A Forgotten Story =?
DAY 6 - [Shine Sun Sakae - Hospital]
[Kyobashi - Akasaka Mall]
"Why are we hunting for the cutest Miliken again?" The young adult wondered, looking around the area with keen eyes. Though there are a lot of gold children figures, the woman with him was very picky. Wanting to find the perfect child statue, the duo continued to move around Osaka until dusk. He sighed, tilting his black & white stripes cap a bit before continuing. The woman turned to face the man's direction and frowned. Her flowing fandango sheath dress blending in with the fading sunlight, the woman flipped a lock of her long brown hair to the back.
"Joe. It's Billiken, not Milliken! Say his name properly or you might get cursed." The girlfriend scolded him. The man shrugged as the woman puffed her cheeks. The man then walked pass her, his slender figure shown by his shadow. The woman chased after him, tugging his arms with her hand. "Biliken is considered the god of luck. I just want us to have a picture with him together so Luck could follow you and me. Unless you're feeling hungry?"
"Me nah! I just want my baby girl to be happ-!" The man named Joe exclaimed, looking at the brunette as she bent down to hear his stomach. Unfortunately, after a few seconds, his stomach grumbled while her head was still there. "Hahaha… Let's eat after this, my treat?"
"Fifty-fifty and you get yourself a deal." The woman taunted, smiling as the man shook his head in protest. While arguing about the expenses, the two ended up holding their hands as they stroll the area covered with shops. Having walked pass Tsuutenkaku tower, the man realized an important information regarding the true whereabouts of the boy statue. "Let's go!"
"Joe! We're going to fast! We might trip with the way we're going about this!" The woman joked as her boyfriend tugged her hands as he sprinted. Both running with glee, they found themselves in front of a tower where there is the sign 'Wakuwaku land'.
"Well. Tsuutenkaku does hold the most number Bilikens. Maybe we might see the cutest Biliken here." The girl looked up and took a picture of the varied lights-outlined tower. While his girl was busy, the man slipped in and brisk walked to the ticket booth to pay for the 600 yen tickets. He went back out in about a minute as there wasn't much people venturing the tower in this time. But before he could open the door, he is faced by his girlfriend tapping her heels with her left foot. "You know me so well. That's why I love you, girl."
"Joe. It's sweet of you for doing that, but I have a job too." She folded her arms, but was faced with a hug from her lover. At first she looked away from the black and white striped business suit, but decides that she can't stay angry at Joe forever. Giving him a hug, she leaned on his shoulders while muttering by his right ear. "Since you bought the tickets, I'm paying for dinner."
"Whatever you say love." Joe said, knowing that he could persuade her later to change that verdict. Handing the guide to his girlfriend, Joe led her to the elevator. Tucking the guide after they entered the elevator, she peeked outside to check out the wonderful view of Osaka. Bringing out her cellphone for the umpteenth time, she drags Joe to be beside her and took a selfie shot.
"Just stay tight okay?"
Holding this book right now brings back a lot of fun memories, cheering her up a great deal. Smiling, she held the book with various pictures scattered about. The book contained a lot of pictures of a lovely couple in it, a man wearing a black suit with thin white stripes and a woman wearing a purple themed dress - her and Joe obviously. Both of them were smiling and posing from different angles in different attraction areas. Back then, they visited various parts of Japan when they both got stable jobs. Joe got a job at some trading company while she stays as a salesperson/fashion model for some fashion agency. She was surprised that her old doctor came back with this photo album. She thought the apartment and all her belongings were burned down or robbed by the robbers roaming about in Nagoya. Well the apartment was burned, but she never liked her neighbors. 'I wonder where Otome-san went… Must be to take care of the daughter she was spurring about. Maybe me and Joe should adopt a kid? That's stupid. We're in the midst of an apocalypse, our child will bound to die for sure.'
Flipping the page, she noticed a picture of both of them in front of a cute wooden-carved baby boy. She chuckled, touching the picture with melancholy. "I'm happy that you made Joe very lucky, letting him survive the whole ordeal."
Already at the observation area, both of them saw an altar where a wooden baby boy sat. The man's eyes widened a bit underneath his sunglasses while the woman cooed with its feature. "Oh, Joe, It's perfect. Billiken's so cute here!"
"Yeah…Cute." Joe said slowly, looking at the statue with a straight face. To him, the deity looked a bit like Buddha, but with a rather huge head, a creepy smile and pointy ears. Surrounding the figure is thousands of written wishes. Because he wanted her girlfriend to be happy, he went forward to take a picture as well as rub the soles of his feet for 'luck'. "Unique mascot Osaka has… I wonder why Milliken has golden versions of itself?"
"Billiken, Joe. His name is called Billiken." The woman said in an annoyed tone. Joe apologized immediately since he didn't want to be on her bad-side, especially when he wants to pay for dinner. "Please forgive him Oh Great Billiken for his impudence."
"Hey! I just keep forgetting. That's all." Joe looked away as he scratched the back of his head. The girl bowed several times before dragging Joe off for dinner.
"Yes. I'm sure this must be the work of Biliken-sama." The brunette chuckled, flipping the pages until she reached the end of the pages where images are scattered. Seeing two lovers at the train station, the girl taps the glued vibrant multi-colored confetti at the sides. "This is the last picture huh? I-no… We should add more until it gets filled-"
"Yo!" A man replied, busting the door open. The woman closed her book and kept it under her pillow, not knowing who the man was. Seeing his familiar outfit, she realized it was Kacchin. Kacchin was holding a bowl of ramen (maybe?) and was walking his way in to her area, blabbering as if there was no tomorrow. "I heard from Joe that you accepted his proposal so I came to congratulate you with a healthy bowl of udon. Man. Joe is so unpredictable, proposing at a time like this? If ever I do that to my girlfriend, she'd slap me for sure…"
While he was chattering, the brunette twirls her hair in a circular motion on top of her head, forming a bun on her head. Checking the udon by her tableside, she smiles and brings it to her lap. It was hot and had a floating aburaage on top of the noodles, sprinkled with a nice amount of spring onion. Smiling widely, she asked Kacchin in an innocuous manner. "Is this Kitsune Udon?"
"Where are we going to eat?" Joe asked her, she only smiled in response. In front of them was a shop emitting a wondrous smell for the hungry adults. "In celebration for your first job, we are going to eat udon!"
"Hmmm... I heard this from my friends, but... Will we eat ketsune udon?" Joe asked. Seeing his girlfriend stare at him with a puzzled look made him smile, "let me tell you something cool then."
"You better have made your research about this, your friends aren't really the best sources for food after all." She chuckled, bringing Joe with her inside the shop. While Joe was talking, the woman smiled with a tint of melancholy. Joe couldn't hear this clearly but, she whispered to him, "Though, I don't mind teaching you what's right. Just as long as you're by my side..."
"? Oh… My friend made it because he didn't know what to give you guys for a wedding gift. End of the world just made getting supplies harder." Kacchin scratched his head, "Anyways, I have to go and reserve some supplies for dinner. See you later and I hope for your fast recovery."
"Thanks and you're invited too!" She called out, waving goodbye to the scampering male. Picking up the chopsticks on the table, she started ripping the aburaage into smaller pieces with her spring onion swimming on her soup. While slurping her noodles, she moves her head in a small angle to check the color of the curtains. It was a very dark red, the shade of maroon maybe. 'I don't know why, but this curtains are trying to tell me something... Something I don't want to know at all.'
[Nagoya – TV Tower]
"How's your life in your hometown Airi?" Io asked, both of them standing beside the rails of the tower. Being in the tower had its perks. First. You could see a lot of places and people. Second. Everything seen from afar had a small and more adorable version when looking beyond. Third. There are no visitors going in to rest inside the tower, making the sightseeing more personal and private. The last reason is connected with all three. Because you can see things from a far distance and get entertained with your little curiosity, having a private meeting in the tower felt like this place is the most protected area. Well, that's what Io feels as she is with her female compadre.
"I think the people are doing alright, but that's because they're attacking and scavenging from the government." Airi responded, leaning herself closer to the edge. Resting her back from a stiff straight position, Io nods in agreement, resting her hands on the rail to look up towards the sky. The sky was midnight blue at the moment, stars twinkling yet disappear after several repetitions. "How's Tokyo?"
"People are in despair. The government is really tackling the situation there pretty well. The only areas not covered may be the underground." Io countered, wondering if the stars she's seeing right now are still alive or dead. "I haven't seen any remarkable resistance group unlike the Nagoya so…"
"Just pillagers. Thousands and thousands of pillagers frolicking in the streets." Airi comments with half-open eyes to show her disgust. Io turned stoic, insulted by how the pianist described Humanity's situation. Airi didn't notice, knowing that this is the truth which presented itself. "While the government officers grovel at their superior's feet."
"We aren't born under this circumstances." Io defended with no emotion in her voice. Airi turned her head to see the brunette, her eyes gleaming with a sense of righteousness. Moving back to a straight standing position, Airi faced Io with one hand supporting her slight angled body. "Maybe if this didn't happen, we would…"
"I know. We all know." Airi affirmed, her eyes softened as Io starts to tear up. Going forward, Airi wrapped her arms around the crying student. Feeling the hug reciprocated, Airi waited for the sobs to subside. Closing her eyes, Airi knew the whole group have had a hard past. But of all the times when one breaks down, it had to be Io and her as Io's company. 'They say younger people are more emotional, but most seem to forget that the grown-ups also need support, especially if their emotional wall are broken down.'