The Life You Live

Chapter 30

The drive back almost felt other worldly as she re entered city limits. Kaya figured this is what Chihiro must have felt like leaving the spirit world. Leaving behind one who held a piece of her heart and newfound friendships. She arrived to her residence and sent Akito a text that she had arrived and intended to stay there for the rest of the day. She entered and found it undisturbed and sent that message to him as well, just in case.

The atmosphere felt absent. Perhaps that was because she had experienced Akito in the space. And now that she was unaccompanied after such experience the essence of her home felt unbalanced. Having no need to eat, be outside, or change her attire she set herself to her music room to practice she had neglected to do for the past two weeks.

The following morning she readied to return to work and messaged Akito of her departure, arrival, and her expected departure and return to her home. Kaya found it superficial to converse with her coworkers, even though such conversations were brief, about her time away. Her answers were kept vague but satisfactory to the inquiries. It wasn't until the end of the day she was summoned by Hisaishi Sama to speak in private. "These old ears of mine are either failing me, or you are playing a bit differently than before in a manner that is more than just lack of practice while away on short leave. Not enough to be noticed by your peers. But enough that these old ears have." Joe stated, leaving it up to Kaya to answer him as she deemed fit.

"Forgive me Hisashi Sama, your ears are correct. Please allow me some time to adjust to some recent differences in my life. After an adjustment period if you decide I am unfit to continue to be the lead harp in your orchestra, I will resign and consider your previous offer of signing a five year contract null and void." Kaya explained, offering him a compromise should she prove unfit to continue to be apart of the orchestra.

"Of course Miss Okane. I do hope you are able to adjust accordingly. I would certainly miss your talent among this orchestra." He agreed and she bowed to him deeply with words of gratitude and departed. She sent a message to Akito that she was leaving her work to head for home and messaged him once more when she was inside her residence.

Her heart wanted to ache at the idea of not being able to perform after this year. But her more logical side said she got to live her dream for ten years and that perhaps this was a blessing in disguise for a new dream to blossom. Still her determination wouldn't let her waiver and she forced herself to eat, shower, practice and then rest to be ready for a new day.

. . . .

Once a day Akito would send Kaya something that indicated he had seen and received her texts and it was always the same. It was always, “I love you,” and nothing more or less than that and it was always around the same time. Around the set of the sun just as it was half below the horizon.

Elsewise, Kaya would hear nothing of him.

During their time apart, Akito fought the expected waves of yokai and oni that Nobuno sent to him. He slew through many hoards with Aften, Rowan, and Yo at his side and though it was in the middle realm between spirit and earth, strange things began to happen between, and at the edges of, Tokyo and Mount Tate. People died along the highway in freak accidents, parts of the forest caught on fire, one of the small shrines near mountain was found in rubble the next morning, hikers disappeared, and strange things were caught on traffic cams. Causing the East side of Tokyo to have an increased number of police in the area.

Within days time, it was all over the media and on the fourth day, Akito did not text back…

***
It was raining hard on the fifth day. Torrential, tsunami-like rains swept across many parts of Japan and threatened to flood high-populated areas. Many surrounding areas were already struggling with the danger and it only took hours for some areas to begin to fall victim to the collecting rain. As a result, more coastal areas began to evacuate inland.