Page 31 of Summer Haze & Tokyo Craze

It was the whole day of seeing her as a anything but her CEO persona. Getting her to know apart from her job.

Not that I didn't know anything about her before, but something about her radiating happiness just flicked a switch inside me. It’s like I was seeing her for the first time, like the day has opened my eyes to the real her.

And I like the real her. Too much, I fear.

Seeing her without the CEO filter in front of my eyes has me noticing all the little details. Like her slightly crooked incisor, that I’ve never seen before because she tends to scowl, notsmile at me. Those small dimples in her cheeks when she does smile. The way her breath hitches when she laughs, the way she always looks down when she swipes a strand of hair away from her face and bites her lips when she’s nervous.

The way she's addicted to her iced coffee, to a point it makes me worry for her health, knowing very well that I am not much better with all the energy drinks I consume.

It's adorable.She’sadorable.

Fuck.

This is not what I expected to happen here in Tokyo. She’s not what I expected. Not at all. And I spent the whole night with our kiss repeating in my brain like a three-minute movie.

Remembering her soft lips on mine and the feeling of her soft hair under my palm has me blushing just remembering it.Blushing.

The way her breath hitched when our lips met. And even the barely noticeable gust on my skin as her eyes fluttered closed has me biting my lips because as soon as her image pops up in my head they curve into a smile.

And now that I've had a taste of her, I fear I'm addicted.

I need to get a grip of myself.

It’s Tuesday and our first negotiated afternoon of fun is in a place called Harajuku, only a few train stations away from our hotel. Thankfully, the trains weren’t as crowded today, but when I see the mass of people at our destination, dread washes over me.

“Relax,” Lily says softly and grabs my arm to pull me after her in the opposite direction. “They’re going shopping; we’re heading somewhere else.”

She has one of those little handheld fans with her again. I envied her for it at the amusement park, and I envy her for it now. Thick clouds hide the sky today, and despite the lacking scorching sunshine, it’s still hot and humid, my hair already sticking to the sweat on my neck.

“Thank God,” I mumble when she pulls me towards trees, fanning myself with my hand and loosening my tie. Then my eyes grow wider and wider as I realize it’s a full-fledged forest instead of a regular park.

"This is crazy," I say in wonder, turning around to take everything in. The noise of the city has suddenly subsided and everything seems to happen slower and quieter here. The trees seem sky-high, and the sudden idyll makes me feel like I've been thrown right into a Japanese fairytale movie.

I wouldn't be surprised if little elves or other forest creatures jumped out from the bushes or, I don't know, a glowing forest god crosses our path.

"I know, right?" she agrees and shoots me a smile, so happy it makes my heart jump. “I love the way here more than the destination.”

I raise my eyebrow at her. I have no idea where we’re going and I hate being in the dark. Which she really fucking enjoys.

“Relax, big guy. We’re going to a shrine. Meiji-Shrine if you want to look it up while we walk there." She giggles and I fight the urge to reach for her hand.

So far, she’s made no indication that she wants to talk about what happened yesterday.

Which I’m thankful for because I’m still reeling. I don’t know what that was and I don’t even know what I want it to have been. My head is all over the place and my heart jumps between sinking, wondering how I’d have time for a love life if I can’t even to manage time for my family, and imagining what this could become.

“I figured if you haven’t been sightseeing here yet, this would be a good start and not quite as intense as Asakusa,” she continues and I nod along, my focus still captured by this beautiful forest.

It’s really still quite a way until we reach it though, especially with us stopping to check out a wall of barrels that’s set up on the way and taking pictures of the forest.

It is so dreamy here. My mouth opens when we encounter the wooden gate to it – I’ve seen these kinds of gates on pictures and postcards before, but I never thought they were this big.

“It’s one of the biggest ones in Japan,” Lily explains when she notices my shocked expression and waits until the surprise wears off and I’ve taken my pictures before we continue.

The shrine area is still packed, but it’s not as bad as I feared, judging by the station.

"Let’s go." She takes my hand, dragging me through a forming crowd just behind the gate to take pictures.

It’s weird to be here as a tourist. There are people praying and hanging up little signs that look important. It feels an awful lot like walking into a church in the middle of a mass and I feel like I’m intruding.

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