On the Sunday morning of that week, I was in a state of total panic. As I desperately rifled through my clothes for something suitable to wear, my mind began to wander and a thousand thoughts started swirling around. Ever since he had asked me out, the question of why he had done so became a persistent nag in my mind. I didn't know how to interpret his invitation: was it a friendly outing or something more?
As far as I could recall, I had never given any indication of wanting something beyond a potential friendship. I could never have imagined myself in such a situation. I mean, I had barely managed to make a friend, let alone establish a deeper relationship with him!
Honestly, I didn't even know how I found myself agreeing to his proposition. The proposal had been so unexpected that, without thinking and in complete confusion, I had said yes.
He had only told me he wanted me to accompany him to a place, but he didn't specify where it was, or even what we would be doing. I wasn't a big fan of surprises and knowing only the time and place of our meeting added to my agitation.
All this pondering hadn't helped me make any progress. I had emptied my entire wardrobe onto the floor and yet, I still couldn't find anything decent to wear.
Among all those clothes, the thing that bothered me the most was why I was making such a fuss. It wasn't like me to take so much time choosing what to wear. I usually wore the first thing I laid my hands on, but this time I wanted to look nicer than usual. It didn't mean I wanted to look prettier for him... maybe.
Above all, I want to emphasize, although I think it's quite clear, that this was my first date, or at least the first serious outing with a flesh-and-blood person.
I had become a mix of conflicting emotions. And to think I couldn't stand him before. It was a disaster, basically.
"Ah! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO INTERPRET THIS?!" I yelled, running my hands through my hair and throwing myself onto the bed. Shortly after, I heard a knock on my bedroom door.
"May I come in?" my aunt asked.
"Yes, come in," I answered with my face buried in the pillow.
"Is everything okay? Why are you so agitated?"
I told her that Yuto-kun had asked me out and she, the only woman from whom I expected more mature advice, got excited. It was the first time a boy had asked me out and she wanted to know everything in detail. I felt like I was in a TV series, where the protagonist shares her boy adventures with her overly excited best friend.
"How did it happen? When? What will you wear? Why didn't you tell me before?"
"Ca...calm down. It didn't seem like such big news."
"What do you mean? It's your first date. Of course, it's important."
"I wouldn't exactly call it a date...I think. The thing is, I don't even know."
"Well, there's no point in getting so worked up, don't you think? Just focus on enjoying the day and see how things unfold."
"But I don't even know what to wear."
"That's where I come in. What's my purpose if I can't help you with these things?" she said, smiling. "What time is the date?"
"In less than an hour. We should meet around 10:00 near the cell phone store where we met last time."
"Uh-huh, he wants to meet you in the first place you guys met. The boy is romantic," she chuckled.
"NO...THAT'S NOT RELEVANT!" I answered, embarrassed.
"He told me he had some things to do beforehand, so he asked if we could meet there for convenience. That's all. Don't get any strange ideas."
"Okay, in that case, it's time to get ready," she laughed heartily.
"But will I make it on time?"
"Yes, don't worry. Besides, a girl should always keep them waiting," she winked at me and began to rummage through the pile of clothes.
My aunt picked out the most suitable clothes for me and told me that when a girl goes out with a boy, in addition to looking good for herself, it would be nice to also do it for the lucky guy in question. Although, I couldn't imagine a boy being taken aback by my clothes.
The time of our meeting came, and I arrived at the vicinity of the store a few minutes late. From a distance, I could see Yuto-Kun repeatedly checking his wristwatch and anxiously looking left and right, waiting for someone to arrive.
Obviously, that someone was me, but I liked the thought of him waiting for me.
I decided to sneak up on him to give him a scare. I'm not sure why I thought of doing that, maybe I was hoping for some funny reaction from him. So, I slowly approached from behind, and at that moment...
"Boo!"
...I scared him.
"Ahhhhh!" he exclaimed, startled.
"Darn it, you're going to make me..."
He stopped talking the exact moment he saw me. For a few seconds, he just stared at me, lost for words.
"Wow," was all he managed to say. But for me, that single word was worth a thousand. To my great surprise, my outfit had impressed him. I blushed, and my heartbeat began to increase, first slightly, then more strongly.
"That dress suits you. You look really pretty," he said unexpectedly.
"T...Thank you," I replied.
We continued to look at each other awkwardly. I wasn't wearing anything too flashy: I wore a white blouse underneath with a light blue, almost sky-blue skirt. Over that, I had a pink jacket with small lace flowers at the end of the sleeves and from the collar down to the zipper. I had shoes that matched the skirt and white stockings. Plus, I had a small black bag.
It wasn't anything elaborate, but it seemed to have pleased him.
He wasn't dressed up. He was wearing a simple white t-shirt with a black jacket that matched his shoes and long trousers. Unlike us girls, boys don't fuss too much about clothing. Honestly, I preferred him this way, as fancier clothes would have made me feel even more anxious, like it was a serious date.
"Where are we going? I'm curious," I said to break the awkward silence.
"Well, there's something I wanted to do, and I'm sure you'll enjoy it too. Follow me." He smiled and started walking.
I matched his pace and followed him without asking any more questions. As we walked, I saw our reflection in the store windows and it felt like a real date. After a while, we stopped in front of a cinema entrance.
"Here we are."
"A movie? Could it be..." I had read online that they were screening an adaptation of that book in a cinema in the city. And he had brought me right there...
"Exactly. I saw the trailer and remembered you had books from the series in your room. I like it too, so I thought we could come to watch it together. What do you think?"
"Of course, let's go now. I can't wait."
I said, as carefree as a child. So, we didn't waste any more time, entered the cinema, and enjoyed the movie together for a couple of hours.
"Mhm, that was really a great movie," I said as we walked out of the cinema, stretching.
"True. It was really good and well made."
"Yes."
"Listen, even though my initial plan was just to watch the movie, would you like to do something else?"
"Yes, I would love to," I replied without hesitation. Thus, for the rest of the day, all we did was roam around together.
We strolled around stores, having fun trying on ludicrously matched clothes suggested by each other. Needless to say, they were all horrible or excessively flashy, but it was fun. We also visited several bookstores to check for volumes of our favorite series. As we continued our stroll among the shops, we heard a strange noise.
"Phffff"
Yuto-kun's stomach started to grumble.
"I'm sorry, it's late and I'm getting hungry. But I don't know where to eat," he said, looking at his watch.
"I know a place. Now you'll come with me."
He followed me without objection, although driven by curiosity, he occasionally asked where we were heading. We stopped in front of an old place in a small alley.
"Tadaaaa!"
"What?" he asked, not understanding.
"This is the place."
"What do you mean, it looks rundown. Is it open?"
"It's just a little dirty on the outside. Trust me, you won't regret it."
We went inside.
The place was old and, although it might have appeared as a wreck from the outside, the interior was acceptable. It wasn't a modern environment. The place was small, with a long counter and stools. On the other side of the counter was the kitchen with the owner working at the stoves. A medium-sized television was fixed to the wall opposite the counter. Apart from the owner, there was no one else. Maybe because lunchtime had passed quite a while ago and it was getting late.
The owner had thin, shadowy eyes that could seem intimidating at first glance, but once you got to know him, you understood he was a very kind person. He wasn't slim; in fact, he had a bit of a belly, but he was nice and loved his job a lot.
"Hello," I greeted the owner.
"Hello," Yuto-kun echoed.
As soon as we entered, the owner threw us a dirty look, and Yuto-kun got scared. But it wasn't the man's fault, he gave off that impression unintentionally.
"Hell... Oh, young lady. Here again," the owner said. Then he looked at Yuto-kun, "And him? Is he your friend?"
"Yes. He moved to the city a while ago, and I wanted him to try your ramen."
"Ahhh, perfect, then I'll prepare the kitchen." We sat at the counter.
"I've tasted ramen from various places, but this one is the best."
"If you say so. I can't wait to try it."
"Yes, the young lady is a regular here. Well guys, come on! Tell me what you'll have. Two ramens?" the owner asked. We responded affirmatively. While waiting for our order, Yuto-kun started looking around.
"What is it?" I asked him.
"No, nothing. I'm just surprised that there is still a place like this in the area. Outside, both the shops and buildings are newer."
"Ahh. Honestly, I don't know either."
"I can tell you if you want," the owner interjected.
"Yes, please."
"I'm curious."
"You know, this place has always been in my family. My father and mother bought it and worked here together. My dream was to cook and have people taste my dishes. I wanted to become a professional chef and make myself known by cooking in this place, so I enrolled in a culinary school and, when my parents got old, I started managing it. I didn't want to sell it or even renovate it because I have many memories here, and everything has become part of me."
Gradually, the place began to fill with strong, delicious smells that made our mouths water, especially the scent of soy sauce and meat cooking in oil. He finished preparing our portions and served them to us.
"Here you go. Go ahead, young man, try it. Tell me what you think."
Yuto-kun took his chopsticks and tasted his portion of ramen.
His reaction was priceless. His eyes started to shine with joy.
"This is exquisite," he said, surprised and continuing to eat without stopping. "Sir, this is really great. I have never eaten such good ramen."
"I'm glad you like it. Now, young lady, you eat too before it gets cold." The cook smiled, and we began eating.
"So, in the end?" Yuto-kun asked the owner.
"What?" he replied.
"Did you manage to become a prestigious chef?"
"No. But maybe that's for the best. If I had become too well-known, I might not have been able to stay here and would have had to leave the place. But in this span of time, I have built other memories tied to this place."
"Why didn't you still follow your dream?"
"Because the dream I had was derived from this place. I wouldn't have cooked with pleasure if I had left the roots that tied me to my dream. But I don't regret my choices. On the contrary, I'm happier this way."
After finishing our meal, we paid; it was almost closing time. At that moment, a woman with a little girl came in through the entrance.
"Hello dear. You have some customers. Sorry to bother you."
"Don't worry. We were just leaving," said Yuto-kun.
"Daddy! Daddy! Will you teach me to cook again tonight? So next time, I can work with you," the little girl said in her small voice.
That must have been his family. Yuto-Kun and I looked at each other. At that moment, we understood what he meant by creating new memories. Exiting the shop, we started walking again.
"You know, the owner of the place scared me a bit at first, but in the end, he turned out to be a wonderful person. How did you find this place? It's not exactly a popular spot."
"I found it by accident. After I moved from my aunt's place, getting my bearings in the area and learning the streets a bit, I got lost and stumbled upon this shop. I remember it was a rainy day, and I took shelter under the sign of the place. The owner saw me there, cold, and invited me in. He offered me a bowl of ramen. It was exquisite, the best I had ever tasted."
At the end of the day, the anxiety I had was gone.
"I had a lot of fun today."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"I'm glad."
"And now? Should we go home? It's getting late, and the sun is setting."
"There's one last place I'd like to go if you don't mind."
"Where?"
We immediately headed to the Shinagawa Aquarium, which was only a few minutes away.
We got our tickets and entered.
There were few people, and all the shows were over because of the time, but the silence was pleasant. We could hear the sound of the water and better appreciate the animals relaxing or playing in their artificial habitats. It was fascinating to see so many animals up close. There were seals, penguins, and fish of all kinds, including some strange species I had never seen.
We continued to walk until we reached the underwater tunnel, the main attraction of the aquarium. A breathtaking sight was in front of us. It was a long, transparent underwater tunnel from which we could admire the animals. It was like being on the ocean floor and swimming with them. The light from the underwater spotlights reflected slightly in the clear water of the huge tank above. The effect was that of the sea in the moonlight. There was no one in the tunnel, and we could enjoy this spectacle alone.
"Wow!" I exclaimed, looking around in amazement. Yuto-kun, intent on looking at the tunnel ceiling, took a few steps forward and spread his arms out.
"Have you ever been here?" he asked me.
"No, never."
"You know, I saw this place on the internet and I absolutely wanted to come here. It may be an aquarium, but it's a reproduction of reality. Of what you could actually see with your own eyes if you were really at the bottom of the ocean. It's just water with fish, yet it gives me a sense of powerlessness. I see this and think about how nature is simple and at the same time complex. In comparison, I feel small and insignificant. It reminds me that we human beings are only a backdrop in this world. All this makes men's problems seem like useless thoughts. This relaxes me."
I don't know why he started saying these things, but I listened carefully, even if I couldn't fully understand him. He seemed happy and relaxed, but his look was so strange. There was a touch of melancholy, as if something was troubling him.
"I would like to see these things with my own eyes one day. These and many others, but I don't know if it will be possible."
I didn't understand what he was talking about.
"Why not? Life is long and you're just a teenager. There will be other opportunities."
He turned back to me:
"You're right." His expression suddenly became darker. "Wait for me here. I'll be right back."
He told me before starting to run along the tunnel.
I didn't know where he had gone, so I waited for him. He didn't take long to return.
"Where did you go?" I asked, curious.
"Close your eyes."
I didn't know what he was planning to do, then I remembered that in most of the books I had read there was a scene similar to this where the boy asks the girl to close her eyes before trying to kiss her. From a certain point of view, we were in a fairly romantic place and furthermore we were alone. I started to get agitated. If he had kissed me, I wouldn't have known how to react. Would I have reciprocated? Would I have liked it? Despite all the thoughts crowding my mind, I still closed my eyes. I didn't want him to notice my hesitation. I felt his arms brush against my neck, then a cold object lay on my chest. "Alright. You can open them. I hope you like it." None of what I had imagined happened. I looked at my neck and noticed a small silver pendant, it was a group of dolphins attached to each other in a particular position, as if they were swimming in water. "Uh… uh. I… I don't know what to say." "Just say thank you. I don't need to hear anything else." With my hand, I held it tightly to me: "Thank you. I'll treasure it." "So you'll remember a bit of me." He told me, smiling. Hidden in that smile, I saw for the umpteenth time that dark look that often took over him and which I could never understand the reason for. It was as if, even in the most beautiful moments, he suddenly remembered something that tormented him. Since he had never hinted at anything, I began to think it was just my impression. Without knowing it, I would soon find out the truth. We started to walk towards the exit, retracing the tunnel in reverse. We were walking side by side when then, without me noticing, he fell behind. I heard a thud coming from behind me. "Thnff" I turned around and saw him. Yuto-kun was lying on the ground.