Silent Resilience

Night of children

"Nagano, Kitasaku District, 289-102"

Hikaru nodded, turning the engine on. The old car rattled for a few minutes as it came to life, letting out an unsettling creak as Adriel climbed into the passenger seat. He slammed the door shut and stared out the window, watching random pedestrians walk through the street.

The wheels lurched forward, and they were off.

The sun was high in the sky, streaming the bright lights of mid-afternoon. Beams hit his face through the sunroof of the car, making Adriel squint up at the blue, clear day. Hikaru's hands were steady against the steering wheel, despite being covered in sticky soda residue.

A silence enveloped the car. Neither of them could come up with something to say. Hikaru didn't even know where they were going, only following the directions on the GPS like a lifeline. There was so much he still didn't know, and lots he wanted to say. So, he said nothing and kept on driving.

Wherever they were going, Adriel seemed dead set on visiting. His steely eyes remained on the window, watching telephone wires and grassy fields zoom by as Hikaru pressed on the accelerator. It was as though he were a machine set into lockdown mode. He didn't even flinch when the elder twin slammed on the breaks, pausing just in time for a fox to cross the road.

"Shit, sorry" Hikaru sighed, resuming his driving right after.

"Whatever" Adriel blankly responded.

Quiet.

"Do the others know where we are?" Adriel asked, still facing away.

"Nah. Should I call them?"

"No"

"What, why?"

"I don't want them to know"

Any normal person probably would've argued more, but Hikaru decided not to question it. If the rest of the group was still searching, that was their problem.

Just like that, they were silent once more.

Words etched up Hikaru's throat, threatening to bubble over. He finally spilled. "Where are we going?"

"..."

"Come on. Tell me"

"..." Adriel reached over to the control switch and turned on the radio. He twisted the small knob until steady music filtered out of the speakers.

The sounds of a young female voice, heavily impaired by the sounds of antique disco effects and upbeat piano filled the air. "Plastic Love" by Mariya Takeuchi, the tan boy recognized.

The music was too quiet, so he turned it louder. Hikaru didn't comment on it. The fields that passed by blended into the background as Adriel closed his eyes.

"I'll tell you when we get there"

.

.

.

An hour of driving later, and no more words were shared between them. Hikaru kept his eyes on the road, silently praying not to crash the car into a bend and end up dying. Adriel hadn't moved at all, and the twin was wondering if he had fallen asleep.

It was so hard to tell what the tan boy was thinking. Hikaru wore his emotions out on his sleeve. He never failed to talk back when he was annoyed, and laugh when he was amused. When he yelled earlier, there was nothing but pure anger and frustration on his face, clear for anyone to see as water. The words he had been holding back for Adriel's sake spilled over like an overflowing dam, and even now Hikaru knew he was still correct. He had not lied once in his speech.