#Bunkyo City | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

nanaosaki3940 · 1 year

Text

Something About Us [Tokyo Revengers]

|| Tokyo Revengers ||

(Almost follows the canon storyline of TR & is up-to-date with the manga.)

Genre: Romance, Fluff, Angst.

Pairing: Keisuke Baji X OC

Mentioned pairing: Mikey X OC, Shinichiro X OC

Note: A snippet from my original Tokyo Revengers fanfic "A Condition Called Love". I know this is an xOC fic but you can read it as self-insert if you want.

Read the second part here - Part 2

TR masterlist

3rd Person’s POV (Year 2010 – The New Timeline)

It had been 12 years since Mikey, Takemichi, Baji, and Nana traveled back in time to fix the previous disastrous future from falling apart even further; 7 years since they and the others formed the Tokyo Manji Gang again from scratch; 4 years since their battle with Tenjiku and the Black Dragons; and 2 years since the disbandment of Toman. So much time had passed by since then and so many experiences they encountered all throughout these years. And now that they were out of that delinquent life for good, the time had finally come for them to face and experience a new chapter of their lives which was adulthood.

It was the year 2010 when Nana Osaki and Keisuke Baji became the 3rd year students at Tokyo University located in Bunkyo, Tokyo. In that university, at the age of 20, the mentioned young adults were studying in two separate departments of their personal preferences as they had totally two different dreams that they were following and pursuing. The former Advisor of Toman was majoring in Medicine since she was planning to become a researcher in the future while the former 1st Division Captain was majoring in Veterinary Medicine because he was dreaming of becoming a vet one day, which would give him the opportunity to spend more time with animals.

They weren’t a part of the legendary Toman anymore as the infamous delinquent gang was dissolved way back in their high school days when they were at the peak of fame and glory. And soon after the disbandment, almost everyone graduated from high school and went in different directions in life. While people like Nana, Baji, Mitsuya, Chifuyu, Kazutora, Kisaki, Kokonoi, and Takemichi went to attend their preferred colleges or universities inside Tokyo city, others like Mikey, Draken, Izana, and others went in different routes to pursue their own dreams and passions.

Now coming back to the two main protagonists (Nana and Baji), on one fine weekend, Baji went to visit his mother (Ryoko Baji) after getting a phone call from the older woman early that morning. He went to visit her at their old apartment where they once lived together and now Ryoko was the only one living there, all on her own.

Meanwhile, on the other hand, Baji and Nana were now living together in a shared apartment just a bit away from the university campus location. It was something they both decided back when they were in their final year in high school, that they were going to live together once after getting into college. They always wanted to live independently away from their families after becoming college students yet they also wanted to stay with each other since they were dating; so this current living arrangement of theirs was the most convenient way to fulfill their both college and dating life desires with no difficulties whatsoever.

Baji was still out and hadn’t returned home yet, so Nana decided to spend her lonely spare time watching TV since she didn’t have anything better to do at that moment. Going through the channels with a bored look on her face, the sound of the doorbell suddenly went off and it caught her interest; Baji was back home.

“Welcome back, Kei.” Nana greeted him with a smile as she opened the door for him.

“Hey, I’m back…” Baji responded, smiling back at her and immediately Nana noticed something was off about him.

Something seemed different about Baji’s smile. It looked a bit tired and forced. Nana wanted to ask if anything was bothering him, or how his visit at his mother’s place went but nothing came out of her mouth. She simply let Baji walk into the house before he freshened up and changed his clothes and after that, he joined her on the couch in the living room. The look on his face was telling her that he was feeling conflicted about something.

“Nana, there's something that's been eating me up. Can I talk to you about it?” Baji asked, wearing his infamous frowning expression on his face, and in response, Nana turned down the volume of the TV so that she could pay attention to his words.

“Yeah, sure. What is it?” Nana asked in a soft concerned tone, leaning to his side while Baji leaned back on the couch to get more comfortable.

“My Dad is staying at the hospital. Should I visit him or not?” he asked in a quiet voice and Nana’s eyes widened a bit in surprise.

She was shocked to hear Baji mentioning his father all of a sudden like that. After all, his parents got a divorce a few years ago just because his father was cheating on his mother, Ryoko. Baji took his mother’s side and supported her meanwhile despised his father for what he did to her.

“What? Hospital?” Nana questioned back in confusion. “What about Ryoko-san? Does she know?”

“She was the one who told me to go and see him.” Baji sighed in response while Nana reached out and gently took his hands in her smaller ones.

“What happened? Is he in a critical condition?” she asked worriedly.

“I couldn’t stand Mom talking about him. So I didn’t listen to a word she said and just stomped out.” He groaned in frustration, running a hand through his long raven locks.

“Geez… what are you, six or something?” Nana sighed, slightly shaking her head at him. “So… What do you wanna do?”

“I don’t want to see him. Even now I still hate him.” Baji revealed, furrowing his eyebrows even deeper as he sounded conflicted.

“But the reason you’re bothered by it… isn’t it because you wanna see him?” Nana asked, tilting her head to the side.

“If you were me, would you go?” he asked as he looked back at Nana with anticipation.

“I’m not sure, Keisuke... Wouldn't it be good to visit him, just once?” she trailed off in a confused tone, furrowing her eyebrows a bit as she didn’t know what to say to him. “I mean, he’s sick… Once you see him, it will be clear whether it was a mistake or not that you met him.”

In response, Baji let out a heavy sigh again before leaning his head back on the couch and closing his eyes for a moment. Taking the opportunity, Nana then reached out and began to run her dainty fingers through his raven locks, slowly massaging his scalp to ease him and calm him down.

“Maybe…” he muttered, calming down a bit and Nana gave him a soft look in concern.

Nana wanted to help him out with his family issues and everything but also at the same time, she didn’t want to appear as pushy or forceful in his eyes. She knew for sure that Baji would open up his heart to her on his own sooner or later and so she decided to remain silent and give him the time and space he needed to understand and figure out his own feelings.

“I hope he’s not seriously ill.” She whispered in response as she placed a kiss on the side of his head.

“Yeah…” he whispered back.

After that a few more days went by and Baji then finally decided to go and meet up with his father in Kyoto. While on his way heading there as he traveled in a bullet train, Baji began to recall back to those old days and times when he was still a kindergartener himself and his parents were all lovey-dovey to each other as a happy married couple. Baji really loved the type of relationship his parents had with one another at that time and he always dreamed of becoming a good partner or husband like his own father when he would grow up. Back then, Baji looked up to his father as an inspiration when it came to romance and relationships but now, that admiration was long gone and he felt nothing but hatred towards his father.

After reaching Kyoto, Baji wasted no time and went straight to the Kyoko City Hospital. He tracked down the room number before finally entering the ward where his father was staying over. And upon seeing his son, the first expression Baji’s father flashed out at him was utter shock and confusion.

“Yo, what’s up, old man?” Baji greeted his father calmly with a stoic expression as he walked towards the bed.

“Keisuke…” Baji’s father trailed off with widened eyes, sitting up on the hospital bed.

“So you have liver cirrhosis?” Baji asked as he put down the fruit basket that he bought for his father on the bedside table. “I brought some fruit but the nurse said you’re not allowed to eat anything. You should have taken better care of yourself. Then you won't have needed this operation in the first place. You can eat this later or give it to someone else.”

And just when he turned to face his father again, he noticed tears rolling down the cheeks of the older man. Baji’s father was crying; he was sobbing his heart out, happy with the fact that his son had finally come to see him at the hospital. He got so overwhelmed that he couldn’t stop tearing up in the end.

“Huh? Dad, are you crying?” Baji asked in a concerned tone, furrowing his eyebrows a bit as he reached out and patted his father’s shoulder. “Why are you crying, you dummy?”

How could I forget this…? Both Mom and Dad start tearing up whenever they get emotional… Such crybabies…

Minutes after that when the older man stopped crying and calmed down a bit, the father-son duo then decided to step outside of the hospital ward and go to the garden which was inside the hospital boundary where they could sit on a quiet bench and talk privately without anyone listening to them or interrupting them.

“Let me take a look at you, son.” Baji’s father cooed happily as he held his son’s face in his hands, squeezing his cheeks. “Geez, you're good-looking, just like me. Girls must be crazy about you.”

“Shut up and let go.” An annoyed Baji scowled in response and swatted his hands away from his face.

“You’re 20 now, right? Are you attending college?” his father asked.

“Yeah…” Baji replied, slightly nodding his head.

“What university do you go to? And what’s your major?” his father inquired even further.

“Tokyo University. And my major is veterinary science.” Baji replied to his father’s questions again.

“Oh! that's wonderful! Good for you.” His father grinned widely. “Do you have a girlfriend? Of course, you do, right?”

“Is this an interrogation or something?” Baji scoffed at his father. “What about you, Dad? I heard you broke up with that woman you remarried to.”

“How would you know?” the older man asked in surprise, his eyes widening a bit.

“Aunt Akari told me...” Baji responded back, referring to his paternal aunt (his father’s younger sister). “I kept in touch with her and my cousins.”

“But Akari never told me anything about it…” his father mumbled, pursing his lips a bit.

“Aunt said that your 2nd wife was a gold digger and you fell for it. And that she took half of your business from you.” Baji added, furrowing his eyebrows at his father again.

“You can’t trust anybody these days…” his father sighed with a sad smirk.

“That’s your punishment, Dad. For leaving Mom like that.” Baji scoffed again.

“Maybe… I guess you’re right…” his father agreed with his words, his face softening a bit.

Dad has aged a lot since I last saw him… He has wrinkles around his eyes and he looks gaunt… I could tell he lost weight too…

“You should make the best of what’s left of your business. And take care of your health.” Baji sighed heavily as he looked away from his father.

“Hey, Keisuke…” his father spoke up again, trailing off a bit. “If I go back to your Mom, do you think she'll accept me?”

And hearing that, Baji froze in his place. He snapped his head around, quickly looking back at his father again, and wore a deep scowl on his face.

“What…? Are you crazy? Did you just say that with a clear mind?” Baji snapped, scoffing at his father as if the older man had lost his mind or something.

“Also, you must have had a hard time not having a father around…” his father added in a soft tone, trying to convince his son to agree with him and help him out. “I’m going to say I’m sorry about everything and beg on my knees to have me back, So, I was hoping you would help-“

“Stop. Don’t even think about seeing Mom. If you do, I’ll beat the crap out of you, whether or not you’re my Dad.” Baji growled out in a low, threatening tone, frowning down at his own father with hatred swimming in his bronze-colored eyes.

If he was teen Baji, he would have immediately punched his father in the face and beat him up black and blue without any hesitation right then and there. But since he was a responsible adult now, he tried his best to maintain his cool and composure at that very moment. Sure Baji was somewhat still the same as how he was in the past, but with the passage of time, he started to change his attitude as he aged and grew older. Because he knew he couldn’t keep up with that aggressive attitude for the rest of his life, especially a life which he was sharing with his beloved Nana. Sure he was still somewhat aggressive and violent like his teenage self, but he also knew how to keep his cool and immediately calmed down whenever the situation needed.

“Are you the one who’s out of his mind? Watch what you're saying, boy.” His father scoffed back and Baji’s scowl deepened even more. “What did I do that was so terribly wrong? Was it that bad that I need to take this crap from my own son? Of course, it was wrong to cheat on her. I’m not denying that. But the one who asked for a divorce was your Mom. I even told her if she wanted, she could go and have an affair herself! Whatever it took, I begged her that we stay together! Do you know why I did that? It was all for you that-“

His father’s blabbering was quickly cut off when suddenly Baji stood up from his seat and grabbed his father by the collar of his hospital shirt.

“If you had any idea what Mom had to go through all this time, you won't talk bullshit like that!!” Baji yelled out in his father’s face. “Don’t ever think about seeing Mom, or me ever again!! Got that?!”

This shocked his father causing the older man to not know how to respond to that. Baji tried to maintain his composure but in the end, he failed after hearing all those words coming from his father’s mouth. He then let go of his father with another scoff before turning around and quickly walking away from there.

I shouldn’t have met him… I’m so disappointed… After all, I used to love him… I wanted to take after him… Am I going to turn out like that too…?

Baji wasted no time and took the next bullet train to come back to Tokyo later that day. After reaching his city, he went straight back home, back to his beloved Nana. He needed Nana. He needed her to hug him. He needed her to comfort him.

“Hey, welcome home, Keisuke.” Nana welcomed him as soon as he walked through that front door. “How did the meeting go? Is your father seriously-“

But she was cut off when Baji threw his arms around her and pulled her into a bear hug. And this concerned the girl.

“Are you okay, Kei?” she asked lovingly, immediately hugging him back.

Baji wanted to cry his heart out but he couldn’t do it. He was exhausted, mentally and emotionally. In response, he tightened his grip around her, hugging her with his dear life, and buried his face deeper into the crook of her neck, inhaling the fruity scent that was coming from her long raven locks.

“Please, Nana… please just let me… just for a little while…”

A few months later

Months passed by since that incident. Baji thought he didn’t have to deal with his father ever again but destiny had its own plan for him and it was frustrating as hell.

“I went to Kyoto three days ago, where your Aunt Akari lives. I went to see your Dad too.” Ryoko stated in a soft tone with a distressed look on her face.

That evening, after getting off from work, Baji decided to drop by his mother’s place to visit her before heading back home. He usually did that whenever he got the time, so it was nothing unusual what he did today. But after getting there and listening to what his mother had told him just now left him in complete shock.

“Why?! Why would you want to meet Dad?” he gasped in surprise with a scowling face.

“Keisuke, why is not important right now…” Ryoko sighed in a quivering tone, looking down at her hands on her lap. “What should we do about your father? That poor thing… His condition is getting worse. He might die like this. Akari took care of him until now. But she has come down with uterine cancer and has to have an operation herself. She had to work and take care of your Dad at the same time, so she must have overworked herself… There is nobody to take care of your Dad… What should we do?”

“Why should we do anything for someone like him?!” Baji snapped again before grabbing his mother’s hands in his larger ones. “Mom, don’t contact Aunt Akari anymore! I won’t contact anyone on Dad’s side either. They have nothing to do with us anymore. Please let's just forget about them all.”

Even though he said those words, he could definitely see the pain and distress in his mother’s eyes and face. His father cheated on her and yet she still cared for him to some extent. Baji just couldn’t comprehend this. How could she even care about that man? And why did she care about him? Did she seriously forgive him even after what he did to her years ago?

Although she looks scary, Mom is actually so kind… She still cares for that man while I hate his fucking guts… God forbids but if I ever cheat on Nana, would she forgive me like how Mom forgave Dad…? Would she still care for me even if I leave her for another woman…?

Baji hated doing this but he didn’t have any other choice. He didn’t want to see his mother cry again. So he decided to go and visit his father once again in Kyoto. He again took a bullet train to travel towards his destination and on the way, he was typing down his report on his laptop which he had to submit within the next few days.

I have to write my report since I won’t be able to take the midterm exam. But I can’t concentrate… Why on earth do I have to waste all my time on Dad? How frustrating... I spent almost two whole hours on the train, but only managed to write a few lines, making me feel anxious…

Soon he reached Kyoto and went straight to the Kyoto City Hospital. There at the front door, he was greeted by his aunt Akari who looked exactly like the younger female version of his father.

“Keisuke, I’m sorry…” Akari stated in a soft concerned tone. “I’m really sorry for making you come all the way here…”

“Aunt Akari, why did you tell Mom about Dad?” Keisuke asked in annoyance. “Did you have to tell her? You know very well what Mom had to go through because of him.”

In response, Akari looked down at the ground with a sad, guilty expression on her and that sight softened Baji’s eyes a bit.

I wanted to shout at my Aunt for using my soft-hearted Mom… But my Aunt's face had become so pale and lifeless, it was obvious how much suffering she had been through. I couldn’t stay angry at her… My Aunt always looked so young and beautiful back then, but now that youth and beauty of hers were long gone… It was evident that she was sick too…

“He’s in here…” Akari noted before opening the door of the ward where his father was staying over. “Nii-san, Keisuke is here to see you… He must have been so worried about you. it took him two hours to get here.”

Akari and Baji walked into the room and he noticed his father sitting on the bed and was looking out at the window, his back was facing them. As soon as Akari said those words, his father turned around to look at them and his gaze fell on Baji’s form. Immediately his expression changed from neutral to anger and it threw Baji off-guard.

“Why are you here?!! Akari, you crazy bitch!!” his father suddenly screamed out in pure rage and threw a pillow at his sister. “It was you, wasn’t it? You brought him here! Are you out of your mind?! Get out! Get lost! You have rotten a lot! Never come here again!!”

Baji quickly stepped in and held his aunt in his arms before looking back at his father. He was about to scold the older man for yelling at his aunt but immediately cut off himself when he noticed his father was now standing up from the bed with an enraged expression and clenched fists, glaring at them. Dull skin, abnormally swollen belly, skinny body, wrinkly face – that was how he could describe his father’s current appearance now. And seeing his father like this left Baji in utter shock.

“Keisuke… Let’s get out of here for now…” Akari whimpered out in pain and Baji immediately stepped out of the room, pulling his aunt with him.

“Aunt, are you okay? Is Dad always like that?” Baji asked in concern.

“Nii-san… He must have been so embarrassed to see you… He’s not always like that, I promise. He must be having a hard time too. He can't control his body. He must feel so stressed.” Akari muttered in embarrassment.

She just said that he’s not always like that… Which may mean that this isn’t the first time…

“Keisuke, I’m sorry for calling your mother… I'll look after Nii-san, whatever it takes. Tell Ryoko-san that I’m sorry for being so selfish. And thank you for coming all the way out here.” Akari added and Baji simply nodded his head in response even though his heart was conflicted.

“Okay… I’ll get going now.” Baji mumbled to his aunt.

“All right. You work hard on your studies and stay healthy.” His aunt added.

“I will…” Baji replied and with that, he left the scene with a heavy heart.

I want to run away right now… Skinny cheeks and hands, dull-colored skin, a stomach abnormally swollen up from ascites… When I saw him I could see how serious his condition was… Perhaps, it's my fault… Maybe it’s because I was so mad at him and turned away like that… No way… It's all Dad's fault… But if Dad dies like this, what on earth am I going to do…?

As Baji traveled back to Tokyo, he began to recall his mother’s words again.

Your Dad is really sick, Keisuke. Your Aunt is suffering a lot too. Couldn't we help out…? Just until your Aunt recovers from her operation? If we are by his side, he might get better…

Baji let out a heavy sigh and leaned back on the seat of the train he was traveling in. He then received a text message from Nana saying that she would be waiting for him at the train station to pick him up. And seeing her text brought a small smile to his face.

I want to lean on Nana… I want her to comfort me… I want to talk to her about what I should do…

Later after reaching Tokyo, Baji met up with Nana at the station and the Osaki girl threw herself in his arms as soon as she noticed her boyfriend.

“Keisuke! Welcome back!” Nana greeted him with a sweet grin and a warm hug, something which he really needed after his long tiring journey from Kyoto.

“Hey, I’m back.” Baji chuckled in response, hugging her back.

“How was the trip? I’m glad you arrived safely.” Nana stated as they pulled away from the hug.

“Yeah, it was okay.” Baji responded back calmly, grabbing her hand and intertwining their fingers.

“Did you eat anything on the way?” She asked and he shook his head as a no. “Okay, come on then. Let’s go eat something nice. It's on me.”

“Sure. You choose the menu.” Baji smiled at her and Nana noticed something was strange about him.

Baji just flashed out a small, tired smile. He wasn’t smiling or grinning like how he always did; he wasn’t flashing out his signature wolfish grin from time to time, something that Nana really loved about him and now she missed seeing that smile. He wasn’t being his normal energetic self lately and it was concerning Nana a lot. She knew how it was rough for him to deal with the issues related to his father and he had been dealing with those issues ever since his parents got that divorce but then again, these issues weren’t unavoidable. Baji just couldn’t pretend that his father didn’t exist or anything. He just couldn’t run away from it.

As they both settled down at a nearby restaurant and ordered Baji’s favorite yakisoba noddle for their today’s lunch preference, Nana noticed how Baji hadn’t talked about himself this entire time.

“Didn’t you say you have to hand in reports for both your summer school courses? How's that going?” Nana asked as they waited at their table for the food to come.

“Oops, I forgot.” Baji groaned in reply, slapping the palm of his hand on his forehead before running that same hand through his raven locks in frustration. “I’ll have to write them as soon as we get back home tonight.”

“Also, I forgot to ask... How's your dad doing now?” she asked carefully in a concerned tone.

“His condition has become worse. So I think I’ll have to stay in Kyoto for the summer break.” He replied in a nonchalant way and that surprised Nana.

“I didn’t know that…” she trailed off, raising an eyebrow at him.

“That’s because I didn’t tell you.” He replied with a smile.

“Isn’t there anyone else who can take care of him? Are you sure you’ll be okay, Keisuke?” she asked as she reached out and gently grabbed his hands in hers.

“I’ll be fine. All I have to do is just sit next to him.” He reassured her, giving Nana’s hands a light squeeze.

“Don’t you have any other relatives? Or maybe you can hire a care worker…” Nana stated, throwing out some options at him.

“There’s no need. I can handle it.” Baji responded back, reassuring her once again but Nana knew how he was feeling at that moment.

Why is Keisuke pretending to be okay? I get that he’s worried about his father and everything, but it’s also stressing him out so much… I feel so helpless right now… I can’t do anything for him to reduce his problems or ease his anxiety…

After that a couple of more days passed by in peace and it was the time when Baji was ready to leave for Kyoto.

“You didn’t have to come here today though.” Baji stated with a smile as he and Nana arrived at the train station.

“But I wanted to see you off at the station.” Nana countered back in a sweet voice and Baji’s heart just melted away at the sound of it.

“There’s no need.” Baji chuckled softly. “It’s not as if I’m going somewhere special.”

“I want to stay with you for as long as I can. I won’t be able to see you for quite a while. I’m gonna miss you…” Nana noted, revealing her true feelings and Baji’s face softened at her sight.

He then opened his arms widely at her and a bright smile adorned his face. It wasn’t one of those tired smiles he had been giving her lately. This smile he was flashing at her right now was genuine and loving.

“Nana, give me a hug.” Baji stated in a tender tone and in response, Nana wrapped her arms around his torso, giving him a warm embrace.

“Don’t get stressed out while you’re there.” She mumbled into his chest causing Baji to smile and press a soft kiss on top of her head.

“Okay. It's gonna be boring, so call me as often as you can.” Baji stated as he hugged her back, tightening the grip around her.

“You too… And you have to tell me if you are having a hard time.” Nana added in a concerned tone, bringing another smile to Baji’s face.

“I will…” Baji reassured her once again.

And with that Baji left for Kyoto once again and this time around it was for almost a month and a half.

Since then Baji had been taking care of his sick father at the Kyoto City Hospital but the older man was someone who didn’t listen to any word that anyone said.

“Damn it! Why won't you just let me drink?! Leave me to die already!” Baji’s father cried out in anger and frustration, squirming in Baji’s hold as the younger male was dragging the older one down the hallway and back to his ward.

“Shut up, old man!” Baji snapped at his father, scowling as he threw him onto the bed once they reached the ward.

“You too, Keisuke! You don’t want me around either, do you?! Damn it! You’re the only son I have got and look at you!” Baji’s father continued to cry and nag.

“Be quiet in the hospital. Please.” Baji begged in frustration, his patience running thin right now.

Soon later the doctor came with a nurse and checked up on his father.

“He’s suddenly started coughing and his condition seems to be getting worse…” Baji informed the doctor while his father was now sound asleep.

“That’s because his liver is functioning poorly and he cannot detoxify anything. After the ascites puncture, I’ll inject some pain relievers. You as the guardian must keep an eye on him, so that he doesn't drink or smoke. I have informed you already. this isn't the first time this has happened. I’m sure you are aware of it.” The doctor stated.

“I’m sorry, sir.” Baji apologized in embarrassment but there was nothing he could do about it.

As days went by, his father was becoming even more childish and was throwing even more fits and tantrums in unnecessary situations. And because of his father’s antics, there were even days when he couldn’t sleep that well or study properly even though he had his books in his hands.

One day when Baji came back to the wardroom, he found his father having a heated argument with some other patients.

“Turn the volume down, man!” his father yelled out, enraged.

“Everyone's fine watching TV! What’s your problem?!” the other patients yelled back.

“My head’s throbbing! Turn the volume down! How many times do I have to say it?!” his father countered back.

“What’s wrong?” Baji asked, stepping up to handle the situation.

“These people have the remote control, so I told them to turn the volume down! And all they did was press the volume button once!” his father complained.

“There’s nothing to be mad about. Stop it.” Baji stated, requesting his father to calm down.

Even though his father later cooled off, that didn’t change the fact he tried to cause chaos earlier.

“The patient is making too much of a fuss. The other patients are complaining. He has changed wards so many times already. This has to stop.” The nurse complained to Baji later that day in the hallway.

And Baji being Baji, accepted all the faults and mistakes.

“I’m sorry. I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.” Baji apologized, bowing his head to her.

The nurse simply scoffed at him in response and walked away from there. Baji couldn’t even complain about it because he knew she was right. Baji went back to the room and sat down on a chair beside his father’s bed. His father was laying down there on his side, his back was facing Baji.

“You go home now, Keisuke.” Baji’s father stated in a tired, monotone voice.

“And who will take care of you if I do?” Baji scowled in response, picking up a textbook to read.

“Since when do you care?” his father scoffed. “There is Akari. What’s she doing? Why isn't she coming?”

“Aunt is tired too. Just let her get some rest.” Baji replied with a sigh, turning the pages of the book.

“Why would she be tired? Geez…” his father sighed and Baji scoffed silently in response.

You know nothing, Dad…

At that moment, Baji began to recall back what his aunt had told him a few days ago.

Keisuke, please don’t tell Nii-san that I’m ill… He might get ideas… You know, he might do something drastic… I’m so worried… Keisuke, you understand right…? Please take good care of him for me…

Baji let out a heavy sigh at the thought of his aunt’s words.

I feel like I’m suffocating… this situation… everyone… I’m suffocating… How frustrating, all because of him… I wish he would just die…

As soon as he realized the last thought that came to his mind, Baji froze in his spot. With a conflicted heart and feelings, Baji stood up from the chair and began to walk out of the room.

“I’m gonna step outside. I’ll be back.” He informed his father.

“Since when did you start telling me when you were leaving? Have some dinner while you are out there. The hospital food is foul.” His father responded back through his coughing but Baji didn’t say anything back and simply walked out of there.

To Baji, being around his father was suffocating for him. He needed to take a breather for a moment.

I’m fucking crazy. I really am. What was I thinking? I’m supposed to be taking care of Dad… Get a hold of yourself, Keisuke.

Baji then went to the terrace of the hospital which had a small beautiful garden up there and after going there, he lit up a cigarette to smoke. While taking a long drag from his cigar, Baji ran his hand through his loose ponytailed hair in frustration as he watched the sunset from the distance, observing how the color of the sky was changing in the time of twilight.

Dad looks dead and he smells bad… There’s nothing about him that’s living… At the hospital the subtle scent of medicine and the ward's atmosphere… It takes away all my energy… Even when someone screams in pain, nobody cares… It's the same for me… When will this be over…? Even if Aunt Akari has her surgery, I’ll probably still be the one that has to take care of Dad. I would not be able to pretend he doesn’t exist like I used to. Yeah, there's nothing wrong with me wishing he were dead. I have always hated him so much… And it will be better for Mom and Aunt if he isn't around… It would be better if he didn't exist…

Baji was keeping himself so busy these days that he didn’t even realize his own health was deteriorating too. One day after using the bathroom, when he was washing his hands at the sink, he noticed his own reflection in the mirror. He looked so exhausted and lifeless as if he was done with his own life.

I have dark bags under my eyes… My skin is pale and dull… Why am I breaking out all of a sudden? Geez… I’m freaking ugly…

The only time Baji could calm himself down and be happy for once was whenever he talked to Nana over the phone. She would tell him about her studies and her part-time jobs, about the people she hung out with that day, about Shinichiro or Mikey’s stupid antics, about Kazutora or Chifuyu’s craziness and so many other more. Baji loved hearing her talk but sometimes it ached his heart whenever she mentioned Shinichiro or Mikey over the phone given that he was fully aware of their crush or romantic feelings for her.

I miss Nana a lot. But she's studying and working day and night. I can’t ask her to come and meet me all the way here. I want to hear her voice. But it’s getting harder for me to talk to her. All I can say is “I’m hurting”. And I honestly can’t enjoy listening to her stories the way I used to. Above all else, though… Please don't talk about other guys, especially Shinichiro-kun and Mikey… You’re making me nervous, Nana…

A few more days passed by and it was the time when Baji’s aunt was about to have an operation for her uterine cancer. One afternoon, Aunt Akari dropped by the Kyoto City Hospital to check up on her brother and her nephew, to see how they were doing these days. Baji’s father was laying down on the bed with his eyes closed while Akari sat on the chair beside the bed and by her side, Baji was standing there with his arms crossed over his chest.

“Aunt, has your operation been scheduled?” Baji asked his aunt while his eyes were fixated on his sleeping father.

“Yeah, it’s in two weeks.” Akari muttered tiredly in response.

“Don’t you have to be hospitalized before that?” he asked further.

“Just the day before the operation.” She replied before looking up at Baji with worried eyes. “Can't Nii-san have an operation too?”

“If it was liver cancer an operation would be possible, but in the case of liver cirrhosis, the liver itself hardens, so a transplant is the only way. There are so few donors and so many people on the waiting list… Usually, a family member with the same blood type donates a part of their liver.” Baji replied and that’s when he noticed the change of aura around his aunt.

“If that’s the case…” she trailed off in a nervous tone, her voice quivered. “Keisuke, what was your blood type again…?”

In response, Baji frowned at his aunt and looked at her in a way as if she had lost her mind. Why was she being so selfish now?

“Shut up, you crazy bitch. Have you lost your mind?” Baji’s father suddenly spoke up and this caught their attention, throwing them completely off guard.

“Nii-san! I thought you were asleep.” Akari gasped out in surprise, noticing the said man was now wide awake.

“If you plan to keep talking bullshit, don't come here ever again, you damn witch.” The older man snapped at her again.

And this comment hurt her feelings once again. Akari had tolerated his verbal abuse, profanities, and offensive comments since he was admitted to the hospital for his liver cirrhosis disease. For months she was keeping up with this but her brother’s attitude towards her never changed nor even softened a bit.

“I need to use the bathroom…” Akari excused herself in a quiet tone before quickly walking away from there.

Baji watched his aunt walking out of the room and in that moment, he felt bad for the older woman.

“Hey, don't listen to a word she says.” Baji’s father spoke up again. “She’s just stressed, that’s all…”

“I know. Don't worry. I’m not gonna go to all that fucking trouble for you.” Baji scoffed at his father with annoyance, ending the conversation right then and there.

It had been a month since Baji left Tokyo and came here to Kyoto to help his father. He wasn’t in contact with his friends that much lately, but the only person he had been talking to every single day was Nana. Because she was the only person who understood him from the inside out. And that’s when Baji received this text message from her earlier this morning.

Nana: I’m on the train for Kyoto. I’ll be there in half an hour. It’s Kyoto City Hospital, right?

Baji felt like his heart just skipped a beat in shock and happiness. He then wasted no time and immediately texted her back.

Baji: Yes. But you don’t need to come alone. I’ll meet you at the station and pick you up. If I leave now, I can meet you right when you arrive.

Nana: Okay! See you at the station then. Love you!~

Baji: Love you too, babe!

The conversation eventually came to an end and Baji walked down the hallway of the hospital with a bright smile on his face as he was making his way toward his father’s wardroom, feeling fuzzy and giddy on the inside.

First I have to shave. I also need to brush my hair. Geez, I wish I was wearing something nicer today…

But as soon as he stepped inside the room, he noticed his father was missing once again and wasn’t in his bed. And that brought an annoyed scowl on Baji’s face. He let out a loud scoff in irritation and stomped away from there, heading out to find his father again. In the end, he finally found the older man who was drinking alcohol at a nearby restaurant.

“Stop drinking! You have been doing a good job staying sober these days! What's wrong with you now?!” Baji scolded his drunk father as he grabbed his arm and tried to pull him up from his chair. “What on earth’s wrong with you?! Don't you know why you're paying all that money to be hospitalized?! Do you really want to die or something?!”

“It would be better if I were dead…” his father muttered these words out in a dejected tone, feeling regretful for his actions.

“Fine! Fucking die, then!” Baji snapped again before successfully pulling his father up from the seat and was now dragging him back to the hospital.

“I’m giving Akari a hard time… and you too… I’m so stupid… Why am I still alive…?” his father cried as Baji helped his father to walk with his arms on his shoulders.

“If you have the sense to say stuff like that, quit drinking first.” Baji scoffed in response.

“I have already failed… my life’s a failure… my last days… why are they so pathetic?” his father sobbed out again but Baji remained silent this time around.

Slowly they came back to the hospital and as Baji was about to enter the main entrance, he noticed someone familiar standing outside the hospital, leaving him in utter shock. It was Nana, all dressed up nice and pretty.

“I was waiting for you at the station but you didn’t come, Kei.” Nana smiled sweetly at Baji, clutching onto the straps of her bag before her eyes traveled over to Baji’s father. “Nice to see you again, Mr. Baji.”

The said older man simply nodded his head at her in response but Nana could tell that he wasn’t able to recognize her. She was about to introduce herself to him but suddenly Baji spoke up.

“Let me take my Dad back to his room. You wait here, Nana.” Baji replied in a gruff tone, furrowing his eyebrows a bit.

Baji was irritated right now, yes. But he wasn’t irritated at Nana; he was actually irritated at his own father. Furious to be more exact. Because of him, Baji wasn’t able to pick up Nana from the train station and she had to come here all on her own. And on top of that, Nana had to see him and his father like this. How embarrassing. He had never felt so pathetic as he was now.

“Keisuke, do you need any help?” Nana asked softly, walking towards them with a concerned look as she noticed the flushed, sweaty face of Baji which was caused by the heat of the summer sun shining above their heads.

“It’s okay. It's gonna take some time for me to take Dad to his ward. How about you wait for me at the café on the main street, yeah?” Baji stated, walking past Nana while dragging his father toward the entrance with him.

“Oh, okay…” Nana muttered in response, watching them walk away.

And that’s when Baji’s father let out a scoff and slightly pushed Baji away from him, removing his arms from his shoulders.

“Let go, Keisuke. Stop treating me like an invalid.” His father stated in a deep tone, trying to act in front of Nana that he wasn't helpless and pitiful at all. “I can go by myself. You go with your friend.”

The older man tried to walk on his own and he did just for a little bit before tripping on his own feet and falling onto the ground. Nana let out a gasp in concern as she and Baji immediately dashed toward him to help him get up. Baji was faster than her, so he was able to grab his father before Nana could even touch him.

“You can’t even stand by yourself. What are you talking about?” Baji scoffed at his father. “Stand up. I’ll help you walk.”

“Sir, are you all right?” Nana asked the older man worriedly before looking back at Baji. “Keisuke, I’ll help too.”

Nana was about to reach out and help the older man to stand up, but Baji beat her to it by gently grabbing her by the wrist, stopping her from reaching out any further.

“Nana, I said it’s okay. I can do it by myself. I don’t need your help. I’m already embarrassed as it is, so just please… Go and wait for me, okay?” Baji stated in a tired, annoyed tone and the tone of his voice softened Nana’s expression even more.

Nana didn’t say anything after that and watched Baji walk away with his sick father in his arms. This sight ached her heart.

Nana never realized how much Baji had changed within these last few years. Unlike his teenage self, the current adult Baji was responsible, sensible, and reliable. Sure, he was still pretty much aggressive, violent, and unpredictable like he was back then, but at the same time, he had also become quite calm and collected like how a responsible adult should be. He could take on any task even if it was hurting him physically, mentally, and emotionally. He never complained about anything and did everything on his own within his own capability while not saying a word to anyone. It was something that didn’t change in Baji; he would always try to figure out the solution by himself. If he believed that he could tackle the situation on his own, he wouldn’t ask for anyone’s help and would get extremely annoyed if anyone tried to interfere in his business.

As Nana waited for her boyfriend at the café, she sat at a table and had her head down on the table surface, slowly hitting her forehead in frustration and annoyance. She was frustrated and angry at her own self. She wanted to help Baji but she didn’t know how to.

Just then, at that moment, someone placed a hand on her forehead and stopped her from hitting herself. Nana immediately looked up to see who interfered with her and it turned out to be Baji.

“Oh, hey, Keisuke.” Nana greeted him again with a sweet smile.

“Why are you banging your head on the table?” Baji asked, raising an eyebrow. “You'll hurt yourself. Have you had lunch?”

“Not yet. Oh, what do you want to eat?” Nana asked, her smile widening even more. “Do you want me to buy you lunch?”

“You came all the way here.” Baji smiled softly at her in response, even though his eyes were telling him that he was tired and exhausted. “Tell me what you want to eat. I will pay.”

Nana didn’t reply and simply stared at the Baji with an intent gaze. She noticed his pale skin tone and the dark bags under his tired eyes. This simple sight of him ached her heart even more.

“I look pretty bad, huh?” Baji chuckled in humor.

“Yeah, real bad…” Nana trailed off in concern but didn’t say much after that.

Hours later, after having lunch together and talking for a while, they went to the train station as it was time for Nana to go back to Tokyo.

“Hasn’t your father been alone at the ward for too long? He seemed very unwell.” Nana pointed out worriedly as they waited for the train.

“I’m gonna head back as soon as you get on the train.” Baji replied calmly with his hands in his pockets before giving Nana a reassuring smile. “Don't worry. You came all the way here for me. I’m so sorry you have to go so early. I feel bad that all I have done is whine to you these past few days. I even acted harshly toward you today. I’m sorry about that too.”

“I’m the one who is sorry. I couldn’t do anything for you.” Nana responded back in a sorrowful tone, reaching out and grabbing Baji’s hands in her smaller ones, her heart was filled with a lot of regret.

Baji had always been like this. Whether it was him dealing with Kisaki in the previous timeline during the Valhalla incident or him dealing with his father in this new timeline, Baji always chose to solve any issue on his own. Although during the Valhalla incident, Nana herself was involved in that situation and was able to help him out just for a little bit, but in this case and situation where his sick father was involved, Nana couldn’t do anything for him.

“Attention to all passengers waiting to board. The 6:30 PM train to Tokyo will be arriving soon. Passengers, please…” The announcement was suddenly made.

“So don’t apologize to me...” Nana added as she looked up at him with teary eyes. “I’m the one that’s sorry. I’m so sorry I feel like I could die. I love you so much, Keisuke. I know that I can’t do anything for you right now. And I have been so cranky with you these past few days just because I have been busy. I hate myself for that and…”

“Why are you crying?” Baji asked in a soft concerned tone while cupping her face in his hands, brushing his thumbs on her rosy cheeks.

“I’m not.” Nana sobbed out quietly causing Baji’s gaze to soften at her sight.

He then leaned down a bit and kissed her on the forehead.

“Don’t cry.” He mumbled into her skin.

“You’re hurting, aren’t you?” she asked, her lips quivered a bit.

Baji then looked at her again and flashed out a small smile. It was a weary smile but it was loving and genuine.

“Yeah, I am.” He finally admitted his true feelings.

And it broke Nana even more, causing her to tear up again. This time Baji pulled her into a warm bear hug, giving her the reassurance she needed.

“You’re so silly, Nana.” Baji chuckled softly before placing kisses on top of her head, trying to calm her down. “You're here for me and that's all that matters. Don't worry. Thank you.”

Baji was grateful, really. It didn’t matter to him whether or not Nana was able to do anything for him. She was worried about him; that’s all it mattered. She cried for him, shed her own tears for him when he couldn’t do it himself; that’s all that mattered to him. And he was content with that. As long as Nana kept on loving him and wanting him, Baji didn’t need anything else in this world.

After Nana left, Baji immediately went back to the hospital only to not find his father again in the bed.

“Not again…” Baji groaned, letting out a heavy sigh before looking over at an elderly patient who also stayed in that same ward. “Sir, how long has my father been gone?”

“About half an hour maybe?” the man replied. “He was coughing a lot and then left the room. You know people should age gracefully and not be a nuisance to those around them.”

“Thank you for telling me…” Baji responded back politely with a bow and walked out of the room.

I bet he’s drinking again… Maybe I should look for him at the convenience store.

And just then, he remembered his aunt’s words.

Nii-san might get ideas… You know, he might do something drastic… I’m so worried…

Baji let out a small sigh and eventually made his way to the hospital terrace. There he found his father standing at the edge of the rooftop, looking up at the twilight sky. Feeling relieved that his father was okay, Baji pulled out a cigarette packet and a lighter from his pocket. The older man noticed the presence of his son behind him and so he turned around to face him.

“Since when do you smoke?” the older man asked in confusion as Baji stood a few feet away from him, lightening up his cigarette.

“Since a couple of years ago, I think? I was in high school back then.” Baji replied, taking a puff from his cigar.

“Don’t smoke. It’s bad for you.” His father advised in genuine concern.

“You stop drinking first, old man.” Baji scoffed in response.

“Don’t live your life like I have, Keisuke…” his father added. “The girl that came to see you today... Was she your girlfriend?”

“Yeah, it’s Nana…” Baji confirmed. “You know her.”

“Really? Her name does sound familiar though.” His father stated.

“Remember the Osaki couple who lived beside the Sano residence?” Baji asked and in response, his father nodded his head at him.

“I remember now. So she’s Daisuke-san and Junko-san's daughter.” His father noted before a sad smile adorned his face. “Shame she had to see such an ugly sight. Does she know you smoke?”

“No. I never told her. She’ll get worried.” Baji sighed heavily, slightly shaking his head.

“Then quit smoking already. Don't make her feel worried for you.” His father lightly scolded him and Baji’s eyes softened a bit before he tossed his cigarette away.

Baji began to wonder that one thing he thought about months ago; would Nana ever forgive him if he ever cheated on her. That thought itself made him feel sick to the stomach. He felt like puking at that moment. How could he ever do something like that? How could he ever hurt his precious, beloved Nana? Baji would rather kill himself off and die before even having the thought of cheating on her with someone else. Nana was right; he wasn’t like his father. He could never cheat on Nana. He would never do that to her.

“Hey, Dad… It was really difficult for Mom after the divorce…” Baji stated in a calming tone and his father listened to him carefully. “Did you know that? She had to take a year off work. She didn't want me to know, but she was taking antidepressants. But even then she didn’t want me to feel lonely. So she stayed at home all the time and cooked for me. Underneath her rough and tough exterior, Mom is so kind and gentle. You know that too, don't you, Dad?”

“Yeah…” his father trailed off in a low tone as he looked away from his son, guilt and regret washing through his veins.

“So, I don’t want Mom to worry about you anymore. I’ll donate my liver to you.” Baji went on in a firm tone with a serious look on his face and his father’s eyes went wide open in shock. “Take my liver and get well soon. Get on with your life and try harder than you are now. For me. For me and Aunt Akari. Please.”

His father was too shocked to come up with a response and that conversation ended that day.

A few days later, one early morning, when Baji went to visit his father at his ward, he noticed him not resting in the bed and was packing up his bags. He also wasn’t wearing his hospital clothes; rather he was on his normal casual clothes.

“Dad, where are you going?” Baji asked in confusion, furrowing his eyebrows a bit.

“Pack your things. I’m leaving the hospital. And… can you find a treatment center for me? One that treats alcoholism…” his father stated and that left Baji in complete shock.

But he didn’t say anything to his father. He did what the older man had told him to do. Hours later, they reached a treatment center which was located on top of a hill, just a bit far away from the Kyoto City Hospital.

“This is the treatment program.” The lady at the treatment center stated politely and handed them two forms to fill up their information. “As you can see, the course for smoking is best taken together with a guardian. Generally, patients are hospitalized for three months and then move on to an outpatient treatment program for one year.”

Baji and his father followed the instructions and carefully filled up the forms just as the lady had told them to do. And after going through some procedures and formalities, Baji’s father finally got admitted to the treatment center where he could treat his alcoholism problem now.

“The bus is taking so long. Maybe it’s because we are halfway up a mountain.” Baji let out a sigh as he and his father waited for the bus to arrive; the bus which would lead Baji back to Tokyo.

“You don’t have to come if it’s too much trouble.” His father stated softly.

“You heard the doctor. You have to take the Friday course together with your guardian.” Baji responded back in a nonchalant way, bringing a smile to his father’s face.

“It feels like just yesterday you were a middle schooler. Now you have grown up so much, you're acting as my guardian.” His father stated, reminiscing about the old days while also appreciating his son’s responsible behavior.

“I grew up to be a nice guy, didn’t I?” Baji smirked teasingly. “Mom did a good job raising me.”

“Yeah, yeah. You grew up well.” his father chuckled in response.

Later that day, in the evening, Nana was at her home in Tokyo, chilling by herself in the living room while reading some shoujo manga that she borrowed from Chifuyu a few days ago. In the middle of her reading session, she heard the sound of the doorbell just went off. Wondering who it could be, Nana got up from the couch and went towards the front door. She then opened the door and came face to face with a certain familiar person; it was Baji, standing there with a wide grin on his face.

Nana was so shocked to see him there. She couldn’t believe in her own eyes that he was there. And before she could even come up with any word, Baji threw himself in her arms and pulled her into a bear hug.

“You didn’t tell me that you were coming back today.” Nana chuckled in response, hugging him back. “I thought you were staying in Kyoto for a few more weeks.”

“I wanted to surprise you…” Baji responded with another grin before leaning down and pressing his lips against her. “I missed you, princess.”

“I missed you too, Kei.” She whispered back into the kiss, smiling as well.

A moment later, after pulling away from the sweet kiss, Nana looked up at him with concerned eyes.

“How is your father now? Is he okay?” she asked.

“He is in a treatment center for alcoholism...” Baji replied, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her even closer to his chest. “He said he's going to quit drinking.”

“Will he get better then?” she asked in worry and in response, Baji simply smiled at her.

“I guess he won’t get any worse…” he replied, hugging her again before burying his face into the crook of her neck.

“What about you? Are you all right, Kei?” she muttered, her face pressed against his chest as she listened to his heartbeat.

“I said I’d give him a liver transplant, but he said no...” Baji mumbled into her hair, his minty breath hitting her skin, sending a shiver down her spine. “He said that no matter how useless a father he may be, he didn't want to leave a scar on his son's body. And then he decided himself to enter the treatment center to cure his alcoholism. No matter what kind of person Dad is, I could tell that he does love me…”

“Well done. You have been through so much. I hope you’re okay now.” Nana sweetly smiled at him, causing Baji to return the gesture.

“Yeah, I’m okay… everything is okay now.” He whispered out to her in response.

This time, it’s not a lie. I really am okay...

The original fic on Quotev and Wattpad -

23 notes · View notes

airanddust · 1 year

Text

Eight days in Tokyo

After three years we finally made it to Japan. Back in 2020, Robert and I originally planned to visit Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, and then you-know-what came along. Fast-forward to this year, when, while checking my airline miles, I found I had enough to book us (awful, but virtually free) roundtrip economy tickets for an eight-day trip to Tokyo—so we went for it in mid-September.

Note to self: wait until REAL autumn to go to Japan. I’m pretty sure I got heat exhaustion during our trip. The humidity was suffocating and made the real temp feel like 99º F and was severely tiring.

Where we stayed

We stayed at the Dormy Inn Korakuen in Bunkyo City, right by the Tokyo Dome. It was reasonably priced in a quiet part of town. They sold me on the amenities, which included an onsite onsen—accompanied by a yogurt drink in the morning or ice cream bar at night—along with free ramen in the evenings, a massage chair (which we discovered far too late), and an extensive manga library.

We got a double room, and while I was preparing for it to be incredibly tiny based on what I’d heard about Japan hotel rooms, it wasn’t quite as small as I expected and held all our things with room for us to still move around.

What we planned

Months ago we started compiling a Google map of all the places we wanted to go, made a reservation at a mini pig cafe, and bought a three-attraction pass using Klook primarily to visit Tokyo DisneySea. (There is apparently no other way for foreign tourists to get Disney tickets unless you have a Japan mailing address.) We later added the Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise and TeamLab Planets, which meant we had four scheduled events and were free to explore the rest of the time.

What we did

Day 1: travel day

From Narita airport we took the Skyliner to connect to another train to our hotel, which took over an hour and a half, but actually longer than that overall because the ticketing was confusing and we were jet lagged.

Finally we figured out we needed both a Suica card (which you can use on almost every train) and a dedicated Skyliner ticket to get to Tokyo proper. From there we used Google Maps, our most trusted ally, to navigate to Bunkyo City.

The trains in Japan are clean and efficient and most stations play cheery recordings of bird songs. People line up in orderly fashion to board. The thing that most stood out to me, being from Seattle, is that there was not a hint of urine in any of the station elevators or hallways. Every place we went felt safe even at night. The trains seemingly go everywhere in the city and they’re easy to use with Google Maps, which even tells you which car to board for the best transfer. 10/10.

Day 2: Bunkyo City, Toshima City, and Harajuku

We got breakfast at 7-Eleven, which carries all manner of food and drink and even blenders to make your smoothie and a microwave to heat up whatever food you bought. We accidentally ate in without telling the cashier. (Turns out you pay 10 percent tax to dine in vs 8 percent to take out, which we didn’t realize because the sign was in Japanese in the back of the seating area.) In addition to food, konbini stores like 7-Eleven also have fax machines, ATMs, and the ability to replenish your Suica card, which is something we did a lot.

After our 7-Eleven experience we explored the manic overwhelm that is the 24-hour mega-mart Don Quixote, grabbed some pastries at BOU’LANGE, and walked around Koishikawa Korakuen garden to take pictures.

We rode the train north to the Sunshine City Mall where we hit the Pokémon Center and Gashapon Ikebukuro, the world’s largest capsule toy store.

We noticed a bunch of teenagers crowding around the mall’s central atrium and found out it was because a K-pop band called CIX was about to perform. We were going to stick around to see how it went until we found out there was an aquarium on the roof (?!?) and went there instead. We saw rare Baikal seals, which are the only mammals that live in Russia’s Lake Baikal, the deepest body of water in the world, along with river otters, penguins, pelicans, sharks, and a bunch of other fish.

That night we had a reservation at MiPig Cafe Harajuku where we got to hang out with baby pigs for about 40 minutes. (We booked an hour, but their system is such that you spend about half an hour sitting on the floor, then the rest of the time getting up to leave and checking out.)

One little pig fell asleep on me before another one came over to bully him off my lap. The staff explained many of the pigs are siblings, and there are lots of rivalries. Sure enough, we saw the same pigs start fights multiple times while we were there. It was adorable but also left me wondering what happens to the pigs after they grow up…? Maybe I shouldn’t think about that.

Day 3: Yokohama

We took the world’s longest train ride (only slightly exaggerating) to Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise, which is kind of like a distributed theme park on an island about an hour and a half outside the city.

We saw a SeaWorld-style show with beluga whales and dolphins and wandered labyrinthine hallways of aquariums. I rode a dinky little roller coaster called Surf Leviathan while Robert went to the Umi Farm, where he caught a sea bream they then cooked and served him.

A dolphin at the up-close-and-personal FUREAI Lagoon chucked a basketball to me—I was so surprised—and after I threw it back, he chose Robert next and then continued down the line of people standing along the wall.

We had yakiniku at Satsuki in Bunkyo City that night, up three flights of tiny stairs in a cramped building that was very cozy.

Day 4: Shibuya + Ginza

We headed over to Shibuya and popped out of the subway right into a festival at Shibuya Crossing, then traversed the famous crossing for ourselves.

We made our way to Flipper’s for soufflé pancakes (well worth the hourlong wait) before nearly sweating to death walking through Yoyogi Park to Meiji Jingu, a shrine where we accidentally crashed not one but two weddings. At this point it was so hot I didn’t think I could make it to the next train station. The humidity was demoralizing.

We hit up Ginza next and walked around what felt like a never-ending indoor mall, then got custom-printed drinks at Nissan Crossing. I got the chocolate latte and Robert ordered the lemonade and both were delicious.

The flagship Muji store had been on our list for a while and we were excited to check out all seven floors (plus hotel and food?!?) but it turned out three floors were closed for renovation, so we didn’t get to witness all of the store’s glory. Probably for the best because we ended up bringing home an extra suitcase of souvenirs anyway. Instead we got in line at Tsuru TonTan Udon Noodle Brasserie for dinner, which took over an hour. The udon was decent but I probably wouldn’t return.

Day 5: Tokyo DisneySea

We went to Tokyo DisneySea, which we thought would be less crowded on a Monday than a weekend, but it was so busy I can’t imagine how bad it would have been on a weekend. It was also so hot there were announcements about taking breaks and drinking water, which I’ve never heard at a theme park before, even having grown up in Florida. At one point I couldn’t even muster up the energy to move across a sunny walkway—I had to stop and sit for a few minutes before my body would let me go on.

Many hours were spent in line for Indiana Jones, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and 20,000 Leagues of the Sea, and our feet paid the price. I’m not a huge fan of Disney rides—I appreciate the theming, but the thrill level isn’t there for me—so I don’t think they were worth waits of that length, but I’m still glad I rode them since these rides are Tokyo-specific. I heard someone compare Tokyo DisneySea to Universal and it did feel more like that than a typical Disney park. The seaside theming and landscaping is really on point.

Day 6: Akihabara + Ueno

On Tuesday we explored Akihabara and Ueno, where I’m pretty sure I got heat exhaustion because I was tired and confused and barely able to finish sentences. After taking a break I was ready to give it another shot. Ueno is stuffed with signs, shops, souvenirs, and shrines, and was probably the biggest sensory overload of the trip for me.

We stopped at Pastel Caffe for honey toast and a caramelized banana parfait that revitalized me for our self-guided tour of Ueno Park and the Shinobazunoike Benten-do temple, where a lady randomly approached us and proceeded to, uh, bless us?

After being…blessed?…we went to Monster Hunter Cafe, which Robert had been wanting to check out after a renewed interest in their mobile game. The city’s many vending machines already had me hooked on strawberry milk but Monster Hunter’s version took it to another level (or maybe it was the heat exhaustion 😅).

Ueno boasts a great many souvenir stalls and brightly lit claw game shops, where Robert won an Oshi No Ko stuffed character. He also ran into a guy from the States who asked for a picture together since they were both wearing LA Rams gear.

Day 7: Ginza + Bunkyo City + TeamLab Planets

On our last full day, we got reservations at the six-seat Michelin-starred ramen shop Chukasoba Ginza Hachigou (h/t Koes!). You line up at nine a.m. to get tickets for a timed entry, then return at the time they assign you. While we waited for our slot we ventured over to Roar Coffeehouse; Ginza’s Pokemon Center; a shopping mall; and Ginza Petit Custa. When we returned to Chukasoba, we were served the chef-recommended "ravioli" ramen we'd ordered earlier. I'm no food expert but the ramen was pretty dang good.

With souvenirs piling up (cough Pokemon Center cough) we needed a suitcase to take back home, so we went by Ginza Karen (which, to my disappointment, was not staffed entirely by Karens), apparently a well-known luggage store. We settled on a Japanese-made bright yellow roller bag.

That night I wanted to ride the Thunder Dolphin coaster that was basically across the street from our hotel, but, true to its name, it was closed due to thunderstorms so instead we went up to the neighboring Bunkyo Civic Center observatory (for free!) to take in nearly-360-degree views of the city.

We shopped for some more souvenirs and Japan-specific skincare products at good ol’ Don Quixote before grabbing the abalone course at Grow in Bunkyo City, which was delicious. I wish we’d had time to finish the entire course but, alas, we had to miss the garlic rice and dessert because otherwise we’d have been late for our TeamLab Planets reservation.

Speaking of TeamLab Planets, I wasn’t sure what to expect because reviews were mixed, but it was a fun experience. It bills itself as an interactive art museum, and most of the exhibits offer completely unique experiences that will never be recreated. In the koi room you wade through knee-deep water while virtual fish swim around you in real-time projections that are based on your movement and the amount of people in the room. Our favorite was the flowers in space projection, another unique exhibit where it feels like you’re floating through a universe of flowers and butterflies.

Our last stop was Lawson’s for plane snacks and a final serving of strawberry milk, because I’m addicted and convenience stores back home are trash compared to Japan’s.

Day 8: back to the States

Our flight home from Haneda was delayed because…drumroll, please…the captain forgot his ID in his hotel room back in Tokyo. Our completely full plane waited on the tarmac for over an hour as some hapless soul fought traffic to retrieve the captain’s passport before we were allowed to leave. I guess on the bright side, the timing meant we got to see a Pokémon-themed plane as we taxied off, so there’s that.

Tokyo was a feast for the senses and I can’t wait to go back and explore more of Japan (although first I need to learn more than two Japanese words). I already miss the convenience stores, vending machines, trains, and bathrooms—seriously, they’re next level.

Random observations

Generally, walk on the left side of the sidewalk/escalator/etc

DOWNLOAD GOOGLE TRANSLATE! I mean, unless you are fluent in Japanese…

Don’t go in the summer unless you want to get heat stroke

Despite the heat, people mostly wear pants, dresses, and skirts, and everyone dresses much more formally than they do in the States (particularly in Seattle)

Almost no one wears sunglasses—I saw maybe three other people wearing them the whole time, and one of them was a tourist

There’s no tipping in Japan, but there is a two percent tax difference between dining in and taking away

You can apparently only pay cash to reload your Suica card…? Or at least, that was our only option

No one locks up their bikes—it was a shock to see dozens of bikes just sitting around freely, because bike theft apparently isn’t a thing there

There are actual telephone booths around the city

#tokyo #tourist #japan travel #japan trip #japan vacation #wanderlust #ginza tokyo

2 notes · View notes