Chapter 3- A Long Conversation
When Taki entered the café, at one of his tables was a slight man with glasses and a stronger one next to him. They were Tsukasa and Takagi. Taki, who was walking with a lost look, saw a sign being made with his hand in the air and realized it was them. "Anyway, here," he thought as he sat down. Tsukasa, as if he were the leader of the group of friends, gave his welcome greetings:
—Welcome, Taki. How are you? Tsukasa asked as a social convention, although he noticed a different face from his friend, one with a barely concealed smile.
—I'm doing very well, thank you. And how are you doing? Taki asked after an answer where for the first time he felt the optimism imprinted in those words.
—I am too. - Takagi said promptly.
—I am too, but tell me, what is that face o f joy? Finally got a job? Tsukasa asked, trying to interpret his friend's news.
—No... That's not it! - Taki replied blushing.
—Oh! Come on! - Takagi interjected - What else could be... Wait! Have you found a girl? - he asked in a little tease.
—Well... In fact, you could say that's it! - Taki dropped the bomb, embarrassed, knowing that he couldn't hide it from his friends.
After this revelation, Tsukasa and Takagi exchanged glances. Taki, that boy who didn't seem to be interested in any girl since meeting Okudera, suddenly got someone out of nowhere? Tsukasa interjected:
—Congratulations! It's about time! But tell me, when did you meet her? Had you met her in the last week we met? - Tsukasa wanted to know more.
—For that matter... It was this morning! - Taki tried to look as natural as possible.
—Already with that smile? - Takagi interjected, shocked.
—Look, we are very happy about that, but what my friend means is that it seems premature to fall in love with a girl you met for the first-time hours ago. Have you seen her before? - Tsukasa tried to be the rational one of the group, but he was in shock as well.
—Well... It's the first time I've seen her. I met her on a train and we both met outside, introduced ourselves and had a chat. - Taki knew there was no way this could be normal.
—Hmmm... I didn't know that matador side of you, Taki! Seduce girls on a train and succeed at it? - Tsukasa tried to ease his shock at his friend's revelation with a friendly tease.
—Someone call the fire department because this "Don Juán" is very caliente ahahaha! - Takagi mocked.
—Look, is it to listen or to mock? - Taki made a gesture to shut them up - I didn't meet her on the same train, it was on separate trains. I think it was love at first sight, we both got off at the nearest station and went to an unarranged meeting point. It was something magical, even if you don't understand how it happened - Taki said sweetly in the clouds.
Tsukasa and Takagi were thoughtful, it didn't look like their friend. He was usually a pragmatic person who didn't look for emotional moles in partners, to the point that he turned down a blatant opportunity in college. But there was one thing about him that kept them apprehensive, his sad and distant look when Taki didn't realize they were looking at him. Before that crazy trip to Itomori he didn't have that look, but he did after the trip. In fact, he was already a little distant after the meeting with Okudera, but it seemed to be more uneasiness about something, not so much a sad and empty look as later. At the time they wondered if this was some girl he couldn't confess his feelings for, but as they saw that he wasn't into any girl, they abandoned that assumption. But now, he seemed happy, the sad look that they would most likely see him in an interruption of conversation, disappeared completely. Tsukasa breaks the silence:
—Look, I'll be honest. I'm happy to see you with that face, we haven't seen you like this for a few years, we were even worried... - Tsukasa vented.
—Con... Concerned? - Taki asked hesitantly.
—How could it not? You looked like a badly dead dog! Ever since you took that trip you have never been the same. - Takagi took aim at Tsukasa. – Yes! I'm talking to you too! But at least you got Okudera's babe, while you Taki, well, came empty-handed! But how did you expect to find the girl you met online in a small village destroyed by a comet? Let me see what the name was... oh! Itomori! – Takagi concluded.
—Don't talk about it! - Tsukasa elbowed Takagi hard - You know he doesn't like to talk about it! – scolding him.
—But I'm the one who worked like a dog to cover your shift! – Takagi reminded them – I have the right to talk about this subject whenever I want! And besides, you wouldn't have met Okudera if it wasn't for me Tsukasa! – shooting him in the face.
—Why, your... - and Tsukasa joined the fray.
As the two friends argued, Taki pondered Takagi's words, "A girl I met online?" Was that how his friends thought of his search in Itomori? Those words sounded like déjà vu, most likely his friends told him that during or even before the trip. But for some reason he had amnesia from that period that he only now tried to uncover this morning. Coming out of his thoughts, however, he realized that he had a fight to calm down:
—Stop! Please! Listen to me now! – the two suddenly stopped with Taki's authoritarian tone – Don't be arguing about what I should or shouldn't hear, I can handle everything! - Taki said acting strong - And Tsukasa, I don't need you to be my nanny! – he said.
—But I avoided bringing it up because I was worried about you, me and Okudera... Clearly seeing what you were looking for destroyed seems to have traumatized you, and I assumed you said you didn't remember because you didn't want to talk about it, so I didn't want to force it on you. Tsukasa said in a patronizing tone.
—I understand you friend, I'm not offended. - Taki put his hand on Tsukasa's shoulder - And probably if Takagi had told the same thing yesterday I would have been frustrated, but not because of the reaction you would think - Taki paused slightly - I don't really remember literally anything other than waking up at the top of the mountain and the return trip with no history at all - Taki looked into Tsukasa's eyes - I need you to tell me everything you know about the trip, I only realized this morning that the drawings I made of Itomori were trying to guess a place, which I didn't even know existed... – said Taki enigmatically.
—Wait, didn't you know that? – Takagi interjected – Even I, who haven't traveled, know that! Tsukasa sent me the drawings through the chat, I remember he even wrote a comment saying, "This drawing is the only clue we have, wish me good luck!". It looked like a treasure hunt, one of those that only has a scroll as a clue, but this Taki of ours didn't seem to know the internet ahahaha – Takagi laughed but pulled himself together soon after – Well, but if you don't remember what you did at the time, didn't someone give you drugs while you were alone? I'm worried about you Taki! Takagi began to show sincere concern for his friend.
—No... It's not like that at all, I just forgot. Taki replied dryly.
—Hmmm... could you answer me why you only remembered your drawings of Itomori only this morning? What does this girl have to do with it? – Tsukasa's urge to get answers from his friend came back again – I don't think you remembered such a thing casually, did you, Taki? Tsukasa stared at him probingly.
—You're right, Tsukasa! – Taki lifted his spirits when he could think of the girl again – I didn't tell you where she's from, she's ... - Taki hesitated for fear of her friends' exaggerated reactions – She's from Itomori! – dropping the bomb.
The two friends turned pale at Taki's revelation. As if the strange circumstances with which he found the girl were not enough, and his strange passionate reaction to first contact with her, the girl Mitshua was from Itomori! Something wasn't quite right; it was too surreal to be true.
—O Taki! Are you sure you weren't stalking Itomori girls behind our backs? Takagi asked teasingly, "You didn't need to hide it, these things are always safe with us boys!" Takagi winked in Taki's direction.
—No! I would never do such a thing! – defended Taki.
—What else could it be? Takagi asked.
—Oh Takagi! I think we can trust that Taki wouldn't do such a thing, let alone tell us! – tried to soften Takagi's insinuations. - But Taki - Tsukasa now addressing him - Are you sure you haven't met her before, by sight or something on the way to our trip to Itomori? - Tsukasa asked with the same doubts as Takagi.
—I... Well, it was precisely the main topic of my conversation with her! – revealing Taki – You're not the only ones with these doubts. For us it was also equally bizarre! - Taki argued, trying to demonstrate that he was in the same boat as them.
—Well, it's a good principle for both of you to be aware of that, I suppose. - Tsukasa didn't know what else to add.
—Tsukasa, don't forget that you said you were going to tell me what happened on the trip. - Taki reminded him - And if you don't mind, could you tell me how I acted in the previous two weeks? Well, then... of the meeting with Okudera? - Taki asked in a pleading tone.
—Your memory is worse than you thought, Taki! Don't you think you should go to a doctor? - Takagi said this between a tone of teasing and concern.
—No, I'm fine! I just don't remember that period, and maybe also most of the previous month, but otherwise I remember everything normally! - Taki tried to escape from his friends' more serious concerns, not realizing that he had also revealed more of his memory problems.
—From the previous month as well? Well, then I don't wonder so much... - said Tsukasa apprehensively - You did such things in that period, and then you didn't remember anything about it the next day!
—Today I also remembered you saying that I acted strangely during this period, you told me that I was, and I quote: "cute and spendthrift". - Taki widened his eyes to his friends - The spendthrift part I even understand that I saw money missing the next day. But cute? What do you mean cute? - Taki asked, now pulling his friends into an investigation he had been doing earlier introspectively.
—Your side let's say... cute - Tsukasa was embarrassed to remember it - It started one day in September, in the first week or two, when you were late for school because you got lost along the way and didn't bring any food. Until then we didn't care so much, it was strange, but it could be a lapse, it happens to all of us at some point, doesn't it? - Tsukasa paused - Even when you forgot where your job was, we could have ignored it because it only happened once. But it was your strange way of acting during those lapses that stood out to us, and worried us. Tsukasa straightened his glasses and waited for permission to continue.
—Now it's my turn - Takagi also wanted to participate in the story – Look, first you spoke with a different accent, very similar to those movies that take place in rural Japan. Then, you seemed excited about things that are normal for us, more than once you felt excited about visiting cafes or even any storefront that appeared in front of us... It was like a tourist. And not only did you act like a tourist, but you also spent like one! I don't know what's got into you at the time, but you looked like you had just taken the advice of some guru or something. But the next day you looked like the usual normal Taki, except for one thing, you didn't remember the day before, or at least, you didn't seem to remember - Takagi finished waiting for Taki to say something about what happened.
—I... Well, I had done some research in my memories today and I have discovered very strange things, nonsensical things, but at the same time they make me realize that I have amnesia in that period, something that I had never realized before. As for the senseless spending I made, believe it or not, I don't remember blaming myself for it, but someone else, maybe that Taki I have no memory of... - Taki didn't want to continue talking about what felt like a psychiatric illness inside him.
—To be honest, Takagi and I even thought about calling you for medical help, when your behavior continued other days and weeks - Tsukasa said as if reading his friend's mind - But we eventually abandoned the idea, even though you were acting strangely, you looked sane. Above all, it was because this different Taki managed to attract Okudera, to the point that she accepted a date with you. We didn't want to ruin your chances of being happy with perhaps exaggerated worries. But... - Tsukasa remembers something - Okudera told me something about you, about that time you fixed her skirt after you dragged her to the locker room. I never thought you had that courage, much less that you knew how to do embroidery that women like, to the point that she said you had feminine common sense. Taki, with feminine common sense? It could never be you! - mocked Tsukasa at this absurdity, which even made him mad.
—I don't know, it's so much to process... - it was hard for Taki to accept so many things he did without even suspecting that he had done them - But I feel that your concern for me after the trip to Itomori was more correct, I felt sad for something I don't even know, but as it was a constant feeling I kind of normalized. That beautiful woman I met this morning rescued me something that I had been missing since then - Taki said to the point of tears falling in the corner of his eyes.
—Then you were bad, it wasn't our impression! But why didn't you tell us that since we are your friends? - Takagi asked.
—You had no way of understanding... - Taki drew a grim face after his thoughts shifted focus from Mitshua to his depressive times in comparison - I felt like someone was missing in my life, I woke up in tears thinking about it, but it wasn't something you could help. As you know, I rejected even a very nice girl who declared me, and I'm sure your solution was for me to stay with her or someone else. But I didn't want to! I wanted someone who might not even be in this world, and so I would look at everything that was in place looking for that person, it was something I couldn't control. - Taki pauses to wipe away more tears at the beginning of formation - One of the reasons I was able to meet that woman was because I was looking for someone, instead of buying time in reviewing my schedule on the train or something, I kept staring at the window, and I felt like I was missing out on something if I didn't. Years in this! And as it seems to me, this woman was also just like me, I noticed that no one else was looking out the window but her and me. What does that mean? I don't know! - Taki concluded his emotional outburst, as if it were no longer part of his present, so he didn't have so much embarrassment to speak.
Tsukasa and Takagi looked at each other, so after all they were partially correct when they thought that it might be a girl who was the cause of his sadness, they just couldn't guess that it was one they didn't know, nor did Taki himself apparently. After all, that Taki who didn't seem to be interested in romance after the meeting with Okudera, was after all a first-rate romantic, reminiscent of the troubadours of Medieval Europe! And now you can also understand why he abandoned structural architecture and went to landscape architecture: to be able to contemplate the landscapes while thinking about his unknown beloved, and maybe make a migration like Matsuo Bashō1 and live in the rural world after graduating! Now it seemed to make sense why he changed his vocation and his way of looking at the void, which after all was not an empty but something concrete, someone concrete, even if unknown. However, they did not forget what Taki told them, Tsukasa came forward:
—Look, friend, I didn't know you had suffered so much. You should have told us, even if you thought it was useless! We're here for that... - advised Tsukasa feeling by Taki's outburst - But I think that having found this woman, even if in these circumstances, will help to cheer you up, even more of Itomori, from that place you were obsessed with. Good luck for the future, may you be happy from here, ok? - Tsukasa wanted to confirm his friend's well-being.
—Damn! Imagine how lucky you are now, to have found someone who corresponds to you, and just in from that same village, the stars all aligned in this meeting. Now don't mess up what the Gods gave you on a platter ahahaha! – Takagi wanted to liven up the atmosphere – But seriously, don't be sad anymore thinking about who knows what, if you have something tell us, okay? - Takagi also wanted to leave the advice.
—I... I'll tell you whatever. I think I've learned my lesson... - Taki said it in an unconvinced tone - But imagine waking up sad one morning and not knowing why, how you were going to explain it to someone, how that someone could help you? Now, extend that to pretty much every day, and without a single clue as to what kept you sad. - Taki paused to continue defending his perspective on things - In addition, I was fully functional, even though I was not well I was able to do my course, despite everything I was motivated to do it. And I even got along relatively well with my colleagues, I had good relationships even if I didn't feel enthusiastic about them. Anyway, I did everything necessary to have a good professional future at least, so I didn't feel safe addressing problems whose attempt to solve them would only bring me worse ones. I wanted to keep my life as it was, even if it wasn't the happiest there was no alternative! - Taki still wanted to add something to his friends – Look, maybe I should have told you, but I don't think it was simple, what if you didn't know how to help me? Were you going to waste your time, just as I was going to lose the rest of my sanity with unanswered questions? - concluding his perspective.
—Taki, Taki, Taki... What's the part of telling us everything you didn't understand? Is it complicated? Does it seem to have no solution? We're in this together! That's what friends are for! - Tsukasa fidgeted a little.
—No matter the problem! Whether it's a lost maiden in Itomori, or an alien abduction, it's to tell all! Although... You've been through both in my opinion ahahaha! - Takagi joked about the situation as he completed Tsukasa.
—Oh Takagi. Now that you say that hasn't the Taki of good female tastes been abducted by an alien, and it mistook him for a girl? Ahahaha! - Tsukasa got into Takagi's mocking spirit and messed with Taki.
—Hey! Say it again and I'll tell you some good ones! – Taki could have opened, but that was already crossing the line – And I'm sorry to inform you that the female Taki doesn't bring memories with it – ironizing – maybe the best thing was to have forgotten those outbreaks I had... - he said denying his real desire to want to recover all the memories.
—I'm sorry, Taki, but you have to remember those moments, just to see your figure ahahah! – laughed Tsukasa still infected by the environment created by Takagi – But one thing is for sure, you were getting my now Okudera at the expense of that! - Tsukasa added, adjusting his glasses and pretending to look seriously at Taki.
—Maybe we were idiots for not following Taki's seduction techniques, it's just a shame he forgot about them ahahah! – Takagi continued the playful environment.
—You know this is serious, don't you? - Taki didn't like to be joking about his lack of memory.
—Yes, we know Taki – Tsukasa replied - But come on, relax, don't take it the wrong way. Now you've found the girl of your dreams, you can leave those sad times behind. In fact, when I saw you enter you had a happy face that I didn't even think I'd see again. This is a good sign, it means that you can now look back on those past times and laugh at them, as they are no longer a part of your life. - Tsukasa said, starting to return to his posture as a good counselor.
—But oh Tsukasa. Isn't it too early for him to assume that he is in a new phase of his life? I mean, he only met the girl this morning for the first time! – Takagi warned, being the most sensible of the group for the first time.
—You're right, it's just that our Taki talks about her as if he's known her for a long time, that confuses me! - Tsukasa put his palm on his forehead as if to call himself stupid for forgetting about it.
—So, you think I speak of her as if I've known her for a long time? – asked Taki trying to object – It's true that we are in very strange circumstances, but the only thing I know about her is that she's from Itomori, she's 25 years old and that her father was the sub-prefect of the village. I also know of some events in her life, but that came from the conversation I had with her to see if we knew each other from anywhere. - Taki tried to clarify the situation to them.
—What? Do you already know her age? You don't ask a woman that! – scolded Takagi in a tone between seriousness and mockery.
—And she's 25? Well, you're one of mine and you like older women! - Tsukasa gave Taki a friendly elbow - But the record still belongs to me and Okudera. Being engaged to a 29-year-old is not for everyone! – not missing the opportunity to brag about his relationship - But now speaking of you, how do you think you know her little with things that are never said on a first date? You even know her father's profession! – how strange Taki's encounter with Itomori's girl was present in Tsukasa's mind again.
—Well, I don't even know her profession for example, there are relevant things we didn't talk to each other. Sounds like a first date, doesn't it? - Taki tried to prove his point.
—No! It doesn't sound! And that just makes what you have with her even weirder! How do you know her father's profession and not the woman in front of you? – Takagi counterattacked Taki's premises – And besides, do you still know events in her life? Do you want to see that she was also abducted by an alien like you, and you were exchanging experiences? - Takagi tried to add a bit of joking to the serious questions he posed to Taki.
"Her? Abducted by an alien?" thought Taki. At that moment, he remembered what Mitshua told him about his lack of memory at the time of the comet's crash. And the fact that she prophesied the comet's crash while she had no memory only made the alien theory not so far-fetched. But why would the two have moments when they were "abducted" three years apart in time? How would that relate him to Itomori? It had to be something else! It seemed more like it was something he had with her than something external, but he didn't have even rational evidence to back it up. Only the coincidences between the two and his heart guided him, in the absence of a rational explanation was what was left. After a period of silence, Taki spoke:
—No, neither of us were abducted by aliens - Taki replied with seriousness disproportionate to Takagi's playful question - We've been talking about the remote possibility that we both met. It was normal for us not to think about anything else after meeting as if we knew each other, wasn't it? - Taki opened his palms as if trying to prove to the two of them that he had nothing hidden - And there's a fun fact, Mitshua traveled to Tokyo in 2013, the day before the comet to be exact. And I traveled by train that day on a school day, which means that the chances of having crossed paths with her in person are not that low.
—Look Taki... to begin with, none of us think it was some alien, Takagi is the one who is very playful – Tsukasa looked at him disapprovingly – As for the trip to Tokyo she took, living I suppose still in Itomori, the coincidence of dates is astonishing. So, does it mean she stayed in Tokyo while the rest of the village took it with the comet on top? - Tsukasa asked now in a curious tone.
—No! Mitshua was there with the other countrymen, she made the trip, was here for a few hours and then returned to her homeland, to the next day... - Taki began to feel agony in his voice just remembering the very real possibility of her dying.
—Then why the hell did she take a trip to Tokyo just to stay here for a few hours? It's the same as if I go to Okinawa by plane, spend a few hours on the beach and come back by flight the same day! - Takagi wasn't happy with Taki's version.
—The reason she made that trip... It was to look for something, someone. Same as me if you think about it. - Taki put his finger on his head – Both she and I don't remember the reason for our trip, both she and I went to our respective homelands, both me and her made the trip without looking at the costs and we both felt like we missed something after that. - Taki sighed deeply after a "we were made for each other" style demonstration – It would be obvious that we both went looking for each other and lost our memory for who knows why, but there is something that makes it impossible for me to have looked for her and vice versa... the time! She traveled in 2013 while I traveled in 2016 when she hadn't lived there for obvious reasons for 3 years! But she was already living in Tokyo, fate played a bad trick on me! – said Taki, enthused by his story.
—Taki, relax, rest your mind. You don't need to be making connections just because you can't explain how you feel. - Tsukasa wanted to calm his friend's spirits, - It's true that you have strange coincidences between you and her, but the focus should be on your next date, your next iteration. The next time you manage to meet her, avoid talking about these things unless she really wants to. Appreciate what she is in the present and not the possibility that you found her in another life or something. - Tsukasa said, warning his friend.
—Taki, as for the trip your lady took in 2013, don't be bored if you saw her back then and forgot about her somehow. You were a 14-year-old kid, she was 17! And you weren't even an Itomori enthusiast, I remember you even wanting to change the conversation when we were talking about the topic of the moment! A country girl graduating from high school with a city dweller finishing elementary school had everything to go wrong! I bet her family had already arranged someone for her! - Takagi tried to downplay Taki's possible concerns, joking a bit about the situation.
—Well, I think you guys have a few good points... - Taki said surrendering.
After saying that, there was silence at the table. The conversation had been quite long, and all of them already seemed to be quite exhausted, sometimes from so much immersion in the memories as in Taki's case, sometimes from trying to understand what their friend was telling them as in the case of Tsukasa and Takagi. They all went to their smartphones to check notifications, social networks among other things, and it was only then that they noticed the time: it was already past 2 pm and the café was now almost empty. Clearly they spent a lot more time on their reunion than they anticipated, and Tsukasa remembered something:
—Fuck! I arranged with Okudera to go shopping with her and I'm almost overdue! – he exclaimed with a tone of urgency.
—I'm sorry for wasting your time Tsukasa, if you want, I'll accompany you so I can tell Okudera that I was responsible for your delay. - Taki felt the same remorse again when Mitshua was late for work because she had talked to him.
—Not at all, Taki! I'm the one who wanted to stay longer and I'll bear the consequences myself! – denying Taki's help and self-asserting his responsibilities.
—OK! So go now, I don't want Okudera to get upset with you because of me! - Taki ordered - And don't worry, I'll pay for your share of our meal. Now go! - Taki tried to buy time for his friend.
Tsukasa didn't want to owe his friend unnecessarily, so he quickly pulled out his wallet and gave Taki a big banknote:
—Look! You pay my share with that money and keep the change! – he insisted.
—OK! But I'll make it up to you later! – Taki replied decisively.
—I knowww! - Tsukasa said this as he ran away, forming a decrease in his voice as he walked away.
After that moment, Taki and Takagi were left alone not knowing what to do. Takagi took the initiative to get out of that embarrassment:
—Look, buddy. It's about time I went to the gym, if not now the machines will all be busy. I have to go. – he said, making an excuse that was a half-truth.
—Well, then we'll leave it at that - Taki said, greeting his hand with him.
—And don't forget to tell us the news about the girl from Itomori, okay? - Takagi winked at Taki.
—So, bye and good training - Taki take the leave.
—And good luck to you that you're going to need it eheheh! Bye! - Takagi said goodbye with one last tip.
The two went off in opposite directions, a bit like the breakup between Taki and Mitshua after their encounter on the stairs. He then remembered that he could call her at that moment, so that he could see her as soon as possible, but probably she was still at work and preferred to wait a few hours, even if it hurt him to wait. "What is this impatience?" he was asked. The passion he feels, when he searches for its origin, always raises more questions than answers. At that moment he didn't feel like thinking about it, he was even more exhausted than his friends from pushing his mental strength to the limit for so long just to look for memories.
Taki walked to Yotsuya Station and then decided whether to stay in the city waiting for Mitshua to get off work, or come home to get better for a possible reunion. Whatever the option, he always had her in mind. Nothing in his life felt the same, a new phase began.
1 - Matsuo Bashō (1644–1694) was the most famous poet of the Edo period in Japan. He made his living as a teacher; But then he renounced the social and urban life of literary circles and felt inclined to travel all over the country, west, east, and wild north for inspiration for his writings.