Train Station

The alarm clock rang: "Kring... kring..." Groaning, I reached over to silence it. Still lying in bed, I gazed blankly at the ceiling, lazy to start the day. "Weekdays, ugh."

With the responsibilities I have in work, I forced myself upright. "Time for work," I sighed, folding my bed.

My morning routine kicked in: cooking breakfast, setting it aside, and having a 30-minute bath and dressing up. Seated at the table, I ate my meal and sip my coffee, lost in thought as I gazed out the window. The silence around the house hugged me.

"It sunk in," I murmured, "I'm living the life I've always wanted—"

The alarm interrupted my thoughts, reminding me to leave for work or else I’ll be late.

I gathered my things for work hurriedly and opened the door. “ahhh!” I exclaimed in annoyance as an envelope fell out, stuck between the door and its frame. With the limited time I have to arrive at work, I threw it inside the house. Unsure of what it is all about, I didn’t bother to think about it much. All I could think of is if I can make it in time to the train station. I was really anxious if I could catch the first train. The trains from my hometown to work only run at 7:00 a.m and 10:00 a.m. If I missed the 7:00 a.m train, I’d have to wait three hours for the next one, which would make me late for my important meeting.

“Wait, wait!” I shouted desperately as I pleaded with the last man entering the train to alert the train conductor that someone was still trying to get on. I sighed heavily. “Just in time,” I said as soon as I entered the train.

I bowed and thanked the man who saved me from missing it, then proceeded to find an available seat. As usual, I plugged in my earphones and looked at the view outside the window because it is my daily routine whenever I go to work and ride the train. It helps me relax my mind, and I feel like I’m surrounded by peace.

After a few minutes had passed, I didn’t even notice that we were already midway to our destination because I was so focused on admiring the view while reminiscing about the good old days.

My thoughts were suddenly interrupted when the train driver made an announcement that instantly made me panic.

“Dear passengers, Hozukyō Station sincerely apologizes for the inconvenience ahead during the midway of our transportation. Rest assured that we are doing the best we can to fix the problem as soon as possible. For the moment, please step outside and take some fresh air while we work on resolving the issue. Again, we sincerely apologize for this inconvenience and ask for everyone’s understanding regarding our situation. Thank you!”

I was planning to stay in my seat until the conflict was resolved, but a guy suddenly approached me.

“Hey, don’t you want to go outside and get some fresh air?” he asked while offering me a smile.

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