Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I sit at the kitchen table, rotating a cup in my fingers with my head propped up on the other hand.
After these past two holidays, the only big event left on my mind is the college entrance exams. Remembering my conversation with Asahi from before, I repeat his words of encouragement in my mind. Since that moment, thinking about the right college for me has been a source of worry, but I was able to avoid it with other things until now.
Some part of me believes that I belong at Tokyo University, yet each time I start to feel confident, a dark, doubtful pit forms in my stomach. Though I know I should be filled with the same determination that Asahi has for me, I can't seem to feel it.
Other forms of uncertainty for the future continue to fill my mind, and I don't notice how fast the cup is spinning between my fingers until Mom places her palm over the brim.
"Be careful, it could've spun off the table," she says, taking it from my hand. "What's wrong?"
"Hmm... nothing really," I say, not wanting to inundate her with simple high school problems.
"I don't think so," she smiles pitifully at me. Before I can protest, she pulls out the chair next to me and sits. "You still have time before you have to go say bye to Asahi, don't you?"
Watching Mom's caring eyes, I feel drawn to spill my feelings. I look at the clock above the front door and figure that I can spare a few minutes.
"Well..." I sigh, "I'm just nervous about college stuff."
"Oh, I remember that struggle. Do you have any places in mind?"
"Well, I know I wanna go to a university in the city."
"Hey, that sounds like fun! There are lots of opportunities in the city. Which university are you thinking?"
