Art is Red

I already sent you enough money to go here in Kyushu.
Are you really sure you want me to go there?
Yes.
I am very sure
I wanted to meet you personally.
Be here with me for the whole weekend.


Next day, Keito along with his backpack. He went to a plane from Haneda to Miyazaki Airport. It took around two hours to get there.

I’m arrived here at the Miyazaki Airport.
Great!
Now head over to the train to Hyūgashi Station.
A cab will wait for you there.

Keito followed Asa’s instructions as he heads to the train from the airport. He sat beside the window as the other passengers starting to fill the train.

His heart beating fast, just excited to meet Asa for the first time. As soon as the train starts to move, he felt sleepy and decided to take a nap.

Hour later. Keito woke up by a loud speaker announcing that the train has arrived to the Hyūgashi Station.

He left the train along with other passengers. Keito was greeted by a chilly air and cloudy sky. He was going to text Asa when a car stopped infront of him.

Keito asked the driver about the Obi Castle town. The elderly driver told him to get in.

The drive all the way to the Obi Castle was slow but there’s no traffic. Keito opens the dating app to look at Asa’s photos for the nth time.

“Tell me, young man. Is there someone you going meet there?”

Keito shyly smiled. “Y-Yeah. Her name is Asa and I met her through dating app.”

The driver smiled. “Love truly has many ways. I hope you two make a lot of memories here. Here in this town has not that much things unlike cities like Tokyo but it’s worth your time here.”

After a while, the cab stopped at the Obi Castle town. Keito paid the driver a generous amount of money. “May the God bless you, young man.”

I’m here at Obi Castle.
Where to?
Follow my directions clearly.

And Keito followed everything Asa told him. He walked straight, left turn, straight through the trees, past the river until he saw a lone castle across him.

“Wow… Is she really living here?” Keito looked around. The castle is surrounded by trees. It’s an old castle like others he passed by moments ago.

Keito took a deep breath then knocked the door thrice.

Creeeaacckk

There he saw Asa, smiling at him. She wore a black Kimono, tied by a red ribbon at the back. He was confused of her red gloves but what shifted his focus is her face. Her black eyes bore into his, her face has the same look as fox, red lips that stretched as she smiled ear to ear.

“Wow… You looked more prettier than the photos.” Keito truthfully blurted out. It earned a shy giggle from Asa.

“Flatterer. And you looked…” Asa eyed him head to toe. “better than what I imagined.”

Keito caught her lipbiting while she said that. He gulped hard and chuckled in response.

“Come in. I’ll take you a tour around the castle.” Asa turned around and walked ahead. Keito followed closely but maintained the respectful distance between them.

He couldn’t tear his eyes away from how hypnotic Asa’s hips swaying. Asa and Keito approached the wall of paintings. It differs in size but what caught his attention is all of it are drawn by a single color, Red.

A paiting of a red cherry blossom tree in the middle of the red river. A painting of a red moon surrounded by red clouds. A painting of eerily looking red forrest with a deer and others has the same type of painting.

Asa turned to look at him. “I know what you are thinking, Keito-kun.”

“I painted it by myself. A hobby of mine, when an idea strikes. You might question why it’s always red.” Asa reaches out to lightly graze at the red deer. “Everyone has favorite color. Red are often thought as dangerous or scary color. That’s what media feeds to people.”

“Red is my comfort color. A color that made me feel alive. A color that release stress. A color that shows…” She turned to look at him. “who I am.”

Keito doesn’t know if he just stay appreciative or feel scared for some reason. “T-That”s a great color, Asa. I mean… It’s rarely to see a one color painting and it amazes me.”