Adventures: Kyoto
Her fingers flew across the keyboard. She was not even sure what exactly she was doing—as long as it kept her from facing her inner turmoil then all was well. But of course, with the World Wide Web as rich as it was, she soon stumbled upon a page that sent her thoughts reeling back in to where it should not be.
"Moving to Morocco: Adventures of a Lifetime" seemed like a harmless enough web page. Photographs of the highest quality were nestled in between the text describing a ragtag group's decision to move their business to Morocco. Business—the one subject that Shizuru Fujino just did not want to face at the moment. Web surfing was a bad idea. She should have gone outside for a run instead.
Shizuru knew that she had to make a decision soon. Twenty-three years old with a college degree to her name, and she still did not know what in the world she wanted to do. Her family was not particularly wealthy but they lived comfortably, many thanks to their Chinese business partners. Shizuru knew the wonders of nepotism in China and with her elderly father and his business peers soon retiring (which also meant their own children taking over the companies), she was well aware that it was her turn to take the torch. It was such a cliché, really. She never thought that her family was rich enough for her to face a dilemma such as the one she had now. The idea of following in her father's footsteps was not all that horrible—in fact, she herself would be guaranteed a fruitful fifty years to come and she could take care of her parents. But the thought of not doing what she loved to do—whatever it is that she loves to do that she has yet to figure out—was simply painful for her.
Shizuru sighed. She was not much for sighing but she felt that it was an appropriate time to do so. Scrolling down the web page, she found the comments section. Reading other users' reactions and even actions (some had even moved to Morocco, others Ecuador, and so on), lit a tiny fire inside of Shizuru. It was tiny but it would soon consume her.
"I would like to take a few months off and go to Australia," Shizuru told her parents over dinner.
"Australia? Why?" Her mother asked. The lady of the Fujino household had always been stricter than the head and it was unsurprising that she questioned first.
"To travel, of course," Shizuru replied though she should have probably left out the of course and left it at that upon seeing her mother's glare. "I plan on getting a work holiday visa and going with Reito. He's helping me with my plane ticket. I will repay him once we find work in Australia. We'll be backpacking and camping for the most part," she finished.
"Cam—" Shizuru's mother was cut off as her father raised his hand to request for silence.
"Shizuru dear, what about China? They were very pleased with your business proposal and model," her father asked.
"Father, it has been a month and I have yet to see willing investors. While they have expressed a great interest in my project, I'm afraid none of them have enough heart to financially back it," Shizuru calmly explained. "Besides, mother and yourself travelled around my age, correct? Would you not say that it is only fair that I too travel? I think this would be a very welcome break."
Her parents knew she was right. They themselves were well travelled and had adventured in their younger years. But Shizuru was their only child and they were not going to let her go camping in the wild outback of Australia!
"Dear, at least stay in an apartment. Camping sounds a bit too dangerous," her father said.
"I agree with your father. You're a girl!" Her mother added.
"Mother, I will be with Reito. I'm sure he is strong enough to fend for both of us. If I even need any such help. I hope that the two of you do not forget that I am also in great shape?"
"Fine," her parents grumbled; it was a lost battle. "However, if you still do not know what you want to do when you return, you do understand you will have to do business with the Chinese in your father's stead, correct?" But they would not lose the war if they could help it.
"Those terms are fine by me."
Natsuki Kuga was nervous as fuck. Part of her was really happy that she made it all the way to the final, in-person interviews to New York City but another was in shock and disappointed. She had planned on doing some grand adventure while she was still young if she had not made it past the third round of interviews. Heck, she had half a mind to just drop the final interviews and just board a plane to somewhere, anywhere. But she knew very well that she would be doing herself a disservice if she dropped out now. It would be career suicide. As a college dropout, this programming internship position was a godsend.
It was two in the morning and after her thirteen-hour flight from Tokyo, all she wanted to do was rest all day. She hailed a taxicab from the terminal and gave the name of her designated hotel. Once the taxi started driving, Natsuki looked outside the passenger window; everything around her was a whirlwind of colors, and people left and right walking down the streets. The City That Never Sleeps truly lived up to its name as Natsuki saw shops and restaurants still open, ready to cater to the wide-awake. This wouldn't be so bad, she thought. She could finally have a stable lifestyle and she'd be in one of the most exciting cities in the world. What more could she ask for?
a:n what do you think? -Penshil