Happy New Year!!!

VRMM VRRM…VRRM VRRM

Incoming Call from: Sentaro

“Where the hell are you, man? It's 11:47! They’re going to be starting the show any minute!... Hello? Ren, can you hear me? Ren? REN! “ *beep*

I didn’t have a spare moment to talk, not a single one. The train was pulling into the station now, and it was packed full. I knew the second those doors slid open, I had to run.

“The Next Station is: Nihon-Odori Station.

Please watch your step as you

Depart on the left hand si-”

“Excuse me, pardon me…” I crammed and squeezed my way through the train car that was packed as tightly as a tin of sardines, receiving more than a few rough knees and elbows along the way. I’d made my way to the doors, and the second they began to hiss open like a living beast, I ran through them and sprinted through the station.

“Hey, slow down, you can’t do that!” A guard shouted out to me as I mantled over the turnstile and quickly disappeared into the bustling crowd before I could be pursued. I found the walkway that led above ground, avoiding the slow-moving escalators to instead rush up several flights of stairs in only a few huge bounds, hunching over to catch my breath as I arrived at the top.

The streets of Yokohama were alive and full of life, every section of the street and sidewalk occupied by couples old and young. Loud street music was playing here and there as street vendors shouted out to people, offering them delicious foods. A large parade with a marching band and giant balloons in the shapes of Japanese mythological figures was lumbering down the road towards me, playing their brass instruments, so loudly it seemed to drown out every other sound.

VRMM VRRM…VRRM VRRM

Incoming Call from: Sentaro

“Please tell me your close?” The noise around me was so deafening I could barely make out what Sen was saying, and I had to shout into the receiver to even be able to hear myself speak.

“I’m here, I’m here! Where are you guys!” Suddenly, a loud ‘swoosh’ rang out through the sky, followed by a loud explosion as the whole skyline was lit up with a neon purple hue. The firework show was beginning, and I doubted that I’d be able to find Aiko or Sen in a crowd of this.

“We’re standing right underneath the giant Gundam statue, over by the water! Can you see it from where you are?!” I had to stop and look around, running down the sidewalk and bumping into dozens of people as I scanned the skyline for a giant Gundam. There! Just across the street right beside the Yokohama Bay stood the towering Mech sentinel. I squinted my eyes tightly, trying to spot Sentaro or Ai.

“Ren! Ren! Aiko says she can see you! She’s gonna hop up on my shoulders and wave her arms!” Sen was practically screaming into the phone now as the fireworks picked up, luminescent flashes of blue and green flashing off of the skyscrapers along the bay. I could see her, and not only her, but the adorable orange Kimono she was wearing!

I was about to rush right across the street to them when I realized there was NO WAY I’d make it across before the mile-long parade was between us, but I had to try.

“Out of the way, Man in love here! Pardon me, but I’ve gotta go see the most beautiful girl in the world!” I slithered my way through each group of people as I made my way across the street, the exploding fireworks and brass instruments of the band now so loud my head was a spinning mess.

I tried desperately to keep my eyes on Sen, who had decided to rush down into the street with Aiko still on his shoulders, flailing her arms around wildly. We had nearly closed the gap and were only a few feet from each other now when at the same time the parade and band had rudely decided not to stop.

“Ren, grab my hand!” Aiko shouted, reaching down from a top Sen as a stood up on my tippy-toes and tried to grab her. Just as our fingers interlocked, a giant parade float of the Emperor and Empress passed by behind me, snagging my hood as it began to drag me along with the parade.

“Wh…whoa hold on Aiko I gotcha~” I called out as she slipped off of Ren’s shoulders and landed right in my arms, the two of us being strung along like kites in the wind. Suddenly and quite unexpectedly, someone tapped me on the head. I turned around and looked up to see a man in a full bodysuit of lucky cat looking down at me from on the float.

“Hey kid, need a hand?” He shouted, extending a hand down to pull us up. I looked back for Sen, who was slowly falling more and more behind while trying to bash his way through the crowd.

“Just go, I’ll catch up!” He yelled as he was swallowed into a mixture of pedestrians, musicians, and people slowly following alongside the float on motorcycles also dressed as lucky cat. I returned my attention to Lucky cat and grabbed his hand, he pulled us both up and unhooked my hoodie from the side of the float.

“YOU MADE IT, REN, HAPPY NEW YEAR!” Aiko yelled, both of us clutching at each other’s wrists as the parade float traveled onward beneath the fireworks.

“HAPPY NEW YEAR, AIKO, IS IT AS GOOD AS YOU IMAGINED IT WOULD BE?!” I yelled as the workers on the float tossed candy over our heads into the crowd.

“I’M SO HAPPY! I DIDN’T KNOW HOW THIS NIGHT COULD GET ANY BETTER!” Just then, a cold breeze blew over Yokohama harbor, bringing with it snow clouds that had been looming over the town, just waiting for the perfect moment to break free; and this was it. Thick fluffy snowflakes began to twirl through the air, being lit up like a million bioluminescent sea creatures each time another firework was shot into the sky.

“REN LOOK, LOOK IT'S SNOWING!!!”

“ I SEE IT, I SEE IT!” I yelled out as I looked up, entirely awe-struck. Aiko and I looked at each other for a brief moment before holding hands while walking to the front of the float.

“And Passing under the intersection now,

We have the Emperor and Empress

Commemorative float!!!”

A loud voice rang out throughout the street, played over speakers that had been set up all along the parade route, a spotlight suddenly turning on from above to illuminate Aiko and I along with everyone else on the float.

“REN, WHAT HAPPENED TO SENTARO? I DON’T SEE HIM ANYWHERE!” I looked around left and right as our picture appeared on a large screen in Yokohama square, the parade being cast to live television. I scanned everywhere in the crowd, worriedly looking for Sen.

“ Hey Ren, Aiko! Over here!!! Hahaha!” I heard my name being called out over a megaphone. I looked over in the direction I’d heard it from, Aiko pointing out into the crowd.

“THERE!” I followed from the tip of her finger to out in the crowd, spotting Sen sitting on the back of one of the motorcycles being driven by lucky cat, he was laughing wildly and waving his arms at us. We both smiled and stepped in close to each other, I wrapped my arms around her as she rested her back against my chest, We both stood there in the front of the float, staring up at the sky, mesmerized.

“ Hey, Aiko…” I said, just beside her ear, so I didn’t have to speak as loudly.

“Yeah?...”

“I love you…” Just then, the finale started, the biggest firework of all blowing up in the sky, drowning my voice out.

“WHAT?!” she shouted as she turned her head to look back at me. I simply pulled her in a little closer, smiling up at the stars.

“You may not have heard me say it,

But I know at that moment,

You felt it

Just like me.”