來說說大約二十幾年前的事吧。534Please respect copyright.PENANAaBWLGvcYat
534Please respect copyright.PENANAglWE3Y7Tft
位居低緯度的沖繩,也是全日本櫻花最早綻放的地點。儘管因為不夠寒冷、花種不同,不會有滿盈視野的粉緋落英美景,但作為春冬交界線象徵、妝點街道振奮人心的添色,已然足矣。534Please respect copyright.PENANABgMklRxR7T
只是,尚無法點亮步行於成排櫻花樹下,某個小小身影沉鬱的心靈。534Please respect copyright.PENANA3jIYHNYyYf
534Please respect copyright.PENANApGgaS1ZOO9
年約五歲的孩子,身形較同齡兒童高挑修長。一頭柔軟櫻色短髮恰與頂上花叢呼應;面容秀氣精緻,金眸細光閃動,表情卻籠罩著難以揮抹的陰鬱。由其浴衣款式、儀容舉止、散發氣質可得知,這孩子來自有名望的地方書法世家——櫻屋敷。從懂事起便施予嚴格教養,但又不致嚴到有家務員隨侍監督,而任其獨自上街,從己身所住的分家步行十五分鐘前往本家。534Please respect copyright.PENANACXbwLqqMrn
目的,當然是學習家系流派書法。534Please respect copyright.PENANAcOJA57gbnj
遠在接受任何幼兒教育之前,「筆墨文字」即已佔據櫻屋敷薰大部分的生活。534Please respect copyright.PENANA9xoSmZgGcs
534Please respect copyright.PENANAy68hDRqeVQ
原本那該是長男的任務。然而大薰十歲的兄長,因展現了足以說服父母的工程學、程式設計才華,加上本人不惜放棄繼承權的強烈意願,他成功轉往自身想發展的道路;家業重擔即順位落於薰稚幼的肩膀上。534Please respect copyright.PENANAyfLKndzlSy
其實薰也和哥哥有相似的天資及興趣。但人生藍圖已被周遭大人決定好了,他無力改變什麼。534Please respect copyright.PENANANBDK0gtkMY
所以,只能封閉自己的想法,以機械般的態度面對這一切。534Please respect copyright.PENANAaG95qrRSxf
機械地表現優雅得體、機械地假裝勤奮學習、機械地舞筆弄墨,寫出狀似有模有樣的字跡保持眾人評價……534Please respect copyright.PENANAVgcHr8Oxr6
可那全是「沒有心」的空殼。534Please respect copyright.PENANAjyF2QExXF6
534Please respect copyright.PENANAv88SyGf2nr
534Please respect copyright.PENANAw0IpAaXDZC
尚隔十幾公尺遠,孩童們歡欣笑鬧的喧囂即由小公園方向溢湧而來。每次經過那裡,薰總是在心底提醒自己「他們與我不同世界」、「無聊的嬉戲浪費時間」,盡量不去看、不去聽、不去羨慕他們——534Please respect copyright.PENANAOkSIAI6tgw
偶爾會有這種時候:其中一個特別矮小的孩子踩著帶四顆輪子的小板子,從公園內滑順溜出來,突兀擋住薰的去路,然後笑嘻嘻地搔頭道歉,拎起板子跑回公園內的兒童群裡,在閒聊話語間重複爬上溜滑梯、放置小滑板、搖搖晃晃踩上去,邊歡呼邊快速溜下的娛樂。534Please respect copyright.PENANAMxsotA3aud
——啊。534Please respect copyright.PENANAAxew6WfO4K
意識到自己不小心又看得出神,薰急忙撇過頭,繼續前往本家的路途。534Please respect copyright.PENANAhSsPld5x0V
534Please respect copyright.PENANATd3WalHVSD
——是說他還真玩不膩呢。每次都在溜那塊板子。534Please respect copyright.PENANASz5JtcPPMQ
傳統技藝的課程通常步調緩慢,對於腦袋其實轉得很快的聰慧孩子而言,有太多空檔足以胡思亂想。薰有時會幻想自己是那個深綠短髮的矮小孩子,從他的視線感受向下俯衝、快速前進、輪子在腳底下滾動的感覺。但畢竟自身沒有類似經驗,難以模擬其光景,於是愈感好奇。有時會踩著廊台通往庭院的沓脫石想像、有時會在下樓梯時故意衝快一些,引來父母「沒規矩」的責備。534Please respect copyright.PENANAtQDSS7QBiP
最接近的一次,應該是請園丁整頓櫻屋敷家庭院時,薰趁機踩上高度僅十五公分的小推車,單腳踢地嘗試加速,結果重心不穩,跌進旁邊小池塘弄得全身濕。但他記住了那一瞬間的體感:重心懸浮的刺激、肌肉些微緊繃、空氣由四周拂過的舒暢。534Please respect copyright.PENANANF1NWim2ht
——是這種感覺啊。534Please respect copyright.PENANAuVcS4JOijp
似乎多少能理解,那孩子為何玩不膩了。534Please respect copyright.PENANAmPpuammhaz
明明自己也是孩子,薰卻未察覺自身萌芽的童心,暫且將此事擱置,繼續無趣的日常。534Please respect copyright.PENANA2CpOp6YRZG
直至那天到來。534Please respect copyright.PENANAElgwZ8EdSH
534Please respect copyright.PENANALrVD455Tzi
◆534Please respect copyright.PENANAwFFaC6ZXY1
534Please respect copyright.PENANACcCGxK5zFi
重複而繁瑣累贅的禮儀教育、書法課程,在日子流逝間又逐漸淤積壓力,讓近幾天的薰心情沉悶。534Please respect copyright.PENANAAv3D3O9vpK
好像也忽略了數日分的小公園動靜,逕自浸染於煩躁感裡,小小雙足機械般交叉前進,往返兩個家之間。534Please respect copyright.PENANAsTVl6IiFdr
但今天,從小公園傳出的聲音有點不一樣。534Please respect copyright.PENANAGoZR9Yc9d6
「這裡現在已經是我們的地盤啦!還不快滾!」534Please respect copyright.PENANAmZ1PzVRuVk
「明明是我們先來的!而且『你們的地盤』是怎樣?公園有寫你的名字嗎?」是那矮小孩子的聲音。534Please respect copyright.PENANAi9ubHPVoou
「臭小鬼!講不聽就用拳頭讓你懂!」534Please respect copyright.PENANAF29kCXz0JV
「你們只是仗恃年紀和塊頭比我們大吧!來啊!誰怕誰!」534Please respect copyright.PENANAEsmSVM82Dy
534Please respect copyright.PENANAMqZgaJFtWw
——無聊。愚蠢。534Please respect copyright.PENANAxJJRN2gwSC
爭奪玩樂場地這種幼稚小事,與他心裡難解的壓力煩悶怎能相提並論?534Please respect copyright.PENANAuzaPtjeawx
不想管圍籬彼端狀況,薰連瞥一眼都懶,壓低視線快速通過小公園門口,腳步毫無遲疑。534Please respect copyright.PENANAWJZbnAujuu
本該如此。534Please respect copyright.PENANA6sOXeCmuRT
拳頭捶中物體的悶擊聲,隨後是細小強忍的嗚咽。還真的動手了啊。薰心想。534Please respect copyright.PENANAYkpZqmxzmG
其他孩子哇哇慌亂的叫聲及腳步快速遠去。竟然丟下同伴逃走嗎?534Please respect copyright.PENANARo1zF1hQQD
再一記悶擊。或許是使勁更大力些,嗚咽之餘溢出逞強的悲鳴,但同時也聽見回嘴「我才不會認輸!」。534Please respect copyright.PENANAT1QjTI0GiL
534Please respect copyright.PENANASsDdhT8sHD
「你的朋友都跑光了,認不認輸沒差啦!」534Please respect copyright.PENANAT6CRUbBXS7
約莫三、四個人的尖銳嘲笑。「我們就直接打趴你,讓你知道誰才是老大!」534Please respect copyright.PENANAEu9MuooxUp
悶擊間隔變得密集,夾雜數個人的喉音嘶吼、巴掌拍響、踢腿、拉扯、倒地和爬起的沙土翻湧聲……534Please respect copyright.PENANAqAyzmvE1X1
——與我無關。與我無關。與我無關。534Please respect copyright.PENANARq2A8AUg1X
雙足遽然僵化如鉛,導致步伐愈來愈小、愈來愈沉、愈來愈難前進。534Please respect copyright.PENANAAAfaOjGRmU
薰試圖趕走那些令人驚心的強欺弱圍毆雜響,不斷提醒自己別多管閒事,應該繼續趕路。534Please respect copyright.PENANAqvmYtVp8CQ
534Please respect copyright.PENANAMhpZp58AIM
一聲慘叫飛越那些幼稚的自認理性,落入心湖引起漣漪。534Please respect copyright.PENANAnFqFshBwp7
534Please respect copyright.PENANA3dVQGO2VSx
挨了好幾拳、被拉扯兩次頭髮後,薰才於疼痛中逐漸清醒,認知到自己正在打架的事實。534Please respect copyright.PENANAoFKKl3qvzM
施展肢體暴力的同時也會釋放內心鬱悶、展現自我防衛意志。幼小孩子接近動物的原始本能被喚醒,腦袋未作多想,僅靠小小身體的小小蠻勁,捶推拉扯咬扭踢打,終於令那幾個大塊頭放棄爭吵,撤離小公園。534Please respect copyright.PENANAd1kbA5Erdi
這是兩個瘦弱孩子的勝利。534Please respect copyright.PENANAu6FzDJYhKN
534Please respect copyright.PENANAqxuOp8zKAA
在薰仍舊腦袋發熱,僅依被教出的潔癖習慣拍去身上灰塵、拉平皺亂的浴衣時,綠髮孩子開口了。534Please respect copyright.PENANAx4Vm00H2wb
「謝謝你來幫忙。」534Please respect copyright.PENANAjdMLKyXvv2
他可沒有單方面接受掩護。當薰突然闖入小公園,嚇到那些大塊頭時,他也立刻重整態勢,再次撲打帶頭的年長孩子,全力朝他揮拳猛攻。幸好幼童的手勁不會太痛,但足以令大孩子們理解兩人的氣勢。534Please respect copyright.PENANAFMDxb7zPdQ
534Please respect copyright.PENANAXHB092XNOA
薰不知道該怎麼回應,連看都不敢看對方,攏好衣領即匆匆向公園門口走去。534Please respect copyright.PENANA5FxUpKtPqs
綠髮孩子這次直接報上名號:「我叫南城虎次郎(なんじょう こじろう),你呢?」534Please respect copyright.PENANA9oRAqovFqJ
止步,薰回頭沉默盯著比自己瘦小的虎次郎,喃念:「只是隻貓咪吧?」534Please respect copyright.PENANAChoDJjojtu
「啊?」534Please respect copyright.PENANAGB83tZYSoT
「你的名字,跟你不搭。然後我要遲到了,以後不見。」又一副想趕快離開的樣子。534Please respect copyright.PENANAIt75ktVall
還沒搞懂自己被挖苦,虎次郎僅知才剛有機會認識「已有幾面之緣的孩子」,對方卻即將跑掉,連忙大喊:「我看你經過這裡的時候,總是很羨慕地望著我們玩滑板。你想玩玩看嗎?」534Please respect copyright.PENANAtF1WCUDAQP
薰的反應大得超乎想像:「我才沒有羨慕!」534Please respect copyright.PENANAhUC0bgLbNT
但虎次郎根本不理,朝溜滑梯底部陰影搜尋落在那裡的小滑板,拍乾淨,走上來遞至薰面前。534Please respect copyright.PENANAKj1srlSakm
短瞬的動搖,薰別過頭邁開步伐:「我要走了。」浴衣袖子卻被拉住。534Please respect copyright.PENANAWXtEAwl1Dv
「試一次就好,從溜滑梯上往下衝很刺激唷!」534Please respect copyright.PENANAGA1s2KRhkn
虎次郎施加的力道有點大,薰擔心衣服被扯壞,只好乖乖跟著走向溜滑梯。534Please respect copyright.PENANArW0ev3beDp
——為什麼我要受制於這小矮子啊?534Please respect copyright.PENANAHaK52s5SHk
534Please respect copyright.PENANAxPaC4jQPYj
但,能實際體驗到自己模擬無數遍的有趣活動(儘管起頭摔倒三次),薰還是頗高興,逐漸浮現笑容。534Please respect copyright.PENANAi36gGbh43G
「你總算肯笑啦。」虎次郎開心道。534Please respect copyright.PENANAdcbH0u31NW
驚覺自己露出破綻,薰急忙又繃緊表情,說:「現在真的遲到了,我非走不可。」534Please respect copyright.PENANAYRV0vdzO2M
「那你回程再來,我們繼續玩。」534Please respect copyright.PENANAeBX7ZyJIWD
並未應答,薰衝向公園門口,直至踏出圍籬那一步,才彷彿想起什麼似的回頭。534Please respect copyright.PENANAdLOoS1klUb
「……櫻屋敷,櫻屋敷薰(さくらやしき かおる)。」534Please respect copyright.PENANA870QXDdv4p
534Please respect copyright.PENANAuxj0DA9LDx
「さくらや……好長的姓!還是叫你薰就好了。晚點見囉。」534Please respect copyright.PENANAWjulUhEpqe
「真沒禮貌,哪有初次見面直呼名字的?」薰只敢自行碎念,腳步持續加快趕往本家方向。(節錄)534Please respect copyright.PENANA5VBnCMqHB1
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SK8同人小說《Before》(試閱)
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SK8同人小說《Before》(試閱)
Author:
海馥羽(Cynroya)
ISSUE #1
〈Before:Childhood〉
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SK8同人小說《Before》(試閱)
Fanfiction
Friendship
Slash
Last updated: Nov 24, 2021
Total word count: 6,355
Total reading time: 21 Minutes
Writer:
sk8
sk∞
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