Yellow Diamond: Chapter 2 - part 1

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Just by turning one street to the left, the scene transformed in front of them into something foreign, with red brick walls lining the street, evoking the feel of another country. The houses on either side shifted from the copy-paste suburban designs to more unique, unforgettable ones. The sidewalk grew wider, and at some point, the ground beneath his feet became cobblestones. Trees, planted at even intervals along the road, cast soft shadows over the gray stone below.

Large homes with spacious gardens, an atmosphere of calm and wealth. Shun’ichi Sanada thoughts drifted to his own place… the old apartment building, so aged he didn’t even know when it had been built, where the roof leaked when it rained and the sounds from the neighbors carried through the walls. He wasn’t particularly envious, yet he couldn’t understand why being in this area made him feel so unpleasant. He tilted his head in confusion.

“You’re slow, Sanada!”

Mizusawa, who had somehow gotten ahead, turned around and shouted at him in an annoyed tone. Shun’ichi hurried to catch up with the two school uniforms walking in front of him.

"All these houses are huge," he said, slightly out of breath. Mizusawa, a full head taller than him, glanced down and smirked.

“They’re nothing special. Maybe you think they’re big because you live in an apartment.”

The mocking tone made Shun’ichi want to stomp on Mizusawa’s foot. But doing that would only confirm the inferiority he was trying to suppress, so he clenched his teeth and endured it.

“But apartments are nice, aren’t they?”

Yuusei Akimori, who had been walking beside Mizusawa, leaned forward to peek at Shun’ichi’s face.

“When I was in elementary school, I had two friends who lived next to each other in apartments. They were so close, I was jealous.”

Shun’ichi couldn’t tell if Akimori genuinely thought apartments were great or if he was just trying to comfort him with an old story. Either way, it didn’t change how annoyed he felt.

“Oh, that’s my house.”

Akimori pointed toward the largest house they’d seen yet. The wall was so high that it was impossible to see what lay beyond it from the outside.

“Huh...”

Mizusawa muttered, turning his gaze away from the house and toward the road. Shun’ichi remembered visiting Mizusawa’s house not long after they had entered junior high. It wasn’t like he had asked to go—Mizusawa had insisted, “Let’s play some games,” and dragged him there. Mizusawa had then spent the whole time bragging about his computer, tablet, a limited-edition game console, and a brand-new mountain bike, something Shun’ichi had secretly wanted. After the tour of his possessions, Mizusawa bluntly told him to go home. Of course, they never actually played any games. Shun’ichi had felt miserable for following along and for even feeling envious. He had decided then that he wouldn’t stay friends with Mizusawa. But the next day, Mizusawa greeted him with a cheerful “Morning!” as if nothing had happened, and it had made Shun’ichi feel stupid for being the only one upset. Begrudgingly, he decided to forget about it.

Mizusawa’s house had been large, but it paled in comparison to Akimori’s. Standing before the silver gate, Akimori pressed the intercom button and said, “I’m home. It’s Yuusei.” The gate slid open soundlessly. The first thing they saw was a wide brick path leading to the house. Lined with flower-filled wooden planters, the path stretched toward a grand white mansion with a blue roof—a Western-style house straight out of a picture book.

“Come on in!” Akimori called. Mizusawa and Shun’ichi, overwhelmed by the surreal beauty of it all, snapped out of their daze and hurried through the gate. The gate shut behind them with a sharp clang, causing Mizusawa to flinch. When Shun’ichi glanced back, he saw the gate had sealed itself, separating the outside world from the one they had just entered, as if nothing could ever pass between the two again.

The garden was as large as a schoolyard. Where the brick path ended, a wide, lush lawn spread out. A flowerbed lined the entire wall, but the oppressive feeling they had sensed when viewing the garden from outside was nowhere to be found within. To the east, in a slightly elevated area, there was a beautiful garden that immediately caught the eye. Under a large tree stood a white table set.

As they walked, Shun’ichi was reminded of the Western houses they’d visited on a school trip to Kobe in elementary school. He was lost in thought when Mizusawa suddenly grabbed his arm and pulled him forward. “Stop dragging your feet,” Mizusawa grumbled. Akimori, who had been walking ahead, turned around and smiled warmly at Shun’ichi.

“The flowers here are amazing, right? My mom’s really into gardening and has been working hard on it. Lately, though, Cherry’s been causing trouble, and she’s upset about the damage.”

Shun’ichi tilted his head in confusion, and Akimori quickly shrugged. “Ah, sorry. I haven’t told you yet, have I? Cherry is the name of our Golden Retriever. My little sister picked it. I wanted something cooler, but I lost at rock-paper-scissors. It’s kind of weird for a boy dog to be named Cherry, don’t you think?”

Behind Akimori, Mizusawa muttered, “Cherry? What a lame name,” loud enough for only Shun’ichi to hear. Catching Shun’ichi’s eye, Mizusawa sought confirmation, “You think so too, right?”

“Not really…”

Mizusawa, unsatisfied with Shun’ichi’s answer, scrunched his nose in displeasure. “It’s totally weird! If it were me, I’d give him a way cooler name.”

Even though it was Akimori’s sister who named the dog, teasing him about it seemed a little mean. But Mizusawa was strangely fixated on the dog’s name. Just then, they heard a bark coming from the corner of the garden. “Huh, is he outside?” Akimori tilted his head and called out, “Cherry!”

A tuft of golden fur darted out from the flowerbed. The puppy, only about thirty centimeters tall, excitedly ran circles around its owner’s feet, wagging its tail energetically.

“Hey, behave,” Akimori commanded.

At first, the puppy paid no mind, but after repeated orders, it finally plopped down obediently. After giving the pup a light pat, Akimori picked it up and walked back over to Mizusawa and Shun’ichi.

“You can pet him if you want.”

The puppy in Akimori’s arms, unafraid of the two unfamiliar faces, eagerly sniffed at them with its tiny black nose. Mizusawa extended a hand, and when the puppy gave his palm a quick lick, Mizusawa yelped and jerked his arm back.

“He—he tried to bite me!”

Akimori chuckled. “Don’t worry. He might give you a playful nip, but it doesn’t hurt.”

Mizusawa, his face scrunched in irritation, pulled both hands back defensively. “Don’t bring such a dangerous dog near me!”

Taken aback by Mizusawa’s outburst, Akimori’s laughter faded, and he stood there with his mouth half-open, unsure how to respond. “He won’t bite hard enough to draw blood…”

But the moment Mizusawa learned the dog could bite, his interest vanished, and he turned away in a huff, his face set in a scowl. Earlier that day during lunch, when Akimori mentioned he had a Golden Retriever, Mizusawa had been persistent, saying, “That’s awesome, I want to see him!” But now that they were here, Mizusawa’s behavior was completely different, leaving Akimori at a loss, still holding the puppy.

“Let me hold him,” Shun’ichi said.

Relieved, Akimori handed the puppy to Shun’ichi. The golden fluff settled into his arms, warm and soft. Shun’ichi’s heart raced a little as he brought his face closer, and the puppy gave his nose a quick lick.

“He’s really friendly.”

“Yeah, he’s not shy at all. My whole family says there’s no way he’d make a good guard dog.”

Mizusawa glared at them, his expression sour, but Shun’ichi pretended not to notice. Getting angry over something as small as a puppy licking his hand was ridiculous. The puppy in his arms began to fidget restlessly. Thinking the little one might not like being held anymore, Shun’ichi gently set him down on the grass. However, the puppy, wagging its tail, stayed by his side instead of running off. Shun’ichi crouched down to play with him. When he rolled the puppy onto its back and rubbed its belly, it squinted its eyes in contentment. But when Shun’ichi intentionally turned away, ignoring him, the puppy grabbed hold of his school pants with its tiny teeth, as if begging to play.

“Hey, Cherry!”

Akimori hurriedly pulled the puppy away from Shun’ichi.

“Sorry about that. He’s usually a bit calmer, but I guess he’s excited with so many new people around. You like dogs too, don’t you, Sanada-kun?”

“Well…” Shun’ichi responded vaguely, his mind wandering back to the time he desperately wanted a dog but couldn’t have one. It was when he was in second grade. On his way home from school, he found a black puppy on a riverside overgrown with horsetails. The puppy, wandering by the riverbank, saw Shun’ichi and immediately dashed toward him, licking the tip of his shoe. It was such a friendly puppy, yet it had no collar. It must have been abandoned. Shun’ichi spent hours playing with it, long after sunset, even as the surroundings turned a lonely shade of dusk.

Though he tried to head home once, he couldn’t bear to leave the puppy behind. So he returned to the riverside and, unable to resist any longer, cradled the puppy in his arms and took it home.

At the apartment entrance, his father, Isamu, scratched his head with a troubled expression as Shun’ichi stood there holding the dog.

“Well, you see… this is an apartment, so we can’t keep pets.”

“It’ll be fine if we keep it a secret. I’ll take care of everything—walking it, feeding it—everything.”

Shun’ichi tried to persuade Isamu, who was clearly against the idea.

“Even so... dogs bark, you know. I’m pretty sure someone will notice.”

“I promise I’ll make sure it doesn’t bark.”

Crouching at the entrance, Shun’ichi cried and begged. Finally, Isamu gave in, saying, “Well, I guess there’s no choice then.” Shun’ichi was overjoyed. He bathed the puppy and, just like in the movies, let it crawl into bed with him at night. Even in the next bed, Isamu, who grumbled about the dog’s smell, laughed along.

But that happy night lasted only one evening. The very next day, a neighbor complained to the landlord about a dog barking, and the puppy was found out.

“I told you when you moved in that pets are not allowed. This is an apartment! Think about this rationally, with common sense!”

Shun’ichi had huddled in the corner of the room, clutching the puppy in fear, as the landlord’s angry voice echoed through the entryway.

“I’m sorry, I’m very sorry,” Isamu apologized repeatedly without making any excuses, bowing his head over and over to the landlord—a short, balding man with a stout figure. Shun’ichi felt like crying at the sight of his father’s hunched back. The one who should have been getting scolded was him, yet he didn’t have the courage to go out and confess, “I was the one who wanted to keep the dog.”

"While we’re on the subject, let me say this: I never intended to rent to someone with children in the first place. This is an apartment complex strictly for single occupants. Children inevitably make a mess, they’re noisy, and I get a lot of complaints. But since your payments were always on time, I overlooked the noise. However, this time, I can’t ignore it. If I let this slide, it would set a bad example for the other tenants. I’d appreciate it if you started looking for somewhere else to live—seems like this apartment just wasn’t meant to be for you."

Isamu softly asked, “Um… I don’t really get it. What do you mean by ‘wasn’t meant to be’...?”

"I’m telling you to leave," the landlord snapped, his voice harsh.

Isamu scratched his head—a habit when he was troubled.

“Well, that’s a bit of a problem, you know? I mean, asking us to leave all of a sudden...”

Before Isamu could finish, the landlord cut him off with a loud, cracking voice.

“You signed a contract when you moved in. It clearly stated that if you violated the terms, we would take appropriate action.”

“Uh, sorry, but... I didn’t actually read that paper properly...”

From a distance, Shun’ichi could see the landlord’s already sour face twist into something even more hostile.

“Whether you read it or not, you signed your name. That means you agreed to abide by everything written there. It may seem harsh, but I want you and that filthy dog out of here by the end of today.”

...They packed their belongings into their beat-up compact car, cramming in as much as they could. It was just past noon when they left the apartment they had grown used to. The car pulled into the parking lot of a large supermarket. Even after parking, Isamu didn’t get out. He just rested his chin on the steering wheel, staring blankly through the windshield.

“What are we doing here?” Shun’ichi asked.

“Just killing time,” came the laid-back reply.

People streamed in and out of the store. Each time Shun’ichi saw a child entering the store with their parents, his heart ached. Hugging the puppy tightly in his arms, he felt a deep sadness. They sat there for a long time, and it wasn’t until dusk, when the streetlights started to come on, that Isamu finally started the car.

“Where are we going?”

The engine sputtered, sounding like it might break down at any moment. Isamu muttered quietly, “To Kunihiko’s place.”

Kunihiko Kamioka was Isamu’s friend, and as far as Shun’ichi knew, he was the only friend Isamu had. Isamu claimed they were the same age, but to Shun’ichi, Kunihiko seemed much more like an adult man.

They parked the car in a lot near Kunihiko’s apartment, just five minutes from the station. “Sorry, but we can’t take him with us,” Isamu said as he prepared water and food for the puppy before leaving it in the car.

Despite their sudden visit, Kunihiko greeted Isamu and Shun’ichi warmly.

“I just got home myself,” he said.

Kunihiko, taller than Isamu, quickly slipped out of his suit and loosened his tie. The way he pulled the tie from his collar was so smooth and cool. He hadn’t eaten dinner yet, so he rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt and headed to the kitchen. His large hands moved swiftly, and in no time, a delicious-looking meal appeared on the table, one dish after another.

Isamu could cook too, but nothing he made ever tasted as good as this. Shun’ichi wondered how the hands of two grown men could produce such different results.

Kunihiko, who had been in such high spirits, gradually became more serious when Isamu finally broached the topic after dinner: “Would it be okay if we stayed for a few days?”

“Why?” Kunihiko asked, his eyes narrowing.

No matter how many times he was asked, Isamu only offered vague, half-hearted responses like “Well, you know...”

As the questioning became more persistent, Isamu stubbornly pursed his lips, refusing to give a straight answer. But when Kunihiko’s relentless inquiries finally wore him down and Isamu confessed the truth, Kunihiko’s anger exploded.

“What the hell were you thinking? You knew you couldn’t keep a pet in that apartment!”

Kunihiko’s voice echoed painfully in Shun’ichi’s ears. Isamu pouted, sulking as he turned away.

“I couldn’t help it. He picked him up, and it’d be cruel to just abandon him again.”

A vein bulged on Kunihiko’s forehead. His clenched fists trembled—he was truly furious.

“No matter how sorry you feel, if you don’t say it as his father, who will?” Kunihiko scolded in a low, frightening voice. “The reality is, you can’t keep a dog in an apartment. Making him hope for something that can never happen is even more cruel. How do you not understand that?”

Watching his father bow his head under the weight of the reprimand made Shun’ichi’s chest sting. That stinging pain grew stronger and stronger, until a tear slipped from his eye.

“What’s wrong, Shun’ichi?”

Kunihiko rushed over and picked him up, gently patting his head, but the pain in Shun’ichi’s chest didn’t go away.

“I’m not angry at you, okay?”

Shun’ichi almost wished Kunihiko was angry with him instead. It would have been scary, but it would have been easier. Unable to hold back any longer, Shun’ichi burst into tears. Isamu had been yelled at by the bald landlord. Then, Kunihiko yelled at him too. It was Shun’ichi who had brought the dog home, but Isamu was the one getting scolded. All Shun’ichi wanted was to stay with the puppy—he hadn’t thought it would cause his father this much trouble. On top of that, Isamu never once blamed Shun’ichi, the one who had brought the dog home in the first place. Kunihiko continued to stroke Shun’ichi’s head until his sobbing subsided. From that point on, Shun’ichi never saw Isamu get scolded by Kunihiko again.

They spent a month staying with Kunihiko after being kicked out of their apartment with the dog. Finding a new place took longer than expected. The black puppy was given away early on to one of Kunihiko’s coworkers. Shun’ichi had never given the puppy a name, even though he had thought of many. Once he realized he couldn’t keep the dog, he decided not to name it on purpose. When the puppy, who had grown attached to him, was loaded into Kunihiko’s car and driven away, Shun’ichi didn’t cry. But just before they entered the apartment, when Isamu ruffled his hair and whispered, “I’m sorry,” that’s when all his suppressed emotions burst forth. His father, who would sometimes ask Shun’ichi how to read certain kanji, had still understood his feelings perfectly. Burying his face in Isamu’s chest, Shun’ichi cried loudly. No matter how much he didn’t want to part with the puppy, after seeing how much his father had been scolded, there was no way he could say he wanted to keep it.

...Since then, Shun’ichi had never kept a single pet, not even a goldfish from a festival stall.

“You’re pretty good with dogs, Sanada-kun. Did you have one before?”

Akimori’s voice cut through the bitter memories.

“Not really.”

“Are you not interested in keeping one?”

“They’re too much of a hassle to take care of.”

Shun’ichi dodged the question casually, but behind him, he heard Mizusawa’s dry laugh.

“Stop pretending. Just admit that you can’t keep one because you live in an apartment, idiot. Why are you trying to act all cool?”

Having the truth he’d been hiding exposed like that made Shun’ichi’s face flush red with embarrassment. It was humiliating to have Mizusawa, who always spoke too much, reveal something so personal. Shun’ichi clenched his teeth and stared at the ground, trying to hide his embarrassment.

“Sorry, I’ve never lived in an apartment, so I didn’t know,” Akimori apologized, his tone gentle.

Even though Shun’ichi knew there was no malice in Akimori’s words, a part of him couldn’t help but feel irritated, wondering if he was being looked down on.

“Oh, Yuusei, you’re back,”

A high, leisurely voice broke through the awkward silence. A woman appeared in the bay window facing the garden, smiling warmly in their direction. She looked to be around forty, wearing a light pink knit sweater, with a graceful air about her.

“My friends came to see the dog,” Akimori replied.

She had the same sharp eyes as Akimori, creased at the corners with a gentle smile.

“I see. I’m sorry for not offering you anything. I’ll prepare some drinks now, so why don’t you all come inside?”

As soon as the window closed with a soft thud, Mizusawa let out a small click of his tongue and turned on his heel.

“I’m heading home.”

“Huh? But my mom is—”

Mizusawa shrugged and said, “I’ve got cram school. Later,” tossing out his usual excuse in a cool tone, the one he always used when things got inconvenient. Shun’ichi knew it was just a pretext. Before they came here, Mizusawa had told him, away from Akimori, that he didn’t have cram school today. Akimori looked like he wanted to say something as he watched Mizusawa, but in the end, he stayed quiet.

“Well, I guess I’ll head out too.”

Shun’ichi didn’t want to be hosted by Akimori’s mother either. He had no idea what to talk about with a classmate’s mother. As he prepared to follow Mizusawa’s lead, seizing the excuse, Mizusawa waved his hand dismissively, as if shooing away a dog.

“You can stay. You’re not like me—you don’t have cram school or anything.”

The words hit Shun’ichi like a shove. He swallowed down the retort, “That’s just a lie,” that was bubbling up in his throat. Mizusawa was right, after all. Shun’ichi didn’t attend cram school, nor did he participate in any junior high clubs. Early in their friendship, Mizusawa had handed him a cram school brochure, saying, “Come to mine.” But after reading it, Shun’ichi secretly threw it in a trash can at the station. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to go; it was because the tuition was about a third of Isamu’s monthly salary. If Isamu saw that pamphlet, Shun’ichi had a feeling that, despite their already tight budget, his father would still say something like, “Why don’t you give it a try?”

Mizusawa had assumed Shun’ichi would join the cram school after handing over the brochure. When Shun’ichi declined, Mizusawa had gotten sulky and refused to talk to him for the rest of the day.

“See ya.”

Mizusawa walked off on his own, and Shun’ichi couldn’t bring himself to follow. He glared at Mizusawa’s retreating figure, irritated by his arrogance. Left alone with Akimori, someone he wasn’t particularly close to, Shun’ichi had nothing to talk about. He wanted to leave, but didn’t know what to say. While he was mulling it over, Akimori suddenly grabbed his wrist tightly.

“Come on in.”

The way Akimori acted so familiar felt off to Shun’ichi.

“Uh, I…”

Before he could finish, Akimori pulled him along forcefully. Annoyed, Shun’ichi yanked his arm free halfway down the brick path. Akimori turned around, startled. His expression quickly shifted, wilting like a flower, and he looked down, murmuring, “Sorry.”

Even though Akimori had apologized, Shun’ichi felt a pang of guilt, as if he had done something wrong. Going home now would feel awkward, but he didn’t want to go inside either. While he hesitated, the front door swung open from the outside. Akimori’s mother stood there, looking at them. Tense, Shun’ichi straightened his posture.

“I was wondering what was taking you so long. Where’s your other friend?”

“He left, said he had cram school.”

“Oh, what a shame.”

With a soft gesture, she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and looked kindly at Shun’ichi.

“Well, come on in. I’m afraid I don’t have much to offer, but please make yourself comfortable.”

Having come this far, Shun’ichi didn’t have the courage to say, “No, thank you,” and leave.

◇:-:◆:-:◇

He had thought they would go straight to Akimori's room, so when he was led into a spacious living room with a large, jet-black sofa, so big it seemed like it could swallow the entirety of his own apartment, he grew nervous, his legs stiffening awkwardly. Paintings in frames hung on the walls, and a large vase was displayed atop a low, dark-brown shelf.

No matter how much Akimori pleaded, "We're going to my room," his mother simply smiled and brushed him off with, "Oh, it’s fine! You’ve brought a friend over for the first time since you started junior high. Introduce him to your mother properly."

As soon as she excused herself and left the living room, Akimori came closer. “Sorry about that. My mom loves talking to my friends. Whenever I bring someone over, this always happens,” he sighed, looking troubled.

"But, to be honest, I’ve always wanted to talk to you, Sanada-kun. You don’t make much noise in class, and you seem mature, so I found it hard to approach you…"

Just then, there was a knock on the door, and Akimori’s mother returned, holding a silver tray. The conversation was cut short as she laid out glasses and a plate of cookies in front of them.

"These are homemade, by the way," Akimori said.

The cookies were so beautifully decorated, it wouldn't have been strange to find them on sale at a pastry shop—hard to believe they were homemade.

"This is fresh grapefruit juice. You don’t dislike it, do you? Is it okay?" she asked.

Too nervous to speak, he simply nodded. It had been a long time since he’d spoken to a woman who wasn’t a teacher or one of the girls in class. He couldn't even touch the juice in front of him, caught up in thoughts like whether he should introduce himself in a situation like this. But just blurting out his name seemed odd, and as he hesitated, he found himself unable to say anything, staring down at his feet.

"Um… This is Shun’ichi Sanada-kun, my classmate," Akimori introduced him. Taking the cue, he muttered a quiet "Hello."

"Hello, Sanada-kun. Thank you for always being such a good friend to Yuusei."

He hadn’t actually been that close to Akimori. But since he was here at Akimori’s house, denying it felt strange, so he fell silent again. Why was he even here? Shouldn't it be Ichibashi or Ishihara—Akimori's closer friends—sitting on this sofa instead of him?

"Yuusei is the only boy among his siblings, you know. With older and younger sisters, maybe it’s because of that... and I know I'm his mother, but he’s a bit too kind-hearted. That’s why I’ve always been worried, especially with all kinds of kids coming together in public junior high, about whether he’d be bullied."

“Mom, stop it,” Akimori muttered bluntly, clearly embarrassed. His dark red lips curled into a faint smile.

“Oh, Sanada-kun, do you know the Mominoki General Hospital near the station?”

It was a large hospital built about five years ago. He had been there once when he caught a terrible cold, accompanied by his father, Isamu. The injection had hurt, but the nurses and doctors were all very kind.

“This boy’s father is a doctor there. So if you ever suddenly feel unwell, just tell them you’re Yuusei’s friend, and they’ll take care of you right away. By the way, Sanada-kun, what does your father do for a living?”

At that moment, an image of Isamu in his blue work coveralls flashed through his mind.

“Ah, well…”

Isamu worked for a cleaning company, driving a garbage collection truck, doing the rounds to pick up trash. As a child, Shun’ichi had loved his father’s blue uniform and the big garbage truck. But now, he knew that few people wanted to become sanitation workers, and it wasn’t the kind of job others admired, like being a doctor. He understood that someone had to do it, and he’d always seen how seriously Isamu took his job. He worked tirelessly to raise him. But even though Shun’ichi knew he wasn’t in a position to say anything, he couldn’t stop feeling ashamed of the job. He had often wondered why his dad couldn’t be a normal salaryman like Kunihiko. No matter how many times he told himself that there was nothing to be ashamed of since his father worked so hard, he still couldn’t bring himself to say it. He hated that he was the kind of kid who didn’t want to talk about his father’s job—he hated himself for it.

“I heard from Mizusawa. Your dad works in sanitation, right?” Akimori said casually.

Shun’ichi was startled. The fact that Akimori knew made his face flush bright red with shame.

“Oh, it must be a difficult job,” Akimori’s mother said.

Though she was saying it must be hard work, there was something about her tone that didn’t match her words. It felt as if she was looking down on him, offering a consoling smile.

“Please, don’t be shy—help yourself to more cookies,” she smiled warmly.

Even though he was hungry, Shun’ichi didn’t feel like eating or drinking. If he could, he would run out of this house and go home right now.

“Please continue to be good friends with him,” she added.

He hated this woman. He never wanted to see her again. Sometimes people say awful things outright. But the subtle contempt hidden beneath kindness cut far deeper into Shun’ichi’s heart than any cruel words ever could.

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