I was very curious about what she knew but I didn't ask what she meant and continued
eating my rice ball. The rice balls were of good size and having two of all the side dishes, I was
full and my stomach was content again.
The golden light from the stove shone on us. My forehead felt comfortably warm. We forgot
about time and talked about everything we liked as we slowly drank Houji Tea. Neither of us
had thought about going home. Neither of us had said it out loud but we both knew that was
the case. We both had a countless number of things to talk about. We were letting each other
know how lonely we had been during this past year. Although we didn't put such feelings into
words, we were conversing while letting each other know how much we missed each other and
wanted to be with each other.
It was close to midnight when the station attendant knocked on the glass window of the sta
room gently.
"It's nearly time for me to close the station. There's no more trains coming."
It was the elderly attendant that I had handed my ticket too earlier. I thought he was angry
at us but he was smiling. "I didn't want to interrupt since you both look like you're really
enjoying yourselves but. . . " he said with a knowing, kind tone.
"I have to close the station. Please be careful on your way home. There's a lot of snow."
We thanked the attendant and left the station.
The town of Iwafune was completely buried in snow. It was still falling but strangely in this
late night world where the sky and ground were surrounded by snow, it didn't feel cold at all.
We walked excitedly next to each other over the newly laid snow. I felt proud that I was a
few centimetres taller than Akari. The pale white street lights lit up spots of snow before us.
I watched as Akari happily ran ahead towards one of them. Her gure had clearly grown more
mature than I could remember.
Akari took me to the big cherry blossom tree that she had told me about in her letter. It was
only a ten minute walk from the station but it was in the middle of farmland where no residences
could be seen. There were no manmade lights nearby but the light re ecting o the snow made it
just bright enough. All the surrounding scenery was softly lit. It was as if the beautiful scenery
was the result of someone's ne craftsmanship.
The cherry blossom tree stood upright in the middle of some rice elds. It was big and tall.
A ne tree. Both of us stood under it, gazing up at the falling snow. The snow fell from the
dark sky, silently landing on and weighing down the branches.
"Hey, it looks just like snow, "said Akari.
"Yes, it does, "I replied. I could feel Akari looking at me smiling under the fully blossoming
tree.
That night, Akari and I kissed for the rst time. Very naturally we kissed.The moment our lips touched, I came to understand where eternity, the heart and soul were.
It felt as we were sharing our thirteen years of life with each other but after that, came sadness.
I did not know where I could take Akari's warmth and soul with me or how I should treat
it. Even though she was right there before me. I didn't know what I should have done. I clearly
understood that we couldn't be together again after this. We still had a long unforeseeable life
ahead of us spread out within the vastness of time.
But before long, that uneasiness that befell me melted away and only the warmth from Akari's
lips was with me. Nothing in the world was like the warmth and softness of her lips. It was a
very special kiss. Now that I look back, there was no other kiss that happened in my later life
that could compare to the happiness, purity and sincerity I felt during that one kiss.