The small red sedan smoothly slid out of the parking spot, maneuvering onto the main street.
"What were you going to ask earlier?"
Sumika gripped the steering wheel, eyes fixed on the road, sparing a moment to glance at him.
Logan held onto the handle above the door, feeling the steady hum of the engine. He hesitated before speaking, "Just... wanted to ask if your driving skills were reliable..."
"Huh? Didn't I already pass the government-approved driving test?" Sumika replied innocently, not quite catching his drift, "My driving is…"
While checking the rearview mirror for a turn, she shot him a fleeting glance, one that lingered just long enough to notice his defensive posture, as if bracing for an imminent crash.
As a freshly minted driver, her pride was too high to tolerate any doubts.
"Heh, you know how there are always those news stories about female drivers..." Logan sensed the unspoken warning in the air, gentle yet sharp. He awkwardly lowered his hand and pretended to gaze casually out the window.
The tightly packed buildings whizzed by. After observing for a while, Logan relaxed slightly.
Sumika's driving was actually decent, at least up to the standards of a proper driving school graduate.
He admired the compact streets for a while, then shifted his gaze to Sumika's focused expression. Truthfully, he rarely rode in private cars as a local rather than a tourist. Taxis were common, but Olivia wasn't around now.
"Can this person even drive?" Sumika lightly tapped the brakes, glaring at the car that had just cut her off. She clenched her teeth, barely holding back her frustration.
The mundane irritation was endearing. She was living life the way she wanted, no longer the etiquette-bound, pressure-laden envoy of the past.
The high-ranking Sumika had been dignified and brilliant, but this Sumika, Logan found even more captivating.
"Learning to drive was a good idea." Logan said slowly. "You're really steady. I'm impressed."
He made sure to praise her, making up for his earlier skepticism. Sumika's expression brightened, though she tried not to look too smug, settling for a proud little nod.
The windshield bore faint traces of water droplets, the wipers small and efficient. Crowds streamed across crosswalks in waves, layered against the backdrop of endless skyscrapers.
Most importantly, the person beside him radiated calm. Logan silently treasured this hard-won slice of ordinary life.
But reality didn't spare him. After zoning out for a bit, he realized they were stuck in traffic.
"Strange, it's not even rush hour..." Sumika muttered, peering ahead sheepishly.
The sea of brake lights and hazard signals exuded a stubbornness rivaling New York's worst jams.
In a gridlock even veteran drivers couldn't weave through, a newbie like Sumika could only sit helplessly, waiting for traffic police to sort things out.
They idled for about half an hour. She had suggested driving, knowing congestion was possible, but she'd wanted to show off in front of her beloved.
The traffic lights cycled endlessly, yet the cars crawled forward at a snail's pace. Pedestrians and cyclists breezed past while they remained trapped on the same street.
Seeing this, Logan said, "It's fine, no rush."
'Ordinary life was great, except for the traffic.'
To pass the time, Logan steered the conversation toward the future.
Given their unique circumstances, their chats often oscillated between lovey-dovey fluff and dead-serious life plans.
Compared to other couples their age, they could seem almost too mature.
"You're still studying, right?" Logan asked.
"Yeah, I signed up for adult classes... Hattori-kun, this world is amazing. Just the basics of music theory and literature alone are overwhelming, but compared to the entire ocean of knowledge, they're just a drop."
Logan smiled. Whenever the topic turned to modern education, built over centuries by countless minds. Sumika's reverence and enthusiasm always put him to shame.
After adjusting to daily life, she'd thrown herself into learning, whether pop culture online or library books.
Faced with such a dazzling world, Sumika, as an outsider, couldn't resign herself to just watching from the sidelines. Like Logan when he'd first arrived in the Ninja World, she wanted to dive in.
"Hattori-kun... I want to take the college entrance exams," Sumika said suddenly, her voice soft, almost shy.
"Sure."
Logan reached over and ruffled her hair, as if soothing an obedient kitten, offering confidence and support, "That's even better than driving. I'd love to see that day... College Student Sumika."
"Then you can call me Senpai."
He pinched her cheek, which is as soft as a mochi, and couldn't resist going in for a second squeeze, attacking with both hands.
"Don't get ahead of yourself! I might get into college before you!" Sumika grabbed his marauding hands, pretending to bite them.
"No way." Logan's eye twitched, 'My grades weren't great, but that was just cruel...'
The traffic finally eased. When they pulled into a downtown parking spot, both exhaled in relief.
They spent the day exploring Ginza, its familiar glamour still enchanting.
Logan couldn't stay in Japan much longer.
He'd timed his return for the holidays, but school in Fresno had already started, 'Poor shadow clone...'
Agreeing to leave tomorrow, Sumika, though reluctant, understood. They could always meet again.
They wandered Ginza freely, trying on clothes, critiquing them with 'The last store was better', then leaving empty-handed… thrifty like an old married couple.
Logan half-wanted to 'meet' the local yakuza, but Sumika was perfectly content with their simple, peaceful day.
That evening, stuck in traffic again, they watched the sunset and grumbled about the roads before heading home.
After washing up, Sumika stepped out of the bathroom, steam billowing behind her.
With a towel wrapped around her head, her neck swan-like and cheeks pink, Sumika opened the bedroom door to find Logan already dutifully laying out his futon.
"You... go shower."
"Okay."
The clock ticked as water ran. Rustling sounds followed as they settled into their respective spots.
Click.
The lights went out, plunging the room into darkness.
"..."
At first, they chatted idly, then lapsed into silence.
Their breaths synchronized. The curtains were half-drawn, revealing a sliver of starless night sky.
"Hattori-kun... your college entrance exams are coming up, right?"
"Yeah."
"Over a year has passed..."
Under the covers, their world felt small.
Their pasts were alien to this reality. The city enveloped them, its bustling crowds and ever-shifting tides like a relentless storm. By day, they drifted, by subway or car, toward distant shores, navigating reefs and tempests. Each day could be a struggle.
But here, feeling each other's presence, they huddled together, a tiny boat weathering the voyage.
This warmth and safety hid beneath the night sky, unknown to all. And they wouldn't have it any other way.