Chapter 2: A Common Tragedy Kiriko never showed up at the park. Checking my watch to confirm that twenty-four hours had indeed gone by, I lifted myself up from the bench. Waiting here any longer would be pointless. So I left behind the bench with peeling paint, the swings without seats, the rusted jungle gym - the playground that had so completely changed since a decade ago. My body was chilled to the core. Even having an umbrella up, it was only natural after spending an entire day in this late October rain. My mod coat was waterlogged and cold, my jeans clung to my legs, and my newly-bought shoes were covered in mud. At least I’d taken the car, I thought. If I’d gone with my initial plan of taking buses and trains, I’d have to wait until morning for the train. I quickly escaped into the safety of the car, threw off my wet coat, started the engine and turned on the heater. The ventilator spewed out moldy- smelling hot air, and twenty minutes later, the car was finally warm. Right about as I stopped shivering, I started craving a drink. A good strong drink with lots of alcohol, perfect for drowning my sorrows. I stopped by the late-night supermarket and bought a small bottle of whiskey and some mixed nuts. As I waited in line at the register to pay, a woman in her late twenties with no makeup cut in front of me. Slightly afterward, a man who appeared to be her boyfriend came in. Both of them looked like they’d just gotten out of bed, kept their pajamas on, and threw on sandals, yet I smelled perfume that seemed recently- applied. I thought about complaining at them for cutting in line, but nothing came out of my mouth. “Coward,” I silently scolded myself. Sitting in my parked car in the corner of the lot, I leisurely had my whiskey.