That must have been why, when the crush of passengers had boarded the train at Mondo Yakujin, she had squeezed next to Kei’ichi instead of allowing herself to be swept further into the carriage. A person of small stature like her could get away with squishing to the side and still not be in the way of people getting on and off the train.
‘I’ve only ever seen SDF helicopters on the news, so then to see them right here in the city! What’s more, it’s amazing how they’re able to fly in such close alignment. This was definitely the big-ticket item of the day!’
‘You know, we’re in the same year, we can speak informally,’ he offered. She had been sprinkling her words with formal keigo.
She responded automatically with a just-as-formal ‘yes’ but then corrected herself with an awkwardly enunciated ‘yeah’ and a nod. Perhaps she wasn’t all that used to speaking casually with a guy.
‘My name is Kei’ichi Kosaka. And you are?’
He meant it as an innocent icebreaker but her expression instantly hardened. He had thought they were hitting it off, though maybe he’d got the wrong impression and she was simply a friendly person.
‘Ah, sorry, I guess that was forward of me.’
He offered a tentative apology, and she reached into her tote bag. From what appeared to be the inner pocket, she pulled out a card wallet.
It was packed with several cards and from these she extracted her student ID, which she held out for him to see as she gazed at him with upturned eyes.
The name listed there read:
MIHO GONDAWARA
He almost burst out laughing – without meaning any harm – but he quickly contained himself. Clearly this was a source of trauma for her. Like Kei’ichi being called an army geek.
‘… that’s a pretty macho name. It sounds like it comes from the Warring States era or something.’
He had barely managed to suppress the laughter that had welled up in his throat but he wasn’t sure whether the comment he eventually spluttered out was inappropriate or not.
‘People have always made fun of it, ever since I was a kid. Even at university, I didn’t stand a chance, the nickname “Gon-chan” is just too irresistible. Whenever I introduce myself, out on a group date or something, people always laugh at me.’
They may not have meant any harm (just as Kei’ichi hadn’t) but that didn’t mean it didn’t still hurt, every single time. Even if she laughed along with them.
‘When I got to college, I so wanted everyone to call me Miho-chan. But I screwed up my debut.’ She put away her ID as she said this.
Hoping to smooth over this uncomfortable moment, Kei’ichi blurted out his own revelation.
‘I also saw university as a chance to make a fresh start. All through high school, girls had called me “army geek” and made fun of me. I thought if I could hide my interest I might be able to get a girlfriend. But now here I go, unable to stop myself from blabbing about it.’
‘Oh, well, you don’t have to worry – I won’t tell anyone that you’re an army geek.’ There was a slight hesitation in her speech, but she had taken up his offer to speak informally.
‘When someone asks me about something I’m into, I get carried away and just jabber on – I guess I give myself away, I really am a geek!’
‘With my problem, it’s not really a matter of whether or not I give myself away …’
She pouted sulkily and he thought, Gon-chan is pretty cute.
‘The only way to change my name is to get married.’
‘Ah, you’re right. I shouldn’t talk about my problem as if it’s on the same level as yours. Sorry.’
‘Oh, no, I wasn’t trying to make you feel bad. I’m the one who’s sorry.’
There was a lull in the conversation, until Kei’ichi broke their silence.
‘So before you saw the helicopters, what else did you come across today that was special?’
‘Three Borzoi!’ Gon-chan’s response was immediate. ‘They were on their morning walk, I spotted them from the train on my way out. An elderly couple was walking all three of them.’
He inferred that she must have had a lecture during Saturday’s first period. He figured that wasn’t a required course, it had to be an elective subject. It fitted with his reasonable assumption from her appearance that she was a serious student. In contrast to himself, who practically had to be strong-armed into taking just the one compulsory class during Saturday’s second period (that of the aforementioned and infamous textbook author).
‘Are Borzoi the dogs that are tall and really long and skinny?’
‘That’s right. One of them on its own has a lot of poise, but three of them together is something to see. An abundance of elegance, you might say!’
They were certainly posh dogs, and he imagined that the couple who owned them would have to be rich to afford the care and food for three of them, but to say so might have provoked scorn from Gon-chan so he held his tongue.
He didn’t want to throw cold water on her unguarded enthusiasm either.
‘The Imazu Line is good, from here to Nishi-Kita, at least. One of these days I’d like to ride it all the way to the other end, at Takarazuka Station. But so far I haven’t had a reason to go in the opposite direction.’
‘It’s no good past Nishi-Kita?’
‘That’s not what I meant, not at all.’ Something curious about the Imazu Line is that it doesn’t run directly all the way to Imazu; the tracks split at Nishinomiya-Kitaguchi. Passengers have to disembark there and cross over to a different platform in order to carry on to Imazu, two stations further, which was something Kei’ichi had never done.
She continued her explanation. ‘I’m living with my aunt near the Hanshin-Kokudo Station, which is convenient because it’s close to the JR line, or if I go all the way to the terminus at Imazu I can transfer to the Hanshin Main Line. Plus there are tons of stores there, you can get whatever you need. But the tracks are elevated after Nishi-Kita. It’s much easier to spot interesting things when the train runs at street level.’
Kei’ichi had been nodding along as he listened. ‘Hey, you just slipped back to formal,’ he teased her. Her cheeks flushed as she quickly corrected herself, repeating the last thing she’d said but more casually.
‘Go easy on me, please! Boys have mostly only ever teased me about my name, I’m not used to having normal conversations with them. Certainly not with a cool guy like you, Kosaka-kun.’
She thinks I’m cool …?
‘Well, that’s the first time anyone’s ever said that about me. Like I said, all through middle and high school, I was known as “army-geek guy”. Meaning I’ve never had a girlfriend.’
‘So, are you saying I have strange taste?’
‘Hey now, don’t go back on what you said just like that!’
‘Ah, sorry, no! I’ve never had a boyfriend either!’
She’s funny. And she’s cute. And we seem to get each other.
At some point he had taken off his headphones and they were hanging around his neck. Talking to Gon-chan was more interesting than listening to the same old music.
‘Kosaka-kun, you don’t seem like you’re from Kansai. I’m from Nagasaki, what about you?’
It was the first personal question she had asked him. He took it as a sign that she was enjoying talking to him too.
‘I’m from Hiroshima. I live a short bike ride from Nishi-Kita.’
He may have overshared by including where he lived, but Gon-chan had mentioned the station that was nearest to her too.
‘Huh, but isn’t rent expensive in Nishi-Kita?’
‘I got a late start on my apartment search. But I found a decent place that’s only a ten-minute bike ride from the station, and the rent is pretty cheap. Actually it’s kind of close to the Mukogawa River.’