had been cleared for the dance floor, boomboxes blasting loud music. It suddenly occurred to Basil that neither he nor Sunny had any dance moves to show off. Shortly after entering the cafeteria, they hurried to make themselves wallflowers.

Basil looked around for any sign of Mincy or Marie, but it was hard to tell who anybody was under their costumes.

Maybe they’ll find me and Sunny first.

“So what are we doing here again?” Sunny asked.

“Ah—ah…good question.” Basil tried to think of something. “I heard they’ll have free food later.”

“I’m not that hungry,” Sunny replied. “But I guess we can watch the dancers.”

“Yeah…”

There were some good dancers on the floor at the center of the room. Right now a ghost and a werewolf were showing off some amazing moves. Nearby, two teachers, a Frankenstein and a strangely anime-like Phantom of the Opera, danced a skilled waltz.

Wait, is that Ms. Kowalski’s costume?

Wow…

“This kind of reminds me of a place I used to see in my dreams,” Sunny said. “It was called Ghost Party. Everyone there was…a ghost. You could only tell where they were by the hats they wore. One of them had a top hat and a monocle. He organized the party, I think.”

“Was it fun?” Basil asked.

“Yeah. Once all the guests arrived I even did a dance…”

Sunny’s words trailed off quietly.

“I—If you want to dance, I’ll make sure to cheer for you!” Basil encouraged.

Sunny blushed visibly. “”It’s fine. I was only good at dancing in my dreams…I don’t think I’d last a second on a real dance floor!”

“No—that’s not true! I’m sure you’d look amazing.”

“Come on.” Sunny gave Basil a light punch on the shoulder. “I don’t even have a dance partner.”

Those words brought light pink to Basil’s cheeks.

Maybe in a year or so, you’ll have one…

He wondered how Aubrey and Kel were doing at his old high school in Faraway.

Refreshments soon arrived. Basil went to the front table to grab some cups of punch for Sunny and himself.

A hand suddenly grabbed him.

“Hey, flower boy,” a familiar obnoxious voice spoke. “Nice crown you got there.”

Before he could react he was suddenly surrounded by Wayne and Bethany. They grabbed the flower crown off from his scarecrow hat.

Basil felt incredibly, unusually angry. “Give that back!” he shouted.

They tossed his flower crown up into the air as he reached out to try and grab it. Basil failed. The two bullies tossed the flower crown back and forth between each other, laughing all the while.

“Who’s the flower crown for?” Wayne mocked. “Your prince charming?”

“I said give it back!” Basil shouted again.

“Oooh, maybe he’s wearing that flower crown for you,” Bethany said.

The very thought made Basil feel disgusted.

I can’t let them take the crown Sunny made for me!

Basil tried desperately to get his crown back, but he was shorter than they were and not very fast. He couldn’t jump high enough to grab the crown no matter how hard he tried. Flower petals began to fall off the crown as they tossed it around roughly.

“Please, just give it back!” Basil said.

Wayne wore the most obnoxious smirk. “Come on flower boy, you can jump higher than that. You’re pretty pathetic if that’s the best you c—”

Wayne suddenly got shoved hard from behind. He dropped the flower crown and tumbled to the floor. The voices in the surrounding crowd grew quiet, leaving only the blaring of dance music.

Basil looked behind Wayne and saw a very enraged Sunny.

Wayne rushed back on to his feet to confront Sunny, furious. “Who the fuck do you think you are?!”

Sunny grabbed the flower crown, holding it in his left hand. His left eye glanced in Basil’s direction, then back to Wayne. “Don’t steal from him ever again. Leave him alone, or else.”

“You little bitch,” Wayne replied, taking notice of Sunny’s shorter stature. “I’ll smash your face in.”

“Don’t try it,” Sunny warned.

Sunny, what are you doing?

“Fuck you!” Wayne raised his fist and aimed.

Sunny’s right hand swung out from under his black cape. He waved something in front of Wayne’s face; Basil heard a noise like air being released.

Wayne suddenly started screaming in pain, clawing at his own eyes.

Sunny made a break for it. “Run!”

What…?

Basil had no idea what just happened. Wayne was howling his head off in pain.

Basil dashed along with Sunny for the exit of the cafeteria. The crowd parted swiftly for them. They burst through the double doors and ran down the halls for the school exit.

They kept running until they were off the school grounds. Catching their breath, they embarked on a fast walk down the city streets, trying to make it home.

Sunny just saved me…again…

Basil didn’t know what to feel. He wished he wasn’t so useless that he required Sunny to save him from trouble all the time. Yet seeing Sunny confront his bullies like that, it made his heart feel all warm and soft.

“I came prepared,” Sunny spoke, smiling. He showed Basil that he was holding a can of pepper spray.

You brought that with you?!

Wait…has Sunny been carrying a can of pepper spray with him all this time?

Basil felt conflicted. “Sunny…thank you, but…they’re gonna want to get back at you for that, you know.”

I’ll defend you next time. I promise.

“Then I’ll mess him up again,” Sunny said, laughing.

Under the darkness of the night, under the bright city lights, Sunny in his vampire costume, fangs showing, holding that can of sheer agony in his hands—he looked like a true Halloween monster.

Basil couldn’t help but smile. He took off his hat to get the fake hair out of his eyes and started laughing too.

They laughed together, uncaring about what anyone thought of them, unbothered by all the crap the world kept throwing at them, laughing and laughing like there was just nothing better to do.

Maybe laughter was all they could do.

Sunny put the flower crown back on Basil’s head. “Let’s go home. That party was pretty boring, anyway.”

Basil was a bit sad that he didn’t get to see Marie or Mincy. “Okay.”

With the flower crown back on his head, Sunny’s flower crown, Basil smiled. He smiled so much that his eyes grew a little misty.

I don’t know what to do anymore…

He felt something fluttering near his heart.

That smile on Sunny’s face.

His laughter.

The glimmering light in his eye.

I really don’t know what to do.

Chapter Text

“Marie, I messed up. I think I might need your help.”

“Oh, anything,” she replied warmly.

Basil explained what had gone down last night at the Halloween party. He had time to tell the whole story; class didn’t begin for another five minutes. He was grateful that Marie arrived early to all her classes.

“Those two pricks!” she said after he finished his story. “Don’t worry, Basil. I’ve got you.”

“You do?” Basil replied, genuinely surprised.

“I don’t talk to Bethany anymore, but I’ve got an ace up my sleeve. I can probably convince her to tell Wayne not to take revenge on you or your boyf—I mean, your friend.”

Basil’s face turned into a roaring inferno. “What did you just call Sunny?”

“I said, friend!” Marie replied, grinning cheekily.

“Come on…Sunny’s not like that,” Basil said.

I still haven’t introduced Marie to Sunny yet, but she’s seen the two of us studying together all the time.

“I didn’t mean to imply anything,” Marie said. “It was just a slip of my tongue.”

“Ah…okay, I hope so.” Basil tried to laugh it off but he felt the skin on his face practically getting burned off by embarrassment. Did he and Sunny really look like that together?

“What’s your ace?” Basil asked, trying to distract his own thoughts from themselves.

“Hmmm…I’ll tell you about it during our study period. It’s a bit of a story.”

Come on, I was hoping to be distracted already!

Their instructor arrived into class and began his lesson.

The next hour passed with the speed of watching paint dry. Basil kept thinking about Sunny. Was he safe? Did Wayne or any of his goons find him? Would pepper spray be enough for him to defend himself? How was he going to survive walking from his class to his locker and through the hallways to the cafeteria? To his next class? Wayne was probably out on a manhunt for him.

Basil wanted to just bolt out of class to find Sunny and make sure that he was safe. Thoughts of seeing Sunny beaten up, finding him lying on the ground unconscious and bloodied, having to be carried on a stretcher out of school to the hospital…

I’m such a hypocrite.

His anxiety was in overdrive.

I already hurt Sunny so badly by stabbing his eye…

Yet he keeps protecting me over and over again.

If anything bad happened to Sunny now, Basil would never stop blaming himself.

Why do I always make things worse for the people I care about?

I…should’ve just given up on getting my flower crown back so Sunny wouldn’t have had to confront Wayne.

His fingers trembled. His foot couldn’t stop tapping. He turned at the clock and wondered how its hands could move so slowly.

After what felt like an eternity of waiting, the instructor’s lecture finally ended. Basil had barely paid any attention, much less taken any notes. He immediately turned to Marie and asked her what her plan was.

“I’m gonna have to tell you some stuff first,” Marie responded.

“Sure, just let me know what your plan is."

“Alright, so a while back, when Bethany and I were still friends, we used to go exploring together,” Marie began. “Bethany was really different back then. She wasn’t mean or awful or a bully like she is now. She was…always smiling.”

Basil heard a wistful note in Marie’s voice. She rarely talked like that.

“Bethany really liked flowers. We’d go outside the city to explore the woods and find flowers to pick. We’d gather them all together at the end of the day and make bouquets. And we’d bring those bouquets to school to show how pretty they were to everyone. This was around grade six, just to let you know.”

Bethany was the kind of person to do that back then?

I’m…genuinely surprised.

“Guess what Bethany’s favorite flower was?” Marie asked.

Basil couldn’t think of anything. He wouldn’t use any kind of flower to describe her. “I have no idea.”

“Sunflowers,” she replied.

Bethany liked…sunflowers?

“She used to be all bright and happy,” Marie explained. “Always trying to look at the positive side of things.”

Basil made a face. “Ummm…I told you sunflowers were my favorite, right?”

“Oh, sorry, I wasn’t trying to imply you’re anything like her,” Marie said. “As a matter of fact, she hates sunflowers now.”

I’m kind of relieved to hear that.

“What changed?” Basil asked.

“We had an accident that really scarred her.”

Oh, that’s not good…

“This one time in grade seven, Bethany and I were exploring the woods near the garden outside the city,” Marie continued. “Did you know that if you go beyond the woods, you’ll eventually come upon a huge field of flowers?”

Marie knows about that place?

Basil didn’t know what to say. He remembered how important it was to Mincy and Mrs. Li to keep that place hidden; it was where Mincy’s grandfather was buried. But if Marie and Bethany had found it, then perhaps it wasn’t such a secret location after all. Who else might know of its existence?

Still, he preferred to err on the side of caution.

“Ummm, I’m not too familiar with the area around the city,” Basil said. This was the truth—he hadn’t explored beyond the city except where Mrs. Li’s garden was.

Come to think of it, Marie wandered pretty far outside the city if she found that flower field.

She must be a pretty good hiker.

“Well, if you ever go to that place, watch your step!” Marie said. “It looks like the flower field goes on forever in every direction. But if you walk too far away from the woods, the ground actually disappears beneath you. It’s a sharp drop. It’s hard to see it because the flowers in the field are so mesmerizing…but that’s what happened to me!”

Huh?

“There’s like a cliff on the edge of the flower field?” Basil asked.

“Yup. the first time we went there, I didn’t see it because I was so busy picking flowers! I just took a few steps and—whoops, next thing I knew, I was hanging on to the edge of the ground for dear life.”

Marie appeared unexpectedly cheerful talking about what sounded like a life and death situation. It had to be just another one of her quirks.

How high is the drop…?

“Bethany was right behind me and she started panicking like hell,” Marie continued. “She tried to pull me up by my arm but she wasn’t strong enough. I ended up hanging on that edge for like forty five minutes!”

Marie laughed.

“How did you get back up?” Basil asked.

“Oh, eventually I got bored of fearing death so I just used all the strength in my body to pull myself back up.”

Uh…

Right, let’s just go with that.

“But you should’ve seen her,” Marie went on. “Bethany tries to act all smiles and glitter. In a crisis, though, she turns into a total freak! I kept telling her to try to fashion something into a rope, but she just totally shut down and couldn’t hear a word of what I said. You know what I saw her doing? She started tearing up grass, flowers, throwing her shoes at nothing, biting her fingers, pulling out her hair, and—get this—eating flowers.”

Now I kind of feel bad for her…

Is that really what happens to her when push comes to shove? She just totally shuts down like that?

I guess…I can’t say I’m much better myself…

“So after I managed to pull myself up, and I got her to calm down, she turned towards me and told me that I must never tell anybody about what I saw her doing. ‘Course, I just wanted her to feel okay so I said yes. But afterwards, she was never the same. Next day at school, she threw all our bouquets into the trash, stomping on her sunflowers for no reason. I got mad at her and she stopped talking to me.”

Maybe it’s just your side of the story…

I feel like I’d be interested in hearing her side.

Marie grew a wicked smile. “You’ve probably figured it out, right? This is great blackmail material.”

“So…your plan is to blackmail her?”

“That’s right. I can’t believe she and Wayne stole your flower crown last night. I’m going to tell her to make Wayne leave you and your friend alone, else I’m going to reveal her crazy side to the whole school.”

“Um.”

Do I really want Marie to blackmail Bethany?

Basil’s lips quivered.

He saw the excitement in Marie’s eyes. Now that she’d told him her plan, he’d feel really terrible about asking her not to carry through with it.

And is blackmail really going to work?

Maybe Bethany just won’t care…and then Marie’s going to get into trouble too for getting involved with me…

No matter how he looked at it, he felt completely awful about the idea of using blackmail.

Now I kind of wish that I’d never asked Marie for help in the first place.

I didn’t know she was like this…but, maybe, if it’s to protect Sunny…

Basil turned his eyes down to the floor.

Sunny’s protected me for long enough. It’s time for me to return the favor.

I must protect Sunny.

He faced Marie again.

“Sounds like a plan,” Basil replied, faking a smile.

“Yeah, isn’t it great?”

Basil’s smile almost faltered. “Thanks, Marie.”

“No problem. I’ve got you, Basil.”

Well, whether or not her plan worked, Basil didn’t see Wayne around at school over the next few days. Maybe he needed time off school to recover from being pepper sprayed in the eyes.

“Left turn ahead. Don’t forget to signal.”

Basil was slowly getting the hang of driving. It reminded him of playing a video game, just with deadly consequences if he messed up and a permanent game over.

“Change to the right lane. Turn into the parking lot and park by the entrance.”

He carried out his driving teacher’s instructions, thankfully without running into a game over screen.

“Thanks for teaching me how to drive,” he said as they got out of the car, then took out his credit card to pay the fee for the lesson.

Lately, his parents had been bombarding him with even more money that he never asked for. Did they somehow figure out that he was getting himself driving lessons? Even so, he didn’t need that much money. His parents sent him anywhere between two to five thousand dollars per week. Most of it was now sitting in his bank account, untouched.

I guess they might be trying to preemptively pay off my college tuition.

Then they wouldn’t even need to talk to me to ask about which colleges I’m applying to next year.

Sunny stood there in the parking lot, waiting for Basil to finish his lesson. It was a windy day and Sunny’s pretty hair flew with the breeze. A soft warm feeling rested in Basil’s chest.

“How was your lesson?” Sunny asked.

“Pretty good,” Basil replied. “A few more lessons and I should be able to pass the driving test.”

“That’s great!” Sunny replied, a smile. “I’m proud of you.”

“Ah—ha, thanks.”

Basil couldn’t help but notice the growing dark circles beneath Sunny’s eye. They seemed more prominent with each passing day. Yet Sunny didn’t seem to be getting a lack of sleep. Basil was the anxious insomniac here and he saw Sunny fall asleep by his side each night. Was he sick? Was something on his mind bothering him?

One potential culprit: Sunny’s growing dedication to drawing manga. Over the past few weeks, Sunny practiced drawing every day. Mrs. S praised her son for developing a creative skill, as long as he finished his homework first. And Sunny often did finish his homework at lunch so that he could spend the evening drawing, especially now that they no longer needed to do any volunteering at the garden with the cold autumn weather settling in.

And with who-knows-what happening to Mrs. Li…

I still haven’t seen or heard Mincy anywhere lately.

Or maybe Sunny felt ashamed because his friends didn’t forgive him. Maybe that shame ate away at him on the inside and gave him that exhausted look.

That’s it!

I’m going to send an email to everyone tonight and ask them to forgive Sunny once and for all.

For the moment, he thought of something that could cheer Sunny up. Sunny had smiled brightly and genuinely in the days after seeing the flower field. The fight with Wayne had dampened both their moods ever since; maybe another visit could cheer him back up.

“Sunny, let’s go see the flower field again,” Basil spoke quietly.

“Sure,” Sunny replied, nodding. “You wanna go there today?”

“Yeah, there’s something I want to see there,” Basil said, remembering what Marie had told him.

“What’s that?”

I don’t want to mention that Marie told me that she’s gone there before, so…

“Last time we were there, I thought I saw a cliff at the edge of the field,” Basil lied. “Let’s go see what’s beyond the cliff.”

An inquisitive light glowed in Sunny’s eye. “You told me that your grandma had a dream about a flower field that went on forever.”

Sunny’s got such a sharp memory.

“You remember that?” Basil said. “Not like I believe this flower field goes on forever! I m—mean, logically, of course it ends somewhere.”

Sunny laughed. “Let’s verify it.”

Sounds like you want to verify that dreams aren’t real.

I guess you know about being stuck in dreams inside your head…

Mrs. Li’s garden wasn’t far from the driving center. In thirty minutes of walking, they reached the city outskirts, and fifteen minutes later arrived at the familiar garden. All the potted flowers that used to occupy the lawns around the main building had been moved indoors, and what remained of the flowers and shrubs outside had by now wilted to the autumn cold. They passed by a closed building with no sign of occupancy, a board displaying “CLOSED UNTIL SPRING” hanging on the front door.

“I really hope Mrs. Li is okay,” Basil said.

“She’s tough.” Sunny’s normally unfeeling expression broke to a fleeting moment of sadness. “I want this place to open again.”

“I’m sure she’ll come back. After winter, everything will be back to the way things used to be.”

Sunny gazed through the windows at the plants they’d stored inside the building. “Maybe Mincy will come here in the meantime to water the plants.”

Basil nodded. “Right. She wouldn’t let all the plants die.”

Sunny put on a little smile. “We’ll all be back here volunteering in the spring.”

“Right!”

I really hope so.

Even though Mincy’s an amazing artist, I think she’s also a great gardener, and she wouldn’t let her grandma’s garden deteriorate if Mrs. Li…passed away…

Basil shook those thoughts out of the head.

Stay positive, Basil!

Don’t even think about losing any more people you care about.

They walked around to the back of the garden, where they found the familiar trail in the woods that led to the flower field. Fall had settled acutely in the woods, coloring the leaves orange and red and covering the floor with brown and yellow leaves. Their shoes crunched on thick piles of dead leaves. The autumn foliage surrounding the trail reminded Basil of days exploring the woods behind Faraway Park in November, surrounded by friends and endless smiles.

When they reached the flower field, Basil discovered that most of the flowers had wilted.

Some still remained. Dandelions, hardy as ever, dotted the meadow in countless numbers. But the colorful flowers, violets and reds and sunflowers—those had all withered.

“It’s so nice here,” Sunny spoke. His eye turned to the sky, where a wintry afternoon sunset colored everything pale orange. “I wish I could sleep with all these flowers around me.”

It almost sounds like you want to…

“Yeah, this place is so pretty,” Basil agreed.

“It’s more than pretty,” Sunny added. “It’s special.”

Basil turned at Sunny. The sleep deprivation circles beneath his eye colored the light in his dark pupil with bittersweetness. “Is it because of Mincy…?”

“Maybe.” Sunny rubbed his weary eye. He stared onwards across the field. “All these flowers. There’s something about them.”

Sunny’s voice is a little sad…

“When my sister…died…I believed that the only way for me to go on living was to live in a white space without any feelings,” Sunny said in a very quiet voice. “But there was a place in my head, very close to White Space. I could go there and water the flowers. They were really colorful and they grow back even after they wilt.”

Sunny faced Basil. “Those flowers reminded me of you, Basil.”

Basil blushed, yet he didn’t feel embarrassed. It was weird.

“I think those flowers I kept watering brought me back to my senses,” Sunny said. “And, in the end, back to you.”

I…don’t know what to say…

Basil just smiled, reflecting Sunny’s gratitude back to him. His smile hid a torrent of uncertain feelings.

Sunny, why is it that you keep on telling me that the things I cherish, you care about too?

One day you’re going to meet someone else, and you’re going to cherish them and the things that they care about more than me.

Why do you keep hurting me by telling me these things now?

Why would you give me these feelings when you’re just going to take them away later…?

I wish I didn’t have to be such an anchor on you and your own dreams.

“Nevermind,” Sunny said, as quiet as a whisper. “I didn’t mean to bring up the past again.”

“It’s okay,” Basil replied.

A ray of sunlight piercing through the clouds illuminated a distant tree growing at the center of the field. That was the only landmark they could observe. The field stretched on so far that Basil couldn’t see any sign of a cliff.

Cautiously, Basil began to step across the field.

The breeze rustled the grass. The flowers danced. As those flowers waltzed to the duet of the singing wind, they lost their wilted petals. Flower petals swirled up into the air. They floated through Basil’s fingers, drifted through his hair. They flew without wings, silently accepting their flight to the place where they would finally rest.

Something appeared on the edge of Basil’s vision.

Grandma saw a flower field that went on forever…

The grass and the flowers vanished at that edge.

But this flower field does have an end.

Basil walked on and on until he came to a place where his footsteps could no longer take him forward any longer.

He stood at the edge of the flower field, on the edge of a cliff. A gust of cool air blew strands of blond hair out of his eyes. He watched the flight of flower petals off the edge of the cliff upon a carriage of wind.

He wondered how it would feel to experience that freedom. What would it be like to be carried off the edge by the wind, to throw yourself into that vast emptiness? Did the flowers miss what they would leave behind? Or did they only look forward to what lay beyond? He could find out. How liberating it would be to feel the wind carrying him to limitless freedom…

Two arms wrapped tightly around his body.

“Sunny?”

“Basil…don’t. Please.”

I…

I’m so sorry, Sunny.

Tears came to Basil’s eyes.

Did I look like I was about to…?

He took steps back along with Sunny, small but firm steps.

Sunny held him until he’d backed away to a safe distance from the cliff’s edge.

“I’m sorry.”

“Tell me if there’s anything bothering you, okay?” Sunny spoke.

Basil wiped the tears from his eyes. “I wasn’t planning on jumping! I’m so sorry for giving that impression. I was just…”

You held me like…

You held me so tightly, like I was something you never wanted to let go of.

Why, Sunny?

“I just wanted to see what was beyond the field,” Basil said.

Why do you care about me this much…?

“Did you see it?” Sunny asked, a gentle smile.

“Yeah, I did.”

It’s not an eternal flower field after all.

Beyond, there’s a valley with a highway road snaking through it.

Sunny just kept smiling even as a glimmer of wet light shone in his left eye.

“It’s just a highway,” Basil spoke. “Nothing special. Let’s go home.”

“…Okay.”

That night, Basil remembered that tomorrow was Kel’s birthday. Kel and Aubrey had finally accepted his invitation to join the group chat.

Basil: Happy birthday, Kel! Hope you had a great day!

Sunny: Happy birthday Kel! Good luck on your first basketball match next week!

Kel: Thanks Basil!

………………I need to get them to forgive Sunny, now.

While Sunny wasn’t in the room, Basil fired off an email to Hero asking him if he could reconsider his stance on Sunny. He tried his best to be polite while strongly suggesting that Sunny deserved to be forgiven. If they could forgive Basil, then they needed to find it in their hearts to forgive Sunny.

Hero was like the big brother of their whole group. If he could get Hero to forgive Sunny, then Kel and Aubrey might feel obliged to do so too.

Sunny returned to the room with a cough and a runny nose, wads of tissue stuffed up his nostrils.

“Mom says I’m sick,” Sunny said. “She’s forcing me to go to bed early tonight.”

“I’m sorry,” Basil replied. “I’ll go to bed early too, okay?”

“It’s fine.”

Basil got into bed shortly after Sunny. Mrs. S had given Sunny extra blankets since he had a cold. Basil waited for sleep to overtake him while thoughts about Hero’s reply raced through his head.

A blanket suddenly fell over his own body.

No, no, no, no, no! Not when you’re so sick!

Basil waited a minute, then tossed the blanket right back.

Sunny bolted upright. “You’re awake?” he asked.

I guess the secret’s out…

“Sunny, you don’t need to keep giving me your blanket every night,” Basil replied.

Sunny blushed deeply red and it probably wasn’t because of the cold. “Erhh. You knew?”

Basil nodded shyly.

Sunny blinked. “Erhh. Ah. Okay. Yep. Okay.”

Basil felt his own cheeks growing hot. “We’ve been living together for like, almost three months now…of course I know about you covering me with your blanket every night!”

“Erhh. I see.”

“Don’t worry about it, okay?” Basil said. “When you’re sick, you don’t need to be concerned about me. Just get all the rest you need.”

“Erhhhh.”

Sunny’s head collapsed back down on his pillow.

The tension in the air felt suffocating. Neither of them said anything else to each other that night.

The next day at school, Basil accidentally walked past Bethany. Her head spun towards him with eyes that sent a death glare.

Maybe blackmail wasn’t such a good idea…

Chapter Text

Hey Basil,

I understand that you want to talk about a really sensitive issue. I’ve been thinking about it all this time too and it’s not easy for me to approach this issue, much less talk openly about it. I understand that despite everything, you still consider Sunny your friend. I don’t want to judge your decisions, and I trust that you know what’s best for you. But it’s not easy for me to forgive Sunny after everything that he did.

Life is really busy for me right now, so I still need more time to think this over. I understand that this reply won’t satisfy your feelings on this matter.

This Christmas, I’ll be returning to Faraway to spend some time with my parents. Kel and I plan to invite Aubrey for a reunion party. We’ll certainly invite you, too. Maybe this is something we can talk about once everybody is back together. To be honest, we still feel guilty about leaving you alone with Sunny at the hospital. We’d all like to hear you tell us in person about your feelings on this difficult matter, even if it’ll be a tough conversation for all of us to have.

Again, I’m sorry that I can’t forgive Sunny right now.

Your friend,
Hero

***

Reading this email gave Basil a confusing mixture of emotions. He empathized with how Hero didn’t want to discuss such a sensitive topic over email. But without any answers, many questions still plagued his mind, frustrating him to no end. Reading this reply had only added more.

Sunny had killed Mari; Basil had hanged her body, framing her death as a suicide. Why was it that all his friends seemed unanimous on the notion that what Sunny did was worse and unforgivable, while an act that defaced their very image of her for years should be quickly forgiven? If anything, they both did something horrible and they both deserved punishment or forgiveness together.

I’d be okay even if they forgave neither of us…I really don’t like how they’re only willing to forgive me.

Rereading the email, Basil only grew more confused. “But it’s not easy for me to forgive Sunny after everything that he did.” Did Hero also blame Sunny for blacking out the faces in the photo album? Did he blame Sunny for staying locked up inside his house for four years and not coming out with the truth earlier? Was that the real reason he didn’t forgive Sunny? Because Sunny made multiple mistakes while Basil only made “one” as far as he cared?

Stabbing out Sunny’s eye was also a really horrid thing to do on my part, but…

I don’t know if they realize how bad I feel about it.

He raised his eyes at “we still feel guilty about leaving you alone with Sunny at the hospital”. What a weird thing to say, leaving you alone with Sunny. It gave Basil the feeling that Hero believed that he’d be in some kind of danger if he was left with Sunny.

Well, understandable, considering what happened that night, but now that Sunny had not only confessed the truth but also apologized for everything he’d done, what danger did he pose to his best friend? Was Hero afraid that Sunny would hurt him? Was he afraid that they’d plan another crime together?

But…I’m the one who roped Sunny into framing Mari’s death in the first place.

Shouldn’t he be afraid of leaving Sunny alone with me?

Too many questions swarmed Basil’s thoughts. He wondered if he could get answers by asking Sunny. Yet, out of consideration for Sunny’s feelings, he didn’t want to tell Sunny that he’d sent this email to Hero. Hearing footsteps, he quickly closed the email and logged out as Sunny returned to the room.

“How are you feeling, Sunny?” Basil asked with a smile. “Still sick?”

Sunny’s waterlogged nose blunted his voice. “A bit better. At least I don’t have a fever anymore. I’m just scared that I’m going to make you sick.”

“Don’t worry about me,” Basil replied. “Focus on getting better yourself!”

Sunny smiled back. “I will, but of course I’d worry about you. You’re my closest friend.”

Basil couldn’t help but blush.

He still says such kind words to me…

I kind of feel bad about wanting to bring this topic up to him.

“I haven’t gotten sick yet,” Basil said, laughing.

“You have a great immune system,” Sunny replied. “Working out in the garden every day must have really boosted your body’s defenses! Compared to me, lazing around in my bed all day for four years.”

“Ah—ha, but you’ve been getting a lot stronger too. I noticed you can carry a lot more plants now than you could before!”

Sunny’s eye glimmered. “Thanks.”

…Maybe I’ll hold off on talking to him about this until he’s fully recovered.

“I’ll be going to school tomorrow,” Sunny added. “Mom says I’m well enough now and I can’t fall behind in any of my classes.”

“Oh, that’s good. But if you’re still feeling sick by tomorrow, I’ll tell her to let you rest a bit more.”

“Appreciate it.” Sunny climbed into bed, closing his eyes. “I just wish we knew how Mincy and her grandma are doing.”

“Yeah, that’s been on my mind too…Mincy’s got to return to school one day, right?”

Sunny nodded. “Hopefully soon.”

Haha, see, you miss her, Sunny.

I think I sense a little crush!

Basil closed their laptop, turned off the lights, and got into his futon bed beside Sunny’s.

The whole embarrassing issue of Sunny lending him his blanket each night was a topic Basil tried to avoid bringing up. It probably bothered Sunny a lot discovering that Basil knew about it. Sure, they were best friends, but no sixteen year old boy wants to be caught sharing blankets with another boy! Basil almost wished that he hadn’t mentioned it at all.

In spite of that, Sunny decided that tonight was the perfect time to fling the blanket over him again.

“Come on, Sunny,” Basil spoke. “I don’t need your blanket.”

“Your blanket is really thin. Aren’t you cold?”

Basil spun to face Sunny with a burning hot face. “Sunny, sharing blankets…just isn’t something that friends do with each other, okay! It might’ve been fine when we were kids, but…you get what I’m saying, right? We’re sixteen now. We just don’t do that anymore.”

Sunny wore a very strange smile. “What about best friends?”

What is he…

He’s teasing me on purpose, isn’t he?

“Friends, best friends, doesn’t matter, don’t share blankets,” Basil replied, trying not to scream.

“I just care about you not feeling cold—"

“It’s not normal for friends our age to care about each other like that!”

“Why isn’t it normal?”

“It. Just. Isn’t!”

“Fine…” Sunny grabbed his blanket back.

Is he trying to bait me into confessing my feelings of love for him or something?

Does he want to hear it from my mouth so he can break off our friendship?

…Maybe Hero was right. I shouldn’t be left alone with Sunny.

Basil closed his eyes, wanting sleep to overtake him just to silence his infuriated thoughts.

But…what if…Sunny does like m—

He repeated in his head, like a mantra:

Sunny is normal. Sunny doesn’t feel attraction to boys. Sunny likes girls. Sunny had a crush on Aubrey back then. Sunny doesn’t like me back.

A few repetitions later—

Maybe Sunny discovered that he actually does like some boys—

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!!!!

Don’t even think about it.

Basil groaned.

He ought to forget about loving Sunny, because tonight was going to be yet another date with insomnia.

“Marie, are you sure your plan worked? I saw Wayne in the hallway today and he looked really angry.”

Marie faced Basil with raised eyes. “Maybe he’s just mad that he can’t take revenge on you or your friend. Bethany saw my text. She probably told him to let it go for her sake.”

“I don’t know…he really doesn’t seem like his usual self…”

“His usual self was just an obnoxious prick anyways. He probably realized he shouldn’t mess with you anymore.”

Basil hoped that Wayne had learned his lesson. But, knowing his history with bullies, he was more likely to double down instead.

I gotta tell Sunny to watch out for him.

At lunch, Basil sat down beside Sunny at the cafeteria with a tray of schnitzel and mashed potatoes. Sunny seemed to be enjoying his schnitzel; Basil was glad that he’d gotten his appetite back at least.

“How was your math quiz?” Basil asked.

“Horrible,” Sunny answered. “I got stuck on a question because I didn’t know whether to use elimination or substitution. The teacher never taught us how to choose between them! I’m kinda mad.”

“Oh…I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine, I’ll figure it out before the test,” Sunny said with a smile. “So how’s your friend doing?”

“Marie? Well…”

Sunny knows she has gossip material on Bethany but he doesn’t know about our plan to blackmail her.

I should mention to be careful around Wayne.

“She’s great. We talk about gardening every day,” Basil replied. “By the way, I saw Wayne today. He looked kind of angry. Maybe, if you see him walking down the same hall, try to stay out of his way?”

“Don’t worry about me,” Sunny said, his eye glittering.

“I don’t know, if he gets mad when he sees you, he might…”

“Punch me? I can take a punch. I don’t think he can take more pepper spray.”

Basil tried to laugh but he really would prefer Sunny to be more cautious. “Just promise me you’ll stay safe, okay?”

“Okay. I promise.”

Sunny was in a remarkably bright mood. As he finished his pork schnitzel, he turned to Basil—their faces getting a little bit closer than friends usually do when talking—and offered some surprisingly good news.

“Mincy sent me a text this morning,” Sunny said. “She says we can go meet her today at the Burger King down the street.”

“Oh, that’s good! Did she mention what happened to her?”

“Nope.”

I don’t know if that means we’re in for good or bad news…

I guess we just have to go see her after school and find out.

Basil spent the rest of the school day anticipating seeing Mincy again. He kept thinking about how Sunny would react to hearing bad news from her. An anxious ache grew in his chest. It distracted him while he was heading to his locker so much that he nearly missed a very angry captain of the football team walking past him, eyes still swollen red from chili spray.

Wayne stared at him like he was about to become dead meat.

Oh no…

I have to tell Sunny to watch out!

At lightning speed, he ran away from Wayne.

Basil found Sunny quickly after school and made sure they got off school grounds before encountering Wayne or his buddies again.

“Sunny, I think Wayne’s after us,” Basil said. “I saw him by my locker today and he looked really angry.”

“He was at your locker?” Sunny asked. “That awful…”

“Ummm, I don’t know if he was waiting for me by my locker or if he just happened to pass by. But he looked at me like he wanted to kill me!”

Sunny patted Basil’s arm as they walked. “I’ll make sure he doesn’t hurt you.”

His firm and comforting touch gave Basil a flutter in his stomach. Basil blushed. “I…I just want you to stay safe yourself, Sunny.”

“I’m armed, you’re not.”

“Well, I won’t let him hurt you either,” Basil spoke.

What can I do though?

I’m not good at fighting…and I don’t have any weapons…

“I’ll watch out for him,” Sunny said. “Call me if you need any help, okay? Just scream my name.”

“Uh, you want me to just scream ‘Sunny’ if I’m in trouble?”

“Yeah. I’ll recognize your voice.”

Basil’s face deadpanned. “…That’s a terrible idea.”

Sunny just smiled cutely.

Is he joking about everything with me?

And just how is he…so…pretty…

Oh, why can’t you just find yourself a girlfriend already and forget about keeping me safe!

Basil took deep breaths to calm his racing thoughts. He could break down in the bathroom later; first, he had to get through this meeting with Mincy.

“Let’s worry about Wayne later,” Sunny said. “We’re almost there.”

“Okay…”

They went into the Burger King and both were surprised to discover that Mincy wore an employee uniform. She sat at one of the dining tables on break, eating some fries.

“Hey, you two,” she spoke, waving. “Sorry for leaving you without a trace for a couple of weeks. Something really urgent happened.”

“What is it?” Sunny asked.

Mincy wore a grim expression.

Oh no…is it Mrs. Li?

“Grandma,” Mincy spoke, confirming Basil’s fears.

Even behind those big glasses, Basil could see the water in her eyes.

“Not good news,” she went on. “Are you guys ready?”

Sunny and Basil nodded.

…Are we going to lose one more person again…?

“Grandma started coughing up blood when she called me the other day. I booked it to her house and found out that, she, she’d collapsed. I called an ambulance. They ran diagnoses…she has stomach cancer.”

Basil felt his heart drop to the very bottom.

I can’t believe it…

He saw Sunny’s expression grow cold. The glimmer faded from his eye.

I don’t even know what to say.

Hasn’t Sunny lost enough people already?

Should I feel angry? Sad? Afraid?

I…

Basil lowered his face. “I’m so sorry, Mincy.”

“It’s…it’s been hard,” Mincy admitted. “We don’t have a lot of money. She’s had surgery already and now she’s on chemo, but our medical bills are really high. We can pay them but I don’t want to leave our family broke. That’s why I decided to start working full time here.”

Sunny couldn’t find anything to say.

Basil understood that look on Sunny’s face. He always showed quiet, heartfelt empathy.

“I’m…sorry,” Basil repeated again. “I really hope Mrs. Li will be alright.”

“She has good chances of surviving. We just have to worry about paying the bills right now.”

“How are you going to handle school if you’re working full time here?”

Mincy smiled sadly. “School will have to wait until grandma’s all better. I was going to apply to art school, but now we don’t have the money for it. So I’m going to work for a few years, see how grandma’s doing, then go back and finish high school.”

Oh no…!

“It’s really not as bad as it sounds,” Mincy said. “I found a site where people pay artists to draw for them. I could practice my art that way and even make some money doing it.”

She turned towards Sunny. “Sorry, Sunny. It means I can’t make it to manga club anymore. I’m telling Ms. Kowalski next week to cancel all further meetings.”

Sunny just nodded solemnly.

Basil couldn’t find anything comforting to say. He couldn’t find any justification for why the world kept taking everything away from the people whom he cared about.

“Well…that’s all the news. I just wanted you two to know what happened so you’re not left wondering,” Mincy said. She sighed as she finished her last fry and stood up. “Sorry for dropping this so suddenly. Gotta get back to work now.”

“Mincy,” Sunny spoke quietly, “I’m…I’m really sorry about your grandma. Let me know if there’s anything we can do to help. And, thank you for all the art lessons you gave us.”

She smiled in a bittersweet way. “You’re welcome. I hope we can share our art one day.”

As she left to go back to work, Basil felt tears welling up in his eyes.

Who was he crying for? Mincy? Mrs. Li? Sunny? All of them?

Sunny turned to Basil. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m…I’m okay,” Basil lied.

“Let’s just get something to eat,” Sunny spoke softly. “Want some fries?”

“Sure…”

Sunny went up to order from Mincy at the cash register.

“I guess we won’t have an art panel at the end of the term anymore,” Sunny said.

Basil found Sunny’s stacks of drawings a little sad now. Piles of artwork sat along the walls alongside all his plants. He always thought they complemented each other. He’d hoped to see all that art assembled into a manga one day, a story that Sunny could proudly show off at the manga club’s art display.

He couldn’t relieve the ache in his heart.

Sunny sat on the edge of his futon. He took a piece of paper containing an unfinished portrait of Omori and stared at it. A minute later, without a word, he picked up his pencil and began drawing again.

Basil turned his eyes away. He hoped Sunny could still find some use for his art after all.

His eyes fell upon a pot of white orchids that sat on the windowsill. With the weather turning cold, they had withered. The meaning of white orchids was “My thoughts will follow you into your dreams.” He wondered if his sad thoughts were the cause of all the misery that seemed to follow him. Maybe they entered the dreams of all the people he cared about, like a poison, and steadily eroded their will to live.

A part of him wished that thoughts could really enter dreams. If his thoughts could influence those around him, then he would try even harder to be as bright as a sunflower. He wanted to see smiling faces, hear laughter that never ended. He wanted to live in a garden whose colorful flowers brightened the dreams of everybody that saw them. He wanted all the sadness in the world to be washed away until the only tears that fell from peoples’ eyes were tears of joy.

Grandma…

If I hadn’t been so depressed during the last four years you spent with me, would your heart have been stronger?

Would you have died?

He pulled his knees up against his chest and buried his face against them.

I’m…the least like a sunflower.

I could never show the smile that you wanted to see on your grandson’s face, grandma.

Maybe that’s why my parents left me.

Grandma…I’m so sorry for being this way.

Basil lifted his face to find Sunny sitting right in front of him.

“Hey,” Sunny said. “I know the news today was really bad. Mincy seems to be taking it well, but maybe that’s just what she wants us to see. I feel really bad for her. Mrs. Li, too.”

Sunny showed Basil the piece of art that he’d drawn. “Maybe this could cheer you up.”

Basil’s eyes widened.

A picnic blanket on a grassy hill, surrounded by flowers. Sunny slept against his sister, his knees curled up against his arms. Kel, wearing a shirt with a grid pattern, napped nearby with his arms spread out. Beside them, Hero and Mari were laughing, their hands locked together in each other’s. Aubrey slept against Mari, a peaceful expression on her face that she hadn’t worn in years.

And a boy who wore a flower crown in his hair stood in front of the picnic blanket, taking a photo of all his friends.

His vision grew a little misty, just a little.

“Sunny…” Basil spoke, wiping his eyes, “It’s wonderful.”

“You like it?” Sunny replied. “I mean…it’s a bit self-indulgent.”

Why would it be self-indulgent?

“I love it,” Basil said, smiling through his tears. “You captured the happiness of those days so well.”

A light pink fell over Sunny’s cheeks. “You really think so?”

“Sunny, your art captures the emotions from our memories better than anything else. I really cherish everything you draw.”

Basil opened his mouth with a gasp as Sunny pulled him into a tight hug.

“Thank you, Basil,” Sunny said, his voice soft. “I…didn’t know if I should tell you before, but, hearing those words from you…”

Sunny pulled back just a little, smiling with a glitter in his eye. “I want to try to become a manga artist. I’ve been practicing my art a lot lately but I didn’t know whether any of it was good or not…now I feel just a bit more confident. I’m glad that what I create can be enjoyed by others.”

My words…

They left so much of an impact on you?

Basil felt something light and sweet stirring inside him.

“Thank you so much,” Sunny said again as he went for a second hug.

Sunny, the way you’re holding me…

Against you, I can f—feel your heartbeat.

Basil was at a loss for words.

He ought to feel sad for Mincy, but being held so close to Sunny, he couldn’t help but feel something else. The storm clouds in his thoughts were swept away by tender morning light. He felt as light as a flower petal, dancing alongside an angel’s feather as the wind carried them to a field where the sun always shone bright. The air carried the scent of fresh rain, and the breeze was so soft that its touch was like a gentle caress against his skin.

You brought your warm heart against my own…

Basil’s eyes fell upon the boy holding him.

Sunny’s dark hair, having grown long enough to partly cover his eyes, gave his face such a pretty look. His eye shone like a single glowing star in an empty night sky. His smile carried to Basil a happiness so soft yet so long-lasting that Basil knew he could go on as long as he held that smile close in his most cherished memories.

Before Basil could say anything, Sunny moved to sit by his side, unthinkably close, their shoulders touching.

“You know, when I dreamt about those happy days,” Sunny said, his eye turning to the white orchid by the windowsill, “there was always a picnic blanket close by. No matter where I went with my friends, I could always find it.”

Sunny’s voice grew quiet as he spoke. “You, and my sister, the two of you were always sitting on that blanket. But there was a time when I couldn’t find you. I didn’t know why, but, you just weren’t there. I went on a whole journey with my friends just to find you. In the end, I…

I disappeared from your dreams?

“I found you when I came back to the real world. And I guess, around that time, I realized I’d finally lost my sister.”

Sunny turned to Basil, his smile small. “That’s the story I want to draw. Not—not with those characters exactly, of course! Just a story about friends who are always by your side. They…might not be there anymore one day, but, as long as you cherish your memories of them, they’ll still be on that picnic blanket, smiling.”

Basil smiled back.

When I hear your words, Sunny…

I can tell that you’ve faced so much grief, so much sadness.

You keep showing me that you’re strong enough to grow from those painful feelings.

I…just hope I can be as strong as you one day.

Sunny stood up. “Thanks again for encouraging me on my art.”

“No problem.”

Sunny left the room, but not before letting his fingers brush past a strand of Basil’s hair. The tips of Sunny’s index finger and thumb wrapped around a fluffy strand for just a fleeting moment.

Sunny…?

Basil blushed very red.

Too bad Sunny was already gone before he could get any answers, ordered to the kitchen to help Mrs. S with chores.

I…

What am I supposed to think when you do something like that, Sunny?!

Basil covered his face with his hands, uncovered it, covered it again, uncovered again, covered, repeating until his fingers were just trembling.

Ahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sunny, do you—

His face was so warm.

I can’t say it…

So red.

I just can’t…

He was getting boiled alive.

But…

Steam must be rising out of his head.

I just have to wonder…

He gulped and let those forbidden words enter his thoughts.

Do you actually like me or something?!

Basil shut his mind up before it could pursue that train of thought any further. Why did he keep thinking about that? It was pointless. So. Totally. Pointless.

He went back to his laptop to finish some work. As he loaded up his inbox, he caught sight of a new email from Clear Skies Conservancy. It explained that volunteering season was over, thanked all the volunteers for their hard work, and pointed to a site where they could sign up to return next spring.

Did Mincy send this…?

Something else suddenly caught his eye.

There was a link to donate to Clear Skies Conservancy.

Wait, they accept donations?

A very interesting thought occurred.

Basil opened up the last statement from his bank account. He’d been stashing the money that his parents had given him into a savings account without any plan on using it. Tens of thousands of dollars had accumulated there which could probably see much more worthwhile use somewhere else.

Mincy told us that she was working full time to help her grandma pay their medical bills.

Basil felt himself wavering.

This was a lot of money he wanted to send.

Do I really want to do this?

He thought of the pain that Mrs. Li must be in as she received treatment for stomach cancer. He heard her coughing up blood. He heard Mincy’s sad voice as she relayed the news to them. As she gave up on manga club. As he saw Sunny’s smile fall away.

I don’t have to, but…

He saw the faces of those who had suffered and passed because he didn’t do anything to save them.

Mari.

Grandma.

Mrs. Li…

As if by their own will, his fingers moved the mouse.

They typed in a number.

They pressed a confirm button.

Basil closed his browser shortly after donating twenty thousand dollars to Clear Skies Conservancy.

“Be careful today, Sunny,” Basil said.

At the school’s entrance doors, Basil kept a vigilant lookout for Wayne and Bethany. Without knowing whether Marie’s plan had worked or not, they had to be careful and make sure not to find themselves alone in a hall with one of those two nearby.

“I will,” Sunny replied. “You be careful too, okay, Basil?”

Basil nodded. “Let me know if anything happens.”

“Yup.” Sunny turned down the hall to head towards his own locker. “See you at lunch!”

“Okay. Stay safe!”

I’m sure Marie’s threat did something to them, else they’d have gone after us by now.

As Basil walked towards his own locker, he suddenly heard Sunny shout from down the other hall.

“What do you want?”

Basil spun around. Wayne and two of his buddies had ambushed and surrounded Sunny at the corner of the hall.

“Payback time,” Wayne said, raising his fists.

Chapter Text

Red.

Black.

Then red again.

Seconds of dizzy confusion passed before Sunny realized that someone was wiping the red out of his vision. He blinked multiple times, waiting for his eyesight to come back. When it did, it revealed a blurry image of Basil desperately shouting his name.

The last thing he remembered was reaching for his pocket pepper stray to use it on his attackers. He figured he’d been too slow.

“Sunny…please be alright…”

My head hurts.

“Come back…Sunny…”

Sunny closed and reopened his left eye as he felt his vision stabilizing.

Even after months of living with only one working eye, he still found it difficult to accurately judge depth perception. He saw Basil standing nearby, but failed to figure out whether he could grasp Basil’s hand if he reached out. The expression on Basil’s face, those teary red eyes and trembling lips, told him enough about what had happened for him to understand that he was not in a good situation.

I messed up again.

Something gushed out of his nose.

Sunny breathed in air but found red splattering over his eyesight again. A hand wiped away the blood with a wad of tissue.

Judging by the plain white walls, the glaring ceiling light, and the unfamiliar bed he slept on, he was inside a hospital. Several other faces showed up within his limited field of view. Doctors started tending to his wounds.

He faced Basil, looked into those gentle eyes that showed so much care and concern for him.

“Basil…I’m sorry,” Sunny managed to say. “I wasn’t careful enough.”

“Sunny, you’re going to make it,” Basil replied, a wave of relief evident in his voice. “Don’t worry about anything. Just get plenty of rest.”

“What happened?” Sunny asked.

Basil’s teary expression already spoke half of what he was about to say. Sunny sensed a note of anger and saw a rare emotion in those clear blue eyes.

“Those…bullies…attacked you,” Basil replied. “I’m so sorry. I couldn’t stop them in time. I…”

It’s not your fault, Basil.

I’m so dumb!

“You’ve broken your nose,” a doctor clarified. “We’ll do some scans to see whether you’ll need surgery or not.”

That explained all the blood.

“We managed to stop you from losing too much blood,” another doctor explained. “Your attackers are currently being interrogated at the police station. Your friend here has already told your mom about what happened.”

That’s good.

Thanks for taking care of everything, Basil.

If only I’d listened to you and paid more attention to who might be coming after me…

“I’m sorry, Basil,” Sunny said again. “I should’ve listened to you.”

“Please don’t be mad at yourself!” Basil said. “Just…let yourself relax and tell me if there’s anything you need, okay?”

“I will,” Sunny said, nodding.

He felt far worse for Basil than for himself. Why didn’t he heed Basil’s warnings? Pepper spray was no guarantee of his own safety.

It worked on Aubrey’s crew, but—

Nothing could save him from the element of surprise. Caught off guard, a fist was a lot faster than his own hand reaching into his pocket and taking out the can. Aubrey and her gang didn’t do surprise attacks. They attacked their opponents after alerting them that they were there. That’s why pepper spray, a surprise weapon with deadly effects, beat them so effectively.

Wayne and his buddies fight dirty.

Sunny felt so dumb.

He would never be safe against surprise attacks, even with a weapon like pepper spray.

His vision grew fuzzy again. A feeling in his head, dull and heavy, persuaded his eyes to close. The voices of the doctors around him gradually faded away.

What…have I been doing?

What if I die right here?

There’s so much I still have to tell Basil.

I need to tell him…

“Sunny,” Basil spoke, yet his voice sounded so distant.

Basil…

Please…don’t cry…

“Sunny, I…I’ll protect you…”

The hospital lights shining above his head faded away. The last thing he saw was a silhouette of Basil.

Welcome to Black Space.

Sunny opened his eyes and found himself lying on a field of ever stretching darkness.

Black Space was a familiar place. The last time he’d come here, he’d been his other self, Omori. This time he was still recognizably himself.

What’s going on?

The dark silhouette boy with glowing white eyes stood beside him. Sunny remembered this person.

“You’ve been hiding from reality again,” Stranger spoke.

Sunny sat up and observed Stranger. He tried to speak but discovered that nothing came out when he opened his mouth. The darkness surrounding him felt heavy, like a force that muffled his words.

“You think you can hide the truth forever from the people you care about,” Stranger went on. “But, in trying to create a false reality that feels comfortable to the one you most wish to protect, you’ve developed a contradiction.”

A second Stranger materialized close by. “You have feelings for that person. You know those feelings are real…but, in order to act upon them, you must reveal the truth to him.”

The first Stranger stood up and walked in circles around Sunny. “Love without trust is as empty as the dream world you used to live inside. For a short time, you brought back your other self to hide your feelings…but you quickly realized that he was not needed. Your conflict is not the same as before.”

Stranger stared into Sunny’s face. “You wish to protect him. You want to tell him your feelings. And you want him to feel the same way towards you while believing in a complete lie that you created.

“Guilt that should have been washed away months ago has been prolonged. You can sustain the contradiction between your love and his trust no longer. This dilemma is embodied within these doors.”

Stranger handed Sunny a key.

Just as Sunny remembered, black space was full of doors. He could enter any one of them with this key, but he would have to see something he dreaded before coming back out.

Do I want to…?

Isn’t there some way for me to resolve this without having to hurt my best friend? To tell him my feelings without revealing my secrets?

He walked towards a door and unlocked it with Stranger’s key.

Door 1

It’s prom night!

The school hallways were decked with balloons, frilly banners, and colorful triangular flags. Loud upbeat music blared from boomboxes placed at every corner. Disco lights lit the halls and a path of spilled confetti guided him and his prom date to the cafeteria where they’d have their wonderful dance together.

That prom date was a very beautiful best friend in a big green gown, his aqua blue hair adorned with a flower crown, a white veil covering his face.

As they walked down the halls Sunny saw all his friends cheering him on. Aubrey stood by a classroom door waving cheerleader pom poms, and beside her were Kel and Hero, both offering big smiles and thumbs up. Sunny felt so glad that they had decided to come to his prom; even after everything, they still cared about him enough to come see him dance with Basil!

Hand in hand, Sunny and Basil walked into the cafeteria to the accompaniment of uproarious cheering. And why wouldn’t they be cheered? They were the best couple of the night! Their dance was going to be legendary. The whole school will remember it for years to come.

The upbeat music blasting from the boomboxes settled into a calm and elegant waltz. Sunny had heard this one a thousand times before. It was the perfect song for a dance with Basil.

Taking Basil’s hand over to the center of the stage, Sunny began to waltz to the tune of the duet. He swung and twirled, he grasped Basil’s hand, he pulled him back and forth, he leaned so close to Basil as if to offer him a kiss, but stopped just short. The veil covering Basil’s head obscured his face, but Sunny could see his bright eyes and his smile behind it.

The crowd cheered louder and louder.

“Woohoo! Go Sunny!” Aubrey cheered, waving her pompoms.

“You’re such a good dancer!” Kel cheered along.

“I’ve never seen such a beautiful pair!” Hero cheered as well.

The voices of his friends invigorated him. Sunny danced as the song grew to its climax, twirling, turning Basil, grasping him, holding him close. His mind was fully in sync with the music. Never could he ever have dreamed of performing so well in front of an audience. This prom dance was going to be the waltz of the century.

“Amazing dance moves!” Aubrey yelled.

“Go get ‘im Sunny!” Kel cheered on.

“You two are the best couple!!” Hero added.

A smile grew on Sunny’s face. He was doing so well. Nothing could mess up his dance. After tonight, they were going to be hailed as waltz superstars—

“Woah!”

Sunny nearly stepped on Basil’s foot.

It didn’t make sense. He knew the song perfectly; how could he have mispredicted the next beat? He was sure that had been when he was supposed to step forward…

“Keep going!” Aubrey cheered him on. “Fake it till you make it!”

Grasping Basil’s hands, Sunny hurried back into the rhythm of the waltz. Step one, step two, step three. Perfect twirl. Gorgeous.

He was just about back in with the flow of the music—

He missed another step.

“Come on, Sunny!” Kel urged. “You told us you’re a great dancer!”

He’d anticipated that step for ages, yet the beat in the song didn’t come when he had thought it would.

Why?

Fussing about, Sunny held Basil’s hands tightly and tried again to get back into the rhythm. Step one, step two, step three. Step one, step two, step three. A one, two, three—

Basil groaned as Sunny’s next step ended up kicking him in the knee.

“Go Sunny! Go…uh, wait, is Sunny really that good of a dancer?” Hero asked.

“But he told us he was the best dancer ever,” Kel replied.

“Sunny wouldn’t lie to us, would he?” Aubrey spoke. She shook her head. “Of course not. He said he was the greatest waltz dancer in the world…right?”

The music was all out of sync now.

Sunny couldn’t predict the next beat at all. No matter how hard he tried, he was just continuously out of sync with the song. Each of his dance moves fell apart. His steps became chaotic. His hands were all slippery and couldn’t grasp Basil’s. Every time he tried to pull Basil close, their bodies slammed violently into each other.

A twirl came up. Sunny spun Basil’s arm.

And Basil kept spinning.

Like a top.

“Uh, Sunny??” Hero spoke.

“Can you stop spinning Basil?” Kel asked.

“I’m not sure it’s healthy for Basil to spin like that,” Aubrey said.

Sunny stopped dancing. He grew panicked.

Basil was spinning faster and faster. He was going so fast now that he was just a colorless blur.

How could he get Basil to stop spinning? How could he…

Basil’s head spun off his shoulders. It ricocheted around the room, killing everyone it bounced into. His arms and legs spun off as well. They flew like spears, impaling dozens in the audience. The remains of his body, just a torso now, continued spinning, fountains of blood spewing everywhere. Everyone still alive screamed and fled the room.

“Run!!!” Aubrey screamed, throwing her pom poms away.

“Get away from them!” Kel shouted.

“Let’s get out—” Hero’s voice was cut short as Basil’s flying head created a hole where his chest used to be.

Everybody ran away, shrieking.

The music stopped.

The lights turned off, leaving Sunny with a spinning Basil torso.

A key spun out of Basil’s neck into Sunny’s hand.

Wordlessly, Sunny used the key to unlock the door out of the dance cafeteria. Basil did not stop spinning.

Door 2

A fog covered the old garden.

All the plants outside had wilted. It looked like it’d been years since someone had stepped foot inside this place. The sign that read “Clear Skies Conservatory” at the front entrance had crumbled, nearly rotted off its post.

He remembered the plants and flowers he’d spent days watering in this garden. They were all withered and blackened. Countless winters must have passed; nobody had remained to take care of the flowers.

The fog grew thicker still. Within the fog, Sunny saw a silhouette.

He followed the silhouette through the entrance doors of the building. Inside, the scent of decay was overwhelming. A path formed out of rotting flowers lay before him. The silhouette walked along this path.

As his shoes crunched upon the withered flowers, he thought he heard them say, “liar”.

At the end of the path, he stopped in front of a chair. The fog lifted, revealing a body sitting in the chair. Basil’s silhouette stood beside the body and beckoned.

“The days you’ve spent with him…they were close to true happiness,” Stranger spoke. “If only you hadn’t shielded him with a false dream.

“You sensed a sadness within him. You thought that as long as you maintained your façade, you could wash that sadness away. But, no matter what you did, he saw through you. He saw the dark circles growing beneath your eyes. He saw how tired you became.

“The longer you keep the truth hidden, the more he’ll worry,” Stranger went on. “He’ll always see through you…that’s what he does, doesn’t he? Or perhaps his friends will shatter your lie for him.”

The silhouette faded away.

“Tell him the truth…not just about your lies to your friends, but the feelings inside your heart, too.”

Sunny found the key, glimmering, clutched in the hand of the dead body sitting in the chair.

He reached out and took the key from Mrs. Li.

He unlocked the door behind her.

Door 3

“What shall we talk about today, Sunny?”

They were standing just outside Ms. Sato’s office, about to go out on one of their around-the-block walks. Sunny always found that these walks helped clear his mind and gave him ample opportunity to ask questions.

“I have a new problem,” Sunny spoke.

“Tell me about it,” Ms. Sato said, starting a casual stroll.

“I…want to tell the truth to my best friend, about the secrets I’ve been keeping,” Sunny began. “But I’m afraid that he’s not going to react well to it.”

“How do you think he’s going to react?” Ms. Sato asked. “You don’t have to tell me your secrets. Just think about how he’s going to feel, and what he might say to you.”

“He’s going to feel…betrayed,” Sunny spoke, feeling a pang of pain inside his chest. “Like I completely obliterated his trust. He might not even want to be my friend anymore. I might never be able to repair relations with him.”

“That does sound like pure agony,” Ms. Sato responded. “Are you willing to let yourself experience the agony of completely breaking your best friend’s trust?”

“I…I don’t want to.”

“The way your thoughts and emotions work, it might just be unavoidable,” Ms. Sato went on. “Every time you want to do something, your brain doesn’t just think about the consequences of that action. It also thinks about what would happen if you didn’t do the action at all. When you think about your secret, your mind initializes two parallel streams of feelings. One stream contains the feelings you would have if you kept your secret hidden. The other stream contains the feelings you'd get if you revealed the truth.”

She always likes talking about theory…

“The thoughts and emotions inside your head are the firing patterns of neurons. They exist physically, so you can’t avoid them. If you don’t allow space for the feelings of each stream to flow through you, you’ll become very intolerant of your own emotions…so intolerant that you might just ruin your mental and physical health completely.”

Sunny walked past a mirror in the middle of the street.

The dark circles underneath his eyes had grown very deep.

“Sunny. Let yourself be comfortable with revealing the truth. If still, you try to avoid your feelings, you’ll end up spending a lot of energy just fighting your own brain, which is futile. There are times when you just need to let go of control. Let the truth come out.”

“I just…I just can’t take it anymore!” Sunny exclaimed. “It’s not like I can just accept the scenario where I break his trust. My best friend’s going to hate me…he’s going to never want to see me ever again!”

“I’m sorry,” Ms. Sato empathized.

They passed by a strange building shaped a lot like Basil’s house. Lots of colorful potted plants occupied the garden in front of the house.

“I don’t want to hurt him…” Sunny went on. “My secrets are what’s keeping us together.”

“That’s what you tell yourself,” Ms. Sato said. “In reality, you fear loneliness and the loss of a dear friend. You understand deep down that it’d be better for him to hear the truth.”

“I…I just can’t do it.”

“You have to in order to move on.”

Ms. Sato faced the building as she continued speaking. “Loneliness and loss. Those are the most painful feelings of the human condition. Yet if you spend all your energy fighting those feelings, you’ll end up lonelier than ever. The only way out is to allow yourself to experience those feelings. Tell your friend the truth.”

“I…don’t want to…”

“Sunny, the longer you wait, the more you’ll hurt your friend,” she said. “If you tell him the truth, you might have a chance to mend your relationship. And even if you don’t regain his trust, you know that you still have opportunities to make new friends. You won’t be lonely as long as you put yourself out there and talk to lots of different people.”

“I’ve already lost my sister…I don’t want to lose my best friend too…”

Ms. Sato’s face suddenly deadpanned. With a sharp walk, she went inside the building.

A stench of death and decay filled the air.

“Sunny, I’ve found your friend,” she said from inside the house.

“Ms. Sato?” Sunny replied. “You found…Basil?”

“Yes. He doesn’t look too good…all because you waited too long.”

She peeked her head out through the building’s front entrance. The stench grew stronger. She took a step out, and slowly walked back to Sunny with Basil in tow.

Or, well, the mangled remains of him.

Basil’s limbs were all twisted and distorted in unnatural angles. His neck extended way above his head, elongated into a thin string. Blood flowed from his eyes; teeth fell out of his mouth. Worst of all, his body had been twisted in circles over and over, like a rubber band wrapped ten times around a finger with one end held taut.

Sunny fell to his knees.

“Why…” he gasped. “Why…did this have to happen?”

“This is what happens when you twist him around with your lies too many times,” Ms. Sato said.

Tears fell from Sunny’s eyes.

“Do you have anything to say, Basil?” Ms. Sato asked.

“Uuuu…rrrggghh…Su…nny…yo..u…li…ar…”

No…let me go back…

I was wrong…I can bear revealing the truth…

I can’t bear this!

Basil crumbled into dust. As did Ms. Sato, leaving behind only a key.

Sunny took the key and opened the door back to Ms. Sato’s office.

Door 4

A fist flew into Sunny’s face, knocking out a tooth.

“OWWWWWWWWW!!!”

Before he could recover, an uppercut to his chin threw him into the air. He landed with a thud on the ground, just in time for a dozen legs to start kicking him.

The pain was incredible. It felt like a burning fire searing his whole body.

Six Waynes stood around him, each taking turns kicking him everywhere, in the face, arms, chest, belly, his legs.

“Why!” Sunny screamed, trying desperately to protect himself and failing. “Why are you doing this?!”

“Why?” one of the Waynes responded mockingly. “We were hired to beat you up.”

“Hired? By who?”

A shoe struck him in the face so hard that blood spouted from his nose.

He opened his eyes, blinking away red tears, and saw the Waynes pointing at a boy with aqua green hair, wearing a flower crown.

“He hired us.”

Sunny couldn’t believe it.

“No!” Sunny screamed, climbing onto his hands knees and crawling towards Basil. A foot struck him in the stomach, knocking the breath out of him completely. He collapsed at Basil’s feet.

“Why…Basil…” Sunny muttered. “Why…did you do this…”

Basil stared at Sunny wordlessly.

The Waynes came back and started punching and kicking him again.

As an inferno of pain scorched his body, blood pouring from his nose and mouth, Sunny saw more and more red, until his vision gave out and all that was left was a silhouette of a door.

He just wanted the pain to end.

Another kick. Another punch. More blood.

Fire in his lungs.

Amidst his suffering, he suddenly caught sight of Stranger materializing from the darkness to open the door using a key in his hand.

The next kick sent him flying through the door.

Door 5

The cold silence of the hospital room settled with Sunny, numbing his fingers.

Basil's blond hair spilled across the pillow under his head. His thin, weakened frame felt delicate and fragile even for a boy who was already so gentle.

Sunny kept a close watch over Basil as he slept, hoping for any sign of awakening. Annoyingly, every once in a while, grey fuzziness filled up Sunny's vision. Losing an eye brought both pain and a significant loss of visual perception. The worst part of it all was that he could barely perceive depth anymore.

Several times over the past few days, he'd reached out, believing that the object he wanted to grasp—a cup of water, a fork, a plate of food—was a lot closer than it actually was. He nearly crashed his face against solid stone when his unsteady fingers failed to grasp their target, saving himself only by keeping his other hand steady on the back of his chair. Life would never be the same again without both eyes.

Sunny's half-blinded vision was not as painful as everything else he had gone through.

I lost my sister.

I want to cry and cry and cry.

Mari...she's gone.

I can't stop crying.

His friends hadn't taken his confession well. When his words pulled open the curtain over his crimes, his voice fading into silence, a giant wave of sadness crashed over his emotions. Too much sadness.

He could feel the change in their mood. He could see the cloud that had settled over their eyes as they stared back at him.

A knot formed in his gut when he saw the flash of anger across their eyes.

"How could you do that to your own sister?" Aubrey spoke first. "How could you push her when she was right by the stairs?"

Sunny opened his mouth but the words failed to come to his lips.

He could feel their seething anger at him and he understood that words wouldn't do any good. He could explain all he wanted, that he didn't see the stairs behind her or that he hadn't meant to shove her with enough force to make her fall, but in the end his hands were still stained with blood.

"That's an awful secret to keep from us for so long," Kel said, his eyes glancing between Sunny and Hero.

Hero's face was so full of conflict.

"I can't believe you," Aubrey went on. "You killed your sister and you couldn't even come clean. No wonder you locked yourself inside for four years."

Sunny didn't know whether to talk about all the anguish he went through inside his head. It wouldn't help.

"I...don't even know what to say to you," Kel added. But then he turned to face Aubrey.

"Aubrey, I think Sunny understands how bad he messed up. It takes a lot of guts to confess the truth. Maybe we shouldn't scream at him."

Hearing Kel defend him, Sunny felt a tiny shard of hope that he could be forgiven. He knew he could always count on Kel to stand up for him.

"Kel, I can't just forgive him for doing that to Mari," Aubrey replied.

Hero finally spoke. "Sunny. You...seriously...messed...up."

Sighing, Hero stepped towards Sunny with his hand outstretched in a reconciliatory gesture. "But...I sort of had the feeling this whole time that something wasn't right. I just never imagined you could actually pull it off. This probably ate away at you for so long. I'm glad you came clean with everything."

"I'm truly sorry," Sunny said, lowering his head.

But when Sunny raised his eyes, Hero had suddenly dropped his hand, leaving nothing for him to grasp on to. Maybe it had never been a reconciliation in the first place; maybe Sunny had merely clung too hard on to the false hope that all his friends would forgive him.

"You made me think Mari would've really done that," Aubrey went on, her eyes filled with tears, filled with grief and rage. "You convinced me she would've just left us all behind without a sign! You're the worst!"

Sunny felt his heart dropping into a dark and unreachable abyss.

"I—I guess I need time to think about this, too," Kel said with a color of sadness over his face. "Sunny. I know you're hurt...but I don't even know what to think right now. I can't believe you'd do that to your own sister. I want to...I want to think it over, talk with my brother a bit."

Aubrey's tears flowed down her cheeks. "Poor Mari. She didn't deserve this."

"She deserved better," Hero agreed.

"Mari, I'm so sorry," Aubrey went on, sobbing.

One by one, they began to leave the room.

As they passed by, Sunny felt their last stares at him, eyes filled with a mixture of anger, sadness, and pity, the kind of stares one might throw at a criminal just before being sentenced.

Just before closing the door behind him, Hero decided to say one last thing.

"We'll keep it under wraps," Hero spoke in a cooler voice. "I know you're sorry, but I'm still furious. I'll just...try not to make things worse for you."

And then the door closed, leaving Sunny all alone with an unconscious Basil.

I told them all the truth.

They reacted as well as I'd imagined.

Days passed by wordlessly.

His friends didn't come back. He kept wondering if they would at least return to check up on Basil, but besides his mom, the only people who showed up were the doctors who came to monitor Basil's condition. Sunny had little to say to them besides a few "thank you's".

There was one more thing about Sunny's confession.

He'd minimized everything Basil had done.

**—

Basil sprang off his hospital bed and wrapped his fingers around Sunny’s neck, squeezing the breath out of him.

“Why…why did you lie to our friends?!” Basil shouted.

Sunny couldn’t move. It was as if Basil’s grip totally paralyzed him.

“I just wanted you to tell them the truth!” Basil yelled, strangling him. “This secret that we’ve been keeping for so long—why couldn’t you just tell them what I did, Sunny?! Why?! Why?! Why?!”

Stars danced in Sunny’s vision.

“We could’ve all moved on from this,” Basil said, literally shaking Sunny’s entire body by his neck. “We could’ve all forgiven you if you’d just told everybody the truth! You’ve learned nothing, Sunny! Absolutely nothing! How dare you smile at me after that false confession?! How dare you?!”

Sunny’s vision swam. He felt ready to pass out at as the whole universe shook around him.

“How dare you?! How dare you?! How dare you?!”

He shook and shook and shook, his hands trembling, an impossibly tight grip around his neck, the whole world shaking, shaking and shaking and shaking—

Shaking—

Shake—

Shake—

—Shaken awake.

“Sunny!” his mom shouted, smiling brightly. “You’re finally awake.”

He rubbed his left eye, trying to recollect his surroundings.

He was still lying on the bed inside the hospital he’d been taken to after being punched by Wayne. Mom and Basil stood nearby. They were the only ones in the room.

“Ugh…what happened?” Sunny asked.

“You were tossing and turning around so much in bed,” mom replied. “I thought you had a nightmare, so I woke you up.”

“Are you feeling okay, Sunny?” Basil asked.

That dream…

As his hazy vision grew clearer, his sight slowly returning, he looked at Basil.

Those shining blue eyes were the most gentle pair of eyes in the world. They could never want to hurt him.

He still felt the aftershock of those dreams, but they were quickly fading away, replaced by a much softer emotion.

Basil’s quiet smile complemented the pretty flower he wore in his hair. It was a smile that would always be there for him, even if every person in the whole world hated him.

How could he lie to such a smile?

How could he hide his feelings from his best friend, the boy who spent four years protecting him, the boy who he held his hand during his darkest moment and promised him that everything was going to be okay?

Sunny’s already dim vision grew misty.

“I’m okay,” Sunny replied, trying his hardest to smile too. “I’m okay.”

“Do you mean it?”

“I do. I feel alright.”

Basil’s eyes glimmered. “I was so worried…”

I’m sorry for worrying you.

“…I’m just so glad you’re back with us.”

“The doctors said you won’t need surgery, thankfully,” mom said. “Your nasal bones got bent slightly, but they aren’t fractured or anything. You’ll make it.”

Sunny nodded.

I just want a moment alone with Basil.

“Thanks for everything, you two,” Sunny said tearfully. “You saved my life.”

Basil’s smile became a little sad. “Sunny, let me know if you feel like there’s anything wrong, okay? It’s…your second injury, and…”

Sunny turned his eye away. “I’m sorry.”

“No, no need to be sorry! Just looking out for you.”

“Awww, Basil cares so much for you,” mom spoke.

I…

I have so much to say to him.

She suddenly placed a hand on Basil’s shoulder. “Unfortunately, we can’t stay too long. Basil needs to go to the police station soon.”

“He does?”

“He’s a witness to the fight you had at school. The police are interrogating those bullies right now. I’m hoping we can get them expelled.”

Sunny blinked.

Well…that’s better than what I thought Basil was gonna go to the police station for…

“The doctors are coming back to show you the scans and give you some blood to replenish all the blood you lost,” she added. “If everything goes well, you should be able to leave by tomorrow.”

“Oh.”

“Get some rest, Sunny,” she said. “We’ll come back soon.”

“Okay…”

“Bye, Sunny,” Basil said. “Call my phone if you feel like there’s anything, anything wrong, okay?”

“For sure. Good luck at the police station. You stay safe, too!”

Basil smiled at Sunny as he prepared to head out.

Just before leaving the room, Basil looked back at Sunny again, smiling so tenderly.

I…

A warm feeling grew inside Sunny’s heart.

I have to tell you the truth.

I want to tell you my true feelings for you, too.

He gripped the sheets of his blanket as that warm feeling knotted his stomach.

…Which one do I tell you first?

Chapter Text

Don’t worry…

Everything is going to be okay.

No matter what happens…

Promise me that we’ll always be there for each other.

Promise me…

9:45 AM, November 21, 2002

Sunny: hey Basil I just got out of the hospital

Basil: that’s great! hope you’re feeling better…

Sunny: yup. I’ll be back at school this afternoon. see you there

So soon…?

Basil could not help feeling ambivalent. He hesitated to type a reply to Sunny’s message.

No matter what he said, he just kept failing to protect Sunny. Underneath his smile, his self worth was crumbling.

He blamed himself for Sunny getting hurt. If he’d just followed Sunny down that hall, if he’d just been there to be a second target for those bullies, maybe Sunny wouldn’t have needed to go to the hospital. Why didn’t he see that Wayne would be out for blood the moment he received the chance? Why did his mistakes keep getting Sunny hurt? With all those warning signs, with how obviously Marie’s blackmail plan would backfire—he had still failed to protect Sunny from bloody, painful vengeance.

Every time I try to protect Sunny, I only end up making things worse.

Basil couldn’t avoid the feeling—

I’m simply a nuisance to Sunny.

Stabbing out Sunny’s eye. Getting Sunny’s nose bloodied and broken. Hanging his sister’s body.

Yet Hero and Kel and Aubrey forgave him instead of Sunny.

Basil’s thoughts had been a turbulent mess ever since Sunny got sent to the hospital. Nothing made sense; the only thing that he could perceive clearly was how he was the villain at the center of it all. If he had never existed, Sunny’s life would’ve been so much better.

If he had never bought Sunny his new violin.

If he had never walked into that room that day and saw who lay at the bottom of the stairs.

If he had never entered Sunny’s life.

He had singlehandledy walked into Sunny’s beautiful, picturesque life and smashed the faces of each and every person whom Sunny cared about with a sledgehammer. With all of Sunny’s friends and family lying on the floor, bleeding, he’d then raised his hammer to gouge out Sunny’s eye with the handle of the stick. To finish this massacre, he raised the hammer one more time and shattered Sunny’s nose.

I’m the worst person Sunny has ever met.

I just…don’t want to bother him anymore.

His fingers still shaking, Basil raised his cell phone and typed a message. Shutting his eyes tight, Basil hit “send.”

***

Look at all of us…

These are all of our memories together.

They’re a little sad now…

But we should be happy that they happened at all.

Let’s make some new memories together, okay?

12:38 PM, November 21, 2002

Over the past week, Basil hadn’t seen Marie around at school.

He’d gone to the police station to report what Wayne did shortly after Sunny woke up in the hospital. The police wanted the whole story; so did Sunny’s mom. Unlike the incident four years ago, he didn’t have a coverup story planned for Sunny this time.

Fearing that Sunny would despise him even more if he lied again—after all, Sunny knew to do the right thing by confessing the truth of what they did to Mari to their friends—Basil decided to just tell the truth. What happened that night at the Halloween party. Wayne and Bethany stealing his flower crown that Sunny made for him, tossing it back and forth mockingly. Sunny shoving Wayne to get the flower crown back, attacking him by surprise with pepper spray. Wayne’s revenge.

I’ll just leave the part about blackmail out unless they ask me about it.

Maybe Wayne already told them about the blackmail message Bethany received from Marie.

Mrs. S’s reaction to the story was, to Basil’s surprise, a mixture of shock and pride.

“I should’ve checked Sunny’s belongings and taken away his pepper spray,” she said to Basil later. “It’s such a dangerous weapon. I have no idea why he’d carry that around…but, the fact that he stood up for you against those horrible bullies…I’m kind of proud of him.”

“Sunny’s always been brave,” Basil said.

Mrs. S shook her head. “He wasn’t very brave before. You know how he stayed locked up inside his room for four years. Both him and I were afraid of confronting what happened that night…what happened to my daughter.” She sniffed and took out some tissues to wipe her eyes. “I wish I could’ve been braver. I could’ve encouraged him to tell me the truth earlier, so that he didn’t have to waste those four years, but…even I wasn’t ready for that.”

Mrs. S, please don’t cry…

I’ve hurt you too much as well.

Both you and Sunny have been too kind to someone who only ruined your happy lives.

I should just save up the money that my parents have been sending me and use it to rent my own place so that I won’t be a burden to you two anymore.

A few days later, he heard that Wayne had gotten suspended.

The police were sympathetic to Sunny’s side. Besides the fact that Wayne had punched the lights out of a boy who was half blind, this was apparently not the first time Wayne had gotten sent to the police station after instigating a major, bloody fight.

They planned to investigate the case further. Basil didn’t know whether Wayne would get expelled or not; he was just relieved that he didn’t see him around at school over the next week.

Relieved, but still guilty that Sunny had taken the hit instead of himself.

After a whole week of also not seeing Marie around, she finally showed up to class on the day before Thanksgiving Thursday.

With a black eye.

“Hey,” Basil said.

“Hey,” Marie replied. “I…heard what happened. I understand if you hold it all against me.”

Basil shook his head. “I should’ve asked you not to send that message.”

“Guess I’ve been a total goofball, huh? I’m really sorry.”

“Marie, what happened?” Basil asked, looking at her black eye.

“I told all of Bethany’s friends how crazy she was,” Marie answered. “Most of them didn’t care. But Bethany did. The next time she saw me in the halls, she punched me in the eye.”

Wow…

I can’t believe I got you hurt too.

“I’m sorry,” Basil said, feeling even more guilty.

“No, no, don’t be,” Marie said. “I knocked out her tooth.”

Basil raised both eyes. “You what?”

“If she thinks she can get away with giving me a black eye, she’s got another thing coming,” Marie said, grinning. “I socked her right back in the mouth. Apparently she’s been stuck at home ever since, trying to get her perfect teeth back. Too bad she won’t ever be able to! Hahaha!”

“Marie…she might tell people about that, you know.”

“Bethany isn’t going to press charges. I know from her conversations that she’s already a suspect for a bunch of misdemeanors she committed over the past couple of years. Talking to the authorities is too risky for her.”

Are you sure she won’t tell…?

Basil couldn’t stop himself from noticing that everybody’s pain was all because of him, again.

Every time I walk into the picture, things just keep getting more and more violent.

When will the violence I cause end?

Basil turned his eyes down to the floor.

He didn’t just wreck Sunny’s life. Somehow he managed to be a bad influence on everyone he met.

Why couldn’t he stop being a hindrance?

Why did Sunny keep suffering permanent injuries while he always got out unscathed?

He deserved so much worse. All he’d ever received was a few bruises, that night when he fought Sunny. Those bruises were already recovered with nothing more than a thin black trace beneath his eye, while Sunny had to live with a blinded eye for the rest of his life.

I’m less than worthless.

If this was his life, if he kept waltzing into people’s picturesque existences as a wrecking ball destroying everything, and getting away with it, he should just disappear forever as his punishment.

Maybe Sunny shouldn’t have stopped me from doing what I was planning to do that night.

…

I guess me being all anxious and suicidal might’ve also contributed to grandma’s deteriorating health during those last few years.

No matter what I do, I only make things worse.

Basil put his head down, burying his face in his arms as the teacher began the day’s lesson.

“Basil? Are you okay?” Marie asked.

“I’m just tired,” Basil replied.

***

At that time…I saw everything.

When you stood here before…

Did you see it too?

Something…behind you…

3:31 PM, November 21, 2002

There was a study group for his upcoming math test at the library this afternoon.

Basil showed up, if only because he’d have to get used to not hanging out with Sunny after school from now on. After the message he’d sent him, a message clarifying all the mistakes he’d made, all the things he’d done that only made the lives of everyone he had met far worse, Sunny would understand; Sunny wouldn’t want to hang out with him anymore either.

The functions he drew on the graph paper in front of him all blurred together, meshed with his anxious thoughts. Logarithms and trigonometric waves and asymptotes created a cacophony of confusing shapes and symbols inside his head; he started to wonder what was the point of it all.

Why study for his test? Why bother getting good grades? Why bother passing?

So he could go to college, and ruin even more peoples’ lives?

So he could get a job, where his mistakes would have severe consequences that would damage people irreparably?

So he could live a long and painful life instead of just dying as soon as possible and be done with it all?

He saw no point to studying for this test.

I’ll thank Mrs. S and Sunny for letting me stay with them over the past three months.

But I need to move out.

Basil packed up his study materials and left the library. He made for the bank.

I haven’t heard anything from Mincy, either.

Maybe she didn’t appreciate my donation. It might’ve been too much for her to accept…

There’s no way I can ever do anything right.

Along the way to the bank, he suddenly received a call on his phone.

What? I thought I’d blocked Sunny’s number…

It was from his parents.

“Hello?” Basil picked up.

“Basil?”

Mom’s voice.

“I’m going to your city in a couple of days,” she said. “I have a job to do there. Maybe we can meet up for a bit.”

“Oh, that sounds nice,” Basil replied. “Where?”

“At the city hospital. You know where that is right?”

“Right…”

Um, what does mom do for her job again?

“Okay, sounds good. I’ll meet you there. Bye, Basil. Stay safe.”

“Bye, mom.”

She’s just as quick to call and hang up as dad, not even explaining what she’s coming here for...

He repressed his frustrations with his parents and continued on his way to the library. Perhaps he would only create trouble for them as well.

As he took out his money from the bank’s ATM, Basil made a mental commitment to his plan of living alone by himself. He’ll find a room somewhere in the city, far away from Sunny. He’ll get a part time job to help pay for living expenses in addition to the money that his parents sent him. He’ll finish school, he’ll avoid encountering Sunny there by carefully planning his route between all his classes.

This way, I’ll never be able to hurt him ever again.

Tears came into Basil’s eyes.

This really will be goodbye.

An icy November wind blew into his face as he left the bank. It cut the skin on his cheek, making the tears in his eyes feel a little more painful.

He stopped in the middle of the street, realizing that he’d lifted the anchor tying him down to an existence filled only with the harm that he’d caused others. As he set sail, he’d leave the only bright light in his life behind.

His days of happiness with Sunny. Living and sleeping together in the same room. Reading precious books and playing amazing games. Seeing each other every day and studying together at school. Being able to sit by each other’s side, just enjoying each other’s company.

Goodbye, Sunny.

Basil didn’t want to go to Sunny’s home that night. It would be too painful. Plus, he didn’t really have anything worth taking out from that room to bring along with him. He’d live…somewhere else, for the time being.

His mom calling today was quite fortunate. Once he meets her, he could ask her to find him a new place to live at.

Sunny will take care of my plants, right…?

I’ll entrust him with all the things I left behind.

I know he’ll take care of everything. He’s really a responsible person, deep down.

Basil went back to school.

***

Don’t worry…

Everything is going to be okay.

Will you forgive me?

My best friend…

Please…

9:15 PM, November 21, 2002

Late in the evening, Basil wandered the school halls, searching for a room that he could sleep in for the night. If the janitor or anyone finds him, he’ll just go somewhere else. The money he had could easily allow him to spend a few nights at a hotel.

As he looked for an empty room, he discovered that he was unconsciously making his way towards the room where Mincy used to host manga club. He didn’t understand why; maybe it just felt like a comfy room to him. He hoped that the door wouldn’t be locked.

When he reached the room, he noticed that the light was still on inside.

With a deep breath, Basil placed his hand on the door handle and turned.

The door opened.

Inside was Sunny.

***

Basil stood there, frozen.

“Basil?” Sunny spoke.

Before Basil could say or do anything, Sunny had crossed the distance between them, placing his hands on Basil’s arms. Sunny held him tightly.

“I was so worried about you,” Sunny said.

After everything I said to you in the message I sent you earlier today…

Basil’s hands trembled.

Why do you still care about me?

“Wh…what are you doing here, Sunny?” Basil managed to speak. “Shouldn’t you be at home right now?”

“I spent all day looking for you,” Sunny answered. “When I couldn’t find you, I got really worried. Mom hasn’t seen you, either. I searched everywhere for where you could’ve gone…I even went back to the flower field…”

You went all the way there in this cold weather?

Sunny, I’m so sorry.

“I still couldn’t find you,” Sunny spoke, his voice diminishing. “I came back here, to this room. I don’t know why. And I just started drawing.”

Basil’s eyes turned to the table where Sunny had been sitting. Stacks of paper occupied his desk, illustrations of Stranger filling their pages.

No, it wasn’t Stranger.

That flower in his hair…

Sunny never drew Stranger with the flower in his hair.

Was he drawing…me?

Basil felt something hot and stinging enter his eyes.

“I’m glad I found you,” Sunny said, smiling gently.

“Sunny, I’m so sorry,” Basil said, his eyes turning away. “But…didn’t you see the message I sent you? All I do is harm people, even when I try to help. I just don’t want to hurt you or anybody else anymore.”

“I tried calling you after I read it,” Sunny said. “You wouldn’t answer, though...”

…

I still hurt him.

Even when I do everything possible to not hurt Sunny anymore, I still…

Sunny wrapped his arm around Basil’s shoulder. “Hey, it’s okay. I don’t hold it against you. Let’s just sit down and talk about everything, alright?”

I…didn’t answer Sunny even though he kept calling me today…

How can I be so awful to him?!

Basil didn’t know what to think. He didn’t know what to say. What to feel.

His very existence was a constant source of harm to others, especially to the people he cared about. He just wanted to disappear forever.

“Sit down with me,” Sunny said.

Sunny sat beside the wall with his legs stretched out in front of him. He offered Basil a spot beside him.

I should just leave…

But Basil sat down beside Sunny anyway. He couldn’t understand why either.

Do I want to keep hurting him?

Am I staying here, sitting with Sunny, only because I feel that I still haven’t inflicted enough pain on him?

I’m…so selfish…

The clock on the wall said nine thirty PM.

The two boys sat together in that quiet classroom, the only two people in the school that night, just being near each other without exchanging words. And there were so many unspoken words between them.

Ten minutes passed.

Fifteen.

Twenty.

It was almost ten o’clock.

Why…aren’t I leaving?

The minute hand passed twelve. The hour hand passed ten.

A quiet rain began to fall outside.

“Basil,” Sunny spoke, his voice barely louder than the sound of falling rain. “I want to share a feeling with you.”

A…feeling?

Sunny’s hand reached up at the same time that his other hand steadily clasped Basil’s.

“Sunny?”

In a swift, fluid motion, Sunny removed his eyepatch.

He turned at Basil with both eyes open, his right eye pale from the wound that Basil had inflicted upon him that night.

Sunny just smiled.

Both his eyes glimmered with quiet light.

“See this eye?” Sunny said. “I’m proud of it.”

“You…huh?”

A light blush settled on Sunny’s cheeks as he spoke. His voice grew soft and reminiscent.

“When I was lost inside my dreams, I’d always end up seeing this flickering image,” Sunny said. “It’s kinda hard to describe. It’s like a black and white film…except it’d always play only a few frames before it ended. There were a couple of constants. One, this film would play moments before I’d wake up. Two, there were always only two people in this film. The same two.”

Were they...?

“It was like a photograph of a memory,” Sunny said. “A memory that kept me tethered to this world when my dreams threatened to pull me away into a lost world, forever.”

The light in Sunny’s eyes glistened, one against a backdrop of snow grey, the other against an endless black night.

Two falling stars.

“Basil, I need to tell you something,” Sunny said. “I’ll start from the very beginning.”

All I can really do for you is listen.

“That night, when our lives broke apart, my sense of self fragmented. One half of me tried to pretend that nothing had ever happened. The other half…was a lot smaller. It didn’t really know who it was anymore. It tried to search for the one person it remembered, but it kept failing to find him.”

Sunny’s hand gripped Basil’s softly.

“Those flickering images, it kept reminding him. It reminded that half of himself that he could still find who or what he was searching for. But because that part of him was so weak, it took a long time for him to realize what that photograph was trying to say. He waited too long, and he broke a promise.”

A promise to…?

“I’m sorry for talking like this,” Sunny said, even giving a short laugh. “I’m being too vague, aren’t I? Sorry. I just had this whole speech prepared for when I found you again, but now that I’ve said it, it just sounds way too cheesy, huh?”

“Umm…it’s fine,” Basil replied quietly.

“I’m such an idiot,” Sunny went on. “I meant to say that I kept dreaming about you, Basil. Even when I locked myself inside my room for years, I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I couldn’t stop seeing you in my dreams. I’d repressed what happened that night so badly that it was all…it was all so confusing, it felt so messed up. My conscience was drowning in delusions.”

I’m sorry.

It’s all because of what I did.

“Because of my friends, I finally worked up the courage to confront the truth,” Sunny said. “And when I saw it, everything became clear. I had to come back for you. I had to save you.”

“Is that why you came to my room that night?”

“I’d never forgive myself if I didn’t,” Sunny said. He pointed again at his blind eye. “And I had to overcome the half of me that didn’t want me to see the truth. You actually helped me when you struck me. You gave me time to rest, to feel, to process everything. If you hadn’t done that…if I’d just said goodbye that night and left town the next day…I might have relapsed. I would never have forced myself to face that part of me!”

All at once, the light in Sunny’s eyes overflowed.

“Basil, you’re my best friend, and you did so much for me that I don’t think I can ever repay you.” Sunny smiled through his tears. “You could’ve cried for help when you saw my sister at the bottom of the stairs. You could’ve run away to tell everyone what I did. You could’ve called the police. But…you saw I was hurt, so you stayed for me. You kept trying to get me back to my senses. You kept calling my name. And when I still didn’t wake up, you…you did something so incredible, I still think about how much it must have hurt you…”

That wasn’t incredible…

It was horribly messed up.

“We both know, now, that it wasn’t the right answer,” Sunny went on. “But back then, we couldn't have known. And, after all this time, I finally understand your feelings. I understand just how much you have to care about someone to do for them what you did for me. I mean…I can’t claim to truly know your feelings that night, but…you held those feelings for me, didn’t you? You held those feelings for four years, even after I blacked out the faces in your photo album, even after I broke our promise and left you alone, even after all that bullying and pain you suffered—”

Basil had never seen Sunny like this before.

“I was so heartless,” Sunny spoke. “I abandoned the person who cared about me so much. And I almost left you again…”

“Sunny…? It’s okay…it’s, it’s—”

Basil tried to smile but this time, his expression broke.

He could not smile, seeing Sunny crying.

“I want you to know that you aren’t a bad person,” Sunny said, blinking away tears. “Whatever you think you are…to me, Basil, you are the most precious friend I will ever have. You’re the only one who…”

Sunny broke into tears again. “You’re the only who truly cares about me! I forgive you. I will forgive you ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times. I will keep on forgiving you for the rest of my life!”

“But…”

“I forgive you because I care about you, okay? I care about you in that way!”

Sunny?

What…does that mean?

Basil’s mind was an absolute mess. Thoughts and feelings and conflicts whirled through him, churning his brain and leaving his sense of self a wrecked shell.

Had he ever been more than just a shell of a person? Could he even justify that he wasn’t always on the verge of self-destructing into a million shattered pieces?

How…?

You can’t possibly mean…

“You know what I’m saying, right?” Sunny spoke.

Gripping Basil’s hand, Sunny leaned closer. Very close.

“Sunny…?”

“My feelings are saying that you’re more than just a friend,” Sunny said, almost a whisper.

“B—But…”

“Will you accept my feelings?” Sunny asked.

“I…”

I don’t understand…

How can you…how can you think about me in that way?

After everything that I’ve done?

“I…I’m not sure I deserve those feelings,” Basil said, looking away. “You…you’re supposed to have those feelings for someone who didn’t do all those bad things to you. Someone who doesn’t keep ruining your life.”

Something shone within Sunny’s eyes.

“And what if I have those feelings for you anyway?” Sunny spoke.

“But…why?”

“What if my heart tells me that you’re the only person who gives me these feelings?” Sunny said.

“It doesn’t make any sense…”

“What if my heart longs only for you, Basil?”

Basil’s lips quivered. His hands trembled. His vision shimmered through hot water.

“Sunny, I’ve been horrible to you!” Basil shouted.

Tears broke out.

“How can you say those words to someone who hung your sister?! Someone who keeps hurting you? Who keeps failing to protect you?!”

“It doesn’t matter! None of that matters. I love you, Basil. And I’ll always love you.”

“But…I took away your eye…”

“You took away my eye and gave me my heart!”

Sunny pressed his lips against Basil’s.

Basil’s mind shattered into a million pieces. He could not process this.

Feelings, emotions, thoughts, memories—they all became nothing in this moment.

Those lips insisted on staying pressed against his own. They didn’t leave or disappear. Basil could only kiss back. He kissed Sunny.

He kissed as his mind faded out, his thoughts turning to fleeting nothings.

He kissed as words vanished out of existence, distilled into whispers of sand that flowed out of time.

He kissed as the voices of feelings evaporated like water, leaving behind no trace that they had ever been.

His mind, and his being, dissolved.

Never in a million or a billion years could he have imagined that Sunny would kiss him.

Nothing could ever express the sheer love and warmth that flowed through his heart.

He wished he knew what to say.

He wished he could think of a single word.

Words couldn’t express anything.

What were words? What were feelings? What were thoughts?

They were all nothing to this moment.

Basil opened his eyes.

He gazed into Sunny’s eyes, two glowing stars. He caught their glimmer as his mouth pressed against Sunny’s. They kissed again.

Only this moment was real.

Only their kiss.

Chapter Text

Sunny’s lips wore a vivid smile.

They kissed passionately, full of burning longing for each other, leaving wet strings behind each time they parted to recover their breath, only to join their lips together again as their eyes locked. With every kiss, the sweet warmth inside Basil’s heart grew from embers into a bright, burning heat. Basil had long believed that this intense, yearning passion lived only within himself. He could never have imagined Sunny sharing the sentiment.

No thought, no words could capture it. Neither did words allow Basil to understand what he did to deserve this kiss from Sunny. He couldn’t wrap his head around Sunny at all.

When their kiss finally ended, they both gasped for breath. Basil felt light-headed. He saw rosy pink on Sunny’s cheeks, and a small reassuring smile that spoke that he enjoyed the kiss. They were both too out of it for words.

Sunny was here for him. Sunny had kissed him even though he never did anything to deserve a kiss from the boy he loved so much. His head was totally swimming.

“So…yeah,” Sunny said, the first to catch his breath back. “Are we clear now?”

Basil tried to speak but what came out was a garbled mess of “ahs” and “uhmms”.

“I’m sorry it took so long for me to confess my feelings for you,” Sunny said. He turned his eyes away and looked a little sad again. “And it’s not the only confession I have to make. There’s something else.”

Basil’s head was fully lost in another place. He was still trying to understand what made Sunny love him. Another confession would just be information overload. He could only nod to go along.

“It’s about…what I told our friends,” Sunny said. “About the truth.”

Eh?

Basil snapped back to reality. Or, perhaps he was still in the clouds, but at least he’d found some grounding.

Given his recent email exchanges with Hero, Basil grew an odd fitting feeling. Had Sunny somehow found out that he’d been trying to tell his old friends to forgive him?

Basil tried to look okay even though he couldn’t wipe the persistent smile off his own face, a smile that still carried a taste of Sunny’s lips.

“What did you tell them?” Basil asked.

“I…erhhh…I, umm, I didn’t…exactly…tell them…what I think I was supposed to tell them,” Sunny began. The blush on his face became palpably red. It didn’t look like he was only embarrassed because of their kiss. “I…erhh…how should I put this?”

“Sunny?” Basil spoke with more concern.

With a sigh, Sunny looked Basil directly in the eye. “I just have to say it. Please don’t get too mad at me when I tell you everything, okay?”

It’s hard for me to ever feel mad at Sunny.

“Ah, alright,” Basil said.

Sunny sucked in a deep breath. “I told Kel, Aubrey, and Hero that I killed Mari, that I came up with the idea to frame her death as a suicide, and that I forced you to go along with it. I told them that I forced you to keep it a secret for all those years. I basically made them think that it was all my fault and that you’re blameless.”

Basil blanked.

“Also…I told my mom that you didn’t really stab my eye,” Sunny went on. “I told her that, on that night, I went into your room and tried to kill you with your garden shears. Then I tripped over some plants in the darkness and ended up stabbing my own eye out.”

What…the…

As those words left his lips, Sunny collapsed. His shoulders sank and he fell to his knees. His eyes dropped to the floor, his arms hanging limp at his sides.

Sunny exhaled slowly. “I’m so sorry, Basil. I should have just told them the truth. I guess things must have been confusing for you when you spoke to our old friends…and to my mom…I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault. I understand if you can’t forgive me for lying to you, to everyone.”

That’s…that’s why…

Our friends…

Basil felt his whole body trembling.

The emotions that shook him were even more chaotic than what he’d felt before from their kiss. Shock. Relief. Realization. Rage. Understanding. Confusion. Doubt. Anxiety. Despair. Endless questioning.

…They forgave me because you took the blame for everything.

He opened his mouth and wanted to shout, “Why?!”

Instead he remained silent, too bewildered to say anything.

Why would you lie to take the blame for me, Sunny?

Why would you hurt yourself like that?!

All in all, he was about to melt into a puddle made up of the words “I don’t understand”, and he was afraid that no one could ever reassemble him back together into a coherent shape again.

Why, why, why, why, why…?

And then another voice.

Basil, do you understand?

His emotions beat him down. It wasn’t even the usual maelstrom of torment that whirled inside his head. If it was that, he would at least have been able to formulate a scream.

Basil, it’s okay to not understand.

Grandma’s voice.

Basil, sometimes there’s no answer.

His trembling hands tried to reach for something to cling on to inside his head. All those emotions flowing together could not create something understandable.

There was no answer.

There was no answer.

There was no answer, but…

But you can create your own answer.

His head whirled around. He was beaten and battered by the storm. And yet he discovered that he kept finding bits and pieces of feelings that weren’t so intolerable.

Among his suffering doubt and anxiety, he saw something that illuminated a calm within the storm. It was faint, but it was a thread worth clinging on to.

There’s no answer to painful feelings, and yet you can still see it, can’t you?

A thread formed by a feeling he caught.

Slowly, with no more than just the thinnest breath of life surfacing out of his inner depths, he formed a trace of structure to all his thoughts.

In a manner that someone had once taught him to do, he asked himself leading questions, questions that were designed to guide him towards answers that already lay within him.

Why did Sunny lie to everyone?

Was it because Sunny hated him, and wanted to torment him more?

Was it because Sunny wished to create another illusionary world to live in, and was now inviting him to join in that illusion?

Was it because Sunny just didn’t want to deal with such a heavy fallout from confessing the truth, and so he simply lied?

Was it because…

I’ll answer them just like you taught me to.

It might be possible that Sunny hated him. Perhaps Sunny truly despised him and did everything in order to torture him to a new level.

It could be possible that Sunny wanted to keep himself inside an illusion, but if so, why shatter the illusionary world now by confessing the truth? Not only that, but Sunny had also shattered the last dream world he’d lived in in favor of coming back to reality.

It might be that Sunny was a coward. It was possible—as much as Basil hated seeing him in that light. Even so, Sunny was getting braver and braver after confronting all his bullies, after confessing the truth about his feelings, about what he’d told everyone.

But what if he does hate me?

Basil’s hands reached into his hair. He grasped at thin stalks, feeling a suffering tension as his fingers threatened to pull them out.

What if he really, really just wants to torment me?

Basil’s eyes fell upon Sunny’s figure.

A tear rolled down Sunny’s cheek. Basil couldn’t know what that tear truly meant.

He wanted to jump to conclusions. He wanted to simply believe that Sunny liked to torture him, liked to mislead him into believing all sorts of false things—because that was what he had done to Sunny when he hung his sister’s body. He deserved all of it.

Sunny lifted his head, his eyes gazing into Basil’s own.

The light in those eyes had broken so many times tonight. Basil had caught their shattered pieces and placed them somewhere.

Where?

Within his head’s maelstrom of emotions?

Within lips that tasted of a kiss which now felt both honest and false?

Within his heart?

Would Sunny kiss me if he hated me?

Basil’s hand reached towards his own chest.

Would Sunny confess to loving me only as a lie so that his next confession would just hurt me more?

Basil grasped at the thread he saw.

There was another answer to all those questions. An answer that he feared so deeply that he never wished to confront it.

I took the light that broke from Sunny’s eyes…

Basil felt his closed, shaking fingers unfurling to a new expression.

And I placed it in my heart, forever.

Did Sunny confess both truths to Basil…

…because he loved him?

Because Sunny understood now that he couldn’t truly do good for Basil by using a lie to protect him from pain.

Because to love somebody required fully sharing trust.

A lie could never achieve that.

And Sunny wanted to love him fully.

I…

I want to believe in Sunny.

Basil’s trembling hand opened, reached out, and gave Sunny a new light to grasp on to.

Sunny’s eyes gazed upon Basil’s outstretched hand.

I want to believe that Sunny doesn’t hate me.

The seconds passed at an aching pace. Basil never retracted his hand.

Sunny’s eyes never left the light that lay in front of him, even though only one of those eyes could see it.

I want to believe…that we can finally move on from everything, together.

Basil’s trembling fingers beckoned to receive Sunny’s truth.

At last, Sunny reached out and grasped Basil’s hand.

It was a strange, novel feeling. Basil had never let himself experience such vulnerability before. He had never let himself accept the real Sunny so totally. Not an imaginary version of Sunny anymore, conjured up by magical thinking and a brain that wanted him to be more than what he was, but…

A Sunny who was fallible, who was weak at times, who was human.

And trusting a human being left himself open to betrayal and heartbreak.

Demons still lingered inside Basil’s head. They asked questions like, “what if Sunny is still lying to you,” “what if Sunny wants you to forgive him just so he can break your heart again,” “what if Sunny really doesn’t care about you and plans to abandon you all over again?”

I have no defense against them.

Why did he open himself up to so much pain?

Why, after all the pain he’d already gone through, did he allow this to happen?

Why did he expose his heart so totally to a dagger wielded by Sunny, a dagger that could plunge through at any moment?

I really don’t know.

With Sunny’s hand clasped in his own, Basil pulled him back up onto his feet.

Those demons in his head, that maelstrom of emotions, it faded away to the warmth that flowed newly through him.

The warmth of Sunny’s hand connected with the threads of caught light he’d tucked away inside his heart.

I will suffer this vulnerability.

I will accept my fate if Sunny chooses to plunge that dagger.

Yet, he found himself wavering. He found that he lacked confidence.

A demon resurfaced, carrying along a hurricane of words: “You might accept this vulnerability now, but the moment you experience real heartache, you’ll break harder than you’ve ever broken before.”

You’ll fall so hard you will never pick yourself back up.

Basil’s hands shook visibly.

I know.

His hand kept shaking as he allowed that incoming storm of viscerally painful feelings flow through him.

The next time the dagger plunges, I won’t know if I’ll ever be able to recover.

The demons inside his head, and his maelstrom of emotions, passed through, leaving a chaotic wreck.

I can’t know the future.

His hand began to stabilize.

All I can do is grasp the happiness that I have now.

Effortlessly, his hand stopped shaking.

Sadness, loneliness, anxiety, fear…they’ll always return, won’t they?

He smiled.

And when they come back with that dagger, when they return to stab me through the heart…

Sunny smiled back.

No matter what, no matter the wreckage his heart felt, he would not throw Sunny away.

I’ll just have to remember that I can withstand my own feelings, because I know how happy I felt, the moment when we kissed.

Because of how happy you made me.

“I understand,” Basil spoke, breaking their long silence. “You lied to everyone because…you didn’t want them to get mad at me. You didn’t want me to feel worse.”

Sunny’s eyes opened brilliantly. They were filled with both astonishment and relief.

“But, you realized you made things worse that way,” Basil went on. “So that’s why you decided to confess the truth to me.”

“Yeah…that’s right,” Sunny said. He sighed again. “I’m such an idiot, Basil. I can’t believe I’d…I can’t believe I would lie about this. About something so important.”

“It’s okay,” Basil said.

But I do feel kind of angry at you.

“Tell them the truth as soon as you can, okay?” Basil said. “They deserve to know my role in this whole thing.”

I know you don’t want me to forgive you just yet.

“Yeah,” Sunny admitted.

So I won’t forgive you until you let our friends know everything.

“Erhhh, about what I told my mom, though…” Sunny went on. “Do you think it’s a good idea to let her know what really happened? I mean, if she gets mad at you, and decides to kick you out…”

“I’m meeting with my mom in a few days,” Basil replied. “I’ll ask her to find another place for me, okay?”

Sunny looked surprised, and then he slowly nodded. “Okay, I guess…”

Basil gripped Sunny’s hand tightly. “I know it’s gonna be hard. I’m a little scared too…but let’s just hope that our friends will forgive us. Whatever happens, we just have to face it.”

“Yeah. You’re right.”

Sunny reached forward and embraced Basil in a tight hug.

Basil hugged Sunny back fully, pressing their hearts together, letting themselves be one as a new river of tears flowed forth from their eyes.

I still…don’t understand why you love me after everything I did to you.

They broke down into sobs. Basil first, then Sunny.

But, if you truly do love me…

Words were nothing again to this moment where only each other’s closeness mattered.

…I’ll love you back with all my heart.

“I love you, Basil,” Sunny spoke, as quiet as a whisper. “I’m so, so sorry for everything I’ve done.”

“I’m sorry for everything too,” Basil said, gazing at Sunny’s blind eye. “And I love you, Sunny. I always have.”

Sunny’s tears flowed freely.

The person who taught me to ask myself questions that would lead me to these answers…

I finally remember her now.

It was just after you and Sunny saw me break down for the first time.

Thank you, Mari.

The understanding that Basil finally gained, his friends’ forgiving attitude towards him and their unforgiving anger towards Sunny, brought along a wave of mixed emotions that would take a lot of time to process.

Sunny promised to tell the truth to his friends.

Basil made ready to receive the full wrath of Mrs. S’s anger for stabbing out her son’s eye. Before that, however, he had to make accommodations regarding his living arrangements.

On the day that he planned to meet his mom, Sunny went along with him.

They were going to the city hospital where Basil’s mom worked that day. Basil finally remembered that his mom was a surgeon of some sort. She must have lots of clients, given that she moved all around the country all the time. Today, her client happened to be in their city.

While on the bus to the hospital, Sunny sat very close to Basil, leaning into his shoulder.

“Ummm…Sunny…” Basil said, his face blushing red. “In public? Like this?”

“I’m done caring,” Sunny replied.

“Still, we’re…kind of an unusual…couple, you know?”

Those words still felt alien to Basil’s lips.

Himself and Sunny. A couple.

Just what in the universe did I do to deserve Sunny’s love?

I feel like he’s just too nice to me!!!

How can I ever repay him…

“Anyone who complains is receiving a dose of deadly chili into their eyes,” Sunny said.

“Ah…okay…” Basil said, trying to laugh.

Sunny leaned his head against Basil’s shoulder and dosed off.

This feeling kept lifting Basil’s head up into the clouds.

Ever since they began their relationship, Sunny had completely thrown away all subtlety. They slept under the same covers at night, holding each other close. They kissed whenever they got the chance. They held hands at school, outside of school, at the library, in the mall, and worst of all, at home.

Coming home that night, Mrs. S was beyond worried, but Sunny reassured her that everything was fine and that he and Basil just needed to have a really important talk with each other, with details to be revealed at Thanksgiving dinner.

And that detail, Sunny clarified quite unambiguously, was that they were officially boyfriends.

“Ah…I always thought there was something between you two,” Mrs. S said, smiling with approval. “I’m glad you finally made it official!”

Basil tomato’ed.

He also felt like giving Sunny a not-so-soft punch in the shoulder later, because Sunny again chose to confess his love for Basil first instead of the much-more-needed confession regarding the truth.

“Can’t be helped,” Sunny replied, a cheeky smile. “We need to secure a room for you to live in first, just in case.”

“Uh…I guess so…”

Sunny said he’s gonna have a major conflict with his mom if she decides to kick me out…

Basil buried his face in his hands.

This is all going to be so painful for us, isn’t it.

He couldn’t deny that, having accepted Sunny’s love and offer to be in a relationship together, his life had turned into something else. Something magical.

Allowing himself to be happy about being loved by Sunny, allowing himself to be vulnerable to betrayal and heartbreak—

His existence occupied simultaneously the opposite ends of happiness and suffering.

I’m just going to roll with it and see what happens.

Sunny slept against Basil’s shoulder on the whole bus ride to the hospital. He stirred gently as the bus made a sharp turn down the road. Basil moved himself to let Sunny lean more comfortably against him. He only wished for Sunny to get as much rest as possible after all the pain he’d gone through in the past few months, or the past four years, really.

A broken eye, and a broken nose.

I want to protect you from now on, Sunny.

He’d protect Sunny from anyone, even if that meant standing up to his old friends.

When they arrived at the stop for the hospital, Basil softly roused Sunny from sleep with a pat on his shoulder. Sunny opened his left eye and gazed at Basil, a smile spreading.

“That nap felt nice,” Sunny said.

“I’m sure it did,” Basil replied.

That got both of them blushing. They hurried off the bus without glancing at each other.

Basil had gotten familiar with the layout of the hospital after visiting there many times to check up on Sunny while he was recovering from his broken nose. He walked through the front door with Sunny by his side, thankfully neither of them injured this time, and went to the receptionist to ask for his mother’s name.

“Wait, is this even allowed?” Basil wondered out loud as they waited in line. “I’m kind of just asking to see a random surgeon, aren’t I?”

“How did your mom tell you to meet her?”

“She didn’t,” Basil replied. “She just told me to meet her here.”

Sunny turned his eye up in confusion, then down with annoyance. “She really should have clarified better.”

“I know. My parents are like that.”

At the receptionist, Basil decided to just ask for his mom’s name.

The receptionist gave Basil a sorry smile. “She quit just an hour ago.”

Basil’s eyes widened with shock. “Uh, she quit?”

“She came here today to perform a surgery, but…after the operation, she announced she was retiring and promptly left.”

What in the world?

“Where did she go?” Basil asked.

“I think I last saw her heading to the left wing.”

Basil hurried in that direction. He searched all over the left wing, frantically looking for a sign of his mother, but couldn’t find her anywhere. Just before he was about to give up, he saw a familiar figure standing outside the hospital.

“Basil?” Sunny asked, catching his breath as he ran up to him.

“I think that’s her,” Basil said, gazing out the large glass window.

So many years had passed since he last saw his mother.

“Basil, do you want me to come with you?” Sunny asked.

“No, it’s okay,” Basil replied. “Let me talk with her.”

Basil took steady steps towards the exit of the left wing. He pushed the double doors open and walked out into the cold winter wind.

His mother stood at the center of a lawn, gazing at nothing in particular. She was smoking a cigarette.

What should I say to her?

He walked up to her.

Maybe she won’t even recognize me.

“Hey, mom,” Basil said.

She turned towards him.

Almost immediately, she turned her face slightly away, avoiding eye contact. At least she seemed to recognize him. She exhaled another puff from her cigarette, the smoky air mixed with drifts of light snow.

“Hey, Basil,” she responded.

“Mom, I heard that…you quit your job,” Basil said.

There’s so many things I want to talk about with her, but maybe she won’t be interested in discussing my issues.

“I did,” she replied.

“Why?”

“Because I’ve had enough,” she said. She tossed her cigarette onto the lawn and stamped it out. “Your dad is quitting his job, too.”

“What? Really?”

“We’ve made enough money doing soul crushing work,” she elaborated.

“What does dad do again?”

“He’s a lawyer for financial companies.”

That does sound really busy...and soul crushing.

“Mom…I’m sorry,” Basil said. “Being a surgeon must be so hard.”

“I went into the wrong field,” she replied.

Basil raised an eye. “Why?”

“I’m a neurosurgeon. Half my patients don’t survive a year past their operation. If you’ve got a growing tumor in your brain you can kiss the world goodbye for the most part. I should’ve just gone into dentistry or dermatology, somewhere less depressing.”

Is that…is it really that bad?

“Guy I operated on today, his tumor already metastasized,” she continued. “What good can I even do for him? I might give him another year of life or so but he’s just gonna be on chemo and radio and it’ll be hell. He’ll have seizures and die vomiting and frothing. Shoulda just given him a morphine pump now and be done with it.”

Basil felt pained in his heart, remembering Mrs. Li. “Is…is cancer always like that?”

“Not always, but lately I’ve only been doing late stage surgery.”

She took out another pack of cigarettes from her pocket and lit one.

“…I’m sure they appreciated you doing the operation for them,” Basil said.

“Who cares? The guy today’s a dead man.” She looked frustrated all of a sudden. “Me and your dad are going on a new journey. We’ve spent our lives making money. Sure we’ll give a ton of it to you but it’s time for us to pursue something new, something more worthwhile than this.”

“Can I ask what it is?”

“We’ll tell you once we’ve got it all planned out.”

Basil looked away. His parents had always been secretive.

Has mom and dad…have they always been so depressed over their jobs?

Is that why they didn’t have time for me or grandma?

I want to ask them about it…but first…

Basil worked up the courage to ask his mom what he came here with Sunny to ask for.

“I might move out to live on my own soon,” Basil said. “I know you wanted me to live with Sunny and his m—"

“You need an extra couple thousand per month or so?” she said. “Sure, we’ll send you.”

Wow, just like that…

“Umm…thanks.”

“Go live in a hotel or a fancy apartment,” she said. “I’m sure you can take care of things by yourself. Try not to bother us with housing issues—it’s a really inane topic.”

Basil’s eyes dropped. “I’m sorry.”

“Like I said, I plan to do something new with your dad and it’s gonna be really important to us. We don’t want to be interrupted.”

…Mom…

Why is…why is Sunny and Mrs. S and grandma and everyone so much nicer than my parents?!

Basil turned and saw Sunny gazing at him out through the window inside the hospital. Sunny appeared concerned.

I’ve had enough of this conversation.

I just want to ask one more thing and then I’ll leave.

“Mom, why did you ask Sunny’s mom to take me to live with her?” Basil burst out.

She looked at Basil irritatedly. “What?”

Basil raised his eyes. “Hold on. You and dad asked her for that, right?”

“No, she asked us to take you with her.”

Chapter Text

Sunny was not ready to hear this.

“What did she say?” he asked, incredulous.

“Yeah, that’s what mom told me,” Basil said. “Mrs. S asked my parents to take me with her to live with you.”

With several blinks of his eye, Sunny decided to take a seat down on the nearest hospital bench to do a thorough reevaluation of his mother. This piece of news dropped on his head harder than a brick.

He couldn’t think of a good reason for her to want to take Basil with them to the city. Sure, having her son and the friend whom he just beat half to death live together might offer a chance for them to make up and reconcile, but why force that difficult situation, and possibly further trauma, onto them? Wasn’t the point of moving away to help Sunny leave everything behind and start over anew?

Maybe she felt sorry for Basil.

Maybe she didn’t think her son would be able to make new friends easily and wanted someone he knew to come along to keep him company.

She’s right on that front.

Maybe she knew he’d been lying to her all along and brought Basil along just so she could find a way to exact revenge on him for taking out her son’s eye.

If Basil’s mother was telling the truth, Sunny couldn’t believe that his mom would lie to them for all this time. Perhaps it canceled out his own lie; maybe it’d been foolish of him to assume that he was the sole puppet master. Still, it felt like such a horrible thing for her to do, to take someone else’s son to live with her without asking him if he actually wanted to.

I’m in no position to call anyone horrible after all the lies I’ve told.

At least he was already getting punished for his own mistakes, in a karmic sort of way. He couldn’t expect to be able to keep lying to everyone and get away with it without some sort of retribution coming his way. He just didn’t expect it to happen in the form of another lie.

Lies built upon lies, creating a world where neither he nor anybody else could keep an actual handle on what was real anymore. The only way out would be to topple the whole foundation. He had to get to the bottom of this, starting by confessing the truth himself.

“I gotta tell mom the truth,” Sunny said.

Basil nodded solemnly.

“Before that…did you ask your parents where you could live if, y’know, my mom got mad at you, Basil?”

“She gave me an extra couple thousand dollars,” Basil replied with a sad smile. “If I get kicked out, I could just stay at a fancy hotel.”

“Figures that’s what she’d do. No offense.”

“None taken. My parents are like that.”

Sunny buried his face in his hands. Just like that night where he’d admitted the truth to Basil, his only option was to rip the band aid off with a direct confession. He had to get this over with before it spiraled out of control any further.

“I want to ask my mom about this tonight,” Sunny said. “And that means I’ll have to confess my lies to her, too.”

Basil didn’t appear the least bit troubled. “Go for it, Sunny. I’ll be there for you.”

What did I ever do to deserve love and support from somebody as kind as Basil?

“Thanks, Basil. I’ll do it.”

“No problem. I should come with you after all to tell her about…what I really did…”

Sunny would never forgive his mom if she did something as cruel as kick Basil out. He would never forgive himself either for setting up this horrid situation.

Even after everything, Basil still smiled at him.

Basil’s eyes held a quiet light, as colorful as spring flowers. When Sunny had sat in that classroom that evening, drawing countless portraits of Basil—knowing he had done something that might have driven Basil away forever—he’d tried to capture the color of his eyes.

On that night, when Sunny confessed his feelings for Basil, when he confessed the truth, it was as if a cloud of furious storms had lifted from Basil’s expression.

On that night, as their lips closed in a kiss, Sunny discovered how passionately he loved Basil. He discovered that happiness still existed, even for someone as terrible as himself.

He loved the way Basil looked at him, always offering his full and undivided attention. He loved how soft and gentle Basil always was. He loved the comfort that Basil’s arms gave him when he fell into them, when he was desperate to receive the warmth of another human being. He loved how as Basil’s arms locked around him, holding him tightly, he could feel that those arms would always welcome him into their embrace, even if the entire rest of the world rejected him.

I owe you so much.

Sunny would not, and could not forgive his mom if she decided to hurt Basil.

My boyfriend only thought about protecting me at a time when he should have just abandoned me.

Any normal friend would have left him after what he did.

Instead, Basil was precocious. Basil cared about him in an incredible way. Even if what Basil did was wrong, even if he himself thought it was completely messed up…

Just that you were willing to go that far to protect me on that night shows how selfless you are.

You were close to Mari, too.

Every time I think about how much pain you must have felt, having to do that while I was unresponsive…

I’m left speechless, and my heart can’t bear the pain of knowing how I abandoned you after.

You are the most incredible friend, Basil.

Sunny stood up from the bench and offered Basil his hand.

“Umm, here? In the hospital?” Basil asked.

“I don’t want to let go of you,” Sunny said, his face growing all hot. “Let’s go home and confess the truth to my mom. I’ll hold your hand no matter what, even if she…decides to…”

“Sunny, that’s so cheesy!” Basil complained, turning his eyes away with a blush of his own.

Nevertheless Basil’s hand brushed for a moment against Sunny’s, and fingers locked together.

“Sorry,” Sunny said, blushing too.

“I d—don’t know if I’m fully ready to hold h—hands in public yet,” Basil stammered.

“Alright.” Sunny let go. “I’ll wait until you are.”

“We can do that once we’re back in our apartment, okay?” Basil offered.

“Okay. Sorry for being kind of embarrassing.”

“N—No, it’s alright! I’m just…shy.”

“…Me too, to be honest.”

Sunny was shy. Normally doing something like holding hands in public would be out of the question.

But when it came to Basil, he’d discard safety. He’d discard anything to do what he could to make Basil happy.

As they walked out of the hospital together, Basil took one last look behind him, one last look at his mother standing outside past the glass. Her eyes never turned back at him.

The scent of mom’s cooking wafted out from their place. Sunny smelled roasted potatoes with curry and a salmon teriyaki. His stomach growled, but he had to hold his hunger down in favor of talking about something far more important.

“Mom, we’re home,” Sunny announced, walking through the door with Basil by his side.

They held hands, just as they’d promised.

“Hey, lovebirds,” she replied chirpily, making the finishing touches on her dishes before placing them on the dining table.

“Mom, we’d like to talk about something,” Sunny said.

He walked with Basil to the other end of the table from where she stood, but neither of them took their seats down on their chairs.

Basil looks so anxious.

His eyes always jitter around like that when he’s about to confront something painful.

Sunny gripped Basil’s hand tightly.

“Oh, what is it?” she responded, growing stiff as she noticed the tension around them.

“It’s about…what really happened that night,” Sunny began.

Basil’s fingers clutched Sunny’s.

Sunny’s mom turned her eyes down with confusion.

“Which…night…?” she prodded. “There’s so many of them now.”

“The night where Basil and I got rushed to the hospital,” Sunny went on.

He could tell from the way that her lips grew thin that this was not going to be an easy conversation to have.

I have to tell her the truth. I have to.

Sunny sucked in a deep breath.

I just have to rip the band aid off.

“Mom, when I called you in the hospital that night, when I told you what happened…I didn’t tell you the truth,” Sunny began. “The truth is, Basil and I both lost control. We were hallucinating. His grandma had just died that day. I went into his room to try to talk to him, but what I saw made me…it made us…”

“I was holding garden shears in my hand,” Basil clarified bravely.

The expression on mom’s face fell. Wrinkles creased across her forehead.

“We both got really scared,” Sunny explained, his arm shaking. “We started hitting each other. You saw how badly I hit him. I had a breakdown and couldn’t understand what was even happening anymore. I punched Basil over and over, and then, he…”

“I stabbed Sunny in the eye with my garden shears,” Basil said.

The room turned silent.

“And…even further back…I was the one who came up with the idea to hang Mari’s body,” Basil confessed.

Dead silence.

Sunny gripped Basil’s hand so tightly he was almost afraid of breaking Basil’s fingers. The last thing Basil needed was a broken hand at this point. He tried to soften his grip but discovered that Basil held him just as hard.

Sweat rolled down his forehead. He waited for mom’s response, trying to discern any sign of anger in her eyes. He wanted desperately to know how she was going to react to what Basil had just said.

The room stayed as silent as a mausoleum.

I can’t bear this anymore…

I, I need to…I need…

Sunny couldn’t handle the stifling silence for one more second. He’d break down again.

He just wanted her to say something, anything.

“Mom, please forgive Basil,” Sunny begged. “I lied because I just…I just wanted to protect him, okay? He’s been through so much already and I lied for him because I was afraid you’d hate him if I told you the truth. Please, please, don’t hate Basil!”

He saw the hurt in his mother’s eyes.

“I know now that lying isn’t the answer. It never is. But I still don’t want anything bad to happen to Basil! If you want to get angry, if you want someone to blame, you should blame me for lying to you all this time—”

“But…it’s okay if you hate me,” Basil interrupted quietly. “I did awful things to you, to Sunny, to your whole family. I understand if you can’t forgive me.”

“Please forgive him!” Sunny said desperately.

At last, mom responded. Something flickered across her eyes. Sunny wasn’t sure if it was anger or something else.

When she opened her mouth to speak, her words came out as softly as she’d spoken when she saw Mari’s body, swaying in the wind by a rope hanging from the tree.

“I…had a feeling.”

Huh?

“I thought that might be it,” she said. “Something about your story just didn’t line up right. I was really confused when you first told me about what happened. When you called me in the hospital that night. I just…couldn’t bring myself to fully believe it. I couldn’t believe that you would try to kill Basil with his garden shears.”

A choked sound escaped her lips.

“I guess I couldn’t handle it.”

Basil’s eyes looked up at her, looked directly at her tearful eyes as she spoke those words.

“So I lied, too.”

“Mom, I’m so sorry…” Sunny said again.

“Sunny, I lied too. I…asked Basil’s parents to let me bring him to live with us. I wanted to see the truth with my own eyes.”

She turned at Basil. “I suspected you were the one who really stabbed Sunny. I thought you were a monster. So I’d watch how you behaved around him. I’d look for all the signs that you were out to get him. I wanted to catch you, plotting and scheming. I wanted to prove once and for all that you were the cause of everything wrong that happened to my family, so that when I take my revenge, I could feel that I’d done due justice to myself, my daughter, and my son.”

Basil shivered as he heard those words.

Then a tear rolled down mom’s cheek.

“I was so wrong.”

Mom?

Her words grew choked.

“You…were so good to me, and to Sunny, I felt like…I felt like I was the monster,” she said. “You took Sunny outside every day. You helped him study at school. You brought him to volunteer at the garden, where he learned so much. You helped him make new friends. And…when you saw those bullies attacking him at school, you…I heard that you instantly got out your phone to call an ambulance. You tried to stop the bleeding from his nose and you stayed by his side all the way to the hospital, all the way to the operating room. You, Basil, you…”

She smiled through her tears. “I…I can’t find it in my heart to forgive you yet for what you did to my daughter. But I understand why you did it. If you hadn’t done that…I might’ve lost my son too. They might’ve taken him away. I wouldn’t be able to handle losing both my children. I know it sounds so messed up but…you being there on that night…you might’ve actually saved my son.”

She broke down crying uncontrollably. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She turned her face away, sobbing into her hands.

Sunny didn’t know what to do, didn’t know what to say. He hadn’t expected this reaction at all.

“Mrs. S, it’s okay…it’s okay…” Basil tried to say, even as tears fell from his eyes too. “I’m sorry for what I did, Mrs. S. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“Basil, it’s alright,” she said. “I should’ve been stronger as a parent. I should’ve done something about all the problems I noticed growing between my son and my daughter. I should’ve helped Sunny during those four years instead of pretending that everything was okay. And I should’ve…I should’ve been to your house that night to help you after your grandma passed away. You were Sunny’s best friend, maybe his only friend even after everything. You deserved so much better. No matter how…I’m a terrible mother, no matter how you look at me…”

Is that really what’s been going through your head all this time, mom?

I can’t believe it…but if it’s true…

If you’ve really realized how much Basil cares about me…

“Mom, please don’t say that!” Sunny blurted out. “You’re my mom and I love you, okay? I don’t think you did anything bad. And I definitely don’t hold that lie against you. Just…please…don’t get mad at Basil. Please let Basil stay with us!”

Hearing Sunny’s words, she looked up at him, looked up into the eye of a boy who could no longer see his mother with both eyes.

And she nodded her head.

With a deep exhale, she finally recovered her composure. She stood up, took some tissues from the kitchen table, and wiped her eyes.

“Of course I’ll let Basil stay,” she said, trying her hardest to smile even as more tears came. “The two of you are so close. I wouldn’t ever want to split you two apart.”

Sunny and Basil looked at each other.

The light that shone in Basil’s tearful eyes, and the light that Sunny knew must be in his own—

“Thank you!!!” Sunny shouted. “Mom, thank you so much!”

“Now of course I’ll keep evaluating you two,” she went on. “You’re both still young and life still has challenges ahead. I have to make sure the two of you are both going to be okay…and that you aren’t going to fight each other like before…alright?”

“Yeah, I know,” Sunny said.

“Mrs. S, thank you for letting me stay with Sunny,” Basil spoke.

“Don’t mention it,” she said, and handed out utensils to Basil and Sunny. “Let’s get eating, okay? Before the food gets cold.”

“Mom…I can’t even tell you how happy I am that you’re going to let Basil stay,” Sunny said.

“Thank you…thank you so much,” Basil said.

“Come on, how could I do anything to split you two up?” she replied, smiling. “No more tears, okay? Let’s start eating!”

Sunny grabbed a fork and started chowing down dinner.

He was so glad that, even after everything, mom still understood him.

He felt so glad that he was going to be able to stay with Basil.

With a chunk of potato half hanging out of his mouth, he gazed at Basil.

His boyfriend smiled back at him with a teasing look.

Finally, after everything…

Sunny smiled genuinely, as happily as he had smiled when he first saw Basil awaken inside the hospital.

Let’s make some new memories together, okay?

A tear fell from his left eye.

We finally can.

A tear of happiness.

Sunny chowed down on the curry potatoes and salmon teriyaki, at last placating his ravenous hunger. He couldn’t ask for a better dinner. He could for the first time, in a very long while, be happy for his family, be happy that he had a mother who accepted him and who accepted his boyfriend in spite of everything.

But there was just one last thing.

The confession I’ll have to make to my friends.

He felt something churning in his heart, a mixture of happiness and sadness.

Yet no matter what, as long as Basil was by his side, he knew would be able to get through anything.

Together, they could face the world.

The last test that he had to study for before Christmas break racked Sunny’s brain.

“You can do it, Sunny,” Basil said. “Just remember what we practiced when you see a question like this.

What did I practice…?

Sunny pondered hard. An acronym, sohcahtoa, came to mind; he repeated what he’d memorized with Basil. “Sine is opposite over hypotenuse. Cosine is adjacent over hypotenuse. Tangent is opposite over adjacent.”

…But how does any of that actually help me with this question???

“So which one do we use here?” Basil prodded.

Sunny bounced the tip of his pencil against the booklet in front of him over and over. “Erhh, I just don’t get it.”

“What does opposite over adjacent remind you of?”

“Erhhh…”

“Rise over run, Sunny!” Basil’s eyes gleamed with support and encouragement. The flower in his hair was so beautifully distracting. “So you use tangent to calculate the slope of the line from the angle.”

I can’t focus on math when you look so pretty...

Oh no, mom is going to kill me if I fail this test.

“Thanks, Basil,” Sunny said, his eye glancing flittingly between Basil’s flower and his math problem.

If he saw the same question on the test, without Basil there to assist him, he knew he’d never be able to get the answer.

Math was so hard. Sunny just couldn’t figure out how everything linked together. He kept memorizing equations and definitions and symbols and formulas but he couldn’t figure out why they all fit together. Mari used to tell him he just needed to practice dozens of problems to understand, but right now he was in damage control mode. He had no time to practice before the test this afternoon.

Maybe I should’ve started studying a month early like what Mari used to tell me to do.

But I couldn’t because I was too busy confessing all my feelings to Basil and stuff.

He could visualize his sister shaking her head at him at this moment.

All of a sudden he noticed another person had walked towards their study table, a person wearing big round glasses.

“Mincy?” Sunny spoke, surprised to see her at school.

“Guess what?” Mincy responded, her voice all happy and chirpy. “I’m back in school!”

“That’s so great,” Basil replied, a bright smile appearing over his lips. “Is Mrs. Li okay and everything?”

“Grandma’s doing great with her treatment. But you know what else happened that’s super great?”

“What?” Sunny and Basil asked together.

“Someone donated twenty thousand dollars to our garden!” Mincy revealed. “I have no idea who did it. They must really like us! Grandma says it must’ve come from one of her old friends back when she worked as an environmentalist. Anyway, we don’t have to worry about medical bills anymore. I thought I could keep working but grandma literally ordered me to go back and finish high school. So I’m back!”

“Wow, that’s amazing!” Basil said.

“That really is,” Sunny echoed.

Twenty thousand dollars. Wow…

“Does this mean manga club’s coming back?” Basil asked.

Mincy turned her eyes away though she was still smiling. “Ah—ha, kinda funny…I already told Ms. Kowalski to cancel the club before we received the donation. So it’d be kinda hard to tell her now that I want her to help me start the club back up again.”

Mincy’s eyes glimmered with a new happiness. “Still, art is my passion and I want to keep practicing with you two. So how about this? Let’s just make it between the three of us. Let’s go to the library after school every week and let’s draw lots of manga together.”

Sunny felt a lost fire rekindling inside his chest. “I’d love to!”

“Yeah, that sounds really fun,” Basil agreed.

“I’m glad you agree!” Mincy said. “Then let’s start our new manga club, just us three.”

She turned to Basil, winked, then did the same at Sunny. “Can’t wait to see what kind of story you have planned.”

“What, you mean with Omori and Stranger?” Sunny said, turning his eye away.

Ugh, she definitely suspects I’m just drawing myself with my boyfriend.

Maybe we’ll tell her soon about our relationship.

“Yeah, that one picture you drew of them standing together looked sooooo cute!” Mincy exclaimed.

Sunny and Basil turned their faces away, dying of embarrassment.

Later that afternoon, Sunny also died of math.

His head swam with equations, graphs, and arcane symbols that he might have understood as well as he understood the ancient runes of some lost language. All the practice he’d done with Basil barely helped. He pretty much winged every question and braced himself to receive an earful from his mom when she inevitably saw his less than satisfactory test result.

Mom usually wasn’t so mean to me about my marks; that was dad.

But recently, she’s been telling me that I really need to step up my game if I don’t want to fail at life.

Maybe when she saw Basil’s marks, she remembered what a good student her daughter was and how much of a failure I am compared to both of them…

Sunny felt depressed just thinking about that.

Why couldn’t he be smart like Mari? Why couldn’t he be a hard worker with creative ideas like Basil?

Mari and Basil were destined to achieve great things, unlike this stupid loser called Sunny.

But then, later on their walk home from school, Basil cheered him up.

“You got that question right!” Basil said. “See, I told you all that practice helped!”

“Wow, really?” Sunny responded. “I didn’t know whether to use sine or tangent, so I kinda just went with my gut feeling.”

“Your gut feeling was correct because of all the studying we did,” Basil said.

Huh, is that how it works?

These days, they went to the mall half the time after school instead of going home. Partly to eat food, partly to just hang out together like a couple of boyfriends.

Basil seemed a little more nervous than his usual anxious self.

“Is there something wrong?” Sunny asked.

“Ummm…I do have something to tell you,” Basil replied.

That tone in your voice doesn’t sound too good.

“Earlier today, I sent an email to our friends asking them if I could come back to Faraway this Christmas,” Basil spoke.

Sunny had an idea of where this was going, and he didn’t like it one bit, even though he knew he had to face them one day.

I guess it’s better for it to happen sooner than later.

…But that doesn’t make me feel any better about it!

“Well, Hero just replied to my email,” Basil said, trying his hardest to smile in that Basil-y way.

Oh no.

“They said you’re welcome to come back to Faraway with me,” Basil said. “Kel, Aubrey, and Hero have a lot to discuss with you.”

Sunny felt the life being drained out of his face.

“A lot more than they think,” he added.

Chapter Text

A bump in the road sent a jolt up Basil’s back. Sunny slept with his head resting softly against Basil’s shoulder, his breathing slow and steady even when the ride wasn’t.

I think Sunny is becoming a little more like his older, quiet self again.

What Basil wished for, the world liked to take away.

The world granted his wishes for a short time. Like when he wished to have friends—Aubrey met him at the gardening shop as they both reached for the same flower seeds, and introduced him to her friend group and Sunny. Just when he thought he had everything he could’ve ever wanted, their group shattered into tiny, irrecoverable pieces in the span of a single night.

Like when he made a wish to see Sunny again—Sunny came back for him after four years apart, only to reveal that he was moving away in three days.

Basil silently wished for Sunny to live a good life that night grandma died, and Sunny lost an eye.

He wished to protect Sunny when he found out that they were going to be living together. Instead, Sunny got his nose broken, ending up in the hospital again.

With this track record, should I wish for Sunny and everyone he loves to find happiness…?

Mrs. S drove their car. Sunny sat with Basil in the car’s back seat, taking an afternoon nap. The snow covering the trees and the electric poles dotting the sides of the highway felt quiet, inexpressive. A tense calm hung over their mood.

Basil wanted to believe that this time, his wish would stay true.

He saw happiness in the smiles on their lips as they held hands and locked fingers. He saw the happiness in Mrs. S’s eyes whenever she noticed how her son smiled as he held his boyfriend’s hand. He saw happiness inside his own heart.

But he couldn’t shake away the feeling that this happiness seemed so fragile, like a porcelain flower vase that could break if mishandled even slightly.

Maybe Sunny is getting ready to face a disaster, by being so quiet.

Basil did not want to see Sunny become a shut-in again. He’d watched Sunny’s steady improvement over the past few months, how he put himself out there at school and at volunteering, the hard work and strides he’d made into getting back into the rhythm of regular life. But since stepping into the family car to return to Faraway for Christmas, Sunny had turned all sullen and reserved. In one regard, this might be more of a return to his true personality. Sunny had been living a lie (again) over the past four months. Being so open about his feelings, being so talkative—it felt like an artificial personality Sunny put on just to strengthen his own fictions. Basil recalled how this more expressive Sunny intelligently avoided the topic of his lie every time it was brought up, by explaining everything away under the guise of having told the truth.

Some of those changes may have been genuine. Some, Basil appreciated. He could never forget Sunny taking the first step in opening up their feelings for one another by the sealing of their lips.

He truly appreciated Sunny’s efforts. But he would rather have an authentic Sunny than an artificial one. And happily for them, ever since they began their new relationship, Sunny had let himself cool down a bit. Sunny became more reserved, just like the Sunny that Basil remembered.

Except Sunny had now cooled down to the temperature inside a freezer.

I guess if he showed up to our friends’ house with a totally different personality, it would just bring up even more questions…

Basil gazed at Sunny. His sleeping figure was just like the way he’d slept curled up against his friends in those happy days from their memories so long ago.

No more cover-ups. No more lies to protect one another.

We want to confess the truth to them with our genuine selves.

I’ll be there by Sunny’s side to shoulder whatever we deserve.

“Are you worried, Basil?” Mrs. S spoke.

“I’m just a little anxious about how Sunny’s going to…umm, you know, tell the truth. We’re not going to get the best reception, haha…”

“If you want, I could come with you,” Mrs. S suggested. “I’ll be there to support you two.”

“I appreciate it, but you know what Sunny said earlier,” Basil replied. “He doesn’t want you to get involved. He just wants this to be between me and his old friends.”

“I know…” Mrs. S sighed. “I just wish I could help, somehow.”

Basil turned his head as he felt Sunny stirring against him. He expected Sunny to open an eye and wake up, but Sunny just went right back to sleep.

Light snow fell from the skies and settled against the windows of their car. It was going to be a cold Christmas day.

Five years ago, Basil gave Sunny a new violin for Christmas.

Five years ago, Basil’s desire to get Sunny the best Christmas present ever started a chain of events that would lead to that fateful night.

Five years later, Basil and Sunny were returning to their old friends to settle the truth of that night once and for all.

Would they even want to hear about the real truth?

It’s such a dark topic to discuss at a Christmas party.

But they did tell me that they wanted to talk over some things with Sunny…maybe they’re ready for it.

Yet he suspected, with a heaviness in his heart, that they would not be ready to hear that Sunny had lied again.

The trip back to Faraway took several hours. It was four in the afternoon by the time they arrived into town, the snow-covered roofs and unshoveled driveways a nostalgic sight. Just seeing the snow on the front lawns reminded Basil of waking up on a December morning to a winter wonderland. It reminded him of returning to a warm fireplace after a day of playing outside in the snow, his friends by his side and grandma serving everyone hot chocolate. Everyone was smiling. The cozy orange light cast by the fire would make everybody feel safe and sleepy.

I can’t believe I’m back…

Little needles of sadness. His breaths grew shallow. His memories here might be too much for him to handle.

Grandma is gone…

I have to endure this, for Sunny.

He could not stop tears from welling up inside his eyes.

A warm hand wiped the tears from his cheek as they broke out. Basil turned and saw that Sunny was awake, smiling at him.

“Sunny?” Basil spoke. “We’re back in Faraway.”

Sunny nodded as he looked out the car window.

“We’re going to reach Kel’s house in just a couple of minutes,” Mrs. S said. “You boys ready?”

“Yeah…I think I’m ready,” Basil responded.

Sunny just nodded, a gesture that Mrs. S saw in the car mirror.

Sunny’s still as quiet as he was when we started this trip.

Is he really going all the way back to his old self again?

“I’ll be parked right outside in case you need me,” Mrs. S said. “Feel free to call my phone at any time.”

“Ummm…won’t you feel bored and cold waiting out here for us?” Basil asked.

“I’ll text you when I need to drive away to grab some food from the plaza,” Mrs. S said. “It’ll just take around fifteen minutes.”

“But you’ll be waiting outside for us the whole rest of the time!”

“There isn’t any other place I want to go.”

Sunny and Basil exchanged knowing glances at each other.

She’s still really uncomfortable with the thought of visiting Mari’s grave.

Mrs. S…it must be so hard for you to return here, to the place where you watched your daughter grow up.

I’m so sorry.

“Mrs. S, thank you for driving us,” Basil spoke. “I know it must be hard.”

“Basil, don’t worry about me,” she said, trying her hardest to smile. “It’s hard for all of us. I know, I’m back in town, I should visit my daughter…I just have to ready myself. You two just try your best to tell the truth, then have fun with your friends, okay? You don’t need to concern yourselves about me.”

Mrs. S had done so much for Basil since taking him in over the past months…even if her initial motivation for doing that had been to plot out a revenge against him. Basil only wanted the best for her.

“Please call us if you aren’t feeling okay,” Basil said.

“Yup, I know,” she replied. “Alright, I’m arriving to Kel’s house…hey, this street still looks so familiar. Guess nothing ever changes around here. Haha…and there’s our old house. Wonder who’s living in there right now? It’s such a nice place, huh. There was so much more space.”

Quietly, she pulled the car up into Kel’s house’s driveway. The car doors unlocked. Basil and Sunny stepped out.

I wonder if they can see us.

Inside Basil’s backpack, he carried some small presents he and Sunny had prepared for their friends. They didn’t want to get them anything too extravagant in case that made it look like they were trying to distract them from the truth bomb they were about to drop.

“So…we’re here,” Basil said to Sunny. “Are you ready?”

Sunny gazed at Basil with a strange light in his eye. He seemed to be laser focused, paying no attention to anything else. Like the fact that there was a wonderful Christmas tree just beside them on the lawn of his old house, or that there was a beautiful bunch of Christmas decorations hanging all across Kel and Hero’s house. Sunny didn’t spare a second glance at his old home.

“Yeah, I’m ready,” Sunny replied.

“I told them we’re here,” Basil said, stepping up to the front door.

Sunny caught up. He hurried to stand beside Basil, knocking on the door while Basil rang the doorbell.

Basil’s heart raced. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears, feel his pulse throbbing in his head. They were finally back. They were finally going to see their friends again. He couldn’t push down his bubbling anxiety.

He hoped that for once, everything could go smoothly.

Footsteps approached. Basil squeezed Sunny’s hand.

His heart pounded against his ribcage.

The door opened.

“Hey, Basil!” Kel’s smiling face greeted him.

Basil let go of Sunny’s hand. “Hey, Kel!” he greeted back.

“Wow, can’t believe it’s been four months,” Kel said. “I’ve missed you, Basil. Aubrey and Hero are dying to see you again.”

Basil winced internally at hearing Kel single him out for “I miss you”. Sunny still wore his same neutral expression.

“Ah—hah, I missed you too,” Basil replied. He felt a pressing need to tell the truth as soon as possible.

“Come in!” Kel insisted, taking a step back. “We’re in the kitchen helping make dinner. Mom and dad are upstairs taking care of Sally right now.”

Basil and Sunny stepped into the house.

This place still looks the same as I remember it.

Sunny remained silent. He was barely acknowledged as he stepped in except for a gaze and a nod from Kel.

“Basil?!” Aubrey’s voice spoke as she rushed out from the kitchen.

“Hey, Aubrey,” Basil replied, trying to smile genuinely. “It’s been a while huh?”

“Basil, I’ve missed you so much! How are you doing?”

“I’m doing well.”

“I’m so sorry for the way I treated you over the past four years,” Aubrey said.

“Ahh—ahh, uhh…”

“I know I’ve said that lots of times already but I feel like I really needed to tell you in person,” Aubrey repeated. She smiled, almost on the verge of tears. “All those times I bullied you, calling you a creep and everything, and…pushing you at the lake…”

She lowered her head, her hands shaking. “Basil, I’ve just been the worst person! I know you said you already forgive me but…I really, really want to tell you from the bottom of my heart, I’m sorry, okay?”

Aubrey, I’m…

I’m so sorry for what I’m about to say to you.

Before he could get any words in, Hero appeared from the kitchen.

“Hey, Basil,” Hero said, smiling gently. “Long trip back, huh? You must be really tired.”

“Hey, Hero,” Basil replied. “Don’t worry, we’re not that tired.”

“I made some cookies! Feel free to help yourself.”

“Oh, thanks a lot, Hero.”

“No problem, Basil. If there’s anything you need from us, don’t hesitate to ask! This house is yours for Christmas.”

“Ah—hah, thanks…”

“I’ve got something for you in the kitchen!” Aubrey said, inviting them to go to the kitchen with her.

She spared a single glance at Sunny, and that was it.

Basil and Sunny took their jackets off before going to the kitchen. They exchanged glances.

The look in Sunny’s eye was not comforting. It reflected the pain in Basil’s own eyes. They both knew how awful it would be to overturn all of their friends’ perceptions of Basil in a matter of a few words.

“Let’s tell them,” Basil whispered softly.

Sunny turned his gaze away, but he nodded.

As they entered the kitchen, Basil was greeted by the sight of an uncomfortably ornate present box.

“Merry Christmas, Basil,” Hero said.

“We all chipped in to get this present for you!” Kel announced, grinning.

“Like you contributed anything,” Aubrey said to Kel, rolling her eyes. “I sold lemonade this summer to earn some money so I could get this present for you, Basil! Hero helped a lot too. And I guess Kel donated a few bucks or something.”

Basil felt his face growing cold.

I don’t deserve this.

“Well, what’re you waiting for?” Kel asked. “Go ahead and open your present!”

Basil tried to come up with something but refusing such a big present from his friends would just be rude. Maybe if he blurted out the truth right now, he’d be able to avoid having to open it…

With multiple side glances at Sunny, Basil went to the present box and slowly untied the wrapping. He could see smiles and feel joy radiating from his friends’ faces. He could feel his own heart sinking when the wrapping fell away and he opened up the box to find that they had gotten him—

A brand new digital camera.

“Merry Christmas!!!” Kel, Aubrey, and Hero said all at once.

They got me something so thoughtful…?

I want to cover up the box again and give the present back to them.

“Ummm, thanks! Thanks, all of you!” he said instead.

“Come on, turn it on, it’s fully charged!” Aubrey said. “I know you haven’t been much into photography over the past few years…and most of it was probably my fault…but I thought this was a present you could really appreciate!”

With a half-smile, half-grimace on his face, Basil picked up the camera and held the “On” button.

A colorful jingle sounded from the camera. With the flash of the camera maker’s logo across the monitor screen, it turned on quickly and he was able to see a view of the photo the camera was aimed to take.

A picture of Kel, Aubrey, and Hero standing together, smiling at him.

“Do you like it?” Kel asked.

“I…love it,” Basil replied. “This is such a thoughtful present, you guys.”

He threw another glance at Sunny, who had started taking out their wrapped presents from his backpack. A cookbook for Hero, a baseball glove for Aubrey, and a pair of basketball shoes for Kel. No one else paid Sunny any attention.

“I’m so glad you like it!” Aubrey said. “Wanna take a picture of us, Basil? It could be a great start to an amazing new photo album.”

His hands shook as he raised the camera and aimed the shot.

“Wait, Aubrey. Doesn’t Basil prefer to take photos of people when they’re least expecting it?” Hero said. “Maybe we shouldn’t ask him to take a photo of us because it wouldn’t feel natural.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Aubrey responded.

“Come on, just take a test photo!” Kel said, striking a pose in front of the camera. “Let’s see if it works or not.”

“Oh please, Kel, of course it works,” Aubrey said.

“How do you know? You’ve never touched a digital camera,” Kel countered.

“I don’t need to have used a camera to know that it just works.“

“No arguing, you two!” Hero complained. “Basil, don’t feel pressured to use the camera right now or anything. Just take a photo when you feel like it!”

“Oh—oh, it’s fine, I can try,” Basil replied.

Fingers trembling, Basil snapped a shot of Kel standing in front of Hero and Aubrey.

The camera’s monitor displayed the photo it had just taken in strikingly high resolution.

This is an amazing camera.

“So? Did it work?” Kel asked.

“Y—Yeah,” Basil replied. “It works.”

“Come on, let me see it!” Kel said, dashing up to Basil to look at the photo.

Basil awkwardly showed the photo on the camera monitor to Kel, then to Aubrey as she pushed Kel aside. Each of them marveled at how wonderfully clear and colorful the photo looked. Basil kept glancing at Sunny, wondering when Sunny would come out with the truth. He also noticed Hero glancing at Sunny, too.

Maybe I should start things off.

Sunny, it must be hard to see your old friends ignoring you so openly…

Basil made a face.

A part of him felt kind of angry at his friends for ignoring Sunny. Wasn’t this supposed to be a reunion of old friends? Wasn’t it a Christmas party, Mari’s favorite holiday celebration? It was so rude to ignore Sunny like this.

Hero finally caught on. He walked towards Sunny and gave a short wave. “Hey.”

“Hi,” Sunny replied back.

Kel and Aubrey finally turned towards Sunny. The looks on their faces were a mixture of…too many feelings.

“Hey, Sunny,” Aubrey spoke first. “How’ve you been?”

“…I’ve been okay,” Sunny replied quietly.

“We’ve been thinking, maybe we can talk a bit more about what’s been going through your head,” Hero said.

“There’s a lot we’re going to talk about,” Aubrey added.

Basil sensed an impending burst of anger from Aubrey.

“Ummm…guess you feel kind of left out from all this, huh?” Kel said to Sunny. “We, uh, we do need to talk over some things with you first.”

The mood of the room felt like it’d dropped several degrees.

Basil gazed at Hero, at Aubrey, and then at Kel.

He noticed the quiet displeasure in Hero’s eyes.

He saw how Aubrey had balled up her trembling fists.

He could see the way Kel’s lips curled nervously, as if he wasn’t sure whether he should smile reassuringly at Sunny, or to frown along with the rest of his friends.

Aubrey looks like she’s about to break first.

Basil didn’t want Sunny to suffer this anxiety any longer.

“Ummm, hey, everyone,” Basil spoke suddenly.

All eyes landed onto him.

“I have to tell you something.”

He gathered up the words inside him, the words that he’d been dreading to reveal, words caught like a boat in a storm, threatening at any moment to be dashed to pieces or drowned deep under—

“…I lied to you about certain things,” Sunny spoke.

The words that Basil had meant to speak died before they left his lips.

All eyes fell upon Sunny.

“I didn’t want you all to hate Basil,” Sunny went on. “So I made up the whole story about me forcing him to frame Mari.”

Complete silence.

The next moment.

Complete tension.

“Please don’t blame Basil,” Sunny continued. “It’s all still my fault.”

Basil felt a flurry of eyes upon him again.

Now...I have to admit my part in all this.

“It was my idea to hang Mari’s body,” Basil spoke very quietly. “And Sunny didn’t force me to do it. I thought, I could save what was left. But I know I made things way worse with what I did.”

The wind-driven snow blowing against the house’s windows produced a low, ominous sound.

A clock ticking on the wall created a contrasting rhythm to the sound of Basil’s heartbeat in his ears.

He felt the warmth in his chest plummeting.

“You were the one who came up with that messed up idea?” Aubrey spoke. “You hung Mari, Basil?”

“I still killed her,” Sunny said, as if that was any consolation.

“Sunny…Sunny shouldn’t be blamed for anything after that,” Basil said. “The whole coverup was all my fault—”

“That’s not true,” Sunny interrupted. “I blacked out the photos in Basil’s album. That was still my fault.”

“But Sunny didn’t force me to keep quiet about it,” Basil said. “I made the choice myself to protect him for the photos, and his secret.”

With those words, Basil felt his body sinking into a pit of tar as far as his moral reputation was concerned.

I deserve to drown.

Back then.

Traumatized by the sight of Mari lying at the bottom of the stairs, he’d refused to believe it. He’d refused to believe that Sunny could do such a thing. Sunny was a good person; therefore, something behind Sunny must have done it. Something must have pushed Mari to her death.

He tried to tell Sunny this. He tried to shake Sunny back to his senses.

Then his hands moved by their own accord. They moved to do the unspeakable. Because no matter what, he wanted to heal Sunny’s pain. No matter what, he wanted to rescue Sunny from his crushing guilt and trauma.

No matter what, I had to protect Sunny.

And so he carried her body, he tied the rope, and he lifted her to hang her by her neck.

This way, he could preserve Sunny’s happiness.

I didn’t know…I didn’t know how wrong this was until you confronted me about it that night, Sunny.

Then, all the pain I felt made sense.

I hurt you so much, and yet you came back that night to save me from my delusions.

I was the worst person to you, yet still…you came back for me.

At last, he turned his head up to look into everybody’s eyes.

The confusion on Kel’s face.

The utter shock in Aubrey’s eyes.

Hero’s eyes hid his feelings.

“I’m really sorry,” Basil said. “I’m so, so sorry.”

“I’m sorry too,” Sunny added. “I shouldn’t have lied.”

Basil waited. He waited for them to lash out at him.

He wanted them to tell him that what he did was unforgivable, because he knew it was true, and he deserved to hear those words.

He wanted Aubrey to scream at him, to regret having showed any forgiveness towards him.

He wanted Hero to reveal his true feelings, to lash out with his full fury for making him believe for so long that Mari would kill herself.

He deserved it. He deserved it all.

Sunny…I’ll finally suffer the pain I deserve to feel.

You don’t have to protect me any longer.

Basil looked into each one of their eyes, ready to receive their anger.

Instead, Aubrey suddenly walked away from him.

So did Hero.

Only Kel remained in the room with Sunny and Basil, looking almost as confused as the two of them.

“Ummm,” Kel began, a wince in his expression, “I, umm, kinda don’t know why you two keep doing this.”

“I’m so sorry for not coming out with the truth earlier,” Basil said.

“Don’t blame Basil,” Sunny said. “He didn’t even know that I lied until a few weeks ago.”

Kel looked at Sunny, a rare disappointment expressed across his face.

“So, uh…?” Kel asked. “I’m really confused. Do I trust you now? Or…should I ever trust one of you again?”

I can’t take this.

“Please get mad at me,” Basil said. “I deserve it. I deserve your anger.”

Kel turned back at Basil. “I mean, I am mad at you. And like, I really just wanted to move on from all this. But you two keep bringing it back up, and it keeps getting worse every time I hear about it…”

Why isn’t Kel screaming at me?

I know I deserve it. I just deserve it.

“You know, I tried to convince my brother and Aubrey to maybe consider forgiving Sunny over the past four months, and now, it just kinda feels…empty,” Kel said. “Honestly, now, it’s hard for me to even keep a grasp on who did what. And to tell you the truth, I really don’t even want to bother anymore.”

Basil didn’t know what to say.

Should he just keep apologizing?

Would saying sorry, over and over again, just feel empty too?

Kel sighed. “I’ll go talk to Hero and Aubrey. I want to hear their thoughts.”

Kel left the room, leaving behind a sullen Sunny and a very nervous, anxious Basil.

Basil glanced at Sunny.

Sunny glanced back at him.

They didn’t reach out for each other. They didn’t hold the other’s hand.

Seconds passed into minutes.

The two of them remained silent. They heard voices speaking upstairs, voices mixed with that of Kel’s parents and Sally’s crying, along with a ticking clock and the cold, furious whisper of a winter wind carrying a heavy snow.

Outside, the sun had faded from the horizon, and what little light remained in the skies was drowned out by heavy clouds that brought forth a blizzard.

Glowing lights hanging over the Christmas tree on the lawn of the neighboring house outside reminded Basil of happier Christmas parties from long ago, happiness that he knew he did not deserve.

He wondered if there was anything he could say, anything he could do to make Sunny feel better.

They should all have blown up at me and forgiven Sunny…

The room remained wordless.

They stuck to where they stood, frozen like statues of criminals undeserving of warmth.

But why did they all just leave?

At last, Basil heard footsteps descending back down the stairs.

Hero came back into the room first. “We’re really tired of this, you know.”

Basil winced at his tone and brisk words. He’d never seen Hero this way before.

“Sunny. Basil. Are there any more lies you need to tell us about?”

“That was the whole truth,” Sunny said.

“How do I know you aren’t lying to us again?” Hero asked.

“We aren’t,” Sunny replied.

Hero threw a frustrated glare. “I just…look, I’m just amazed that the two of you went this deep. Basil, I can’t believe you thought framing Mari’s death as a suicide was a good idea. Sunny, I can’t believe you went along with doing that to your own sister. And then you showed us that you learned nothing about the consequences of lying, by lying to us again. It’s so…I’m just amazed. You two keep lying for each other, and we keep suffering for it.”

“I’m sorry,” Basil just repeated.

Hero sighed. “You two understand what happens when you do this, right? All the feelings we’ve had to process over the past months were for nothing. And you know, I want to believe that this is the last time. I want to believe that you’re really telling us the truth this time. But…we feel like it’s just not worth going through all that again.”

Basil felt tears welling up in his eyes.

“Mari is dead. I don’t care which one of you did it anymore. So, please, just leave your sister alone,” Hero said.

A tear flowed from Sunny’s eye. “I’m sorry, Hero. I’m so sorry.”

“Yeah. I know. At least now, we know you weren’t that evil that you forced Basil to frame Mari’s death,” Hero said. He turned at Basil. “I don’t know what to say to you. I…I don’t know how you could come up with an idea like that.”

Basil felt the warmth in his heart freezing into solid nitrogen ice.

“It’s not all Basil’s fault,” Sunny spoke. “I went along with it.”

Hero shook his head.

“I hate to do this to you in the middle of a storm, but Aubrey really doesn’t want to talk to you two right now,” he said. “So, it’d be best if you two could…you know. Do you have trouble getting back?”

“We can take care of it,” Basil said quietly.

“Okay. Good. I…” Hero sighed again.

Hero turned his face away. “I understand, you two. It might not sound like I understand, but…if you’re really telling us the truth this time, then I know, it was all an accident. It’s all really sad. And I’m glad you’re both confessing the full truth now. Still…it’s hard for me to trust you two to not lie to us again.”

“I…I understand,” Basil spoke.

“Do you really?”

“We really are telling you the truth this time. But…I know…we’ve lied too much. We’re liars.”

Hero didn’t respond.

With slow, heavy steps, Sunny and Basil walked together towards the door.

They put on their jackets.

I guess I’ll leave the presents.

Basil gazed at Hero once last time.

He wanted to apologize again. He wanted to say goodbye to Hero, and to Kel, and to Aubrey.

He wanted to face their anger because he deserved it.

But he knew Hero was right.

They had lied too many times and they could no longer be trusted. Everyone just wanted to move on. Perhaps the best way to do that now was to separate from each other.

Maybe their friends will forgive them one day, but they could not hope for it.

Liars did not deserve forgiveness.

Basil opened the door. He and Sunny walked out.

Mrs. S’s car was waiting for them in the driveway.

“Back so quick?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Basil replied. “It…didn’t go very well.”

“Oh. I’m so sorry,” she said. “Should I go in and talk to them? Maybe I could help you solve things?”

“No, it’s best if you don’t,” Basil said. “I think they need a break from us. For a while.”

Sunny placed his hand over Basil’s. His fingers wrapped around Basil’s palm and held gently.

Basil knew he didn’t deserve this warmth, but he gripped Sunny’s hand. It was the last hand he could hold on to.

“Oh…that’s too bad,” Mrs. S said. “I guess we’ll drive back now?”

“Yeah,” Basil said.

“Do you want to pay a visit first to…you know. At the church?”

“The storm’s too heavy,” Sunny spoke, barely above a whisper.

She started up the car and began to back out. “I guess you’re right. We’ll come back some other time to pay her a visit, okay?”

The wind blew heavy snow against the front window. She turned on the windshields and the front lights.

As they began driving back home, Basil leaned his head against Sunny’s shoulder.

Sunny leaned back, their faces softly touching.

Hero’s words started to really sink in.

Instead of getting angry at us, they just didn’t want to deal with us anymore.

It means…

They weren’t friends anymore.

Neither Basil nor Sunny looked back as they drove away.

It’s just the two of us from now on.

There was nothing left for them in Faraway.

Chapter Text

They were at their old hangout spot again.

Kel was asleep as usual. Hero was preparing sandwiches and drinks for everyone. Mari and Aubrey sat by each other’s side at their own corner of the picnic blanket. They sat with their backs against the tree, basking in a beautiful sunny day as a warm breeze gently stirred their long hair.

Aubrey’s eyes turned to the flowers that grew nearby.

Those white, bell-shaped flowers hanging from the stems that sprouted near the tree only grew in that corner of the woods. Lily of the valleys were such unusual looking flowers. They were said to ward off evil spirits and to help people see a brighter future. They represented Mari the best.

But Aubrey was looking at a lily of the valley that had wilted, died. The flower’s stem had gotten unearthed from the soil. She picked up the fallen flower with a sad light in her eyes.

Mari wrapped an arm around Aubrey’s shoulder.

It was such a rare and pretty flower, and if more of them died…one day, they would not be able to find lily of the valleys growing inside these woods anymore. That made Basil wonder if many other plants and flowers in this beautiful place were doomed to a similar fate.

The colors of this scene faded away, replaced by red and black.

Instead of bell-shaped lilies hanging from a flower stem, a body hung from the tree, swaying in the wind.

Basil gazed at the body. Then he glanced at Sunny, standing beside him with eyes that had grown completely lifeless.

He remembered the feelings burning inside his chest. He remembered speaking words that could not reach the person he wanted to help most.

“Don’t worry…”

“Everything is going to be okay.”

The wind kept blowing.

Was this right?

It was right. Nothing could be done to help Mari anymore. The best thing to do would be to try to salvage what was left. He could still preserve some of Sunny’s happiness. He just had to make sure that everyone believed this lie.

Was this wrong?

It was wrong. It was wrong because…

Because…

Because…?

Basil always had a feeling that this wasn’t good, this didn’t save anything. This was all messed up.

But Something had pushed Mari to her death.

Sunny wasn’t willing to believe that, so Basil had to save him. Basil had to craft a lie that Sunny could believe in. That was the whole plan.

Was it so wrong then? Was it wrong to create a reality that made life more livable?

Sunny turned to look at him with those blank pupils, eyes more dead than a blind grey pupil.

“It’s wrong because you broke everyone’s trust,” Sunny spoke. “It’s wrong because you made our friends believe that Mari would kill herself without any sign. It’s wrong because you traumatized us even further by making us hanging her body. It’s wrong because you lied to all of us, and to yourself.”

Basil turned his eyes away. The skies became red.

Then Sunny grasped Basil’s hand.

“But you did the right thing,” Sunny spoke.

Basil looked up into those dead eyes. “Sunny…?”

It wasn’t Sunny anymore, but a pale boy in a black tank top.

“You didn’t doubt yourself for four years,” Sunny said. “Why doubt it now?”

“Because…because I felt that I hurt you,” Basil said.

Basil knew it was wrong. It was all wrong.

“You saved me,” Sunny replied. “If you hadn’t done it, I might have killed myself on this night.”

Basil felt his words getting caught in his throat.

“Even now, you still don’t think like the others,” Sunny went on. “You don’t think about the wrongness of framing her death as a suicide. You only think about whether or not it hurt me.”

Sunny opened the palm of his hand.

A lily of the valley, wilted.

It transformed into a sunflower, and a white tulip, intertwined together.

“Basil,” Sunny said, very softly. “It’s okay.”

“Wasn’t it wrong of me?” Basil protested.

“Wrong or not…”

Sunny clasped Basil’s hand in his own, holding those flowers together.

“It’s just the two of us now.”

Basil saw a soft light shining in Sunny’s eyes.

“Let’s protect each other,” Sunny spoke. “Even if it costs us the whole world.”

Basil’s hands trembled. “Even if it costs…everything?”

The light in Sunny’s eyes dimmed. With a dip of his head, he grasped Basil’s fingers tightly, steadying his hands and their resolve.

“Basil?”

Basil opened his eyes, discovering that he’d been tossing under their blanket. He couldn’t calm his rapid, shallow breathing. The silence and darkness of the room felt crushing. He reached out for someone, anyone, something to hold his grasping hands.

Sunny grabbed hold of Basil. He wrapped his arms around Basil’s body and held him tightly.

But Basil was trapped.

Thoughts and memories raced through Basil’s mind, bringing back emotions buried deep beneath. He saw a long, bloody road that he forced himself to walk down, suffering endless slings and arrows at each step of the way. It was his road to walk down because of what he had done. With the tying of a noose, he had condemned himself to suffer until his last breath.

Sunny didn’t deserve to be hated. Sunny didn’t deserve to be ostracized. He didn’t deserve to feel the loneliness that Basil felt all his life.

“Please, just leave your sister alone.”

Hero’s words echoed inside Basil’s head. Those words smashed the road he’d condemned himself to walk down. All that he’d suffered, all that he had tried to do to protect Sunny—

—it was all for nothing.

Because Sunny was now hated by all his friends.

Because there was no way their friends could ever forgive Sunny anymore.

The dark webs lurking at the edge of Basil’s vision spread their jagged tendrils into Basil’s chest and gripped a cold, bony hand around his heart.

This was a different kind of anxiety than what he felt before. He no longer truly believed that something behind Sunny had been the cause of all of Sunny’s pain. These months of being reunited with Sunny, talking with him, living by his side—he allowed himself to accept that Sunny was a flawed human being. He had to shatter his belief in Sunny’s perfection in order to be with the real Sunny.

The new anxiety in his chest grew out of a fear that things would only get worse.

I’m not delusional anymore, but…

I keep seeing this pain, the pain that Sunny felt when his friends rejected him.

I see this pain, repeating over and over.

And what would Basil have to subject himself to this time in order to save Sunny from experiencing the despair of abject loneliness? He knew it well. It was the despair that he’d carried within ever since the day his parents sent him away.

No one deserved to feel abandoned, least of all Sunny.

A hand reached up and pat Basil softly on his back.

With unsteady breaths, Basil opened his eyes. His gaze fell upon the boy who still held him.

Every time he gazed at Sunny, he felt such an aching longing inside his chest. Sunny’s pretty black hair fell above eyes carrying a light that was marred by so much sadness. Yet those eyes still held a softness in them. They held a warm feeling that took hold only when they gazed back at his own. It trembled like a windblown flame as it danced between their gazes, wavering between a bright, rising fire and small, crimson embers.

Sunny held him. Sunny pressed their hearts together, steadying their trembling chests. Sunny placed his face against Basil’s, their tearstained cheeks touching, and Basil could feel that he was close.

Our friends aren’t our friends anymore.

Sunny and I only have each other now, but…I’m afraid, I’ll only make him lose more people that he cares about.

Basil steadied his panicked breathing, steadied that hurricane of runaway emotions inside his head. The early morning darkness softened into a calm, uniform texture.

“They really won’t forgive us this time, will they?” Basil spoke.

Sunny tightened his grip on Basil’s hand. “It’s my fault.”

“No, it’s my fault,” Basil said. “I lied the first time when I framed…I’m sorry. If I hadn’t done that, they would still be able to trust you.”

A tense second before Sunny replied. “You still saved me.”

Basil didn’t know why Sunny kept telling him that. He’d done the absolute worst thing imaginable to Sunny’s sister—yet Sunny would only tell him that he understood, that he knew how Basil had felt at that moment, that he did what he thought was the right thing to do at a time when neither of them were ready to accept the reality before them. Why couldn’t Sunny get mad at him?

Because he loves me…

Those words. Those forbidden words.

Even hearing them inside his head now, he found it hard to believe that it was true. The boy whom he loved so much loved him back. He was the least deserving of that love.

A few months ago, Basil recalled thinking that Sunny would have a much easier time if he just stuck with his old crush, Aubrey. The two blushed around each other and Aubrey was never rude to Sunny like she was to everyone else. Sunny wanted to see all the photos that Basil took of her. That meant they were a match. They had potential.

After what had just happened, the match had been doused with cold water and left to freeze in the snow. But perhaps the situation could be fixed if everything got pinned on Basil instead. If Basil could just get their old friends to see that he was the cause of everyone’s problems, not Sunny…

I want to take the fall for Sunny.

…I guess this isn’t different from him trying to take the fall for me, though.

I just have to ask if he still has anything left for her.

He couldn’t keep the question from bubbling up and escaping his lips.

“Do you…feel like I ruined your chances with Aubrey?” Basil spoke.

Sunny blinked multiple times, staring wordlessly back.

“I meant to ask…and you can stop me if it’s kind of embarrassing…what happened to your feelings for Aubrey?” Basil blurted out.

Sunny looked at Basil as if he had just grown a second head. “That was long ago.”

Basil felt all his twisting, gnawing anxiety return. But it was more so out of embarrassment than fear. “Ummm…can I ask what changed?”

Another tension filled second.

A small smile spread slowly across Sunny’s lips. His eyes gazed at Basil with a curious amusement. “It was just a kid crush! Nothing more.”

“But you were always so shy and blushy around her…”

“Okay, you want to know what changed? I realized that Aubrey and I wouldn’t work together. She gets angry really easily and sometimes I do too. We’d just fight over everything. I’d much rather have someone who’s kind to me, who’s patient with me, who can be there to reassure me without being all cold about it…”

“What, really…?”

“And I already know that person.” Sunny squeezed Basil’s hand.

AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH—

“I didn’t know I could like other boys until I talked to my therapist about it,” Sunny continued. “When she told me it was okay, things started making a lot more sense!”

Basil’s face was about to overheat and burst. “Oh, so…you also…liked me…even…back then?”

As those words left Basil’s lips, he decided he might as well rename himself Mt. Basil, the exploding volcano.

Why did I have to bring this topic up!?!?!?!?!?

Sunny turned his eyes to the ground. “Erhhh. Yeah. I thought you were cute the very first time I saw you.”

Basil shut his eyes, unable to form a coherent response.

Those words—

How could he deserve to hear that from Sunny?

How could Sunny say something so sweet to him?

One more confession like that and he was really going to explode.

“Anyway, me and Aubrey are over,” Sunny went on. “You saw how she reacted to us.”

“Yeah, but…if you still have any feelings for her, and I mean, any feelings, maybe I could…I could tell her that…”

Sunny silenced Basil’s wayward words with a kiss on the lips.

Basil felt himself melting away. The taste of Sunny’s lips ignited new passions inside him, and he kissed back, unable to hold his inhibitions any longer. That warm fire in his heart rose and burst into fireworks. He saw an endless array of colors, shining as brightly as the stars.

They parted to catch their breath; Sunny still looked eager for more.

“So…you don’t feel anything for Aubrey anymore,” Basil said, blushing.

“Don’t even ask that question again,” Sunny replied. “And don’t even think about taking the fall for me like I tried to do for you.”

Their lips pressed together before Basil could speak another word.

They kissed into the night, their arms wrapped tightly around each other, the warmth of their bodies providing all the comfort they ever needed. With every kiss, Basil felt those butterfly knots in his stomach growing tighter, untying, multiplying. Every kiss created such sweet feelings, drowning his vision in cozy rosy pink. He sank into thoughtless bliss. His whole reality melted away, and there was just Sunny.

Sunny in his arms.

Sunny’s lips on his own.

Basil didn’t know when it began, nor when it ended. They kissed and kissed so many times he found himself wondering if it was truly real. He pressed Sunny closer, tighter, and Sunny did not disappear.

The boy he loved so much loved him back.

Their love was real.

Basil opened his eyes at last to find himself gripping Sunny’s hands, the two of them gasping for breath as they lay beside each other. He couldn’t tell how much time had passed. He could barely even remember his own thoughts.

It took some time for reality to solidify back into existence around him. Slowly and steadily, boxes of information allowed him to remember where he was, who he was, and how he got here. Facts about himself and his own life. The life he shared with Sunny.

The dark blue light visible in the tiny gaps of their room’s curtains revealed that it was almost dawn.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have kept you up,” Sunny said tiredly.

“It’s okay,” Basil replied.

“But…mom is taking you to therapy tomorrow.”

Basil blinked.

Oh, that’s right.

That reminder crashed back into his brain with the force of a moving truck. Mrs. S had also booked him a therapy appointment. After hearing what had happened between Basil and his former friends on the car ride back from Faraway, she expressed sympathy for all the pain he had gone through. To make sure he didn’t do anything drastic, she booked a session between him and Sunny’s therapist.

“Ummm…is Ms. Sato a good therapist?” Basil asked.

“She’s really calm,” Sunny answered. “Mom hired her because she wouldn’t judge us.”

“Really?”

Sunny nodded. “She has an interesting way of thinking. She says, everyone does what they do because their circumstances made them do it. So even when I told her about what we did…she just nodded, and said she understood.”

“That’s…wow. Did her advice help you?”

“Some of it did,” Sunny replied. “And some didn’t. I think that’s how it goes with therapy. You have to pick the pieces of advice that work for you.”

“Oh, okay…”

“I think you’ll like talking to her,” Sunny said reassuringly. He smiled in a gentle, sleepy way as his eyes closed.

Sunny looked so pretty when he was sleepy and cozy.

Basil slowly let go of Sunny’s hand so they could both get some rest. Holding hands was nice, but with how passionately they were in love right now, it got both of them too excited for sleep.

I hope I do.

“Hi.”

“Hey, Basil,” Ms. Sato spoke. “Sunny told me about what happened. So how do you feel?”

“I feel okay,” Basil responded.

“Let me know if there’s anything you’d like to talk about.”

Basil felt a little nervous. How much could he trust her? He had always kept his feelings to himself; he’d always preferred to suffer in silence than to reveal his heart to others, except Sunny. Maybe he just distrusted people. Especially adults.

But if Sunny trusted her, maybe it was alright to talk to her about the thoughts inside his head.

Still, he preferred to be cautious. His own thoughts had always been a mess. A good number of them would make him an outcast the moment he put them into words. He had to prune and select his words very carefully.

“So…you know what happened between me and Sunny?” Basil asked.

“Yeah.”

I should be self-critical so that I don’t look like a complete freak.

At least if I criticize myself, I could try to come off as being aware of how wrong my thoughts are.

“Ummm…so you know that I framed Mari’s death as a suicide,” Basil said.

“Yes.”

“And…you know that I stabbed Sunny’s eye out that night.”

“Yes.”

This is the part where you tell me that I’m a lunatic who belongs in an insane asylum.

“Isn’t it…” Basil struggled to say the right words. “Don’t you find what I did disgusting?”

“Not at all. I think it’s impressive.”

Huh?

“Basil, I can tell that you have a really strong will,” Ms. Sato said. “You can hold a single motive for years. Even when things get really hard, you still manage to pull through. And the motive you chose simply made sense to you at the time. It’s not your fault you didn’t have better guidance. And you deserve to be congratulated for how far you went to protect Sunny.”

Uh…what?

Ms. Sato smiled. “I’m not saying you did the right thing. I’m just applauding you for always trying your hardest to take care of your best friend.”

“But…isn’t what I did all messed up?” Basil asked.

“Sunny told me that you saved his life that night,” she said. “If you hadn’t been there, he was ready to…you know, end it for himself.”

Is that really what Sunny said…?

“When you’re in a bad situation, sometimes you only have bad options to choose from,” Ms. Sato went on. “This might be a bit cold, but let me put it to you this way. You could have called everyone to tell them what happened. Sunny would then have a high chance of killing himself out of sheer guilt, but on the up side, everybody gets to know the truth. On the other hand, you could hide the murder and tell Sunny that everything’s okay. Sunny would have a slightly lower chance of killing himself if he’s willing to listen to you, but on the down side, you lie to everyone and hurt everyone else much more. Given these options, you chose to protect your friend. You chose to do whatever was necessary to lower his chances of killing himself.”

“Was my choice…correct?” Basil asked.

“There’s no need to box everything into right or wrong,” she replied. “It’s better to just see the upsides and downsides of each choice. And once you’ve made your decision, all you can really do is learn from its consequences. If you don’t like it, you can’t travel back in time to change things. You just have to try to do better next time. Even if there was a truly correct choice, I don’t expect you or anyone else to always make that choice. No one is perfect. Everybody makes mistakes; let’s introspect, learn, and move on.”

Well, that’s…

That’s certainly a very blunt way of framing everything.

“Sunny told me you’ve done a lot of reflecting in the past few months,” Ms. Sato said. “Do you want to talk it over with me?”

“I…I do,” Basil replied. “But what I want to talk about is, ummm, the consequences of what me and Sunny did, and what happened between our friends.”

“Tell me everything,” she said.

Basil took a moment to breathe and to gather all his thoughts.

“I kept Sunny’s secret for so long because I was afraid of what would happen to him if I let it out,” Basil began. “And…I still am. I’m just scared that I’m going to keep hurting Sunny. Scared that everything I do is going to make things worse for him. I tried to protect him from ‘Something’ but I ended up stabbing his eye. When I tried to protect him from bullies he got beaten up so badly he broke his nose. Then we confessed some secrets to our friends and…I just wish…I just wish that I could stop hurting him. Now his friends won’t even talk to him anymore.”

Those words stung, his friends.

Would they think of themselves as anything even close to being friends with us?

Ms. Sato nodded. “It’s hard. Protecting your friend is one of the hardest things you can ever do.”

Basil raised his eyes. “It is?”

“Most people care only about themselves or their immediate family. Devoting yourself to a friend is something truly special. It’s a very noble goal.”

“Ummm, but, what if I keep messing up? It’s not noble if I keep making things worse…?”

“The way you do it is very noble.”

Basil felt confused. “Uh…”

“Let me make a clear distinction,” Ms. Sato said. “You’ve probably heard the word overbearing. Think about what it means to be an overbearing friend. They try really hard to be your best friend, but instead, they get in your face too much. They’re there even when you don’t want them to be. They might think they’re helping but actually, they’re a burden on you and you’d rather not want them to be around.”

“Am I overbearing?” Basil asked.

“Sunny told me you’re not overbearing at all. Because you have empathy for Sunny, and you know what Sunny wants. You know that there are times when Sunny would rather be alone. You respect his boundaries and you don’t bother him until he wants to be bothered. You always think about what he wants and you never try to force your own will onto him. That’s why he thinks you’re a very good friend.”

“But…wasn’t what I did to his sister wrong? Didn’t I stab out his eye?”

“When Sunny was in that situation, his mind totally shut down. He told me he didn’t know what he wanted. Just processing reality was too much for him. At that time, the best thing for him was to spend some time alone. He needed time, a few months, maybe even a few years, to work through his feelings. There’s no other way around it. And you gave him that time, by protecting him for all those years. Things could have gone much worse if he was arrested and sent to juvie. He might not have been given the alone time he needed to process his feelings in juvie. Of course, he did shut himself inside for too long, but that’s on his parents. He needed better adults and role models to get him to come out sooner.”

I…never thought about it that way.

“Same with the eye. You were both really stressed out when that happened. He didn’t even think about his own eye, and he was very afraid that he might’ve killed you. He forgives you completely.”

It’s hard…hard to believe that I deserve forgiveness.

“And you sacrificed way too much of your own happiness and energy to do everything for him—according to Sunny’s own words,” Ms. Sato said. “That’s why Sunny feels that he owes you. Of course, he also loves you, so he wants to be with you even if he didn’t owe you anything.”

Basil felt a huge blush coming on. “Ummm!!!”

“By the way, it’s completely normal to love someone of your own gender,” Ms. Sato said with a smile. “People might judge you for it, but they’re wrong and closeminded. If you love Sunny, you should love him with all your heart, and I will totally support you.”

This was too much for Basil to handle. He turned totally red.

“About your friends—sadly, it might be best to leave them and move on,” Ms. Sato continued. “If they choose to cut you out of their lives, there’s nothing, no apologies or favors or gifts, that you can do to get them back. You just have to wait for them to ask you to come back into their lives.”

Basil’s red hot embarrassment went away, replaced by cool blue sadness. “I…I guess. But it makes me so sad. For Sunny.”

“It’s okay to be sad sometimes,” she replied.

“But if I get sad too much, I’ll get depressed,” Basil protested.

Ms. Sato remained silent for a little bit.

Basil felt worried he’d said something that would make him look like a freak. To his surprise, Ms. Sato smiled at him again.

“Being cut off by your friends, that’s a situation where it’s good to feel sad,” she said.

"Really...?”

“You know, people will tell you, ‘don’t be sad’, or ‘don’t be angry’, but from my experience, you can’t actually control the way you feel. I bet that even the person with the strongest will in the world can’t control their feelings. If you want to get scientific about it, I believe it’s because feelings exist, physically. Happiness is neurons firing in a certain pattern. Sadness, neurons firing in a different pattern. Same with anger, fear, and every other feeling. So telling yourself, ‘don’t be sad’, when your own neurons are firing in a sad pattern, it’s like telling yourself, “this chair doesn’t exist”, when the chair is right in front of your eyes. Of course, people don’t like to be sad. They try to do everything to remove their sadness. This sometimes works, but it won’t work with friends who cut you off. You just have to accept that you can’t get them back, and you’ll have to feel sad for the time being. If you keep fighting the sadness, then your sadness grows stronger, like if you’re pretending this chair doesn’t exist but then someone asks you to sit on it, so it becomes really hard to keep pretending it’s not there. So if you keep denying your own sadness, it just grows stronger, until you get depressed, or worse.”

“What if I accept my sadness but it lasts forever?” Basil asks. “What if I’m just…sad for the rest of my life?”

“You won’t be,” she assured. “Feelings are paradoxical like that. Sometimes, when I can’t fall asleep, I just tell myself, ‘fine, brain, just don’t sleep for the rest of your life!’ and surprisingly, I fall asleep again. I think it’s the fact that our brain is an amazing problem solver. If it identifies a problem, it won’t rest until it solves it. So if you treat your own sadness as a problem, you won’t feel better until you remove the cause of the sadness. But, as I explained earlier, you won’t be able to remove the cause when the cause is your friends cutting you off. You can’t control what other people do.

“When you accept that your friends aren’t going to be there anymore, your brain will decide to just let the problem be, and slowly but steadily, it will reconcile with failing to solve it. Think of it as…your brain forming new synapses, new connections that are necessary for the task of moving on with life without your friends. A more independent life. Then, your brain starts searching for new problems. One day, you’ll realize that your next problem is planning an amazing prom date with your best friend, and that’ll occupy your whole mind. Sadness only sticks around if you keep working on the same problem, which has no solution.”

This was plenty for Basil to take in. He nodded, but he had a lot to think over.

“And…I know. There’s always the fear. ‘What if I keep losing friends?’ ‘What if my boyfriend breaks up with me?’ ‘What if I’ll always end up alone?’ It’s scary. But here’s the thing. The problem of ‘What if’ has no solution either. No one can predict the future. And trying hard to prevent any bad things from happening to you will make you feel extremely anxious, because there’s just no way to predict everything bad that can happen. Yet you’ll still want to, right? It’s funny.

“So here’s what I want you to do. Acknowledge this contradiction. Acknowledge that we exist in a constant tension between solving a problem, searching for future problems, and reconciling our life with problems that have no solution. This is extremely difficult. But you have a strong will, Basil, so I know you can do it. Every time you feel like you can’t deal with life anymore, remember that it’s okay to live inside tension itself. It’s okay to play this balancing act for the rest of our lives. Because there is no fix-all solution to our problems, there is no utopia beyond the horizon, and there is no future free from bad outcomes. If you need something to believe in, then believe in accepting all your feelings. Because your feelings are your own, and nothing can ever take them away from you.”

Basil nodded again.

I guess…

I guess that’s how it goes.

I have to live with knowing that my friends might leave me, and I might be left all alone one day.

I have to live with knowing that…even Sunny might leave me one day.

Basil’s eyes turned down at the floor.

Even so...

He steadied his trembling fingers.

I’ll stay with Sunny right now because he says, at least according to what I’ve heard, that he wants to be with me.

He shut his eyes.

And I’ll stay with Sunny…even knowing that he might leave me one day.

Basil sucked in a deep breath.

Because I just have to live with all my feelings by my side.

He exhaled, and let himself relax.

‘Letting myself love Sunny, yet being okay with parting ways with Sunny one day’.

It was so difficult to accept that.

But he had to live with that difficulty. Because he had realized that the reason he was so afraid of hurting Sunny was because he was deathly afraid of Sunny abandoning him.

The problem of how do I prevent Sunny from ever being hurt again? had no solution.

Therefore, he had to accept that he might hurt Sunny sometimes, and that Sunny might leave him one day because of it.

Yet, while Sunny still wanted him…

While Sunny still wanted to be by his side…

They would stay together.

They would be in love with each other.

“Thanks, Ms. Sato,” Basil said. “I think you’ve helped me clarify why I was so afraid of hurting Sunny. I just didn’t want him to leave me. But…I guess, if I really loved Sunny, I would be okay with him parting ways with me one day.”

“You’re welcome,” she said. “Wow, you’re really good at introspecting.”

“Thanks,” Basil said.

Maybe a little too good…

Basil found that kind of funny.

Chapter Text

Picture this scene: Basil sitting at the desk in his room, diligently doing his homework. Sunny sitting at the other desk, playing video games.

From time to time, Sunny glanced at his boyfriend just to admire him. Basil’s fluffy hair. His beautiful eyes. If their gazes met, Sunny’ heart would jump with a flitting rhythm. If Basil smiled…

Basil isn’t smiling.

Sunny wanted to see Basil’s rare, genuine smile. He wanted to see that sparkle in Basil’s eyes. He wanted to be there when the breeze ruffled Basil’s hair and sent a flower petal dancing into the wind. He’d hold Basil’s hand, and they would smile and laugh together, the world returning to the brightness and vivid colors he remembered from their happiest days, the breeze carrying the scent of blossoming flowers.

We lost that world, and it’s all my fault.

He imagined Basil and all his friends being by his side, smiling together.

But he had crushed his dreams, twice.

Worse, I trampled on Basil’s dreams.

With a disheartened expression on his face, Sunny filled up a glass of water. Basil was studying too hard.

“Need anything?” Sunny asked, placing the glass on Basil’s desk.

“Thanks,” Basil replied, finally lifting his eyes from his thick textbooks to take a sip of water from the cup.

“You’ve been studying for so long. Want a snack?”

“Sunny, thank you, but I just need to get to the end of this chapter.”

Sunny heard fatigue and boredom in Basil’s voice even if Basil tried to hide it.

I want to see your smile, but I don’t deserve it…

He returned to his desk, feeling a little defeated and not much in the mood for playing more video games.

Sunny felt selfish for wanting to be happy. He felt selfish even when he wanted Basil to be happy. He wished to see Basil’s smile, even though he singlehandedly destroyed his friend group. And after his misguided attempt at redeeming Basil ended up with both of them being cut off by their only friends, he figured he would never be able to move on from all the guilt that burdened him.

His life was a series of train wrecks, himself the conductor and his friends the passengers on the train. He was tired of derailing the train and he was tired of Basil being blamed when he wasn’t even the one driving.

Yet Basil still wants to be with me.

He accepted my feelings for him.

Now we’re together in a way that makes me feel so happy, I’m just afraid that a person like me doesn’t deserve it…

The cold wind of the new year howled against the walls of their apartment room. The bright city lights shone crisply in the winter air.

I really need to make everything up to Basil.

Sunny stretched his right arm across the table and lowered his head to lean against his arm in a restful position. He let his eyepatch fall slightly off the side of his head, and opened his blind eye to see nothing more.

Part of him had grown up a little. Part of him was still a frightened child, terrified of having no one to hold his hand. He was afraid of being left completely alone. It was kind of contradictory, he knew—he’d been the one to shut himself inside for four years, abandoning everybody. He still found it hard to believe that anybody would want to come back for him after doing something so selfish.

Inside his head, he could delude himself into believing that he wasn’t alone.

It required a steady dose of denial and concentration. It required him to deny what he saw with his senses in favor of the colorful places and characters he dreamed up of inside his head. If reality was painful enough, it became very easy. He could lose himself inside those dreams for days without even realizing it.

A familiar black and white figure materialized in front of him.

“Maybe you should go back,” Omori suggested. “You don’t have much left here. Living inside headspace would be much more fun than staying here, wouldn’t it?”

Maybe he’s right…

What…no!

“I have Basil,” Sunny retorted in the confrontation space inside his head. “He’s worth staying in this world for. He’s worth everything.”

“Why do you even like Basil?” Omori asked. “He caused you so much trauma and suffering.”

“No, that’s on me,” Sunny replied. “Basil only wanted to protect me. He cares about me so much!”

Omori casually took out his knife and glanced at it, flipping it back and forth.

“Back then, I should’ve been the one to tell him that this wasn’t the correct way. I should’ve been there by his side for those four years. I could’ve set us both on the right path, by confronting our friends with the truth. Yet…even though he hates being lonely and being abandoned just as much as I do, I…”

“You messed up then, and you’ll mess up again,” Omori said. “Do you really think you can set yourselves on the right path so easily? How do you know that you won’t just make things worse?”

“Because I…because…”

Sunny struggled to find the right words. He had to look deep inside his conscience, deep within those spaces where his most painful emotions manifested. Once he faced them, once he put all those shattered feelings in order, he might be able to find an answer.

But Omori did not let him.

“You are a coward,” Omori went on. “That day, when you confronted me, you were supposed to die. You only continued on because you clung to the thought that, even if you lost your sister, even if you lost all your friends, you could at least count on Basil being there for you. But I’m sure Basil’s getting tired of your lies. He doesn’t even pretend to smile anymore—he must be getting really sick of being around you. Once Basil leaves, you’ll be left all alone again.”

“No, Basil won’t leave me!”

“You think Basil truly forgives you for everything you’ve done? He doesn’t. He’s just hiding how angry he is at you. He’s waiting for the right moment, the moment when he can tell you that he doesn’t really love you anymore, that he’s tired of you, that he’s ready to leave you. He already tried once. Remember that?”

A burst of panic made Sunny’s vision turn fuzzy.

Sunny’s arm trembled. His fingers shook with doubt and fear.

The world became filled with red hands threatening to shove him down a flight of stairs into a bottomless abyss.

But with a deep, slow breath, Sunny steadied his shaking hands and forced his mind to remember everything that he’d learned over the past few months, everything from therapy and school and volunteering and from all his heart-to-heart moments with Basil. He knew he had the right answer to this. He knew he just had to face all his feelings, not hide from any of them.

“I love Basil.”

With a shaking yet firm hand, Sunny grabbed onto a handhold and climbed out of the abyss.

He saw a shadow of a Stranger waiting for him at the top of the stairs, an arm outstretched to lift him out from his darkness.

“I’ve lost so much,” Sunny admitted. “I lost my sister. I lost my friends. And it’s all my fault. But I will not lose Basil.”

Even if the whole world hated him, spat on him; even if his feelings burnt his flesh and froze his heart, he could always count on Basil to be there for him.

He could count on Basil to offer a pair of warm arms to return to.

The red hands in Sunny’s vision vanished.

Reality steadily drifted back into view. Omori and the darkness faded away. Things solidified. His arm, his desk, his chair, his room…Basil.

Omori was nowhere in sight.

His rapidly beating heart calmed. Sunny opened both eyes, turning his head to gaze at the boy standing by his side.

“Sunny? Are you alright?” Basil asked.

“Oh…I’m fine,” Sunny replied. “Thanks for worrying about me, Basil.”

Basil passed the cup of water back to Sunny.

I’m so glad you’re here for me.

Sunny took the glass and soothed his parched throat.

“Did something happen?” Basil asked.

“I panicked,” Sunny replied after downing the whole glass. “I guess I was just thinking about all the mistakes I’ve made.”

Basil placed a warm hand on Sunny’s. His other hand gripped Sunny’s shoulder and held him tightly.

When a soft smile came over Sunny’s lips, Basil smiled back.

Sunny’s felt a sweet and cozy feeling.

“You’re a good person, Sunny,” Basil spoke quietly.

“Thanks, but, it sure doesn’t feel like it,” Sunny replied with a grimace. “I feel like I took away your happiness.”

Basil gently pat Sunny on his back. “You didn’t take away anything. You…you are my happiness.”

Sunny blushed, hearing those words.

Wow…I guess I’ve encouraged Basil to be totally cheesy with me, huh.

“Come on,” Sunny said, almost shying away. “Maybe I make you happy sometimes, but I keep messing things up too. Things…could’ve gone a lot better.”

Basil just laughed. “You’re the only thing I care about.”

Too cheesy...

“Sunny, we both made lots of mistakes,” Basil said in a remarkably new and confident tone of voice. “We can’t change them. We just have to learn from them.”

This was a surprise. Usually Basil liked to take all the blame onto himself.

Sunny nodded his head. “Yeah. We’ll do better in the future.”

“I know we will, Sunny.”

Basil leaned in and gave Sunny a quick kiss on the lips. It stirred an oh-so-sweet feeling.

“I’m going to bed soon,” Basil said, a visible tiredness in his eyes from all that studying. “I’ll take a shower first.”

“Okay.”

As Basil left the room, Sunny wondered how he deserved such a kind and sweet boyfriend. He began to feel all guilty again.

Adding to his guilt was all his unread textbooks, his pile of unfinished homework, and the certainty of a screaming mom in his face once she took a look at his upcoming report card.

I gotta study harder next semester!

He flipped open his algebra textbook and tried to force himself to understand graphs, trigonometric formulas, and that ever-so-pesky set of problems called “solving linear systems”. He knew he could only understand them if he practiced more problems, but he honestly didn’t want to pick up pencil and paper right now, or to work his brain at all, really.

All of a sudden, his phone rang.

Sunny raised both his eyes in alarm when he looked at the caller and saw that it came from Hero.

What…?

Instantly, Sunny’s heart jumped into overdrive. His hands started sweating and his eyes darted around, wondering if Basil might come back.

The sound of water starting up inside the bathroom shower implied no.

With trembling hands, Sunny reached for his phone and answered the call. He gulped, swallowing the huge lump in his throat.

“Hello…?”

“Hey.”

Hero’s voice.

“Hi,” Sunny said quietly.

“Sunny…I know we didn’t exactly leave on good terms last time,” Hero began. “I’m not really calling back to forgive you, either.”

Sunny’s heart sank.

Of course, it’d take a lot more than a simple call from Hero to receive forgiveness from his friends.

“I’m calling to tell you about something that just happened. And…as much as I hate to think so, I believe you still care about your sister, which is why I feel I have to let you know about this.”

Sunny felt a strange anxiety.

What just happened?

“Okay,” Sunny replied simply.

“You know our old hangout spot in the woods, right?” Hero began. “And you know how last time we went there, the place was full of construction signs and pylons?”

“Yeah…?”

“A construction company owns that land now. They’re planning on clearing the woods to build a new mall. That means bulldozing the whole place down, and they’re planning to drain the lake too.”

“Okay?”

“Aubrey and her friends were hanging out at that place yesterday. You know that spot where we always had our picnics, the spot beside that tree?”

Oh, I remember…

Aubrey and Mari were always sitting with their backs against that tree, gazing at the flowers growing nearby, talking about their colors and meanings with Basil.

There were lots of rare flowers, like lilies of the valley.

“Yeah, I know,” Sunny replied.

“Aubrey…Aubrey really didn’t like it when the construction workers came to cut down that tree with chainsaws. When they came near, she actually attacked them. With her baseball bat.”

What?!

“You can imagine what happened to her after that,” Hero spoke.

“Is she okay?” Sunny asked worriedly.

“She’s fine—just has a few cuts and bruises. But she’s in jail right now.”

Sunny felt the blood on his face grow cold.

“Aubrey hasn’t been thinking right ever since you confessed the truth to her on Christmas,” Hero went on. “I haven’t been in town but Kel told me she’s been acting all rash, going around with her gang breaking things and picking fights. So…forgive me if I sound a little harsh, but I kind of blame you for what happened. You and Basil.”

Sunny’s hand holding his phone shook.

I…I can’t believe Aubrey’s in jail.

“Sunny,” Hero continued. “That spot where we used to have picnics. That one tree Mari loved, where those lilies of the valley used to grow. They’re all about to disappear.”

I can’t let that happen.

“I’ll…I’ll find some way to protect that place,” Sunny replied, even though he had no clue what he was going to do.

“Can you?” Hero asked.

“Maybe we can save some of the flower seeds that grow there?” Sunny suggested. “If I can dig them out and bring them over here, I might be able to recreate...”

“That’s just wishful thinking,” Hero replied. “If you want to do that, Sunny, you can go ahead. It won’t be the same place. Nobody is going to be fooled.”

“Can it help Aubrey in some way?”

“Sunny…I’m not sure anything you do will be able to make Aubrey feel better at this point. She gets out of jail in a month. You might want to not be in town when that happens.”

Sunny gulped down another lump that had formed in his throat.

“Hero…I’m sorry,” Sunny said. “I really am.”

“I hope you are,” Hero said. “But it’s really hard for me to trust you or Basil to tell the truth.”

“I know. Still, I’m sorry.”

“You two are just…”

A note in Hero’s voice faltered. Hero held back the sentence he was about to say.

After a pause, Hero sighed. “I guess…I guess I can tentatively offer you an olive branch. You do sound like you’re telling the truth this time.”

“Hero…do you mean it?”

“I haven’t forgiven you yet, Sunny. I still don’t know if I should let myself trust you again.”

Sunny gripped the phone. “Hero, I promise you that we told you the full truth this time. You don’t need to go through all that pain again. We won’t even bring up that topic, unless you want to talk about…her. We want to move on from all that too.”

A long silence.

“Okay, I hope so,” Hero said at last. “I’ll…give Basil a chance, too.”

“Hero, thank you so much.”

“Sorry for being abrupt, but actually, I have to get going now.”

“Alright. See you later.”

“Goodbye.”

Sunny related that conversation to Basil as soon as he came back to the room.

Nothing like returning to school after Christmas holidays to make Sunny feel completely demotivated.

He sat at an empty table in the cafeteria, absentmindedly eating the fried fish with rice his mom had packed for him while trying to work through a couple of math problems. Instead of focusing on equations and graphs like he should, he kept thinking about Basil’s response to the phone call with Hero. Sunny told him everything.

Basil was in the computer lab, looking up the name of the company that was planning to build a new mall over the woods of Faraway Park.

Sunny let out an audible sigh. He couldn’t relieve the ache in his chest. He just wanted Basil to be happy, but happiness always found a way to escape Basil’s reach.

Basil loved nature.

Sunny wanted to clasp hands with Basil and walk freely, wherever the road forward took them. They’d walk through autumn forests, where the lonesome wind would carry piles of swirling red leaves past their feet. They’d skate gently upon ice on the frozen winter lakes hidden deep within the quiet woods. They’d watch the flowering cherry and redbud trees blooming in spring, petals shining with water drops from a cool drizzle. Rays of soft sunlight would shine through the windows of their cottage house, awakening them to the dreamlike sight of a shelf full of potted sunflowers and white tulips.

And Basil would be smiling at him. Basil would always be wearing that pretty red flower in his hair, the lightest pink on his cheeks. Sunny would see that smile every day, living in their garden deep inside the woods. Their hearts would overflow with the warmest happiness.

If only it weren’t just a daydream.

Sunny snapped out of his colorful fantasies when he saw Basil approaching him.

“Did you find them?” Sunny asked.

Basil nodded. “The company is Coup de Soleil Construction Inc.”

I think I’ve heard of that company before. They’re pretty big in the construction business.

Big polluters, too…

“I couldn’t find any news published online about what happened to Aubrey,” Basil said. “It just says they’re planning to build a new mall in Faraway Town.”

“Oh…” Sunny responded.

“Nothing about how much of the woods they’ve cleared, either,” Basil went on. “Maybe there’s still a chance we could go back there and save some of the flowers.”

“I don’t think they’d stop cutting trees just from Aubrey attacking them,” Sunny said.

Basil’s normally positive expression fell. “But, what if…”

Sunny opened his mouth to say something, but decided not to.

I don’t want to keep feeling attached to the past.

That picnic spot where we all used to hang out was so special to us.

Still…my sister…she wouldn’t want us to risk everything to go back there just to protect a tree and save some of the flowers growing near it.

He couldn’t voice his thoughts.

Four years had passed. Sunny couldn’t speak for what Mari truly wanted.

Neither could he claim that they were risking anything at all to go back to Faraway to save those flowers. They lacked any information to make a judgment. The company could have paused their clearing operations due to the incident with Aubrey. Or they could have already cut down everything.

Sunny had tried calling Kel to ask him if he could go check, but Kel didn’t respond.

“…Nevermind,” Basil spoke. He sat down by Sunny’s side. “I don’t think we’d be welcome back in Faraway, anyway.”

Sunny gave Basil a gentle pat on his arm.

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Basil said, gazing at Sunny with a sad smile. “I guess I should try to stay positive.”

“I’ll try calling Kel again,” Sunny said. “Maybe he could update us on things.”

“I hope he’ll still want to talk to us.”

“Yea…”

All of a sudden, a redhaired girl approached their table. Basil’s eyes lit up with recognition.

“Hey, Basil,” she said.

“Marie,” Basil responded. “How was Christmas?”

“Boring,” she replied. “I really hate family dinners. The stuffed turkey my uncle makes is the only reason I even go to talk to my family. I don’t really care about presents; Alice never gets anything, so she’s always mad.”

Alice?

“Haha,” Basil said, a mischievous smile. “If you ask your family to get presents for Alice, they’d think you’re trying to get yourself two presents for Christmas, wouldn’t they?”

Marie laughed out loud. “Imagine if I asked them to buy presents for Alice’s brother!”

Sunny blinked. He was hopelessly confused.

“So how was your Christmas?” Marie asked Basil.

Basil just smiled. “Christmas was…fine.”

“Did you spend it with your boyfr—I mean, friend?” she asked, giving Sunny a quirky glance.

Basil blushed really red. “I…I did! And, ummm…”

He turned towards Sunny. “Wanna just…I don’t…really mind…”

Sunny nodded. He faced Marie. “Basil and I are dating.”

“I could tell that from a mile away,” she replied in a nonchalant tone. “The two of you, studying together at the cafeteria and the library every day? The way your faces get really close, almost touching? The way you look at him, Basil. It couldn’t be any more obvious.”

Basil covered his face with his hands, flushing redder than ever. He muttered something like “this can’t be happening…!” Sunny just grinned and laughed.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure the whole school already suspects you two,” she went on. “Everyone knows about the guy who pepper sprayed Wayne, protecting Basil at the Halloween Party last year.”

Yeah, people have been giving me interesting looks whenever I pass by them in the hallway.

I feel like…they’re kinda in awe of me?

Sunny turned his left eye away flippantly. “I’m sure they also heard about me getting all beaten up two weeks later.”

“They don’t care about that, they just think you’re amazing for standing up to Wayne in front of the whole school,” Marie said with a smile.

“Errhhh…haha…thanks.”

Now Sunny was blushing too.

“Marie, how’s your eye?” Basil asked, finally recovering his composure.

“It’s healing,” she said. “And you know what? I think I showed Bethany what’s what. She left her friends’ chat group. I think she must be dying of shame.”

“Oh, uh, that’s nice, I guess,” Basil said, giving off his practiced smile. “Sure she’s not going to come after you again?”

“She wouldn’t dare,” Marie said. “Not unless she wants to lose another tooth!”

Marie sure is confident.

She kind of reminds me of Aubrey.

“Just stay safe, okay?” Basil said.

Marie nodded. “I will. Anyway, I gotta go print an assignment. See you next class!”

“See you.” Basil waved goodbye as she left the cafeteria.

Basil turned at Sunny with an embarrassed smile. “Yup, that’s Marie. She didn’t say it to you but she’s sorry about that whole incident involving blackmail—”

“It’s okay. I forgive her,” Sunny said. “I don’t even think it mattered. Those bullies probably would’ve come after me anyway.”

Basil raised a hand behind his head and scratched his fluffy hair. “Guess you’re kind of a hero at this school, huh, Sunny?”

Sunny rolled both his eyes, even though his blush deepened.

I’m not a hero at all.

I’ve hurt the people I care about so much. If anyone knew about what happened between me and my sister…

…I guess it still feels nice being considered a hero, even if it’s a very distorted perception of me.

Hero.

I’m glad that Hero offered reconciliation, but there’s still a lot more work I have to do.

Sunny returned Basil’s gaze with a smile, and he saw such a bright, adoring light in Basil’s eyes.

Maybe Basil’s always looked up to me as his hero…

He embarrassed himself with that thought.

The bell rang for the end of lunch. Sunny waved goodbye to Basil, who had to hurry to reach his next class on time. He packed up his unfinished food, his thoughts filled with Basil, what to do to save their treasured hangout spot, and Basil.

That afternoon, he and Basil went to the library to meet with Mincy for their impromptu manga club.

“Hey, you two!” she called when they arrived. “Great news!”

“Is your grandma better now?” Basil asked.

“Yup, she’s well enough to leave the hospital now,” Mincy replied. “She already wants to get back to her garden and prepare for spring volunteering.”

“She should get lots of rest first,” Basil advised.

“That’s what I told her, but you know her. She can’t sit still at all when there’s plants to water!”

That sounds kind of like Basil, too…

“Oh, and the mystery donor sent us another five thousand dollars!” Mincy went on. “Grandma says she’s sure it’s coming from friends from her old environmentalism group. They’ve been able to raise lots of funds lately from running climate protests all across the country. They must have each contributed a little to help grandma out after learning about her condition.”

“Wow, that’s so nice of them,” Basil replied.

“Yeah, grandma’s planning to write a letter to thank them!”

Basil blinked, then smiled.

The two of them sat down beside each other and took out their drawing journals. Basil had mostly been doodling plants in his journal instead of manga faces, but Sunny would rather see plants anyway. Basil drew the most beautiful tulips.

Sunny flipped to the latest page of his journal and began shading a portrait of Stranger, who had had a very unsubtle red flower added to his hair in the latest chapter of his story.

“So did you figure out how your story was going to end?” Mincy asked Sunny.

“I’ve got an outline,” Sunny replied. “So Omori and Stranger go to fight the evil empress, right? But then it turns out, this was all part of her plan to unite Omori and Stranger together. With their powers combined, she can finally break the vessel which seals everybody’s emotions. Then—”

Mincy gazed at the two of them with eyes full of astonishment.

“Erh, Mincy?” Sunny spoke. “Something wrong?”

“Are you…”

A deep red blush fell over Mincy’s face.

“Are you two…holding hands under the table?”

It just hit Sunny that they were.

Their hands instantly separated.

Mincy’s eyes practically glowed.

Seeing that look on Mincy’s face, Sunny resigned himself to accepting the fact that he and Basil were just never going to be able to hide their relationship. He decided to confess the truth.

“Ummm, Mincy…” Basil spoke, his lips quivering.

“We’re dating,” Sunny broke the news.

They were not a quiet table at the library that day.

Chapter Text

“I got my driver’s license!”

Sunny rewarded Basil with a peck on the cheek.

“Take me on a drive,” Sunny requested.

“Should I really?” Basil asked, worried that Mrs. S might not feel so comfortable with her son being driven around by his boyfriend, the new driver on the road with a history of violent hallucinations.

“I’ll see,” Mrs. S responded. “Maybe I’ll let you use my car once or a couple of times each week.”

“That’s too little,” Sunny argued. “What’s the point of Basil getting his driver’s license if we can’t even enjoy driving?”

Mrs. S threw Sunny an unflinching look. “We’ll start at once a week. And you have to get my permission every time.”

Sunny grumbled. “Kel told me that when Hero got his driver’s license, his parents let him use their car for a whole month.”

“It’s okay, Sunny,” Basil said. “Mrs. S only has one car. She needs to use it for work.”

“We’re not going to total your car,” Sunny protested to his mom.

“I need to be sure that you two are physically and mentally healthy enough to be trusted with a car,” Mrs. S said. “I’m just…worried, sometimes. I’d rather wait until you’re both a little healthier first.”

“Come on,” Sunny complained. “I’ve been doing fine.”

“It hasn’t been that long since the breakup between you and your friends,” Mrs. S countered.

“It’s not like we’re going to use your car to drive all the way back to Faraway,” Sunny said.

Both Mrs. S and Basil raised their eyes at that.

“Erhh, that’s not what I’m planning, to be clear,” Sunny added.

“Once per week,” Mrs. S finalized.

Dejected, Sunny took Basil’s hand and went back to their room.

Basil empathized with both Sunny and Mrs. S. He had his own concerns, too. He didn’t pass his driving test with flying colors or anything. He’d made a couple of mistakes, changing lanes a little late one time and needing a couple of redos to complete parallel parking. Driving in the city was also stimulus-heavy and stressful. He imagined that he would prefer driving in a more suburban town like Faraway.

Sunny’s been thinking a lot about returning to Faraway lately.

I’m sure it’s because he wants to find some way to save our old hangout spot.

Sunny turned towards Basil. “Mom really doesn’t trust us yet.”

“I don’t blame her,” Basil replied with a self-deprecating smile.

“Well, I see her point.” Sunny exhaled in defeat. “It’s too bad that I won’t ever be able to drive.”

Basil turned his gaze away. “I’m so sorry.”

Sunny reacted quickly to the words that he’d spoken. His fingers locked with Basil’s, holding both hands tightly. “I deserved it.”

“Sunny, don’t…”

“Basil, you saved my life,” Sunny insisted. “You gave me time to confront my other half. I felt like it helped me to accept what I did.”

Basil tried to smile, though it was so hard not to feel crushing guilt.

Sunny might not blame him, but trying to rationalize away losing his eye with being given time to confront Omori did not feel the most reassuring. No matter how Sunny justified Basil’s actions, Sunny had lost half his vision. Sunny couldn’t reason away the outcome of Basil’s stupid, foolish act of lashing out at Something with garden shears in his hand that night.

Basil robbed Sunny of all sorts of pivotal opportunities in life, like driving.

Ms. Sato told me that Sunny said to her that he believed it was the punishment he deserved for killing Mari.

I don’t think anything he did deserves losing an eye…

A pair of hands cupped Basil’s chin and gently turned his face back in Sunny’s direction.

Sunny leaned in, pressing his lips against Basil for a sweet, smooth kiss.

Basil blushed as the taste of Sunny’s lips sent waves of happiness throughout his whole body. Every. Single. Time. Years could pass and Basil would never get used to the idea that Sunny loved him back. Sunny’s kisses intoxicated him.

He gave in to his desires, even with all that lingering doubt. Basil just set his mind free. He kissed back passionately, allowing himself to melt against the warmth of the boy he had dreamed of being with for so long. Melting into sweet, sweet pleasure.

When their lips parted, Sunny’s eyes gazed longingly into Basil’s even though one could not see him.

Basil felt sure he shared a similar dreamy expression on his face.

Sunny is so pretty.

His hair’s grown longer, prettier.

I love the way it curls just a little above his eyes.

If there was perfection in the world, it existed within the glowing light of Sunny’s eyes, in his soft locks of black hair illuminated by deep brown highlights under the warm afternoon sun.

I can drown in happiness just looking into Sunny’s eyes.

“By the way, Kel finally responded to my call,” Sunny spoke out of the blue.

“What did he say?”

“That construction company totally cleared our old hangout spot. They cut down almost every tree in the area.”

Basil’s expression fell.

A small smile came over Sunny’s lips. “But Aubrey was able to save the plants and flowers.”

Aubrey…?

“How did she do it?” Basil asked.

“Her friends,” Sunny answered. “She asked them to save the flower seeds growing around that tree. They did it. The seeds are at Kim’s house now.”

“Wow!”

I didn’t think those guys cared about flowers.

I guess Aubrey is like their leader, so they’d do what Aubrey tells them to do.

We might not be on the best terms, but I’m glad…I’m just glad that Aubrey is doing what she can to preserve the plants and flowers we loved so much.

Sunny turned his left eye to the floor. “I’m sorry. You probably don’t have good memories of those guys.”

“It’s okay,” Basil reassured.

“But I heard they called you lots of nasty names, and…”

“I forgive them,” Basil said. “I mean, um, I’m not saying I’d be friends with them now or anything. But I’m glad they saved the flowers.”

“Must have only been because Aubrey told them to.”

“I’m just happy they did it.”

Sunny wore such a guilt ridden expression. “You really suffered a lot during those four years while I was away. I can’t forgive them so easily for bullying you. Or myself.”

Basil tried to smile. “Sunny, the only thing that matters is that you’re here with me now.” He gave a gentle pat on Sunny’s shoulder. “What else did Kel say?”

“He…he’s not exactly ready to treat us as close friends again,” Sunny said. “But he told me that, after talking over things with his brother, he’s willing to give us another chance.”

Basil’s expression brightened.

“What can we do to earn their trust back?” Sunny said. “They don’t really want anything from us. We can't help them.”

“Is…is the big forest behind Faraway still there?” Basil asked.

Sunny raised an eye. “Yeah. Kel says they might need months to clear the whole forest. Why?”

“Maybe we can still save the forest. And the lake.”

“Erhh. That sounds really hard.”

Basil had done lots of research on the company behind the mall building plan, Coup de Soleil. He didn’t have any ideas yet, but he’d been doing some healthy brainstorming.

“Would they care?” Sunny asked further. “Kel and Hero aren’t exactly asking us to go stop the company from clearing the forest.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t do it for them,” Basil replied. “Maybe we should protect the forest because it was our home.”

It was the place we spent so much time playing in, beetle hunting and rock collecting, finding new flowers and picking mushrooms.

Mari…she’d be so sad to see that place go.

I want to protect the places that can allow us to return to our happiest memories again, even if it’s just for a little while.

Sunny blinked a couple of times. “You have any ideas?”

“One,” Basil responded.

“An environmental protest?”

Basil had asked Mrs. S for her car that day, and she had accepted on the condition that they were going to stay inside the city.

Driving with Sunny sitting in the passenger seat put Basil in a completely different frame of mind. If anything, he was even more careful. He drove slowly enough to keep a distance of three cars between his own and the car in front of him. He signaled every lane change and turn and allowed the signal to run for at least five seconds before making the change, to give the person behind him enough time to be aware. And he slowed down before every traffic junction, preferring to brake to a stop if the traffic light turned yellow instead of rushing past.

“Marie told me about this,” Basil replied. “She’s really into environmentalism.”

Her garden is full of vulnerable and endangered plants.

“What’s the protest about?”

“They’re going against a bunch of environmentally polluting companies. Including Coup de Soleil.”

Sunny didn’t seem too impressed. “Is the company really going to care though?”

“Marie told me, those companies are going around violating environmental conservation laws,” Basil replied. “I’m kind of curious about it.”

I hope they aren’t going to pollute Faraway, but...

I don’t think you can trust these companies to do their part in protecting the environment.

The city traffic slowed down to a crawl near the protest site.

The protest took place at the city park, which was a few miles away from their school. The road near the park was completely jammed with cars. In hindsight, they probably could’ve gotten there faster through public transit. Finding any available parking spots was going to be torture.

I just wanted to take Sunny out for a ride…

Looks like the car wasn’t worth it.

As they neared the park, they saw signs and pickets lining the sidewalk, some calling out the corporations for violating environmental protection laws and others stating arguments or witty slogans. Many of the protestors carried banners showing that they were part of an environmentalist group. Basil recognized among them the group that Mincy’s grandma once belonged to, Girasole Conservationists. He wondered if he would also find Mincy or Mrs. Li.

Marie said she’d be at the center of the park, handing out brochures.

With the degree of congestion they experienced on the road, they were never going to even enter the park.

Basil was honestly surprised at the number of protestors here today, many of whom he recognized as students from his school. Back in Faraway, not many but the most ardent of nature lovers (like himself) cared about environmental issues.

Maybe seeing all the smog in the city made people aware of the need for environmental protections. It was much easier to notice pollution in the city than in Faraway.

A car honked at Basil as he tried to squeeze into a potential parking spot. The spot was too small, and his car ended up blocking the road.

Sunny did not like the blare of car horns and covered his ears with his hands.

“I’m sorry, Sunny,” Basil said.

“If we can’t find a parking spot soon, let’s just leave,” Sunny said. “We can drive home and take the bus back here.”

That was a decent idea.

Basil wouldn’t give up yet. He wanted to show off his driving skills to Sunny.

Getting out of the bad parking space, he continued along the road, searching for more spots to park in. They spent an hour circling around the whole park before they finally found a car that was about to exit its parking spot. As soon as Basil saw the car leave, he swerved into position and parallel parked successfully, no doubt irritating all the other drivers who coveted the tiny space.

All that practice I did for my driving test paid off!

“That was amazing,” Sunny congratulated.

“It was nothing,” Basil replied humbly. “Every driver knows how to do that.”

“Squeezing into this tiny parking spot?” Sunny said. “I could feel the pressure on you!”

“Hah-hah, I’m just lucky.”

They walked into the park and observed all the chants and pickets the protestors displayed. Basil kept a lookout for any information on Coup de Soleil Construction Inc.

As it turned out, that company had a notorious reputation for polluting lakes and rivers. Their waste management policies severely lacked enforcement. Some protestors who were former workers at their factories talked about their managers’ tendency to cut corners by outright dumping toxic waste into rivers, killing all the fish.

This sounded like a flagrant violation. But to Basil’s dismay, he discovered that most of these stories came from internal employees’ hearsay, and could not be used as evidence for a prosecution.

This was the company that was going to clear the forest behind Faraway Park, draining the lake where they all used to swim.

What can I do to help Faraway, though…?

“Maybe, if we tell everyone in Faraway what this company is like, they’ll stop them from building that mall,” Basil suggested.

Sunny shook his head. “People like my dad wouldn’t care.”

“Really?”

“My dad said that only spoiled kids care about the environment,” Sunny explained. “He told us that the economy was always the most important thing. And because Faraway is such a small town, they need a place like a big mall to attract tourists. He says it’s worth sacrificing the environment to create more jobs for the town.”

Wow!

No wonder Mari advised me back then not to talk about my plants to her father.

“But Mari would always argue, ‘it doesn’t have to be one or the other. We can create more jobs by protecting the environment’,” Sunny added.

“Yeah, I agree with her. What did Mrs. S say?” Basil asked out of curiosity.

Sunny just shrugged. “She likes to stay out of these arguments.”

That sounds like her.

Basil expressed a sympathetic smile. “Sorry. I know you don’t like talking about how your family used to argue.”

“It’s okay,” Sunny reassured. “I did bring him up myself. Besides…he wouldn’t have approved of our relationship, Basil. I’m kind of glad he doesn’t live with us any longer.”

“Ah—ah…yeah.”

“Sorry,” Sunny said. “Let’s just find Marie.”

Near the large fountain plaza at the center of the park, they found Marie handing out brochures. As soon as she spotted Sunny and Basil, she ran towards them and gave them a brochure on river pollution and its impact on local fishermen.

“In 1956, methylmercury released from factories into fishing waters in Japan caused a neurological disease called Minamata Disease,” Marie said. “Over a thousand people died.”

“Is that happening here, too?” Sunny asked.

“No, but rivers near factories owned by Coup de Soleil reportedly contain higher traces of mercury and other toxic pollutants than normal levels,” Marie answered.

“What? How is the company not getting sued?” Basil said.

“People have tried to sue them, but the company keeps an army of lawyers to make any lawsuit against them extremely difficult.”

Sounds like we don’t stand a chance of stopping the company from polluting the land in Faraway.

Basil decided to ask a bit more. “Is there any way we could still take action against them?”

“The best way is by working together with an environmentalist group,” Marie said. “A group will have the resources and funding to launch a lawsuit against these companies. It’s still an uphill battle, though.”

“About Coup de Soleil, is there any law they’re violating that we could focus a lawsuit on?”

“Hmmm…that’s an interesting question,” Marie said. “You really seem interested in this issue, Basil.”

“Yeah, this company is about to drain a lake in the town I used to live in,” Basil replied. “They bought the land to build a mall there.”

“Ah, well…I’m not sure you can stop them from doing that if they legally own the land. I’m sorry.”

“I know,” Basil said with a downtrodden face.

“But we could still try to get them to follow environmental conservation laws,” Marie suggested. “A lawsuit backed by strong evidence could put heavy pressure on them.”

Basil started to become interested. “Do you have any ideas?”

“My dad might.”

Basil raised his eyes. “What does he do?”

“He works for Coup de Soleil.”

Basil drove to Marie’s house that evening. He’d already visited her house a couple of times to study for exams together. It was a modest bungalow in a residential district twenty-five minutes away from the school.

Marie’s dad worked at a Coup de Soleil factory assembling construction materials. He explained to Sunny and Basil about how their polluting issue was actually a lot more complicated. In the cities, where the company received a lot of public scrutiny, the factory managers tried their best to follow environmental conservation policies with regards to waste disposal. But he agreed that, in some rural areas, there may be a few factory managers who cut corners on environmental conservation in order to increase profits. The difficulty was in finding out which ones.

Even if they did know which factories were polluting the environment, it was not easy to gather evidence. They’d need to relate an increase in toxic pollutant levels in a river or lake directly to waste from a nearby Coup de Soleil factory.

Still, they refused to give up. Sunny and Basil found themselves in Marie’s room, studying a chart of all the known Coup de Soleil factories in the country and the nearby rivers that they could be polluting.

Actually, Sunny was paying more attention to the sheer volume of familiar toys and dolls that Marie owned.

“You have the latest edition action figure of Captain Spaceboy and Pinkbeard with the entire pirate crew?” Sunny exclaimed.

“Yeah, my grandma got them for me for Christmas,” Marie replied with a big, jealousy-inducing smile.

“Wow.”

Sunny turned his attention towards her bookshelf. “Hey, you have Hungry Humphrey. That was one of my favourite books when I was a kid.”

“I don’t like that book that much,” Marie replied. “It’s too…weird.”

“What’s so weird about a giant whale that eats everything?” Sunny asked.

“Did you read the part where he ate those sea witches and then those kids?”

A strange expression grew over Sunny’s face. Basil couldn’t quite tell what it was.

“Yeah, I guess it was kind of bizarre,” Sunny admitted.

“Can we get back on topic?” Basil suggested. “I mean! N—Not trying to break up your conversation or anything. If you want to keep talking about books and toys, please go ahead!”

“Sorry,” Sunny said with a guilty look.

“Sorry, Basil,” Marie said too. “Anyway, where were we?”

"We were discussing which factories would probably be the most guilty of polluting rivers,” Basil replied.

Marie knit her brows in thought. “Problem is, I don’t think we can find out unless we visit the rivers ourselves and take measurements of toxicity levels. It’s going to be a lot of work.”

“We could do it as a project for biology class. Maybe for the ecology unit,” Basil suggested.

“Go all the way out into the country to visit these rivers? I don’t know.”

Basil thought about it a bit more. “Maybe we can do it over Spring Break.”

“My Spring Break is totally booked,” Marie said. “Really sorry about it, Basil.”

Actually, if I can get Mrs. S to lend me her car for a week, I could probably visit at least a few of these rivers.

With some pipettes…and some toxicity test kits…I might be able to gather at least a bit of data.

The other thing is, as Marie said, we’ll need a group to go to, with the resources and funding to start a lawsuit against the company.

Maybe…I can talk to one of the environmentalist groups I saw today?

“I want to try,” Basil said.

“Are you thinking of taking mom’s car?” Sunny asked.

Basil averted his eyes shiftily. “Ah—hah…maybe.”

“She might let you if you’ve got a good plan,” Sunny replied.

“Well…you heard what she said. Giving us the car for a whole week is too risky for her.”

“Why don’t you try stealing her car?” Marie suggested.

Sunny and Basil turned to stare at Marie with flabbergasted expressions.

“Come on, I was just joking,” Marie replied, even though she didn’t sound like she was joking at all.

“Very funny. Let’s just figure out what we can try to do,” Basil said with a nervous laugh.

They spent the rest of the evening charting out which rivers were the most likely to be polluted by Coup de Soleil factories based on a combination of company data and published reports from local fishermen about potential river contamination. By the time they finished their outline, it was already 9 PM. Basil and Sunny thanked Marie for her help and began driving back home.

“I don’t think we can do anything to stop them from cutting down Faraway’s forest,” Basil admitted on the car ride back. “But…if we can gather even a little bit of useful data on toxic pollution in rivers near Coup de Soleil factories…we might be able to talk to an environmental group, and get them to start a lawsuit. It could help make the company pollute less.”

“I really hope you’re right,” Sunny replied.

As Basil parked in their building’s parking lot, Sunny wrapped an arm over Basil’s shoulder comfortingly and smiled. “No matter what, I’m proud of you for working so hard.”

Basil smiled. “Thanks, Sunny. But let’s achieve something first.”

“Come on, Basil. Be proud of yourself.”

Sunny rubbed Basil’s arm affectionately. He gave Basil a three second kiss on the lips. Basil blushed, their ephemeral contact leaving behind a wet string.

Once they got back home, Sunny’s mom gave Basil a white envelope containing his typical weekly letter from his parents. Basil expected a cheque containing a few thousand dollars as usual.

Should I ask Mrs. S now to use her car over Spring Break?

…Maybe I should wait until she feels more confident about my driving abilities.

“Hey Basil, isn’t it your birthday next week?” Mrs. S mentioned.

“Oh, right,” Basil replied. “I haven’t really had a birthday party in a while—”

“Let’s throw you one!” Sunny immediately suggested.

“Ah—ah, thanks, but I don’t really want anything fancy,” Basil said. “It’s on a school day. Maybe we can just hang out in the mall after school and buy a few books? Go to a nice restaurant?”

“Sounds good,” Sunny replied. “I’m getting you a present for sure.”

“Thanks, Sunny.”

“Got anything you really want?”

“Not really! Maybe a book on plants? Or a new mystery novel?”

Sunny turned up his eyes in thought and smiled. “I’ll think about it.”

Basil’s parents, however, decided to spring a completely different set of plans on him for his birthday.

Inside their room, after reading his parents’ letter and realizing that it was not a cheque, Basil turned to Sunny with a blank look on his face.

“My parents want to visit me for my birthday,” Basil said.

“Oh! That’s good. They haven’t visited you in so long,” Sunny replied.

Basil’s arms began to shake. “They said that they’re embarking on a new venture, and they’re inviting me to join them on it.”

Sunny raised an eye. “A new venture? What is it?”

“All they’re saying is to go meet them at the museum. My parents...they’re saying that we’re about to go on the most important journey of our lives.”

Chapter Text

Today, I’m going to meet my parents.

Libraries always made a comfortable working environment. Just being surrounded by all those books gave Basil the motivation to sit down and read some papers, even with the noise of dozens of students studying in chatty groups around them, even if he could hear Sunny smashing his keyboard in frustration.

Basil flipped through page after page of reports. He identified the relevant number on each report and added it to his spreadsheet of estimated expenses. The final number on the spreadsheet would have daunted Basil if he had not seen his parent’s willingness to offer him thousand-dollar cheques every week.

“I can’t beat this level,” Sunny groaned, closing his laptop out of anger.

“Sorry,” Basil replied.

“You don’t have to be sorry about anything,” Sunny said. “That was all on me. Argh! I should’ve been able to make that jump…”

“I mean, ‘sorry’ as in, I’m sympathetic for you,” Basil clarified.

Sunny blinked his working eye. “Oh. Usually you say ‘I’m sorry’ instead.”

Basil had no idea why he omitted the ‘I’m’ part. Was his brain really so fried just because he was going to meet his parents in an hour?

“I can't accept your sympathy either,” Sunny said humorously. “I'm so bad at that game, you deserve to laugh at me.”

“Hey, it’s a hard game,” Basil said. “I remember trying to beat that water level. It took me so many tries!”

“You’ve played it before?” Sunny asked, surprised.

“Yup.” Basil winked. “When you were sick that one time. I looked at what games you had on your laptop, and…”

Sunny just laughed.

I should show Sunny how to beat that level when we get home.

Sunny recovered his composure. “How’s your research going?”

“I have an estimate,” Basil replied. “Our water testing kits, and the cost of the trip itself, will just be a drop in the bucket compared to the legal costs. We’ll need sixty thousand dollars at minimum.”

Sunny just stared at Basil wordlessly upon hearing that number.

“But if my parents keep sending me money like they’ve been doing for the past five months, I should be able to meet our expected costs within a year,” Basil went on.

I’ll talk to them about this when I meet with them today.

They should be happy to see that I’m getting all this research experience.

“Basil. I know this is important to you. But…maybe this project might be too much for us to handle?” Sunny suggested.

“I know,” Basil admitted. “If we don’t find anything, we’ll just have to leave it. Even if we do find something, we’ll need to talk to a group to handle the whole legal part for us.”

Sunny wore a pessimistic face. “Can we really get an environmental group to help us?”

“It all comes down to the data we collect,” Basil answered.

I’m hoping we can establish a definitive link between the levels of toxic chemicals in a river and being near a Coup de Soleil factory.

Marie and her dad told us that there’s a high chance this link exists, somewhere.

“I feel kind of bad,” Sunny said. “You’re doing all this work and…I’m just kind of tagging along doing nothing.”

“It’s okay,” Basil said. “You can just let me do everything.”

Sunny tried to be sympathetic but it came out as a guilt-ridden smile. “I feel like the guy in a group project who does nothing.”

“Oh—oh, please don’t worry about it!” Basil said. “I need you by my side, for, you know…emotional support. It’s hard to do these things alone. Just having you here with me is really important.”

Sunny blushed a little. “Then I’ll be the best emotional support you could ever ask for.”

Basil smiled brightly.

“Let me know if you need anything at all, anytime,” Sunny added.

“Thanks, Sunny.” Basil glanced at his watch, remembering a sense of anticipation. “Anyway, I think I have to get going to meet my parents now.”

“Alright.”

At a quiet corner of the library, they exchanged a kiss before parting ways.

It was Basil’s birthday—that probably had something to do with the extra intimate kiss Sunny gave him.

Sunny wrapped his fingers around Basil’s hands. He did it so suddenly Basil almost yelped. Basil playfully pushed Sunny against the wall as revenge. As their faces drew near, Basil kept Sunny up against the wall with a “I’ve got you” smile over his lips.

Locks of black hair brushed against blond. In the next instant, their mouths pressed together. That joining of lips sent a jolt of electricity through Basil, the prospect of kissing like this in public an amazing thrill. Their cheeks touched, knotting sweet butterflies in Basil’s stomach. Basil flushed red as he heard people walking by who could no doubt see them in the act. But they only kissed more insistently, more passionately. The electric thrill was overwhelming. His emotions felt like a warm, cozy fire.

The world was in pink when their lips parted, when Sunny’s arms gently let go of him.

I’m melting into mush every time we do this.

“I love you,” Basil said, realizing he was running out of time to catch the bus.

“I love you too, Basil,” Sunny replied. “Happy birthday.”

I can’t wait to find out what birthday present you got me.

Basil wrenched himself from the sight of Sunny’s beautiful face and forced himself to leave the library.

An anxious knot grew inside Basil’s chest on his way to meet his parents. The letter that they had sent him had been so cryptic. What exactly was this ‘most important journey of our lives’ that his parents wanted him to be a part of? They had never invited him to do anything with them before.

The city museum loomed before his eyes. He would’ve loved visiting this place on a date with Sunny. Instead, he felt a sense of foreboding. A sense of becoming trapped.

At the museum’s entrance lobby, he spotted his parents. They stood by the information kiosk, busily chatting with each other. A mixture of excitement and fear gripped Basil’s heart.

Basil didn’t know what to say or what to feel.

“Basil!” his dad called out. “Come here.”

“Hey, dad. Hey, mom,” Basil said as he walked to stand in front of both his parents for the first time in so many years.

He immediately noticed the dark circles underneath their eyes.

Mom looks even more tired now than she did when she was working her job.

“Here, your ticket,” dad said, handing him a ticket to enter the museum.

“Are we seeing something in the museum?” Basil asked. “Or just looking around?”

“Follow us,” he instructed.

Why don’t I feel good about this?

Basil took the ticket hesitantly. The three of them entered the museum together. A distant observer might look at them and even consider them to be a regular, happy family.

Happy was what Basil tried to make himself appear.

At least his parents did not seem to be their usual serious selves. Both mom and dad looked surprisingly happy despite their tired faces. Perhaps they had really found a meaningful journey to embark on now that they’d quit their jobs.

…But what do they plan to do with me?

Why now, when they’ve never invited me to do anything with them my whole life?

Deep down, Basil felt a little angry.

His parents took him through the museum’s science center until they reached the ice age exhibit.

“Basil,” mom spoke, “take a look at these bones.”

Basil looked. The bones were the preserved remains of several animals that had gone extinct during the last ice age. Woolly mammoths. Saber-toothed tigers. Giant cave bear paws. They were definitely cool to look at, imagining the sizes of these ancient animals back when they were alive.

“What do you feel?” mom asked.

“Ummm…they’re cool?” Basil responded.

“Anything else?”

“Well, they’re…they’re really awesome animals. I wish they didn’t all go extinct—I’d love to see a living mammoth,” Basil said truthfully.

Something sparkled in mom’s eyes.

Basil could not feel more confused. He followed mom and dad around the ice age exhibit, looking at every fossil they passed by. His parents kept asking him about which animals he wanted to see come back to life. After repeating this for a while, he felt like they were probably creating a ranking of which prehistoric animals he liked. If he had to guess, he’d think his parents wanted to get him toys or books based on that ranking.

But…when did I ever express an interest in ice age animals?

Sure, they’re cool and all, but I’m much more interested in plants!

If I were to guess, I’d say ice age archaeology is my parents’ new hobby, and maybe they’re trying to get me on board too?

When they finally finished touring the whole ice age section, his parents turned to an exhibit of some ancient human hunting tools that used to be preserved in ice.

“What do you notice?” mom asked for the umpteenth time.

“It’s a spear made out of rocks?” Basil replied.

She turned at him, a strange light in her eyes. “What’s missing?”

“Uh…”

I don’t know!

What’s with all these questions? Can’t you just get to the point already?

This is not how I wanted to spend my birthday…

“I don’t know what’s missing,” Basil answered.

“Think carefully,” dad said.

“I…really don’t know.”

Basil felt like this was some kind of test. Talking with his parents always gave him pressure.

“The human is missing,” mom said after a pause.

The human?

Oh…there’s no fossil of a preserved human being from the ice age here.

“Y—Yeah, I guess getting access to human fossils would be expensive, huh?” Basil said, knowing his parents always had money on their mind.

“Even if they had a human fossil here, it would just be that—a dead pile of bones,” mom said. “We’re not interested in bones.”

“You…want to see a live human from the ice age?” Basil asked, incredulous.

Both mom and dad turned to Basil with serious expressions on their faces. It reminded Basil of the way Aubrey and her crew used to look at him to tell him that trouble was coming his way. Even if that was not his parents’ intention, he felt sure there’d still be trouble in store for him.

“The reason we walked you through all this is because we wanted you to understand the gravity of the problem we’re trying to solve,” dad explained.

“Ever since we quit our jobs, we’ve realized something extremely important,” mom said. “It’s so important that we’re dedicating the rest of our lives to it. And we want you to join us on our journey to solve this problem, Basil.”

Basil twirled his foot uncomfortably. “So what is that problem?”

“Take a guess,” dad said.

Not again!

“Is it about finding fossils?” Basil guessed.

“Think bigger.”

“Preserving fossils for people in the future?”

“A bit closer, but not on the right track,” dad replied.

Frustrated, Basil said, “can you just tell me?”

“Take one or two more guesses.”

I want to just leave and get back to Sunny already.

“Environmental science?” Basil asked.

“Science is on the right track,” mom replied.

“You…want to do something about climate change?” Basil asked.

They shook their heads.

“You want to bring an ice age animal fossil back to life?”

“Close.”

Out of exasperation, Basil made one of his most unusual expressions, a deadpan face. “Can you please just tell me what it is already?”

“Eternal life,” mom and dad replied at once.

Basil raised his eyes in confusion.

“Don’t you wish you could freeze anything and bring it back to life later?” dad said.

“We want to be able to live past our natural lifespans,” mom explained. “We spent our whole lives making as much money as we can—yet now that we have enough money, we’ve realized that there’s simply not enough time for us to spend it all. I’m forty-eight, your dad’s fifty. In ten or twenty years, we’ll be too old to truly be able to enjoy everything that money can give us. We’ll be too old to even be able to enjoy spending our money with you, Basil. We simply won’t accept that.”

“Modern medicine can’t give us much extra time. Life extension is still in its infancy,” dad said. “Since we can’t reverse our aging, we’ve decided that we need to be able to come back to life after we’ve died.”

Uh.

Mom handed a brochure to Basil.

It was an advertisement for a cryogenics startup.

“We’ve done our research, and we’ve decided that this company has the best hope of freezing our bodies and bringing us back to life after our deaths,” dad said.

“To help them with the funds that they need to advance their research, we’ve decided to invest ninety-five percent of all our money into this company,” mom explained further. “Don’t worry. We plan on spending the remaining five percent on you, Basil.”

Basil tried to smile. It came out all awry. “Umm, that sounds great and all, but…”

“Basil, we’re presenting an opportunity of a lifetime for you,” dad interrupted.

Why does hearing you say that…

Make me feel even more anxious?

“Pack up your belongings when you get home,” dad spoke, his smile growing wide. “We’ve registered you for an internship at this very company. They’ll make sure you get all the knowledge and experience you’ll need to enroll at any university of your choice. And since you’re great a biology, we know you’ll pick a university that will put you on track to do medical research. You should be able to join this company right after you graduate!”

“You’ll learn how to freeze bodies and bring them back to life young and healthy,” mom said. “That includes us. You’ll be our saviors, Basil!”

I…

I don’t even know where to begin.

His parents had planned all this for him. Planned out his entire life.

They did not once hesitate to ask him if he wanted to do this. If he wanted to do research on cryogenics.

They didn’t even bother to find out that what he was good at was just plant biology. At school, he hadn’t gotten very good marks in fields other than botany.

Now they sprung on him what was possibly the worst news he could’ve heard on his birthday—

They wanted to take him back, take him away from Sunny, to do an internship at a company that he didn’t even have any interest in.

He wanted to tell his parents that their idea was ludicrous.

After all the people that I’ve loved and lost…

Mari.

Grandma.

They were there for me when my parents weren’t.

Yet my parents want me to care enough about them to devote my entire life to bringing them back after they die!

How…how do I tell them that I just don’t…

Basil clenched his fists.

I can’t believe they would do this.

My parents want me to throw my life away to help them, even though they abandoned me—even though they refused to even visit my grandma on her deathbed.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down before he made an outburst.

I…I should tell them that I have no intention of helping them on their new journey.

“Actually, I…”

Basil stopped himself.

I don’t think they’re giving me a choice.

Anger gave away to a deep, unsettling fear as Basil remembered that his parents were the type of people to plan ahead and prevent all possible alternatives.

Dad was a lawyer. He knew what they could do if Basil said no. Based on how they’d planned this whole thing out, they were not offering him a choice.

Basil had to follow their wishes, because he was only seventeen, a year away from fully gaining his own independence. His parents could, by law, force him to move back in with them. Everything had been a setup. They came up with this whole museum trip as an elaborate way to get their foot into the door so that they could convince him to agree to this. Better the carrot than the stick.

There’s no way I’ll ever agree to this.

I’m happy living with Sunny, going to school every day with him.

I…I just can’t give that up.

Basil relaxed his fists and forced himself to smile.

If I tell my parents that I don’t want to do this, and that I have other interests—they’ll probably drop all pretense of giving me a choice.

I…I have to convince them that life is better for me here, with Sunny.

He racked his brain, trying to come up with a convincing reason not to go with them.

I have to lie. I need to tell my parents what they want to hear.

Pretend that I care about them.

I need to look at things from their perspective, and try to convince them that letting me stay here is better for their goals.

I…I…

Basil felt tears welling up in his eyes.

His parents didn’t react. Probably didn’t even notice. They kept smiling at him, as if anticipating his affirmative response.

I…just have to convince them.

It might not be the same thing, but the project I’m working on right now…the project with proving Coup de Soleil’s environmental violations…

There has to be links between protecting the environment and what my parents want to do.

His brain went into overdrive, trying to make every possible connection between his project and his parents’ goals.

There must be a way to convince them to let him stay. There had to be.

Think back to biology class…there are so many connections between the environment and health and death…

Something about the environment…something about protecting the environment has to be able to link back to this.

His vision started to grow blurry.

The world became dark, filled with shadows. Webs of leering eyes and jagged mouths. They creeped up the walls, covered his parents’ faces, replacing their smiles with snarling toothed grins. Tendrils of something circled around his body, threatening to devour him whole. His fingers reached out and desperately grasped for a warm hand.

I…

I’d rather die than be taken away from Sunny.

Basil clung on to a thin thread as writhing shadows swarmed over his entire being.

That thread was a glimmer of light, caught from eyes that shone with the radiance of a star.

He held that light in his hands even as it trembled like a frozen flame, a light that he knew he would never let die.

It was a light that revealed one last possibility of escape.

“Mom. Dad.”

“Yes, Basil?”

Basil’s words sprang from the wellspring of all his knowledge and experience. It drew from his love of plants. From his desire to protect his most precious memories. From his love for Sunny.

He spoke out of a sheer, unquenchable desire to resist the future that his parents had laid out for him.

“I already have a project,” Basil said. “And this project will give me more knowledge, insight, and experience than your internship ever can.”

I need to sell them on this project.

“I’m going to research the ecology of some important rivers,” Basil went on. “These rivers have been poisoned by toxic waste dumped from a company’s factories. But life still continues in these rivers.”

Marie says that toxic chemicals change the biology of all the animal life in these rivers.

“Life continues because it’s resilient. Because it always finds a way to adapt, even in the worst environments.”

I learned from biology class that there’s important links between everything in nature.

“These adaptations can give us a lot of insight into the way our bodies heal, age, and die.”

I’ll find out how plants and animals have survived these rivers.

“If you want me to bring a frozen body back, I’ll need to learn all about the metabolism, aging, recovery of the brain.”

Mercury poisons the nervous system.

“Studying the way life adapts to neurotoxins in the environment is going to be really beneficial for all that and for what you want to do.”

I hope I sound just like a researcher.

Basil put on a lying smile. “I’ll discover every possible way to bring you back from death.”

His parents looked at him in astonishment.

“Basil, our internship can give you all that knowledge, and more,” dad began in protest.

“Getting direct experience in cryogenics will help you a lot more than just studying the ecology of rivers,” mom added.

“The best research is done by combining insight from all sorts of different fields,” Basil countered, echoing something his biology teacher once said.

I’ve never boasted about my own skills before, but I need to now.

“I bet that the knowledge that I’ll learn from my project will help out in lots of unexpected ways,” Basil said. “Researching the way life adapts to toxic rivers will teach me so much about biological healing, aging, and recovery.”

“But—”

“Especially recovery of neural tissue,” Basil added. “There’s mercury and lots of other toxic chemicals in these rivers. Those kill the brain. But if life manages to live in these rivers…”

Mom and dad turned to look at each other.

They did not look happy to hear this.

“This project will span a year,” Basil added. “By the end of it, I’ll know so much more than from just doing an internship.”

“But! Basil, we’ve already registered you for the internship,” dad said.

Mom’s face softened.

“Actually…this could be a great way for Basil to develop independent research skills,” mom admitted. “Basil, did you come up with this project all by yourself?”

“Yes, I did,” Basil lied.

“It does sound like a way more impressive project to put on a university application,” mom said.

Dad crossed his arms. “I hate reneging on things.”

“I already put so much planning into this project!” Basil said, more desperate. “I really want to do it. And I know you’ll like the results.”

The room grew silent.

Basil could hear the sound of his own heart thumping in his ears.

I have to convince them to let me do this.

Dad opened his mouth, but his words hung for a moment.

“Fine,” dad said at last. “But, Basil. I want you to write me weekly reports on your progress. And write about how they relate back to cryogenics!”

“Can it be biweekly, or monthly?” Basil responded, finally feeling some hope.

“Biweekly,” dad agreed.

Yes!!!

“I’m amazed you came up with all this,” mom said. “But that’s our son, right? He’s always been so smart and independent. And he’s going to be our savior.”

Dad nodded. “Basil, you’ll save us from death, won’t you?”

Basil put on a false smile. “Certainly.”

Basil stomped around in Sunny’s room, furious. “I hate my parents!”

“Let your anger out,” Sunny said. “I’d be mad too. I can’t believe they dropped all this on you without even asking for your opinion first.”

“They always do this,” Basil replied. “You know what? Everything I said to them was a lie. I don’t care about saving them. I’ll lie on my reports. I’ll lie when I apply to college. I’ll go into botany, plant biology—and tell them that I’m studying medicine. And when they find out that I fooled them…”

I can’t lie.

Mom’s a neuroscience major. She’d know if I was lying on my reports.

He wanted to scream.

I’ll do it later in a school bathroom.

Realizing that anger would not get him any closer towards his goals, he let his body fall into a chair. Defeated, he looked over all the notes he’d made on his project. Those notes were now his lifeline. He’d need to use every bit of information he collected to write his biweekly reports to his parents, staving them off from dragging him away to an internship.

It was a whole year before he turned eighteen and became a legal adult. A whole year of reports.

“…I need to convince Mrs. S to let us use the car for Spring Break,” Basil spoke.

“Why don’t we just tell my mom the truth?” Sunny asked.

“I don’t know…she might try to convince me to move back in with my parents,” Basil replied. He faced Sunny with a sad smile. “We might be in a relationship together, but if we tell her that my parents want me back, she might say that my parents’ wishes override ours’ as long as I’m still a kid.”

Sunny grew a crestfallen look in his eyes. “Would she really say that…?”

“We don’t know. But I don’t think we should risk it.”

“Getting my mom to agree to give you her car for a whole week won’t be easy at all.”

“I’ll find some way to do it.”

Sunny looked unsure.

Basil couldn’t stand that heartbroken look on Sunny’s face. The prospect of being separated from each other after everything they had gone through together could break him all over again.

It would break himself too.

“Don’t worry, Sunny,” Basil said, trying his hardest to smile. “I can do this. I can show my parents just how good I am at doing research.”

“Can’t believe they’re putting you through all this.”

“I know. But I have no choice.”

Sunny’s differently colored eyes gazed at him with such a caring light. “Basil, you’re…you’re an amazing person, you know that?”

“Ah—ah, thanks…”

“I mean it. You’re working so hard. You’ve always worked so hard. I just…I just want to ease your burden.”

“Sunny, I like working with plants,” Basil said. “Don’t worry about it!”

“It’s just…”

Sunny looked down at the ground. “Tell me how I can help you. In any way possible.”

“Just relax,” Basil said, even though he was the farthest from relaxed himself. “I’ll get through this. We’ll get through this, together.”

Sunny was silent.

Then, Sunny stood up and walked over to his backpack. Basil watched, curious, as Sunny took out a small green book.

“Here, Basil.”

The title of the book was “Basil’s Memories”.

My old photo album?

“Take a look inside.”

Basil opened up the book, expecting to see all his old photos again.

His heart melted.

Sunny had personally illustrated all of the photos from his photo album. He had arranged them in the same order that they had been in back in his old album. Every bit of color and detail from those photos had been perfectly replicated in pencil. Everyone’s smiles, their laughter, the expressions of emotionally rich days that Basil cherished so much. Mari, and Kel, and Hero, and Aubrey, himself and Sunny—they were all there, drawn by Sunny’s own hand. Drawn with the love for his friends that only Sunny could show.

Even the text that Basil had written underneath each photo was there, rewritten in Sunny’s own handwriting.

“Happy birthday, Basil,” Sunny said, smiling.

Basil didn’t know what to even say.

It was such a thoughtful gift.

His vision grew misty. He couldn’t do anything but smile back at Sunny.

The moment that Sunny opened his arms, Basil jumped into them. He hugged Sunny tightly. They hugged each other with the resolve to never let the other go.

Tears streamed down Basil’s face.

Thank you, Sunny.

Thank you so much.

“I love you,” Sunny spoke. “And I’ll always be there for you.”

“Sunny…thank you. Thank you for everything.”

“I love you, Basil.”

“I love you too, Sunny.”

Chapter Text

“I’m sorry, Basil. I need the car during Spring Break.”

Basil felt his heart dropping into free fall.

“I’m going away on a business trip,” Mrs. S elaborated. “It’s not in this country. So I’ll be taking the car to the airport and flying out. I’m coming back at the end of the week.”

That’s the most inconvenient time ever!

It just had to be this Spring Break, huh.

“Mom,” Sunny spoke, “can’t you let us use the car over Spring Break instead? You aren’t even going to be in the country.”

“Sorry, Sunny. I’m not feeling confident enough to give you the car for the whole week, especially if you’re planning to drive out that far.”

Basil saw in her face that she was hurt by this decision too.

They’d explained to her that they wanted to use her car over Spring Break to drive out to the rivers where they planned to take measurements of toxic chemicals in the water near Coup de Soleil Factories. They explained the purpose of their project, starting from the fact that the company wanted to clear the forest behind Faraway to build a new mall.

They did not mention how Basil’s parents wanted to take him back to put him on an internship he didn’t have any interest in. Basil was still too afraid that she would make him respect his parents’ wishes.

“Maybe you can do this project over the summer instead,” she said. “It sounds like too huge of a project to be ready for by Spring Break, doesn’t it?”

I don’t have time to wait until summer!

My parents want results immediately.

“Mom, we already planned out everything,” Sunny protested further. “Trust us. We’re ready to do this over Spring Break.”

“I told you, you can’t use my car over Spring Break,” she said. “Besides, it’ll be parked at the airport so it won’t be easy for you to access it.”

“That’s not a good excuse,” Sunny retorted. “You could just let us drive you to the airport.”

“Sorry, but I just don’t trust the two of you with my car for a whole week yet.”

Sunny clenched his fists and bit his lip. He looked ready to burst out in rage.

Please don’t lash out at your mom, Sunny...

“It’s okay, Sunny,” Basil said, patting him on the shoulder. “I understand. We’ll find some other time to do the project.”

“But…Basil,” Sunny said, gazing at him helplessly. “This project is so important to you. We might not have much time left.”

“I know.”

I’ll just have to take matters into my own hands again.

Basil went back into their room. Sunny exhaled loudly in anger. Then Sunny followed Basil into his room, closing the door emphatically behind him.

“Can we just tell mom that we really need the car because your parents are gonna take you away to do a dumb internship if you don’t provide them any scientific data on your reports?” Sunny asked.

“I don’t want to risk it,” Basil replied. “We really don’t know how she’s going to react to hearing that my parents want me back.”

“I…I don’t know. What else can we do? We can’t rent a car since we’re not eighteen yet.”

Basil’s brain raced to find a solution to this problem. There had to be one.

Sunny’s mom drove an old car, one that did not require those electronic chips in order to start the engine. And since she was flying out of the country, she was not going to be near her car for the whole week.

I don’t know how crazy I’m willing to be.

But I can still try to do things on my own…

It all depends on how far I’m willing to take everything.

Basil looked into Sunny’s eyes. They were on the verge of desperation, the light shining in them refracted through a layer of delicate water.

He breathed in deeply and realized.

I’m still crazy after all.

A strange smile danced over Basil’s lips.

“Sunny,” he whispered. “I’ve got a plan.”

Sunny leaned closer, curious. “Yeah?”

“Every Sunday morning, Mrs. S sleeps in for about two hours. She gets up between nine and ten. This Sunday, at seven AM, can you get up early with me and make sure she doesn’t look for her car keys until I’m done with them?”

Sunny raised his eyes in astonishment. “You plan on stealing her car keys?”

“Yeah. I’ll find a way to copy them.”

“That’s…oh, man. I didn’t expect you to take it that far, Basil.”

Basil just smiled. “I’m the one who comes up with the crazy plans, remember?”

“Marie. Remember when you said that you and Bethany used a trick with a string to break into your dad’s car?” Basil said.

“Yeah?”

“Teach me that trick.”

Marie’s sly smile indicated that she had an inkling of why Basil was asking her to teach him. And she was right.

“It doesn’t always work,” Marie warned. “You need at least a tiny gap between the window and the car’s frame to fit the string through first.”

“I’ll make sure I have one,” Basil said.

That’s going to be really tricky, though.

Well, I’ll tackle these problems in order. First, the string trick.

Over the next five hours, Marie taught Basil how to open her dad’s car with a string that fit through the gap between the window and the car frame. Basil practiced it, over and over again, until he was able to use the string to pull out the lock and open the car’s door consistently. Luckily for them, Marie’s dad was away visiting a friend that day—though he wouldn’t have minded them practicing this trick on his car anyway, according to Marie.

“Thanks, Marie,” Basil said. “You were really helpful.”

“No problem. Go take down that dirty, polluting company!” Marie said with a huge smile.

“Yeah…guess that was obvious, wasn’t it?”

“You can always count on me, Basil.”

I’m so glad we’re friends.

The next matter was searching the city for a locksmith. One that wouldn’t question a seventeen year old boy coming in with a car key and wanting to get it duplicated.

Basil searched for such a place all over the Internet. He’d fly over to a different city if he had to, perhaps telling Mrs. S that he was going to visit his parents. But fortunately, he was able to find one in this city after a couple days of asking around.

The locksmith was a service offered inside a rather shady looking grocery store. Basil decided to first visit the store a few times to turn himself into a regular customer. Each visit, he noticed how the cashiers would offer discounts for cash payments on certain items, probably as a means to avoid paying business taxes by not recording those purchases. So he wasn’t exactly surprised that the store also had a no-questions-asked key copying service.

On that early Sunday morning, after stealing Mrs. S’s key from her coat pocket while she was asleep, he hurried over to that store.

Basil walked through the front door and coolly asked the locksmith to duplicate the car key. He made sure to wave the money bills he held in his hand as he made his request.

The locksmith took his key without question and began working on it.

I really hope he doesn’t ask any further into my request.

Several minutes later, he returned with the duplicated key.

“Thanks,” Basil said, handing over the money.

“Drive safely,” he replied, almost giving Basil a double take. Instead of showing surprise, Basil acknowledged his understanding, and nodded with a smile.

Basil managed to be back home before 9 AM. He put the original key back into Mrs. S’s pocket and showed Sunny the duplicated car key.

“Wow,” Sunny said, gazing at the key in amazement. “I can’t believe you really duplicated it.”

“Ah—hah, it wasn’t so hard.”

“Don’t be humble. I’m really impressed.”

With a smile like a bright star, Sunny leaned in and kissed Basil on the lips.

A jolt of sweet feelings shot down Basil’s back. Too bad for Sunny, Basil was in busybody mode, refusing to let himself get too distracted. “There’s a couple more things we have to take care of.”

“What is it?” Sunny asked, quickly pulling back.

“The next step requires a bit of luck,” Basil said. “We have to make sure there’s a gap between one of the windows and the car frame in Mrs. S’s car. So I’m thinking, the day before she leaves for the airport, I’ll ask to use her car. I’ll leave one of the windows in the back rolled down slightly. Hopefully, when she parks her car at the airport, she won’t roll up that window.”

“Oh…that sounds tricky,” Sunny admitted. “Maybe there's something we could do to make sure the window stays down?”

“I’m trying to think of what,” Basil said.

Sunny rolled his left eye up in thought. “What if we stick a tiny object, like a pin, in between the window and car frame?”

“Good idea,” Basil said. “But she might notice the pin and remove it.”

“We could hide it. I don’t know if there’s a better way.”

I guess we can find a black or dark blue pin that’s easily camouflaged against the car’s colors and tuck it in between the car seat and the car window space.

It’s risky, but it may be our only shot.

Another thought crossed Basil’s mind. “You know…if she sees the pin and figures out that it was us, she’d get really mad.”

“But if we’re planning on stealing her car, we’re already doomed if we get caught anyway,” Sunny said, an unusual glimmer in his eye.

Basil smiled at that. “I like that thinking, Sunny. Didn’t know you had it in you to take risks.”

“I learned it from you,” Sunny flirted.

Basil rewarded Sunny by pulling him in and giving him a long, wet kiss.

“So how’d you do on the math test?”

“Better,” Sunny replied. He showed Basil his mark: seventy-eight percent.

“I’m so proud of you!” Basil said. “Keep this up and you’ll pass Algebra with an eighty by the end of the semester.”

“Your hopes for me are too high. I’m not worthy,” Sunny replied.

Basil gave Sunny a joking punch on the shoulder. “Just keep studying the way you did for this test and you’ll make it. Maybe your mom will be so impressed she’ll actually let us use her car.”