Classes for the day ended without any problem aside from me skipping the morning lectures. I waited for Haruto at the front entrance of the university. Haruto arrived a few minutes later so we went on our way to a nearby diner to talk about his novel. 

On our way to the diner, I saw that many of the restaurants and shops are already decorated with cobwebs and pumpkin heads. I guess this would be normal considering that Halloween is fast approaching. 

We arrived at the diner and settled. The waitress came and got our orders. Haruto was so curious about the Halloween dessert special that he ordered it instead of getting food. 

“Aren’t you hungry?” Asked I.

“I’m not really. Plus, that Halloween special looked so good. I want to try it.” 

Our orders arrived. I ordered a chicken sandwich and a cup of coffee. On the other hand, Haruto’s order is a mountain like dessert decorated with halloween designs like it was about to fall off from the glass. 

“Here’s my draft.  Would you mind reading it and tell me your insights?” 

Haruto handed it to me. A thick pile of paper. If I estimate it right, I guess this is about 50-60 pages already. Considering that he only started writing last week, this is  a good amount of work done in such a short time.

“Couldn’t you have just bought a laptop and showed it to me that way? It saves you the hassle  from printing these you know.” 

“I haven’t  thought of that.” 

I can’t believe this guy. Anyway, I started reading through his draft. There were some parts that needed improvement, but most of it was interesting. I sat there getting hooked deeply by his novel draft. That’s when I realized that Haruto was writing out of love and passion. It felt sincere, even the characters’ emotions are sincere and heartfelt. The plots and technicalities were thought of well. I think this book will be a hit. 

I finished reading the draft and put it down on the table. I glanced out the window and it’s  already dark outside. I looked at Haruto and saw three glasses of the Halloween special already empty. Did he eat all of these while I was reading? I can’t believe this guy

“You’ll have a stomach ache.” 

Haruto looked up at me surprised as if he already forgot that I was here.

“So? How was it?” Said Haruto looking nervous now.

“There are definitely parts that need improvement, but I think this novel will be a hit. I think you should portray the environments enough that the readers will be able to understand the surroundings and the vibe of the place. But you’re doing good. No, you’re doing great.” 

Haruto looked all teary as if he was awarded the novel of the year.

“Thanks Aoi! I was really nervous but I put in a lot of effort in this book. I even did some research just to perfect the technicalities of this mystery novel.” 

It looks like it.  I think you need to have a lot of knowledge to be able to write and execute the crimes and solutions. 

“So? How’s your novel going?” Asked Haruto.

“Mine’s doing okay, I already wrote about 25 chapters so I might rest for a day or two just to keep my mind fresh.” 

“25 already? You’re quick at writing!” 

“You’re saying it as if you didn’t write fast enough yourself.” 

The both of us laughed.

Time passed as we caught up with each other and talked about random stuff like what normal friends would do. 

“I hope that our novels become  successful.” Said Haruto while looking out at the glass window beside him. 

“Yeah me too.” 

“I feel like we’re too passionate to fail. We put our mind and body just to make these novels. I just want people to read these stories that came out of our imagination and creativity. It would be a waste if people won’t read it.” 

“I know that there will always be someone out there who will read our novels in the future.” 

“Would you continue to write even if we don’t make money out of it?” Asked Haruto. 

“Yeah I would. Yes, to be realistic, income is something that we should consider while writing. But even if I don’t  make a single penny, as long as someone out there is reading my works, I will continue to write.” 

Haruto smiled and offered a fist bump which I accepted. 

But I wonder, will I be able to make a living out of writing? I hope I do. I really love writing. But even if it becomes a hobby or a profession, I definitely won’t let it go again. 

We decided to go home so I dropped Haruto to the nearest station and soon after, I went home. It’s starting to rain a bit so I quickly drove off to not get wet that much. I don’t want to catch a cold  nowadays. 

I took a hot bath and went on my way to bed. I wanted to sleep early but I guess my body clock doesn’t work like that anymore. So to distract myself rather than staring at the ceiling,  I went through my bookshelves and tried to find a book that I could read.

I found the book “Three days of Happiness” by Sugaru Miaki. An author who I look up to. I read this book back in high school. It was an interesting book. It showed how a person can change another person’s value of themselves. And that being said, I think I have a person in mind who made a significant impact in my life. I read the book thoroughly until I fell asleep.

A few days passed as Yukino and I started our regular night walks. Yukino happily documented everything as she took pictures and videos of us finding spots that we could hangout on. 

We mostly found abandoned establishments or a roadside view of different neighborhoods. As weeks and days passed, we started riding my motorbike to reach new destinations that we haven’t visited yet. 

It turned into nightly adventures instead of just night walks. Yukino would often spread her arms out in the open while sitting at the back seat to feel the cold breeze every night. 

Time quickly passed us as we continued to hang out with each other. I didn’t even realize that a month had already passed and the month of December already came. We were gathering up fun memories as we make these types of adventures. I bet she’s enjoying this, as she was able to capture the moments that she wants to.