Evanescence

What One Does Not Remember

"Ah, so that's why. I wasn't even in Japan yet during that time."

"Not in Japan yet? You're a foreigner?"

"Not at all. I just lived in America for some part of my life."

I was quite amused by the statement she made. Not because it revealed that I wasn't the only one who had spent a large portion of childhood somewhere abroad, but because she spoke in English. While it was American English, with a pronunciation and a few variations that I am not entirely comfortable with, it was still English. It was even coupled with an accent that seemed to be from somewhere around the vicinity of Chicago.

"Oh, that means—"

"I can understand it fine. If you've come all the way from States to here on an aeroplane, then you've been treated to a jolly good time. I've had the pleasure of airborne travel multiple times already, but it still makes me feel like a little child whenever I hop into a plane and soar through the big blue firmament. But I guess that's how all of us children would feel about it, innit?"

She covered her mouth for a gasp, then broke out into a giggle that slightly disturbed the cook. His quiet newspaper reading was thrown off, but he only gave us a raised eyebrow before continuing.

"I'm quite surprised, Kurogane-san. You happen to be incredibly fluent in English! Were you raised outside Japan?"

"My mother isn't Japanese. Which is why we usually had long trips to the UK. It's a little bit hard having to adjust all my clocks at first, but I eventually got used to it. There were times when I would adjust the clock before we actually came to the airport."

"So that explains the strange accent you have when speaking Japanese."

There was an internal train crash. My insides suddenly felt like they were sinking in mud. Kind of like a man trapped in quicksand who still does not believe that he is in danger. 

"I have an accent?"

After a hearty sip from the bowl, she answered with a rhetorical question "You've never noticed it? It's faint, basically negligible, but there. I'm sure nobody else would notice, so it's fine."

I was deeply offended by the fact that I had a hint of an accent. I was proud of my multilingual tongue, as well as incredibly honed native accents and pronunciations. To hear that someone could detect a non-native accent in my Japanese, which was of course my second language, was just as bad as a knife to the arm. My ramen turned slightly sour at the thought.

"I... I have no idea how to react to that. I'm lost for words."

"Well, maybe you just don't want to say anything because you've become painfully aware of it?"

I bit my lip because—well, she was right. I had suddenly become incredibly critical of how I was pronouncing my words. I was meticulously making sure that I talked like someone from Tokyo, not some foreigner who managed to learn Japanese. I rummaged my brain for a 'pronunciation guide'. If there was one to be found, then I would be able to make up for my terrible misdeed.

"Kurogane-san? Kurogane-san? Hello?"

I looked up to see Kino waving her hand in front of me, in a desperate attempt to get my attention.

"You spaced out there."

"Uh. Right," was my well-said response.

The lass shook her head, then cheerily stated "Lighten up, will you? I was just kidding about that hint of an accent. There's none to hear, I assure you. No need to get all riled up over it."

I sighed of both exhaustion and relief. "You know, you almost got me there. If there was—"

Crash.

Without hesitation, I dashed out of the noodle shop. What I saw before me was not pretty, and I coughed violently at the scene.

"What in the world happened here?"

Cars were in obscure positions, sirens blared, and people were panicking. Red and white were visible on the faces of the terrified civilians, and medical teams were running around trying to tend to the injured. While nobody seemed to have grave injured, two deaths were the epicentre of this grim situation.

In the centre of all the ruckus was a bloody crime scene that involved two victims, both of them young males. Sprawled out on the asphalt and their corpses wet with blood, their bodies seemed to be violently beaten and damaged. I couldn't stand to look at it, as memories of the past rushed into my head.

Thrown into a frenzy, I made my way to a nearby alleyway, where the silence and shadows helped me calm down. Though my breathing was still crazy after five minutes, my mind began clearing up, and my chest didn't feel heavy or suffocating.

"Did you like that scene, Kurogane-kun?"

My body instantly turned towards the source of the chilling voice. It was him again.

"What... What was that?"

He stepped into view, allowing me to take a good look at him. His dull-coloured and striped long-sleeved shirt had a few spots of red, as well as the skinny jeans that he was wearing at the time. In his hands was a soccer ball, slightly beaten and faded in colouration.

"Oh, it was just a little game. You see, they lost to me. And our terms were quite clear. I had actually offered them reprieve, but they did not seize the opportunity. I guess some people just can't notice a good thing dangling in front of them, no?"

I suddenly remembered who one of the victims was, as I had finally confirmed that I knew his face. "One of those two... He had participated in the—"

"Football Frontier, yes. Actually, both of them were Football Frontier participants. Kariya Ryudou and Tateyama Riku. I believe you know them? It would be a shame if you've forgotten them so quickly. They were such skilled players and opponents, after all."

His words left me winded, as he talked to me as if I had played and personally met the two—with him present in the vicinity. While I was aware of the both of them, I hardly knew them, and I could not even remember Tateyama Riku's face. After all, recorded matches usually focus on the offence and midfield, not the defence and Goalkeeper.

"I have heard of them and watched their matches."

The grey-haired vagabond laughed then made 'tsk tsk' sounds. "That's an understatement, really. But I suppose it can't be helped, considering... Well, considering a lot of things." His eyes glinted, and he remarked "Some things you probably know somewhere in the back of your head. But that's a whole other story, something that you needn't concern yourself with yet."

I turned my back on him. "I do not want to concern myself with your shenanigans."

"Hah! Sure. Today was just a retrieval operation initiated by yours truly. Next time you see me, I'll make a grander entrance. Something that will get your attention, Kurogane-kun! Remember my face, my voice, my laugh! For when I introduce you to your old friends, I want to feel amusement!"

"My old friends?"

No answer came. I just shook my head and then walked out of the alleyway, to see Kino looking for me. The lass quickly came up to me, as I was having a hard time walking.

"Kurogane-san!"

"I'm... I am fine."

Somewhere inside of me, I felt an aching feeling. My head seemed to be woozy and my muscles were slowly giving up on me. It was just like the first few days of my time in the hospital. I didn't feel like myself, and turmoil was stirring up in a nauseating manner.

Despite not being able to actually make it on my own, I dismissed Kino and moved down the sidewalk by myself. There were things I needed to find out.

I must find out who he is.