The Last Train
Everyday Together · Level A2
"You were great tonight, Dai-chan," Yui said. "I think we sold all of your T-shirts."
"That's right, Daichi," said Takumi. "We can pay the stage fee this week and have some left over. Out of Batteries is becoming popular."
Daichi smiled. "Wow, I can spend money on a drink for once without stealing from the band," he said. "Give me a minute. I hate this summer heat." He went to a vending machine and got a bottle of Sagittarius.
"Where'd your drummer go?" asked Kaoru.
"Akira? Tomorrow is Thursday, and he has to work early. He left an hour ago to catch the train," said Takumi.
"The train!" said Kaoru, looking at the tracks. "What time is it?" she asked.
Takumi looked at his watch. "Midnight. Why?" he said.
"We have to hurry," said Kaoru. "The last train is at twelve oh five."
"We'd better run," said Yui.
"Wait up," said Daichi. "I can't run fast."
The four ran to the station, but the train doors closed as they reached the ticket gate. Daichi waited outside the station, breathing heavily. "Thank goodness for vending machines," he said and drank the energy drink quickly.
"You're out of shape," said Takumi.
"I'm a programmer," said Daichi. "I don't need to exercise." He wiped his forehead.
"What do we do now?" asked Kaoru. "I have a meeting tomorrow morning. I need some sleep."
"Me too. I don't have a meeting, though," said Takumi. "There's a Love Hotel by the station. We could stay there?" He pointed to the big building and smiled.
Kaoru crossed her arms. "No!" Her face turned red, and she looked away.
"Never in a million years," said Yui. "This isn't a manga."
Daichi started towards the hotel. "I'm in. Are you paying for four rooms?" he asked Takumi.
"I was kidding," Takumi said, stepping back. "Is there a capsule hotel near here?"
Daichi shook his head. "We're about an hour's walk from Shinsaibashi. I know of three hotels there, but nothing around here," he said.
"Check your phone," said Kaoru.
Daichi searched for a list of the capsule hotels in the area. "There's one at the next station. It's got a couple of rooms available," he said.
"Book them," said Kaoru. "Here's my card." She opened her bag.
"Sorry, it just sold out," Daichi said. "Let me try again." He continued looking at his phone. "Nope. The Shinsaibashi hotels are also full, and there's no way we're walking to Umeda."
"Why is everything so full?" asked Kaoru. "This isn't the tourist season."
"I don't know. There is an anime convention coming up soon," said Daichi. "I'm also presenting at an international trade show in a couple of days." He laughed. "Ah, there's a BKA 84 concert tomorrow. They're choosing a new leader. Every otaku in Japan will be there." He closed his phone.
"The Love Hotel is still right there," said Takumi, smiling.
Kaoru crossed her arms.
"If you mention that place again, I'll never bake you another cookie," Yui said.
Takumi put up his hands and bowed to Yui. "Please forgive me, Mistress Yui. I need your cookies. I can't get anything as delicious in California."
"Maybe. I'll think about it," Yui said, shaking her head. "This station is close to my school. There is an internet café near there."
"Where?" asked Kaoru. "Is it full too?"
"Probably. It's small and on the other side of my school. Maybe twenty minutes from here," said Yui. "We'll have to walk.
"There are no taxis here, and home is too far away. This is an adventure. I'd never do this kind of thing back in America," said Takumi. "I'm hungry. Maybe we can find an all-night restaurant on the way and eat something."
"That's my line," said Yui. She pushed Takumi. A smile stayed on her face.
"He's stealing your lines," said Daichi. "Take away his cookies."
Yui stuck out her tongue at Daichi.
Takumi laughed.
"What should we do if the café is closed?" asked Kaoru. "Can you check?"
"I'm okay with staying out all night, but I have to do some work for the trade show starting in a few days," said Daichi, taking out his phone. "A computer would be useful. I'm usually up until four o'clock, anyway."
He bit his lip.
"What's wrong?" asked Kaoru.
"The web page isn't loading," said Daichi. "I can't get a signal."
"It's Thursday, and I don't have school tomorrow," said Yui. "But I have to work in the afternoon."
"Let's go to the café," said Takumi. "We can check the web page while we walk and catch the first train back."
Yui led the way down the street.
"Why is it so dark here?" asked Takumi. "Where are the streetlights?"
"This part of Osaka is more industrial. Not a lot of people live around here," said Daichi.
"Is that why the Live House was so small?" asked Takumi.
Daichi nodded. "It's also why there were no taxis near the station."
"Did you ever contact that woman from Quiet Signal Records?" asked Kaoru. "When she gave me her card at your Shinsaibashi concert, she seemed interested in your music."
"We have a meeting with her next week," said Takumi. "But Daichi doesn't want to go." He shook his head.
"How come, Dai-chan?" Yui asked.
"I'm busy next week," Daichi said.
"I can do all the talking," said Takumi. "My keigo has improved."
Daichi laughed. "No, it hasn't. You asked that cute girl at the bar if she wanted to live."
"I was nervous," Takumi said. "She didn't have to run away from me."
"Don't worry, Takumi," Kaoru said. "Japanese is difficult. You'll get the hang of it someday." She smiled and patted his arm. "We still like you, even when you say scary things."
"Very funny," Takumi said, chuckling. "My mother spoke Japanese to me every day back in the US, but I stopped trying. I was pretty rusty in the beginning, but now, I'm getting pretty good."
"You should be careful. You threatened the girl," said Daichi.
The other three laughed. Takumi crossed his arms and walked ahead of them. He stopped at the corner.
"There's a restaurant down the street," Takumi said. "We could get out of the heat."
"I could go for a snack," said Yui.
"What about the internet café?" asked Kaoru.
"Hold on," said Daichi. "Let me check again. I'm getting a signal." He looked at his phone and shook his head. "No, sorry. There was a BKA 84 advertisement on the front page. It's full."
Kaoru sighed and looked at the store. She yawned. "Maybe a drink. It's too humid to be walking all night."
"Excellent," said Takumi.
"Great," said Yui. "I'm starving." She turned down the street and went towards the restaurant.
"You're always starving," said Daichi.
"That's because I'm always working," said Yui. "You sleep all day, Dai-chan."
"Sleep is my hobby," Daichi said.
"I can't understand why so many Japanese like to sleep," said Takumi. He opened the door to the restaurant. "Ladies first."
"Thank you. Such a gentleman," said Yui.
"Of course, my lady," Takumi said, bowing.
Kaoru smiled.
They sat down at a booth, and a tired server came to their table. He put four glasses of water on the table. "Welcome to Big Mans," he said. He pointed to a QR code. "Here is the menu. When you are ready, please use the online service to order." He bowed and went back to the kitchen.
They all ordered coffee. Yui got a doriya. Takumi got a steak and some fries.
The server placed the food and coffee on the table and bowed.
"The steak looks good," said Yui, looking at her doriya.
"I don't need all the fries," Takumi said. "Help yourself."
"No thanks," said Daichi. "I usually don't eat after midnight."
"Thank you," said Kaoru. She took one. "Tasty."
"Why didn't you order anything?" asked Takumi. He cut a piece of steak. "You always look so tired. Are you eating enough?"
"Who's the mother now?" said Kaoru, smiling.
"You are, Ka-chan," Yui said.
Kaoru shook her head. "I've been too nervous to eat," she said. "I have a big presentation next week, and my boss was angry at me the other day."
"What happened?" asked Takumi.
"I made a mistake with a vendor and cost the company a big penalty," said Kaoru. "Sometimes my boss is really mean. I'm afraid he'll give me a window seat."
"What does that mean?" asked Takumi.
"They will move my desk to a window and give me no work," said Kaoru.
"If you don't like it, why don't you quit your job?" Takumi asked.
"I can't do that," Kaoru said. "I still have student loans to pay off, and they are helping me." She yawned. "I like my co-workers. I can't just quit."
"Really? Japanese companies help you pay off your loans?" said Takumi.
"The good ones do," said Yui.
Kaoru leaned back and closed her eyes. "I really need a vacation."
"Let's go together," said Takumi. "We can visit my parents back in California."
"Maybe," said Kaoru.
"I'll think about it," said Daichi.
"I've always wanted to go there," said Yui. "How's the food?"
"The best," said Takumi.
The server came back and bowed. "Sorry to bother you, but the kitchen is closing. This is the last order," he said.
"What time does the restaurant close?" asked Takumi.
"At two o'clock," said the server. "That's in thirty minutes."
"We're good," said Kaoru.
The server bowed and went back to the kitchen.
"I'll finish this, and then we can go," said Takumi.
✦
"You were snoring, Ka-chan," said Yui. They were walking down the street to Yui's university.
"Was not," said Kaoru. She crossed her arms.
"Yes, you were," said Takumi. "It was really cute."
Kaoru tried to kick Takumi.
"Careful! Your shoes are sharp," said Takumi.
"Sorry, I slipped," said Kaoru.
"Next time, wait until he isn't looking," said Daichi, smiling.
"So mean," said Takumi.
"I need to use the toilet," said Kaoru.
"Why didn't you use it at the restaurant?" asked Daichi.
"I didn't have to go then," said Kaoru.
"There's a convenience store over there," said Takumi. He pointed down a side street.
"Great. Let's go there," said Yui.
The doors to the convenience store opened. Kaoru and Daichi went directly to the toilet.
Yui and Takumi went to the drink cooler. "Hey, look! They have drinkable mayo here," said Yui. "I thought they had discontinued it." She took one from the shelf.
Takumi took a can of coffee and went to the register.
"I'll pay for that," said Daichi. He took out his wallet.
"No, it's okay," said Takumi.
"It's my fault we missed the train," Daichi said. "I stopped for a drink and couldn't run."
"No, it's not," said Kaoru
Takumi put his hand on Daichi's shoulder. "That's not your fault you were slow. We would have left you behind."
The other three smiled.
"Let me pay anyway," said Daichi. "I'm collecting the points."
"Even my onigiri?" asked Yui.
"You have four. Do you need that many?" asked Daichi. He put the money on the counter and opened the store app.
"I need energy to stay out all night," said Yui.
They left the convenience store and went to a small park. Kaoru and Daichi sat on a bench. Takumi sat on a swing set and started swinging.
"Dai-chan?" Yui asked.
"Yes, Yui?" Daichi said.
"You didn't answer the question earlier. Why don't you want to go to the meeting with Quiet Signal Records?" Yui asked.
"Yes! I don't understand either," said Takumi.
"It's nothing really. I'm just busy," said Daichi. "You and Akira can go," he said.
"It's not enough," said Takumi. "You're the singer. We need you."
Daichi stared into the night. "It's really quiet here," he said.
"Dai-chan!" Yui said. "I can always tell when you are lying."
Daichi jumped. "Sorry. It's just that I'm worried that success will destroy the band."
"What do you mean?" asked Takumi.
"It's happened many times," said Daichi. "Many programming teams work together to build a great product. When they release it and become successful, they fight and break up."
"That's not going to happen," said Takumi. "We'll stay friends forever."
"You're still lying, Dai-chan," Yui said. She ate another onigiri.
"How can you tell?" Daichi asked.
"It's my secret," said Yui.
"Tell me!" said Daichi, crossing his arms.
Yui shook her head. "When you lie, you never answer a question and talk about something different."
Daichi sighed. "I'm not good enough to become successful," he said. "It's too stressful."
Takumi shook his head. "Don't worry about that. We just have a meeting. Akira isn't going to stop teaching junior high school, and I'm not going to leave my company," he said.
"But I'm the singer," Daichi said. "Everybody will be looking at me."
Takumi got off the swings and stood in front of Daichi. "No, they won't. You can be the brains. I can be the image of the group. I am the most handsome," he said and put his arms on his hips.
Daichi looked at Yui and started laughing. Yui covered her mouth and joined him. Kaoru snorted and woke up.
"What happened? What did I miss?" Kaoru asked.
"Takumi promised to be the leader of our band," said Daichi.
"He did?" said Kaoru. "Really?"
"If I have to," said Takumi. He still had his hands on his hips.
A light came on in a house near the park.
"Someone is there," said Daichi. Let's keep moving. We don't want to wake anybody up," he said.
They left the park and walked down the street.
"What time is it?" asked Kaoru.
"It's almost four o'clock," said Takumi.
"Let's go to the station and wait for the trains to start," said Kaoru. She gave a big yawn and turned red.
They continued down the street.
"Where's your school, Yui?" Takumi asked.
"It's over there," Yui said.
"When are you opening your own pastry shop?" asked Takumi. "I can't wait to try more of your cookies."
Yui smiled and looked away.
"What is it, Yui?" Kaoru asked.
"Nothing," Yui said. She ate an onigiri in two bites.
"Eating like that is not nothing," said Daichi. "I can also tell when you're hiding something."
"Me too," said Kaoru. "You eat too much and too quickly."
Yui lowered the bag of onigiri. "I don't want to say it," she said.
"We're your friends, Yui," said Takumi. "You can tell us."
Yui twisted the plastic bag, wrapping it around her hand. "It's just that you've got a good job, Ka-chan. Dai-chan is working on a big trade show. Your band is becoming popular, Ta-kun, and your Japanese is getting better. I'm still working at the café, and school is difficult. I don't know if I can open a pastry shop. It all seems too difficult."
She took the carton of drink mayo from her bag and drank it.
"No good?" Daichi asked. "You're making a strange face."
"Different," Yui said, finishing off the drink and putting the empty carton in her bag.
"Your cookies are wonderful," said Takumi. "They would make you popular anywhere," he said.
"Thanks, but you three have it together. I'm still finding my way," said Yui.
"We're here for you," said Daichi.
They turned the corner and saw the station at the end of the street.
"I'm Ta-kun now, am I?" asked Takumi suddenly.
"How about Taku-chan?" asked Yui, smiling.
"I like Ta-kun better," said Daichi. "It fits you."
"It's better than Ka-chan," said Kaoru.
"But Ka-chan sounds like mother," said Yui. "It's perfect for you."
They laughed and sat in the bus stop area next to the station. The station shutter was still closed.
"What time is it?" asked Kaoru.
"Four thirty," said Takumi. "The trains start in half an hour."
"Let me sleep until then," said Kaoru. She closed her eyes and leaned against Daichi.
Takumi sat down on the bench and stared at the morning sun.
"What are you thinking about, Ta-kun?" asked Yui. "You look sad."
"I do?" said Takumi. "Sorry. This has been a pretty good night for me."
"You don't have to be sorry," said Daichi. "Now you're hiding something. Tell us."
Takumi bit his lip. "When we started the English conversation circle, it was a way for me to make some friends. I had been in Japan for six months, but it was difficult to meet people."
"You met Kaoru first, right?" asked Yui.
"Yes. She brought me to meet you two," Takumi said. "Since then, we've started a band, gone to a few events, and I've had a great time," he said, looking away.
"What aren't you saying?" asked Daichi.
"I'm afraid this will end," said Takumi. "I have many friends back in America, but you three know each other so well. I feel like I'm outside the group." He kicked the bench.
Kaoru yawned. "We've known each other since high school," she said. "When you moved here, your mother called my mother. They were also high school friends."
"My mother did?" Takumi said. "Why?"
"She was worried about you," said Kaoru. "She asked me if I could meet you." She smiled. "I didn't want to."
Takumi looked hurt and grabbed his chest. "Because I'm ugly?"
"Yes," said Daichi. "So ugly."
Yui laughed. "I thought he was cute."
Kaoru yawned. "No, I didn't think you were ugly. I thought my mother was trying to fix me up on a date."
"Really?" said Takumi. He sat up straight.
"I'm too busy with work and other things to think about dating," said Kaoru.
Takumi sighed.
"You were also very shy in the beginning," said Kaoru. "But now, I've seen you become much more confident. Your mother would be happier."
Takumi rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess I was scared about coming here by myself," he said. "Meeting you three was the best thing that ever happened to me."
Daichi and Yui looked away. Kaoru yawned again. An announcement came from the train station, and two people went inside the building.
"The trains are starting. I need some more coffee. Work is going to be really difficult today," Kaoru said.
"I told you we should have stayed at the Love Hotel," said Takumi, smiling.
Kaoru frowned.
"And all the character development is gone. American Takumi is back," said Daichi. He stood up and went into the station.
"That's it. No cookies for you, Takumi," said Yui. She followed Daichi.
"Come on, guys. It was a joke," said Takumi.
Kaoru shook her head. "You still have much to learn, Ta-kun," she said.
Takumi walked behind them, with his hands out. "I'm learning," he said again. "It takes time."
"Hopefully, not too long," said Kaoru.
"Never. You three are worth it," said Takumi. He offered Kaoru his arm.
Her smile turned into a yawn. "Maybe later. Let's catch the train."
Takumi laughed, and they followed Yui and Daichi into the station.