"So the leopard chose to give up?" I asked sadly.
"It did. But I'm not the leopard right?" He replied to cheer me up.
"That's right, you're human." I said under my breaths. "Are you happy?" I asked.
"Why are you asking?"
"If you thought of the leopard the same as dying, does that make the summit happiness?" The situation became awkward and he didn't respond. It seemed like he was lost in a thought so I just gave him the time he needed.
"Why do you think that the summit is happiness?" He asked after some time.
"In the painting, it seemed like a warm place although the summit would be very cold. After hearing what you said, I think that the leopard is afraid that what happened before will happen again. I think that the leopard thinks that maybe just looking at the summit would be enough rather than taking a risk." I explained. "I said too much didn't I?"
"You have a point. Maybe it is afraid. Would you go to the summit if you were the leopard?" He then asked.
"I don't know. Is going to the summit the only way to be happy? I meant meeting you made me happy and didn't require me to climb a snowy mountain." I smiled.
After realizing what I just said I quickly turned my gaze away. Oh gosh I'm going crazy. Why did I even say the last part!
"What am I gonna do with you, Eiji?" He whispered in between his laughter.
His laugh was pleasant to the ears but I was bothered by how he called the name "Eiji"
"Who's Eiji?" I asked.
"Huh? Who?"
"Nothing I must've misheard you." I replied.
"You're a photography major right?" He then asked.
"Yeah, how did you know?"
"I saw your world earlier. You're originally from Tokyo right?"
"Mhm" I replied.
"Why did you go to New York?" He asked.
"Well to be honest, whenever I'm in my hometown, I've always felt like there was something missing and I was at this state of longing and I'm always searching of something or someone then one day I just found myself deciding on staying in New York. Weird right?"
I didn't know why but he just stared at me. His eyes are too captivating too look away and I feel so close to him for some reason. There's this sense of familiarity and warmth that I feel when looking at him. If there's a better way to describe it, he feels like home.