Getting off the jet, we walk off and step down the ramp that is much cooler than Manama and closer to D.C. I actually pull on my coat and shiver a little. Azrael and James mirror my movements and also pull on coats. In the afternoon we're in, the city of Tokyo is partially visible a bit off, but how I understand our plan we're heading off to a place called Hakone which is some bit away before we come back to Tokyo and spend a few days here.
There's a black sleek car ready for us, and two Asian men help us stow our baggage before bowing courteously and then we get in the car. There's enough space for the three of us in the back of the car, and after Azrael speaks in Japanese to the driver, which I didn't know he could, we're on our way.
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"You speaking Japanese definitely is something I'll remember," I say with a smile.
"Oh, well, it's something I learned," admits Azrael.
"When did you learn?" I ask curiously.
"I came by Japan when I was in college as an exchange student. Very interesting time of my life," answer Azrael.
"Where else was an option of going?" asks James.
"Well, France was one. I recall actually that Bahrain was an option too," says Azrael.
"Did you go there?" asks James.
"No. I didn't have time to. There might've been an option to go over there too, but learning Japanese was pretty difficult, and I decided to spend some amount of time to learn it," says Azrael.
"Is Japanese really that difficult?" asks James.
"It really depends on what language you compare it to," says Azrael, "but, I will point out that Japanese is a language-isolate."
"Come again?" says James.
"It's a language that doesn't have any close relatives," explains Azrael, "it simply means that the language doesn't compare in word roots or semantic rules."
"Oh, like French, Italian, and Spanish are related?" asks James as he understands.
"Something like that," answer Azrael with a nod.
As we continue to talk, the confines of the airport pass by us. Entering a mildly busy highway the three of us start to head to Hakone.
"It'll take about an hour or so to get to Hakone," says Azrael, "we'll spend two days there, one coming back to Tokyo, and the rest of our trip will be spent there."
"In Tokyo right?" asks James.
"Yes," says Azrael.
"I looked up Hakone, and it seems it's famous for the hot springs," I observe.
"You're right," says Azrael as he nods, "it's amazing, though it is hot."
"You don't like the heat, no?" says James.
"Not as much as I could," admits Azrael.
"I like it," says James, "it makes my body feel good."
"I'd say that I like it also, but I've never been to a hot spring," I admit.
"Well," says Azrael as he looks at his watch, which he fixed the time already, "it's around four, now, and in an hour or so we'll be at the place in question. So, around five-thirty, we'll be at the place where we'll be staying. We'll relax maybe for an hour, and then we can go to the hot springs, then enjoy a meal. I'm guessing that after a day of travel we'll all be tired, so around, eight, when we finish up, we'll all be wanting to sleep and rest."
"Probably," I agree.
"What exactly is the place we'll be staying?"
"So in Japanese, we'll be staying at a place called ryokan which is a traditionally more extravagant place than most places. There'll also be hot springs in there," says Azrael.
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The man in the front of the car who's driving us says with a smile as he looks at Azrael with the center mirror.
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Azrael smiles before turning back to to the two of us.
"We're old friends," says Azrael, "he along with another friend of mine here in Japan we'll be meeting."
"How do you do?" asks the man with an accent, smiling to the two of us, "That's all I can say."
"We're alright," I reply with a smile, and he returns it.
The sky outside shifts darker, and soon we're driving along a dark road lit by lights every tens of yards. We talk the whole time on our way to Hakone, surprisingly, and it's funny that we do, as I'd think after flying on two flights, on the same jet though we did stop down in India, that we'd be a little more tired than we are.
But, I suppose it's thanks to the last day we had in Manama where we lounged around has helped us in being fresh as we are right now. Along with the jet and the break that we took, which was mostly for the pilots and fuel and was therefore short, we've managed to be without fatigue as we are.
The scenery changes from the urban concrete jungle of the Tokyo-vicinity to a more rural and calm forested world. Driving along more allows mountains to pop up and then we're going up some of those mountains while we get closer to where we're going to stay. During the drive that's mostly populated by a peaceful silence save for the noise of the moving vehicle, I'm looking at Azrael most of the time. He gazes outside of the car at the passing scenery, taking in the new view of the country he visited years before. James is busy on his phone going through many blueprints of technology projects he and his company are working on currently, so he doesn't bother me as I gaze at Azrael.
I'm sure Azrael wouldn't mind if I did look at him this much, though if he knew I liked him, and that I knew his darker facet, he would probably not appreciate that much. So it does create a strange limbo where I'm simply looking at him, being quiet, as is he, and we simply are together.
The drive ends as we enter the town of Hakone and driver much slower than on the highway. Hakone seems to be in the mountains, and going up tight roads leading up and down on the path our destination concludes our trip. Soon, we pull up in front of a calm building with arched roofs and beautiful architecture.
Stopping and then getting out, the friend of Azrael's who drove for us, who I catch the name of Taito, helps with the luggage before he heads out. He apparently lives in a place called Yokohama, which I've heard of but can't remember where it is. He talks with Azrael for a few moments, and I catch a gesture of smoking, and I can tell he's saying he's glad Azrael has stopped his smoking habit. Smiling, he and Azrael hug before Taito drives away, waving as he goes out the window.
Walking with our luggage, we walk to the entrance where two women in beautiful kimono, I think that's their name, greet us and help with our belongings. They help to check us in, and then three of us head to our rooms. Azrael seems to have asked for a suite, and the three of us share one where we'll get to sleep on futon, which I've never done.
James looks around in awe and even opens a pair of doors at the edge of the room, ones made of white paper and thin bamboo frames. On the other side of glass doors clean as can be, is a Japanese garden, calm and beautiful with even a pond of koi fish. He immediately starts taking pictures and mumbles excitedly in French.
"Do you like it?" asks Azrael as he sets down his bag and pulls off his coat.
He has on a long-sleeve black shirt and matching pants, so his skin that is beautiful to me appears even more delectable. Taking off his coat only exposes him more to me, and my hands get itchy slightly.
"I do," I say as I nod, and look around, pulling off my coat as well, "it's beautiful."
Like you.
"Well, we can unwind a little before we head down to that baths," says Azrael as he sits down on the floor and sighs.
"Why not?" I say with a smile.
In the room is a low dark-wood table and on it is a few snacks that I along with Azrael munch on, while James takes a few more pictures before coming over to join us. After about half an hour, we head to the baths. Apparently, Azrael bought out an exclusive one for us for the entirety of our stay here, so we can stop by it anytime we wish to.
"Oh, crap," says Azrael as he walk to the baths, "I forgot a change of clothes."
"Do you need to go back?" I ask.
"I do, but you two go ahead," says Azrael as he hands me a little pass that we're supposed to have, "it's not hard to find, and I'll be there in a few minutes."
"I can go with you," I offer.
"No, it's alright," says Azrael with a smile, "besides, if you're not there then they'll think that we don't want to bathe and might let somebody else in."
"That won't be good," says James, then nods to me, "let's go Hogarth, we'll get there and wait for you."
"Alright," I say, and Azrael goes back while the two of us head to the bath.
The bath itself seems to be a changing room first and the actual thing beyond that. There are baskets and shelves for putting out clothes in, and also several instructions in Japanese and English, as well as French and other languages help us to figure that out.
Opening the glass doors, James and I are in awe as I look at the bath. The bath itself is a large wooden box with steaming water coming out. I didn't expect the bath to open to the outside, and some of the cold winter air comes in.
"Merde!" says James and moves to one of the places where the instructions said we wash our bodies before bathing, "Let's hurry and get clean so we don't freeze and die!"
"Right," I say as I nod, and we both sit down on stools and wash our hair and bodies hastily, then rinse off the suds.
It's after I sink into the hot steaming water that I finally enjoy the experience and smile with a satisfied sigh.
"Bliss," I say as I sink up to my chest, putting my arms on the edge of the bath.
"I'm guessing the cold helps us to appreciate the water," says James, his wet hair plastered on his forehead slightly.
"Yeah," I say with a nod, "but, I think I could enjoy this bath without the cold, to be honest."
The door of the changing room opens, and Azrael steps out. My eyes see his naked body, only covered around the waist with a towel. He smiles when he sees us.
"Enjoying it?" he asks as he goes to one of the washing stations and sits down.
"Sure am," says James with a smile, then says, "hurry up and wash yourself so you can come in here!"
"Will do," says Azrael, and pulls the towel off while starting to shampoo his hair after wetting it and his body.
I have to pull my eyes off his body, now wet with trails of bubbles and soap running down it. And with nothing truly on him, I have to shift where I sit in the bath, which thankfully has plenty of steam to hide the surface of the water and anything beneath it.
"You alright?" asks James, as I realize he said something to me and I completely didn't hear it in my head.
"Ah! Yes," I say as I look over at him from Azrael.
James observes me for a second, then at Azrael, before he grins as he realizes something. The thing, actually.
"Don't tell me that youâ"
"Shut up," I say with a huff as I push my hair off my brow, earning a chuckle from him.
"Now," says Azrael as he stands from his stool and comes over to the bath, and looks into the water, "that water looks hot."
"It's great," says James, "come on in."
Azrael bites his bottom lip while dipping his toe in. I guess he doesn't like the heat that much.
"I'm pretty sure it won't hurt," I encourage.
Azrael looks at me once, before nodding and then stepping in. I glance away, but not for long. Azrael sinks in up to his mid chest, and he does get red in the face as he heats up.
"I still can't understand how you're not in love with this," says James as he laughs, "it's cold out."
"Well, I like the cold actually," says Azrael with a smile.
The towel he had around his waist he folds up and puts on top of his head, which I recall from one of the instructions on the wall said to do, as putting it in the water is apparently rude. I didn't bring one, but I guess perhaps Azrael is shy.
Azrael moves around the bath, and looks at a small garden that is inside the outside bath, which is surrounded by a wall of wood. Because of the season, the tiny trees in the garden aren't blooming, but they certainly are beautiful in their bare format.
Azrael looks at them, and raises his body out of the water slightly. I can't help but notice from a lock of hair a drop of water lands on his shoulder before running down his back to the surface of the hot water that rests just above his waist.
As Azrael turns and settles back into the water, I pull my eyes away, and hope that my red face will be linked to the hot water rather than anything else.
Azrael after about ten minutes in the bath seems to be at his limit, and he starts to get out. James also is a little hot, so he gets out as well. But I let them go ahead, saying I really like the bath and will return to the room soon enough. Azrael gives me a worrying look and says to be careful of the heat while James says he and Azrael will start to order dinner so we can eat when I get back.
After they leave, I look down at the water, still steaming, and try to calm down from thinking of Azrael's naked body. I don't have that much luck.