The Bittersweet Ones

"Naoki," Jin said to me; a friend, no, just someone I know- very well. "What are you planning on doing today? Oh wait, let me take a wild guess: Nothing. Am I right? Did I win the prize?"

I was lounging on her wooden couch, which, believe it or not, was surprisingly comfortable. Jin was standing in front of me, hands on her hip, she reminded me of my mother. I hated that. She was seven years older than me, making her twenty-five, but she doesn’t like hearing that. She has a youthful appearance, though. Her hair was a fiery red- it almost looks like flames- and was always in a ponytail. Her skin was darker than mine as well. She isn’t hard to notice.

"You can’t carry on this consecutive routine, Naoki, you should be more like your brother…"

There it was. A comparison.

She must have noticed the deep flicker of resentment that befell my face, "I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that, I just…"

"It’s okay."

I stood up from the couch and walked toward the door, Jin called out to me before I could leave, almost pleading.

"I worry about you," I faced her, she had walked up to me with eyes locked on mine, they were sad, worried eyes, "You’re never happy and you’re always hating the world, you can’t spend the rest of your life living like this."

She handed me a flower. A lily. I eye the flower than faced her.

"Try and find that one thing that’ll make you most happy in the world." She smiled warmly.

I looked at her then back at the lily. It was smaller than a regular one, but it still looked… the same.

Deciding to go to Tiria Loch, I ended up spending the rest of the day there. Tiria Loch is a large lake at the south of the kingdom, it’s the only place where I like to spend my time alone. It’s a peaceful place. Sometimes it can get a little noisy; whenever the mermaids decide to come up and idle away, or when fishermen come. Those are rare days, for the most part, it’s a quiet. I like quiet.

I closed my eyes and felt the breeze gentle brush my face, it smelled of the ocean and it felt good against my skin. I heard the waved crash against the lakefront. I heard bees, and I heard picking…?

My eyes flashed open to see a girl picking flowers, she was humming too. I watched her absentmindedly as she plucked from one flower bed to the next. She seemed oblivious to her surroundings, but I wasn’t, I noticed heading toward was a giant frog monster, it was about to attack her. Without hesitation, I drew out my sword and dashed for the monster. I sliced it in half and it turned to dust before my eyes, flying away with the wind. I had heard a faint yelp so I turned and faced the girl.

She gazed up at me, holding a basket full of the flowers she had been picking. Glaring at her, I sheathed my sword.

"Idiot, you should be more careful, you could get yourself killed waltzing around aimlessly like that." I reprimanded then walked away without letting her respond.

After that encounter, it started to get dark, so I went to Umachan Village to sleep the night at Jin’s house. She didn’t mind, she even offered me dinner, I didn’t refuse but then one starts to feel like a freeloader.

The next morning I decided to break my usual routine as JIn asked, so I headed to Tiria Loch first, a regretflul decision for I ran into Aoki; who was preparing to go fishing. He was with Yue, a fairy who aimlessly wanders Tetria, like me. I’d notice that he glanced my direction and smiled, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of repulse or disgust as he walked my way.

"Naoki! Hey! Want to go fishing?" The hero of Tetria, asking me to go fishing with, I’m flattered.

"I’d rather jump in a lava pit." I answered with a rolling of my eyes and tone of resentment.

He shrugged indifferently, "Okay then."

I sat on the grass and laid my head, an indication for him to leave, but before he could, we heard a call.

"Wait!" Suddenly, I noticed the same girl from yesterday running towards us holding a basket of flowers. She stopped in front of us whilst panting lightly.

"Oh, Lita, what’s up?" Aoki greeted, apparently he knew her, then again he knows everybody and everybody knows him.

Hesitantly, but quickly, she held out the basket of flowers towards him. Her face was a deep red and she was facing the ground, almost as if with every fiber of her being she couldn’t look at him. It looked like she had been planning this, but never grew the courage to do it until now.

"T-these are for you. I-I picked them yesterday." She timidly said.

Aoki, unsure what to do with it, took the basket with a smile and thanked her, then ran after Yue, who was waiting for him. She watched as they walked away to find a fishing spot.

I couldn’t help but chuckle despite myself, "Another one." I silently whispered to myself. Another girl who’s madly in love with him.

She faced my direction and- what caught me off guard- her face beamed in excitement, as if she saw someone she hasn’t seen in years.

"You’re the guy that saved me yesterday!" She had a light velvet voice, but you can still hear the happiness in her tone.

Before I could get the chance to answer her, she walked up to me and leaned in on my face, she had an expression of curiosity.

"Strange, you look kind of like Aoki, only…" She lightly touched my hair, "you have white hair," She touched the skin on my arm, "you’re paler than him," She then looked into my eyes, "And your eyes are red!"

I grabbed her hand and moved it away from my arm in annoyance, "You mind not touching me."

She stepped back, embarrassed, "I’m sorry, it’s just, in a way, you look like the complete opposite of Aoki, and it’s kind of funny." She lightly smiled.

"I am the complete opposite of him." I muttered while looking away, she was sitting next to me, listening to everything I had to say. "I’m like the black sheep of the family."

Why did I say that?

She faced me, wanting to hear more.

"Naoki." I sighed.

I faced her and she smiled warmly, then she stood up and reached her hand out for me, "My name’s Lita."

I stood up, ignoring her hand, "Nice to meet you, now bye." I began to walk away.

"W-wait!" She yelled after me, even though I was right in front of her.

"What?" I turned around once again, annoyed.

She twiddled her fingers and stood there at a modest, her face was aimed at the ground. "I, uh, didn’t get a chance to thank you, for yesterday."

"It was no…"

"So thank you!" She smiled once again, but this smile was different. It was brighter and warmer than the sun. Her eyes sparkled with this tender look and it made me blush. My face felt hot and it burned.

"I- uh, you’re welcome… Lita." I managed to say, although my voice cracked a little.

She giggled lightly, pleased by what I said and danced away toward the grasslands. I felt strange, though, almost yearning. I wanted to call out for her, tell her to come back and talk to me again. While watching her leave, I felt sadness.

That night, I slept under a tree, and for the first time, I dreamt.

The next morning, I didn’t feel like doing the usual things I did. For some reason, I wanted change, so I decided to go to Nami’s ranch and mess with her chickens, which I haven’t done in a while. When I got there, it was already too late, she was feeding them, and what’s worse, Aoki was there. I didn’t feel like being annoyed by him today. I quickly left the ranch before I was noticed and walked the grasslands. At the center of the grasslands is a large tree where I sometimes sleep the night, you can literally see everything from there since it’s atop a hill. I made my way for it when I noticed- to my surprise- Lita.

She was sitting under the tree fidgeting with her hands, when I got closer, I saw that she was braiding flowers. I noticed that she would constantly glance up at the ranch then back down at the flowers. She must have known that Aoki was in here with Nami.

I casually walked up to her and kicked the bottom of her boot to get her attention.

"Hey." My tone was unexcited and uninterested, even so she looked up at me and beamed with her bright smile.

"Naoki! What are you doing here?"

I looked aimlessly around and put my hands in my pockets, "Could ask you the same question."

She glanced toward the ranch again, "I want to talk to Aoki, but… he’s been spending a lot of time with Nami at the ranch." She looked down at the half braided flowers. She had a very sad expression on her face, I couldn’t help but console her.

"So why don’t you just talk to him? You have before." I couldn’t look at her as I told her this.

"I can’t…" She clenched the braided flowers in her hand, her face turned red as she pursed her lips. "I just can’t, I’m such an idiot." She tossed her braid away.

"Yeah, you are." I smirked.

She looked up and glared at me, hopelessly, as she couldn’t pull it off, it was almost adorable. "Did you just come here to insult me?"

"Not really, but it does sound tempting." I sat next to her and laid against the tree with me hands behind my head.

She continued to glare adorably as I sat, then faced forward, her face fell into sadness again. I guess I’m not very good at consoling. We sat there in silence until I faced the marketplace in front of the Tetria caste, Lita followed my gaze.

"I’ve never been in there, the marketplace." She confided.

I faced her with a surprised expression, "Really?"

"Yeah, I’m not like the other Tetrians there. I’m afraid… that if I go in there, nobody would like me." She sighed and faced the ground.

I couldn’t blame her, she really is different, and I’ve only just met her. I couldn’t help but feel a yearning towards her, in a way she’s just like me, lonely. I wanted to make her happy.

I stood up and reached my hand out to her. "Well, there’s a first time for everything."

Her expression drastically changed to fear as she looked up at me. She backed up against the tree, "N-no, I can’t, I…"

I grabbed her arm and pulled her towards me, she leaned against me, placing her hand on my chest. "Don’t be such a baby." And with that, I dragged her towards he marketplace.

I never liked going to the marketplace, so I practically never went. It was always too loud and busy, everywhere you looked it was crowded with traders, children playing, and travelers, not to mention the people that already lived there. Not to my surprise, Lita loved every minute of it. The happy disposition everyone had, the indifference and ignorance of it all. The town was adorned with tall buildings and inns covered in flowers, there were fruit stands, libraries, and game areas, and gamblers would sit around and play for gold pieces.

Of course we visited every location the marketplace has to offer. We played all the games and I showed her all the little shops. I even showed her the entrance to the castle. It was the best day of Lita’s life, being the worst for me, but as long as she was happy. I was willing to do anything to please her, even play all the stupid games. Like the world renowned Bull’s-eye Bowl, which consists of bowling balls into a target a certain amount of times. Lita beat me every game we played, I will admit.

By the time we got to Umachan Village- where Lita apparently lived- it was already night. We stopped in front of her house to exchange goodbyes, she was facing downward and if it wasn’t dark, I could have sworn she was blushing.

"Thank you for today, Naoki. I had fun. I’m glad I went to the market, if I hadn’t of met you, I would have never ended up going." She looked up smiling at me.

"It’s whatever." I responded, then looked away whilst placing my hand behind my head.

Lita gazed at me, she had an innocent expression on her face. Her skin glowed against the moonlight, for a brief moment I could almost see it shimmer. Her light brown hair glistened and her bright blue eyes sparkled. I just now realized that I had been gazing at her as well.

At that moment, it was all over, the gazing had stopped only to be replaced by a burning sensation on my left cheek. Lita had kissed me. I was frozen. I couldn’t think, Lita had already entered her house but I couldn’t move. My face felt like it was on fire.

Eventually, I awoke from my trance and made my way to Jin’s house. I must have still been at a daze, absentmindedly, I knocked on her door. When she answered, a shocked expression crossed her face, then she looked worried.

"Hey are you alright?" She pressed the beck of her hand on my forehead, "You’re hot! Come inside."

She pulled my inside her house and sat me on the couch, soon after, she brought a bowl of warm water and a towel. She drenched the towel, squeezed the water out of it, and lightly placed it on my forehead. I finally spoke when Jin asked me what had happened to me.

"I was, uh… out with a girl."

Jin quickly faced me with a wide grin.

"But it wasn’t a date or anything like that." I quickly reassured her.

"Of course. So who is she?" She removed the towel from my forehead and placed it in the bowl.

"She lives here, her name is Lita." I faced the window as I spoke.

Jin grew as surprised expression, "Lita? That’s strange, she doesn’t seem like your type, Naoki."

"We’re not dating, Jin!" I snapped with a scowl, then my tone disheartened, "Besides, she liked Aoki."

Jin stared at me then smiled lightly and started soaking the towel in water again, she squeezed out the water and then lightly dabbed it on my forehead.

"She wouldn’t be the only one," Jin sighed. "I heard June’s also taking a liking to Aoki."

"Her and every other girl in Tetria." I glowered.

"Do I detect a hint of jealousy, Naoki?" She raised an eyebrow and smiled teasingly.

I glared sharply at her.

She started laughing, "I’m kidding!" She then sighed and returned to what we were previously talking about. "She’s… different than all the other girls in Tetria, I don’t want her to get hurt. Aoki, already has someone he loves, you know that."

I smiled at the thought of Lita’s difference, then my mind trailed off with that thought. "She is different, but that’s what makes her… special."

I continued to smiling lightly until I noticed Jin’s beaming eyes fixated on me. I quickly looked away in irritation, which caused her to laugh. I then decided to change the subject.

"So how are you these days? Anything going on?" I tried to sound like I cared, but then I noticed her face fell.

"Everything’s fine, but…" She trailed off.

"But what?" I urged.

She looked at me with a concerned look on her face, "Lately, there have been a lot of ghosts appearing at the Umachan Graveyard. It’s been terrifying the villagers, they won’t even go to mourn anymore because they’re so scared. Momotaru and I have been trying to get to the bottom of it, I think it may have something to do with the Crypt. I’m considering asking Aoki for help, maybe he can figure out what’s going on."

"I’ll do it." I quickly offered. I don’t know why, but I felt a need to do this.

"Huh? Really? Are you sure?" She seemed a little too surprised that I would offer.

"Yeah, it’s no big deal." I shrugged.

A big smiled spread across her face. "Alright! I’ll count on you then! When can you leave?"

I leaned back on the couch. "Tomorrow morning."

"That soon? Best prepare yourself then." Jin picked up the bowl of water and towel then put it in the sink, I could see her smiling the entire time. "Aren’t you going to warn your girlfriend?"

"She’s not my girlfriend!" I yelled, enraged.

"Alright, alright." Her chuckle became laughter, which angered me even more.

The next morning was a rush of excitement throughout the village of Umachan, which was a rarity. Everyone had heard that I was headed to the Crypt to investigate the anomaly, and there’s nothing more thrilling than an adventure at a graveyard, especially if it isn’t at the expense of your life, but someone else’s. Mine. Luckily, I had prepared myself beforehand. I had my sword, a bow that JIn had let me borrow, some arrows and a lantern.

"You remember how to get inside the Crypt, right? Or do I have to remind you again?" Momotaru, a friend of Jin’s, had asked for the thousandth time.

"I know how." I answered in the most irritated tone I could.

Nonchalantly, I began looking around the crowd of people who were awaiting my venture. Lita wasn’t among them.

"Looking for her?" JIn startled me.

"No, I was just… making sure there weren’t any ghosts around." I spoke too quickly and hesitantly.

She rolled her eyes. "Be careful in there."

"Fine." I turned toward the entrance of the crypt, which was a small cave into a dark abyss.

Before I could take another step inside, I heard someone yell out for me. I turned to see Lita running towards me. As I watched her, I had almost forgotten just how beautiful she is.

"Don’t go!" She practically pleaded. I was almost flattered by her overwhelming concern.

I faced the crypt entrance again, "I’ll be fine, Lita."

"No! I don’t want you to go, you could get yourself killed! Please!"

I looked at her, astonished that she’s so worried about this, "You’re blowing this whole thing out of proportion," I lightly poked her forehead, "I said I’ll be fine."

She looked at me with a fearful expression then nodded.

I stepped away from her then faced the crypt entrance once again. After taking a deep breath and collecting all my thoughts. I walked inside, disappearing into the depths of darkness.