EP3

~~

It’s the fourth day of University Week. We took a stroll through the market grounds and bought this and that and ate this and that. We did this for almost half the day. It was tiring, yet fun.

 

My shift at the booth is done. Dani and the others decided to assist the medic teams for our college for the afternoon games. I didn’t want to do anything like that. So, I decided to go around by myself.

 

The first thing on my list was to buy candy refills for the dispenser in our room. I looked for a really good candy stall. When I found one, I checked out the displays.

 

Hmm... So many that I want to buy.

 

Once I have decided on a box of gummy worms I reached for it. The moment I touched the box, another hand touched it too.

 

It happened so fast. To make it short, I am now face to face with is guy who looks awfully familiar. Where did I see him?

 

“You... you look so...” he began.

 

“Familiar?” We both said at the same time.

 

“Ah! Arin!” He blurt out.

 

Huh? “You...?”

 

[switch]

 

“Ahhh! Where did he go?! Alexus is always running away!” Johani was fuming. I have to stand still so they won’t notice me. I’ll just have to sneak away slowly.

 

“Ah, it’s okay Hani.” That’s her voice. “Let’s just go.”

 

“Ah, no. Bellona, it was his fault in the first place. If you want him back we need to talk to him ASAP.” Johani is very passionate. But even if they talk me over again and again, I still won’t give in. I’m never going back.

 

I sneaked off successfully. I decided to go to the Wonderland Park where there aren’t much people around. Most of the people here are at the market grounds, so the parks and Central Town are almost deserted.

 

It’s the best time of day for a nap. And it’s also the best place to do so.

 

The most peaceful part of the park is in the maze. In the middle of the hedge maze is a fountain with benches. There’s a large tree there too, perfect to lie down underneath its shadow.

 

As I reached the place, I saw someone else was already there. Now who is this?

 

A girl. By the looks of her clothes, and that totoro backpack she was wearing, this is no doubt, Arin. She was always wearing that backpack. Is she in kindergarten? She’s the only person who runs around the campus wearing Totoro backpacks. I swear I even saw her wearing No Face once.

 

She was curled up underneath the tree. Her face was buried between her knees. Her hair was down like a silk curtain. And... I could hear her muttering in Japanese. I silently sat next to her.

 

“Sono yo ni... komaru... uuuu...”

I immediately took out my phone. Last night, I got fed up with her Japanese that I downloaded a Japanese dictionary. I just pick up at least one word from her sentences and I search it.

 

‘Komaru’ was the word that kept ringing in my head because it was what she was muttering. I typed it in the search bar of the dictionary.

 

It says, ‘embarrassing’.

 

What is she embarrassed of?

[switch]

 

“Just tell her you like her.” I heard Vince say.

 

Seth fidgeted. It was so cute.

 

“I have liked her for so long! I can’t believe I’m having this sudden want to tell her how I feel.” Seth says passionately.

 

“Man, she’s gonna like it.”

 

“What if she rejects me?” Seth asks.

 

Who are they talking about?

 

“You two have known each other since you were in elementary. Just be natural. I’m sure she feels the same way.” Vince laughs.

 

“Yeah, but what if she doesn’t?” Seth sounded nervous. “We’ve been friends all this time, I want to..”

 

“Aww man, just tell her. She’s right there.”

 

Could they be talking about me?

 

Does Seth plan to confess to me? We’ve been friends since elementary. We stick together like glue. I’ve known a lot of things about him.

 

I’ve also wanted to be with him, to be more than just friends.

 

I’ll surprise him!

 

It took me the whole night to summon my courage to tell him how I truly feel.

 

The next day finally came. I’m going to confess my feelings—the feelings I have kept to myself and denied for years—I’m going to confess them all to him. Finally!

 

Seth. I have always liked him. When we were in first year, I heard from our classmates that he has this interest on me. At first I denied my feelings towards him. The feeling of loving someone makes a lot of turns in everything. The things you do and the places you go to become more beautiful or more worthy of doing.

 

His shaggy hair and that pretty-boy smile... They all make my heart flutter. The sound of his voice, the way he laughs, and the way his eyes become smaller when he smiles or laughs, they all make my heart flutter. His favourites became my favourites. Sometimes, my favourites became his. I noticed so because one time I decided to like the colour green. The next day, he started using green pens and notebooks.

 

I was always hoping that one day that boundary between us will vanish. That wall will crumble one day.

 

So, here I am behind the Fourth-Year Building. I waited for him to come. We were supposed to meet here.

 

Maybe he forgot the time? Maybe I was too early? I feel so nervous.

 

“Ah, there you are. I needed to ask you something too.” He says as soon as he came.

 

“Oh, what was it that you wanted to ask?” I say.

 

“Uhh, you first.” He smiled.

 

“I...” This boy whom I liked for years now, I’m finally going to tell him all about my feelings! “...I... umm...”

 

He looked straight into my eyes, smiling.

 

Stop! You’re making me nervous, big time!

 

“Sukitta... Seth...” I mutter.

 

“Huh?” He took a step closer.

 

“Sukitta... Seth!” I blurt out louder than I intended to.

 

Seth was the only person in the class who can understand me so well. Not even my Japanese could hide my feelings and thoughts from him. He knows me that well.

 

“.....”

 

“I... I’ve always been... That’s how I feel... And I just wanted to tell you because the more I hide it, the more I feel like I’m going to explode! I heard you talking to Vince so I decided to tell you how I feel...”

 

“Ah... Well, Arin...” he began. Then he sighed, “I... I don’t feel the same way.” He says.

 

And from the back of my head I heard a resonating crack.

 

How... embarrassing.

 

“We weren’t talking about you. There was another girl I have always liked.” He says.

 

“Ahh... is that so? Then, it’s good!” I told him.

 

“Good?”

 

“I was just confused with myself so I confessed to you. Maybe if I did I would be able to sort myself out. I mean, you’re an idiot, why would I fall for you, ha ha ha!” That laugh came out half-heartedly. SO, I laughed again.

 

“Hahahaha, baka. Anata... watashi no ichiban ii tomodachi desu. Gomen ne... guzen ni...”

 

“Iie, Seth. It’s no big deal. It was a misunderstanding.” I tell him.

 

I don’t remember much of what happened after that. I do know that Seth and I have become total strangers after that confession. It was embarrassing. I couldn’t face him again after that.

 

And now, we see each other again after a few months. I thought he went overseas? I thought he went to London to continue his studies? I though he said he was supposed to go to college there? But, why is he here? He was wearing the red shirt of the IT Department. There was a print on his sleeves that says ‘Multimedia’.

 

The moment I saw him, I faked a call from my friends and immediately excused myself. I ran away from him. The farthest I could go.

 

I am now here under the single tree in the middle of Wonderland Park. Hapburn University sure does love maze gardens.

 

I kept my face buried in my hands.

 

Why won’t my tears stop falling? This is so annoying!

 

Ack! Something heavy dropped onto my back! What was that? I immediately raised my head up. As I glanced sideways, I saw a person leaning on me. Who is this?! I cant see the face since his hood was up.

 

I panicked! I bolted up so suddenly that he slipped momentarily then fell onto the grass with a thud. He immediately sat up, though.

 

“I didn’t eat the chips!” He said out loud.

 

Huh? What a weirdo!

 

He took off his hood, then rubbed his eyes. Wait. That hair looks really familiar.

 

Our eyes met the moment he looked up at me.

 

And we stared into each other’s eyes for what seemed like an infinite moment.

 

[snip]