It was one of the usual days at the households of Mayuzumis.
One older man put out his white coat, casually hanging it on a rack beside the entrance door.
"Im home." was his first greeting to the audience of the house.
The house was neat, small but enough for three people living under.
A woman, anyone could tell that she was a housewife at night but an employee by day, judging her outfit still being in a formal business attire while wearing an apron, in the midst of preparing a dinner.
Then there was a child silently occupied by a book at the living room.
From the kitchen, there was a hallway that separated the room from the living room. In there was a cupboard below, a tall mirror and frame with a family portrait and some collections of different display at the top of one long table. The was an array of decorative stuffs placed on top ranging from small -yet again, family portraits, solo pictures, a flower vase, a charger of phone, an ipad, clock, as well as group of plaques that mostly had the name of Mayuzumi Mahiro printed on it. But the one that stood out the most was the one gold-type plate that had the words—Outstanding Physicist of the Year, National level, Mayuzumi Mahiro.
"Aha, Chihiro is reading a book again." Mayuzumi Mahiro beamed, beside the shoulder of his son. Although it was a good thing, he was worried that his son spent too much time with random books instead of playing and socializing with other kids outside. He was afraid the kid would grow up secluded.
A slight nod followed by a "Welcome home." was heard from the child who bore the same facial features as him.
The older Mayuzumi squinted his eyes to the picture in the book, after all, the young one seemed so glued on that particular part as well.
"The moon, eh?" he mumbled while loosening his tie.
Another nod from the boy.
Normally, Mahiro would leave the boy alone, as to not be a bother. However, somehow, he heard the boy speaking. "There's a place in the moon that's called Sea of Tranquillity."
Astronomy had always been one of his favourite topics in books as well as science fiction. He believed his son would be like him someday, someone in the industry of science so he was glad that Chihiro was interested.
"...Is there now? Hmmm, are you interested on that place?"
At a young age, he didn't quite understand the meaning behind that word—Tranquillity, so he didn't reply right away. He was too fixated with the image. The crater part, the dull and dark surfaces of the moon, he wondered what it was like exactly. It piqued his curiosity.
"...What does that word mean? Tranquillity?" he mused.
"..." Despite not being the most expert person when it comes to moon or any astronomical object, he at least knew the meaning behind that word. Why was it even so hard to pronounce? Yet, his son was reading it like nothing. Ah... spending too much with books made him too smart for his age, he could only be proud of that. "That means serenity and peace."
When he first heard the title, it fascinated him. To think that even a moon had that kind of place.
What would a place of peace be like?
In the picture, however, he couldn't really see anything extraordinary that would support the title. After all, there was nothing in there but dusts and rocks. A serene and peaceful place was something out of this world, like a beautiful garden filled with natures and refreshing air.
Such place don't exist... Chihiro thought.
Perhaps it was just a name and actually didn't mean anything.
"Don't you think it's nice? Makes you want to visit, right?" His father chuckled.
Without eyeing the man, Chihiro just gave a shrug, unimpressed and somehow in dismay.
"...only if it's real."
There's no place like that.
That's just a lie.
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When Mayuzumi was in his freshman days, there was one event that happened to him.
It was just shortly after his club activities ended.
He opened his own shoe locker expecting to see nothing but his own pair of outgoing shoes. If he opened this metal door right in front of his face, the next action would be pulling out the mentioned pair of footwear like the usual, right? So he did, however, for some unexpected and unexplainable reason, he noticed one more object inside, resting in between of his shoes as if it normally belonged there.
A letter...
Of course, Mayuzumi Chihiro wasn't dense to not know what it was. At least, he could predict what it was yet he couldn't help but doubt its presence.
A moment of hesitation occurred as he questioned the purpose of the white envelope.
It definitely was that.
It definitely was one of those things he often read in his LNs.
But, how very unlikely of him to receive one?
Mayuzumi took his pair of shoes first, dropping it naturally on the floor. Then a short and small glance back inside the shoe locker.
The letter was still there, now resting flatly on the surface. Due to the unfamiliar and quite estranged situation he was in, his face couldn't decide what kind of expression he should be displaying.
He had not yet uttered anything, even to his self. So after a few while of staring, he finally picked the letter to perceive its content.
His brows frowned all of a sudden seeing the pink and heart-shaped stickers acting as the lock.
Inside the envelope was a piece of letter properly folded in three.
This heart lock, this kind of folding, how neatly folded it was... This was like an alter-ego of a human species called 'girl'. He swallowed and slowly—but calmly, he began unfolding the letter.
Dear Mizuki-sama...
Who?
It was a good thing that his face was too accustomed to poker face.
It was a good thing that he didn't bother grinning in the beginning—though that was so unlike of him to begin with.
And it was a good thing that he knew just how impossible it would be.
Suffice he didn't, he would only end up wasting .2 percent of his energy for the contraction of the muscles in his face due to smiling.
Clearly, it wasn't for him.
Mizuki was different from Mayuzumi.
Simultaneously, he heard a soft squeal behind him. When he turned on his back, there was an agitated girl, wanting to speak but was scared to even open her mouth, standing while trembling on her spot.
Her eyes were staring at the letter that was in his possession.
No mistaking it.
Judging that, Mayuzumi could already tell that she was the author of this letter and currently, she was too devastated to find out that she got the wrong locker and that someone—or a stranger, was reading it instead.
The freshman-Mayuzumi handed the letter back to the girl so casually before walking away from her eyesight, without leaving any words or anything at the girl. Because he had seen this coming, and he didn't care.
Fast forward to the current time, he could say that what happened back then was the closest interaction he had gotten in the so called highschool romance.
He was already a third-year and no one had dared to confess to him.
That was only natural, to have someone remember him was already rare, hoping for a confession would be impossible. But no worries, he wasn't sulking about that.
Nevertheless, he wasn't interested on dealing such things.
Dating and romance were something he believed as stressful. He would rather read than that. In addition, the characters in his LNs were much more interesting, if he'd have to say it.
His eyes fell at the figure of one girl who had been bugging his mind for some time. Ever since that trip with his teammates from the basketball club which apparently included the same girl, they had became closer. But not that close to the point where they'd be sitting side by side while chitchatting about their day.
She was sitting beside the entrance door of the rooftop. It was unusual of her to be here before him, he noted in his mind.
Currently, she was reading a book, the same book he had, also in the same volume. So she already bought her own copy, he assumed.
He chose not to greet the girl even though—according to her— they were like...already friends. Truthfully, his reason was because of the earphones attached on the girl's ears.
For a second before he walked forward, he wondered what it was that she was listening all the time. What kind of music was it?
He sat near the railings, leaning his back against the group of vertical bars as he opened his book.
Few minutes passed, Hotaru gazed up from her book, as if she just noticed the presence of the newly arrived student.
"Mayuzumi-san." she greeted with a smile.
It felt like it had been a long time since they shared the rooftop.
Mayuzumi just shot a small nod as a response.
And since she believed they were already friends, Hotaru took her time to wait if he would speak, unfortunately for her, he didn't, and so she continued on reading.
Every lunch break, the two would always spend their free time at the rooftop.
Approximately half an hour ago when Hotaru suddenly clasped the pages of her book as she let out a heavy air.
"That...was a real cliffhanger." she commented to herself.
Meanwhile, Mayuzumi was long done with his own book and he was just re-reading some parts that he personally liked. Indeed, it ended with a cliffhanger.
In the surface of his sight, he noticed that the girl already stood up from her spot. Her figure was gradually getting bigger... or more like, she was actually getting nearer towards him. Was she approaching him? Mayuzumi decided to look up welcoming her with his unfazed expression—even though, honestly, he was quite surprised.
Her shadow completely towered him and honestly it reminded him of the first time she appeared in his front asking him to stop coming at this place.
"Do you..." she paused, looking around before she crouched down to his front as she tucked her skirts behind and sealed it at the back of her knees. "...Do you know when will they release the volume 3?"
Her gaze was sharp, attentively directed towards his own pair of orbs. Somehow, he became busy with watching her eyes and in the way his silhouette registered in those round coal-black spheres. He even noticed the long strands of her eyelashes. Even the edges were almost glinting, as if there were shards of glasses inside. It was irresistibly captivating on its own way. He felt a strange sensation—like slowly being sucked inside, his entire being, his senses and his attention, they were being drawn closely by just looking and then it closed then opened again—like a poke in his mind, he snapped.
The experience was ceased by another flicker and before he knew, he heard her voice again.
"Mayuzumi-san?" That was right. She was waiting an answer, he reminded his self.
Mayuzumi averted his eyes, "Nah, even I don't know."
The girl hummed thoughtfully, "What am I supposed to do then? I can't stop thinking what would happen next."
Was that a question meant for him to answer? Was she asking him that? He wasn't aware.
Although that was clearly not his business anymore, as a person who enjoyed the same book and aware of how she must be feeling at the moment, he gave her a suggestion. "Why don't you read a different title?"
Hotaru narrowed her eyes.
She had not given that a thought. Or maybe she did, but reading another type of Light novel was what she failed to consider. She thought she could just go back and read the usual books she knew before knowing the world of Light Novels.
She could just visit the massive collection that Akashi Seijuro had in his room and borrow one of those deep, heavy plot lines and hard to grasp kind of literature again, that crossed her mind in a flash of second. However, that was not what she wanted lately.
Hotaru hugged her knees as she nodded slowly. "You're right."
One time, he saw her holding one book that wasn't a light novel. Though he failed to find out its title, nevertheless, the thought that this girl was fond of reading was there.
"If I won't include the light novel, the last book I read was this one that contains collection of poems."
Yes, he remembered that. His eyes went back to the characters written in his books, despite not being able to actually read them due to her presence.
"So that's a poem..."
Hotaru gave her one more direct gaze before forming a small smile in her lips, "You know-"
"No." Mayuzumi quickly disagreed. "Don't get the wrong idea, I wasn't looking at all."
"Oh... " That remark surprised the girl. That was not what she meant though. "No, I mean, you know the book?" She said, awkwardly ending with another smile.
"...I would never think of that—of you looking at me. I'm like..." she frowned searching for the right words, "...what do you call that? Just someone invading your privacy?" The end sounded more of a question, like a guess, but deep inside, the girl was aware of that fact. She pressed her lips in thin line.
Mayuzumi would agree.
"Is that so..."
"I'm sorry." she felt like she had to apologize.
Mayuzumi just looked at her from the corner of his eyes. She seemed to be really sorry. Though she shouldn't be. As far as Mayuzumi was concerned, the rooftop wasn't his property and they were just both strangers to each other that time...even right now.
"I didn't know the book. I haven't tried reading such kind."
"I could lend it to you if you want." the girl smiled, leaning her head forward to look at his face that was being tampered by the book.
"No thanks." Mayuzumi lifted his LN a little bit to make a point as he spoke.
"I see..." This time, the first year student made her way to sit beside him but keeping enough distance. "There was one poem that I personally like. It..." She blinked at him, and mused."...reminds me of you."
Mayuzumi raised his chin, tugged the book on his lap as he looked at the girl who was beside, leaning against the same railings.
"Come Firefly was the title."
She inhaled and made a stretching of arms while holding the same LN.
Hotaru pursed her lips and began, "It goes like... One fleeting afternoon, After the tautness of my last speech" her arms fell on top of her knees as she continued. "I remember floating with an empty mind."
The steel at the back of her head felt cold, it complimented the cerulean sky above, the color was of that temperature as well. "Sky and orange dusk, I found peace at your quietude." "I huffed an air and breath, you were with me after the lights." She finished.
Poem recital wasn't her thing but it was indeed satisfying, pronouncing some lines.
She smiled and looked at him from the side only to look away instinctively because of how he was gazing at her.
It was rather attentive.
Hotaru quietly huffed a breath. It suddenly felt hot around her cheeks and strangely, she was bashful all of a sudden.
The girl bit her lips in the inside. Her thumb was caressing the tip of her volume 2 LN, with her eyes steadying back at the sky assuming that would refresh her sudden mixed of emotion.
Mayuzumi couldn't put into words what he felt hearing that.
The message of the poem was tricky, however, what stuck in his mind mostly was what she said before that. It reminded her of him. How and why, he wanted to know.
"Why?" Mayuzumi admitted it to his self, he was curious.
The black-haired girl blinked towards him. "Eh?"
"How does that remind you of me?"
Her eyes was on him again, moving constantly to check his two gray orbs. Nevertheless, Hotaru smiled—a gesture she'd never get tired on giving despite not receiving the same in return.
He was asking the reason but really, she felt like her reason wasn't even important in the first place.
Shouldn't informing him about that be enough?
Why it must have a reason?
Somehow, she found it harder than she thought. Digging a reasonable explanation wasn't that easy.
First of all, what... indeed.
Why did she even say that?
What made her say that?
"I..." What was it? "I don't know..." she mused.
Guess it was all about the feeling she got upon reading. And that feeling was the same when she was with him, here, at the rooftop.
Ah... how complicated can it get?
Mayuzumi sighed, leaning his arms on top of his knees as he wobbled the LN with a forefinger kept inside acting as the bookmark.
There he was, bothering his self to even ask and this what he would get as an answer?
Perhaps, he would just forget hearing it.
The girl smiled and this time it was her who was watching the man.
Ever since the first time she saw him, it never failed to amaze her how simple he seemed to be. Like he wasn't interested about how others would see him or what they would say about him. Like he was here, just doing his thing—enjoying what he wanted and not caring with anything at all, be it a rule or not.
Maybe if she could get that same personality, things would be easier, she thought.
"I guess, it's just nice... to have some time not to think." The girl mumbled. It was just what she felt whenever she was with him, how talking wasn't always necessary. How she didn't think anything except of what was happening to her front.
Somehow, it was just... it felt nice, calming, free from any disturbance.
"The poem, the lines in that poem..." Hotaru was smiling again, but this time, for herself, as she looked up again. "...I feel like I am the one speaking it, and you're the one I'm telling it to."
Mayuzumi didn't utter anything.
He just looked at her, totally drawn in the way she watched the peaceful and slow movements of the clouds in the sky.
He looked upfront and closed the book, putting it aside on the floor.
He did not want to think so much about it but feelings can really creep up just like that.
On that early afternoon, accompanied by the gentle breeze, together in a wordless conversation, under the gleaming summer daylight, with the sound of their steady and low breathing, the two remained seated as they were, side by side as if no one could come in between of that space except for them.
The moment have drawn closer and seemingly devoured him.
Mayuzumi scoffed and somehow, surrendered.
Ha...
A place of serenity and peace, was it?
If the sea of tranquility was real, perhaps, it would be this place, at this moment.
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Quick Note;
DISCLAIMER TO THE AWESOME IDEA OF SEA OF TRANQUILITY. IT WAS A BOOK WRITTEN BY KATJA MILLAY. IT IS ALSO MY FAVORITE BOOK.
THE STORY IS DIFFERENT FROM THIS FANFIC BUT THOSE LINES ARE FROM THERE.
I HIGHLY SUGGEST YOU READ THAT BOOK IF YOU HAVEN'T.
ThE TITLE IS "THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY" by KATJA MILLAY
:)))))