i find story okay but moving too fast. Will continue reading. It is improving.
Noted, I will consider the current pace of the story and will consider whether or not it's alright.
Well, so far there's not much story to go on. You introduced a few characters but none of them got more than one or two scenes yet.
I do hope that you do have a story you want to tell and that it will be good and that's the reason I'm following your story.
Do remember I've merely posted an introduction and three (four, with this post) chapters so far, so there should be more story as we follow. However, some characters WILL be a one scene wonder (Most of them won't be, though).
Chapter 4: Here we go!
==============================
Another morning, and another routine is upcoming- painkillers, shower, apply salve on burns and use sun lotion on top of that. It makes things slimy, but that’s just how it is. I was more hysteric back in the hospital. Boy, I was REALLY pissed off. I still am, of course, but what would anger solve?
After finishing to pull this off (which takes about ten minutes), I wear my clothes- first comes the underwear, then comes the gloves. The constant pain in my hands and loss of fingernails made it clear that without gloves this is going to suck. My hands also write in a wonky font at and turn daily tasks into chores, so the gloves migrate these things a bit. I am also determined to write instead of using a laptop because I don’t want to feel too special. I am happy that my two hands are still fully functioning, though. The fires could shut them down completely, but they are not even slowed down.
Then, there’s the school uniform- being quite the affluent school that caters to many people, I get to wear a modified school shirt which allows me to hide most of the burns from both the sun and the people. The rest of my uniform is the standard one- pants, shoes, socks and a backpack.
By the way, Mr.Jingo is not talking to me when we shower. He probably had a talk with the council after that day. I like this silence- even if I can hear him using his soap, which frankly makes me a bit disturbed. They actually issued a special soap to me here, one that is used for burn victims. I think that by the end of the year I’ll recover as if I spent three years in the “outside” world. It won’t return me my body back, but it will allow me to be more independent.
I also miss playing my old video games- people say there’s no good in them, but they were my small Yamaku when I was young, helping me be more independent about money and friends. The games taught me about how the economy can change, and I had a few “virtual friends” that I try to keep in touch with even today. I still text them occasionally.
Well, it’s breakfast today. Nobody will interrupt me today, because I’m going to eat very well today. I’m going to eat… Not the oatmeal… Not the soy… Not that…
Everything right now is between the levels of ‘bland’ and ‘wouldn’t throw it to the dogs’. I take the “healthy” cereal (now with 33% more aftertaste of cardboard!), a green tea yogurt and a few strawberries. Maybe I can pull something off?
Found you, brown sugar. Just a spoonful into the cereal and you will taste better. I can pull this, trust me.
Hiroko is also here with two cups of tea. Seems like I’m not that only one with a sweet tooth.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning to you too. I had fun learning with you, you know.”
“Us. Learning.”
The two of us had a good laugh for a while. However, I notice that she tries to place the sugar in the cups, which might be troublesome with her lack of eyesight.
“Want me to put the sugar in your cups?”
“Do you want to also stir them? You look like you want to eat with me.”
“Do you want to eat together?”
I owe you a sitting in a restaurant, so let me at least cover this.
“Sure.”
“Then I’ll also stir.”
*
So yeah, the cereal was indeed improved with the sugar. Seems like I found a winning formula. Hiroko eats some of the soy pudding (I don’t like it, okay?) along with her tea. Hiroko eats silently, if slowly, but manages to eat without getting all messy without eyesight.
“So how’s school so far?”
“Boring.”
“That’s not a very nice thing to say.”
“I quote you when I say ‘I want to stop learning’.”
“You can’t prove the context!”
“You know exactly what I’m saying.”
“Sorry, I don’t.” Now you’re outright teasing me.
“Anyways, how’s school for you?”
“I actually enjoy listening at school. It’s just that all the gibberish is cute.”
She pulls out her tongue as a further tease, and it’s… cute. I can’t help but laugh.
“Gibberish is the best language.”
“True.”
I leave her to her own for a while, and I am finishing the yogurt and the cereal. Reminder: Green tea yogurt tastes good.
“Did you finish eating?”
“I still have my strawberries. Want some?”
“Will you drink the other tea?”
“Did you plan this?”
“Maaaaybe?” Yes, you did.
“Then yes, I’ll drink the tea.”
Did she make the tea by herself? I always try to remember that she’s a human before she’s a blind girl, and that my assumptions are wrong. I mean, look around you- students missing limbs are eating naturally, and even if some’s hands are shaking, or burned, or anything else, they eat. Yes, they eat sloppily and with special utensils for easy grabbing, but if compared to what you expected, they are proficient with it.
I drink the tea, enjoying it. It’s not a piece of art, but that will do, considering what I paid for it right now. I was never a big fan of tea, though, and I enjoy hot chocolate and coffee more.
Hiroko is eating the strawberries I put on her plate and she enjoys it. Strawberries are tasty, and they are the tastiest things in this entire meal.
“Now what?”
“Math, of course.”
“I also have math today. Just at the end of it.”
“I feel for you.”
“I’m starting the day with some Biology, which would be rather nice.”
“Do you want to study biology today?”
“Want to bet we won’t survive 30 minutes?”
“I put five hundred yens that we will survive 45.”
“Deal.”
Even assuming I fail, five hundred yens is not that high cost to pay. That should be her incentive for learning more.
And then the bells rang.
*
Today was as boring as I could expect- the highlight of today’s lessons was the cleaning. I helped a classmate carrying the buckets and someone almost slipped on a bucket, hitting the wall instead. That, and the fact that math was marginally easier because what Hiroko and I learned yesterday. It was hard, but I felt as if I had been pulled three steps ahead in a thousand mile march.
Now, I placed five hundred yen in this bet, and I better try and say goodbye to them. If I win this bet, something is not going well for us (although I still earn the money, which IS nice).
*
“Hiroko, it’s me.” I told her from across the door. Her room is rather tidy and enjoyable… Not that mine is any bad, but still.
“Did you get the textbook this time?”
“Yes I did.”
“The money for the bet?”
“You bet I did.”
“Your lucky underpants.”
I start to get used to this humor by this point. In this rate toilet humor will be commonplace by the end of the year.
“Yes.”
“Alright then, I’ll open you the door.”
Hiroko opened the door. She got comfy with her slacks and shirt, as it seems. I got into the room, and she sat on the bed. She also looks a bit pale, but that’s probably makeup removed.
“So how about you? Got the money, the book and the pants?”
“I actually lack the lucky underpants, but I still have the book and the money.”
“So let’s get ready, alright?” I open the phone in order to set a timer. It will beep within 45 minutes.
“I was in page 18 of the textbook. You?”
“Page 19. Let’s help you get the page done and then get a recap.” This seems like a good idea- before we study something new, let’s strengthen the basics.
“Let’s”
*
We stopped seconds before the alarm ticked off. I didn’t tell Hiroko about the alarm, of course- she’d just drag it without actually learning.
“You know you’re lucky?”
“I am, overall.”
I survived a firebomb from blank point and earned a scholarship, and that’s just recently. I am quite the lucky star.
“Well, a bet is a bet, and we did have a nice session.”
“I won only by that much. I’ll forgive you the debt if you’ll invite me for a drink at lunch instead.”
Did I… God, god, god. She actually thinks over this? I could pull this as a joke, but still.
“How about we eat at the roof this time?”
“Isn’t the roof a bit dangerous?”
I am not comfortable with school roofs- once a student in my old school has thrown a small rock from it, and it has hit me. It was not only painful, but has opened my head. You could also fall from it and die, as I heard a student around here accidently did one night. Also, I don’t feel like getting sunburned with the burns.
“The roof is alright. Don’t be such a baby, people are eating there and nobody falls.”
“If you think this is a good idea, we’ll eat on the rooftop.” She almost squees from sheer joy.
“Yay! I actually wanted to get some nice things. So what do you like to eat?”
“Meat. You?”
“Such a typical man. You could do great with my dad. He enjoys eating meat only, too. I like tomatoes, apples, sandwiches and even a little meat, when I feel like it. I wonder how turkey tastes.” Turkey is not a common deal around here.
“The taste is like chicken, but a bit weirder… Maybe a little bit more tender and juicier. Turkey is not the strongest of meats, but it’s a juicy one.”
“I see you enjoyed it.”
“I’ve had a few experiences with it. My grandfather always enjoys a footlong turkey Sandwich in Subway. It’s an American Sandwich company.”
“Say, a foot is about 30cm, right?”
“Yeah.” She raises her eyebrow.
“This is a long sandwich. Now, leave this sacred land at once and meet me on the roof.”
*
Loyal to my promise, I went up to the roof the moment class was over. I applied the sunscreen again and I am wearing a hat, so my skin will endure the rather sunny weather better. Hiroko will soon come.
Today’s a good day. I would like to enjoy a sunbath, but this will have to wait a year before my burns become more resilient to the surroundings. I’ll wait for her in the shadows, where no light shines.
That was so edgy that I’ve just cut myself. Metaphorically, of course. I think that's Hiroko.
She came fast… with bags? How much did she buy?
“Hiroko! Good to see you here!”
“Good to see you didn’t betray your prize. Here, take these bags and we’ll sit.” Hiroko is not a big girl, and I did expect her to not be as strong as I am. I take the bags from her hands and sit with her. The sun is not as scary as the doctors said it would be, and I think I can stay a while under it.
The food includes chicken breasts, peas, rice, a slice of Salmon and two Pepsi branded colas.
“They ran out of Coca Colas.”
“Free food is free food.”
The food is good. Not great, though- The salmon feels a little overdone, and the rice a little raw. I still enjoy it.
“This food is nice. Did you make it?”
“Nah, I bought premade food boxes. In the shop next to town. The cashier was nice enough to help me.” What a nice person.
“I still like it.”
“Thanks. Also, may I ask a question?”
“Shoot.”
“So, your grandfather is an American, but his wife isn’t. How did your grandparents meet?”
“The American ones, right?”
Had it been any other person around, I would try to evade this. However, this is Hiroko. It just normally makes me feel separated from others when somebody asks me something because I’m a quarter American. I don't know why I give it so much thought.
“Yeah.”
“So here’s the deal in a nutshell: Fifty years ago, they met in a bar. My grandmother had a vacation, and she met my grandfather. So they were drunk, and she discovered she was pregnant with my aunt. Times were different, and they ended up marrying in a local church .My grandmother became an American citizen for both him and their daughter. It’s a funny thing, because thirty years later, when my mom came to Japan in order to study abroad, she met my dad. They dated for a while, and eventually they married. This time, my mom became a Japanese citizen.”
“So when are you going on a vacation?” That was funny, I’ll give her that.
“Maybe I’ll break a tradition and marry a local, just to spite everyone. Then we’ll have three children because we can and every one of them will enjoy a happy childhood. I'll settle for two children if I can have a pet.”
“You have ideas for the future? This is cool.”
“I’ve had some time while I was hospitalized. Do you have any?”
“Frankly? I’d rather have one child.”
“Would you settle for two?”
“Only if the elder one was a boy.”
“And if the second one is also a boy?”
“Do you think I’d risk getting a third brat?” She’s not that fond of having sons, huh? Can’t blame you. She opens her cola can.
My dad did not like the fact that I couldn’t do some things that requires fingernails by myself, so he got me a keychain of props that might’ve been useful. So far I managed to avoid using them due to having bottles to buy, but this time I want to do it myself. A small and flat, yet durable, hook should do the trick.
Here we go- Ignore the pain, and you’re done. Overcoming my disability and enjoying a nice drink. A little flat, but no one’s perfect.
I am assuming that Hiroko didn’t notice my burns; she’s blind, and didn’t touch anything that mattered. We shook hands and I helped her once or twice with walking by grabbing her hand for this specific reason, but that’s all.
And I plan for it to stay this way, for now.