On That Faithful Day

 

Short One Shot

Late April; it was my last final exam of my second year in the Bachelor of Arts, it was difficult as they all are but given the allotted time to finish, I was sure I did well on it. I had to do well on it, the GPA needed to be considered for an international student was higher than that of domestic students. Before the final exam marks were to be posted, my GPA stood at a handsome 3.4, not the one I aimed for, but still higher than the average student in the faculty. All the hard work of studying for those quizzes, exams, assignments, and presentations would all be for naught if that 3.5GPA was not achieved. 

Two weeks had gone by and there was still no notification on the school computer system for that last mark. Psychology 302, that one mark that was important for it was the field I was going into. The stress was incomprehensible, the waiting game was a game no one liked to play.

Finally, at a painful 3:00am ping from my phone, I had forced my eyes open to see what it was, it was the school notification system. Sitting up on my elbows, barely being able to see through the blurriness of the sleep in my eyes I tried to focus as hard as I could to see that letter grade — A. I had passed my final exam and got a 3.7GPA, I was ready to finish the application for the school. 

Being the insomniac that I am, staying awake to finish all the paperwork was no challenge. Finding my language proficiency test papers, the application, official transcripts, form for credit transfers, everything I needed was on the computer desk waiting to be sent in. The final step after clicking ‘send,’ was to pay the hefty fee that all international students needed to pay. In a single click of the mouse, months of work and savings was gone, yet I could not have been happier for it. This started the second waiting game.

Having working almost every day throughout the summer to build up savings again, it was hard to believe that it was already mid-June, and that’s when I got an email. I was accepted.

This was when things got complicated. The wheels were rolling, but no one had told me that the brakes were released on a steep hill and those wheels were spinning out of control quickly. My husband of three years had finally stated his opinion that he was going to be staying here in Canada while I went off to a different country for school, for two years. On top of having to go alone, I had felt almost betrayed that my husband felt that moving with me was more of a burden than it would be to be away from me for two years. As painful as it was to hear, everything was already moving and thousands of dollars gone, there was no turning back now, I had to go alone.

It was now late August, I stood at the security checkpoint at YEG, and this was the last I would be able to hug and kiss my husband for 730 days, and even more hours. In tears, I had to pry myself from his arms in order to make that eighteen hour flight that was going to change my life forever. On that long flight, all I could think about was how much better it would be if my husband was sitting next to me and we both would be headed to one of the most amazing cities in the world to an apartment we would call home for the next 24 months, alas it was just me.

Since I was forced to go alone, there was no need for an apartment in the city close to businesses for work, so I chose an off campus apartment building that unfortunately was closer to another branch of the school and not the one I was going into. However, it was cheaper and I got a transit pass from the school so I was not complaining about the travel times.

Now, this was becoming terrifying. I was a woman, alone in a different country, in a city with a population of over thirty-million where my country was just over thirty-million, attending the renowned school of Meiji University. I was confident that I could learn the material with ease, yet it was the fear of not being able to talk to many people that was what concerned me. 

I had unpacked my suitcases and a box that I had shipped out before me in the small 125-square-foot dorm room where I was also alone, after unpacking I decided to go out and wander the city, which was a big mistake. Having found myself in the centre of Shibuya square, I was completely lost. All of the Japanese I knew and was able to read, left my brain in the sheer panic that I was feeling. It did not help that I was in a timezone fifteen-hours ahead of my original timezone, so I was exhausted as well. Panic started to set in, I had no idea where I was, nor where I was supposed to go back to.

Hyperventilating, my panicked gaze scanned over the streets in hopes to find someone who looked like they knew how to speak English, yet I saw none; or my anxiety ridden brain registered none. Suddenly, I saw a familiar face; how? I knew no one and was in the city for mere hours. The face that stood out to me was one that I saw everyday in my life in Canada and at that moment, I was thankful I had to get a new phone and did not have my old phone with me just then, because this familiar face I saw, was my background. 

Suddenly, my mouth spoke before my brain could figure out what it was doing. 

“Ano, sumimasen.” I darted up to this person and was screaming at myself to run way and never look back, that didn’t happen. Stopping a good few feet from this person, as strangers do, I had bowed to them from respect, which is probably why the responded the way they did.

Looking away from the phone in their hands and removing the face mask from their mouth, I was one-hundred-percent sure now I had approached who I thought I did. 

“Onegaishimasu. Hikitsudzuki go shien itadaki, Arigatou gozaimasu.” The bowed to me in respect as well. 

This was when my logical brain shut off causing me a lifetime of following through with a lie. 

“Support? Is it an honour to give directions?” I spoke in English accidentally, yet it seemed they understood a couple of words. I laughed nervously at the idea that it could be honorific to give directions.

The man stood from his bow, just as confused as I was at his thanks. ‘Directions,’ ‘honour,’ and my nervous laugh got him to nervously laugh as well, linking his long fingers together out of embarrassment. 

“Uh, no. Sorry.” His accent was very strong, it was cute as he tried to speak English to me. It was welcoming in this scary city where people were always out for themselves. “I thought you know me from music.” I did, but that’s not the reaction I gave. This poor man was just trying to get somewhere, supposedly on a day off of a job I knew ate up most of their time, but here I was bugging him, rudely at that by speaking English.

My eyes widened, hopefully not too apparent that it was just an act.

“Do you do music or just listen a lot?” I tried to speak in as simple English as possible, while it was known that the Japanese learned English in school, learned second languages were usually lost if not used. 

This normal acting man seemed to relax at that, fresh people who knew nothing of him was refreshing. 

“I sing. I am in a group called “Hey! Say! JUMP. You don’t know?” Inside I screamed, outside I shook my head hesitantly in pretending to think about it. “Ii desu yo.” He sighed in relieve, I was panicking at the thought of him ever finding out I lied just then. “Direction you say?” Bringing this short interaction back to the original reason why I ran up to him.

I jumped, having already forgot why I approached a stranger in the street; the fear of being lost had my voice shaking, or was it that I was talking to someone I idolized so much? 

“Yes, I just got here, I cannot find my way back to the dormitories for Meiji University. Kowai yo.” I ended, it was the truth, I had no idea where I was going nor where I was going. 

This got his ears to perk up in hearing Meiji, it obviously struck a memory in him though it had been years since he had been there, but I knew none of that in his eyes.

“Meiji daigaku? Sono omae wa ikuzou ka?” I gave him a quick nod and an ‘un’ in return. “Ikimashita yo.” He said with a look of reminisce in his eyes. 

“You did?” I asked excited, he would definitely know how to get back if that were the case. “Would you be able to tell me how to get back? I will be living on campus and mistakingly left without knowing where I was.” All I had expected was verbal directions, this was when my proficiency test would come in handy, knowing how to follow verbal instructions. I had not expected what he was to say next.

Pulling his sleeve back to look at the smart watch on his wrist, he then looked back to me as he pulled me aside from the crowds.

“Tsureteitte.” This was not happening, it couldn’t have been. There had to be hidden cameras somewhere or I was still asleep on that plane. “I can take you.” 

My heart dropped, I felt a blush hoping it wasn’t visible. I looked around, no one else seemed to be able to help so I guess I had no choice but to accept. “Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.” I bowed to this man whom had no idea that I was virtually in love with. “You aren’t too busy Mr. Musicman?” I asked jokingly, going off of the only information he had given me. 

We began to walk in the direction he had come from, with just that information alone I knew I was going in the wrong direction the entire time. He gave a chuckle at the nickname. 

“Inoo Kei. Watakushi no namae wa.” He was so formal all of a sudden, perhaps it was because he decided to walk with me. “I go home, done work for today.” With such simple words, this man got my heart to skip a beat. It was all so surreal that I, a random Canadian girl, was walking with a Japanese Idol that I was completely in love with, metaphorically of course. 

I gave a few awkward nods, listening a little too intently that I forgot what he was saying, his voice was clearly that of an idol and was intoxicating. 

“Aa, Inoo Kei san wa? Watashi no namae wa Rukuufuu Andi. Andi wa ii desu yo.” I glanced over at him, all of the online encyclopedia all said how tall he was, but it was even more of a reality to see it in person; as an average North American, I was surprised he was taller than me. “It is a short name, but my full name is too long to say.” I gave him a small head bow, in another silent ‘yoroshiku.’ 

We walked in silence for almost a block, I had no idea what to say. Looking over at me he asked a school related question.

“Omae wa Senkou ka?” Ah yes, I may have been able to get him to tell me more about himself which was a good thing. 

“Ano, Shinri-gaku. Atama wa omoshiroi.” I chuckled nervously again, I knew what he took so psychology may not have been interesting to him. Glancing over at him again briefly, the crowded streets did not allow for eye contact while walking like they did in Canada. “What was yours? You did say you were once a student? Graduated?” I had hoped the succession of question would not give away that I knew what he took and when he graduated.

Those beautiful lips parted in an ‘Aa,’ one of slight surprise. 

“Etto, architecture.” He said it slowly, almost not knowing which English syllable went where. He pointed up to the skyscrapers around us. “Buildings.” I had assured him that architecture was the correct word to use. “Ni sen juu san nen. Finish.” He directed us to take a left, a small restaurant was looking familiar. 

Following, I took that left and looked back over my shoulder as that turn made him fall behind a couple of steps. 

“You graduated in 2013? That’s so exciting!” I slowed for him to catch up again. Not knowing where I was going, it seemed weird that I was in the lead. “Is it rude to ask how old you were when you finished?” The Japanese were very personal people, but I also knew it was very difficult to tell how old they were given how well they aged. Not to mention an idol who had access to beauty products that seemed to stop their aging process, making them seem much younger than they really were. 

A casual conversation with a foreign stranger, it did not seem to bother him that I had asked such a personal question, or perhaps it was because he knew he was not all that old. 

“Ni juu sai deshita.” He gave a small smile, it was obvious he knew what my reaction was going to be.

Doing the quick calculations in my head, I had to stop walking.

“You’re my age?!” I shouted out accidentally. “You look 23 now.” I said, hoping it would be a compliment. It was exactly the reaction he was expecting and I gave it to him. “Now I feel old telling you I’m in Meiji.” It was a genuine pout, I was always self-conscious about being an older student in university. 

We took another turn, this time to the right across a street. I saw the building a few blocks down the road that if remembered correctly, was only a couple of building over from the apartment that I was assigned. Offering a hand for a high-five, which I found odd, my Canadian brain subconscious hit that hand. Almost as soon as our hands hit, with furrowed brows I looked to him. 

“Why did we high-five?” A genuine question, I had no idea why he wanted a celebratory gesture. 

“Older it not, you are going.” That beautiful smile I loved so much was directed at me, something I never thought would happen in a million years. “Be proud of yourself.” I was always told to do so, but it was hard being surrounded by younger students at all times. Yet this one person actually made me feel proud to be a student even if I was older than the majority. It got a smile out of me as well, I could not even respond, there was no way to respond. A smile was all I had to offer.

It was not long after that where we finally had reached my dorm again, it was much closer than I thought but would never have found it without this surprise meeting of an unexpected person. 

“Saa, Inoo sama —“ I bowed respectfully after turning to him. “Hontou Arigatou onegaishimashita.” It was ni like that I was very thankful to him for taking time out of his day to help me, especially when he could have just told me where to go. 

Waving it off, he gave a quick smile before pulling out his cell phone.

“Iie Andi chan.” Oh no, he was very informal. “If you ever would like a tour of any of the buildings, call me.” He was giving me his number?! ‘Maybe, on break or shuumatsu. I introduce you to tomodatchi?” His friends? Meaning the rest of the group? Yeah, this had to be a dream.

“Tomodatchi? Ano, Hey! Say!... Mo nani wa?” I knew it was what he meant, but why? I was a stranger that just happened to go to the same school he did, hundreds of thousands have done the same since he had graduated. 

“JUMP. Hey! Say! JUMP.” He finished. “Omoshirokatta desu. Sorera ga suki naru.” 

“Onegaishimasu.” I pulled out and handed him my phone, taking his as we added ourselves to the others phone. With the number I gave him he sent a quick ‘hello’ mail just to make sure it was correct. I had no other number in my phone since I had just picked it up at the airport. “Saa, jaa matta, Inoo sama?” I had no real clue if I would see him again, but this exchange of numbers was almost a foolproof way of saying yes, I will see him again. 

He nodded, tucking his phone away again. 

“Yes.” That strong Japanese accent made it cute with the exaggerated English he gave. “Gambare de.” He waved off, looking at his wrist again before darting down the street. 

Dumbstruck, I was in a trance as I returned to my dormitory room. Upon arrival I had locked the door and collapsed on the twin sized bed heavily. I wasn’t breathing, did not know for how long, once I did I sat up quickly. Reaching for my Canadian phone and looking at the background, making sure it was who I had just talked with, it was. 

“WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!”