How to be Happy Segment #1

Chapter 9: Don't Do It

"I'm only here because Kokoru told me to. You're still a pain in the ass." Fruity said, walking away from the booth in front of us.

"The more the merrier! Let's go!" Tanoshi said, as I began walking. 

As I'm leading the two, they began making conversation behind me.

"Hey Mister, why is your name Fruity?" Tanoshi asked.

"Uh.. Actually I don't know. Why do you think?" Fruity said, crouching down to ask him.

"Hmm.. because you look like an orange!" He said, as Fruity gave out a smile. 
Maybe he's not all bad. 

We began walking to a game and Tanoshi picked one.

"THIS ONE!" He said as he stopped at a game and bought 3 turns. The game was a baseball pitch, and he had to pitch the baseball perfectly into the aligned box. 

Tanoshi picked up the ball and threw it at the hole.. as the hole moved to the left.

Another rigged game, as I look over to Fruity putting his hand inside the game to hold the hole still. Before he could, Tanoshi hit his hand with a perfect pitch, also hitting the ground.

Without a look in his eye he threw the last ball he had at the hole, missing AGAIN. He slammed the desk and tried climbing over, clearly upset. He began to pick up baseballs and kept throwing it at them, hitting the hole. 

"Hey. HEY. Tanoshi STOP." I said, pulling him off of the desk and onto the grass. 

"I CAN'T LOSE YUKI. I know you've been trying to kill yourself, I know you're being bullied in school, I was awake on the bus, Yuki! I'm not stupid, you are for trying to kill yourself! If I could just win you that hairpin you won't leave me! PLEASE LET ME WIN YUKI, I CAN'T LOSE YOU!" He said, crying into my stomach.

Fruity, walking over, takes Tanoshi and puts him on his shoulders. 

"You see all those people? Those parents, they were stupid when they were young, maybe around you're sister's age. They were all stupid, and they needed someone to stop them from being stupid. Now look at them, smiling and having fun with their children. If you don't want to lose your sister, don't try to make her happy, be there for her when she's being stupid. You're not her friend, Tanoshi. You're her brother." He said, as Tanoshi wiped the tears off of his face. 

Tanoshi nodded, and Fruity took him off of his shoulders. 

"See kid? Don't cry. You see any other kids crying like you are? You're not stupid, crying is for stupid people." Fruity said, as Tanoshi chuckled. Fruity took the hairpin from the store owner and put it on my head, with a smile on his face. 

We began moving toward the play place, as Tanoshi immediately ran in after seeing one of his classmates. This gave me time to talk to Fruity. 

"Hey, why are you being so helpful? You always bullied me a few years ago." 

"Well.. Kokoru's not the only one trying to apologize. I goofed up, and I'm trying to be better too. But Okawa REALLY wants to fight Kokoru, and he's actually going to eventually." Fruity said, watching Tanoshi with a close eye. 

"I forgive you, Fruity. You seem repentant and I think you're changing!" I said, smiling at him.

He began to blush, as he looked away from me.

"What's wr-"

"I'm loyal to Kokoru, DON'T TRY LEADING ME ASTRAY!" He said, hiding his face.

Aw, what a sweetheart. 

Tanoshi, after a while, exited the playground as we began to walk again. 

Tanoshi ran ahead, as Fruity got a bit closer to me. I looked at his face, still beet red. What's he do-

He wrapped his hand around mine, as I began to blush. Isn't he loyal to Kokoru? What's he doing?!

I lightly smacked his face, saying:

"You're loyal to Kokoru, don't let your emotions get the better of you!" 

He looked down and yanked his hand, hitting himself after.

..we both agreed to never speak of this to anyone every again.

As we got closer to the train station, I noticed Okawa walking by himself. What's he doing? I should go check up on him.

I asked Fruity:

"Can you take Tanoshi home? I need to check in on Okawa, he looks down." I asked.

Fruity nodded, as he took Tanoshi and carried him on his shoulder.

As I approached Okawa, he was shitfaced drunk.

Okawa?