The next morning.
I woke up to the light streaming in through the hotel window.
On the desk was the
small sketchbook Yixiang had given me yesterday.
I gently opened the cover.
Page one.
Me, lost in the city.
“So this is what I look like....”
A smile slipped out before I knew it.
I turned the page.
Me, laughing as I ate sweets.
Me, staring at a photo of my grandfather in the art room.
Me, looking up at the banyan tree.
Every drawing captured a moment I had never noticed.
Only the last page was left blank.
Empty.
I remembered what Yixiang had said yesterday.
“Because I want to draw the last one together.”
The tips of my fingers that closed that page felt just a little warm.
“How about taking a little detour today?”
Yixiang, who had come to pick me up, said.
“A detour?”
“It’s the hill my grandfather and his friends often came to after class.”
When we got out of the car, a gentle view spread out before us.
Rows of buildings stretching into the distance.
Plants swaying in the wind.
And an old bench under a big tree.
“They used to draw here a lot.”
Yixiang took out his camera and pressed the shutter.
Click.
“You took a picture of me?”
“Because you looked natural.”
“Delete it~”
“Nope.”
“Why?”
“Because your smile was cute.”
The one who said it looked the most startled of all.
“Ah...”
Yixiang's ears turned red.
I couldn’t help bursting out laughing.
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”
“Please....”
We laughed together.
The wind blew.
That time felt unbearably precious.
“Since we’re here.”
I took the sketchbook out of my bag.
“Let’s draw this rest of it today.”
After looking surprised for a moment, Yixiang nodded happily.
We sat side by side on the bench.
Only the sound of pencil running across paper echoed softly.
Every so often, our eyes met.
Each time, we’d blush and laugh.
“Stop looking at me.”
“I’m not looking.”
“You definitely were.”
“Because your serious face is rare.”
“Is that supposed to be a compliment?”
“Of course.”
That kind of casual conversation felt comfortable.
After we finished drawing, we showed each other our sketches.
“Eh....”
I held my breath.
What Yixiang had drawn was not the scenery,
but me laughing in the dappled sunlight.
“Me again?”
Yixiang smiled shyly.
“It’s not like I’m drawing you on purpose.”
“?”
“Before I know it, I’m always drawing you.”
My chest tightened.
I showed him my own sketch too.
There, instead of the scenery,
was Yixiang smiling as he held up his camera.
We looked at each other.
“I guess we’re even.”
When I said that and laughed,
Yixiang laughed too, as if relieved.
On the way back to the hotel.
In a narrow alley, a bicycle came rushing toward us.
“Watch out.”
Yixiang gently pulled my wrist.
We were so close our shoulders almost touched.
“...Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Our hands separated at once.
But we both fell quiet for a moment.
As we walked, Yixiang murmured softly.
“Lately...”
“Hm?”
“Drawing you is more fun than drawing the scenery.”
I stopped in my tracks without thinking.
That’s cheating.
There was no way I could answer that.
So I just smiled and
“Me too.”
Those two words were all I gave back.
The setting sun stretched their shadows long.
And inside the bag,
the last page that had once been blank
was slowly waiting for the future.
