• 2. Tokyemaru

    I fell asleep into a deep slumber. My vision was nothing close to the word “dream”, in fact, I was viewing a nightmare. I was running, trying to catch up with someone, someone I cared about, but their back was turned on me so I didn’t have a clue on who it was. No matter how fast I tried to run, I couldn’t catch up with their pace, even though they were only walking.
    My surroundings were queer. I was in the hallways of my hotel but no light touched the walls although the lights were turned on. It was very dark, almost black. Suddenly the walls were fading and in its place darkness nurtured, vast as far as my eyes could see.
    I suddenly tripped. Unexpectedly, Shirai, Akira, Ria and Kyo appeared, watching me. They mouthed words that I couldn’t understand, but the words were different from each other. After a few sentences were exposed they disappeared in to the darkness. I tried to call out to them but no words were released from my mouth, and suddenly I knew what was happening.
    “I don’t want to be alone!” I forced to yell. “I need someone to be with me, to protect me, always.”
    Abruptly, I woke up with my forehead sparkling with sweat. My heart was rapidly beating. I looked around, trying to keep my mind off my terrible dream. Weird, someone has rearranged my room. I must still be dreaming.
    The large glass window, with a balcony, was draped with curtains even though I left it open before I fell asleep. Some sunlight seeped into the room. At least this dream is peaceful.
    I was still looking around when I noticed him, about the same age as I was, sleeping, beside me! I instinctively screamed and he fell down, wondering what had woken him up. I pinched myself, curious if I was really dreaming. I wasn’t.
    “Who are you?!” I asked, desperate for some answers. “What did you do to my room?! And why were you sleeping next to me?!”
    The guy’s expression was accurately the same as mine. “What do you mean?! I’ve been living here for years, so I should be the one asking questions!” he said, outraged. “What did you do? I’m impressed. Did you break in here in your sleep?”
    I, too, was outraged. I looked around the room when suddenly a pale stone, sitting on a small maple table, caught my eyes. I walked over to it, forgetting about my suite redecorated. I searched my pocket and found the exact same stone.
    “How did you get this?” I asked. Not a single sign of rage dusted my emotion instead curiosity claimed its place.
    “What?” the stranger asked surprised that I wasn’t shouting as I should’ve been. “Umm… my ex-girlfriend gave that to me.” He didn’t sound like he wanted to say more.
    “What have you wished on it?” I asked, even though I sounded crazy. “Your ex must’ve said that you could wish on this. What have you wished for and when?”
    The guy looked surprised but he confronted. “Yeah, she said I could wish on it. I wished that she would come back. I wished for it yesterday, the day after she left for America. What did you wish for?”
    “I wished…” I began. “Never mind. It’s nothing.” My head raced for some scientific explanation of how this was happening, which is what people in Tsurai always did, and I was unsuccessful. I was so shocked that I blurted out a random sentence. “By the way, I’m Youri Mikatsu.” I clasped my hands over my mouth but gently put them down. He didn’t look like he harms people for a living.
    The stranger sighed but he saw the truth in my eyes. “I don’t know if you’re playing a prank on me, but…” he paused. “I’m Tokyemaru Ikiotsu.”
    I kept quiet.
    “You can sit down.” He went to the kitchen, putting an apron on, while I went to the dining table and slumped down. His apartment was exactly like mine except the furniture were rearranged and there were stuff that I wasn’t sure if I bought or not.
    I stared at him. I haven’t noticed but he looked sincerely attractive. He had short brown hair and was tall, a half inch shorter than Kyo. He wore a white t-shirt and blue shorts. I wonder if he was the one to break up with his girlfriend. With a face like his, a casual girl wouldn’t be “enough” for him.
    “Why are you staring at me?” he asked behind his shoulder. He placed the eggs that he cooked on two plates with steaming rice and forks and spoons already on it, brought it to the table and sat down.
    “N-nothing.” I stammered avoiding his face. I held the fork and spoon and started eating.
    “So…” he started. “Tell me more about yourself and how you got in here?”
    I chewed for a few seconds and then swallowed. “I…” I was worried if he’d believe me or not but I decided that I’ll confront him later. “I came from… America, but I got lost and...” I sighed. Wow, I went too far. I’m so stupid. How did “lost” get in there? “I don’t know how I came here…but I do know that you and I have wished for diverse things but on the same stone. What I don’t understand is how and why the mood stone brought us, especially in our sleep.” I was astonished that I had said this with confidence, without a thought that this stranger could send me to a physician or a building with abnormal people.
    He nodded. “Okay,” he said, calmly. “Since you look like you have nowhere to go, you’ll be living with me until I get you your own suite. I’ll buy your suite in… a month.”
    “Are you sure?” He seemed so nice, but I don’t mind sleeping on the couch instead of him. Who would dump a guy with this type of personality?
    “Yeah.” He still sounded calm. “By the way, how old are you?”
    “What?” I was shocked by his question. “Don’t you know never to ask a woman their age?!”
    He laughed. “I’m asking your age because you look like you still have a few more years of school. So you’re not actually a woman. So I’ll enroll you in my school, Rokku High.”
    “What?! I have to continue school?” This was a total depression.
    “So,” he said, laughing at my shock. He was just like Kyo, always the bully. “How old are you?”
    I sighed, again. “16, but where I live, you end school at that age. And I’ve just graduated yesterday!” I sounded like a little girl. Yep, I’m so sure that he’ll believe me now.
    Tokyemaru laughed again. “Nice try. You’re still going to school.” He smiled drinking a cup of coffee.
    I pouted.
    “Be happy!” he enlightened. “School’s going to be fun, and school won’t start for another week.” He smiled.
    I groaned and continued to eat my breakfast.
    He noticed my expression. “Okay, how about I take you shopping for clothes tomorrow? Your clothes aren’t suitably school type. Anyways, I have to go grocery shopping.” He was right. I was still wearing my pink pajamas.
    I couldn’t see where this was leading to, but the word “shopping” turned my mood upside down. “By the way, is it too much to ask if I question you, too?”
    He glanced at me. “Whatever.”
    “Okay, first, how old are you?”
    “17”
    “Second, how much money am I allowed to spend?”
    “A hundred and fifty dollars.”
    “Wow,” my eyes grew big. This isn’t such a bad mishap after all. “How much is a hundred fifty dollars?” I know that 150 is a lot, but the “dollars” was a new type of money to me, so I had to know how much one dollar was at least.
    “Enough to buy 9 to 11 sets of clothes.” He replied.
    “Third, won’t people think we’re dating if I go with you?” I didn’t think this through. I just blurt it out.
    He grew solemn. “It’s okay. People might think you’re my cousin or something. You look young, anyways. And a lot of my friends still think I’m with Hidemi, anyways.”
    “Hidemi, is that your girlfriend’s name?” I asked, still didn’t think it through. Sometimes, I can be, too, curious which always leads me into trouble.
    “Yeah.” He said, with a bit of annoyance. “Can we quit talking about her?!” I cringed.
    “I’m sorry.” I whispered.
    He calmed down and continued eating. After a few minutes I continued to eat too. Silence overcame us.
    What a day, and it’s not even over.

    • • • • • • •

    “Youri,” Tokyemaru called. “I’m going with some of my friends. Don’t do anything that’ll burn the building down or anything like that.” He got his jacket and headed for the door.
    I’ve only been here for 3 hours and I’m already confused. I asked him earlier if he had a flying car or a 1000 terra byte touch computer that I could use and he just laughed. “Are you okay?” he said earlier. “Stuff like that doesn’t exist in this planet… yet.” I was totally shocked. It’s like living in the year 2008, in Tsurai.
    “Well, maybe my planet has smarter, more advanced scientists than yours does.” I explained. “But I have to admit, I sort of like your planet.” At least there aren’t any hovering cars that make me turn green. I explained to him that my apartment was symmetrical to his, I’ve told him about my family and friends, even Kyo. Tokyemaru didn’t seem to react that I was talking like a lunatic, which made me a bit more comfortable around him.
    “Yeah,” I called to him. “Sure. Take care.”
    I saw him smile a little before heading out the door. As soon as I heard the door thud I raced to the phone and dialed Akira’s cell phone. “We are sorry. Your call did not reach the other line. Long distance calls are unacceptable without calling cards.” The phone said. I sighed, putting down the phone. Now I’ll never get home. I searched for my mood stone. It had turned grey, for sadness.
    I sat down beside the phone table and slowly closed my eyes, even though I’ve just woken up.

    • • • • • • •

    “Hey!” a voice whispered. “Wake up.” The voice shook me out of a dreamless nap. I rubbed my eyes, but got up.
    “Is that you, Tokyemaru?” I asked.
    “Yup.” he said. “I brought take-out. Ever heard of the word ‘sushi’?” He teased.
    “Hey! I’m from another planet, but I’m not that dumb!” I retorted. I sighed. Out of about 6 billion people, what are the odds that I’ll live with a guy, especially one that enjoys teasing people?! I felt like crying, though in a silly way. What are the odds?! I felt like screaming, too.
    I looked around. I wasn’t sleeping on the same place I slept on. I woke up on the couch.
    “C’mon!” Tokyemaru called. “It’s dinner time.”
    I walked glumly to the kitchen that I was so familiar with, and sat down on the same seat I sat on this morning. I gazed out my balcony window. It was sunset. I must’ve slept for hours!
    “Hey, Tokyemaru,” I began. “How come I woke up on the couch?” I really ask random questions, sometimes.
    Tokyemaru flinched. “Uhh… I carried you to the couch when I got home. The position you were in would’ve left your body sore if you stayed posed like that.”
    “I have another question.” I told him. “What do you work as? And how can you afford this expensive suite?” I didn’t intend to say he’s poor, but I was just curious. And it’s been bothering me for a while.
    “I work as a…” he began. “I’m a famous actor here in Japan.”
    I laughed. “No really, what job?”
    He glared at me and looked irritated, which made me cringe. “If you don’t believe me, go ask any of my fans out there.” And he grinned at me.
    I was surprised. He looked charming, but I didn’t expect him to be an actor.
    He walked to the table, placed the food on the table and then sat down. We both ate for five minutes and then I broke the silence.
    “Where do I sleep?” I asked. I knew it was a silly question but I’m going to be living here for a while. So I should know where to slumber on.
    He looked around the room. “How were you on the couch?”
    “It was… okay, I guess.” I replied quietly. The couch was comfortable but I favored my bed, his bed, better.
    “Good.” He replied, smiling. “Now, it’s my turn to ask questions.”
    I nodded in reply.
    “If you did live in the same hotel and suite as I do now, and if what you said about your ‘5 star hotel’ is true, how did you afford it?” He sounded so curious that it made me laugh. He just stared at me.
    After I calmed down I replied his question. “My sisters and I are born from ‘royal blood.’ Akira and Shirai were supposed to be future queens, but they’re twins. Their birth certificate, which has the exact time when each was born, was burnt along with our old mansion. The political governments are still deciding on the future queen.” When I was done speaking, Tokyemaru’s face changed from curious to confusion.
    “Wow.” He retorted.

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