Chapter 12: School Trip, Part 2 (Parts 1-2)

Chapter 12, Part 1

The next day, we traveled by bus to Joya de Cerén, an archaeological site, before heading to the historic center of the capital.

I pulled a small, tightly folded piece of paper from the left pocket of my uniform pants. 

As I unfolded it, everyone saw how the small paper grew larger and larger until it was bigger than a sheet of paper. 

What I had pulled out was a map.

— Let's see… We should be almost there. 

— Dude, use your phone. 

Kenji whispered to me. 

— We're about… an hour away, give or take. — I said in Spanish.

— Man, we're almost there already. — the bus driver replied.

— Eh? Well, you're the expert.

I sat back down next to Sora. 

Looking out the window, I spotted a billboard with a pink tree on it.

— Ah! I didn't know they had sakura trees here too! 

— Umh? No, Sora. You see, that was a maquilishuat, it's different from a sakura tree, and its name comes from Nahuatl.

I answered Sora proudly while he looked surprised. 

— Awesome! You speak that language too?! 

— Eh? W-well, no...

I don't really know anyone who speaks it, I've only heard some simple phrases from teachers and my country's national anthem in the Nahuatl version. 

After a short ride, we finally arrived at Joya de Cerén. 

What followed was a long walk around the site while the guide explained things about the ruins.

— And these ruins were once home to a civilization of Mayan farmers...

Sora, who was beside me, let out a small yawn, a clear sign of boredom. 

I have to admit, I felt the same way...

— C'mon, Sora. Are you still upset about getting knocked out yesterday? — I asked quietly.

— I don't even remember...

— Well, hang in there a bit. Remember, after this comes Operation Reina-dono-sensei. 

— Ah! That's right. 

Sora seemed to have regained his energy. 

Is he really that excited about seeing her?

While we chatted, the guide continued talking about the ruins. 

— And these grids prevent the torogoz from making nests in the holes of the ruins.

— Torogoz? Is that some kind of kaijū from this country?

Kenji, who was next to me, asked.

— No, it's just the national bird.

— Eh?

As we talked, a man with very polished shoes, slicked-back hair, a painted beard, and a backward cap appeared. 

— Again with President Nayiks?! And his Japanese interpreter...

— Hello everyone, once again.

I really hope he doesn't start another speech...

— Normally we don't do this, but... would you like to see the torogoz nests?

Eh?

— M-Mr. President! 

— Yes!

All the girls seemed excited to see them.

The president, along with the guide, led us to a place very close to Joya de Cerén, specifically to some giant limestone rocks with holes in them, where adult and baby torogozes were flying out. 

— The *Eumomota superciliosa*, or torogoz, builds its nest in limestone areas or inside the earth, digging a hole beside a road, river, or ravine. 

As the guide explained, Miru-chan started taking pictures of the torogozes. 

— Torogozes cannot live in captivity because they might die. They are free beings, just like us Salvadorans.

The guide said, as President Nayiks started laughing softly. 

Right after that, a family of torogozes came out looking for food, while a sweet torogoz peeked out of the hole to drink dew, to drink the scent.

I still remember that poem, although I didn't get it quite right...

— Ah! They're so cute! 

Miru-chan said as she continued to take pictures from afar.

While she was photographing them, President Nayiks started talking about what things were like before he became the president.

...

I guess things have gotten a bit chaotic...

I really feel like leaving this place...

Chapter 12, Part 2

After a long talk, we got back on the buses to head to the historic center of San Salvador.

I spent the entire trip asleep for some reason. 

Apparently, I was so bored that sleeping was the best thing I could do.

When we arrived at the historic center, we were introduced to another guide who began talking to us about its history.

The historic center looked really beautiful. I would have loved to see it better at night.

— And over here is the San Salvador Cathedral, and this is the National Palace. They're not the originals, as the first ones were destroyed by either an earthquake or a fire.

**Everything in the capital has fallen to an earthquake or fire at some point, I guess...**

— Hey, I thought this place would be more fun... — Sora said to me quietly.

I let out a small sigh and replied, 

— The student council and the teachers asked me to include educational and historical sites. We couldn't spend all our time at the beach...

— This isn't fun for me...

Kenji, who was sitting on one of the benches next to Hiroki, said,

— I'd almost rather be home...

They say that, but yesterday they were having a great time at the beach...

President Nayiks appeared again to tell us something.

— Over there, we're building the Cinema Libertad, that's the University Square because the University of El Salvador was located there, and that library is the most modern in Latin America, and it was built by you guys, the Chin...

Before he could finish whatever he was going to say, I proposed an idea to my friends:

— You know what? — I said to them quietly. — If you're so bored, then I'll take you to Reina-dono-sensei, so I can get out of my debt with you.

— How the hell are we going to get there? — Hiroki asked me.

— Follow me.

We sneaked among the others to try to leave Gerardo Barrios Square without being detected.

As we got further down towards the National Theater, just a street away from where we were, someone stopped us.

— What are you doing? You can't stray from the group.

That voice is… Kuroda-san!

— Gah!

— Uraseku, we better go back... — Sora said, looking very scared.

We can't backtrack... it's time for Plan B!

— No matter, follow me!

I grabbed Kuroda-san by the arm and ran off with him.

— Hey! — shouted Kenji.

— We're already in trouble, just follow me!

— L-Let me go!

After running with Kuroda-san for a while, we reached the well-known Plaza San José to take the route that would lead us to Reina-dono-sensei.

While we all gasped for breath, Hiroki saw a lot of people and minivans with numbers on their front.

— W-What are we doing here?!

Hiroki asked me, very confused, but he wasn't the only one; everyone, including me, was a bit puzzled.

— There are only small buses, and they cause a lot of traffic! — Kenji added.

— I don't know which one we should take! — Sora shouted, nearly in tears.

— Do you know we're in trouble?! We need to go back now! — Kuroda-san said, very annoyed.

Trying to ignore what he said, I told everyone the plan.

— Okay, we'll take the minibus with a number nine on the front.

— You completely ignored what I just said...

Kenji looked around, almost as if he had lost something.

— Dude... there's no sign with the schedules...

— That's because there aren't any.

— H-Huh?!

Unlike in Japan, buses in this country don't arrive at stops at specific times. 

At least that's how it was where I lived before; I don't know how the rest of the country is.

— And how do you know when it's coming?! — Sora asked, frightened.

— Just wait...

We waited a bit; they seemed desperate, but by me staying calm, they managed to settle into the atmosphere a little more.

I concentrated until suddenly...

— There it is!

— H-Huh?!

As I said that, I started running toward the minibus.

— Let's go, don't worry, I'll pay for your fares!

As I moved forward, I realized they weren't following me, so I went back.

— Why are you just standing there?!

— Doesn't it stop here? — Kuroda-san asked.

— It doesn't stop anywhere unless you signal! Run!

— I don't know why the hell I'm doing this! — Hiroki shouted.

We started running to get on, but it passed us by.

The minibus was full, so much so that it seemed impossible for all five of us to get on.

— Get in!

— E... are you crazy?! It's moving!

Tch... I only have one thing to do now.

I got behind everyone, and using momentum, I pushed them into the minibus with force.

— Gah!

Once inside, I paid the fare to the driver, who was blasting heartbreak music from Los Temerarios.

The streets were almost empty after the traffic, and so the speed began to increase to what didn't seem entirely permitted.

Since I didn't fit, I ended up almost outside of the minibus, holding on only to a support inside.

— H-Hey... this is uncomfortable! — Hiroki shouted in Japanese.

— P-Pay attention and make yourselves comfortable because more people might get on! — I shouted in Japanese.

— H-Huh?!

We started arguing in Japanese; well, we've always spoken in Japanese. But being surrounded by people who didn't speak our language made it feel really uncomfortable with the way they were looking at us.

The journey was really exhausting; more people got on, for obvious reasons. The good thing was that we weren't far from getting off, so I signaled to the driver.

— Almost... THE REPAIR!

Finally, I would get off that minibus.

Since the driver was listening to heartbreak music, he drove like a madman. 

It surprised me that I had traveled in these minibuses before! Something I guess I won't miss about this country...

With the minibus still moving, I got off, along with Kenji, Hiroki, and Kuroda-san. Sora was a bit scared and jumped with his eyes closed, landing on top of me.

— Gah! Hey!

— Kya!

I got up from the floor with Sora, and we brushed ourselves off while Kenji asked us:

— Where are we?

— I hope you didn't bring us to a secret organ clinic... — said Hiroki.

— Better than that, — I replied.

After saying that, they all looked at me weirdly as I started walking along the old train tracks that lay in the area, almost covered with sand.

— This is the community I lived in before I went to Japan.

— Which is your house? — Sora asked, looking around.

— Let's go further down.

After going down a bit, we arrived at a somewhat neglected brick house.

It was Reina-dono-sensei's house, which was closed...

When we got there and I told them whose house it was, everyone waited expectantly, wanting to see who would come out that door. 

But at this point, I couldn't tell them that she wasn't home... 

It was the second Sunday of November, which meant she was at the pupusa festival in Olocuilta, a place far from here. 

I would have to come up with something to avoid them thinking we came for nothing!

— Hey... — said Hiroki, confused.

They didn't know that Reina-dono-sensei had known me since I was born, so they wouldn't have any hint that I had any closeness with her beyond sharing a cooking recipe.

— You know, — I said with a serious expression — I think Reina-dono-sensei is very busy creating this ambrosia.

Look at me, I would never say the word "ambrosia"! I'm terrible at pretending!

— Can't we see her? — Kenji asked.

— Did we come all this way for nothing? Knock on the door, — Hiroki told me.

— We can't disturb her; it's better to go somewhere else. At least you won't have to listen to whatever President Nayiks says.

Saying that, everyone except Kuroda-san began to see the bright side of the situation.

— Hey! — Kuroda-san shouted at us. — Can't you see we're in trouble?!

— What are you so worried about, man? — Kenji asked him.

— B-but...!

In a moment like this, I really didn't know what to do.

— Hey, what else fun is around here? — Hiroki asked me.

— W-Well... there's a sort of natural pool nearby with little fish that eat the dead skin off your feet...

— Huh?

— What do we want that for? Let's just go back, — Kuroda-san replied.

I have everyone against me... but I have an idea.

— You know, at this hour, the buses are more crowded... if we leave from here... — I turned to look at them seriously and with an intense gaze, and I told them: — we'll have to take the same route...

The worried look was evident on each of their faces when I said that.

Before I knew it, we all appeared at the small pond with the little fish, or as they're known here, chimbolos.

Who would have thought we'd end up here…