Work Text:
April 2011
Akari Yuchiyama, age 19, university student in the pharmaceuticals department, and former time traveller (although she didn't know that), tossed the blanket into the air, then let it fall gently to the ground. Two of her companions tugged at the corners to smooth it out, while two others wrestled with the karaoke machine and cooler. All around them, cherry blossoms bloomed with their promise of renewal.
The film club settled onto the ground and passed around the snacks and beer, making idle chitchat and watching others claim their own spots.
"Akari-chan, do you want to go to Uplink Factory tomorrow? They're screening that documentary you wanted to see." Nishida-san was the film club president, the one with the most serious interest for filmmaking, and the only one who rivaled Akari's passion for sci-fi.
"Is it? I need to study though..." Although she loved her major, she struggled sometimes with the course load. But this documentary was about the history of sci-fi in Japan, and she had missed the first run because she hadn't been interested in the topic then.
In fact, her interest in movie making had only been awakened a year ago when she had found an 8mm film canister in her school uniform jacket. She didn't know how it had gotten there, but she knew instinctively that it was for her and not something that had been merely misplaced.
***
"The Planet of Light?" Her father had asked, curiosity momentarily replacing his benign indifference. He was lending her a projector capable of playing the film; she had called him in mild desperation when she found out the school didn't have one. For some reason, she had a burning need to watch it as soon as she could.
"Yeah, do you know it?"
"I don't know, I might. When I was just getting started, my friends and I made a movie with that name. We shot it around here, actually. I don't know what ever happened to the footage though, Ryota said he lost it somehow." Gotetsu paused, laughing. "Can't imagine how he ever became such a big shot when he lost his first movie."
Akari's heart inexplicably began to pound harder, and her head suddenly ached. "Ryota?"
"Yeah, I guess you didn't know I was old friends with Ryota Mizurogi. I see him from time to time, now and then. Anyway, you got someone who knows how to work this thing?" He patted the handle of the projector on the bench.
The movement distracted Akari, and the strange feelings faded as quickly as they had come on. "Yes, some friends."
"OK. Well. Call me when you're done with it."
"Sure." Before the silence could grow awkward, Gotetsu turned back to his car.
"Thank you!" Akari called after him belatedly, and he waved almost sheepishly.
***
Her friends had not been impressed with the movie. It was campy and low budget, and the plot was hopelessly formulaic. It made Akari cry.
Ryota Mizurogi. Suddenly she wanted to see every movie he had ever made.
***
He mostly made soft, social sci-fi, often with smart, determined heroines as the leads. As the present had caught up with the future, critics were amazed at how accurately his films had predicted modern technology.
She read all of his interviews, which wasn't hard. He didn't give them often; a shy man when he wasn't behind the camera. His favorite themes were fate and destiny, family bonds, and love across time and space.
Fate, because he had would have died on the terrible Noshiro bus accident if he hadn't been so distracted by his father's illness that he had left his ticket at home.
Destiny, because he said he just knew it existed.
Family bonds, because really, what was more important? What could stir someone to act more than that?
Love across time and space, because what was more hopeful?
Watching his movies always made her heart speed up, and a strange loneliness would overcome her. And yet, she was always happy to see each one, as if she was making a new friend.
***
He had married a caring, beautiful actress from one of his movies, and they had 2 kind and lovely grown children.
He was 56, and always made an effort to return to his old neighborhood for the cherry blossom viewing whenever he could, although it had been several years since he'd last made it. "Why?" his wife would ask, somewhat bemused at his fondness for the place, one that was just like dozens all over Tokyo, and so far from their comfortable home, and he found it hard to articulate the peculiar yearning he had, as if there was something he needed to see.
***
"Oh my god. Oh my god, Oh my god." Nishida chanted rather breathlessly, his hand snaking out to grab Akari away her karaoke song.
"Nishida-san, what?" She glanced at him, annoyed, and the other club members all looked at him quizically too.
"Akari. Over there. In the Yomiuri Giants shirt. It's RYOTA MIZUROGI."
Her heart abruptly, stopped. "What?"
"It's really Ryota Mizurogi." Nishida was still panting. "It's really him." She looked where he was pointing. A rush of panicky adreneline coursed through her body as she realized she was no more than 30 meters from the man whose movies spoke to her as if they were from her best friend. She at once wanted to rush to him, and yet she felt completely rooted to the ground. "Oh my god. Akari, you have to go over there and introduce me to him."
At that, Akari was snapped out of her inner turmoil. "But I don't-"
"Didn't you say he and your dad are friends?"
"Yeah, but-"
"I'M HIS BIGGEST FAN, you have to do this for me!"
Her first inconsequential thought was that there was no way Nishida was his biggest fan. Her second was that all of Nishida's commotion had drawn his attention, and now he was looking at them. With his gaze upon her there was no longer a choice. She had to go.
***
The girl walked towards him. She had on a white coat and her hair danced in the wind. He suddenly, vividly remembered of the last scene of his first movie, the one he had lost. Except, he hadn't lost it at all.
***
A green kotatsu, a public bath house, a movie shoot, an umbrella in a storm, a science lab.
***
A green kotatsu, a girl saying she was his cousin, a pink mobile phone, an umbrella in a storm, a science lab.
***
He had gray at his temples and his hair was shorter, no longer feathered. He had a few wrinkles around his eyes and mouth, although they looked like they came from laughing. He was wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and a flannel shirt, and for an instant she saw him as she had known him in 1974.
***
She was upon him. Smiling with a flush of embarrassment, she bowed and introduced herself.
"Excuse me, my name is Akari Yuchiyama, and I think we've met before."
***
"Akari. I came back to see the cherry blossoms of the future."