Chapter 15: Debate inside the bus
April. The school entrance ceremony. Ryu bobbed and shook in his seat as he rode the bus to school. The bus picked up more and more passengers while he gazed idly out his window, watching the cityscape shift.
Most of them were high school uniforms.
There was also a frustrated businessman, who looked like the type to have once mistakenly hit someone aboard a crowded bus. An unsteady pregnant lady stood in front of Ryu, who kept wobbling so badly that he thought she was about to give birth in any second.
Considering he'd known how packed the bus would likely be, Ryu supposed he was simply reaping what he'd sown by getting on.
Fortunately, Ryu was relieved to have found a seat, but it was still crowded. He forgot about the unfortunate pregnant lady and patiently waited to arrive at his destination, his mind clear as a passing stream.
'Fine weather today...' Ryu thought to himself. It was so refreshing that he nearly fell asleep then and there.
But during his ride going to school, he kept biting his lips and narrowing his eyes as he looked through the window.
'My daily routine... I need to at least cum every morning, But how many times have I been releasing my load in a day?...'
However, his gentle yet frustrating respite was promptly erased.
"Excuse me, but shouldn't you offer up your seat?"
Ryu's eyes, which were about to nearly close due to him narrowing his eyes, snapped back open.
'Huh? Is someone talking to me?' But Ryu realized that it was someone else being scolded.
A well-built blond young man, who seemed to be the same age as Ryu, had sat down in one of the priority seats. The pregnant lady stood right next to him, and another woman stood beside her. This second, Ryu noticed that the woman appeared to be an office worker.
"Hey, you there. Can't you see that this pregnant lady is having trouble?" the office lady said.
She seemed to want the young man to offer up his seat.
Her voice carried quite well throughout the quiet bus, attracting several people's attention.
"That's a really crazy question, lady." the boy said,
Ryu wondered if the boy was upset, ignorant, or perhaps terribly honest. In any case, he had such a big grin on his face as he crossed his legs. "What makes you think I'd be willing to give up my seat? I don't have any reason to do so."
"You're on a priority seat. It's only logical to give those seats up."
"Why should I? This is just a seat labeled as 'priority seat.' There's no fuss to make about it. I am under no moral responsibility to move. Since I'm already occupying this seat, shouldn't I be the one to decide whether I move or not? Am I supposed to give up my seat because I'm not pregnant? Ha! It sucks to be you."
He didn't speak in a way that suggested he cared about society or rules. His hair was bleached blond, making him stick out.
"I'm a healthy young man who doesn't mind standing up. My feet, on the other hand, are worn out from rushing to catch the bus. And standing would undoubtedly consume more energy, which I'd rather sit. Or are you implying that you want me to pass out from exhaustion?"
"Y-You! What kind of temperament is that to speak to someone who is older than you?" she demanded.
"Heh? Well, for the foremost fact, even though you are 'somewhat' older than me, it doesn't change the idea that you're showing an impertinent attitude... and aren't you being quite rude to someone who's younger than you?"
"Thi- Aren't you just a university student?! You're still an amateur when it comes to understanding the world we live in, so you should be quiet and just listen to what we adults tell you!"
"Miss, it's alright. My stop is just close by..." the pregnant woman mumbled.
She apparently didn't want any further commotion and tried to calm down the woman. The office lady, however, appeared to be still furious despite being insulted by a mere university student.
"It seems that this pregnant woman is much more perspective than you, which is good to know. Also, I haven't given up on this society we live in yet. So, good luck with your remaining years."
The boy slid his headphones on and began listening to relatively deafening music after flashing a pointlessly vigorous smile. However, the office lady now clenched her teeth in frustration.
At any rate, Ryu had to at least partly agree to what the boy said.
If you ignore the question of a moral imperative, it was true that he wasn't morally responsible to move or to give up his seat.
It was just a small incident on the bus, after all. Ryu felt relieved that he hadn't become entangled in the situation. Honestly, he couldn't care less about giving up his seat for a pregnant lady.
"Um... I think that the lady is right."
Somehow, the woman received unexpected support. The owner of the voice appeared to be standing next to the office lady, boldly expressing her thoughts to the boy. She was dressed in the same school uniform as Ryu's.
"Ho, who do we have here? It's a pretty girl. It would seem that I'm rather lucky when it comes to the opposite sex."
"This unfortunate woman appeared to have been in anguish for a lot longer than you. Will you not give up your seat? While you may think such courtesy is unnecessary, I believe it would benefit society much."
With a Crack! The boy snapped his fingers.
"Benefit to society, you say?
"Giving a pregnant woman a seat could be a good way to benefit society. Regrettably, I have no desire to contribute to society. I'm simply concerned about my own satisfaction. Oh, and another thing. You're asking me to give up my priority seat on this crowded bus, but why can't you convince the other passengers who are remaining silently seated and leave me alone? I believe that if someone actually cares about the pregnant lady, 'priority seat here, priority seat there' would be a little worry."
The girl's intentions were not conveyed to the boy that easily, and his arrogant attitude remained unchanged. Both the office lady and the pregnant lady were speechless and stood there with a bitter look on their faces.
However, the girl who stood up for the pregnant lady did not give up.
"Everyone. Please pay attention to me for at least a few moments. Is there anyone willing to give up their seat for this pregnant lady? Anyone, please."
How did someone manage to compress so much bravery, tenacity, and compassion into so few words? That was no easy task. The girl may have appeared to be a bother to those around her, but she made an earnest and fearless appeal to the other passengers.
Though not in a priority seat, Ryu was near the pregnant woman. Ryu imagined if he raised his hand and offered his spot, then the matter would be settled.
However, like everyone else, Ryu didn't move. None of the passengers had thought the necessary to move. The boy's attitude and remarks aside, everyone on the bus had, for the most part, agreed with him.
Now, of course, the pregnant lady is worth benefit to Japan. She gives birth to a child, then the child grows older to help society. It's quite obvious that her child will continue to support Japan in the future. So, if you were to examine both the pregnant and the young and ask yourself which group is more valuable, the answer should be obvious. That's really the perfect argument, wouldn't you say?
But still, Ryu wondered what the others would do. As he looked around, he saw two kinds of people: those who had pretended not to have heard anything and those who looked hesitant.
On the other hand, the girl sitting next to Ryu seemed different. She wasn't the only one who couldn't figure out what was going on. Her expressionless face remained the same.
Their gazes locked for a brief moment when Ryu unintentionally looked at her. Ryu could tell they had the same opinion even without saying anything. Neither of them thought giving up their seats was necessary.
"E-Excuse me. You can have mine." Shortly after the girl's request, a working man stood, unable to bear the guilt any longer, and offered up his seat.
"Thank you very much," the pregnant lady said.
The working man smiled, lowered his head, and guided the pregnant woman to the now-vacant seat.
The pregnant lady expressed her gratitude and slowly sat.
Watching the scene unfold, from Ryu's peripheral vision. Ryu crossed his arms and closed his eyes. Soon, after dropping by the high school students, Ryu arrived at his destination.