Short Story | Ordinary

- 1 -

I woke up at 7:00 AM to my iPhone alarm, just like any other morning.

I got out of bed. I washed my face, looked in the mirror, and fixed my bedhead. For breakfast, I toasted a slice of bread, spread margarine on it, and ate it. The coffee tasted the same as always. I put on makeup in front of the mirror. My usual face.

I got dressed and left the house; it was cloudy. I walked to the station and caught the train at my usual time. The train was crowded. Until I reached my destination, I spent the time looking at news sites and social media on my smartphone. There were no topics that particularly left an impression on me.

I arrived at the office and turned on my computer. I checked a few emails and sent out some template-like replies. There was a regular meeting in the morning, but I didn't say anything in particular. For lunch, I ate an onigiri and a salad I bought at a nearby convenience store.

I felt a little sleepy during the afternoon work, but I calmly handled my administrative tasks. When it was time to leave, I tidied up my desk and headed home. On the way back, I stopped by the supermarket and bought some chicken and cabbage that were on sale.

For dinner, I made a simple stir-fry and ate it. I turned on the TV, but the programs weren't interesting. I took a bath, dried my hair, and prepared for tomorrow. I got into bed a little after 10:00 PM. Just like always.

- 2 -

I woke up as usual. The futon is hard. My lower back hurts a little. I wash my face with a bucket. The well water is cold.

Breakfast is rice mixed with barley, miso soup with few ingredients, and pickles. The same menu as yesterday. My wife brings the tray in silence. There is no conversation. I move my chopsticks calmly and fill my stomach.

In the morning, I went out to patrol the territory. Gonbei, a farmer, came to consult about the land tax. He says it's a poor harvest, so please wait a while. I said, "That's a problem," but Gonbei replied, "It's a problem for me too." Should I cut him down?

In the afternoon, I took my spear out of the long chest and maintained it. I found a small rust spot on the tip, so I polished it carefully with a cloth. Dull work. In the next room, my wife is weaving straw sandals as a side job. I can only hear the sound of the hearth fire popping.

In the evening, a letter arrived from my lord. It is a notification regarding next month's military service. It says the movements of the Oda side are suspicious. I have to calculate how much food supplies to prepare. I use the abacus, but the numbers don't add up easily. The sun set while I was redoing it over and over.

Dinner is the same as breakfast. I drank a little sake before going to bed. It's cheap stuff, so it burns my throat. If a war breaks out, I might die. But I want to take an enemy's head and earn merit. Thinking such things, I get into the futon. An ordinary day.

- 3 -

Marie's ordinary Versailles morning begins with droplets of light slowly dripping from the rose-colored canopy adorned with heavy gold thread embroidery.

What is scooped up from the depths of slumber is the same faint, ordinary metallic sound played by a silver tray. The fingertips of the ladies-in-waiting layer snow-white lace upon lace, draping a silk dress as soft as a sigh over Marie's body.

Every movement was like the dance of a precisely constructed automaton; while perfect, it was filled with a bloodless serenity.

Every time the rim of the Sèvres porcelain touches her lips, the breakfast chocolate carries a sweet heat to her throat, but it is served at the exact same temperature as it was yesterday, and likely will be tomorrow.

The greenery of the garden spreading outside the window is trapped within geometric order, and even the leaves swaying in the wind are nothing more than decorations to soothe boredom.

She slowly opened and closed her ivory fan, gazing at the pastoral landscape painted upon it. However, her gaze merely drifted through a sea of colors, arriving nowhere—it was ordinary and dull.

The rhythmic ticking of the clock only served to deepen the luxurious silence.

In this ordinary and opulent prison, when it was time to sleep, Marie simply slept.

- 4 -

On a typical morning, I woke up because gravity had shifted to the north. First, in the washroom, I brushed my teeth while holding a mouthful of the Mochhelborga I had been simmering since last night. Today's concept had a slightly bitter aftertaste, and a Tuesday got stuck behind my molars.

For breakfast, I had the 3-minute boiled Guroma I had downloaded and absorbed yesterday. It tasted a bit green, but it was highly nutritious. My commute was just a matter of jumping into the hole at the corner of the neighborhood. It was a bit crowded today, and the person next to me bumped their elbow against my Hedolga, which hurt a little.

At work, I spent the whole time translating Hohel into Buinga. My boss, Mr. Tanaka, had a head that had completely turned into liquid, but he seemed to be in a good mood. During lunch break, I practiced photosynthesis in the park while chatting with a colleague about the 'weight of a triangle.' Hilarious. Golma!

After returning home, I fed my pet Rugernbakka some Jupiter Va. Before going to bed, I must not forget to take tomorrow out of the refrigerator to thaw. The parallel world by my bedside was a bit noisy, but it was fine if I flipped my brain inside out. I crawled into the Bamoccha.

An ordinary day. But I hope gravity shifts to the west tomorrow.

(2026/03/05)