Origami Girl

Chapter 21: Eidola and a Feast for the Moribund

Origami Girl

Chapter 21: Eidola and a Feast for the Moribund

"This world of ours is piled high with farewells and goodbyes of so many different kinds, like the evening sky renewing itself again and again from one instant to the next-and I didn't want to forget a single one."

― Yoshimoto Banana, Goodbye Tsugumi

"Ayano-chan," I heard a voice softly whisper in my ear. "Ayano-chan, we're almost here."

I slowly opened my eyes, and found myself resting on Yukino-kun's broad shoulder. Stretching slightly, I sat up in my seat and looked out of the window. The trees and greenery of rural Hokkaido had been replaced with rows of houses, buildings, and flashing traffic lights.

"Get the luggage down," I heard Ms Nakayama's voice from behind me. "We're going to be there soon."

Yukino-kun obeyed his mother's command, and stood up in aisle, bringing down the trolley bag that he had placed there earlier on. Feeling slightly confused and disoriented, I had a look around at my surroundings.

I was on a train, and the sunlight was streaming in through the window. It seemed to be already rather late in the afternoon outside, judging by the position of the sun. The sky too, was starting to glow with streaks of orange and crimson, the silhouettes of faraway clouds flickering in the faded sunlight, like shadows around a dim flame.

I turned around to have a look at the interior of the carriage. A few other passengers were busy getting their baggage from the overhead compartments, all ready to alight at the next stop. Judging by the density of the buildings outside, I'm sure we must have already reached Sapporo.

"You're awake already," Yukino-kun said with a smile as he brought out the trolley bag.

"Yeah," I muttered, still a little drowsy. "We're here already?"

"Oh you're awake already, Furukawa-chan!" Asami-san said from behind me. "I'm sorry that the journey takes this long."

"Ah, it's all right," I reassured her. "It feels nice to sleep sometimes, especially when you're caught up with so many things. You don't even have time to rest."

"That's true," the older girl replied.

I looked to Yukino-kun who was fiddling with his phone beside me. He didn't seem to notice me staring.

"Did my parents say anything?" I asked Asami-san. "Do they know I'm here?"

The girl looked at her mother.

"Well, why don't you ask Yukino?" Ms Nakayama said, tapping on the back of Yukino-kun's seat. "He was the one who talked to your father."

"My father?" I gasped aloud.

Before I went to sleep, I had assumed that my mother would be the one who would pick up the call, and I thought Yukino-kun would be able to handle it. But if it's my father. . . then that's a different story.

"Yeah," Yukino-kun said, scratching the back of his head. "He picked up and I tried to tell him, but he was really scary and so-"

"At the end of the day, mothers always have to clean up after their children," Ms Nakayama sighed jokingly, shaking her head.

"I hope mine don't make too much of a mess then," I said.

"Oh you'll see," the older woman replied.

The both of us giggled.

"You must be feeling thirsty Furukawa-chan," Asami-san said, while rummaging for something in her bag.