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The calming drum of rain drifted in through the windows. It brought back memories of a night just like this one, many years ago. Images of translucent white curtains, swaying with the wind, obscuring the shadowy figure of a beautiful girl who was also a wolf. Somehow he'd known, even before she shared her secret with him in that abandoned classroom, and to that day he'd never told a soul. Sohei Fuji hadn't thought about that night in a while, but he could still remember every detail vividly. It had been like a dream, and just like all dreams... It ended. Souhei's mother had a new husband and a new baby on the way so the family was going to move to the city to be closer to his stepfather's job. He had wanted to run away, drop out of school and get a part time job. It was Yuki who'd convinced him not to, she was going away to live at the dorms for Middle School anyway. As much as it hurt to admit, she was right. That didn't make goodbye any easier.
Sohei moved away from his family in High School and worked a part time job to be able to afford his own little apartment. He never had much, but he worked hard so that it was always just enough between food and his bills. So many times he wanted to write to Yuki, but even when he finished the letters he had no idea where to send them until he eventually gave up. It wasn't long before Sohei became a metaphorical lone wolf, just as he'd predicted back in that empty classroom. Sohei had become resigned to being alone, but he never became bitter. When things got hard he would always just smile. Even if smiling was all he could do, at least it was something.
Sohei sat up on his mattress and stared out the window, wondering when his apartment would begin to feel like a home- not just the place he slept and kept his meager possessions. He hadn't felt like he belonged anywhere in years. The rain continued to fall washing the world clean, indifferent to it's people and their struggles. After a storm like this the world would feel clean and refreshed, like a brand new start.
The next day started just as every other day did. Out of high school now, Sohei kept busy working but that day he only worked one of his two jobs, so he had the afternoon to himself. Tokyo was so different from the countryside where he had once lived, everyone was always milling about, rushing full-tilt into their graves. Sohei didn't feel like one of them. As they hurried past him, he didn't feel like he belonged anywhere. Without realizing it, Sohei had come upon one of the local universities. He'd never considered going to college before, having only average grades throughout high school. He could see the appeal though, an education, a career, a future... Without thinking, Sohei walked through the gates and onto campus, aimlessly wandering. He vaguely wondered if he'd get into trouble like that but brushed it aside as he entered one of the lecture halls of a class that was just starting. To this day, he could never tell you why he did it. Maybe it was for just one glimpse of the future he'd denied himself but as he sat there in his worn t-shirt you can be sure that he didn't expect it to be the beginning of an incredible story.
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