Between Him and Her

The Lost Son and the Strange Girl

Every day it was the same old routine, the same old story. Ryuuhei woke up, got dressed, worked for nine hours, went home, took a bath, had dinner, drank beer, watched some TV and then went to bed. The next day he woke up again to repeat the process. It wasn't like this couple of years ago. He used to have a wife who would wake him up, a son who would jump on his back while he was laying on the tatami floor watching TV. But they went away.

His son had died in a traffic accident. He had run after a ball in the street, and a car ran over him. To hear that news again brought heavy pains in his heart. His wife became distant afterward and they had mutually decided to get a divorce. He had received a wedding invitation last month. She had met someone, and they were getting married soon. It was this month. In a way, he blamed himself for not being there for Yumiko and Hiroki that day, the day of the accident.

He distinctly remembered that day. He was on a break, having his cup of coffee and a cigarette with his co-worker in the break room when his phone rang.

"Hai, Moshi-mosh" He answered within the second ring since it was Yumiko. Yumiko never disturbed him at work unless if it was something important.

"Ryuuhei-san, it's Hiroki. He is in the hospital." Her voice sounded out of breath. She was rushing to get air in and out of her body.

"What happened?" He asked stubbing his cigarette out.

"He was involved in a traffic accident." She cried.

"How?" Now he was rushing to get to his main office.

"I don't know. I just took my eyes off of him for one second. Now he is in the hospital."

"Inform me of the hospital. Let me go and speak with my supervisor. I will be there soon."

By the time he had arrived in the hospital, all was in an uproar. Yumiko was crying harshly in the hallway, and his mother was yelling at her while his father was holding her back from Yumiko. He looked equally mad and angry.

"What's happening here? okaasan and otousan, you have arrived." He said acknowledging his parents.

"Oh Ryuuhei, Hiroki is gone. He is gone. They couldn't save him." His mother ran into his arms and cried loudly.

"What? Yumiko, why is okaasan saying that Hiroki is gone?" Ryuuhei turned to his wife.

She was on the floor crying. Handing mother to his father, he knelt in front of his wailing wife.

"Is he gone? Really?" Tears were swelling out of his eyes. Indescribable pain was bubbling out of his heart.

"Where is he? Where is Hiroki? I want to see him." Ryuuhei said to no one. A doctor was standing to the side watching all the sad drama unfold. He stepped forward.

"Matsumoto-san. I am the doctor in charge. Come, I will take you to your son."

Ryuuhei wordlessly followed the man in the white coat. There were streaks of blood here and there. Coming to a sliding panel door, the doctor stopped him. "I want you to know that I am sorry that I couldn't save your son." He bowed deeply to the grieving father.

Ryuuhei went in and closed the door behind him.

The doctor stood outside to hear the wail of a father.

They all left him slowly after that incident. His wife who blamed herself for the death of the son, his father's heart attack and his mother's cancer had left an immeasurable amount of pain and loneliness in his heart that he didn't know how to overcome it.

It was his friends who would come to drag him out of his self-imposed exile from the social life. They took him to live shows, underground bands, bars, etc. to get him to talk and mingle with other single ladies out there. But he didn't show any interest. He did enjoy the music though which was why he was surprised to see that foreigner's music library in her iPhone.

He had noticed that same girl or woman for he couldn't judge whether she was a teenager or a working woman since she started taking his line to work. Every time he had seen her, it was with a set of headphones to her ears and bopping to the music. She never sat down but stood by the sliding doors of the car.

When she noticed him for the first time, she had smiled at him — strange girl to smile at an unknown person. Maybe she was lonely. Yesterday they had a moment. He had returned the gesture her which he rarely did with passengers. Today in the morning, she had smiled at him again but didn't approach him. He appreciated that because he didn't want his supervisor to speak to him for being inattentive.