Best short story to read is akin to an unknown adventurous trail that has not been taken before: One is thrilled the most at the time of the beginning, and as the journey goes and with that as new discoveries are made with every deviation from the path the taker will keep on making a fantastic connection with thrill and anxiety.
One of the best ways of finding short stories in English is to search online, which will present a huge number of both and well-known and unknown short stories. However, very few would find free access to high-quality short stories online. So, on our blog we are going to bridge that gap and provide a never-ending stream of best short stories.
Here is one of them:
The Flame of
Love
‘When the flight landed at the Haneda Airport, Hiroyuki felt uncanny; his excitement seemed replaced by an unknown fear that he found very difficult to decipher.’
‘Hiroyuki, get up please. It’s already too late,’ hushed Mao softy with a glass of milk in her hand, baffled by his obnoxious groans. It was the third time that she had rushed into the bedroom to see whether he woke up from sleep as they had to pack things up to board the evening flight. She had waited for this day eagerly and didn’t want things to go awry at the last moment.
Mao had first met Hiroyuki six months back at her workplace, an audit firm named Hatello Corporate Pvt Ltd. She then worked as a manager.
Briefly after being exposed to each other while carrying out usual office-related chores, both of them had apparently decided to opt in for a date to see whether they can fit in as a couple.
From the very onset, they were pretty candid and quite casual; both felt good in the company of other and thus a relational flower took no time to bloom, and just after seeing each other for a short time of only three months, both had mutually agreed to engage in a live-in relationship.
Their first date was awesome, for one thing was crystal clear, their chemistry was really good, much to their individual likings. Eventually, Hiroyuki was the first one to propose her for the detour. However, Mao took three days to respond affirmative. Both decided not to disclose this to their friends and families and keep it a little secret among themselves, because any such adventurous expedition, who knows, might have proved to be significantly intolerable; at least this is what they perceived that moment. And besides a conservative evaluation, there was still a social stigma attached to it.
Mao could easily recall how the lead female character in a drama she watched few years back in a local theater echoed the same pitfalls and had led to the heroine’s public disgrace. All this time from leaving home town for a white-collar job in city to finding one, she considered herself brave, but still found such a dare too hefty.
However, after pondering over it again and again for three full days, finally, she had to give in. She found Hiroyuki quite tempting and a perfect man to settle down with. His little jokes and broad smile that he would occasionally pass during their conversations tingled her thoughts even in dreams. As it appeared to her, she had indeed fallen in love with him.
‘Honey, it’s 11 O’clock already. Please shun the bed,’ She let a kiss pass while caressing his hairs. She recalled, interestingly, even though Hiroyuki had proposed for a live-in, it was her that came up with the idea of marriage. She thought, she knew him well and voiced to close the private affair before it being exposed and tarnished. Hiroyuki looked reluctant first, but being insisted by Mao, gave a nod. Finally, they had agreed to tie the knot and chose Zushi as the ultimate destination for a happy ending to arduous and exciting three months together! They had lived the thrill of a live-in relationship and everything now looked really good to convert it to an everlasting vow, marriage.
Things were under control as both did well to keep it a little secret as promised so far. They had booked economy-class tickets and agreed to let the news slip once lawfully engaged: marriage date being fixed as 1st January to make it a memorable day; they believed that the Shogatsu time would be ideal, bringing both luck and charm!
Hiroyuki had called in for her old college friend Asa as the witness and booked a ticket for her too. He also invited two of his close childhood friends who worked and lived in Zushi to attend their marriage.
Hiroyuki and Mao took a taxi to reach the Nagasaki Airport. Their departure to Haneda Airport was scheduled at 6:30 pm. Mao recalled how they packed things up so hastily in the morning. And she had to pour a glass of water over his face to force him out of his sleep. He was upset at first and about to shout, but then a peek at the wall clock made him calm down. Both hurried through their chores and post mid-day meal, they had booked a taxi for the airport.
Mao looked at her analog wrist watch. It read 5:25 pm. They had reached the airport the right time. She looked at Hiroyuki and noticed a little far-fetched eagerness on his glowing face. So she could not resist asking in a low tone ‘Is it Asa who makes you so restless, honey?’
‘No, I’m just little concerned. She had text me about the jam she is stuck in.’
‘Oh, don’t worry. She will be in here pretty soon.’
‘Yeah, hope so,’ Hiroyuki replied hazily. ‘I mean these never-known-when city jams would eat up your good time so fast while others wait to be choked and concerned. And sometimes it can be pretty agonizing.’
‘I can definitely relate to how you feel now. It’s quite easy, but God can’t be so unperturbed after knowing we travel to Zushi for huge celebrations.’
‘Hope so…’ Hiroyuki meekly replied as past came live. He tried to astray by shaking his head, but feelings were simply too powerful to contain.
Hiroyuki had met Asa while he was pursuing graduation from The University of Tokyo. She was from an aristocrat family. His father being a well-known political figure.
He had studied hard and, with extra bonus numbers for being a national player, succeeded in securing his admission in the elite education institution of his choice. He wanted to be a professional hockey player, but poor family conditions forced him to quit his chase and settle for a part-time job along with this college lectures.
Hiroyuki ’s first encounter with Asa was when she entered in the middle of the accounts class. She wore jeans paired with glamming T-shirt, which read: ‘I’m In, But Are You!’
His first impression of Asa was of a spoilt rich girl. However, later on to his astonishment, she turned out to be a pretty nice girl; much like what he would look for in his girlfriend!
Every day, just before the faculty would arrive, he found her talking girlishly with colleagues in a low sweet tone and cheeky smiles. Being impressed by Asa, Hiroyuki always looked for an opportunity to meet and greet his new college mate. But his real success came only a week later when he was savoring pizza at Domino’s near the college. He saw her enter the outlet first and but then dropped his eyes. Eventually, he didn’t hope for anything to conclude. However, he was taken back when she had walked straight to him.
‘I believe, you are Hiroyuki from the college.’ She chuckled.
‘Yes’ was all that he could utter at that time. He couldn’t believe she was talking so effortlessly with him.
‘Can I join you. Hope, you won’t mind.’
‘Yeah, sure…’ Hiroyuki made frantic attempts to pretend everything was under control. But deep within everything was so messed up. Elevated heart beats baffled him and drops of sweat were visible on the forehead. He prayed haplessly, not quite sure what he had just prayed for!
‘Here she is,’ cried Mao, shaking Hiroyuki’s hand vigorously, making him pool out of his pretty fancy day dream.
Hiroyuki nodded his head slowly and looked in the direction of her pointing finger. He wanted to say ‘hello’ first to his old college mate, but almost choked.
‘Hey Hiroyuki, quite a surprise. You seem to have changed quite a lot, from a shy college boy to a fairly handsome man. I never thought, we will ever meet again.’
Hiroyuki never for a second had expected such a lavish greeting from Asa. He couldn’t decide whether to feel surprised, offended, or subdued. Expressions on Mao’s face too had changed. To the contrary, he felt as if she was offended, but decided to stay mum.
He took a deep breath and just managed to say, ‘Hello Asa. Glad you are here on time.’
About 20 minutes had passed after boarding the flight. Asa had occupied the window seat and Mao chose to sit in the middle. He could see both girls giggling, but pretended to just read through the book that he had purchased a few days back, titled The Kiss of Love.
Hiroyuki felt desperate to talk to Asa who looked stunning in a black lacy maxi dress with short sleeves, round neckline, and a side slit detail, but couldn’t; her bare round arms only added to his burns. The only respite at that time was yawning Mao, who complained of being very tried and soon had succumbed to sleep.
Asa winked at Hiroyuki and past again flashed. After their first meet, both had become close friends. They always had fantastic time together. Hiroyuki remembered how both of them would go for a fun day out pretty often, missing on their lectures. Over a period of time, a sort of mutual understanding had developed between them. Asa would often flirt with him and occasionally pass on a passionate kiss, making him tremble within.
Even before they knew, the friendship turned out in a lover affair. They promised each other to talk to their parents for a possible reunion after their graduation day. But alas! Life’s ain’t so sweet always. The unmatched family status kept them at bay. After college, both went on their own ways. He didn’t know, what had led to the dwindling communication between them as calls became fewer and fewer from Asa’s end with passing time. And just after 6 months, all that was left were short occasional ‘Like’ comments on Facebook, which also gradually ceased to exist.
In the middle of the flight, Mao woke up to go to the washroom. When she returned, she was too lazy to push her way into the middle seat. And with Hiroyuki readily offering to shift seats, the seating arrangement changed. With 20 minutes still remaining for the flight to land, sleep-starved Mao took another power nap, this time holding Hiroyuki ’s right hand more firmly. Hiroyuki ’s other hand, though, nervously moved to touch Asa’s. Her heart skipped a beat. Asa pulled her hand away. But a defiant Hiroyuki held her wrist again, this time firmly and more reassuringly. The changing behavioral dynamics between the three perhaps gave out a foreboding of what was to come in Zushi.
When the flight landed at the Haneda Airport, Hiroyuki felt uncanny; his excitement seemed replaced by an unknown fear that he found very difficult to decipher.
He felt sad. Asa was his first love and he wanted to do everything within his capacity to spark that old lost love. He even risked to say plain ‘No’ to Mao for Asa. And just when he thought, he had mustered enough strength, Asa approached him while Mao was busy talking to the taxi driver just outside the airport.
‘I am already engaged to someone. I have a kid, who is 1 year old,’ she stealthy whispered.
In return, Hiroyuki could only manage, ‘Oh! I didn’t know…’