Scene 2: Confessions and Shared Laughs

“By the way, I like your voice.” //he’s shy

“R-Really?” //disbelief but happy “You’re the first person who has told me that. Why? What do you like about it?”

“Yes. I like how your words are clear, deep, and feel intimate.”

//giggle

“I didn’t know my voice sounded like that. I have no idea what to say but thank you. I hope my voice made your day.”

“No problem, just expressing my thoughts.”

“Glad you responded with a voice chat too. I was too shy to say it at first, but since you brought up about mine um…” //soft voice “I like your voice too.”

“Why do you like my voice?” //curious

“You sound cute, just like your cute face. Your voice gives me warmth as if you’re close to me, even if we’re not even close like friends yet.”

(She didn’t respond for hours)

(Checked her phone after hours and listened to the guy’s last voice chat sent)

“Hey. Are you still there? Are you busy?” //worried “Feel free to send me a reply with a chat or voice message.”

“You mentioned you liked my voice, too, right?”

“Nice, you’re there. I thought you ghosted me.” //chuckles “Yup, I mentioned that. Why?”

“And that when you hear my voice, it feels like I am close to you?”

“Yes, I said that.”

“Then we can call each other sometimes so that you’ll feel I am closer to you.”

//stutters “A-Are you sure?”

“I don’t mind. What about you?”

“Of course! I am more than glad to hear that. Anyway, when are you free for a voice call?” //delight

“I’ll be out for now. Call me at 9 PM.”

“Alright. Hear you at 9 PM!”

“Hear me?” //confuse

“Since I can’t see you yet, instead of seeing you at 9, I said I’ll hear you at 9.”

//chuckles “I see. I’ll hear you at 9, too. Have a great day.”

“I hope your day goes well. Take care.”

***

//Clears his throat

//SE: Tap the voice record button to start

“Hey, just let me know if you’re ready for a voice call.” //hopeful

//SE: Tap the voice record button to end

//SE: Send voice message

“I’m here. You can call me now.” //soft tone, slightly raspy voice

//SE: Voice call ring tone

//SE: Tap answer button

“H-Hello?” //he stutters, bashful “Hi. Are you there?”

“Hello, yes. How are you?” //nervous

“I was out for work and did some chores. How about you?”

“Same with me. I guess 9 PM is our free time to talk straight and not just through voice record and texts.”

“Yeah. Have you eaten your dinner?” //concern

“Yes, I ate a rice porridge. You?”

“Me as well. I had noodles topped with seaweed wrap, drank a hot tea, and had a slice of pie my co-worker gave me.”

“That tastes good. Want to play a game? Let’s play truth or dare!”//excited

“Alright.” //excited “I’ll go first. Truth or dare?”

“Truth”

“Tell me something that your family never knew about you.”

“Hmm…” //humming softly “There was a foreign man who asked me for directions. He talked in English since he couldn’t speak Japanese. I caught a few words here and there, but I couldn’t express my answer freely, so I just nodded at whatever he asked. Then he thanked me. After that, I ran fast. I was so embarrassed that he might come looking for me because I might have given him the wrong directions. I think he got lost because of what I did." //bashful laugh

//laugh “That’s hilarious! Let’s hope he made it. I’m next. Dare for me.”

“Drink a glass of water.”

“Okay. Please wait.”

//SE: He grabs a glass

//SE: Pour water into the glass

(drink 1 glass of water)

//gulp

“I just did. Why did you ask me to do that?”

“You ate something sweet. You should drink more water to balance your blood sugar level and for better digestion.” //warm tone

“You don’t have to worry about it… Thank you.” //bashful “Truth or dare?”

“Truth”

“Another truth…” //murmur “Do you have any regrets? No, let me rephrase that. What is your biggest what-if?”

“…Nothing comes to my mind.”

“Really? Why?”

"What I’ve done so far has shaped who I am now. And honestly, I’m pretty happy and content with the person I’ve become."

//admire

“Wow. That’s so cool of you.”

“I think I can answer your question.”

“What’s your answer?”

“My biggest what-if would be…” //contemplating “What if we had not swiped right to each other?”

(speechless for a moment)

//heave a sigh

“I don’t want to think about that possibility. But what matters is that fate has led us to meet each other.” //optimistic

“You’re right” //poise “Truth or dare?”

“I'll answer a question this time. Truth.” //confident

“What was the thing you did shamelessly?”

“One night, my neighbor was too loud. They blasted their speakers, playing random songs. I was so annoyed but didn’t have the guts to complain directly to them. So, I just sang along to the songs they were playing. You know what’s the tricky part?”

“Umm…” //humming “Your neighbor knocked at your door to silence you?”

“I sang off-key on purpose to annoy them, too!” //laugh

//laugh

“Hahaha! They must not have expected that from you.”

"After singing along to a couple of their songs, they finally stopped playing music. I actually got so into it that their loud music didn’t bother me anymore, but then, when they stopped, that’s when I started getting annoyed. I wanted to sing more, hahaha!" //exclaimed

“Hahaha!” //snorted “Oops” //bashful

“Hahahahahaha!” //bursting out laughing “Oh, s-sorry.” //stutter while stopping himself from laughing again “You sounded funny and cute at the same time.”

“My, that was embarrassing. I snorted like a pig.” //conscious

“No, I actually like it. You laughed so hard like there’s no tomorrow, hahaha” //low laugh

“Silly you” //chuckles “Serves your neighbors right.”

“Yeah. I can’t beat them, so I joined them.”

//proud

“How clever of you.”