Akatsuki Reminiscences 2
The next day I finished all my work early. I thought I should go to a salon to fix my face.
I even bought new clothes. We are having casual dinner. So it doesn't have to be too formal.
I think where should we go.
It's still early in the morning. But I feel like I should go meet her.
Yesterday I got her number.
So I tried calling her.
(Hello)
"Yeah, it's me, Akatsuki."
(Oh. Why did you call me this early?)
"I was thinking where to go? A restaurant or a family diner?"
(A diner is fine. I think a restaurant is suffocating.)
"Are you busy right now?"
(No. I am just visiting my mother in the hospital.)
"Oh. Then how about we meet early? I reserved you for the day."
(I don't have any problems.)
"Then can you come to my house? It's near Shinjuku. Paradise apartments."
(I am nearby. So I am coming.)
"I'll leave the door open. It's on the top floor."
(Ok.)
I hang up. She talked to me more freely today. I think making her a friend was worth it.
About 20 minutes later someone came.
I open the front gate. And then a minute later the door of my apartment opened.
I saw her. She is wearing casual clothes but she still looks so good. She really is someone out of my reach.
But that was probably for everyone else either.
"Welcome." I say to her as I push my wheelchair.
I don't wear my fake arms and legs at home unless I need to.
"So this is your place. The rent must be high."
"No. I own this apartment. But yeah, it cost me a fortune."
"Are you always sitting like that?" She pointed at me sitting on the wheelchair.
"Mostly at home. Walking outside is fine but using the fake arms and legs inside the house is tiring."
"You have it surprisingly tough."
"Maybe. Sorry I called you on a whim. But when I noticed, all my works were done. So I thought we should meet early."
"Were you that excited?" She chuckled.
Her smiling face is really beautiful. I should keep that face for myself.
"This is a little earlier than planned but how about we have lunch?"
"It's about 1 at noon right? Yeah it doesn't hurt."
"So what would you take?"
I prompt to make a call to order a delivery.
"Don't you cook?"
"I tried once. But with those fake arms I couldn't and then I burned myself. So I gave up on cooking. I live on mostly canned foods. But yeah my friend comes to cook for me once a week."
"That must be hard. But your friend. It's a girl, right?"
"No. The only girl I can talk to is you. He is a guy and moreover a moron. But because of that he can cook."
"So how about I make it?" She proposed.
"You can cook?" I was surprised at that.
"Hey that's rude. I can cook." She said puffing her cheeks.
Now she looks like a hamster.
Gosh she really is cute.
"No. While I was at home, most of the meals were cooked by my dad. My mom didn't like cooking. My sister was so hopeless at that that she didn't even know that you cannot cook on a frying pan with a ladle." I tell her my story.
"Must have been rough. Just you wait. I will make something delicious."
After that she prepared a lunch with the ingredients I had.
After eating that I was certain. She is a high spec girl. Can even cook.
"You know, you will make a fine wife." I tell her.
"Stop with the flattery. Who will marry me?"
"I will. Or I would if I could."
She just stared at me.
"If you want to then you can." She said while looking the other way.
But I could clearly see her ears turning red.
"That would be too great to be true. But I cannot. You won't like that."
"That's not true. I think anyone would be happy. I mean, you are fun to talk to and pay a lot of attention."
"That's about it. I cannot do the most important thing. I actually am impotent. I was born that way. I can not get it hard. You catch me?"
"I see. So that's your reason?" I don't know what she was thinking but she wasn't really dispirited.
"I mean I don't understand women."
"That may be so but I don't think I would mind."
"Thanks for that. Let's eat." I said and we ate.
It was delicious. I don't think I have enjoyed a meal this delicious in a while.
After finishing I thought what to do.
"How about we go shopping first. We can walk around."
"Maybe. But let me do the dishes." She was going to the sink to wash them.
"You don't have to worry about that. Throw them in the dish washer."
"No. That'll damage the dishes."
"You really sweat about these small details."
I wryly smile while I watch her washing the dishes.
I am sitting at the dining table. So I can clearly see her. The kitchen has a window connecting the dining hall.
It felt soothing watching her do the dishes.
"I really think you would make a great wife."
"Again with the flattery. If you want, I can become your wife."
"That is too tempting. But I have to decline again. My real personality is quite brash. So you might freak out."
"How brash? I have seen my share of brash."
"Ahhh.. Not that brash but I am really possessive. I don't let go of my things no matter how small."
"That's good. You would surely love someone."
"Enough of that. Are all women like you or you are different?"
"I think most women are like this."
"The women in my life don't give me a frame of reference. So I really don't know anything about women."
"Your women? Who are they?"
"My mom and sister. And the three stooges. And a nonexistent childhood friend. That's about it I guess."
"You did mention me being your sisters age."
"Yeah. Which school you go to? Maybe you know her."
"I used to go. To the Jinbei Private High School."
"My sister goes there too."
"That's good then. What's her name?"
"Mizuki. You know her?"
"Ahhhh.... That Mizuki is your sister!! I am a bit surprised because you two look nothing alike."
"She takes after my mom. But that doesn't mean I look like my dad. I am completely different from an of them."
"But still Mizuki is your sister huh. But she never told anyone that she had a brother."
"Probably too embarrassed. Who would want a brother like me? She didn't even talk to me. The most sentences our conversation had was only 3. So I am basically a stranger to her."
"That's not someone who is talking with their siblings. Which school you went to?"
"The municipal school. It was cheap and close and no one was against it."
"The cheap part kinda bothers me."
"To my mother, my education was a waste of money. She was clearly against it. But my dad took care of it and I was sent to school. After earning money I asked dad if I should return the money or not. I even offered to pay interest."
"What did he say?"
" 'Are you stupid? Don't mind your mother.' That's what he told me."
"Your family problems are really severe."
"I am used to that. Or rather if I hadn't gone to the municipal school, I wouldn't have met moron. That's a saving grace as he is my only friend."
"So you do have a friend. I thought for sure that you had no friends."
"I didn't have. He is the kind of friend you can't get rid of. He is a nice guy. So if you want to I can introduce you to him."
"Selling your friend to pull yourself out. That won't do."
"Haha. You caught me. Anyway, let's go. We can walk around. Think of it like a date."
"A date? I have never been on one before."
"That's surprising. I thought you went on a lot of dates. So this is both our first time. Let's take it nice and slow."
"Why is that so surprising?"
"I see. You are too high caliber for boys your age. They gave up before they even tried. And you have never been asked out. I get them. The idol of your school."
"You are wrong." She tried to deny that.
But it is plain clear to me. Just like that we left the house and went around Shinjuku.
I fixed my face and bought her a new dress.
We even went to nice park.
Time really flew by.
And before I know it, it's dark.
"Now then, let's go to the diner. I have a reservation."
"A diner?"
"Yeah. Bunny's! Haven't heard of it?"
"I have. It's famous among students."
"Well then, let's go. Only a few minutes from here. Let's walk."
"I have been meaning to ask but don't you get tired?"
"Ah…no. I think it's important to have stamina. I train my endurance and stamina quite a bit."
"I see. For a handicapped person, you sure are happy go lucky."
"Ok. We are getting late."
I hurry her and we reach the the place.