We arrive at the Sydney Opera House soon after. I know it's one of the major tourist attractions in Sydney, but I'm not sure why we're here. I ask Maki, who seems to be the one planning the whole trip.
Tora answers for him. "We're going to see Julius Caesar. You'll be studying the play in your third year. Maki thought it'd be nice for you guys."
"Thank you sooo much," gasps Mayumi, looking at Maki in admiration.
I take out my phone and start taking pictures. The Sydney Opera House is really cool. It's kind of like a floating platform, and it's really huge. It's white and consists of a few different spikes. Sort of abstract, and pretty cool to look at. A series of steps leads up to the main area. We're standing at the base of the steps now, on the wide sand-coloured platform.
Someone comes to stand next to me. "Let's take a photo, (Y/N)."
I shiver and turn around when I hear Tora. His voice is so low and satisfying, even though I can't explain how it's pleasant to listen to. "Okay," I reply.
We end up taking a lot of photos, some with filters and some without. Maki checks his phone for the time and announces "We should go in soon."
It turns out that he already booked the seats for us, plus a special backstage tour after it, and reserved a table for us at one of the fancy restaurants here. Damn, he's so prepared.
As we enter the grand theatre, I'm so shocked, I can't say anything. Rows and rows of glittering seats line the stage and there are bright lights hanging from the high ceiling. It's grand and majestic, better than I imagined.
We find our seats. Maki managed to get us good seats. Near the front, but not so near that we'd have to crane our necks to see. I sit next to Mayumi and Tora, with Maki next to Mayumi.
I'm pretty excited for this, because I did read Julius Caesar. Okay, I read the translated version. But I did read half of the English version. It just got too difficult to understand.
----
"I thought you needed more than 10 people to make a reservation," Mayumi says to Maki after the show.
He shrugs. "I have my ways."
He's kind of mysterious. But I guess Mayumi likes him.
We walk around the Opera House for a while, enjoying the scenery and people watching. After lunch we have the tour, only in English, and then we're going to the Sydney Harbour Bridge to see the night view. It sounds fantastic.
Tora and I walk behind Mayumi and Maki, who are chatting. He just walks in silence and doesn't say anything. I notice his gaze rests on a family to our left, who are sitting down on the steps and sharing food and laughing happily. The wind's blowing on the mother's hair but she's smiling and looking happy.
I touch his arm tentatively. "Are you okay?"
He snaps his attention back to me and nods. "Yeah. It's just that I'm wishing I had a normal family, one that wasn't so rich and seemingly perfect. My mother...I wish she was here. She'd like this."
I feel sorry for him. So sorry. But saying it out loud- won't that sound a little insincere? So I just say "I'll be here for you."
"Thanks, (Y/N)."
----
I stare at the menu gleefully. So much food! What do I order, there's so much good food. Everything looks good.
A seagull swoops over my head with a squawk. I duck and glare at the seagull for disturbing me. Tora laughs. "It's just a bird."
I look back at the menu. Should I get a burger, or some Asian food? We're at the Opera Kitchen, which sells pretty much everything, and cramped under a small gazebo thing. But it's okay. The view is phenomenal.
Then a thought occurs to me. "Who's paying?"
The table falls silent. I reconsider my options. If I have to pay, then I've to pick the cheapest stuff.
We decide to settle it with scissors-paper-stone. Of course, I win immediately. So does Maki. Mayumi wails loudly when she loses. "I'm an idiot!"
Tora smirks and glances at me, then we all start laughing because it's true.
Since Mayumi is paying, I order Grilled Flatbread, Thai Chicken Green Curry Bowl (Asians like to eat rice or noodles, generally) and Australian Seafood to share. Mayumi shoots me a look. I grin innocently. "I'm hungry."
