Teaser
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 6:55 am
This is the teaser for my Saki Enomoto pseudo route "Can You Accept Your Fate?". Anything in this post is not necessarily canonical and is subject to change. All further updates will be submitted in the main post here.
Can you accept your fate?
~~~~~
The place is buzzing with activity. A few college students are throwing a Frisbee on the grass, while other groups of families and friends eat or play in the afternoon sunshine. Some runners make their way past, footsteps and breathing measured and methodical. I can't help but think of Emi, she's the only runner I know after all. Laughter pierces the air as some of the younger visitors play a game of tag under the watchful eye of their parents, which quickly turns sour as two dispute a tagging. Guess I shouldn't expect anything less from a Saturday afternoon at the town park.
It's hot, but the shade of the maple tree above us gives us some respite. Sitting next to me on the picnic table we claimed a few hours ago, Nakata lowers his head and looks intently at me, his eyes narrowing. He says in a deep and throaty voice, "so what are you in for?"
Ichi and Nana laugh from their place on a blanket, spread out a few feet away outside of the shade, in full view of the sun's rays, but Rebecca stops chewing her ramen - looking serious. My face twists in confusion, what does he mean by that?
In a deadpan voice and composure, he follows up. "How are you broke?"
Oh.
Oh boy.
That was... spontaneous.
"I..." I start, but something in me stops.
This is still pretty personal... Like, I want to tell them, but I also don't. What should I say? How much should I tell them? Hell... how much do I even know? I should really understand this better. All I know about my condition is what I should do to make it better and what I shouldn't do to make it worse. I don't know the first thing about what causes it, how I got it, or why I should or shouldn't be doing... whatever. My medications are just these things I have to take every morning, reminders that I'm not normal. I don't know what they do at all. My eyes start to flit around, not really looking at anyone or anything in particular, so I just pick up my sandwich and take a bite.
"Here, I'll start," says Nakata, still staring right at me. "I'm white, even though I should be yellow."
More laughter, and I laugh too. Partly nervously, but also because it was kinda funny.
"Well I..."
I'm still pausing. Why can't I just say it?
"C'mon man, were all broke here!" Nakata says, suddenly more animated and opening his arms wide. "I like ya man! Think we'll be hangin' out for a while, and everyone lets up eventually. Might as well get this out of the way now!" he laughs, slinging his arm over my shoulder and giving me a squeeze.
I give another little chuckle, but find myself looking away.
"Hey!", Rebecca says, giving him a stern look, "let it go Nakata."
"No, it's okay..." I manage to say, I don't want to look weak in front of my new friends. Are they my friends? I still feel pretty new here. "I..."
Man this is hard.
Hang on...
"Fine then Nakata, you first. How are you," I make quotation marks with my fingers. "Broke."
I think I'll be more comfortable if someone goes first. Maybe...
"And no kidding around!" I add hurriedly.
"Oculocutaneous albinism, type 4!" He stands, shouting loudly and proudly. Everyone else is used to Nakata's antics, but I cringe a little. Even on campus that would be awkward, but we're in public... I can't help but look around uncomfortably.
No one seems to be paying us any attention though. They're all too busy enjoying their day off at the park.
"Supposedly, type 4 is rare outside of Japan, so I like to tack that on there. Reminds me to be proud of my heritage." He says ironically, jostling me with his elbow and smiling.
Ichi pipes in, raising his hand and dipping his head a bit. "Cluster headaches."
I look at him quizzically. He hasn't complained about any headaches since I've known him...
Sensing my confusion, he adds, "I've been fine recently because they come periodically, pretty much yearly. Parents sent me here because my headache cycle tends to hit around the end of school, when final projects and exams are usually due. Most teachers at my old school thought I was faking, or they weren't really that bad, but they make special accommodations here."
"Are they that bad?" I ask.
"Some doctors say it's the worst pain a human can feel, " he remarks with a straight face.
Oh. I look down awkwardly. Now I remember why talking about this stuff is weird...
Eiichi senses my minor retreat. "Dude," he says, "chill. We were all curious when we got here."
The trains still rolling I guess, so I look at Rebecca.
Nakata chuckles, "here we go..."
She sighs, swallows her mouthful of soup, and clears her throat. "Multiple ballistic traumas to the right knee and thigh resulted in a comminuted intra-articular fracture involving the patella and lateral condyle, as well as a butterfly fracture of the upper femoral body and extensive tissue damage. Subsequent infection and muscular necrosis necessitated wide-scale debridement of the quadriceps femoris. The patient continues to experience chronic pain in the right leg and limited range of motion."
Nakata sits next to me, mimicking (well, probably mocking) Rebecca's straight-faced delivery with his eyes turned upwards. She shoots him another glare.
My jaw slackens as she speaks. She says it all without skipping a beat, with the exasperated tone of someone who has said something a few too many times but just knows this isn't the last. I continue my dumbfounded stare.
Rebecca returns her gaze to me and blinks twice. After a pause, "I got shot."
My eyes widen and I start to sit up a bit straighter, but I quickly wipe away my shock. It's probably disrespectful...
I can't think of a good response. I go with, "Why didn't you just say that?" despite my curiosity to the events that preceded her, uh, condition.
She shrugs, "I don't like to think about it, so I just say what my patient file says. The words are big and confusing so I have no idea what it means. Makes it feel like I'm not talking about myself."
Glad I didn't ask...
She says the next bit glaring at Nakata, leaning in towards him. "Because SOME OF US don't think is the kind of thing you casually chat about at a picnic." Man she can be intimidating.
Nakata raises his hands in defense and leans away. "Hey, I'm just tryin' to get the guy out of his shell!"
Nana smiles. "Guess I'm last."
"I mean... you don't have to tell me if you don't want too." I feel awkward again. If any of them feel anything close the way I do about my reason for being here, I'm really pushing some boundaries... "It's just that Nakata couldn't seem to hold it in." I say smiling weakly.
She laughs. "Huntington's chorea."
I don't know what that is.
"Don't worry about it. Just know that for the time being, I'm healthy as an Ox."
"I don't mean to pry, but if it doesn't affect you yet, why are you at Yamaku?"
"I didn't take the news very well, so they wanted to show me I'm not alone. It worked, I guess."
I nod.
Nakata starts prodding my shoulder, then swings his arm over my shoulder again. "Yooooouuuur tuuuuuurn," he says in a sing-songy voice.
I guess it's only fair. Everyone else seemed pretty casual, but I still think it's weird, talking about this so freely. I want to get this over with quickly, so I take a deep breath and just say what I know.
"I have heart problems. Cardiac arrhythmia, they called it... caused by Long QT syndrome."
Nakata nods, but not a normal nod, it's the one where you kind of jut your head forward and your chin upward, and your chest moves with you. It's pretty funny so I give a small smile, this time it's real. "See man?" he gives me a shake. "That wasn't too hard was it?"
"Yeah I guess..." I say.
Even though it was.
I look around me, Eiichi has his arm around Nana's shoulder too, but I think for different reasons than Nakata's is around mine. Nakata is smiling brightly, letting go and returning to his sandwich, while Rebecca just stares at him shaking her head ever so slightly.
Everyone here has taken to their conditions so well. The girls are a little more reserved about it, and I don't blame them. Heck, I'm even more reserved than they are. Eiichi though, he's pretty nonchalant, and Nakata is outright proud of his albinism. Or... maybe it's just an act, but I don't think so. Nakata just doesn't seem like that kind of guy. There's still one person who hasn't spoken up though...
I turn to Saki, to finish the round of confessions, but I pause and my breath cuts short when I catch sight of her. Her head is propped against the trunk of the maple, eyes closed in peaceful slumber and auburn hair fluttering gently in the summer breeze. Her cane lies at her side and her arms are gently crossed over her stomach, legs extended, right leg crossing at the ankle over her left. Almost imperceptibly, her chest rises and falls, the faintest smile is still present on her lips. The very picture of peaceful grace.
"Don't bother."
Nakata's voice snaps me back to reality.
"Yeah, she probably has to get to know me better I guess..."
Nakata chuckles, glancing at me. "Doubt it. You'd think 2 years of friendship would be enough wouldn't ya?" He returns his gaze to the girl resting against the maple.
"You mean you don't know?"
Everyone's eyes have drifted to Saki Enomoto now. Even though she seems like the ringleader of this merry bunch... this happy few, this band of brothers, she always seems surprisingly distant. Like a commander, hesitant to fraternize with her subordinates.
Nakata replies.
"None of us do."
Can you accept your fate?
~~~~~
The place is buzzing with activity. A few college students are throwing a Frisbee on the grass, while other groups of families and friends eat or play in the afternoon sunshine. Some runners make their way past, footsteps and breathing measured and methodical. I can't help but think of Emi, she's the only runner I know after all. Laughter pierces the air as some of the younger visitors play a game of tag under the watchful eye of their parents, which quickly turns sour as two dispute a tagging. Guess I shouldn't expect anything less from a Saturday afternoon at the town park.
It's hot, but the shade of the maple tree above us gives us some respite. Sitting next to me on the picnic table we claimed a few hours ago, Nakata lowers his head and looks intently at me, his eyes narrowing. He says in a deep and throaty voice, "so what are you in for?"
Ichi and Nana laugh from their place on a blanket, spread out a few feet away outside of the shade, in full view of the sun's rays, but Rebecca stops chewing her ramen - looking serious. My face twists in confusion, what does he mean by that?
In a deadpan voice and composure, he follows up. "How are you broke?"
Oh.
Oh boy.
That was... spontaneous.
"I..." I start, but something in me stops.
This is still pretty personal... Like, I want to tell them, but I also don't. What should I say? How much should I tell them? Hell... how much do I even know? I should really understand this better. All I know about my condition is what I should do to make it better and what I shouldn't do to make it worse. I don't know the first thing about what causes it, how I got it, or why I should or shouldn't be doing... whatever. My medications are just these things I have to take every morning, reminders that I'm not normal. I don't know what they do at all. My eyes start to flit around, not really looking at anyone or anything in particular, so I just pick up my sandwich and take a bite.
"Here, I'll start," says Nakata, still staring right at me. "I'm white, even though I should be yellow."
More laughter, and I laugh too. Partly nervously, but also because it was kinda funny.
"Well I..."
I'm still pausing. Why can't I just say it?
"C'mon man, were all broke here!" Nakata says, suddenly more animated and opening his arms wide. "I like ya man! Think we'll be hangin' out for a while, and everyone lets up eventually. Might as well get this out of the way now!" he laughs, slinging his arm over my shoulder and giving me a squeeze.
I give another little chuckle, but find myself looking away.
"Hey!", Rebecca says, giving him a stern look, "let it go Nakata."
"No, it's okay..." I manage to say, I don't want to look weak in front of my new friends. Are they my friends? I still feel pretty new here. "I..."
Man this is hard.
Hang on...
"Fine then Nakata, you first. How are you," I make quotation marks with my fingers. "Broke."
I think I'll be more comfortable if someone goes first. Maybe...
"And no kidding around!" I add hurriedly.
"Oculocutaneous albinism, type 4!" He stands, shouting loudly and proudly. Everyone else is used to Nakata's antics, but I cringe a little. Even on campus that would be awkward, but we're in public... I can't help but look around uncomfortably.
No one seems to be paying us any attention though. They're all too busy enjoying their day off at the park.
"Supposedly, type 4 is rare outside of Japan, so I like to tack that on there. Reminds me to be proud of my heritage." He says ironically, jostling me with his elbow and smiling.
Ichi pipes in, raising his hand and dipping his head a bit. "Cluster headaches."
I look at him quizzically. He hasn't complained about any headaches since I've known him...
Sensing my confusion, he adds, "I've been fine recently because they come periodically, pretty much yearly. Parents sent me here because my headache cycle tends to hit around the end of school, when final projects and exams are usually due. Most teachers at my old school thought I was faking, or they weren't really that bad, but they make special accommodations here."
"Are they that bad?" I ask.
"Some doctors say it's the worst pain a human can feel, " he remarks with a straight face.
Oh. I look down awkwardly. Now I remember why talking about this stuff is weird...
Eiichi senses my minor retreat. "Dude," he says, "chill. We were all curious when we got here."
The trains still rolling I guess, so I look at Rebecca.
Nakata chuckles, "here we go..."
She sighs, swallows her mouthful of soup, and clears her throat. "Multiple ballistic traumas to the right knee and thigh resulted in a comminuted intra-articular fracture involving the patella and lateral condyle, as well as a butterfly fracture of the upper femoral body and extensive tissue damage. Subsequent infection and muscular necrosis necessitated wide-scale debridement of the quadriceps femoris. The patient continues to experience chronic pain in the right leg and limited range of motion."
Nakata sits next to me, mimicking (well, probably mocking) Rebecca's straight-faced delivery with his eyes turned upwards. She shoots him another glare.
My jaw slackens as she speaks. She says it all without skipping a beat, with the exasperated tone of someone who has said something a few too many times but just knows this isn't the last. I continue my dumbfounded stare.
Rebecca returns her gaze to me and blinks twice. After a pause, "I got shot."
My eyes widen and I start to sit up a bit straighter, but I quickly wipe away my shock. It's probably disrespectful...
I can't think of a good response. I go with, "Why didn't you just say that?" despite my curiosity to the events that preceded her, uh, condition.
She shrugs, "I don't like to think about it, so I just say what my patient file says. The words are big and confusing so I have no idea what it means. Makes it feel like I'm not talking about myself."
Glad I didn't ask...
She says the next bit glaring at Nakata, leaning in towards him. "Because SOME OF US don't think is the kind of thing you casually chat about at a picnic." Man she can be intimidating.
Nakata raises his hands in defense and leans away. "Hey, I'm just tryin' to get the guy out of his shell!"
Nana smiles. "Guess I'm last."
"I mean... you don't have to tell me if you don't want too." I feel awkward again. If any of them feel anything close the way I do about my reason for being here, I'm really pushing some boundaries... "It's just that Nakata couldn't seem to hold it in." I say smiling weakly.
She laughs. "Huntington's chorea."
I don't know what that is.
"Don't worry about it. Just know that for the time being, I'm healthy as an Ox."
"I don't mean to pry, but if it doesn't affect you yet, why are you at Yamaku?"
"I didn't take the news very well, so they wanted to show me I'm not alone. It worked, I guess."
I nod.
Nakata starts prodding my shoulder, then swings his arm over my shoulder again. "Yooooouuuur tuuuuuurn," he says in a sing-songy voice.
I guess it's only fair. Everyone else seemed pretty casual, but I still think it's weird, talking about this so freely. I want to get this over with quickly, so I take a deep breath and just say what I know.
"I have heart problems. Cardiac arrhythmia, they called it... caused by Long QT syndrome."
Nakata nods, but not a normal nod, it's the one where you kind of jut your head forward and your chin upward, and your chest moves with you. It's pretty funny so I give a small smile, this time it's real. "See man?" he gives me a shake. "That wasn't too hard was it?"
"Yeah I guess..." I say.
Even though it was.
I look around me, Eiichi has his arm around Nana's shoulder too, but I think for different reasons than Nakata's is around mine. Nakata is smiling brightly, letting go and returning to his sandwich, while Rebecca just stares at him shaking her head ever so slightly.
Everyone here has taken to their conditions so well. The girls are a little more reserved about it, and I don't blame them. Heck, I'm even more reserved than they are. Eiichi though, he's pretty nonchalant, and Nakata is outright proud of his albinism. Or... maybe it's just an act, but I don't think so. Nakata just doesn't seem like that kind of guy. There's still one person who hasn't spoken up though...
I turn to Saki, to finish the round of confessions, but I pause and my breath cuts short when I catch sight of her. Her head is propped against the trunk of the maple, eyes closed in peaceful slumber and auburn hair fluttering gently in the summer breeze. Her cane lies at her side and her arms are gently crossed over her stomach, legs extended, right leg crossing at the ankle over her left. Almost imperceptibly, her chest rises and falls, the faintest smile is still present on her lips. The very picture of peaceful grace.
"Don't bother."
Nakata's voice snaps me back to reality.
"Yeah, she probably has to get to know me better I guess..."
Nakata chuckles, glancing at me. "Doubt it. You'd think 2 years of friendship would be enough wouldn't ya?" He returns his gaze to the girl resting against the maple.
"You mean you don't know?"
Everyone's eyes have drifted to Saki Enomoto now. Even though she seems like the ringleader of this merry bunch... this happy few, this band of brothers, she always seems surprisingly distant. Like a commander, hesitant to fraternize with her subordinates.
Nakata replies.
"None of us do."
