朝ごはん (Breakfast)

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by Scorchflame999

by Scorchflame999

"Itadakimasu*!"

Kotomi and I pick up our chopsticks and begin eating. I don't even look at the food, nor do I taste it. It's probably good, but after whatever dream I had, I'm completely out of it. My food disappears before I can fully process the fact that I was eating. Looking up, I see that Kotomi has only finished half of her breakfast. Though, I suppose I should let her know that I'm done eating now.

"Gochisousama**," my voice comes out quiet, somewhat breathless, causing Kotomi to look up at me with another worried expression, this time with a green vegetable sticking out of her mouth.

"Chomoya-gun, whash wronn?" Kotomi tries to speak with her mouth full, making her hard to understand. I think it's safe to assume she just tried to ask me what's wrong. Of course, I hesitate. I don't want to lie to her, but I also don't want to make her any more worried.

"I," my voice fails me for a moment. How do I explain this?

"I had a dream." Once I finally decide on an explanation, I sound like an American public speaker, so I assume it'll get my point across and continue, "I can't remember what it was, but it wasn't good. And I think it involved you."

Kotomi stares at me for a moment, eyes blank, now with part of her breakfast in her cheek. This expression either means that she's thinking or her her teeth hit something hard.

"Oh," her response finally comes after a good thirty seconds, "I see."

"Kotomi," I know she's about to blame herself for this, so I gaze intently at her, "I don't think any ill of you. It was a bad dream, but I know that you weren't the cause."

Kotomi stares vacantly at me for a bit before breaking eye contact again to look down at her unfinished breakfast. She's probably poring over everything she knows about dreams and psychology in her head right now.

While Kotomi stares at her bowls, I get up to wash mine. The sink is empty, since Kotomi always seems quite eager to do the dishes in the morning and evening.

As soon as I finish cleaning my dishes, the doorbell rings. I immediately look at the clock, which now reads 8:15. Students at the nearby high schools should be on their way to class now. Kotomi's godfather, who we both affectionally refer to as "Gramps," normally avoids visiting at this time because of the crowds.

Curious, I approach the front door and peak outside. A girl with long, purple hair with a ribbon tied on her left and a blue symbol on her uniform is standing on the step, her face clearly displaying her panic. Behind her, I see smoke and the back end of a bus on its side. I quickly undlock and open the door.

"What happened?" I clearly just woke up. My hair is a mess and I'm still in my pajamas, but she doesn't seem to notice, as she immediately grabs my arm and begins pulling me toward the wreck.

Beside the bus, I see that multiple bodies have been laid out, taken out of the bus by passengers that had managed to avoid injury. I can't tell if they're alive. People are still scrambling to try and find more passengers on the bus, while various emergency vehicles begin to arrive.

Looking back at the passengers on the ground, I notice that many of them seem to be wearing the same uniform as the girl standing next to me. Peering back at her, she's started crying. Now that I've had time to survey the damage, she attempts to speak to me.

"My sister," her voice falters as she sobs, "My sister is still trapped inside."

* Japanese - "Thanks for the meal," said before eating

** Japanese - Used after one has been treated (Usually to a meal)