A Show

"────"

Nothing was wrong that day.

The sun is shining.
The flowers are blooming.
Petals falling as the clear river keeps flowing.
The ground, the sky, the children, the elder, who walks,
who runs, who smiles, who laughs. Everything is clear as it is supposed to be. 

─But even so,
Even among the rain of colorful petals of cherry blossom─

"Jaya! Please keep your distance close to the group!"

A bland, colorles boy standing a little bit further from the crowd. 165 cm height, and weight for 54 kg.

Short cutted hair, sharp eye, with a quite pointy nose. 

Tucked in uniform and a neat necktie on his collar, with a well maintained belt and shoes. 

"───"

He shows no joy, nor sadness.
He just proceed to sit on the stair step, watching as the petals falls down. 

The warm rays of sun.
The scatered petals.
The waving trees. 
The swaying winds.
The cloudless sky. 
The calm river. 
The smilling crowds. 

Everything about this scenery is so─
"───Boring, isn't it?"

At his surprise, he turn his head around to seek the voice he heard. 

A cold sensation spread around his cheeks. 

"You want some?"
A can of cold coffe, tapping slightly to his face.
In response, he took the coffe from her hand.

The girl sits beside him and humming gently.

A familiar melody.

...What is she doing?

Clanck! The can is opened.
He sips the coffe as the girl beside her still humming to herself.

There are no conversation between them.

One just keep humming gently while checking her phone from time to time.

While the other just sit and watch while sipping his canned drink. 

After a few moments pass, the girl suddenly stands and wipes her skirt.

Her long black hair.
Her round kind eyes.
A quite slender figure, and modest height. 

If both of them were to stand beside each other, then she would only be as tall as his shoulders. 

"─Isn't it boring?"
"───huh?"
"The cherry blossoms. Don't you feel bored watching it?"

Boring?
How could she say that? 
The cherry blossoms itself has incredible value for this country, that event tourists are willing to pay more just to experience it first hand.

On top of it, spring ist the only time where people could enjoy it. A very special ocassion on a special time.

And she said it's boring?

"───it does."
And so, I gave my answer.

What is so great about it anyway? 
It is just exactly how you see it countless time on tv and the internet. 
The crowd are to noisy and the park got too cramped with the people around us.
There is no sign of relaxation to be found. 

It's just a waste of time.

"──Right? It really sucks isn't it."
The girl beside me smirks at my response.

"The crowd just make the place feels cramped. some of them even got to noisy sometimes," she said.

She walks away and turns her head to me.

"Wanna go?"

without waiting my response, she walks further away towards the park exit. 

And for some reason...
I've found myself walking beside her.

For an instance,
I saw a little smirk on her face.

"Won't the teachers got mad at you?"
"I heard teenagers are problematic no?"
"Hmhm~ That's a good one. I like it."

And so, we walk away from the park.
No more words out, nor more laugh.

The only sound we make and hear, is our footsep as we walk. 

Ater a while... I could see a familliar, yet strange, place.

"───The abandoned classroom?"
"Correct."

It was a building from the school that I currently attend. 
It's only've been three days since I've moved, but I know that there is an abandoned building located at the west part of the school ground. 
Since the school told us to stay away from it, majority of the students wouldn't come here anyway.

The girl walks while humming gently, opening the door like it's a natural thing for her to do. 

"C'mon, let's go in."
"───Okay."

Doubts start to cloud my mind while I stepped in to the building. 

Is she's just a deliquent who tries to smoke or skipping classes?

While thinking for the answer, we eventually stopped in front of a classroom. 
In front of the door, a large closet blocks the access to the entrance, making it impossible to enter. 

"Can you move it for me?"
"──you mean, push this closet aside?"
"Exactly."

She moves beside the closet and tried to push it.
"Usually, I move this thing by myself."

Just by those little effort she makes of course the closet remains there, but she's already panthing hard.

It doesn't seems she's faking it too.

"Today, I'm not feeling that well. And I've promised to show you something too."
She walks behind me and rest her back against the wall.

.....
I got doubts, but...
I've come this far anyway. 

Might as well to see this through.

"...I guess, I'll try."

I move beside the closet and give it a push.

"...huh."
Surprisingly, it's not even that heavy.

The girl walks forward, humming gently. Putting her hands on the doorknob.

─Creaks

The old rusty door opens up.
And inside...

... is some thing that I do not expect. 

"Is that── a Television?"

In the middle of the classrom, I saw a television on the a table. In front of it there is a sofa, long enough for three people to sit on it and an antique lamp beside it, standing on top of a worn out drawer.

"That's right, it is  a television," she said. 

Shocked, I decided to take a closer look of the classrom. 
To be honest, it's not that different from a normal classrom. The black board and the teacher desk are still there. The students desk are also there, even though their placement is beyond messy. 

The only difference it has from a normal classrom is just the moss and dust is basically everywhere, and the television set in the middle.

The girl walks into the classroom and sit on the left end of the sofa. 

"─Here."
She said as she pat the sofa lightly.

...and I sat like she told me at the opposite.

She starts to pick the remote beside her, and turned the tv on. 

No way.
Is she planning to watch movies in the school ground?

"─what are we──"
"─shush."

The Television lights up. 

"───the movie is starting."
and she put the remote down.

From then on, the televisions flashes non-stop.

A space ship.
A beach.
An abandoned mansion within a forest. 
A vast meadow under the sunset.

Sometimes, it has a very high picture quality at the point where you can't spot the difference of the real thing and the edit.

But sometimes, it also has a very poor and bad quality visual. Even I could take a guess when those movies were aired for the first time.

ِA guy just tried to jump from the second floor to escape an ambush. But his pants is stuck and expose his underwear as he falls pittifully.

"Ahahaha~! What is that guy doing?"
Even when she's alone, she's the type who covers their mouth while laughing huh?

The movie changed.

A huge laser beam strikes the tower. 

"...damn"
I felt bad for the main character of this show.

Movies after movies keep appearing on the screen.

How much time has passed since then?
The curtain blocks the sunshine from entering, making me completely oblivious to the flow of time.

Is it an hour?
Or two?
Or maybe more?

A credit roll could be seen on the screen. 

"──Ah!"
The girl beside me start to stretch her body.
"──That was nice!"
She relax her back and lean on the sofa. 

Since the TV has been turned off, only two things remain in the room: The silence filling up the air, and the distance we have.

Both of us remain quite for a moment. 

Until─
"──Hey."
The girl lift her right feet up on the sofa. She rest her head on her knees, while looking to my direction.

"─Yeah?"
"Want to do it again tomorrow?"
"Are you planning to skip the class again?"
"Don't worry, today is an exception. I usually go only after school ends."
"I see."

"───────────────"
"────────────"

"─────Okay"
After a long silence, I gave my answer. 

no matter how you look at it, this encounter with her, is absolutely strange.

There is no reason. No absolute reason of why should we do this together in the first place.

To top it, she hide properties that shouldn't be brought to school and also trespassing a restricted area. 

If the teachers know this──
Hell, if the anyone knows about this, it might be the end of my line here.

She seems  surprised by my answer. 
"...Won't the teacher get mad?"
"They said that youngster like us are problmatic, no? I'm just trying to meet their expectation."

A giggle slipped from her pursed lips.

"Are all the exchange students like you?"
"Can they stay and watch movies for 8 hour straight without sleeping halfway through?"

She chuckles a bit upon my respond.
"I guess you're diffrent then," She said with a smile.

The clock tells that the sun has set.
"...7 pm, huh."

The girl stands up and wears her shoes. 
"──I guess, see you tomorrow?"

Tomorrow...huh

"...Don't you think it's  unfair? For you knowing my name, While I don't?"
"I know."
"──Then?"

She pauses her step.

"──Aoki."

And once again, Aoki starts to walk towards the exit, humming gently along the way.

...And so, tomorrow came.

Two people on the opposing seat are watching the same screen. 

A guy eating a can of spinach could be seen throwing ships across the dock.

Aoki thinks that's hillarious.
We laugh.

And tomorrow comes.

Two people on the opposing seat are watching the same screen.

"How does their swords work if it only consist of light?"
"A special Force, I guess."

Our favorite character died.
We cried.

And tomorrow comes. 

Two people on the opposing seat are watching the same screen.

"I don't wanna watch sad movies anymore."
"And so am I."

Aoki decided to watch horror movies.
she deeply regret her life choices.

And tomorrow comes.

"Didn't you buy the same thing yesteday?"
"Ah? Cuwwy? weah. Whew twaste awazwing."
"...Didn't they teach you to swallow your food first?"

The fantasy movie was great.
It's a shame we couldn't complete the saga today.

And tomorrow comes.

We decided to watch some chinese martial arts.
It seems her legs got a little bit tired from today's sport lesson. 
She rest her feet on my lap.

And tomorrow comes.

Two people on the opposing seat are watching the same screen.

"Aoki."
"Yes?"
"Why do you like movies so much?"
"Because my father loves them."
"Sweet. Does he gave you some recomendation?"
"Sadly no. The one I know are only these collections that he kept before he died."
"..."

For the first time, they sit on the same side of the seat.

And tomorrow comes.

She said she wants to see the movie in bigger screen.
We went to the cinema. 

She seems happy.

And tomorrow comes.

Two people sit on the same side of the seat.

"*Chuckles* Really? Curry again? What am I going to do"
"I haven't eat this for two days you know? Besides, I wouldn't be able to eat this anymore in 2 weeks."
"...Yeah, you're right."

We decided to watch some korean dramas.

Today's curry taste way better than usual.
Maybe because I don't have to spoon it with my own hands.

And tomorrow comes.

Aoki wants to see fishes. 
We go to see the aquarium.

She fell asleep on the bus.
She won't wake up  no matter how hard I tried.
I carried her home on my back.

And tomorrow comes.

Two person on the opposing seat are watching the same screen.

"...Why didn't you tell me that the headmaster is your mother?"
"Hm? Because you didn't ask?"
"──Dang it."
"Is there something wrong?"
"... at least now I know why your base is so safe."

We watched an old japanese anime.
I'm surprised at how good the write the story.

And tomorrow comes.

"─────"
"───────"

Only silence can be heard before I'll go.
──But even so, our clasped hands have said enough.

And then, tomorrow comes
──But she never came.

It was the last day of spring. 
Every student exchange participant have gathered in the airport.

As a matter of course, the school, like the teacher and fellow student, escort the partcipant until the plane took of. 

But no matter how much Jaya searches for her, she's nowhere to be found.

Even the principal is absent today...

"Everyone, please go into the waiting room! Our flight will arrive shortly!"

He hopes.
He hopes.
He hopes.
He hopes.

And he took of.

And then, there are no more tomorrow for both of them.

===============================================

Dear Jaya

How was your flight? I'm sorry for being absent in the most important time. I really want to go, but I guess, I couldn't. Right now, All I can do is to lay down on my bed and recover! but don't worry! it's just a fever! I slipped this on your bag the day before the departure so I could say my last goodbye. I hope you well Jaya. And please keep in touch.

sincrely,
Aoki

==============================================  

Dear Jaya

It's been a month since you've got back from japan. How are you? I hope you're fine. Time passesby really quickly isn't? I haven't been going to school for a while, but please don't be worried. I'll be back sooner than you though. I'll send you my regards when that happens. So please, be safe. And keep in touch.

sincrely,
Aoki

===============================================

Dear Jaya

Hello Jaya. Fall will come very soon at Japan. How you've been doing? 

I know, that you're probably know about my condition. Mother has said that she also wrote some letter to you, regargding about my condition and well being. 

To be honest, my condition is not good. I've started feeling pain when I tried to walk, and felt my lungs burn whenever I breathe. But please do not be worry. I'll make a full recovery soon and  we could  meet again

sincrely,
Aoki

=======================================

Dear Jaya

I'm going to undergo a surgery. Doctor said if it successful, I might be able to get a full recovery.

I want to see you.

sincrely,
Aoki

======================================

Another mail has come to me.

"Dear, Jaya"

In her place, spring should've started from the last week. 
Which means───

There is only one sentence written on the paper. 

"I made it."

The paper she sent was crumpled.
Stains of tears could be seen on the paper. 
Her usual neat and beautiful writing is also nowhere to be seen.

"─────"

As soon as the mail got sent to me, 
I decided to book the earliest flight I could get to Japan.

Two days later I set my foot, 
I saw it with my own eyes──

─────A grave.
A grave with the name Aoki engraved on it

─One year.

One year has passed since the first time they met.
And today, in another spring, the bland and colorless boy standning once again.

"───"

Nothing was wrong that day.

The sun is shining.
The flowers are blooming.
Petals falling as the clear river keeps flowing.
The ground, the sky, the children, the elder, who walks,
who runs, who smiles, who laughs. Everything is clear as it is supposed to be.

─But even so,
Even among the rain of colorful petals of cherry blossom─

The boy remain colorless. 

There is no joy could be seen, but so do sadness.
There is no smile could be caught, but so do tears

The warm rays of sun.
The scatered petals.
The waving trees.
The swaying winds.
The cloudless sky.
The calm river.
The smilling crowds.

Everything about this scenery is so─
"────Boring. Isn't right, Mother?"

The girl on the wheelchair starts to clasp her hand. 
When she goes into prayer, the boy behind her, also tried and do the same.

They stood silently for a moment.
Until─
"Jaya."
"Mhm?"
"Do you wanna watch some movies."

A smile surface on his face. 
Gently he start to push the the wheelchair, leaving the graveyard.

"Yeah, let'sg home. Akari."

Akari starts humming a familiar note.