â**Chapter 6**â
4 Years Ago - Japan
Madison
After a year of traveling in Europe, I decided to come here to Japan. I do enjoy traveling in Europe, but for now, I'll go around Asia. And my first destination is Japan.
I've been here four times, but that's because of Dad's business. Now, I'm here on my own, as a traveler.
All those sushis, wagashi, tempura and cherry blossoms. I want to see all of that.
I can say that everything is perfect here in Japan, clean streets and polite people. Like when I left my private jet earlier, all of them welcome me with a smile and even ask me if I was hungry, when that's not even their job.
With my car already waiting for me outside the airport, and of course my butt face best friend, Hazel. Who convinced me to come here because she's here for her photography lesson.
We drove an hour and a half before reaching my hotel room, which is in front of her room. She reserved it for me as they own the hotel. Did I forget to introduce her? Then, She's Hazel Tanaka, she's half-american and half-japanese because her mom is Japanese, sometimes half-dumb and half-stupid. My best friend since I was 5.
But I love her even though she's like that. And I know she feels mutual.
We'll only meet every night in these 5 days because she needs to go to her lesson while I came here to travel... But after spending my first day in my hotel room organizing my schedule, unpacking my things and resting, she offered to take me to Naritasan Shinshoji Temple the next day, since it's been 3 months since our last hangout together.
"Where are you now? You're late." her excited voice was heard from my phone. She's always been this kind of sunshine-sunshine which I love the most.
"I'm not, I'm actually here at the Great Main Hall. Just arrived though."
"What are you wearing?"
She asked as I took a look at my outfit. It's gray high-waisted wide leg pants, Black fitted turtleneck tucked in my pants and a brown blazer in my hand, just in case I want to wear it. I was about to answer when my eyes caught her red hair near the temple.
"I already saw you."
Hanging up on her, putting my phone back in my sling bag. Making my way to her, who's back is facing me. I wrapped my arms on her waist and kissed her cheeks.
"I'm here, you idiot."
She giggled at me before giving me a kiss on the cheeks too.
"I'll be your tour guide for today. So you better listen to me" with that playful smirk on her face, I smile.
"Okay, Miss Tour Guide, Where should we go first?" clinging my arms on her, she smiles.
"There, You see that temple?"
We look out right where the Naritasan shinshoji temple is towering us.
"This is the first place I've known and went to when I came here in Japan. It's great for picture taking. Let's take some pictures late, at sunset. It's looks great around that time"
I look at my watch and look back at the tower again.
"We still have five hours before the sun completely sets. Maybe we could do something else while waiting?"
"Let's go to Naritasan Park then, there's a small gazebo in the lake and some swans. It's just behind the tower."
"Okay then, let's go there."
Dragging her with my arms wrapped around her arms, I chuckled when she glared at me.
We're now on our way to the stairway at the back of the tower when we heard a lot of giggling from the elementary students who just came out of Naritasan shinshoji temple.
Memories of my childhood run in my mind when I see how they smile at each other. I was about to look back ahead when a kid bumped into me, making me gasp.
"Ouch- Oh- Are you okay, kid?" I bend on my knee and help the kid to stand on her feet.
She just looked at me and nodded hesitantly, I suddenly remembered that she can't understand me.
"MINAKA ICHIKO!" Her teacher shouted, making me look at her name tag, and I remembered that I can't read Nihongo.
"Uhmm- Hazel?"
"MINAKA ICHIKO! MINAKA WA DOKODESU KA!" she shouted, making all of her students stop on whatever they're doing.
Raising my hand, she looks at me and lets out a relief sigh.
She immediately ran to her and held her hand while bowing to me. "DÅmo arigatÅgozaimashita."
"She said, thank you very much." Hazel whispered to me while smiling at the kid.
"Yeah, No problem, Welcome." I smiled at them before they went back to their group.
"She's so cute." Hazel coup behind me, making me chuckle.
"You're crazy."
****
Ace
As I arrived at the Naritasan shinshoji temple. I took my phone out and called Jenny. We're supposed to meet here since she wants to go here.
Walking around the temple with my phone to my ears, I noticed a group of students leaving the temple. They must have a field trip going on.
"Hello, Bro? Are you already at the Temple?" she asked on the other line as I let out a hum. Hearing some honking in the background, I already know she'll be late. Traffic.
"What time will you get here?"
"I don't know, maybe in 30 minutes?" again with that playful tone
"That's too long, If you don't come here in 10 minutes, I'll leave."
"Wait- No- I'm going to introduce you to someone."
"Who?"
"My boyf-"
I didn't hear her last words when the lady beside me suddenly shouted. "MINAKA ICHIKO!" panic can be heard from her voice. It must be her student, since she's wearing a teacher uniform, different from the tour guides around.
"What did you say?"
"Just wait for me to-"
And again.
"MINAKA ICHIKO! MINAKA WA DOKODESU KA!" The advantage of being multilingual is I can understand her. She's looking for Minaka.
"My boyfriend will be with me, so wait your ass there." Jenny continued.
Boyfriend?
Wtf?
"I guess I really need to wait for you then." I said with my eyes following the teacher as she ran in front of two ladies, one was kneeling on her one knee while helping a kid.
As the teacher held the kid's hand, she bowed to the lady who's kneeling earlier and said something. When the red haired girl whispered something to her, she smiled at them and said something.
When the teacher left with her student, I managed to see the face of the lady who's wearing a turtleneck, the one who's kneeling earlier.
She's pretty, no, she's a goddess, with that brunette small wavy hair of hers and her red lipstick. She's outstanding in the crowd. It's not my first time seeing a gorgeous lady, but I can't help but stare at her.
Her friend whispered something that made her chuckle, even her smile is pretty.
She's not Japanese, She must be a traveler. But her friend somehow looks Japanese.
My thoughts break off when someone suddenly jumps on my back.
"Hello bro, I'm here."
"Get off, you're heavy. First tell who is this boyfriend of yours?" Using my brotherly tone she smiled at me.
"I'm just joking, I'm only fourteen, and I don't have any plans like that. I'm happy with my book boyfriend."
"I see. Where's Uncle Ben?" Uncle Ben is her driver.
"He said he'll park the car first then he'll follow. Come on, let's not waste time, let's go there."
Why did I even agree to come here?
Christ.
****
Sunset
Madison
As we came back to the temple, The sun was already setting down, and it's pretty, like she said.
"Come on, let's take a picture." She said excitedly while grabbing my camera. "Wait here, I'll ask someone to take it."
Before I could even stop her, she ran to the guy a few steps away from us. And there's a girl beside him. As Hazel talked to them, Him and the girl beside him exchange glances before the girl laughs and says something that made Hazel give him the camera.
She ran back to me and smiled. "Come on." she suddenly hugged my waist and pulled me closer to him.
I was looking at the camera when the man behind it caught my eyes. The man is also wearing black turtleneck and black trouser pants, with his blazer in his arms. He looks like those gentlemen in movies, more much likely with his face.
The moment I heard the shutter click, I knew I was looking at him in the picture.
The girl behind him looks at the camera and adjusts it for him. "There you go Ace, You should look for the angle."
"Then go take it." He gave her that camera with his done face making me chuckle.
"Okay then." The girl rolled her eyes and positioned the camera. "Okay, 1, 2, 3."
And again, I'm looking at him.
I immediately looked away when he turned to us and caught me looking at him.
Hazel ran to them and took my camera.
"Thank you."
They smiled at her and said welcome before she ran back to me. She looks through the picture and scowls at me.
"This one is cute, but you're not looking at the camera."
"Aren't you tired of talking? Let's go back to the hotel now. I need to do something."
I do need to do a lot of things.
****
Time flies so fast whenever I'm traveling. It's like a second ago I just arrived, and now I'm already packing my things for my flight tomorrow lunch.
So far, I enjoyed this trip. The days after Hazel and I went to the Naritasan shinshoji temple, I went alone. It's different when Hazel is with me and when she's not. I'm happy when I'm with her, but I have to find my own happiness when I'm alone. And I did.
Wearing my White Scoop Neck Crop Top, with high waist skinny jeans and Black Cropped Hooded Zip Jacket. I went out for a walk.
It was already night, and I was now on my way to Ueno Park when I suddenly felt thirsty.
Pulling over in front of a convenience store, I make my way inside and look for a soda.
After having two cans of soda and one can of beer, with ice cream and some gummies, I went to the cashier and paid for it.
While the cashier is packing it, a group of high school students barge in, the room suddenly gets filled with laughter and giggles.
While I'm looking for my wallet, the door opened again but this time I didn't mind looking since I'm doing something.
"Here." Putting my payment on the counter, the cashier smiled at me before giving me the plastic bag.
I was about to grab it when we suddenly heard a loud crash making me flinch. I looked behind me only to see the students looking at the broken wine glass on the floor.
"Ohh-" The guy said with a shocked expression on his face.
All of his friends start to look worried as I understand what they're thinking. It once happened to me too, when I was in high school too.
The wine looks expensive though.
Turning back to the cashier, I took my card and gave it to him. "I'll pay for that wine."
I think he somehow understood me as he took my card and charged the payment.
After having my card back, I look at the guy student who's smiling at me gratefully as the cashier told him something. I smiled at him as I left the store.
****
Ace
I decided to grab some iced coffee before going to Ueno Park. When I parked my car, I noticed a group of students going in too. It's really cold, that's why I'm wearing a mocha-brown sweatshirt and dark brown trouser pants.
As I entered the store and went to the coffee section, I heard the loud crash followed but silence from the students.
I was just next to the counter where the coffee section is, and I can see the wine glass shattered on the floor.
They all start to blame the guy who now has this scared expression on his face, when the woman on the counter turned her back from them which caught my attention.
She took out her card and handed it to the cashier before saying "I'll pay for that wine."
I never thought someone like her existed in this world, but she does. The moment she paid for it, the guy boy bowed to her making her smile before she left.
As I went to the cashier, I could already hear them giggling. "Kanojo wa totemo kawaī." means She's so cute.
She does, trying to take a glance of her outside, I tilted my as I saw her get in the car parked next to mine.
My attention went back to the cashier as he asked for my card. The moment I look at her again, she's already gone.
****
Arriving at Ueno Park, I decided to take a walk after a long exhausting week here in Japan. Tomorrow lunch will be my flight back to New York. And I want to have an alone walk here for my last night. I could have brought Jenny with me, but she already left this early morning with Uncle Ben.
The trees are dancing making the cherry blossom's petals fall on the ground. With the lamp post light standing under the trees and lanterns in the middle of the lamppost, the place is glowing. Glowing beautifully. And having the sky almost covered by the cherry blossom's trees, It's even more perfect. The pink light due to the lantern and cherry blossoms is reflecting on the river in the middle.
This is one of a million moments in my life that I didn't mind the noise chattering, laughter and even crying babies.
It's like everyone is here for a walk, it's almost perfect here since there's also street food on the side and a food court.
With time like this, I don't have time to eat or feel hungry. I always want to spend it enjoying the view and the surroundings.
Taking a seat on the bench that's facing the beautiful river with pale pink reflection on it. I inhale the cold air before closing my eyes. The moment I opened my eyes, A certain tree of cherry blossoms caught my eyes. It's kinda shaped like a heart. I bet if Jenny's here, she'll take a picture of it.
Taking my phone out, I was about to take a picture of it when a lady stood next to it and brought her hands up to catch some petals. Watching her from my phone screen when I noticed a smile on her face.
That's the most beautiful smile I've ever seen.
With my hands unknowingly capturing a picture of her catching a petal, A small smile bloomed on my lips. Zooming in the lens, I focus the camera on her before taking a picture.
Immediately putting my phone down, I look at her picture. Even though her eyes got covered because petals happened to drop right in front of the camera, her smile can still be seen.
I know it's creepy, but I can't help it.
The moment I bring my phone down, she is already in front of me.
"Is someone sitting here?" she asked while pointing at the space next to me.
I got lost in her eyes before I managed to scoot over and shake my head. "You can take it."
"Thanks." she flashed me her smile as she took the seat next to me.
Looking ahead at the river, while glancing at her from time to time. She's drinking soda, while her phone keeps on ringing. She just looks at it and declines.
We're now looking at the city lights and the quiet river when a little girl went to us. "Konbanwa, wagashi ga hoshÄ«desu ka? RyÅshin ga wagashi o utte imasu?" which means Good evening, do you want Japanese sweets? My parents sell Japanese sweets.
The woman behind me looked at me before looking back at the kid. She doesn't understand him.
"She said, 'Miss Beautiful, do you like wagashi? My parents sell wagashi.'" translating the words for her, she smiles at me before raising her eyebrow.
"You understand her?"
"I'm certain that's exactly what she said."
"Can you please tell her that I would like to, and show me where her parents are."
"I'd be glad to." The little girl looked at me and smiled. After I tell her to show this beautiful lady their shop, she holds her arms and drags her to their shop. It's just behind us.
After some minutes, she came back with five boxes in her hands.
"Hi again mister, thank you for helping me understand what the little girl was saying earlier. So as my gratitude, for you." she said while putting two boxes to me.
"You don't need to but thank you."
She smiled at me, but that didn't last long when her phone rang again. This time she answered it.
"Hey, Pal, If you let your brother call me again from your phone then I'll have no choice but to block you too. Stop it." with that pissed off toned of her, she hangs up. "Fucking fuck wit." she opened one of the boxes before smiling again. "It's so cute."
How can she change mood so fast? Is this some kind of women's talent, Jenny's also like this.
"You want some?" She took a bite of the rose wagashi in her hand while her other hand handed me the box of wagashi. "I can't finish all of this."
That's translated to get some.
"Thanks." Taking one leaf wagashi from the container, she smiled before putting it down between us.
Trying to remember every part of her face, I chuckled to myself. It's funny how I'm smart enough to run a business but can't remember someone's face. I won't remember your face unless we've been together for months.
But I hope I can remember her.
Even just her smile.
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#NBASJapan