“And you say it won't work...why?”
“Because this is the new version. We don't have this one back in the city.”
The four of us are making a preliminary pass through the video arcade, having just finished dinner at a cafe near the bus stop. The arcade is lit by the purple neon on its walls and the blue tinted glow of dozens of screens, but feels strangely dark since the room seems to drink any light from these sources. There's also a few blacklights scattered about, adding to the ambiance and giving the arcade a retro-futuristic vibe to it.
We've stopped in front of a bank of Initial D cabinets, which first grabbed Noriko's attention. Now though, they only draw a forlorn look from her.
“Damn,” she continues. “I really wanted to play this.”
“You can play it without a card though, right?”
Noriko pouts. “Yeah, I guess. I'd have to start over again though.”
“That would make it fair though,” Saki says. “Maybe then Chisato would be able to beat you.”
“Hey! I don't play as much as Noriko. Her car is just better than mine, that's all,” Chisato objects.
Noriko gives Chisato a look of fake indignation. “So you're saying the reason I beat you all the time is because I have a better car? Did I just hear you right?”
“Yep.”
“That does it. Pick any car you want. I'll beat you with the AE85.”
Saki sighs as her friends can't seem to put money in the machine fast enough. They settle into the drivers seats and adjust them for comfort, clearly focused on the task at hand.
“Noriko reminds me of Shizune when she gets like this,” I whisper into Saki's ear.
“She does get a little competitive, but she won't try to get you to join the student council if you lose.”
I chortle. “That's a relief.”
The race lasts a few minutes, and right up until the end seems pretty close. Chisato and Noriko trade the lead a few times, but near the end of the course a series of very tight turns in succession throws Chisato off and gives Noriko not only the opportunity to pass but build a lead; the other girl simply can't overcome it by the time she crosses the finish line.
“Damnit, I shouldn't have let you pick the course!” Chisato grumbles as the game loudly announces that she is not the winner.
“I don't know why you always forget the end is like that.”
“I haven't played since the last time we raced.”
“When was that?” I ask Saki. Even though she says she's out of practice, I thought Chisato did a damned impressive job.
“It's been a few months since we went to the arcade in town,” she answers.
“At least I can still beat you on DDR,” Chisato continues, trying to reassert some dignity after losing to Noriko.
Saki grins. “Maybe not. Noriko told me she got some practice in on her last trip home.”
I try not to smile. First Saki was teasing Chisato about her inability to beat Noriko at a racing game. Now she's flipped it around so their positions are reversed, except this time involving something bemani related.
“I ended up buying a copy for my Playstation,” Noriko says, her ego deflating ever so slightly after her earlier win. She looks a bit unsure of herself once she's the one being put on the spot.
Chisato's expression makes it very clear she smells blood in the water.
My phone vibrates in my pocket before I can see how this is going to conclude, and with a look of concern, I take it out. When I check the caller ID, I see a number that looks familiar.
It's “my” house number.
“I have to take this,” I announce to everyone. “It's my parents. Back in a minute.”
Saki looks at me with an unwritten question on her face. I shake my head lightheartedly to let her know it's no big deal. I start to move towards the exit where there's fresh air and less noise.
“Hello?” I answer.
“Hello son,” I hear my mom's voice say on the other end. “How are you?”
“Hey mom! I'm doing well! Give me a sec, I need to step outside.”
“Okay.”
A few seconds later I've stepped out into the night air, the volume of the arcade diminished significantly behind me.
“Sorry about that. How are you?”
“We're doing okay. Your father and I are looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.”
“I am too.”
“Are you having fun at the waterpark?”
“Ah, yeah we did. We just left about an hour ago and we're in the city at an arcade for a bit before we call it a night.”
“You'll remember to take your medication tonight and tomorrow morning before the trip, won't you?”
I pinch the bridge of my nose and close my eyes. “Yes mom. Don't worry.”
I can't keep all of the annoyance out of my voice when I say that, and it's enough for her to pick up on. “Well I'm sorry. It's my job to worry, you know.” Her tone changes to one of cheer as she continues. “Your father went to the pharmacy yesterday and picked up all the medications that were on the list your doctor sent us.”
“Really? Thank you,” I say, making a much greater effort to mask my irritation this time. I'm not sure if it actually works or if my mom is deciding to humor me, but either way, the topic gets dropped as she moves on to the next one.
“We both work tomorrow, but I just wanted to remind you that the spare key is in its usual hiding place, so you can let yourself in. We'll be home around five tomorrow night and then we'll all go out for dinner. Does that sound good?”
“Sure does!” I say, forcing an enthusiasm I'm definitely not feeling. “I'll call you when I leave tomorrow morning and then again when I get to the house.”
“Also let us know if anything changes!” my mother says.
“I will. See you tomorrow, mom.”
“Have a good night. Love you.”
“You too,” I finish, and close my phone, ending the call. The clack it makes as it slams shut gives me permission to let out a long sigh.
“Frustrating, isn't it?” I hear a familiar voice say behind me. When I turn around, Saki's standing there, leaning on her cane.
“Yeah, it is,” I say a bit sarcastically, but there's no malice behind it. Merely venting.
“Wanna chat about it for a minute?” she asks softly, moving to sit down on a nearby bench.
“No. I mean yes. I mean...I don't know,” I say, moving next to her and sitting down harder than I mean to. “It's just...going to be a very interesting few weeks being back home.”
“This is your first time going back there since your accident, isn't it?” Saki asks.
I nod.
“Try not to be too hard on them, okay?” she says, resting her head on my shoulder as a way to try and calm me down. I resist for a second, but then let the tension begin to leave my body.
“I...” I start, then trail off. Saki squeezes my hand, and the simple gesture helps me to make sense of the dark clouds at the edge of my thoughts. “I don't want to go back to being treated like...like I was the last time I was there, you know?”
“I know. But you have to remember, the last time they saw you, you were in a lot worse shape than you are now. They haven't had a chance to see how much you've improved yet.”
“I talk to them a few times a week. They get copies of everything my doctor sends me. In fact, they're usually the ones that forward stuff that he sends to them.”
She shakes her head. “It's not the same, Hisao. People like us...the way we look the last time someone sees us is usually the picture that gets stuck in their head. There's nothing you can do about that until you see them again.”
“She even asked me if I would make sure to take my medication. Like I would have forgotten it.”
“You didn't seem to upset when Mitsuru asked you that at the beach.”
“That's different though.”
“How?”
I'm stumped for a few seconds. When I answer again, I smile sheepishly. “All right. It's not too different from that.”
“It happens, Hisao. Honestly, they'll probably let up when they actually see that you're doing better this summer.”
Saki speaks with the conviction of someone who's gone through this before, and I guess her experience on such matters is something I should put faith in. But as soon as I have that thought, another chases it; what is it like to deal with that, but with a condition that's actually getting worse?
Much like her insight into other matters, Saki seems to instantly read whenever someone she's talking to has a potentially negative thought when it comes to her condition. She sees the look flash across my face and she shrugs in an 'oh well' gesture.
“As for myself,” she says, “I just need to hold it together for the next few weeks so my parents leave me alone for the rest of the year. Or at least, until next time.”
Now it's my turn to show concern. “Why is that?”
Saki shrugs again and looks down to her cane, idly playing with it in her hands. “My ataxia's worse every time I see them. I try not to show it for...obvious reasons. Hell, that's why I left my violin back at Yamaku. The last thing I want is to be practicing and having them overhear me screw up the way I did at the studio a few weeks ago.”
“I'm sorry,” I say, not knowing what else to.
“Don't be. It is what it is. Although a night out like this might not have been the best idea if I want to be walking in a straight line tomorrow.”
I decide to break my own rule that I had imposed on myself earlier. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” she says, smiling back up at me. “Don't worry. I'm just tired. It was worth it to spend time with everyone. And with you. Thanks for letting me borrow you all day.”
“Anytime.”
She looks down at her cane again before continuing. “I'll deal with my parents. I always do.” Her eyes move to meet mine and she smiles once again. “Just like you'll have to deal with yours.”
I can tell she's trying to lighten the mood from the rather dark turn it's taken, and I decide to play along for both of our sakes.
“You're right. Thanks, Saki,” I say, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her into a side hug. She gladly accepts. We sit there for a few moments like this before she gives a small laugh.
“Come on. Let's go see how the other two are doing.”
“We still have over an hour to kill before the last bus heads back towards the hotel.”
“We're not waiting for the last bus,” I say, my voice firm.
She checks her watch. “In that case, we have a little more than forty minutes.”
“Make it thirty,” I grumble as I stand up and offer her a hand to help her do the same. “I'm not taking any chances this time.”
“Oh come on, it wasn't all that bad, was it?” she says, lowering her lids and voice seductively. Even so, she takes my hand and gets to her feet.
“...you have a point there.”
“I know,” she says, grinning again. I laugh, hoping it will draw attention from the flush that's starting to creep onto my face.
When we get back inside, we're greeted to a very amusing sight. Chisato and Noriko are in the middle of a dance-off on the Dance Dance Revolution machine, their feet moving in a blur on the metal pad. Noriko stands and moves around freely, while Chisato has her hands extended behind her gripping the support bar. When I see the screen and the patterns of arrows flying dizzily up it, I see why. Chisato's playing at a higher level of difficulty than her friend is, with her feet moving much faster. Both of their faces are twisted in concentration, beaded sweat visible in flashing lights that sync with the pounding music.
<<Art by NoMoekko>>
I can't even follow what's happening on the screen.
I played this game a few times before but never was any good at it. I know they make this game for home video game systems, but since I don't own one the only time I would be able to play it is at an arcade...and it wasn't exactly a cheap game to play either.
“I'm out of breath just watching those two,” I mention to Saki in my astonishment.
“Chisato has a few different games and a pad for her Playstation at home. There's no way she's going to lose to Noriko if they play on the same difficulty.”
In about thirty seconds this is confirmed when the song ends, and Chisato ends up getting a higher rating than Noriko. Both hop off the pad, breathing heavily but excited.
“That's the first time I've ever passed that song at the arcade,” Chisato pants, wiping off her forehead with the back of her arm. “You almost got me with that one.”
“I've been practicing it at home,” Noriko says, just as out of breath. “I never beat it at that difficulty before either.”
“Damn. I'm really looking forward to a shower in a little bit. Speaking of which, how are we doing on time?”
“We have about half an hour before we have to catch the bus,” I answer, deciding to shave off a few more minutes off my estimate. Saki doesn't correct me.
“What do you think, Noriko? Three more songs?”
“Only if you race me again after.”
“Okay, but I get to pick the course this time.”
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enjoying catching up, great job.
Keep at it man you are very talented!
