Summer Trap (Matsumoto Series 2)

Chapter 1

Dedicated to: VCA ika dalawampu't tatlong konseho

Chapter 1

White Satin Dress

August 16, 2022
In front of a neighbor's house
Near White Kamono Hotel

"Huh?"

That was just the single word I could utter as I stared back at those small eyes in front of me.

The wind was hot. I could feel the beads of sweat from my temple that were slowly gliding down to my cheeks. The damp white cloth was still resting on my head as it fluttered with that unexpected emotion.

I should run. I should apologize. I should make a movement to escape, but when his eyes full of fascination gazed at me, something suddenly slipped into my mind that maybe it's not just the place that held portals to escape the world of unuttered problems— sometimes it's the way someone looked at you, differently.

The moist of summer heat, the few cars that passed by on the nearby road, and the gentle sway of the cluster of pine trees along it made me feel that I am completely in different world right now— that maybe even if I am alone right now, being alone in this beautiful place is not bad at all.

Kapwa kami hindi makagalaw sa pagkakasalampak sa lupa, ako na natuon ang mga hita lupa habang ang mga kamay ay nasa pagitan nito, at siya naman na nakaupo habang ang dalawang kamay ay nakatuon sa likuran niya upang suportahan ang kanyang sarili.

"Or a ghost?" tanong ko sa kanya.

Sa ilang salita kong iyon ay doon pa lang siya natauhan. He immediately stood on his feet, ilang beses pa siyang muntik nang mawalan ng panimbang dahil sa pagmamadali.

He took a few steps backward before he cleared his throat and pointed his trembling finger on me.

"W-What are you doing here?!"

Someone told me that it's very rare to find a Japanese who can speak English, lalo na sa ganitong lugar. It's not a problem to communicate in English to the big cities of Japan, but if a foreigner will stay in the countryside, she should ready her Nihonggo.

What's another unusual? To meet a similar person in a completely different place. Though Maehira Koen isn't far from here, I never thought that I'd meet him again, for the same reason, but in a quite awkward situation.

When I got up and was about to remove the damp cloth around my body, he quickly took the distance between us.  He held the white cloth and pulled it more around me as if it would secure me from something.

He wasn't looking at me, his head was looking at the right side, with his blushing face under the sunlight. "Aren't you aware that you're still in your white night dress, Miss?"

Umawang ang bibig ko habang nakatingala ako sa kanya. Ako na mismo ang humila ng puting kumot na medyo basa at mas ibinalot ko iyon sa sarili ko.

He sighed before he bowed down. I thought he was about to apologize which was not supposed to be him, but I just realized that he was picking up my father's photograph.

"Here," he gave it to me for the second time.

"T-Thanks. I-I'm really sorry for the trouble. . ." mas ibinaba ko ang pagkakayuko ko sa kanya.

Tumango lang siya. Nanatili lang kaming magkatitigan ng ilang segundo, hindi ko alam kung dapat ko na ba siyang talikuran o tanungin kung may dapat ba akong gawin? Should I give him something for the trouble?

I just trespassed! I ruined his white curtain. Nabangga siya ng bata kanina at dalawang beses na niyang ibinalik sa akin ang litrato ni Papa.

"I will just bring this back after—" hindi niya ako pinatapos sa sasabihin ko.