Side Story: The Zoo (Junichi’s Perspective)

 Mom, Dad, and I stayed with the lions for a while. Although, they studied us for a short time, that didn’t last long. Harmony observed us a little longer than the other two. I suppose it’s only natural that she didn’t take too much interest in us. Ryūsuke said the only thing Harmony remembers about her previous life was softball. Well, technically not even that; just “a game involving a ball and a big stick.” I understand that softball was really important to my big sister, but was it really worth…her life? Why is it the only thing my sister passed to this young lioness? It’s like it’s the only thing that mattered to her! Did she not care about Mom, Dad, me, and her calligraphy club? Wait, “a game involving a ball and a big stick;” I had just assumed it was softball she was referring to, but maybe it was calligraphy! The stick would obviously be the pen, but what would the ball be? Neither inkstones nor calligraphy paper are ball-shaped.

“Of course, it’s softball she remembers. Why on Earth would it be anything else?!” I didn’t realize I had said that last part aloud, until Dad turned to me and said, “You think it was selfish of her?”

“No, of course not,” I said quickly and awkwardly. I didn’t want to sound like thought ill of Eriko especially here and now.

“I understand softball was important to her,” said Dad. “But I wish she’d had talked to us about it. Or at least talked to your Mom.”

Both Dad and I expected Mom to say something, but she didn’t. She just kept her gaze on the lions. After a few more minutes, Mom stood up, said “goodbye” to the lions, and walked away. Dad followed her. I asked if they wanted me to follow, or if it was ok if I stayed with the lions a little longer.

“Stay as long as you need to,” said Mom.

I stayed with the lions for a few more minutes. Finally I said, “Goodbye.” I felt like I was saying it to Eriko, although I knew it would be Harmony and the other two lionesses who would hear me. I looked at the clock; there was still a little time to see some of the other animals. The only other animal I really visited was the red panda. I enjoyed watching the red panda. Two foreigners (a man and a woman) approached me. One of them said something to me, but I didn’t understand, since what he said wasn’t in Japanese. (I think it was French he was speaking, but I’m not sure.) The foreigner pulled out smartphone, pointed to it, and then pointed to the red panda. Ah! I made a photo gesture with my hands, and the foreigner rapidly nodded. I stepped out of the way thinking the foreigner wanted to take a photo of the red panda. To my surprise he handed me his phone and stood next to his partner. I stared at them for half a second before he pointed to me and gestured “photo.” Ah, now I understood. I took their photo and handed the phone back. The two foreigners looked at it and started talking to each other. What were they saying?

“If the photo’s blurry, I can take another,” I said as if they’d understand me. They eventually communicated that the first photo was perfectly fine.

I decided to just go to the front gate and wait for the others. It was early, but not unreasonably early. I was the first one there. I’m glad no one took any photos at the lions’. If anyone had I would’ve… What would I have done? It’s a zoo; people come to see animals. They don’t know that one of the lions is my sister’s reincarnation. Heck, if it weren’t for Ryūsuke, I wouldn’t know that. The red panda probably had a previous life too. I wondered who or what she was.

I watched some birds fly by overhead.

Hana was the second member of our party to reach the front gate. “I was thinking,” she said. “That we should have a penalty game for whoever shows up last.”

“Sure,” I said. My mind was other places, but Hana had a way of switching it back to fun. I liked that about her.