A Forgotten Story =?
DAY 3 - [Shine Sun Sakae - Hospital]
"Why are you tagging with me again Yuzuru-san?" She asked looking at Akie with a smile. Right now, they were inside one of the apartments of a Ferris wheel. 'Sheer dumb coincidence' is the thought that emerged in her mind. Since before this, she was shopping for clothes. Then of random encounter, he appeared and helped her choose her clothes. Dragging her to some decent female shops (much to her surprise) and choosing clothes that matched her physique. After a long adventure, she decides that it was time to face her fear of Heights. And what better support would it be if a gentleman were to witness her. "I thought you were busy in these time period?"
"Come on. You're one of my best buddies and you still call me that? Call me Joe. And to answer your question, it is to make sure you wear the right type of clothes. For what I can say, the most beautiful woman in our class shouldn't wear these type of clothes. You're too beautiful to be wearing such dull clothes for the high school prom." He joked, the girl laughed since he tried to mash up a joke and a compliment at the same time. Besides, her? The most beautiful girl in her class? Puh-lease. He's clearly playing with her. "Besides, I just finished my shift. Put me some slacks."
"You got it then, Joe." She said with a thumbs up, making Joe smile. While the girl is comfortable (very shifty and staring either up or at her friend) with sitting in the apartment, Joe does the opposite. Leaning his seat to reach the transparent door exit, Joe looks out at the skies. "Do you always go to the underground mall? Man. You are very determined for a thrifty shopper."
"Pfft. What about you, Foreign fashionista?" She saw the male crack a smile, it kind of made her feel warm in the inside, but it went unnoticed. Pushing his arms playfully, the girl continued. "I noticed you are good at choosing the right set of clothes. Why not be a fashion designer?"
"Meh. Already applied to Management to be part of the business." Akie looked away, showing her how he didn't like talking about these type of stuff. The girl on the other hand, understood those feelings and diverted the topic. Pointing at the stars, she tugged her friend to see something specific.
"Do you remember what that is?" She asked with a smile, Akie looked up and grinned. Moving closer with his arm grabbing hold of the pointing hand, Akie crunched up his eyes to see the pattern on the sky.
"I see no stars. It's too cloudy." Joe frowned, earning a laugh from the woman. Looking at her, Joe raised an eye brow. The girl was smiling wide with her brown hair kept in a bun. Though because of their adventure, her hairstyle is messed up with some strands sticking in random places. "Really?"
"Be imaginative. Tell me what you see?" She asked again. This time the man replied.
"Polaris, the Northern Star." Joe answered cheekily. The girl wondered what he was up to and was about to ask a question. However, before a word could be uttered, he continues his speech which made her blush and push the teen's shoulder due to his cheekiness. Even then Joe still sat beside her, holding her hand since she looks ready to faint.
"…" She woke up, staring at her dim room. It was mentioned by Otome that the hospital needed to conserve energy for possible lengthened shutdowns as well as disasters. She understood this, the government had enough problems up their sleeves with the vigilantes stealing the resources. Sitting up, she looked to her side and saw the empty area for the IV bag and a pile of books. Majority of the books were Western, polishing her English knowledge while bored. 'I wonder when Otome will put up another IV bag here… More so, when will the doctors figure out my illness? Hopefully, it has a cure.'
"The government agency, Jps in short, is the supplier for various medical equipment and resources. Because of certain vigilantes… Resources aren't coming in right now. Please try to understand." Otome smiled, holding a number of novels for the brunette to read if she got bored. Placing it on the bedside, Otome held her upper arm while looking at the side. Worry and hesitation etched on her face. Closing her eyes, Otome uttered. "I heard from the doctors that you have shown these symptoms in a young age. I'm surprised that they have yet to link it with a life-threatening disease since your condition is too ambiguous. But please trust in me, I will find out the disease within you."
'I wonder how Otome-san will get the information when everything electronic has signal disruptions.' The girl wondered as she stood up steadily. The woman then walked to the window now having mint green curtains and checked outside. The dark skies glittered with stars, the solemn buildings trying to reach for these stars and the Ferris wheel which has stopped its routine rotations. The city lights save for the distant Nagoya TV tower has all disappeared. She knew this because she watched the night skies yesterday. Now that she thinks about it, she's starting to have hard times sleeping. "Why am I worrying for Joe when I should be worrying for myself?"
"Arghh! I'm so hopeless. Why did I fall for a guy like him?!" She screamed to herself, even if she knew no one could answer the question. Taking a deep breath, she looks up once more and try to name the stars. While naming, the brunette knew deep down that Joe was…. Joe. Funny, talented, handsome, unique, adventurous and damn lucky – Joe was someone she could never beat. Heck. She wondered why he proposed to her when he's all that. She's just some ordinary pretty face clerk who takes part-time jobs for a better living. Okay. Maybe she also takes up some hobbies like cooking and sewing, but that's another story. To cut the story short. Their love story 'which shouldn't have happened' happen.
"I hope you're alright Joe…" She leans on the side frame of the window, watching a lone cloud drift on the sky. Spotting a specific constellation, the woman smiled faintly, remembering one of her boyfriend's flirty joke.
"Since Polaris guided me here, is it fate to see each other in this starless night?"
[Osaka – Tsuutenkaku]
"Merak died… Faster than I expected." Daichi mentioned, holding his chopsticks while staring at the sky. Airi nodded, sitting with her arms and legs crossed. Both of them were on the top of the tower, overseeing the area with a tired expression. Moving her foot in a certain rhythm, Airi closed her eyes to remember a certain piano lyric she made in the past. Daichi, on the other hand, held a bowl of yakiniku. Picking the pieces of meat with his chopstick, Daichi blew his picked meat first before placing it in his mouth. "Which path do you think will they take this time?"
"I rather not guess. I want to be surprised once in a while." Airi answered, unfolding and placing her hand on the tower rails. "Hopefully, they would manage to survive until 'Audience Day' considering the number of staff Jps and other groups have in their arsenal."
"They'll live, knowing our race." Daichi remarked, placing another slice of meat in his mouth. "All for sure, I hope the food lasts in this world or we'll start seeing cannibalism again like the last world."
"Argh. Why do you have to say that jerk!" Airi asked with an irritated expression, elbowing Daichi on the left side of his rib. Daichi twitched, catching his bowl just in time before it fell a hundred feet down to the ground.
"So close…" Daichi said in relief, cradling his bowl with one hand. Glaring at the redhead, Daichi shook his head as if she kicked a puppy to the railway. "Do not do that ever again."
"Yes. I solemnly swear not to elbow you when you eat your 'beloved' Yakiniku. Sheesh." Airi rolled her eyes, watching as Daichi resumed eating his food as if it was his birthday. "Seeing you makes me hungry…"
"You're welcome." The brunet smiled mischievously, knowing how the redhead would rage at this type of answer. Before the girl could use ice magic on him, Daichi made the first move and pushed himself off his seat. Falling from the rail of the tower, Daichi had his feet straight and together with his attention focused still on his bowl of meat. While Daichi ate his meat and begun to summon out some demons to catch his fall, he could hear Airi cursing him from above. "Sorry, but I can't hear you Airi! Speak louder~"
"YOU ARE SO DEAD LATER!"
Daichi gulped, landing on a Makara. Looking up, he saw the pianist disappear. A single bead of sweat formed, rolled from the side of his face down to his jaw, Daichi uttered. "Me and my big mouth…"