After a while, both of them were on their way to return to the Miyazaki Estate.
Wil kept one hand on the wheel, the other resting lightly near the gearshift, occasionally tapping out a rhythm of a song from the future, only he seemed to know.
Akiko long stopped talking and just looked outside. At first, Wil didn't notice it, but when he did, he saw her constantly shifting in her seat.
Not a large movement, just a slight repositioning of her legs, a small fidget of her hands in her lap. Then another shift. Then again.
Wil didn't speak immediately, just glanced from the corner of his eye before gently asking, "You okay?"
Akiko's expression didn't change much. But the way her lips pressed together, the faint sheen of sweat at her temple, said enough of her state.
"I'm fine," she replied too quickly.
Wil calmly asked. "Do you need to use the restroom?"
She hesitated, then looked away, nodding once. "Yes."
