Chapter Four: Distance

~Futaro~

Loud.

Why is it always so loud here?

Futaro had arrived in Tokyo a day ago. While the city is manageable during the night when most of the students and salarymen have gone home, the city is a different monster altogether during the middle of the day. If it was already spring, he definitely couldn't notice it. Very few trees hinted that it was the time for new beginnings, replaced with low-standing shrubs that separated the traffic and the footpath.

How is it that I can still get hay fever when there's not a single tree within a five-kilometer radius? Futaro complained. He blew his nose and tried to inhale deeply. The spring air was still fresh, the final remnants of winter. He descended a series of stairs to his subway line.

Futaro's own thoughts were drowned out by the clashing sounds of people talking, trains leaving and departing, taxis honking, and muddled announcements which echoed in the busy underground walkways. He wanted nothing more than to return to his quiet Nagoya neighborhood.

Navigating the maze-like station as best he could, he struggled at pulling out a station map from his heavy traveler's backpack, finally deciding to stick his phone below his chin to free his other hand. Just as he thought he found his bearings, a careless salaryman ran into him, spilling all his contents to the floor.

He knelt down to pick up his phone.

"I'm sorry—" Futaro began, but when he stood up, the Salaryman was already long gone.

He would have even appreciated a simple, get out of the way!

I will never ever come back to Tokyo station. He gritted his teeth.

Finding his way home was the true test. Futaro stared at the signs hanging from the ceiling that seemed to instruct him to go both left and right simultaneously. He complained silently. His irritation grew stronger every time he stopped for the briefest of moments to read a sign, only to be pushed from behind by another salaryman or high school student.

Things went from bad to worse when he realized all too late that he had taken the wrong train and was heading north towards Saitama. The twilight glow soon grew dim, and the sky turned a deep violet; it would be dark before he corrected his error and returned home to his apartment.

Calling his home, an apartment was generous, really.

"Big brother, will you actually be okay here?" He thought of his sister's worried look on her face the first night he arrived. The apartment was barren, and not even a light fixture was installed.

"Who are you?" Futaro remembered his fat, grumpy new landlord ask.

"My name is Uesugi Isanari, and my son is going to be staying in this apartment."

He tried to swindle an extra three thousand yen from Futaro's dad because of "furniture move-in fees," which he quickly removed after Futaro's dad threatened him.

"Well, Raiha, I predicted this," His dad frowned. "When your mother and I first moved out to our apartment, it was kind of like this too. The working class always starts at a deficit. But it's okay. Let's get your brothers, things from the moving truck."

That night, he and his father spent a portion of the night arranging Futaro's bed, building his desk, and arranging his kotatsu in a way that was at least reasonably presentable. They even got him proper light fixtures and curtains for his bathroom. Raiha oversaw decorating his room to give it a more lived-in feeling.

"Dad, I could have done this by myself. Raiha is all done making food too. We can stop now," He recalled feeling deeply uncomfortable with how much his family was going out of his way for him. But no matter how many times Futaro tried to protest, either his dad or his sister would quickly silence him.

Now his apartment resembled something like a real home that could be lived in. It was never going to live up to the standards of a Nakano, but he was grateful that it was his.

Futaro shut the door's locks and yanked off his shoes before entering the disappointingly small kitchenette. Ignoring the anxious pop of his knees, he bent down to one of the cabinets, propping himself up with one hand on the kitchen counter, and pulled out a small styrofoam cup of curry ramen noodles.

With a quiet groan, he forced himself upright and opened the fridge door, scanning the pathetically scarce contents with disinterest. Futaro pulled out a carton of orange juice and quickly shut the door to prevent the strange odor that came from the inside from wafting into his small apartment.

"I really should have made that soup that Raiha made last a few more days," he griped.

He dropped his backpack on his bed and let his body collapse down onto the floor next to the kotatsu.

Futaro never thought he'd miss having a proper kitchen. He was never much of a cook, as Raiha often took care of that, and even so, he strangely found himself yearning for more utensils, plates, bowls, and something other than a microwave and a portable induction cooker to make his food.

Never thought I'd miss the option of baking.

No.

I miss Raiha.

Futaro realized just how much he depended on the companionship of his little sister. The studio apartment felt strangely spacious. Raiha never asked anything from him other than the occasional trip to the arcade. He always guilted her for wasting money at the games, but the reality was that he could never say no to her. He almost missed her scolding him for being an antisocial shut-in who preferred to study 24/7.

A heavy stone sunk in his stomach.

"This place is too quiet."

He heard the mail slot creak open, and a cascade of letters slid to the floor through the small opening.

"Mail this late?" He tilted his head.

He stood upright with a slight grunt and gathered the mail at the entrance.

A different kind of stone sunk down into his stomach.

Rent!? Already!?

His dad had just paid key money, and the landlord had reluctantly agreed to a single flat fee, but from the looks of things, the landlord wasn't going to be too sympathetic to Futaro's status as a poor student. What money the Uesugi's had saved him in rent, they paid for in goodwill.

"I've got to go job hunting tomorrow!" He pulled at his hair. He rushed back to his kotatsu and pulled out all the bills, receipts, and upcoming school costs along with a small journal that contained all his finances from the previous year. Over the years, he'd gotten quite good at being frugal, but it wasn't until recently, when Ichika had bought him a journal specifically for his finances from a local bookstore did he start keeping a weekly log of all his expenses.

How did I spend so much money on trains this week!

He logged onto his phone app to check train tickets, "Oh… Because I keep getting on the wrong trains."

He knew from the beginning that coming to Tokyo would be a difficult choice for him, but he chose to follow his dream.

You're working on your dream, right? He thought back to his own words he told a certain hard-headed sister once. Futaro shook his head.

"If those idiots can put everything on the line to reach their dreams, so can I," He nodded with renewed determination.

The following day, after a lot of sitting and listening to old men drone on about the joys of the cherry blossoms, education, and the importance of becoming well-rounded young students who would bring glory to Japan and beyond, Futaro rushed out of his opening ceremony as soon as the formal events concluded. Rushing past crowds of people who had gathered outside to take pictures of their family members below the blossoming cherry trees. He was dressed in his best suit and tie to make a good first impression. He had immediately returned to his neighborhood to solicit nearby offices if they were looking to hire help.

"No, thank you, we aren't looking for new help."

Office doors shut on his face over and over again. Most offices didn't even bother opening the door, scolding him to register online during the proper hiring season instead.

"I don't even own a computer!" Futaro finally snapped at the final office he visited.

Nearby cafes, restaurants, and boutiques also yielded equally pitiful results. Futaro had not considered computers a necessary tool as he had gotten by just fine writing things down and using his phone. Still, it was clear that the suburbs of Nagoya were several years behind Tokyo in adapting modern technology into their daily lives.

"Just walk in and ask for a job, son," he remembered his father's words just days before he had moved out. "Jobs are out there. You just have to go out and get them. Networking is the name of the game in Tokyo."

"Way to totally miss the mark, dad," Futaro said. Several hours later, he had just managed to convince a handful of places to at the very least accept his resume.

Futaro had concluded that working at a convenience store would likely be his only choice as working at a fast food place would tire him out too much to do his studies. He was running out of time, and he couldn't afford to be picky.

He approached the nearby dental office with a "help wanted" sign outside.

"Hello, my name is Futaro," he put on his best smile, "and I couldn't help but notice that you have a help wanted sign outside your office. May I inquire as to the type of assistance you are looking for?"

The dentist hesitated, flinching at Futaro's sudden forwardness, "why are you smiling like that? It's kind of creepy."

"Oh," Futaro dropped his smile, "then yeah. Just as well, my face was getting tired. I need a job."

"You don't need to be that blunt," the dentist scoffed.

"So picky!"

"In any case, you're a student, right?" the dentist ignored Futaro's complaints. "If you are, I can't help you. I need full-time help, which means you won't have any time for your studies. Now, if you'll excuse me."

He pulled the door shut in Futaro's face right before he could say anything else.

What a nasty guy.

Over the next few days, Futaro attended classes and familiarized himself with the university buildings in the area. He even managed to find a small market with reasonably priced food and a nice and quiet cafe where he could study. It had become his regular headquarters where he could use the wifi from the cafe with his phone to search for jobs.

"Hey kid," the gruff barista said behind the counter, "if you're going to study here, you need to buy something. No loitering."

Futaro reached into his back pocket and pulled out two pathetic hundred yen coins.

"Umm, I guess I'll have a small coffee."

"Okay, that'll be two-sixty."

"Two sixty! For coffee!?"

The barista shot him a cold hard stare.

Futaro shoved his belongings into his backpack and loudly zipped it back up, exiting the cafe without a second glance.

I can't even afford a cup of coffee.

He sent nearly fifty job applications, and he felt like he had solicited almost every business in the area. They'd all either flat out rejected him or simply ignored his submission. He shifted through piles of crossed-out "help wanted" ads he had picked up at a nearby station and casually discarded the ones that he'd already used into the trash can right outside the cafe.

Maybe I don't deserve to be here.

I'm a failure.

I'm too poor to make it in Tokyo.

And I'm too poor to make it anywhere else.

I wish I weren't alone… Should I ask Yotsuba for help?

Futaro slapped his own face.

"It's no good for my thoughts to be getting dark. I need to try harder. That's what she'd do."

Futaro decided that the university was the only place where he could study and job hunt in peace. Sacrificing his money meant to be his rice ball dinner, he took the train back to campus, where he found a quiet desk at the library to sit. His determination quickly faded as he felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him as he collapsed into the seat.

Futaro thought of Ichika studying in between scenes to memorize lines back at the restaurant he used to work at. She worked so hard, and she had struggled more than most and took everything with stride. Even when she was at her wit's end, she still persevered.

That memory seemed like a whole other life ago.

She was way stronger than I ever gave her credit. I wonder how she'll like settling in here as well. That spoiled is probably going to have everything handed to her.

"God, Why am I even thinking of them now?" Futaro said, setting his head down on the small table, trying his best to ignore the throbbing headache that grew more intense as time pressed on.

"Futaro?" A strange voice called out from somewhere.

"What?" He raised his head in confusion.

"Wow, it's really you," Futaro was met face to face with a girl sitting across from him sporting long flowing black hair and a curiously devilish expression on her face. She readjusted her purse on her shoulder.

"Long time, no see. How are you?"

Futaro's brain was still fuzzy and was still processing who was in front of him. His mouth gasped like a fish out of water.

"Nice to see you again, Takeyabashi."

Futaro was glued to his seat. Unsure of what to say next.

"Well, I have to get going," he said, willing his body into motion. For the second time today, he shoved all his belonging into his backpack and turned his back to Takebayashi. "I'll be seeing you."

"Is that really what you say to an old friend?"

Futaro didn't say anything in response.

"You made it to Todai? Congratulations."

"Thank you."

"I did too."

"Oh, uh, congratulations. I really have to get going now."

"Great! Me too. I'll walk you."

It seemed like she wasn't going to take no for an answer. Even after suggesting that he needed to go to the restroom, she said she'd wait for him. Guess that old trick won't work anymore.

"You don't have to walk me to my apartment," he scratched his cheek. She had taken the same train as him despite Futaro's constant protests.

Takebayashi giggled perhaps a little too playfully, "Of course I do. How could I let my dear ex-student wander the big scary city alone."

"I can make my way around."

"I know! There's a girl in your apartment that you don't want me to know about!"

"That's no it," Futaro held his hand in front of her in a 'stop' gesture.

"I see. I suppose it is a little too sudden," she paused. "Say, do you know a place with good coffee?"

"What?"

"We should have a cup before you go back. That way, you can save face, and I will be satisfied with the results of today's events."

"I don't have any money."

"Perfect! Then It'll be my treat." she pulled him along down the block. They eventually settled on the cafe that Futaro had visited earlier.

As Futaro and Takebayashi entered the warmly lit cafe, Futaro's heart sank as he noticed the same barista that scolded him earlier was still there. They awkwardly made eye contact. The man scoffed slightly at the sight of Futaro being dragged in by a girl.

"Here, sit," she insisted. Futaro and her took the small table by the window near the entrance of the cafe.

"What would you like?" she said. "We should actually catch up."

"We saw each other not that long ago," He said. "And I don't want anything."

Takebayashi raised her eyebrow, "excuse me," she called out to the barista. "Two coffees, please."

"Hey, what are you doing?" Futaro grabbed her arm, "I don't have any money to be spending on coffee."

"I said that it's my treat," she smiled. "Consider it a 'welcome to Tokyo' gift."

"But didn't you just move in too?"

She ignored this.

A few moments later, the barista came to their table, two cups of fresh coffee. He set them gently on the table.

"I assume she's paying?" He grunted at Futaro.

Futaro tilted his head down to the table, avoiding both the barista and Takebayashi's gaze.

"We believe in gender equality," she answered the barista. "That will be all, thank you."

The way that Takebayashi forced thank you gave Futaro the impression that she would have preferred to say something much ruder to the barista.

He sucked his teeth and returned to his counter.

They sat in silence for several moments. Futaro took a sip from his cup; the bitter liquid warmed his insides. These days he didn't mind the drink so much.

"So how have classes been going—"

"Were you ever going to tell me that you were in Tokyo?" She interrupted.

"I didn't think that it was any of your—"

"Were you ever going to mention that you were living in Tokyo and struggling?!"

"We only spoke that one time back at the school Fes—"

"I have noticed you around several times, you know. But you're always by yourself. Have you even bothered to make any friends?"

Takebayashi peppered Futaro with questions. With each question, she inched closer to him. She was practically leaning entirely over the coffee table by the time he noticed. He leaned as far back as he could in his seat.

"Can I answer now?!" He said. "First, I didn't know you were here up until now. So how was I supposed to simply bring up that I'm having money issues, and it's nothing I can't handle. Two: at the time we spoke, I hadn't decided I was going to come here. My mind was…on other things. Lastly, I've been a bit too busy looking for work to make friends."

She kept her gaze on Futaro, silence filling in the seconds. Her stare made him fidget. She leaned back on her seat, glanced at his cup, and took a sip of his coffee.

"Bleh," she scrunched her nose. "I hate coffee black," she said. "Well, that settles it. As your ex-tutor, it is my duty to guide you again."

Futaro raised one eyebrow, "that won't be necessary."

"Don't be stubborn. You need friends, anyway, don't you?" She said. "And I need your help too."

"What could you possibly need my help with?"

"I need a tutor." She answered, "I need someone experienced to help me teach a pair of junior high school students. And I know that you have experience with home tutoring."

Futaro studied her face carefully. He found it funny in a cosmic way how even though it's been nearly seven years since they'd spent any real time together, he could still make out parts of her younger self in her face. She still parted her hair the same way. It even ran down her shoulders and back the same way. And she still had a loud mouth and commanded space as if life had it entitled to her. Somehow, it made Futaro feel small again.

"Well?"

"Um," he said. "I retired from tutoring." thinking back on all the nights he spent writing study guides, practice tests, and lesson planning for the quintuplets was enough to make him squirm in his seat.

I couldn't possibly put myself through that again.

"I see what you mean," Takebayashi stirred heaps of sugar into her own cup. "Those girls were probably a handful. Did you see the way they ganged up on me at the back at the school festival last year?"

"You kind of deserved it."

"Oh, as if!" She scoffed. "I was perfectly polite. It was the chubbier one that got in my face that last time."

"Don't call her chubby."

Takebayashi glanced up from her cup of coffee right before taking a sip, "Oh?"

"Was she the one you chose in the end?" She asked.

Futaro crossed his arms, "that's none of your business."

Her lips stretched to a thin line, "I suppose you're right. It's none of my business anymore," she said.

"At the very least, I need still need some time to get used to your new look," she said with a dry laugh.

Futaro frowned.

"You've grown so much, Futaro. I can't help but feel like I lost to them somewhere along the way," she said. "I'll be perfectly clear: I know you need the money; I've watched you struggling the past couple of days. The family that hired me pays well, and it's becoming obvious that these students need all the help they can get. Also, I hate doing a half-assed job."

She finished her cup of coffee in one swig, "I wouldn't mind it if you took this job entirely for selfish reasons," She said. "How about it? Isn't it about time you graduated from being a student and became a teacher? Or are you going to run away from a challenge?"

She made a very solid case for working with her. If Futaro was being honest with himself, he didn't have much of a reason to reject her offer other than his own pride. That, and she had insulted the sisters.

She hasn't changed either. She's still bossy, pushy, and unbearably presumptive. Possibly more of a pain in the ass than all the sisters put together.

"Make many friends," Yotsuba's words echoed in his head. Futaro wondered how Yotsuba would react to Takebayashi. Her sisters clearly had a stronger reaction to her than he would have ever anticipated.

And that was just a meeting in passing.

Still, She made a good point. He was desperate, and the rent wasn't going to care about his pride or where this money came from.

"Okay. I'll do it," he exhaled loudly. "But only for the money."

Takebayashi let out a tiny yay, and she clapped her hands to her mouth, "thank you so much, Futaro!"

He held out his hand in a stop motion, "I have one condition."

"Oh?" Takebayashi tiled her head. "And what could that be?"

"We should at least try being friends."

She blinked in hesitation.

Futaro starting to feel awkward scratched his cheek. "I mean—if you don't want—"

She erupted in loud laughter, drawing the attention of the barista from the other side of the cafe, who seemed quite annoyed with her sudden outburst.

"Futaro," she looked up, wiping the tears of laughter from the corner of her eyes, "you really have grown up."

~Yotsuba~

Three.

Two.

One.

POP!

The sound of the starting gun vibrated in her ears.

Yotsuba took off like a demon-possessed. This was the stage where she proved her worth. She pushed herself, inhaling deeply, keeping her eyes focused on the track in front of her.

100 meters.

Her lungs expanded and contracted, taking in the oxygen she needed to propel her body forward. Rounding the first corner, she felt the friction of the track making contact with the spikes from her cleats.

200 meters.

Her legs were beginning to burn in protest. Should I have stretched a little more? I shouldn't be feeling this burn so early. She pressed on.

300 meters.

Yotsuba's face tightened with each passing step. She swung her arms, twisting her back and tightening her hips to work her whole body like a pendulum to swing her legs with even more power and ferocity.

400 meters.

More! More! More! Every muscle in her body screamed in protest. Her face contorted into an ugly grin.

500 meters.

She lowered her head to shave off precious microseconds of her time. Beyond her own labored breathing, she heard the muted pop of the blank gun. Yotsuba's ears were ringing, and chills were vibrating down her entire body.

A crowd of several of her new friends and teammates surrounded her. Patting her back and jostling her shoulders.

"That was a great time, Nakano-san!"

"Really impressive for a first-year!"

"Nakano-san, we're going to work a little more on how to make your running a little more efficient for these longer runs. Perhaps you're more suited to short-distance sprints or relays. Still, this is definitely something we can work with. Great work"

Praise from her peers lifted up her spirits and made those painful seconds on the track worth it. They made her feel valued and noticed. She felt like she was in her element. She felt like a force of nature that couldn't be stopped on the track field, and her teammates were always at the other end, ready to encourage her and will her go greater heights.

This was everything she thought she wanted. She was recognized for her efforts. She was special. She was important, and she had quickly established herself as one of the best runners on the team.

And even so, there was an uneasy feeling in her gut that she couldn't shake.

I wish Futaro was here.

Authors Note: This one was quite a nostalgic experience for me to write. I didn't expect to feel like I had returned back to my early uni days in Tokyo as I was writing this, yet there I was feeling the same struggles that Futaro was going through in this chapter. Large cities like Tokyo can be hard to navigate for anyone, especially a young boy with not even two yen to rub together. Futaro and Yotsuba are really entering the "spring" of their adult life. And some difficult feelings are already starting to bubble up.

Special thank you to JOA20, TheMist33, Bazzo, Demontsu and Bobalon for leaving reviews on my previous chapter. It really lifts my spirits seeing names become regulars in my reviews. I feel like I must be doing something right if you're coming back! So once again thank you. I'm sorry for keeping you waiting. I feel like as I settle into something that resembles a consistent uploading schedule, you can at least one chapter update a month going forward.