Walking Backwards

"If the immediate and direct purpose of life is not suffering, then our existence is the most ill-adapted to its purpose in the world." - (Arthur Schopenhauer)

The taxi driver was looking in his rearview mirror. He was trying to subtly catch a glimpse of cleavage, but he was also satisfied with just catching glimpses of long legs. He wanted to chat, but his passenger had earbuds in and was looking at her phone.

Suddenly, the driver hit the brakes as hard as possible. He almost hit some young guy running around.

Akari thought, Great. The last thing I need is someone to be hit by the car. Then I would be bound to be late. Could people just not be a complete mess today?

If someone decided to throw himself under a truck now, thinking he would get reincarnated in some other world or something, that would be so, so "great." Then I could be even more late.

"You punk, watch where you are going!" the taxi driver yelled through the window. Then he went for a cigarette pack to get one out.

From the back seat came a cold, strict voice. "Don't."

The taxi driver just put the cigarette back in the pack, still nervous from the traffic jam.

"What is happening out there?" he asked. "Come on!" Then he stomped on his horn.

Akari left enough money to cover the cost of the ride and then got out of the taxi.

She decided to go on foot to save herself from the nervous energy. The streets were busy as usual—chaos everywhere you look, everyone in a rush to be somewhere God knows where.

I almost got hit by a taxi. I need to be more careful when running across the street, I thought to myself. I don't even know where this studio is. My assistant will kill me if I don't get there on time.

I will ask someone, I guess.

I was enjoying the busy streets full of people who were wearing the most cool and unique clothes in the world. You can see this only in Tokyo, I thought while walking and being mesmerized by all the outfits of strangers passing by, and some even being annoyed by my slow walk.

Ooh, I can tell a cool person even from the back. That lady in front of me got some mad style. I will ask her.

As I caught up to her with my classic slow run that was not any more effective than just walking faster, I smiled at her and started a conversation.

"Sorry, sorry! Hi, can you please help?" As I uttered these words, I saw the face of this woman from the front. I got a little bit nervous by her beauty, and somehow I thought that I had seen this lady somewhere before.

Akari, annoyed, didn't want to entertain this young guy, but somehow he looked familiar to her. "I am kind of in a rush," Akari said while still walking fast.

"I am also in a rush. I just need a direction to this thing I am rushing to," I said while jumping and walking backwards so that I could see her face and eyes.

"Where do you need to be?"

"I am going to one of Tokyo's new studios. Erm, I forgot the name of it. Hehe. It is something with the letter R, I think."

Asahina started to get more and more annoyed. "You don't even know where you need to be. How can I help you? Just figure it out. I will be late because of you."

"Sorry to bother you, lady. I will find it on my own. Sorry again. Have a nice day. Wait, I just remembered, it is Marki Mark Studio or Marko Studio, something like that."

Akari stopped for a millisecond and then continued walking fast. "It's called Marka Studio, and I am going there right now, so just follow me and stop talking, please."

"Really? That is great! Thank you, thank you. You are very kind. I hope that we will both make it on time. Hehe," I said and noticed that she was maybe still a little annoyed that I continued to talk.

"I am Toma," I said. "Nice to meet you."

"We are not meeting. I am just giving you a direction. I am Asahina."

I think I heard that last name somewhere before, I thought to myself, but I could not put my finger on it.

The weather outside was nice. Many people would not even think about this in this crowd of people and noise, in this lights and noise override, with this many people rushing somewhere as if their life depended on it. Vibrant colors everywhere had a caffeine-like effect on some people if they were not used to it. It is very hard not to notice the colors in the middle of Tokyo.

Akari was thinking about the debate that she had to do in a couple of minutes, and for her, the streets were just grey. The people around her were grey. All the lights and vibrant colors of nature were not reaching her.

Still walking backwards, I was looking into her eyes, and they were pretty, but also in them there was something I didn't quite get.

Hmm, her eyes are so pretty, but they don't seem to notice everything. It is almost like they are focused on something bigger, or are they maybe just sad eyes? I am not sure. I am not an expert on reading eyes, I thought. But she doesn't look too happy, was my second thought, and I don't think that the cause is me annoying her, or at least I hope so.

Asahina took a quick peek at Toma's eyes, and she then even faster diverted her look to try and focus on where she was walking. His eyes are familiar. Is he famous maybe or something? Why is he going to the studio? Is he a worker there? Some questions went through Akari's head in a millisecond. Then she saw the big studio sign up front.

"Maybe we will not be late after all," Akari said and signaled with a small head nod to the studio sign upfront.

"Yes, this is great! I don't like to be late. I think it is disrespectful to other people and their time," I said this not expecting any response and slightly worried that I would annoy the lady even more.

"I completely agree," Akari said with a tone lighter and less cold than before.

I was a little bit surprised by her agreeing and the way she said that. She looks and sounds relaxed now. Maybe she was just in a bad mood from running late.

"What business do you have in this studio, Mrs. Asahina?" I asked with a smile.

"I have business of crushing someone in some stupid debate."