Kyou and John

"…America?"  Kazuki said slowly when Kyou told him and Airi where she planned on going.  They were about 29 and Kyou wanted to go to America.
"Yes."  She said, rocking back on his couch.
"Why?"
"I have always wanted to go there…"
"…Aaand?"  He edged on.
"…And?"
"Does this have to do with a boy?"
"…A bit.  But even if it does not work with him, I still want to go there."
"Where exactly?"
"New York."  She grinned.  "I wanna go so bad~."
"Why?"
"I don't /know/.  You should come with me."
"No~."  Kazuki and Airi smiled.  "We will stick with Japan."
"Ok.  Well, I'm going to leave in a week, just wanted to warn you."
"Did you tell Tsubaki yet?"
"No.  I wanted to tell you first."
"Don't get totally taken over by the American-ness while you are there."
"I won't."

"You are… moving there?"  Kazuki said over the phone to Kyou about two months later.
"Yeah."  She said, smiling.
"Why?  Are you still with that guy?"
"No I'm not still with him, but I really love it here.  I already found a job and an apartment I could take if I decide to do this.  What do you think I should do?"
"You're an adult, so you can do whatever.  But it will be weird having my twin almost halfway around the world."
"I'm coming back in a few weeks, so we can talk about it more then."

"What did you do to your ear?!"  Kyou exclaimed at Kazuki when she saw him and Airi when she got back from America.
Kazuki grinned, "Uhhh…"
"How many piercings is that?!"
"Nine… in my left ear."  She pushed back his hair from his right ear and he started a row of piercings there too.
"You have 14 piercing?!  I was gone for, like, three months!  How did one piercing turn into 14?"
"When one stopped hurting… I did a new one…"  He laughed and she dropped her hand.  "It is fun~."  She looked over at Airi and Airi smiled and pushed back his hair and he only had the one piercing they gave each other when they were teens.
"Good."  She chuckled.
"Back to you."  Kazuki said and she looked back at her twin.  "Are you really going to move?"
"Yes.  I really want to.  I really love America."
"Can you at least spend a week or two with us before you leave?"
Kyou hit his arm, "Totally."

Kyou was sitting in a café about two years later reading, when a man leaned on her table with one hand.  She looked up slowly and he was smiling.  "Can I sit down?"  He asked.
"Depends."  Kyou said.
"On what?"
"If you can understand my accent."
He sat across from her, "It is not that bad.  So…"
"…"
"Are you… Korean?"
She laughed, "/No/.  Japanese."
"I'm sorry.  What are you reading?" She turned the book around to show him a Japanese font.  "Oh.  Well if you would have shown me /that/ first.  I can tell the difference between the Asian writings."
"What?"  She continued to smile as she put down the book.  "What is /that/."
"I don't know."  He laughed.  "I like writing better then faces."
"That is so strange."
"That's, like, my middle name."
"…What?"
"It's an American thing."
"Then what is your name?"
"John Daniels.  You?"
"In America my name is Kyou Wakana."
"What do you mean 'in America'?"
"Asian cultures invert their family name and given name.  In Asia I would be Wakana Kyou."
"I like it backwards better."
"The Asian way?  Yeah.  Me too.  Also, in Japan, calling someone of the opposite sex their given name, their first name as you say it here, is considered… inappropriate."
"Why?"
"It kind of means you either like them or they are family or family friend.  Traditionally you don't even call your siblings by name, but we did in our home."
"That is so odd.  What else is there?"  He leaned on his hand.
"You are enjoying this?"
"I love learning."
"What do you do?"
"Job?  I'm a collage professor in math.  What about you?"
She pointed to the front counter not breaking eye contact with him, "Here, and down the street at a book store."
"Do you like reading?"
"Yeah, but I don't like reading American very much."
"Why is that?"
"American is a very… choppy language.  I don't like the grammar, the flow… anything."
"Then why are you here?"
"I love the city."
"I don't."
"Then why are /you/ here?"
"I live right next to central park.  It cost me a pretty penny, but it is so worth it."
"…Pretty penny?"
He chuckled quietly, "It means it costs a lot.  Anyway, the park is the best place.  A huge, beautiful park… the only place with a lot of green.  Where do you live?"
She chuckled, "I'm not going to tell you that."
"I promise I'm not a creeper."
"…Creeper?"
He sighed, still smiling, "How long have you lived here?"
"Almost three years, and I know what you are getting at.  I just didn't really focus on slang when I was learning English."
"Well, a creeper is someone who stalks you… like follows you-"
"I know what a stalker is.  I'm glad you are not one."
He laughed, "I don't know if you can tell this, but I think you are very beautiful."
"…That was random."
"No, I just think it is cute how you talk… like the /way/ you talk… hard to explain."
"I understand.  Thank you I think."
"So, we were talking about cultures."
"Yeah?"
"What about your schools?"
"The school I went to was very odd.  In a normal Japanese school, kids stay in the same classroom all day and the teachers move from class to class, but in our school, we moved class to class."
"In American schools we do that, the students move too."
"Where do you eat?"
"Lunch?  Cafeteria… where else?"
"…Homeroom.  We can kind of eat where ever, but you are suppose to stay in your room.  My friend Katsu would eat on the roof because he did not like to have people watch him eat.  We only have cafeterias in our colleges."
"Did you go to college?"
"Yes.  I majored in engineering and minored in chemistry and physical science."
"Is that possible?"
"Worked for me."  She smiled.
"So you are a scientist engineer but you are working in a café and book store?"
She shrugged, "No need for my abilities right now.  I'm fine with working the way I am right now.  I wish I was more challenged, but it is ok."
"Wakana?"  A female asked for Kyou from behind the counter.  
She looked over at the woman, "Yes Mrs. Johnson?"  Kyou called back.
"It's time for your shift."
"Yes, I'm sorry.  I'll be right there."  She looked back at John, "Sorry."
"I understand.  Will you be here tomorrow?"
"Every Monday through Thursday."  She stood up and put on her maroon apron and tied her hair back.
"Can I came back tomorrow and talk to you again?"
"I'm always here an hour before my shift… same time every day."
"Can you do me a favor?"
"I will not say you are hot in Japanese."
"How many people ask you that?"  He asked, shocked.
"Last three things called guys I dated."
"Well, I was going to say, can you say 'I can't wait to see you tomorrow'."  She chuckled.  "What?"
"Have fun.  Watashi wa ashita o ai suru no o matsu koto ga dekinai."
He smiled, "Watashi wa ashita o ai suru no o matsu koto ga dekinai Kyou."
Her eyes got a bit wider, "Wow."  She then smiled, "Thank you."

"Hello Ms… Kyou is it?"  John joked the next day when Kyou was working, her back to him.
"I prefer Wakana please."  She said, reaching up to put a small box on a shelf, not recognizing the voice.
"Even for me?"  John leaned on the counter, smiling.
Kyou turned around slowly then smiled, "Konichiwa John-san."
"My name is not Johnson."
She laughed, "Sorry.  No, I said John-/san/.  It is a suffix you put on the end of someone's name, mainly boys your age or under… it is a sign of respect."  She shrugged, "I don't know.  You seemed interested in Japanese culture."
"Oh I am."  He reassured her.  "You just have to explain it."  He laughed quietly.
She nodded, "Yeah."  Since the café was empty beside John and the staff, the boss, Mrs. Johnson, did not mind they were talking.
"So, do you have a family?"
"Doesn't everyone?"
"Siblings I mean."
"Yes.  A brother and sister, two brothers in law, kind of, and a niece and nephew."
"What are they like?  What are their names?"
"My brother is my twin, he recently pierced all the way up one ear and is in the process of doing the other."  She sighed and shook her head.  "His name is Kazuki.  He has a boyfriend Airi.  Airi is mute and we all think they should get married but it is not legal in Japan so they would have to go to a different country just to get married."  She ranted.
He scoffed and put his elbows on the counter, chin in his hands, "Stupid."
"Right?!"  She threw her hands up and they fell back down to her sides.  "So he is my 'kinda brother in law'.  Then I got my sister.  She is one year older than us and her name is Tsubaki.  She is married to Katsu and she has two kids.  Yasu, my niece, and Haruki, my nephew."
"I will never remember these names."
She smiled, "If you /want/ to remember them, you can always ask me to say them again."
"Do you have pictures of them?"
"/Yus/."  She laughed.  She took out her phone and leaned on the counter on her elbows as well.  She scrolled through her pictures and showed him a picture of each of the people she mentioned.  "Yes that is their real hair color."  She said as she got to the last two pictures, Haruki and Katsu.
"Interesting."  He said slowly.  Kyou kept scrolling through her pictures and he spoke up.  "Who was that?"  Kyou scrolled back and saw the picture of Temperance.  "That is a really low quality picture."
"It is a picture of her picture."
"Why not just take a picture of her?"
"She died when we were in high school."
"What happened?"
"Katsu told us that she was in a car crash… but I knew right away…"
"…What?"
"She killed herself."
"I'm sorry."
"I was not terribly close to her but she was really nice."
"What was her name?"
"Temperance.  Odd name and odd girl."
"That an English word.  It means to control yourself."
"Well that is something she could not do."  She laughed.  "I believe she is in heaven though.  She was such a good soul… just one bad move."  She sighed, "Oh well.  Enough on that depressing note."  She closed her phone and looked up at John.  "What about you?  Any family?  Friends?"
"No."
"What?!  I talked that long and you got one word in response?"
He smiled, "It's true."  He sighed quietly, "I just like hearing you talk though."
"Why?"
"I like you accent and your voice is very pretty."
"Then why haven't you asked me out yet?"
He chuckled, "I know you have had bad experiences with American men so I wanted you to ask first."
"Wow… you really listen."  He nodded.
"So do you want to go on a date?"
"Sure~."
"When?"
"Fridays and Sundays are my days off."
"Friday it is."
"Where?"
"Anywhere."
"Just not here."
"Ok…"  He smiled.

"What are you doing here?!"  Kyou exclaimed when John appeared at her door an hour after she got home that night.
"I followed you."  He smiled slightly.
"You're a creep."
"Creeper I think is what you are trying to say.  Yes, it was very creeper-ish of me to do this but how would I know where to pick you up Friday if I did not know where you lived."  He leaned against her door frame, arm above his head.
"Anata wa totemo utsukushiidesu."  She whispered before she could think.
"Arigato Kyou-san.  I think you are beautiful too."  He smiled, whispering back.
She blushed deeply, "How did you know what I said?!"
"I know that utsukushii is… then I kinda guessed."
"How did you know /that/?"
"I like listening to Japanese music.  I know an occasional word.  I listen to music from other languages more than English."
"…"
"So, can I come in?"
"No."
"Why?"
"It is a disaster area."
"Really?"
"No.  I just don't want you in here."
He sighed, "Ok.  I'll see you next time I see you."  He started to walk away.
"That does not make sense!"  She went back into her apartment and he chuckled.  She leaned against her closed door, arms crossed, and grimaced.  "He is so annoying."  She thought out loud in Japanese.  "But too gorgeous…"  She sighed and ran to her bed, jumped, and flopped on it.  She laid on her stomach and held her pillow, "I have to be careful with the words I use… even in Japanese.  Bleh…"  She heard her phone go off; it was Kazuki.  She talked with Kazuki for a bit then went to bed.

"Aishitaru."  John whispered to Kyou almost a year later between kisses on her bed.
"I love you too John."  She whispered back, smiling.  Kyou was so flustered, but in a good way.  She had never been so happy, so connected to one person.  She was truly in love.

"He is so perfect Kazuki."  Kyou said to Kazuki late that night, in Japanese.  He was sleeping next to her.
"Is he hot?"  Kazuki smiled.
"Yes."  She smiled.
"Send me a picture."
She sighed, "/Fine~/."  A minute later Kazuki got a picture sent from Kyou's phone without stopping the call.
"Oh.  He is."  Kazuki laughed.  "Airi thinks so too… he is just trying to hide it."
Kyou laughed, "Sure, let's just show /everyone/ the picture."
"…"
"…Kazuki?"
"Shh."  Kazuki and Airi were watching the news and both the boy's hearts sank.  Kazuki heard a click on his phone and saw it was Yasu calling.  "Stay on the line."  He said quickly and put her on hold.  She sighed and looked over at John.  He was smiling, awake, but his eyes still closed.  
"What are you talking about?"  He asked.
"We were talking about you then he randomly put me on hold."  She said in English.
"You were talking about me?  How?"
"He asked if you were hot, so I sent him a picture.  You should feel good, you are even hot to gay men."
"Woot."  He chuckled.
"Why are you so ok with homosexuality?  You are just so ok with it."
"Uh… my brother… he was gay."
"You said you had no family."
"My brother came out to our family years after he had found his soul mate."  He said, no longer smiling.  "My parents were furious.  They told him to get out of the house and he went to his boyfriend's house for about half a year.  When he tried to come back home, my parents rejected him…"
"…Did he-"
"Yeah.  He hung himself… his boyfriend found him.  He could not stand having his family hating him."
"I'm sorry.  I could not imagine what it is like to lose someone that clo-"
"Kyou!"  Kazuki exclaimed from the other line.
"What's wrong?"  Kyou asked in Japanese.
"Katsu's dead."
"…What?  What do you mean?!"
"He got shot."  Kazuki started crying.  "Yasu's father shot him down in the street.  Haruki saw everything."
"You better not be joking me!  I'll freekin kill you."  John sat up and looked at the fuming Kyou through the darkness.
"Kyou…  Why would I joke about this?"
"Because it is so terrible."  She started getting a tight throat.  She put her hand over her mouth and her breathing became shaky.  "How is everyone else?"
"I don't know.  I'm on the way to the police station with Airi."
"Are you driving?  I don't want you driving and crying."
"I'm not crying."  He lied.
"Kazuki, please.  Be careful."
"Please come home Kyou."
"I will.  I love you Kazuki."
"I love you too Kyou."  She hung up and looked at the ceiling, trying not to cry.
"What's wrong?"  John asked, putting his hand on her back.
"My friend just died…"  She said in English.  "He got shot… I need to go home… my family is really upset.  Kazuki is crying and Tsubaki is so unstable."
He pulled Kyou to lean on his shoulder, "Give yourself time to cry too."
"I don't want to."  She started crying.
He smiled slightly and stroked her back, "Crying isn't a bad thing."
"I only have three friends… and now two are dead."
"Airi will be fine and your family will be there for you forever… as will I."