Chapter 9 - Him

Sitting down on the stone slab, I put on my favorite black socks together with the lovely red pair of canvas shoes.

While doing that, I looked at the azure sky

The cloudless sky was like an ocean, stretching endlessly. So vast that it seems like we are so tiny, so insignificant. But still, I want to reach out for it. It is a place for us, a place where Ken and I both wished for.

With that in mind, I hope that today will be as beautiful as this day. I locked the door and left my house.

“Sheryl…”

The moment I left the house, someone from behind called me. It’s wasn’t my parents or my brother since they were not at home. Or else why could I lock the door for.

I turned my head, only to find Ken, leaning onto the street pole, along the street. He was in his school uniform, but without his bag. I was surprised at how he managed to know where I stayed, however I realized that he sent me back home yesterday night.

“Mind if I walked together with you to school?” Ken asked me politely, it was what he rarely does. It’s more like he rarely even speaks to anyone.

I nodded and there he was, walking beside me, walking down the road.

I was happy, happy that someone who waited for me outside all the while. Someone who consoled me last night, someone who helps me block the glaring sunlight with his body. I was happy, except for the fact which I’m short enough for him to block glaring sun.

I looked at him, making sure he doesn’t noticed.

“He was tall, much taller than me, obviously.” I thought to myself, probably all guys are much taller than me.

I looked at his head he got a short but messy hair, as if he just woke up. But it’s look good on him, especially the front, whereby his forehead is shown.

Suddenly, he turned and looked at me, and he turned away reflexively. I was surprised that he caught me observing him.

Apart from the greeting earlier on, there is no conversation between us for the past 10 minutes. Probably he was too shy, but I don’t mind.

I walked closer to him, covering the distance between us. Now I am just beside him.

I feel something held onto my hand. It was Ken’s hand, holding onto mine, holding onto it perfectly. Not that strong that it’s hurt, neither it was that weak that it’s feel loose. It was just perfectly.

I looked at him, without showing him how happy I felt deep inside me. It was embarrassing to even show it out. Of course, he was too shy to even look at me at this situation.

“Holding onto this hand means you will not be able to let it go easily... are you sure you still want to hold it?” I joked with him, but in a somehow serious tone.

I guess I was stupid at that moment, saying things which could even makes him more embarrassed.

But what happened later was something that surprised me.

“Sure…” He looked at me and smiled.

This word alones, enough to makes me feel happy from the bottom of my heart. For which this simple word held so much meaning into it.

Holding onto each other’s hand, we walked down the road, a path where our future lies…