Teresa and Ayane boarded the three-hour train ride to Sapporo, the largest city in the entire northern area of Hokkaido. Well, it’s to be expected, for it is the capital city of the prefecture and its enclosing Ishikari Subprefecture. As Hokkaido’s economic, political, and cultural center, there are many things to look forward to, especially to someone who has not been in the city in their whole life, like Teresa Darlington. In fact, while they were on the three-hour train ride, Teresa brought out her copy of the map of Sapporo, as the young schoolgirl looked on with eager anticipation at how much this gaijin would get excited about everything there is to know and see in Sapporo.

Teresa pointed at a green area in the map. “This is where the Odori Park is situated, yes?”

Ayane nodded. “It was supposed to be the main street of the city, but it was instead converted into a park. I had fond memories of flying kites in there, while people on the other side of the area,” she paused, tracing the line to the Sapporo TV Tower. “You know, like the terebi people probably- were watching us.”

“That sounds like a different kind of broadcast,” Teresa chuckled, even though she thought the joke was terrible.

Teresa pointed to another place.

Ayane’s eyes lit up. “Tsudome!” she excitedly exclaimed, surprising Teresa. Ayane felt gazes of other people onboard, as she plopped back down on her seat, embarrassed at her exclamation. She cleared her throat once more, pausing for a moment for the gazes to rescind.

“Uh- that’s Tsudome, the Sapporo Community Dome, one of the three places where I used to watch soccer with my family-”

“Err- soccer?”

Ayane’s eyes widened as she looked towards Teresa’s confused expression. “Oh that’s right, Europeans call it football.”

“So, the Japanese call it soccer too…”

“Well, yeah, to distinguish it between American football, which is a hit with my dad.”

How interesting, Teresa thought. It turned out she had forgotten to take note of the little subtle details that Japanese people regard certain things. Oh well, at least now I know that soccer is a term they use to distinguish between American football and association football, Teresa pondered. However, she thought about how odd it must be for other foreigners like herself (which apparently the Japanese call gaijin) to carry a conversation about football with locals. They might be referring to association football, whereas the locals might refer it to the American version of the sport. How very interesting indeed, Teresa concluded, in her stream of consciousness.

Looking for other things to talk about so that she could kill time when it counts, Teresa pointed to the place marked Susukino.

Ayane smiled. “Oh, Susukino, the entertainment district. Some of my fondest memories were made when my family went there, especially during February.”

“I see. So what is in Susukino?”

“Many things actually,” Ayane began, clearing her throat to make sure she doesn’t stutter when noting all of what she is about to say.

“First of all, the Sapporo Snow Festival happens there. Well, it also happens in the Odori Park that you pointed to, as well as the Tsudome where the soccer stuff happens, but Susukino is the main district where the Snow Festival takes place.

“In fact,” Ayane paused, clasping Teresa’s hand between her hands. “If you are still here until February, then I would take you to my favorite places during that Festival. It will be fun, I promise!”

Teresa, nervously, replied, “I am not sure if I would stay there for that long.”

“Aww…” Ayane plopped down on her seat.

“Hey, look on the bright side: at least you will have to accompany me throughout my stay here in Japan. Otherwise, where would I be without you?” Teresa followed-up, trying to cheer up a clearly demoralized Ayane.

The schoolgirl hid her smile. “You’re right, I might as well cherish my moments taking this blonde gaijin with me.”

Teresa and Ayane had just affirmed their friendship again during the second train ride, until the train suddenly halted at the Minami-Chitose terminal longer than expected.

2 hours into the train ride had passed.

“Oh no, this isn’t good,” Ayane said, clutching her bag for the worst.

Teresa noticed her clutching of the bag, confirming that something bad had happened, or rather, something unexpected is about to happen. Ayane is a local of Hokkaido before she moved to Tokyo for her studies… at least, that’s what she told me, Teresa thought. If she’s having a bad feeling about what will happen, I better prepare myself even more.

Just like Ayane had predicted, the PA speakers turned on, as the conductor of the train said something to the passengers. During the announcement, Ayane’s eyes widened and she checked her watch for the time. Teresa could only nervously watch, as the crowd inside the train started murmuring to each other in Japanese.

“What’s going on,” asked Teresa, less frightened, more confused. “What did the conductor say?”

Ayane looked at Teresa with a slither of worry, which slipped into a smile instead. Teresa looked at her even more confused.

“They said that we might be stuck here in the terminal for a while. Apparently, there has been an incident of faulty lines on the tracks, so they had to stop the Hokuto express and fix it as fast as they could. Though that means…”

“Our arrival time would be delayed,” Teresa continued, thinking of alternatives if in case the worst happens. Every last bit of confusion has left her mind. Ayane, in the meantime, was shocked at how Teresa calmly assessed the situation, even if she is a foreigner. 

In reality, Teresa was as every bit worried as Ayane was. It is true that Teresa is no stranger to unexpected situations on trains such as what they are experiencing at the current moment. However, it is also true that Teresa had learned to expect the unexpected, especially when things go almost way too convenient, even in a place such as Japan.

Back in London, there would be times that Teresa would have been late for work simply because the train lines were malfunctioning. However, Teresa figured out how to get out of those sticky situations, and each time she would, Teresa would think of a more optimal solution to it. Ayane never knew of any of this, but she can see her calm determination and the unwavering ambition that she has. Perhaps that might have been the reason why Teresa is in Hokkaido right now.

There is something that she has to do.

In that time, the PA speakers had opened again, and Ayane and a few other passengers breathed a sigh of relief.

Teresa noticed Ayane breathing a sigh of relief. “Does that mean they’ve successfully done their work?”

Ayane nodded. “However, we can only stop in the Shin-Sapporo station.”

“Oh.”

Ayane smirked. “Don’t worry, Teresa-san. I did say I know where to find the person in your photo. She doesn’t live near the main city of Sapporo. She actually lives in the Atsubetsu Ward, which is closest to the Shin-Sapporo line.”

“Wait, what? I thought she lived in Sapporo-”

“She does! Again, she doesn’t live in the main city.”

“Oh, right,” Teresa replied with a mild giggle. “Well, that was unexpected.”

They settled down on their seats again, as they embarked towards their last stop, Shin-Sapporo, which reminded both of them of a new age, something that is more like Ayane, though is reminiscent of what Teresa is about to write on her notebook.