Heart of the (K)night

2 am: We stood on a street corner while waiting for the signal to turn green. His hands were in his pockets and mine at my sides. To nervous to look at him directly, I strained my eyes to the left. I got a glimpse of his clenched jaw; his eyes staring straight ahead of him. His hair swayed towards me, and I slightly tilted my head back to take in his scent with the passing breeze. I gradually pulled my arms in front of me and put my hands together. I looked at the light. Still red.

Cold.

He started to rock back and forth on his heels. I saw he was growing anxious.

Silence.

The strain on my eyes had become too uncomfortable to continue, so I pretended to look both ways down the dark and narrow street: First to the right and then the left. He was looking up at the sky now. He parted his lips slowly and let out a peaceful sigh. His warm breath took the shape of a single, mystic cloud. Oh how I wished to breathe in that cloud, the lively fog that knows everything inside him. I watched it ascend into the night sky. I smiled and relaxed my gaze back onto him, just to find him staring at me with perplexed eyes.

Disorientation.

I bit my lip and looked down. And as I did, I saw the reflection of the red light turn green in a small puddle by the side walk. Out of pure embarrassment, I racked my brain to think of any general questions I could ask to shift the mood elsewhere. I turned towards him.

"Anata no shourai no yume wa nan desu ka?"

I was a step and a half into the street when his face changed from stoic and collected, to intense and panicked. He yelled out, "Abunai".

I became puzzled. He pulled his hands out of his pockets and leapt into the street. He grabbed the hood of my jacket and jerked me back onto the sidewalk. In my peripheral, I saw a silver flash. A drunkard on a bicycle blazed by without warning. My head slammed into his chest and his right arm wrapped around my shoulders.

"Daijoubu ka?" he asked worriedly.

"Hai, daijoubu," I said breathlessly.

I quickly removed myself from his grasp. I tried to play off the tense moment by laughing and inquiring about how happy I was to have my life spared so I could enjoy some tasty ramen across the way. I tugged at his beige sweater and threw up a peace sign. I bowed in his direction when I made it halfway across the street.

"Arigatoo gozaimasu."

I could see that he was trying to settle down, but his breathing was hurried and his hands were shaking. For his benefit, I ignored his actions and continued on. I made it to the entrance of the ramen shop. I leaned against the door way as he moved towards me. He was a freight train: strong, committed, powerful, and fast. His breath sailed away in the wind; passion stirred within me.

Be calm.

He re-birthed my conscious as he made his way to where I stood. He peered into my eyes. They were dark but pure. I tried to fight off a shiver that clawed up my spine. Finally, changing positions, he grabbed my hand and drew me into the movement of his will. Before I knew it, I was yanked into his life.

"Baka," he said sternly, under his breath, as we crossed the threshold of a new beginning...