Childhood Memories

Ever since they’d met one another, Azamaru and Karasu were practically inseparable, even if it was to be kept a closely guarded secret between the two.

Their lives couldn’t be any more different, something akin to a fairytale they both always seemed to hear from their mothers: opposites attract. Karasu was born into a wealthy and lavish family, not having to worry about anything besides his education and excellence in his fields to please his family. From his three siblings, he was the most reserved, finding really no time to his own devices and lacking in fulfilling any desires he’d ever had. Azamaru, on the other hand, stood on the complete other side of the spectrum as someone as simple as a servant’s son. His mother had gotten the job to secure financial security and a roof to survive under without hesitation, wanting nothing more than to just find sanction in an unjust world. Through it all, Azamaru always found a way to keep on smiling, alluring Karasu to him when they finally got around to secretly meeting for the first time.

It was as if something inside both of their heads clicked and shifted, finding comfort and peace in one another’s presence, even without saying a single word as they stared at each other for the first five minutes.

But that was a long time ago, both of them now hiding in their secret little space away from their families and in absolute solitude to talk amongst themselves. The topic of the day started with a simple question stemming from a weird curiosity that was blooming in the back of Azamaru’s mind.

“Hey, Karasu, do you ever have dreams? I suppose plans when you grow up, things you want to do?”

The young boy seems to only continue to stare up into the sky, the stars twinkling in the softly patterned cloudy sky as he gets caught up in thought. He can’t really find a proper answer to his question but dwindles it down to say just that, turning to face him as the simple “I don’t know” spills from his lips. The blank answer only seems to spur Azamaru’s need to speak about his own wishes and dreams, silently hoping that it could inspire his best friend to come up with a few things of his own. It was sad that he dedicated so much of himself to his parents, why couldn’t a kid give himself a semblance of happiness?

With sweet eagerness, Azamaru gave him a rundown of his own personal dreams with that same sweet smile he always had. He dreamed of traveling the world and seeing what it all had to offer, not focusing on the bad things that would hurdle his way but instead embracing all the good things that would inevitably make him happy. Karasu seemed genuinely intrigued by his wild stories, watching him with silent amazement and keen eyes when he invited him along.

“It wouldn’t be the same without my best friend, who’s been so kind to me even when he’s not supposed to be. What do you say?”

There’s another comfortable silence as he watches the other boy nod, smiles evident on both of their faces as a shooting star whizzes past in the evening sky, peace washing over them.

Who could’ve ever thought that their hopeful promised future would only end in despair, lives flipping upside down into only their worst fears as war consumed them, rendering once-prominent dreams simply empty, even leaving one of them forever blinded and both scarred for the rest of their years.

Maybe dreams were never meant to come true.