I wrote this two months ago but decided to post it now. This was written for a prompt challenge based on two characters meeting at an airport. This also diverges from canon. The Digital World adventures never happened and Iori and Miyako have never met, but despite that I wrote this with their qualities of friendship in mind.
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Could this line move any slower?
That was what Miyako thought as she stood in the middle of the airport security checkpoint queue, where dozens of people lined up in front of her, as though they were frozen in place. She counted exactly six minutes before she could step one foot forward.
As her frustration grew, so did her doubts of going on this trip in the first place. Her mother suggested this as a treat for graduating high school, and told her how fun it would be to explore a new place, especially after complaining about being stuck in her hometown for most of her life.
"Isn't this what you've always talked about, Miyako?" her mother asked. "To find your way into a new world, away from everything else?"
If I could find a way into a new world where slow-moving lines didn't exist… Miyako thought to herself. Turning to look behind her wasn't any better, as the queue looked just as packed as it did ahead of her.
After an hour that felt like years, Miyako finally went through the security scanners with her carry-on bag in tow. A growl from her stomach alerted her hunger, and she walked down the corridor toward the gate of her flight to observe any good options for food.
Lines. More lines filled every food stand. Sheer irritation overtook her craving for an indulgent ice-blended coffee, and she resorted to the empty convenience store to grab a bottled tea and a wrapped muffin.
When Miyako approached the waiting area for her flight, she was not surprised to find that most of the seats were filled, and a few people were standing in wait. She sighed in exasperation and found an open space for her to stand and get a chance to eat.
As she took a bite of her mediocre muffin, she looked around the waiting area, resigning herself to the fact that the flight was to a popular tourist destination, anyway. But among the people sitting and talking within their groups, she noticed him seated in the first row, silently reading a book.
Miyako wondered how he could sit in the middle of all that noise and read even a line from a page without going crazy, as she imagined herself doing. She watched him as he calmly flipped through the pages and showed no signs of breaking.
But then, he lowered the book, and Miyako thought he had finally had enough of the noise.
Except he had only lowered his book to take a sip of his hot beverage, and settled back into reading his book soon after.
There was an empty seat next to him, and Miyako decided then and there that she would sit in it. She wasn't sure what motivated her to approach him. Maybe it was the fact that he acted so calm and composed when he was surrounded by the chaos that usually got to her head. He had reminded her of the quiet neighbor whose grandfather always said "hello" to her parents in passing. She had never thought to talk to him. Why would a quiet boy want to be bothered by a rambling loudmouth like her?
Yet, she had always wanted to talk to him, just like she wanted to talk to this person now.
"It's a pretty cool place we're going to, huh?" Miyako asked as she sat down next to him.
He didn't respond and continued reading. Miyako was sure she spoke loud enough for him to hear, but she began to feel foolish about her habit of speaking without consideration. Her mother had always scolded her for her impoliteness.
"I've read that it was nice," he replied, soft-spoken.
For a moment, Miyako was taken aback, and she wondered whether his lips actually moved even though his eyes hadn't left his book. But when he lowered his book again, this time to turn to her, Miyako smiled and continued to talk. Words spilled from her lips about the places she thought were worth visiting.
She went on to talk about the one place she wanted to visit the most which happened to be the most popular attraction, and she even fretted about the potential lines she would have to fall into.
"I'll go when you go, if you'd like," was his reply. "That way, the wait wouldn't be too bad."
Miyako stared at him with intrigue. "You don't mind it, do you?"
"What do you mean?"
"The anxiety of lines. The noisy crowds."
"I'm not bothered by things I cannot control. What's the point if paying attention to them can ruin your day for no reason? That's what my grandfather taught me."
"Huh. And what about a stranger talking your ear off?"
"You seem nice, and grandfather told me that I should meet new people."
There was a bell ringing on the intercom, followed by a voice announcing that the flight was open to board. Miyako was the first to stand, and when the young man stood up, she lifted her hand toward him, smiling in earnest.
"I'm Miyako," she said.
"Iori," he replied with a kind smile.
Together, they walked toward the flight gate. They fell into a line, yet again, but this time, Miyako didn't mind at all.