A Promise to Myself

I couldn't believe it.

"What is that?"

"It's a map, of course."

It's a map, he said. I'm on the way to me-well, you'll see. 

***

It feels like when we first arrived to Japan; Rich and I sitting on a plane (except this time was the train), wondering what would await us in our next adventure. We'd been to so many places and didn't really expect this time to be any different. Of course we would get involved in a deep, governmental scheme where the daughter of a Fortune 500 company recruits our help to take down her father, the head of said company, for? That was the question. She doesn't strike me as the vindictive person for the sake of being vindictive, but it has to be something more. She really believes in what she's pursuing, and to be honest, I can't say I'm any different. This story has kind of turned into a bit of fantasy, you know? Simple romantic adventure turned legendary fruit hunt for the Golden Apple or some shit. I'm sorry guys, from here on out, I'll talk about more fruit! 

"NEXT STOP-"

"Hey Rich."

"Now you speak to me?"

"C'mon, I always speak to you. Do you not speak to people who are unemployed? Is it because we have to share a hotel room now?" Which, I'm glad. The 5-star hotel? Totally lives up to the hype. The mirrors had a Bluetooth and Radio, top floor views, hahhh...the food.

"No. It's just that-I don't know."

"What?"

"Iwasalittleworriedaboutyou."

"What? Speak up, dude."

"I was worried."

"Really? And here I was thinking you were the one that had something to do with me being fired."

"WHAT?! How could you ever think I had anything to do wi-" Looking around, we noticed that a lot of people started paying attention to us. Sorry!

We boarded off on the next stop and decided to catch a cab. He said he would meet me at a place of my choosing and I had stumbled across a small cafe while walking around yesterday. However, his only stipulation was that I was to come alone. 

A single screen separated the driver and us, enough time to continue the conversation we were having, at least.

"I can't believe that you thought I had anything to do with that. In fact..." he paused for a second. "I quit the minute they had told me."

"Really? So, you paid for the 5-star hotel out of pocket? Wow. What a good friend."

But seriously, this guy. He didn't have to go and be a dumbass.

"Why?"

"Well, I-"

"It can't be because of your undying loyalty to me."

"Can you let me finish? You asked me remember?"

"Ok, Ok. Sorry. Continue. Mr. Rich."

He looked at me funny. Maybe I was being funny. Sometimes it's hard to understand the lengths people will go for you even though you feel like you don't deserve it. It's hard to comprehend that she claims that she has fallen in love with me yet, puts me and my friend in such a precarious (nice word, eh?) situation with no real explanation nor the end goal of said help towards her. Yet we went along. That, unfortunately, was a choice made by her. We weren't given any autonomy!

"Why can't you be serious? Take things into account? Underneath that fake facade of yours, I know there's a sensitive person that is too idealistic for his own good but pretends to be logical and act as if nothing matters. Things do matter. You loved to work at the University."

"You know what, I'll be honest. I didn't. And that's the actual truth. I loved discovering fruits, the trips and privileges that were permitted by the job I had. The work, papers, authoritarianism and deadlines, were what I hated."

"But that won't change."

"What? Bookwork. Oh yes it w-"

"No. I mean responsibility. That won't change. You have to be responsible and take care of what you have to take care of. NO MATTER what it is, it's the way of life."

"Confucius, eh?"

"No, it's being an adult. You just avoid it."

Hm? It puts pen to thought. He truly is a good friend. I wonder if I've done as much for him as he's done for me.

"What do you think of her?"

The car stopped. Apparently, we had already reached our destination and to my surprise,  two people in suits stood on each side of the door, seemingly preventing anyone else from coming in.

"Are you sure this is the place?"

"Yeah, it is. Actually, I picked the location. I have to do this alone; I'll call you later and Rich. Thanks."

He smiled and waved, "I'll be waiting for your answer later, don't forget."

Shit. It feels like Bowser is in there waiting for me, holding my princess hostage, dangling by her feet. Rin, I'm coming to save you! Wait, what am I saying? This has nothing to do with her. Or so I'd like to believe. But something, very deep in my soul, had started to creep up the minute I approached the doors, swinging open as I saw him sitting towards the back with a folder on the table. Nobody was inside, assuming that he bought the place out for the day to truly have this moment alone. That feeling, it almost had been forgotten, partially due to the restraints of life, but also my own ignorance of who I truly was. Adventure. 

That promise I made to myself all those years ago had started to eat my stomach from the inside out. 

At last, I can feed him exactly and I mean exactly, what he's been looking for. 

***