Odyssey into 2012 I

Odyssey into 2012 - Chapter 1


She did not know why "Tokyo" and "Zephyr" sounded so familiar to her when she had found the piece of paper, but as she wandered in the streets of the megalopolis, she strangely felt at "home", like this place was where she was meant to be… She walked a long time, not knowing where she was going, her legs moving on their own, as if they knew perfectly the way to go.

She finally stopped in front of a small café. The sign above the front door struck her like thunderbolt: "Zephyr" was written on it! Without hesitation she pushed the door and dived into the choking warmth of the ragged looking café. She looked around and noticed that the room was empty, except for the bartender. She took a few steps forward and sat in the first stool on her right. The man behind the bar put down the glass he was drying up and came closer. Her heart was beating wildly and her hands began to shake.
"Welcome! What would you like to…" began the man. He stopped and stared at her with big bulging eyes. He was quite young, mid-twenties probably. And quite handsome too. He dropped the dish towel that was in his hand and rush around the bar. He planted himself in front of her and suddenly he hugged her. "Oh my God! Erin you're alive!" This sudden outburst scared her and she pushed the young man away.

"I'm sorry but I don't know who you are or who this Erin is but…"
"YOU are Erin! Don't you know who you are?" said the man, incredulous.
"No I don't…The only thing I remember is me waking up in a place I didn't know."
"You mean you don't remember ANYTHING?"
"Yeah that is what I mean..."
"Then how did you know this place?"
"I had this piece of paper in my pocket when I woke up," she took it out and showed it to the man, "'Tokyo' and 'Zephyr', it's all I had."
The boy looked at the piece of paper then looked up at her again, not knowing what to say.
"Yeah that was my reaction too at first… Then I told myself that I had nothing to lose so I took the first flight to Tokyo. Then I don't know what happen…my legs just dragged me here. And your café has the name which is written right here, so it's certainly not a coincidence!"
She took the piece of paper back and stared at it. "By the way, did you know me before? I don't remember you at all…what's your name again?"
"Yes I knew you very well, better than anyone in fact. My name is MIZUGIWA Soyokaze."
"Soyokaze…? It's…"
"Yes, it means Zephyr. My father named the bar after me."

She couldn't believe what she heard - his name was Zephyr!
"Apparently, you were lead here to meet me! It must be fate!" He shouted out, a big smile on his face.
Erin kept staring at him, wondering why she was sent here. Who was this man? And what kind of relationship did they have in the past? The room began to spin, she try steady herself by grabbing the edge of the counter.
"What did you mean by 'you're alive'…?"
Her mind went blank as she felt herself slip out of the stool…