Chapter 3: New Friends
Rhys and her father moved to the new neighborhood. Rhys didn't thought of it sooner but she was afraid she knew no one from the new neighborhood. There was a big mansion at the right side of their house and a little ordinary two-storey house at the left. Rhys was afraid that their new neighbors will not be friendly towards her but she wished they will be. Their house was a big house, bigger than the one on their left but smaller than the mansion. The mansion was the biggest one in the neighborhood. You can't miss it even though your ten miles away. It occupies almost three and a half backyard. They got three roofs. Probably the biggest on is for the masters, the second biggest was for the servants' headquarters and the smallest one their garage. Rhys was fascinated by their neighbors. Even though there was a sign of modernity in the architecture of their houses, they still kept the Japanese costumed chimes, Japanese landscaping and the Japanese water pipe. While the Williamson's new house was a stranger to the Japanese modern architectures. They were Americans but Rhys' father bought an old Japanese house, with futon as their beds and with wood created walls and floors. In the midst of the whole neighborhood, they will appear the most appealing to others. While the simple two storey house has a basketball court at their backyard, the house was a simple kind of modern but with Japanese influence.
Rhys was walking around the neighborhood while the movers furnished their house. Rhys was hoping she would meet someone who would be likely to be her friend. The 14 year old girl was walking when suddenly she saw a tall boy walking out of one of the houses. Rhys noticed that she hasn't even walked far enough to be away from home. That must be their neighbors, the simple ones. Rhys saw him walking towards her.
"Hey! Are you new in the neighborhood?"
Rhys just nodded.
"Just as I thought. You an American?"
Rhys nodded her head again.
"O, how rude of me. My name's Hisashi. Hisashi Mitsui."
"My name's Rhys. Rhys Antoinette Williamson."
"Our new neighbors, right?"
Rhys nodded her head. She noticed that this new fellow who was standing in front of her was stunningly handsome. He has the features of a basketball athlete.
"I'll be glad to accompany you."
"Thanks."
Rhys noticed that he also held a basketball, which means he plays it.
They walked around the neighborhood once. Mitsui being the tour guide, he led her to Shohoku High.
"And this is my. what do you call it when you study here?"
"Alma Mater."
"Yeah, this is my alma mater."
"I will be studying here to in the next school year."
"Really? Well, I mean. really."
"Yes!"
Rhys found it comfortable with Mitsui around, more comfortable than with Rukawa around. Rhys was glad that Mitsui was their neighbors.
"You must be entering as a freshman."
"Of course. And you?"
"Next year, I will be a senior."
"Then it'll be your last year."
"Looks like it."
Rhys looked at the big clock hanged in the middle of the school it read four o' clock.
"It's time for me to be running home."
"Allow me to accompany you. After all, we're neighbors, aren't we?"
"Sure!"
The two of them walked and talked all about each other on the way home.
"Well, it looks like our day will end here." Rhys said with a big smile.
"We can get together tonight if you want to. I'll you the sights of Japan when sun sets."
"Sure, I'll be ready by 1400 hours."
"I'll pick you then. Skip dinner, dinner will be my treat."
"Thanks."
Rhys walked in her house and Mitsui walked out of the Williamson residence.
"Hey!"
Mitsui saw Rukawa on a bicycle, riding towards him.
"Hey!" he greeted back.
"New neighbors?"
"You guessed it!"
"I'll be going then, in my deserted house."
"Hey! You should be proud of that house. It's the infamous Rukawa's Crest!"
"Yeah, yeah. You want to stay over tonight?"
"No thanks. I've got a date with the new girl."
"Ok! Fine! Introduce me to her some other time."
"Sure! After we got pretty close!"
"You like her!"
"I sure do!"
They went to their houses. Rukawa wondered who their new neighbor was.
"Could it be Rhys? Nah! She probably went back to the U.S. of A. already."
Rhys:
"What a wonderful day it was! Dad, I've got a date later on! I'll skip dinner!"
"Wow! My daughter really is popular! Who's the date? The same person?"
"No, our neighbor. The black-haired teenager."
"Ok. Just be careful dear!"
"I will!!!"
Rhys went to her room and there she lay on her bed and had done a lot of thinking.
"I feel comfortable with Mitsui and yet still, I also felt comfortable with Rukawa. Maybe I'd go with Mitsui cause maybe because he's closer. I don't even know if Rukawa knows I'm still here. Maybe I'd go to the Sakura Park tomorrow morning and see if he's there. But, I also would like to be with Mitsui. I will be with Mitsui later on. Why not invite Mitsui to Sakura Park? Maybe he can also teach me basketball, because he has a hoop in their backyard. What if he told me he can teach me how to play in his backyard? Ah! Now I'm confused! I'll do what I think of tomorrow."
She prepared for her date with Mitsui for the remaining time. She took a nice long bath, washed her hair, hair dried it, she first put on a black dress and put on her make-up as light as she could. She wanted to make it as simple as possible. She was afraid of attracting Mitsui. Next, she let her hair loose. Since it flowed to her knees, it was stunningly beautiful to look at. She looked at her full length mirror once, twice, thrice and still not convince. She was very simple to look at. She looked like a drab to herself. She put on her diamond necklace and the matching bracelet and earrings. She didn't wear any ring. Next, she put on her 2-inched silver high-heeled sandals, simply because Mitsui was much taller than she. She looked at herself once again and finally thought of herself as a formal, mature lady going on her. not first date with an older guy. Of course it was a lie.
Mitsui wore a simple coat and tie tuxedo. He was bringing Rhys to the best restaurant not far from town.
"It would be the perfect evening. Candle light dinner under the starry night with spaghetti and meatballs as their main course."
Mitsui stood on the porch of the Williamson residence and knocked.
Rhys' father answered the door.
"You must be my daughter's date."
"Yes sir."
"Come in, come in!"
"No thanks, I just want to know if Rhys is ready for the evening."
"I'm here!!!"
"Just on time Rhys!"
Mitsui looked at her and he was stunned by her beauty. He simply can't put a stop to his adoration for her. She looked like and angel!
"God, what have I done to deserve something like this!!!?"
"You said something Mitsui-kun?"
"Ah, nothing, nothing."
He didn't notice he was speaking out loud with Rhys beside him in his car."
"Where will we be dining Mitsui-kun? I'm starved."
Mitsui loved the way she pronounced his named. There was a sweet elegant sound to it.
"Not far. Hold on tight Rhys!"
"Sure!!!"
Rhys held Mitsui's hand. She saw him looked at her hand and turned red.
"Rhys, why are you holing my hand?"
"Sorry, it's just that. never mind."
She put her hand away.
"No, I liked it the way it was, I was just asking."
Mitsui took her hand back and looked at her.
They drove out of town with their hands tied together.
Rhys and her father moved to the new neighborhood. Rhys didn't thought of it sooner but she was afraid she knew no one from the new neighborhood. There was a big mansion at the right side of their house and a little ordinary two-storey house at the left. Rhys was afraid that their new neighbors will not be friendly towards her but she wished they will be. Their house was a big house, bigger than the one on their left but smaller than the mansion. The mansion was the biggest one in the neighborhood. You can't miss it even though your ten miles away. It occupies almost three and a half backyard. They got three roofs. Probably the biggest on is for the masters, the second biggest was for the servants' headquarters and the smallest one their garage. Rhys was fascinated by their neighbors. Even though there was a sign of modernity in the architecture of their houses, they still kept the Japanese costumed chimes, Japanese landscaping and the Japanese water pipe. While the Williamson's new house was a stranger to the Japanese modern architectures. They were Americans but Rhys' father bought an old Japanese house, with futon as their beds and with wood created walls and floors. In the midst of the whole neighborhood, they will appear the most appealing to others. While the simple two storey house has a basketball court at their backyard, the house was a simple kind of modern but with Japanese influence.
Rhys was walking around the neighborhood while the movers furnished their house. Rhys was hoping she would meet someone who would be likely to be her friend. The 14 year old girl was walking when suddenly she saw a tall boy walking out of one of the houses. Rhys noticed that she hasn't even walked far enough to be away from home. That must be their neighbors, the simple ones. Rhys saw him walking towards her.
"Hey! Are you new in the neighborhood?"
Rhys just nodded.
"Just as I thought. You an American?"
Rhys nodded her head again.
"O, how rude of me. My name's Hisashi. Hisashi Mitsui."
"My name's Rhys. Rhys Antoinette Williamson."
"Our new neighbors, right?"
Rhys nodded her head. She noticed that this new fellow who was standing in front of her was stunningly handsome. He has the features of a basketball athlete.
"I'll be glad to accompany you."
"Thanks."
Rhys noticed that he also held a basketball, which means he plays it.
They walked around the neighborhood once. Mitsui being the tour guide, he led her to Shohoku High.
"And this is my. what do you call it when you study here?"
"Alma Mater."
"Yeah, this is my alma mater."
"I will be studying here to in the next school year."
"Really? Well, I mean. really."
"Yes!"
Rhys found it comfortable with Mitsui around, more comfortable than with Rukawa around. Rhys was glad that Mitsui was their neighbors.
"You must be entering as a freshman."
"Of course. And you?"
"Next year, I will be a senior."
"Then it'll be your last year."
"Looks like it."
Rhys looked at the big clock hanged in the middle of the school it read four o' clock.
"It's time for me to be running home."
"Allow me to accompany you. After all, we're neighbors, aren't we?"
"Sure!"
The two of them walked and talked all about each other on the way home.
"Well, it looks like our day will end here." Rhys said with a big smile.
"We can get together tonight if you want to. I'll you the sights of Japan when sun sets."
"Sure, I'll be ready by 1400 hours."
"I'll pick you then. Skip dinner, dinner will be my treat."
"Thanks."
Rhys walked in her house and Mitsui walked out of the Williamson residence.
"Hey!"
Mitsui saw Rukawa on a bicycle, riding towards him.
"Hey!" he greeted back.
"New neighbors?"
"You guessed it!"
"I'll be going then, in my deserted house."
"Hey! You should be proud of that house. It's the infamous Rukawa's Crest!"
"Yeah, yeah. You want to stay over tonight?"
"No thanks. I've got a date with the new girl."
"Ok! Fine! Introduce me to her some other time."
"Sure! After we got pretty close!"
"You like her!"
"I sure do!"
They went to their houses. Rukawa wondered who their new neighbor was.
"Could it be Rhys? Nah! She probably went back to the U.S. of A. already."
Rhys:
"What a wonderful day it was! Dad, I've got a date later on! I'll skip dinner!"
"Wow! My daughter really is popular! Who's the date? The same person?"
"No, our neighbor. The black-haired teenager."
"Ok. Just be careful dear!"
"I will!!!"
Rhys went to her room and there she lay on her bed and had done a lot of thinking.
"I feel comfortable with Mitsui and yet still, I also felt comfortable with Rukawa. Maybe I'd go with Mitsui cause maybe because he's closer. I don't even know if Rukawa knows I'm still here. Maybe I'd go to the Sakura Park tomorrow morning and see if he's there. But, I also would like to be with Mitsui. I will be with Mitsui later on. Why not invite Mitsui to Sakura Park? Maybe he can also teach me basketball, because he has a hoop in their backyard. What if he told me he can teach me how to play in his backyard? Ah! Now I'm confused! I'll do what I think of tomorrow."
She prepared for her date with Mitsui for the remaining time. She took a nice long bath, washed her hair, hair dried it, she first put on a black dress and put on her make-up as light as she could. She wanted to make it as simple as possible. She was afraid of attracting Mitsui. Next, she let her hair loose. Since it flowed to her knees, it was stunningly beautiful to look at. She looked at her full length mirror once, twice, thrice and still not convince. She was very simple to look at. She looked like a drab to herself. She put on her diamond necklace and the matching bracelet and earrings. She didn't wear any ring. Next, she put on her 2-inched silver high-heeled sandals, simply because Mitsui was much taller than she. She looked at herself once again and finally thought of herself as a formal, mature lady going on her. not first date with an older guy. Of course it was a lie.
Mitsui wore a simple coat and tie tuxedo. He was bringing Rhys to the best restaurant not far from town.
"It would be the perfect evening. Candle light dinner under the starry night with spaghetti and meatballs as their main course."
Mitsui stood on the porch of the Williamson residence and knocked.
Rhys' father answered the door.
"You must be my daughter's date."
"Yes sir."
"Come in, come in!"
"No thanks, I just want to know if Rhys is ready for the evening."
"I'm here!!!"
"Just on time Rhys!"
Mitsui looked at her and he was stunned by her beauty. He simply can't put a stop to his adoration for her. She looked like and angel!
"God, what have I done to deserve something like this!!!?"
"You said something Mitsui-kun?"
"Ah, nothing, nothing."
He didn't notice he was speaking out loud with Rhys beside him in his car."
"Where will we be dining Mitsui-kun? I'm starved."
Mitsui loved the way she pronounced his named. There was a sweet elegant sound to it.
"Not far. Hold on tight Rhys!"
"Sure!!!"
Rhys held Mitsui's hand. She saw him looked at her hand and turned red.
"Rhys, why are you holing my hand?"
"Sorry, it's just that. never mind."
She put her hand away.
"No, I liked it the way it was, I was just asking."
Mitsui took her hand back and looked at her.
They drove out of town with their hands tied together.