Hey There!

1

❀𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖔𝖓𝖊❀

He was there.

Reading a small pocket-sized book on the bus with his head down, little light illuminated from the small dim flashlight that he carried with him. But I doubt that matters to him. When I looked in his direction, a crooked smile appeared on his face with his head embedded in the book. And one moment before, he even took his cap off to readjust his hair, which grew fairly long over the past couple of semesters. My eyes, which would stagger around the bus, always landed back on him. He was just that appealing to gaze at for a moment. I enjoyed it, as the hourly bus ride from the city, to the dainty beach town, grew boresome.

While I was used to the quiet drive, I always found ways to keep myself entertained. There was either music or class work that needed to be finished over the break. But today's entertainment was a game of cat and mouse. As I would look at the guy who sat a row ahead of me to my left, when he wasn't looking, and turn my eyes in another direction when it appeared he had spotted me.

It enticed me as the game went on for the past thirty minutes. It wasn't until my luck ran out on me that our eyes made contact at that exact moment.

Shit.

The thought of him looking away without acknowledging me came to mind. I hoped he did that, so it could be my imagination that we were both looking at each other. But instead, a little indent appeared at the corner of his lips as he looked at me, causing a slight shiver in my shoulders.

"Cold?" a voice asked beside me. Turning my eyes away from the guy in front of me, I closed my eyes, giving a shake to my head.

"No, I just had a random chill."

"Well, I have an extra blanket in my bag if you want it."

"I doubt I need it. We're almost at our stop, anyway."

"Oh?" Shifting in his seat, Haru looked away from his phone and out the window to see the coastal view approaching us. Jagged rocks were being thrashed upon by salty water, coating them in the sand. I could also spot small sand dunes from the window's view. "Should I call Auntie to let her know we're almost there?"

"I did that ten minutes ago," shifting in my seat, I looked over my shoulder at Haru. "She should be at the stop with Ray."

Haru's eyes grew larger, enhancing their greenish hue. Haru, always out of touch, felt a little adrift in life. Although who wouldn't be at our age, Haru had always been this way. He's someone you would call free.

"My fault, Illeyia," scratching the back of his neck, Haru apologized. "I got distracted by texting Mara."

"Mm," I replied, enjoying the view out the window. I was through with the conversation and wanted to continue looking around the bus. But now, with Haru's attention on me, that wouldn't be possible.

Time went by, and we got off the bus carrying our bags with us as we looked around for a tiny yellow car. While looking, I spotted the guy from earlier. This time, he had a hand in his pocket as he leaned against a telephone pole with his phone in his hand. The sun was setting, casting an orange and pinkish hue on his body, complimenting his beauty.

"Is that you Kenji?"

Hearing his name, the guy looked up from his phone to scan the small crowd for a face that matched the voice he heard. It didn't take long, as the person walked up to him first, a taller guy with a daunting stature. But this didn't bother Kenji, as his eyes lit up crinkling at the corner as a smile appeared on his face as he hugged the guy who approached him.