That Blonde Guy

Chapter 23

When I first came here in Tokyo, I knew something in my life would change.

New environment, new people--of course something would change. I knew for sure that I would have new acquaintances and all that, but what was happening right at this moment was something I never expected. Not the numerous pairs of eyes that were now on me. Specially not the smiling blonde guy on a motorbike by the school gate.

When I saw him that afternoon, it was a different feeling. Like a mix of joy and excitement, butterflies and sparks--I don't know. It was something I've never felt before.

"Hi."

I smiled. "Hi."

"Your friends will be fine If I took you away now, right?"

I looked back and saw Hina and Sayuri grinning widely and excitedly, giving a proud thumbs up. Sayuri even waved at him, and he chuckled, waving back.

"I guess they'll be okay."

"I see." He took the other helmet. "Let's go?"

The very first time I rode his bike, I thought it would also be the last. But now, here I was, once again riding on passenger for who knows how many times already. Once again wrapping my arms around him, and once again feeling his warm back against my body. I heard him said something but his voice was muffled by the engine sound and the wind, so I shouted, "what?"

"I'm going faster!" he repeated. "Is it okay?"

I answered by tightening my arms around him. I saw him smirked through the side mirror and I closed my eyes as the bike sped up, resting my chin on his shoulder.

It was a long ride. I didn't know where we're going and when I asked him once, he just smiled. It was a long ride and we hadn't even reached the destination but I already felt like having the time of my life. The view of the suburbs of the city, the wind, the engine noise--they were enough. Everything was enough as long as he's there.

"Are you tired?"

I shook my head and smiled. "No."

"We're almost there."

The sun was still high when we departed that afternoon but now it was almost dying when the bike stopped under a huge tree. The moment we got off, he immediately took my hand. "Let's go, we're missing it!"

He ran and pulled me with him. I didn't even had the chance to open my mouth and ask why. My eyes were fixed above the moment we stopped, and I remember how my lips parted the moment I saw the sky. The sun was setting, dyeing the clouds and the towering skyscrapers with an orange and purple glow. The way its faint, colorful rays created a quivering path across the water was simply magical. The birds flying above, the lone ferry on the sea--everything was enveloped by the dying warmth of orange and purple tint, including us. It was breathtaking. Something I've never seen before.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" He turned to me with a pure, joyous smile on his face. "Do you like it?"

I looked back at him, thinking how the color of the sky suited his entire being. I was in so much awe that all I did was nod and smile. We stood there in silence, side by side and hypnotized by the beautiful scenic view of the dipping sun below the horizon, admiring how the fleeting color of dusk started to vanish away.

I realized that what we were standing on was not concrete nor grass, but sand. It was only then that I found out that we were in Odaiba Beach, a man-made beach located along the shores of Tokyo bay. The thought that he had taken me with him and drove miles all the way from Shibuya to Minato just to let me withness this beautiful sunset warmed my heart. I've never been this happy before.