Scene 4: Paths That Change and Diverge
A.N:
Researching for a story is a giant pain in the ass. This is why I prefer to make my own worlds. Nevertheless, pesky things like geography and laws will not prevent me from writing! Wish me luck…
-Red
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
The rotation of the earth is something which can not be stopped by an action as puny as hitting the snooze button. But science demands I at least attempt.
Alas, the sun continues to rise and poke me irritatingly in my eyes. And the snooze button proves to be inadequate at even its designated task as the blaring alarm resumes beeping.
I haltingly get up and make my way towards the showers, stumbling occasionally. Hanako's train doesn't leave till seven-thirty so waking up an hour early may seem odd, but Kenji refuses to use the shower before seven because of some ridiculous reason so I started getting up early to better avoid any unnecessary interactions.
Stripping off my nightwear I absentmindedly realize I forgot to bring a change of clothes. Oh well. As I stand under the steaming water, my brain begins to slowly start. After a few more minutes in the shower I get out, functioning slightly better. As I look in the mirror, I notice that, despite still being weighed down with water, that one lock of hair still sticks up in a defiant fashion.
I put my nightwear back on and make my way to my room. Still tired, but functioning, I change into a pair of khakis, a tan shirt. A notification on my phone draws my attention.
Dad: Your mom is excited to meet your girlfriend but won't be here tonight
Hisao: that's fine. Remember to be at the train station at a quarter to nine.
Dad: I know, don't forget anything at school
Huh, he sounds a bit like Shizune. Now that I think about it, the two of them are very alike. Before I think more about the bullet I dodged, a knock at my door draws my attention. I could tell it is Lilly by the sound. Funny how the way a person knock can say a lot about them. Or in Misha's case not knocking.
"Hisao? Are you awake?"
"I wouldn't go that far, no," I say opening the door, "but I'm up and ready to go, yes."
Her smiling face wakes me up better than any sun can. Today she is wearing a creamy-yellow blouse that compliments a modest, plaid skirt.
I lean forward and give her a gentle kiss. "Hisao, I've told you not to surprise me like that," she says flushed. "Yeah, but you don't mind, do you?" She shakes her head and I lean in again. This time however, Lilly raises a hand in front of her face. "There will be time for that after we see Hanako off." It sounded less like a rebuke and more like a promise.
'One I'll be holding her too.' I think as I sling my backpack over my shoulder.
Lilly taps methodically in front of her while holding onto my arm. "Good morning Lilly, Hisao." A voice behind us says. Lilly smiles. "Good morning Hanako. Have you eaten breakfast yet?"
"No." She shakes her head. "I was waiting for you."
"Shall we be off then?"
The cafeteria has few students and a drowsy atmosphere. The breakfast choices are varied but nothing catches my eye. I decide to be safe and order rice with eggs. Lilly chooses a bowl of oatmeal with raspberries and Hanako does the same. Lilly orders a cup of tea as well and takes a sip of before making a face and placing it down. "Not to your liking?" I laugh. "I simply am accustomed to less harsh flavours," she responds in a refined manner. The tea Lilly brews is much more mellow than the concentrated leaf juice they sell here. I still think of myself as a coffee person, but but I do tend to put ungodly amounts of cream and sugar into it. I suppose as long as the coffee is more than fifty percent of the mixture, it's still coffee.
I glance at my watch. 7:19. "We should get going." I say.
Lilly looks torn between having crappy tea or none at all. "My dad has a traditional tea set he got as a gift from his parents but never really uses. We can make some when we get to my house."
Content with that option, Lilly hands Hanako her finished tray who quickly disposed of it. Lilly extends her cane and the three of us head towards the entrance. There, Akira is waiting with her usual attire, leaning on her fancy car. "Yo." She grins. "Don't you three look all grown-up and ready to see the big, scary, world." She sounds oddly proud.
As we drive to the station, Hanako talks nervously and excitedly about her plans. "...And her cousin Shiori called her last night. He told Naomi he is fine with driving anywhere, but Natsume said anywhere past a 100 kilometer radius would be excessive, expensive, and t-time consuming." Wouldn't a 100 kilometer radius be um…wait…if the speed limit is about 100 kilometers an hour, and it's a round trip…
"A hundred KM radius would be a two hour trip around, wouldn't it?" Akira chimes in. She smirks at me in the rearview mirror. I need to stop counting on my fingers. "I wish I had free hours like that. What does this guy do? Sounds like he's got weird hours. Also, I've been wondering about something; isn't Shiori a girl's name?"
"Shiori is a fairly common name for boys as well," Lilly says, "I am fairly certain the spelling is different, however." Akira shrugs. "Still weird."
"I-I don't know what he does, I t-think Naomi said he's a university first year." Hanako looks contemplative. "And she mentioned something about photography." It must run in the family. What with Naomi being the newspaper's photographer. I've never personally read any articles, but the pictures seem to be…very clear. They portray the target well, but I personally thought they look simple and amateur. Not the most eye-catching.
Akira parallel parks between two cars that look uncomfortably expensive. Luckily, she proves to be adept at maneuvering the vehicle. "Ugh…" Akira gets out of the driver's seat quickly and stretches. "I can't stand being in the car for even a few minutes. They're too confining. I don't know how you'll deal with driving for hours at a time."
I manage to lug my heavy suitcase from the trunk. Hanako looks around the station anxiously. "It's t-twenty after…d-do you t-think…". Her question hangs unspoken. I shake my head. "Naomi seems a bit ditzy, but Natsume can keep her in line and in track."
At the same time Akira shrugs. "I don't know these girls that well, so they may-."
"Akira!"
I turn to Lilly who has her hands in her hips. She glares at her sister and I feel goosebumps rise on my skin. "I know what you're doing. You've done it to our parents and myself enough. Hanako and her friends will be fine."
Completely lost, I look at Hanako who seems equally confused. "Um...um...Lilly? What…"
"Are you talking about?" I finish. Akira's face has taken on a mercury-red tint.
"Frankly, I am disappointed in you!" Lilly ignores our questions. "You are the one who always says that independence is the most important thing, and here you are, trying to get us to back out of expanding our horizons." Lilly's voice is scolding and stern, but level.
For a moment it looks like to me that Akira is going to start shouting. Instead she does something that catches all three of us off guard: she hugs us.
"I'm just…just." The normally composed and eloquent woman struggles to find the right words as I struggle against her arm wrapped around my neck. "I'm just worried! The three of you are growing up so fast! I'm going to the other side of the planet and you're traveling all across the country!" She continues to ramble, and although a few Scottish, English, and what I think is Mandarin words pepper her otherwise fluent Japanese, I get the gist.
She's getting empty nester's syndrome.
I feel an odd mix of embarrassment at the public display of affection, sympathy for the loneliness of close friends leaving, and honoured at being considered this close to Akira. Mostly embarrassment.
"Akira." Lilly hugs her sister back and says in a soothing tone, "we'll be fine." Akira nods but doesn't let go.
Akira's hug has begun to feel uncomfortably long. "A-Akira," Hanako's muffled voice came from from behind the woman's arm, "you c-can let go now."
Lilly too begins to struggle against her sister's grip. "Really, we must be off."
Letting go, Akira reaches into her pocket and dabs her eyes with a handkerchief. "I'm...I'm alright," she laughs sourly. "I guess it's hard to practice what you preach, huh? Seeing you guys grow up is great. But seeing you grown up is something else entirely…"
Behind her I see a familiar blonde and brunette watching us with amusement. Akira looks sternly at Hanako and Lilly and I but the image is ruined by the red surrounding her eyes. "You three better not do anything I wouldn't do." Like give alcohol to minors? I, of course, keep this to myself.
We assure her we'll be safe and she gives us all one last hug. She whispers something I can't catch into Lilly's ear that makes her blush. "Don't be childish," she swats her sister's arm who giggles. Neatly folding the elegant handkerchief back into a tidy square, Akira tucks it into her coat pocket and gets into her car with a wave. "I'll call you guys when I land. And have fun!" She speeds off into the sunrise in a cliché fashion.
I look a the members of the newspaper club. "How long were you there?"
Naomi laughs and tries to pass it off as a cough. "Not long."
"The entire time," Natsume says at the same time.
"I took a picture." Naomi holds up a sleek, polished, expensive looking camera. Probably the only clean thing she owns. Naomi's outfit is presentable enough, if crumpled and wrinkled. Her bright yellow top and black short-shorts match, but clash with her girlfriend's tidy cyan dress.
A feminine computerized voice says over the speakers, "trains 172, 173, 174, and 175 are now ready for boarding. Please be ready at you present your pass. Thank you."
"That's us!" Naomi chirps.
The quirky pair begin heading towards their train. Hanako gives Lilly a tight hug. "I-I'll see you soon…"
"In less than a week." I say. "Enjoy your trip!"
Hanako pulls back and nods. "T-thank you. Good luck with your p-parents…"
Something seems to be bothering her a little. Maybe she's more nervous than I thought? Hanako smiles brightly and any concern is swept away. Lilly grabs my hand. "We will be at the train station waiting for you."
"Hey! Hanako!" Naomi shouts from by a train, drawing the attention of a few passerby. "You coming?"
"Naomi, stop yelling."
"I'm not yelling." She says offended.
As Hanako joins them and boards the train with one last wave, I feel an odd sense of pride. The girl I met in the library would be completely at a lost in a situation like this. But change is normal. And this change is good.
"Lilly?"
"Yes Hisao?" I see her eyes looking slightly moist, but her smile is warm and genuine.
"I…I think we're going to be fine."
"As do I, Hisao."
With a sense of finality, Lilly and I make our way to our own train. The train taking us to my home. Even though it's only been a few short months since I enrolled at Yamaku, and less than a year since I had my heart-attack, I wonder if I'll be able to recognize it? And I wonder if it will be able to recognize me. I certainly don't. In less than a year, I've gone from an unmotivated teenager with no ambition, to a dejected and hopeless cripple, and then into someone who has a plan and university I'm striving for.
Change is something that occurs constantly. It is an omnipresent part of life. Always moving forward is the only way to keep up with it. And right now, I think it's heading in a good direction.
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
Extra:
Akira's hug has begun to feel uncomfortably long. "A-Akira," Hanako's muffled voice came from from behind the woman's arm, "you c-can let g-go now."
Lilly too begins to struggle against her sister's grip. "Really, we must be off."
"J-just a little bit more."
Oh my god. Is she crying? I can't see her face in the awkward, yet not at all unpleasant, position Akira has us in, but I hope to all the gods she is not crying. I can not handle crying women.
"I-I am going to miss you guys so much!"
Oh my god she's not just crying; she blubbering like a toddler! "It's alright, Akira." I try to console her. "We-."
"It's not alright!" Her tears begin to drip onto my shoulder. Scratch that, not tears. Gross...it's all goopy.
"My baby-sisters are just little kids! They're too young to have boyfriends and travel! I love you too much!"
"Akira please," I contort my arm, into a position I which I can pat her reassuringly, "people are staring." Is she drunk?
I hear a light sniffle to my left. "I-I-I l-love you t-t-too, Akira!" Hanako wipes her eyes with her palms and blinks quickly.
Oh my god, now Hanako's crying. I look desperately to my right and see Lilly's blue eyes beginning to water as well. Somebody help me! I'm stuck between three crying girls!
"Akira, please," I plead. "The trains are leaving!"
But they ignore me and continue hugging, squeezing me between them.
It's…
Too…
Cute…
"Hnnnng…" I collapse and darkness clouds my vision. The last thing I think is that this isn't such a bad way to die.
A.N:
Thanks for reading this new chapter! Seriously though, I appreciate any feedback.
Till next chapter.
-Red