In solitude

Man has himself

To talk about.

Verbal exchange

Conversation

With another person

A glimpse

Different perspectives

Seeing

Through another set of eyes.

But in the end

What matters

The essence

Of being oneself

Being one with the self.

The more a man

Finding himself

He will lose

Another.

So you found

And you lost.

A repetitive cycle

One cannot have

Everything.

Extroverts feed off

The energy

From social interactions

Connections

On the other hand

Introverts

Creatures of silence

Draw power from weakness

That is, solitude.

No man is an island

Perhaps it is true

But then again

One can find himself

Marooned.

Society is a ship

All of us

The crew

And the outcasts

Are cast out.

Cool days

A blanket of cloud

A grey sea above

Trees and grass in the park

A peaceful scenery

If one would sit down

Slow down

Take the lazy river

In life

Do not rush.

Philosophy of the lazy.

A familiar face

In a dark red coat

A hat of velvet

Certainly a woman of class

But to find such being

Off her high throne

And down the peasant field?

Strange.

Looking closer

Indeed

His mind registered

A certain sage.

"Good afternoon, Miyako-sama."

For a moment

Sharp green eyes

But a soft smile.

"Hello, Hikigaya-san."

Normally

He would dare not

Approach another

For the sake

Mind your own business.

But strangely enough

He felt assured

This woman

Was unlike the rest.

Just as stand users

Attract other stand users

A distinct vibe

Detected only by true loners

Cynics and sages

People of the same wavelength

More often than not

Get along.

Birds of the same feather

Flock together.

He took a seat

On the cold wooden bench

Two of them

A peculiar sight

Unsettling silence

But beareable.

Spectators of a play

Quietly watching

Scenes

On the playground

The children frolicked

Such a soothing sight.

"If you don't mind, do you often visit this place?"

"On days like these, yes."

To some

Brief exchanges

Followed by a minute or two

Silence

Hardly what anyone can call

A proper conversation

Only a few understand

Patience.

"I like to watch the children play."

"Why is that?"

"They remind me what could have been."

Reading between the lines

He understood

Indeed

In life

Everyone contemplates

Alternate possibilities.

"Why do you not visit Yumiko anymore?"

"What creature dares come back to it's caves after leaving her family?"

The cynic was silenced.

"You must stand by your decisions and the following consequences, even if it means sacrifice. Once, there was a future where I was simply a kind grandmother, with a wonderful granddaughter. But I was selfish. Now, I do not intend to come back like a dog."

Such is pride.

Twisted was this woman

But he must understand

Respect those who admit to faults

But even more

To those who suffer

Consequences

And do not run.

But if you accept

For what it is

And do not go back

Is that not running away

In another form?

Everyone runs.

To which direction, that is what matters.

"They are family."

"And I loved them. I can see it in your eyes, you who did not deserve such blessing of love and friendship. Understand that only those who are compassionate deserve such."

He could not tell

If this woman

Was just as cynical as he is

Cold logic and conceit

To think

An optimistic and foolish

Yet fiery young woman

Was a descendant of her.

"Would it be possible to forgive oneself?"

"Perhaps. But only the strong can achieve such feat."

"Then be strong. For her."

She smiled at him

Faint

But sincere.

"Yumi-chan is very fortunate to have someone like you."

Crossing her arms

Look out into the distance

As if longing

For something.

"Everyone is a slave. To the circumstances, to duty. To obligation. Freedom in life is simply accepting an alternative- freedom in a cell of your own choosing."

"My mother and father are corporate slaves, as I like to call it."

Both of them shared a quiet chuckle.

"Hikigaya-san, do you think they have a choice?"

"We always have a choice."

"Then why did they not choose?"

The sage and the cynic

In chess

He was in check.