A Jyoumi Story
A young lady stood in front of her mirror and reached for her make-up kit. After applying a faint shade of pink on her lips, she then tossed her hair over her shoulders, taking one last glance before she walked out the door.
"Mummy," she asked in her pure tone, "did I receive any phone calls yet?"
"No," her mother replied, "were you expecting--"
"Yes, mum," the girl interrupted, "that's why I asked."
The older woman nodded a little and left the door and added, "I'll be home a little later, your father and I are going out for the night."
The teenager sighed and sat down in a chair next to the phone and slouched. "Okay, mother…"
"And honey?"
"Huh?"
"Don't slouch, it's bad for your back."
The two shared the Tachikawa giggle and then the door shut. Every so often she glanced at her wristwatch, then to the phone.
"Where is he?" she asked to no one in particular. "He was to call at least ten minutes ago. Maybe something happened to him." She gasped, "Oh, I hope nothing bad has happened..!" Then she remembered that he had a test today, or so he told. "He must be running late because of that. Only that. He's not forgetting about me." She giggled uneasily.
"Oh, but what if he did?" Mimi started to gain tears in her eyes. "Calm down… He's only ten minutes late…"
Finally, a ring came from the phone. At first, Mimi's heart jumped due to the fact she wasn't quite ready for the surprise, but then, her heart raced.
"It must be him!" The maiden picked up the phone and spoke in a hopeful voice, "Hello?"
"Hello, love," a teenage boy's voice said over the other line.
"Jyou!" She cried out happily, "I thought you forgot, but then, I remembered, and you, and I, and we… I worried!" Her hopeful voice turned into a slight pout.
He chuckled oh so lightly and spoke in a calm, kind manner, "I'm sorry. Will you forgive me?"
"Well," Mimi heard the front door open, but she thought it was her mother coming back to get something. So she kept herself curled on the chair, the phone to her ear.
"I've missed you so much, Mimi," Jyou's voice seemed clearer and closer, "you wouldn't imagine."
Mimi blinked wildly, "Jyou? You seem as if you're really close."
A chuckle came from behind the girl. She gasped and leaped out of her chair to look who was in back of her. Another gasp and Mimi dropped the phone. The girl couldn't believe her eyes. There stood Jyou with his cell phone in hand and a smile on his face.
"Oh, he looks so dreamy," Mimi whispered and linked her hands, bringing them under her chin, a tear escaped from her eyes and rolled down her cheek, "Jyou! You're so cute… You look so wise… and…"
They both laughed at the girl's way of saying hello. Jyou embraced his girl tightly and set his chin on her head. She wept uncontrollably onto his shoulder as he tried to calm her.
"How long are you to stay?" she managed to ask in between sobs.
"Let's not worry about that now." Jyou rocked the girl and kissed her on the head, "Let's just be together for the time being."
Midnight came quickly, Jyou and Mimi spent their time talking about their lives. Just like they would on the phone. But something was different, Mimi couldn't hug Jyou when she wanted to if they were speaking over the telephone; she couldn't cling to his arm or kiss him on the cheek. She couldn't see him or watch the expressions on his face, and when she said, "I love you" she wouldn't have been able to watch his eyes soften, if they were on the phone.
The couple decided to go for a walk. Even though it was raining, they kept walking in the midnight, talking about different things, wishing they could see each other more often, kissing underneath each streetlight. They walked for hours and hours, miles and miles. Neither of them cared that their coats started to get damp or their shoes a little muddy. Their hands were always linked and smiles decorated their faces. Nothing could tear this moment away.
"Hey, look," Jyou pointed to the sunrise.
"Oh… Let's stay to watch it." Mimi pleaded, sitting on the steps to her house. Jyou sat next to her and automatically, his arm went over her shoulder and her head rests on his collarbone. Slowly, the sun rose and slowly the love between them grew.
"You know," sighed Jyou, "I'd have to be leaving soon…"
"Shh…" tears filled her eyes at the thought of him leaving. "Let's not think about that, remember?"
And so they sat to watch the sun rise up to greet the early morn. Jyou and Mimi kept their love strong even though their visits were scarce. They always knew that they would be together. From the beginning all the way to the end.
"What will happen when the end comes?" Mimi would ask.
Jyou would say what he's always said before, "Let's not worry about that now-- Let's just be together."
Okay, so it wasn't exactly perfect. I still think it turned out okay.
Here's the poem part for those of you who didn't read the poem before…
Tata.
A young lady stood,
So pretty and tall.
She kept her eye on the phone,
Awaiting a call.
She began to worry,
As minutes passed by.
If she had to wait longer,
She might've started to cry.
And fin'ly it happened,
She reached for the phone,
"Hello?" she asked,
Hope in her tone.
"Hello, love," a boy simply said.
"Jyou!" She cried out,
"You're late-I worried."
She warned with a pout.
"Mimi, I'm sorry, please forgive me."
His voice was calm and kind.
"I've missed you so much-you wouldn't imagine."
Now his voice was behind.
The girl turned around,
Not believing her eyes.
There Jyou stood, cell phone in hand,
Looking -very- cute and -very- wise.
The two shared a hug,
And the girl shed a tear,
Him saying good-bye,
Was her greatest fear.
The distance between them
Was painfully far,
But nothing had stopped them
From being the couple they are.
Jyou stayed for the night,
And they smiled and talked.
And in the raining midnight,
Endless miles they walked.
The two walked with love,
Hand in hand, heart to heart,
For in their own minds,
They shall never part.
Hikari Takaishi
Z