DERIN-CHAPTER I
Copyright © [gurenomuto], edited by me.
GOING TO THE BATHROOM WITH CRUTCHES
He had been waiting for the restroom to be free for ten minutes. No, there was no one else in the school who used crutches or had any disabilities. So why was the restroom meant for him occupied? Especially when the other seven stalls were empty! He knocked on the door again.
"Class is about to start. Are you coming out or not?"
At that moment, the door opened.
"Sorry, sorry. You can use it now."
He recognized the person leaving. Even though they weren’t in the same class, this guy hung out with some people from his class, occasionally played with his crutches, and always left them in hard-to-reach places when he was done. It wouldn’t be hard to retrieve them for someone else, but the problem was his legs, which lacked sensation. He was in much better condition than two years ago, but he still struggled with bladder control and couldn’t put weight on his legs for more than a few seconds. The doctor had said he would recover over time. In about a year and a half to two years, he would be able to use his legs fully again. Even now, holding in his urine for ten minutes had felt unbearable. He entered the restroom and closed the door.
This time, he wanted to try sitting down without using the grab bars on the side of the toilet. He turned his back to the toilet, unzipped his pants, and let go of his crutches for a moment. He had imagined lowering himself gently onto the seat, but instead, he fell onto it so hard that he let out a small scream. The pain caused him to lose control, and he couldn’t hold it in any longer. Thankfully, his pants weren’t in the way; otherwise, it would have splashed everywhere. A sense of relief washed over him.
When he finished, he looked around. Both of his crutches had fallen.
"Damn it…" he thought. He reached down, grabbed one, then the other, and propped them against the toilet. "Now for the hardest part…" he murmured. He flushed and reached for the grab bar to pull up his clothes. He usually used one hand to lift himself slightly and the other to adjust his underwear and pants. But this time, things didn’t go as planned.
Just as he put his weight on the grab bar, it snapped off, and he lost his balance, crashing onto the floor.
"Ah!"
The floor was wet. It was filthy. And he had landed on his shoulder. How could this happen? These bars were supposed to be sturdy—he had used them just this morning… Then, suddenly, someone knocked on the door.
"Are you okay? I thought I heard a fall…"
He recognized the voice. It was that same guy. So he hadn’t left yet.
"Do you need help?"
Help? The last thing he wanted was for someone to see him like this. He looked around. His crutches were on the other side of the toilet. But the door… the door was within reach. He had no choice. Desperate times called for desperate measures. He reached out and unlocked it.
"Just help me up—"
He couldn't finish his sentence. The guy standing in front of him was holding up his phone, snapping pictures.
"What the hell are you doing?!"
A wave of shame surged through his body, his face turning crimson. He lunged to grab the phone.
"Give me that!"
"Shh! Relax! We’re just having a little fun, that’s all."
Grinning wickedly, he continued taking pictures. He struggled harder to grab the phone, but it was useless. In frustration, he clenched his fists and pounded the floor, unable to stop the tears streaming down his face.
"You’re so naive, man! You didn’t even notice the screwdriver in my hand! Ahahaha!"
Unbelievable. He had loosened the screws on the grab bar on purpose. Just to put him in this position and take pictures…
"Wh-why?"
The words barely left his mouth.
"Why?!"
This time, he shouted.
"Man, you cry too much! What are you, a little kid?"
He rested his head on his clenched fist. He had no energy left.
"You bastard…"
At that moment, a sharp kick landed under his arm.
"Ah!"
The guy grabbed him by the hair, forcing him to look into his eyes.
"Listen to me, watch your mouth. Or else, I'll make you regret it."
Just then, someone rushed into the restroom, shouting his name. That voice… It was so familiar. Just like… Just like when he was a kid…
The newcomer grabbed the other guy by the collar.
What the fuck do you think you're doing, you sick bastard?! You absolute piece of shit!”
He threw a punch.
"Ah!"
Then another. Then he grabbed the guy by the collar and shoved him out of the restroom, swearing all the while.
"Get the hell out of here! Before I lose control and beat you to death! Get lost!"
His voice was slightly hoarse, but his hair and face were the same. They had seen each other in passing at school, but this was the first time he had seen him up close in two years. He reached up, touching his own face, running his fingers through his hair.
"Are you okay? What did he do to you? Did he hit you? Damn it… Let's get your pants on first. I swear, if I ever see that bastard again, I’ll kill him! Disgusting parasite!"
He held onto him and stood up. Then, they started heading toward the infirmary. It would take some time for him to recover from the shock.
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