Chapter Two: Their Sunset

Lê was waiting for Lomri back at his house.

"Back," Lomri said. He unlocked the door and opened it.

Lê went inside, "So, how was your walk?"

"Strange," Lomri said. He shook off the sand from his clothes then went inside.

"Why was it strange?" Lê asked.

"Because I said so," Lomri said, "Anyway let's get dinner going."

"But didn't we just have the pig?" Lê asked.

"That was hardly anything," Lomri said, "We're having miso cucumber. We'll each be making our own."

"Miso cucumber?" Lê tilted her head to the side.

"I guess I'll have to teach ya. Don't worry, it's very simple," Lomri said and opened up the pantry door.

In it was a mini fridge and freezer, along with extra shelves of non-perishable foods and utensils.

From the fridge Lomri took out a few cucumbers, and he set them on the counter. Then from the shelves he took a bag of sugar, a bag of miso powder, two small bowls, a large bowl, a knife, and a cutting board.

"Alright," Lomri said and started cutting the cucumbers, "First you slice the cucumber into thin slices."

"Then add a decent amount of miso and sugar, measuring by eye," He added the miso and sugar into the big bowl.

He mixed the miso and sugar then said, "Then add the cucumber slices and loosely mix it with the sugar and miso."

"After that just add some rice and you're done!" Lomri said. He took a small bowl, headed to the rice cooker, filled his bowl with rice and then added the miso cucumber on top of the rice.

"Wow! That is simple!" Lê said.

"Alright, the supplies are already out, and it hardly takes more than five minutes so you can start making your own," Lomri said.

Lê nodded and started slicing the cucumbers. She repeated the directions to herself as she made the miso cucumber. Soon enough Lê had finished and added the miso cucumber on top of a bowl of rice.

"Nice," Lomri said, "Hey, there's this spot I like to eat at. It's got a nice view. I'll think I'll take you there, you in?"

"That would be nice," Lê said.

"Alright we'll just put cling film over the bowls," Lomri said and went back into the pantry. He came out with a box of cling film and two sets of chopsticks. He handed one pair to Lê, "Can't forget these."

"Right," Lê said and put cling film over her bowl of miso cucumber.

Lomri put cling film over his miso cucumber and said, "The place is near the beach so it's not far. Let's go."

Lê nodded and followed him out the door.

The place was a grassy cliff that looked over the ocean. Lomri sat down at the edge of the cliff and gestured for Lê to sit next to him.

Lê sat down next to him and gazed towards the horizon. The sun was slowly setting, but not enough to look dazzling yet.

"Nice view, right?" Lomri said and started eating his meal.

"Nice? Amazing is a better word," Lê said, not taking her eyes off the view.

"Your sight's gonna get bad if you stare at the sun too much," Lomri said.

"Oops..." Lê said and looked down to her food.

"Perhaps you could look at something more beautiful..." Lomri did a dramatic hair flip,"Like me?"

"Yes, you are so beautiful that you could try out for the Miss Cartlet pageant," Lê chuckled.

"Heh... so you like the food?" Lomri asked.

Lê nodded,"Yeah, it's tasty but simply made."

The sun was slightly behind the ocean, casting a orange glimmer onto gentle waves.

"So... how old are you?" Lê asked,"You seem a bit young to be all independent with your own house."

"I'm only nineteen but I feel that my mind is older and more mature than that," Lomri said, "How about you?"

"I am eighteen," Lê replied.

The crest of the waves were now touching the halfway point of the sun, and a thought came to Lomri and he softly said, "Have... have you ever thought about what the world would look without you? How many changes have you really made?"

As Lê thought about the question, the sun became smaller and hues of purple and orange spread across the clouds and sky.

While she thought of her answer, Lomri too examined the question in his mind.

Finally Lê answered,"I... I have never thought of the question much. Realistically speaking, the world will probably not look much different without me... do you always think such deep topics?"

"Only when I'm dramatically staring at the sunset. It fits the mood," Lomri said.

"Is that so?" Lê mused, "Well how about you? Have you done any changes to the world?"

"Maybe the world would have ended if I hadn't bumped into you today. Call me a dreamer, but I think I'll be extremely important to the world someday," Lomri kept his eyes on the sky.

"Perhaps you will make a great difference to the world one day," Lê said.

"Come on dream with me, perhaps you'll be a millionaire one day," Lomri said.

"I do not think so, but if I were millionaire I would have many tasty foods to eat," Lê said.

"Very lofty dreams," Lomri said. He had finished his meal and set the bowl and chopsticks off to the side. He laid down on his back, his eyes facing the diversely coloured sky. "I'd be happy to be your head chef if you payed well."

The sun finally hit the perfect angle, sending fluorescent light rays across the sky and sea. The ocean painted like a sea of mango juice.

Lê stood up,"Wow! The sunset, it is so pretty!"

"Probably the only reason I stay here. It always looks different every time," Lomri wasn't as mesmerised as his friend, but he always felt better after an amazing view. "I wish the world could just freeze and the sky just looked this nice all the time."

"Yes, with no storms, tsunamis or any other horrible thing," Lê said, "Just a beautiful sunset to enjoy."

Lomri closed his eyes and the tattered remains of the sun's light slowly faded from view leaving just a bright horizon. "I would like to imagine that nobody else saw this this sunset, and that it's ours and ours alone. Maybe we can sell it once it's valuable."

"I am sure a sunset like this is already valuable," Lê said.

"You're probably right, we'd just need to find a memory salesman. But before that, we should head back to the house before it gets dark," Lomri said and got up.

"Memory salesman? Is that a real person or are you making a metaphor?" Lê asked.

"I wish I wasn't just making a metaphor. With someone like that, I'd want to have him preserve all my memories. There are just so many memories I'd hate to forget," Lomri said.

"... Have you ever considered writing in a journal?"

"Yes, but words can't even compare to the things you've seen in real life, right?"

"True."

"Well, like I said, let's go," Lomri said and started walking away from the cliff and the sun that had gone away.

When they got back to the house Lomri collapsed on his cot.

"You are going to sleep?" Lê asked.

"Yep, I'm very tired," Lomri said.

"I am not very tired yet, so I think I will go on a walk...again," Lê said.

"Okay, don't forget where the house is," Lomri said.

Lê nodded and left the house. The market square was less busy at night. Most of the market stands were closed, and there were less people out. She breathed in the fresh, island air, and looked to the sky. The sky was cloudy, but she could see a sliver of the moon peeping through.

As the streets grew quieter, Lê grew slightly tired, and she started to head back to the house.

When she got back, Lomri mumbled something that sounded like,"Come to bed Cynthia."

"Cynthia?" Lê asked.

Lomri ignored her and rolled back over in his sleep.

Lê raised an eyebrow but said nothing of it and laid down on her blanket. Today had been a good day.

•••

Prisha woke up on the cold sand, and thought Oh crap! I fell asleep around that guy... And it's already nighttime! Agh, Yukiko's gonna kill me...

Prisha started to head back to the school dorm she and Yukiko shared.

When she got back, Yukiko started berating her with questions the moment she opened the door.

"Where were you?"

"Why were you out so late?"

"It's 10:30! What were you doing?!"

Prisha decided to give her the short answer, "I sunbathed, and I fell asleep."

Yukiko sighed, "Jeez, you have to be more careful sometimes. You can't just fall asleep wherever you want."

"Eh," Prisha said.

"Wel,l I'm going to sleep," Yukiko said.

"Eh," Prisha said.

"Is that all you're gonna say?" Yukiko asked.

"Eh," Prisha said.