Before we start: This novel is following the American culture and traditions though the name of the characters used are Japanese
A hot summer day was slowly coming to an end with the clock striking three and the sound of school bell all over the hall.The students were heading out towards the exit,some of them looked like a bush waiting to be exempted by the forest owners while some were the captains of squad leading their rest of crew to an ice cream expedition.
One captain of such a squad surely believed the school was a battlefield and after being thrilled with today's victory she was marching with rest of her squad while singing the anthem loud enough for everyone at the exit to hear:
"Turkey Hill or Halo Top or Blue bell may be nice but Breyers Ben and Jerry's surely break the ice"
Though she seemed very happy the same could not have been said for her squad who felt like antelopes surrounded by the lions.
While everyone at the school was heading to their own selected expeditions,Mr.Wooler sighs as he opens the door of Grade 10.
Mr.Wooler,a tall giant man and a maths genius who teaches Grade 10, Grade 11 and Grade 12 solely,even on the days he is sick he would organise an online class but never in his four years of teaching in the Ashcroft academy he has let a single class slip due to his absence. One day while being interviewed by a famous magazine of the country he came across a question that he already expected he would have to answer one day:
"Mr.Wooler despite being a genius why did you decided in teaching a small academy and avoided the well named institutions of the country?"
He smirked as he heard the question and his reply was what gave him the title of "Devil of the Ashcroft academy" He replied:
"Because it's really fun to see the expressions of the students when they know they won't get a day off and that kind of expression you won't get in a well named institution,Now that you have asked this question I probably think of taking weekly tests and I won't leave the academy till the day I can't speak,He said the last statement with a grin on his face"
Next day several students were on a leave,They probably felt sick after hearing the interview or that's what was rumoured all around the school.
But even a devil like Mr.Wooler had gave up on this boy who always draw pictures of Gods in his art book only when school has came to an end and his three friends have left the scene. On first glimpse,this boy,
Kyzo Ahane, aged 16 studying in grade 10 would look like just a timid boy having short yellow hairs,a height of 5 feet 6,a face of a cub with an average weight seeming like he is completely unaware of anything the world has to offer but on contrary he was a cub of
tiger with a very unique desire of meeting god. Now why did I called him a cub of tiger will be justified as I go on sharing the incidents that took place. On the very first day of his school in Ashcroft academy after being transferred due to some family issues in Grade 8 and till now he only had three friends though when he first entered no one was willing to be his friend but our little cub was not going to sit idle,first on his list was a girl named Ryuki Ito who rushed to the cafeteria with dreams of hot grilled sandwich as the bell for the break echoed around but she was befuddled when the steward of the cafeteria was ready with the food but Ryuki didn't have the money to pay as the money she put in her pouch was mysteriously vanished.
"How could it be? I am sure I kept it here"
"What should I do now?..I will surely be a matter of laugh for next few days" She thought
At the very moment Kyzo comes up and pays on her behalf her own money that he had stolen back before the break bell,he grabs the hand of Ryuki along with the hot grilled sandwich and takes her out of queue
"Thank you,Thank you so much,You saved me" She said and kept going with tears in her eyes
"But it was your own money" he replied
Huh? She said while analysing the situation
And after that all that was visible was a rare situation
"A lion hunting the cub of tiger"
Later Kyzo apologized to Ryuki and treated her more grilled sandwiches and that's how they both became friends
Second on his list was Haruto Yozi, well known as the Prodigy of the Ashcroft academy due to his marvelous achievements in figure skating,his performance is rumoured to bring tears in eyes of anyone witnessing the live show.
Kyzo is also a huge fan of ice skating and he learned the basics in the most early stages of his life but he gave up when his desire of meeting the god went to a peak and so his only concentration was on meditating and doing different things that is believed to please the god, knowing someone in his own grade involved in the same he just could not stop thinking about learning on how to perform a triple salchow a dream of his past,so he walked out to Haruto
"Can you please teach me on how to perform a triple salchow" he said
Haruto ignored and kept on skating
"I know all the basics" he said again
Haruto did not pay any attention to him but after Kyzo repeating the same request for about near a month Haruto replied:
"Show me how well you can skate"
After being satisfied with the basics of Kyzo
"If you break your ankle or smash your head it won't be my responsibility" Haruto said
"When we try a thing it has to be all or none" Kyzo replied
Impressed by his answer Haruto started to coach Kyzo on how to perform a triple salchow after three weeks of practice Kyzo was able to perform one,before quitting ice skating, Kyzo was only able to perform a double and dreamed of doing a triple and watching that dream come true years later his eyes were filled with tears of joy and as time kept moving Haruto and Kyzo became good friends though Haruto never talked much.
Coming to the third,I won't say the third was on his list, either I would say she entered herself in the list of Kyzo. Yuzuki Yu the incharge of the arts and craft club and the only member in it , it's rare to see a arts club to be empty as there are plenty of lovers who admire and craft their messages through art but all those lovers have given up on it because of the head running the school, Hideya Toshi , a fat individual in his fifty's with no more hairs remaining on his head and a horseshoe moustache has a keen interest in arts and so in a assembly he decided that whoever is in arts and craft have to remain a extra hour in the academy to polish their respective skills and the next thing all knew was students withdrawing from the club and resignation of the teacher leaving Yuzuki Yu the incharge of the club who did not withdraw as due to her passion and pledged to herself to make the things working again but even after trying hard no one ever agreed to join her probably her last ray of hope was Kyzo itself
"He is in good terms with the Prodigy of the Ashcroft academy if I drag him and he drags the Prodigy the club will be back to how it used to be" she thought and laughed believing how smart she is but she was unaware she was inviting a growing tiger.
Next day Yuzuki Yu dragged and forced Kyzo to register in the club, Kyzo filled up the registration form while giving her the look as he wanted to say "There was no need to force you should just have asked me out". After filling the form he went to the club room saying he had to practice the basics while Yuzuki happily headed back to the classroom for her next lesson. After a hour she was summoned by the head
"I know I have impressed the head,I wonder what reward will he give me praise is enough for the start" she thought as she laughs yet once again
The next thing everyone knew was the voice of the head as he shouted on Yuzuki because Kyzo had drawn seven paintings of the head on walls of the clubroom with each of it depicting a different funny gesture, When Haruto heard about it he was also not able to control his laugh and it was probably the first time the school saw Haruto laugh so freely , Later out of sympathy both Kyzo and Haruto joined the arts club and helped Yuzuki to run out the things and that's how they became friends, Later Kyzo introduced Ryuki and all the four started to hang out together on several occasions.
In the present, Mr.Wooler walks to Kyzo
"You drawing the pictures of god again,As long as I remember you are doing the same thing from quite a long time" He said
"I believe he will come soon to see me" Kyzo replied
"And why do you think so" Mr.Wooler asked
"I have been meditating for one and a half years, I have never questioned god no matter what, I had always donated money and food every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and also now I feel god is coming in my dreams and I feel like he is telling me he will come soon to visit me" Kyzo replied
"Maybe it's easier to see a devil" Mr.Wooler said sarcastically pointing out himself as he laughs
"I have already seen a devil and talked to one ,it's not a big deal" Kyzo replied
"Like you can fool me kid" Mr.Wooler said with a smirk
"I can show you right now if u are not scared to watch one" Kyzo replied
A moment of silence occured as the drawing of god that Kyzo was drawing now appeared to be of a devil
With a dry throat Mr.Wooler replies
"Ok show me"
Kyzo keeps on drawing the devil
"Do you heard me Kyzo show me the devil or are you speechless and thinking how to run as you never expected I would believe in your talks" he said again
Kyzo stops drawing and snaps his finger as soon he snaps them the windows of the
Class shattered
"Devil is with all of us some accept him and some not" he said
Mr.Wooler was standing astonished as Kyzo packs his bag to head out of the classroom but as soon as he was moving out Mr.Wooler pulled his ears from the back and said
"Do you think you are a better actor then me that I won't recognise your three friends who just broked the glass of the classroom windows from the outside"
"S..sorry....sir....I..I..." Kyzo ran with a dry throat standing astonished while he says to himself "he is a true devil"
"Be ready with a fine and three days suspension for you and your friends who just ran away" Mr.Wooler said as he walks outside of classroom
After apologising to his friends Kyzo walked home to her sister waiting for him.
Yuma Ahane, aged 12, a thin girl with black curly hairs and smile so warm just like a sun rising at the dawn of the day. Everyday before Kyzo arrival at home she would hide at a certain spot and when Kyzo would open the door she would say:
" Brother If u don't find me within two minutes,You have to cook a pizza for me"
And every time Kyzo had this reply:
"If u don't tell me where u are within two minutes,I would eat this mystery box I bought from McKee Foods"
Hearing this Yuma unable to control her inner food monsters,giving up on her resolve to win atleast one time against her brother would run to him and grab the mystery box to solve the mystery and to feed her inner food monsters.
Helping Yuma with homework,Carrying her on his back, Watching her favourite tv show to give her a company, cooking and feeding her as well as reciting bedtime stories was a daily routine for Kyzo,After Yuma falling asleep Kyzo would focus on a thirty minute meditation and in the end before getting up he would say:
"Thank you God for gifting me the greatest blessing of yours in form of Yuma"
Coming back to present,As soon as Kyzo opens the door he heard Yuma's voice:
" Brother If u don't find me within two minutes,You have to cook a pizza for me"
"Seems like I need to cook a pizza as I forgot the mystery box" Kyzo replied
Coming out of the hideout Yuma stood in front of Kyzo
"Ok go cook a pizza for me" She said
"Oh I just remembered we don't have enough stuff for making a pizza right now" He replied
Hearing this Yuma bright face turned to a dull one with her eyes looking downwards and Kyzo was able to recognise she will start crying soon
"But anyways we are going out today for the dinner but I don't take crybabies with me" he said
Yuma dull face suddenly turned to a glaring summer sun as she clinged to Kyzo shoulders with a happy smile on her face
"Why are we going out do you got good marks" she asked
"No I got a three day suspension" he said with a grin on his face
After locking the doors both Kyzo and Yuma headed out to the nearest restaurant
"I will empty your wallet today" she said
"I don't care about my wallet if it's you" he replied
Smiling broadly she started running in excitement
"Slow down Yuma" he said while yawning
"Let's race" she replied
Yuma kept running while Kyzo was happily watching her with a smile and in a glimpse of eye when Yuma reached the middle of a three way junction Kyzo saw a car approaching the same way,Kyzo with his eyes wide open shouts her name loudly and as soon as he take the first step for running towards Yuma all he saw was a huge blast.
Kyzo stood there with frozen legs and his eyes not believing what they saw,Meanwhile residents living near the area gathered around while maintaining a distance from the blasted area.
YUMMAAAAA!!! YUMAAAAAAAA!! Kyzo screams as he run forward with tears falling down his cheeks he runs and bumps into five other people and when he is about to reach at the blasted area he is held back by officials patrolling near the area
LET ME GOOO!! LET ME GOOO!! He kept screaming and crying
Biting the hand of officials holding him back he takes few steps forward towards the blasted car but he is caught by the flames and the next time he open his eyes he finds himself in a hospital bed.
After a few minutes loud crying was heard from room number ninety nine as officials confirmed the "demise of Yuma Ahane"
The God in which Kyzo had always believed in,The faith that was unshakable was shattered down as Kyzo screams while crying
"God is nothing more then a lie"
Additional information
Explanation for the title: "Green or Red?" colours depicting the same meaning as in a traffic light basically meaning "A Stop or a start"?
