A bus was going through the forest. There were eight passengers inside. Shun was playing on his guitar. Alice asked him:
"Hey Shun do you know any Russian songs?"
"I know only the "Near Moscow nights" ("Подмосковные вечера")." He answered and started to play. This song is very popular in Russia and all the former Soviet Union where it was created after World War Two. Shun began to sing:
Not even a whisper is to be heard in the garden,
Everything has calmed down until dawn.
If you only knew how dear they are to me,
The evenings near Moscow!
The river is moving and (sometimes) not,
All made of the moons silver.
A song sounds and is not to be heard
In those quiet evenings.
Why do you, darling, look at me from the side,
Bending your head so low?
It is not easy to tell
All the things that are in my heart.
And dawn is getting more and more visible.
So, please, be so kind:
You, also, don't forget
These summer evenings near Moscow.
Everyone started to clap their hands for Shun. Alice smiled and said:
"When we arrive to Sankt-Petersburg let's go the karaoke club."
Shun nodded.
One day passed and they finally arrived to Sankt-Petersburg. Shun got out of the bus. Shun saw Julie and Billy running towards him.
"Hey Shun!"They said together.
"Hey."Shun said.
Alice got out later. She looked like she just woke up. Billy and Julie began to laugh, Shun smiled with an unnoticeable smile. Alice said:
"Very funny, guys. Let's go to the hotel which is reserved for us, Shun."
Shun did not say anything and nodded. On the way he saw that Alice is going really slowly. She seemed to be tired. Shun said:
"Are you tired?"He asked.
Alice nodded.
"I'll carry you then. And you'll tell me the directions to the hotel."
Alice blushed and wanted to say no. But she saw that her legs are heavier than an anvil and nodded. Shun took her in his arms. Alice told him the directions and fell asleep.
She woke up in a hotel apartment with two rooms. It was morning. Shun came in her room and said:
"Good morning Alice!"
"Good morning, Shun. What happened?"Alice asked with a weak voice.
"You fell asleep in my arms."Shun laughed.
"What? I thought that was a beautiful … I mean a crazy dream."
"No, it wasn't a dream. You were tired and barely walking. I offered you to be carried by me and you agreed."
"Never mind, let's go and visit museums and places of interest."Alice said and stood up."Where did you put my shoes?"
"They are in that shelf."Shun said pointing on a big shelf.
Alice put on her shoes and went out, Shun followed her. They got out from the hotel. There was a long river in front of them. Shun asked:
"Is this the Neva River?"
"Yes it is. Isn't it beautiful?"Alice answered and asked her question to Shun.
"Yes, it is magnificent!"
Suddenly they saw two men in black coats talking. One of them was tall and one of them was short. They were talking about a treasure near the city:
"Why did you lose the map? We could have been rich!"The short one said.
"Well boss the wind was strong and the map flew away."The tall one said.
"Ivan, you are a fool! Why didn't you catch it? Why?"
Suddenly the map fell in to Shun's hands. Alice said:
"Let's go before they see us."
Shun nodded and they ran away. They stopped in a park and sat on the grass. Shun started to read the map and he shouted:
"What, it is on Japanese?"
"What, it is impossible!"Alice shouted with him.
"This map shows where a secret military fort, which was found thousand years ago, is. It was found by some general named Takashima. It is situated in the forest near the city."
"So what are we waiting for, let's go."
They sat on a bus which brought them to the city limits. Shun said:
"It is a mile from here."
"Again with the walking…"Alice said quietly. But Shun heard her.
"What did you say? You don't want to go?"He asked.
Of course I want to go. And I didn't say anything.
They started their journey.
To be continued…
