Seven, Again

Solomon

Thank you.

Choices, some too difficult to decide by one man.
Actions, some too heavy for one to carry out.
Consequences, some too harsh for one to continue.

Yet, some never experience this.
Some like him.

Sloth.

 Once, a promising student, now a festering husk. If only he had learned his true potential. I can give that to him. I can show him what he can be.
You will be so much more, Kentaro.

"So it's like that, huh? Jesus."
"Yeah, I even brought her to the garden earlier today. Then she ditches me on the street."

Kentaro and Charles squat in the alleyway behind the restaurant. Charles was still in his chef whites, while Kentaro was still wearing the basic pajamas T chose for him.
Charles held a cigarette between his fingers, which offput Kentaro.

"What? Is there sauce on my hand?" Charles questioned, checking his hand.
"You smoke?"

"What about it? You gonna whine about it?"
"Nah, just really.. gross."
"Fuck you, blow my load."

"Dude, fuck you. I don't even know why I'm hanging out with you." Kentaro sulked, while Charles turned to him.
"You only ever hang out with people that are bad for you, dude. I mean: Me, Everest, now T, which one of us are good?"
Kentaro's mind wandered, as Charles flicked his cigarette onto Ken's shoe. He stood up and walked back into the restaurant, still shouting commands as if he hadn't left Kentaro's side.
Then, amongst the chaos in that kitchen, Kentaro peeks through the small window of the kitchen door.
He sees his friend in the kitchen.
Someone who's lived up to the potential in his life.
Someone who was promising and sustained that promise to everyone that believed in him.

Instantly, the chefs closed the blinds on the window. In that reflection, Kentaro saw himself.
He saw someone who yearned to be better, yet never worked to be that way.
He saw someone who cursed at the world for his own shortcomings.
His pity, his guilt and shame took form in one word that slipped from his mouth, a single syllable that fell from the vocal cords in his throat.

"Fuck."

His chest began to burn and hurt, a pain never felt before. He fell to his knees and grasped his breast, even tearing up from a pain never felt before. His head began to twist and his brain rattled itself into believing he was dying to this pain never felt before. And yet, through that pain in his sides, he held his own hand and closed his eyes, imagining something besides this pain never felt before.

And it was over.
The pain subsided, and Kentaro picked up his head.
He peeked under his shirt and noticed something that piqued his interest. He spoke the first thought that reached his mind, a thought that rose with the confusion of all that had happened.
"Huh..?"

He saw a tattoo of what looked like a heart on his chest, on the wrong side of his body. The tattoo stayed on his right side, rather than his left.
I need sleep.

Kentaro decides to walk home that night, walking away from the kitchen and making it across the street from the restaurant.
Then he called a Taxi.

Upon arriving home, he notices the door was left unlocked.
Everest is nowhere to be seen, but maybe it's just because Kentaro barely searched.
Kentaro was exhausted, as he fell into bed and slept within seconds. He completely ignored the door.
And fell into a dream. But unlike his other dreams, this one was..
real.

You looked around, sitting up from the bed you felt was under you. Surrounded by a color you had never seen, you take a step off the bed.
The floor is unsteady, almost like a cushioned trampoline bouncing back at you.
The floor is wet, a liquid you can't make out. Your feet are cold.