Right at the beginning of the holiday season, there'd always be Christmas lights that were placed alongside the streets. The beauty of it was always recognized and attracted many tourists, and Miyuki could never let an event like that slip by without going. She invited all of us to go together during lunch, but I'm not too fond of that since Yohito and her just started dating. I feel like it'd be better for them to go on their own, and that's what I told her.
"How about this, think of it as a double date." Miyuki snapped her fingers.
"But Eri and I don't like big crowds, remember?" I returned.
"Come on, you can't keep thinking that way, doesn't it get boring not going to events? Back me up here Eri." She turned to Eri, who didn't seem to be paying much attention.
"Huh? Yasuhito has a good point." Eri returned.
"No way! Eri, you can't think that was as well.." Miyuki sighed as she held her head.
"If we make good memories, we'll be able to look back at them and remind ourselves of all of the good times that we've had, and realize how much of an impact they had on us!" Miyuki continued, containing a very serious expression.
"You know, she's got a point, it's always fun to make some awesome memories." Yoshito nodded.
"Plus, we can't skip out on having our very first double date!" Yoshito gave Eri and I a wink.
"Well… I'm not too excited about it. What do you think, Yasuhito? Do you wanna go?" Eri asked without looking at me.
"Say yes." Both Yoshito and Miyuki said, looking right at me.
Miyuki's and Yoshito are right, making happy memories is important, those don't always come by. In the past, the time Miyuki and I spent with Eri and Yoshito decreased as time went by and we slowly began to lose contact with each other. We didn't have much time to hang out, we were always busy with work and other personal matters. I want all of us to keep on making memories that we can look back on and smile remembering them.
"Okay fine…it does seem like my girlfriend is pretty interested in going so I don't see why not." I said in a light and joking manner.
"Huh?!" Eri now turned to me, looking flustered.
"Alright! Now we have plans later!" Miyuki celebrated by high-fiving all of us.
Yoshito and Miyuki mentioned that they'll be going to a store to grab some things for the event.
Now Eri and I are heading towards her apartment while we wait for them.
"Come inside." Eri held the door open to her room.
It's actually my first time being in her room.
"I see there's nothing laying around." I muttered to myself.
"I think you have my room confused with someone else's." Eri immediately replied.
"Right…sorry." I avoided her eye contact.
Eri and I then sit next to each other on her bed.
"So it seems that we easily tricked them about us dating." Eri began to stretch.
"Yeah…it was a lot easier than I expected, you've been a real help so…than you." I smiled at her.
"You don't have to thank me, just doing a big favor for people I care about." She smiled back.
"Whoever you end up with will be a very lucky person, I hope you know that." I continued.
"Idiot." She looked away.
"I seriously don't get why you're doing this, but I have no right to question it, I'm just glad to help out." She continued, still looking away.
"Well…I am a mysterious person." I chuckled.
"You definitely are…but I quite like it." She turned to me.
"You do?" I turned to her.
And we spent, who knows how long, staring at each other.
Then her phone rang.
"I'll get that." She cleared her throat.
It was Miyuki, letting us know that her and Yoshito are done and they'll be waiting for us at the plaza area, where the event will be held at.
"Well..let's go." Eri held out her hand.
"…" I grabbed her hand.
And we walked there, hand in hand.
"Wow! Look at all of these people." Miyuki was mesmerized by the amount of people that covered the plaza.
She has always loved things that seemed lively, to her, big crowds meant something good.
"There's way too many people." Eri spoke up next to me, appearing worn out.
I've already been to this place with Miyuki, so I have prepared myself this time.
"Let's switch places, Eri, it's more comfortable over here." I let her move to my spot.
"Thank you…" She smiled at me, gracefully.
There's also a giant tree that is placed in the middle of this place that we are currently heading towards and everyone is excitedly waiting for it to light up.
This past year, I have seen my first love and best friend get together, and fixed regrets I've had thinking it was for the best, and I now realize that it was.
After having these thoughts in my head, a loud chime of a bell rang out, and in the next minute or so, the tree shined with many beautiful lights and a big, bright star on top. People around us began to cheer.
"It's so beautiful." Miyuki shined, filled with joy as she admired the tree.
She then grabbed Yoshito's hand and told him something, looking all excited.
Everyone began walking toward the three, as if they're being summoned by it, which also made me start walking towards it. Miyuki and Yoshito were now somewhat ahead of Eri and I, holding hands.
As I watched them together, it made me remember the time Miyuki and I came here.
Then someone grabbed my hand.
"Yasuhito, are you okay? You seem a little out of it." Eri pulled me back, stopping me from walking.
"Eri."
"You looked like you were spacing out and walking ahead, if anything, you should be next to me." She cheekily smiled at me.
"You're right…sorry about that." I slightly squeezed her hand and she did the same back.
It was my first time holding her hand, it's surprisingly small and cold.
After a while, we noticed Miyuki looking back at us and smiling in a teasing manner as she saw Eri and I holding hands, Yoshito followed along with the teasing.
I'll show them how happy we can be, that way, they'll be the happiest they can be with each other as well.
Looking at Miyuki and Yoshito, I realize that I don't feel any sort of sadness or pain, I feel at ease, like something has been lifted off of my shoulders.
This is the first time in a while that I've felt like this. Yes, this was needed.
Eri and I now begin walking towards the tree, hand in hand, and I could hear her humming a song looking very content as well.