Firefly || Mezo Shoji

06. Perfectly Picturesque

The day was young, the winter sun still hanging low in its cloudless dwelling—gracing us with its welcoming comfort. Slowly thawing the last of the morning's frost that still lurked within the shadows of the city.

Kenji had practically passed out the moment he left the bathroom—the events that transpired in the shower had evidently taken quite a toll on him. And, as much as I would have liked to have spent my day off with him it was the perfect opportunity to clear my mind, while also enjoying the rarity of a sunshine-filled day.

Small puffs of misted breath left my mouth at a brisk pace as I pushed myself to make the last stretch of the hill. The pathway led to a place that I visited frequently on such days. Somewhere that very few people knew of—a place where I could be alone in my thoughts. For perhaps just a moment of clarity within my anxiety fuelled mind.

I adjusted the strap of my bag that had slipped down over the waterproofed fabric of my coat. My pulse thrummed rapidly as I took the final strides onto the brow of the hill. The beads of sweat running down my temple, a burning ache resonating up my thighs and desperate drags of breath heaving in and out of my overworked lungs—all these indispositions were completely worth the breath-taking view that awaited my arrival.

This particular hilltop was found on the outskirts of the city. The route is lined with Sakura trees. Their branches at present were barren of the nationally beloved cherry blossom flower due to the colder conditions. It was quite a spectacle to see during the springtime when they were in full bloom.

The view that stretched out before me was enough to snatch my breath away—not even the icy breeze came close to stealing it. When walking amongst the city down below you would never imagine such a concrete metropolis to be of any beauty. Despite that, gazing over it at this height gave it a new angle of life.

The sunlight gleamed off the many glass windows of the skyscraper buildings, making the city sparkle even in broad daylight. Glimpses of snowy mountaintop peaks amongst the flawlessly blue horizon peered over the tallest of buildings—this being the final touch to this canvas worthy landscape.

I quickly made my way towards the lone wooden bench— eager to make this view another permanent memory to add to the portfolio of my sketchbook. Even if it was the umpteenth time that I had sketched it. Each time, however, something new had come to light for my pencil to capture. From the tiniest details of the setting sun casting numerous shadows over the city to the array of cotton-like clouds differing in the sky. It never failed to surprise me each time.

I pulled the sketchbook out from inside my bag—the pages barely hanging on by a thread to the tattered spine. I flicked through the pages till I found one free from any small, insignificant doodles. The breeze whisked past me, sending strands of hair to fly up from the hood of my coat.

This won't do.

Luckily, I always made sure to carry a hair tie on me for such occasions. Carefully balancing the drawing utensils on my lap while I scraped the thick golden mass of hair into a high and tight ponytail.

Much better.

Then I got to work. Glancing up now and then to examine every aspect of the landscape. My hand traced everything that my eyes would gaze over. My brain barely had the time to process the information before my fingers had already nimbly moved the pencil over the paper.

Wish I had some good, coloured pencils...

The vast assemble of shades and hues that made up the city were never shown to their true potential when drawn in only pencil. It saddened me that I couldn't do the beautiful view justice due to my insufficient funds. The premium sets were far too expensive for me to be wasting my money on and the cheaper versions just weren't up to my standards. But I had been hoping that for my birthday—which was a little over two weeks away now—that my parents might surprise me with a set.