Chapter Text
Every morning as the sun light slowly trickles down the wall to shine its light on us, ruining our peaceful sleep, it never fails to amaze me how beautiful you look being bathed by the streak of light that managed to find its way in between our curtains. Each and every morning I say “Good morning sunshine” as I weave my hand through your hairs and cup your cheek, each and every morning you'd reply with a kiss, a peck on my forehead like you always did.
After our morning bed routine I un-wantingly rouse myself up from bed to open our curtains and our window let the sun shine in its brilliance and the fresh air permeate unto our peaceful little sanctuary, it still also never fails to amaze me how whenever I turn around to look at you again through the floating dusts and the light as the chirping of birds and the buzzing of cicadas resound in our room; you still laying in bed squinting with your arm atop your forehead smiling as you watch me start our morning like you always would, and you always did.
Every now and then I would have to tell you to, “Get up sleepy head, our day is about to start” because you were always the type to beg for “5 more minutes Inaaa~”, and I would always indulge you. How couldn’t I? A beautiful woman like you with your messy blonde morning hair and your pretty blue eyes that shine like diamonds as the morning light bounced off them, and you always knew how to use them to your advantage.
When the time comes for you to actually wake up, you would always do so in a flash. Panicking while saying you would be late for work, I always found it cute every time because every now and then you would've said “I gotta be zooming, I’m a zoomer after all”.
There was also this one time when you barged in as I was in the shower, confused you said “Sorry, thought you were already cooking breakfast” as you scratched the back your head, I replied as I giggled slightly covering my mouth with a sly smile “It’s fine, come on in. We can save water and time if we shower together”. If only you saw how your face lit up the moment you heard the words that came out of my lips, you’d understand why I call you a gullible idiot.
Without second thought, you came in and hugged me from behind, wrapping me in your warm embrace, as you kissed my nape. You then twirled me around with one arm and rested your forehead on mine, soon saying “You’re so beautiful Ina”, “Flattery won’t help you detective, I’m already all yours to begin with” I replied, before I leaned in for a kiss, and another, deeper and more passionate than the last one. We ended up making love in the shower that Monday morning.
It was our first time doing it in the shower, but it certainly wasn’t the last, needless to say you were always late for work every time.
During breakfast you would always ask for spam and eggs, I didn’t know why you loved them so much, I still don’t know until now; but never the less I would always make them for you with a side of toast and your favorite tea. Every morning you’d say that it was the best breakfast ever as I watch you eat and stuff your mouth full like a kid excited to finish eating so he could go out and play. It never failed to make me smile and laugh and I’d always tell myself “Oh Ame, How I love you so”.
Every other weekend we go out for groceries and we do it as we sing and laugh on the way there, we’ll make puns of every store we pass by even though we’ve been down this road a thousand times and more. But still we laughed and joked around not minding all the weird looks and whispers around us, we would just remind ourselves every time that they're just jealous it's because they don’t have what we have, they don’t have love like ours. As we enter the grocery store people would tend to avoid us and say “Ughh, she’s here again” which never the less made everything easier for us, but I always find myself wondering “hmm, I wonder which one of us are they trying to avoid”. Not like we cared anyway, it just comes to mind every now and then.
It’s Friday today and I woke up feeling like I wanted to dance, as excited as I was to ask you out on a dance night date, I still stuck to our morning routine. I turned towards you and combed your hair hoping to wake you up, and you did. I leaned for a kiss and greeted you with a smile “Good morning sunshine”, and you replied with a kiss on my forehead. After opening our curtains and windows, I twirled around to face you and said “Hey Ame, how do you feel about going ballroom dancing tonight” you smiled and nodded, which made me excited and so I said “Great! I’ll prepare your suit for when you get home”, “Make sure to compliment my dress tonight” I giggled with excitement.
Nightfall came and we rode a taxi to a hotel that I saw on the internet, luckily the hotel was hosting a gala tonight. Perfect, right? We got down the taxi and entered the gala room and I was amazed at how big the room was, a massive dome supported by pillars of white and gold, giant chandeliers hanging from the ceilings, tables blanketed with white sheets and vases wrapped in pink ribbons filled with purple flowers on top of them, the room color being further emphasized by the yellow lights lined up on the walls of the dome giving the surroundings a warm ambience. With eyes sparkling I looked at you and hugged your arms and said, “Isn’t it beautiful? I’m so glad we went out tonight”, You gave me another smile and patted my head then pointed toward the food. “Oh right, we should eat and rest first before dancing. Good idea Ame”, we stuffed our faces full till we couldn't eat anymore and after resting for awhile, you stood up and gestured asking for a dance.
As we stood there in the middle of the room waiting for the music to begin, I looked at your beautiful sky blue eyes and I couldn’t help but smile. I needed to distract myself, people were sharing whispers again while looking at us with disgusted eyes, “Hmm, did some kind of rumors reach here from our town?” I wondered, "let's just forget about them", I thought to myself while I looked at you as you grabbed my hand and waist firmly, not minding the world around us and only looking at me, and soon enough the music began to play.
Spinning in circles as we shuffled our feet to the slow rhythm of the music, “Paradise” I thought to myself as our eyes met again. Your eyes bright and blue like the morning sky melted me to the core, my knee’s quivering and my lips trembling as you let out a small chuckle. With you carrying my weight, we continued to dance and enjoy ourselves. The music over almost too quickly suddenly started playing again, and so with more pep in our steps we danced to the musics rhythm.
As the music changed, our paces became faster and it was getting harder to keep up with its flow, the dress was starting to feel uncomfortable as it got in the way of our dance, misstep after misstep I was starting to lose my patience, thinking to myself “How could I be so clumsy now?”. You noticed the discomfort I was in and quickly changed your pace and your tempo, you gripped my hand tighter with a comforting squeeze and held me closer, “I love you Ame”, I whispered, as my heart continuously skipped a beat.
Finally, the music began to slow down again, a slow romantic and relaxing song, you smiled at me again as you wrapped your hand around my waist and held me tighter, closer, and without hesitation, I let you. I could feel our heartbeats as we took breathes simultaneously, I could feel our bodies burning up but we paid no heed. Tonight, we were in paradise.
We moved to the slow music as we held each other chest to chest, nose to nose and hand in hand. “Perfect” I thought to myself, I wish this moment could last forever, I wish the music would play on forever, I believed we would never get tired and would have kept on dancing, but reality struck and the sound of music went slower, and slower as the light and the music started to fade.
In darkness, as the fake candle lights started to shimmer, you cupped my cheek, combed through my hair and kissed me. A peck. It was only a peck. But it was peck that sealed the night for me, I can treasure this moment forever. With fingers still touching my lips, I leaned in and whispered into your ears, “Oh Ame, How I love you so”. The night ended and again we found ourselves in our bed. Our sanctuary, and with another kiss goodnight, we fell asleep in each other’s arms.
Morning came again, today was a special day I have a very important place to visit. I got up early and prepared your notebook and stopwatch. I got in the bathe and as I showered thinking about today, while lost in thought I started singing~
“I'm lying on the moon.
My dear, I'll be there soon,
It's a quiet starry place
Time's we're swallowed up in space
We're here a million miles away”
After bathing I prepared spam and eggs with a side of toast, “mhmmm, good as always” . With everything now ready, I grabbed all the stuff I needed to bring, “Let’s see, Diary check, notebook check, picture check, flowers hm? Guess I’ll have to pass by the flower shop before going there". I placed everything in my purse and with one final look at our room, I closed and locked the door before booking for a taxi to the city.
The city was bustling today, groups of friends and families laughing together as they shared stories and jokes and the sound of countless cars driving by and minding their own daily lives. Not that I cared much as I walked pass by them, “Today is a special day after all”, I told myself as I entered the flower shop. The flower clerk saw me and with a small *scoff* she asked, “The usual?”, I smiled and nodded. “Bouquet of yellow dahlia coming right up”. After a few minutes, I received and paid for the flowers and left with a “Thank you”. After leaving the shop, again I called for a taxi and pulled out my phone. I messaged my old friends and asked if they were coming this year, 2 of them said they wouldn’t be able to come due to family and business while the 3rd never bothered to reply, "Nice friends huh? Guess there's gonna be more alone time for me". With that, everything was set and ready it was finally time to go.
After a 2-hour ride, I got down from the taxi and walked the all too familiar rocky and uneven roads littered with mud and dirt. I didn’t have to look where I had to go as I knew this place by heart, so I kept walking and thinking about what I should say this time what things should I share. After walking for 10 more minutes I finally arrived, I rub of the mud and dirt from my shoes and dusted my clothes and sat on my heels. In front of me was a smooth flat rock on the ground, I placed your favorite notebook and stopwatch on each side and the flowers on the bottom. I held and looked at your picture for a moment, and after a slight pause I gave it a a kiss and placed it on top of the rock, written on it were the following:
“Amelia Watson”
“19xx-20xx”
“Live to the fullest, for life is all too short"
“See you next time!”
“Oh Ame, How I miss you so”, I said as I took out a cigarette and planted it on my lips.
And with one final deep breathe I lit the cigarette and said,
“It’s been 10 years after all”.