A broadcast over the PA of the plane were speaking in a fairly familiar language at First, roughly something like "we're now landing, keep your phones off" and the sorts. Then it was spoken in English The plane landed. The attendant, seeing I was travelling alone as a and flyer, asked me "Would you like any help?" Strangely did she speak in a bad Engrish and in pity I replied to her in Japanese. "No, but thank you"
I carried only one bag around and got onto the terminal. What I've been seeing So far was just a normal international airport. A bad habit, what a high class of live I've been living in, not anymore in the near future. Apparently living here is quite expensive and so we have to save a lot and work part time, or so I've heard.
I got my phone out and tapped a document containing my brother's dorm house address which wasn't too far to the Met if I remembered correctly "Fukuoka huh?"
There was a map of the station network I took a shuttle bus to the closest train station and head out from there.
Not much difference from Australia if you ask me, the ticket system and such.
The sky was already orange, denoting it is getting late. I then remembered to set my watch onto the local time where it was shown on a digital announcement plaque on top of the train's interior. Then there was an announcement about the last stop or so. Looks like I'll have to switch trains I passed the platform and walked around the easy narrow streets, a sign that a school is present. Out of curiosity, I actually looked for this school and found it partitioned by a large opened gate, a bit taller than me. The plaque has the kanji of a 'flower' and of course 'school'. Deducing the name wasn't quite hard 'Sakura High School' was written on it.
Beside it was a notice board that piqued my curiosity, even though I can't really read hiragana I can just study it for A while with an easy chart on my phone. I walked over to the notice board and found a particular notice about the school looking for 'a librarian with computer hardware knowledge'. Interested by this find, I took that leaflet closer with one hand and read it closely as I compare it with a chart from my phone on the other hand.
Looking back and forth from my phone to paper, phone to paper. I was still busy with my meticulous reading when someone spoke to me "Are you interested in this?" I then found a glasses wearing girl in uniform next to me. I was unaware of the moment she had snuck up next to me. I looked at her seriously and she was surprised. Probably the way I dress and my foreign looks, I said to myself.
"Of course, it seems to be a decent job" I answered in a melancholic mood, I just hoped she understood my weird Japanese accent. "Ah then come to the school starting tomorrow" she was relieved. I guess despite me being a foreigner she understood me. I then remembered something very important, greetings. In this land of honor, everything must be polite "I forgot to introduce myself. You can call me Aga, that's with two katakana. Nice too meet you" "Oh I'm Manabe Nodoka, spelt with kanji. Nice meeting you" By her polite speaking I can tell that she's the type to be a valedictorian, but then again I'm just profiling.
"Anyway, it's getting late. Do you know where this station is?" I showed her a chart on my phone and pointed at the station. Then I spotted another girl behind Nodoka, she approached us with demeanor and curiosity. Did I mention her hyper active maneuvers? Looks like she just had too much sugar. "Yo Nodoka-chan! Who's this guy?" Honestly, I got annoyed already by profiling her as the trouble maker type. "Ah Yui, great timing. I found someone who would be willing to work as a librarian here. You're walking this way right?" Nodoka explained to her in the most pretentious manner. Ah well c yes c You mean you want me to walk this guy over there? h Then they chatted for a little while, I wasn't really listening because I was busy thinking of what time I would get home. "Hey, Aga! Aga, hey you listenin' ?" She blurted out in petulance
That's Aga-sama for you
"How bout you just have dinner in our house? h What she said had just given me a complex on my head. How can she ask a total stranger to go to her house and have dinner? Of course, she did that without thinking. "I'm afraid I have to reject unless you give me a valid reason" I was talking in a complex manner in hopes to get her confused and give up this stupid request. gWell if I fm not wrong there are no trains this late for today because of somekind of maintenance schedule h I was quite surprised that she did give a valid reason. gAlright c wait then I have to stay there? h Something I had not thought of spoke itself quite an argument. "You can sleep on the sofa there..." A well fitting place for a stranger to sleep, perhaps. Secretly, I like to sleep in sofas then I had to unconsciously agreed to it.
We walked together during the dark sunset, pass the train station I was supposed to be in. Come to think of it, I haven ft even learned of this trouble making girl fs name and so I just had to ask as gYou haven ft introduced yourself yet, what fs your name? h She stopped then turned around to me "Yui Hirasawa~! " She even put it in a tune, yare yare "Well I think that's enough information from you, for now." I replied in an impolite disinterested manner but then she stopped me "Not so fast, I need to interrogate you. Do you have a sibling?" I know she fs just trying to get along so I'll just let her have it "Yes, I have an older brother. Why?" I have a feeling she fll say something completely unrelated "No, it fs just that I have a younger sister but seriously she acts like an older sister. Cooking and cleaning everyday... She's the best in the world!" She made me remember something deep inside
"I want to have a sister."
I accidentally whispered it out "Eh? Did you say something?" "No, nothing!" I looked away from her, as if I was hiding something really embarrassing. Before I know it, Nodoka had parted ways then we arrived at the Hirasawa's residence. We fre here, let's go in. " Well if she insist... Yui ran through the entrance screaming a similar tune to her own name "Ui~!" I quickly deduced that fs her imouto es name. I reached the door in half of Yui fs pace and loosened my shoes by the entrance. Upon entering the house, I smell a beautiful fragrance of what seems to be dinner. Driven by my unique appetite, I dropped my bag and jacket in the entrance along with my shoes and approached the dinner table. A beautifully prepared dinner was ready even though I know presentation fs not the only thing that counts. From here, I can see the two sisters one hugging the other in the kitchen. While I just stood there and stared at the food unjustly, without any expression. A blank stare really. gAh and who might this be? hbefore me was a brown haired girl with a small ponytail on the back, she was wearing an apron. Yui quickly followed through "Ah Ui, lemme introduce you. This here's Aga and he'll be working in our library starting tomorrow" and of course I have to politely add "Pleasure meeting you"
She smiled a different smile than her sister, this smile was very sincere and polite. The difference is between grey and white here, I was awed by the difference between the two despite their strikingly similar appearance. "Nice to meet you, I'm Ui Hirasawa. Take a seat." I just did what she told me without thinking, I took the seat closest to me and settled myself on it and waited for them to take a seat before I help myself. Unfortunately I'm not the chivalrous type who lets the ladies sit first. When we were all seated, I let the oldest here did the honors of saying the ritual "Itadakimasu!"
I looked at a plate of curry in front of me and one of my worst nightmare, even worse than eating spicy food, had occurred to me, the chopsticks. I have never known or learned how to hold one during my 15 years of life. I picked up the two pieces of wood and held it uneasily between my fingers. Cold sweat was running down my forehead as I tried to pick up a carrot piece from the curry with the pair. I slipped it a lot but I kept on trying it slowly, as not to let the two take notice. Ui, who was sitting next to me, looked over my way. My struggle has been noticed "It seems that you are having problems with..." "N-no... I'm fine...ack!" I twisted my fingers and the chopsticks dropped. "ummuh- don't tell me you can't use chopsticks?"Yui, whose mouth was half full, had noticed too. I stayed there quietly in embarrassment and looked away from both of them. Then I quietly picked up the chopsticks" I think I'll be fine, just give me some..." then without any warnings Ui held my right hand "Here, this finger is supposed to be here and you control it using your middle finger" I looked away the second time, this time to hide my red face. I tried to pick up some rice with the chopsticks and brought it to my mouth, still facing away from her. "Th-that was unnecessary... Thanks..." she laughed a little bit and that's when I faced towards my food to continue eating. I ate it as quickly as possible, it was a little spicy but it won't bring me down. I can't refuse to eat it, after all she cooked it. "I'm done, I'm going to rest now if you don't mind" I had declared that as I stood up. "This early? Well, up to you. You can sleep on that sofa over there." I secretly unpacked my bag to find my stuffed lion and my long coat to use as my blanket. I covered myself and listened to the ambiences of the unfamiliar house.
I can hear Yui as she ran upstairs. Life must be hard for Ui, doing all the housework. Where are their parents? Probably outgoing much like my parents, but I'm sure they're funded well. I can hear somebody collecting the plates, the ceramic hitting each other. Then moments later, I can faintly hear the water running. It stops after a while then I peeked out of my 'blanket'. Ui was probably washing the dishes and is now going to her room. She looked over my way "If you need anything, just tell me." her hand was on the light switches "P-please don't turn off the lights!" I blurted it out not thinking of how childish it was to say that. Ui was quite surprised then she smiled "Sure" those words gave me a big relief of not having to go through a dark quiet night. "T-thanks again... Ui..." I quickly hide my face after having said that. Why do I have to be so strict on my preferences? Especially childish ones like that. I hugged my stuffed lion and thought it over how I wanted a sister c a caring wonderful sister like Ui