Long Nights

[8] turo-turo

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

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7:46 p.m. NIGHT #8.

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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.