When We Crossed Paths

Chapter One: That Beginning

My mornings are pretty mundane. Suppose most people's mornings are mundane and repetitive. Going to school, to university, to work. We all do it.

Every morning, I walk to school. I only live 15 minutes away from school, so, it's pretty easy. Luckily, my elementary school, middle school and my high school are a mere walking distance. Even better, my high school is 10 minutes closer than my middle school, but it's more-or-less the same walk.

On my daily walks to school, I have to stop at a railway crossing that sits right at Anamoriinari train station. At the exact same time, every morning, warning bells sound, the red lights flash, the barriers come down, and the morning walkers wait patiently for the train to whiz by. This has been my morning routine for my entire school career.

Not much has changed with my walk to and from school. Of course, at elementary school, my mum would walk me to school and back. Then, as I got older, from the tail end of elementary school, I started walking myself.

I remember this particular moment like it only happened today. That's how clear it was. How engrained in my memory. It was my first day of middle school, I left my house that morning, put my earphones in, playing my favourite songs, and started walking. The only thing going through my mind at that moment was my determination to be different. I was going to a different middle school to my classmates, which was what I wanted. I wanted a fresh start, I didn't want to be the loser that I was in elementary school. I wanted to be cool. I wanted to be popular. I was going to pick a sport, be good at it, build muscles, attract the pretty girls, and have lots of friends.

I kept repeating that to myself as I walked. I was determined. My new exciting life starts now...

I arrived at the same spot as I have done every morning. The train crossing at Anamoriinari train station.
The warning bells ring, the red lights flash, the barriers come down, and the walkers wait patiently for the train to whiz by. The announcement at the platform warning that the next train won't stop at the station and people should stand back from the edge of the platform echoes.

Morning walkers take the opportunity to look down at their phones. I always found that impersonal. It's an opportunity to speak to someone new, to make conversation. I gaze at the different people, thinking of making conversation. Starting on my side of the crossing, there's your typical Japanese salaryman, dressed in his black suit, with a black briefcase, staring intently at his phone.

"Nice day, isn't it?" I say to the man.

Without even shifting his gaze, the man "Mmm...'s" at my attempt at conversation. That was him making it quite clear that he had no interest in making conversation with a 12 year old Middle School student. I roll my eyes and looked across the railway crossing and then...at that very moment, was where I saw him for the first time.

I didn't expect my own reaction. I was suddenly transfixed on this strange boy standing across from me. Judging by his uniform, he was a Middle School student too, but he was going to the Middle School that I didn't want to go to. He suddenly looked up and was staring right at me. His neutral expression gave nothing away. I know I should've looked away but, I found myself unable to turn my gaze away. His semi-long spikey hair slowly twitching in the breeze. His eyes. His bright, sapphire eyes stared right through me. Gazing at my soul. His uniform was fitted which suggested that he was in good shape. He looked tall too. I honestly tried to look away but it wasn't happening. The two of us continued to stare at each other. He could be thinking that I was a freak, but, he didn't look away, either. We just...kept staring. Until, within that moment, he suddenly smiled at me. He had a beautiful smile and I could feel my face turning bright red. I remember smiling pretty weirdly and crooked back at him. I'm not a big smiler, I have an ugly smile so, it's not something I tend to do. However, his smile was...wow. I got so embarrassed but I still couldn't look away. His smile and eyes had me hypnotised.

It was quite an indescribable feeling. I actually can't explain it, really. It was like...the whole world went grey, but we were the only colour. Why had I never seen him before? I was pretty sure that I'd see someone like him walking around. Judging from the direction he was walking, he's not from around here, since the only Elementary School in the area is in the opposite direction.

It was so weird. I was completely mesmerised. His eyes were unwavering. I was lost. Sinking deep in the oceans. He could ask me anything and I wouldn't be able to lie.

The moment was suddenly interrupted with the train whizzing by, breaking his hypnotic spell. The Keikyu Narita Express Line, at breakneck speed, rushing past the station. The gust that it whips up could knock people off their feet. Girls holding onto their hair; old men holding onto their hats. Rubbish on the ground getting caught in the up draft.

The last carriage of the train whizzes past. The sound of the train against the track getting fainter and fainter. The warning bells stopped chiming, the red lights stopped flashing and the barriers raised. Almost in a sequencial manner, the people started walking in their respective directions. Not I, however. I couldn't move. I was still transfixed on the boy walking across the track. He wasn't looking at me anymore. His eyes were looking at his phone and he now had earphones in his ears. Our moment had passed. But, I didn't quite understand what our "moment" was.

He walked right past me, without looking up. I kept staring straight ahead, not deviating. My brain was too busy trying to make sense of what just happened. Why was I so transfixed by him? Why was I hypnotised by his eyes? What is this feeling?

I was so distracted by my own thoughts that I didn't realise the warning bells chiming again. I quickly snapped out of my thoughts and was about to make a run for it but the barriers were already down. This wasn't good. I was going to be late for the first day ceremony. Not exactly a great start at my new school.

"Stupid idiot!"

I stood there impatiently. Hopping from foot to foot, building up stamina, ready to run as though my life depended on it as soon as the barriers went up. I couldn't believe I spazzed out like that. I was going to be so late. But...I didn't quite get why I spazzed out. Why was I frozen where I was standing? Was it him? Was he the reason that I stood there frozen?

I started to run down the street to make up for lost time, but before I turned the corner, I stopped and looked back. He obviously wasn't there. He had already turned the corner at the other end of the street. I just...had to check. Not sure why, though. I guess I just needed to. Just seeing him caused a shift in the universe and I needed to know why.

Who was he?

**********************************
This is my story.

It's not a particularly interesting story, but it's an important one. Well, to me it is, anyway.

It's the story of an important moment. A moment that changed my life forever and the events leading to it. I guess I'd like it to be of comfort to others, who may be facing their own issues so, that they don't feel so alone. Or at least be entertaining for others. Although, I can't really promise that.

However, regardless of the reason, I hope that you take away the important message that I hope to convey and pray that you understand.

You don't know what could happen. Good or bad. But sometimes you have to risk the bad, because not doing anything at all can lead to regret.

And regret is a hellish punishment...