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"What are you doing?" Asked by a young boy, hands in his pockets while looking at the lost kid on the side of the river.
The smaller guy just cried even more which made him panicked and quickly went down to level as he tried to wipe his tears.
"Why are you crying suddenly? I'm not bullying you!" The young boy proclaimed with a shaking voice.
It was right then, the other boy immediately stopped from bawling as he looked at him "It's not like that… I'm lost, that's why I'm crying."
"Then stop crying. My parents also got lost from my sight but look, I'm not crying."
"Hmm." The only thing the other could answer.
"Are you here for the fireworks?"
It took him by surprise when out of the blue he smiled, his eyes were star-like because of its glow as he answered with an excited voice. "Yes! They told me it was really beautiful!"
"Just like that."
"Like what?" The smaller confusedly asked.
"Nothing. It's just that you're pretty whenever you smile. So don't cry anymore." The young boy stood up and put his hands on his pockets once again as he hid his face due to his shyness.
He waited for a reply but only silence remained so he decided to face him once again only for him to watch as the boy wrote something on the sand.
"What are you doing?"
"Writing my name."
He shrugged and sat down beside him as he wrote his name as well.
"Oh so you are—"
…
"Ruto-yah, where are you?" Haruto just heaved a deep sigh before he cleared his throat, preparing for him to say his excuses to his mother.
"Mom, I'm here in Tokyo." Although there's a hint of frustration and guilt to his voice, he still managed to talk to her in a manner that won't surprised—
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING THERE?" His original plan is to use his soft voice in order to refrain his mother from hysterically yelling at him on the phone but it's there already, Haruto knew it so well.
Who wouldn't be surprised if your son went to the city without even telling his parents beforehand? Well, he did but much to his dismay, they never agreed. So he just went on a trip by himself, packed with the things that he needed, and boarded a train without even experiencing how to do so. A sigh of relief when he realized that he actually made it to Tokyo in time.
"Mom, I've told you already that I wanted to see the fireworks display here, right?" And to find him, if I could , he said on the back of his mind as he explained to his mother his intentions of coming to Tokyo all of a sudden while letting out an exasperated sigh. He's actually in distress as there's too much crowd on the streets he's walking to and only 4 hours to go before the show starts.
"We never told you that you can. Ruto-yah, the city is too dangerous." On the other line, he can hear his father calming his mother with a soothing voice telling her that it will be alright as Haruto is already at the peak of being an adult in time. He even giggled when he heard his mother saying that he's still a baby.
"I swear, I can manage it. I'm already at the place, Mom. Don't worry about me, okay?"
Few minutes has passed, Haruto's still waiting for a reply as he decided to stop by a mini ramen shop to eat before he goes to his destination, which is the Sumida River.
"It's not like I can do something about it now. You're already in Tokyo, just be careful, Ruto-yah. Don't casually talk with strangers!" A smile formed into his lips as he heard that, without anything to say, he bid his goodbye. Well, he isn't the type to have a conversation with someone he never really knew at the first place so he just shrugged the thought and went inside the ramen shop.
The whole ambiance of the shop is too cozy, it's a small one and the furniture is really old and it adds up to the overall visual of the said place. The music playing on the stereo makes it even more perfect.
As he wandered his eyes to every corner of the room, he noticed that there's only one person eating in the shop, sitting on a stool, only his back can be seen from Haruto's perspective. He walked quietly as he sat one stool away from the stranger without looking at him using his peripheral vision.
"One miso ramen with egg as toppings." He told the cook before he checked his phone to see the time.
"Are you, perhaps, looking forward to the Sumida River Fireworks Display later?" A sudden voice from his side, it's a very soft one and the rich sound of it resonates to his ears as if it's a lullaby. Haruto was so mesmerized by the voice that when he slowly looked up to the guy who's sitting beside him, he just stared at him in awe as he never knew the reason for the sudden rush of his blood throughout his body. The feeling is too electrifying, he never encountered one before that a single question, a voice from a stranger can do wonders to his mind.
He was greeted by a gentle smile of a guy that for some reason, his star-like eyes got Haruto tongue tied once again.
P-pretty.
The smile turned into a frown as he noticed the sudden reddening of Haruto's face. "Uhmm. Hey? Are you okay?"
With all the courage that he could muster, he snapped from his thoughts and tried to act casually to hide his trembling hands and beating heart. He cleared his throat as he answered in a cool voice. "Yes, I went all the way here just to witness that."
He actually succeeds in making his voice clear with enough conviction to hide the truth behind his actions but yeah, he never realized that he just did the unusual hobby of his that whenever he feels so nervous, he will twirl his hair unknowingly. It made the smaller guy to show him his eye smiles before he let out a soft giggle.
"I'm Choi Hyunsuk. And same as you, I went all the way here in Japan just to see the fireworks display."
"I'm Haruto Watanabe." A short timid reply from him.
Hyunsuk just smiled once again, a very kind one, he then wrapped his fingers on his chopsticks as he gestured the food in front of them. "Your ramen is already cooked. Maybe let's continue our chit chat after our meal."
As they eat, Hyunsuk will sometimes glance at him and tell about the flavor of the ramen they're eating. He will also recommend some added ingredients for it to be even more tasty. Few minutes after they finished eating, Haruto came to a realization that this guy beside him is a foreigner to this country and yet, he's the one who's making him comfortable by talking in a slow manner. With his wary eyes and little smile, the guy is trying his best not to make the atmosphere awkward as he was the one who initiated the talk at first.
"Hyunsuk-si," he called with a soft expression on his face. "If it's okay with you, there's still time for us to walk around. Do you want me to accompany you?"
Hyunsuk was simply amused by his sudden invitation. He blinked for a few times before he let out a short laugh, which made Haruto disheartened. He thought that maybe Hyunsuk found him funny for that sudden talk.
"Sure, I would love to. I'm sorry if I just let out a laugh. I just, well is it okay to say it? I just find you really adorable. You're really quiet earlier so I thought maybe you don't want my presence. Thank you for that, Ruto-yah. "
The abrupt mention of his name just did something to his already panicking heart. And as usual, just to make himself composed, he shrugged off the feeling and quickly fixed himself to go outside the ramen shop for them to find out that it was already raining.
"What will happen to the fireworks display then?" A mumbled from the smaller guy as he looked at the surroundings with worried eyes. He let out his hand to catch some raindrops as he stared at the dark sky. He was startled when Haruto walked in front of him with an umbrella, he showed him a reassuring smile as he slowly took a step forward to make Hyunsuk be covered with the parasol he's holding.
"It will still happen . Don't worry. Let's go?"
Hyunsuk just remained on staring at him for a while before he gave a small smile and nod as a reply.
…
"Ruto-ya, I just remembered suddenly." Hyunsuk said while admiring the river in front of them as rain was still pouring for about an hour since then.
After they decided to have a small walk as they left the ramen shop earlier, they came up with a decision to actually go to the site where the fireworks display will be held. There are a few tourists who are waiting there as they arrive. They just settled themselves near the river while having some conversation.
"You remember what?"
"I once went here when I'm still in grade school with my parents. Then, I got lost and somehow, I can still remember that I met a boy here younger than me."
Haruto was about to ask him more when he remembered the same thing which made him confused and bewildered at the same time. The exact reason why he decided to come here in Tokyo just to witness the fireworks display was all because of the nameless boy in his dreams that he met years ago.
"But I never met him again even though I annually visit this place just for the fireworks." Hyunsuk explained with a sad frown.
And it occurred to him, to Haruto, that all this time around, the reason for his unusual reaction earlier upon meeting Hyunsuk for the first time was all because he is the one he's been looking for ever since then, the boy in his dreams.
"Hyunsuk-si… what if I—"
"It stopped! The rain has stopped!" Haruto was interrupted when the people suddenly shouted when they noticed that the sky had become clear and later on, the pouring had also stopped. He was a bit frustrated by the thought of being cut off from his own statement but later on turned into a sigh of relief when he saw the happiness being reflected on the eyes of Hyunsuk as he looked up in the sky.
"Ruto-yah, the fireworks display is going to happen now."
He thought, maybe, he'll tell him about the forgotten childhood memories that they have later on after the display.
The personnels are already setting up the firecrackers and they are just waiting for it to start. Soon after, the place is now filled with people who purposely came here just for the show that will happen.
"This will mark the end of summer, right?" Hyunsuk asked, eyes focused on the front side while Haruto was staring at him with hopeful eyes.
"Indeed, it will be the end of summer." Haruto heaved a deep sigh, he cleared his throat once again trying to swallow the lump for him to speak. "Hyunsuk-si…"
"Yes?"
"There's a tradition here in Japan, that once you confess your feelings for someone while holding their hand, you will never lose that person… ever again."
The smaller guy looked up to him with a kind smile, as he always is, the smile that Haruto wanted to keep admiring not only at the end of summer. He wanted to keep it in every season that will pass. He wanted to see it for a very long time.
"Really?" Hyunsuk innocently asked while tilting his head.
"Yes, it should happen at the same time as the fireworks will be released in the sky." The countdown has started.
Five.
"That's cool. Have you ever confessed to someone?"
Four.
"I haven't. But… I'm planning to do so."
Three.
"Woah, then maybe you will invite that person to watch this fireworks display with you?"
Two.
"Maybe, but I don't think I have to do so. That person will always come here every year."
One.
"Hyunsuk-si—"
"Sukkie!"
They both looked at the direction where the voice came from. A young man with bright eyes and mole under his crescent-like eyes approached them. Haruto had no idea not until he saw Hyunsuk walk towards his direction and there he saw him tightly holding onto the guy's shirt as they hugged.
"Hoonie, you're late."
The guy chuckled as he held the smaller guy's hand and planted a soft kiss on it.
"Better late than never."
On the other hand, Haruto could only watch them with his shallow eyes only for him to realize that the fireworks display was delayed even though the countdown had ended. He saw how the two held hands, telling one another how much they longed to be with each other, confessing their love, as the fireworks finally exploded from the sky.
A core memory opened up to his mind, now he remembered that there are actually two boys in his dream.
In which he was just there to watch their backs as they wrote their names on the sand.
And up until today, he still has the role of being the person who never was part of the story as he's just a mere bystander on the side.
Just like the hanabi, it's just the mark of an ending for a season but never the start of something.