Bubble Tea

While it’s one of the first things I’d say I would never admit, back during my freshman year at college, my favorite part of every weekday were the hours between my final literature course and when the sun went down. The open sky above the the aging building of the liberal arts school I would be living at for the next year or so turned the most relaxing shade of cyan as the golden rays of the sun pressed their lips against every western facing brick or lawn. My dorm, a building several blocks form the main campus, was also right next a park, where I could here the quacking of ducks and chirping of cicadas during warm months before autumn set in full swing. I’d walk from my class, my brain exhausted from the day’s mental strains, and listen to the birds singing their songs in the trees growing from the wide sidewalks while my body basked in light the color of honey. A grey tabby cat with snowy white mittens lived on the street, and it would follow me from the corner of the street to the bottom steps of the apartment entrance. Sometimes it would talk and I’d talk back, telling it how frustrating my instructor had been or how interesting my class was, and other times I would just let it meow at me, since it was probably just hungry.

It was then, during the final faltering days of summer, as all the greenery gave way to deep reds and caramel browns, that I woke up late for my physics class. I panicked, being the type to feel a bit more nescient without having the time set aside to focus on first-hand studies. It was more rational to assume I should simply take a break, prepare for my next course and get in touch with a fellow student later to go over what I’d missed, but whenever I panic, I rarely think things through all that thoroughly.

After pacing for a minute in my bedroom, I quickly ducked into the kitchen of the two-bedder, figuring a deep breath and some strawberries might clear my head. Of course, it wasn’t until after I’d poured a full glass of milk and leaned against the counter to calm down that my roommate, who I barely ever saw in person, burst through the front door, fully dressed and toting a backpack stuffed with supplies. Once again, I was sent into a panic, since I was in nothing but a sweater and briefs (when I lounge, I really lounge) and tugged down the hem to cover my general groin area in a weak attempt to maintain some form of decendy. My roommate stopped in his tracks and eyed me, in a way that told me he was a little stunned and embarrassed. Not that I was experiencing any of that either.

“Oh,” was the first thing he said.

I tugged my shirt further down. “Sorry. I overslept...and forgot you had a break before your lab...”

“Don’t sweat it, Akio,” my roomate had said, “I guess you don’t have too much to be shy about from here on out, right?”

And with that, like a butterfly off on a spring breeze, the guy was in his room, leaving me half-naked and flustered in the kitchen. By that point, as the extra doses of sudden adrenaline began to die out, that I calmly sorted in my head how to handle the rest of the day and returned to my room to put on a some form of clothing over my legs. I tugged on a pair of light washed jeans and switched from my black sweater to a blue shirt with three white buttons below the next. After tugging on my favorite purple converses, I gathered what books I needed for the remainder of the day, checked over pencil supply, picked a playlist on my phone and quickly jogged from my room to the outside world.

I was immediately greeted with a wave of cool air and a deep blue sky patched with puffy white clouds. A smell that reminded me of the lilacs that grew in the alley behind my parent’s house wafted in from the park and I breathed every bit of the scent in, eyes closed, hands clasped to my backpack. Almost immediately after soaking up the fresh air, the idea popped into my head for what to do with my freetime. Midterms were in a few weeks, but not soon enough to warrant a cram before class, so with the succulent smells of flowers riding on the tips of a cool breeze, I went the opposite direction from the campus and headed toward the alley several blocks away that abounded with small shops.

I visited one cafe in particular, buying a small bag of pink macarons and an egg coffee. The outside seating area wasn’t too full, so I picked a table toward the end and sat at it, setting down my backpack on the chair across from me. The table was complete with a white cloth covering its edges, a mason jar with yellow dahlias sticking out set in the center and a few glass pebbles lying around. Some distance away, opposite the cafe itself, was the center of the little square, where stood a giant fountain that was surrounded by sauntering day workers on their first-shift breaks, moms with their toddlers and lazy looking teenagers probably playing hooky. I observed them, quietly, as I also observed a pack of pigeons eating crumbs near my table and a german shepherd that wandered from person to person in the main thoroughfare. It eventually made it to me, scaring away the pigeons, and leaned it’s nose toward my leg. I remained still, in an attempt not to frighten him but also keep him from getting too nosey. Normally I’m alright with dogs, but the last thing I needed was to feed one a macaron or let it follow me home. Taking the hint that I was uninterested, the german shepherd let out a kind of whine, hovered for another second, then moved to the young couple seated several tables down from me. I quietly let out a sigh.

“He doesn’t do that often,” a voice muttered from behind me.

I flinched, not knowing there had been anyone so close to me, and quickly turned to see who it was, an action that nearly threw me from my seat.

It was some guy, about the same age as myself (possibly older?) standing at the side of table directly behind me. He was wearing a dark green baseball jacket over a white v-neck t-shirt and pitch black jeans. His hair, black as oil at its roots, faded into an emerald green color toward the tips, shimmering like bird feathers do in the sunlight. In one hand he held a glass bottled soda, while in the other he grasped a steaming bread pastry, a bun of some kind with icing drizzled on top. His eyes widened at my sudden movement, as if someone becoming flustered over being addressed from behind wasn’t normal, and he lifted his shoulders in a kind of guarded stance.

“Gosh, I didn’t mean to scare you,” he blurted out, “I’m so sorry!”

I let out a sigh and leaned back in my seat. “I just didn’t know there was anyone around. Big dogs kind of make me nervous.”

The guy chuckled, leaning against his table. “That old thing wanders around looking for scraps all the time. He likes this street in particular, since there’s always new students coming over from the college and tourists visiting from the hotel on Third.”

“Oh, that’s where I’m from,” I said, “Not the hotel, I’m from the college. My housing is just a few blocks away.”

“Well isn’t that interesting. I’m used to seeing all the new students by this point in the year. They come to the cafe and then get bored or bogged down by studying.”

“Do you work here?”

“Not officially. I help clean whenever they’re low on staff. Today the usual baker isn’t feeling well so they have me picking up slack. I’m Makoto, by the way. Lots of students come by here so I like for people to get to know me.”

He pauses and I wait. I have to admit I’d become slightly distracted while he was talking. Naturally, part of it was the process of my body returning to not being frightened and pumping with adrenaline. The other part was something else entirely, something I wouldn’t really notice until a lot later. At the moment, I was simply looking into the dark center of his scalp and wondering how exactly the color was fading so nicely. I snapped out of it when I noticed the sudden silence and let out a nervous laugh.

“Sorry, I just- I zone out when I’m surprised. What did you say?”

He laughed back. “I’m Makoto. And you would be?”

“I’m so rude, I’m sorry. My name’s Akio. I transferred from an advanced academy in the southern region and started here a few weeks ago. You haven’t seen me because I don’t get out much. I’m either in class or studying. I came to this spot during the tour last summer and figured I’d visit it again today. I slept through my first class so I figured the best way to avoid my anxiety is to take a quick stroll.”

Makoto offered his hand. “A pleasure.”

I took his hand and just held it. I’d always been the worst at greeting people like this, ever since I can remember. A girl had made a comment during my earlier years at school that a tough handshake meant a man was strong and good. I’ve only bumped knuckles ever since, though it was the last thing that fit my personality in any way. Since then I’d come to understand than anyone with too firm a handshake was someone to just look out for instead of respect, and that in the end it wasn’t all that important anyway. Still, it made me feel kind of nervous when meeting hands with a stranger. Most of the time, people would grasp it and just hold it there until it got too awkward. Makoto, however, gave my palm a soft squeeze before letting go. It was a quick and deft movement, but it caught me off guard anyway.

“You took a stroll to the right place,” Makoto continued, folding his arms while still holding tight to his pastry and beverage, “Sure, the dog likes to beg in front of people but he never hurts anyone. Aside from him, this is a pretty quiet spot, most romantic in the city during the afternoons when the sun’s going down. If you ever got more free time you should come by and see me. I’m all over this spot once the lamps go on.”

“Of course,” I said, “I’m always in the mood for more scares.”

Makoto’s features sunk. “Oh, right. I’m still really sorry. You just looked so freaked out by the dog, I just wanted to-”

I lifted a hand and gave him a grin. I hadn’t meant for him to feel that bad. “I’m only messing with you. I’ll try to come by here more. It is a lovely place, I just study a lot.”

Makoto, who had briefly looked both relieved and flustered at my fooling around, quickly switched to giving me a giant mock frown of disappointment. "That sounds like no fun. My suggestion; skip this morning class more."

I stood, the mention of class reminding me that my second course was going to be starting in an hour and it wouldn't be a bad idea to get back to campus early in order to be certain I made it. I finished my egg coffee, but realized I have one more macaron and held it toward him.

"Speaking of class, I have another coming up soon," I told him, "Here. Have my last one. A gesture of good will."

He smirked, in a way that made me think of baseball pitcher striking a guy out and secretly feeling unsportsmanly happy about it, taking the macaron and popping it into his mouth. "The dog licked this one, didn't it."

He was being sarcastic of course, but I didn't let him jab too hard. "Maybe I licked it."

That made him pause. Honestly, it had made me pause too.

Yeah. That might've taken it too far.

"I really should go," I muttered, breaking the sudden awkward silence, "I don't want to be late."

With that, I turned away and began to make a beeline for the corner of the street so I could return to the sidewalk that lead like a path to campus. I noticed the german shepherd on the other side of the thoroughfare, eyeing me with a kind of humorous gaze. Ignoring him I continued, and just as I reached the last lamp post by the bakery, I heard a voice behind me, once again.

"You're cool," Makoto practically shouted, "Can we get boba tea some time?"

I looked over my shoulder, though I still kept a steady pace. He'd run to the fountain but had stopped to holler.

Without thinking, I replied. "I'd like that!"

And then I made my way around the corner, and he and the fountain and the dog and the cafe were all lost to the eye. Once again, the scent of flowers from the park rolled over me, only this time there was another scent tinged to them that I hadn't noticed until now; that slight hint of fresh grass that could only be smelled in the late morning of a warm day in early autumn. It made my heart nearly burst from my chest. I may or may not have skipped several times until I reached campus, nearly out of breath.

I loved boba tea.

And the color green.