~Reinhard's P.O.V~
The day Sunday has finally come and as promised, Natalie and I are going on a boat trip. Back in the day, I don't think I let the citizens here to enjoy the recreational areas here. Is this what Reichsführer Himmler meant that they deserve this peace?
"Are you finished, Natalie?". "In a bit!" she replied from her room. I wanted to wear my old uniform but Natalie suggested me not to wear it with the excuse that she's still worried that I might get caught. I told her that everyone knows who I am and as expected, Natalie didn't buy it. I ended up wearing a casual shirt under the bomber jacket we bought with jeans.
"Okay, I'm done!" Natalie came and she was wearing her favorite dark blue tee with a black skirt and honestly, I've never seen her wearing that before. "Ray? Ra~ay...". "Y-yes?" her hand waving on my face snapped me back. "Is something wrong?" Natalie asked. "I-it's nothing... my mind was lost for a second." Though I complimented her clothes. "It reminds me of the Administrator." I added. "Really? I thought you've move past her." She teased.
We had a good laugh then we went to the river. Natalie submitted the tickets she preemptively bought after we arrived and both of us got on board the boat. There aren't many visitors but it was enough for the passenger's list. "How often do you come here?" I curiously asked. "Whenever I have the time or when I'm bored." Natalie answered. "Though I usually just go to the bridge and enjoy the river flow with the view." And added.
"But you already know that." She nervously chuckled. I asked again which places Natalie most visited and she wanted me to guess. "Both?" I half answered. "Not quite." She pointed and corrected, "I mostly go to the bridge. It's calming to watch the water flow." She smiled to herself. She looked at me and somewhat figured something out, "Why did you ask? Are you jealous that I don't "visit" you often?" Natalie cheekily asked.
"You can say it like that." I felt there was a slight blush on my face while answering. "Well, you're already here and I feel that I didn't have to..." she then offered for me to try to visit the memorial again. "I'd like to try that." I responded with a smile. I think I'm ready to let that part of my past go.
The boat calmly sailed through the river and it was almost what I imagined all those decades ago. I wish she could see that I finally fulfilled the promise. "Hey, Ray..." Natalie called. "Yes?". "I'm sorry that I can't take you on an actual cruise. I can only afford this one." She apologized. I told her that she didn't have to and I actually enjoyed it. "Even if it isn't as grand as I expected, it's close to what we imagined seventy years ago." I smiled. "Then I'm glad that you enjoyed it." she smiled back.
I looked at her while she was enjoying the view and I gently put my hand on her cheek, guiding her to look at me and I leaned in to kiss her. I pulled away and Natalie was surprised. I apologized that I didn't mean to surprise her and she countered that best friends shouldn't kiss each other. I know that she was teasing me as usual.
"Though was that what you had in mind?" Natalie asked with a smirk. "Yes." I simply answered and we continued the rest of the boat ride. "Hey, Natalie..." I called her. "Yeah?". "I think I know who you sang that song for." I smiled.
~Natalie's P.O.V~
I finally got to do the boat ride with Ray today! I couldn't afford to rent a private cruise or I'd be broke but at least Ray enjoyed it. Though I didn't expect him to kiss me and I don't want to say if I enjoyed it or not. The boat sailed back to where we came and all of us got off. Ray and I then went to get something to eat. What a great Sunday morning.
Ray and I went to the memorial and it's another deja-vu for me. I just took Darky and Aunt Mag on the SAME trip, on the SAME day, and on the SAME route few months ago. Now I don't know if I want to send the selfie to Wolf again. "Didn't you say that you took your aunt and your sister on the same exact tour?" asked Ray, starting a conversation.
"Yeah... what a weird deja-vu." I answered. "Sometimes, everything feels weirdly familiar in one way or another." I added and Ray just smiled. We got to the street and I could tell Ray was nervous. I asked if he's alright and he said that he's trying. "Does telling you that I took an odd-angled self portrait of the street helps?". "Did you then?" Ray didn't believe me and I showed him the picture.
I also told him that I sent the pic to Wolf. He sometimes like to talk about Ray. "But no, he never talked about the Freitag siblings." I added. "Of course..." Ray sighed a smirk then asked if both of us can take the same picture again. "Are you sure you want to?" I worriedly asked. "From the way you described it... I think it sounds fun.". "Alright." I nodded.
I opened the camera and pointed up. "Just stand anywhere that is on an odd angle." Ray then went to the exact street and stood there like a ghost. I chuckled and snapped a photo when Ray gave the thumbs up. He went back over to look at the pic and he laughed, which really surprised me. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." he apologized after his laugh died down to a chuckle. "But it is a nice picture. Are you going to send it to the Reichsführer?". "No." I shook my head. "I think I'm going to keep it." and smiled.
Ray and I went back home and just as I opened the door, Ray went and turned on the CD player. "What are you doing?" I asked in between chuckles. "One last thing to return the favor." He smiled and pressed play after putting in the disk.
A sunset year, a blooming spring
A midsummer night's dream
Feeling fall, then winter's snow
Four times a year, then spring comes again
"Hey..." the melody hit me. "I know this song! Ray..." I looked at Ray and he held out his hand, "May I have this dance?". "I-I'm... I-I don't dance." I politely declined. "It's alright." He then swoop in and held my hand, "Follow my lead." He smiled and guided my hands.
"Four season with no reason"
After the rain, instead of sadness comes a happy end
A seven-coloured rainbow slanted like a sneer
Passed the seasons without maturing
I can't mature (Still)
Immature and long gone without maturing, Marchin' Vivaldi
Tchaikovsky, greeting the seasons of today
Finally, the four at last
I followed Ray's lead and I think I'm getting it. "You really like this song, don't you?" he asked. "The band has been absent for some time and I think it's a great song for a comeback." I answered with a nervous smile. I sang along while dancing though I still can't follow the rap part.
Boy looking over at the sky
Doing well throughout the four seasons (Good-bye)
Those who left and those who came
The world above our head
I'm leaving inspiration's Amazon
Burying all the trauma from past nights
A round-trip ship running, risking its life to start anew
I'm going to change more than before
A good person more and more
A better person more and more
"Damn that was hard." I clicked my tongue. "Do you speak the language?" Ray asked. "Korean? I can only read it but it's rusty." I answered with an embarrassed chuckle. "You're very talented." He praised me. "It's nothing really. It's just a hobby." Let me be modest for once.
With the morning dew, burying my anger in the past
(I miss you, I miss you)
For life, do it away, away, away
(I miss you, I miss you)
Ray then spun me and I was caught off-guard with it. "Are you alright?" he asked after catching me. "I-I'm okay... just a bit surprised." I answered. "Could you find the translations of the song?". "Sure!" I haven't checked what the band is actually singing about apart from the four seasons.
I miss the boy and girl who cried and laughed
I keep remembering those glorious and loving days
The seasons pass hopelessly as days go by
Going through our hearts by staining red and bruising blue
For the day, the moment that will come again someday (For you)
Our beautiful spring summer fall winter
I heard Ray humming along the "la-la-la" part and I softly chuckled. As the song goes, I felt that my steps were getting better and better. The song was almost finished and we glided through the outro.
At sunset next year, a blooming spring
A midsummer night's dream (Hmm)
Feeling fall, then winter's snow
Spring, summer, fall, winter (Ooh)
Both of us stopped dancing and I was blushing again. "You're a great dancer." Ray praised me again. "You're a great teacher." I praised him back. "Thank you so much for today."
A.N : I'm finally back again! And yes! It's BIG BANG's new single "Still Life". I listened to it for four days straight when it was released and I still have no idea why it kinda relates to the story. I thought that Heydrich is a bit of a regal guy so I wrote the ball dance scene. Had that plot for a while too and thought it would be a great plot line. Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and I'll see you in the next one! RD out!! Boi!!!