ED: Guess the party's today. But I really have no idea what day it is.
A doll lies inside, carefully placed on top of small box. I've been carrying the box in there for a while now, still not sure of what to do with it.
This whole situation, come to think of it, is bizarre.
ED: So you brought TWO presents, eh?
While I've known of Hanako's upcoming birthday party for a while now, I had no idea of exactly what the celebrations would be until I found a single note left in the abandoned tea room earlier today.
I hold it up and read it again, double-checking the instructions. The plain black handwriting's fairly legible despite Lilly's blindness, clearly thanks to considerable effort and care.
ED: But how can the blind write letters they can't even see?
Not reassured, I continue walking down the hallway until I reach Lilly's dormitory room. I hesitate for a second, but eventually give three sharp taps on the door.
ED: Celebrating in their room? This could be interesting.
A brief and muffled exchange of words can be heard from the other side. Listening closer, I can just pick out Hanako's and Lilly's voices.
As they finish, Lilly calls out.
"Might that be Hisao?"
Yep. I got the note you left for me.
"You can come in, the door is unlocked.
Glad that I managed to get the right room, I press down on the handle and let myself in.
As the door swings open, my greeting to them is stolen from my mouth.
ED: Blinding light!
ED: Huh..it's only 6 pm. Wtf?
I steal a quick glance at the lovely sight of the two, my eyes tearing themselves from Lilly's long, thin and pale legs with a measure of reluctance.
H-hi. I ... think I brought everything that was needed.
ED: ... I sure hope so.
ED: So...two girls. One guy. In a small room. I hope something interesting happens.
ED: You shouldn't stare at this one, remember what happened the last time you did.
Hi, Hanako. Happy birthday.
Ah.. th-thank you.
She's unusually skittish, despite the fact that she's warmed up to me considerably over the weeks we've come to know each other. This is a pretty unusual situation, I guess.
ED: Why do they wear pajamas in the first place?
Feel free to take a seat, Hisao. I'll just pour you two some tea.
ED: This party's not really happening, sis.
Sure thing.
Lilly takes the steaming red teapot from the side of the table and gently pours its contents into our teacups as I take a seat beside them, setting my bag against the nearby wall.
The first thing I notice is the ambient smell, just slightly different from that in mine...probably faint perfume, or nail polish. It could be anything of a girl's, really.
Another is the plain nature of the room, visually. Beige walls, a smart yet unadorned cabinet, the lack of posters or wall hangings. It's distinctly utilitarian, something I should have anticipated given her blindness.
The only thing that really seems out of the ordinary is several piles of books sitting on the floor, each reaching from roughly knee height to waist height. Some of them have printed tiles, others are entirely blank except for dots of Braille.
The fact that the ones with printed titles are uniformly in English is interesting, thought not completely unexpected. She did mention her parents impressing the language upon her and Akira, after all.
Your room looks nice, Lilly.
ED: Too bad she can't see it. *Facepalm*
ED: We're not here for you, girl. Don't worry...
It's now that I notice why. With these clothes on, the extent of her scarring is far more visible; reaching down her neck and out to cover her right shoulder.
Considering this is a party for her, she doesn't really look like she's enjoying the experience now that I'm here.
ED: Psst. Try blindfolding yourself.
So how old are you turning? Eighteen?
Her look of surprise, not at all helped by her total lack of skill at hiding her feelings, shows that she was trying to mentally tune me out. This is really quite awkward.
ED: Awesome party when the birthday girl is trying to ignore you.
Y-yes.
On the plus side, there's only two more years till you can drink. So who's older? You or Lilly?
Lilly. She had her birthday in F-February. What about yours?
ED: I wonder which day in February is it. So we can buy cake and celebrate it like creepy japanese otakus in the Codex. I'll post pics, ai-Bros.
Earlier this year, so its' already passed.
Unstated is that it passed while I was stuck in the hospital. That was... a particularly low point of the experience.
I pick mine up, immediately noticing a much stronger aroma and taste than the tea we've been having.
Huh, it tastes different than the tea we have in school.
It's a different variety, rather than the kind we've been having there. You've never tasted Orange Jaipur before?
Not..that I can remember. I usually drink coffee after all, like when we were in town. This is nice, though.
As we settle down and sip, Hanako seems to become more relaxed, or at least a bit less tense about my presence.
We all finish our cups at about the same time, with Hanako failing rather badly at hiding her anticipation for the cake that's sitting to the side, begging to be eaten.
Come to think of it, I'm feeling very eager myself. First things first, though.
Lilly?
Yes, now is good.
Each of us knowing exactly what the other means, I lean sideways and dig around in my bag for the doll I bought Hanako as Lilly gets up and retrieves her gift.
Hiding our gifts in our hands, we present them both on the table at the same time.
ED: Yay~!
Hanako silently sits looking at them for seconds on end, out of sheer surprise.
My little wooden doll, replete with Victorian-era dress and little hat, lies next to light brown and fluffy stuffed bear from Lilly.
She clutches at her gown as she moves to speak, not taking her eyes off the modest presents.
Th...thank you...Lilly and...Hisao...
ED: Awww. Poor girl.
The sight of Hanako holding Lilly so tightly is heartwarming, so much so that I couldn't wipe the smile off my face even if I wanted to.
As Lilly gently rests her face on Hanako's head, she speaks so quietly and softly that I can barely hear.
Happy birthday.
Hanako gives a small nod, holding on to Lilly for some time before breaking off and wiping an eye.
ED: I hope they'll still be friends after graduating - I mean..Lilly will be fine, I'm sure, but Hanako? Unless some extreme toughening up occurs, I can hardly see her survive a new school without Lilly around.
I guess that for Hanako simply having someone, anyone, to be there and love her would be special. The fact that Lilly and I can now share that role for her is something I think I will always be grateful for.
ED: Oh..yeah, forgot that there's still us.
For a long time, all three of us simply sit in happy silence. The quiet is not broken until Lilly's soft voice beckons.
Shall we have at the cake, then?
Her proposal is met with two looks of unhidden anticipation.
No argument from me.
Okay.
And so we ate the cake.
ED: Yeah. Literally seconds. No description of looks, tastes, not even a graphic of the cake. So...strange.
I contentedly sit back, both Lilly and Hanako looking just as satisfied with the food as I. It took some effort, but we managed to finish off the cake in one go.
I don't think I could fit any more in.
I think next time I'll buy a smaller cake.
Hanako and I give a chucke, but I can't help noticing that, come this time next year, we'll have graduated from Yamaku.
ED: We'll still be pals, right?
That fact is somewhat depressing, since I finally feel as if my life is starting to get back into some kind of order.
Idly looking around Lilly's neat and orderly room, her books catch my eye once again.
This may be a little impetuous, but my curiosity gets the better of me. Besides, I don't think she'll mind in any case.
Hey Lilly, do you mind if I take a look at once of your books?
You're quite welcome to, Hisao.
That said, if you can overcome two language barriers I will be quite impressed.
Two? Braille and..oh right, English.
She gives a nod.
I knew you were studying English, but I'm still amazed that you're this proficient at it.
One could say it's a perfect way to avoid people borrowing my collection.
She says it in jest, but I am a little disappointed. Having all these books around me with no way of reading them feels like a big tease.
ED: THIS WHOLE GODDAMN PARTY IS A TEASE. THERE'S TWO NICE LOOKING LADIES AND YOU WANT TO READ BOOKS? WHAT THE HELL, GEEK?!
Hanako giggles quietly as I reach over the closest pile, plucking the topmost book with only a cursory glance. "Death on the Nile," in large letters on the cover, is the only printed text to be seen.
I sit down for a wihle with the book open on my lap as Lilly and Hanako talk.
I'd thought this to be a lot easier than it actually is. With some practice though, I could see someone with a better sense of touch than mine managing to read at a pretty fast speed.
Noticing a silence that had probably begun earlier, I look up from the dotted pages to see Lilly smiling as Hanako sips another cup of tea.
Is something wrong?
Quite the opposite, your curiosity's quite endearing.
I am inordinately pleased by the praise, though I can feel my cheeks heating a little.
Thanks, but I don't know how else I could act.
To be honest, I wasn't altogether sure of how you saw us, since you were a new transfer student from another school.
If you'd pitied us, I would have been quite offended.
ED: ... Well...I don't want to say that. But..how can I not feel that?
There's a certain edge to Lilly's voice, one that I'd quite possibly place as pride. Glancing over to Hanako, she seems even more subdued than usual, looking towards Lilly rather than me.
I wouldn't worry about that. Considering the position I've found myself in, I'm perhaps the last person that should be dispensing pity on others.
My parents' first interactions with me after my heart attack...I wouldn't want anyone to see that kind of face.
ED: Err..Dovahkiin. If I recall correctly, we've never even seen your middle aged father's face except for a placeholder art of Jedi Master-now-deceased-dude Qui Gon Jinn.
I'm ... sorry. I shouldn't have gone that far..
An awkward silence reigns for a few beats, thankfully ended as Lilly's head perks up in a gesture I've come to easily recognize.
ED: What is it, Lassie?
Hear something?
The door...
ED: Uh oh...curfew's over? Am I busted? Do we have to hide in your underwear closet where Hanako will stuff inside as well, creating the classic anime rom-com tense situation?
Everyone looks towards it, trusting in Lilly's senses. True enough the door handle shudders and turns, a flash of yellow and black slipping through.
ED: Should've locked the door, FFS.
ED: Oh, it's just her.
Ah..thank you.
Akira takes a seat at the table as she plops her tall bag beside her. She has her trademark boisterous air about her, making no small deal of her entrance.
Hanako clutches her gown to steady herself, but doesn't appear too shaken after she settles down. I guess she must have met Akira before, not a huge surprise given how close Akira and Lilly are.
Akira doesn't seem to be the least bit put off by Hanako's scarring, despite its prominence, but she also doesn't pull any punches in how she acts despite Hanako's shy nature.
I thought you said you'd have to work, Akira. Did you manage to get off for a while?
Eh, kinda. I feel bad about ditching the guys doing overtime, so I gotta get back soon.
But I felt bad about not coming to your cute little Hanako's birthday too, so for now I'm here.
She grins widely at Hanako, who flowers into a full blush as she pins her eyes downwards toward her lap. Her mouth seems to widen and retract over and over, as if she was trying to suppress a smile out of embarrassment.
It's a little strange how her reaction seems to be more immediate and forceful when she's embarrassed by the way she looks. All she manages to give in return is a tiny nod, failing to hide her appreciation to any great extent.
Not that many people give her positive attention, I suppose. It make me respect how well Akira can handle her, making her so happy, compared to what little I could do.
ED: ...well Akira is a girl as well, so it ain't exactly balanced.
Now then, before I go...
She reaches into the bag beside her and grandly display its contents.
ED: ...looks like the party's just started.
Hanako's expression is an odd mix of surprise and curiosity, and I suspect mine's no different. Lilly, not seeing the proceedings, is oblivious to what's going on.
Akira... this isn't...
What is it?
Wine. One red. One white.
A-akira! That's...!
Relax, relax, it's not like Shizune's here to scold you.
ED: Fuck, please don't say that name here.
Lilly has a point, that's not exactly allowed on campus.
...or anywhere, really. We're still short of the legal drinking age, remember?
Rich words for someone practically drooling as they examine the bottle.
She got me there. I am genuinely interested in trying some, even just a little. While Hanako may not be handling one herself, her look does tell me that she's far opposed to the notion as well.
Lilly rubs her forehead, giving up the fight that she knows Akira would win due to simply not caring enough about those funny "rules" and "regulations."
Just don't breathe a word of this to anyone in the school, please. I beg you.
I'm not stupid, don't worry.
That said, I gotta get back to work pretty soon.
So soon? But you only just arrived...
Sorry, Lilly. Good to see you two again though, and you Hisao.
ED: You're going to leave your sister and her lady friend with two bottles of wine and a guy?
See you later, then.
Um...g-goodbye..Akira...
She levers herself up with a grunt and waltzes out of the room, leaving us alone with the two items on the table.
...interesting.
Lilly gives a nervous giggle at her sister's antics as Hanako takes a wine bottle.
So...
What do you think, Lilly?
ED: Well...do it IMO. This party kinda blows.
She rests her elbow on the table and pinches the bridge of her nose, thinking things through. She really doesn't seem to be able to keep up with her sister.
Well...it's already here. We may as well have some.
Music:
The drunk Scotsman
No sooner does she say it that I take a quick glance aroudn the room for glasses.
Later...
A small groan above me reminds me that Lilly retired to rest on her bed for a bit a few minutes ago.
Almost completely drained of energy, I manage to stand up and drag myself to the side of the bed, sitting down and leaning my back against it.
ED: And nothing happened in between.
Lilly's groan sounds lifeless.
Too much to drink?
My head hurts..
Yeah, too much to drink.
I rest my head back and idly stare at the ceiling. What an unmitigated disaster.
ED: Yeah, she's still coherent. What the fuck.
Like proper idiots, we all drank the night away with one glass after another. Hanako simply fell to the side asleep, and it's a miracle I don't feel as ill as Lilly.
Hey, Hisao? I'm sorry about today. I...didnt' think this would happen.
It's fine, Lilly. To tell the truth, I had a lot of fun today.
ED: I didn't.
Really?
Mmm. I think Hanako did too. No, she certainly did.
There's a short silence, before another groan resounds from the supine Lilly.
You okay?
As you said, I just drank too much. What's the time?
The time? Uh, it's...
I quickly look at my wristwatch, it's numerals barely legible in the gloom.
About midnight.
Curfew's in effect, then.
Yeah, guessed as much. We'll all have to sleep here for tonight.
ED: Ok.
As soon as I say it, I hear the sheets moving as Lilly starts to sit up.
Hanako...
Ah, no, go back to sleep, don't try to get up.
Hisao, I have to...
You're in worse shape than my by any stretch. Get some rest.
But what about...
I'll grab some spare blankets and put them over her, don't worry.
As I give a deep yawn and stand to retrieve them, I hear her lie back down with soft thud.
Thank you, Hisao.
No problem, it's the last I can do. You look outright wasted.
I'm not..wasted..just a little bit...tired.
She starts pouting, a slight slur beginning to distort her words as the alcohol takes hold of her again. I grab a couple of blankets rolled up at the end of her bed.
Quietly walking over to Hanako, I carefully lay the blankets over her peacefully sleeping figure, making sure not to wake her up.
The thick smell of alcohol coming off her breath makes me doubt she'd wake up no matter what I did, though.
I stand and take one last measure of the room.
As I move to sit back down at the side of the bed, I steal one last glance at Lilly.
Usually she seems so confident and forward, always there and caring for Hanako. Now, though, she seems painfully delicate.
I think back to Hanako's presents.
I thought it'd be a nice occasion for her, but I'd hardly expected it to be so moving.
One birthday after another, year after year.
Just she and Lilly, all alone.
...I guess it wasn't just the presents she liked.
Resigning myself to an uncomfortable sleep, I sit down at the side of the bed once again and rest my tired arms beside me.
ED: So this is what sleeping with two girls feels like.
Hey, Hisao.
Yeah?
Thank you.
For what?
ED: Sigh. Gonna need more than that...to go on.
...That's okay.
As I hear a deep breath, it's obvious Lilly's gone to sleep.
After closing my eyes, it doesn't take long for slumber to take me as well.
ED: Guess no sex cards.
Hours later...
"Hisao, are you...?
The soft, barely audible voice lingering in my ears slowly wakes me. I wish I could be awoken like this more often.
With a mumble, I slowly open my...
Ow, ow, ow.
I slowly rub my forehead with one hand, supporting myself with the other. Lilly lies a few feet ahead just the same, her face obviously pained.
Ah ... sorry. Your face was kinda close and I acted on reflex. You okay?
ED: ...could've done something else than bang your face forward. Instinctive dodge should take you AWAY from the object, not TOWARDS it.
My head..
It seems she's not actually okay. Come to think of it, I doubt that impact alone is what's causing her head so much pain.
Hangover? You drank a fair bit, last night.
She silently nods in confirmation as I lever myself up.
I offer a hand to her, and help her back onto her feet. Glancing behind her, I find that Hanako's still fast asleep.
It's not fair...I only drank as much as you did.
That's very different from what I remember. And anyway, girls have a lower tolerance than men.
That doesn't help.
Fine, I'll get you a glass of water. Just be careful not to trip over Hanako.
I rube the sleep out of my eyes, or at least some of it, as I walk to the counter. Tending to someone with a hangover isn't the way I like to spend a morning.
It only takes a few seconds for the glass to fill, the clear water reflecting the sliver of light that makes it through the thin curtains.
It looks like Lilly's taken a seat on the side of the bed. I walk over to her while taking care to step over the peacefully sleeping Hanako, and place the glass into her outstretched hands.
Thank you.
No problem.
I take a seat next to her, the soft bed having a surprising amount of give.
She drinks slowly. A long silence passes with only Hanako's soft breathing to be heard.
With some measure of guilt, I look at Lilly's face and attempt to read her expression. Her brow is furrowed, and she looks to be lost in thought.
For a moment I hesitate, but eventually place a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to reassure her. I didn't expect her to flinch rather noticeably at that, though.
Ah, sorry. I didn't mean to-
Lilly quickly shakes her head, in a manner somewhat more violent than usual for her.
ED: Bad touch to you?
She takes a long breath to steady herself before letting her head sink.
I must look terrible right now...
I move to protest, but quickly realize that it would be futile to do so. That said, I want her to open up more.
If you want to talk about anything, I'm here.
ED: Oh. That kind of opening up...
Lilly gives a self-depreciating snort, as if to mock her own emotions.
There's just...a lot happening right now.
I'm sorry for being so strange recently, especially back when we were in town. Even now I'm a bit confused about everything.
Believe me, I know how that feels.
She smiles wistfully, resting a cheek on the backs of her fingers.
We're a couple of broken young fools, aren't we?
Come on, don't say that. Come graduation, we'll be back out into the real world.
The real world?
ED: Yeah, ..when we graduate from this LP, we can get back to reality. Forever alone.
Sometimes I surprise myself with the way I think about things. I guess the strange, divorced feeling of Yamaku and the surrounding town compared to the outside world still hasn't become natural.
Maybe it never will. It's strange, in hindsight; being isolated from society like this doesn't feel as bad as it probably should. A wry grin on her face, Lilly seems to share the same sense of amusement at the idea.
Eventually, though, her smile drops.
ED:..What a coincidence! I'm leaving for a week, too! In 8 hours!
Is that why we had to reschedule Hanako's birthday party?
She gives an affirmative nod.
You'll be able to see your family again, at least. You're not looking forward to it?
ED: She cannot see. For the fucking last time.
I haven't met my family in six years. I don't even know how to act around them any more.
Wait...what? My mouth hangs open as I try to process what she said.
If she's 18, that means she'd have been only 12 when they left. I may have seen very little of my parents, what with them both working long hours, but that's...
ED: I only see my parents 7 days a year. But I guess 6 years would be a little bit much, but there's skype.
I feel utterly useless as I struggle to find some way to respond.
That's...but, why?
Why did they leave, or why they are inviting Akira and I back?
Both, I suppose.
My father's business has its headquarters in Scotland, and an executive position become available for him there. In the end, he had to move permanently.
My mother followed him, but Akira and I stayed in Japan for the sake of both Akira's job and the Japanese branch of my father's company, and my education.
ED: Your mom's a terrible mother.
As for the latter...one of my aunts is gravely sick.
Ah. I'm sorry.
Don't be. It feels strange, really. We're being summoned there for her, yet we've barely met before. I can't even remember the sound of her voice.
ED: True that. My yearly visit would be mostly a chance to refresh my relatives memory and see who marries who..and their kids etc. At times I would meet new nephews and nieces or get re-acquainted with a distant cousin.
Equally strange is the total lack of antipathy she feels towards her family for doing such a thing. I can't help feeling slightly humbled.
That said, her wistful exterior is just hiding her emotions. Seeing her like this is depressing.
Knowing what to do, I lift myself off the bed. Lilly notices the bed's movement, her head perking up and her hand reaching sideways to feel where I was.
ED: What are you gonna do?
Hisao?
ED: Give him some time to prepare.
I walk over to my bag, still leaning against thewall. Unbuckling the front flap and retrieving the opaque bag from within, I take the small plain box in my hands.
ED: Is that what I think it is?
Hold your hands out, Lilly.
She looks surprised for a moment, but eventually acquiesces.
ED: We're not. *headslams*
She wordlessly brings it in front of her face, her slender fingers feeling out its contours and patterning.
Eventually her fingers find the recessed line between the lid and body of the box and her thumb effortless pops open the lid.
I take a seat on the bed next to her, watching her face silently and intently.
It takes a long while before she closes the lid with a small snap, bringing the curtain down on the miniature performance playing in her hands.
The smile on her face, gentle and wistful, shows that I made the right decision.
Think of it as a going away present for your trip to Scotland.
I will...
A restless shuffling can be heard from the floor in front of us, the sound having woken Hanako.
She climbs out of the blankets I put over her, looking befuddled and wiping the sleep from her eyes.
Hmm? What?
Hanako looks around the room with her eyes only half open, her mind far from being as awake as her body. Her dazed state makes me and Lilly chuckle.
As Lilly gets off the bed and tends to Hanako, I take one last look around the room.
I guess I'd better get going, then. There'll be questions if I am seen leaving the girls' dormitories in the morning.
Goodbye, Hisao.
Oh...goodbye.
I stand and walk to the door, picking up my somewhat lighter bag along the way.
After I leave the room and enter the hallway, though, I hear Lilly's footsteps behind me.
Hmm? What's wrong?
Without a word, she stries up to me. I freeze as I feel her hand slide onto my cheek, seemingly every nerve taking in the feeling of her fingers and palm upon it.
ED: Score.
For a moment, everything seems to stand still. I absent-mindedly bring my fingers to my cheek, as if to try and recapture that fleeting feeling.
Lilly...
That's my thank you, Hisao.
Thank you..?
And with that, she disappears behind the door and gently closes it, the muffled voices of she and Hanako audible through it much as they were yesterday night.
...
ED: Bye guys. Take care. Hope I'll be back in a week.
How do I find out? What route must I take?
