HSC 2010 3U English Creative Draft 2

7/31/2019 HSC 2010 3U English Creative Draft 2

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HSC 2010 3U English

Compose a piece of original imaginative writing using a setting from one of your

prescribed texts and incorporating these three terms: a wish

a message

solitude

Your response should draw on your knowledge and understanding of the elective you have studied.

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It was mid-morning on New Years Day during one of Tokyos coldestwinters. The shrine grounds were secluded from the main road; thecrimson tori gate the only thing that pronounced its existence. As Iwalked up the steps to the main courtyard, I noticed various stalls inthe process of being packed up from last nights festival. Being ahikikomori, having shut myself in my room for the past few months orso, I didnt much care for large social gatherings, though I had comehere today to change that. Various shrine owners, most of their eyesringed from 10 or more straight hours of flogging their yakisoba, udon,

other assorted foods and souvenirs to all the people that came to prayhere, stared at my oddly hunched figure as I hurried to the shrine,kicking away plastic cups and bowls as I went. One stall was thankfullystill up, and the owner gave me her last pieces of taiyaki and a cup of green tea. The steaming hot custard filled fish shaped cake and teaserved as an effective alleviation to the freezing winds and snow. Thecourtyard led to a narrow path up a smooth slope to the actual shrine,along with the calligraphy ceramic plate stall for wishes run by theshrine maidens. Thankfully, since I had avoided the midnight queue,the place was deserted. For once, I was again alone with my thoughts.

I shrugged off my messenger bag and leaned it against the stall,zipping my North Face windcheater against the December chill. I rangthe bell at the shrine twice, clapped my hands together, and made mywish.

I wish I can get along better with other people.

Ah, a latecomer. Shougatsu omedetou!


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I whirled around, flustered at the sudden congratulations on the newyear. The shrine maiden in front of me wore the traditional vibrant redhakama and white haori. Her hair was tied into a neat ponytail with ared hair ribbon. She did not seem surprised by my appearance, whichmade me feel slightly f oolish for being shocked. Of course thered bemiko here.

I realised I was staring without answering, and stuttered out a half responsive greeting. She laughed, her voice tinkling like wind chimes.Have you come here to pay your respects and make a wish then?Guess youll need an ema too She leaned the broomstick she washolding against the stall next to my bag, before selecting one of the

wish-giving ceramic plates from the desk.You wanted to become better with people, yes? Her calligraphy brushlightly dipped into the black paint as she prepared to write.

Uh, yeah, I guess I hurriedly reached into my wallet and pulled outa 500 yen note to pay for it.

The miko gracefully wrote the wish on the plate, before handing meboth it and a string to tie it onto one of the many posts around theshrine, and accepted the money in a red cardboard box.

As she got up to resume her sweeping of all the shrine grounds, sheaccidentally knocked my messenger bag. The sketch book fell out andclattered down a few steps before stopping, flipped open to a pagedrawing of one of my favourite anime character, shamelessly copied.She picked it up as I squeaked out some sort of excuse.

These are really good. She flipped through more of sketches, whichalso were copied from anime. She didnt seem to be put off by thecontent of the drawings though, which was quite uncommon. So Iguess youre quite the anime and manga fan, arent you? She smiledas she put the sketchbook back into my bag.

Ahahayeah Once I had fumbled the ema onto a post to the left of the shrine, I retrieved the bag. Well, that was my New Years resolutioncompleted.

Why dont you do a drawing of me? I jumped as the miko behind mestruck a pose, her geta clacking against the stone. I was confused. Whywould this girl want me to do a drawing of her? I couldnt offer heranything, like money or clothes. Why would she be trying to be friends?


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Oh whatever. Im probably overthinking it. After all, my New Yearsresolution was to get along better with people, right?

Yeahsure. Im guessing not naked right? I cracked a small joke. Herlaughter again tinkled like wind chimes.

Preferably, yes, especially in this weather. She smiled as she posed,broom in hand, as the wind blew through the trees. I flipped open thesketchbook, settled down on one of the cobblestone slabs, extracted apacer from my bag, and began the rough outline. Within 20 minutes Ihad much of the drawing done, before I realised she was leaning down,looking over my shoulder. I jumped, startled at her presence when Ihad been absorbed in my work.

See? This is really good already! She straightened up again. And itsnot even in the same style youre normally used to. The miko winked,before slightly bowing to me. My name is Asakura. Its nice to meetyou. I shot up from my seat, but she held her palm out in a calmingmotion. Calm down before you start.

Taking a few deep breaths, I began, Uh, Im Takasu. Its, uh, nice tomeet you too. I forced myself to do a slow bow, which appeared tolook comically mechanical. I heard her tinkling giggle again, and Ichuckled a little with her.

The confidence will come with time. She returned to her sweeping.Meanwhile, Ill be here every day. Maybe you can visit me at TokyoUniversity when semester starts?

Youre a Toudai student too? I though you wouldve picked somethingthat had more money in it for you than being a shrine maiden.

Well, it was either this, or cosplaying as a schoolgirl, and I thought

that dressing up as a schoolgirl for pervy businessmen and touristswas not the best way to spiritually expand my horizons.

I chuckled. Yeah, true that. I finished off the last few lines of thedrawing. Do you want it now, or would you like it digitally?

You can digitally do it too? She said incredulously.

Yeah! I mean, if you want it for an avatar for something I said,abashed.


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Thats great! She beamed. Yeah, can you colour it as well? Ill giveyou my email address The shrine maiden scribbled it down onanother page of the sketchbook, before taking a glance at her watch,hidden underneath her haoris right sleeve. Crap, I gotta finishsweeping everything in an hour and I havent even gotten to thecourtyard yet! Uh, well, Takasu, it was nice meeting you andeverything. Ill be here every day so you better visit, alright?! Shecalled back as she ran down the stone steps, her geta loudly clappingas she ran.

Yeah, sure! I called back. And be careful, you could trip! Althoughthe warning came too late, as I heard a yelp of Kyaa! and a crash in

the distance.Im okay! she yelled back, just as I was about to ask. You take carenow!

You too! I called back. Receiving no reply and assuming she was outof earshot, I started down the slope myself.

The year had begun with human interaction, good deeds andreciprocity. This years going to be a good year, I thought to myself.

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HSC 2010 3U English Creative Draft 2