Months, years passed like seconds. Before Hanako and her classmates could even realize it, their graduation was a few days on the horizon. After that day, she would be alone. It was up to her, to write her own story in life. These thoughts filled Hanako's head, echoing to her as she slowly drifted off to sleep.
 
A gentle ringing falls over the room. Slightly crestfallen to have had to leave her dreams of that night, Hanako laid on her bed, staring at the pale white ceiling. Despite her incredibly slow build of confidence since her Yamaku schooling began, Hanako still felt incredible anxiety for these next coming days. Before, anxiety such as that would have ate at her, from the inside out. Now, she could supress it quite better, albeit she didn't have it perfectly down-pat. Hanako hit her alarm ever so slightly, as if to only feel it. Despite that, it was enough to turn it off. She got up, and carried her fragile frame through atypical morning rituals. She would have to go into the city, alone, to shop. Hisao and Lilly weren't exactly options, come this point of her schooling.
 
Opting to walk, Hanako took her time. It was nearly 2 hours of thought provoking travel on foot before she arrived to the city. Rumbling motors, muffled voices in crowds, and other stereotypical noise polluted the city. She kept reassuring herself, that she could find a quiet shop to make a purchase and leave unnoticed. She felt the stares of strangers bombard her from all directions. She closed in on herself, and continued her search.
 
After a few hours worth of window browsing, Hanako found a secluded shop, off to the side of any pedestrian traffic. As she walked in, a bell chimed, startling her. A rather large, glowing elderly woman sat in a chair behind the register, fumbling with a Rubik's Cube. Hanako felt relieved at this, and continued to walk into the shop. The vibrant mix of what appeared to be oak and maple hardwood floor lent flavour and class to the tiny shop, while the clearly handcrafted furniture was mediocre at best, and lent an almost corny feeling to the shop, as if it felt surreal. Customers came and went, browsing quickly and moving around Hanako. As she looked, she saw something that she almost thought was perfect for a graduation gift for her teacher, Mr. Mutou. The dusty, old leather jacket seemed worn and scarred. For this reason, it not only stood out to Hanako, but represented herself well enough that it could impact Mutou's ability to remember her quite positively.
 
 As she approached the register, the woman, in her jean jacket and sweatpants placed down her Rubik's Cube. Hanako's body language must have been enough for the woman to interprate, as no words were exchanged. Hanako pulled out her wallet, and handed over the ¥10,499 her and her classmates had pooled. The sky, as Hanako noticed when she stepped out the door, was a near glowing orange. There wasn't a cloud in the sky - just the setting sun, the crisp, cool temperature and city air. She loved it, but you wouldn't be able to tell just by looking at her. Mesmerized, she kept her eyes looking above to the painting in the sky. As she rounds the corner, she falls, dropping her purse and leather jacket. Embarrassed, she's frozen in fear. She can't help but feel the eyes of strangers, with their glares on her. She wasn't sure what to do. She was alone.
 
Bursting her emotional bubble and frozen stature was an unfamiliar voice. Beside her was young man, presumably as young as 18, or as old as 25.. He was clearly paralyzed from the waste down, and he sat in his wheelchair. He had short, black hair, and was in a grey suit, almost reminiscent of David Beckham's.
 
"Well," asked the man "May I help you up?"
 
Hanako was no longer motionless, but rather speechless. Noone had really ever offered her this kind of treatment - as an equal - in public, let alone a stranger. Hanako peered forward once again, and he had began to pick everything she had dropped up. Purse, jacket, all of it. He places it next to her, and looks at her again.
 
"Excuse me miss, but are you okay?" the man curiously inquires.
Hanako, avoiding eye contact, shook her head in an up-and-down motion, signifying yes. Tears rolled down her cheeks, from fear and humility. In front of her, the man offers his hand, to help pull her up.
 
Beyond all of her instincts, and fears..
 
She accepts.