I hope you'll enjoy this little birthday story. It's situated in Akita. The reason for that you'll understand if you've finished reading. It's a birthday story, so it will get romantic. (I'm seriously late for Ash's birthday but I had to research a lot. I'm sorry, Ash😅)
The silver envelope and the plane ticket is jewelry that will be released in November.
It's a necklace with an envelope. On the envelope is written Dear Ash and a green Swarovski jewel is next to it. You can open the envelope and take out the plane ticket.
Will you please tell me where we're going now that we're on the damn train?"
Ash sank into the seat by the window with a heavy sigh. Eiji sat down next to him, then crossed his arms and gave him a dirty look.
"It's a miracle that we've even managed to catch the train thanks to a certain someone who overslept again. Which resulted in us nearly missing the train...", Eiji snapped at him before he pouted and stubbornly turned away from him.
Despite their bickering, Ash couldn't hide his grin. Eiji looked too cute when he was mad. Especially when he pouted like that.
"Yeah, ok. I plead guilty.", he admitted softly. Then, a challenging spark flashed in his green eyes.
"But you knew I'm not a morning person so you should have anticipated that."
Eiji turned around again and shot him a death glare.
"Anticipating worst-case scenarios is your thing, not mine.", Eiji reminded him.
"Damn smartass." Then he pointed at him.
"And if you didn't always read books till 3 a.m. you wouldn't always oversleep.", he chastised him, irritation flaring up in Eiji's eyes as they bored into him.
"And if you had booked a train that didn't leave in the middle of the night, this wouldn't have happened!, Ash burst out while his eyes glowed dangerously.
They glared at each other for a minute before they both burst out laughing. They both secretly loved bickering like that, it had become a habit in New York when they had started living together, much to the dismay and entertainment of Ash's gang. They had never figured out if they were seriously fighting or having fun. If they were arch enemies or a married couple.
"But isn't it great, Ash? This is our first trip together. It's just for two days, but I really look forward to it."
"Yes, it is." Ash agreed before taking a look out of the window. Izumo moved further and further away into the distance with every passing second. Looking outside at the scenery, he slowly realized that in all the time he had lived in Japan with Eiji, he had never left that small town. Not once. Izumo felt safe. He knew every little corner in Izumo; it was like his own backyard or his new playground by now. But above all, it was his home.
Seeing how Izumo grew smaller and smaller with every moment until it entirely disappeared from his sight, made him feel nervous. He felt like a naive country bumpkin who was leaving his hometown to go on an unpredictable journey across the world without knowing anything about it. Leaving the only place, he knew felt strange and made him feel nauseous.
He loved living in a peaceful and quiet town like Izumo, could speak the language fairly well by now and had learned much about Japanese culture and history from Eiji and his family. The country itself, however, still remained a mystery to him. He had only seen Tokyo from a bird's eye view out of the plane's window and had only stayed in Izumo. That was all he had seen about Japan. He didn't like leaving the only place he felt comfortable and safe.
Eiji placed one hand on his, making Ash turn around to him in surprise. "Ash, please relax, ok? I know that it's the first time you're away from...
"Home?", Ash added. Pure happiness overwhelmed Eiji's eyes when hearing that description of Izumo from him.
"Yes. I know it's not easy for you. I can see how nervous and worried you are. You've tensed up and turned away from me. You always do that if you're suffering and don't want me to notice."
"And it has never worked. Not even once."
"Of course not. We're soulmates. We share a special bond. It's impossible to hide things from me. I know you too well. The same goes for you."
"A soulmate, huh? What exactly is a soulmate for you, Eiji?"
"Mmh, let's see. A soulmate is a best friend but can also be much more than that. It's someone who knows you better than anyone else. You want to become a better person just for your soulmate. Because they inspire you each day. You carry your soulmate with you forever. Even if you're worlds apart, that will never change. Your bond is unbreakable, even if you live far away from each other. A soulmate is someone who knew you, accepted you and believed in you before anyone else did. Or when no one else would. And no matter what happens, you'll always love them. Nothing can ever change that.", he tried to explain the concept to Ash.
"It's what I wanted you to understand when writing that farewell letter to you. That my soul is always with you even if we live on different continents."
"It sounds beautiful if you describe it like that.", Ash admitted. "I'd like to believe in that."
"You will one day for sure. And if you believe in it or not, we've already found each other. That's what counts."
Ash quietly nodded and leaned on his shoulder. Eiji copied him and leaned his head on his and placed an arm around his shoulder. Ash felt himself relax at once. Eiji's touch alone always calmed him down.
"It's just that I only know Izumo. Going somewhere else makes me nervous.", Ash admitted honestly.
"I thought you'd feel that way, but I've always dreamed of showing you Japan."
Then Eiji lifted his head again and put a hand on his shoulder. Ash looked at Eiji again. If he gripped his shoulder like that, he usually had something important to tell him. Eiji smiled softly at him.
"You're free now, Ash. You can go wherever you want. You can even fly like I did. But to fly, you have to lift off the ground. Only, you're afraid to try because you don't know what pure freedom or flying feels like. You have no control over something you have never experienced. Please don't turn a nice town like Izumo into another prison and hide there for the rest of your life. Freedom means that you can go anywhere but also that you don't know what awaits you. You can't foresee or anticipate what you'll see or who you will meet."
"That sounds scary."
"Yes, it does, at the beginning. But you'll notice with time that discovering new places you've never been before can be fun. Like an adventure. And you can make some great memories along the way. Memories that will erase your bad ones over time. And I want to create those memories along with you. And we'll create some unforgettable memories starting with your birthday.", Eiji promised him.
"Akita isn't that big. It's bigger than Izumo, though. We'll be safe there, I promise. So just enjoy our little trip, ok?"
Ash looked at him in amazement, at a loss for words before a small smile crossed his face.
"Thank you, Eiji. I'll try."
Eiji tried to reach for his bag in the overhead compartment, then sighed in frustration. Ash had been watching him, an amused glint in his eyes. "You need help with that, little one?"
"Sometimes you're just mean.", Eiji complained. "Can you please reach for my bag and hand it to me?", Eiji asked him disgruntled before his cheeks flushed bright red with embarrassment.
Ash grinned mischievously, then got up and reached for his bag that was too high for Eiji to reach.
"Here you go, little one.", he said, patting his head as if he were a kid before handing it to him. Eiji stared daggers at him. "I don't like you right now."
They said down again. Ash reached for a bag that was standing under his seat.
"Maybe you'll forgive me if I give you this.", Ash asked, an innocent smile on his face. He handed him a piece of cake in a little box. Despite his healthy cooking, Eiji had always possessed a sweet tooth for any kind of dessert. Especially the cakes from the café he worked at. Eiji's eyes lit up instantly. He reached for it, but Ash held it away from him.
"Will you forgive me?", Ash asked him.
"That depends.", Eiji answered snidely. "Is that my favorite chocolate cake?"
"Of course."
"In that case, I could forgive you. Barely."
Ash opened another little box with his favorite strawberry cake and handed Eiji a small plastic fork while he took the other one.
After they had eaten the cake, Eiji looked for something in his bag. "Come on; I'll show you where we're going."
"But didn't you say you wanted to surprise me?", Ash reminded him.
"I thought you didn't like surprises."
"I don't. But I know you love them. So I'll endure the pain and suffering for you." Ash smirked at him.
"Drama queen. You can't fool me. I know that you don't like surprises because you're powerless. Still, you look forward to my surprise. Your sparkling eyes betray you." Ash pouted and looked away.
"Whatever."
When Eiji placed a map of Akita on the table in front of them, he turned around to him curiously. Eiji gave him an amused glance. "I won't tell you every little detail. But I can tell you where we're staying and what we're doing today. And if you find something else you want to see, we can still change plans.", he clarified while pointing at the location of the station and the hotel.
Ash looked at the station and then at their hotel and looked around the areas surrounding them with interest.
"This park looks great. Is that a castle over there?"
"Yes, but it's not the original because it burned to the ground. It's a reconstruction. But you have a beautiful view of the city from there."
"Sounds nice."
"So what are your plans for today?"
"First, we need to check-in at our hotel, and then there's a festival that's pretty famous I wanted you to see."
"That sounds great."
After that, Ash read some of his books while Eiji checked all the papers for the check-in and the way to their hotel. After a while, he had dozed off. When Eiji woke him, his head was resting on Eiji's shoulder.
Ash yawned and rubbed his eyes. "We'll arrive in a few minutes. Let's grab our things."
When they had exited the train, Eiji took his hand and walked with him from the station to the place where they would stay the next night ."This is where we're staying for a night. "Come on; you'll love it."
Ash looked at the flat building that was completely yellow with dark brown tiles on the roof. It stretched out far to the left and the right side of the compound. In the middle was the main entrance that looked like a little pavilion itself with two pillars at the beginning and a little roof that looked like a smaller copy of the main roof. Above the entrance was a sign with the hotel's name in calligraphy written on it.
Eiji entered the building and dragged Ash along who was staring in amazement at the building's interior. Most of the floors, the furniture, and the decoration was made of wood and looked vintage or historic. Which wasn't bad at all, it gave the place an old-fashioned and traditional look, as if you had turned back time and had landed in a time 200 years in the past. Ash looked around in surprise while Eiji was busy checking them in.
There were many historical pictures on the wall, portraying historical figures, old castles and ancient maps of this city. He walked around a bit and found the room where dinner and breakfast were served. The room had old-fashioned wooden chairs and tables, and while eating, you had a view of a gorgeous, traditional Japanese garden, displaying all existing shades of green. There was also one of those stone gardens Ash had heard of but had never seen.
Ash looked back to the entrance. It had those traditional wooden doors that you couldn't push or pull open but had to open by sliding them to the side. He also saw a little souvenir shop next to the entrance where you could buy bags, scarves, charms and other handmade traditional items.
When Eiji was finished, he smiled and dragged him to the stairs after handing him a yukata.
Ash watched him questioningly. Ash had no idea what he was supposed to do with that or what kind of hotel this was, but Eiji enjoyed himself immensely, so he just let himself get dragged to their room.
"Do you like it?", he asked while his eyes shone brightly, looking at him in that innocent and pure way Ash so loved. Eiji always got that cute little frown between his eyebrows if he was worried about Ash's reaction.
"It looks kind of old-fashioned, but it's nice here. But what is that exactly?", he asked as he looked around the room.
The room had traditional tatami mats as a floor. There was a wooden table in the middle that was so low it was evident from the chairs that you had to kneel to eat or drink. Ok, calling them chairs wasn't accurate. They looked like chairs without the feet of the chairs. More like pillows with a wooden back to lean on. Only Ash had no idea how they were called in Japan.
They also had the traditional doors like the main entrance and a window that opened the same way, by sliding it to the side. The doors and windows had little rectangles and were just covered with thin paper to hide the view from the outside. It had a small bathroom, a TV, a rice cooker (of course), a kettle for some tea, a telephone and some regular chairs and a table of average height at the window.
"It's a ryokan.", Eiji explained to him. When Ash stared at him with a blank look on his face, he elaborated further. "It's a traditional Japanese Inn."
"Ah, so that's why it looks so old-fashioned.", Ash said, understanding brightening his eyes.
"Yes, I've always wanted to show you a traditional inn, and it was the perfect place to celebrate your birthday.
"They also serve traditional dishes here, and they have a public bath and an open-air bath. And an onsen or, as you would call it, hot springs, with an amazing view. A ryokan always has an onsen.", Eiji explained to him.
"I thought it would be a great idea." Eiji smiled shyly at him. When Ash didn't reply immediately, Eiji's eyes darkened slightly. "You don't like it?"
"No, Eiji, that's not it. I like it. I was just looking around, wondering why it looked so old-fashioned. This place is exciting. I've never seen anything like this before. It's fascinating." Eiji's eyes brightened instantly as he beamed at him.
"What is that thing you gave me? Is that a kimono?"
"Yes and no. You're right; it's similar in style. Kimonos, however, are made of different materials and are more elegant. This one is more casual and made of cotton. It's called a yukata. You can wear it everywhere in the ryokan as regular clothes and even outside. It was initially just used for bathing. Ash looked at it and nodded, wondering how to put that on.
"And the floor? Those are tatami mats, right?"
"Yes, they are. Japanese floors were traditionally covered with Tatami. It's a traditional flooring used in Japan and is a rectangular mat of about 1.8mx 0.9m with a core made of compressed rice straws and a kind of grass, wrapping around the core. We still measure a room's size or an apartment's size not by using square meters but with how many tatami mats fit in the room."
Ash looked around some more. Something was missing, something that you'd typically find in every hotel room. He felt stupid when he asked Eiji about it, but his curiosity finally won out.
"Eiji, I know that's a dumb question, but where are the beds?"
Eiji grinned. "The beds are foldable, and you find them in the cupboard over there. He motioned to a wardrobe on the right side next to the entrance. Ash looked inside and found something that looked like two thin mattresses you could fold in half that were neatly stacked in the cupboard along with two thin blankets and pillows. Ash closed the door again, relieved that he didn't have to sleep on the tatami mats. Those didn't look comfortable at all.
" They are called futons. You only take them out when you go to sleep because you have to move the furniture aside. Like the table.", Eiji clarified for him.
"You told me you never really celebrated your birthday. You can't even remember when you celebrated your last birthday. I thought that was so sad and I wanted you to have a birthday that you will remember. That will be unforgettable for you." Now Eiji was wearing that innocent smile that Ash so loved. The one where he smiled brightly but with a trace of uncertainty and shyness because he was unsure if Ash liked his surprise. He was adorable when he looked that shy. It made him look even more like the younger one.
Eiji was always worried that Ash wasn't happy or wouldn't like his surprises. Eiji didn't need to worry in that regard. Ash loved all of Eiji's presents because they were unique and proof of how well he knew him, that he could read his mind. Every day by Eiji's side was one worth living. He brightened each day for him with his presence alone.
He could do without the surprises, though. He knew he was safe in Japan, yet being left in the dark still made him feel vulnerable. It was Eiji's way of teaching him to be more spontaneous and more easy-going and just enjoy life and live in the moment. Like an ordinary person would. Eiji just wanted him to be happy. It was one way to tell him that he loved him. It wasn't that easy for Ash, but he was trying. Of course, Eiji knew it wasn't easy for Ash, he saw it in the way he looked at him sometimes.
"Eiji, that's sweet of you. Thank you. It was a great idea.", he assured him, hugging him tightly. "I love the old-fashioned atmosphere here. It's like going back in time."
"I was hoping that you'd like it. So, how about we eat something first? This place where we're staying is famous for its traditional food here. Then I'll show you around. There's a great festival here at the moment I wanted you to see. After that, we can go and enjoy the hot springs together? They're really relaxing."
"Wow, you planned it all out, huh? But I still don't know why you've especially chosen this town."
"You'll see tomorrow.", Eiji promised him, winking at him.
"Eiji, you know you drive me crazy if I don't know the plans you've made, right?", Ash whined. Eiji smiled softly at him, not falling for it. "Your bright eyes have betrayed you. Has anyone ever told you you have no poker face?"
"Actually, you're the first one."
"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise now, would it? And I'd like you to learn that we don't need a plan in Japan. Let's just go and see where we end up."
Ash looked doubtfully at him but reluctantly nodded.
After they had enjoyed a delicious meal, they headed out and walked through Akita. Eiji made a little detour and showed him some sights, the University, a beautiful park. Then he led him to the Kanto Museum that explained the history of the Kanto festival in great detail and the Akita Museum of Art. Furthermore, the place in front of the Museum was also where one of the main events were held, the Kanto competitions.
"The Kanto Matsuri takes place here at the moment. It's one of the biggest festivals in this region. Kanto means pole lantern, and the festival traditionally takes place at the beginning of August each year. The Kanto poles come in different sizes and can be up to 12 meters long. They weigh up to 50 kilograms and can carry up to 46 paper lanterns, which are lit by real candles. Usually, each Kanto is hoisted up by a single performer who balances them by using various techniques. The performers change every few minutes and gradually add extensions to the pole until the Kanto are at their maximum height.
"We can only see the end, but it's great, isn't it?"
"Yes, it looks fascinating.", Ash said, unable to stop watching the performers who balanced the poles sometimes, on their shoulders, sometimes on their forehead and their shoulder or even their hip.
"It will get even better.", Eiji promised him, took his hand, and led him to some streets to the main road called Chuo Dori Street. They looked for an excellent spot to sit on the sidewalk. The road was closed off for traffic, and they looked for a place at the end of the road. Eiji explained to him that at the end of the road, you get a spectacular view.
"All the performing groups gather together, line up and, when a signal is given, the poles are all raised at the same time, and the performers show off their skills. The event lasts 90 minutes, and it's called the Night Parade. It's wonderful with the lit candles in the dark. At the end, you can talk to the performers, take photos, and try out the poles yourself."
"Oh, I see. You want to take some great pictures from up close."
"Yeah, that would be great.", Eiji admitted, smiling at him.
They had a great spot and watched the festival, and the different performers and Ash noticed that he enjoyed watching the performers. The poles looked beautiful with their lit candles in the darkness, shining brightly like hundreds of little suns under the already darkening sky.
At the end, Eiji went to the performers and asked them if he could take some photos. Ash watched how Eiji concentrated hard to take pictures and tried out different angles and fumbled on various settings on his camera, most of which were a mystery to Ash. Ash was so immersed in watching Eiji that he didn't even notice one of the performers coming up to him and ask him if he wanted to try balancing a pole.
When Ash shook his head, Eiji took his arm. "Please, Ash. That would be a great photo.", Eiji pleaded with him, looking at him with huge puppy dog eyes.
Then he whispered something into his ear.
"You know that I love you, right?"
Ash felt his cheeks heat up. "Eiji, that's not fair!" Eiji smiled at him, pure angelic innocence, then gave him a gentle shove forward.
"You owe me for that, Eiji Okumura." Ash glared at him, green eyes flashing dangerously while looking back at Eiji, who had the best time of his life.
"It's not hard. Here, give me your palm.", the performer asked him. Ash gave him one last dirty look while Eiji was smiling encouragingly at him. He finally gave in to his fate. He had no chance in hell against Eiji's overjoyed smile. This smile was his weakness, and Eiji knew it because a mischievous spark flashed in his chocolate brown eyes.
He finally turned to the performer and listened to his instructions. The performer explained the basics to him and gave him a smaller pole, placing it in his palm. Ash put his palm together with the pole above his head swaying a little from one side to the other, trying to balance the pole on his palm, his nearly outstretched arm above his head. In the end, he somehow had managed to master it at least that well that the pole was more or less stable in his hand.
Eiji took some photos, and they thanked the performer and asked some other bystanders if they could take a picture of them together.
Eiji showed him the photos on his camera.
"Eiji, I look awful. Just look at my face.", Ash complained when seeing the photos with the pole. On one, he had an open mouth and wide eyes because the pole had nearly fallen down together with him. The rest of the photos were better, though.
Eiji just smiled at him before kissing him on the cheek. "You look perfect. Your golden hair and the lit lanterns complement each other. You look so handsome, like a bright star in the middle of darkness. Thank you for doing that."
"Anything for you.", Ash whispered before putting an arm around his shoulder. "So, what are we going to do now? I think you mentioned hot springs earlier."
Eiji grinned. "I did."
_______________________
"No, not like that! That looks ridiculous." Eiji burst out laughing when Ash tried and failed to put on his yukata, fumbling with both sides of the yukata and the belt at the same time.
"Then you do it!", Ash grumbled impatiently while crossing his arms and stubbornly looking away.
"I'd like to, but that's impossible if you stand there pouting like a three-year-old.", Eiji laughed, an amused grin on his face. Ash sighed and reluctantly turned around to him again. "The left side of the yukata has to be put above the right side.", he explained patiently while tucking him in. Then he put the belt around him and tied it at the front. "Like that. The belt or the obi sash as we call it, has to be worn at your hip.", he explained to him. Then he moved some steps away from him, looking at him from head to toe. "As expected, it looks great on you, Ash. Let's go, ok?"
"Thank you.", Ash mumbled quietly. They left their room and went down the stairs and left their clothes in the changing room.
After Eiji had explained the cleaning ritual to him, they washed and entered the water of the hot tub. Ash flinched when entering the tub.
"Wow, that's really hot. How warm is that?"
Eiji laughed. "Softie. At least 25 degrees. Usually, there are various hot tubs with different temperatures up to nearly 30 degrees. That's probably 80 degrees or more to Americans?" When Ash gasped in surprise, he grinned at him. "It's called HOT spring for a reason, you know?"
The pool was round, forming a perfect circle, and the edge looked like checkered, dark brown marble. On one side, there was a little fountain of water that looked like a little waterfall. It came from an elevated part of the bath's edge that looked like a little tunnel and connected this hot tub and the other one to the left that was a bit smaller.
Eiji, of course, was already sitting in the hot water, his back touching the edge of the hot bath, the water reaching up to his shoulders. After a moment, Ash went into the tub as well, sitting down next to Eiji. Eiji noticed with amusement how Ash looked around the room with wide eyes. The place was beautiful; it had a great atmosphere since they were surrounded by nature: some high trees, bushes and a little creek that could be seen through the windows but also served to block the view from the outside. Furthermore, you could see the full moon outside, and the light illuminated the room, giving it a mystic glow. At the end of the room was a little exit where you could bathe in the even hotter hot tubs that were situated outdoors while still sheltered from the rain and hidden from outside.
"You're sure we can be here? It's already late, and we're the only people here.", Ash asked him while looking around nervously.
"Yes, it's fine, the hot springs are open till 0.30 am. I checked."
Eiji reached behind him for something he had hidden behind him. His location wasn't a coincidence. Before Ash could ask him what he was doing, Eiji put a hand over his eyes.
"Eiji, what the – "
"Close your eyes. I have a surprise for you.", Eiji said in a low voice.
When Ash opened his eyes again, Eiji handed him a glass of sparkling wine, smiling at him. Ash looked at him in confusion, but Eiji just kissed him on the cheek and whispered into his ear:
"Happy Birthday, Ash!"
Ash looked at him in confusion, so Eiji pointed at the clock hanging on a wall in front of them. Ash looked in that direction, realizing it was already past midnight, then back at Eiji, and smiled softly at him.
"Thank you, Eiji."
After a moment, Ash got that cute little frown between his eyebrows that Eiji so loved. He always got it when he wanted to ask him something but wasn't sure how to do it or when contemplating if asking that was such a good idea.
"I don't know the rules for a hot tub or onsen, but knowing Japanese people and their love for rules, I'm pretty sure they don't allow alcohol in here. Eiji's cheeks flushed red instantly while a guilty look crossed his face.
Ash smirked knowingly. "I caught you breaking the rules. I can't say I don't like that naughty side of you."
Eiji got a playful look on his face as he looked directly into his eyes. "I'd break the rules for my favorite bad boy anytime." Ash's cheeks were tainted by a pink glow that had nothing to do with the high temperature of the water. Ash looked so cute if he was blushing.
They finished their drinks in silence and just enjoyed the moment. After a while, Eiji closed his eyes and relaxed. The hot water felt great and made him relax. When he opened his eyes again, he saw that Ash was also enjoying the hot water. He watched him for a moment. He had never seen him so relaxed, and he had even closed his eyes, too. The way the moonlight illuminated his face, he looked like a painting or a marble statue of ancient Greece. It gave him an ethereal glow and made his face look more than beautiful. Eiji couldn't stop watching him. Of course, Ash had felt his eyes on him and caught Eiji staring at him.
"What are you staring at?"
"You. Always." Ash looked away in embarrassment. "You're so cute when you're embarrassed, Ash."
Then Eiji touched his cheek to make him look at him again. "You look otherworldly with your pale skin that looks like ivory in the soft glow. Your hair is glowing golden in the moonlight, and your eyes are shining like emeralds. I can't believe how lucky I am that I can spend my life with you. I think I've just fallen in love with you again."
Ash's eyes widened, and he stared at him for a moment, completely stunned. Then his eyes sparkled with happiness. He ran a hand through Eiji's damp hair and slowly moved closer until their lips were close to touching. Then he looked directly into his eyes, which were glowing brightly while a wicked grin played over his face.
"I knew it, Eiji! You only like me for my good looks.", Ash accused him lightly, feigning annoyance. Yet, Eiji saw in his bright eyes that he was joking.
"Of course. How do you Americans say? You're easy on the eyes?", he grinned right back at him. Ash glared at him with a scowl on his face. But then his eyes softened, and he chuckled softly.
"But you look as beautiful, Eiji. I love it when your eyes are shining golden like that. Like a beautiful sunset. I could drown in your bright eyes and your warm smile; they make me fall in love with you even more each day. I could watch you like this forever."
After a moment, Ash moved closer and kissed Eiji gently before deepening the kiss. Eiji was surprised at first but instantly put his arms around him, pulling him closer and returning the kiss. He gently gripped Ash's hair and closed his eyes, copying Ash's movement while he let Ash stay in control.
Looking back, Eiji had always assumed a kiss would be nothing special. Ok, so he had never kissed anyone before coming to the US. But in college, he had only heard stories about lousy kissing and most of his friends had told him their first kiss had been horrible and they hadn't felt anything at all.
Yet, Eiji was still a romantic and had always hoped that his first kiss would be special. And the kiss in jail had been special alright. And not only because Ash had used the kiss to smuggle a message out of prison. That kiss hadn't been romantic at all, and it went by much too fast for him to react. He had basically just been standing there, completely stunned and frozen up while Ash had kissed him. Still, it had felt great, so he had secretly hoped that they would kiss again. But then the events went ahead at lightning-fast speed, and they were just busy surviving. So Eiji had forgotten all about it. Until they had moved to Japan.
When Ash was kissing him, that was the most wonderful feeling ever. It was soft, at first, before Ash deepened the kiss, turning it into a more passionate one. He could feel Ash's heartbeat quickening and how his breathing was changing. Ash's lips tasted sweet on his, and his movements were gentle and slow. Ash's arm around his waist felt safe and warm; he was feeling protected and loved.
Eiji was always surprised that one single kiss could arouse so many different emotions in him. Affection, love, passion and pure happiness. He felt all those emotions rushing through his body while electric sparks were running through him. Then, a warm and fuzzy feeling spread through him that he only felt when kissing Ash. It was pure bliss, and Eiji wished that feeling would last forever. When Ash kissed him, he felt alive, loved and more awake than ever before.
The sensation of it always overwhelmed him, taking him completely by surprise each time. Every emotion, every touch, every scent was overpowering him. He knew he was still a bit clumsy, and his movements were a bit awkward, but Ash had told him he found it cute, and he loved his innocence. He truly enjoyed kissing Ash and wanted the kiss to last longer. He always wished this moment would last forever...
Eiji could feel the warmth spreading through his body and felt his heart nearly bursting with happiness.
Ash made him feel special, loved and truly happy. As if he was the center of his world. The only person that mattered to him. Ash could date anyone with his looks, but he only had eyes for him. Which made him feel like the luckiest person on this planet right now.
Ash rarely initiated a kiss and especially not without asking him first. Eiji could feel that for the first time, Ash had kissed him spontaneously, in the spur of the moment because he felt happy and relaxed and wanted to show Eiji how much he enjoyed this moment with him. It was his way of saying I love you.
When Ash slowly softened the kiss again and pulled away from him, there was happiness sparkling in his green eyes that Eiji wanted to see more often. After a moment, Ash's eyes dimmed a bit as he looked at him.
"I wish we could take a photo of this wonderful moment. But that's not possible, is it?"
"No, it is.", Eiji said, reaching for something at the edge of the pool where their empty glasses were standing.
"But your camera is wet. It's probably broken – ", he exclaimed in pure shock.
"Ash, relax. It's an underwater camera. It's waterproof."
"It is?", he asked in surprise, staring at the camera when Eiji switched it on.
"Yes, the quality of the photos won't be as good as with my other camera. But we can take some. And I can probably improve them at home."
Eiji took some photos of them together, and then they took pictures of each other and their surroundings.
"You really thought of everything.", Ash praised him, putting an arm around his waist. "I love you, Eiji.", he said in a low voice, leaning his head on Eiji's shoulder.
"I love you, too.", Eiji said, leaning towards him as well so that their heads were touching. They sat like that for a while in comfortable silence.
_____________________________
The next way, they walked 15 minutes to Senshu Park. Ash was still rubbing his eyes and was more sleepwalking while Eiji dragged him along. When they reached the park, Ash slowly woke up. It was a lovely park with small alleys and paths with trees on each side, their leaves shining in many different colors from spring green to golden to honey-brown to cherry-red. In the US, they called it Indian Summer, referring to a time of dry and warm weather in October that turned the leaves to change into all the colors Mother Nature had to offer. Of course, it was still August, but since the summer had been incredibly dry, the leaves had changed color sooner than they usually would.
He could feel Eiji's gaze on him as he watched him while he looked around. They walked around some more until they reached a little pond. They sat down on a blanket there for a little picnic. Eiji hadn't prepared the food this time but had asked for some food at the ryokan that they could eat later. The food was great since the hotel was known for its traditional food, so they had more than enough to eat. Eiji had also brought enough coffee in a Thermos flask that they enjoyed. The weather was great, and they had a beautiful view of the lake and the flowers and plants surrounding the lake.
"It's so beautiful here. But this still isn't the reason we visit this city, is it?"
Eiji beamed at him. "I'm glad you like it. No, the main reason you will see when we've finished eating, and you've opened your presents. Will you open them now?"
"Presents? As in more than one?", Ash asked with shining eyes.
Eiji grinned. "I think I've spoiled you too much. But I love seeing your eyes widen in surprise and shine with happiness. So here's the first one."
Ash opened it. It was just an envelope with Eiji's handwriting on it. Ash opened it. There were two tickets inside for an exhibition about Hemingway in Tokyo with a discourse by some professors and a discussion at the end. The university in Tokyo sponsored it.
"Thank you. This is great. But – "
"Don't worry so much, especially on your birthday. We can afford it. I promise."
"It's scary how you can read my mind sometimes, you know?" Eiji grinned at him and ruffled his hair.
"Open this one. I hope you'll like it."
Ash did so. It was a bookmark made out of card stock, as Eiji explained to him. On the one side was an envelope with a plane ticket sticking out of it. Next to the envelope was a phrase that looked like Eiji's handwriting:
Even if the world turns on you, I'll always be on your side.
On the other side was a photo. Ash was sleeping peacefully next to Eiji, his head resting on his shoulder while some blonde strands had fallen over his eyes. Eiji had his arm around Ash and was smiling at the camera. Beneath the photo Eiji had written:
Happy birthday, Ash. I hope I can celebrate many other birthdays together with you like this. Forever.
I'm so glad that I have met you.
Love, Eiji
Ash stared at the bookmark in disbelief while tears were running down his face. Eiji wiped his tears away, then put an arm around him. "Don't cry on your birthday."
Ash leaned on his shoulder. "Sorry. That's a beautiful present. Thank you. And you know I feel the same, right? I'm so glad I came with you to Japan. I enjoy every moment here with you."
Now Eiji's eyes were filled with tears as well. But he still had that beaming smile on his face that made his eyes sparkle with pure happiness.
After a while, they packed all of their things and continued walking through the park. Eiji showed him a temple they passed along the way, and they visited the castle and the museum for a short while because one original tower had been restored and offered a fantastic view of Akita, as Eiji had told him before.
After leaving the park, they took a bus to the Akita International University. Ash was dying to know why they were here. Still, he was sure that Eiji wouldn't tell him and that he would hopefully end his suffering soon.
After a few minutes of walking, they stood in front of a building that looked nothing special. When Eiji told him this is his present, even Ash couldn't hide his disappointment. They stood in front of a building that looked like any other university building. It was a rectangle, the width of the building being twice as long as the height of the building. The top floor had a glass front and looked boring and pragmatic as any other university building did. The middle consisted of wood and contained many wooden tiles in different shades of brown and of varying length that looked weathered and used. Under that was the entrance that looked more bright with its cream-colored pillars and matching windows and door frames that went from top to bottom. Still, to Ash, it looked cold and was nothing special.
Eiji just grinned at him mischievously when seeing his saddened expression, giving him a knowing glance and scolded him softly:
"How do you say in English? You can't judge a book by its cover alone?", he asked him. Ash nodded absent-mindedly, still staring at the facade in front of him, wondering if he could be right. He couldn't imagine how the building could be any different inside.
Eiji suddenly touched his cheek gently and looked into his eyes, smiling softly at him. "This building is similar to the infamous gang leader Ash Lynx back in New York. It looks cold and hard at first glance, but if you take a closer look, there's a beautiful soul hidden inside."
Ash's cheeks flushed in embarrassment, and he stubbornly looked away.
Eiji just shook his head, laughed, and led him inside while one of his hands was placed over his eyes. When Ash opened them again, his eyes widened in astonishment, and he was speechless for a moment. If he was perfectly honest, that was an understatement. His eyes practically bulged out of its sockets like in one of Eiji's mangas. He was staring at the most beautiful library he had ever seen.
Even the New York Public Library paled in comparison. It was just breathtaking and looked like one of the seven wonders of the modern world to him.
To call the inside of this building a library would be an insult. It was a masterpiece of architecture and looked wide and open. It also radiated a brightness and a cheerful atmosphere. Most libraries he knew were held in dark colors that made you feel cramped and small. This space emitted freedom, brilliance and an area that felt unrestrained where students could feel the independence in the air. Ash fell in love with it at first sight.
It was an imitation of the coliseum in Rome. The one that had been built in Ancient Rome where gladiators had fought for their lives. The rear half of the building looked like a duplicate of the amphitheater, where spectators could watch the event unfolding in front of them. Only that this space was occupied by bookshelves instead of spectators that were arranged in an oval form, just like the original in Rome.
Ash looked down at the bottom floor. From here, it looked like the middle was a duplicate of the arena with the only difference that this space was used for seating with tables and computers.
Eiji saw his eyes sparkling with pure happiness and smiled at him in pure satisfaction. Ash had completely frozen up the very moment he had seen the library, standing there as if not believing his own eyes.
"So, have I promised you too much?", he asked, casting an amused glance in his direction.
Ash finally turned around to him, his eyes bursting with joy as if Eiji had given him the most precious gift in the whole wide world.
"Eiji, this is great! That's the most beautiful library I've ever seen. It's amazing! Thank you for bringing me here." Ash hugged him tightly.
"Anything for my hopeless book lover. I was hoping you'd like it."
"Are you kidding? I love it. What's it called?"
"It's called the Nakajima Library. It belongs to the International University.", he explained to him, enjoying Ash's reaction to the fullest.
"Eiji, this is incredible. Just look at the ceiling.", he said in admiration looking up. Then he looked back at Eiji.
"So that was the main reason you've taken me here? To Akita, I mean?"
"Yes, that library was my birthday surprise for you. I saw a picture in a magazine and instantly thought of you. I knew you'd love it here." Eiji replied before watching Ash while he looked around with huge, childlike eyes.
"You look like a kid in a toy store.", Eiji grinned.
"Come on, let's go. I've been here before. On a class trip, when I was still in school." He took his hand and led him over the red carpet until they reached the stairs where the part of the coliseum was.
"The library is pretty new. It was built in the image of a coliseum of books in 2008.", Eiji explained to him. "It was built just like the structure of an ancient amphitheater, as you have probably already observed. Its design was meant to inspire students to tackle their studies like the gladiators of old Roman times."
"I can see that. I like the thought and interpretation behind the design.", Ash answered without stopping to look around with a stunned expression. His eyes were sparkling with happiness as he tried to take in every little detail of the library's design.
The library was built like a regular library at the front of the building. When you entered, you were met with long, endless wooden shelves on several floors, red carpets and tons of books, sorted in different categories and topics just as you would expect in a standard library.
Yet, from the middle to the back of the library, the library formed a semi-circle, and all the tables, the shelves and the carpets were also bent in a semi-circle. From the middle onwards, there was only one huge floor that was below the entrance, like a kind of basement level. The whole room, from the tables in the middle to the carpets to the shelves, everything was arranged and designed in a semi-circle, standing in parallel lines and had the same distance to each other. The ceiling consisted entirely of wood, and the beams were also arranged in a semi-circle. It looked like half a sunshade or one half of a vast umbrella where all the beams were running towards a larger, more stable point that held all the weight together.
In the middle of the room, the most stable point in the form of a colossal pillar was standing, dividing the regular library at the beginning from the semicircle that went from the middle to the back of the room.
That huge pillar held the beams in the middle of the space that reached from the lowest floor to the ceiling. At this point, all the beams were fixated or ran together. In the middle of the pillar was a giant light bulb that illuminated the room along with other smaller light sources when it was dark outside. Everything, from the pillar to the beams, to the shelves and the tables were made out of light wood, giving the library a calm but also a bright aura which was emphasized by the many windows at the sides of the library. Since there were no doors, the space was wide open and smelled like freedom and independence.
Eiji grabbed Ash's arm and walked with him from one side to the other. Ash didn't notice; he just kept staring at the ceiling in awe.
"Everything was built with local Akita cedar wood and was supposed to be unfolding across the ceiling like a parasol.", Eiji clarified for him, pointing at the many wooden beams at the ceiling.
"The Nakajima Library embodies the nature and tradition of Akita Prefecture. The rich cedar complements the building's inner architecture, trying to create a calm and quiet atmosphere. With its distinctive setting, the library is popular. It is often visited by both college students, the intellectual elite as well as by many tourists who love the architecture as much as you do."
"The architecture is breathtaking, and the construction with all those wooden beams it incredible.", Ash agreed. "I've never seen anything like it before."
"The Nakajima Library is home to a great number of English books, with non-Japanese texts comprising 60% of the collection. Thanks to the library's vast international collection, it is designated as a United Nations Depository Library—one among only 14 libraries in Japan.", Eiji said proudly. "I think that means they own one of the most comprehensive collections of primary literature of the United Nations.
"I've never seen children in a university library.", Ash said, looking at all the children moving around.
"The library also hosts a collection of English picture books and other children's books for kids."
"Then I can pick you up there when I'm done reading.", Ash smirked at him. Eiji smacked the back of his head.
"Watch it, Aslan Jade Callenreese. Or I might just leave you here."
"Do you think I can read all the English books here in one day?", Ash challenged him.
"Knowing how smart you are, I'd say it's certainly possible. But we don't have all day because we have to catch a train back home. "You think you can manage it in three hours?", he asked,
"And what will you do while I'm reading? You'll probably be bored to death."
"No, I won't." When Ash looked doubtfully at him, he pointed to his camera.
"I can look through all the photos we took and take some photos of the library. And of you. I love watching you read. You always get that dreamy and relaxed expression on your face when you're reading. Sometimes your face is blank as if your soul has dived into the book's world and left your body behind. I could watch you forever like that. And I love it when you wear glasses. You look so homey and comfortable in them. And even more like a book worm.", Eiji smirked at him, then began opening his camera bag and scrolled through all the photos. When Ash didn't move, Eiji looked up from his camera again.
"It's fine. I brought you here to enjoy some time here. But we have to leave at 4 p.m. We can always come back another time. Besides, someone is waiting for you in Izumo to celebrate your birthday with you.", he said, winking at him.
"Huh? Who would want to celebrate my birthday with me?"
Eiji smiled mysteriously, then just shook his head in disbelief before looking through his photos again. Ash looked through all the bookshelves and returned with a tower of books that was bigger than himself. Eiji rolled his eyes but couldn't hide his soft smile when seeing him.
When it was slowly time to leave, they picked up their things and went to the store where Ash picked up a few English books. Those were hard to find in Izumo, especially classic literature.
When they left the train in Izumo, they were picked up by someone they knew only too well. Max stood there with crossed arms and a wicked grin on his face that only intensified when he saw Ash's astonished face and widened eyes.
"So, when were you going to tell me that today is your birthday, kid?"
I hope you've enjoyed this little special for Ash's birthday. I love libraries as much as Ash does. When I saw that library, I fell in love and had to write a story about it. Since I can't travel due to Corona, I love writing stories that are situated in cities I'd like to go to. Kind of like fictional holidays🙂
Please leave a comment or a vote if you liked this story. They give me the motivation to write more.
The next chapter will be about Max meeting Eiji's family. That will be a lot of fun to write😄