Go

by Kazuki Kaneshiro

“Take a good look at the wide world,” he said. “You decide the rest.”

Like Malcolm X said, “I don’t call it violence when it’s self-defense. I call it intelligence.”

I hated violence as much as Malcolm did. But sometimes you don’t have a choice. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, do you turn the other cheek? Hell no. Some jerks will bypass the cheek and hit you where it hurts. Even when you’ve done nothing to deserve it.

“A lone person devoted to reading novels has the power equal to a hundred people gathered at a meeting.” Then he’d continue, saying, “The world would be a better place with more people like that,” and smile good-naturedly. And then it felt like maybe he was right.

“But you should live a random life. I mean, your life has already veered off the rails. I wish you’d keep on veering and see where it takes you. You’re someone who could pull that off.

“It’s too bad we weren’t friends back then. I would’ve beat down every one of them.” Jeong-il narrowed his eyes at me as if he were looking at something bright and said, “You know what? You did.” We looked at each other and let out a sheepish laugh. “It’s for kids like me that we need organized religion,” Jeong-il continued matter-of-factly. “I’m going to study hard at a Japanese university and come back with the proper knowledge the kids coming up after us will need to break out into the wider world. I want to give them the courage that you guys gave me. I’m going to tell them about you, too. About the ridiculously tough-as-nails senpai that went to their school. You better not disappoint them.”

Knowledge is power, as they say.

The voices of minority people had no way of reaching the top, so they had to find some way of making their voices louder.

‘Any man in his youth should apply himself to amusement to his heart’s content. Too long a time in a forest of words will leave him trapped and unable to escape.’”

“I wonder if heaven really is a good place . . .”

“Would you like me to be with you tonight?” “Huh?” “I can stay with you until you go to sleep and wake up.” “Are you sure?” “Please don’t make me say it again.”

I’m me! Wait, I don’t even want to be me anymore. I want to be free from having to be me. I’ll go anywhere to find whatever thing will let me forget who I am. And if that thing isn’t here, I’ll get out of this country, which is what you wanted anyway.

Sakurai’s voice came from above. “I don’t care what you are, Sugihara. As long as you jump for me and look at me with those eyes once in a while, I don’t care if you don’t speak Japanese. There isn’t anyone, anywhere, who can jump and look at me like you do.”