Chapter Text
"I don't know" I answer, pondering the question that was brought to my attention. A girl, whose name is Chloe, sighed, after hearing the underwhelming response. She fidgets around on her bed, not knowing how to continue the conversation.
We both are going to be students at the Galarian Institute at Hammerlocke. After realizing that we both wanted to become professors, we applied here since this was the region's best university. The only problem was the tuition, which thankfully was minimized due to her father's involvement within the science community.
"Well, we need to figure out our living situation eventually. You should've known this by now" she says, following a tired sigh from me.
We were... having issues with various things, ranging from our finances to personal problems, mostly affecting me. For one, I am a closeted gay man, but not by choice. There are laws across all other regions that allow for homosexuals, sans women, to be abused to the point of death. It is a cruel world for men like me, having to fear life itself and requiring social awareness to keep myself safe. It is even worse that women are given a lighter judgement, outlining the absolute hypocrisy that women on women is deserving of jailing whereas the opposite is abhorrent. Thankfully, there are people that are accepting out there, just extremely difficult to locate.
"Goh, are you even listening to me?" she asks, waving her hand in front of my face. To be honest, I was zoned out but seeing her hand is enough to bring me back.
"I'm sorry, Chloe. I know that I need to get my shit together, but it feels like it's coming too quickly. I'm just worried is all," I say, somewhat truthfully. She notices how tense I have become, and lowers herself to comfort me.
"I should be the one to apologize, I didn't realize that you had a lot on your mind. Anything I should know?" she asked with a hint of warmth in her voice. The thing about her is she was always there for me, even when she would be with her other friends. I knew I could trust her with anything, but just a part of me is fearful of even letting a sliver of the truth out. It's the devastating truth of this harsh reality, but it's the world we were brought into.
"It's nothing much, I'm just not looking forward to our first day. I mean, for you it's easy to socialize because you're that good at making friends, but you're my only friend," I say quietly. It feels somewhat good to let that small weight off my chest, but it isn't comparable to the massive secret pulling me down. She chuckles.
"Oh Goh, you'll be fine. I might not be there but you are a genuinely interesting person. Sure you may not be the brightest at times," I sink my head towards the desk.
"That's not helpful," I mutter. She continues with her speech.
"But you know your own potential. All you need to do is find someone that resonates with that energy." She takes a deep breath. Wow, that was deep, even for Chloe's standards. Even with that, I smile, knowing I have her full support. At least I hope so, when, or if, I decide to tell her.
-One Week Later-
Today's the big day. I only got a few hours of sleep, out of excitement, nervousness, and a bit of restlessness. I get up from my bed and slip my slippers on and stretch as far as my arms can reach. After a yawn is released, I walk towards my dresser, which only has the only clothing items that haven't been packed, my favorite grey hoodie with a red symbol etched on the chest area and darker grey sweatpants. All my belongings, with the exception of my sheets and blankets, are in the corner in boxes and suitcases. I have always been an organized person, but this time everything is scrambled in different places, so I'm not sure if I put my toiletries with my clothes or with the kitchenware. Nevertheless, the annoying part was done, and the hardest one was yet to come.
"Sweetie, Chloe and her dad are here" my mom shouts. I yell back in response, and start to take things down. I am ever so grateful that Professor Cerise was able to not only take me there, but also had just enough room to put my belongings in the storage unit attached to his truck. Chloe sure didn't want to leave behind her entire home, so it seems.
He steps out of the driver's seat and greets my mom and me, a smile on his face as he talks to her. Chloe and I are moving the boxes from my room to her car. While we're struggling with the weight of some of them, my mom and her dad are talking, mostly him reassuring her about my safety. I swear, he's the best father figure around, even though I have my own loving father. Regardless, Chloe and I's friendship has transcended to almost being like family, even if they have their suspicions of a secret relationship. Yeah, no way that's happening. Ever.
Upon finishing with the moving, I run up to my tearful parents, sad that their only child is leaving the nest to pursue the world. Even though they were always busy with work when I was growing up, they made sure to be there for my biggest moments, and this was no exception. I embrace them in a tight hug, and now I'm crying.
"It's gonna be okay mom, I'll make sure to visit during the holidays," I smile reassuringly. She sniffs, and wipes her face.
"I know, I didn't think I would cry this hard. I just want you to be safe and to do your best. I love you Goh," she says. I turn to my dad.
"Now don't you go partying every night and breaking girls' hearts," he says jokingly. I try not to cringe at the comment, but instead joke back.
"The only things I'll be breaking are academic records," I shout, and everyone laughs. After some more exchanges are said, it is finally time to leave Kanto and embark on a 19 plus hour drive to Hammerlocke. I actually don't know how far it is, that's just a rough estimate.
-Four Hours Later, Seventeen Hours till Arrival-
Once we got past the sign that tells us we left Kanto, it was now the true start of the adventure. Looking out the window has shown me beautiful sceneries, such as the beaches that sadly don't compare to the pictures of those taken in Alola, and skyscrapers in the populous cities. It's oddly entertaining, mostly because Chloe has her headphones in and is on her phone. I don't mind it however. She most likely misses her friend group and is chatting with them. I don't know exactly what that's like, so that's probably the reason why I'm more enjoying the views than she is.
Even though the sun is starting to set, the scrolling backgrounds are given more life. I thought that within the next few hours, we would be stopping somewhere to rest for the night, but surprisingly, Chloe volunteered to drive for a while, but only if she had coffee. I unfortunately can't drive us because I don't have my license yet, which is embarrassing to me because most people around our age should already have one, though Chloe reassures me often about it. I know it shouldn't bother me but it does and I don't know why. It's not like I have friends to drive around. Besides, walking and sometimes taking the train is more relaxing. Road rage is scary.
-Eight Hours Later, Nine Hours till Arrival-
I wake up from sleeping, a bit uncomfortable but somewhat fully rested. I notice that the car isn't moving. I look around and see that Chloe and her dad are sleeping. I feel like I should go back to sleep, but I look up at the sky and see countless stars. I am mesmerized. It looks breathtaking.
I quietly open the car door, and walk not too far towards the nearby field, with my blanket in my hands. I place the blanket on the grass, which was already soft, and lay down looking up. It is hard for me to sleep now that I can see so many stars out here. It's not a normal occurrence back home since the light pollution diminishes the brightness of the stars. I feel happy inside, there is nothing that can make this moment any more happier.
Except having a man I love next to me...
In a world that's accepting...
My thought process is interrupted by a shooting star crossing the horizon. I'm not one to believe in superstitions, but maybe this one time, I could be proven wrong. I close my eyes and place my left fist on my chest. I don't notice that Chloe is looking out at me. She smiles and promptly rests back against the car seat.
'I may not believe in the power that the cosmos are certain to bring, but I want to try it. I wish...' I think carefully, at first wanting to say the generic thing I would normally say, but end up speaking from my heart instead. 'I wish to find true love one day; to be able to fall in love with a man and not be killed for it. I want to experience what every other person got to experience. The one word that haunts my entire existence.' I sigh. "Love" I whisper, a small tear falling from my face. I open my eyes to see the stars glistening across the sky for a little longer, feeling tingly all over.
After a few minutes, I decide it's time to get back into the car. I didn't even check the time but I'm sure it's close to dawn. Upon opening the door, Chloe shuffles a little bit, but then relaxes. I let out a quiet, relieved sigh. Making sure the door is shut completely and soundless, I lay back down and rest my eyes, glad that I got to witness nature's beauty. By daylight, we would be in Hammerlocke.
-Five Hours Later, Four Hours till Arrival-
After waking up from what felt like a dream, I see that we are in an unfamiliar region. I don't have a map on me, so I'm unsure if it's Sinnoh or Kalos. Never even thought of bringing one to begin with. It doesn't matter though. According to Chloe's dad, we're almost there. I can feel my nervousness and excitement build up from anticipation. I just want to be able to work alongside the professors already, but I know I have to go through some years of school. It isn't a strong suit of mine, but if I dedicate myself to my studies, I know I can do it. It feels like I can grasp my own future in the palm of my hand, and it's exhilarating to think about. Just a few years and I can go out into the world further, not limited to just home or Galar.
After talking with Chloe's dad, it turns out we've been in Galar for about half an hour. It reminds me of Kanto for some reason, and I suddenly feel a little homesick. I know that at this point, there's no turning back now.
I try to distract myself, looking out the window but to no avail. The sudden onset of anxiety is creeping up on me, almost to the point of it slowly taking control of me. I've dealt with this before. I know the tricks. Taking deep breaths, I put on my headphones and open the music app on my phone and put on the one song that can always calm me down; Look at the Sky.