"You'd think they'd be more involved, you know? They make such beautiful bouquets, like artists, but you never see them at the symphony or museums or anything," a girl said wonderingly to her friend from school. She tossed her long dark hair and watched Yoji as he waltzed up towards them.
"Hello, ladies. How are we doing today? Amaya, is this a friend of yours? How soon until high school graduation?" he asked suggestively, his eyes smiling over his sunglasses. The friend smiled back, responding naively, "Only two months! I can hardly wait." "That's two of us," he flashed a smile, then turning more business-like, asked what he could help them with.
Amaya pulled out a flyer with swirling, abstract colors embellishing the cover. "I'm working for the arts society in this district, and I thought you'd be interested in attending our next exhibit. It's actually a performing arts concert this time, and we're really excited about it."
Yoji took the flyer and flipped through it briefly. He returned it with a smirk, stating, "As much as I enjoy watching women half-naked on a stage, a night of modern dance does not sound like my thing. Let me know, though, if you ever begin to do that; I'd make a point to be there."
Amaya blushed furiously at his insinuation, but continued her marketing. "That's not what modern dance is, Yoji. It's much more than the stereotypes you might be familiar with. These dancers will be performing pieces that are choreographed with the very idea of emotions being expressed in movement. It's nontraditional, but that challenges your way of thinking. It should be really good. You should be there; you and all the other guys are really looked up to by all the girls in the community. If you show that you care about the arts, maybe they'll begin to better society too. You'd be a better role model," she finished devoutly.
Yoji smiled, and rolled his eyes lazily towards her. "I've never really considered myself a role model," he answered.
Amaya did not deign to answer that comment, and instead turned her energies elsewhere. "Aya, don't you think art is important in a community?" She turned to the unresponsive red-head watering flowers as he silently observed their conversation. Turning his head, his eyes narrowed as he listened to her continuing plea. "Art is an expression of beauty, expressed through any form the artist needs to—find himself. And wouldn't modern dance, shaped by time, space, flow, and weight, be a perfect example of art at its finest? An outward expression of inner intention—to paraphrase Kandinsky."
Aya nodded, "Modern dance is an art." Amaya latched onto his comment, demanding, "Then why not support it? Art benefits society. I would think you guys more than anyone would understand." Aya's eyes fixed on hers coldly as he asked, "Why us more than anyone?" "Well," she continued uncertainly, "You're florists. I mean, you seem to care about your job and store. So you must love the beauty of flowers, and the joy you bring to all the people you deliver the flowers to, don't you? Why else would you be florists?" she finished questioningly. A cold smile flitted over Aya's thin lips as he listened, and he turned away from her flickering gaze. The smile faded without remnant as he noticed a red-haired woman with dark glasses entering the store. "We're closing," he said harshly to Amaya, who turned distressed back to Yoji. "But, the dance exhibit—" she was cut off as he handed back the flyer, and drawled, "I'd love to support you and your arts society, but I'm more of a philanthropist for individual women, not society as a whole." He put his arms firmly around her and her friend's waists and walked them to the door. "But," she wailed.
"What's this?" the red-haired woman asked suavely, taking the flyer smoothly from Amaya's hands. Amaya just stood uncertainly, quietly watching the woman as she perused its contents. She looked at Aya and Yoji significantly as she returned it to Amaya's waiting hands. "It sounds like an exceptional performance. I'll recommend it to my friends." Turning to Aya, she asked, "Did you prepare my sweet peas?" His eyes narrowed as he answered, "You gave us such short notice. Do you really expect them to be ready?" She smiled and tilted her head, her shaded eyes laughing. "Have them ready by this Saturday; I'll want them for a performance of my own." Amaya opened the door to leave, but stopped, determination mixing with uncertainty as she looked back towards Aya and Yoji. "We'd really like for you to come to the performance to support the arts."
Amaya began fiddling with her hair nervously as she added, "And, well, we were hoping for a favor." Aya, Yoji, and the red-headed woman turned to her slightly, surprised. "We, the Arts Society, I mean, want to give bouquets to the guest dancers who will be performing. We were hoping you might donate a few for us to present to the company. Again, it would be part of helping society, like the Arts Society is trying to do. To show our appreciation we'd give you free tickets and acknowledgement in the programs we'll hand out." She looked up at them, her hopeful eyes flitting with doubt. She watched as the three exchanged glances. Aya took one look at the red-haired woman and asked curtly, "How many?" "How many? Oh, bouquets! We'd need eight, I think," Amaya managed to answer. Her face lit up, and she exclaimed, "Oh, thank you so much! How many tickets would you like? Four? Five?" she added as she looked at the woman. "Or do any of you want to bring a date? We could manage a few more tickets." Yoji began, "Well, now that you mention it"- "Four," Aya stated. Yoji began fussing, but as he looked at the woman he was silenced. "Thank you so much! You'll have the bouquets ready by this Saturday?" Aya nodded, and Amaya bounded out of the store, she and her friend talking excitedly. Aya locked the door behind her as Yoji closed the shutter. "I've already called the other two," Manx said. "Downstairs, boys."