As Long As I'm With You

Trying not to get myself too down about the second part of our date failing miserably too, we move on to the next and last phase:

Third part of Yukio’s genius date plan:

Carousel ride!

I heard there was a carousel set up in town around the park, so we made our way there.

…

“Sorry the carousel is out of service!” The employee was supposed to be operating it, announced to the people standing in line.

Third part of Yukio’s genius date plan: Failure…

...

That’s it. I give up…

“I suck… I’m a failure… Sllrp….” I voice dejectedly, as I give my ice cream a good, depressed lick.

After our third plan in a row failed, we bought ice cream from the convenience store, that Hana HAD to pay because I lost my leftover bills somewhere along the way and sat next to the lighthouse of the port, overlooking both the island and the ocean.

Somewhere in the island…

“Whoop, luckyyyy!” Emi, who was walking aimlessly around town, found a 5,000 yen bill lying on the road.

And of course stuffed it in her pocket and walked away.

“Can you please stop saying that? Sllrp…” Hana replied, doing the same to her cherry pop.

“But… but I ruined your dress. And then those cats, ruined our lunch! And then that carousel just HAD to stop working today! Are we cursed?! Am I cursed?!” I start a rant that I have no clue where it will lead.

“Pfft…” Hana on the other hand, tries to hold back laughter.

“Hahaha!” And of course fails.

“Laugh away… I am pathetic after all!” I sigh dramatically, turning back to my ice cream.

“I’m sorry, I just remembered the look you gave Daichi, when he said he made a mistake with our order! You were about to blow a fuse and lunge at him!” Hana continued to laugh her heart out, and my eyes couldn’t help but be drawn to her, instead of the sea.

She looked so happy, smiling and laughing like that. It honestly made me question how pointless my planning actually was.

If she could laugh and enjoy herself, I couldn’t care less about my date plan. And if what we’ve been through today, could make her look back on this date and smile, then that was enough for me.

Silly romantic dates weren’t meant to be our thing, anyway. As long as we get to have fun, that’s all that matters.

“Haha… Hahaha!” I too, broke out into a laugh, unable to contain it. Half laughing at what Hana said, and half mocking myself for the silliness I displayed.

“…And that moment! When you said “No, Taro, no!” I just wanted to laugh so hard!”

“Hey, he was about to bite my thigh!”

“Hahaha!”

Laughing together like this, made all the frustration of today feel completely worth it.

“Yukio!” Then Hana turned to me with a beaming smile.

“Hm?” I mused.

“I feel like, as long as I’m with you, everything will turn out to be fun!” She voiced, taking me completely by surprise.

It was like she had read my mind, and heart, and knew exactly what I was feeling at the time.

It was then that I realized…

I love this girl. From the bottom of my heart.

“Me too, Hana… You’re the one that taught me how to have fun, after all.” I voice as sincerely as one can, looking back at her eyes. Back inside those yellow beads of beauty.

Taken aback by my words, she averts her gaze and blushes furiously.

I want to tell her how I feel…

And as I made up my mind in a split second, I opened my mouth to speak.

“Hana, I…”

Despite the fact that we were dating, we’ve never once talked about love. I had never said something like it, and neither did Hana. But I felt like now, the time was right.

“I…” She turned to look at me, as I struggled.

For some reasons, the word “love” had caught on my throat, and it just wouldn’t come out. I struggled and struggled, by my mouth just wouldn’t obey my mind.

Having uttered nothing to follow up, I turned to look down, completely dejected.

“Hey… Let’s go to the beach!” Hana voiced, having finished her ice cream.

She quickly changed the subject, and got up.

After looking at her for a good couple of seconds, I shook my disappointment away and smiled.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

No need to rush. I can tell her when I’m ready.

We walk over to Kanata beach, the one we were stargazing from, as the sun had started to set, painting the sky in a beautiful orange hue.

“So I know we came here, but what now?” I ask, resting my hands on my hips.

“Now… we do, this!” Hana slips out of her shoes and socks and runs towards the ocean.

“This girl…” I shake my head with a smile realizing how much my girlfriend loves the sea all over again, and remove my shoes and socks as well.

“Wait up, you troublemaker!” I roll my pants just under my knees so they don’t get wet and follow Hana over the shallow part of the ocean. As soon as I reach her, I try to think up something witty on the spot, but quickly notice the way she’s looking over at the horizon.

The sky is completely painted orange, and the clouds’ greyness contrasts with the red glow of the sun making for a surreal sight. And of course, the ocean couldn’t be left behind in a contest of beauty, as the waters, that had turned to liquid gold, glistened beneath the sun.

“It’s beautiful.” Hana simply voiced, looking over the ocean in awe.

Hana was a local of Ryusejima. But despite seeing this every day for 17 years, she still stood and appreciated the beauty, nature so selflessly and effortlessly handed out to us humans.

All the locals just walked past that sight, without batting an eye. But not her.

Hana appreciated every little thing given to her, and she cherished it, as something precious.

This was the girl I loved. And I wanted to give her the whole world to look at through her window, so she could gaze at it every single day.

As she spoke about the view, I turned to look at her instead. Because for me, that sight was even more beautiful than the sunset.

“I have a better view over here, though.” I smile at her, as her face turns completely red and her eyes go wide due to the unexpected compliment.

“I-I… Ey!” Unable to find the words to respond, she pushes me in the water, and I fall flat on my butt.

“Oopsie!” Hana giggles to herself, holding a hand over her mouth.

Oh now, it’s ON!

I think to myself, as Hana offers me her hand, and I drag her down with me.

“Eep!” With a cute little yelp, she splashes in the water next to me.

“That’s mean!” She protests, despite her laughter.

“Not as mean as what you did! Now my underwear is all wet!”

“Ey!” As we’re sitting down, looking at each other, she splashes water on my face yet again.

“Pfft! You little!” And of course, I don’t take that lying down, and go back to the offensive.

And soon, we start chasing each other around the shallow waters, completely indifferent to the fact we’re wearing regular clothes.

No matter how many times we do that splash and run, I’ll never get tired of it.

As long as I’m with her, nothing is boring.

“Hey, Hana…” I stop chasing her, switching back to serious mode.

“What is it? Had enough and decided to admit defeat?” She taunted me, walking closer with her arms behind her back.

“I know I’ve said this before but, since the days are drawing near for me to leave… I just wanted to say…Thank you. For this amazing summer.” I look straight into her eyes, a soft smile tugging on my lips.

“You have nothing to thank me for…”

“I do!” I cut her off.

“Without you, it would have just been dull. I know it.”

“I… I don't know what to say.” She smiles at herself and looks down, a hint of sadness in her eyes.

And when she raises her gaze again, that shadow becomes even more apparent.

“I'm not worthy of such praise...” She finally replies, and I can't help but deny her statement.

"That's not true-"

"Yukio!" She cuts me off, raising her voice. 

I had never heard her raise her voice like that.

Clearly taken aback herself, she flinches and looks down. 

"I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me." She turns her back as she speaks, clearly ashamed of her little outburst.

I guess, I'll never understand girls...

"Yukio?"

"Yes?" 

She then called out to me, hesitantly.

"What defines the "future""?

"The future? That depends..." 

Having a question like that dropped on me, I can't help but stumble over my response.

"Is tomorrow the future? Or the day after that?"

"Tomorrow, huh? If I had to say... tomorrow is a new present." 

"A new present, huh?" Hana muttered, loud enough for me to hear.

"Yukio?" Hana called out once again, as she turned around.

But her eyes didn't meet mine instantly. 

They lingered at the point of unity, between the horizon and the ocean.

"I'm sorry I-"

"Shh, enough with the apologies already!" I splashed her in the face, trying to get her back in the mood to fight me.

"Hey, you're not listening!"

"Come on, our summer is wasting away!" 

Hana glared at me, while I pressed on with my act. 

"Pfft! You little!"

Getting splashed in the face two times in a row was what did it.

“Heyyy guys!” 

Just as Hana is about to kick into next gear, a familiar, loud and energetic voice cuts her off.

Daichi and Emi are approaching the beach, with what looks like a volleyball in hand.

“Up for a game?”

“You two lovey-dovey fools, versus me and blockhead!” 

Emi and Daichi insanstly challenge us.

As if on cue, my girlfriend and I share a look.

“We’re in!” Voicing simultaneously, we get out of the ocean and skip towards the beach volleyball field.

Challenge accepted!

And thus, our group of 4 got into a really competitive game of volleyball.

Making me forget all about my remaining shift at the café…

Which of course, I got MORE than chewed out for…

This summer had been different. More different than I could ever imagine. It had been fun, dramatic, intense, relaxing and stressful all the same.

It’s just been one short summer in my long life, but my brain’s about to burst from all the memories…

But even this summer, has to come to an END.

And that end was drawing near… 

What defined the future really? 

For me, it doesn't really matter now.

We'll deal with that comes, when the time is right.