Chapter 63: 62: Platform Competition

The winter chill permeated throughout the area, trees, all barren of any leaves dotted the platform, clouds blocked out the sun, and a light layer of snow covering the ground. The platforms, still devoid of any trees, were still dotted with families, families waiting for their children who were on the inbound trains.

Unlike normal train platforms, the snow-blanketed platforms stretched on and on, gargantuan spaces unused by any trains, half sunken in the ground, and large elevated platforms where families could wait.

Out of the many families spread around, two families waited together, bundled up in the cold, making light conversation while waiting for the trains to arrive.

The two families, six people in total, three from each, were split up into two separate conversations. One, with the four parents laughing, joking, having a jubilant time, unaware of their children by their side.

Meanwhile, the two children, Suzuki and Shousuke, made light conversation by the side, bantering the same way they would at school.

"I'm cold..." Shousuke murmured, pulling his coat around himself a little tighter, "Are you not cold, Suzuki?"

"Of course not!" Suzuki laughed, a smirk plastered on her face, "You're cold in this weather and you think you can beat me in a spar? You can keep dreaming!"

Throwing his coat aside onto the snow-blanketed ground, Shousuke raised an eyebrow, "Hm~? Did you hear something? I said I was sweating, you know?"

Nearby, ignoring the banter between the two childhood friends, the four parents continued their conversation, unburdened by their children's 'conflicts'.

"It's really been a long time since I've seen them! It pains my heart to be away from Yuiko for so long," Emily gushed, her excitement wafting off of her as she blew into her hands to keep them warm.

Opening her mouth to reply in affirmation, Miyuki was drowned out, closing her mouth once more hearing a commotion spreading through the waiting families.

Murmuring that seemed to boil into excitement, a slow ripple of energy seemed to spread through the waiting families.

Meanwhile, with an arm slung over Shousuke's shoulder, Suzuki, having already found the source of the commotion, pointed over to the horizon, where the hulking figure of the train could be seen, gliding over towards the landing platform.

Coming to a stop, sinking onto the platform, the train stood there, imposing, shooting up into the sky, the large side doors opening, revealing the open passages where streams of people would be exiting the train from.

"We're going to be here for a while," Shousuke muttered, seeing the total lack of communication between everyone on the platform. Forming a disorganized mob of parents and families, looking for an area where they could call out to the disembarking students.

"That... is very true," Suzuki agreed, her expression mirroring Shousuke's deadened expression, sighing, "I thought this would be quick, like maybe 20 minutes tops. The people who manage these platforms should really like... make an organized way of doing this."

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Much chaos later...

Families looking for their children, children being bewildered.

Enough shouting to put a pop concert to shame...

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Concentration clear on her face, Suzuki swept her eyes back and forth, looking through the swaths of students bustling around.

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"We're lucky there's a lot of space," Shousuke murmured, laser focused on finding their younger siblings, "No risk of injury or death then. I've heard too many horror stories about mosh pits at big concerts."

With a light nod, Suzuki agreed, then retorting, "We have to win this competition with our parents, so shut your mouth and look harder."

"Look harder my ass!" Shousuke retorted, continuing his search through the crowd, "How am I supposed to look harder?! I'm using my eyes! That's not something you can just... do harder."

"Well, figure it out then!" Suzuki murmured, going on her tip-toes to see if a certain group were the siblings, "I don't want to be washing dishes for the next week because you never figured out how to look harder!"

Pausing for a second hearing Suzuki's words, Shousuke muttered to himself, a little bit of self-introspection creeping into his voice, "Is this some technique everybody but me knows about..."

His words trailing off, Shousuke refocused, glancing to the side for a split-second to see all four parents immersed, a dead silence hanging over them as they scanned their eyes through the crowd.

However, past the parents, Shousuke was struck by inspiration, witnessing an unparalleled genius move. Nudging Suzuki, Shousuke whispered, urgency clear in his voice, "Get on my back Suzuki, then, since you're also tall, we'll have an extra high point of view."

Clambering onto Shousuke's shoulders, Suzuki grinned, teasing, "This is probably the best idea you've ever had in your life, Shousuke! I'm impressed with the ingenuity of this!"

"Hah?!" Shousuke glared, standing up straighter to allow Suzuki to have a better view while countering, "You keep saying stuff like that and I'll drop you, don't even test me!"

Laughing, Suzuki scanned the crowd, blowing into her hands at the same time to keep them warm, "Where are you... Yuiko come on I know your red hair is distinctive... You aren't hiding with Erina in some corner now are you..."

ents passing, the tension building between the parents and the two older siblings, Suzuki called out, exclaiming with victory in her voice, "I found them!"

"ERINA! YUIKO! OVER HERE!" Suzuki shouted at the top of her lungs, waving them over from on top of Shousuke's shoulders.

Having confirmed indeed it was Erina and Yuiko running over, lugging their baggage along with them, the four parents despaired, joining up with Shousuke and Suzuki.

"You win this time," Emily sighed, rubbing her eyes a little, "I guess it'll be us four who will be washing the dishes for the first week of the break."

With a smug expression, Suzuki proclaimed from Shousuke's shoulders, "You can't beat us two! Especially not with Shousuke and I's unbeatable combo!"

Continuing on, Suzuki sat up straight gazing off into the distance, "Plus, the view up here is quite nice! It's like a throne! Truly befitting m-"

Having dropped Suzuki onto the soft snow-blanked ground, cutting her off, Shousuke laughed, extending a hand to the parents, "Well fought, well fought!"

Chuckling at Suzuki's muffled stream of cusses as she propped herself up on the snow, Miyuki shook Shousuke's hand, ignoring the depressed air hanging around Garret and Henrich, "Good job you two! Well done~"

Leaning in closer to Shousuke, Miyuki whispered, amusement clear in her voice, "Good on you for curbing Suzu's ego a little too! I would've done something though if you hadn't~"

Freezing in place, Shousuke glanced down, seeing Suzuki picking some snow out of her hair, thinking to himself, 'I feel like Miss Noragi would've done something a lot worse... Note to self... do not piss her off... ever.'