Dear mom,
I write this letter to inform you how my college days are going. Campus life has been really good... not to mention my coursemates are very nice to me.
"Haru, you idiot! How many times do I gotta tell you not to stand next to me?" A spiky redhead lashed out.
"I'm... I'm sorry! Please forgive me!" Haru bowed, apologizing repeatedly.
I've been studying hard like I promised you I would, and because of that, I'm getting some of the best grades in my course.
"You failed all your course subjects, getting a cumulation won't even be necessary 'cause all your grades are below 30... like how?" His lecturer lashed out, her expression a mix of worry and annoyance.
"I'm sorry, ma'am. I don't know what happened... I spent all night studying and... and... I just don't know how, but it just leaped out of my head once the exams started." He replied, scratching his head as he averted her piercing gaze.
"It's not just written tests, projects, presentations, literally just attending classes. You haven't done anything to boost your points in every subject." She scowled, clenching her table tightly, nearly breaking it in the process.
"I'll ask again, Haru... like how?" Her voice turned calmly yet menacing.
"I'm not a fan of leaving my house. I have social anxiety," He replied.
"You're kidding me!" She exclaimed.
Thanks to that, I think the university has started to recognize and acknowledge me as someone special, that's why the college director requested a personal audience with me. Can you believe it!
"Mr. Hanaka... I'm sorry, but you can't continue attending this institution," The Director spoke in a calm, coordinated voice.
"I... I don't understand what you mean by that, sir. Can you please be more..."
"We've assessed your potential based on your results and decided you're not worth the facilities being spent on you. If anything, the board is more baffled about how you got a scholarship, thus, till the investigation we carried out is concluded, you're not allowed to leave campus nor attend classes."
"I understand, sir," He bowed, the Director's words weighing heavily on his head.
Now, I also have a job that pays quite well. I know I'm on a scholarship at one of the most prestigious universities in the country, and all, but I still feel like I should try to test my capabilities by working.
"Welcome to the Juicy Junction, may I take your order?" Haru asked with a drowsy tone.
"Yeah, I'd like 2 pineapple smoothies and an oily combo surprise, with 2 beef buns and pop sticks on the side," Replied an obese customer.
Reaching out to the fry cook behind the slide glass, Haru brought out a platter, "Here's your order, sir. Please come again."
Not to mention, I'm quite popular...
"Alright, everyone, the lecturer asked me to take attendance."
"Hakina Mayumi!"
"Present!"
"Nyato Hyase!"
"Present."
"I guess that's everyone. Though it still feels like I'm missing someone."
"What about Haru? The guy who failed all the courses last semester."
"Uhmmm... who's that? I've never heard of him."
"Are you for real? You guys are literally in the same department!"
"I think I'd know if someone like that exists, which in this case, they don't."
"Well, I guess that means we're all accounted for. Everyone's in class."
In conclusion, I'm having a swell time here, and everything's going just great. I still can't believe you were worried about me, mom. I'll come to see you soon, I promise!
Finally, the sounds of the pen scribbling on the paper ceased in the room.
Haru's head leaned closer to the table, as if about to fall off his shoulders. Though it wasn't his fault, he'd just gone through overtime after working a 12-hour shift.
His life on campus was pure hell, the uno reverse of all the sweet lies written in the letter to his sick mother. He barely kept up with his academics and lived in a small box-sized rented apartment within the campus.
His scholarship was being investigated under suspicion of being falsified, the main reason being his heavy drop in scores compared to his scholarship tests at just the first session of the first year.
In other words, all accommodations became null and void, leaving him fending for himself on the campus where only the prestigious, high-class, and important people of society schooled.
The average meal per day could cost about 20 - 30k yen, and that's just on a budget.
His job at Juicy Junction wasn't helping the situation either, constantly being overworked by his boss for a minuscule salary of 5 - 10k yen per week, depending on sales.
Haru couldn't afford the tasty, luxurious meals cooked by high-class chefs served at the college, leaving him with the only option of eating cheap stall foods and occasionally leftovers from work.
Haru still had to pay rent, electricity bills, water, etc., but his weekly wages wouldn't cut it, not like he was offered other options since he neither had a credible certificate nor any skills or talents to make more money.
The six months away from home felt like life was squeezing away every drop of hope his body could produce.
And to make things worse...
RING! RING! RING!
"Hello, who's speaking?" Haru asked.
"Hello, is this Mr. Haru speaking?" The mysterious voice asked.
"Yes, to whom am I speaking?"
"My name is Linda Rorane. I work as a receptionist at Crols City Hospital," They uttered. "I'm just calling to inform you that your mother was brought into the hospital for collapsing on the street. She's undergoing treatment as we speak, but the money for the treatment needs to be settled."
Overcome by a wave of shock, Haru stood frozen in place as the phone slipped from his palm, sweat ran down his face like an open tap, with his thoughts so loud in his head they covered his very heartbeats.
BANG!
The loud sound of the phone crashing on the tiled ground snapped him from his daze, gathering his wandering thoughts.
He didn't have any money he could spend on her treatment; his earnings hardly catered for himself, but... it was his mom, the reason why he came this far. Abandoning her would be a punishment worse than death.
Without a second thought, he obtained money from a loan shark to settle her bills, though his mother's health was taken care of, the thunderous cloud of debt still loomed over his head.
All of which happened a month ago, and the deadline for the loan's repayment was nearly due.
"Just how long am I going to keep telling her such lies..." Haru muttered, gazing at the ceiling with an intense focus.
He sat on his wooden chair, wondering, thinking, imagining.
He only had 3 days till the loan was due, the landlord sent evacuation threats if he didn't pay his rent in 3 days, so did the electricity company, almost as though his life would come to an end in those 3 days.
Out of nowhere, the loud roars of his empty stomach paused his mind's function, with the only thoughts his brain played being the need for food.
Unfortunately, he didn't have any money or food with him at that moment. He could have just waited for the next day, offering him a chance to nibble from the ingredients like always...
GRWWWWWLLL!
But his stomach yelled otherwise.
In the attempt of clearing his head, Haru left his flat, strolling through the campus for a bit. The stroll was a bit effective since his hunger slowly died down, not to mention the cold night's breeze which gently brushed his face.
"Small moments like these are worth..."
Honk! Honk!
Suddenly, the horning of a truck broke through the moment's tranquility, immediately alerting his senses.
By the time he turned his head, a white truck was mere inches away from his body. He didn't notice due to how long he was carried away, but where he stood...
Honk! Honk!
Was the main road!
"Shoot!" His thoughts exclaimed.
By pure instinct, he leaped, stepping on its windshield like stairs before propelling himself above the truck. As Haru's body swung through the air, his eyes captured the truck's movement clearly, as if it passed in slow motion.
When everything began to speed up, Haru shielded his head as his body's weight dragged him back to the rock-hard floor, sending him tumbling a few meters away.
Gravity still in full effect, as always.
He felt a strong aching sensation in his ankles and wrists, swollen fingers, and a bruised forehead were the only visible injuries he suffered, fortunately, at least.
Haru turned his head towards the truck's direction in one swift motion, and to his surprise, it didn't stop, nor did anyone check to see what happened. It simply kept driving till it vanished in the distance, as if everything was orchestrated.
Haru felt a sense of ease that he made it out alive and safely... ish.
"I think that guy was trying to kill me," Haru muttered, trying to regain his footing. "Could it be those loan shark people? But it's not the due day yet... unless they know I can't pay the money."
He staggered, trying hard to keep his consciousness, "I need to find help. What if it comes back?"
As he took another step, he felt his body gain an uncontrollable amount of lightness till it crashed to the ground, his stomach continuing to growl loudly... far too loudly, it wasn't growling because of hunger... something was wrong.
Haru squeezed his stomach tightly as he lay on the cold floor, till finally, the feeling of his arm went numb, yet the ripping pain remained, only growing worse by the passing second, till at long last...
It stopped.
And along with it.
"Haaaa... aaah"
Haru let out his last sigh before his awareness faded into the nothingness.
His body was found the next day by road sweepers doing their job.
And that was how the boy known as Haru Hanaka was found and reported deceased.