Fancy Time to be Alive

The cooler air comes out with the sun disappearing behind the tall buildings. It doesn’t help to cool my nerves, however. I can’t believe I’m going to eat dinner with a family I barely know. I stare at our longer shadows as we walk to the station. They explained that they normally meet at this shrine to go home after work and Hiroshi just wanted to tag along to introduce himself to her. I think about Hiroshi and Mayumi. She said the palm reading compatibility was terrible but that’s not a good reason to suspect him for being a fake. Despite being a little awkward and clumsy, he didn’t seem like a bad guy.

The atmosphere is stuffy and noisy down in the train station. The upcoming entrance is manned by an attendant that punches tickets to enter the gates. This must be how they used to do it before the electronic gates were placed. I wonder if his hand gets tired. Mayumi’s dad graciously pays for my ticket as well. We’re crammed into the rush hour commuter train but thankfully we don’t have far to go. There are some familiar jingles in the air but the signs are all static and backlit. They don’t automatically update to announce the upcoming train or it’s time. It’s so much easier to get lost down here.

Her dad and I made small talk on the way over. He asked me more about myself and where I was from. I told him the truth, hoping the area I live in is still an unassuming, quiet part of town. It was really nerve-racking. I learned that his name is Mr. Ichikawa and his daughter is always running her sudden crazy plans into motion. He thanks me excessively for going along with her. Mayumi made a face at that.

“They’re not crazy! My ideas come to me from the gods of luck and fortune! How can I turn them down? Besides, all’s well that ends well.” Mayumi puts her hand to her chest for emphasis. She looks proud of herself for some reason.

“There she goes again.” Mr. Ichikawa sighs.

“Don’t look so down, sir. I think your daughter could be really be hearing one of the seven lucky gods.” I say.

“Really? You believe me?” Mayumi’s eyes sparkle.

“Yeah, I mean the god of fortune, Hotei, must be speaking to you for your charms to work so well. Don’t do try too hard, though, or you’ll start to look like him. Be careful, you’re already always smiling.” I tease her with a cheeky tone.

“No, I don’t want to be fat! At least say I’ll start to look like Benzaiten!” She pouts and whines. It’s pretty cute. It’s also a strange thing to say; she’s already a beautiful woman. Maybe she doesn’t think of herself as one.

“By the way, Runa, may I see the pocket calculator you had with you today? Mayumi said you were using it in the library when she saw you.”

“Oh, sure.” I pull it out of my bag and hand it to him. He’s looking at it really carefully. I’m probably worried over nothing, but I hope he can’t tell that it’s actually a Time Hopper named Hota. That would be bad news for me.

“Yes, we just approved this model a few months ago. I’m surprised you, a middle schooler, already have it. What made your parents buy this for you? Are they easy to use? Are they getting popular in your class? I’m hoping one day these will completely overtake the need for slide rulers in classrooms.” He starts giving me the third degree over a pocket calculator. I better not mess this up.

“Um, yeah, I really like using them over slide rulers. Of course, it’s way easier and less time consuming to read. My parents think they are the way of the future and just wanted me to be prepared for university because they want me to go to a good school. I wouldn’t say they’re popular quite yet, though. I think they will really start catching on in a few years!” I’m lying through my teeth. Luckily, I’ve heard of slide rulers but I’ve never even touched one. I can’t even begin to mention that pocket calculators have fallen to the wayside for calculator apps in smartphones these days.

“Dad, you’re scaring her.” Mayumi elbows her father.

He laughs. “My apologies. I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to provide some real feedback to our development team. Those were some good answers though, thank you.” He hands me back the calculator. I’m safe for another day.

We approach a nice looking house in a wealthy neighborhood. I had my suspicions, but the Ichikawa’s must be a well-off family. This big house must be expensive if it’s so close to Shibuya, but maybe the housing market is different than what I’m used to? The inside is very retro modern and very clean. I really appreciate the effort it must take to keep such a large house spotless.

Mayumi’s family consists of her mother, father, older brother, and grandmother all living in the same house. I sit at the dinner table next to Mayumi and her grandmother on the floor of their nice living room. The dinner consists of many dishes and her mom serves us each generous helpings. She goes around making sure each of us is well fed with poise and grace. This must be the kind of role model that Mayumi wants to be in the future.

Mayumi suddenly puts her hand on my shoulder and introduces myself loudly to her family. “Everyone, this is Runa, my new little sister. She’s so cute I just had to take her home and adopt her. She will be staying with us for the next few days.” Her dad and I share the same shocked reaction.

Her grandmother is the first to speak up. “Oh, how lovely. Welcome, Runa.” Her mom also smiles at me warmly and tells me to make myself at home. The females of this family must all share the same kind but crazy gene that Mayumi got.

“Mayumi, that’s called kidnapping. It’s also Obon holiday. I’m sure she’s got places to be with her real family.” Her older brother admonishes her. He only seems a little older, maybe in university, but it’s clear he’s the only one who won’t go along with her so easily in this family.

“Yutaka! Runa and I are already connected by fate that’s stronger than family! I’ll show you my charm to prove it.” Mayumi says more nonsense. He can only sigh in response.

“It’s ok. I’d love to stay here if you’ll have me. I’m sure my parents wouldn’t mind me staying at a friend’s house for a few days while I’m on summer break.” I try to go with the flow. This is all happening so fast, but it’s the perfect opportunity to get to know more about her two love suspects. That being said, I can see how it would be weird of me to accept so quickly. I hope they don’t ask me if I come from a troubled family.

“Um, well, we’d love to have you, Runa. But it’s ok if you have to go back. Don’t feel pressured by Mayumi.” Her father talks gently to me like I’m in some kind of hostage negotiation.

“Dad, you’ve always been way too soft on her just because she’s a girl. Look at how she’s turning out. It was one thing when she was just spouting nonsense all the time, but now she’s turned to kidnapping little girls off the streets. Don’t ask me for help when she’s getting arrested. I’ll only say I told you so.” Yutaka seems to have quite the chip on his shoulder about his younger sister.

“Um, Runa is ok with it so I think it is ok. Besides, it’s her last summer as an unmarried woman. It’s alright to let loose as a teenager every now and again.” Her dad smiles weakly, hoping to smooth things over between his children. Yutaka just goes back to quietly finishing his dinner.

“Dad, I met Hiroshi today, so tell me more about my other suitor. Is he handsome?” Mayumi changes the topic.

“Ah, yes. Takashi is the other man I want you to meet. Both of them started working for my team fresh out of university last year. They were promising young men that I thought would be perfect for you. Hiroshi is a very smart man despite what he seems, but he’s a real idiot. Takashi is a silent, cool type that seems really reliable, but he’s also a real idiot. One of them is a winner, I just know it. Take your time in examining both of them.”

“Why are you picking idiots for me to marry?!”

“I think it makes sense. They would have to be an idiot to put up with your idiotic way of thinking.” Yutaka remarks with a sneer.

“What did you think of Hiroshi, Mayumi?” Her dad quickly mentions. He’s not denying it.

“He’s alright, I suppose. I felt no spark between us and our palms were not compatible. I hope Takashi is better.”

“Well, I hope you have better luck with him, too. You’re meeting him tomorrow.”

Mayumi looks a bit taken back. “So soon already? Like a date? Together?” Mayumi looks a bit uncharacteristically uncomfortable. Her replies are quieter than normal as well. She must be nervous to go on a first date with a guy she’s never met.

“You’re on summer break. What’s the issue?”

Mayumi puts on her cheerful expression again. “Well, it’s nothing! Runa is coming with me. After all, it’s only fair. She met Hiroshi so she will meet Takashi.” Again, her dad and I wear shocked expressions. How many times is that just today? I bet the amount her dad has had is in the thousands by now.

“You can’t be serious. Are you sure that’s a good idea? To bring your new little sister on a date with your potential future husband?” Yutaka can’t help but speak up either.

“Runa’s my lucky charm. It certainly won’t be a problem for me.”

“You’re not the one it would be a problem for…”

“If it makes Mayumi go on the date, then I’ll allow it.” Her dad really does spoil her rotten.

“Kids these days sure do things differently than when I was young. Back in my day it wasn’t uncommon to not see the husband until the day of marriage!” The grandmother says while drinking tea. I’m glad I’m not from that time. How unromantic.

After dinner, Mayumi’s family let me use their home phone in the hallway to call my parents and let them know I was spending the night. I dialed a fake number and said some generic dialogue. I hope that convinced anyone who overheard. Afterwards I found Mayumi and she showed me to my room. It was a furnished guest room with a western style bed. I’m overjoyed. It’ll be so nice to sleep in a raised bed again after sleeping on the floor in that dusty, tiny, tatami apartment! Mayumi says to get ready for bed and she’ll be back with something fun. I change into some silky pajamas that were in the dresser. I wish I could take these home with me.

When she gets back, she’s also changed and has brought a deck of cards. “Ok, Runa. We’re going to do some tarot card readings with these in anticipation for the date tomorrow.” I don’t think you can do tarot readings from a deck of playing cards, but ok. We sit on the bed as she shuffles the deck and pulls out three cards at random. She holds up the back of the cards to me and asks me to pick one. I reach out and pick the eight of hearts.

“Oh, that’s good luck for sure! It’s the highest card out of the three and it’s a heart card! Thank you, Runa! Takashi just might be the one. Now I can rest easy about tomorrow.” This isn’t tarot card reading at all!

“Are you nervous about tomorrow?” I ask her.

“Can you tell? I didn’t want it to be too obvious.” It was written all over her face at dinner, but I choose not to tell her that. She pulls a pillow up to her face before continuing. “It’s normal for a teenage girl to be nervous about being alone with an older guy she’s never met before, isn’t it?”

“Of course it is. I would be too. That’s why I’ve been going along with you for a while now.” The first part is true but my real reason is deeper than that.

“That makes me happy to hear you say that! I was glad I met you at the library today before meeting Hiroshi as well. I was also pretty nervous then. Thank you for putting up with me today. You fill me with confidence.”

“It’s no problem at all. I love helping solve love troubles.” Honestly, the whole reason I’m here is for your love troubles! But I can’t say that. “What are you so nervous about in particular?”

“I mean, it’s a big deal picking out your future husband! What if I pick the wrong one and I hate him? The worst thing in the world would be to be stuck in a loveless marriage! That’s why I’m hoping for any kind of sign from the heavens. I thought for sure you would be my lucky charm in helping me pick out the right one.” She waves her arms around still holding the pillow in one hand.

I smile at her. “You’re such a sweet girl, Mayumi! I’ll definitely help pick the right man for you!”