"Will that be all sir?"
I nod silently to the cashier, whilst paying for the shipping fee on my boxes. I hate moving out; it's always such a bother. It's not even the change of scenery that bothers me really, but after spending what feels like my entire life on the move, I'm always left wondering what I will see the next time I look out of my bedroom window. The different people and faces, the various buildings and skyscrapers, even empty fields all pass by too quickly for me to catch a real glimpse of the place I should be calling home. It seems that the moment I take a real look outside, it passes me by in a blur and morphs into something new. This year I'll be moving again to another new town. I'm certain that in four or five years' time, I can look for a job and actually settle down somewhere, and by that time I'll most likely have forgotten the name of my newest 'home'. What was it called again? Oh yeah ... Yasoinaba.
"The train will now be reaching Yasoinaba. Passengers heading for Yasoinaba are advised to check for their belongings."
I snap my phone shut and hastily pocket it, while reaching down for my bag, preparing to exit the train and see what waits for me outside. Speeding up, eager to exit the stuffy station I am startled by a loud voice and the sight of a middle-aged man with a young girl hiding behind him. They introduce themselves as my Uncle Dojima, and my little cousin Nanako. After introducing myself, I struggle to think of what to say before Dojima's face lights up and he interrupts my thoughts.
"Ah, that reminds me." He started as we make our way towards his car. "I already unpacked some of your things in your room. Are you sure you remembered everything? You sure are a light packer." He chuckles.
I nod. When you are constantly moving around, it's better just to travel light. Homely possessions don't make much of a difference when you don't have a constant home to keep them in.
Soon after I settled in, school started. Along with new friends, and a new life began a new mystery. As predicted by a strange man with a long nose that I dreamt about on the train. Did I do something in a past life to cause me this burden? Isn't moving to a new place and starting over again already enough of a headache without having to solve a murder as well? Sometimes I just wish I could plead, much like the Shakespearean actors, for Romeo to come and save me from all this hardship ... Then again I did sign up to the drama club. Maybe I'll be hearing that line said to me one day.
At first I only really have the basic necessities in my room, but before I know it suddenly I have more possessions than I have ever owned in my life. Glasses, armor and weapons, hidden so well in my closet that I think Uncle Dojima would have an easier time finding my ahem magazines than he would these. My soccer cleats and uniform hanging in my wardrobe (that's not the smell of sweat - It's the smell of youth). A large stack of drama scripts on my desk (someday I swear this pile will be bigger than Nanako!). An ever-growing pile of books (Yes that is a copy of 'Witch Detective'. Don't judge me). A whole myriad of snacks and sweets, half finished products from odd jobs I've taken while here (folding envelopes can be surprisingly fun). I have fishing equipment (I will catch that guardian one day), my bug net (maybe I could use it on those huge beetle shadows), my scooter license, gardening tools and toy models.
Never before have I owned so much 'stuff'. My room looks way more cluttered than usual yet it finally feels that when I look around my bedroom, someone does actually live here. My room reflects me, not the person I was, but the person I have become, and with my growing list of possessions I feel like I have truly grown as an individual. I feel the drive to go on when other people may stop. I have a thirst for knowledge far more than I ever did before. I feel the urge to be braver and reach out to the truth. On top of everything I feel the need to understand myself. After all, how could I possibly hope to understand others if I can't make sense of myself? My face shows more expression that I usually kept to myself. Life is weird, everything can change in a heartbeat and before I wouldn't even notice. Now I don't fear this change. Pretty soon I will have to leave Inaba, and my first 'real' home, but it's not all bad. The more limited the time we have, the more we need to appreciate and remember the place itself and the people within it that really make it feel like home.
The last year has gone so quickly and before I know it I find myself loading my things back into those cardboard boxes once more. Right as I finish sealing the final box with some tape Uncle Dojima enters my room.
"You sure have a lot of boxes to send back huh?" He mocked with a voice that seems out of place with his usual strict demeanor.
I look up at him, a grin tugging at my lips and I chuckle.
"Tell me about it."
A/N: Thank you for the beta-read, Palladion.x! And thank you for reading :D