Words Don't Come Easy

Chapter 1: Downpour

September, 2016

Tokyo is a city that thrives on culture and is abundant with individuals seeking the same opportunities and the same successes. There are large streets that all quite look the same, and there are many smaller streets that all look like one another as well. The inhabitants are also quite similar. Every morning, they complete the same routine. They walk across roads as if they were puppets in a show. Stop. Start. Look left. Go.

However on this very evening, there was an interruption to this performance of theirs. Rain dampened the streets of Tokyo and much to the dismay of Sakura Kinomoto, Tokyo is a lot harder to navigate amongst a sea of black umbrellas and mere metres of vision under a heavy downpour of rain.

Even when there was heavy rain in Tokyo, it was still buzzing with people. Sakura sighed and looked towards the dark sky that was ridden with clouds above her.

Why did there have to be a storm today?

A loud crack of thunder followed by heavy rain fell upon her. It simply wasn't fair to her. She had expected beautiful skies and lovely weather on her first day in the big city. Wiping the rain droplets off her face, Sakura dragged her feet along the pavement with a silent hope that her legs would somehow magically lead her to her apartment complex. Though, she would have no such luck. She had already spent the last of her money catching a bus to the wrong part of town and to make matters worse, she left her raincoat and umbrella back in her hometown, Tomoeda.

The dim lights of the convenience store seemed like heaven to Sakura. She rushed through the sliding doors, seeking refuge from the rain. From the top of her head to the soles of her feet, Sakura looked like she had fallen into a swimming pool. Reaching into her baby pink backpack, she grabbed an iPhone which had a very obvious crack down the middle. She had only bought the phone five months ago and it was already time to get a replacement. It didn't help that she dropped in the kitchen one time. Or maybe two times. Make that a lot of times. Sakura punched in a number that was now ingrained in her memory. This was her fifth attempt at contacting her new roommate this evening so it was no surprise when she was redirected to voicemail.

A soft, bubbly voice filled Sakura's ears, "Hello! This is Tomoyo Daidouji's phone. Sorry that I can't answer but I'll get back to you. I promise!" It was useless to try and call her again. Not only was Sakura's phone nearly dead but it was getting quite late and she had an inkling feeling that the communication lines were damaged during the storm.

Suddenly the light within the convenience store vanished and that was her cue to leave. The rain was getting heavier, the sky was getting darker and by all means, Sakura was getting tired. She glanced down at her watch and groaned. It was nearly 11:00pm and she still hadn't found her street. Maybe she should've listened to her father when he suggested to arrive earlier but it was far too late to think about that. And she was far too stubborn to tell him that.

Pulling her suitcase along the pathway, Sakura rubbed her right arm that started to ache. The monotonous action of carrying her luggage all around Tokyo was tiresome and it didn't look like she was going to stop anytime soon. There was no doubt in her mind that she was in the wrong part of town. Luxurious hotels dominated the streets left and right of her. The $180 per week contract that she signed did not match these hotels. The intricate gardens of these hotels alone conveyed that they were upwards of $600 per night.

Admitting defeat, Sakura finally decided to seek directions. The only reason why she hadn't done this earlier was her pride but nearing 11:30pm, she couldn't care less. Sakura walked towards the closest hotel and lugged her suitcase behind her. The rain was too heavy for her to make out the name of the hotel but it didn't really matter. She wasn't staying the night anyway. Pushing the rotating door, she entered the grand foyer and immediately started to shiver.