Takehiro's mother had adopted a 12-year-old boy named Aki who had been kidnapped as a child and imprisoned alone for 7 years. She asks Takehiro to take care of Aki while he attends university. When Aki arrives at Takehiro's apartment, he stares unnervingly and refuses physical contact. However, Takehiro sees that Aki is also honest and understands sadness due to his difficult past. Takehiro decides he will protect Aki and consider him a younger brother.

1. A Nuisance at my Door
I never thought that when I woke up, I would find a nuisance at my door. He just
rung the bell so early in the morning and I thought it would be my girlfriend but instead it
was a boy. He just stood in front of my door with a luggage as he stared at me blankly with
those large brown eyes. Then the only thing he did was shove a letter at me as he continued
to stare at me blankly. This boy, who was to become my nuisance, came to my house at the
start of the year. But he is a boy who changed my life.
XX The Vast Sky XX
“Mom!” Maeda Takehiro screamed into the phone of his receiver as the boy who
suddenly came to his house in early morn studied him with his unnerving eyes. “Why is
there a brat at my apartment?” Takehiro asked as he returned the boy’s stare with a harsher
glare.
The boy unnerved him greatly.
“Oh, Hiro-chan! So he made it there safely hasn’t he? That’s great! Well you see I
have a favor to ask of you.”
“What are you thinking?! Who the hell is this brat anyways?”
“His name is Aki and we adopted him!” was Takehiro’s mother’s cheerful reply which
made Takehiro want to puke.
“What were you thinking!” he screamed into the receiver, “Why will you adopt a
child so easily! Why didn’t you even consult with me?!”
“Why Hiro-chan?” her mother started with a confused tone, “But you said that you
wanted to become independent from your own family as soon as you were to attend
university. So I thought you wouldn’t want father or me to simply consult you about these
things.”
Takehiro was deeply annoyed as he imagined his young looking mother have on that
childish pout whenever she couldn’t get what she wanted. With a sigh Takehiro hissed,
“Well who exactly is this brat?”
“Well, he’s a patient from your father’s hospital.”
“The mental hospital!” Takehiro shrieked as he cautiously examined the boy. “Are
you sure he’s not dangerous” he whispered to not have the boy overhear.
“Of course not! But he doesn’t know much about the outside world because he was
kidnapped and was trapped inside a room since he was five years old. Well right now he is
able to communicate with people more since he was in the mental hospital for two years.”

2. “That’s terrible but…what do you want me to do?”
“Oh yup!” she suddenly shouted which caused Takehiro to jump up in surprise, “I
know Hiro-chan is really busy with his studies but I want you to take care of him.”
“No fucking way.”
“Please Hiro-chan!” his mother begged over the receiver, “Aki-chan never went to
school before even though he is already twelve. Also this is good for your studies because
you are getting sociology major… I’m sure he will be interesting to study.”
“Mom, don’t treat people like objects. And sociology don’t literally study people.”
“Oh I’m sorry Hiro-chan but sociology does study humans to a certain extent don’t
they? Anyways I have another warning. Aki-chan seems to be afraid of women because his
kidnapper was a woman so don’t bring you girlfriends into your apartment okay?” his
mother said in a very cheerful voice that it made Takehiro feel more embarrassed than
necessary.
“Don’t freakin’ ruin my love life you old hag!”
“Old hag! Who are you calling old hag! I used to be a model and I am anti-aging!
Anyways, please take good care of him but I’m sure you will because you were a good onii-
chan for three younger siblings.”
“How are they? Are you taking good care of them even without me?”
Suddenly his mother’s voice took in a gentler tone as she replied, “they are doing
fine but they all miss you greatly.”
Takehiro’s eyes widened slightly at her response before he smiled, sadness tinting at
the corners of his mouth.
“I see…”
“Well take good care of Aki-chan!”
“Wait mom!” But it was too late as the line was bluntly cut off.
“Shit! That old hag!” Takehiro shouted in frustration as he slammed the receiver.
Then he turned to find that boy still staring at him with his unnerving large eyes. “So your
name is Aki right?”
The boy nodded as a reply, his eyes never leaving Takehiro’s.
“Umm, my name is Takehiro but everyone just calls me Hiro… Nice to meet you.”
Then Hiro reached his hand out towards the boy for a handshake but the boy only stared
blankly at the hand given to him.

3. “I-I’m sorry… I guess you don’t know what a handshake is. Wait, here I will show you.”
Then Takehiro reached out to take Aki’s hand but was slapped away. “Don’t touch
me!” Aki hissed as he openly glared at Takehiro.
“I-I’m sorry.”
Suddenly Aki gasped before he looked away as if he was embarrassed. Then he
muttered, “No, I’m sorry for suddenly bashing at you.”
Takehiro couldn’t help but be surprised at the boy’s words. He was rather cute
despite the unnerving stares.
“No, it was my fault for trying to touch you.”
Then Aki eyed Takehiro before he asked shyly, “Don’t you miss your family? Why
don’t you return to them?”
Takehiro who grew flustered by Aki’s sudden question mumbled, “Well I’m quite
busy with my studies and with my siblings always there, I can’t concentrate.”
“I see…”
Then Takehiro looked up and found Aki sitting down as he hugged his legs. Sadness
was evident on the boy’s features as he whispered, “But I will just honestly tell them that I
miss them because there are times when you can’t tell them that, no matter how much you
want to do that.”
Takehiro stared at the boy and wondered.
I see… Since he never was the part of society he can be so honest. A strange child but
an honest child. A child who I met for the first time yet a child you understands sadness.
I have to protect him.
“It’s true that I miss them and that I really want to see them but now I have
responsibilities.”
Aki looked up and stared into Takehiro’s eyes. Now to Takehiro, those unnerving
eyes were strangely beautiful.
Takehiro slowly placed his hand on Aki’s head and stated, “I have to take care of you
now.” Then he started to ruffle Aki’s hair as if he was some sort of puppy.
“So from now on you are living with me as Maeda Aki, as my younger brother.”
XX The Vast Sky XX