Rooftops At Sunrise

36; EPILOGUE

Neither of them speak of Lucas again—or of the van—to another person for the next year. He is their little secret—and the two do not mind it one bit.

It is winter now; one year later, and many months after Aoi has entered her university of choice alongside her best friend, Damian, who decided that he did want to study again, at the end of that fateful summer.

Unlike Damian, however, Aoi has since-then opted to avoid physically attending her classes, and only visits her campus for important lectures and exams that can only be done in person. University life was fun, in her opinion, but it was not something she could do every day. The young woman first figured this out a month into her lessons, when it would physically hurt her to walk any farther, sometimes.

Yes, unfortunately, running from class to class on a rather large campus was not something she could keep on doing. Thankfully, though, her professors were all quite understanding of her current predicament, and were able to work with the young woman to organize a schedule that has allowed her, so far, to have access to her curriculum, even when her body does not wish to cooperate; which, in Aoi's case, is still almost every single day.

*

Cherry blossoms fall onto the pavement before Aoi and Damian's boots.

The two have moved in together. They figured it would be cheaper to pay rent, and Damian wanted to thank Aoi for inspiring him to chase his dreams instead of leaving them behind, by helping her out every now and then.

Damian's sister, Emma, keeps careful watch over him in the shape of a picture, that is always risen atop Damian's desk, where he studies to become an astronaut, in hopes of making her proud.

*

The morning of the New Year, Damian is seated on the bright yellow couch in their living room, with one foot propped up against a pillow; his socks don a sunflower pattern—a housewarming gift, courtesy of Aoi herself.

The young man casually sips on hot cocoa. He readies himself to turn on the television in order to watch silly cartoons. The creaking floorboards stops him short of grabbing the remote control that had been lying across their transparent, glass coffee table. "Aoi?" Damian rubs his eyes. He squints at the corridor, that is barely illuminated by the dim, morning light outside. "You're already up?" he asks her. "What's wrong?"

Aoi shuffles closer to him, then sits herself down next to her best friend. She stares at Damian with a smirk sprawled across her features. "I want to write a book," she tells him. "And..." the young woman purses her lips together. She stares down at her knees, then clutches the fabric of her pajama pants that cover her legs. "I'd like for you to be my hands."

Damian falls silent. He pauses to put his mug down on the table before them. Aoi initially fears that her request may be a tad too ambitious, but the worry in her heart fades once the young man bursts out into a fit of giggles, then wraps his arm around her shoulders. "That's awesome!" he yells; loud enough for the neighbors to knock on their wall and request they be quiet.

Outside, the sun is just about ready to rise across the town; if they want to catch the first sunrise of the year, on the rooftop of their new apartment, they'll have to be quick.

The young man turns to face her. His face is flushed with joy, and Aoi thinks, that she, too, is likely blushing as well. "What should we call it?" Damian asks her.

"I was thinking of..." Aoi tugs on her braid. She sighs, then leans in to whisper into Damian's ear. "Rooftops at Dusk?"

END