What is Love?

The elevator played soft classical music. Naoko glanced out of the corner of his eye at Eros-Aphrodite.

“Have you ever been in love?” he asked. The guide smiled to himself.

“Once,” he said. “It didn’t last.”

“What happened?”

“It was years ago.” Eros-Aphrodite closed his eyes. “I lived in ancient times back then. I used to be a young lad. I used to be shepherd in my human life. Back then, I was used to being alone in nature. One hot summer day, I looked down near the lake. I saw a beautiful woman bathing under the hot sun.

“Her hair was red, brighter than the sun itself. It went well with her cool, pale skin. That woman was a nymph and see didn’t notice the world around her. As soon as I saw her, my heart pounded against my chest. I couldn’t remember a time I ever felt like that before in my life. I wanted to go over and talk to her.”

“Did you?”

Eros-Aphrodite opened his eyes and shook his head. “No.”

“Why not?”

“I didn’t feel worthy of her. What would a nymph like her see in a lowly shepherd like me?” He smiled to himself.

“I figured that I would love her from afar.”

Naoko tilted his head. “But that wouldn’t be satisfying.”

“Sometimes we can’t have the love that we want.”

The mouse boy shook his head. “That’s not really love.”

“Hm? Why do you say that?”

Naoko clinched his fists at his sides. “I want Midori-chan to know always how I feel about her. I want to embrace her. Kiss her.” He closed his eyes.

“Love can only be if both sides know each other,” the mouse boy said. “That’s how it is.” Naoko opened his eyes and turned to see his guide smiling at him.

“What?” he asked.

“You have a great love, my friend,” Eros-Aphrodite said. The elevator came to a stop and the doors opened wide.

“Ready to go?” the guide asked. The mouse boy nodded. Naoko and his guide stepped off the elevator.

“I can only take you as far as this floor,” Eros-Aphrodite told him. “After that, you are on your own.”

“I understand,” Naoko said. Both men walked down the bright pink hall, silent.