Chapter 10: Survival
Translator: Soafp
After I have been thrown out by my father, I did not know what to do. My head was spinning with confusion, anger, and sadness all tangled together in a chaotic mess.
I wandered the streets aimlessly, the weight of my father’s rejection heavy on my shoulders.
I had nowhere to go, no one to turn to. The familiar landmarks of my hometown felt foreign and unwelcoming, as if I were a stranger in my own city.
The crumpled bills in my pocket were meant to buy new clothes for the date, a gesture of hope and anticipation for a night filled with laughter and affection. Now, they served as a stark reminder of shattered dreams and broken promises.
My phone lay dead in my pocket, its silent screen mocking my predicament. With no means of communication and limited funds to my name, I felt utterly lost and alone.
As I trudged along, the weight of my situation pressing down on me, I stumbled upon a secluded spot beneath a bridge near a tranquil river. It offered shelter from the elements, a temporary refuge from the harsh reality of my circumstances.
The cold concrete felt unforgiving against my tired body as I settled into the makeshift shelter. The distant hum of traffic above provided a strangely comforting background noise, a reminder that life continued on outside of my own tumultuous existence.
With no energy left to ponder my next move, I collapsed onto the cold ground, exhaustion weighing heavily on my weary limbs. My thoughts swirled in a chaotic whirlwind, each one more daunting than the last.
How had everything fallen apart so quickly? Just days ago, I had been filled with hope and excitement for the future. Now, I was alone and adrift, with no one to turn to and nowhere to go.
“I have no energy left to think about how to survive. I’ll figure it out tomorrow.”
Muttering to myself, the words lost in the darkness that enveloped me.
With that thought echoing in my mind, I drifted into an uneasy sleep, the uncertainty of tomorrow looming large over my restless dreams.
I had a dream where I found myself enveloped in a warm embrace, the familiar scent of my mother’s perfume washing over me like a comforting blanket.
For a brief moment, the weight of my hardships lifted, replaced by a sense of peace and security that I hadn’t felt in a long time.
My mother’s arms held me close, offering solace in the midst of my turmoil. In that fleeting moment, it was as if all the pain and uncertainty melted away, leaving only love and reassurance in its wake.
But as quickly as the dream had come, it began to fade, slipping through my fingers like sand.
I reached out desperately, clinging to the memory of her embrace, but it slipped further and further from my grasp until all that remained was the cold reality of my makeshift shelter beneath the bridge.
As the first light of dawn began to filter through the cracks in the bridge above, I stirred from my fitful sleep, the remnants of my dream still clinging to the edges of my consciousness.
Despite the comfort it had offered, the reality of my situation quickly came crashing back, casting a shadow over my thoughts.
With a weary sigh, I pushed myself up from the cold, hard ground, my stiff muscles protesting the movement.
The events of the previous day weighed heavily on my mind, the uncertainty of my future looming like a dark cloud on the horizon.
Gathering what little strength I had left, I rose to my feet and ventured out from beneath the bridge, the sound of the nearby river serving as a reminder of the harsh reality of my circumstances.
As I made my way along the riverbank I cupped my hands and scooped up the cool, refreshing water, splashing it onto my face in an effort to wash away the weariness that clung to me like a heavy cloak.
After having washed my face, my stomach was screaming for some food. It was a reminder of the basic needs that demanded my attention. With limited resources at my disposal and the knowledge that I couldn’t use my money recklessly, I knew I needed to find something to eat and drink without depleting my meager funds.
Scanning my surroundings, I searched for any signs of edible plants or discarded food items that might sustain me for the time being.
As I walked away from the bridge, my eyes fell upon a nearby convenience store.
With cautious steps, I approached the store, my heart pounding with a mixture of apprehension and desperation.
Peering through the window, I saw rows of packaged snacks and beverages neatly arranged on the shelves, tantalizingly out of reach.
I knew I couldn’t afford to buy anything, but perhaps there was a chance to find discarded food items outside the store or in nearby trash bins.
Swallowing my pride, I resigned myself to the task at hand, determined to satisfy my hunger by any means necessary while conserving my limited funds for emergencies.
As I rummaged through the trash bins behind the store, my fingers brushed against something cold and metallic. Pulling it out, I discovered a half-empty bottle of water, its contents still relatively untouched.
Relief washed over me as I unscrewed the cap and took a long, grateful gulp of the cool liquid. The water tasted slightly stale, but it quenched my thirst and provided a momentary reprieve from the discomfort of my empty stomach.
Next, I turned my attention to finding something to eat. Scouring the surrounding area, I spotted a discarded bento box lying abandoned on a nearby bench.
Though the contents appeared to have been picked over, there were still a few morsels of rice and vegetables left behind.
Without hesitation, I scooped up the remnants of the bento box and devoured them hungrily, savoring the meager sustenance they provided.
It wasn’t a lavish meal by any means, but it was enough to stave off the worst of my hunger for the time being.
After finishing the meager meal, a wave of depression washed over me, leaving me feeling more alone and helpless than ever before.
Realizing that I have to do this everyday in order to survive.
A week had passed since I found myself under the bridge, and it seemed that fate had decided to make it my home (for now).
Despite the discomfort and uncertainty that came with my new surroundings, I had managed to make the best of my situation.
During the week, I had devised a routine to sustain myself. Each day, I scoured the streets for discarded cans and bottles, gathering them up to be recycled for a meager sum of money.
It was a small but necessary source of income, one that allowed me to purchase cheap food from the nearby convenience store instead of rummaging through garbage bins for scraps.
With the few coins I earned from my scavenging efforts, I bought a washcloth to wipe the grime from my body and a cheap shirt from the thrift shop to replace the worn-out one I had been wearing for days.
Yet, despite these small comforts, my heart remained heavy with despair.
As I sat beneath the bridge, the chill of the night air seeping into my bones, I couldn’t shake the suffocating grip of depression that enveloped me.
Each breath felt like a struggle, each inhale laden with the weight of my despair, as if the very air around me conspired to suffocate any glimmer of hope within me.
“I hope one day that the truth will come out.”
I whispered into the stillness of the night, my words carrying on the breeze like a fervent prayer to an indifferent sky.
With a heavy sigh, I resigned myself to the harsh reality of my situation.
Alone and forsaken, I huddled beneath the bridge, seeking solace in the quiet embrace of the night, knowing that the dawn would bring with it another day of struggle and uncertainty.
Another week had slipped by, its passing marked by the monotony of survival in my new reality.
While life on the streets remained harsh and unforgiving, I had slowly grown accustomed to its challenges, finding a grim sense of comfort in the routine of scavenging for bottles and cans to eke out a meager existence.
As I made my way through the park, my eyes fell upon a familiar sight: a delicate flower swaying gently in the breeze. It was the same flower that had captured Hana’s attention on that fateful day when I had bared my heart to her.
Memories of our time together flooded my mind, a bittersweet reminder of the happiness we had shared before it all came crashing down.
But as quickly as the warmth of those memories enveloped me, the harsh reality of the betrayal and heartbreak washed over me like a cold wave, extinguishing any flicker of nostalgia.
With a heavy heart, I tore my gaze away from the flower and continued my search for recyclables, pushing aside the painful memories that threatened to consume me.
Despite the lingering ache in my chest, I knew that dwelling on the past would only serve to deepen my despair.
As I approached a nearby trash bin, my eyes scanning for any signs of discarded cans or bottles, I heard a voice calling out my name.
“Ryota…?”
Startled, I glanced around, trying to locate the source of the voice. It was faint, almost lost amidst the noise of the bustling city, but there was no mistaking it. Someone was calling for me.
“Ryota, is that you?”
I turned towards the direction of the voice, my heart pounding in my chest.
Witler
April 7, 2024 at 12:32 amPlease be Kenji
Declis
April 7, 2024 at 5:14 amI agree. I hope to God it’s Kenji, bro needs someone on his side.
That said, no police have been called on a teenager living on the streets? No social network? School doesn’t contact the family/authorities to discover what happened?
karnal0z
April 7, 2024 at 4:37 amOk. The MC have the worst of the worst father ever i’ve read here.
Witz
April 7, 2024 at 9:28 amRead the raws and I hope mc survives for Kenji he is the best guy in this story and doesn’t deserve this s**t anyway two more chaps before we get to regrets chap