The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

by Yasutaka Tsutsui

  “Ken Sogol?” Kazuo repeated the name a few times to herself. “It’s a nice name.”

  “Thank you.”

  “But why didn’t you tell me all this sooner? You saw me suffering...”

  “Well, when you fainted after smelling the potion, I thought I might be able to just let time take care of it without you ever having to know. You’re such a peaceful girl, and I didn’t want to ruin your life with such complex and confusing things. But then, unexpectedly, you got into that road accident and you managed to teleport and time-leap. Then you started leaping into the past of your own accord, so that you could meet me! Things had already got so complicated for you, so I decided to travel back in time as well to talk to you.”

  Well, I guess that answers everything now, thought Ka-zuko. But Kazuo kept on talking.

  “But there is something very important, Kazuko. I’m not actually allowed to tell you any of this. None of us from the future are allowed to talk about this stuff with people from the past.”

  “But why?”

  “Because it confuses history. It has a bad effect on society as well. You can see that, right? If I told people now that a few years down the road they were going to be at war it would cause panic. Especially because there is nothing you can do about it.”

  “We could prevent the war.”

  “It doesn’t work like that. History often cannot be changed. But if you could change anything, there are plenty of people who would love to take advantage of that for their own profit.”

  “So there’s a law in your own time that says you cannot tell people in the past about the future.”

  “Yes. That’s about right.”

  “Does that mean you’ve broken the law? I mean, you’ve told me everything.”

  “There are some exceptions.”

  “Exceptions?”

  Kazuo hesitated for a while, then he sighed and continued.

  “Even if I talk about the future to someone, if that person doesn’t remember it’s okay. That is to say, it’s okay if I erase your memory about me.”

  ERASING MEMORIES

  Kazuko’s eyes flew open in surprise. “Does that mean you’ll be erasing my memory before you return to the future?”

  Kazuo nodded sadly. “It can’t be avoided. It’s really sad that you won’t remember me after I leave, but I’ll be punished in my own time if I don’t do it.”

  “But I don’t want to forget!” cried Kazuko, shaking her head violently. She thought of all her memories of fun talks with Kazuo, and her memory of him confessing his love for her – memories she simply couldn’t bear to lose. And what about the memory of his face! She wouldn’t even be able to remember what he looked like!

  “But everything that’s happened, it’s been so precious,” pleaded Kazuko. “I don’t want to forget. You can remember me, though, can’t you? You can remember me for ever. It’s not fair that only I have to forget.”

  “It’s not only you! Don’t you see? I’ll have to erase the memory of everyone who’s known me in this time.”

  “And when are you returning to the future?”

  “Right now.”

  “So soon...” said Kazuko with a tear in her eye.

  “Of course I want to stay as long as possible. I’d much rather stay in this time and live happily among people like yourself and Goro. But I have work to do. I need to finish my research.”

  Kazuko drooped her head. “Well, you are from the future, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that you should want to return.”

  “But I do like your time better than the future,” said Kazuo without hesitation. “The pace of life is slower here, people are nicer. It’s just much easier to live here and to get along with everyone. And, of course, you’re here.” Kazuo looked into Kazuko’s eyes. “Of course, Goro is a great friend, and Mr Fukushima is a great teacher. But if it comes to choosing between staying here and going back to my research, then I have to go back to my research. It is, after all, my main purpose in life.”

  “But please, don’t erase my memory!” begged Kazuko with all her heart. “I won’t tell anyone! I promise. I’ll keep the memory of you hidden in my heart. I can’t stand the thought of losing all my memories of you. I can’t!”

  Kazuo looked distraught at hearing her words. “I can’t do that. Please understand,” he said in a low and determined voice.

  Realizing her cheeks were wet with tears, Kazuko hurriedly took out her handkerchief and wiped her eyes. Suddenly, she felt rather ashamed at being so emotional in front of Kazuo.

  “I understand...” she mumbled. But her heart was too heavy for her to say much more. “So I guess this is it.”

  Kazuko stood up and took a good look at Kazuo’s face, that lovely face that she would surely never see again.

  “Are you going now... right now?” she asked.

  Kazuo nodded solemnly.

  “Can you just tell me one thing?” said Kazuko, her voice cracking. “Are you never going to return to this time? Are you never going to appear in front of me again?”

  “I will probably come again. Some day...” said Kazuo as he picked up the radio-like device from the desk and pushed in the antenna.

  “But when will that be?”

  “I don’t know when. Probably when I finish my research, when I succeed in making the potion.”

  Hearing noises from the road outside, Kazuko realized that time was moving once more.

  “So will you come back to see me?” She pleaded again.

  Already, Kazuo was starting to fade before her eyes, and she had to struggle to keep him in sight. She watched as a white steam enveloped Kazuo and a strong scent of lavender filled the air.

  “I will come to see you, Kazuko,” he said, rapidly fading. “Not as Kazuo Fukamachi, but as someone completely new to you.”

  “I’ll know,” said Kazuko, struggling to hold on to her consciousness. “I’ll know who you are.”

  Then everything around her went black, and all her strength left her body. And in that brief moment before her body hit the floor, she heard a distant voice.

  “Goodbye, Kazuko. Goodbye.”

  A TIME TO CONNECT

  “Come on Kazuko, let’s go,” came Goro’s booming voice as he walked into the science lab. “I’ve got your bag here!”

  “Kazuko! ”he shrieked, seeing her lying motionless on the floor. Immediately, he ran over to her and tried to lift her. But she was too heavy for him to lift by himself.

  “What should I do!” He said to himself as his eyes welled up with tears. “Maybe you’re just exhausted, Kazuko! This lab is far too big for the two of us to clean!” And with that, he got up and ran to the staff room for help.

  When he got there, he was relieved to see Mr Fuku-shima sitting there reading, and together they went to the science lab and carried Kazuko back to the nurse’s room, where they laid her on the bed and waited for her to wake up.

  “Oh. What happened?” she said, with a groggy voice.

  “You fainted in the science lab...” said Goro.

  Kazuko strained to remember what she was doing in the science lab. But all she could remember was that she’d gone there to put away the brooms.

  “Were you the only ones cleaning the science lab?” asked Mr Fukushima.

  “That’s right,” said Goro, puffing out his chest. “Just the two of us cleaning that big room. Me and Kazuko and... That’s probably why she fainted, from fatigue.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” said Mr Fukushima, sincerely. “I will increase the number of students on the task from tomorrow.”

  Now that Kazuo had returned to the future, he no longer existed in the hearts of the people of the present. His memory had vanished entirely from the minds of Mr Fukushima, Goro and Kazuko. But more than that, there was simply no Kazuo Fukamachi in this world – with no seat for him in the classroom, nobody noticing his absence, and no reason for anyone to think that anything strange had happened. And when three days had passed, there was al
so no fire at Goro’s house, nobody was late for school, and no truck came careering through the red light at the intersection. Kazuo had seen to it that none of those bad things would happen before he departed for the future and peaceful days returned to Kazuko’s life. But every day, on her way home from school, she would pass by a small, nice-looking western-style house where a lovely middle-aged couple lived. Every day, she would pass by the greenhouse next to the house and every day she would enjoy the sweet lavender smell that came from within.

  I remember this scent, she would think to herself. So sweet, so nostalgic. I smelt this somewhere before. But where?

  She could see the name Fukamachi on a shiny name-plate by the door of the house, but it was a name that meant nothing to Kazuko. And at that moment, in her heart, she began to dream of meeting someone. Someone special who would one day walk into her life. Someone she would instantly feel she had known for years. Someone who would feel the same about her.

  THE STUFF THAT

  NIGHTMARES ARE MADE OF

  Masako was in the same class as Bunichi Morimoto again. They’d been in the same classes all the way through primary school, but had been placed in different ones the previous year, when they started secondary school. Bunichi had grown quite a lot in that past year, and now Masako only came up to his shoulders, so sometimes felt a little awkward standing next to him. But they were good friends who always spent their breaks working on their homework together. Their classmates teased them about this, but they didn’t let it bother them.

  One day, towards the end of summer, Masako was packing her books into her bag when Bunichi came up to her and asked, “Are you going to volleyball practice today?”

  “No, I’m going home. I have way too much homework.”

  “We can go home together then, if you like,” said Bunichi. “But won’t your team-mates be upset that you skipped practice?”

  “They won’t mind. I’m too short to get much time on the court anyway, so I think it’s okay to slack off a little from time to time.”

  And with that, the two of them walked out of the school gates side by side and onto the street, to where the sycamore leaves were already turning yellow and a cool breeze danced around them.

  “Bunichi?” said Masako in the tone she reserved for asking favours. “Do you think you could help me with today’s math homework?”

  “Yeah, sure. Why don’t you come over to my house?”

  “No way!” cried out Masako, surprising even herself.

  It simply wasn’t like her to react that way.

  “There’s no need to shout. I mean, you don’t have to come if you don’t want to.”

  “I’m sorry,” said Masako, feeling bad. “I don’t know what came over me.”

  “You’re a strange one sometimes, Masako.”

  As they carried on walking, Masako wondered why she’d shouted like that. Was it that she really didn’t want to go to Bunichi’s house? There wasn’t any reason for her to feel that way after all. So instead she searched her mind for an explanation and started to think of Bunichi’s young and pretty mother, whom she hadn’t seen in a while.

  “I just... didn’t want to disturb your mother,” offered Masako.

  “Oh, is that what you were worried about? That’s so not like you!” said Bunichi, laughing. There wasn’t much you could do to dampen Bunichi’s spirits, and that was one of the things Masako liked about him.

  “All right then,” said Masako, “I guess I could stop by just for a little bit.”

  “Great!”

  When they arrived, Bunichi’s mother seemed a little surprised to see Masako.

  “Why, Masako, it’s been a while, hasn’t it? I haven’t seen you since your primary-school graduation ceremony!”

  “Yes, it has been a while,” said Masako, doing her best to sound older than she was.

  “You’re so tanned, and you haven’t grown one bit!”

  “Hey! I’m kind of self-conscious about my height, you know!” said Masako in a sulky tone.

  Bunichi’s mother laughed. “I’m sorry. It’s just that Bunichi has grown so much this past year, so it’s a little funny to see you haven’t changed at all.”

  “Come on, let’s go up to my room,” said Bunichi impatiently.

  As Masako followed Bunichi to his room, his mother called out from behind them. “And try not to faint this time, Masako!”

  “Faint?” said Masako, turning around. “What do you mean?”

  “Don’t you remember? Last time you went into Bunichi’s room, something startled you and you fainted.”

  That’s right, thought Masako. She had seen something terrifying in Bunichi’s room. But what was it that had scared her so much that she’d fainted?

  “You know, I really don’t remember what it was that startled me so badly.”

  “Maybe it was so scary that you erased it from your memory,” said Bunichi’s mother, laughing. “That’s not so unusual, you know.”

  When Masako heard that, it made her not want to go into Bunichi’s room.

  “Bunichi?” she said. “That scary thing... is it still there?”

  “Yeah, sure it is. Come up and see,” he replied with a smirk on his face.

  “No way!”

  “Okay, then you wait here. I’ll go ahead and put it away.”

  “Do you remember what it was?” Masako turned to Bunichi’s mother, who was now pouring tea for them.

  “Well,” said Bunichi’s mother, looking a little unsure. “I didn’t really pay so much attention to what it was that scared you. My main concern was that you had fainted. I do recall that it was actually something quite silly, though.”

  “Masako!” called out Bunichi. “You can come in now.”

  “Are you sure you’ve put it away?” asked Masako as she anxiously approached the door.

  “Yeah, it’s fine. You can come in now.”

  Slowly and cautiously, Masako stepped into Bunichi’s room. And as soon as she did, out jumped Bunichi from behind the door with a mask on his face! It was a “Prajna” mask from one of the stories Bunichi liked, with hollow eyes, a gaping bright-red mouth and an expression so fierce it could only belong to a creature from another world.

  THE PRAJNA MASK

  Masako let out a scream, pushed Bunichi out of her way and ran right past his mother and out of the front door – without even stopping to put on her shoes. She felt as if her heart might jump out of her mouth at any moment, and she didn’t stop until she was a good ten metres away from the house, where she squatted down on the pavement and tried to catch her breath. Now she remembered all too well. That was the same stupid mask that had terrified her the last time! And how nasty was it of Bunichi to scare her like that! Perhaps he thought it was funny. Well, it most certainly was not! He should know how frightened she was of that mask!

  “That’s it,” said Mariko to herself as her eyes became red, more from anger than fear. “I don’t need his help with my homework any more. I’m never going to hang out with him ever again.”

  Mariko stood up and looked around. The street was completely empty, except for a single black cat that was sitting next to the mailbox. She wished she could just go home. But first she needed her shoes, so reluctantly she went back to Bunichi’s house, and as she entered she heard Bunichi being scolded by his mother.

  “What were you thinking!? Masako is a girl! That was way out of line, young man!”

  “But...” Bunichi stammered. “I didn’t think it would scare her so much. I mean, she’s not a kid any more. If anything, I thought I would get a laugh out of her...”

  Bunichi sounded genuinely confused and concerned.

  “Stop making excuses and go look for her. Now!” his mother shouted.

  “It’s okay, I’m right here,” said Masako, feeling a little sorry for him.

  Both Bunichi and his mother hurried towards her, apologizing profusely as they came, and Masako started to feel a little embarrassed for making such a big deal over a s
mall thing. As an apology, Bunichi offered to break his piggy bank and use the proceeds to take her to a movie on Sunday. Masako was happy and ready to accept his apology, but she thought she’d better stay in a sulk for just a little while longer. After all, if she went back to her usual mood too quickly, then Bunichi might tease her about the whole thing.

  Several days had passed since the incident with the Prajna mask at Bunichi’s house, but Masako couldn’t stop thinking about it. The mask was certainly scary, no question about it. But it was just a mask after all. So Masako couldn’t quite understand why she’d reacted in such an extreme manner. What’s so scary about a stupid mask? she thought to herself. Surely there must be a reason. Or could it be that I’m just more easily scared than others?

  As she mulled these thoughts over in her head, Masako remembered that Bunichi was afraid of something too. Spiders. Masako, on the other hand, had no problem with them. I guess... she pondered, different people are just scared of different things. But still, there was something about the incident with the mask that continued to bother her.

  Thinking back to her first year of secondary school, Masako remembered a time when she’d had to draw a Prajna mask for art class. When she’d first seen the mask, she’d felt a shiver go down her spine, but she’d soon got used to it. So it seemed it was only scary to her now when it suddenly appeared in front of her. Perhaps it wouldn’t be scary any more if she were to look at it for long enough. It also occurred to her, for the first time, that maybe the reason she didn’t like art class was the fact that the walls of the art room were decorated with Prajna masks. She’d loved art class in primary school, after all. But in secondary school, she hadn’t even bothered to join the art club. Instead, she’d decided to join the volleyball club, even though she wasn’t any good at it. Perhaps there was something more to her feelings about the Prajna mask. Could it be that she’d had some terrible experience with a Prajna mask some time ago? An experience she could no longer remember?