屋台の食べ物
8. turo-turo
— small, inexpensive snacks;
street food.

---

7:46 p.m. NIGHT #8.

---

NOAH

Happiness doesn't come all at once the way we make it out to be. It isn't as easy as breathing, or watching, or all the things we deem natural. The leftover pieces of grief still made up most of my being, the way I am still a symphony of long limbs, tired eyes, and clammy fingers.

But I've soon come to learn that happiness comes in the amalgamation of things we choose to experience — the luxury of a hot meal, the lessons of a brilliant novel, and the sunsets we are lucky to witness. It's how a mother is happy at the mere breathing of her newborn child, or how a toddler would be over the moon riding a bicycle, and how the elderly enjoy reliving the music of their generation.

We are all defined by the things that we love, and the things that make us happy.

And so here I am, with the decision to face the new day in a different angle, striving to earn experiences, make memories, and maybe, just maybe, finally achieve the kind of happiness that would engulf my trauma until it was nothing more but a distant memory.

With washed sneakers and for once, a combed hair, I turned the curb that led to the convenience store where Yuuki was waiting for me. She was wearing an outfit different from the white, lacy faded one I have grown accustomed to. Instead, she was wearing something that looked like a pair of 90s mom jeans, white shoes, a black tank top, and a white, wool blouse that were all unbuttoned except for the lone, top one. Her short hair was clipped by a white claw, but some wisps had escaped and framed her face.

God, she was—

"Noah!" Yuuki exclaimed, her eyes brightening up in recognition when her peripheral vision had caught sight of me. A black handbag was on her left shoulder.

"How do I look?" She grinned, giving me another opportunity to survey her features from top to bottom.

I was about to enumerate every synonym of beautiful, but instead, my mouth chose to say, "Like you're going to a party instead of the night market," I remarked, inwardly beating myself.

"Not the answer I was expecting but you know what, I'll take it as a compliment." She leaned in mischievously, earning me a chuckle as we walked together side by side, heading towards the nearest bus station.

"At least we're matching for once." I told her, gesturing to my white shirt. Yuuki let out a laugh, and I was quick to control myself before my stare could become uncomfortable for her.

She then smiled at me, and I swear I suddenly notice a slight dimple in her left cheek that made all the difference. "Do you feel better?" Yuuki asked, her voice softer now.

I pursed my lips into a small smile and gaze up at the sky.

"I guess, yeah." I nodded slowly. "Facing the past was long due anyway. I had to do it one way or another, and I'm lucky enough I got to do it in the presence of a great comforter."

I then turned to her in gratitude, and the appreciation somehow made the light emanating from her grow brighter.

"I'm glad to hear that." She said softly as we stopped underneath a shed, next to a sign that showed an illustration of a bus.

With us side by side, I noticed that we didn't have that much of an endearing height difference as Yuuki was rather tall for a girl, probably only two to three inches smaller than I was.

As we stood in comfortable silence, I also noticed that the distance between us was closer than the distance we had on the first night I saw her on that train. Tonight, we had mere inches separating us, air that lingered with tension that we both chose to ignore. It was infuriating, being this close to her when I remembered the way her skin felt hugging me last night.

To hide my restlessness, I decided to look down on the cracks in the pavement, stealing glances at her from time to time.

Sure enough, I tried to hide my smile when I realized that there was a faint color in her cheeks that indicated she too, was in a better state.

When the bus finally arrived, the two of us stepped inside only to find two other people on board apart from the driver and conductor — a lone student furiously tapping on his phone, probably playing a mobile game, and a woman around her 40s with a phone attached to her ear, conversing loudly to someone on the other line.

"Irasshaimase! Chiketto o onegaishimasu!" The conductor greeted, giving us two tickets that we individually paid for.

"I guess we kind of avoided the night rush, huh?" I grinned as we sat down, Yuuki by the window, while I was next to the aisle.

"Or the night rush avoided us," Yuuki responded playfully before tapping her temple with a finger. "It's a matter of perspective. I for one think this means we have the chance to converse peacefully."

"Makes sense," I shrugged, rummaging for my backpack to pull out my earphones, handing one bud to her and putting the other on my left ear. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Anything, really," she confessed, putting the bud on her right ear.

"Well we can start with your thoughts on this song," I said, plugging the jack to my phone and pressing play on a song I've been meaning to make her listen.

"Oooh!" She exclaimed when the beat kicked in. "Is this in Filipino again?"

"Yep, from a lesser known band too."

"This sounds happier and more upbeat than the last song you let me listen too. What it's about?"

I cleared my throat. "It's a love song."

Yuuki's head turned sharply to face me, raising an eyebrow. "Oh so now, you're making me listen to love songs." She laughed, and I let out a nervous chuckle.

"It's about comforting your lover that he, she, they—whatever pronoun they choose to be referred to—are the only one you'd lay your eyes to. Something like that." I shrugged. "It's the happiest song on my playlist so I thought you'd like it. Plus it reminds me of you now, after comforting and staying with me last night, though I think we're far from anything but lovers."

This time, I was the one who laughed.

Yuuki on the other hand, didn't laugh along, but was staring at me fondly, as if wanting to say something.

I closed my mouth and stared back at her.

"You okay?"

There was a pause, before she nodded slowly in response. "Yeah..." She then turned to look out the window to watch the lights, cars and buildings that passed us by.

I on the other hand, didn't tear my gaze away from her.

"I've just been thinking the whole day today," she said quietly. "That I think it's right I share some of myself to you too... I mean, it's only right."

My eyes immediately widened. "Wait—you don't have to. I mean, only if you're comfortable t—"

Her warm hand landed on my arm, and my tongue immediately retreated. "Noah, I want to." She said firmly, but with a smile that regarded me to let her speak.

And so I did.

"Last night, you talked about how your father was very reprimanding of you," she started, her voice trailing off. I nodded in response as she twiddled her thumbs together.

"I wish my father cared as much as yours." Yuuki muttered sadly before looking up to meet my eye.

"I have no happy memory of my father, other than the disrespect he had done to our mother, his addiction to alcohol, and his eventual leaving." She said quietly.

"After he left, my mother had to juggle three jobs: selling peanuts, doing laundry, and dusting homes. I could see how tired she was, going home everyday with just enough to feed me and my brother. I couldn't bear it. And so I decided to drop school and start working in an attempt to help ease our financial burden, especially now that my younger brother was entering high school too." Her fingers fiddled even faster, and this time, I was the one that held her hand — stopping her from fidgeting.

"So that's why you work in the convenience store?" I asked quietly, earning a nod from her.

"Lately, my mother had gotten sick, so all our finances now come from my work." There was a tremble in the tone of her voice, inciting me to rub her hand with my thumb in an attempt to comfort her.

"But it isn't enough Noah," she murmured. "I paid a down payment for my brother's tuition for this school year, and they've been sending letters reminding us to pay the balance before the school year ends. I'm not sure that I—we, won't have enough to pay it fully in due time. My mother is still too weak to get back to work, and the pay I get from the store is easily used up for our everyday expenses."

She then hung her head low, and I feel my chest ache at the sight of her like this.

"I feel like I'm not doing enough," she whispered, and I hold her hand tighter.

At that moment, the bus finally stopped, and the two other passengers have stood from their seats to step out of the bus.

"Come on," I smiled, slightly tugging her hand. "I know just the snack that'll make you feel better. And you know what? Tonight's my treat."

She didn't budge from her seat, and so I reached out to hold her face. "Yuuki, you're doing more than enough." I said, in all the seriousness I could muster. "You are more than enough."

Tears sprung out from the corner of her eyes, and she smiled at me in appreciation.

"C'mon, before the conductor throws us out of the bus," I whisper playfully, and she finally lets out a small laugh, allowing me to tug her out of the bus and into the festivities of Hopper Street — food stalls and small stores all lined up together with bright lanterns and a waft of delectable smell that greeted us invitingly.

"Our first stop of the night is classic takoyaki, of course." I grinned, still not letting go of her hand as I pulled her to a nearby stall that was selling the ever-popular battered balls that contained octopus and other delicious garnishes.

"It's probably the only Japanese street food you know," Yuuki laughed, and I made a face to her before ordering two cups for each of us.

"If you're such a Tokyo foodie expert, why don't you be my guest and choose the rest of our food stops for the night? I promise it's on me." I say in playful banter, nudging her by the side.

"Alright then," she smacks her lips in thought, pondering what snack we would be savoring out next. By the time we finally received our orders, there was a knowing expression etched in her features.

"Hmm... Have you ever tried harajuku crepes?" The young girl asked, her eyes twinkling in excitement. Before I could answer, she had already pulled me the same way I have to her: my arm in her hand, and each an order of takoyaki in one of our hands.

The journey wasn't far at all and soon enough she had led me to another stall that seemed to making a batch of pancakes that were rolled. Various ingredients and toppings such fruits were placed inside it.

"Try this, it tastes like heaven." She giggles, and I take one with vanilla and chocolate chips, studying it.

"If I get poisoned, you'll be responsible for my burial." I tease her, earning a hit from my shoulder.

"Like you said, I'm the foodie expert. So just shut up and eat." She pouted back, and I scoff before putting the delicacy in my mouth.

There was a pause, and I look at her before taking another bite.

"It's good," I nodded with my mouth full. "Too sweet though..."

"Oh come on, you can't handle too much sweetness??" She groans.

"It's just that I like savory food better, okay?!" I say in defense, and she rolls her eyes.

"I'm starting to think you aren't fit for Japan."

"Hey! Foul," The back and forth banter with her was easy, almost natural -- like we've done this time and time before. "Maybe it's Japan who isn't for me," I grin proudly.

She shakes her head with a smile before reaching out a hand towards my face. Her touch on my cheek, fingers grazing my skin, was enough to send me to autopilot. 

"You have a thing," she murmured, but I couldn't understand her. My mind had stopped altogether, and moreso when she wiped the left spot next to my lips using her thumb. 

"There!" Yuuki cheers, pulling away to end the spell as she turns her back to me, picking out her own crepe from the tray before her.

My whole body was on fire for the rest of the night.