Before You, Fall in Love With Me: Part Three

“Murakami, I’m quite unsure if I want to do this… How stable can a boat that small be?”

“Look at everyone else out there. Their boats are fine.” Katsumi gestured to the families happily paddling their boats through the gorge.

In front of them was a small stoney beach with a wooden dock. A couple small row-boats were tied up and a couple meters away was a rental shop.

“I know, but, what if ours isn’t…”

You’re just worried for no reason, come on. I mean you know how to swim, right? Plus we wear life-jackets.”

Mayumi sighed. Then after a moment of silence nodded her head. “Alright…”

The two paid the rental fee at the admissions booth, with the small boat waiting for them at the dock. All the while on their way to the boat, Mayumi fiddled with a life-jack, trying to get it to fit perfectly.

“You know what you’re doing? Right?” She asked.

“Well, it’s not a Kayak, but it’s basically the same thing. We’ll be fine.”

The dock was at the mouth of the gorge. It seemed like the water sliced the land open, forcing its way forward. Steep cliff-faces lined both sides of the waterway creating an effect that would wholy capture the attention of someone who saw it for the first time.

After a little more reassurance from Katsumi the two set off in the boat. Mayumi held on tight to the sides of it as they set off.

“Are you doing alright?” Katsumi asked as he continued to paddle.

She loosened her grip. “Yeah, it’s not as bad as I thought.”

Katsumi gave a faint smile as Mayumi looked on in amazement at the steep cliff-faces covered in vines and moss.

“Thank you for taking me here, it’s been a lot of fun so far.”

I hate that… She’s been showing so much expression around me lately. Like she’s started to trust me. I know that’s part of what I asked of her but... why do you have to go that far Arata? Why won’t you feel the same way as I do? Why don’t you realize that we can’t keep going on like this?

“Murakami, you’re staring.” She teased.

“O-oh, sorry… I was just thinking—”

“About what?”

Katsumi didn’t expect her to investigate any further, so this question caught him off guard. “Uhm… well… It’s nothing really. I’ll tell you later I guess.”

“You can’t tell me now?”

“...No…”

Mayumi didn’t seem ready for such a curt answer. “Oh, alright.”

“Sorry, it’s about the same thing from dinner last night… I’ll tell you some other time.”

“It’s alright.” She smiled.

The two spent the next hour out on the water—talking and laughing. Finally, as the sun neared the horizon, they returned to the hotel where Makoto and Kaede were waiting.

“Hmm~ Where’ve you two been?” Kaede asked with a cheeky smile.

“We walked the gorge trail and went out on the boats.” Katsumi responded, leaving no room for Kaede’s misleading questions.

“Boring~”

Katsumi shook his head. “Well what did you two do that was so interesting?”

“We got breakfast and explored the historical sites.” She said in a triumphant tone, as if what they did was somehow superior.

“And that’s a lot more interesting…”

“Alright Katsumi, come on,” Makoto said. “That stuff is really interesting… to old people like her.”

Kaede jabbed Makoto in the side.

Makoto tried to block her jabs in protest and quickly apologized through his laughter.

Kaede crossed her arms. “Wasn’t a funny one…”

“Anyways,” Makoto continued. “You two should get ready, we’re going out to dinner soon.”

Mayumi stepped into the bathroom with some clothing and locked the door behind her. After some silence and the sound of clothes ruffling she said, “Do you think there is something going on between those two?”

Did she ask what I think she did? I mean the door muffles it a little… Huh, I didn’t think she’d be interested in that kinda business, especially if it included a family member… I mean everyone likes some gossip I guess…

“Hmm—” Katsumi thought. “Knowing Makoto, I’m guessing he wants something to happen. But also knowing Makoto, I don’t think anything has happened yet. What’d you think?”

“Now that I have talked with Matsushita a little he seems like a nice person. So I wouldn’t mind if something had.”

“Are you some sort of guardian for Hirano?” Katsumi asked jokingly while straightening his collar.

“No, I just care about my family a lot— Ow!” She finished her sentence with a yelp.

“You alright in there?”

“Yeah… I just pulled some tangled hair.”

“It’s nice though, that you care so much about Hirano.” After letting his comment linger for a moment, Katsumi added, “If you’re worried about Makoto being… Involved in… bad stuff, he isn’t. He works an office job and has grown up a lot quicker than me.”

“I overheard Hirano talking about work with him yesterday. They seem to share a lot in common.”

“Seriously? Like what?”

“They both hate their jobs.” Katsumi could hear Mayumi’s smile through her words.

“Yep, that’ll bring adults together.”

“That could be us one day. Complaining about our co-workers and long hours.”

Katsumi was tying his tie and froze mid-loop.

Why’d she have to phrase it like that… I forgot about what I had to do for a moment… Everything felt alright too. Now it sounds so stupid… It’s all going so well right now. But it won’t last like this forever, no matter how much I want it to, I know it won’t. When we get back, if I don’t have this talk with her, no matter how hard I try to put on a facade, it will slip.

“Murakami?” Mayumi poked her head out of the bathroom door. “Why’d you go silent?”

“Oh— ah, I was just… trying to remember how to tie a tie…”

She gave him a look, a type of look that a mother would give her son when he messes up his recently straightened hair.

Mayumi disappeared into the bathroom for a second and came back out with black dress pants and her red zip-up sweatshirt on. She began to close the distance between them.

What’s this feeling? Why can’t I say anything…?

“Here,” Mayumi said.

She gently took the tie out of Katsumi’s hands—looping and pulling it until it was properly done. Her delicate hands grazed across Katsumi’s chest numerous times in the process. She completed the last loop and patted the tie down on his chest.

“There...” Mayumi looked up at Katsumi.

“Ah— y-yeah… Thank you…” His face was shifting to a faint shade of red.

Their faces were mere inches from each other.

Mayumi’s hand lingered on his tie. Her breath felt warm—her eyes glistened.

“Y-you should finish getting ready,’ Katsumi took a step back. “I’m guessing Makoto and Hirano have been waiting on us.”

“Y-yeah… You’re probably right.” She replied, turning to walk back to the bathroom.