"The Party of Surprises, Fun, and Despair"
Hitomi was in a rush. "What time is it? Ummm… Four o' clock?! That's impossible! Now, now Hitomi, calm down. No! I can't! What am I supposed to wear?!" She opens her closet. "No, too long. Too ugly. Too… hey, where did I get this? Oh well. They are going to kill me for being late!" She hears a voice. It was her brother. "Hitomi its Yukari! She's going upstairs now! Oh look here she is. She brought a lot of clothes with her; particularly dresses. Open the door now! I'll leave you already! Bye bye Hitomi! Bye bye Yukari!" He leaves. Yukari knocks. "Hitomi can I come in? It's really important." "Wait Yukari I have to put on something first. Just a sec. Okay come in." "What are all these dresses doing on your bed?" Yukari asks. "Well, why do you have a lot of dresses with you?" Hitomi asks her in return. "Well, I brought them because I want you to pick which one I should wear. These were the best I could find so far." She spots an evening gown that was on top of Hitomi's bed. "Hitomi, are you wearing that black dress?" "That dress? Oh no, it's too long for me." "Of course not silly! It's just the right size for you!" "Well, I was in a hurry, but if you want to wear it then you can borrow it if you want." She spots an elegant blue dress that Yukari brought with her. "Are you wearing that blue dress?" "This dress? I was planning to wear your black dress. Here, you can borrow it." They both received a thank you from each other and started dressing up. They finished at around four forty-one. "Let's go Yukari! Leave your things here for a while and we can just tell your mom to pick those up later. Hurry! We're going to be late!"
They rode a cab going to the tower. They reached there at exactly four fifty-five. Amano was patiently waiting for them. "Hitomi! Yukari! You came! And you both look elegant! Come, it will start in a short while." They entered. They were surprised on how much people were there. Hitomi asks, "Why are there so many people here Amano?" "Well, figure it out." He answers. "Maybe, it's because of the nearing vacation we're going to have." Yukari answers. "Hmm, close enough, but not quite. What do you say Hitomi?" "Give me a sec… wait… umm… let me think…" "Hitomi, we don't have the whole night you know." Yukari interrupts. "Wait I'm thinking. Is this about the trip to America?" "Hitomi, I need either a declarative sentence or a phrase, which means I will not accept any answer that will be in question form." " Amano, you're too mean!" Hitomi says. The young man gives her a smile and chuckles. " Fine. This party is like a 'going away' party because this vacation, you will be leaving for America. Is that answer accepted?" Hitomi tells him. " But of course Hitomi. Actually—" " Amano! Nice to see you old pal!" An old friend interrupts as he pats the shoulder of Amano. "Hey! Long time no see! It was a good thing you could come. " "Sure! I'll do anything to come here! Well, I'll be around if you need me." "Okay! See you around!" He conversed with his old pal. "Sorry, he was an old friend of mine." He tells the young ladies. "It's alright Amano, we understand." They answer. "So, where were we? Oh yeah! Hitomi your answer was correct." "It is? Oh it is! How ha-" Hitomi stops. "So, when's your flight?" She asks him sadly. Yukari keeps quiet. "Come on guys, its not so bad. Besides I'll be back after a few years. And I promise to write everyday." He gets no reply. " Hey we're supposed to be happy here remember? This is a party, you know, an event where people enjoy?" "Hitomi and I are just sad because you won't be here anymore. We won't see you, we won't hear your voice, we can't touch you, and most of all we won't be with you." Amano looks at the two ladies with full concern, especially on Hitomi. "Don't worry you two. I'll try to visit Japan as much as I can if you wish. And could we forget our sadness and enjoy the night?" He tells them. "Oh okay." They answer with a sigh.
So the three enjoyed the night. They ate and talked and listened to the people who performed on stage. They forgot their worries for a while. "Ms. Uchida?" "Yes?" "May I have the first dance with you?" A young man asks Yukari. "She looks at the two friends who were looking at her. "Of course, why not." The young man takes her hand gently and takes her to the center. "Why wouldn't I say yes, Amano would surely ask Hitomi for the first dance." She thinks quietly to herself as they start dancing. "Hitomi?" "Yes Amano?" "May I?" Hitomi was quite shocked even though she knew that he would ask her for the first dance. " Sure Amano." She answers as he stands up and gives her his hand. She takes it and holds it firmly but gently. By this time it was 8:00 pm. Yukari was smiling at her partner and talking to him, which her partner really liked. She almost forgot about Amano. As for Hitomi and Amano, they were talking about something else. Something more serious. "Hitomi, can I ask you a question?" "What is it Amano?" "When I stay in the US for a long time, will you wait for me?" "Why do you ask Amano?" "Because… because… Hitomi, you're the only girl that will stay close to my heart." Hitomi looks down and blushes. They stop dancing. Her arms slowly go down from his broad shoulders and slowly put her hands over her nose and lips and cover them. "Hitomi?" "Would you want to go outside and talk?" She tells him. He follows her suggestion and they go outside. Hitomi looks up in the sky. "What do the stars say Hitomi?" Amano asks her. "Amano, I don't read stars." "I was just kidding." Hitomi gives him a slight smile. "Did I offend you Hitomi?" "No, I was just surprised." She answered. "Hitomi, can I ask you a question?" Amano asks her. "Anything Amano." She tells him as she looks at his kind, angelic face. "Hitomi, I was just wondering, this scene keeps going through my head." He looks down. He looks at her again. "Do you think this means anything… at all?" "Oh. What is it about?" She asks him, quite interested about what the young man was experiencing. "Its… its about these two friends. One was a girl, and the other, a boy. The girl was wearing this nice, elegant dress… nice, elegant, blue dress. The boy was wearing your normal tuxedo outfit." He stops and waits for Hitomi to react. She's a really good listener, I know that. But, I'm not quite sure if she will understand what I'm saying here. Amano thinks to himself. Hitomi then reacts and says, "So, any more details?" Good. She doesn't know what I'm planning, yet. Amano thinks to himself happily. "Amano?" "Sorry, where was I? Oh, these two friends were quite close to each other, but some time, the guy feels that the girl is trying to stop him from being close to him because she knows that any day now, they will be apart for several… several… uhm… days. And I mean several. You think, this has any connection to my life at all?" No! Why did I give her a hint?! This can't be happening. No! Now, don't panic. Show her that you're cool. You are cool. Nothing terrible will happen to your life…except leaving for America. He tells himself. Hitomi is quiet for some time. She is thinking about what the young man told her. Wait…connection to his life. Connection to his life? I have a feeling he's planning something. But I wonder who the girl is? Hitomi ponders quietly. "So Hitomi, what do you think about it?" Amano asks her, eager to know if she found out or not. "Amano, the only thing I can say about that sc-" She stops. She looks at her dress. Elegant, nice, and…blue! Something's wrong… terribly wrong. He's up to something. But what is it?