ODAIBA - I

“Gruuukkk…”

A loud grumble broke through the moment of silence.

Sakura froze. Her face turned beet red in embarrassment.

“You didn’t eat breakfast, did you, Sakura-san?” Heri asked gently.

She gave a small nod, unable to meet his eyes.

Heri smiled and held out his hand.

“Come on.”

Sakura looked up at him.

“Are we going now?”

“Not yet,” Heri said with a chuckle.

“Let’s stop by the konbini first. You look like you’re running on empty, definitely hungry isn’t it? Grab some onigiri or bread—something to keep your energy up. You must be thirsty too, right?”

Without saying a word, Sakura followed his lead. Her hand brushed against his casually—no hesitation, no awkwardness. Somehow, it just felt… natural.

“Wait... do I smell bad?” Sakura muttered, leaning toward her shoulder, trying to sniff.

“Huh?” Heri let out a soft laugh.

“Nope, you’re good. Really.”

Sakura blushed again. She realized she'd been running nonstop since leaving her apartment.

Inside the convenience store, she hesitated in front of the shelf.

“I usually go for the salmon onigiri...”

“Alright, I’ll grab one too. Let’s eat together.”

Heri picked out two onigiri and turned toward the drinks.

“Want hot cocoa or ocha?”

He hold up two options: a Van Houten Cocoa and a chilled bottle of green tea.

Sakura give a small smile.

“Cocoa... I’ll take that.”

After paying, they stepped outside and stood at a quiet corner near the shop.

Heri unwrapped the onigiri and handed Sakura hers first.

“Eat up—you’ll feel dizzy if you don’t.”

Once she took her first bite, Heri joined her.

They cracked open their cocoa cartons. Sakura drink it quickly—it is obvious just how thirsty she was. They placed all the wrappers and empty packaging into the plastic bag and tossed it in the konbini trash bin.

Only once he was sure Sakura looked a little better did Heri guide them back toward the station.

“Sorry I made us late,” Sakura whispered.

Heri turned to her.

“Don’t worry about it. Everything’s fine.”

At the Yurikamome Line station, Saturday morning crowds were starting to build. Still, they were lucky—front of the line.

When the automated train arrived, passengers disembarked first. They stepped in and, as if by fate, the very front seats—facing the wide glass window—were empty.

They sit down.

Yurikamome trains are special: no driver, and from the front seat, it feels like you're piloting straight into the future.

“We’re really lucky to get these seats,” Heri said, glancing out the window.

“Who knows? If you weren’t late, maybe someone else would’ve taken them.”

He chuckled softly.

“Maybe everything really does happen for a reason.”

Sakura turned toward him, quiet.

She thought… He’s right.

There was something different about the way Heri saw the world.

Calm. Accepting. Never blaming the situation. Never making others feel at fault.

The train began to move, away from Shinbashi and heading toward Odaiba.

“Where are we getting off again?” Sakura asked.

“Shin-Toyosu first. I want to take you to TeamLABS.”

Sakura nodded. She rarely went to Odaiba. Maybe it was more accurate to say—she never really had a reason to. But today is different. Someone is walking beside her. Someone who didn’t speak the same native language. And yet… somehow made everything feel effortlessly comfortable.

“Oh, by the way… you look really nice today. I mean it,” Heri said softly, his cheeks flushing slightly.

Sakura smiled.

“Thank you…”

Then she looked down.

“Hey! You’re wearing OnClouds too!?”

Heri laughed.

“Yeah! I love this brand. Super light—great for walking.”

They laughed together. A small laugh, but warm enough to melt the morning chill.

As the train passed Hinode Station, the Rainbow Bridge came into view. Tokyo’s sky that day is brilliantly blue, almost cloudless. After Shibaura-Futo, the full arch of the bridge appeared—graceful, like it was waving at them.

Sakura and Heri both raised their phones at the same time, taking pictures.

Heri glanced at her. She is smiling. At ease. No longer weighed down by guilt or nerves. And that alone made Heri feel… content.

The train crossed the bridge, gliding through several stations at Odaiba until finally… They arrived at Shin-Toyosu.

Their first stop: TeamLABS Planets.

***

“This is my first time here…” Sakura said softly, staring at the sleek exterior of the building with wide eyes.

“Really?” Heri looked surprised.

“I thought you’d been here with friends.”

“Well…” Sakura gave a small smile.

“With them it’s usually just cafés or movies.”

Her tone was light, but there was something underneath it—an unspoken truth.

No one had ever taken her to a place like this before.

Not even the men who once claimed to care.

This place was immersive, filled with light, sound, and imagination.

Next to her, Heri looked like a kid in a toy store. His eyes sparkled, camera snapping, head turning in every direction.

“I finally made it here. I used to watch videos about this place on YouTube. Now I’m going to enjoy everything,” he said with genuine excitement.

Sakura laughed quietly. There is a playful, boyish side to Heri she hadn’t seen before. And somehow… it made her heart feel warm.

They wandered through the exhibits together, one dreamscape after another:

Infinite Crystal Universe—a galaxy of endless light.

Floating in the Falling Universe—as if drifting among stars.

Soft Black Hole—a padded room that made them laugh with every squishy step.

Athletic Forest—which had Heri catching his breath but grinning ear to ear.

And finally, Floating Flower Garden—Sakura’s favorite.

Here, flowers floated and danced, rising and falling with their movements. Sakura looked up, surrounded by petals of every color.

Heri stood still, just watching her for a moment. Saying nothing. But his eyes said enough. He is glad she was the one sharing this moment with him.

Time passed without notice. They laughed. Pointed at little wonders. Shared smiles without needing many words.

Before long, it was already 1 p.m.

They stepped out of TeamLABS, still chuckling and comparing photos.

“Next… let’s head back to Odaiba for lunch?” Heri suggested, “There’s a place at Aqua City.”

Sakura nodded without hesitation, her smile radiating.

“Let’s go!”

She followed Heri’s steps, as if following the light itself.

At Aqua City Odaiba, Heri guided her to the restaurant floor that overlooked Tokyo Bay.

“There’s a place I once tried with coworkers from the airline,” he said as they walked.

“It’s called Pesce d’Oro. Italian food. Tastes great, and the view is amazing.”

The restaurant welcomed them with warmth.

Classic Italian interiors, and large windows facing the bay.

Sakura smiled—she didn’t expect to be having lunch with a view like this.

Heri ordered for them, Margherita Pizza, Beef Sirloin Cutlet, Seafood Pescatore, Two Soft Drinks, and Tiramisu for dessert.

Sakura glanced at him, amused.

“You eat a lot, don’t you?”

Heri laughed.

“Well… while I’m still healthy, I want to enjoy it. Don’t hold back around me. Eat what you want, just be yourself. Seriously.”

Sakura giggled. But somewhere beneath that laughter—she understand something. He wasn’t just talking about food. He was saying: You don’t have to pretend. You don’t have to be polished or perfect.

With him, she could just be… herself. And that is rare.

Between bites of pizza and slices of beef cutlet, their laughter continued to fill the space.

There were no heavy topics—just light stories, food jokes, and harmless teasing about the tourists and people around them.

Every now and then, Sakura glanced at Heri’s face.

A question she had thought of the night before lingered quietly.

But it didn’t need to be asked—not yet.

Some things… have their own time.

For now, she was content.

Just sitting there, in the peaceful warmth of an Italian lunch, under Tokyo’s blue winter sky, beside someone who made her feel enough—just as she was.