Slow Burn
Chapter Three:
"Explosive Chemistry"
As soon as Kokoro got home she hurried to get ready as fast as she could. She jumped in the shower. She went to her room, calmer now but in a lighter mood. And opened her closet. "Hmmm… what should I wear?" she said aloud to herself, again with the finger on her bottom lip. She stood there for a good five minutes.
Her mother walked in, "Get dressed, you'll get sick."
Kokoro replied without looking at her, "I have a towel on, I won't get sick."
"That's what I meant dear. But, how long have you been starring at your clothes?"
"I don't know, am I running late?"
"No. What do you think he would like to see you in? Colorwise." Kokoro looked at her.
"I have no Earthly idea, mother." Miyako walked to her daughter's closet and took out a brightly colored floral patterned short dress.
"This maybe?"
Kokoro smiled, "I'll try it out, mother." Ten minutes later she emerged from her room with the dress, which left her shoulders bare and went down three-quarters of the way to her knees, black leggings underneath that, going three inches beyond her knee, and a dark jacket in hand. "Do you like it?" Kokoro asked. Her mother smiled and Kokoro ran up to her and embraced her.
"Are you ready?"
"No, not yet… hair and makeup then I'll be ready." she said walking back to her room.
"Well do hurry! It's already six o'clock!" A half-hour later she emerged from her room again, this time with some make up and her hair done up a little bit. "Kokoro, I think you've out done yourself." Kokoro blushed.
"It's only a little lip gloss, some powder and some mascara…"
"And your hair? Perfume?"
"I combed it and conditioned it, but little else, and I am only wearing a little perfume."
"Is this a date?" Miyako abruptly asked.
"I don't think so…" her daughter replied, surprised by the question still. "…am I over dressed?" He mother shook her head and hugged her daughter.
"That does smell nice…" Kokoro laughed. "Need me to walk with you?"
"Shouldn't be necessary, mother, but thank you. It's not a far walk."
"Call me when you meet him."
"Okay, mother. I love you."
"Love you too, have a nice time." She heard her daughter leave.
Kokoro made the short walk through the country town in about fifteen minutes, and called her mother. She then walked into the front door and up the stairs. Second floor. She could feel her heartbeat race. Third floor. She felt like her heart was going to burst it was pounding so fast and so hard. She knocked on his door. It seemed like an hours, but it took him but a few moments to open the door for her. He greeted her with a kind smile.
"Well, here I am!" He just smiled and starred at her. She blushed slightly. She looked him over, a polo shirt and jeans. "You look nice. I was worried."
"Really…?" he asked.
"I was a little worried you would look better than me." she said with a smile.
He smiled, "Thanks, but you look better, so no worries." She smiled wider. "So, uh, where are we going?"
"How much can you spend? Sorry to ask though…" she said with a slight worry.
"Nothing too classy, please, but I have enough." She smiled at him.
"Um, I know a nice little place. Do you like stew?"
"I like it well enough. But let me get my bag real quick." he replied. He ran inside and returned with a small backpack after only a moment.
"Ready now?" she joked. He nodded. "Well let's go." She led him down the street to a little restaurant. They went in and were greeted by a young woman.
"Good evening. Will it be just the two of you?" Kokoro nodded to the girl. "Follow me, you two." With that the girl let them back to a table in the back of the restaurant. "Here you go. I'll be back in a few minutes to take your orders."
"Thank you." Kokoro said and the girl walked away. "So," Kokoro asked pulling out a menu, "Have you ever eaten here?"
"No, I've only been in town for two weeks."
"Where have you been eating?"
"Fast food." he smiled sheepishly. She looked at him blankly. "What? Am I going to die?" he asked with some urgency.
"Kokoro only laughed, "No, you aren't going to die over Japan's fast food." He sighed in a little relief. "You have been missing out though. Do you mind if I order for you?" He shook his head.
"Go right ahead." he said with a smile.
"Okay, so are you allergic to anything?"
"Um, oranges and fruits like that."
"What about fish?"
"I don't really like it that much…" Kokoro stood up and walk to his side of the table and sat down next to him. "Um…"
"Relax, I going to get your help choosing for you." she said in a happy tone. "Beef? Chicken? Are you a vegetarian?"
"Beef is good." he said with a smile.
"Great. So let's see here. Rice?" He nodded. "Good."
"What is it?" he questioned.
"You'll see. I like it too. Do you want to share a bunch of it?" He smiled.
"Why not?" She switched back over the other side of the table, again.
"Are you thirsty?" Kokoro asked. He smiled. "Yeah, me too." Shortly after that the waitress returned, with a little tea.
"What are you eating tonight?"
"The beef stew with vegetables." The girl looked at Matt. "You too?" He nodded. "What will you have to drink?"
"This is fine for me." Kokoro nodded.
"Me too." Matt added.
"Alright, I'll be back in a few moments with your food." she said and walked away.
"So, Matt, tell me about yourself, if you don't mind." she learned forward.
"Well, there's not too much to me."
"I still want to hear about it, but don't let me force you." she said with an eager smile.
"If you want." he said with a smile. "I grew up in America and graduated from high school two years ago. I went off to college and I'm spending the summer here."
"How old are you? Twenty?"
"I am." he replied.
"When is your birthday?"
"January of 1990."
"Really? I was born that year, in December."
"So you're nineteen?"
"Until December first." she said with a smile.
"Nice. So you graduated…" he asked.
"Two years ago. I graduated a year early, home school." Matt nodded with a smile. "So you are in college?" He nodded. "For what?" she asked.
"Fine Arts." She almost laughed.
"You don't strike me as an artist."
"I shower." She laughed.
"So, you really are an artist?"
"I would hope so." he said with a grin.
"So what do you draw?"
"Whatever inspires me."
"Well, tell me this: what do you like to draw?"
"Whatever inspires me." he repeated with a smile.
"Alright, like people or things?" He raised an eye brow. "Do you like to draw people? Things like flowers or houses?"
"I suppose people can be interesting." he replied. She smiled. The girl returned with their food.
"Enjoy!" she said sweetly.
"Thank you." the two said in unison.
"You can eat with chopsticks right?" Kokoro asked.
"Usually." he said quietly. She laughed.
"Usually? What does that mean?"
"I can most of the time, but there are days it's hopeless."
"Is today a good day for you to eat with chopsticks." He picked his up, and held them. She laughed and took his hand. "Like this." she said with a smile, as she repositioned the chopsticks in his hand.
"Like this?" she nodded and smiled. Then paused.
"Did you get me to help you when you didn't need it?" she said after a moment. He shrugged. She laughed. "Hmmm. I'll give you that one." she said with a smile.
"Well what about you? Tell me about yourself, if you please."
"I am nineteen. I am a geisha in training." He blinked. "Surprised?"
"No, not really. It makes sense now. Do go on." he said with a warm smile.
"I went to college for piano, I graduated last month."
"Congratulations!"
"Thank you very much." she said, accompanying it with a sweet smile. "I am an only child, my father disappeared after I was born and my mother moved here from the city. So I'm only half Japanese."
"That doesn't matter, or it shouldn't."
"It does to some people, school was … difficult because of it."
"Well those people are, were, ignorant. Don't worry about those who don't matter." he said with a comforting smile. She smiled and nodded in agreement after a moment.
After about half an hour of talking they finished their meal. "I'll pay for you, Kokoro." he smiled.
"No, no. You don't need to." she smiled.
"I'd like to. It isn't much." he shrugged.
"Well, since you really want to… but still I cannot let you this time." and with that she paid for herself as he smiled at her. They left and walked back toward his hotel. She took his hand as they walked. He looked at her with a shocked surprised look, she smiled sweetly back. "I'm just kidding." she laughed, disappointed inside. They got much closer the hotel, around a block or two, when it suddenly exploded.
Matt grabbed Kokoro and moved her behind a building to shield them from debris from the explosion. She hugged him, but found she couldn't make herself let go. She wondered was it fear or something else. He failed to notice this as he was busy looking at the hotel.
"Really? Really!?" he said aloud sarcastically, and in English. "I stay in the hotel that the terrorists blow up…sounds like my luck."
"Thank you, Matt." she whispered to him. He didn't respond to her. Kokoro became less and less pleased at the lack of attention, so removed her arms from around his body and slid them around his neck. She pulled him down and got his attention with a kiss.
"You can stay with my mother and me for a few days." she said after she released him. He nodded but didn't speak, he only stared. "And you have horrible luck. You're right." He looked back down at her. She looked up. "What?"
A pause, "You understood me?"
"English is a second language here." He looked at her still. "Yes I did." She smiled as sweetly as she could. "Let me call my mother." she commented as she produced her phone from her jacket pocket.
"Mother, Matt needs a place to stay. May he stay in the guest room?"
"Um, kicked out of his hotel room?"
"Not really. Considering it was just bombed."
"WHAT!?" her mother screamed, making Kokoro move the phone away from her ear. "When!?"
"Just now."
"Just come home, bring him with you."
"Alright mother. I'm on my way. I love you."
"I love you too." Kokoro hung up.
"Let's go. You'll stay in the guestroom."
"Thank you." She nodded, and took his hand. He laughed.
"A bomb just went off… you're going to hold me this close to you all of the way home." she whispered. He pulled her a little closer.
Author's Note:
Sorry it was a slow start, and it was dialog ridden. It'll speed up from here.
