Part 1
scribble
"Akira-san, I'm leaving," a guy said as he walked out.
"Y-yes…" I replied.
sigh
I'm a character designer, working for an anime studio in Japan. My family still lives in India. I was the first daughter in a middle-class family, and my life with my parents and younger brother was happy… at least until my parents died.
My father's company went bankrupt, and loan sharks constantly chased him. He lost everything and started drinking, but he still loved us until the end. Then one day, he and my mother died in a car accident. People called it an accident, but we all knew it wasn't.
I always remembered my father smiling at me, no matter how hard life was. After they died, only my aunt was there to cremate them. Our house and everything we owned were taken by the loan sharks.
I grew up with my aunt, whose husband had died in a terrorist attack while working for the Indian Army. She was an amazing woman. She raised me and my brother despite having very little. Thanks to her, my brother became an engineer.
I studied in Japan, first finishing a master's in computers and then going into arts. I always loved animation and Minecraft since I was a kid—they made me feel creative and free. I became really good at character design, which helped me fit in with Japanese students.
Even though there wasn't much difference between local and international students, I was often noticed for my looks. Some girls said, "You look different from what we imagined." Because of that, I didn't have many close female friends—except for my dormmate, Sora.
Sora was in my class and was distant at first. But she helped me adjust to Japanese culture, and we became close. Sometimes she would tease me, saying, "Are you for real…?" whenever I struggled with small things. I blamed it on cultural differences.
Even after graduation, we joined the same studio. Sora sometimes visited India because she wanted to try different curries. Honestly, it made me a little embarrassed—curry is more popular in East Asia than India anyway. But my aunt and Sora got along well, so I didn't mind.
[present]
"Hey-hey, Akira, help me out, will ya?"
"No," I said immediately.
"Aww… that's cold," she said. "So, what are you going to do when this year's anime season ends?"
I leaned back and thought. "Hmm… my brother's coming home, so maybe I'll visit him."
"Figures… you Indians are always home-freaks," Sora said with a grin.
"Looking for a fight, Sora?" I said, glaring at her. She flinched.
"Well..it's the trut-"
"Yes?"
"N-nothing"
"Hey what are you slacking off for"
A bossy tone jolted us to return to work.
After the airing finished.
I packed my bags quietly, feeling a strange mix of excitement and nervousness. It had been months since I last saw my family, and I missed the warmth of home.
My brother was coming too, and I couldn't wait to see him.
The airport was busy, as usual.
I walked through the crowd, dragging my suitcase behind me, and kept checking the flight information board. Finally, I found the gate for my flight to India.
As I settled into my seat, I looked out the window at the endless runway. The plane was enormous, and the engines roared to life. I felt a thrill as the plane began to move.
The takeoff was smooth. I watched the city shrink beneath me as we climbed higher. My heart felt lighter with every passing moment—home wasn't far now.
But then… something felt wrong.
A sudden jolt shook the plane. The cabin lights flickered. People around me gasped.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please remain calm," the captain's voice came over the intercom, but there was a tense edge I couldn't ignore. "We are experiencing a minor technical issue. Please stay seated with your seatbelts fastened."
A minor technical issue? The words didn't comfort me. I looked out the window again and noticed the wing dipping slightly. Panic began to creep in.
Another jolt. This time stronger. The plane shuddered violently. Screams erupted around me. I gripped my armrest, my heart hammering in my chest.
"Please… please be okay," I whispered to myself.
The engines sputtered. Smoke started to rise near the front. Oxygen masks dropped from above. People were screaming and crying.
I looked around, my mind racing. The reality hit me—this wasn't just a technical problem. Something was seriously wrong.
The plane tilted sharply, and my stomach lurched as we began to lose altitude. Everything around me felt surreal, like a nightmare I couldn't wake up from.
I closed my eyes tightly, holding onto my bag and praying.
Then, with a deafening roar, the plane crashed.
*boom*