Written Rivers

A Home Amongst Rivers

Chapter 5: A Sense of Fulfillment

Chihiro fingered her dark grey graduation gown impatiently. Surrounded by over 3,000 other students, she had a long way to go before she got her diploma in her hands. While she was in one of the first groups to be given their diplomas due to her GPA and advanced placement studies, there was still to be a long wait as other undergraduate students were given their diplomas. At the moment, however, Osaka University President, Washida Kiyokazu, was at the podium giving the graduation address. He spoke of the earthquake and how it was affecting everyone's lives in Japan in some way, shape and form. We had taken a moment of silence in honor of them at the beginning of the ceremony, I couldn't help but think of Rumi's family.

"Two weeks have passed since that earthquake. Thinking of people spending nights in shelters without electricity or at homes in extraordinary quiet darkness, workers risking their lives to cool the nuclear power plants, victims working to rescue or provide medical treatment others, under these circumstances our celebrating your graduation and completion under these bright lights almost makes me feel guilty.

The distance between victims in the disaster-affected areas and us is all but unfathomable. We can't see all the mundane details of the disaster — all we can do is worrying about victims from afar.

There may be a bigger distance between victims and reporters covering the disaster on site and interviewing victims. It's just like the difference in the relationship between a caregiver helping feed a care-receiver and asking, 'Does it taste good?' at a nursing-care facility and the relationship between a caregiver eating the same food as a care-receiver in a small group at a nursing-care facility while saying 'This is good.' to one another.

In other words, in affected areas or now far removed from such areas, the number of victims of this disaster thinking, 'I'm still alive.' is not small. However, many people don't feel they have survived the earthquake, but have been left behind. The fact that they suffered little or no loss makes them feel guilty. No one can fill this distance and negotiate it instantly."

Chihiro laced her fingers together. She was beginning to understand how Rumi felt. She was feeling the guilt of survival. She wasn't there at the site of the earthquake, but she survived, away from her family. If she hadn't decided to go to Osaka University, she might have been with her family and she might have died with them. She was feeling the survivor's guilt from afar. Chihiro had seen Rumi deal with loss before when he grandmother died, but this was different. Rumi was completely ignoring it, she was keeping herself occupied and avoiding anything that would remind her that her family was gone. Chihiro was at a loss.

"I hope you will become persons about whom people will say, 'We can rely on you,' or 'We wish you were here at a time like this.' Yes, I want you to be professionals with a truly comprehensive worldview. If you feel the need to formally study again, please come back. Osaka University keeps its doors open for those of you who wish to study.

I would like to close by wishing you all good fortune. May you live your life to the fullest!"

President Washida waved his hand and everyone applauded after his speech. He left the podium and the person to give out the diplomas came into view. One after another, rows went up to get their diplomas. Chihiro watched as Rumi went across the stage to receive her diploma, the sound of her parents cheering for her in the distance in Rumi's family's steed.

Soon, Chihiro's row went up, her heals clicking across the stage and her heart beating faster than usual in her chest as she went up to receive her diploma of accomplishment. As the diploma entered her hands, she felt a weight melt off her shoulders and pride bubble up in her chest. She grinned up at the person handing her the diploma and gave a bow before walking off the stage and finally hearing the cheers of the crowds, her parents' cheers ringing clear in her ears. Her eyes scanned over the crowds to find her family and spotted them, wiggling the diploma in her hands with a grin. Chihiro returned to her seat and ran her fingers over the diploma and looking at her name printed on the paper.

The rest of the ceremony went on, the last of the names were read off and a few more representatives went up with final speeches. Then they finally announced that it was time to move the tassels from the right side of their cap to the left, ending the ceremony and giving their congratulations. The student body all stood and hooted and hollered, hugging each other and crying with grins of relief on their faces. Afterwards, they exited the room and met with their families. Chihiro found Rumi and they cried excitedly together as they searched the crowds for Chihiro's family.

"Chihiro! Rumi-Chan!"

Chihiro heard her mother's voice in the crowds and craned her neck toward it and waved when their eyes met. "Oka-San, Otou-San!" She grabbed Rumi's hand and weaved toward her family.

Ogino Akichiro and Ichiyuko waited against the wall with flowers and balloons, Ichiyuko bouncing on her heels as she waited enthusiastically. Chihiro and Rumi approached the two of them and Ichiyuko shoved the bouquets into Akichiro's arms and embraced the girls.

"Oh girls! I'm so proud of you both! Congratulations!" Ichiyuko squeezed the girls tightly and kissed Chihiro on the cheek. She pulled away and looked at both of them, with tears rimming her eyes. "Oh, look at you two." She cupped her mouth. "You two have grown up so much, I remember when you two were just in kindergarten." Her voice choked a little as she tried to get the words out.

"Congratulations, girls! We are both so proud." Akichiro said, handing each girl a bouquet of flowers with balloons attached and embracing each of them.

"Thank you." The girls said in unison.

Ichiyuko turned to Rumi and smiled gingerly, taking her free hand and squeezing it. "Rumi-Chan your parents would be so proud and we're so sorry that they aren't here to see you. But I know they'd tell you that they love you and that they are so, so very proud of where you've gone."

Rumi winced and smiled softly. "Thank you, Oba-San, Oji-San." She didn't press any further on the topic and her eyes seemed to be distance.

Ichiyuko smiled in return and announced picture time. They took individual pictures of the girls and then of them together, showing off their flowers and diplomas. After they took the family photos, Akichiro declared that they go out to eat anywhere the girls wanted. The girls agreed and chose their favorite restaurant and they all went out. There they talked about the different challenges they had during their time at university and how they barely got by by the skin of their teeth.

The girls had removed their graduation gowns and wore dresses underneath. Chihiro's dress a simple black skater dress with a jeweled neckline and simple black heals, her hair pulled back in a ponytail, while Rumi was a little more extravagant with a sequined yellow dress and white heels, with silver hairpins to match. Both outfits showing their almost polar opposite personalities. The introvert and the extrovert, the calm and the sociable, yet both passionate in their own ways.

"Oh! Just a reminder that Chi-Chan and I leave tomorrow for our annual camping trip! We'll be back in about a week." Rumi chimed in during dinner. She'd been talking nonstop at dinner and Chihiro just gave her a sympathetic look. She knew what Rumi was doing and it just made her sad.

"Oh, thank you for reminding us, Rumi-Chan. Be safe okay, you two? I know this is a regular thing for you two, but you can never be too careful. You have everything packed?" Ichiyuko asked.

"Yes ma'am." Chihiro smiled, sipping at her tea.

"Matako going with you right?" Akichiro asked warily, never being the biggest fan of letting his girls go out camping by themselves.

"Yes, Otou-Saaan." Chihiro drawled with a smile, rolling her eyes, but understanding his concerns. "We'd never leave without him."

"Trust me, I've tried." Rumi said with a straight face before laughing.

Chihiro followed in laughter at the memory of Rumi trying to leave without Makoto once and him somehow managing to find his way out of the apartment. Chihiro never did find out how her dog got out, she always assumed that Rumi had left a door cracked or he learned some trick in opening doors, which wouldn't have surprised her because she'd seen videos of dogs doing that.

"Well as long as you two stay safe and careful, and have fun." Akichiro smiled, reaching and holding Ichiyuko's hand.

"Of course." The girls chimed together.


The following morning, Chihiro was packing all the supplies needed into the back of Rumi's Subaru Impreza and shut the hatchback door. It was still early morning, barely dawn, and the horizon was dusting a gold color. Chihiro had her hair pulled back in a high ponytail with her sunglasses on top her head and wearing simple hiking attire: beige cargo pants, a black hoody, and hiking boots. She looked up to the apartment building and found Rumi coming out the door with Makoto, carrying her tumbler and extra water bottles. She tended to be a bit more high class with her outfits, she wore shorts with leggings underneath, a zip-up athletes jacket, and hiking boots. Rumi's layered black hair was braided back into two French braids, her sunglasses already over her eyes even though there was no sun yet.

"You ready?" Chihiro asked, kneeling to give Makoto a good scratch behind the ears.

Rumi gave her a crooked grin. "Always." She came down to the car and tossed Chihiro the water bottles before getting in the driver's seat.

Chihiro opened the back door for Makoto and got in the passenger's seat. "Do I get to pick the music this time?" She asked cocking an eyebrow.

Rumi pouted her lip in consideration. "Yeaah, I mean, I chose last time, so your turn." She smiled, and they pulled out and down the road, ready for the road ahead.


A/N: Happy New Year! Woot! Chapter 5! Thought I'd give you guys two chapters to start the year! And ya'll don't understand how much I researched just for the university alone. I've never been to Japan but from what I got this is as close as it's gonna get. I legit looked into the specific dates and times of the graduation ceremony and the speech and everything! Ya'll will see why the date stuff is important later. I do recommend reading the speech though. Just look up "Osaka University Graduation Ceremony 2011" and you should find it in the first couple of links. I really wanted to use more of the speech, but it would have been a lot of reading and irrelevant text.

We're getting closer ya'll to the reunion! Don't forget to review and thank you to those that have! From now on, I think I'll update on Wednesdays and Fridays, we'll see. :)

Thank you for the reviews from: Amidstsnow and Firetail Finch

God bless! KawaChou