The big city of Tokyo buzzed with the noise of friendly banter, screens displaying advertisements, cafes bringing in guests, and patrons standing about the open train station. No one cared what other people were talking about. No one cared what other people thought. Some barely cared enough to even look at the others passing by.
One particular individual ignored the unconscious glances of strangers, drawn like moths to a flame by their striking silver hair. Like a dim light post standing out in a sea of black and brown. It was a young woman in her teens with a duffle bag hanging from one shoulder, a souvenir bag held lovingly in one hand. Green earbuds were nestled in her ears, playing classical piano, swallowing the city noise. As if finally taking notice of the unwanted glances, the girl pulled up her hood, causing those that looked at her to finally go back to their selfish lives.
Pulling out her iPhone from the duffle bag, she looked at the time. 1:23 PM. The first of two trains she was to ride was to arrive shortly... If there's no delays, she should be able to arrive at her location with a few minutes to spare. Maybe it was because of the special circumstances of her standing at the station, but she was starting to feel anxious. Opening her messaging app, she checked the latest text that was sent.
> Meet us outside YasoInaba Station at 4 PM.
Nodding to herself, the girl stuffed her phone back in her bag and shifted her weight. Exhaustion had been poking at her all day... Spending her whole spring break packing boxes upon boxes, adjusting piles of piles on paperwork, and barely clocking in five hours of sleep a night. Despite dressing her best, she didn't dare open the camera. Modest clothes can only hide so many layers of dark circles under the eyes.
The screeching sound of metal wheels vibrated to her very core, causing the train station to erupt with renewed energy. Patrons taking a step back for their safety, the train came to a slow stop. Almost instantly, the doors opened up and unleashed a flood of people on both sides. They growled and barked with no real purpose, acting like a swarm of puppies being released from a kennel. The girl braced herself as people began to push one another forward into the train, uncaring if they injured anyone.
Once settled in, the girl grabbed onto one of the hanging handles, sliding her duffle bag to cover her rear and held the souvenir bag in front of her to cover her front. Casting her eyes to the window in front of her, the girl instantly frowned at her reflection. Her short silver hair is barely visible now thanks to her hood, her fair skin and pale gray-blue eyes brightening the dark-tinted glass. The girl sighed and massaged her left temple, wondering how safe the bags would be if she took a nap on the next train...
The familiar station that she got used to slowly began to slide to her right, gradually escaping her vision, as the train began moving. Closing her eyes, she focused purely on the sound of her mellowing piano... The events from last week flashed in her mind's eye rhythmically with the music. The sad, lonesome keys resurfaced the faces of her classmates, escalating to her parents slumped shoulders, the paperwork, three plane tickets, suitcases, acquaintanced faces laying down futons--long, silver hair fell to the ground as the song reached its climax.
Sighing quietly to herself, she rubbed the back of her head. It was strange to be away from home... To be away for a whole year and live with an uncle. An uncle, mind you, she had never met... She knows he is her mother's baby brother of four years, a widow of three years, and has a little girl in elementary. Her mother and uncle used to be close but ended up drifting apart after the incident.
Well, she was sure to learn more once she met him... It was going to be a while till she arrived at the next train station. With this in mind, she stuffed her phone in her pocket and began to make a plan.
After this train, there's one more train I'll need to catch... Then I'll meet my uncle. He'll most likely take me straight to his house. My things should already be there... So I'll have to unpack... Oh, but with school starting tomorrow, I should just get the essentials instead of unpacking everything and go to bed... If he knows how to cook, then I can get that sorted while he cooks. But if we have something store bought then I'll eat with him and his daughter then head up...
The girl hummed to herself in thought, deciding that to be efficient. Now, on to make back up plans...
"We will be arriving at YasoInaba terminal in a few minutes," the train's PA system announced. "Passengers heading for Inaba City and YasoInaba terminal, please move to the other side of the platform."
Before she was even aware, her stop had arrived. Not terribly surprising, though, with all the train stations that essentially kept the islands together. It appeared, however, that they slowed for a few minutes and the precious minutes she wanted to nap were ticking.
Once the train stopped and the doors opened, she shuffled out with the rest of the passengers. She was able to slip out of the train with ease and made her way across the cement boarding station. Thankfully, her next train was already waiting for passengers, to which she and a few others climbed on board. Unlike the first sleek, subway, city train she rode on--this was more of a traditional train with connecting cars.
Stamping her ticket by the attendant, she walked down two train cars and quickly claimed a seat. Immediately, she plopped down on the comfy, leather seat. Her legs were throbbing with days of walking and standing... She didn't even bother to store away her bags on the overhead shelf. Not that she could reach it anyways, being a mere 5'2". The girl let out a long, exhausted sigh as her eyelids began to drag... The sound of a harp soothed her mind, nailing the final coffin. With a soft groan, the girl rested her head on the window next to her seat, drifting...
"Excuse me," a woman's voice suddenly spoke, tapping the girl's shoulder.
Jolting awake, the girl looked to the owner of the voice and met eyes with a gorgeous woman. Her eyes were practically glowing a mesmerizing gold, that was almost reflected by her pale skin, platinum-blonde curly hair tucked neatly under a train attendant's cap. She stood out quite a bit with her somewhat tight, violet blue uniform; golden buttons standing out even more against the dark canvas. Clearing her throat, the girl removed her earphones and adjusted in her seat.
Pulling out an old, tattered book of sorts from her left arm, she pointed to a blank line. "Sign here, please."
The girl stared at it blankly for a moment before looking back to the woman. The woman stared at her with a similar expression and pulled out a pen. Feeling cloudy, the girl slowly grabbed the pen and hesitantly signed her name.
The woman pulled the book close to her and read the girl's signature. "Narukami, written in 'become god'... Hitomi, written in 'eye'. Hitomi Narukami, 'ever-seeing god'..."
Hitomi swallowed in response, a bit embarrassed to hear her name read aloud. The woman closed the book and gestured for her to stand.
"Please follow me. The Master is expecting you."
Hitomi blinked at the instructions, slowly standing up as if she was pulled by another force. She couldn't find her voice in this confusing exchange and didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble... so she simply obeyed, hoping to have whatever was happening done and over with.
The woman turned around and began walking down the train car, her violet blue heels clanking with each step. Hitomi followed, slowly taking note of the sudden change in her environment.
The train car she had gotten on was a simple one of brown, green, silver, and blue. It felt like one of those old trains seen in foreign movies like The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe or The Polar Express. But the train car that she was walking in now, mindlessly following the woman she assumed was a train attendant, had simply one color: a deep, violet blue.
Glancing towards the window, Hitomi saw nothing but fog, the faint white mist outlining the surrounding nature that is otherwise invisible in the winter night canvas. The train wasn't moving, either. It was as if the train was stricken with fear, the fog acting as an ominous threat rather than a simple hindrance that could be simply cured with the train's headlight. Unconsciously, Hitomi gulped, anxiety starting to kick in.
"Please, enter," the woman instructed, causing Hitomi to snap her undivided attention to her.
The woman turned to face Hitomi and opened the train door that stood before them, revealing nothing but darkness. Hitomi stared at the darkness, wondering why she—a girl who had been afraid of the dark for years—finds this room somewhat... comforting. As if someone familiar was calling for her, the voice sweet and mellow. Glancing at the attendant with a bit of nervousness, she entered the train car.
Click...
Clack...
Click...
Clack...
The car's interior became visible as her eyes adjusted with the dark. Unlike the other train cars she was in, this one was empty. Even the seats that would usually be at either side of the train... were gone. No windows. Just one door, one booth, one light bulb, and one purpose... Continue down the tracks set before it.
Sitting in the booth is an elderly man with a large bald spot atop his head, while white, tangled hair still grew on the side. The man had an unusually long nose, his big eyes with red veins staring intently at Hitomi. With the lightbulb swaying and flickering, the man flashed an odd smile held by large teeth.
Never had Hitomi experienced such discomfort from simply casting eyes on someone. She couldn't help but avert her attention from his gaze.
"Welcome... to the 'Velvet Room,'" the old man suddenly spoke.
The old man chuckled to himself at the blank expression of the girl in front of him, noting the true source of her emotions coming from her eyes. She was surprised and rather startled, a tinge of nervousness also accompanying the first two.
Waving a hand forward, the woman Hitomi had followed made her way over to the old man and sat down to his left, behind the table. "Some introductions. I am Igor! I am delighted to make your acquaintance."
The woman nodded, setting the book down on her lap. "Yes, as am I, Mistress Narukami. I will be here to accompany you on your travels. You may call me Margaret."
Hitomi glanced back and forth between the two as Igor let out another chuckle.
"I can see that you are... confused," Igor began, glancing at his assistant. "You see, this realm exists between mind and matter. It separates dreams from reality. Generally speaking, only those who have forged a contract, may enter."
Hitomi blinked, her brain processing what was just said. She gasped and looked at Margaret's book. Igor closed his eyes for a moment, a sly grin stretching his face. Extending his left hand to the table, a deck of tarot cards suddenly slid out of his sleeves. They scattered about the table, all showing their back design of a blue and black mask.
Igor waved his hand over the cards, causing them to magically organize themselves across the table. Seeing the intrigue and awe of his guest, he asked, "Do you believe in fortune telling?"
Hitomi hesitantly shook her head no.
"Each reading is done by the same cards, but the results are always... different. Life itself follows the same principles, doesn't it?"
Hitomi shrugged, still unable to find her voice. Igor chuckled and leaned forward...
Flip.
"The tower in the upright position represents the immediate future. It seems a terrible catastrophe is imminent." The card showcased a tower being struck by lightning, two figures falling out.
Flip.
"The card indicating the future beyond that is... The moon, in the upright position." A card with the picture of a crescent moon that seemed to hover above a river. "This card represents 'hesitation' and 'mystery'... Very interesting indeed."
Leaning back, tying his hands before his lips, Igor narrowed his eyes in thought. "It seems you will encounter a great misfortune at your destination, and a great mystery will be imposed upon you."
Hitomi couldn't help but frown with a bit of disappointment. She wasn't expecting anything amazing like suddenly having all her flaws fixed by the end of the summer, but she wasn't expecting such unfortunate news as this.
"In the following days, you will enter a contract of some sort—a different kind of contract... And after which, you will return here," he explained calmly, despite his slightly amused tone. "The coming year is a turning point in your destiny. If the mystery goes unsolved, your future may be forever lost. My duty is to provide assistance to our guests and assure that does not happen."
Igor grinned, the serious atmosphere disappearing as he waved his hand over the table, the cards magically disappearing.
Margaret flipped through the blank pages of the book. She ended the gentleman's statement with a quiet, "Let us hope... Your journey will be quite interesting at the least. Until our paths cross again."
Hitomi opened her mouth, wanting to ask some very important and basic questions, when her vision suddenly began to blur. Her breathing hitched, somehow forgetting how to absorb oxygen. Sweat rolled down her fair skin, her eyes squeezed tightly, mouth drying. The sound of banging piano keys pounded at her head, a sharp note playing from a violin filling her ears.
BAM!
Hitomi gasped for air, jolting violently in her seat, her hood falling off. A low hanging branch had smacked the window pane as it turned.
As if the motion of breathing was foreign to her, she gulped in air rather loudly, slowly taking in her surroundings. The train has returned back to its original settings. Warm brown, green, silver, and blue colored interior. It truly made that strange 'Velvet Room' seem a lot colder and menacing...
Hitomi touched her face, lightly wiping the sweat off from her earlier panic. She let out a sigh, having calmed down, and dropped her hand to her lap. But before it could fall, she felt a tug at her ears. Looking down, her arm was caught by the wires of her earbuds. Both were still nestled into her ears, a suspenseful song ending.
Didn't she take them out when Margaret woke her up? Hitomi thought for a while, before shaking her head. She pulled out both earbuds and turned off the music from her phone. That was enough classical for one day.
Wrapping the earbuds around her phone, shortly stuffing it into her pocket, Hitomi cleared her throat quietly and adjusted in her seat. Thankfully, there were only about three other passengers on board and didn't really care what she was doing... Or seemed to have noticed.
The train enters a tunnel, shortly exiting and finds itself hugged by the spring sunlight. The girl couldn't help but squint at the nice weather, the bare fields and few shrubbery bringing their own brightness.
Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes. "...It's so quiet here."
It was the first time she has said anything in the past 72 hours, her voice noticeably raspy than usual. There was a moment of silence as Hitomi listened to the lullaby of the clanking train wheels against the train tracks. It was so tranquil... Just the kind of silence she wanted. As beautiful as music is, especially classical, nothing can really defeat the natural sounds of life. Unexpected and ever changing...
Opening her eyes, Hitomi sighed. That line of thought sounded a bit too close to that strange dream she had with 'Igor'. She needed a distraction... and checking on her appearance is one. Pulling out her phone and unwrapping the now tangled mess of wires, she opened the camera app. Getting so close to her destination, you couldn't blame her for having a sudden urge to tidy herself up.
Not to her surprise, taking an apparent nap does not remove light bags from underneath one's eyes. Giving up on them, she removed her hood and let her short silver hair free. Perfectly it remains in a well-kept bob style. There were a few loose strands and some tangles, but they were easily sorted by combing with her fingers.
Needing a break from the sunlight, Hitomi stood up and dusted her clothes. Putting her duffel bag and souvenir bag on the bench, her reflection caught her eye.
She began smoothing out her white turtleneck hooded shawl, tugged her lavender buttoned dress down, and puffed out her turquoise buttoned shirt that was aligned perfectly with the dress. She was never really one to care about what she wore in the city, simply preferring to wander about in a hoodie and jeans. But she figured, since she was going to be living in this new town for a while she might as well look nice... Or at least put that effort in. Which she did. Especially with her "special occasion only" knee-high brown boots and black leggings on.
"Thank you for riding with us. In just a few moments, we'll reach our final stop; YasoInaba Station," the train's PA system began, catching her attention. "Please prepare to exit."
Grabbing her things, Hitomi walked towards the main train car doors. Whatever happened on this train, with Margaret and Igor, she decided to just forget. It was nothing more than a dream. An illusion. That was all. If she kept pondering about it, she would be too distracted to focus on her guardian...
Once the doors opened, Hitomi was instantly greeted by the spring sunlight and the accompanying cold winds.
As she walked off the train, breathing in the atmosphere of the rural town, she noticed the emptiness of the station. There wasn't even a train attendant awaiting people at the ticket station. All that was there were the sakura petals on the ground, lazily having one last dance of life. But alas, that dance won't ever be done as the petals were stuck to the patches of filth here and there. The ceiling is showering specks of dust that has been collected over the years.
Brushing off the condition of the station, she walked forward to where a slight staircase awaited. Hitomi slowly looked around the area, processing the town's little offers. There were three buildings visible, green hills and mountains proudly showing from behind them, telephone wires hovering in the air.
"There's... absolutely nothing here..." she mumbled.
She wasn't honestly sure how to feel at the moment. She found locations like these rather charming and romantic as they were sometimes set in novels or movies. Recalling them, the town didn't seem that bad anymore—it even seemed romantic. But at the same time, she worried about having nothing to do...
"Oh, there you are!" a man's voice called out.
Hitomi blinked and looked over, where a man was steadily approaching.
The man seemed to be in his early thirties and was dressed in a gray shirt, a dark red tie lazily hanging from his neck, and a pair of brown slacks on his feet. The first thing that caught Hitomi's eye however was a pack of cigarettes sticking out of his shirt pocket.
"Wow, you look more beautiful in person than in that photo," he complimented as he stopped a few feet away, smiling. Hitomi felt a tad shy from the compliment and nodded without thinking in potential thanks.
With logic governing her thought process, she grabbed at her souvenir bag and shyly spoke, "Uncle... Doji?"
The man blinked in surprise, raising a brow as his smile widened. "Uncle Doji? Did I make that big of an impression that you made a nickname?"
He chuckled at his hypothesis. Taking note of her lacking affection, he scratched the back of his head. "Oh... I get it. My sister told you to call me that, huh."
"...She said you might prefer it over Uncle Ryo-yo."
Hitomi's uncle let out a sudden laugh, shaking his head. "Ryo-yo, huh? I haven't heard that name in such a long time... Man. You're a whole lot bigger than the last time I saw ya. You were just a little girl in diapers back then!"
After a good scratch, he placed his hand on his hip and flashed a welcoming smile.
"The name's Ryotaro Dojima. And this here is my daughter, Nanako'' Dojima explained. Hitomi nodded, repeating the name in her head. He looked behind him, where someone stood.
Uncle Dojima... My guardian for this coming year, she thought to herself. And... my cousin Nanako...
Hitomi followed Dojima's gaze, now noticing the little girl cowering. Nanako fidgets shyly, her brown, short pig tailed hair bouncing with her fidgeting body; her big brown eyes shyly glancing from the ground to Hitomi. Holding her hair are two small pink ribbons that matched the one of the three colors of her dress, a long white sleeve turtleneck underneath.
"Go on Nanako, introduce yourself to your cousin," Dojima encouraged with a smile. Nanako blushed, grabbing her father's arm.
Taking note of this, she squatted down with her legs together and greeted, "Hello... It's nice to meet you, Nanako."
Nanako's cheeks deepened, looking down at her feet. "Ah... Um... H-Hello..."
Nanako sputtered before hiding behind Dojima once again. He chuckled as Hitomi stood back up and patted his daughter's head.
"What're you so shy for? I thought you were excited to have another girl in the house," Dojima teased. This earned a smack to his backside, causing him to yelp.
As if the sound had triggered a memory, Hitomi nervously held out her souvenir bag to Dojima.
"I-I almost forgot...! This is for you," she stammered.
"Oh?" He carefully took the bag and looked inside. His face brightened at what he saw. "Daifuku! Ha, I was wondering when she would send 'the best mochi she ever had' over."
"A gift... from mom." Hitomi tucked her hair behind her ear and bowed deeply. "And also something to say thank you for... looking after me under such short notice."
Dojima laughed, slightly uncomfortable but charmed. "No need to get so formal. Come on, my car's over that way. Let's head home, shall we?"
Dojima gestured to a car of some sort in a lonesome parking lot nearby. It was one of those popular cars recommended for those with a family, though the brand wasn't known to Hitomi. All she really knew about it is that it's white with a spare tire on the back. Hitomi looked at Dojima and nodded, the three of them walking towards the vehicle.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
The car ride was in uncomfortable silence for Dojima and Nanako, the radio broadcasting about a scandal to which no one really paid any attention to.
Hitomi thought nothing of the silence, gazing out the car window mindlessly. Exhaustion was picking at her once again, sleep threatening to capture her. Her right hand struggled to hold her head up as her left hand toyed with the duffle bag strap.
"Well, you're here," Dojima began, a bit desperate to fill in the silence. "But wow, sorry it's like this. It sucks that you have to pick up and move just because of..." He paused. "...your parents."
Hitomi hummed simply in response.
"It must be tough. Well, regardless, I'm glad you're spending the year here!" Hitomi glanced at him. "It'll be fun!"
He flashed a comforting smile, one that she felt... almost welcomed. She nodded shyly, looking at him full on and whispered, "...Yeah."
A soft chuckle escaped Dojima, glad that his niece was starting to open up. Nanako suddenly tugged at his sleeve shyly, catching their attention.
"Potty time, hurry...!" Nanako whimpered, embarrassed.
"Can't you hold it? We'll be home in ten minutes," he blinked.
She shook her head and squirmed in her seat.
Dojima chuckled. "Okay, okay, hold on."
With permission from the green light, he drove onward. Within moments, the town started coming into view, a car or two passing by. The train station was quite a ways away, so it seems. The newcomer shifted in curiosity as she turned back to staring out the window, noticing how little people there were on a beautiful day.
Dojima pulled over into a small gas station, a delivery truck driving off just as they entered. As he parked next to a gas pump, a gas station attendant rushed out to greet them. Nanako quickly unbuckled herself and jumped out the car, Dojima exiting the car after her.
"Are you going to be alright on your own?" he called out, closing the car door. She didn't even respond as she rushed inside. Whether it was because she got nervous or underestimated how long the drive would be, the poor thing was at her breaking point.
Feeling a little stuffy inside the car and wanting to see more of the rural town, Hitomi decided to step out of the car as well. Moving her duffle bag down and hiding them under the seats, she opened the car door and slid her heavy legs that were still tired from her travels.
The gas attendant dressed in their red, orange, and white uniform approached Dojima. Based on their shoulders, it was a young man. "Hey, are you heading out?"
"No, I just got back from picking my niece up at the train station. She's moving here from the big city," Dojima replied as he gestured to Hitomi.
Looking over to the employee, the two locked eyes, a gentle breeze blowing over them. Nodding hello, she closed the car door and stretched her arms up in the air. Afterwards, she walked over to the trunk of the car as Dojima and the gas station attendant continued conversing.
It's a pretty small town... Does it count as a village? Hitomi wondered to herself as she looked about. At least I won't get lost...
"Wait here until Nanako gets back, alright? Don't go wandering off," Dojima instructed, causing his niece to flinch. Hitomi nodded obediently as he pulled out the packet of cigarettes from his shirt.
With a nod, Dojima headed towards the convenient store. Just as Hitomi was about to relax once again, the gas attendant began fueling the vehicle and called out, "So, you're from the city, huh? You in high school? What's a girl like yourself doing all the way out here?"
Hitomi looked down, struggling to feel comfortable by the smile barely visible from beneath the employee's hat. She shrugged and simply muttered, "...My parents."
"Gotcha. That's never fun... Sucks that you're arriving the day before school starts, too. Oh! Hey, we're looking for part-timers here! You interested?" Invigorated by the idea, he stepped away from the nozzle and walked up to her.
"Oh, um... Thank you, but no," she replied, turning her back to him. She was tired and just wanted to relax...
"Still trying to get used to how dull it is here compared to the big city?" the employee chuckled.
Hitomi glanced back at him for a moment before looking away. "No... nothing like that, really..."
"Well, you'll be bored to tears if you don't have a job or friends. But, just by looking at you... I can tell you'll make a lot of friends."
The employee's sly and amused tone at the last statement caught Hitomi's attention. Glancing back at him, she noticed him walking over to face her. He smiled and extended his hand out for a handshake.
"Look, give my job offer some thought. Sound good?" he asked, a friendly smile on his face.
Upon closer inspection, she noticed that he had pale skin with shoulder-length brown hair and hazel eyes. Glancing away, trying to see if she could find Dojima, she muttered a "thank you" and bowed before turning away.
"Haha, you're so quiet and polite! If it weren't for your hair, I wouldn't have known you were from the city," he chuckled, patting Hitomi's shoulder.
Flinching, she grabbed his hand firmly and breathed quickly, "I would appreciate it if you kept your hands to yourself...!"
Suddenly, the employee grabbed her hand with both of his, giving it a tight squeeze. Hitomi tried to pull back, but he wouldn't let go. The world felt like it was being fast-forwarded. She could have sworn the employee smirked for a moment...
"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to upset you! I can be a little forward sometimes," he apologized with a nervous laugh.
Hitomi glanced at their hands then back at him, a bead of sweat beginning to roll down her jaw. The sound of footsteps suddenly caught their attention. Dojima and Nanako, walking side by side, had returned from their separate trips.
Hitomi's uncle raised a brow, saying, "What are you doing? That doesn't look like work to me."
The employee (finally) let go of Hitomi's hand, causing her to withdraw it back to her chest. The employee nervously adjusted his hat. With a nervous laugh, he said, "Sorry, sir, back to work I go!"
He checked on the pump and the total displayed before quickly walking back inside the gas station.
Hitomi looked over to Dojima, shortly casting her gaze down as she blushed in embarrassment. She couldn't find the words to express her gratitude and simply nodded in thanks.
"Sorry about the delay," Dojima apologized as he opened Nanako's door. "Ready to go?"
Hitomi pursed her lips together, her embarrassment growing, before nodding slightly and turned around to get back inside the car.
Suddenly, a massive throbbing pain pounded at her brain. It felt like a judge was slamming his gavel, declaring a verdict on her displeasing behavior. Her ears were ringing, desynced from her headache. The world was starting to spin, fading in and out of gray globs. Everything was so disorienting that the girl's legs gave out, her knees buckling. If it weren't for the spare tire on the back of her uncle's car, she would have collapsed... But if things were to continue, Hitomi was certain she would faint.
"Are you okay?" Nanako asked, witnessing the sudden fatigue. "You don't look so good. Are you... Car sicky?"
As if on cue, her nerves began to calm and the pains slowly drifted away. Nanako took a step closer with a worried expression on her slightly tilted head.
Hitomi took a deep breath and stood properly, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear. "...I-I'm fine now. It passed."
Dojima walked over to Hitomi and took a good look at her. It wasn't terribly present before, but now looked as if she hadn't slept in days. Whatever had ail his niece made her sweat and a bit short breathed.
"You must be exhausted after that long trip... Why don't you get some fresh air while I go and pay?" Dojima instructed. "Nanako will be waiting in the car for you."
Hitomi nodded simply in reply, looking down. Dojima turned to Nanako and helped her inside the vehicle, shortly closing her door. Looking over his niece again, he turned and quickly made his way to the store.
Hitomi let out a long sigh, resting the back of her head on the car window. This was so humiliating. Of all times to feel faint...
She turned her head to the town, observing the quietness of the town. A few shops were closed in front of the gas station, a bus stop with bold lettering saying "Central District" stood beside a bench not that far from the station. Looking down the road that was lined up from the gas station, seeing that a few shops were still open. There was a bookstore, a tofu shop, and another convenient store as far as Hitomi could tell. It seemed like there were more stores than just those three, but they weren't visible from her line of sight... Honestly, she had lost the energy to really care.
Not trusting her legs to keep her propped up, Hitomi opened her car door and took a seat inside, buckling up. Everything felt... heavy. She hadn't slept since yesterday morning, so... maybe she had pushed herself too hard. But there have been days that were much tougher... It must have been the shock of everything about this transfer.
Yes. That had to be it...
Shock.
...Soon, Hitomi's mind went blank as the world got dark, and sleep finally became victorious...