Work Text:
INSTRUCTIONS: Create an A4 size poster about 2019 Sendai, which communicates the ideas, culture, climate, history, and attractions of the city. Choose to focus on any area that you find of interest and communicate “SENDAI” through visual signs to an audience that has never visited it before. You may use any medium, traditional or digital.
Long gone are the days when Hitoka could miss three hours of precious sleep on a school night, simply because she felt like drawing. Ever since she started college, the universe has continued to prove to her that an all-nighter is not enough time to finish her midterm project. At least, not with a stellar grade—and Hitoka needs one this term, so procrastinating is out of the question.
No matter how much she wishes the midterm out of existence, the thought of her classmates doing better than her—which they probably are—feels utterly nauseating. In a way, this is how she ends up in the Sendai City Museum at 9:00 AM sharp on a Tuesday. Her peers from college are either in class, or sleeping in, and Hitoka is only a little bit jealous of the latter.
Sleep pours in her eyelids as she yawns, not really inspired by anything on display so far. Hitoka hopes the great Dokuganryū will not take offense; no matter how impressive his armor looks, it does not exactly spark modern “SENDAI” to Hitoka.
Now that she thinks about it, perhaps using a museum as inspiration wasn’t the best idea for this assignment.
Hitoka sighs.
She does not finish looking at the paintings in the room before she turns around, starting to walk towards the exit. Maybe she will have better luck at the library. Or the park. Or literally anywhere else.
Inspiration used to come easily.
When Hitoka thinks of her greatest work, she thinks of bright orange hair and soaring through the court. Of quiet awes exploding into laughter, of sunset-turning dawns, of hours spent away from home, yet right where she belongs.
Maybe what she misses isn’t the posters, but her—
“Ow!”
Hitoka’s face burns at the impact, and she freezes immediately. At first, she thinks she must have accidentally bumped into one of the displays. However, she quickly realises that the obstacle in front of her isn’t a piece of samurai armor, but a rather tall man.
“I’m so sorry, I didn’t—!” Hitoka pauses. Then blinks. Then, “… Tsukishima-san?”
The man looks down at her, with an expression so twisted that Hitoka is certain matches her own. Her hand moves on its own when she gives an awkward, apologetic wave, her escape from the museum now forgotten.
“Oh. Yachi-san.”
“I-It really is you!” Hitoka says, feeling the ends of her mouth stretch into a smile—and really, when was the last time they did that? “Um, sorry for bumping into you.”
Tsukishima, who looks as calculated as ever, shakes his head. “It’s fine.”
Perhaps it is because she is still half asleep, or because Tsukishima naturally carries himself in a way that makes everyone go quiet—or angry, Hitoka notes, depending on how mischievous he is feeling—but she has to remind herself that conversations require a response.
“I wasn’t expecting to see anyone here this early!” she clears her throat and says. “I mean, who goes to a museum on a random Tuesday morning?”
“You?”
Hitoka blinks. Then, laughs. “I guess so.”
It is then that Tsukishima smiles for the first time since they run into each other, a shit-eating grin that she is far too familiar with. Hitoka cannot remember the last time she has been a victim of Tsukishima’s teasing, and… Oh, Hitoka realises. She cannot remember the last time she has thought of Tsukishima at all.
A sudden pile of guilt swims in Hitoka’s chest, which she hopes gets hidden behind her smile well enough.
When was the last time she reached out to anyone from high school?
Well, she texted Shimizu last week, and she commented on Noya’s post from his trip this month, she remembers that, and… she ran into Kozume that one time, but she did not say anything because she felt too shy to talk to one of Hinata’s friends without him there, and—when was the last time she messaged Hinata?
“Is there a reason you look like you saw someone get run over?”
Hitoka jumps. She completely forgot she wasn’t alone.
Once again, she clears her throat. “Um, I was just wondering, how come… well, what are you doing here?” she asks. She doubts Tsukishima believes that is all there is to it, but at least he has the decency of not saying it to her face. “No offense, but you did not strike me as someone who goes to the museum for no reason.”
“I’m looking for a job.”
Somehow, Hitoka finds the new information even more astonishing.
“Here?!” Hitoka asks. “You?!”
In contrast to her surprise, Tsukishima simply shrugs.
“Oh, wow!” Hitoka says. “When is the interview?”
“Five minutes ago.”
“E-Excuse me?”
“I ran into some traffic on the way, as you know.”
Oh.
Dread fills Hitoka’s lungs, and suddenly, she wishes she had run into one of the exhibits instead of her friend. With all the remaining dignity she can muster, she crosses her hands and gives an apologetic bow. “Tsukishima-san… I am so sorry, I—”
And then, with the very corner of her eye, she catches a glimpse of Tsukki’s signature smirk.
“…?”
“Kidding.”
Hitoka looks up. Perhaps she did not miss his teasing, after all.
“Tsukishima…” she grits through her teeth, her heart still racing from leftover panic.
Hitoka hopes he has so much homework he never has time to go out again—no, he would probably like the isolation. Maybe, his future employer is so strict and annoying, and forces him to stay overtime—and he hurts his wrist, and then he never plays volleyball. Or maybe, he plays volleyball, but he hates it. Yes. That would be the worst punishment of all.
And yet, what Hitoka says instead is, “Would you have coffee with me, then?”
Perhaps her response is the real revenge, because Tsukishima looks so surprised that Hitoka can see a giant question mark over her head. Even so, she is more than certain that his bewilderment does not begin to reach her own, who did not even know she was going to ask him to hang out until the very moment the question left her lips.
And she continues to surprise herself, it seems.
“I have sooo much homework,” Hitoka complains. “And I really should get to it, but honestly? I would rather do anything else… And I haven’t had coffee with anyone in forever!”
For whatever reason, that seems to snap Tsukishima out of his silence. “I would,” he says. “But I have an interview.”
“Huh?”
“In ten minutes.”
Hitoka feels her eyebrow furrow. “Do you think I’m that gullible?”
“I guess not,” Tsukishima says, and then opens the folder in his hands to show her his printed CV. “You are not the only one procrastinating responsibilities, Yachi-san.”
“That’s…”
“I would skip it, but Yamaguchi would kill me.”
“Yes! I mean, no!” Hitoka says. “I mean, go to your interview!”
“Yes,” Tsukishima agrees. “… maybe after.”
“H-Huh?”
Tsukishima sighs. “Coffee. After? If you wait at the museum cafe, yeah… Then. Then, yeah. Not… anyway.”
Hitoka does not think she has ever witnessed Tsukishima go into brain failure before, and as much as she wants to entertain the thought of telling Shimizu all about it, she is preoccupied by him actually accepting her plans.
“O-Oh!” Hitoka says. “Yeah! Sure, I’d like that!”
“Good. I have to go. Bye.”
“U-Um, bye!” Hitoka says, watching Tsukishima walk away. “… I-I think?”
It is not until days later—long after Tsukishima has been through the interview, long after the two of them have coffee together, long after they arrange plans to see each other again, and long after she submits her midterm—that Hitoka realises she never once wished him good luck.
MODULE:
VL 3401 VISUAL PRACTICES
SEMESTER/YEAR:
2019-2020 SPRING
INSTRUCTOR LAST NAME, FIRST NAME:
NAKAHARA, SATOSHI
STUDENT LAST NAME, FIRST NAME:
YACHI, HITOKA
STUDENT ID:
090496
ASSESSMENT TYPE:
MIDTERM
WEIGHTED % IN MODULE GRADE:
40%
NUMERICAL MARK:
76
LETTER GRADE:
A
INSTRUCTOR’S COMMENTS:
Yachi-san, your midterm project demonstrates strong insight and excellent visual articulation. All visual elements are coherent, well-organized, and representative of “SENDAI” in an original, yet accurate, manner. Your self-reflective essay clearly demonstrates your creative process and shows a clear relation between them and your practices. I was particularly impressed by your rationale in blurring the museum guests’ faces except for the man with the glasses in your composition. Your focus on friendship and familiarity to represent “SENDAI” is appropriate and effective. Well done.