Grasshopper - Kotaro Isaka - page 3

Suzuki
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Taking in the state of the city, Suzuki thought of bugs. It was night, but the city wasn't dark. More than that, it was bustling. Everywhere he looked were people, all illuminated by gaudy neon or streetlamps. They looked like colorful insects, writhing. Remembering a creepy feeling similar to this one, Suzuki thought of something his old college professor once said more than 10 years ago, when Suzuki was still a student.

"It is extremely rare for animals to have such close contact between individuals. Humans are more like insects than mammals," the professor proudly asserted. "Like butterfly or grasshoppers."

The professor's face turned red as Suzuki asked, "I saw a picture once of a bunch of penguins living together. Are penguins insects?"

"Fuck the penguins," the professor spat out.

Suzuki then thought of his wife, now dead two years. She always liked that story.

"You should have just said `You're right, professor` and then you wouldn't have had any problems," she's say smiling. Come to think of it, she always loved when I agreed with her by saying "You're right".


"What are you doing? Hurry up and get it in there." Hinako said, rushing me from behind. The voice made Suzuki jump. He shook his head, wiping away the thoughts of his dead wife and started pushing the body of the young man into the car. The body fell over into the back seat of the sedan.

The man was blond, tall and sleeping. He wore a black leather jacket with a black shirt under it. There was an insect pattern on the shirt. Really hideous pattern. His shirt and his character were both hideous.

Sitting on the other side of the boy was a girl. Suzuki had struggled to get her in the car earlier. She was in her early 20s, had long black hair and wore a brown coat. Her eyes were shut, but her mouth hung open slightly. Her back was hunched slightly and she made the sounds of sleep.