Dream Destination (A Fall Like Rain story)

Where is your dream destination?

Where is your dream destination?

It seemed silly to think that having the same answer to this question with his best friend Rain during their required Career Planning class in college was a sign of good things to come. But what did college junior Mark know? When you find out that you have another thing in common with someone you like, you just latch on to it and hope it means something special—never mind if five other people had answered the same thing.

So when they finally, finally got together, Mark had "Trip to Japan" on his list of things to do with Rain. It took them three years to finally get to it: seven days and six nights, Manila to Osaka flight (because it was cheaper and Mark had relatives there who'd give them free lodging), then take the bullet train to spend three days in Tokyo before going back to roam around Osaka and Kyoto. Overall, it took almost a decade since they both answered the question during that class to make the trip, but it took them eight years to get together for real anyway. For Mark, everything with Rain was worth the wait.

"Alright, show me your stash."

Rain set the tray she was carrying on the table between them. "I have instant ramen, pork bun, this cute little pancake, and I think this is their version of leche flan?" She waved the cup that looked like it was filled with custard and sugar syrup. "Oh, and three kinds of onigiri: tuna, salmon and kelp."

"Kelp?"

"That's what the translation app said." Rain shrugged. "Okay, what did you get?"

"Karaage, egg salad sandwich, soba, and..." Mark paused, then drummed his fingers on the table before waving his hand with a flourish on the last plate on his tray. "Takoyaki."

"I thought you'd wait until we get back to Osaka so you can have 'authentic' ones by the streets?"

"It was calling my name, okay?" Mark replied. "It's the frozen kind, and anyway, at least I can make comparisons when we get there tomorrow."

"Makes sense." Rain picked up her chopsticks to start eating, scanned her tray, and then made a face as she moved to stand. "I forgot to get an egg for my ramen—"

"Gotcha," Mark interrupted, picking up the small box in one corner of his tray. "I also got us yogurt drinks—strawberry or blueberry?"

Rain plopped back down on her seat, her face betraying the brief disbelief before giving way to a bashful smile.

"You always think of everything," she said, accepting the food he offered to her and choosing the strawberry drink. Then she leaned across the table and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "Thank you."

Now, he was surprised at this sudden show of affection. A jolt of kilig sent a warm blush up his cheeks. "You're welcome," he said. "Let's eat, I'm famished."

"Wait!" Rain exclaimed. She quickly rose from her seat and slid into the space beside him, phone in hand. "Let's take a photo first. With the food."

It took her a while to find a good angle to show some of their food in the frame, then a few more seconds for multiple shots on her camera. This was a side of Rain that people don't often see—her affectionate, sometimes goofy side, one that her shy and introverted nature hid behind tall walls that only a few people were allowed through.

"For someone who doesn't post or even go on social media a lot, you take a lot of photos," Mark commented when she returned to her seat. "Do you send that to Meah and Faith or what?"

"I just want to remember everything about this trip. It's our first time to be out of the country together. You know I love our road trips, but you know this is different. Special." Then she shrugged. "But yeah, I do send it to them, too."