04: Shooting Stars


"we were dancing in the night sky like shooting stars"

Young , the sky is young.

Everything feels slowed and reverbed when I am with her. I could even hear the constant thumping of my heart clearly - which is pumping a lot faster than usual. It is an immature encounter and seems like an insincere love - but this afternoon, I am no longer puzzled to find the explanation hidden through my feelings.

She is walking beside me - keeping the same pace, matching my steps. The gap between the two bodies is close enough for sudden brush of each palm - but instead of chancing a grasp, I am always the first one to pull mine away. Whenever I tilt my head sideways, I see her yellow hands drifting in the summer breeze - which she always replies with either a shy smile or a nod. I myself is unable to understand what situation I choose to stumble upon but honestly, I like it just the way it is.

"Is there any place you want to go?" - I ask her since it is quite a while walking in and out the streets neither talking nor attempting to enter a nearby places. She looks at curiously after my question - blinking her eyes to let me know she is putting in effort thinking.

"Anything is fine!" - she laughs while saying that - her eyes curves in response to the change in shape of her lips.

"are you hungry ? " she nods in response which I feel the same.

"Do you want to grab something to eat then?" She nods for the second time - now more cheerfully. I scan myself for a restaurant that serves good food - although I do find a handful , I am worried if her preferences hesitate her.

"What kind of food do you like to eat ?" - I wait for her answer. With thumbs on her lips - the girl freezes for a second while - thinking before coming up with an interesting reply.

"Pork cutlet ? " - I am reassured after her favourite pick because I know a fancy restaurant in place that sells the exact thing. Without thinking for a better option, I take her there.

.....

The restaurant is quite small but is decorated fruitfully. It replicates resemblances of japanese culture and exudes a feeling of a small town in Tokyo. Unintentionally indeed , yet the vibe is perfectly settling for the girl in front.

After ordering food and waiting for them to be served, we spend the time opening up conversation.

Breaking the ice starts with unimportant personal stuffs - as Chaehyun reintroduces herself to me again this time with more details. She is a Biology major attending in a university that is only a few blocks far from me and is one of the few students who managed to get into dean's list last semester. She applies for the cultural workshop in hope of learning arrays of different things which she can improve herself as a person. In summary, she seems to be living a smart structure of life. Her style of talking is quiet though - maybe her reserved personality is affecting.

I also reintroduce myself - telling my name, studies and why I also apply for the workshop. She listens curiously when I list my achievements - her eyes staring at me wondrously might be the most magical phase of that lunch.

My heart wants to dive deeper into more serious talks - especially the question that I have been dying for an answer. But the fear of rejection combining with the thoughts of being too aggressive leave me reluctant at times. Soon the arrival of the food interrupts our chain.

Since both of us have been famished, we dig into the delicious fried cultlet enthusiastically. The food is succulent - the texture is gender and the pork is seasoned well - and overall a finger-licking cuisine. We finish our dish after a while - she offers to pay for them as a thank you gift for getting her a dolphin doll. But I insist to pay for it instead. After walking out of the place , the sun is still making its way to mid afternoon - I look at her worrying if she doesn't have any time left which I am return with a smile - a smile I want to collect all day long. Since I am totally not enough being with her , I make a suggestion.

"Do you want to go to the arcade and play games ? "

She looks at me - constantly wiping her hair off her forehead that the wind is pranking.

"I am not good at those stuffs" - her voice slowly fades into a whisper. " so is that a yes?" I smile at her which she returns - a much prettier one. She nods before gently replying - "응"

.....

"Have you been to Tokyo, Chaehyun?"

Since the arcade place is not much distant , we choose to exercise by walking on foot to the place. On the road, I build up my sudden urge to ask her a random question. Oh - random for her but meaningful for me.

"No.. why ? "

I look at her in disbelief, yet I control my emotions fast enough to conceal that surprise. "Oh really ? I am just asking"

A tint of curiosity climbs upon her lips.

"There's a reason right ?"

"There's a reason why you ask that right oppa? "

She is jumping up and down when saying it - her tone is covered in confusion and intrigue- yet she looks so adorable in this state.

"You know - you look so pretty right now"

It is not the response what she is expecting for, but a pink shade grows underneath her cheeks as the girl slides her head downwards without replying anything.

"You kn-"

"Oh, the arcade is here! "

If I know if the shorter girl is trying to converse with me , I would not have cut her off. But excitement swallows me when us finally reach our destination so "unintentionally" my gasp interrupted whatever she is about to say.

"Oh sorry - Chaehyun , are you about to say something? " She just shakes her head and now heaven and herself are the only beings that can recall that sentence. Based on her reaction that is unfazed, I consider is as a basic unimportant matter.

"Let's go! " I resemble a child really - the way I drag her into the medium sized building full of electronical noises. I fail to realize I am holding her hand - palm by palm when doing this. I guess she also fails to realize this since she never attempts to break free.

Or she likes it?

I smile suddenly and from the shadows - I notice she is doing the same.

.....

Technical machines are my weakness - but luckily, she never brags me to try one of those. She is intrigued by rather physical sort of amusement that requires both pure luck and technique to win. She takes a long time in a shooting range - although she has no confident in trying to lift the gun herself, she is enthusiastic for me to hit bullseye.

My aim is average so I might have disappointed her a bit with some obvious misses. But with some sharp precision on the end of the game, I manage to win her a small keychain within three rounds of trials. It is small but judging from her glistening face, I guess it is her favorite item.

We stop by to play some basketballs afterwards - where she gets too competitive after me scoring 90 percent of the total score. She lifts up her sleeves and readies to give it her all - and guess what that side of fierceness from a sift girl like hers is unexpectedly cute. I like everything about her, and that personality is of course inclusive. I let her play the entire game by herself - which she tries her damnedest - as her shots utterly improve with better three pointers. Yeah, I just stand there watching her compete for herself - and that simple scene alone is too nostalgic- too much reminding the past. I recall the time when she and me is playing around in the snow during the winter of Tokyo.

She still cannot beat me yet scores a huge score - just some points lower than my personal best. She looks at me with face of proud as she smiles with her eyes waiting for a compliment. I take a picture of that moment suddenly with my phone - the clucking sound stupefy her a bit but after when realization hits, her smile widens as her two fingers pose a V. The way she looks at me now is a lot less tense and way too independent now which I will never despite.

"You did well! " - I rub her blonde hair gently along with the praise with she takes it closing her eyes. I cannot feel her heartbeat so I will not pull-out weird guesses, but I honestly wish she is enjoying the time.

We look around other booths and try a handful but nothing significant occurs since either we get bored of it, or we win the highest prize. The session we never get to touch is a claw crane as she suggests that I already got her everything she wanted from them and thus she doesn't want to waste time on them. Pretty argument. Even though I want to consider it as a she wanting to spend more time with me, I humble it down to she wanting to spend more time in this arcade.

Time really flies when you are having fun as clock rides the tides. Before we already notice, the sun is beginning its departure as the shorter hand crosses the fifth number. We spend a handful period inside this game corner yet with her beside me - it feels like a flash of minute. What a shame. If I would have the ability to control time, I will not return to certain moment just like Napoleon always wanted to. I just want to put today's afternoon on repeat - throughout eternity for the course of my life.

We circle the place and play almost everything that seems intriguing. When hopping back to the entrance gate, my girl legs slowdown in exhaustion. I do not blame her since when excitement flats down, tiredness is the virus that follows. I slow down accordingly waiting for her to catch up with me.

"Tired already?" I ask which she replies instantly.

"A bit - You? " - she smiles very formally during the answer. I stare into her eyes before answering her only question. I talk as I break away the gaze.

"Not when I am with you" - I am looking away from her but I am wishing she is smiling behind me. Yes, she does.

.....

"Oppa" I am walking back to the roadway that led to our university when she breaks the silence. I look at her gesturing to continue.

"I know a good place - do you have time?"

She slowly whispers her suggestion which is honey for my ears. I never care about my schedule anyways as I nod. She is over the moon when she leads me to the different cut way.

"This place! " - it doesn't take long coming from her shortcut path. At the end of her pointing finger is a prop shop - smaller than usual but the aesthetics are unreal even though only a few are apparent throughout the glass pane. Stereotypical statement but it is indeed a place a girl like Chaehyun would scribble full her bucket list with.

She drags me into the shop - being too hyperactive. This time - she is the one holding my hand palm to palm. I have no energy to break free as I like the feeling. Yet I am confused if she is just so happy or is an intentional grab. But looking at her smile is much important than stargazing for answers.

The shop is tiny yet cozy - with fresh atmosphere apparent within. The shelves are loaded with numerous decorations, cute stickers and pretty card and because we choose to visit it at an odd hour, lack of customers blankets us with enough personal space.

I could imagine Chaehyun jaw-dropping as she browses through the shops - who would have guessed she will be so head over heels for those soft stuffs? One thing I notice however is she spending the most time in front of a keychain - scraped in a figure of two stargazer lilies intertwining each other - followed by a Japanese word saying - "hope". It is a beautiful piece of accessory indeed - even I who normally is not fazed by the delicate items will never refuse such as a gift. But after few minutes circling around that particularly, she cuts her ties to move to the next exhibit.

Roughly about 30 minutes is what takes her to satisfactory exploring the place. Although she chooses not to buy anything - I can bet how happy she is just by being inside. She is as if she forgets the existence of the whole world.
I am quite sad though, but I will equalize it with those smiles I witness.

It's almost six. Korean sky is still bright as an afternoon, but I feel like it is too late at night for me to keep her anymore. Although tomorrow is weekends, she may have worksheets to study, and I don't want to be the interruption in the roadblock. After all, it is me who drag her into all of these stuffs.

"Should we go back?" - she turns her head back to me when our eyes meet right as I ask her the question. I can see flashes of surprises in her eyes which however slowly fades. She nods quietly - strangely not as active as before.

.....

We run upon an awkward situation all along again honestly with both of us not brave enough to open up a conversation. Rather than walking along side, the to be night is silent. But traditionally as always, I break the isolation. But this time it is my phone.

"Give me a minute" I apologize to the blonde girl as she gives me a signaling smile telling me it is completely fine. I , already saw the contact of the caller, walk quite a couple distant far from Chaehyun before finally picking up.

"Yes Chaeyoung ? " - I answer the call.

It takes longer than expected to end a call - things do happen at the worst time uninvited. Feeling worried leaving the girl alone, I hurriedly walk back - which my clumsy legs take the wrong turn and I almost reach the prop shop again.
Or maybe it's a good thing. Wishing she would wait a bit longer, I smile as I stare at the small shop.

.....

"Did I make you wait long?" - I pant while saying this - tapping her shoulder to get her attention. She is feeling the sky for raindrops before that - but my touch make her turn 180 degrees. She shakes her head - indicating the negative answer. Judging from her facial expressions, it is no doubt she is tired from the long day. I give her a refreshing smile as we continue walking back home.

Farewell always hurts, doesn't it ? Today is something I fight with myself. Today is the choice I win over and I have no regrets over it. But I fear when the day ends, it might be the last time we see each other.

We do not power walk but sinking in thoughts, it seems like it does not take very long to reach the place where a boy and a girl should part ways. In the middle exists a large green tree sheltering the bench installed beneath. To the left leads to Chaehyun's university while to the right is mine.

She is already waving her hands - saying goodbye with gestures. But I am not enough being with her. I blame the sky for not stopping the time for this moment.

I walk up to her and gently take her phone which she is holding outright between her fingers. I call myself with her phone - letting both of us know either number. She just looks at whatever I am doing with clueless eyes.

"Thank you" is what she whispers after I give her the phone back. Then she continues after clearing her throat - her tone changing from a dry to a cheerful one.

"Thank you for today, oppa ! I have so much fun! "

She tries to walk back her way, but I stop her - grabbing her ankle.

"I want to give you this - "

I reveal the other fist - which has the keychain - not the ordinary one - the one with two stargazer lilies crossing together and Japanese characters meaning hope. She lifts up her lids in surpirse upon seeing -

"when did you ?"
I never answer but instead slide it inside her palm. The night is howling deeper as I lose my vision of surrounding. Her pretty lips obstruct my all five senses. Without the needs of shooting stars or the moonlit shadows , I lock lips with her - "gently".

"Chaehyun - oppa has something to tell you"

.....

It has been a painful while we are sitting on the bench. The moon already finishes weaving its silver cobwebs and pleasures to enjoy the performance of two lovebirds. I fight with myself - figuring out a possible starting point of the story - while the other girl just sits there quietly. No one however is complaining about the earlier kiss.

Doing nothing yields nothing in the end so thus , at the end of the day , I decide to be straightforward about it. I am still not sure if I have made the best possible decision at that time.

"Chaehyun.." I whisper - still contemplating to continue the string.

The girl looks at you dumbfounded - her eyes not bright as before and almost swallowing up with confusion. Looking at the self , I know I have to explain the bag I already unpacked.

"Do you know the four great alters? "

I ask and get an already expecting answer.

"four great alt- , what are those oppa?"

"The train that runs on a railway called hope , without stopping at any station - it starts there and ends there -

"The tree full of cherry blossom - that also bestows the hope of many souls that are desperate -

"The museum - which is also the stopping station of the lost souls

"And the church that exists in the alternate world -

"Does those places ring something in your mind , Chaehyun ? "

The girl gazes me for longer than usual - althought her facial expressions are difficult to read. After squinting her eyes thinking hard , she lets out a sign and shakes her head - when a shaken voice escapes as a whisper "I am sorry"

I am expecting something different as the four alters are one secret between me and her and should be the only if not one of the best possible way to make her remember the past. But I guess the choices are out in hand. It's finally the time to unravel her the full story.

"Chaehyun - I want to tell you a story -

A story about a boy who likes shooting stars so much

And a girl who wants to be a cloud

The story starts in Tokyo"





Comment