Imashirou

The bamboo vendors claim Imashirou can cross the city before a dropped blossom touches the river. They say this with awe, watching the white blur of the Lightspeed Suit flash past under the purple-hued sky. What they miss is the uneasy look behind those hip specs. Imashirou never wanted the suit, or the high-stakes messages that came with it. They were chosen for their resilience, a trait deemed perfect for a courier's duties on the cold mountain. But their resilience was learned by the water, waiting for hours in the freezing wind with a fishing rod held steady. These days, they make their deliveries, heart pounding with anxiety, not adrenaline. After each run, they return to the riverbank, casting their line while the suit still hums around them, a constant reminder of a life they never asked for.