1. The Sky Outside the Window

Miyuki Ogawa is a junior high school girl who lives in a block of high rise apartments with her

two parents. One morning in June, Miyuki decides not to go to school because of a typhoon.

Her parents soon leave the apartment to go to work. Left all alone in the living room, everything

around Miyuki suddenly reminded her of the heavy rain outside.

She began to imagine what

it was like.

The crowded train she usually took to school in the morning was probably filled

with the same rainy atmosphere - someone's wet umbrella soaking someone's skirt and legs,

businessmen cramped together with their clothes smelling of insecticide and the air conditioner

turned on too high, making all the damp clothes feel even colder...

After having only a yogurt that morning for breakfast, Miyuki returned to her room to resume

her work.

She was writing a novel that no one knew about yet.

It wasn't complete yet and even

if she did finish it, Miyuki didn't know what she was going to do with it afterwards. Miyuki

stretched a little and began manicuring her nails. "I probably just want to leave a trace of myself

behind in this world."

Miyuki soon noticed the wind had picked up outside her window as it howled through the gaps

between buildings. Sirens could be heard.

Pressing her ear towards the window she could hear

the trees violently swaying in the wind, trucks running through water and a sign being thrown

violently onto the ground. Scenes of the raging rain outside made their way into Miyuki's mind

again - roofs exposed to the roaring typhoon winds, the rusted cable cars, the empty crossings,

the deserted buildings, creaking lights and her classmates taking lessons quietly in class...

Staring at the white notepad before her, Miyuki thought about the possible future ahead of

her.

She'll be taking her final exams soon, wearing a new uniform and if it all goes well, she'll be

attending a private senior high school that only takes forty minutes to get to by train and she

will probably join the basketball club again.

She'll be working part-time and maybe go out with

a few boys. "After graduating from high school, I'll go to university," thought Miyuki to herself.

"Hmmm, university life... After that it'll be a career and marriage for me but that's not

something that I can really imagine.

Anyway, this novel I'm writing now shouldn't have any

effect on my future. But then what am I writing this for?"

"...No, my novel has nothing to do with any of that," thought Miyuki. "There's nothing I

want to be just now. I haven't done things I want to do yet. First I'm going to write this novel

because I want to know more about myself.

I'm sure there will be a whole new world that I'll

be able to reach out to once I'm finished."

Miyuki noticed the wind had stopped now. Silence hung peacefully in her room.

Looking up

she could see how bright it had suddenly become outside. Rays of sunlight were bursting through

the clouds... The sound of Miyuki's sandals echoed as she opened the window and stepped out

onto the veranda. What a world that laid before her eyes!

Just moments ago the town was drenched in rain but now, it was glowing brightly as dazzling

rays of sunlight illuminated of it. The clouds above were breaking up and dashes of the blue sky

could be seen. Small black clouds were being whisked quickly away by the strong winds

overhead

in the sky."This is the first time I've seen anything like this. Yes, this must be the eye of the storm..."

Looking at the sky from the high veranda, Miyuki thought the blue colour was a sad one.

It

was so far away and so high. Even though she knew she couldn't reach out to touch it, Miyuki

stretched out her hands. She didn't know why but under that powerful moment of time, she

broke down in tears.

It was a bright sunny morning the next day. Miyuki was walking down a side lane in between

buildings as she made her way to the station. Stopping, she turns round to look at the town

hidden away by the blue sky.

"No one would believe me if I tried to tell them what I saw

yesterday," thought Miyuki. "I don't know why but it's been bothering me... It's impossible to

leave any traces of my life behind in this big world."

"So yet why do I continue writing my story?" Miyuki looked away from the sky and continued

to walk again.

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