Chapter 6
Hiro and Zero Two followed Enjo into the city streets. The whole city seemed to be hungover from the night before. Few people walked the streets and a unsettling silence dwelled in the morning mist. The three children wandered, exploring the ins and outs of the city, including the creepy alleyways, grand bridges, and damp underpasses. As the day wore on, the city came to life as people scurried around, always wanting to be somewhere else. They also passed several groups of children who were exploring the city like they were, as was a common occurance on the weekends.
As the sun peaked above their heads, Hiro's stomach made a loud grumble. He looked at Zero Two and Enjo and told them, "I'm hungry."
Enjo nodded in agreement.
Zero Two also agreed, "Yeah, me too, but where can we get something to eat?"
"I don't have any money." Remarked Hiro.
Zero Two checked her pockets and found them empty.
After checking her own pockets and finding them also empty, Enjo looked around and started walking towards a densly packed group of people. She yelled, "I've got something!" and disappeared into the mass of bodies.
Hiro tried to follow her but couldn't get past the crowd. He turned around and asked Zero Two, "Where'd she go?"
Zero Two shrugged, "I don't know." She tried to peer through the jungle of legs but found no sign of Enjo.
After a minute of them trying to see her in the crowd with no luck, Enjo reappeared with a long loaf of bread in her hand. She waved triumphantly and said, "Got it!"
"Where'd you get that at?" Asked Zero Two.
"I, uh, found it on the ground." Replied Enjo.
"HEY!" A booming voice thundered from behind Enjo. The croud parted to show a burly bald man with a brown handlebar moustache. He wore an apron and had a towel slung over his shoulder. Behind him, in the middle of the mass of people, was a food stand with a sign above it. The sign read "Baguettes, only $5!". The man pointed at Enjo and shouted, "You runt! Give that back!"
She looked back towards the man and her face turned pale.
Hiro looked from the man, to the sign, to Enjo, and asked, "Did you steal that?"
Without providing an answer, Enjo turned tail from the angry man and broke into in a sprint. As she passed Hiro and Zero Two she screamed at them, "RUN!"
Zero Two followed without hesitation. Hiro watched them pass and said to himself, "Really?" He took one last look at the man, whose face was so red he was sure that steam would erupt from his ears at any moment. Suddenly very scared, Hiro ran as fast as he could after Enjo and Zero Two.
When he caught up to Enjo and Zero Two, Hiro peeked back to see the man running after them, not far behind. He looked back at Enjo and yelled, "He's catching up!"
She looked around frantically trying to find something. Finally she took a sharp corner into a small alleyway and said, "This way!"
Hiro and Zero Two followed her into the alleyway that dead ended into the back of a tall building. Zero Two whined, "Great, now we're stuck!"
Enjo seemed to not notice and started to count to herself as she passed the dumpsters and metal double doors that lined the sides of the alleyway. "...9, 10, 11, 12, and 13!" She pushed hard on the double doors she assigned the number 13 and they sweeped inwards, revealing a pitch black room. She smiled and said, "We're not stuck! Now quick, get in!"
Hiro and Zero Two ducked into the dark room and Enjo followed, closing the door behind them. When the doors clanged shut, what little light that was illuminating the room vanished.
Zero Two complained angrily, "Agh! I can't see a thing!"
Enjo shushed her, "Shh!"
A few moments after the sound dissapated into the walls they heard footsteps come from the alleyway. They could hear the angry man's voice, "Damnit! They got away!" They all crossed their fingers in silence, hoping he wouldn't find their hiding place. After the footsteps shuffled around for a minute longer, he grumbled, "I swear they came down here, did I take a wrong turn somewhere?" The footsteps grew more distant and soon were unable to be heard at all.
All three of them let out a sigh of relief and Zero Two laughed, "Haha! That was kinda fun! We got him good, didn't we?"
"I guess so..." Hiro said, "Are there any lights in here?"
He heard someone fumble around for a moment, "Here we go," said Enjo as she struck a match. The shimmering light of the gentle orange flame illuminated the small room. In the corner was a stack of blankets, and lining the walls Hiro recognized various kinds of musical instruments. The middle of the room had just a small table and three chairs. On the table were a few candles that Enjo lit with the match.
Hiro and Zero Two looked around in amazement. Zero Two asked, "What is this place?"
After lighting the candles Enjo stepped back and said, "This," she opened her arms as a welcome, "is my hideout."
Hiro mumbled under his breath, "Hideout, huh?"
Zero Two jumped in excitement, squealing, "Cool!" and inspecting the place up and down.
Hiro walked to the wall and picked up what seemed to be a small guitar, and asked, "What are all these here for?"
Enjo grabbed it from his hands and said, "They're for playing music, dummy!" She situated the instrument in her arms and strummed a few chords. She looked at the instrument and said, "This ukulele is my favorite." After plucking a quick melody she put the ukulele back in it's place.
"I didn't think anyone did music anymore," said Zero Two from the other side of the room, "I've never heard a real song before..."
"I read an old book about the people who lived here in a different time," noted Hiro, "they used to play music all the time, and sometimes people got famous because of music."
Enjo sighed, "Not anymore." She turned away from the wall and changed the subject, "Who's hungry?"
Hiro and Zero Two said in unison, "I am!" and they all sat down at the small table in the middle of the room. Enjo unzipped her hoodie and pulled out the baguette she stole earlier, ripping it into thirds. She handed them their share and they all ate in silence.
When they were done, Hiro said, "I don't like the taste of stolen bread all that much."
"Tastes better than air when you're hungry, trust me." Enjo retorted.
Zero Two asked, "Do you live around here?"
Enjo replied, "Uh, yeah."
"Why couldn't we just go to your place for some food?" Zero Two looked annoyed.
Enjo sulked in her chair and mumbled, "My parents are, um, busy. And we don't got much food lying around the place."
Hiro butted in, "We could've gone to my place if we needed to."
Enjo looked him in the eye and said angrily, "Look, you said you were hungry and I got you some food, is there anything wrong with that?" Her face started to turn red with rage.
Not wanting to get on her bad side, Hiro replied quickly, "I guess not. Thanks for the bread."
Zero Two moved on, "What do your parents do that make them so busy, Enjo?"
Enjo, shaken, looked back at Zero Two and replied, "W-well my entire family does music. I learnt everything I know about all these from them." She pointed to all the instruments around the room, "And it takes a lot of time to master this stuff."
"Huh," Hiro wondered, "I've never heard of anyone doing music for a living."
"It's like I said, people don't get famous from music nowadays." Enjo slumped back in her chair, "So playing music for a living isn't very profitable."
"Can you play, Enjo?" Zero Two asked excitedly.
"Yeah, a little bit." Enjo looked at her with confusion, "Why do you ask?"
"Can you play us a song? I've never heard anyone play one before."
Enjo blushed and she became flustered, "S-sure, I-I'm not very good though." She stood up and picked up the ukulele from the wall. She sat back down and asked, "What should I play?"
Hiro chimed in, "Play your favorite song."
"Ooh yeah." Zero Two agreed.
"Ok." Before starting, Enjo tuned her ukulele. Then she took a deep breath and started. The ukulele sang a joyful tune around the room. Zero Two and Hiro became entranced in the sound. Enjo closed her eyes and began to sing, her voice sweet and smooth over the ukulele's chords,
"You know that I'll always be here,
You know you have no need to fear.
I'll always be in your heart,
We'll never, oh ever, be apart.
Today might be our last day,
But that just might be okay.
Child there's no need to cry,
Everything, oh everything's, alright.
You know that I'll always be here,
You know you have no need to fear.
I'll always be in your heart,
We'll never, oh ever, be apart.
I hate when you go off to war,
Told to rack up the best score.
And when they say you'll never come home,
My soul is alone, oh all, alone.
I know that you'll always be here,
I know I have no need to fear.
You'll always be in my heart,
We'll never, oh ever, be apart."
A smile was spread across all three of their faces. A tear fell down Enjo's face and she wiped it away. "Did you like it?" She asked shily, "My parents used to play that for me all the time, before they were so busy."
Zero Two clapped happliy and exclaimed, "Oh that was wonderful! I've never heard anything like that in my life!"
Hiro joined her applause and asked, "Could you do another?"
"Yeah! Of course." Enjo giggled cheerfully and started another song.
Hiro and Zero Two listened to Enjo's songs, and each time one ended they would ask her to play another one. Smiles were plastered on their faces as they listened to the sweet melodies and smooth chords around the candlelight late into the day.
When the trickle of daylight coming from under the door finally started to fade, and Enjo's voice started to wear out, Zero Two said sadly, "I should head home, I think."
"Yeah, me too." Hiro added.
Both of them stood and Zero Two thanked Enjo, "Thanks for singing for me, you really are great at playing music."
Enjo blushed again and replied shily, "Oh, thank you."
Zero Two pushed open the big double doors and waited for Hiro. Before leaving he turned and asked Enjo, "Shouldn't you be heading home too?"
She stammered, "Y-yeah, but I can get to my place in no time at all, I'll be fine."
Hiro shrugged and said, "Ok." He paused before walking into the alleyway and suggested, "Hey, we should all meet up next weekend under the tree."
"Yes! Great Idea!" Zero Two agreed excitedly.
Enjo smiled and said, "Ok, I'll be there." And as Hiro and Zero Two turned to leave she yelled, "Bye! Goodnight!"
Hiro looked at her, waving, and replied, "Bye!" then finally exited into the alleyway.
Zero Two repeated, "Bye!" and left.
They doors clanged shut behind them and they walked side by side back towards their apartments. They walked in silence through the thinning crowds of adults and children on the street. As the sun disappeared behind the tall buildings it was finally time for Hiro and Zero Two to part ways.
Before Zero Two walked away, Hiro mumbled, "Hey..." but his nerves stopped him from continuing.
She looked at him hopefully and said, "Huh? Did you say something?"
"No." He looked away shily and said, "Bye. See you next week."
"Oh... see you next week..." She sighed, turned, and walked away.
Hearing her deflated response awoke something inside Hiro, and before she got too far away, he ran after her, yelling, "Wait! Zero Two!"
She turned around and said exitedly, "Yes, darling?"
He caught up to her, and flustered, he said, "I-I just wanted to say thanks. Before yesterday I had no friends and now, because of you, I have two friends. I-I... Thanks." He watched her face worriedly as she shed a tear.
Suddenly, she hugged him and responded, "It should me who is thanking you, darling. Nobody ever puts up with me, even my mama and papa. You showed me your book, and came adventuring with me in the park for almost no reason. I-I feel like I could fly away with you. Thanks."
Tears wet both of their faces as they stood embracing in the street. After a while Zero Two said, "I should really get going now, my parents are going to yell at me if I'm out too late."
They said goodbye and parted ways, smiling and thinking of eachother as the daylight faded.
When the sun sank below the horizion, Hiro, Zero Two, and Enjo all laid in their beds and waited impaitiently for the weekend to come.