4 Trip 1, Visiting Family

Miyako went to a train station dressed in a brown cotton jacket and green scarf early in the morning.

A blast of cold blew her hair up in the wind, the breeze became stronger for a moment causing her to struggle while trying to tuck her hair back under her clothes. "Why is it so windy..." her nose was now red, and her blank expression became blanker.

Passersby noticed her shivering, while struggling to hold a poker face and staring at a clock on the wall. She took notice at every little thing happening. A mother and father with their energetic children beside them, someone littering and trying to pretend they didn't do anything, even a cat being chased by their owner.

After she waited for awhile in the cold, Asahi arrived later than their scheduled time.

They had talked extensively back at the hospital about the time they would arrive, soon they had agreed with each other about the time they would meet, but Asahi failed to accurately predict what time he would arrive.

"You're late." Miyako pointed out. "Sorry, I was held up at work when my co-workers started asking me a bunch of things when I was packing up my stuff." Miyako's expression lightened, "did they say anything bad?" Asahi turned away from Miyako. "What time is it?" He questioned.

Asahi wore a blue leather jacket and had his hands in his pockets. But he was still shivering, due to the cold. He looked at the time on his phone and was a bit shocked to see that he was later than he thought he was.

"It's been half an hour?" Miyako looked away, "yes." The train arrived again after they waited for a while longer and they boarded the train, "we don't have much time to waste now, so I hope you won't be late again." Miyako coldly explained.

"My bad I won't do it again..." he scratched the back of his neck. Miyako smirked, "you sound like a child being lectured." Asahi looked at Miyako and pouted, but she didn't react. 'She doesn't seem to smile a lot... I've got to do my best so that I can make her smile then!'

After a short time, Miyako fell asleep on Asahi's shoulder. He was surprised by the situation, "How cliché." After calming down, he thought about what happened back at his workplace.

"Why are you quitting!" Nanami yelled. Asahi bit his lip and refused to answer, as she grew more irritated.

"Personal matters." He responded. The two men who he had befriended in the company heard what was going on from outside and peeked into the office, "I only joined this company a week ago but you're quitting?" She calmed herself before Asahi responded again, "I already told you, it's because of personal matters. I'm moving." But of course it was a lie.

"Asahi, you're quitting?" He heard a familiar voice and turned behind him. "You two are quite early today..." the two men entered. No one else other than them were in the office that morning, "What's this about quitting? You've worked here for years... why suddenly quit?"

All three of his co-workers were angered by his nonchalant tone, "something came up, so I have to move elsewhere." He desperately thought of something to say while keeping his composure, but he couldn't bring himself to tell his only friends what the real problem was.

"Fine... I understand, but where are you moving?" The young woman asked with her phone set on her palm, Asahi could feel the sweat sliding down his neck, he knew he needed something to get himself away from them. Something to escape the office, but what?

Luckily, his manager had just arrived as well. "What are all of you doing here? There's a lot of work to do now that Asahi is going to be gone. And Asahi, you need to pack up your stuff faster. We got a replacement surprisingly quick."

Nanami sighed, "text me where you're moving later, alright?" She swiftly walked back to her desk and the two brothers were forced to go back to their respective office, the manager walked up to Asahi.

"Did you tell them that you were moving?" Asahi gripped his hands tightly, "yes, I know." The manager sighed. "This is going to get you in a lot of trouble once they find out about what happened. You should really get as far away as you can from them, right now."

Asahi had known the manager as a close friend for several years, and he'd always took her advice as good advice. But this time he wasn't quite so sure with what the manager said. Is it the right decision? Was lying to them about what was going on, also the right decision?

"Guess we'll have to suspend the project for now... this could be bad."

Upon arriving at the next station, Miyako woke up to Asahi staring down at her.

He quickly looked away as Miyako rubbed her eyes. "How long was I asleep? Hey..." Asahi remained silent as they left the train. "Do we have to take a bus there?" Asahi said with an annoyed voice, "is there a problem?" Miyako replied.

He decided answer her and hesitated while boarding the bus. Miyako unconsciously tilted her head as she watched him stiffly step into the bus.

When they boarded and took their seats at the back. Asahi knew he had to avoid a headache if he wanted to meet Miyako's parents. "What are your parents like?" He asked, Miyako pondered his question silently for awhile before saying, "like noodles I guess..."

He wondered again if it was possible to avoid an headache by talking to her.

"What's your workplace like?" He asked.

"Um... very competitive?"

"That sounds fun, what about your co-workers?"

"Persistent to say the least..."

"Persistent?" Miyako remained silent. She'd just remembered everything that happened before the crash. "Huh..." She mumbled under her breath.

They soon reach a quiet rural town. Asahi tried to stand up straight as they walked up a old gravel path that was slightly elevated, which led towards a faraway house. But couldn't as he nearly toppled over multiple times and ended up having to be supported by Miyako to walk straight.

Asahi was nervous to meet her parents but excited himself with questions he wanted answered after getting rid of his headache.

When they reached the door and ringed the bell, an old lady popped out from behind and looked up at Miyako.

Miyako was quite tall compared to her.

Miyako stood aside to introduce the old lady to Asahi with her right hand lifted up slightly. "This is my grandmother."

She looked back at her grandmother and asked "Where's mom and dad?" Her grandmother replied slowly. "Your father is sleeping on the couch over there... and your mother went out to get groceries... she should be back soon so you can wait here..." Miyako nodded. "It's alright I'll go find her." She thanked her grandmother before walking away. "Your grandmother seems nice."

The two of them walked further away from the house, past glistening paddy fields drenched in sunlight and farmers wearing straw hats to protect themselves from the cold, "did you work too?" Asahi asked. "Not much. I was quite weak then and still am now even as an adult, but the rest of my family did, you can ask them how it was like." She confidently spoke.

Asahi looked at Miyako. Surprised that she had guessed what he was thinking of asking, for some reason, he thought that Miyako would ask him why he asked her a question whenever he did. "I see."

When they arrived at the front of an old looking store, a woman came out waving towards someone inside the store, and looked very surprised to see Miyako. She then walked up to Miyako silently with a concerned and grieved face and said, "let's go back home."

The three started to walk back to the house in silence. Asahi started sweating a bit despite the cold. Things were completely unlike how he had imagined them to be like with her family. The path suddenly felt long winded, and he had a bad feeling. 'Why did I even have expectations anymore...'

When they entered the house. Miyako pointed to a room, with a wooden door on the front. "You can wait for me in that room." As Miyako sat down at the table in the middle of the room, her grandmother brought tea for them, while they talked.

By now, Miyako's father had woken up and made the same face her mother did when she first saw Miyako. But despite knowing that the situation could escalate easily with his presence. Asahi decided to stay and listen, instead of going around and leaving Miyako by herself.

Her mother started the conversation, "we heard the news..." Miyako looked at her mother and said, "I had a feeling you did. That's why I came to talk about what I'm going to do now." Her father glanced over at Asahi at the table, and he could feel his body tense up as the conversation continued.

Nothing was like how he had expected, he wasn't prepared for this. But the better way to explain it would be.

He wasn't used to it.

There was mostly silence and an eerie feeling at the back of his spine, a ringing in his ear. Asahi could feel his heart ripping his eardrums in two, but he decided that he had to try and break the ice, by saying what Miyako was hesitating on.

"Miyako and I have decided to go a last trip together to try and enjoy the last days we have." He put down his hands on his lap. And his heart soared through the sky, he felt his soul leave the mortal realm.

Both of her parents looked confused and asked Miyako, "who is this?" They seemed friendly but their faces showed their disapproval. Miyako bit her lip as she didn't want to say exactly what happened, to her parents. Luckily Asahi managed to calm himself, just enough to say something.

"Good morning and nice to meet you. My name is Asahi Harada, and I'm Miyako's friend." He bowed while nudging Miyako's concrete hand and whispered in her ear. "It's alright, just say it."

She took a deep breath and started explaining exactly what had happened up to the present moment.

Miyako was going home from overtime work as well that night. But she had forgotten something in her office so she rushed back to grab it. She didn't work in the same building as Asahi, but was instead, working in a rival company.

She didn't think anyone would've been out walking around so late at night, so she had rushed into her car while thinking no one else was nearby. She had an important meeting to go to, which would've had a big impact on her life, and the last thing she wanted. Was to be late to the meeting because of oversleeping.

At least that was what she thought, until she hit Asahi, who was walking across the road. She couldn't see in the dark very well, even though her headlights were on. But fortunately for both of them, Miyako was still able to call the ambulance, however they were still were severely injured and after extensive care and surgery, the hospital managed to prevent them from dying in mere hours.

But since the damage to their body was beyond repair, the doctors predicted Asahi's injuries would catch up to him in approximately a week and that the hospital couldn't do more than extend the time they had left with the surgery and it would be the death of them eventually.

So after meeting each other and finding out what the situation they both were in, they decided to spend the rest of their lives on a together in an effort to have fun, and their first stop was Miyako's parents house to talk it through with each other about the trip. Even though there was no real reason to.

Thankfully, her parents were very understanding about the trip, even going so far as to invite them both to stay the night in the house, "It's dark out now, and you both must be hungry. Let me cook something for you two, go have a shower and wait." Her mother smiled and her father who a stern face. Turned out to be nicer than Asahi had thought.

"I'll help you, we're too old to do anything by ourselves anyway..." he grunted as he stood. "Asahi was it? Go wait for us to finish in Miyako's room. We don't have any other rooms."

"Wait... in my room?" She clearly looked surprised, "I could wait here as well, I don't really mind." Asahi looked around the room. A small fan hung from the ceiling, there was no air conditioning in sight. But he knew there was running water and electricity in the house after he stumbled in the kitchen, and saw Miyako's parents using the tap.

After Miyako went into her room. Asahi helped her lay out a futon on the ground, since they didn't have a guest room in the small house.

After that. Miyako went to shower in another room, but Asahi stayed in her room, waiting for his turn.

Meanwhile Miyako's father went into the room with Asahi.

He entered and sat down infront of him. "Please treat Miyako well, I apologize if this is selfish of me, but please... Miyako was always a good girl and I want her to have a life she is happy to live." His words. Filled with sadness and a genuine plea, reached Asahi, as her father began kneeling on the floor.

Asahi smiled. "You don't have to ask me to do that. I'll try my best, even if I end up making a mistake." Her father, suddenly changed in his demeanor towards Asahi. He breathed a loud sigh of relief,

"looks like there really are people out there in the city with hearts not made of ice. I ask of you again, do treat Miyako well. Oh right, what would you like to eat? A local specialty here that's made by my wife is really delicious you know! Oh! I could even show you around the house as well if that's what you want, though it isn't very big or interesting."

Asahi collected his thoughts before he started questioning her father as well, with curiosity getting the better of him.

"Could you tell me how it's like living out in the countryside? I heard that at night, you can hear a lot of things clearly." He had a sparkle in his eyes. And Fuji looked grateful that Miyako had someone like Asahi to be able to have with her.

Asahi and Fuji started a long conversation about living in the countryside, they spoke to each other, as if they'd been friends for years. "Oh, you can definitely hear everything, very clearly here, when compared to the city." Asahi crossed his arms, "you've been to the city?"

Her father rubbed his chin. "No, but I've spoken to people from the city before. It seems quite loud there." Asahi bent forward, closer to her father, "heh... then you haven't seen anything yet. Could you imagine listening to several loud beeping noises at once, when you're trying to talk to someone over a call?"

Her father soon retaliated. "I can't. But can YOU imagine trying to fall asleep while loud raindrops slammed the roof? And the potential chance of a flood, as well as your whole entire house caving in whenever there was heavy rain?"

"That does sounds like a really big pain." Asahi straightened himself and surrendered. Her father looked smug. Rarely did he ever meet someone from the city. But even rarer did he ever beat them in an argument.

When all was said and done. Fuji could only allow Miyako to go along with Asahi, but it wasn't out of any reason of whether he had the right to deny her or not. But because he wanted to. "Hah, I like you! Take care of Miyako for me will you."