Something stirred in me, like the grinch who stole Christmas. Receiving gifts on your birthday was a strange thing. I never really understood why people did it. Celebrating the day someone was born, even being thankful they were born, wasn’t a sentiment I could relate to very well.
At some point in my life it always just turned into another day at work to me. Nothing more, nothing less. Even as a child I didn’t have any particularly strong feelings towards the day.
I think my body… genuinely wanted to cry. But something in me didn’t want to cry. Perhaps it was the devil in me saying, devils don’t cry. To avoid and hold it back, I unconsciously looked up at the sky unblinkingly. I felt my nose had gotten a bit runny.
“What’s wrong? Jeez, are you so moved you’re going to cry?”
Still looking up, I slowly inhaled a deep steady breath in while not making it obvious my nose was runny. I held my breath in for a few seconds before I slowly exhaled out. That short time was enough to recompose myself.
“You thought I’d cry from just that? You’re underestimating me.”
“Jeez, you could have just cried. I’d definitely have gotten a good embarrassing picture of it if you did.”
“As if I’d let that happen.”
“Stingy. Oh well.”
“Uh, I hate to ruin the mood, but about the paperwork...” The seller who’d kept quiet the entire time awkwardly interrupted us.
When I remembered he was behind us I stiffly turned around and apologized, “I’m really sorry for taking up your time like this.”
“Not at all. It’s no problem, I got to see something good. It reminds me of my younger days with my wife.
“Oh, right. I forgot. I have it all here to finalize everything. It just requires both of you to sign it now.” Rosa took out a document she had sticking out from her back pants pocket.
“Do you have your license?”
“Yeah. I do.” I took out the temporary license and showed him. Once he confirmed the 6L in the class stage section he signed the papers finalizing the completion of the transaction and transfer of vehicle ownership to me. I signed the contract as well after I briefly skimmed through it. It was mostly the same so I didn’t have to read much, it’s just that it was now paid in full rather than being paid monthly over the next two years.
It was already safetied so all I had to do now was get it insured. After I signed both copies, I kept one copy for myself while the seller kept the other.
“Ran, we should get going now or we’ll be late. Irene already left with Alicia to drop her off. It’s your turn to give me the first ride you promised me before.” Rosa smiled cheerfully as she grabbed my arm and pulled me over to where the seller had the motorcycle.
The seller followed behind us and tossed the key over to me when we reached the motorcycle parked up in his driveway.
“The key’s all yours kid. Just make sure you don’t go and get in an accident that will make your pretty little girlfriend cry.”
“Thanks. I won’t.”
“Hey, don’t forget to give me your helmet and take this one.”
“Uh… how about you use that one for now at least?”
“Why?”
“Well… I’ve been wearing this one all day and I worked up a bit of a sweat earlier.”
“It’s precisely because you wore it that I want it. It smells like you and I like the way you smell.”
“But-”
“We don’t have the time for buts, we’re going to be late for work at this rate. Let’s go, let’s go. Just hand it over and don’t be so stubborn.”
She forcibly snatched the helmet out of my hand and tossed the new one she had over to me.
It was all black with a retractable dark tinted visor covering the face. With how dark it was, you couldn’t make out the facial features of the person wearing it. I put it on over my head and securely strapped it on. It was really comfortable and despite the inability to see inside it from the outside, you could see outside from the inside.
It was significantly better than the cheap one I bought.
Haaaah. Add another person to the people I have to think of a birthday present for. Well, a couple of new video games should do the trick for him I guess. Though a newer console might be a better choice. I guess I could pitch in with Irene for a present for him and we could split the costs.
That would probably work out better. Maintaining a savings was hard. Unexpected expenses like this always came up. When is that brat’s birthday anyway? I’ll have to find out.
Well, I’ll leave that for later. Right now I’ve got to get Rosa to work.
I hopped on the motorcycle while Rosa hopped on behind me and wrapped her arms tight around my waist. She pressed her entire body up against my back.
“You two kids, drive safe now.”
“I will. Thanks again for selling it to me.”
“No problem. No problem. I don’t ride it anymore these days anyway. It’s just collecting dust in my driveway. You can keep the bike cover as a bonus.”
“Thanks.”
“Then be on your way. You wouldn’t want your girlfriend to be late for her shift, would you?”
“No, I wouldn’t. See you around.”
“Have a safe trip.”
When the seller turned around I turned the key in the ignition and immediately took off. The transmission on this bike was automatic so I didn’t have to bother concentrating too much on shifting gears. I could fully enjoy the scenery as I drove unlike in the training course where I was constantly focusing on the speedometer, clutch, and gear shift lever at my foot. There was also no need to worry about stalling out the way I occasionally did in the training course.
This was far more relaxing. I even had enough leeway to enjoy Rosa’s company and chat with her on the way to drop her off.
Like two lovebirds, we drove with our bodies glued closely together as the tall buildings flew by to our sides.
After a ten-minute drive, we made it five minutes before the start of Rosa’s shift.
When she got off, she didn’t immediately run off inside though. Rather, she spun around, strapped the helmet she’d used to the passenger seat, and looked at me curiously with her lips slightly parted.
When I saw that I couldn’t help but take the hint in regards to what she wanted. I pushed my visor up, leaned into her, gently placed my right hand on her left cheek, and kissed her softly on her lips.
It wasn’t a long one as we didn’t have much time and I had to get going. But still, the subtle gesture was enough for her and all she really wanted.
When I pulled back and with a wide smile, she said, “Happy birthday, Ran. I really am too in love with you for my own good.”
“I love you more.”
She turned around whipping her hair up in the process and skipped into the store in a great mood while cheerfully humming to herself.
“Good. You better love me more.” Rather than getting into one of those silly I love you more arguments, she instead said that as the door closed behind her.
Checking the time I only had four minutes left. Rather than rush off at full speed, I resigned myself to being late. I raised too many death flags today and I decided to heed the seller’s advice of driving safely.
I wasn’t about to let myself get hit by a truck as it rounded a blind corner. As such, I made sure to keep a good distance from any corners when at red lights and I didn’t try to run any yellow or red lights. Whenever a truck came by my side, I changed lanes and slowed down to keep a good distance from it.
Trucks getting t-boned from the side and tipping over to crush me? You think I’m going to fall for that. I followed all the tips in the driver’s handbook and even went above and beyond in my safety precautions.
I’m fine with dying from one after day one, but to die on day one of getting my license by a bloody truck of all things was the one thing I couldn’t stand for.
If those stupid protagonists in stories just had even the slightest bit of awareness of their surroundings, the inconvenience of being transported to another world after being hit by a truck could be so easily avoided.
Haaaaah. I’d seriously read one too many cliche novels to be taking it so seriously.
Something stirred in me, like the grinch who stole Christmas. Receiving gifts on your birthday was a strange thing. I never really understood why people did it. Celebrating the day someone was born, even being thankful they were born, wasn’t a sentiment I could relate to very well.
At some point in my life it always just turned into another day at work to me. Nothing more, nothing less. Even as a child I didn’t have any particularly strong feelings towards the day.
I think my body… genuinely wanted to cry. But something in me didn’t want to cry. Perhaps it was the devil in me saying, devils don’t cry. To avoid and hold it back, I unconsciously looked up at the sky unblinkingly. I felt my nose had gotten a bit runny.
“What’s wrong? Jeez, are you so moved you’re going to cry?”
Still looking up, I slowly inhaled a deep steady breath in while not making it obvious my nose was runny. I held my breath in for a few seconds before I slowly exhaled out. That short time was enough to recompose myself.
“You thought I’d cry from just that? You’re underestimating me.”
“Jeez, you could have just cried. I’d definitely have gotten a good embarrassing picture of it if you did.”
“As if I’d let that happen.”
“Stingy. Oh well.”
“Uh, I hate to ruin the mood, but about the paperwork...” The seller who’d kept quiet the entire time awkwardly interrupted us.
When I remembered he was behind us I stiffly turned around and apologized, “I’m really sorry for taking up your time like this.”
“Not at all. It’s no problem, I got to see something good. It reminds me of my younger days with my wife.
“Oh, right. I forgot. I have it all here to finalize everything. It just requires both of you to sign it now.” Rosa took out a document she had sticking out from her back pants pocket.
“Do you have your license?”
“Yeah. I do.” I took out the temporary license and showed him. Once he confirmed the 6L in the class stage section he signed the papers finalizing the completion of the transaction and transfer of vehicle ownership to me. I signed the contract as well after I briefly skimmed through it. It was mostly the same so I didn’t have to read much, it’s just that it was now paid in full rather than being paid monthly over the next two years.
It was already safetied so all I had to do now was get it insured. After I signed both copies, I kept one copy for myself while the seller kept the other.
“Ran, we should get going now or we’ll be late. Irene already left with Alicia to drop her off. It’s your turn to give me the first ride you promised me before.” Rosa smiled cheerfully as she grabbed my arm and pulled me over to where the seller had the motorcycle.
The seller followed behind us and tossed the key over to me when we reached the motorcycle parked up in his driveway.
“The key’s all yours kid. Just make sure you don’t go and get in an accident that will make your pretty little girlfriend cry.”
“Thanks. I won’t.”
“Hey, don’t forget to give me your helmet and take this one.”
“Uh… how about you use that one for now at least?”
“Why?”
“Well… I’ve been wearing this one all day and I worked up a bit of a sweat earlier.”
“It’s precisely because you wore it that I want it. It smells like you and I like the way you smell.”
“But-”
“We don’t have the time for buts, we’re going to be late for work at this rate. Let’s go, let’s go. Just hand it over and don’t be so stubborn.”
She forcibly snatched the helmet out of my hand and tossed the new one she had over to me.
It was all black with a retractable dark tinted visor covering the face. With how dark it was, you couldn’t make out the facial features of the person wearing it. I put it on over my head and securely strapped it on. It was really comfortable and despite the inability to see inside it from the outside, you could see outside from the inside.
It was significantly better than the cheap one I bought.
Haaaah. Add another person to the people I have to think of a birthday present for. Well, a couple of new video games should do the trick for him I guess. Though a newer console might be a better choice. I guess I could pitch in with Irene for a present for him and we could split the costs.
That would probably work out better. Maintaining a savings was hard. Unexpected expenses like this always came up. When is that brat’s birthday anyway? I’ll have to find out.
Well, I’ll leave that for later. Right now I’ve got to get Rosa to work.
I hopped on the motorcycle while Rosa hopped on behind me and wrapped her arms tight around my waist. She pressed her entire body up against my back.
“You two kids, drive safe now.”
“I will. Thanks again for selling it to me.”
“No problem. No problem. I don’t ride it anymore these days anyway. It’s just collecting dust in my driveway. You can keep the bike cover as a bonus.”
“Thanks.”
“Then be on your way. You wouldn’t want your girlfriend to be late for her shift, would you?”
“No, I wouldn’t. See you around.”
“Have a safe trip.”
When the seller turned around I turned the key in the ignition and immediately took off. The transmission on this bike was automatic so I didn’t have to bother concentrating too much on shifting gears. I could fully enjoy the scenery as I drove unlike in the training course where I was constantly focusing on the speedometer, clutch, and gear shift lever at my foot. There was also no need to worry about stalling out the way I occasionally did in the training course.
This was far more relaxing. I even had enough leeway to enjoy Rosa’s company and chat with her on the way to drop her off.
Like two lovebirds, we drove with our bodies glued closely together as the tall buildings flew by to our sides.
After a ten-minute drive, we made it five minutes before the start of Rosa’s shift.
When she got off, she didn’t immediately run off inside though. Rather, she spun around, strapped the helmet she’d used to the passenger seat, and looked at me curiously with her lips slightly parted.
When I saw that I couldn’t help but take the hint in regards to what she wanted. I pushed my visor up, leaned into her, gently placed my right hand on her left cheek, and kissed her softly on her lips.
It wasn’t a long one as we didn’t have much time and I had to get going. But still, the subtle gesture was enough for her and all she really wanted.
When I pulled back and with a wide smile, she said, “Happy birthday, Ran. I really am too in love with you for my own good.”
“I love you more.”
She turned around whipping her hair up in the process and skipped into the store in a great mood while cheerfully humming to herself.
“Good. You better love me more.” Rather than getting into one of those silly I love you more arguments, she instead said that as the door closed behind her.
Checking the time I only had four minutes left. Rather than rush off at full speed, I resigned myself to being late. I raised too many death flags today and I decided to heed the seller’s advice of driving safely.
I wasn’t about to let myself get hit by a truck as it rounded a blind corner. As such, I made sure to keep a good distance from any corners when at red lights and I didn’t try to run any yellow or red lights. Whenever a truck came by my side, I changed lanes and slowed down to keep a good distance from it.
Trucks getting t-boned from the side and tipping over to crush me? You think I’m going to fall for that. I followed all the tips in the driver’s handbook and even went above and beyond in my safety precautions.
I’m fine with dying from one after day one, but to die on day one of getting my license by a bloody truck of all things was the one thing I couldn’t stand for.
If those stupid protagonists in stories just had even the slightest bit of awareness of their surroundings, the inconvenience of being transported to another world after being hit by a truck could be so easily avoided.
Haaaaah. I’d seriously read one too many cliche novels to be taking it so seriously.
