Eve was sitting by a small fire with her hands in her lap. She couldn't tell anymore if it was day or night out there, out in that unfamiliar world. In the village it was perpetual night with the exception of the multitude of candles. Eve shuttered at the thought of being stuck in the dark cave forever, she just wanted to go home. But she knew, deep down, that wasn't possible.
"Hey," Randy said, plopping down to sit next to her. "You okay?"
Eve turned her head away and didn't speak.
"Hey, I know this isn't…well, exactly what you had in mind, or wanted but you will have to deal with it. You'll be safest here."
Eve crossed her arms and looked away even more.
"You know that you can never go back, right?" Randy smiled. "You-we are stuck here forever. You knew that when you made the decision to leave."
"Yeah but I didn't know we would end up in a place like—" She threw her hands up. "Like-like this! For god's sake they don't even have bathrooms!"
Randy shrugged and then stood up, dusting off his kimono and adjusting it. "Look, I know you don't like it here but try to fit in, try to act normal, okay?"
"You're the one who is basically giving us away." She muttered under her breath.
"And hey, that Shusaku guy seems nice,"
Eve shot him a glare.
"Maybe he can show you around some more, introduce you to others." Randy chuckled and then walked to the door. "Oh, and try to be friendly." And then he left.
Eve shook her head in dismay as she slowly moved away from the fire. Maybe I should try to make friends? Time would go by a lot faster if I did…
Eve stood up and smoothed out her long kimono, pushing back stray pieces of her blond hair behind her ears. Yes, she would go out and make friends.
She smiled and walked out of the house, leaving the fire unattended as she merrily walked out into Sleep Alley. She looked around with a smile for girls-no, women her age. She was no longer a child; she was an adult, a woman.
With that thought she walked around, her head held high as she looked around. No one was out. They all seemed to be shut up in their little homes, not a soul wandered the alley like she did. What time is it? Is it time for dinner? Is it time for bed?
She wandered into the Circular room to spy a small figure up against the farthest wall. A smile grew on Eve's pale face as she started to draw closer, anticipation building inside of her.
"Uh…kon'ichiwa." Eve muttered as she approached the figure.
They turned around and Eve could see the curves of a woman, and she came out of the shadows to reveal a young and beautiful face. She looked full of youth but she had slight frown lines on her forehead though. Her eyes were lively and playful and when she smiled at eve she could see the laugh lines that crinkle by her eyes when she smiled.
"Kon'ichiwa." She said in return with a small bow. "Anata wa, atarashii kazoku no ichibudearu hitsuyō ga arimasu. Watashi wa Kawabata-desu."
Eve smiled nervously, not understanding anything but the last sentence. "Watashi wa E—" She cut herself off as she remembered that man…Shusaku's words. "Ibu-desu."
The woman smiled. "Anata wa, yūshoku no tame no midashi de mo yoi n janai ka na?"
Eve blinked. "W-Nani?"
The woman looked at her with a hesitant look. "Anata wa, yūshoku no tame no midashi de mo yoi n janai ka na?" She dictated more clearly.
"N-Nani?"
"Anata wa nihongo o hanasemasu ka?"
Eve bit her lip nervously and took a few steps back. "I-I don't understand you."
The woman looked at me with a confused, sideways glance and then shook her head, almost in disappointment. "Orokana shojo," She tutted.
Eve blinked again in confusion and fumbled with her sleeves. She couldn't understand a single word the woman was saying. So much for making friends, everyone here speaks Japanese.
Eve gave a small bow to the lady, her entire face flushed. "G-Gomennasai." She muttered nervously before running off (as best she could in her shoes).
She stumbled her way through the Sleep Alley and, in her blind embarrassment, missed the correct turn off for her home. Instead she just kept, running, stumbling down and scuffing her kimono on the dirt ground before picking herself up again and continuing to run. How embarrassing! I probably looked like a complete idiot! Oh I will never make any friends now! She thought as she continued to run.
She ran a little further before she turned left down another hallway and ended up running right into someone's home. She stumbled into a dimly lit room and fell to her knees, her hands slapping the ground to cushion her fall. She cursed and when she looked up she saw a young man looking down at her.
He had dark, shaggy brown hair that fell lightly into his eyes, which were a dull green. He was halfway undressed, his kimono peaking open to show his chest. He raised a curious eyebrow at eve and she gasped, scrambling out of the house in a hurry.
She went back the way she came and took the correct turn off to where her house is. She stumbled over the bridge and fell down again. My kimono is probably filthy by now, She thought as she slowly got to her feet. And probably torn too.
She dusted herself off and approached the hut when she remembered. THE FIRE! She began sprinting toward the house and burst through the door. She stumbled a little and instantly her eyes flew to the fire. It was perfectly fine, just how she left it. But her eyes trailed over to a large mass next to the fire. It was a man clad in all black, poking and tending to the fire with a large amount of interest. He turned his head to the noise and smiled.
"Ah, hello there," The man chuckled. "I was wondering when you would return."
Eve was shocked and she let out a small gasp in surprise. "S-Shusaku-san," She gasped. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to talk to your father but no one appeared to be here, that's when I saw the fire. I thought it would be best not to leave it unattended, as I'm guessing you did, so I stayed with it waiting for someone to return." Eve could see an imprint of a wry smile against the scarf and she gave a nervous smile.
"Y-Yes," she stuttered. "I am the one who left the fire. I guess I was in such a rush to go—"
"And where to may I ask?" he chuckled.
"Ah, well, nowhere in particular but," She flushed. "I went in search of a companion."
"A companion?"
"A friend." she said softly.
Shusaku laughed. "Am I not enough of a friend for you?"
"N-no sir!" she blurted. "But, Shusaku-san, I did not know that you were my friend."
"Would you like me to be?" he smiled.
Eve was quiet for a little while, fiddling with her thumbs when she finally lifted her gaze up to Shusaku's. "No," She murmured. "I want a friend who desires to be one with me, not I with them. But," She hardened her gaze. "I would like you to teach me Japanese."
Shusaku's eyes relayed a look of surprise but it was quickly smothered. "I see, well, I accept your request. I shall teach you."
Eve smiled and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Shusaku-san."
He rose and then patted eve on her shoulder as she slowly straightened up. "I shall expect to see you in my home, tomorrow once you wake, understood?"
"Yes sir."
The man smiled. "Good, then I shall see you tomorrow, my student."
*Translations:
Ko'ichiwa. -Hello.
Anata wa, atarashii kazoku no ichibudearu hitsuyō ga arimasu. Watashi wa Kawabata-desu. -You must be part of the new family. I am Kawabata.
Watashi wa…Ibu-desu. -I am…Eve.
Anata wa, yūshoku no tame no midashi de mo yoi n janai ka na? -Shouldn't you be heading in for supper?
Nani?: -What?
Anata wa nihongo o hanasemasu ka?: -Do you speak Japanese?
Orokana shojo, -Silly little girl,
Gomennasai. –Sorry. *