Travelling to the north of Japan to visit their grandparents in Aomori, the sibling pair Tadao and Kiyoko were caught up in the middle of a devastating train accident in which 57 people were killed.
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Tadao looked out of the window as the scenery sped past them at a mind-numbing rate. He had always adored the Shinkansen (Japanese bullet train), ever since he was a little boy. He had a model of this technological feat of mankind in his office, a gift from his parents, who had passed away when he was young. It had been, now that he came to think of it, probably the last birthday present he had gotten from them.
Looking down at the small delicate face beside him, he smiled to see his younger sister's face flushed with excitement as she too looked out from the window.
"You're running fast today Yoko, huh?" he said softly, teasingly referring to the time when Kiyoko had proclaimed that she was running very fast every time she was riding in a car, or train. Tadao grinned as the now eighteen year-old made a face at him.
"I'm not running anywhere, stupid!" she replied rolling her eyes at him. "Grandmother and Grandfather will be waiting for us at the station." she added, refusing to comment any further on the afore heard teasing with all the gravity her teenage face could muster.
Tadao checked his watch, it was 10 a.m. "We seem to be on schedule," he commented, making Kiyoko roll her eyes again at the stuffy way he said this. "We should be arriving at Aomori on time. They won't have to wait for us long." he added, making sure he put all the stuffy professor stress he could into his speech. Kiyoko let out a gratifying groan and gave him an unappreciative look.
"Really, Tada-chan!" she said, putting her hands on her face in mock pain. "How do you expect to ever find a girlfriend with that snotty, pompous, old-man talk? The only woman you'd be capable of attracting, dear brother, would be a wrinkled old witch." She paused thoughtfully, then added wickedly. "You know, that might be a good idea. Just make sure she's filthy rich, will you?"
Tadao made a show of considering this. "You may have a point, but I shall only do so if you reply to that wonderful Valentine's Day card Suzuki Koji sent you. You know, the one with that poem in it. Now how did it go?"
Kiyoko looked panicked. "Don't you dare!" she threatened, but Tadao seemed oblivious, still apparently thinking, though he had made the effort to memorize this gem for prosperity. He place a hand over his heart theatrically and began, with feeling:
"Oh, thou art a summer's day in June,
Or was it July?
When I saw you for the first time..."
Tadao grinned as Kiyoko hit him with her seat pillow soundly with a small shriek.
"Shut up!" she said, not being able to resist giggling.
Tadao was about to reply, but then the world lunged violently with the loud scream of the breaks and the lights went out even though it was a bright, clear morning...
 Robotic Zamat · Mon Oct 10, 2011 @ 10:15pm · 0 Comments |
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