CHAPTER 3: YUKI
It was very nice meeting that little girl named Setsuko. I spoke the truth when I said she cheered me up. Talking with her for those few seconds made me forget all the things happening. She reminded me of Hisako and Kayoko when they were that age. This time when I went to sleep, my dreams really were sweet.
I woke up shivering the next morning. The sky was grey with clouds and it looked like it was about to rain. It took me a few seconds to realize that I was not in my home, but in front of an old bomb shelter. I looked inside and saw Seita putting on his coat and hat. Setsuko was just waking up. She looked at me and smiled brightly.
"Ah. Good morning Yuki! Did you sleep well?"
I laughed for the first time in a while. She was so cute and adorable! "Yes, Setsuko. I did have a nice rest. Arigatou."
Seita had now put his army-like boots on and came out of the shelter. "Um, it's Yuki, right?"
"Yes, it is." I said.
"Listen, did you say something last night about you living in that direction?" He pointed to the South-Western part of Nishinomiya. I told him I did.
"I'll go see how much damage has been done."
"Wait! I'm coming too!"
"Me too! Nii-chan! Yuki! Wait!"
I ran after Seita, with Setsuko not far behind me. I could already see from where I was that there was heavy damage, and I prepared myself for what I might see. When I heard Setsuko calling for us, I stopped so she could catch up. Then I picked her up and continued following Seita. We finally came to a road and I saw what had been done to my home.
It was just awful. Piles of burnt wood and rubble lay where rows of houses used to be. Smoke was still rising from some places. This was how it looked as far as I could see. Some people were scavenging for anything they could find from the remains of their homes. I thought I would do the same.
My home - or what used to be - was somewhere along this road. Because there was nothing but rubble everywhere, I was difficult to find. When I was sure I had found it, I put Setsuko down and gently lifted some boards of wood. I saw the remains of objects I found familiar; a set of plates and cups - broken, Hisako's doll - burnt. Almost everything I had known for my whole life - gone.
"Now your home's gone too." Said Setsuko. "What will you do now?"
"Well Setsuko, I'm going to find my family. My mother and two sisters."
Things were silent for a minute. During this time I started to worry again. Where was Mother? Where were Hisako and Kayoko? What would I do if I couldn't find them?
"If you can't find them today, you can stay with us for tonight as well."
I was surprised when Seita said this to me. Perhaps I had spoken my thoughts aloud. I was also surprised at how generous this pair of siblings was. I wasn't sure if the boy really trusted me, but Setsuko was very happy with her brother.
"Really! She can stay Nii-chan?"
"Well, if she can't find her family. But remember, that's only if she wants to." After talking to his sister, Seita turned to me. "You go and see if you can find anything. If you can't, just come back to the shelter. I know for sure Setsuko would like the company. Good luck."
He gave me a formal salute and turned back in the direction of the shelter with Setsuko on his back. I lowered my head in a bow until they had gone off the road and down the hill towards their makeshift home. Then I turned around and headed in the direction of the shelter our family regularly used, hoping they might be there.
I passed by whole neighbourhoods of ruins. Of the many people I saw, none of them was my mother. There were the occasional bodies I walked over as well. I looked at each of them, seeing if I could identify any of them. Some were nothing but black thingsthat didn't look like they were once human beings like me. Nowadays, smelling things like fish make me think of the awful smell those bodies produced. Like burnt flesh. Human flesh.
All day I searched, asking around. The reply was always the same: They hadn't seen my mother nor my poor little sisters. I told myself that they were clever and had hid somewhere, much like how Seita and Setsuko were living in that shelter.
They're probably safe and sound and worried sick about me. Hisako will be asking 'Where is Nee-chan?' Kayoko will be telling her that I'm okay. Mother will have her arms around them both, saying that things will get better and that we'll all be together again.
I gave up my search for the day. With the sun slowly sinking into the horizon, I traced my steps back to where Seita and Setsuko lived. I was determined to find my family if it took a hundred years to do so. I was also grateful to this pair of siblings who were willing to help, especially little Setsuko.