Dedicated to: Indianapolis Ship

Chapter 4

Sunflower

August 19, 2022
Valor

I woke up with another summer breeze kissing my skin. And what's good about Japan? You can leave the window open without thinking about the possibility that someone might get inside your room.

Since my bed is across the glass window, I could see if I look above the moving thin curtain, and the cute sunflower windmill standing on the veranda.

I put a smile on my face.

Kung sana ay mas magtagal pa ako rito sa lugar na ito, pero may hangganan ang bakasyon na ito. If I couldn't find my father with this little journey, maybe I could find more time next year. Isa pa, hindi ko inaasahan na may makikilala akong hapon sa bakasyong ito.

Kousuke's company is quite enjoyable. I didn't really expect that I'd meet a friend on this journey— a funny friend.

When I first had the glance at the Kamono Hotel, there's only one word that came into my mind— old. Kung titingnan pa nga ay iisipin na wala nang guest sa lugar na ito. Well, the place is still well-maintained, with its outstanding cleanliness and accommodating staffs. Kung papipiliin pa nga ako ay mas gugustuhin ko sa mga ganitong klase ng hotel kaysa doon sa higit na mamahalin.

It's like I was whisked away in a place full of magic. Dati ay nakikita ko lang ang mga nakikita ko sa Japan sa online, but here I am now, travelling, and experiencing every magic in this place.

I immediately took the small planner near my bedside table to check my schedule, and today was my shopping day. I got up and fixed my bed, went to my small kitchen, brew a coffee, and made a few toasts.

A simple breakfast for someone who's too lazy to cook. If I were in the Philippines with my aunties, they would probably scold me for eating a light meal in the morning.

This time, I didn't use the veranda for sightseeing, instead, I opened my front door, and there I was welcomed by golden fields of summer since most of the crops were rice grain.  My front door has a hallway that serves as my veranda, before the golden fields were irrigation systems but almost looked like a clear river, it has different kinds of birds that I thought I'd only see in Manila Zoo. The irrigation system would pass through two white bridges.

Seeing the whole view, made me sigh and asked myself, is this for real?

In the middle of the golden fields were roads, few private vehicles, I could even see the traffic lights, the railing of the train, and at the end of this beautiful landscape were a few buildings, such as Valor, Genky (supermarket mall), and other commercial establishments.

I am sure that I could reach those building by just walking. Hinayaan ko ang sarili kong tahimik na tumanaw sa labas habang umiinom ng kape, until I noticed that a red car passed by. Akala ko ay magtutuloy-tuloy iyon pero tumigil din iyon at unti-unting ibinaba ang bintana.

"Hello there, country boy with a red car."

I know that someone might get angry with this loud voice early in the morning, but I am a foreigner and they can always roll their eyes because of my boldness since they don't expect much from me.

"Any plans for today?" tanong ni Kousuke na nakasilip sa bintana ng kanyang sasakyan.

"I will go shopping. There," itinuro ko ang Valor.

"By?"

"I can walk. I don't know how to use bike."

"I can come with you."

"Again?"

"I don't have much to do."

Saglit lang kaming nagkatitigan, ako na nasa itaas at siya na nakatingala sa akin. What's good about Kousuke Matsumoto? His smiles never fade. Noong una ko siyang makita ay akala ko ay suplado siya.

"Alright."

"What time?"

"10 am?"

"Sure."

***

Just like usual, I prepared early since I don't want to disappoint Kousuke. He'd seen me in different white dresses, but this time I picked an oversize white shirt, black leggings, white running shoes, and a black cap. I braided my hair in a fishtail, and took a single glance at the mirror before I picked a dirty white eco-bag.

Hindi pa man ako nakakababa sa hagdanan ay nakita ko na ang pulang kotse ni Kousuke. Lalabas pa sana siya nang pigilan ko siya at mabilis nang binuksan ang pintuan ng sasakyan niya.

"Don't bother. I can always open the door for me," natatawang sabi ko.

Liliko pa lang ang sasakyan ni Kousuke ay nagsimula na akong magtanong sa kanya.

"I don't know if I am being nosy, but I really want to open a conversation. Where have you been early in the morning?"

He chuckled. "My car's running out of gasoline, remember?"

"Oh, I can. . . you know? Pay for helping me, after all—"

"Oh, no, I am not asking you to pay."

Hindi naging mahaban ang usapan namin ni Kousuke dahil wala pa yatang sampung minuto ay nasa harapan na kami ng Valor. It's a supermarket.

"I am going to buy some supplies so I could cook something. Do you eat Filipino foods?"

Umiling siya.

"Too bad. I want to cook something for you."

"You can cook Japanese foods for me."

"I don't know how to cook your foods," natatawang sabi ko.

I pulled a push cart and the front door automatically opened. Kousuke and I were welcomed by different kinds of fruits.

"Have you been here?"

"This is my first time."

"Huh?" I turned at him abruptly.

"I don't cook foods, Rhoe Anne. I buy my bento in 7-eleven."

"Really? Does anyone cook for you? Do you know that foods cooked at home are more delicious?"

"I don't know that."

"Pangit ka-bonding," bulong ko.

Hindi lang mga prutas, kundi mga gulay ang siyang una naming nadaanan. Just like what happened in Meiji Mura, lagi lang siya nakasunod sa akin. Beside the fruits and vegetables was frozen seafood. 

"Let me push the cart for you," inagaw niya sa akin ang cart at hindi na naman ako nakipag-agawan sa kanya.

After passing through the sea foods, next were the meat, pork, chicken, and beef. Lagay lang ako nang lagay sa push cart habang nakasunod lang sa akin si Kousuke. Next was the processed meat, like hotdogs, ham, and nuggets.

Well, I have almost three months here in Japan, kaya dapat lang na magluto rin ako rito at huwag puro bili. Kousuke and I took the circular part of the supermarket before we went to the shelves of different items. 

"You know, we're like newlyweds right now."

"Really?" napalingon ako sa kanya.

May hawak na siyang chocolate. "Do you want some?"

Ngumiti lang ako sa kanya pero narinig kong nilagay niya iyon sa cart. It took me almost an hour to take all the supplies listed on my mind. At inihiwalay naman ni Kousuke iyong mga kinuha niya.

Well, this is not a Korean-drama or such na may multi-millionaire na lalaki na kayang bayaran ang mga pinamili ko. I could still remember Kousuke's status right now, he's still the poor country boy with a red car. Kaya nang lumingon ako sa kanya nang inaayos ko na sa kahon iyong mga pinamili ko, puro barya ang inihuhulog niya sa cashier.

Here in Valor, everything is so convenient. Puwede kang pumili kung dadaan ka sa counter na may taong mag-aassist sa 'yo o ikaw na mismo iyong mag-swipe ng mga product na pinamili ko. I took the self-service para ma-experience ko naman, isa pa puwede rin naman palitan ang language, from Nihonggo to English.

While Kousuke, he took the lane with the old woman's assistance. Ilan lang din kasi ang items nila kaya agad niya akong naabutan nang nag-aayos na ako ng mga pinamili ko sa baggage area.

Everything here is self-service, ikaw ang mag-swipe ng items mo kung gusto mo, ikaw ang maghuhulog ng payment mo if you want it cash or credit card, the machine will give your change if you have, it's you that will bring back the basket to its proper place, and it's your duty to arrange your items in the baggage area, you could pick if you want plastic with payment or a box for free.

Hindi pa ako tapos sa pag-aayos ng mga items ko ay nakalapit na sa akin si Kousuke. Agad niyang ibinigay sa akin iyong chocolate na inalok niya sa akin kanina. And I gladly accepted it.

Near the baggage area, I just noticed that near the window was filled with different kinds of flowers. And surprisingly, they're selling it at a cheap price. It was too late when I realized that Kousuke's has been staring at me and he noticed that my eyes were on the flowers.

"Do you want some?"

Agad akong umiling sa kanya. I even tugged the hem of his shirt to stop him, but Kousuke's already unstoppable, he even left his small plastic in the baggage area and went straight into the stand of flowers.

I just shook my head and followed his steps. I didn't even bother to take the glance back on our items, lalo na't halos nabibilang sa kamay ang mga tao ngayon sa Valor.

"Pick one," he grinned at me.

I arched my brow. Namaywang pa ang isa kong kamay sa kanya. "You don't need to buy me flowers."

"It's okay. It was cheap. Even if I am a poor country boy, I think I can afford one of these pretty flowers."

I sighed. "I am starting to think that you're flirting with me."

He scratched his left cheek before he looked at me. "I am."

"And you're aware that we don't have a happy ending, right?"

He laughed. Siya na mismo ang nagsabi sa akin ng kuwento ng pinsan niya at kung paano naging tutol ang pamilya niya roon.

"Well, you can be my lover this summer."

"Alright," I said quickly. "You can be my summer boyfriend."

Natawa ulit siya. "Now pick one."

"I like the sunflower, of course!"

"Nice choice."

Kinuha agad iyon ni Kousuke at nagtungo siya muli sa counter. I can't help but to smile, habang pinapanuod siyang binabayaran iyon. My meeting with Kousuke's too light like a summer wind, sobrang init at gaan sa pakiramdam.

I don't know if we're just both bored or something, but his existence in this unexpected place makes it extra special.

I was already waiting for him in the baggage area with my eyes that I couldn't take away from him when he slowly looked down at the sunflower in his hand and smell it like some prince in the movies. I just suddenly felt like a heroine waiting for her prince to reach her.

It's just quite odd, that we were in the supermarket, in the baggage area with a box and a plastic waiting for us.

I haven't tried smelling a sunflower before, but does the flower actually have a nice scent? Tulad nang mga nakikita sa mga movie? But the moment Kousuke Matsumoto's attention from the flower in his hand slowly turned to me, I just couldn't explain why suddenly my heart skipped really fast.

With the boyish grin of his that almost took my breath away. Hindi ko na napansin na napansadal na pala ako sa mahabang lamesa kung saan nakapatong iyong box ko habang nakatitig sa kanya.

He gave me the sunflower.

I tried to suppress my smile. I even looked down for him to not notice my blushing face, I could also feel the heat on my face and ears.

"Thank you," tipid na sagot ko.

He chuckled. "Anything for my summer girlfriend."

Hindi na niya ako hinintay na umalma dahil kinuha na niya iyong kahon ko na nakapatong sa lamesa. He carried it using his right hand, while his plastic was on his left hand.

Mas nauna siyang naglakad sa akin habang ako naman ang nakasunod sa kanya at hawak iyong sunflower na ibinigay niya.

Nang makarating na kami sa Kamono Hotel ay tinulungan niya rin akong buhatin ang box hanggang sa second floor. I was about to invite him for a tea or something dahil sa pagtulong niya sa akin pero parang nagmamadali siya at hindi na nais pang magtagal doon sa kuwarto ko.

Natatawa na lang akong tinanaw ang papalayo niyang likuran sa akin. I even waved at him from the second floor while he's there at the parking lot.

"That's too gentleman of you," nakapangalumbabang sabi ko habang nakatanaw sa kanya sa ibaba."By the way, thank you for the sunflower."

Nagkibit balikat lang siya.

Eksaktong nag-uusap kami ni Kousuke nang may napansin akong dumadaang dalawang babae, and just like before they looked strangely at Kousuke dahil sa pagkausap niya sa akin mula ibaba habang ako naman ay nasa second floor pa.

"Go," I waved at him.

Bago ako tuluyang pumasok sa hotel room ko ay narinig ko pang may tumawag sa pangalan ni Kousuke. Kilala niya pala ang matatandang iyon.

I can understand some Japanese, but I am not quite confident about it. Basta ang naintindihan ko lang ay pinagsasabihan nila si Kousuke na huwag pumunta sa lumang hotel na ito.

"Abunai. . ."

Napailing na lang ako. Grabe naman sila! Ganoon ba talaga ang tingin nila sa akin? Do I look dangerous? I am just a foreigner. I am still a human.