Good Night, Kyoto

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Another city off my checklist, wonderful.

I checked the name off my journal and placed it back in my bag. I then looked up and smiled at the beauty before me, the loveliness of traditional Kyoto.

I had been traveling alone from place to place, working on my long-time bucket list. It had been amazing so far – the history of Seoul, the busyness of Hong Kong, the people of Manila. And now, the ethereality of Kyoto.

I stood still for a minute, enjoying the quiet of the afternoon. Apparently, I was blessed with a few minutes to myself, one wherein no other steps, foreign and local alike, echoed around me. It was the perfect time for a visitor to savor a moment by themselves in this old Japanese city.

I took a deep breath and suddenly felt a chill in the air. It just dawned to me: I was completely alone. As I had been in all my previous journeys, as I would be in all my next ones. No one to enjoy the twilight with, no one to sit on these stone steps with.

No one to see the bitter tear that pushed its way out of the corner of my eye.

Just then, I heard voices, and immediately wiped the tear away. I turned to see a group of young men come into view, their rowdy laughter filling the incoming night. I shook my head and smiled to myself, tracing my steps back to my hotel.

Another city off my checklist, wonderful.

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Image source: deviantart.com/pjynico/art/Good-Night-Kyoto-712403903
First written November 22, 2017.
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