Editing City Series:Volume7 Layer 2 (section)

===Record 101: I Can’t Find You===
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'''12/25/1998

'''2:19

It was late at night on Christmas and I was sitting below the chilly sky in Boss’s convertible.

We were on the bridge connecting the city we lived in with Akishima. Roasted by the frozen Tama River below, everything was absolutely frigid. Blue flames of snow-summoning gas lit the gas lights lining either side of the large four-lane bridge.

Boss was down below the red car repairing it and I sat in the passenger’s seat. On top of the sounds of Boss’s chiropractic car treatment, I heard the lively sound of an electrain running through the city.

Given how late it was, that was probably the last one for the night. The electric guitar tones running along the continuous track railway sounded a little lonely.

“Boss. I joined you because you said you were headed to the site of a carjacking in Akishima, right?”

“Yeah, that’s exactly right.”

“But now that I think about it, why are you going to the site of a carjacking in a car?”

“If you’re going where a car was attacked, of course you’re gonna take a car.”

“When you put it like that, I guess it makes sense. …But you aren’t 18 yet.”

“I’m old enough if you use my mental age. I’m 27 then. By the way, my mental birthday is May 5.”

Boss continued his repairs as he spoke.

“More importantly, why’d you need to go to Akishima? You’re off duty today, aren’t you? Are you supporting the whole Babel thing?”

“No, I’m entirely single, so I have way too much time on my hands. I need to go to that Akishima department store’s atrium and spit on the couples flirting down below or get a feel of some girl’s ass.”

“That’s quite a specific master plan you have there, so it’s too bad I’m holding you up here. This is what you deserve.”

“It’s not like either of us has anyone to give a present to. I mean, you’re checking out the site of a carjacking on Christmas.”

After a dry snapping sound, the car sank down a fair bit.

“I got out the little bone that was caught in there. Now we can push it by hand…”

Then he cleared his throat a little.

“The thing about me is…I need to learn how to drive things like cars and motorcycles as soon as possible.”

I responded while putting up my feet in the comfortable and spacious seat.

“Do you have a reason for that?”

“A few. The time is coming when I’ll need to move faster than time.”

“I see,” I said without questioning him further.

As I looked up into the sky, I heard a voice from behind.

“What are you two doing? The last thing I heard you were headed to Akishima in the evening…”

I looked back and saw Snowy wearing an overcoat and riding a ladies bike.

“I was curious and decided to stop by, but what is this? …Did the car break down?”

She grabbed the car’s trunk and activated her Mobilized Writing.

'''Anything a woman’s hand touches becomes a weapon.

She grabbed Boss’s car as a weapon and stored it in her breast pocket.

She bent her eyes a little and spoke with the distant electric guitar tone in the background.

“I will be taking this red car as a Christmas present from the two of you.

'''Author Comment:

The Akishima department store mentioned here actually exists north of Akishima Station. In fact, it’s right next to the station.

The bridge also exists, but that’s getting pretty local.