It was 7:50 a.m. when I left the house, the train arrives at 7:52 a.m. and I still have about 400m to walk. As I ran toward the stop, I wondered if I should take a shortcut. The shortcut is how should I put it... you just run quickly through the red light and you're there, the only problem is that there are cars driving past at about 60 km/h. It was risky.
7:51 am
I was just before the traffic lights and saw the train just coming to a stop at the stop.
I ran faster, as if someone was running after me at that very moment and taking me with them. The traffic lights were red for pedestrians. I ignored it and quickly ran across the street. I looked to the right before I put my foot on the road... A truck... About 50 km/h... I couldn't slow down... Was this the end of me... suddenly I felt someone grab me by the shoulder and hit me with full force pulled themselves to the ground. He pulled me out of traffic. I was lying on the floor…
[Guy with glasses] "Are you okay?" he asked me.
I just looked at him and just couldn't answer. I lay there in silence.
[Guy with glasses] "Are you okay, I asked you?".
His voice became more serious.
[Ace] "Yes.. everything is fine".
[Guy with glasses] "Don't you see these cars driving down the road at 180? Do you honestly think you'd survive this shit?".
I saw the train just leaving. I looked at the floor to first come to terms with the fact that I had almost died...
[Guy with glasses] "Come on, I'll help you up".
He grabbed my arm and lifted me up.
[Guy with glasses] "Watch where you're going, it's too dangerous to run through a red light".
[Ace] "I know you don't have to tell me, I'm not three years old".
I look around. Only he had been nearby.
[Ace] "So, um, what's your name?".
[Guy with glasses] "My name is Haruka".
[Ace] "So, listen, Haruka, if you hadn't, uhm, you know…".
[Haruka] "Stopped you?".
[Ace] "Exactly…".
[Haruka] "It's okay, as long as you're not hurt, everything's okay." As he said it, he put his hand on my shoulder and gave it a little shake, a sort of "everything's okay now".
[Ace] "Oh, sorry, my name is Ace".
[Haruka] "Nice to meet you Ace".
He held out his hand to greet me.
I looked at him a little. Black short hair, green eyes and small narrow glasses. When I saw his school uniform, I noticed that he was wearing the same one as me.
[Ace] "Do you also go to Shirin High School?".
[Haruka] "Yes, today is my first day, why do you ask?".
[Ace] "Because I see you are wearing the same uniform as me, so I wanted to make sure".
Apparently today is also Haruka's first day of school.
[Haruka] "It could even be that we are in the same grade, but we are still in the same school".
He laughed.
Why did I ask that? I see that he wears the same uniform as me, why should he NOT go to the same school.
[Haruka] "Hey, don't we just go together?".
[Ace] "Sure, why not?".
We walked to the stop without running through the red light... and waited for the train. We sat down on the bench that was next to the stop.
[Ace] "We're going to be a little late, aren't we?".
[Haruka] "Not quite. We'll just take the next train that goes in roughly the same direction, just a little faster".
[Ace] "Okay cool, but how are we supposed to get to school if we can't even get past the school on the next train".
[Haruka] "There is a stop where both trains stop, and the train we are about to take leaves there, BUT just a little earlier than the other one".
So that was his plan. I just looked at him and just wondered how I didn't think of it.
[Haruka] "Since when do you live here?".
[Ace] "Since I was born here, why do you ask?".
[Haruka] "You really don't know your way around here for someone who has lived here all their life".
[Ace] "How long have you been here?".
[Haruka] "I moved here with my older sister two years ago".
[Ace] "Why did you move?".
I noticed how something about him changed. His eyes start to water a little.
[Haruka] "I moved here because of my parents."
He sounds like he was trying not to cry. He continued.
[Haruka] "My parents died in an accident here two years ago".
Suddenly I felt empty. I would have expected anything but not this...
[Ace] "Then why did you move here?".
[Haruka] "I want to find out what really happened".
[Ace] "Wait a minute, do you think your parents died differently".
[Haruka] "No, I was just very suspicious that my sister and I were told that our parents died in a car accident and their bodies were never found…".
I just look at him confused. As if something else had happened.
[Haruka] "Even though they didn't find the bodies, they still sent us two urns that, strangely enough, were supposed to be from my parents, even though they weren't found."
Now it's clear to me what he's getting at.
[Ace] "So, you think they were killed?".
I asked him, completely confused.
[Haruka] "It's all just a theory Ace, I'm not 100% sure if something else happened to them".
[Ace] "And you're here now because?".
[Haruka] "To find out what really happened".
I just looked at him and then looked mindlessly at the floor. If that's true? Could it be that he's just thinking about it way too much? But as he said, it's all just a theory.
[Ace] "Hey, uhm, Haruka, I think you're just worrying too much about this".
[Haruka] "Like I said Ace, it's all just a theory".
Neither of us spoke at all for a short while. I just looked at the floor.
After a while, the train finally came. We got in, looked for a place and sat. According to Haruka, we should get off at a station where both trains meet, just at different times. When we arrived at the said stop, we both got out and waited for the actual train. And sure enough, the train that takes us to school is there. We got in. It was full. Apparently, I must get used to standing in such a small space from now on. However, Haruka was close to me, which made it possible for me to talk to him more and not be bored the whole ride. I should really get some headphones.