Stranded in the Future

Chapter Thirty: The Appointment

My dear sister Isa,

Until I receive tangible evidence of your existence, I shall be inclined to doubt that you are real. But, if you are, then I feel sorry for you. There is much in this modern world that you could never imagine, like telephones which allow the user to communicate over long distances, televisions that display bizarre little stage plays, and exquisite meals which can be enjoyed by people of all social stations.

I can assure you that being a court lady for the Goddess of Death could never compare, so I will say this. Come up here and meet me face to face. Stop hiding in the shadows like a cow-

******

"Ichiro," Kumiko cut in while taking her pen off the page and glancing up at him. "Are you sure about that last part? It sounds like you're challenging her to a fight."

Ichiro rubbed the back of his head with a sigh. He wanted to taunt his sister into revealing herself, but perhaps his words were too aggressive. Still, he was growing frustrated with the lack of news since Yukari's fight with Hideo, and he wondered if it was right to blame his new friend.

Kumiko rose from her chair, sensing his discontent. She reached out to hold his hands. "It's okay, we'll just continue this another time. There's already enough for us to worry about." Her clear and sympathetic eyes caught his attention, but only did so much to calm his nerves.

"I just want to know if it's all real," Ichiro muttered. "Is that too much to ask for?"

"Not at all." Kumiko let go of him and crept towards their bed. "It's just that stressing out like this isn't good for either of us. We should expend our energy another way..."

"Huh?"

Kumiko smiled seductively. "You know what I mean. Come on..."

"All right..." Ichiro removed his sweater with much less difficulty than his first time. He couldn't avoid letting his mind wander, but he would try his best to keep Kumiko satisfied as always. He approached the bed while fumbling with the hem of his shirt.

I'm sorry, mother and father. You'd want me to find Isa, so I promise to do that once I've dealt with everything else...

******

Wednesday morning arrived, causing Ichiro to dread the appointment with Mrs. Konno's friend Izumi. Not even a warm shower could relieve him, and he ate his breakfast in low spirits while making minimal eye contact with Kumiko.

His conscience urged him to pay attention to her like a decent husband, yet there was still too much weighing on his mind for him to try. He realized that the initial excitement of reuniting with Kumiko must have worn off, and the only thing left now was mundane routine with the occasional chance to prove himself in the bedroom.

They headed out at nine o'clock in their winter coats, since spring had only just begun, and the weather had yet to warm up. Ichiro felt a certain comfort in knowing that while the average city had changed beyond recognition, the four seasons remained much the same. If his guess was correct, cherry blossoms would start to bloom soon, and he would be able to see them with Kumiko if they were lucky.

He envisioned a picturesque scene in which she stood waiting for him beneath a fragrant cherry tree, her soft hair shining in the sunlight as petals landed upon her dazzling red kimono.

What a beautiful sight that would be, Ichiro thought wistfully before confronting the reality in front of him. Kumiko looked lovely as always, but she simply didn't enchant him to the same degree anymore.

A glance around at his soulless surroundings told Ichiro everything. This world had lost its heart, and his wife was just another casualty. He clenched his fists and glared at the dull brown jacket he'd had no choice but to wear. He couldn't allow himself to fall from grace as well, but that was getting more difficult with each passing day. The so-called television and radio held a potent magnetism that threatened to enslave him if he wasn't careful, so he wondered if destroying them for good would be the solution.