Like every morning, I woke up to sunlight streaming through the window, the sound of traffic, and my sister making a racket. In other words, my usual annoying morning routine. It was 7:30 AM.
Half-asleep, I grabbed my phone and checked my notifications.
Then I got a call from Kana.
«Hello?» I answered weakly.
«Hello? Am I speaking with Aiko?» she asked playfully. For a second I stayed silent. Then we both burst out laughing like idiots.
«You're such an idiot, Kana!»
«What are you up to today?» she continued, cheerful as always.
«I have an appointment this morning... at 8:30 AM with my therapist. But I'm free after lunch if you want to meet up.»
«Perfect! I'll text you later then. Hang in there, girl - today's going to be a good day!»
«Let's hope so.»
I ended the call and lay there staring at the ceiling for a moment. I really didn't feel like getting up - I was so cozy under my blankets. But then I got hungry, so I slowly got up, got ready, and had breakfast. It was 8 AM.
As I left the house, the city seemed its usual self - bikes whizzing by, traffic, students running late.
On the subway, the faces were the same as always. Some people slept standing up. Others stared at their phone screens like they were trying not to think. I lowered my gaze, trying to shield myself from all the noise.
When I exited the station, the air was crisp. «I think it's going to rain,» I thought. I crossed an intersection, absently watching a child running with an ice cream cone that then fell to the ground. Poor kid.
I arrived at Dr. Shimizu's office at 8:20 AM and sat in the waiting room.
When she called me in, I entered. There she was, sitting as always with her notebook and laptop in front of her.
«Good morning Aiko. How are you today?» she asked in her usual calm voice.
«Good morning, Doctor. Listen, I've finally decided - I want to do that program you mentioned last time.»
She nodded and typed something on her computer without saying anything.
Then we talked about how I'd handled the week, whether I'd had any problems or wanted to discuss anything specific. Time flew by.
Finally, I stood up, said goodbye to the doctor, and left. It was 9:40 AM.
Outside, the sky was gray and still - those heavy clouds meant rain. I wrapped myself tighter in my coat, made eye contact with an elderly woman carrying flowers, and kept walking... then I don't remember anything after that.