December 24, Christmas Eve
This is completely stupid. How foolish of me...to sit here and wait...
A boy with pale skin, white hair was sitting at a bench in a park filled with blankets of snow, making it a white wonder. Watching with his green eyes, there were people passing by with huge shopping bags and the sound of children's laughter along the way, filling the atmosphere with their excitement and joy of the significance of the present day. He ignored them and they did likewise, passing the pale boy with a black trench coat and a scarf of the same color covering half his face. The whiteness of his hair stood out from the dark colors, only leaving his green eyes to be seen, which were unusually bright, probably because of the coldness in the air.
I knew I shouldn't have done this...why I thought that this time would be different?...
Sitting on the bench with the snow slowly coming down, glittering to make their presence known, he holds a small box on his glove covered hand, wanting to get rid of it.
It was stupid of me to think this could work. I knew I shouldn't have come. I knew it…..but…..why am I still here, waiting?
The boy didn't move. He kept still at his spot on the bench, not moving the slightest inch. His eyes only moved, following a random snowflake falling from the sky, making a zigzag-like pattern to the ground. He must've been distracted from this because he didn't notice that someone was on front of him, blocking his view of the continuous falling of the white snow.
"Looks like you are ignoring me. Am I annoying or something?"
"Huh?"
The boy snapped out of his trance and focused on what was going on. There was a person, a boy (at least that is what he thought because he couldn't really tell) with a beige colored coat and a blue scarf covering his face. Yet, the features that made this boy stood out was his spiky brown hair, having each spike pointing at a different direction, somehow keeping its posture. There were also his eyes, having a color as if it came from the bluest ocean known to man.
"I said if I was annoying or something. Cause you weren't answering."
"I am so sorry. I was simply enjoying the sight of the falling snow until someone just blocked my view of the scenery."
"Ha. Aren't you a sarcastic one?"
"Hmph. Whatever. What is it that you want anyway?"
This kid is really getting on my nerves. Geesh, is everyone this annoying? Damn it, damn it all…
"I was asking why you're all alone out here?"
"What is it to you?"
"Just asking. Is it bad to be a curious person sometimes?"
"Curiosity killed the cat. Didn't you know that?"
" ….seems like I'm a lucky cat."
This boy just grinned and the white-haired boy just stared at him.
Why is he smiling? What is there to smile about?
"I was waiting...for…someone."
Why do I feel ashamed saying this? I am better than this.
"Really? That's great because I'm someone!"
"You're kidding. You're just a stranger, someone I don't know."
"Yeah, that is true. But a stranger is someone, right?"
"…"
Crap. This kid is seriously annoying.
"How would you like to go somewhere to eat or do something with this stranger?"
"And why would I do that?"
"Because I think it's better than sitting out here in the cold. Besides, strangers are interesting sometimes, if I do say so myself in this case."
The boy just smiled at the white-haired boy like a naïve child.
"You're definitely weird…uh….."
"Sora. My name is Sora."
"I see. Isn't that-"
"A girl's name? I know, I know. It can be a boy's name too. It's unisex."
"I see."
"What about yours, if I may ask?" Sora asked.
"Uh…Riku"
"Riku? Isn't that a boy's name?"
"I AM a boy" A hint of annoyance was noticed in Riku's tone.
"Hehe. I know. It's just that your hair makes you looks like a girl."
Riku made a "pissed off" face at this comment while Sora chuckled, finding it amusing. Riku guessed at this point that this was Sora's way of having a conversation: being playful.
"So what do you say? Wanna hang out on Christmas eve?"
"I don't celebrate Christmas."
"Oh? So what do you celebrate? Hanakkuh, Ramadan-"
"I don't celebrate anything."
"Oh, I see…..Well, I think that's better! That means there are no standards, no limitations to celebrate!"
"I don't feel like celebrating. I never was the type of person to do so. Holidays are stupid." A silence filled in but Riku didn't hesitate to continue.
" Sure, it can be exciting the first few times to celebrate whatever the crap you want to celebrate but after a while, it gets boring and dull. So what's the purpose of continuing?"
"I think…"
Sora paused and sat down next to Riku on the cold bench. He didn't sit too close to Riku since he just met this person and doesn't know how Riku wil react towards space so Sora kept a good distance from him.
"…the purpose of continuing to celebrate is to find new ways to do so. It may not be called celebrating to some up to that point but it is better to try, than just to live up to the same boring, dull way of what you mentioned."
Riku didn't talk for a few seconds, repeating the words from the spiky brown haired boy in his head. He did reply back but only spoke a few words to Sora.
"Those are wise words…for an answer to a stupid question."
Sora stood up from the bench and stretched his body out from sitting on the cold bench. He then turned to Riku with a smile on his face while Riku was still in the same position from the start, not moving an inch.
"Well, I say we should get going! We can go to a nice restaurant in Twilight Square, one that is not too crowded or holiday themed. Besides, I'm inviting. I'll pay for whatever you want to eat and I am not backing down. You won't get rid of me that easy. "
"Shit, you're serious? I have to deal with this kid?" Riku thought and he stared at Sora who was still smiling at him.
"It's not going ask much. I am just asking for you to join me, a nice accompaniment in this cold, winter's night and at least talk. As far as I know, it's better to talk to a stranger out of nowhere than talk to yourself and know that you're alone."
Riku didn't argue. He didn't speak for a while after what Sora just said. Was he going to accept an invitation from a complete, annoying stranger or rather to continue to sit at the cold bench in the middle of the park at night for something that wasn't even going to happen?
Shit, this is stupid. Why me?
Riku stood up from the bench slowly to which it seems like forever to Sora. Riku just stood there on front of Sora, with a cool face expression. Sora slowly smiled on front of Riku then walk down the path from the bench to the exit of the park, just knowing that Riku will follow him.
Riku stood there, watching Sora walking down the path. Riku soon turned his head to look at the bench and then to the pathway opposite to where he was. It is like the atmosphere had a voice, saying that this was his last chance to whatever he was waiting for in the first place, no needing to show it in a physical way or say it out loud or say it in his head. He just let whatever that was suppose to or expected to happen know that this was their last chance and no more.
Riku slowly walked down the path that Sora was walking on, catching up on his own pace. Riku wasn't going to like this but he had to admit that he wasn't going to entirely hate it either.
Riku kept staring at Sora who was sitting across from him, enjoying the meal he ordered and still had that smile on his face from when they left the park.
The restaurant they were in wasn't fancy but it wasn't a rundown either. It took both of them a while to pick a place to eat, with Sora telling Riku to pick whatever restaurant at Twilight Square but Riku kept insisting that he really didn't care ,which made things difficult. Riku figured out that Sora didn't want to make a decision to what restaurant to eat at so he left that decision to Riku, a complete stranger that he just met not long ago. However, Riku was never fond of making decisions. Eventually, they both decided on a restaurant called The Usual Spot. There was nothing special about it. Just a few simple decorations here and there and it was not too crowded for these two strangers.
Even with the small and not so vivid decorations in the restaurant, Riku still hated it. Any hint of the holidays made his stomach sick. Plus, he was stuck with someone who acted like a kid who had the biggest present they ever gotten. Literally. With all smiles and laughs, it's hard to know or even figure out what made this kid tick. All this kid does was babble a lot, asking Riku questions and wanting to make a conversation;some small talk. To Sora, it's a conversation. To Riku, it's babble , especially since he was trying to ignore it. So far, it wasn't working.
"You are hardly eating your meal"
"….."
"Are you sure soup is enough to eat? You can order anything. I told you, it's on me"
"…no thank you."
"I'm just trying to make conversation."
"Really? I haven't noticed." Riku just stared at Sora with a cool expression, occasionally putting his elbow on the table with his head leaning on his hand but still continuing his staring at Sora.
"Is there something you like?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Because you seem to be staring at me the whole time since we left the park." Sora chuckled and looked at Riku with a smile, which didn't really change Riku's facial expression.
"I was just thinking what makes you tick."
"Tick? Like a clock?"
"Oh how charming. Not only you're annoying but also dumb."
"Well,Mr. Grumpy, not everyone is like you." Sora chuckled while bringing his elbows to the table and the hand folding together by their fingers as Sora gently put his chin on top, looking at Riku with a smile as he continued. "Please explain what you mean."
Riku smirked and leaned back at his seat. "What I meant was what makes you like this. What makes you all smiles and laughs? What makes you act like a stupid child who doesn't know how to act their own age?"
"It's hard to act your age when you're 36."
Riku widened his eyes in disbelief as he slammed one of his hands to the table.
"You're 36!"
Sora soon laughed hard, leaning back to his seat while tears came down his cheeks from the laughter.
"Hahaha…N-no…haha…I'm no-not…haha…36!" Sora couldn't control has laughter even if he tried. Having his arms across his stomach, he continues to laughs while Riku sits there, unamused.
"I don't see what's so funny"
"You should've seen your face. The way you reacted was just so funny!"
"How silly to think you're 36. Someone that age doesn't act like a moron."
"Come on, I'm just 22. I think I can act any way I want to."
"Well, look at that. I'm just a year older and I act WAY MORE mature than you."
"You're 23?" Sora raised an eyebrow then had a confused face.
"Yes. In case you can't do the math, 1 plus 22 equals 23."
"I know that. It's just that with your hair, I thought you were like 45 or something."
"Now you're just being insulting, idiot."
"You know I have a name."
"Yes, I know but I don't want to say a complete stranger's name, especially one who all giggles and crap like you."
"Maybe I'm just happy. Did you ever thought of that?"
"No. That can't be it."
Riku stared at Sora, making complete eye contact to Sora's blue eyes while Sora didn't move, having a calm face.
"Nobody can be 'just happy', Sooo-raaa. There's never a 'just happy'. There's never just happiness. There's never just peace and harmony. There has to be pain and hate and it is people like you who just hide it and act all normal and pretend there's nothing wrong, nothing for the world to see and I guess that really bothers me."
"Then you are the same, Riku."
"Huh?"
"You are like that too. Acting with hate and misery to hide what you truly feel in the inside. Am I right?"
"Hehe….I see. Playing the reverse game, are we now?" Riku folded his arms across his chest with a smirk as he leaned back to his seat, with direct eye contact on Sora.
"Tell me, why talk to a complete stranger like me who just makes fun of you, insults you, trying to crash you into pieces?"
Sora looked at him with a pleasant smile, scratching his left arm with his hand as if something was itching.
"I guess I have an attraction to complete assholes."
Riku didn't act amused, watching Sora scratching his left arm for a while.
"You know, you can just take off your coat if you're so itchy."
Sora stood up, digging through his right coat pocket to take his wallet out and continues to scratch his arm with the wallet at his hand.
"No, I was about to leave anyway. I'm just going to pay the check. I'll meet you outside."
"Who said I was goi-"
Riku was too late since Sora was walking to the counter to pay the check, ignoring Riku and whatever he was going to say, seeming that it wasn't important for him to listen.
DAMN IT! Stupid ass. Who does he think he is, ordering me what to do and all? And why in the world am I playing his game?
Riku slowly stood up, taking out his wallet to leave a few bills on the table. As he walked past the counter to the door, he heard the lady behind the counter said Happy Holidays to him. He turned around and replied with a "Bite Me" and left through the door, thinking in his head that the young lady only pretending to having the holiday spirit or probably her boss forced her to say this greeting in order to get extra cash. Of course, generosity equals money in this time of year. Such stupidity.
Riku saw Sora waiting by a street light in the corner of the street, the light illuminating the falling snow with Sora standing there like a lost child.
"I can't believe it's 3 in the morning." Riku heard Sora saying this as he approached him.
"The buses won't work right because of the late hour. Not to mention that the holiday schedule is different and the weather is going to get worse in a few days."
"I see."
"I guess we go our separate ways then? I have to walk to my place. It's not far but it would have been much easier with the bus."
"Okay."
"Umm….do you have a problem getting to your place?"
"I live pretty far."
"How far are we talking about?"
"Let's just say it involves 3 bus transfers and 2 train rides."
"Where in the world do you live?"
"I do believe that's none of your business."
"I guess not." Sora giggled and smiled at Riku.
Geesh, this guy never stops huh?
"Do you want to crash at my place?"
"You got to be joking."
"Why would I?"
Riku slapped his hand to his forehead in disbelief with a confused Sora staring at him, waiting for him to give some sort of explanation.
"So let me get this straight. You met me, someone you don't know, in a park and invited me to eat. Then inviting to your place?"
"So? It is way better than staying out here in the cold for probably 3 days. Am I right?"
"A stranger like me can do things."
"What kind of things?"
"Unimaginable things."
Riku said this slowly to have some kind of effect on Sora which worked. Sora blushed and pulled up his scarf that covered his neck to cover his cheeks which amused Riku in a way. It made him to smirk as he looked at Sora.
"Well,I-I know that yo-you won't do those things." Sora said and felt Riku's hand on his shoulder, making his eyes widen and stare at Riku.
"What makes you so sure I won't do such things?"
"Cause you're a jerk."
"What? That doesn't make sense."
"Of course it does." Sora laughed, forgetting about what just happen with a bewildered Riku on the side.
"Jerks say what they plan to do or might do but never do it. There might do something close to it, not to the same extreme but to have the same effect. It's like saying you will punch someone but instead make them slip on a wet floor. You didn't do the cause but you have the satisfactory of the effect which is that they got hurt. Jerks want to be superior but are always playing mind games. You know, the easy way out."
"And you, Sora, want to be around a jerk like me as you say?"
"Well,….." Sora looked down and thought, creating that "thinking" facial expression that kids might do which Riku didn't know if he was purposely doing it to annoy him.
"I know how to be around jerks. Like I said earlier, it's some kind of attraction."
"I thought the attraction was towards assholes."
"Jerks and assholes are the same. Same meaning, different words. Sons of bitches and motherfuckers are the opposites."
Riku was thrown back a little from the language Sora just used. Of course, having a young appearance and have such language coming out of their month would surprise anyone. At least Sora broke some part of the "All so innocent and happy" stereotype that Riku thought the type of person Sora was.
"Opposites?"
"Yes. The ones who will actually do things to make themselves feel special."
"I see. I believe you have such experience with such people?"
"Maybe. I mostly had it with jerks and assholes, which explains our encounter."
Sora smiled and Riku frowned as he is now being labeled as "The asshole/jerk" in this type of, dare we say, "relationship," let alone being a complete stranger.
"So now that we have everything explained and cleared out, you are coming over to my place."
"Wait,wait,wait. Who said I was going with you?"
"Riku, you may be a jerk but at least I know when to help someone in a situation."
"Ha! I don't need your help. Never ask for it and never will."
"You have no say in this because you and I both know that we rather be in a warm and decent place than being stranded in the cold, outside waiting for something to happen. It's impossible to go to where you live based on the inactivity of the buses and trains here. And, even if you do have money, the closest hotel here is at least 2 bus transfers away so that option is out. The only choice left is my place. "
As much as Riku hate to admit, he knew that Sora was right. He rather be at a place, at a hotel, even at the restaurant they were at earlier to be out of the cold. Not that he didn't mind the cold temperature. He loves cold weather but just doesn't want be out, especially today out of all days. Riku moved his eyes up to at the night sky and sighed, showing signs of defeat which made Sora smile.
"Fine…you win."
"Yay!"
Sora raised his arms up and smiled. Then he grabbed Riku's arm to pull him to walk to the direction to which Riku believed was the way to Sora's place.
Sora soon let go of Riku, either he felt confident enough that Riku will follow him or to the point that the grabbing might have been uncomfortable to the white haired male, the answer wasn't really known. They continue to walk for more than half an hour, feeling the wind becoming stronger and the snow falling harder. The slight pinch feeling in their faces was increasing as they continue to move forward. Riku observed the surroundings as he and Sora were walking by. They came from where there were a ton of restaurants and shops and full of lights, assuming it must have been an attraction spot for the tourists and the town residents. As they walked farther, the streets became filled with small apartment buildings, with the occasional café or deli in the street corner. The streets were becoming less glamorous, compared to the spot from which they left but to the point that it was a decent place to walk by. A little rundown but decent. At least to Riku's standards.
"We're here."
Riku looked at where Sora was. Sora was on top of some steps in front of a small apartment building. Sora took out what seems to be keys, in order to open the front door. The front door was simple, with a glass interior in a rectangular shape and the molding around the glass was in cursive shape in a repeated pattern, making it seem sophisticated. The wood of the door was paint black but it seems that the paint was wearing off, probably being left there for as years pass by, not being repainted. Sora motioned Riku to come in as he opened the door and Riku followed. As Riku walked in, he was trying to find an elevator or least some kind of door that indicated it was an elevator but he just couldn't tell with all the doors looking the same.
"Where's the elevator?' Riku asked as he saw Sora walking up the narrow stairs on the corner.
"There's no elevator, silly." Sora answered to Riku's question. "We have to walk up the stairs. Don't worry. I only live at the 3rd floor."
'Great. I'm already tired of walking.'
Riku followed Sora up the stairs to the floor where he lives. The stairs were narrow and the apartment doors were crowded next to each other. Not too much but it looked that way at a glance.
Sora raced up to the 3rd floor while Riku took his time to walking up. He was observing the surroundings inside this building. The buildings were small and decent but not a place where one can stay forever. Feels like a hostel in a way for Riku. Maybe it was. Maybe it wasn't. Based on his observation, it was a place which has affordable housing for struggling part-time workers or the occasional college students. Riku doesn't want to look much into it though, for he doesn't know anything about this stranger so it's better to leave his observations and questions to himself.
When he reached the third floor, he saw Sora on front of a door, hearing the sound of keys clanging each other. Sora put in a key and opened the door, looking back to see if Riku was there.
"You're pretty slow." said Sora.
"I was looking around. I don't see a problem with that." Riku replied.
"Well, at least you made it." Sora grinned as he entered through the door, leaving it ajar for Riku. Riku slowly walked himself in and closed the door behind him. It was dark inside but when Sora flicked a switch to turn on the light, Riku get to see how the place looked like.
The apartment was small. It was just a room actually. It did fit a description of a hostel room perfectly, with an addition of a small kitchen and a narrow bathroom. It wasn't bad but this type of living condition could be considered tight. Riku can make out the room as a simple cube, with a bed next to the wall and a bookcase in the end of it. There was also a sofa which was its back was against where the window was. So if you were sitting on the sofa and the window was open, you can literally feel the wind on your neck, which could be nice, depending on the situation.
The kitchen was just a few steps away from the sofa and next to the opening to the kitchen was a narrow door which where the bathroom was. In between the bathroom door and the apartment door seem to be a small closet. Everything about this place screams small and tight, whether it was on purpose or not.
"I'm guessing that you are trying to observe my place since you're so quiet." Sora said as he removed his coat and hanged it on the wall, straighten his red long-sleeve turtle neck.
"Your place is small. Not that it's bad but...it's just small." Riku said as he began to remove his coat and scarf but hold on to it, not knowing where to put it.
"Let me take that. And yeah, I know it's small but it sure beats being outside, right?" Sora smiled as he hanged Riku's stuff.
Riku didn't say anything. He just sat gently on the sofa, not sure if he was allowed to since he was at a stranger's place.
"I still can't believe I agreed to this. Sleeping at a stranger's place...how low can I go?"
"Hey,Riku. Do you want something to sleep on? I have some clothes but I'm not sure if they will fit you."
"I'll sleep in the clothes I'm wearing."
"Oh,ok. Do you want to use the bed? I'm can use the sofa."
"No thank you. Besides, I'm the guest here so I'll use the sofa. I don't know what game you're playing but I will not use the bed. It's strange to do that...especially if it belongs to someone I don't know."
Sora didn't say anything. He stared at Riku with a hurt face but that soon changed with a replace of a smile.
"OK. Ummm...anyway, I'll soon get sheets and a pillow for you to sleep in. I don't have much but hope it's satisfying."
"Thanks."
Sora went to the bathroom as Riku made himself comfortable. He took off his boots and put them on the side. The sofa was small but Riku really wanted to sleep so he ignored the bothersome fact. He saw Sora come out from the bathroom with pajamas, a long sleeve blue shirt and white long pants. He hung the clothes he had on his arm on the wall, went quickly to the closet to get sheets and a pillow. He handed it to Riku then soon walked to his bed. He looked at Riku before he was about to turn off the light.
"Well, I guess this is good night, Riku." Sora smiled and turned off the light.
Riku didn't say anything. Riku didn't do anything. He couldn't sleep at all. He didn't know that if this strange guy will do something to him if he fell asleep. Or if Sora was afraid that Riku will do something to him. But then Sora wouldn't have invited him to his place.
Still, Riku couldn't figure out what was actually happening. How did it all come to this? Why does he have to be involved in this type of situation? Riku continuously thought throughout the endless night, wondering, if the night did end, what waits for him and Sora in the daytime.