Chapter 3:

Lucky Coincidence

Watch Over You

My first day at Tokyo-U was a disaster. I was barely able to pay attention in class due to Hiroshi. Miraculously, he and I had the exact same classes for the year. It was like the gods wanted me to suffer for a reason unknown to me. I tried distancing myself in every class, sitting in the front, sitting next to others, everything. But, he found a way to slither beside me. He was determined to be my friend, so I accepted fate.

“You cannot escape from me, child.” Hiroshi had said.

The green-haired girl too, was in each of my classes. A coincidence that I welcomed. But she made sure to place a barrier of rejection against me, so that I would not be able to go near her.

“Stop following me.” She justifiably would remark.

“I’m not! We have the same classes!” I would reply.

During our classes together, I would eye her every opportunity I had (stealthily of course, to not seem like a creep.) I did not know why, but something about her kept me focused on her. I scratched my thoughts, ‘Do I know her?’. However, every time it seemed like a block of concrete stopped me from finding my conclusion. I wanted to ask her if I knew her, or if we knew each other. But that opportunity would never come to be, after my antics with Hiroshi.

When classes were over for the day, I wanted to retire in my dorm room. And to perhaps cry myself to sleep or find a way to build a time-machine to repeat the day. Hiroshi followed me as I walked outside the university gates.

“Wanna get a beer or something?” Hiroshi asked me.

“I just want to go home for the day, dude.” I replied with defeat in my voice.

“Fine, we can get beers tomorrow.”

Hiroshi was not even twenty-one years of age yet. I discarded his question about drinking, walking back to the home I was staying at.

“Why are you following me?” I asked Hiroshi.

The boy stuffed his face full of sour-candy as we walked, not paying attention to me. I could see other students murmuring and gossiping as we walked by, I assumed it was about us. I wanted to hide myself in a hole and never come out of it.

“Where do you stay?” He asked me as we continued walking.

“I asked you first.” I replied.

“Eh, I stay here and there.”

I did not want to think about his reply, I refused to think any more than I already had.

“Not too far from here, I stay at one of the student-sharing houses.” I told Hiroshi.

“Cool, let me visit. I’ll bring beer.” Hiroshi asked me.

“Hell no.” I stated.

“Why not? It’ll be fun!”

“I’d rather not get kicked out; I’ve been in Japan for one week.”

“Where are you from?” Hiroshi asked me.

“I’m from England…or Britain…Either way you say it.”

“Cool…cool…” Hiroshi was not listening to me, “They got girls there? You living with girls?” He asked with a twinkle in his eye.

“No.” I lied.

It was a co-ed sharing house.

As we neared my home, I said goodbye to Hiroshi. I banned him from ever coming into the dorm-house. He chuckled as he saw the name of the Boarding house. He told me his father owned the company that owned the boarding house. I scoffed at his rich, carefree attitude.

“See you later, pal!” Hiroshi said, running off into the distance.

I liked Hiroshi, but I needed to set boundaries, or else I’d be sent home in the next week. I needed to unwind, and I stepped inside my home for the next year.

“I’m back, Mister and Missus Takahashi.” I spoke as I entered.

I greeted the two lovely caretakers of the house, Mister and Missus Takahashi had sold their house to a company, transforming their home into a boarding-house. The elderly couple were very kind and generous upon my arrival, helping me with any issues I encountered living in Japan for the first time. Mister Takahashi tended to all mechanical issues in and around the house, while Missus Takahashi cooked for us and washed our clothing free of charge. I was extremely fortunate to meet such kind souls. Their house was massive, housing nine-students (four boys and five girls) easily. I had not met all of my housemates yet, Missus Takahashi said there was a girl who lived with them permanently. Mister and Missus Takahashi housed students that attended other universities as well. I attempted to recall their names, I drew blanks. I had struggled for a week attempting to recall Mister and Missus Takahashi’s names. I would have been surprised if I had awoken the next morning remembering Hiroshi’s name, but something told me that he had etched his presence into my brain.

“How was your first day, kid?” Mister Takahashi asked me as I slumped on the couch.

“I will not lie to you, it was bad.” I replied with a huff in my voice.

“You were in a rush, this morning, you did not even have breakfast.” Missus Takahashi replied.

“Yeah…sorry. I overslept. So my first day in class was a disaster. To top it all off, I met a lovely individual who embarrassed me in front of the entire university.” I reported to them.

“Of course you did!” Mister Takahashi chuckled.

Missus Takahashi giggled; she’d warned me that I would meet various people in Japan. She said I emitted an aura that would attract the most ‘outlandish’ of individuals. I should have believed her from the get-go.

“I’m so unbelievably hungry right now.” I said, getting up from the couch.

“There’s some leftovers on the table, eat as much as you want.” Missus Takahashi informed me.

I entered the communal kitchen, and greeted the various boarding students that I shared the house with. There were slices of beef sat neatly on a plate, I dished up as much as I could and sat down to fill my stomach. As I chewed away, I noticed an object shining in my eyes.

“What?” I said aloud.

On the table, I saw a pocket watch. Silver with engravings on the side, the number twelve on the watch was also scratched off on the watch-face. It was my pocket watch.

‘What’s it doing here?’ I thought to myself.

I was sure it was mine, but I struggled to recall leaving it on the counter before heading off to university. I was sure it was in my room upstairs, safely packed away in my drawer. I asked around the living area, asking my boarding mates if it was theirs, but none claimed ownership.

“Missus Takahashi, was this pocket watch on the table the whole day?” I asked her as she prepared dinner for us.

She shook her head.

“No, dearie, I found it outside this morning, is it yours?” She asked.

I did not take my pocket watch with me that morning, I was sure of it. I had rushed out the door in the morning and did not think about taking it with me. I conceded that perhaps my mind was playing tricks with me, that I did in fact, take it.

“I believe so…” I trailed off.

“You should be careful with your belongings, that looks expensive!”

“I will, sorry. I’ll take it upstairs right now.” I replied, getting up from my chair.

As I was in motion to head upstairs, a hand grabbed my pocket watch out of my palm. I turned my head, to my surprise, the girl with the green hair was beside me once again. She was angry, her look was one that could silence a lion.

“What are you doing?” She asked.

Her voice was cutthroat.

“Oh I’m-”

‘Her’s? But, that’s my watch…’ I thought to myself.

“That’s mine.” She blurted.

“Yours? Are you sure?” I asked.

“I am very sure. Don’t touch other people’s things, you creep.” She commanded.

The liveliness in the room grew silent during our interaction. I saw her scoff at me and move herself into her dorm room on the ground floor. I was bewildered. I was sure that it was my pocket watch, but she seemed defiant that it was hers. Another issue that arose in my mind was that she was in the shared-house as well.

“I need to go and check.” I said to myself.

I clambered up the stairs of the house to reach my dorm room hastily. I opened the drawer by my writing desk to see if the watch was there. To my surprise:

It was.

I inspected the pocket watch, picking it up; the exact same etchings, ‘M. C.’, were engraved on the side of it. The number twelve on the clock-face was gone as well. I was utterly confused. Our watches were identical.

“How could this be?” I mumbled to myself.

A sharp pain panged throughout my skull and into my brain. I held my forehead intently, attempting to curtail the pain. My head had begun to ache with a ferocity indescribable. I seldom had migraines anymore, but every once in a while, they would return. I opted to call it an evening, and sat on my bed, clutching the pocket watch in my hand as I battled the migraine.

“The watches…” I railed off.

I heard a knocking on my front door as I battled the headache:

“Hello? David? Can I come inside?” I knew it to be Mister Takahashi speaking.

“S-Sure.” I replied to him.

Mister Takahashi appeared in my room; he saw me writhe on my bed in an indescribable pain. He jolted over to my side, holding my shoulder.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay, son?” He asked in a panicked state.

“I-I’m okay, I just have a headache.” I replied.

“Do you need some medication?”

“If you have, I would appreciate it.”

He returned with a glass of water and some medication. I drank the medication, praying the headache would subside before the late evening. I thanked Mister Takahashi profusely.

“Are you okay, son?” He asked me.

“Not really, I just hope it will subside tonight.” I responded.

He sat with me a couple minutes, monitoring my health. Luckily, the pain had disappeared not long afterwards. Mister Takahashi had brought me a plate of food as I recovered in my bed, he was too kind for his own good. Mister Takahashi noticed that I held my pocket watch in hand, surprised, he spoke:

“So, it wasn’t yours, that pocket watch?” He asked.

“We just have identical watches.” I replied.

I gave the pocket watch to Mister Takahashi to inspect.

“They do look the same…” He commented.

“I thought this was an original, but it appears it isn’t.” I replied.

“Where did you get this from?” He asked me, curious.

“I-I don’t remember. But I’ve had it for a long time. Maybe it’s just a coincidence, that we have the same watch.” I stated.

Mister Takahashi rubbed his chin, unsure of my claim. Before he walked out of my room, he added:

“Well… to me, coincidences mean that the universe is trying to tell you something.” He stated.

“I don’t know…” I began.

I tried to change the topic, “What’s that girl’s name, by the way?”

“Miss Misako Ishihara, she goes to your university as well.”