See you in the Aisle!

Chapter 15

In the tapestry of twilight's loom, I weave my own tale,
Where Japan's blossoms and my yearning heartsail.
A rendezvous with fate on foreign streets, I tread,
In dreams uncharted, where echoes of love softly spread.

The plane landed smoothly at Narita Airport, and as I stepped out, the crisp spring air greeted me. It was almost 5 PM here in Japan, 4 PM in the Philippines, and my phone automatically adjusted to the new time zone. As soon as I had a moment, I snapped a quick picture of the airport and sent it to Matteo and my family group chat. The responses came almost immediately—Matteo sent a heart emoji, and my family flooded the chat with well-wishes and reminders to stay safe.

I checked into a hotel for the night, as I was heading to Kyoto first thing in the morning. After dropping off my bags in the room, I decided to take a walk outside. The nerves of being in a foreign country by myself had suppressed any hunger, so I wasn't in the mood for a proper meal. Instead, I found myself wandering aimlessly through the streets, bundled up in a sweater to fend off the cool spring air.

After some quick searching online, I discovered that the night market at Yoyogi Park was within walking distance from my hotel. The idea of strolling through the market sounded like a good distraction, so I made my way there. The market was lively, full of colors and sounds, but I couldn't bring myself to buy anything. I was too caught up in my thoughts, too overwhelmed by the reality of being alone in a foreign land.

Eventually, I ended up at a 7-Eleven store. It was a familiar sight, comforting in a strange way. I picked up an onigiri, knowing I had to eat something, even if I wasn't hungry. As I walked out of the store, I was lost in thought, barely paying attention to where I was going. Suddenly, I collided with someone—a tall, good-looking guy with an air of hurriedness about him.

"I'm sorry!" he exclaimed, quickly bowing in apology. My eyes were drawn to the bouquet of flowers in his hands, but it wasn't an ordinary bouquet. The flowers were made entirely out of origami, delicate white blooms with vibrant leaves, all wrapped in a blue wrapper. It was beautiful, and I was momentarily mesmerized by it.

Before I could even apologize or take in more of his features, he was off, rushing down the street. I turned to watch him and saw him approach a beautiful girl with long brown hair. He handed her the bouquet, and they embraced warmly. There was something familiar about him, but I brushed off the thought, attributing it to the fact that I was in a new place, surrounded by unfamiliar faces.

With the onigiri in hand, I walked back to my hotel. The streets were quiet, the bustling market now behind me, and with each step, the loneliness I had been keeping at bay began to creep in. By the time I reached my room, the weight of it all was pressing down on me.

I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the onigiri. The room was silent, the only sound the occasional car passing by outside. I took a bite, but it tasted like nothing. It wasn't just the food—I was suddenly overwhelmed by a wave of sadness, an intense longing for home, for Matteo, for the familiar comforts I had left behind.

As tears started to well up, I thought back to the first time I moved into my apartment during college. I remembered the same feeling of isolation, of being alone in a new place, trying to hold it all together. But this was different. This was the first night of a journey that I had chosen, a path I had decided to walk for the sake of my future and my family.

I couldn't help but think of my mom, who had spent years working abroad, feeling this same loneliness, this same longing for home. It was heartbreaking to realize just how much she must have endured, how strong she had been for our family.