Urban Express

by fuXion

I’ve got nothing in life. No aim, no nothing. I was with nothing since my first day in life. I’ve got no parents, no friends. And I know I’ve only got 72 hours left in my life.

72 hours

I’ve been travelling across the city in the bus. No destination. I felt the bus start and stop, heard chattering from the crowd. My head just jerk to the front whenever I felt the bus moves. Several different crowds I’ve seen. Several different scenes of the city I’ve viewed. Nothing was ever caught in my eyes.

The bus stopped in the heart of the city. Lights were glittering in the nightscape. Everywhere was still busy, with vehicles and people. Urbanization. I followed the people to alight bus. Take a walk in this urban city while I still can.

I took a look up to the sky in the middle of the skyscrapers. The lights warmly shone across my eyes, blending in with the stars. I closed my eyes, letting myself feel the city. Bustling crowds and traffic on the roads were heard. I was having so many kinds of feelings of the city when suddenly somebody grabbed me on the arm.

68hours

"Help me please," he whispered into my ears and gotten me to held him in my arms. I didn’t really get to see his face as he was pressing his head to my chest. He held onto my waist very tightly. I was feeling really uncomfortable. I don’t even know what’s going on.

Two men ran across us looking frantically. After they went out of sight, he let go of me and looked up. His face was slowly registering in my mind. I had considered this as beautiful. He smiled, reached out his hand and said, " Toshiya". I didn’t know how should I react. Maybe I’ll just reach out my hand too. I guessed I thought of it too long that he said, "What’s yours?" Instinctively, I said, "Kaoru". "Kaoru-san, thanks for helping my out. And don’t look so scary," he said it with a smile. Unknowingly, I actually blushed at that comment.

"You’ve saved me and I’m gonna follow wherever you go. Starting from this moment!" he exclaimed. I was slightly irritated and decided to walk off. "Hey! Don’t try to get rid of me!" he shouted at me, chased up with me and cling himself onto my arm. I couldn’t stop his actions. I’ve started to get used to have his presence around me while we continued walking and stopped at a convenient store to grab some food. After all, I still can feel hunger.

We gotten our food and sat at a bench where I could see the busy city right before my eyes. I guess I have a fascination for urban life. But this time round it’s different. Toshiya was beside me. For once in my life, I felt being accompanied. It felt good. I got to admit it, I actually felt touched.

Maybe it was getting boring that I decided to say something. "Why were they chasing after you?" I asked in a solemn manner. He was resting his head on one of his elbows while his elbows on his legs when I asked. He looked up with his deep eyes, which I was attracted to. He squinted his eyes and looked up to the sky while he answered, " Well, I stole one of their wallets." I wasn’t shocked or anything, I am just glad we’ve started to talk than to remain in silence.

62hours

Toshiya was, too, somebody without parents. An orphan, in other words. "Wow! We’re alike from the start! No aims, no parents!" He said in a joking manner. I merely smile at his words. He’s right actually, we were quite alike, just that he’s always cheerful. We’ve talked for the whole evening and he rested his head on my shoulder. I didn’t really mind it. I could feel his body warmth, his scent of his hair. Unknowingly to myself, I kept staring at him.

The sun is up, shining its rays down at us, as if putting us in the limelight. He was still sleeping. He looked especially peaceful and angelic when he sleeps. I set my vision on him and ignore the busy crowd walking across the place. I heard birds chirping and felt the sun’s warmth. Everything was simply peaceful. I stayed at the moment for some time.

51hours

"Ohayou, Kaoru-san," Toshiya cheerfully said and sent a peck on my cheek. I paused at that action of his. I felt a sudden gush of blood to my cheeks. The feeling wasn’t very strong but I knew I was blushing. I didn’t know if he noticed. He sat up properly for a minute and grabbed my hand. "Kaoru, lets go for a morning jog!" He said with a bright smile on him. I didn’t have a chance to say no but I didn’t mind. I like his company a lot.

We ran around the city, passing the skyscrapers, shops, the people, the vehicles, anything you can thought of. Didn’t bother when we bumped into somebody. We acted as if we were the only ones in the world. I couldn’t believe I actually had such energy to run. Toshiya held onto my hand and run. Maybe it was Toshiya. He made me run. I didn’t know how long we ran, just went on blindly. Finally, we lay down in the middle of a park. He was still holding onto my hand. I could really feel the fresh air I was breathing in. I really felt happy at this moment of my life. I never had such feeling before. I am finally smiling deep in my heart. It is because of Toshiya again.

We continued our stroll, acting like some loving couple. I secretly wished we really were. We walked from shop to shop, building to building. "Let’s take neoprint, shall we?" Toshiya requested. I never had much expression being showed on my face, as such, I just gave a soft nod. We got in front of the machine. I stood motionless in front of it while Toshiya did all the jobs. A knock descended on my head. I looked up. Toshiya’s fist. "Hey! We’re taking a neoprint here. Please don’t look sooooo serious!" Toshiya frowned and pulled my cheek. He teased me throughout the process, striking stupid-looking poses. Finally the last one, I wondered where I got the idea or courage from, I held onto his head with my hands and kissed him on the lips. He was pretty shocked but did not resist.

Droplets of rain began to descend from the sky. The impact was felt on the canvas sheet covering the machine. We didn’t bothered. His lips were beyond sweet. I wanted to cherish him, protect him so much. He held onto my waist and kissed back. Our tongues touched. I knew he was shy about this. I can’t stop either, it’s too hard to resist. He closed his eyes but I continued to stare at his dreamy look. He is simply beautiful. The world seemed to stop for a minute just for us.

43hours

The sky had darkened again. I knew very well that the time left for me isn’t much. I just wanted to have all my attention on Toshiya. "Don’t keep staring at me like that, I can get shy too you know?" Toshiya exclaimed. I laughed, first time ever for me. I hugged him and said, "I don’t wanna lose you. I am afraid to lose you." He patted on my head and replied, "Don’t get so sentimental all of a sudden. You think I will just suddenly disappear right before you?" I hugged him even tighter.

He had fallen asleep already. I took a look at our photos together. We looked happy together. I think this is what everybody will call fun. I wanted so much to tell him how much I love him. Will I ever have the chance? His image and the times we spent together just kept revolving around my mind, until I fell asleep, with him right beside me.

I woke up. Where is Toshiya? I looked around the place. He’s nowhere in sight. After all, we’re just sleeping under a street light, how safe can it be? Damn. Is he in danger? Or has he left me before I could leave him? I begged for an answer. I stood up, looking utterly depressed. I couldn’t concentrate at all. I don’t know why am I feeling this. My heart sank, really down. I don’t know how to describe but I badly need Toshiya. I felt really lost. Why isn’t he right beside me?

I held onto the lamppost for support. I wasn’t feeling very good. Somebody held onto my body. "Are you okay? Don’t scare me, Kaoru!" A familiar voice called out. My limbs felt weak and collapsed to the ground. "Kaoru, don’t scare me! I had only left for a while. Don’t make me feel guilty," he continued to say. My mind slowly cleared in a few minutes. I realized how important Toshiya meant to me. He’s beyond important. I felt much safer now, now that I am in Toshiya’s arms.

"Don’t scare me in such a way again! Or I’ll never get bothered with you!" He angrily shouted at me and gave a punch on my arm. I weakly smiled back. "Look at what I got! Goldfish! Isn’t it cute?" He said, resuming back to his normal cheerful tone, all of a sudden. "What shall its name be?" I looked at his radiance and energetic self. The way he talks, acts, thinks, looks. They all attracted me thoroughly. "Bubbles it shall be!" He suddenly exclaimed. He is too good to be true; I only have eyes for him.

Another night that is full of stars. The last day of my life. My last day with Toshiya. Something I can’t bear to leave behind. The city remained the same. The same old buildings, same old skyscrapers. The busy people just reminded me of my complicated feelings, just like how I felt for Toshiya. I could have all sorts of feelings when I’m with him.

He dragged me to the rooftop of the tallest building we could sight. Bubbles and us, admiring the night view of the city. He said that the whole city would be his heart while the stars would be the love he had for me. "Every single part of the city has a star above it. Kaoru, I love you with my whole heart." I was really touched when he said that. I could feel my tears brimming. But I didn’t want to cry in front of him. I hugged him back as my answer. I don’t want to let go of him; he’s the treasure of my life.

He fell asleep but I couldn’t. He still had that peaceful look on him, which made me feel so soft. I wrote on papers, "I’ve only got less than 24hours left." I didn’t know what made me write that. I folded them into paper planes and threw them all down the building. So many of them, soaring straight down. It felt good. What Toshiya said earlier on can’t get off my mind. I loved him and he loved me back. I am really depressed now. My life simply is a bitch. Finally I get to feel happy but it is going to end in 24hours.

I got over what I thought about yesterday and lived on with Toshiya. Like other busy days, we went around. "I wanna go to the toy shop," He whined. I can’t stop him; I wouldn’t want to also. He was totally excited about this. He is so childlike, innocent and angelic. We spent almost the whole day in there. He was so playful; he got to mingle with everything before he could go on. "I’ve known you for almost 3 days now, how many times have I seen you smile?" He said that cheekily. Through him, I know what a smile is. Instinctively, I threw him back a smile.

We got back to the rooftop. "So fun! We’ve got bubble wands! Cool isn’t it, Bubbles?" Toshiya brightly said. We’ve bought tons of candies too. He sticks a lollipop into my mouth and started to play on the rooftop. The bubbles acted like snow, floating everywhere around us. Every bubble reflected the view of the night sky and with the touches of a city. It is like how Bubbles would view the city in his fish bowl. Seeing him happily play was part of the joys in life. He ran across the rooftop, making the place like a wonderland to me. But then again, just with Toshiya around, it is already my wonderland.

He put his arms around me. I wished we could stay like this forever. But I know my dream is going to end. "Bubbles are short-lived but they are pretty, isn’t it?" Toshiya said. This dream is pretty but short-lived. But it’s okay; I truly felt happiness in this 72hours. "Toshiya, I love you. Always. No matter what happens." I kissed him after I finally told him what I always wanted to.

I felt my heart stop, the world blacked out in front of me. Ended. It had finally happened.