As the last of the festival-goers trickled out of the park, 7 and I started to make our way home. The streets were quieter now; the only sounds were the soft rustling of leaves in the breeze and the distant hum of traffic.
We walked side by side, our steps falling into a comfortable rhythm as we made some small talk. 7 was oddly quiet, which made me more conscious whenever our hands brushed against each other.
As we continued to walk, the sound of rain started to fill the air. At first, it was a drizzle, but soon it turned into a downpour. I looked around, trying to find shelter, but all the stores were closed.59Please respect copyright.PENANAds5uYfXnvX
"We need to find somewhere to stay," I yelled, my voice barely audible over the rain. “The closest buses have already stopped and it’s a 30-minute walk to the next.”59Please respect copyright.PENANANxp5JRIwsf
"Yeah, but all the hotels are probably full," 7 replied, his eyes scanning the area. “I’d call someone to pick us up if there was anyone in the area, but…”
After a few minutes of searching, we thankfully arrived at an open motel. A love motel. However, 7 didn't seem to care. He walked up to the receptionist and asked for a room.59Please respect copyright.PENANALyuD8USJrd
"I'm sorry, we're fully booked," the receptionist replied curtly.59Please respect copyright.PENANAfOJnQ9fVFi
"Please, is there anything you can do?" 7 pleaded. “The closest bus stop is a long walk away.”59Please respect copyright.PENANAoZTY8E3hfj
The receptionist paused for a moment, eyeing us up. "Well, I suppose there is one room left, but it's a bit worn down."59Please respect copyright.PENANA8vluBziMEU
"We'll take it," 7 said, without missing a beat.
As we made our way to the room, I couldn't help but feel nervous. I had never stayed in a love motel before, and the idea of it made me uncomfortable. But 7 was unfazed, chatting away about the festival as if we were staying in a five-star hotel.
Once we entered the room, I was relieved to find that it wasn't as seedy as I had expected; it was quite clean and well-maintained apart from the peeling paint of the walls and the slight leak in the corner. But as I settled onto the bed waiting for 7 to finish his shower, I felt a wave of anxiety wash over me. What did it mean that we were staying here together, alone?
I tried to push the thoughts away and started flipping through the TV channels. Unsurprisingly, most of them showed… adult material. I quickly switched the TV off as 7 stepped into the room, wearing a bathrobe.
“Hey, these provided bathrobes are pretty neat- ah, you can take your turn now,” he gestured to the shower.59Please respect copyright.PENANAo5EOgLe80H
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As we turned a corner, we saw a group of rowdy teenagers up ahead, laughing and shouting. For a moment, I felt a twinge of anxiety, but 7 didn't seem fazed. He strode forward, his head held high, and I followed close behind.
The teenagers noticed us and stopped their laughing, their eyes narrowing as they sized us up. But 7 didn't flinch. He walked up to them with a grin. “Heyy, did you kids see the fireworks at the festival?” He said, slinging his arms around the boys’ shoulders.
“Man, if this isn’t the epitome of youth, I don’t know what is,” he continued. “If you guys have a girl you like, it would’ve been the perfect date location… ah, maybe next time, yeah?”
Feeling somewhat embarrassed, I took his arm and dragged him away from the teens.
“Sorry about this guy, he’s a little too friendly sometimes,” I apologised.59Please respect copyright.PENANArxocAPg2JL
“Nah, don’t worry about it mate,” a boy replied with a grin, the rest of them exchanging glances with each other.59Please respect copyright.PENANA263MVv8247
“What are you doing?” 7 asked me with a questioning look. Before I could reply, he turned to the teens once again.59Please respect copyright.PENANAgQw6m8Hn1c
“Hey kids! Enjoy your youth before you’re enslaved by the pressure of studies? You know on nights like these, you just want to burst into song!” He started singing the chorus of an upbeat tune that he must have heard earlier at the festival as I dragged him away. (This was ChatGPT's idea, not mine... ahem. Anyway, he was singing the chorus of "Tokyo summer session." In theory, of course.)
His voice rang throughout the neighbourhood, and I couldn't help but smile as I watched him dance a little jig in the middle of the street and the laugh of the teenagers in the distance. In that moment, I realised that 7 had a special kind of magic - the ability to connect with people in an instant and make them feel happy and alive.
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