A Year Without Lies

“A road trip?” asked Kureha, as though unable to trust her ears.

“Yeah!” cheered Rin.

The group all sat up in attention at the thought.

“Think about it. We could make it a whole thing! Our van could fit us all. Let’s make our way down to Fukuoka and stop at all the fun places along the way!” expanded Rin.

“That’s… a great idea…” said Kai.

“It might be our last chance…” agreed Riku.

“I’ve always wanted to go to Gifu….” said Arata.

“I’ve always wanted to see Mt. Yoshino…” said Shiona after a pause.

No one else spoke. Ideas drifted between them as they all weighed the reality of their proposal. All came to same conclusion.

“Our last summer…” said Kureha as tears returned to her eyes.

They all took one another’s hands and sat in their circle.

“I’d be honored to spend my final days with all of you,” whispered Riku.

Everyone agreed.

“Then… Let’s do it!” said Rin.

“Let’s do it!” cheered Kureha.

“To The Calamity!” laughed Arata.

Riku took Kai’s hand and Shiona took his as she rested her head on Arata’s shoulder.

“How long do we want to be gone for?” asked Riku.

There was silence.

“What if we didn’t have a timeline? Other than make it to The Calamity before the end? Before my next birthday?” whispered Kureha.

There was nothing for her here in this house. She sensed most of them felt the same. For whatever myriad of reasons, when the world faced destruction, their parents and most parents in the world seemed to recede instead of rise. Adults around the world refused to address the crisis, instead letting the world spiral towards oblivion as they continued on pretending the “normal” world still existed, all the while speaking less and less to their children. Friends became family and confidantes in the face of existence’s end. So, there in that room, holding hands together, none of them thought of silent parents or distant siblings.

“We could see all of Japan. Take our time. Go everywhere we’ve ever wanted to go,” said Arata.

“The Coalition still has a lot of hotels and hostels functioning. And they’re all free. Fancy ones supposedly just require you to work a day or two to cover the room…” said Kai.

It was true. Money had lost all meaning after the collapse of tradition and societal structure. The algorithms and automation kept food on shelves, albeit with less variety and junk. With no future to save towards or grand ambitions to hoard for, currency became irrelevant, replaced by good will and the occasional barter.

“And I’ve still got a decent bit of money from my… side hustle… that we can all use if necessary. Maybe we can treat ourselves in Tokyo or something?” said Shiona.

Rin took her hand and rubbed her back. All of them knew what she was referring to, but had not faced it head on as a group yet, and Shiona kept the conversations distant to avoid awkwardness. Kureha sensed it and felt it was worth addressing.

“I’m proud of you, Shiona. For what it’s worth. You’re confident, you’re brave, and you did what you wanted instead of worrying about what society would think. You don’t have to dance around it with us. I’m sorry if I or we should have said something sooner,” said Kureha.

“Yeah, don’t be embarrassed,” said Kai.

“I’m not embarrassed actually. I just didn’t want to make you all uncomfortable,” replied Shiona.

“Who knew that even when money didn’t mean anything, you’d still be able to make it by selling photos of yourself on the internet?” smiled Rin.

“Loooots of money. Lots.” laughed Shiona.

“Can I confess something?” asked Kai.

“Sure,” they replied in unison.

“I’m one of your subscribers…” he bashfully admitted.

“You’ve seen my undressed photos?!!!!” laughed Shiona.

“WHAT?!!” laughed Riku and Rin.

“How were they?!” asked Kureha.

“Can I see?!” asked Arata, to which Rin nodded in excitement.

“What is happening?!” screamed Shiona.

“I’m really sorry. I subscribed at the beginning, at first to honestly just support, but I mean, you’re hot. Like, really hot, so I definitely looked immediately,” Kai said as he shifted his weight in awkward humiliation.

“So wait. Wait… Did you… You know… to me?” asked Shiona, pointing towards her lap.

Kai buried his face in his hands and they all burst out laughing.

“I am feeling SOOOOO many things right now!” belted out Shiona.

“I should have said something earlier. Or, I should have just not done it. I didn’t know if it was disrespectful or what. I’m sorry,” he said to her directly.

“...It wasn’t disrespectful. I did technically tell you about them and sent the link in the group chat. I’m just amazed you kept acting totally the same for months! You should have told me I would have let you be my cameraman!” said Shiona.

“WHAT?!” laughed Kai.

“I want to help if he gets to do that!” said Rin.

“Me too!” chimed Kureha.

Arata and Riku met eyes and nodded in wide-eyed boyish agreement.

“Please,” pleaded Arata with a grin as Riku raised his hand in a voluntary offer.

“Soooooo, can we all see them then if we’re at this point?” asked Kurha.

“They’re good. Very good,” said Kai as he pulled out his phone.

‘Ohmygod not on your phone!!” screamed Shiona, now beet red.

The next hour was spent with the group looking at images of their close friend exposed in various poses and locations. Shiona had always been more physically developed and active, which they all knew, but beyond the occasional changing moment with Rin and Kureha, there had never been a moment like this. Kureha couldn’t help but assume it was an acceptance among the group, as well as much of broader society, that puritanical restrictions and hesitations from judgement were now being washed away in the face of oblivion.

“Can it be like this on the whole trip?” asked Kureha after a particularly lively discussion around a set of photos where Shiona had creatively utilized her detachable shower head.

“What, Shiona undressed and sexy?” asked Rin in jest.

“Yes please,” Kai, Arata and Riku replied in unison.

“Well, sure, actually yes please Shiona. But not that. Can we just be honest and open with one another? No more secrets. No more worry about how things will be taken. No more things left unsaid. It’s the end. I want to be as purely me with you all as I can,” said Kureha.

“A year without lies or withholding ourselves…”

“...I’d like that,” said Rin.

They all agreed.

“If we’re going to be in a van together for weeks, months even, that would be a good thing. And I agree. I’ve had to suppress my feelings and desires every day. It would be nice to not head to my end still doing that,” said Kai.

“It’s a good idea,” answered Riku.

“I support that,” said Arata.

“Me too,” said Rin and Shiona.

Riku shifted his weight to stand for a moment and braced himself with his cane.

“Soooo. When do we leave?” he asked.

The room was silent.

“Why not this weekend?” asked Shiona.