Chapter 10 - Hot Air Balloon
Mei felt her heart ache a bit seeing Yuzu act that way. She wanted to be mad and to give Yuzu the cold shoulder. She leaned in closer and gave Yuzu a quick air kiss on the cheek, instead.
The blonde jolted and felt a slight shiver from Mei's sudden kiss. It looked like a friendly gesture for others but for Yuzu, it meant deeper than that.
Pulling back, Mei said in a stern yet soft voice, "We can't talk about these things here."
Although Yuzu felt her cheeks getting warmer, she hunched her shoulders and sighed in defeat. Then instantly, she straightened her back. "How about tonight?" she asked with her sparkling eyes.
Sighing deeply, Mei looked into Yuzu's eyes. "It depends on what you want to tell me." Her voice was a little harsh this time.
"Yuzucchi," Harumin shouted from several rows behind them. Everyone turned their heads and looked at Harumin disapprovingly.
Harumin didn't mind the commotion and just waved her hand at Yuzu.
Yuzu subtly covered her face in the hope to hide herself. For a moment, she wanted to sit back in her seat. As soon as she uncovered her face, Mei was gone. She quickly stepped forward and darted her gaze toward the exit. With no delay, she dashed to the front to get a glimpse of Mei. She noted the flight attendants were giving Mei a bow and bidding the other passengers farewell.
I can just talk to her later.
Yuzu almost jumped out her place. Someone grabbed her shoulders tightly from behind.
"We're finally here, Yuzucchi!" Harumin gushed, playfully shoving Yuzu.
Standing in the bustling terminal outside, Yuzu received a message from Kenji letting her know about a slight delay. Their driver had a little emergency so they had to wait at the airport for a while.
"It's okay, Yuzucchi," Harumin said, putting her sunglasses on and inhaling the fresh Okinawan air.
"Sorry, Harumin." Yuzu slumped her shoulders and sat on her hardcase luggage.
Scanning the area, Yuzu could see the excitement of the tourists waiting to explore the beauty of Okinawa. She noted a couple holding hands and looking around the terminal. She thought, probably, they were on their honeymoon.
Thirty minutes had passed, Harumin was carrying two bottles of cold drinks she got from a nearby vending machine. "Yuzucchi, here you go," she said, handing Yuzu a refreshing bottle of iced lemon tea.
"Thanks, Harumin," she said, softly wiping a sweat that was forming on her forehead.
"Can you hear that?" Harumin asked, putting her hand behind her ear while keeping a serious look.
"Yeah. Just some random sounds of people walking and talking," Yuzu answered nonchalantly while twisting the bottle cap.
"Don't be so serious, Yuzucchi." Harumin lightly hit Yuzucchi on the arm. "It's just been thirty minutes. We're not waiting like forever," Harumin said, readying herself to sit on her luggage.
As they sat there drinking and aimlessly looking around, Yuzu could see groups of people with their cases. They looked excited and she could hear them talk about their plans once they arrived at their hotel. Their faces were overflowing with happiness but she couldn't share their excitement because she was waiting to talk to Mei, to iron out their differences.
An hour in, they were still waiting.
"Yuzucchi, we can take a cab, you know. It's not that difficult." Harumin checked the time on her phone and stretched her body.
Finally, Yuzu saw Mei at the terminal outside. She was sure that the raven-haired was also waiting for their service to arrive. As her gaze followed Mei's movement who was looking at her phone, she received a text message.
From: Mei
Kenji called me. It seems that the driver won't be arriving soon.
I'll be staying at our beach house not at the resort.
You can either wait for your service or you and Taniguchi-san can stay at my place.
"Harumin," Yuzu shouted, catching the attention of the travelers around them. "We'll be staying at Mei's place." She lowered her voice to a whisper. She quickly stood up and grabbed the handle of her luggage.
"What about our hotel acco..." Harumin paused when Yuzu grabbed her wrist in a swift motion. Before she could have the chance to continue, Yuzu dragged her toward Mei's direction.
"There's no time to waste, Harumin. We've been waiting here forever," Yuzu said, darting her gaze toward Mei while pulling her luggage with one hand and dragging Harumin with the other.
"Jeez, let me go, Yuzucchi! Why are you suddenly all pumped up?" Harumin said, struggling to keep her balance.
"We better hurry up." Yuzu moved faster. She noted Mei was moving her head subtly from one direction to the next. Yuzu was hopeful that Mei was looking for her.
"Look at that, Yuzucchi," Harumin said. Her gaze fixed at the red car that stopped in front of Mei.
A young woman got out of the car. Her hair was silky brown that fell over her waist. Her skinny jeans flawlessly flattered her legs. Slowly, she moved toward the direction of someone Yuzu cared more than anyone in the world.
"She's so gorgeous, Yuzucchi. Prez really has some good-looking friends, huh?" Harumin said, looking at the girl who was smiling at Mei.
Yuzu found herself glaring at the girl. Creasing her brow, her eyes darted toward the girl's movements. In all the daylight's glory, her eyes narrowed upon seeing the girl plant a kiss on Mei's cheek.
"Mei," Yuzu yelled. Everyone around them stopped and stared at her. But it was the least of her worries. Slowly, her chest started to compress and she could feel her jaw clench involuntarily. She walked hurriedly toward Mei while dragging Harumin along.
Harumin had no choice but to just allow herself to be dragged along. "Yuzucchi, is everything alright?" She asked when she felt Yuzu's grip becoming tighter on her wrist.
With steadfast focus, Yuzu continued to walk until she was only a few steps away from Mei. She stopped. The girl who gave Mei a kiss on the cheek smiled at her and waved a hand. Yuzu eased the tension on her face and smiled against her will.
"Hello. You must be Mei-san's friends?" the girl asked. Her face brimmed with joy.
"Olivia, they're my batchmates," Mei said, shifting her gaze at Yuzu and Harumin.
"Hey, Prez!" Harumin exclaimed while fixing the front of her jacket.
Like a child whose candy had been stolen, Yuzu stood there looking intensely at Olivia. The sourness in her eyes washed over her consciousness as Olivia grabbed Mei's arm. It was enough to turn her into a green-eyed monster.
"Yuzucchi, are you okay?" Harumin leaned in closer. "Maybe, this day's temperature is making you feel this way? Or is it the time of the month?"
"Taniguchi-san," Mei said, making a gesture for Harumin and Yuzu to move forward as Olivia opened the trunk of her car. "We're ready to leave."
Unable to make a move forward, Yuzu squinted her eyes and looked away. She could feel a lump forming on her throat.
"Come on, Yuzucchi," Harumin said, grabbing Yuzu's wrist. "Let's go."
In the car...
Yuzu sat quietly in the backseat with Harumin. With her arms crossed, she fixed her gaze at the view out the window. It was a clear and beautiful day but her inner world was slightly sour.
"Mei-san, the beach house looks as gorgeous as ever. I'm glad that you're finally visiting the place again. How long has it been since you stayed there?" Olivia asked, placing her left hand over Mei's arm.
Slowly moving her head, Yuzu's gaze landed at Olivia's hand that was touching Mei. She mentally swatted Olivia's hand away.
"Seven years," Mei said, pulling away from Olivia's hand.
As she observed Mei's gesture, Yuzu triumphantly tilted her head back and smiled to herself. Then she looked intensely in the rear view mirror.
No one else can touch Mei.
"Yuzu. That's your name, right?" Olivia said while driving along. Coming to a red traffic light, she stopped and turned her face to the backseat and gave Yuzu a smile.
For a moment, Yuzu just stared at Olivia. She wanted to smile at her but her lips tightened. Finally, it raised on only one side, making her look either angry or contemptuous.
Olivia turned her glance at Harumin who had been sleeping and was resting her head on the travel pillow. "She must have been tired from the flight," Olivia said, staring fixedly at Harumin.
Unable to hide her emotions, Yuzu just nodded. Then she raised her head and fixed her gaze at the traffic lights.
"Do you miss Okinawa, Mei-san?" Olivia asked, sorting through some radio stations on the car's device until finally choosing one that played some peaceful music. Okinawa can best be enjoyed at a slower pace unlike Tokyo.
From the backseat, Yuzu had foregone being subtle in observing Mei's reaction. She looked steadily and intently at Mei in the rear view mirror.
Mei took a deep breath while looking out the window. "Sometimes," she said, keeping her face turned away from Olivia.
The lights changed to green after what had been like forever. Olivia drove through the lights and continued their way.
Mei slowly turned her face to the front and casually looked in the rear view mirror. She noted Yuzu was staring fixedly at her. Yuzu's eyes were narrowing. Without a second thought, Mei turned to the backseat. Yuzu immediately looked away.
"It's frustrating to drive slow, at times," Olivia said, sighing deeply in her seat.
Mei and Yuzu turned their heads to Olivia.
"Why don't you choose some music that you like, this time, Mei-san." Olivia pointed at the player.
"The music's fine." Mei peripherally glanced at Yuzu then settled her gaze at the road ahead.
"Yuzu-san, what type of music do you like to listen to?" Olivia asked, while steering her wheel to the right.
Yuzu quickly glanced at Mei. "I don't know. As long as it's good, I'l listen to it over and over again."
"Ah, I see." Olivia gushed, smiling at Yuzu through the rear view mirror. "Just like my little Mei-san. She used to listen to a song over and over again when she was little. It actually gave me a headache," Olivia said, chuckling.
Yuzu felt a sudden tightening on her chest. Caught between laughing or hating Olivia for knowing such a thing about Mei, Yuzu just pouted.
Mei looked out in the sky. "I think it's going to rain," she said, purposely ignoring Olivia's comment.
A few seconds in, they saw the first drops of rain falling on the front windshield.
"Dammit. Oh well, this is all too normal in Okinawa," Olivia said, sighing and checking the day's temperature. "Are you still afraid of thunder, Mei?"
"No," Yuzu said in between coughs.
Mei turned her face to Yuzu and gave her a piercing gaze. Yuzu's green eyes responded with a fierce eye contact.
Harumin let out a sound from her slumber which broke off the eye contact between Mei and Yuzu.
Coming to another red traffic light, Olivia stretched her arms and turned to the backseat. "Yuzu-san, is Mei-san dating anyone right now?"
"No," Yuzu said with all conviction almost like a reflex. "I mean a lot of people want to date her but..." Yuzu said, pausing and looking in the rear view mirror. She noted Mei had a calmness in her expression.
"She's always been the head-turner, the darling of the crowd," Olivia said, looking at Mei who was unfazed by their conversation.
"Yeah," Yuzu responded, pouting and fixing her gaze at the pouring rain outside the window.
Mei lowered her brows upon noticing Yuzu's reaction in the rear view mirror.
"She's my girl crush. I told her when she's still single at twenty five, she can always come to me and I'll drop everything to marry her." Olivia giggled uncontrollably in her seat.
Mei let out an exasperated sigh and she just pressed her lips together. "You've always been crazy, Olivia," she sternly said.
Yuzu's stomach churned involuntarily.
Why am I being ridiculous?
"How about you, Yuzu-san? Are you dating anyone?" Olivia asked, driving through the lights after they changed to green.
Almost reluctantly, Yuzu answered, "There's this person whom I really like but..." she paused, leaning back in her seat.
"But?" Olivia arched her brow.
Yuzu looked down and turned her face to the window. She took a deep breath and looked in the rear view mirror again. "I'm not sure if that person feels the same way," she said with a slight tone of defeat.
Olivia sighed. "Young love."
"We're getting nearer," Mei said, gazing across a certain mountain.
"Okay, girls. We're about to make a gentle landing on the Aihara Beachfront's runway," Olivia said, doing her best impression of a pilot. Then she giggled to herself.
Mei closed her eyes and gently put her hand over her chest. She cleared her throat and tried her best to wear a calm expression.
"Here we are. Welcome home, Mei-san." Olivia said while unbuckling her seatbelt.
Yuzu noticed a worried expression on Mei. She leaned in and lightly tapped her on the shoulder. "Is everything okay, Mei?" Yuzu said, looking so genuinely at Mei. Her green eyes sparkled with gentleness.
Keeping her focus on the front, Mei nodded once. She felt a sudden rush of overwhelming feelings. She blinked back a tear that was escaping the corner of her eye.
Why does Mei look so worried?
Yuzu kept her gaze at Mei. For a moment, she wanted to say something more. She slowly leaned back in her seat upon realizing it wasn't the best time. "Harumin, wake up," she said, gently nudging her best friend.
Harumin softly rubbed the sleepiness on her right eye then stretched her body. She turned her face to the window. "Holy smoke!" she exclaimed. "That is one fantastic beach house."
Olivia chuckled in her seat. "Wait until you see the views from the living room," she said, handing Mei an umbrella. "This island is famous for white sand beaches," she continued, turning her face to the backseat to look at Harumin. Then she handed her an umbrella.
"Looks like the rain has stopped," Harumin said while looking intensely at the raindrops that formed some patterns on the window.
Yuzu stretched her back but she kept her focus on Mei.
Why does she look sad?
"Come on, girls. It's time to explore the place," Olivia said, fixing her long locks while stepping out of the car.
Harumin took a deep breath making sure to inhale the fresh scent of the ocean breeze mixed with the earthy fragrance after the rainfall. "This is heaven."
As Yuzu was about to step out of the car, she turned her head. In that moment, she felt a strange feeling of sadness while looking at Mei.
Why do I feel this way? Is this how she feels?
As the three girls hurried inside, Mei remained in the car. As she looked across the ocean waves, her mind slowly drifted into a past event. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes as she remembered...
It was Mei's tenth birthday and her family flew over to Okinawa to celebrate it.
"Happy birthday, Mei," her father said, covering Mei's eyes to hide his surprise gift.
"Thank you, Father," Mei said, slowly moving forward while holding her father's right arm.
"Surprise!" Her father uncovered her eyes. "This is for you," he said, bending his head to look at Mei and pointing at the beach house. Her father fell in love with the island and built a one of a kind home, a masterpiece sculpted from concrete, glass, and wood with sweeping ocean and mountain views.
Mei's eyes widened and her hand gripped onto her father's arm.
"I wanted to get you something special, Mei." Her father bent down on his knee and made an eye contact with her. "You deserve nothing but the best."
Unable to move, Mei just stared at her father. Then she gazed at the newly-built beach house. "You didn't have to do this, Father."
Her father just smiled at her. His face was brimming with joy.
Looking at her father, Mei crinkled her eyes.
"Let's go inside," her father said as he slowly stood up.
Mei glanced up at her father with those sparkling lavenders. She nodded and smiled at him. If truth be told, her father's presence was already a perfect gift for her.
As they made their way in the front yard, her father took a deep breath. "I want you to open the door, Mei," he said, looking and smiling at his daughter.
With her little hand, Mei slowly opened the door.
When her father switched the lights on, a handful of children jumped out. "Happy birthday, Mei-chan!" they shouted, holding the streamers and wearing their party hats.
Mei screamed and turned to her father. She hugged him tightly.
If it were for other kids, they would have strutted cheerfully with their faces full of excitement. But not for Mei. She stood there keeping her arms wrapped around her father. She didn't know any of those kids.
Her father bent down on his knee again and looked at Mei. "It's okay," he said, gently brushing the strand of her hair that fell on her forehead.
Someone knocked on the door and Mei's father stood up and opened it.
"Thank you for inviting us, Boss," the visitor said, bowing respectfully. He was with a little girl who was slightly taller than Mei and probably even older.
"Thanks for preparing everything for us, Otsuka-san," Mei's father said, making a gesture for them to get inside.
"This is Olivia. She's my only daughter," Otsuka said while holding Olivia's hand. "She picked out this gift for you, Mei-san."
Olivia smiled and handed Mei a small gift box. "Happy birthday," she said, grinning and extending her arms toward Mei.
Somehow hesitantly, Mei took the gift. "Thank you," she said, slightly bowing.
Olivia immediately hugged Mei. "You're so cute," she gushed.
Otsuka gently pulled Olivia away. "I'm sorry, Mei-san," he said, bowing at Mei and her father.
"It's alright, Otsuka-san. They're kids," Mei's father said, patting Otsuka's shoulder. "How's our business going? Do we need to hire more people for our new construction project?," he added, leading Otsuka into a corner.
"There has been a minor issue, Boss, but we managed to solve it right away," Otsuka said as they looked out the glass window.
"Let's go, Mei-san." Olivia grabbed Mei's hand and led her outside. "I'll show you around the beach."
Mei didn't have a choice. Olivia's grip was tight. They ran as fast as they could to the shore.
When they finally stopped, Olivia regretfully sighed. "There are no stars tonight,"she said, hunching her shoulders. "I just wanted to show you the beachfront." She turned her face to look at the birthday celebrant.
Mei looked away and stared at the beach house. She could barely see her father or the kids inside. They were far away. She turned her face to her right and noted someone familiar. Her eyes narrowed.
Curious, Olivia turned to see what Mei was viewing. "It's normal, Mei-san. People kiss. I think they're a couple," she said, looking at the pair from a short distance.
The woman noticed the little girls looking at them. She broke off the kiss and darted her gaze toward them. Then she ran toward their direction. "Mei!" she shouted.
Mei froze for a moment and stared at the woman.
"Do you know her, Mei-san?" Olivia asked, looking at Mei while pointing her hand at the woman.
Mei ran as fast as she could, leaving Olivia behind.
"Mei, stop!" the woman yelled, gasping for air. She stopped as soon as she reached Olivia. But Mei was nowhere to be seen anymore.
"Why do you know Mei-san?" Olivia casually asked while looking at the woman who was panting in front of her.
"I'm sorry, Mei," the woman whispered to herself, tears flowing down her face. She then looked at Olivia. "She's my daughter."
Yuzu looked back at the car. She knew Mei wasn't sleeping even though her eyes were closed. Taking the phone from her pocket, she checked the time.
"Mei has been in the car for a long time already," Yuzu said with a worried expression on her face while looking at Olivia.
Olivia curled lips and crinkled her eyes. "Why don't you convince her to get inside, Yuzu-san?" she said playfully.
A little fazed, Yuzu tilted her head. But she wanted to run to the car and to make sure that Mei was fine. She looked at the sky, then her gaze trailed down toward Mei. "Alright."
Olivia nodded approvingly. She looked at her watch and sighed. "I'll prepare something for us. See you later," she said, hurrying back in the house.
"What are you thinking about, Mei?" Yuzu whispered to herself while looking at the raven-haired. She squeezed her toes and closed her eyes. After gaining enough courage, she walked slowly toward the car.
She stopped when she reached the trunk of the car. Looking in the side view mirror, she noted Mei was staring into space.
I can't act scared if I want to help Mei out.
"Yuzu."
Yuzu jolted upon hearing her name.
"What are you doing there?" Mei said, looking straight in the side view mirror with her lips pressed together.
Noticing a serious yet worried expression on Mei, Yuzu slowly moved forward. She turned around and leaned back against the car.
"You haven't answered my question," Mei sternly said.
Tilting her head back, Yuzu sighed and smiled. "I just wanna be here with you."
Letting out a sigh, Mei leaned back heavily in her seat. As she closed her eyes she felt a sudden surge of overwhelming emotions. A few seconds in, tears started to flow down her face.
Yuzu remained still and quiet in her place.
The comforting silence between them felt like a sanctuary for Mei to let go of some of her emotional baggage without being ashamed. With every tear, she felt lighter.
Yuzu took out a handkerchief from her bag. Keeping her gaze fixed at the house in front of her, she stretched out her arm to hand the hanky to Mei. She thought that Mei would appreciate the gesture but after several minutes, it was still on her hand and her arm was getting heavier.
Why isn't she taking it?
Yuzu subtly turned her head. She noticed how Mei was intentionally ignoring her gesture.
"Yuzu, I'm not really mad at you." Mei firmly said while looking out in the open sky.
Caught off guard, Yuzu narrowed her eyes and cleared her throat. She pulled her hand back and stared at the concrete driveway.
"The time we spent apart gave me a better perspective of things," Mei said, leaning back in the seat. Letting out a sigh, she grabbed a sheet of tissue paper in front of her. "When I was ten, my family had been involved in a scandal."
Yuzu looked to her side and noted Mei's worried expression. Step by step, she moved to the other side of the car. She opened the door slowly and sat on the driver's seat.
"I was at school when a teacher pulled me out of class. As we walked down the hallway, I noticed almost everyone looked at me as if they pitied me. One student shouted, 'Hey your mom is famous now. She's on TV.' The teacher pulled me closer and guided me to the gate," Mei said, closing her eyes. She then took a deep breath. As she opened her eyes slowly, she stared fixedly at the clouds in the sky.
Yuzu fixed her gaze at the the center of the steering wheel. She felt a heavy sensation forming in her chest.
"My father was outside the gate and he thanked the teacher for excusing me from class."
Yuzu slowly turned her face. She noted how Mei was struggling to control her emotions. She knew that Mei was trying so hard to hold back some tears.
"That day, my father took me to a hot air balloon ride in Tokyo. He knew how much I loved it. When we were up in the air, I broke down but he remained quiet... unperturbed," Mei said, almost choking on the last sentence.
"Mei," Yuzu whispered as she felt her heart sympathizing with Mei.
"I told him I didn't want to go back to school. I was terrified."
Yuzu reached for Mei's hand.
"He held me and in that moment, I felt safe. He said that it was okay to be terrified." Mei glanced to her left and looked at the beach house.
Almost instinctively, Yuzu's hand rested on Mei's right hand.
"I glanced up at him. 'As long as you're honest with yourself, you can overcome your fears,' he said while smiling at me."
Yuzu breathed in and leaned back in her seat almost heavily. She closed her eyes and her mind dwelled on Mei's story.
As long as you're honest with yourself.
Hearing the sound of the car door closing, Yuzu slightly jolted in her seat. She looked to her left and cried out for Mei's name but nothing came out of her lips. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't even feel Mei had already left her. Watching the raven-haired walk toward the house, Yuzu just let out a deep sigh... probably of regret.
The following morning...
"Did you get enough sleep, last night?" Olivia said, her eyes followed Yuzu who just appeared in the kitchen.
Yuzu took a moment to stretch her arms and rub some sleep from her eyes.
"Would you like to have a cup of coffee?" Olivia cheerfully asked. She was especially upbeat and obviously in a good mood.
"Are all the people in Okinawa as cheerful as you are, Olivia? Yuzu said, softly massaging some tension from her shoulder.
Olivia grinned and pointed her hand toward the sun that was shining outside the glass windows. "It's a perfect day to go swimming."
With a sigh, Yuzu allowed her head to fall in the table.
"You woke up at the wrong side of the bed?" Olivia said, carefully turning each slice of the bacon strips. The kitchen was magically filled by the delicious scent of the sizzling bacon.
"It smells really good," Harumin said, inhaling the delightful scent while making her way inside the kitchen.
"Harumin, what are you wearing?" Yuzu exclaimed, creasing her brow.
"Relax, Yuzucchi," Harumin said, twirling in her place. "Isn't today the best time to go swimming and snorkeling. This is the swimsuit we bought last week." She proudly showed off her two-piece off the shoulder floral bikini.
"Looks like Ms. Taniguchi is ready for her photo shoot," Olivia said, waving the tongs at her camera. Then she poured in some coffee for Harumin.
"Yuzucchi, Olivia is a professional photographer. I told her we're gonna model for her today," Harumin said, taking the cup of coffee from Olivia. "Thank you. Is the Prez still having her beauty sleep?"
"Of course not! She's out there in the shore. She agreed to model for me as well!" Olivia gushed, draining the cooked bacon from the pan.
"I bet the Prez looks gorgeous in her swimsuit," Harumin said, walking toward Olivia. She then managed to take a piece of the sizzling bacon.
"That's so out of character!" Yuzu blurted out and stood up, creasing her brows.
Harumin and Olivia curiously turned their faces toward Yuzu's direction.
"I'm changing into my swimsuit," Yuzu said, turning around and stomping almost angrily out of the kitchen.
"I'll see you at the beach then, Yuzucchi," Harumin yelled, shaking her head sideways.
Olivia just chuckled. "My family has been taking care of Mei-san's beach house. When she visits Okinawa, she never wanted to stay here," she said, making some final touches for their breakfast.
"The Prez is really lucky, huh?" Harumin said, grabbing the DSLR camera. "Why do you insist on adding '-san' to our names, Olivia?"
"It's my way of being in touched with my Japanese roots. My mom's American but I was born and raised here," Olivia said, configuring some settings on the camera.
"That's cool," Harumin said, carefully observing what Olivia was doing. "What kind of photography do you do?"
"Sensual Photography," Olivia answered nonchalantly.
At the beach...
Yuzu looked around and admired the color of the sea that was flawlessly reflecting the sky. For a brief moment, she let the sound of the ocean waves soothe her. Taking a deep breath, she swore that the air had a combination of sweet scent from the sun and the smell of salt from the sea. It was so heart-warming that for a little while her racing thoughts calmed and her heart relaxed.
"Mmm." Yuzu closed her eyes and stretched her body.
"This is so relaxing," Harumin said, inhaling the morning scent of the sea.
"Can we stay like this forever?" Yuzu whispered, breathing in slowly.
"I wish." Harumin stretched out her arms in the air.
"Okay, girls. Are you ready for your photo shoot?" Olivia asked, holding her DSLR camera.
Yuzu and Harumin sighed for the last time while facing the sea. Then they turned around.
"Um, Olivia. What kind of photo shoot are we having?" Yuzu gently stroked her shoulder while looking at the white sand.
"So, I'm currently into sensual photography," Olivia said, looking at the sky and fixing her camera focus.
"Huh?" Yuzu gave Olivia one of her most surprised expressions, eyes narrowed and hand almost covering her mouth.
"Don't be too shocked, Yuzu-san. It's all about exploring the elegance of femininity," Olivia said, focusing her camera on Yuzu and snapping a photo of her.
"Yeah. Yuzucchi is still an innocent angel." Harumin chuckled, holding her belly.
Yuzu looked down to hide a blush of embarrassment that was settling on her cheeks. Turning her face to the side, her eyes widened. A girl in an elegant swimsuit walking slowly from a distance captured her attention. She thought her over sized beach hat perfectly matched the color of her swimsuit and her midnight black hair. Her heart started to race.
"Why does the Prez look good in almost anything?" Harumin clenched her jaw.
"Mei-san!" Olivia shouted, looking at Mei and waving her hand.
Startled, Mei stopped and reluctantly turned around. She wanted to spend the morning by herself. There was nothing like being alone in that moment... watching the waves ripple gently as she sank her feet in the sand soothed her nerves. She took a deep breath and walked slowly toward the three girls.
Yuzu could feel her heart beat faster. Although she had a peaceful moment earlier, it wasn't enough to keep her calm in that instant as Mei was getting closer. She looked away and fixed her gaze at something. Her eyes captured the ocean waves that were crashing on the shore.
"Mei-san!" Olivia yelled.
"Prez!"Harumin shouted.
Both of them were waving at Mei.
As Mei was getting nearer, Yuzu's heart raced faster. She closed her eyes and inhaled the fresh scent of the ocean. She took a deep breath and turned her body to look at Mei against her nervousness.
"Good morning," Mei greeted sternly, now standing in front of the three girls.
"You look beautiful as always, Mei-san. I wonder why you have never considered being a model." Olivia admiringly gazed at Mei.
"That's right, Prez." Harumin nodded approvingly while looking at Mei. Then she looked at Yuzu who was slightly avoiding an eye contact with Mei. "Yuzucchi, don't you agree that the Prez can be a model?"
Yuzu could feel a slight rush of heat creeping on her neck that was quickly making its way on her cheeks. Clearing her throat, she lifted her head and nervously made an eye contact with Mei.
"Yeah," Yuzu said, smiling and crinkling her nose against her anxiousness.
Mei slightly tilted her head while keeping an eye contact with Yuzu. Then she shifted her gaze at Harumin and Olivia. "You're feeding my ego," she said, giving them a half-smile. "I'm not buying it."
"That's the truth," Yuzu whispered to herself and stared at the ocean.
Mei arched her brow and looked at Yuzu.
"You know what sensual photography is, right?" Olivia interjected, slowly stepping away from them.
Letting out a sigh, Mei looked at Olivia. "It's easy to understand," she said with a slight frown.
"Alright, girls. Embrace your femininity," Olivia said, making a gesture for them to move closer to the ocean while her other hand was holding the camera.
Harumin took off her sunglasses and quickly fixed her hair. Then she jumped from her place and shook her hands. "I thought this was going to be easy," she said, turning her face to Yuzu.
Yuzu took a deep breath while moving closer to the ocean. She glanced at Mei and noticed a certain calmness in her aura and how the ocean breeze playfully danced with her black hair as she slowly took off her hat. Yuzu unconsciously sighed in delight.
Harumin playfully did a sexy pose.
"Being sensual is different from being sexy," Olivia said, moving closer to the girls and guiding them with their poses.
"Huh?" Yuzu furrowed her brow and looked at Olivia.
"To be sensual is to feel alive," Olivia said, pausing and instructing the girls to look at the camera. "It's being playful in the present moment."
"Deep stuff, Olivia," Harumin said, playfully striking her sexy pose at the camera.
Olivia giggled. "It's all about being subtle. Follow your nose, Harumi-san. You can strike a much more appealing pose this way."
Harumi straightened herself and took a deep breath. "Thanks for the tip, Olivia," Harumin said, shaking both of her hands.
"Just look at how how beautiful Mei-san's poses are," Olivia said, locking in her camera at Mei.
Yuzu turned to her side. She let out another sigh of delight as she watched how elegantly Mei moved her body and played with the camera.
"Beautiful, Mei-san," Olivia cooed, checking the photos on the camera display.
Squinting her eyes in the bright light, Harumin sighed. "I need to get us some sunscreen," she said, politely excusing herself from everyone. Slowly, she walked toward the house.
"Yuzu-san, I want to get a good shot of you," Olivia said, slowly stepping away from Yuzu and Mei. "I want you to show your fearless side, alright?" she said, getting herself low to the sand and pointing the camera at Yuzu.
Yuzu shook her head and buried her feet in the sand. "How should I do that?" she said, creasing her brows.
"Close your eyes and take a deep breath," Olivia said, pausing and positioning her camera. "Think of someone you truly and deeply love."
Closing her eyes, Yuzu inhaled the scent of the ocean, once more. Then her mind effortlessly drifted into an image of a hallway where she was standing in front of the person she cared the most.
"How does it feel like to lock eyes with someone whom you deeply care about and love?" Olivia said, looking at the LCD monitor of the camera.
Yuzu's lips curled and her head moved slightly and unconsciously.
"Yuzu-san, when that person stares at you lovingly and without a warning touches your face gently, what do you feel?" Olivia sat on the sand and positioned her camera just at the right angle.
Eyes still closed, Yuzu parted her lips slightly and arched her back.
Mei curiously glanced at Yuzu. She noticed a particular look on Yuzu, an expression she would always have before a kiss.
"Excellent job, Yuzu-san." Olivia moved closer and angled her camera to get three-quarter shots of Yuzu.
Mei took a deep breath subtly and turned her face away. Her stare was now fixed at the ocean. Then slowly, she moved away from Yuzu and Olivia.
On the other hand, Yuzu was getting lost into the hallway scene in her mind. She relished how it felt like looking into Mei's lavender eyes. Yuzu let out a sigh and slightly tilted her head back.
"You're blowing me away, Yuzu-san. You're sensuality personified," Olivia said, placing her hand on her heart like a mother being proud of her child. "Such a fast learner."
Drifting back to reality, Yuzu opened her eyes slowly and smiled at Olivia. She looked to her right and noted Mei was gone. She narrowed her eyes and turned around.
"Mei-san," Olivia cried out. "Please, come back."
Mei kept walking a few more steps before finally stopping. She took a deep breath and slowly turned around. She noticed how intense Yuzu's stare was.
"Mei," Yuzu spoke under her breath while looking almost longingly at Mei.
"I have never done this before." Olivia said, configuring her camera. "But I'll seize this opportunity and take some shots of you and Mei-san."
Olivia's words fell on deaf ears as Yuzu's attention was completely tuned in to Mei's direction.
Purposely looking away from Yuzu, Mei glided gracefully toward them.
Olivia dashed toward Mei as soon as she was getting nearer. "Mei-san," she said, pausing and brushing her hair with one hand while holding the camera with the other. She leaned in to whisper.
Confused, Yuzu arched her brow. Her eyes lingered at the sight of Olivia whispering to Mei.
What is Olivia saying to Mei?
A few minutes in, Yuzu tapped her foot and twisted her lips.
Why are they taking so long?
Staring intensely at them, Yuzu squinted her eyes. Then they were met by Mei's. The blonde quickly looked at the sky. Peripherally, she detected Mei was nodding in agreement to whatever Olivia was whispering.
Pulling away, Olivia slowly turned toward Yuzu's direction. "Thanks, Mei-san," she said while walking beside Mei.
Taking a double deep breath, Yuzu watched them move toward her.
"It's my first time to do this but I completely trust in you, girls," Olivia said, taking a few steps back and adjusting her camera angle.
Tilting her head, Yuzu stared at Olivia. She then turned her face to Mei. "Mei, what is Olivia talking about?"
"Now, Yuzu-san, look at me," Olivia said, pointing her camera at the two girls. "Slightly part your lips and follow your nose as you turn your face slowly to look at Mei-san."
With a sigh, Yuzu conceded. Almost instinctively, her face turned to look at Mei. She noted Mei's half-lidded eyes were glancing at the camera, almost seducing it.
"Oh, goodness," Olivia delightfully uttered as her camera followed Mei and Yuzu's facial movements.
Mei parted her lips and moved closer to Yuzu but she kept her gaze fixed at the camera.
"This is what sensuality is," Olivia said, silently snapping photos of them while moving quietly.
Almost unconsciously, Yuzu moved in closer to Mei and closed her eyes. Breathing in deeply, she inhaled the sweet lavender scent with traces of amber and orange blossom that Mei was wearing.
Mei raised her hand and placed her slender fingers over Yuzu's lips to which Yuzu unconsciously kissed.
Yuzu's hand wrapped around Mei's waist and she pulled her closer.
"Goodness," Olivia delightfully gushed, lowering herself to get a better angle of Mei and Yuzu.
Yuzu brushed her nose against Mei's and took a deep breath. Slowly opening her eyes and turning her face to the camera, Yuzu looked at it with half-lidded eyes. She was getting lost in the moment. Her nervousness was being silenced by her growing desire.
"Damn! If I didn't know you any better, I would think you two can make a beautiful couple," Olivia said, playing to their confidence while moving around.
Yuzu possessively wrapped her right arm around Mei's neck as if she was claiming her. She didn't even care that Olivia was around. Bending her head slightly, she slowly turned and gave the camera her most seductive look.
Olivia took a deep breath and smiled at Yuzu and Mei. "Bravo!"
"Did you get the shot you were looking for, Olivia," Mei asked, looking at Olivia.
"Yes. Lots of them," Olivia answered, still snapping some shots.
"Yuzu, let go." Mei lowered her voice into a whisper. "We're done."
Still in her trance-like state, Yuzu stood there ravishing her eyes at Mei's sight while holding her.
Mei let out a sigh and looked away. In that instant, she wanted to unwrap Yuzu's arm from her neck. Instead, she kissed her on the cheek.
Instantly, Yuzu was brought back to reality. Her half-lidded eyes widened and she stared at Mei. She unwrapped her arms slowly.
"Crap," Olivia cursed, clenching her fist. "My battery is getting low. I'm going to get a spare battery," she said excusing herself. She hurriedly walked toward the house.
"It's better for us to get in the house, too." Mei turned around and slowly stepped back from Yuzu.
Yuzu could feel the warm sensation that settled in her stomach and she didn't know what to do. For a moment, Yuzu wanted to get in the house. But her hand quickly grabbed Mei's arm. "Mei," she said with a pleading look.
"With a sigh, Mei made an eye contact with Yuzu. "What do you want?," she asked with a slight shiver in her voice.
"I really care about you, Mei," Yuzu said in a heartbeat.
Mei's stare turned into a glower. "You're not ready, Yuzu."
Letting Mei's arm go, Yuzu looked at the white sand. She felt her heart slowly being crushed. Almost instantly, her eyes became a little watery.
Leaning in closer, Mei kissed Yuzu on the lips then immediately pulled away. "We can't be more than friends, Yuzu. This will be our last kiss." Slowly, Mei turned around and let out a sigh. Her mind told her to walk toward the house but her feet were not obliging. She could feel her cheeks getting warmer.
Yuzu made a step forward and turned around to be face to face with Mei. As quickly as Mei broke off the kiss, Yuzu kissed her and buried her fingers in her jet black hair and unconsciously pushed her leg between Mei's. Mei couldn't even think of pushing her away.
There was something terrifying yet delightful in that moment. Yuzu could not understand why it was so sensual to kiss Mei knowing that they could be caught at any moment.
Arching her back, Mei moaned into Yuzu's lips. Then she felt a warm hand caressing her lower back. As Yuzu's lips trailed down her neck, she let out a whimper. Almost instinctively, she let Yuzu access to her sensitive spot by tilting her head back. She moaned again as Yuzu caressed her with passionate kisses.
"Yuzu, stop," she said between her moans. "We can't do this."
Yuzu worked her way up to Mei's chin, kissing and teasing her.
Mei tried again as she placed her hand on Yuzu's shoulder, softly pushing her away.
"We can't be," she said, pausing and gasping, "more than friends."
Yuzu couldn't think of a better way to respond to Mei's statement. She stood there looking all confused.
Mei slowly walked toward the house, leaving Yuzu behind.
The following morning...
Closing her eyes, Yuzu slowly sipped her fresh pineapple juice with a straw and witnessed how time stood still with every sip. As the fresh juice glided over her tongue, she swore that for a brief moment, the sharpness of Mei's last words magically vanished from her memory. " This is so heavenly," she said, sighing and opening her eyes.
"It's the best pineapple juice I have ever tasted," Harumin said, taking a slow sip of her own glass of pineapple juice.
Olivia laughed. "Don't you have any fresh pineapple juice in Tokyo?"
Yuzu and Harumin slowly nodded their heads sideways.
"Let me pour you some more," Olivia said, amused by how the girls moved their glasses almost autmotatically toward her. She lifted the pitcher and smiled at them.
"I want to see the photos you took yesterday, Olivia," Harumin said, pulling back her glass with her fresh refill. "How did you become a photographer? I wanna be like you someday."
Before Olivia had the chance to respond to Harumin, her eyes darted toward Mei who was casually wearing a blue overcoat and a pair of white skinny jeans.
Yuzu turned around in her seat and she noted how the light from the room beautifully reflected on Mei's hair.
"Hey, Prez. Do you have somewhere to go?" Harumin asked, gripping her glass. Then she slowly took a sip of the content.
"Good morning, Taniguchi-san," Mei responded sternly while nodding at Harumin then at the rest of the girls. Then she slowly walked toward the door.
"Mei-san, have some pineapple juice before you go." Olivia poured the beverage into a glass. Then she walked over to Mei and handed it.
"Thank you, Olivia," Mei said, taking the glass of juice. She noticed that Yuzu had been looking at her.
"Where are you heading, Prez?" Harumin interjected, tilting her head up to look at Mei.
"Gima Yomitan," Mei casually answered.
"We can all go there, Mei-san. It's an amazing place." Olivia turned her face to look at Yuzu. "Yuzu-san, get ready. From what I heard, they're having a hot air balloon festival."
Even though Yuzu felt that Mei probably didn't like for them to go with her, it was very tempting to say 'yes' in that moment. But with how Mei ended their potential romantic relationship yesterday, Yuzu felt it wasn't the right time to tag along with her.
But then she thought of how Mei looked at her during the photo shoot and the way she touched her and held her face. Then the memories in the park and of the kiss they shared in the office flooded her mind. She bit her lower lip, remembering how Mei returned her kisses yesterday. Almost instantly her lack of bravery dissolved.
"Yes, I'd like to go," she said with a renewed spirit. "I'd like to see how amazing the place really is."
Letting out a sigh, Mei looked at Olivia. "You can drive them there but I'll have to go now," Mei said, handing the half-empty glass to Olivia. Then the rest of the girls chaotically hurried to their rooms leaving Mei alone. As she moved toward the door, she stopped and took a deep breath.
Almost seven hours had passed, they were finally at Yomitan. When they left the house in the morning, they were greeted by a sudden heavy rain. They had no choice but to wait for the rain to stop.
It was unusually quiet at the beach when they arrived. The water was so clear that they could see some colorful fishes swimming. There were not so many people around.
"I wanna live here, someday," Harumin said, closing her eyes and stretching the length of her body.
"We gotta find Mei," Yuzu insisted, grabbing Harumin's arm and dragging her forward to follow Olivia's lead.
"Right. Yuzucchi. What has gotten into you?"
Yuzu stopped, sighing and letting Harumin's arm go. Her mind dwelled on her question.
What has gotten into me?
Unconsciously, her feet moved forward as her mind drifted into several images of the events she had with Mei. A particular scene at the office lingered.
"Yuzucchi, wait up! You're walking so fast."
No matter how loud Harumin's voice was, it wasn't able to get Yuzu's attention. The blonde's mind was so focused on figuring out the reason for her fear that it automatically blocked any external noise.
"Dammit!" Yuzu cursed under her breath. "If I really care about Mei, I should not be scared to show her how I feel," she muttered, shaking her head. She took a deep breath and looked ahead of her. She noted Olivia was busy on her phone. Looking around, Yuzu noticed a crowd from a distance. There were also several colorful fabrics on the ground.
"Hey, Yuzucchi," Harumin ran toward Yuzu but the corner of her eye darted toward the beach. Then she looked at where Yuzu was gazing. "Holy Moly! This place never fails to amaze me." Her eyes were now targeting the deflated hot air balloons on the ground.
"Mei-san," Olivia cried out as soon as she spotted Mei.
Immediately, Yuzu darted her gaze toward where Olivia was looking. Her heart was thudding with elation. In that instant, she couldn't feel any fear anymore. Was she ready to finally admit her true feelings? Or was it another bout of enthusiasm that would soon collapse?
Was she ready to throw away the idea of being rejected for the sake of love?
Yuzu looked in front of her and readied her gears. Her body almost instinctively glided along with the wind. She would always feel a tinge of weight on her feet when put in situations like this but the heaviness did not manifest.
The three girls ran toward where the hot air balloons and the crowd of people were. From where they were, the distance was a good... exhausting form of exercise. But Yuzu kept smiling to herself despite the slight nervousness she was feeling.
Almost effortlessly, Yuzu ran past Olivia.
"Yuzu-san," Olivia shouted, gasping and bending her knees slightly. "You're a fast runner."
"Yuzucchi," Harumin yelled as she slowed her pace to a walk.
Yuzu reluctantly stopped. She took a deep breath and slowly turned toward Olivia and Harumin. "I'm just excited for the hot air balloon festival," she said, crinkling her eyes and nose.
"For the love of God, I'm not getting into one," Harumin said, brushing her hair with her hand. Then she fixed her top and walked toward Yuzu.
Olivia straightened her back and walked toward Yuzu and Harumin. "Last week, there was a minor incident involving a hot air balloon," Olivia said, clutching to the strap of her camera.
'Huh?!" Harumin shockingly looked at Olivia.
Olivia sighed. "A guy wanted to propose to his girlfriend. Unfortunately the hot air balloon..."
"Nope," Yuzu said, interrupting and turning away from them. "I don't want to hear that type of story. Not today." She walked ahead, making firm movements. Before she knew it, she was already at the festival's location.
Yuzu stopped to catch some air. There were so many people in the area. Some came in groups and some came as couples and all of them wore an expression of excitement on their faces. Moving around the area politely, Yuzu felt her heart beat faster but with a sense of lightness, this time. It didn't hurt anymore.
"Yuzu," someone from the crowd said.
With a smirk on her face, Yuzu stopped. Then the smirk turned into a smile. She lifted her head and turned around.
"Mei," Yuzu said, smiling and walking toward Mei. As soon as she reached her, she grabbed her arm and gently dragged her.
"Let go," Mei sternly said.
"We're going on a hot air balloon ride," Yuzu said with a certain firmness in her voice.
Raising an eyebrow, Mei stopped and tried to loosen her arm from Yuzu's grip. "Why?"
Before Yuzu turned around, she looked at the man who was setting up a balloon.
"Girls, this balloon is available. Get inside now," the man said, making a gesture for them to get in. The basket was enough to fit four people including the pilot.
Yuzu dragged Mei again. She got inside first while still holding onto Mei's arm. Mei wanted to back out but the pilot had a serious and almost impatient expression on his face while he looked at them. Yuzu helped her get inside the basket.
"We're gonna have fun with this bad boy," the pilot said as they lifted off the ground.
"You didn't answer my question, Yuzu," Mei said, glaring at the girl in front of her. Then she glanced at the pilot who was faced away from them and was focused on navigating the ride.
Yuzu felt unusually confident. Mei's glare didn't cause her to step back or crouch down in fear. She looked at Mei straight in the eye.
"What?" Mei tilted her head and let out a sigh of annoyance. Becoming a little irritated, she turned to her side and gazed at the sky. The sun was about to set and it was the most stunning time of the day.
"Daisuki Desu," Yuzu profoundly uttered. She slightly looked down then quickly lifted her head. Swiftly, she grabbed Mei's hand. "I love you," Yuzu said, pausing and placing Mei's hand over her heart. She closed her eyes then slowly opened it. "I really love you."
Mei closed her eyes and allowed herself to feel every beat of Yuzu's heart. In that moment, she felt connected to something beyond her understanding. She slowly opened her slightly watery eyes. Yuzu gently touched her cheek and wiped a tear that escaped from her eye.
Then Mei pulled her hand back and turned away from Yuzu. She stepped forward and gazed across the view of the beautiful countryside.
Yuzu was left startled. Her eyes widened. At times like this, she would often let fear take over her. She sighed deeply and grabbed Mei's hand.
"You told me before that your biggest fear is not knowing what love is," Yuzu said, choking with emotions. She pressed Mei's hand. "My biggest fear, right now, is not being turned down by you but walking away from you without letting you know how much I really love you."
The raven-haired kept herself turned away from Yuzu.
"I don't care if you're not going to accept my feelings. It doesn't matter, Mei," Yuzu said with all conviction. "As long as I'm being honest with myself and as long as you know how I truly feel about you," she said, pausing. She watched Mei turn her face toward her.
Mei pulled Yuzu closer and kissed her on the lips. Startled, Yuzu widened her eyes as Mei passionately kissed her. Then she melted in the moment and returned the kiss. The sunset was the perfect witness of that moment. As the lavenders in the sky flawlessly blended with the colors of blue and orange, Mei and Yuzu had been perfectly coalesced by their kiss.
Mei gently pulled away while maintaining her gaze at Yuzu. "You're silly," she said, whispering.
The pilot burst out laughing. "You're still aware that I'm here?" he said, chortling.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Yuzu said and bowed at the pilot.
"You don't have to be sorry about love, Kid," he said, smiling at Yuzu then at Mei. "It's rare to see a love so pure that you, kids, are melting my heart," he said, chuckling. Then he wore a serious expression on his face. "Your love will get you through everything, hold on to it." He turned away from the girls and focused on flying the hot air balloon and bringing them to an altitude that gave them a panoramic view of the gorgeous place.
Slightly glancing up at Mei, Yuzu leaned in to kiss her but Mei softy placed her slender finger over Yuzu's lips. "You're the most beautiful person I have ever laid my eyes on," Yuzu said while looking lovingly at Mei.
Mei let out a sigh and rolled her eyes. Then she leaned in and gave Yuzu her most awaited kiss. It was quick but so endearing.
"Does that mean you're my girlfriend, now, Mei?" Yuzu tilted her head but her eyes were locked on Mei's.
Mei slightly looked away but Yuzu noted a slight pinkish tinge on her cheeks. She lifted her head and looked at Yuzu.
Yuzu looked at her expectantly.
"Isn't it obvious?" Mei said, glancing through her lashes with a half smile and a raised eyebrow.
Narrowing her eyes, Yuzu covered her mouth with her hands. For a moment, she was speechless. When Mei's answer finally sank in, she jumped.
Grabbing Yuzu's arm, Mei stopped her from jumping. "You can't jump in here, Yuzu," she said, slightly raising her voice and quickly looking at the pilot to see if he was disturbed. But his gaze was glued at the magnificent view across the field below them.
"I have the most gorgeous girlfriend," Yuzu said, pausing and lowering her voice, "in the world." Then she leaned in and gave Mei another passionate kiss. In the heat of the moment, Yuzu lowered her lips to Mei's neck. Parting her lips, she perfectly targeted a spot and instinctively marked it which caused Mei to let out a soft moan.
Mei gently pushed Yuzu a few centimeters away. She leaned in and whispered in her ear. "We can't do this here."
To be continued...
I'm sorry to keep you waiting and for the long chapter. But thank you so much for reading the story and for sharing your thoughts. I always appreciate them. I was supposed to cut this chapter into two but I thought it was a crime to do so as I will be taking a break from posting. It will only be for 20 to 24 days, I guess. When I get back home, I'll try to focus on writing again. Thank you and take care, always. 3