You hold your gaze to your right. You don't notice, but the both of you stopped walking a minute ago. "Hiro," you call. He slowly lifts his head. "Look at those children running freely around the grass field."

He do what he is told and looks to the right. Hiro sees children playing tag and shouting names or phrases like, "You can't catch me!"

"I miss childhood," He admits. Although he's already 16 after his birthday, he still misses his childhood.

You nod. "Yeah, me too." You started walking again. "Of course who in the world would not miss childhood?"

Him being a teen prodigy, Hiro knows that it's a rhetorical question. "Why did you suddenly recall childhood?" He asks finally.

You sigh. "It just fascinates me that we, people, undergo childhood without realizing that it's the best time of our lives. It's like being blind to the truth."

"That's right. Instead, children want to be older without realizing it's gonna be a stressful time in their lives."

"Yup. And if you include school and Math, I don't know... extremely fatiguing, perhaps?" You chuckle. "Hiro, are you familiar with Einstein's Theory of Relativity?" You ask.

Hiro answers instantly. "Yeah. I heard it sometimes when my brother's stressing over Physics homework, but I know it."

You laugh. "Bro can't handle the complexities of spacetime, huh?" You say. You continue, "The theory states that it's virtually possible to travel back in time; to go to the past. Although, there are many ways... it makes me feel hopeless."

"Why do you wanna go back in time?"

"Childhood." you answer plainly. "I wish I could relive and feel its essence once more. The universe is so huge and yet our powerful minds, trying to comprehend what truly is, are so small. It feels... it feels..." you try but you can't seem to find the right word.

"It feels mind blowing?" Hiro says.

You light up. "Yes! Kind of, I don't know. I can't find the right word." You pause. "Just think about it for a minute, Hiro. What is reality? What if the whole world is just a stimulation? What is life?"

Hiro stays silent as you continue to ramble on.

"Am I real? If so, who am I? What makes me 'me'? What is perfection? What is beauty? How does one know if someone's beautiful? Are there standards, some rules? Is something or someone even beautiful?"

Hiro takes this chance to talk. "Yes, there is,"

"There is what?" You look at him.

"Someone beautiful."

"Who?"

He stops walking, making you to stop too. "You." 

Your smile widens after the long talk. You chuckle for a while. "You little nasty, Hiro." You pinch his nose.

Hiro cups his pinched nose. "Ouch! Curse youuu~!" He playfully shouts.

You proudly put your hands on your hips in a silly manner. "Of course I'm beautiful! Just kidding," you put them down as you shrug. "I mean who knows?"

The two of you continue to walk until you spot two swings, vacant.

"Hey look, Hiro, the swings are unoccupied! Wanna swing for a while?" You ask while smiling.

"Absolutely," he replies back.

You grin. "Great! Let's go." You go towards one of the swings and start to lift yourself up. "Are you going join me?"

Hiro thinks for a moment. "No," you frown for a second. "But I'll push you." You smile again.

"Yay!" He starts pushing you. You smile, but then you think of something. "Life is like a swing, Hiro. I remember the times when I was let down... when I had to face challenges, it felt like no hope would knock at my door." You sigh. "But I have to swing constantly to keep myself at the top. At the top where everything is happy, at the top where everything is fine..."

Hiro continues, "At the top where there are no problems,"

"At the top where there's nothing to worry about. The problem is..." you pause. "No matter how you swing, you will always pass by the low ground. But if there were no ground..." you trail off. 

"... there would be nowhere to start from."

"That's right. The low ground where problems lurk at is a part of everyone's life... and always will be." You notice Hiro stops. You turn behind to the teen. "Hiro, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

He look down to you. "That problems are the purpose of life?"

"Exactly!" You smile. Hiro continues to push as you swing. "Hiro,"

"Hm?"

"Do you have goals in your life? Like as they say, 'life goals'?" You laugh.

He shrugs. "I'll save some money, that's all."

"Me, too! I have so many goals, and one of them is..." you trail off. "I'll find-- hold on,"

"Wh-what is it?" Hiro asks. You stand up and follow the melodic tune.

You walk futher and clearly hear the songs. "Hiro, did you hear that? It's pleasing to my ears. Let's hear him play!" You pull him through the crowds and see a middle-aged man, plucking and playing his guitar.

"He's rockin' that guitar." Hiro comments.

"I agree." You see the man to stop. "Look, the old guy is taking request! Go, Hiro! request something before someone else does!" You push him.

Hiro approaches the man, gives him a dollar and tell him, "Anything jolly and cheerful, please. Thank you."

He goes back to you. "I wonder what you told him to play," you wonder out loud.

The guitarist starts to play and the music is fast-paced, happy and cheerfully played. "It sounds... it sounds like it makes me wanna... dance." Two people starts to dance to the song. "Oh look at them! The song's so good that it made them dance. Good choice, Hiro."

Hiro shrugs. "A happy song for the birthday girl!" More and more people nearby decides to dance.

"Hiro, are we just going to stand here? C'mon let's dance!"

You pull him with you, but Hiro halts. "Y/N, I-I'm not good at dancing," 

"You don't have to be a good dancer to have fun, Hiro." You insist as you hold Hiro's hand. He bounces to the music with you as you dance, too. "This is one fun evening!" After a while, you ask, "Hiro, what does this music reminds you of?"

He think for a moment before responding, "It... reminds me of you," he pauses. "For you are, most of the time, jolly... despite all the challenges surrounding around you." Hiro continues. "For I know that you are a strong girl. And I bet you know that, too." he finishes with a grin that shows his tooth gap.

"Awe, Hiro," You smile too. "But for me, this music truly reminds me off a boy named... Hiro Hamada." You look up. "He is the best friend I have ever met. For I know he's, most of the time, happy. Despite all the problems he's got. For I know that he'll always be there for me." You grin again. "And I'm very certain he knows that,"

Hiro smiles again. Your hair that fits your whole frame, your curious eyes that lights up in every discovery and wonders. What did he ever do to deserve a friend like you? "Thank you, Y/N."

"The music is going to end, Hiro. Quick! Make your final move!"

"Sure," He unexpectedly spins you through the dance as you laugh, making him to chuckle at your behaviour too.

You smile. "Look who said he ain't a good dancer?" You look at the sky. "It's getting late, we better go home, Hiro."

"Yeah, we better. Before we get grounded."

"Yup. You're right!" You laugh. "I will never forget this day, Hiro."

He smiles back. "I'll cherish every moment we've had," he replies.

"So let's open our presents now!"

Hiro rubs his neck sheepishly. "I've been waiting for you to say that,"

You laugh also. "Okay, let's play rock, paper, scissors. The winner will get his/her present first." You stance your closed fist and so did Hiro. "Rock, paper,"

"Scissors!" Hiro draw scissors and you draw rock.

"Aha! Now give me that pres-- wait."

He is confused why you'd stop. "Why? Is there's something behind me?" Please tell me that's not Mike...

◆△◆△

KimmiePines~