According To You
Koizumi looked at her clothes in the mirror, and fiddled with her shorts. She thought they were a bit too short, but Nobu said that she should be proud of them, "They're your selling point!" She would say while rolling up her friends long skirts that would always fall below the knees. They had graduated 2 years ago, Otani went to study abroad after his first year of university. Being a kyoshi was important to him, and they had much better training elsewhere. She still remembers that day he took her out to the park...
Flashback...
"Risa!" She heard him yell to her as she got off the bus. Her face lit up into a great smile as she ran towards him, "You're late Risa."
"Sorry Atsushi, but the buses were late. There was a hold up, a person died, there were police cars! It was horrible!" She exclaimed, sinking into the bench beside him.
"You woke up late didn't you?" He asked her.
She smiled sheepishly, "Just five minutes." He shook his head and shuffled through his bag, "What did you want to talk to me about?"
"Here," He said, handing me a miniature Statue of Liberty.
"Oh my gosh! That's amazing! Where'd you get it!" She exclaimed, turning it every which way to get a good look at it, "Wait, why did you get me this?"
"There is an amazing college in America Risa. I can study Kinesiology there without any worries, I can also study being a teacher there. I actually get to teach a class while I'm there, not just observe." He explained, fiddling with his hands.
She sat there in shock, this was a huge opportunity for him. Here she was, going to school part time to be a fashion designer, and he actually wanted to do something with his life, "Wow, that's amazing."
"I don't know if I should go though. I don't really want to leave you..." He explained.
"Otani Atsushi! If you don't take this opportunity you'll just be stuck here like the rest of us!" She yelled, standing up and throwing the miniature statue at him.
He stared at her in shock, "Risa."
"Atsushi, if you don't go. I will never speak to you again." She grabbed her bag and walked away from him very calmly. But as soon as she was out of range, she began crying and running home.
"Risa, Risa come out! Otani's plane leaves soon, don't you want to say good bye?" Nobu asked from the other side of her bathroom door.
Koizumi looked into the mirror and cleaned the tears off her face. A week ago, Atusushi broke the news to her, and now he's leaving. She opened the bathroom door and saw her friends face smile in relief, "Alright, let's go."
They reached the airport just as Otani was saying goodbye to everyone. He saw Nobu and Koizumi approach the group and he smiled awkwardly. Nobu said goodbye to him and playfully hit him on the head and went to stand with Nakao, he turned towards Koizumi and watched as she walked towards him. He smiled and held out his arms, predicting her next reaction, her lip started to quiver as she jumped into his awaiting arms. "Atsushi!" She cried over and over again.
He reached into his back pocket and pulled out two tickets, "You should come with me Risa, study fashion in America. I can have it arranged for your stuff to get there the day after we do."
She sniffed and pulled away from him, "Why would you even consider that?"
"Bu-"
"I have friends and family, I love it here. I'm not like you, I won't give any of this up for anything." She said, shaking her head at him.
"Risa..." Nobu said, her eyes watering.
Koizumi just looked at Otani, "Maybe it's best if you go to America, without leaving anything important behind..."
His eyes widened, "You aren't trying to say that..."
"I think we need to end this and go our own ways." She said, her eyes were watering.
"Flight to New York City, United States last call."
"Meet some cute American girls that are shorter than you."
"Will you wait for me?" He asked her.
She smiled, "How about I keep in contact?"
She had avoided his question and he knew it. He hugged her one last time before waving goodbye to everyone and making a mad dash for his plane that would take off in the next five minutes.
Just as the plane took off she turned to her friends, "Nobu-chaaaaan."
End Flashback.
"Nobu-chan!" She yelled, staring at her huge collection of shoes.
She came into the room and smiled widely, "Why are you dressing up so pretty? You aren't by chance, meeting up with Kato are you?"
She blushed and threw a pair of new Prada shoes at her friend, "Just call him Shin, Nobu-chan. And no! Besides, you know what today is anyway."
Nobu nodded her head and picked up a pair of high heels, "Of course, which is why you should wear these!"
"But then I'll be taller than him!" Koizumi cried in exasperation.
"Be proud of your body!" Nobu yelled, throwing my feet from underneath me and began putting on the shoes she had picked out, "Besides, you and 'Shin' are happy together. And he is taller than you, so he loves when you wear your heels. It makes it easier for him to kiss you!"
"And...?" She asked, wondering what that sentence had to do with being taller than him.
"So, that means you can be taller than Otani as much as you want!" Nobu exclaimed.
Koizumi stood up and looked into the mirror. She had to admit, she was looking rather fine today, anyone would be falling over her. Just perfect! "So you are coming with me, right Nobu-chan?"
"Ah I guess so, since you're such a chicken. You just had to promise to pick him up, didn't you?" Nobu sighed, looking at her phone, "His plane is arriving soon. You know how jet lagged he is going to be? We should have just made Nakao do it."
"Do you see him? Do you see him?" Koizumi asked, trying to see over top of peoples heads, it was extremely easy. But it's much harder when you are looking for a shrimp. "Nobu-chaaaan."
"Fine! I'll go see if I can find him, just stay here." Nobu said, going off towards the entrance gate.
Koizumi stood in spot, getting pushed around every once in awhile when she felt someone walk into her. She looked up and saw that this certain male was just 2 inches taller than her. She turned around to see if Nobu had come back. Finally seeing her blonde friend in the crowd, she waved her over and saw her friends face in awe, "Risa! You found him!"
"Found who?" She asked, looking around.
"Nobuko, long time no see." She heard the voice beside her say.
"Otani!" Nobu exclaimed, clapping her hands.
"Otani?" She asked, and looked over at the guy beside her. The guy who had just bumped into her was in fact, Otani Atsushi. Her jaw dropped open at her discovery. Not only was Otani taller than her, but he was built.
"Nobuko, where's Risa?" The taller, hunk of man beside her asked.
Koizumi's jaw dropped, "Yeah Nobu-chan, where is Risa."
Nobu giggled, "Otani, don't be silly. You're standing right beside her."
She felt the eye contact that he made on the top of her head. She listened to his voice and realized it was much, much deeper, "Risa..?"
She looked up and smiled, "Otani."
They shifted uncomfortably, "You dyed your hair blonde."
"Yeah," She said, "I'm going through the dumb blonde faze."
His laugh came out as a boom, "Not much has changed then."
'Fuck you' She mouthed at him.
"Now now children, let's get Otani settled. I've got something important to do!" Nobu said to us, pushing us out the doors of the airport.
"Ahhh, it's so nice to be back in Japan." Otani said, flinging himself back onto the couch in his hotel room, "I can't wait to get my own place though."
"That's nice," Koizumi said before turning towards Nobu, "so Nobu-chan, if you need a ride I'll drive you to Nakao-kun's, but I've got my own plans."
"Oh yeah, that'd great! Would you actually mind going to my place first? I need to pick up some movies." Nobu said, grabbing her purse off the table.
The two started heading to the door, "Excuse me!"
They turned to look at him, "What?"
"I'm not even in the city for 2 hours, and you're already leaving me? I haven't seen you guys in 3 years!" Otani exclaimed.
Koizumi and Nobu looked at each other, Koizumi shuffled her feet, "Nobu-chan could you... you know... Shin... you know?"
Nobu sighed, "Fine, I'm sure Nakao-chi wouldn't mind..."
'Shin?' Otani pondered that name in his head. Who was Shin? And what does he have to do with Risa?
