Chapter 31 28 Taisia

After turning back from the North Cape, I went south to Finland and came to Estonia, one of the three small countries in the Balkans. Stepping into the Old Town of the capital Tallinn is like stepping into a medieval fairy tale.There are rows of old houses on the stone road, and a towering church in the central square... At the same time, there are also many fashionable cafes and fast food restaurants, attracting many young people and tourists, full of vitality. An open-air drama is being staged in the square, and many people are watching.I tried to stretch my neck to watch together. A woman standing in front turned her head and kept looking in my direction.With slender long legs and a petite face, she looks like a model. She is about twenty-two or three years old, right?The sharp gaze did not intend to seduce men, but it had a certain alluring luster.Being stared at by such eyes, at that moment, I couldn't look away.In this way, she stared for a moment, then smiled and said, "Hello."

I was a little caught off guard and asked her in English: Can you speak Japanese? "Just a little bit," she replied. I see, it's because you want to speak Japanese that you keep staring at me, right?We just stood and chatted in English. Her name was Taisia, she was a college student, and she seemed to have just learned Japanese for two weeks. "Are you a student of the Japanese Department?" "No, I specialize in geology." "Then why do you want to learn Japanese?" "I love learning languages." After chatting for a while, she seemed to have another date, and left after saying "see you next time".

When I went shopping in the supermarket in the evening, I saw her with a man dressed in western cowboy.The other party was happily talking on the public phone.As soon as she found me, she spoke a few words to the man and walked towards me. "Hi, Yusuke!" Hey, she remembers my name. "Did you speak to him in Estonian just now?" "It's French. He's my French friend." "You also speak French?" Taisia's sharp eyes showed a meaningful smile, "I can speak eleven languages." I grinned too, trying to make fun of her: "Do you speak Spanish?"

I can also speak Spanish to a certain extent after my trip to South America.Unexpectedly, she immediately replied: "Of course. Will you do it too?" Then she spoke a series of Spanish that was much fluent than mine in one breath, and I was completely defeated by her. It seems that she can speak eleven languages, and she didn't just say it casually.According to her, besides European countries, she is also learning the languages ​​of Central Asia.How much work does it take to memorize so many languages?I couldn't help but ask how old is she? "Hehe, fifteen years old."

I looked at her in front of me, dumbfounded.Taisia ​​took out her student ID card from her bag, it was indeed fifteen years old.And she is also a student of Tallinn University, which is equivalent to Tokyo University in Japan. Taisia ​​was a little proud: "I have been skipping grades, and I will go to college this year." "Are you a genius?" She has been suppressing the smile until now, it seems that it all broke out at once, and after saying "yes", she burst into laughter.I could only stare blankly at her bursting out laughing. I was dragged into a beautiful coffee shop by Tessia.While drinking coffee, she raised various questions about Japanese: How to say "white" in Japanese? What about "black"? What about "red"? What about "today"? What about "tomorrow"...

Maybe I want me to teach her Japanese?Of course, I am also very happy. It is an honor to be the teacher of a gifted girl!But her learning attitude was too eager, and the questions kept popping up, like machine gun fire.I am a teacher, but I was asked incoherently.After teaching her some words, I tried to quiz her.At the beginning, she unexpectedly made several wrong questions, but after practicing a few times, she remembered it immediately, and finally learned it at a fairly fast speed.At eight o'clock in the evening, the Japanese class finally came to an end.Compared with Taisia ​​who has been in high spirits, I am already exhausted.When we were parting, she asked me, "Can we meet tomorrow too?"

In the evening of the next day, I arrived at the central square earlier than the agreed five o'clock.Tessia has arrived first.After walking a few steps together, she started asking me questions in Japanese again, still eager.While I was answering her, I felt a little unhappy inside, as if I was being led by the nose all the time. Dark clouds began to cover the sky an hour ago, and before we knew it, pea-sized raindrops fell, and we fled under the arches of the city wall to hide from the rain.Then it rained heavily, and the old houses on both sides of the stone road could be seen in front of my eyes, turning into soft and transparent colors like pastel pastel paintings in the rain.A white mist rose, and the outline of the house gradually blurred, losing its sense of reality.At this time, I couldn't help thinking: I am really in a foreign country!There was also an amazing girl standing beside her.

The rain has no intention of stopping.We counted one, two, three, rushed out of the arch, and ran to shelter from the rain under the eaves of the house diagonally opposite.As soon as he got there, he gasped and laughed.The next target was a bakery five houses away. We rushed out from under the eaves. At this moment, the sky lit up instantly, and there was a deafening thunder in our ears... After finally running to the bakery, Tessia, whose hair was all wet, laughed like crazy, and I laughed too, and the unhappiness disappeared without a trace before I knew it.I half smiled wryly and thought, alas, I really can't do anything with this child!

In the coffee shop, after teaching Japanese like yesterday, Tessia said again, "Can we meet tomorrow too?" I was suddenly at a loss for words.I originally planned to start tomorrow, and the footsteps of winter are approaching. I hope that the sooner I can go south, the better.What's more, the accommodation fee here is not cheap, and I don't have the financial resources to continue living here. "I intend to leave tomorrow." Taisia ​​showed a dissatisfied expression: "Why? Aren't you very free?" "I'm already much later than originally planned."

"No, just stay a little longer! Isn't it the same if you have a plan or not?" ——You are right, but what is your attitude? "Okay! I'll wait for you in the square at five o'clock tomorrow. If you don't come by six o'clock, I'll go back." "..." As a result, I still didn't leave the next day.I arrived at the square at five and Tessia waved to me with a big smile on her face. After class that day, she said the same as yesterday: "Come tomorrow too!" "No! Today is the last time." I said firmly. Taisia ​​showed a complex expression that seemed both angry and troubled, and the next moment, tears flowed from her eyes.

My heart skipped a beat as her once piercing eyes disappeared, and now she is just an innocent fifteen-year-old girl.In those eyes, there is a look of sadness that I have never seen before. --what?No way?Could it be... I was very surprised. I thought that to her, I was just a convenient Japanese teacher. Taisia ​​said softly: "I will wait for you tomorrow, until six o'clock, if you don't come, I will leave..." Then I sent her to do the bus. Seeing the bus approaching from a distance, Taisia ​​suddenly lowered her head and threw herself into my arms, her shoulders trembling slightly.I held her shoulders hesitantly.The bus stopped right in front of us, Taisia ​​raised her head, put her small face close to my mouth, and kissed me gently.Although she looks old-fashioned, she still has the fragrance of an innocent girl. Tessia got into the car and looked back at me. "goodbye……" After she finished speaking in Japanese, the bus closed the door and drove away.I stayed in the same place alone, watching her, feeling a sudden sense of sadness.Her "goodbye" sounded more sad than ordinary farewell. The next day, after much distress, I set off anyway.Although it hurts to think of Taisia ​​waiting for me alone, and I can't stay here forever, so I think the sooner I leave, the better. Stepping on the bicycle slowly, looking at the soft and bright streets like pastel pastel paintings, passing by in front of your eyes.When we arrived at the square, we could see the towering white church and the coffee shop where we had classes together before, and slowly moved out of my sight.Once upon a time, these places I walked with Taisia ​​have become part of me.The streets that still retain the flavor of the Middle Ages are gradually becoming nostalgic. Saw a familiar bakery.In the torrential rain, she and I were here to hide from the rain, and we laughed together.I suddenly felt out of breath and wanted to brake, but I held back and continued to pedal the bicycle. The sooner the better... I said to myself.