Rooftops At Sunrise

35

The morning greets them with the sound of birds frolicking in the tree next to Aoi's bedroom. The young woman forgot to close the curtains last night; therefore, it is with regret that she finds herself with sunlight in her eyes, at barely seven in the morning.

Damian, too, ends up shifting around in his makeshift bed and groaning at the sudden aggression and warmth of the bright, yellow light. "Is it finally happening?" he mumbles in his sleep.

Aoi watches him chew the pillow she lent him yesterday with horror.

"Are we finally being abducted by the aliens?"

The young woman furrows her brows. She slowly leans down, then pokes at her friend's shoulder. "Damian," she hisses. "I'm tempted to give you a fright right now, but I'll just let you off with a warning: stop eating my pillowcase, it's my favorite one."

Damian snaps out of it. His eyes shoot open. They are puffy, and red. Aoi pretends not to notice. "Oh." So that's where I am, Damian thinks, as he stares up at the young woman, through the daze of his fatigue.

"Hello?" She waves a hand before his face. "Earth to Sunshine-Boy? Are you still with me, buddy?"

"Y-yeah," he thinks. "Uh... sorry about that, I guess I spaced out for a moment there..."Damian squints. "Remind me what we're doing again?"

"Breakfast!" Aoi groans, as she makes for the room's exit. "Also, I'm using the bathroom first. You can't take that privilege away from me. I'm disabled."

Damian pretends to laugh. He rolls his eyes. "Very funny. Thank you for that joke."

"And thank you for your sarcasm!"

"Well," the young man lets out an over-exaggerated huff and perks up from his bed. "Aren't you most welcome, then!"

"Okay..." Aoi traces her steps and sighs. "We need to stop and get ready."

*

Saturday morning. The two leave when Aoi's parents have still barely finished their breakfast.

"I thought they would already be at work by now," Damian mutters, as he and Aoi stroll down yet another street in the young woman's residential area. The young man whistles a happy tune, then shoves his hands into the pockets of his overalls.

Aoi stops to consider his question. "I didn't tell you?" she asks him.

Damian raises a brow. "Tell me what?"

"My dad got promoted," she smiles at her good friend, and reaches out to grasp his hand. "They don't have to work as much anymore."

"Aoi!" Damian rushes over to hug her. "Holy shit, that's great news! And you kept it all to yourself? I feel betrayed!"

She chuckles, then shrugs. "Come on, it's not that special." Though, I am definitely glad things have turned out this way, the young woman thinks to herself, as they fall back into a steady, silent pace once more, and head towards the sunflower park again.

A stoplight turns a deep, apple-red at the next crossroad. The pair are forced to take a break from their adventure, for now. They are not holding hands anymore, yet, their knuckles still brush against each other occasionally, like the leaves that rustle in the wind above them do. "Say," Damian mutters, while they wait from across the road. "Do you ever wish that one day, you'll be able to do something big, and so undeniably amazing, that even the universe will turn around, and look at you, and you will be able to scream the words: I am here. I am here, in this existence, and I will not ever go away. And, you don't leave. You live on. You actually live on. Forever—wouldn't that be cool?"