Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me except the mail girl and even her boots don't belong to me cuz I got them out of a magazine.

::Bold:: - Location

" " - Talking

'Italics' - Thoughts

Mail Talk

::Kinomoto Household::

"I wonder where Sakura and Toya are at. They haven't called in a while." Thought a tall bespectacled man out loud to himself as he walked out to check the mail box. It was close to Christmas and he had heard nothing from them for quite sometime. The more he thought about it the more gloomier he got.

'It can't be. Am I turning into one of those lonely old men who are forgotten and ignored by their children? No, Sakura and Toya could never forget me. They're just busy. They do have their own lives to attend to now after all.'

He opens the mailbox and sighs at its emptiness.

'Just like my-' he started to think when he saw the mail woman, or in this case girl, appear.

"Hello sir," she said with a big bright smile, reminding him of Sakura. She was a cute little thing, with short dark brown messy hair that reached her jaw in the front but was so short in the back that it almost seemed like a boys haircut and had brown eyes (Reminding him of Toya). She was dressed in a knee length red dress with black tights and snow boots. She looked about the age of fourteen.

"Hello," he responded politely. He had seen her a few times before delivering the mail always wearing a smile as she did. She'd always greet him whenever she saw him and that was it, but he was in a chatty mood today. He'd spent too much time grading papers in silence.

"Do you have anything for me today?"

"Let me see," she said checking in her bag for about a minute until she found something and held it out to him.

"Here you go."

"Thank you." he answered then sighed. Bills.

"Not what you were expecting?" she asked smiling sympathetically.

"No, I was expecting something more along the lines of a..."

"Christmas card." she finished for him.

"Yes"

"Well, you're not the only one. It's been happening allot lately. Trust me, I'm the mail woman. I know my mail, and, well, everyone else's." she laughed a little embarrassed.

He smiled back at her and answered, "I suppose you would, you are the mail girl."

In response he received an annoyed puff. Wondering what he'd done to vex the girl he blinked.

"It's mail WOMAN. I am seventeen you know."

"Actually I didn't know. You look so young." He said looking surprised.

"Why do people keep saying that? Do I really look so young?" she said to herself with worry then made a 'Hhgrmmhh' sound of annoyance and continued only now speaking in a louder voice saying, "Well, anyway, now you know. So don't make the same mistake again."

"I wouldn't dream of it. Especially as seeing how strongly you feel about it." Fujitaka answered with laughter in his voice. He had heard everything she'd said to herself after all and just couldn't help himself. What she'd done had made her look even younger and the irony was not lost to him.

At this response she got annoyed again but decided to ignore it and tried to act more mature and older saying, "I know it's none of my business, but what are you doing here anyway? Isn't it a weekday?"

"Yes but it's Christmas, and I'm a college professor. When the students leave for Christmas break there's no one left to teach."

"Oh, so that would explain why you get so many letters from the university." she said thinking she'd thought it but realized she'd actually said it when she saw the mixed look of surprise and confusion on his face.

"No! It's not like that, its just that-that I have to read the envelope of the letter to know in which mail box I'm supposed to put it in and- and I've been doing this for so long I just know. Its not on purpose, it just happens. I don't know this stuff in a creepy stalker way, in fact I know what everyone on this street gets. I mean..." /x\ she didn't know what else to say. She was just too overwhelmed and couldn't explain herself properly.

Fujitaka couldn't help but laugh. She was definitely a strange girl but what he found most funny was how she looked like Sakura when she was younger and got overwhelmed trying to explain something she couldn't explain very well.

"You're a funny girl." He laughed.

At his laughter she blushed and looked down saying, "How 'bout we not tell my boss about our little chat, k?"

"Don't worry. The thought never even crossed my mind. You've definitely brighten my day."

At this she looked up and smiled/smirked. It reminded him of Toya.

"I'm glad; I thought you looked a little sad. It's a little strange to be like that on Christmas."

"Yes, I was a little sad. I just haven't heard from my children for a while now."

"Then why don't you throw a Christmas party? I'm sure they'd come plus then you can invite people you haven't talked to for a while. Think about it, a nice little get together on Christmas with all the people you love and that matter to you. Sounds nice huh?"

"Yes, it does sound nice. In fact I think I might just do that. Thank you for the suggestion."

"No problem, glad I could help. I better go deliver the rest of the mail now. Lots of people waiting for their Christmas bonus. Bye!" she finished then walked away.

"Bye." Fujitaka turned and walked up to his front porch.

"A Christmas party."

TBC

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