Us On Paper

Chapter 1

HI, WE FINALLY MET, YOU AND I. You weren't really like the girl that I imagined you are, but nonetheless, I fell in love with you at first sight. Well, it was more of a crush, but I had hoped you would be the one to make me truly in love with someone.

My shoe crunched snow, a foreign object where I live. The wind is frigid and played around with us human beings, knowing that it could get colder and kill us like ants. Everyone was wearing coats and other accessories and clothing to make the cold more bearable, but it was still painful. My family and the neighbouring families all scrunched up together in an attempt to stay warm as the heat in my country disabled their ability to handle almost freezing temperatures. I, however, found the icy pain from the wind familiar and was used to it; the pain that my heart felt when its Personal Legend was crushed before its eyes was way more piercing than a mere cold breeze.

My mom told me to walk carefully due to the snow when a man rushing for work or something slipped and hit his head on the pavement; the snow barely softening the impact. Fortunately, the man was fine, but it clearly set an example for kids to not walk too fast on snow. I didn't see it, but it was supposedly funny among the neighbouring families' kids and my sister; I don't understand why. Well, I found people crying funny, so I guess I don't have a say in what people find funny and not funny.

As usual, my eyes were somewhere else; at the couples adventuring around the metropolitan city of Tokyo. When I see them laughing and talking with each other, I wished that I would meet you and be like them with you. Well, I didn't know whether you existed or not, so I shouldn't place my expectations that high...

Suddenly, something collided with me and I felt my arm hit against the snow blanket of the pavement in which the pavement responded by returning the same force at me for ruining its slumber. Stupid Newton's Law... I turned to face the source of the collision and instead of finding some kid or employee, I found YOU with a brown paper folder on your side; water already trying to make it its territory. My mind immediately went blank, forgetting the scolding that I was planning to give to whoever carelessly made me fall. Bits of snow sticked to your hair, attempting to make patterns of white dots on the black surface it was on. You were scratching your head from the pain and your cyan eyes finally set their focus on me. You returned the same gaze I was giving you. Around us, time has stopped as if it is patiently waiting for us to say the three words that would change our very lives.

However, time cannot wait when the people it's waiting for realizes its actions. I managed to snap myself out of your addictive beauty and stood up from my pitiful state before turning to help you up, only to find you already rushing towards your initial destination. I was disappointed that our meeting didn't last long, but I was happy you left first or we would never leave our spot on the pavement. Also... my mom would have given you an earful...

As I walked away from the pavement where our first meeting commenced, I started to feel a slight pain in my heart when I see you running away. I assured myself that I am just some random stranger and this kind of reaction is normal, but I couldn't. Worries of her hating me and being disgusted of me filled my head and threatened to make it explode. I was forced to drink tea instead of my usual coffee due to the tension from my worries.

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WHY DID I RUN AWAY? I was so pissed at myself for running away from you. I just couldn't help it; I was so embarrassed. My face lit up red and I was burning with embarrassment despite the almost-freezing temperature. I might never meet you again. I would probably never be able to ask you this question: DID YOU DREAM OF ME TOO?