World War II
We called ourselves Nissei and Issei. Issei for just immigrants, like my parents, but Nissei for Japanese-American citizens, or us who were born here but are still in the Japanese bloodline. I was a Nissei, born in California. Everything seemed to be going perfect for me, I was a normal school boy, with normal school friends, and I was even lucky enough to have a girlfriend, but that’s when my own country randomly decided to bomb Pearl Harbor, or… that place in Hawaii or something.
I heard it from my parents, and all they were doing was bickering in their language. Since I never cared to learn, I never understood the slightest thing they’ve ever said. But I knew one thing, something was definitely out of control.
A few days after, my parents had calmed, but it was unfortunate that this very day was the day the 9066 was established. It ordered all Japanese to be sent into ‘Internment Camps,’ AKA they were putting a restraining order on us.
“Sora-kun, we’re being forced to leave our home.” My mother explained in, what she tried to make, a calm voice.
“Okaa-san,” It was Japanese for mother, something I’m used to calling her, “What happened, really?”
“They think we’re bad, because our country is doing this.” It was my older-twin brother, Roxas. I usually referred to him as ‘Onii-chan.’ “They’re sending us to these camps.” Roxas knew everything, unlike me, he actually took the time to learn Japanese.
“I’m home.” I heard my father say, interrupting my horrified thoughts, “They gave us these bags to put our stuff in, you can’t bring any more than 75 pounds.”
“Our we allowed to come back?” I asked loudly, turning to Roxas and my mother. They both looked down, hesitant to answer.
It already meant no.
Chapter One:: Moving out
My dad had sold the house and all of our property for some weird and stupidly small price. I protested at the purchasers, but all they did was call be a stupid Japanese monkey and pushed me away. Roxas wanted to beat them up for it, but refrained, in order to keep the Japanese’ names clear. None of this was our fault, after all.
My parents had advised me to bring clothes and blankets along with only a few things I treasure. For that, I brought a few books and albums, along with my CD player. Some stuff I’d never leave anywhere.
Before I left, I took advantage of the phone, calling a few friends, telling them what’s happened. I called my girlfriend too, Kairi.
She told me that she was being taken away too, and that this would mean we had to split up. Of course I cried for a few hours, being comforted by Roxas and all, but it really didn’t matter now.
What mattered now was how we were to be divided.
The busses picked us all up, and Roxas insisted on us holding hands. As gay as it was, I agreed. I was kind of scared, because, to tell you the truth, I never turned Roxas down when he asked me to hold his hands. I’ve done it since we were just four, and I still do it now.
But this time, holding his hand right then was more than just a favor for me, it was a blessing.
My parents had gone in first, getting lost to us in the crowd. Roxas, still holding onto my hand, tried to drag me towards them, but even he admitted, it was mission impossible. It was then tears had filled my eyes once again. The loud muttering of the crowd muffled my loud cries and yells. For the kind of guy I was, it would have to be the first time in years I had broke down crying like a baby, and who would blame Roxas for being worried for me.
Together, we huddled towards a wall as he sat next to me, talking words that only I heard into my ears, trying to comfort me. I knew, though, that he was at the brink of tears too. We both felt it, it was probably the very last time we’d ever see our parents. And then I found myself cursing my own country, cursing them for bombing Pearl Harbor, for making Americans blame all Japanese, but most of all for making all of these misfortunes happen.
I fell asleep from fatigue, even through the loud crowd, even through the crashing sounds of a turning bus, even through my brother’s words. I slept in his arm soundly, hoping that when I woke up that it would all just turn out to be some kind of a disastrous nightmare…
…but nightmares can change into dreams sometimes, right?
~
“Sora… Sora?” The sounds of the crowd had disappeared from my ears. All I heard was the rumbling of the bus engine. I woke up and stared up into Roxas’ ocean blue eyes.
“Roxas, what happened?”
“You seemed to have fainted…” He sighed as he helped me stand and handed me my bag. People were walking off the bus, but only the last group. Roxas must have spent a while trying to wake me, “let’s go.” Roxas murmured as he took my hand again and led me into the line.
We made it to the back of the line where there was a red haired man and a silver haired man. They were bickering about something as they walked.
“I think this is stupid.” The silver-haired one said, shrugging his hands into his pocket.
“Ha, I think it’s cool. Whatever house they’re going to make me live in will be a lot better than what I had before.” The red-haired one laughed full-heartedly, totally contradicting the depression that floated around the bus.
“I blame you for burning down your apartment and getting kicked out for good.”
“Whatever… oh look, if it isn’t blondie.” The red-haired man seemed to have caught a glance of my brother as he looked over the silver-haired man’s shoulders.
“Axel!” Roxas seethed.
“Oh and who’s this, your distant boyfriend?” I was surprised to see Roxas kick the red-haired man in the face right then.
“He’s my brother, you fool!” The silver haired one only watched the two jump at eachother on the bus floor.
“Guys, maybe you should take it outside.” He said calmly, picking up Axel’s bag.
I blinked, following suit and picking up Roxas’ bag.
“Yeah blondie, stop raping me before-hand.” Axel teased, laughing.
“Shut up you pyromaniac dunce!” I weakly pulled at my brother’s shirt, hoping to calm him with just that. Luckily it worked, and he stood, dusting his pants off. “Oh, and stay completely away from my brother.” He huffed those last words and dragged me off the bus.
“You know him?” I asked as we exited the bus doors.
“He’s a held back dunce, but he’s in my homeroom. I don’t know why he just picks on me all the time, he’s like an overly annoying stalker.” I giggled to myself as he bickered.
“Onii-chan has a stalker?” He seemed to have blushed before snapping back at me.
“SHUT UP. IT’S REALLY, REALLY ANNOYING HAVING HIM AROUND.” I couldn’t hold my laugh in for long.
He sighed and calmed his red face. We were approaching another line, where people were being assigned cottages. My frown suddenly returned.
“Where’s mom, where’s dad?” I heaved, trying to hold in my cry.
“…” He turned to me with worried blue eyes. He didn’t know, I didn’t know.
A tear slipped by me then, and I felt like I was to die right then and there. I had completely forgotten our situation- here, alone.
The man made his way to us, “You two will be roommates at 2921.”
Roxas let out a sigh of relief, and I felt it too.
Even though our parents aren’t here, we still have each other, and that’s how we’ll deal with living for the while we’re stuck here.
As I turned around, I noticed the two men we met in the bus rushing down. The soldier who gave us our room number walked up to them. “You two are in room 2922.”
“Hey look, Riku-chan, we’re in the same room~” The red-haired one joked, glomping onto Riku- or as he called him.
“That’s not a good thing, Axel.” Riku sighed.
“Oh don’t worry, I’ll hold back on you, promise, no love-love at night.” Axel laughed evilly while Riku backed away. They were creating a scene.
What was really surprising though, was that as much as Axel teased him, Riku didn’t look the least bit embarrassed. At the same time, I see why Roxas is so angered by the man.
Roxas sighed and turned away, but he didn’t sound annoyed, for some reason, I sensed more jealousy than annoyance, but what was Roxas jealous of?
“They’ll be in the room next to us.” I blinked and nodded as Roxas led me towards our room.
“Hey Roxas, do you know the silver haired boy too?”
“And you don’t?” Roxas snapped at me, but in the kidding way. “He’s the hot-shot of the school, all the girls swarm around him like bees to honey!”
Well… I did notice that he was really hot. Perfect, long silver hair, glistening green eyes with perfect, soft, light skin; He looked like a movie star straight from a movie case. I stared back in awe at him as Roxas dragged me along. I wondered if I can become friends with him, he seemed pretty cool. And in order to live next to these two, it only seemed natural to be accustomed to them, as much as Roxas was annoyed with Axel.
It was the way we’d be forced to live for a while.
There was still a chance to change this nightmare into a dream, right?
End of Chapter 1~
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