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Kai’s Journal Part 2

GrapeApe

on June 4, 2023

Part 2! I was really excited for this one because that bottom illustration is one I’ve been wanting to draw for a while. It was very cathartic to finally get to do it!

A big thanks to everyone who’s been taking the time to read these! This was supposed to be a quick thing I slapped together for the hiatus but I ended up putting a lot more work into than I expected. The sketches were a last minute decision, but I’m glad I did them because they were a lot of fun. Anyways, I hope you folks are enjoying them so far!

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May 7, 2004: I don’t understand the purpose of the letter “C”…or silent letters?! WTF?!

May 10: Who needs sleep? So I decided I’m just not gonna sleep. If I don’t sleep, I don’t have creepy dreams! It’s actually been great! Giving me lots of time to catch up on all the comics and music I borrowed from people, do chores around the house, play some of Yosh’s video games… I was gonna actually try and do schoolwork, but I almost immediately fell asleep doing that, so that was a big no. Sometimes I slip out and take walks around Caulwyn and that’s been nice too. Found a 24 hr diner that my allowance can afford so I’ve been going there a lot. Getting to know the staff pretty well and sometimes they even pour me a free cup. So yeah. That’s what I’m gonna do. Just not sleep.

May 13: Cast is off! FREEDOM!!!! AHHH! FINALLY!!!! I’ve been so happy to get this fucker off. Fun fact: turns out I’m left handed! Woot! Hasn’t helped improve my handwriting much (to the disappointment of my teechers) but it definitely feels more natural! To be honest tho—I’ve been dreading this day. Kuro’s my doctor and if I’m all better—no way he’s gonna wanna keep me around. I’ve been a lotta trouble and a lotta stress for him. I’m just waiting for him to sit me down and tell me I gotta go. I think it’s gonna be tomorrow or at the end of the trip. Oh! I didn’t tell you! We’re going on a trip tomorrow. Somewhere called Hampton Beach. I guess it’s a thing Kuro & Yosh do every year in March, but well—I happened. They want to take me to celebrate my recovery. I’m assuming it’ll be like a goodbye thing as well. Kuro will probably break it to me at the end. Fuck. I’m just—I’m just gonna try enjoy it while it lasts. Even if I have to go—I’m still grateful to them. Just gonna fucking miss them. I don’t wanna go.

May 14: Hampton Trip So we got to Hampton. The car ride was fun ‘cept teach blasting his god awful country music. Beach was beautiful. Yosh finally okay’d me to take my shoes off and i loved feeling the sand between my toes. Teach was pretty cranky, so we took him for food and the food was amazing! We went back to the beach after and—that’s when—uh, things got weird… I fucked up. Kuro told me not to go in the water ‘cuz its too cold. I went in anyway and it was great at first—I was swimming and I saw some kool fishes—I must’ve passed out at some point though. I had this—dream, I guess, that I got pulled into the ocean. When I woke up, I was on the shore, but things looked different—and there were floating buildings, and a cave—and—inside the cave was— um—never mind. I don’t wanna talk about it. I just wanna forget. Long story short, Kuro had to pull me out of the water and save my dumb ass…again. He looked so confused when I told him what happened—like I was crazy. Anyway, it’s over. There’s no way he’s gonna want me to stay after this. Kuro told me I should stay in my room and rest until dinner, so that’s where I am now. I think after they go to bed tonight—I’m gonna sneak out. I’m just gonna leave and let them enjoy the rest of their vacation. It’s better for them that way. I don’t know where I’ll go, but it’s better this way. I can’t be a burden to them anymore…not after all they’ve done for me.

May 14 PART 2!!! I can has family HI! YES FUCKERS! I’M WRITING 2 ENTRIES IN ONE DAY! Okay—take a breath, Kai. Let’s chill. Okay. Okay. So after dinner we had a campfire on the beach, did s’mores and stuff. It was fun, but I was bummed and decided to sit on the dock and enjoy the water a last time. I stuck my feet in the water (Noooo, I didn’t jump in again!) and Kuro came and sat down next to me. I thought for sure this was gonna be when he told me I had to go. I felt so sick I thought I was gonna ralph. But he put his hand on me shoulder, talked to me AND TOLD ME HE WANTS ME TO STAY PERMANENTLY!!! WHAT THE FUCK?!!!! I’M SO FUCKING HAPPY!!! I’m super confused but I’m stoked! I don’t deserve this but I don’t care. I’m so happy. Nothing else matters. I’m so happy. When I got back to my room there was a photo of the three of us on my bed—Teach took a bunch of pictures of us earlier with his camera thingy—And on the photo they wrote “welcome home, Kai! Love Kuro & Yosh”. This is—my favorite thing in the world. I’m gonna keep this forever. This is the best day of my life.

May 19, 2004: Home I had a blast the rest of the Hampton trip. We went to the arcade, did some carnival rides and games and ate delicious food. Going home was even better ‘cuz not it really is MY home. Kuro took me shopping ‘cuz he said he wanted me to pick out stuff for my room to make it my own!He also said we can repaint it, but I actually like the color it is now. The light blue makes me think of the open sky, like at Hampton. Him and Yosh helped me put up the posters I’ve been collecting and I put the picture they gave me on my nightstand so it’s right next to me! This has been the best week of my life. I’m so happy. And I’ve gotten great sleep too! I haven’t had a single bad dream since Kuro asked me to stay! I finally feel—like I can finally move on with my life. Like I’m really home.