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 Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 11:57 am
City sidewalks
Busy sidewalks
Dressed in holiday style
In the air there's
A feeling of Christmas
A slim finger gently circled the rim of the paper mug as chocolate colored eyes glanced out of the foggy window. Akio, like others, had taken refuge from the chilly winds within the confines of the coffee shop neighboring the Destiny City Shopping Center. Chai tea in hand, he'd snuggled in a corner of the store and had begun to wistfully stare out at all the happy couples and families wandering the sidewalks of the Center.
He sighed as the faint music continued to whisper in the air above, the words almost entirely drowned out by the conversations in the coffee shop. Students studying for finals at one table, mothers on cell phones at another. A few couples sprinkled the tables here and there, a child or two tugging at their mother's coat sleeve.
Bringing his drink up to his lips, he mentally berated himself for acting so gloomy. So what if he was thousands of miles away from home? So what if he wasn't going to celebrate the holidays with his family? It wasn't like his father was going to say anything supportive, it wasn't like his mother was going to bake anything, like all the moms did on Christmas movies. He was living in a huge American city now! There were hundreds upon hundreds of people here!
....so why did he still feel so alone?
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Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 10:18 pm
While Adira had also dipped into the coffee shop to avoid the chill winds, she was sipping on a much more potent latte than normal coffee shop patrons received. The girl had needed more of a boost than ever lately; it was dark out earlier, it was cold, and she had more responsibilities than ever. Never a dull moment in the life of the young Perses.
Thats why, sitting in her booth, she sighed contentedly and looked around. She liked to people watch occasionally, particularly at this time of year. One particular boy caught her eye though. He looked startlingly familiar in a way that she couldn't quite place.
After a few seconds of intense staring at him, she finally clicked it in her brain. His name was Akio. Adira had heard his name while she had been in Japan; he'd been some kind've singing star at the time. She was pretty sure they'd even been at the same party at least once. She'd been staring for a while when she realized that...well...she had been staring. Hopefully she hadn't offended him; Adira wasn't sure how many people would actually know him on this side of the ocean.
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Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2010 9:33 am
Eyes eventually wandered from the window and turned back towards the coffee shop crowd. His mood was still sullen, but a small glimpse of hope flickered across his face as his eyes met with those of a young woman sitting several booths away. She was beautiful, with raven hair even darker than his own and pale eyes that continued to stare.
Curiosity quickly got the better of him and he rose from the table, tea in hand and a smile on his face. Boots casually made their way over to her booth and then paused. Eyebrows raised, he leaned over.
"Excuse me, but I couldn't help but notice that you we-"
A woman bundled up enough to put an eskimo to shame nudged her way by him and the young man used the opportunity to slide his way into the seat across from her, as if forced in by some terrible shove. Without looking even the slightest bit ashamed at what he'd done, he brought his tea to rest on the table and adjusted himself. "I'm sorry about that - hopefully I'm not taking anyone's seat."
His smile was beaming, the young man confident that he wouldn't be turned away in the near future. He was taking a chance - but it seemed well worth the risk. "I seem to have caught your eye but I'm afraid I'm terrible with faces. Do I know you?"
Catching himself, he shook his head at his own rudeness. "I'm sorry, my manners, they have been misplaced. I'm Akio Yoshida - I am a senior at, ah, Meadowview High School? Do we have class there, maybe?"
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Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2010 3:13 pm
A faint blush tinged her cheeks when he got up and started to walk over, apparently he had caught her staring and apparently decided to say something about it. How embarrassing! Really, Adira knew to have better manners. But it would be interesting to talk to the boy from Japan, since he seemed so keen on it. "No, the seat is open."
She smiled and took another sip of her latte before continuing. "I don't go to Meadowview, no, but we have met at least once if I am remembering correctly." Up close in a more casual setting, Akio was rather cute. She remembered a couple of girls who had been fawning all over him at that party and how she'd not understood their fascination. It was a little more apparent up close, and Adira could understand it a little. "At a party in Japan several years ago. I'm Adira Perses, pleased to meet you again." She bowed her head politely, as was customary for introductions at a table in japan.
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Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2010 12:27 pm
"Adira."
The name linger on his tongue as he watched her head bow, his eyes widening ever so slightly. It caught him off guard, but he regained his composure quickly enough to happily return the gesture. He couldn't remember the last time someone followed tradition!
Eyes searched the fair face in front of him, but as hard as he tried, he failed to recognize her. Parties were not uncommon - at least, not when he was back in Japan and life was more exciting. Faces came and went with every concert, along with hugs, posters and the occasional stalker. Miss Perses looked nothing like a stalker, nor a crazed fangirl who might be toting a poster snuggled beneath her jacket. Quite the opposite, in fact - she was refined, cultured. Which put him to shame for having forgotten such an individual.
One hand moved up to brush back dark bangs, his smile turning sheepish as he confessed. "I apologize - several years makes for a disastrous memory. But I am honored you remembered me."
Suppressing a wince, Akio mentally chided himself for his broken English. While he'd been forced to endure lessons back at home, Akio had never been much of the study type.
Briefly glancing out the window, he eyed his reflection before turning back towards his new companion, his fallen smile quickly rising. "So you know where I am from, but I know nothing of you - are you from around here, Adira?"
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Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 12:21 pm
"Well, to be honest I have a good memory for faces and names." The fact that the party she had gone to was in honor of Akio and his band certainly helped the name recall as well, but it was understandable that he not remember her. She'd been shut out of most of that party since she was unable to fluently speak Japanese, and Adira had been too embarrassed to talk in her halting grasp of the language to say much other than the formal greetings.
"I grew up here and I currently reside here yes. But I traveled a lot as well, with my family." She took another sip of latte and her eyes wandered to the window just in time to see someone take a spill on the ice across the street. "I lived a year in Japan, I think it was, around the same time we'd met the first time."
It was actually pleasant hearing the familiar accent from Akio's lips, Adira hadn't heard it much since coming back to Destiny City. There was something both familiar and foreign about it at the same time. "What brings you to Destiny City, and Meadowview?" Thats what was really intriguing to her; why would a previous pop sensation move all the way to the US to attend a public school? It seemed strange.
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