Chapter 34: there's only moving forward
Tell me, what comes after winter? What happens after the cold unforgiving snow thaws away and it moisten the ground for the new blooms of spring to flourish.
After running off into the cold, we had to eventually come back, Takashi went back but not before promising that he will return when everything calms down. Today was that day, our first official date after two years of being apart. We chose to see a movie, and I was in the theater much earlier than him, too nervous and anxious to wait in the house. I was wearing a very flowy burgundy dress with black sandals that had a very cute crisscross design and gold accent jewelry, for being the start of spring I was still feeling autumn vibes.
"Excuse me miss" said a little girl, no more than 7 years. "Yes, sweetheart?" I asked giving her a warm smile. "Are you alone? Pretty girls shouldn't be waiting alone" she said and I giggled at her. "I'm waiting for someone, and same goes to you, where are your parents?" I asked her as I looked around and saw a woman, probably on her mid thirties, peeking through a bunch of people's, keeping a close eye on the girl. "She's right there waiting by the movie line, what movie did you came to see?" She asked again, what a curious little girl. "The Disney one" I answered and her eyes lit up. "I love Disney!" She almost screamed and I giggled with her.
We sat down along with her mother in the waiting line, she was still talking about her favorite movie and Princess, her favorite is Mulan which is also my favorite. Oh and her name is Haruka. "Haru-chan, why did you came to talk to me?" I asked her, truly curious. "You looked sad, my mommy always looks sad when she is alone and I don't like when mommy is like that, so I went to talk to you" she said and widely smiled. "Thank you, little princess Haruka" I said bowing to her and her mother. She giggled and bowed back doing it princess style, lifting the edges of her dress and crossing her legs.
After a bit more talking I saw her look elsewhere and her eyes shunned bright and her cheeks had a light pink tint in them. "He looks like a prince!" She said pointing at Takashi who was looking around, I guess for me. He did indeed looked like a prince, wearing a black blazer with a navy blue shirt underneath it, black pants, black boots and a silver watch. "He does look charming doesn't he?" I asked and she nodded. I started to wave my hand around, eventually catching his attention and he walked towards us. I stood up before he could be any closer and whispered in his ear. "She's my new friend Haruka, she says you look like a prince so could you please do something like Tamaki to her?" I asked and he looked at me curious before nodding.
We went towards her and she shied a little away. "Haru-chan, this is Takashi, the person I was waiting for" I said and Takashi, channeling his inner host, gently grabbed her hand and kissed it before bowing with one knee on the floor. "A pleasure to meet you, princess Haruka"
She sat besides us and troughs the whole movie I could see her ahhh and ohh at everything and she even helped me spots Easter eggs. And after it was over and it was time to go she gave us a big hug and I gave her mother my number to keep in touch, she was a beautiful child.
Next we went to eat pizza, that we decided to eat in his car since the pizzeria was filled to the brim of people and as we ate there was a little awkward silence. "How are your studies going?" I asked. "Good" was his response, I guess he talked more before since I couldn't read his body language. "That's great. I didn't even imagined you liked laws, but of course you are very intelligent, you can study whatever you like" I said and he smiled at my awkwardness but bowed is head in thanks. "I guess I should study too, instead of doing nothing all day" I said more to myself than him. He opened the compartment in front of my seat and handed me a flyer of his university. "Do you carry this around in case someone says "i should study" so you can hand them this?" I asked in amusement and he just shrugged continuing to eat his pizza.
I read the flyer but nothing was of my interest. "I appreciate the suggestion but I'm no good with politics, laws or economic" I said and he turned the flyer around and pointed a another section. "Hmmm, biology, agriculture, veterinary… this is more of my interest" I said and continued to read the flyer while eating. "How is England?" Takashi asked bringing me out of my thoughts on the flyer. "It's lovely, very quiet, vintagy but modern at the same time. It got many lovely coffee shops, libraries, museums and stores." I said and he nodded. "Did you make new friends?" He asked again, truly curious. "Yes" I said and he looked at me, asking me to continue. "Immediately after I moved to Brighton I went looking for a job, I found a place in an indoor climbing facilities, I had no experience but the owner was super nice so she let me start as just cleaning around and keeping track of everything." I paused to take another bite of my pizza. "I met Jeremy there, who was my jujitsu teacher, he is a half Japanese man in his mid thirties. He told me about the support group he went and convinced me to go too so I did. I met the rest of my friends there, and I found Fletcher on the street one day, all covered in dirt and mud" another bite. "Matthew was our doctor, super nice guy. James, he is transgender and he seems serious but he is a sweetheart. Cloe, she is very beautiful and talented, she have vitiligo so her skin is beautifully uneven and unique and she is a amazing artist. Tiffany is a very shy but sweet girl, she plays the violin beautifully. And… Angel, he is vary athletic, he lost his leg in an accident but that doesn't stop him, he can be quite annoying at times but he has a good heart. They are all my odd friends and they supported me." I said and he looked at me curiously, he finished with his pizza already. "I'm incredibly sorry for leaving you all and I will always be sorry, but I'm glad I met them too" I said and he nodded while smiling.
"Now is your turn to answer me while I eat. How was Alice?" I asked and he looked at me trying to decipher if it was a trick question or actual curiosity. "I'm curious to know, she was beautiful and she understood of our situation" I continued to say and eat. "She was nice" he just said and I almost glared at him to continue. "She liked to read and learn of our culture, she also brought me books for my studies and helped me when I had a question." He said and looked at me expectingly. "You would had married her if I hadn't come back" it wasn't a question but he still nodded, I was ok with it tho, that's in the past now.
"Did you kissed her?" I asked before thinking and mentally smacked me and after a small awkward silence he nodded. "How was it?" I asked again, you are stepping in dangerous waters Saria, you better stop. "I'm sorry" I said. "One day after college she invited me to a walk on a shrine, she had read about them and wanted to see them for herself. We walked and talked about it until we found and ancient maple tree. She told me I was like it, strong and mighty. She leaned forward and kissed me" he finished to say and I was sweating dropping, I was really ashamed of myself. He had a very romantic kiss under a tree while I was making out on the couch of my apartment. My stomach twisted in guilt and he noticed my discomfort. "And you? Did you kiss anyone else?" He asked and I looked away guiltily while nodding. "The day before I was coming, Angel confessed that he was falling in love with me. He kissed me before leaving" I said, leaving out the details of we actually making out and him touching my butt.
"I have some pictures of them" I showed him the pictures I had in my phone, after I moved the nude pictures to another locked folder. He took the phones and looked at them while I ate my last slice of pizza. "You take really good pictures" he said looking at the many pictures of Fletcher. "Thanks" I said as he returned my phone. "We should head to your house" he said starting the car and letting it warm up, it's only 9pm. I turned the car off, took the keys and got off the car. Takashi looked at me from inside the car, his face read, what are you doing. I opened the door from his side. "Let me drive" I said and he looked at me half curious and half amused "since when do you know how to drive?" He asked getting out of the car. "Since last week" I said and he looked a little worried. "I'm joking,it's been more than a few weeks and Mario taught me. And I also got my license" I said before he asked.
I drove for a while, long passing the route to my house so Takashi was just waiting to see where I was taking him. It was a little hard to drive at night and my eyes would tear up if it was too bright so I looked like I was crying while driving. "maybe I should drive" Takashi said placing his hand in my thigh in worry. "No it's ok, we are almost there" I said and it was true, we where now on a more rural part with not many cars or lights. And after 15 more mins of driving we arrived. "A park?" He asked and I nodded. "It's been abandoned for years, it's very pretty to see the trees and plants growing on the playground." I said and picked up my things.
We walked around the well lit park, the moon and the old lanterns added a very eerie but beautiful factor at the old, rusted playground. I snapped some pictures. "How did you found this place?" Takashi asked sitting down on a bench. "I like to explore and find places like this to take pictures" I said taking a picture of him when he was looking elsewhere. I sat down besides him and leaned my head on his shoulder, listening to the crickets and toads hidden around the bushes, it was very peaceful.
I stood up again and stood in front of Takashi, he asked me with his eyes what I was thinking of doing and I grinned, placing both hand behind him and sitting on his lap pinning him to the bench. I kissed him and slowly deepened the kiss, tangling my fingers in his hair and teasing his neck with my nails. "What if someone comes?" He asked and I chuckled. "It's late at night, no one will come. And" I looked at him greedily. "I don't give a damn if someone walks in on me making love to you" I whispered to his ear. If I've really changed since I got my sight back, it was that I'm more adventurous and daring, and I will fight for what I want.