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It
is early in the afternoon of a weekday
and empty seats are prominent in
this first-class car of the bullet
train.
Athena Asamiya is sitting in a window
seat, heading for her next concert
venue in Fukuoka. Her manager has
been directed to meet up with her
at Hakodate. Now, she travels alone.
The train slows and comes to a leisurely
stop.
"Kyoto. This stop is Kyoto."
The announcement echoes over the
platform.
When the door opens, a familiar face
is smiling in Athena's direction.
"Long time no see, Athena."
The attractive blonde is dressed
in the sprucely designed uniform
of a girl's high school. She is Hinako
Shijo, one-fourth Russian and the
daughter of a model upper-class family.
"So, Hinako, how have you been? Forgive
me for calling you here."
"Oh, it's no bother - as luck would
have it our family has villas in
Kyoto and Kobe."
Without giving second thought to
her blatantly bourgeois remark, Hinako
shoves the backpack she had strapped
to her shoulders onto the luggage
rack above.
CREEEEAK.
The luggage rack squeals ominously.
The backpack is loaded with weights
of ten kilograms or more. Judging
by the groan of the rack, Hinako's
lugging more weight than usual.
Appearance, bearing, word and deed
- all are what the dreamy-eyed Hinako
is about, but because her dream is
starting a sumo team at her girl's
school, one cannot resist feeling
that this young lady comes from a
different cookie cutter.
In the meantime, Hinako has plopped
down in the seat next to Athena.
The first thing she says,
"Please accept my condolences."
A closer look reveals that Hinako
conscientiously wears a symbol of
mourning on her uniform. Athena,
who is obligated in her line of work
as a pop idol to remain unfazed by
most things, finds herself flustered
by this current situation.
"Y-your...condolences??"
The flustered Athena hesitantly takes
the condolence gift Hinako extends
to her.
"Master Chin did pass away, didn't
he? Just how old was he anyway?"
"U-uh, no, the Master is still fit
as a fiddle, in a manner of speaking."
"Athena, I know being in denial is
part of the grieving process, but
if you don't accept reality..."
"Uh, I don't know what impression
you're under, but the Master is in
the pink. He still drinks a gallon
of alcohol a day, naps, trains Kensou,
and watches after Pao."
"Oh, really? I am so sorry. I just
assumed the reason for you asking
me to join you in KOF had to be because
the Master had died and you needed
an extra team member."
"No, that's not it at all. Anyway,
let me return this to you."
Athena meekly tries to return Hinako's
condolence gift.
"Ah, please keep it. You can always
hang on to it until you need it again."
(Until I need it again...?)
There is no malice to Hinako's statement.
Athena understands this, but....
"Wow. So Kensou isn't entering the
tournament this time either...?
"As a matter of fact, he isn't. He's
got a lot of other stuff on his plate..."
Athena casts her eyes downward. Yes,
this time things are different.
"Then who will be our other member?
I rather think that Chang Koehan
would be a most excellent choice."
"I-I'm not too sure about him."
"Ah, you're probably right. He can't
really manage a sumo wrestler's butterfly
coiffure, can he?"
"U-uh, you do have a point there.
Do you have anyone else in mind?"
"Hmm. I can't come up with anyone
who's suited for sumo, though..."
"That's okay. That's okay. It doesn't
have to be a sumo wrestler type."
Athena can't bring herself to say
she'd prefer someone other than a
sumo-type.
Of course Athena too has considered
prospective teammates, but....
"Hey, you're Athena Asamiya, aren't
you?"
"Huh? Oh, you want an autograph,
right? Just a second. My pen...."
"No, that's not it. You're entering
KOF, aren't you?"
Athena and Hinako both blink and
do a double take at their new acquaintance.
She's a rather spunky-looking teenager,
a bit shorter than Hinako. Her face
and manner seem feline. She sports
a miniskirt, blazer and bunched up
socks - in short, she's a typical
Japanese high school student.
"Yes, I'll be in it, but...how does
that concern you?"
"Your team's short a member, isn't
it?"
The girl helps herself to the seat
next to Hinako.
"Uh, I suppose it may be."
"Hmm. I guess our organization's
info is sometimes useful after all."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Oh, nothing. By the way, have you
considered me for your team?"
"J-Just like that? Who are you anyway?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. Allow me to introduce
myself. The name's 'Malin.'"
"So you're name is Malin, is it?
I'm Hinako Shijo. That's an unusual
name you have there; your family
name's "Ma" and your given name is
"Lin," I gather. What Chinese character
do you use for "Ma?" Maybe the character
for magic? Or is it the "ma" for
"manuke" - you know, the word that
means "bonehead"?
"......"
"U-Uh, don't let her offend you.
Hinako didn't mean anything bad by
that. Words just flow out of her
like...well, no need to get yucky here."
"No, the name's just one word, 'Malin.'
Works on its own, don't you think?
So, are you going to put me on your
team, or not? I'm getting off at
Osaka, so you got to decide quick."
And as if on cue, the announcement
is heard throughout the train: "Shin-Osaka.
We will soon be stopping at Shin-Osaka."
The time for decision instantly arrives,
but there is no need to mull over
an answer.
"We appreciate the offer, but no."
"What? Why? Tell me, why?"
"The KOF tournament is the peak of
fighting competitions. Though I do
say so myself, Hinako and I are exceptional
fighters. I appreciate the sentiment,
but..."
"You doubt my abilities?"
"Doubt? I don't even know your abilities.
We've just met!"
"...Shoot. Okay, you don't need to
hit me with a hammer. I'm out of
here!"
The train slides to a stop at the
platform of Shin-Osaka Station.
Malin bolts up with a bang as if
she has kicked her seat and abruptly
exits.
"Uh, Athena, are you sure you made
the right decision?"
"Yeah. I had no choice. This isn't
some high school athletic event."
BAM. BAM.
Appearing out of nowhere, Malin is
now outside, rapping on the bullet
train's window.
In her hands (?), she holds two ribbons
of different colors that flutter
in the breeze.
"??...Hey, those are...!!"
In a panic, Athena and Hinako run
their hands through their hair.
Gone.
One of the ribbons that tied Hinako's
long blonde hair and the ribbon used
to gather Athena's hair together
to conceal her identity are gone.
(When did she...?)
Athena springs from her seat. She
looks as if she intends to catch
up with Malin.
At the same time, however, the bullet
train has pulled out from the platform.
The train begins to accelerate.
The form of Malin smiling ear to
ear and waving her trophies in the
air slowly recedes.
"Oh, fudge...how stupid could I have
been?"
Hinako consoles Athena who is slumped
down in her seat.
"Cheer up. We can still find another
team member."
"But...Huh? Hinako, under your ribbon!"
A small scrap of paper is secured
under Hinako's remaining ribbon.
Athena quickly removes the paper
and checks its contents.
"If you change your mind, give me
a call. Malin. 090-XXXX-XXXX."
After reading the note, Hinako and
Athena press their faces to the glass
of the train as if to look for Malin.
The sight from the window, however,
is no longer that of the platform
but the buildings and streets of
Osaka's north side.
Nevertheless, the two feel as if
they can catch sight of Malin in
the landscape streaming by, and they
continue peering out the window for
some time thereafter. |
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SNK
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