Domani 1
Ken
11 March 2004
I was just outside El Pozo del Tio Raimundo Station when it happened. I heard two explosions. The train, which was just leaving the station, was in flames. Suddenly, people were running around, shouting like madmen. I understood that they were talking about terrorist attacks, about bombs. The fire raged. Everywhere was chaos and destruction, like a burning hell.
7:40 in the morning, and the world went crazy.
People were crying; people were shell-shocked; people were trying to escape from the inferno. I stood rooted to the spot. Someone grabbed me and pulled me away.
I learned later that it was not an isolated incident. Three other trains were similarly rigged with explosives. Even as I am writing this now, someone is dying. Such is the frailty of life. I wonder: why must men do this to each other?
On the last day of my life as a teenager, I realize that at 20, it was time to start taking responsibility for yourself.
***
Kanna
I opened the door and switched on the light.
“Surprise!” I suddenly saw many familiar faces gathered in front of me.
I smiled as realization hit me as to what they were up to.
“We are not about to let your birthday slip by just like this, uncelebrated. There’s a few hours left, let’s enjoy ourselves!” Yuki grabbed me by the arm and pulled me in.
“Food, drinks, music, company. Great way to say goodbye to teenage hood isn’t it…”
I managed to slip away to a corner, where I took out my phone and typed in a message.
“Enjoying yourself?” Koshi approached me.
I pressed ‘Send.’ “Uh huh.”
“Why are you always hovering around Kanna, Koshi? Are you trying to chat her up?” Ryuzo called out, and everyone laughed.
‘Are you trying to chat her up?’ It seemed so long ago, when he said that.
I was in my last year in junior high. One evening, after practice, I was walking home when I noticed a few boys of my age following me. I quickened my pace, but I could not shake them off. Before I knew it, they had surrounded me.
“Hey miss, why are you walking so fast?”
“Yeah…slow down, let’s chat.”
I held my bag close to me and turned away.
“Let’s get to know each other.”
“We can go to the arcade…”
“Are you trying to chat her up?”
We all turned in the direction of the voice. It was another boy, in the same uniform as my harassers.
“Yeah, so what if we are? Who are you, her boyfriend?”
“Yeah, that’s who I am. So get lost.”
They looked at each other and decided to retreat.
That, was how we met.
***
Ichiro
The doorbell rang.
“Coming!” I shouted. “Oh, it’s you.”
She smiled and said, “Happy birthday!”
I was still a little surprised. “Oh…Thank you.”
“Well, aren’t you going to invite me in?”
I made way for her to enter my apartment. “I am sorry, it’s cramped and messy.”
“Well, it’s home,” she looked around. “So, this is where Kenichiro lives.”
“What would you like to drink?”
“I brought food and wine.”
I stared at her.
“Don’t look at me like that? I just don’t want you to be lonely for the last bit of your birthday.” She looked around. “Eh, this is nice.”
My eyes fell to the photograph she had picked up. That picture of us, the three of us with our backs faced to the camera, staring out into the Kobe sunrise, into the future.
“She looks like she is a very pretty girl. Is she?” She pointed.
Pretty? Of course she is pretty. But even so, she wasn’t the kind of girl I would fall in love with.
I first met her towards the end of junior high. She ran into some trouble with the troublemakers of my school, and I helped her out. She thanked me, and for a few minutes, we just stood there, without a word. Then, she held out her phone and asked for my number. I gave her, but never asked for hers. She was a stranger, a pretty stranger no doubt, but as I said, she wasn’t the kind of girl I would fall in love with.
In fact, I had all but forgotten about her when my phone suddenly rang, about two weeks later, close to Christmas.
“Hello?” No reply. “Hello?”
“Uh…hello…”
I waited.
“Hello…this is Ito Kanna.”
“I don’t know any Kanna.”
“I am the girl you helped that day…”
At that moment, it all came back. She asked me if I was free on Christmas Eve; she wanted to treat me to coffee to thank me for my help. I wasn’t willing, but she was insistent, even desperate. So I finally agreed.
We met at the Kobe Harborland. It was a little awkward at first. We went for a drink at a café. I had an iced vanilla drink; I just love vanilla and I always have cold drinks, even in winter. She had hot chocolate. She told me she loves chocolate. At that point in time, I thought all the girls in the world love chocolate. After that, we walked around a little. She wanted to take the Ferris wheel. As I dragged my feet, she grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the ticketing booth. Before I knew it, I was hundreds of feet above Kobe, looking at the sea, at the city.
After dinner, I made sure she got on her train, before heading to catch mine. On the train home, I realized that she was the first girl I ever dated.
***
Kanna
I stole a glance at my phone. Still nothing. I frowned.
“Anything wrong?” Yuki asked, concerned.
I smiled and shook my head. Before she could say anything else, I stuffed my phone into my pocket.
***
Ichiro
We sat, ate, drank, talked.
Till midnight. Till a new day arrived. That was how my birthday went. That was what the last few hours of my first day as a 20 year-old was like.
She fell asleep. After making sure she was comfortable, I went to wash up a little. When I stepped out from the bathroom, I realized that the light on my phone, which was being left to charge on the table, was on. I flipped it open.
Hey! Happy Birthday to Us =)
-Kanna
Time sent: 10:30 p.m.
I looked at the time. It was already 2 in the morning.
Hey, happy belated birthday. Sorry, I only could reply now.
I am angry.
I know, I know. Don’t be, ok?
You owe me one.
I am coming to Tokyo tomorrow. Let’s meet.
Really? What time are you arriving? Ok!
Around 2 in the afternoon. Where would be convenient?
How about Tokyo Station?
Ok, I will see you then. Go and sleep. Shoo.
Ok, ok. You too.
***
Ichiro
“You are taking the day off tomorrow, right?”
“Yeah…” Suddenly, I was afraid that he would change his mind.
“Go then. I feel bad that I couldn’t let you go on your birthday.”
I grinned. “Thanks!”
We packed up the shop and went our separate ways.
I stopped at the mailbox and reached for mine. There were a few flyers and a small package. I looked at the familiar handwriting.
To: Kenichiro Kuraki
I opened it. There was a small stack of photographs, along with a page torn out from a notebook.
Hey Ichiro,
Seems like I won’t be back for our birthday again this year. I am sending this in advance, in the hope that it would reach you on our birthday. Happy Birthday, my dear friend!
Best wishes,
Ken
P.S.: Hope you like the photographs; I was in France. Next stop: Spain.
I looked through the photographs as I climbed the stairs up to my apartment, a smile tugging at my mouth.
Sunset, The Sea, A basket of bread, Pastries, the Eiffel Tower, the Seine…
It was great to hear from Ken again. Ken is my best friend. How did we meet? You could say it was fate. On the first day of school in junior high, he entered the classroom and sat beside me, because that was the only seat left. He did not say a word.
The teacher entered and introduced herself as our homeroom teacher, Mrs Tanaka. Whipping out a folder, she proceeded to take attendance.
“Keita.” “Present.”
“Itsuki.” “Present”
“Yuri.” “Present.”
“Kenichi.”
Both our hands shot up. We turned to look at each other. Our hands went back to the tables.
Mrs Tanaka smiled. “Well, seems like we have two Kenichis. Kuraki Kenichi.”
I raised my hand again.
She continued with a few more names. “Nishino Kenichi.”
So, that was his name.
At first we hated it. We hated the natural association of us because of our names, simply because we were very different people. He was more laid-back, while I was more serious; he loves football, while I play baseball; I topped the school, while he just managed to get himself promoted. Above all, I looked Japanese, while he looked like a foreigner.
But we soon got used to it. By the time we entered the same high school, we became best friends.
It was to him that I introduced Kanna. They hit it off immediately.
It was Kanna who suggested calling me Ichiro and Ken, Ken. She said that ‘Ken’ suited his looks, while I bore a slight resemblance to Ichiro Suzuki, who was playing for our hometown team Orix Blue Wave at that time, and was also my personal hero.
That was how I became Ichiro, and he, Ken.
11 March 2004
I was just outside El Pozo del Tio Raimundo Station when it happened. I heard two explosions. The train, which was just leaving the station, was in flames. Suddenly, people were running around, shouting like madmen. I understood that they were talking about terrorist attacks, about bombs. The fire raged. Everywhere was chaos and destruction, like a burning hell.
7:40 in the morning, and the world went crazy.
People were crying; people were shell-shocked; people were trying to escape from the inferno. I stood rooted to the spot. Someone grabbed me and pulled me away.
I learned later that it was not an isolated incident. Three other trains were similarly rigged with explosives. Even as I am writing this now, someone is dying. Such is the frailty of life. I wonder: why must men do this to each other?
On the last day of my life as a teenager, I realize that at 20, it was time to start taking responsibility for yourself.
***
Kanna
I opened the door and switched on the light.
“Surprise!” I suddenly saw many familiar faces gathered in front of me.
I smiled as realization hit me as to what they were up to.
“We are not about to let your birthday slip by just like this, uncelebrated. There’s a few hours left, let’s enjoy ourselves!” Yuki grabbed me by the arm and pulled me in.
“Food, drinks, music, company. Great way to say goodbye to teenage hood isn’t it…”
I managed to slip away to a corner, where I took out my phone and typed in a message.
“Enjoying yourself?” Koshi approached me.
I pressed ‘Send.’ “Uh huh.”
“Why are you always hovering around Kanna, Koshi? Are you trying to chat her up?” Ryuzo called out, and everyone laughed.
‘Are you trying to chat her up?’ It seemed so long ago, when he said that.
I was in my last year in junior high. One evening, after practice, I was walking home when I noticed a few boys of my age following me. I quickened my pace, but I could not shake them off. Before I knew it, they had surrounded me.
“Hey miss, why are you walking so fast?”
“Yeah…slow down, let’s chat.”
I held my bag close to me and turned away.
“Let’s get to know each other.”
“We can go to the arcade…”
“Are you trying to chat her up?”
We all turned in the direction of the voice. It was another boy, in the same uniform as my harassers.
“Yeah, so what if we are? Who are you, her boyfriend?”
“Yeah, that’s who I am. So get lost.”
They looked at each other and decided to retreat.
That, was how we met.
***
Ichiro
The doorbell rang.
“Coming!” I shouted. “Oh, it’s you.”
She smiled and said, “Happy birthday!”
I was still a little surprised. “Oh…Thank you.”
“Well, aren’t you going to invite me in?”
I made way for her to enter my apartment. “I am sorry, it’s cramped and messy.”
“Well, it’s home,” she looked around. “So, this is where Kenichiro lives.”
“What would you like to drink?”
“I brought food and wine.”
I stared at her.
“Don’t look at me like that? I just don’t want you to be lonely for the last bit of your birthday.” She looked around. “Eh, this is nice.”
My eyes fell to the photograph she had picked up. That picture of us, the three of us with our backs faced to the camera, staring out into the Kobe sunrise, into the future.
“She looks like she is a very pretty girl. Is she?” She pointed.
Pretty? Of course she is pretty. But even so, she wasn’t the kind of girl I would fall in love with.
I first met her towards the end of junior high. She ran into some trouble with the troublemakers of my school, and I helped her out. She thanked me, and for a few minutes, we just stood there, without a word. Then, she held out her phone and asked for my number. I gave her, but never asked for hers. She was a stranger, a pretty stranger no doubt, but as I said, she wasn’t the kind of girl I would fall in love with.
In fact, I had all but forgotten about her when my phone suddenly rang, about two weeks later, close to Christmas.
“Hello?” No reply. “Hello?”
“Uh…hello…”
I waited.
“Hello…this is Ito Kanna.”
“I don’t know any Kanna.”
“I am the girl you helped that day…”
At that moment, it all came back. She asked me if I was free on Christmas Eve; she wanted to treat me to coffee to thank me for my help. I wasn’t willing, but she was insistent, even desperate. So I finally agreed.
We met at the Kobe Harborland. It was a little awkward at first. We went for a drink at a café. I had an iced vanilla drink; I just love vanilla and I always have cold drinks, even in winter. She had hot chocolate. She told me she loves chocolate. At that point in time, I thought all the girls in the world love chocolate. After that, we walked around a little. She wanted to take the Ferris wheel. As I dragged my feet, she grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the ticketing booth. Before I knew it, I was hundreds of feet above Kobe, looking at the sea, at the city.
After dinner, I made sure she got on her train, before heading to catch mine. On the train home, I realized that she was the first girl I ever dated.
***
Kanna
I stole a glance at my phone. Still nothing. I frowned.
“Anything wrong?” Yuki asked, concerned.
I smiled and shook my head. Before she could say anything else, I stuffed my phone into my pocket.
***
Ichiro
We sat, ate, drank, talked.
Till midnight. Till a new day arrived. That was how my birthday went. That was what the last few hours of my first day as a 20 year-old was like.
She fell asleep. After making sure she was comfortable, I went to wash up a little. When I stepped out from the bathroom, I realized that the light on my phone, which was being left to charge on the table, was on. I flipped it open.
Hey! Happy Birthday to Us =)
-Kanna
Time sent: 10:30 p.m.
I looked at the time. It was already 2 in the morning.
Hey, happy belated birthday. Sorry, I only could reply now.
I am angry.
I know, I know. Don’t be, ok?
You owe me one.
I am coming to Tokyo tomorrow. Let’s meet.
Really? What time are you arriving? Ok!
Around 2 in the afternoon. Where would be convenient?
How about Tokyo Station?
Ok, I will see you then. Go and sleep. Shoo.
Ok, ok. You too.
***
Ichiro
“You are taking the day off tomorrow, right?”
“Yeah…” Suddenly, I was afraid that he would change his mind.
“Go then. I feel bad that I couldn’t let you go on your birthday.”
I grinned. “Thanks!”
We packed up the shop and went our separate ways.
I stopped at the mailbox and reached for mine. There were a few flyers and a small package. I looked at the familiar handwriting.
To: Kenichiro Kuraki
I opened it. There was a small stack of photographs, along with a page torn out from a notebook.
Hey Ichiro,
Seems like I won’t be back for our birthday again this year. I am sending this in advance, in the hope that it would reach you on our birthday. Happy Birthday, my dear friend!
Best wishes,
Ken
P.S.: Hope you like the photographs; I was in France. Next stop: Spain.
I looked through the photographs as I climbed the stairs up to my apartment, a smile tugging at my mouth.
Sunset, The Sea, A basket of bread, Pastries, the Eiffel Tower, the Seine…
It was great to hear from Ken again. Ken is my best friend. How did we meet? You could say it was fate. On the first day of school in junior high, he entered the classroom and sat beside me, because that was the only seat left. He did not say a word.
The teacher entered and introduced herself as our homeroom teacher, Mrs Tanaka. Whipping out a folder, she proceeded to take attendance.
“Keita.” “Present.”
“Itsuki.” “Present”
“Yuri.” “Present.”
“Kenichi.”
Both our hands shot up. We turned to look at each other. Our hands went back to the tables.
Mrs Tanaka smiled. “Well, seems like we have two Kenichis. Kuraki Kenichi.”
I raised my hand again.
She continued with a few more names. “Nishino Kenichi.”
So, that was his name.
At first we hated it. We hated the natural association of us because of our names, simply because we were very different people. He was more laid-back, while I was more serious; he loves football, while I play baseball; I topped the school, while he just managed to get himself promoted. Above all, I looked Japanese, while he looked like a foreigner.
But we soon got used to it. By the time we entered the same high school, we became best friends.
It was to him that I introduced Kanna. They hit it off immediately.
It was Kanna who suggested calling me Ichiro and Ken, Ken. She said that ‘Ken’ suited his looks, while I bore a slight resemblance to Ichiro Suzuki, who was playing for our hometown team Orix Blue Wave at that time, and was also my personal hero.
That was how I became Ichiro, and he, Ken.
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