Choices: The Sequel to Weathering With You

The Flooded City

Only five miles to Tokyo now. Soon I'll be with Hina again!

Hodaka was as silent as most of the passengers on the long voyage to Tokyo, drinking in the hustle and bustle of the big city, refreshing himself with it. The air was rain-washed, and the afternoon sun, hidden from the clouds, was warm on his shoulders. He'd been right to come here. Tokyo would give him the sanctuary he needed, and with Hina he'd be able to find a way to repair his ruined world. He leaned forward on the open deck as they turned onto the familiar harbor, smiling in anticipation.

But when the city came in sight, he let out a cry of despair. "What's happened to the city? It's looking half submerged." The Rainbow Bridge was underwater and only four pillars projected from the ocean. The many boxes scattered across the water's surface like blocks were the tops of buildings that hadn't been submerged completely.

Oh right, the rain.

At this point, one-third of Tokyo was underwater. The city's drainage functions had been overwhelmed to the point of exhaustion and it seemed that the only way to travel was by motorboat. Cars and trains still ran through the city tough, on areas that the Pacific Ocean didn't reach.

No wonder the traffic was bad at the docks back home. My island has become a refugee for homeless people! If only I could tell them how I felt, but they wouldn't believe me.

He got off and went to find an apartment nearby the university where he was planning to study in the Department of Agriculture. In this day and age, finding dry land was important, not that there were too many students living there since they migrated west. Funny thing, the 100% Sunshine Girl website was still up, as he had confirmed when checking it on his phone out of curiosity. After putting away some of his clothes from his suitcase in a drawer, he decided to find another soul that very certain to have stayed in the city even after all this time: Keisuke Suga.

The answering machine of K&A Planning's phone number led him to the new address. Which was in an apartment someplace in the higher levels of the city.

Keisuke Suga, Hodaka's employer, was waiting outside, wearing the same tight old shirt. It was a shock to see Suga; the first few seconds were always a shock. Hodaka genuinely loved and respected Suga as if he was the father he always wanted. After returning to the island, no matter soft his own father had gotten, he wished that he could have been more like Suga.

"Suga-san!" He walked toward him, in his special inebriated way. He threw his arms around his neck and hugged him fiercely.

Suga accepted his embrace without emotion. "I'm glad to see you, too, Hodaka. It's been a long time."

"Too long. It's shameful. I've spent two and a half years on probation."

"You'll be glad to know that K&A Planning is a proper editing agency. My daughter is living with me, Natsumi and my wife's parents, but nothing's official yet. Want to visit them?"

"Sure."

About a few minutes later, the door to the house flew open, and the porch filled with people. Natsumi stood in front, holding an apron in her arms above the swollen belly that strained the seams of her faded cotton tank top. Her coat had fallen down over one arm. Hodaka forced a gaiety he didn't feel. "Good Lord, Suga, is Natsumi having a baby? You're going to have to build on some more rooms."

Her husband, Wadashi, a man of strong arms, chuckled. "We hope it's a boy." He lifted a hand in greeting to his father-in-law and his niece.

Hodaka waved too, wishing he'd thought to buy some toys to bring to Nagi and Moka. He looked at all of them. Moka was there, Suga's mother-in-law was there after her house got washed away by the flood. Now she had no choice but to live with the difficult man who brought the curse of death upon her family name. Her husband, Suga's wife's father, was out buying groceries. But where was Nagi? Hodaka called out to the little girl. "Hello, Moka-kun." Then he turned back to Suga, looking worried.