Through the Eyes of the Concealed

After Summer 1

 "Hotaru, when will you be back again?"  A voice behind me spoke as I was facing the front door. 

I faced him with a smile and I told him. 

"Don't worry grandpa, I will be back again soon." 

I hugged him one last time as I dragged down my suitcase and bag across the front of my house where I was staying at.

Summer was finally over... 

For once, I won't expect someone to be there when I get back next season. 

The sound of my suitcase lugging around and the charms that are hanging on the zip of my bag are the only things that I can hear. 

My mind was completely lost in thought not knowing that I was walking my way down to the the station. That same scene kept on replaying in my head like a short but endless video. 

I can still hear his words echoing inside me like he was reaching out to me once again. 

"Hotaru!"

"Come!"

"Hotaru!"

I couldn't even feel my skin longing for his touch, like he was just some thin air all along. But my mind kept debating that he was really there and he was really standing beside me. How unfair is this? 

*click!*

I passed the gate and waited for the train to arrive. I sat down quietly on one of the benches. I can hear some footsteps of people clacking onto the floors of the station like they have some place to be. I can see others talking to their friends, saying their last words like they won't be seeing each other again for a while.

*rumble*rumble*rumble*

*eeeeeeeekkkkkkk*

"The train going back to **** has finally arrived. Please wait until all the passengers inside the train have exited before you may enter." 

I held my bags tightly and followed what the command said. Someone at the door of the train assisted me with my suitcase. I quickly found a seat near the window. I placed my suitcase and bags at the compartment above and made myself comfortable. 

Shortly after, the train slowly went moving again. I was busy looking at the window at some scenery. The mountains filled with trees, farms filled with crops, and the sky filled with clouds. I can see farmers starting to tend to their crops. 

"Hmmm... Summer is finally over huh." Someone spoke beside me. I looked and it's an old lady  with a cane and shoal and she just smiled at me. "Farmers are starting to harvest their crops."

"Yes, it sure is." I just said and smiled to her before looking back at the window. I sighed out a little and I couldn't focus anymore on the wonderful view beside me. 

"You sound sad, dear"  The old lady said to me and I was suddenly shocked. "Is there anything bothering you?"

"Ahhh hahaha, no, there couldn't be anything..." But I saw her sad expression and I just feel guilty. 

"Actually, there is."

She looked at me with a calm face and tried to listen to me. 

"What's the matter?" She spoke in a sweet tone. 

I don't know if I should trust her with anything or not about what am I feeling but something that my gut tells me that it's all fine. 

"I'm... not happy that I am leaving this summer."

"Why is that?"

"It's just that I miss someone."

"Oh..." She said with a surprise. "And why did you miss them?"

"It's because..." 

I didn't know I was already tearing up. My heart felt much heavier than before. My chest feels so tight that I just want to rip it off apart from me.

"Its because of that person that makes me harder to just leave them. I don't want to live in all this grief and sadness they just left me. I just want to leave and be okay again." 

"You couldn't move on, is it my dear?" The old lady spoke and I gasped from her answer. I looked at her and tried to think how did she know what was on my mind. But I couldn't answer her and tried to wipe my tears away.  

She sat closer beside me and she held my hand covered with her shoal. She squeezed my hand tight like she want to remove all that negativity that has been stirring up inside m .

"My dear, it's true that it is hard to move on. All these things that you are feeling right now are part of it. But it is not necessary to be okay again once they have left."

I looked at her and she was looking from afar. 

"Sometimes, it is healthier to let these grievance and sadness flow before we can actually move on. The moon always passes through the sky before seeing daylight again." 

A few moments later, the train was starting to slow down. The lady beside me stood up and tried to get her things. 

"Please, let me help." I kindly said to her as I reached out her things.

"Oh thank you, my good dear." 

I gave her bags to her and she smiled to me again.

"No. Thank you for those kind words." 

"Please accept this as a token of appreciation." She said to me while handing out something from her hand. 

I tried to open my hand but she stopped me. 

"Try to open it once you get off the train." 

 I nodded back at her. "I will. Thank you." as I hugged her tightly and I can feel her arms hugging back at me as well. 

I watched her as she strolled down the walkway and out of the train. She takes every step with her cane and made sure with her foot. She was assisted by the conducted on the way out and even greeted the thanked the conductor on her way out. She looked back at me and waved at me and I waved back at her. 

The train started to move again and I looked back at her and I couldn't believe my eyes.

She started to fade away just like how Gin faded away in front of my eyes. I can still see her happy eyes and wide smile as she stood on the platform and looked at me with a smile.

What was that?...