Chapter One

I touched my lips before I left her alone in the infirmary. I bet that Miki is panicking right now after what I had just done but for me, it felt natural. Not strange at all. Ever since that day, two weeks ago…

It was just an ordinary day and then when I went to the dining room, I didn't expect to hear something that would change my life forever. In all honesty, I didn't want them to divorce but there's nothing I could do about it. I wanted to tell them that it's bothering me but I don't want to be a burden to them. It doesn't matter.

"We're thinking… about getting a divorce." Mom and Youji said at the same time.

"Huh?" I asked after I stopped sipping my cup of coffee.

"Yeah, I know it sucked but you remember that trip your mom and I just went on?" Youji said.

"Well, we met the Koishikawas while we were over there." Mom said.

"Who are the Koishikawas?" I looked confused.

"We were all in the same tour group together and it just so happened that we hit it off with them really well." Youji said.

"As the four of us spent our time together, I fell in love with Jin Koishikawa."

"Which couldn't have worked out more perfectly. You see, I fell in love with his wife, Rumi."

"Then, after discussing it amongst ourselves, we decided to get divorced, then switch partners, and remarry." Youji added.

"But…"

"Yuu, it's important you understand that it's not that we don't love each other anymore. In some ways, we love each other more than we used to."

"But it isn't a passionate love like when we were young. It's more of a family love."

"So you see dear, we really wanted to treasure and nurture these intensely passionate feelings that we've developed for the Koishikawas. Please forgive us, Yuu. We're sorry, okay?" Mom begged.

"Okay, I guess. I don't really care if it's what you guys wanna do." I replied. I would be lying to myself when I say that I wasn't sad but there's nothing I could do about it now. I couldn't stop them even if I wanted to. My parents just cheered and looked happy. They didn't even think that this was serious and it never occurred to them about how I would feel about them getting a divorce. They went through a lot and they were married for a long time and they would suddenly get a divorce?

I flipped the pages of this book on architectures and looking at all of the pictures with cathedrals. I picked up the picture and I saw the family picture where all three of us were smiling. Now, that's going to be shattered.

"I forgot to tell you, that the Koishikawas have a daughter your age and her name is Miki." Mom said.

"We're going to have lots of fun together."

"What do you mean by together?" I asked.

"We decided to rent a large house and live together as one big family."

"What?"

"You see, your father and I would be changing partners but not our parent-child relationships."

"You can keep treating us just like any other normal parents who are still together." Youji said.

"Also, you and Miki would each remain in your own father's custody so that no matter what happens, your last names will stay the same. So, isn't this a great idea?" Mom asked.

"I almost forgot, I thought it would be a good idea if we all got to know each other so we're planning to have dinner with the Koishikawas real soon."

"I can't wait, I know you're gonna like them." Mom said.

I put the photo down.

The next day, I lied to my parents and told them that I'm going to work today even though it's my day off. I told them politely and I left the house. I needed to clear my head for a little bit so I took the train, got off, and walked around the neighborhood. I ran towards the ally and stumbled into the park where I saw a little kid with his mother on the slides. This made me smile. It was a nice day, it's cloudy and the birds were chirping. I took the stairs and walked towards the park where I saw her.

There she was, a girl with her hair tied in a ponytail playing tennis by herself. She kept hitting the wall with the tennis ball and never missed. She looked beautiful with her white shirt with pink stripes and a white skirt. I just kept watching her play until she missed the ball.

She wiped off the seat on her forehead, removed her pink wristband, and then sat on the bench and covered her head with a towel.

I was just standing there watching this girl until I noticed a bunch of kids wearing costumes with water guns on their hands. The kids pointed their guns at the girl and she turned around and saw the kids behind her.

They used the water guns and fired water at her. The girl took the towel off her head and stood up. I couldn't hold it back anymore, I just had to laugh because the whole show in front of me was really funny.

The Gastman kids fired at her once more while the girl covered her head with the towel. They were cheering for their victory until she changed her voice into a more threatening tone and removed her towel. The kids ran away while she tried to scare the kids away by threatening to wrap them in a towel like a sushi.

I was too busy laughing out loud to realize that the girl and kids were gone. I ran and found that she had dropped her wristband to the ground. I picked it up and looked at the initials that said, "M.K." I held onto the wristband and put it on my pocket.

I went to Junk Jungle, the place where I worked at and asked Tenshou for a cup of coffee. We sat outside of Junk Jungle and we both drank some together.

"Here you go." He handed me my cup of coffee.

"Thanks a lot." I sipped some coffee.

"What's the matter, did something happen?"

"Huh?"

"Yeah, every time you come in and ask for a cup of my coffee there's something strange going on with your life. I can see it in your eyes, you're worried aren't you?"

"No way," I said after I sipped my coffee. "You're wrong about that."

The car passed and I saw the same girl from the park running at the other side of the street. She had her hair in pigtails and was wearing shorts. I couldn't stop staring at her and had to follow her. Where is she going? I need to return this wristband to her. I pulled out her wristband.

I think that I might've lost her. I don't know where she went. I thought that she might've crossed the street. Suddenly, I heard her voice:

"Meiko!" she said. "I'm sorry."

I turned around and she was standing next to the phone booth.

"Miki, what happened to you? You're really late you know?" Her friend said.

I hid behind the phone booth so she doesn't see me. Somehow, that name sounded so familiar.

"I'm so sorry Meiko, don't be mad. How about a big scoop of ice cream with chocolate sauce? Oh, my treat. Please?"

"Yeah, okay. I forgive you."

The Gastman kids from the park came out of nowhere and approached the two girls.

"I know you can be Towel Monster Koishikawa."

After the kids said that, it suddenly hit me. My family and I were going to have dinner with the Koishikawas.

"Miki, what happened to you? You're really late you know?"

"I know you can be Towel Monster Koishikawa."

"I forgot to tell you, that the Koishikawas have a daughter your age and her name is Miki."

I looked at the wristband with the M.K. written on it and I believe that the letter M stood for Miki while the letter K stood for Koishikawa.

Miki Koishikawa, is she?

Miki and her friend were with the kids so I followed to where they were going. The Gastman kids were teaching Miki some poses and she copied them but then she was so clumsy. She looked funny when she does those poses. I was standing by the post as I watched her. Her friend looked embarrassed and people were laughing at her but I just stood there.

The kids left Miki and her friend alone. I still followed them around wherever they went. I ordered some ice cream at the ice cream truck with her and her friend sharing ice cream. After that, Miki and her friend were making faces with the dog licking her face. I was just standing behind her while I petted the Dalmatian. I was standing at the stairs while I saw Miki who was by the window looking at small tea cups.

I entered the grocery store and I was in the next aisle while Miki almost made the pile of cookie boxes fall off. I couldn't help myself but laugh because she looked so cute.

Miki and her friend were sitting across from me with Miki talking to the American man and woman. I like watching her from afar while she talked to the Americans. I finished my coffee before the man stared at me and noticed that I was looking at Miki. I left before Miki could even spot me. Whew, that was quick. I panted and was relieved that she didn't see me. I left the cup of coffee at my table. Oh well. I pulled out her wristband and I ran back home.

"Yuu, don't forget now dear we're supposed to have dinner with the Koishikawas tonight so you can meet them."

"Don't worry mom, I won't forget."

"I'll see you later, bye."

"Okay!"

"See you tonight." Mom said.

Today is the day that we're having dinner with the Koishikawas and I'm really late. I hurried to the hotel where the dinner was held at. The man with the suit and bowtie asked me to go to the room where I'm going to meet with the Koishikawas for the first time. I'm a bit nervous because this is the first time where I'm going to meet Miki, the girl that I saw at the park a few weeks ago. I arrived late while I'm still wearing my school uniform but I hadn't the time to change my clothes now. The minute I entered the room, I saw this beautiful girl sitting across the table. She wasn't wearing her tennis outfit and her hair wasn't in a ponytail but instead, she put her hair down and she looked prettier that way.

I still hadn't returned her wristband yet but I'm sure I'll get to someday. Someday, I'm sure.