Chapter 49: Smile, Genuinely

A few minutes later, we were able to get out of traffic and our journey through Hakone was quite smooth sailing. 

"Roll down the window Aoi."

"You really like fresh air huh?" 

"What's there not to like?" 

I obliged and rolled down the windows. We were already at the mountains of Hakone so rolling down the windows for some fresh air in the morning might not be that bad of an idea. 

"Let's go stop for a while and enjoy the view before going down." 

"You have lots of requests for someone who's usually quiet around a group." 

"Just do it already! We'll be taking pictures here." 

"Fine, fine." 

I opened the compartment and we sat on it. Yukino started taking pictures of lake Ashi from the view up the mountain as I smoked a cigarette. Yukino then pointed the camera towards me. 

"I thought you'll try and quit smoking?" 

"I'm doing that already." 

"Then why are you smoking so early in the morning?" 

"It's my first cigarette of the day, I'm trying to smoke fewer cigarettes nowadays so spare me the scolding will you?" 

"How many cigarettes did you smoke back then on a daily basis?"

"About 10-11?" 

"And now?" 

"4-5?" 

"Good." 

"And, take that camera off my face. It feels like I'm being interrogated or something." 

Yukino then went back to admire the view. The cold breeze blew and her hair was blown back. I was there staring at how picturesque the view of Yukino was, seeing only her back and the nature in front of her. I thought that it was a good time to take a picture of her so I did. The shutter of my phone made her look at me.

"Instead of taking pictures of me, let's just take one together using my camera. That'll be better." 

"Sure I guess." 

We took a picture. The frame was mainly the two of us and behind was the view of the lake. She was smiling brightly while I, on the other hand just let out a poker face. 

"Will you please smile?" 

I smiled at the next shot of the photo. When we looked at it, Yukino laughed her guts out. That's exactly why I don't smile in pictures. I don't know how to.

"Can you not smile normally when taking pictures? You look creepy haha." Said Yukino, still laughing.

"Let's go already!" 

We went back inside and went down the mountain to reach our first destination of the trip. Our first destination is Lake Ashi. I've searched it online and it was a really nice place. I just hope that the place looks like how it was in the pictures. 

We drove down the mountain still with the window down. We can already see the view of the lake so Yukino gazed by the window the whole ride down. 

"Let's go back here during the night Aoi." 

"Tonight? We'll be behind schedule if we do that so we probably can't." 

Yukino frowned.

"Some other time then." 

I wonder if that'll happen. Going into this trip, I felt like this would be our last. Not to be negative but the feeling is too strong to not notice. But despite that, I still hoped that maybe we could still go back here during the night where stars would accompany us as we watched the view. 

"Sure" I said, smiling at her. 

A few minutes later, we reached the foot of the mountain and parked our car near the lake. It was almost lunch time so I unpacked the food we brought.

"Eating lunch already?" Asked Yukino.

"We're eating lunch, not just me." 

"Eh? I'm not hungry yet." 

"Don't be a kid and eat your portion." 

"Fine." 

Yukino and I sat in the compartment and ate our lunch. 

"I wanna go near the lake!" 

"Then finish your lunch. It feels like I'm taking care of my daughter right now seriously." 

Yukino pouted and proceeded to munch on her lunch quickly. After eating our lunch, I went for a quick smoke. 

"That's cigarette number 2. Remember your smoking limit." 

"Yeah I know, and please stop filming me while you scold me." 

"Let's go near the torii gate and take some pictures!" 

I followed Yukino as she walked, skipping steps like a little kid beside the lake. We reached the torii gate and it felt surreal. The sun rays were shining through the torii gate which made it look like an entrance to another world. Yukino removed her sandals and grabbed my hand as we ran through the torii gate. The water was cold as I expected. We stood there for a few minutes not letting go of each other's hand. 

"It's beautiful isn't it Aoi?" 

"Yeah. I can't blame you for being too excited and rushing to eat your lunch just to go here." 

"Let's take a picture! This time, smile!" 

Yukino held the camera on her other hand as she snapped a photo of us. This time though, I smiled. I can't hide the joy that I'm feeling right now so I just let it all out. 

"You know what Aoi, you've been smiling a lot more compared to when we were in high school." 

"You're basically forcing me to earlier. I guess you've been head over heels for me since high school then huh?" 

"Yeah." 

"What? I was just kidding." 

"High school wasn't the first time that we've met. I met you once when I was in second grade. You probably didn't remember but I was lost and crying. You found me and accompanied me until my dad found me. I will never forget the words you told me that day. "Don't be scared, I'll be here with you until you stop crying." and you really waited for me to stop crying until our parents found us. I can't believe you told me that considering that you were lost as well haha. Your smile as you said those words made me forget the fear I was feeling. I can't believe you were able to say those words considering that your hands were shaking. But when we met back in high school, that smile was gone. All I ever saw was a fake smile. I'm just glad that bit by bit, I can see the glimpse of that young you again these past few months." 

"I can't remember that. And I can't even remember the last time I smiled genuinely before meeting you again last year. It was you who brought that smile back, Yukino." 

I knew that life was full of ups and downs for me. It changed me in a way to hide my true emotions and let out a fake smile to refrain other people from seeing me as someone weak. But I guess Yukino never saw me that way. Even after seeing me in my most awful states, she never said a word about me being weak. She was there to help me become strong, trusting that I am capable of being strong. She brought me back to the time where I can genuinely smile without faking it.