Posted: 2003.06.04

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Hiro had insisted on Kisa taking the window seat, but she told him she was quite content with sitting by the aisle. All there was to see from the window was starless sky, while the view from her seat was far more interesting --- two rows ahead, an old lady discreetly pushing pins into her hair, across the aisle, a couple murmuring to each other over the edges of their newspapers, and in the front row, a small boy wearing a funny bear hat, curiously peering around the back of his seat. Kisa wondered what he was looking for.

"Are you sure you don't want to sit here?" Hiro demanded for what seemed like the fiftieth time that night. He looked ready to spring from the seat at her command. "Because if some clumsy saleslady comes through that door with her cart, she might tip dinner all over you or something."

Kisa shook her head.

Hiro persisted. "You'll never know."

"I like this seat, Hiro-chan." It took her all of her strength to be blunt. He stared at her as if trying to figure out if she was telling the truth, then shrugged and leaned back without another word, assuming an air of nonchalance. It all would have been very convincing save for the slight stiffness in his back.

The woman across the aisle had been watching them with much interest. When Kisa turned around, she quickly raised her newspaper and pretended to busy herself with the business section. Before them, seats had been filled up with people chattering and yawning and stretching and tucking baggage under their feet. Kisa watched them for some time, feeling the unease in her stomach grow, until she could not resist the urge to turn to Hiro, who now had his gaze fixed on the ceiling.

"I'm sorry, Hiro-chan."

"No, I'm sorry."

"Maybe...maybe you wanted to sit here?"

"Here's fine," he said, shortly. He then closed his eyes and sat unmoving for some time, making Kisa wonder at first if he was mad at her, then if he had forgotten all about her and had suddenly fallen asleep. Just as she was reaching under their seats for her duffel bag (which, among other things, held a blanket and small pillow), there came a sudden, long, drawn out sigh.

"Kisa," Hiro said quietly. "I'm really sorry. It's just that...well, this trip..."

She straightened up and looked at him curiously.

"We've never gone on a trip on our own before, and we've never been to Kyoto, and I'm just...nervous, I guess." He glanced at her, almost timidly. "Forgive me?"

She leaned her head to one side and pretended to think.

"All right, let's make a deal. If I get on your nerves one more time you can take your bag and whack me in the face with it."

"I'd rather make you pay for breakfast and everything else in the morning."

"Miss Sohma," Hiro teased, "I am paying, remember?"

"You're not. That's mostly Hatori-jiisan's money, and you're just keeping it."

"Part of it is mine, you know."

"I have my share as well."

"Hmm." He was smiling. It was just a small one, barely lifting the corners of his mouth, and Kisa loved it. She loved it when he smiled. It made it seem that he had finally let go of the tension, all the worry that had made him cranky and sullen all day. Not that he did not have a good reason to be cranky --- after all, they were going on a trip, taking the train, going to a city they had never been to before. All by themselves. It was crazy.

But it was wonderful.

Speakers crackled; an announcement about fastening seatbelts came on, followed by a high-pitched tone that signaled the shutting of the doors. As Kisa struggled with her own seatbelt, Hiro fished out the map from his shirt pocket and spread it fully before him. Kyoto was huge; it occupied Hiro's whole lap and half of Kisa's and crawled a bit up the back of the seat before them.

"She's probably living in the busy part of the city," Hiro mused, "maybe downtown."

Kisa eyed the mesh of lines and squares where Hiro's finger rested, watching it closely as if Honda Tohru were actually standing there, waving at them, wearing that huge warm smile on her face. Tohru always smiled when she saw them. Kisa-saaaan, she would say brightly, Hiro-saaaan.

The train gave a lurch and slowly began to move.

"But she could also be up here, in the mountains." Hiro tapped against the top of the map. "Probably living with a farmer and helping out with the vegetables, or something." He snorted. "I wouldn't rule out that possibility, considering how much she loves to---"

"Oneechan," Kisa whispered, not listening.

The train had finally emerged from the station and was now gaining speed. Neither Kisa nor Hiro looked out the window at the dizzy blur of towns and lights that Tokyo had become; they were both staring down at the map, as if looking at it would reveal to them the path they ought to take, point out to them the person they were looking for.

This all made Kisa feel a bit lost, but then Hiro nudged her shoulder so she leaned against him. The shoulder of his jacket was rough against her cheek. "We'll try downtown first," Hiro continued. "Or at least somewhere near Yuki-nii's apartment. He'll be expecting us, anyway. From there we can move on to the next place, if we don't find her downtown. Or something."

"Or something," Kisa echoed.

Hiro absently pillowed his cheek against the top of her head. "Or something."

[ snip ]

http://www.geocities.com/naikouteki/