The Stranger at Miyajima

by Thant Thant Thu (Myanmar)

I didn't expect to find Japan

“There he goes, I probably will never see him again….” I muttered inside my head with a heavy sigh. We were approaching the end of the long corridor of the Itsukushima Shrine but since he was ahead of us, he walked out first leaving me behind. My eyes followed him as much as I could until he finally went out of sight, but inside my mind my legs have already taken off after him to have that one simple conversation of just saying hi. Though in reality, I stood there, frozen, and afraid that he would keep walking away. He did… Afterall he was merely a stranger I met during my trip to Hiroshima. We came from different places but what fascinated me was bumping into him so many times in a single day that created this memory like a tattoo on my heart for me to keep forever. It was my first time in Hiroshima and Miyajima island was our first stop. It took approximately eight tiring hours to reach there by train but my three friends kept me awake with their lighthearted jokes and constant snacking. It was a rainy day. The sceneries out the train windows were breathtaking and it felt good because I hardly travel anywhere. I was busy chatting with my friends until I realized that at one stop, a tall boy got on and sat down a couple of seats away from us. Since then, I felt like something lit up. I dared not look at him directly but I knew he noticed me too. I quickly observed him through the glances which I stole through the ongoing chatters. He had a clean cut of wavy brown hair which sits neatly on his head. Though I wasn’t able to make out the color of his eyes, I felt the sharpness piercing towards the direction he was looking at. But more importantly, he didn’t look at all like he was heading to the same place as me. Eventually, I was surprised when we got off at the same stop and also got on the same ferry to go to the island. I was on the second floor whilst he was on the first but he stood near the stairs and gave a couple of glances at me making my insides shriek and move away from where I initially stood. I quickly lost him after the ferry docked at the port and a whole bunch of tourists scurried off. I thought that was the last time I would see him and so kept walking towards the island with my friends trying not to be too disheartened. Miyajima island was full of little wonders to explore and the little walkways felt like we were walking inside a maze. However, all I could think about was where he went. As luck would have it, I ran into him again in the pouring rain among the crowds. It was the third time at this point. But the fourth and last time would be at the Itsukushima Shrine. The shrine that had been worshipped for centuries by the Japanese now also holds our sandy footprints and sounds of faint heartbeats. It witnessed how we lingered around each other yet we were too afraid to take a step nor make eye contact. And to me, this wasn’t love at first sight but instead a beautiful coincidence. The weather was not on my side that day but timing was. Thanks to him, my trip to the island was worth remembering. I know that if I were to visit Miyajima island again next time, I would vividly remember that rainy day when I ran into a stranger whom I will still remember. And who knows but he might also remember me too. Part of me still blames myself for taking those few hours I was around him for granted. I could have gotten a name and maybe we could have become friends. But I let my fear took over. My heart sometimes feels heavy thinking back. But life goes on…I had to go on…