(by Fujii Itsuki)
Remember it was a nice day
The morning in Kaohsiung City is clear and softly lit by the gentle sunlight
Not many cars on the road.
not many people
I’m a high school student.
I have to get up at 5:30 every morning.
Just to catch the 6:30 bus.
I like to sit second from the left on the bus.
The windows are bigger there.
And it’s fully open.
It’s more even airflow…
Remember it was a nice day
The morning in Kaohsiung City is clear and softly lit by the gentle sunlight
Not many cars on the road.
Not many people…
I saw her…
that year
I’m a sophomore… and so is she…
We waited for the bus in front of a civil servant’s dormitory.
There’s a wide sidewalk there.
There are several large ficus trees planted on the sidewalks
She’s on the far side of the sidewalk.
Against the wall by the dormitory
Hands on the bag.
poised
Her hair would slide down and cover her face.
I know her name is Leung Ka Wan.
I asked for it in secret…
She’s not too tall, not too short.
a bit too thin
About 160-162
I think she’s less than 45 kilos…
But I know I like her a lot.
I liked her from the first moment I saw her…
But I don’t know how to approach her…
Even know her!
You’d see her in gym class at school, taking books to the library.
Take one in.
I’ll bring one out…
And she’s all alone.
I was even more afraid to talk to her…
I’m glad we’re on the same bus.
Get on at the same stop.
Get off at the same stop.
She lives in my neighborhood.
It’s a 25-story building.
One day after school.
Mom wants me to buy eggs at the supermarket.
And the supermarket is right next to her house.
Of course I’d love to get it.
Check out and walk out of the supermarket
The first thing I saw was a paper airplane flying down from the sky.
I picked it up and looked at it.
It says.
‘Such a wind is too lonely…
It hurts so much…”
I was wondering who wrote it.
Look up.
I see another paper airplane coming in.
And the paper airplanes came from the top floor of her house…
The second paper airplane says.
‘Leave me alone.
Because I found out.
If even the most unfeeling wind can feel pain
That means you’re thinking about me…
If we can even see each other’s backs.
Then we wouldn’t have almost fallen in love
The tears in my opponent’s eyes…”
What a beautiful word.
I want to see who’s throwing paper airplanes…
as a result
I went up to the top floor of her house.
It was the first time I went up to her penthouse…
I saw a girl.
Standing on the innermost part of the penthouse
Against the fence.
Spread your hands in front of your legs
poised
Her hair slid down and covered her face…
She’s the only one who knows the thousand and one positions.
I recognized her right away…
But I still didn’t have the courage to talk to her…
She turned around and leaned against the fence to write again
Then I folded the paper into the shape of an airplane.
Throw it out…
I rushed downstairs to pick up that third paper airplane.
And then I’ll go home with my eggs…
The third paper airplane says this.
‘The wind is ordinary, the rain is ordinary
Flowers are ordinary, trees are ordinary
Ordinary people, ordinary shadows.
You’re ordinary, I’m ordinary.
It’s just that…
The love I give, even if it’s not ordinary.
But what you give me is always lonely…”
Her handwriting is really beautiful.
And everything she writes feels that little bit of falling pain
I’m so sorry.
But what can I do…?
I put up my pen.
On that paper, I wrote.
‘The wind is at its ease, the rain is at its ease’
The flower is at home, the tree is at home.
be at ease, and the movie will follow you
You’re at ease, I’m at ease.
Because…
You write about love, even if it’s not comfortable.
Everything I write must be about love…”
And then I took this third paper airplane
Go to the top floor of her house.
She’s not there anymore…
I put that piece of paper on that fence.
I just hope she can see it.
Maybe it’s the only way to get to know her…
on alternate days
I didn’t go straight home after school.
I kept looking up when I got to her house.
See if she throws paper airplanes again…
sure enough
She threw a fourth paper airplane.
She’s got a habit of doing that.
‘Maybe one day the sky will turn red’
That means I broke my heart for love.
Maybe one day the earth will turn black.
That means I’m hurting for love.
Maybe someday the clouds will turn brown
That means I’ve given up on love.
Maybe one day the world will turn a dull color.
That means I’m dead to love…
cannot be said be
Even if I give myself the chance to go back one more time
There’s no rainbow waiting for me…”
Her fourth paper airplane said this.
I’ll pick up the paper airplanes and take them home.
Then I wrote on a piece of paper.
‘Maybe someday the stars will turn blue’
That means I’m in love.
Maybe someday the moon will turn golden
That means I’ve been touched by love.
Maybe someday the evening breeze will turn silver
That means I’ve had my heart stolen by love.
Maybe someday the dreams will turn into colors
That means I’m in love…
it is said
If you give yourself the chance to go back one more time
There will be more than just rainbows waiting for you…”
equal to
I took the paper to the top floor of her house again.
Put the plane against the wall…
That’s it.
I don’t go straight home from school anymore.
Instead, I waited downstairs at her house.
Waiting for her paper airplane.
‘If my moods could remote-control an airplane back to the point of origin’
So who can my handwriting remotely control to come to me?’
That’s what her fifth paper airplane said.
I can see she wants to see who I am.
But I’m actually starting to get scared.
If I’m not her type of boy.
What should I do…?
People have fantasies.
Especially in a situation like this.
If I were her.
I would definitely like to know who this person is who keeps returning my paper airplanes.
So I wrote on the fifth airplane.
‘It’s not just paper airplanes that you’re in the mood for remote control’
And your handwriting is not just about me…
PS: Bus at 6:30 a.m.
I’m used to sitting second from the left…”
If she wants to see me.
She’ll be looking at the second position on the left.
So that even if she wanted to end her own fantasies just like that.
It won’t cause too much embarrassment
Damn right.
I didn’t catch the next day’s bus…
Yesterday’s paper airplanes are meaningless…
I saw her at school.
I want to go over there and tell her I’m sorry.
Said I missed the bus today.
But…
Oh…
afternoon
We’re waiting for the bus together.
But I saw her take out a pen and paper.
He squatted by the side of the road and wrote…
Write one after another.
Much, much, much.
The wind is not very kind this afternoon…
She slowly folded the piece of paper into an airplane.
I know it was meant for me.
I want to go over there and ask her for it.
But I just didn’t dare…
Then she threw the pile of paper airplanes into the garbage can at the 7-11 at the intersection and I realized that this morning the second left spot was empty
It hurt her so much…
First time in my life I’ve ever gone through a trash can.
Even the clerk at 7-11 came out to ask me.
“Hey! What are you flipping?”
enumerate
There are 32 paper airplanes.
I paid no attention to the clerk’s questioning.
He went home with a paper airplane…
‘Sitting in the second seat on the left
Just the morning sunlight slipping in through the window.
Not…”
All 32 paper airplanes had the same words written on them…
I wrote the same thing on all 32 pieces of paper.
‘I’d like to be the sunshine
Because the sun can ring around you with impunity.
Not like…”
While attaching these 32 sheets of paper to the penthouse
I told myself.
I should tell her who I am…
After school the next day.
I’m still waiting for paper airplanes downstairs in the afternoon.
‘Paper airplanes with tears attached
Does it lose its center of gravity?
if it will
Which way will it fly?
My heart has long been turned into a paper airplane
But it was the first time that I had tears in my eyes.
Will it lose its center of gravity?
I think I will.
on account of
It’s already heading in your direction…”
This is her sixth paper airplane.
Every word of it tells me exactly what I need to know.
I responded to her fantasies in the form of a paper airplane.
It only made her more worried…
That’s not what I’m here for.
I thought I could easily meet her with a paper airplane.
But I realized that it was the paper airplanes that prevented me from telling her… It was time to tell her…
I wrote on the sixth airplane.
‘Paper airplanes with tears attached
Does it lose its center of gravity?
I don’t know.
All I know is the bus is long gone.
Took the center of gravity out of my yesterday
Will my heart be a paper airplane hangar or not?
I don’t know.
All I know is the paper airplanes that fly to me.
If it contains tears
It’s my sin…”
But I didn’t post it to the top floor
Because I wanted to give it to her on the bus.
Such a transformation
It’s what’s going to make my story with her work.
on alternate days
I was waiting at the bus stop with her.
The bus came six minutes early today.
I got in the car before she did.
Stick the 6th paper airplane on the second window from the left.
And then I sat in the third seat…
She got in the car.
Immediately resting his eyes on the papered window
Then she looked at the empty second seat on the left
She sat down…
But my eyes were still on the paper…
I gathered my courage and said to her.
“I’m sorry… I missed the bus yesterday…”
Her body twitched
I think I startled her…
She didn’t look back.
Instead, you put your head down.
Shrugging her shoulders…
“Don’t you be afraid!
If you’re really scared
I can keep quiet…”
To keep her from being scared.
I said to her again
I noticed her ears were red.
It’s like the more I talk, the more scared she gets.
What to do…
Apologize quickly!
“I’m sorry!
I know you were shocked.
I didn’t mean it!”
finish speaking
I saw her take out a pen and paper.
I wrote some words on a piece of paper.
Tape the paper to the window.
As a result..!
She actually got up and got out of the car!
School’s not here yet!
‘Second from the left.
I borrowed it today.
Discover what it feels like to sit on that
red
sticky
And it’s very, very bumpy.
I’m not used to it.
Better give it back to him!’
The paper said…
This is dead!
I screwed up!
I didn’t realize she was so scared.
I should have thought that my sudden appearance was going to make her uncomfortable!
How did she get to school?
I’m starting to worry.
It’s not too far to the school, though.
But I should still pursue it shouldn’t I?
When I got to school, I was in no mood for class.
Scribbling on a piece of paper with a pen.
I miss her so much…
I’d like to know if she’s at school or not.
I want to tell her I’m sorry.
I wanted to tell her that I liked her very much…
(literary) lift a candle
I unconsciously wrote on a piece of paper.
‘I love you!
Liang Jia Yun!”
So that’s what I wanted to tell her.
But I don’t think I’ll get the chance…
It was hard to see her at school.
I was so relieved…
It started raining this afternoon.
A very inexplicable shower.
She wasn’t there at the bus stop…
Where is she?
I didn’t see…
Why didn’t she wait for the bus?
I looked around.
I saw her in front of the school.
She’s hiding from the rain by the schoolhouse door.
Holding the bag…
I walked toward her.
I want to apologize to her again.
Then I saw a car pull up in front of her.
And she went to the car…
No way!
She’s not taking the bus today?
Who’s driving her?
I was in a hurry.
Thinking about the piece of paper I wrote in class this morning
I’ll get the paper out right away.
And then I ran to the sedan.
Put the paper on the window…
I wonder why?
No more paper airplanes flying down from her house.
There was no more of her leaning against the wall at the bus stop…
It turns out that that afternoon’s inexplicable rain
That was the last time I saw her at school…
Where did she go?
I don’t know…
Despite how hard I tried to find her.
She’s still gone…
The superintendent of her building told me she moved.
I don’t know where I moved to…
Her teacher told me she left Kaohsiung.
I don’t know where I went…
Only her classmates told me she was in Taipei…
That’s it…
She disappeared from my life…
The first girl I’ve ever loved…
I don’t know how time passes.
All I know is that the bus stops every morning and afternoon after school were lonely, and that the habit of not going home after school was a pain in the ass.
It’s lonely downstairs when you can’t wait for a paper airplane.
It’s the loneliest day when I don’t see her…
How long has it been since I’ve seen her?
I asked myself this question…
In the cram school classroom…
I’m a senior.
It’s time to take the JEE.
Having a book to keep me company during the day at least takes the edge off of thinking about her a bit
So tight…
I’m still celebrating, I guess!
At least I’ve told her I love her…
So that the regret wouldn’t be so complete…
Until one day.
I suddenly remembered something.
Since I’ll be tutoring.
I think she will too!
I’ll give it a try.
How do you know…?
So I started calling around to ask about cram schools in Taipei.
At first, the girls at the cram school thought I was crazy, and they wouldn’t tell me if I was dangerous.
I’ll ask them one by one.
daily question
Not a day goes by…
Until I’ve annoyed them all.
I told them everything.
They’re the ones who told me.
Rang Ja-wan was in their cram school…
And she also gave me her address…
I decided to look for her in Taipei after the JEE.
Whether the result is sad or not…
after the exam results are released
I saw her name on the list of the Chinese department at the National Chengchi University.
And I was admitted to the law school of Soochow…
very good
This way I can stay in Taipei for at least four years…
I sent her a card.
It says.
‘You appeared, you disappeared, you appeared…’
I saw it. I lost it. I saw it…
And I found out.
Leung Ka Wan is more than a name
It’s also what I’ve been thinking about for over a year…”
Glue a small paper airplane to the envelope
I want her to know.
That’s me.
And I haven’t forgotten her.
Even though it’s been over a year…
Her family lives next to a park in Taipei’s Neihu District.
There’s a lake in that park.
There’s a small pavilion by the lake…
I saw her in the pavilion…
The same 1,001 position.
She seems to be thinking…
But I’m still afraid to go over there.
Just watching her from a distance…
She grew her hair long.
But it didn’t hide her charm…
I’m glad.
Because I found her!
I found out from her cram school that the celebration was at Hotel C.
So I decided.
That’ll be where I’ll meet her!
The day of the celebration
I snuck outside her house and waited for her.
She was wearing a one-piece group
lilac
It’s beautiful…
To match her outfit today.
I went and bought a sheet of lavender cloud paper
Write on it.
‘I’m sorry.
I don’t think I’ve ever wondered if my presence bothers you.
So I need your answer.
If you’ll answer me.
Please go 100 meters to your right…”
Then fold it into a paper airplane…
She’s eating in a big restaurant.
I waited for her outside the hotel, eating bread.
Until the party’s over.
I saw her sitting in the lobby of the hotel.
Then I dared to go over there…
I borrowed a child from a couple on the side of the road.
That’s a little brother.
And gave him 100 bucks.
Tell him to wait for her at the front door of the hotel.
Help me bring her the paper airplane.
Then I went to her teacher.
Her teacher told her that someone was waiting for her at the gate…
She’s out.
That little brother looks so cute.
I’m sure she won’t be shocked again!
This 100 meters is my last hope.
without doubt
If she won’t come forward.
Then we won’t be so embarrassed.
At least she won’t be embarrassed.
And unfortunately
Our Paper Airplane Dreams
It ends at 100 meters…
Girls really don’t have a sense of distance.
She’s already passed me and she doesn’t even know it.
as a result
I stopped her…
“Ryang Ja-wan…”
She’s turning back.
Look at me with the innocent eyes of a deer.
I think she knows who I am.
Because I could tell she was shaking…
“I need your answer…”
I told her so.
She shook her head.
Give me back that lavender paper airplane…
I froze.
I don’t know what she means.
Take the paper airplane.
Suddenly I had a feeling that I didn’t understand…
“Your classmates told me you moved to Taipei
So I’ve been calling since my senior year of high school.
I’ve asked every cram school in Taipei.
There’s only one Ryang Ja-wan…”
I was too busy explaining.
Because I’m afraid she’ll classify me as a terrorist…
She nods.
I saw the corners of her mouth lift…
“If I do this to cause you distress
Then I’m sorry…”
She shook her head.
Put away the smile.
keep silent
Still looking at me with the innocent eyes of a deer…
“Are you free?”
I asked her.
She nods.
And laughed softly…
“Are you free any day between now and whatever day in the future?”
She still hasn’t said anything.
As if guessing what I meant by that…
I took a step forward.
Take her hand gently…
Taipei is just as noisy at night
(onom.) rumbling of cars
But I couldn’t hear…
Because that’s all I hear.
The sound of four lips meeting
It’s very clear…
The End