"Congratulations on getting discharged from the hospital!" Aya exclaimed cheerfully just as the waiter brought a large tray to our table. The tray was stacked with food — grilled meat, sushi, fish. A variety of vegetables and seafood. A couple of vegetable salads and a two-liter bottle of orange juice.
We were sitting in a city restaurant. The place was decorated in a traditional Japanese style — low tables and chairs, paper-covered walls, and the staff dressed in dark blue kimonos.
"You do realize you didn't have to go through all this trouble? It's just a waste of money."
"You're such a bore," Aya said with a pouty tone."Come on, enjoy it. I'm not always this generous, you know."
I relaxed my expression."You must be right. It's just… so much has happened this past month. I need to try and let it go, even if just for a second. And just enjoy the moment."
With a satisfied smile, Aya raised a piece of sushi toward my mouth with her chopsticks.
"Aya! What are people going to think?" Her cheerful smile didn't fade one bit, and the sushi stayed right in front of my face.
I quickly ate it and looked away, embarrassed.
"And you were just whining a moment ago..."
We finished the meal in silence, paid the bill, and walked out of the restaurant.
"Ugh… I think I've eaten enough for a whole week," Aya said, running her hand over her stomach.
"Yeah, me too. The cookies were overkill, you didn't have to order them, sweet tooth."
"This is the first time you've seen me eat, and you're already calling me a sweet tooth? Idiot. I rarely treat myself like this. I actually watch my figure, you know."
I glanced at her sideways."Yeah... it shows." I mumbled sarcastically under my breath.
Aya's face turned cold and red, her expression like she was ready to kill me with her bare hands.
Oh, what did I just do?
"YOU LIKE BEING FUNNY, DON'T YOU? NOW I WILL SHOW YOU SOMETHING FUNNY!" she shouted, charging at me with fists flying. Laughing out loud, I ran across the street from the restaurant, heading toward the park.
Aya's angry chase and my hysterical escape drew a lot of confused looks from the passersby. When I noticed she was running out of breath, I stopped near a large fountain at the center of the park.
"Sigh… Fine. I know what you want to do. Just once, and not too har—"
Aya unleashed all her fury into a punch to my right shoulder.
"OW!"I'd completely forgotten she used to train with me under old man Kojo. And anyone who trains under Kojo, even for one day, becomes a potential martial arts master.
I pinched her arm in retaliation, and she tried to hit me again. I kept running around the fountain, dodging her attempts to dematerialize my shoulder. The whole scene turned into a performance for the bystanders and went on for several minutes until we both ran out of energy. Then we looked at each other and burst out laughing.
"Hah… Damn. You're a natural entertainer. Look, you've already got a fan club forming."
She was so caught up in the moment, she hadn't noticed the group of students and pedestrians watching from the benches. When she finally realized what was happening, I swear, she looked like she wanted the earth to swallow her whole. Her eyes went wide with shock, her cheeks turned red, and she stared down in embarrassment.
Then she rushed over, grabbed my wrist, and whispered:
"Let's get out of here. Now. Please."Not waiting for my reply, she dragged me deeper into the park, away from the curious crowd.
We sat on a bench in a quiet part of the park.
There was no one around. Just the calming sound of autumn leaves rustling in the wind. The sky was gradually filling with dark gray clouds. Light raindrops started dripping through the trees above us.
"You know... I haven't had this much fun in a long time."
"Yes." she nodded, agreeing with me.
''You know...''
"When you're with me, time just flies, and I forget about everything else…Um… My problems, injuries, and everything... I've been meaning to tell you this..."
She kept staring quietly ahead, avoiding my gaze.
The rain started picking up, and a few drops made their way through the leaves and landed on us.
"Are you serious right now? This isn't some kind of joke?" Aya asked solemnly.
"Do I look like I'm joking? I feel good when we're together — when we walk, when we talk on the phone… I realized it back then, in the forest, when we were running from those bullies," I said seriously, looking her in the eyes.
"Isao... maybe it just feels that way for you...
I'm not the kind of person people get attached to.
Eventually, everyone drifts away.
Parents… friends… and... I live like I'm on autopilot. Sure, my parents give me pocket money, classmates sometimes share their dinner time with me, but… I feel alone.
For as long as I can remember, I've never understood what's wrong with me. I'm just... broken?"
"You don't need a friend like me. I mean, even back then, when we barely knew each other and I broke down crying over my issues, about my parents and, dog — you had to listen to all that. You didn't have to. I'm sorry, okay?"She looked so sad, defeated.
I sighed heavily.
"My girlfriend dumped me a few months ago, back in Tokyo. Just because it was easier for her that way."Aya stopped staring into space and turned to me in surprise.
"It was easier for her to get rid of someone than deal with a 'complicated' relationship. And my only relative, family member — my father — I only ever saw him snoring in bed in the morning.
That's what most of my life looked like. I was alone."
"So, what am I trying to say… My point is — for the first time in a long while, I feel like I've found a kindred spirit, a friend. Someone who actually cares what happens to me.
So, Aya… maybe I'm broken too. At least, that's how I feel."
We sat in silence, looking into each other's eyes. Tears slowly started to gather beneath hers, and she looked down.
The wind picked up, and the sky was now entirely blanketed with thunderous storm clouds.
I felt my hair and all my clothes start to get soaked through.
"W-we should probably go... The weather's getting worse..." Aya said in a small, trembling voice.
"Yeah..."
But we didn't move. We just sat there, under the pouring rain, neither of us making a single step.
What am I even doing?
"Aya."
She looked at me again. I saw a kind soul, an innocent girl before me — rain sliding down her short black hair, and her soft blue eyes turned almost translucent from the tears.
I leaned closer and touched her cheek.
And then, a moment later, our lips met.
My inexplicable attraction to Aya was impossible to hold back. And her honest, almost motherly care had melted something in my heart.
This girl… she's the only person who matters to me right now. I want to stay by her side. To share with her my pain, my loneliness… and my anger at this world.