That Summer

Chapter 25

It had been more than three months since I graduated from college. I just turned 22 years old and returned from my very long grad trip traveling around Asia with my close friends. All the stress of finals, deadlines, and group projects were now gone. I felt like my skin was glowing from my relaxing adventures with my friends. I could finally be at peace knowing that I finished my education and that part of my life was now over. I was ready for a new chapter, a new adventure. An adventure that included the person that made me feel complete. I just had to find him.   

I decided to move back to the city where I first met Hiro as a child. I rented an apartment that looked similar to the one that Haru had. I wanted to bring Kiku with me but my mom insisted on keeping her so I would have a reason to visit home more often. I was closer to my family now too. I called them weekly just to catch up on their lives and update them on mine. Because of my sister's job, they couldn't move back with me. So, it was my turn to create a life of my own just like my sister and mom did. I knew it had to be in this city.

Surprisingly, Professor Murray referred me to a company in this city too. I would be working as a financial analyst at a company called "Dream Inc." Apparently, it was a startup company looking for fresh new grads. They were looking for someone who wanted to work in the financial world. I couldn't say no to their competitive salary and generous benefits so I took the job as soon as I received the offer. Ironically, I still didn't know what I was doing but it was best to go with the flow and let the spiritual world do its thing.

    When I first moved to this city, I visited my dad's grave with my mom and sister after all these years. Ever since then, I've been visiting him once a week so I could talk to him and pay my respects. I also thought I would run into Hiro at one point but I never crossed paths with him.  I tried to find information about Hiro when I moved to the city. But I couldn't find anything new. He wasn't in the Ph.D. program at the local university, like how he was when I met him in the future. I couldn't find him anywhere online as if his profile was concealed. I wasn't sure if there was a butterfly effect because I traveled to the future. But I didn't understand why Hiro wasn't pursuing his Ph.D. I missed him every day since we parted ways. I wanted to make up for the lost time. But, I had to wait a little longer until I could find him.

    I woke up to the sound of bamboo and glass chimes blowing in the wind. I jumped out of bed and got ready for the day. It was my first day working as an adult with a full-time job. I was nervous and excited. I had no idea what it would be like but I was excited to start a new chapter of my life. I combed my hair and put on a nice blue dress and heels. I grabbed my bag and headed to the office.

    I walked into the lobby of this soaring glass skyscraper and received an official badge that would let me into the building. I took the elevator up to the fifteenth floor and braced myself for the new environment I was about to face. I pulled out the dog tag that was around my neck and grabbed it tightly as I took a deep breath. The elevator doors opened and I dived into my first job.

    "Are you Mirai?" A girl in her late 20s asked.

    "Yes, I am. I'm here to report for my first day." I said nervously.

    "Nice to meet you, Mirai. My name is Megumi. I am your mentor. Let me show you around the office and introduce you to our team." She smiled as she directed to my desk.

    After two months of training, I felt like I finally knew what my job was. I realized that nothing I learned in college applied to the things I was doing for my job. I had to be trained in everything. Luckily, Megumi was a very patient mentor who always knew where I struggled. Now that I was more comfortable with my position, I was able to do actual tasks for the company. I analyzed market trends, created loads of spreadsheets, and helped my team create financial reports. It was pretty cool. I felt like I was in the right place because I knew what I was doing.