Prologue

August 15, 2022
Maehira Koen, Gifu Japan

Today's my third day in Japan.
Today's my birthday

And I promised my mother that I'd visit Japan on this day. She never mentioned any particular place, but the only thing she left me for an answer that I've been asking for years brought me to this magical place—to this path.

I took a deep sigh as I stared at the few letters behind the old photograph my mother gave me before she took her last breath— an old photo of a young Japanese man with those mesmerizing eyes under the showers of maple leaves.

I continued to trail the path with my white sneakers walking through the fallen dried leaves, the serene whispers of the water flowing on the canal, and the song from the chirping birds. I started raising the old picture while trying to figure out the exact location of where it was taken.

A small smile crept on my lips as my whole body swirled in the same position while holding the old photograph. The wind blew with my shoulder-length raven hair, my fluttering navy blue long dress, and the rustling of the dried leaves with my every step. I held my bucket hat firmly on my head.

Then suddenly my movement haltered, I blinked, and slowly I put down the old photograph as I looked at the young Japanese who were standing right at the same spot as the man in the photograph.

There was nothing similar with them aside from the glint of their eyes and the way they stood in their position, as they admired the beautiful maple trees, which has different colors compared with the photograph since the picture was taken during autumn, and today's summer.

His hands were behind his back as the calm whisper of summer breeze graced his innocent face, those small eyes, messy hair, and a little smile on his lips.

Japanese men were not literally my type, but I just found myself staring blankly at him, with our distance, the calmness of the place, the music of the park coming from the wooden music box being played by the clown street with his cute cart with its colorful umbrella, and bubbles floating around from the toy guns of the children chasing each other happily.

When I was about to raise the old photograph again, I didn't realize how I loosely held it with my fingers, and that's why when the wind blew again, it fluttered around like those bubbles as if it was part of it.

As I tried to catch it with my hurried steps and extended hand, I didn't notice the distance that I was about to cross and before I finally reached the old photograph by the end of my fingers, a masculine hand with those prodding veins just stole my attention.

"Here," he said.

I tried to hide my surprised reaction. He's that Japanese! Ang lalaking kanina ko pang pinagmamasdan. I quickly averted his eyes as I accepted the photograph. I vowed my head immediately. "Arigatou."

He didn't reply and he simply bowed his head as well. In the end, he just turned his back and walked away from me. Hinayaan ko na lang ang sarili kong pagmasdan siya hanggang sa tuluyan na siyang hindi makita ng aking mga mata.

Nagkibit balikat na lamang ako at muling ibinalik ang atensyon ko sa paligid. The place is so serene and peaceful. Kung sa Pilipinas ay inaasahan ko nang maraming tao sa ganito kagandang parke at kaliwa't kanan ang mga kumukuha ng litrato, sa lugar na ito ay mabibilang lang ang mga tao. Kanina lang ay may nakita akong mga bata at isang pamilya, ngayon ay wala na.

Ilang beses pa akong nagpalingon-lingon bago ko mapansin na lumayo na pala ako. Maehira Koen is quite big for someone who's walking alone, isama pa ang nagtataasang mga puno nito na may iba't ibang uri. Pero sa mga katulad kong mas gustong mag-isa at maglakad-lakad, sa halip na matakot at kabahan ay higit na nawiwili ako.

How I love to feel nature with these unuttered thoughts of mine.

***

August 16, 2022

Kamono Hotel, Gifu Japan

I really admire Japan for preserving nature— the wild. That despite of the advanced technology, how modern their life, and how they discover more ways of alternatives to make life easier, they're still trying to maintain the beauty of nature.

Japan's countryside would be my best escape. To wake up in the morning as you slowly opened the white curtains of your window, when the sunrays gently touched your skin, when you started to hear the chirping of the birds, the smell of brewing coffee, and when your eyes welcomed by the rice fields like a bed of glistening gold.

I took a deep breath as I tightly gripped my hand on the white railings of my balcony.

"Good morning, Japan! Good morning, Papa!" sabi ko nang sumulyap ako sa may lamesa kung saan nakapatong ang litratong dala ko.

Yes, I am here in Japan to find my father.

Muli akong pumasok sa kuwarto ko at kinuha ko ang litrato ni Papa. Bumalik akong muli sa balkonahe at inangat ko ang litrato ni Papa na parang may magagawa iyon para madali ko siyang makita.

"I will find you. . ."

I was about to bring it back inside my room when suddenly the stubborn wind blew a little stronger. "Shit!"

Muli ko na namang nabitawan ang litrato. But this time, it isn't possible to chase it! It flew outside and I am still on the second floor!

"Oh, no!" sigaw ko habang habol ang tingin sa bumababang litrato.

I cursed, even more, when I realized that I am still wearing my thin white satin long night dress! Isn't this illegal to go outside in sleepwear? But I just shook my head as I ran fast on the stairs with my indoor fluffy slippers.

"Nasaan na?!"

Umikot pa ako mula sa entrance ng hotel patungo sa likuran nito na puro palayan at isang katabing bahay. One of the Filipina here in the hotel who is already my friend told me that our neighbor is a stubborn Japanese who don't want to sell his land even though the hotel has been offering them a good amount.

Agad akong kinabahan nang nasa harapan na nga ako ng bahay na sinasabi ng Pilipina na nakausap ko. Ilang beses na akong nagpalinga-linga sa paligid hanggang sa makita ko ang litrato sa bubong ng itim na kotseng nakaparada sa harapan ng bahay.

Dali-dali na akong naglakad patungo roon pero nang muli na namang humangin at dalahin nito ang litrato higit ko nang nilakihan ang hakbang hanggang sa tumakbo na rin ako.

I don't know what's wrong with that old photograph, but every time that my attention has on it, it felt like it was blocking me to notice my surrounding. Because the moment I finally caught my father's picture, that's when I realized that there was a huge rock on the ground.

Huli na bago ko mapigilan ang sarili kong muling humakbang at matalisod.

"Kousuke nii-chan! Abunai!" malakas na sigaw ng bata ang higit pang umagaw sa akin.

Before I could finally fall on the ground, I saw an approaching small bicycle with a terrified Japanese boy with a helmet, and the familiar Japanese standing in front of me with a surprised look.

Sa halip na maagaw ang atensyon niya sa bisikletang babangga sa kanya ay nasa akin pa rin ang atensyon niya.

The bright light of summer was suddenly covered by a shadow. When I tried to look up, I saw how the wide wet white cloth spread in the air, causing a few drops of water on my skin. I even saw a sudden rainbow as the few drops of water passed the sunlight.

But what is he doing with that white big cloth in his hand?

And then, I landed on the ground, not just with the pain on my chest, arms, and knees, but with the white cloth that covered my whole body. Ilang beses akong napamura sa sarili ko at napadaing sa sakit ng katawan ko.

Hindi agad ako nakatayo dahilan kung bakit hinayaan ko muna ang sarili kong umupo habang hinahawi ang puting kurtina na tumabon sa akin.

"I told you to be careful, Hotaru! Get inside!"

"Gomenasai, Kousuke-nii chan!"

"Get inside!"

Narinig ko pa ang nagmamadaling hakbang ng bata habang hirap na hirap akong hawiin ang puting kurtina sa mukha ko. Nang akala ko ay matatagalan pa ako ay ramdam kong may kamay nang tumulong sa akin.

As if he's trying to delicately open a fragile gift.

And when I finally saw an opening and free myself, it was his familiar eyes again that greeted me. Kusang bumaba ang dalawang kamay ko habang dahan-dahan kong kinakapa ang litrato sa lupa.

This time, the Japanese who didn't have any emotion back in Maehira Koen gave me his stare that made me feel like sometimes we really do feel those butterflies in our stomach.

His lips were half-opened as his eyes traveled from my eyes to my nose down to my lips, still with this big white cloth on my head— like a white veil fluttering with the summer breeze. "B-bride. . ."

Nawalan ng panimbang ang lalaki at napaupo na siya sa lupa habang pilit na tinatakpan ang kanyang mga labi. I could see how his ears turned red as he tried to avert his eyes on me.

"Y-You—"

Yuyuko na sana ako para humingi nang pasensiya nang mapansin ko na nasa gitna pala kami ng sampayan. He's doing his laundry! At naabala siya dahil hindi lang yata siya nabangga ng bata kundi may babaeng biglang nagpakita sa kanya.

"I'm sorry—"

"Like a bride. . . You look like a bride in summer."

That's the strangest thing I never thought I'd hear from someone who had a trespasser in his place.

The man who has the brightest smile on his lips— Kousuke Matsumoto.

Those words from him I wished were not just memories trapped in summer.