They stood outside of Tokyo City View. Looking up at the great height of the building, excitement is evident on their glistening eyes.

“Okay, here we are at the Tokyo City View”, she introduces in her voice full of enthusiasm he couldn’t help but feel excited as well.

“What are we going to do here? You seem so animate about this place”, he questioned.

“Oh, you don’t know about the Sky Deck? We are going to have a great view of the whole Tokyo at night, the sight is marvelous I tell you”, she giggles.

“Oh, so this is the Sky Deck? I’ve heard about this, actually saw pictures, and now I am here. What are we waiting for?” he smiles.

Minsoo insisted and won the debate of paying for their entrance tickets, they head for the elevators that would rocket them up the top floor.

“ You don’t have to pay for my ticket as well, I dragged you here, it’s only fair to pay fair”, she said when they are inside the elevator.

“It’s fine, consider it as my little thank you gift for taking me around for the third day now, okay?”

“O-kay!”, she said and the doors of the elevator slides open.

The moment the wind hits her face, she’s already smiling widely, laughing even. The Sky Deck offers a 360 degree-view of the Metropolis and unlike the Tokyo Tower which offers almost the same view, here, you can see the magnificence of the city without the glass! eye it is.

She lets the wind play with her hair as she walks closer to the windows, overlooking the beautiful scenery below them. Minsoo is walking beside her, his mouth gape open, totally in awe of what he’s seeing.

“Wow, this is beautiful!”

She giggles upon his comment, “I knew you’d like it, do you know that on a clear day, you can see Mt. Fuji from here?”

“Chincha? Daebak!”, he stares disbelieving. She nods smiling at him.

For a time, they stood there looking down and around the sight of Tokyo at night. Up there, they can see the constellation of city lights that spreads all over. He has seen photos taken from here before but now he can truly say that none of those photographs have given justice to this marvel.

“Pictures are blunt compared to the real one”, he’s ecstatic, she laughs.

They would have stayed there for hours if not for the night crawling deeper and deeper, plus they have their angry stomachs to attend to, they walked out and onto the bus station.

“You sit by the window”, she instructed when they are inside, picked the seat nearest to one of the buzzers, and motion for him to sit first.

“Why,  I thought you love sitting by the window?”

“Doesn’t matter now, you sit there”, she offers no explanation.

“Arasso”, he agreed and slipped in.

After telling him the station they are alighting in, reminded him to listen intently to the electronic voice that would state every station as they approach it, and for him to push the buzzer to signal the driver, she sit erect, closed her eyes and forget about him.

“Oh, so that’s why you make me sit here, huh, so that you can sleep”, his tone is teasing but he didn’t get any reply from her. He looks at her intently; he kept on staring, remembering how relaxed and light her face is while they were at the Sky Deck looking down at the magnificence of the city lights. Her smiling face looks so great to watch that he actually enjoyed their trip there more than he’d imagine. His stare is still intent when she suddenly spoke.

“Yah, quit staring, it’s uncomfortable.”

His eyes widen, How can she tell? Silence. He blinks but still keeps his gaze at her. She is so relaxed; her back is straight resting against the backrest facing north but with eyes still closed. Inside of their home, she sometimes acts and being treated as a baby but outside, she becomes this very independent lady, so sure of herself, confident in her skin. His thoughts were cut when she speaks again, this time, opening her eyes.

“Yah, I told you to quit staring, what do you want?” she asked in a sluggish tone.

“Uhm, you can rest your head on my shoulder”, he said softly, unbelieving that he actually said that, he leans back.

Closing her eyes again, she moved closer to his side and put her head on his shoulder. He was surprised first, but relaxed and even straightens his back so she has a better position afterwards.

They stayed like that for a while. Out of boredom, he took her hand in his and massages it softly, traffic is bad and the music inside the bus doesn’t help at all since the man is singing in Nihongo. Hyun Hae suddenly pulls her hand out of his grip and snake it around her body.

“You’re cold?” he asked.

She offers a small sound but nothing more after that.

He gently pulled his shoulder away from her, his other hand cradling her head, he puts his arm around her and pulled her close. She didn’t complain—in words or in action, she just stayed there, with her eyes still closed. Maybe she’s asleep, he thought. Good.

Smiling, he placed his head on top of hers and closed his eyes too. It’s been blank for a while for him and he knew that he has fallen into a nap; it was Hyun Hae that woke him.

“Yah, I told you to listen and keep watch to our station, why are you sleeping?” she nudges his head with hers.

“I’m not sleeping”, he claims.

“Yes, you are, you’re snoring.”

“I don’t snore, that means I really am not sleeping, you’re just imagining it.”

“You’ve slept. Your breathing became more even, your body slumped a little making your head feel heavier on top of mine”, she explained with her eyes still closed.

“You noticed all of those while you are asleep?” he asked, disbelieving.

“I’m not asleep, I’m just resting my eyes”, she said dramatically.

“Why do you sound so irritated?” finally he asks.

“It is because of this time-eating monster! We could be doing something more pleasurable at this moment than sit here and shiver under this cold air conditioner like eating or sleeping, but no, we are stuck here, unable to do anything. We only have to be patient and keep calm because whining like what I’m doing now is totally exhausting!” she gasp for air after her quick fanning out of her irritation.

He laughs at her. “Wow you hate traffic that much, huh? That’s amusing.”

They alight the bus after an hour, she starts stretching her limbs as they walk out.

“Gah! Home at last! Palli, I’m famished”, and she walks fast. Minsoo followed behind but when they the street where the house is, Minsoo quickens his pace.

They can see a group of men drinking by the side of the street, and as if sensing danger, he puts a protective arm around her shoulder and pulled her close as they march in the same pace.

Hyun Hae reading his action tried to calm him down, “Relax, no harm will come from these people, they know my family, and I’m sure Okasa and Sobo knows them as well”, she said softly as if convincing a child.

But Minsoo didn’t withdraw his hand.  He whispered back, “You can never be too sure.”

Seeing how serious he looked, she let it be. Guys and their protective instincts. She shook her head but is smiling at the caring gesture Minsoo is showing her.

They reached the house and Minsoo took his arm from her shoulder as he locked the gate behind them. The house is already asleep reminding them that it’s past ten in the evening. Hyun Hae walks straight to the kitchen and rummaged dinner while Minsoo locked the door.

When he enters the dining table, he can smell a sour yet delicious aroma from the kitchen, Hyun Hae joined him with plates and utensils in her hands.

“What’s for dinner? It smells delicious”, he asks as he helps set the table up.

“It’s Sinigang na Bangus, a Filipino delicacy. It is basically soured milk fish”, she explains and head back to the kitchen to fetch the food.

“Goble up!” she cheered after placing everything on the table.

“Is this a favorite of yours?” he suddenly asks.

“Hmm, nope, I was actually thinking that maybe Okasa thought we are eating out for I’m sure she knows I don’t eat milk fish”, she explains as she fits herself to just rice and soup.

“Why? It’s tasty”, he said as he literally gobbled up his food.

“Well, ‘cause of the fish bone, you see, milk fish has a lot, and I mean a lot!”, she said giving emphasis to the last word.

“Yeah, I can see that, what’s wrong with them?” he continues his feast, obviously enjoying the food.

“Nothing’s wrong with them, I’m just too lazy to take them out one by one, makes me even more hungry than full”, she explains and take another spoonful of her soupy rice.

Minsoo was silent for a while, and Hyun Hae is content with the silence as they eat, when suddenly, he puts a slice of the fish on her plate, all bones taken out. She looked at him in surprise. “Why?” she asked when she has gasped what just happened; Minsoo deboned the fish for her to eat.

“Thank you. That’s what you should say, right?” he said, trying to hide his smile through munching on his food.

She smiled silly, “Thank you, Okasa always debones fish for me, this is…” so sweet, shouts her mind.

Minsoo stopped eating and looked at her, waiting for the next word she’s gonna say.

“So… good, you deboned it nicely. Thank you”, she’s beaming.

Though a little disappointed when the word he’s expecting didn’t come, he still smiled and nod at her, they continue eating.

After eating and Hyun Hae was done with the dishes, they headed to the stairs, up to their rooms. When Hyun Hae is in front of her room, she turned to Minsoo. “Thank you for the fish”, she smiles.

He grins, “No, I should be thanking you, I owe my great vacation to you, thank you for accompanying me and putting up with my crazy idea of taking the bus though you obviously hate it”, he pauses, his grin widening. “And thank you for taking me to the Sky Deck, it really is beautiful”, he said, smiling with great sincerity in his voice.

She laughs, “I didn’t know you’re sentimental”, she teases.

He laughs at her comment. “Goodnight! Sleep tight”, he waves but didn’t budge from his standing spot outside of Hyun Hae’s room.

“Goodnight, Sweet dreams”, she waves back. “Rest now, you have a full day tomorrow”, she too didn’t move from her spot. They stood there standing and smiling at each other. After a moment of just smiling at each other, they burst into laughter.

“Go inside first”, he shooed her.

Still smiling, she turns the knob of her bedroom door and gave a last wave at him before going in and locking the door behind her.

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i believe Minsoo could really be this sweet with his girlfriend. :)