The Candy Aisle Between Eras

Ping. Ping. Ping.

Despite being in the evening, this supermarket was bee-busy. Shoppers rushing so they can sleep in early, staff rushing to finish the backlog of stock, and everyone ready to go home.

My newly made friend, Tokuyama, seemingly had eased off. Although, you’d have thought he’s dropped the bit and then next, he’s saying ‘The prices have changed a bit,’ or just loudly exclaiming wow at people our age freely dressing how they want. I’m a bit taken aghast from his reaction - I thought the mid-2000s was like ours. Just with a bit more old phone displays and key rings.

I guess I was wrong or his bit is time-inaccurate. Whose is more realistic? You don’t have to make the decision… it’s me.

Because, I’m sorry doesn’t this just sound completely absurd? Farcical. Just so unbelievable, that you’d think this is a movie. There’s just no logic here if he’s actually from 2004. I guess his body language is odd, but you meet untypical people all the time. That’s it. That’s the only evidence.

“Hey, Inoue-san!” He asked me. “What is it?”

“I was expecting some culture change, but other than a few things, it appears nothing much has changed?” He pointed at the floor. “This probably hasn’t changed since the Showa era.” He shrugged. “I thought we were going to be ushered into a better era but I’m not so sure.”

Don’t diss my era!

“Isn’t that life? Most things truly stay the same. I’m sure you and I will look back at our youth and wonder where the time went, right? Gradual change is still change. And maybe one random thing will hit you like a brick wall.”

He gave a smug look. “Nothing surprises me yet.”

You say that but you’re holding all the new newspapers and magazines.

“Sure, sure.” I playfully added. We were in the middle of the sweets aisle after practically zigzagging everything in this store. “Do you want some candy? I’ll pay for it… including your magazines and instant coffee.”

Expensive guy.

“Yeah… can I have some, oh wow, all these brands have changed design.” He then turned around and stared at the drinks section down the aisle.

Standing there, whilst still looking at the drinks, he said, “Inoue-san.”

“Yeah?”

“Can I please have that!” He points at an energy drink. Not just any energy drink. The branding is vibrant. These advertisers sure know how to play with human psychology. Even just talking about it makes me want to buy it for him. Or worse, both of us.

“Including the two packets of Hi-Chew?”

He gave the biggest gleam I’ve seen in a while. I don’t even care if I’m getting scammed. He nodded his head like a cute ferret.

“Sure, sure. Just put it in the trolley.”

That’s right. A trolley. We’ve probably bought enough for three shopping bags.

Yet afterwards, he paused for a moment. It was as if he wanted to lament something. Maybe, he had realized something.

If what he is saying is true, he just missed 20 years of his life. And it’s possible he could be considered a missing person for those twenty years. Imagine that. Let’s start with the obvious. Your parents would miss you for two decades. Next, you wouldn’t have gone through university or even gotten a job. If you’re deeply unlucky, you might have missed out on the love of your life and started a family.

That’s all gone.

And that’s what I’m guessing is what he’s thinking. At the very least, he looks like he has drowned in sorrow now.

“You okay, Tokuyama-san?”

He shook his head and slapped his cheeks twice. Rather stereotypical.

“I’ll be fine.”

“Hey, I’ll buy the same energy drink too. Let’s just talk about it, okay?”

Tokuyama-san widened his eyes. With a confused tone, he said, “I mean, sure, but where can we talk?”

Good point.

“I know a place. Follow me.”

I’m going straight to a busy intersection.

~~~

We sat down next to the parking lot of the 7/11. It’s not quite the busy intersection I prefer to be at, but multiple cars are whizzing by. The night has just a slight brightness, whether it sources from light pollution or the crystal gleam of the stars - it’s not completely dark. As for safety, my house is nearby so I’m rushing out if he does anything bizarre.

This is a complete leap of faith and I hope I don’t pay any price for it.

Although that being said, Tokuyama-san is literally in school uniform. Not just any school uniform, it’s Ichinomiya High! Nevertheless, it does seem a bit odd. Like, there’s something different about it that I can’t put my eyes nor hands to.

I said to Tokuyama-san,

“So, how do you like the energy drink?”

He gave a weak half-smile, “It’s alright. A bit more zingy than I expected.”

“Well, of course, this is what energy drinks generally are nowadays. Filled with taurine and all sorts of wacky stuff. I suppose that’s why people drink them.”

What a strange vibe. Drinking energy drinks next to traffic lights and a parking lot.

“Tokuyama-san. You said you were from 2004, correct?”

“Yes.” He said as a matter of fact.

“So, how did you travel from here to, well, now?”

He cleared his throat, ready to give a long explanation of his experience. Tokuyama-san gave no eye contact with me. Just stared at the street, trying I suppose to ignore reality. Tunnel vision.

“I was walking home but decided to take a detour to Umegae Park.” Gosh, that’s quite a detour.

In an inquisitive tone, I said, “Isn’t that, like, almost the complete opposite direction of Morimoto?” I pondered as to why he would go to a park when, I suppose, any person our age would just rush straight home.

“It’s nice. Yes, I know trains would be riding above me, but it is nice. A weird tranquil mix of business and calm. Right now, well, twenty years ago, my parents were bickering and arguing so I’d rather just stay in the park to myself.”

I nodded in agreement. “Fair enough, I mean, if I was in your position I’d probably do the same thing.”

He exclaimed loudly, “Right?”

“So, after chilling in the park, I decided to call it a day. However, I decided to go to the toilet. As soon as I finished my business, I opened the cubicle door and noticed it got dark outside. It was as if I entered the cubicle, went for a piss, and it was twenty years in the future. Wasn’t even at the same time of day.”

There’s one thing wrong here.

“Do you pee sitting down?”

“Huh?” Tokuyama just made a distorted face.

“Just playing. I assume you went for privacy, right?”

“Yeah. There was a guy nearby so I went to the cubicle. When I left, he disappeared too. I guess from his perspective, I disappeared.”

The time-traveling cubicle. What a sight that would be.

“Yeah. I remember the exact cubicle. Everything from then on is crystal clear.” He finally looked up.

With one gulp, he stared at a moving car as it drove by, following every movement. I don’t know why he did that, but one would assume it’s just something he wanted to do. Maybe it’s to confirm he’s alive.

“After I was at the park, so many things had changed. The park square I was once at, just by the restroom, had suddenly become an empty construction lot of land. All the cars looked weird. They were less boxy and way more curved. Not a single shop I saw nearby survived these decades. It even smells different. That said, the childish art on the pillars remained the same.”

I nodded.

“So, what did you do after you noticed? How did you know it wasn’t your year anymore?”

“Simple. I saw people touching their phones. It looks so weird.”

Touching? Oh. Wait. Wow, that does seem weird that I realize it.

“And, not just that, I already went into the supermarket. I saw people pay with these same devices that they touch frequently. And the manga issues in the store clearly stated the date. So I walked back to the park to calm myself.”

I chuckled a bit. “Sorry for laughing, I’m just imagining how surreal this whole situation is. I know it’s a bit frightening, sorry.”

He breathed out, like a half laugh, so I guess he got it too. “Yeah. It does sound like a comedy skit, no?”

“Right?”

“Anyways, after I collected myself, it got even darker so I tried to go back to the supermarket, and then I saw you.”

“Me?” Oh boy, here we go!

“Yeah. You were the weirdest person I’ve seen yet, and that’s when I knew I was not in 2004. Pink hair, wireless earphones, a somewhat low skirt and…” I raised my fist to make him flinch, that’s not a very nice thing to say about me!

“Wait, wait! I don’t mean it in any bad way. It’s clear that norms have changed, if anyone wore your skirt length at our school, you’d probably be shouted at and, or worse, actually punished.” Afterwards, he continued with the description of me. Gee, thanks, Tokuyama-san.

“Your body language is a bit atypical, you’re… well, a bit slightly more built than the other girls in my year.”

My confidence is shattered. This is why you don’t speak to strangers.

“And yet, I just knew that speaking to you, Inoue-san, I’d probably make sense of the world now. Look, even now, my brain is just melting trying to comprehend about what’s happened. I know that with every minute I spend here, it will eventually become the new normal.”

He stood up as if to tell the world that he’s arrived.

Tokuyama continued, “I’m only 17, so it’s not like my brain wasn’t already still trying to make sense of the world anyways. If this is my fate, so be it.”

I sat with my legs crossed. “Hey, I assume you have no place to go. I can pay you some money to go to the nearby hotel.”

The wind kept whistling as the cars kept passing. A momentary pause went. The sound of silence.

“You’d do that for a random stranger?” He asked so lightly. “Really?”

I pointed at his nose. “You’re not any random stranger. I thought you were a time traveller?”

“I mean, it’s not even confirmed that I'm a time traveller. Maybe I switched consciousness with someone? That’s a better explanation than literally breaking the laws of physics.”

That’s absurd.

I stood over him. You know, like a girlboss pose. I mean, how else do you describe it? The typical arms-on-hips pose? It’s not exactly a very visually interesting description.

“I think there’s no way to put it. You’re probably an unwilling time traveller.”

I welcomed the absurd. Matter of fact, I embrace it.

“That said, Tokuyama-kun, we can investigate… tomorrow. Because I am a bit tired. Just take this.”

I handed him my 10k yen note. Yes, I am aware. It’s rather foolish to carry that much and on top of that give it to someone who you’ve just met two hours ago. But it’s not every day you meet a possible time traveller.

Everything about Tokuyama-kun screams older. His mannerisms, speech, the way he even walks is something from a mid 2000s drama.

But he looks my age. I think I look older than him.

“As I said earlier, there’s a nearby hotel close to the station. You’re not from this side of town, right? Regardless of time or era, I’ll help you settle.”

Tokuyama-kun started to cry. He balled out. I couldn’t even comfort him. This must be the weirdest homesickness ever. Surely this is dreamlike, right? The scenery is familiar, still in your same hometown yet everything has changed.

I felt a strong pity towards Tokuyama-kun as he even struggled to give his gratitude against the strong tears. I kept patting his back, to make him understand that it’s okay. I tried. But, I really think the dam has burst. And according to the timeline, he’s missed twenty years.

It’s likely there are people in his life who wondered what happened to him. Maybe someone who passed without ever knowing.

Hell. My only description of this absurdity is listening to a love song and then suddenly you’re at the end of it. You know it was going to end, but there’s nothing to compare except for the beginning. Imagine hearing just the chorus and that’s all you know.

Not my finest metaphor, but I hope you see where I’m going, right?

A few minutes of an uncomfortable yet understandable silence came and went. I let Tokuyama-kun settle into his new reality.

“Hey, Tokuyama-kun,” I asked him. “It’s a nice night, right?”

He wiped his eyes to clear the tears.

“You’re right, it is.”

“Look at the clear sky. You can’t exactly see the Milky Way, but it’s still there.”

Perks of living in a city. Light pollution.

He smiled slightly. “Go on, Inoue-san.”

“If your fate is to be here, and instead of your time, the events that happened to you are all still real. You just can’t see it.”

Boom! Now that is an excellent metaphor. I did it! You could even call it a banger.

“I think I get what you mean,” Tokuyama-kun said in a curious tone. “I won’t accept this year as my own, and I’ll certainly have to try, try, and try again to go home but whatever happens, it’s not like my past disappeared.”

He stood up, making us stand finally together. His voice was somewhat cracking but strong. “The past leads to the future, all our actions lead to your present.”

That’s the spirit! Even if you’re speaking like an old grump!

“Thanks… I guess?”

Wait.

If I send Tokuyama-kun to the hotel, we’ll lose contact since he has no phone or anything. But I’m not going to bring a high school student home, let alone one who might even be the same age as my parents. No way!

I appear to have landed in a tricky situation, still.

Hmm.

Which one should I pick?

I know!

Calmly, I said, “Hey, Tokuyama-kun. I just realized that if you do stay at the hotel, I have no way of contacting you.”

He stood there in agreement.

“Good point. I don't want to start from square one and find another person to help me.”

“Right?” I quipped back. “Let me just hand you this piece of paper. This is my address. Where I live. Come here at 10 AM, and hopefully, I’ll have sorted out a plan by then. You just get some nice rest, okay?”

He grinned warmly.

“Okay!”