When Misao entered her house she was greeted by the smell of dinner. She
put her skateboard in the hall and put her coat away.
She could hear her grandfather's voice and her sister's laughter come from
the dining room. Misao smiled and prepared to join them when she heard
another voice, one she wasn't familiar with. She quickened her pace and
opened the door.
Misao gasped when she saw a man sitting at the dining table on the same spot her father used to sit. She looked straight at him and he looked from her to her mother, waiting to be introduced.
"Misao, this is Hiroshi Harata, a colleague. Hiroshi, this is Misao my eldest daughter." Her mother said with a bright smile. Misao looked at her and threw her a very poisonous look, but she hadn't seen it.
"Hi Misao, nice to meet you. I hope you don't mind that I join for dinner." He said in a friendly tone.
"What if I do?" Misao said flatly.
"Misao!" Came the angry reply from her mother. "You should show some manners to our guest!"
"I just answered straight to his question, and he's your guest, not mine. Will you please excuse me now?" Misao ran upstairs her room and heard her mother call after her but she didn't listen. She threw her door shut and let herself fall down on her bed in tears. She missed her father so much! Didn't mom miss him? Why would she want to replace him? Misao buried her face in her pillow and continued crying.
After a few minutes she heard someone come up the stairs. Only a few seconds later the door to her room silently opened, as she had expected. Misao didn't look up, as she knew exactly who it was that had just entered her room. She felt him sitting down on the end of her bed and he softly called out her name.
"Misao?" At first Misao didn't want to answer but when he slapped her butt she screamed and turned on her back.
"Jiya! How many times do I have to tell you not to do that!?" Misao yelled at Okina. Okina just smiled at her.
"As many times as you're gonna do something like this again." Misao looked away from him as he said that knowing exactly what he meant.
"I know Jiya, but I can't just forget everything and continue my life like nothing happened. I don't know how mom does it, but I just can't accept someone else as my dad."
"I know it's very hard to forget such things and don't think your mother is finding this to be more easy than you Misao. The last thing she wants is to find a new father for you, she knows better than anyone else that it is impossible. All she wants is to go on with her life. You can feel that the way things are going now it can't continue? Think about your sisters they deserve to spend more time with their mother. Think about yourself, you hardly have time to yourself, going to school, having to take care of your sisters and the job you have, you hardly have time left for yourself. If your mother would find someone to help her in the house and to make money, she would be at home more often and all of you would have more free time." Okina knew that whatever he said Misao would at least consider it, she had always come to him first for advice.
"I know you're probably right but I can not just accept a guy that I don't even know to come here and take my father's place. It takes time and my mom isn't giving me any time." Misao knew her mother probably had her reasons and she wanted to have more time for herself too, but not everything was easy.
"Well think about what I said and then consider this guy again, he's a good guy, really and from what I heard he used to skate when he was a boy." Her grandfather said while he got up form the bed and winked at her.
Misao stared up at the sealing thinking about what Okina said some more. She knew he was partially right but she was too stubborn to just admit it. It took her some time to put everything straight and when she decided to go down again the man had left. Her mother sat in the couch, her back facing Misao. Misao bowed her head and looked at the floor. "I.I'm sorry mom."She said, trying to make up with her mother. "I know this is hard for you Misao, but you have to understand I only want the best for you and your sisters." Came her mother's reply. Misao sighed as it was about the hundredth time she heard that. "Mom...just give me some time.I'll do my best." she said hoping her mother would understand her part in this all. But she didn't give her a reply. Misao decided to go do her homework before going over to Sano to watch a movie they had rented. "Mom I'm going over to Sano after my homework, is that ok?" she yelled. "If it gets late I'll sleep over at his place!" "Ok that's fine but give me a call when you'll be back." Her mother called from where she sat. "Yeah mom, don't worry!"
As said Misao left after her homework and skated towards Sano's house, which was in the same street as hers. She rang the doorbell and waited until the door was opened. While waiting she looked around and to her surprise she saw a person opening the door of the house only a couple of houses next to Sano's. She seemed to have seen the person before but couldn't recall when. "Misao?" she suddenly heard behind her and she turned around. "Hey Sano! Readyl be back."ive me a call when you'ork,is that ok?"er to Sano to watch a movie they had rented. for a great time?" she asked in a cheery voice. "Off course! When am I not?! Come in!" He said while almost pulling her inside. Misao greeted Sano's mother and sister while being dragged towards the living room, where the wide screen television stood. Sano let himself fall down on the big couch and turned on the TV with the remote control. "Would you insert the tape in the VCR for me? So I don't have to get my lazy bum up again?" Sano asked Misao. "Alright you roosterhead keep your lazy bum in the couch." She answered and took the tape from the tv-tabel to push it in the VCR. Then she sat sown next to Sano and waited until he pressed the 'play' button. "What are you waiting for?" She asked him. "You do know it's a thriller right? Don't you go screaming the whole neighbourhood together!" He said teasingly. "Argh Sano! That was because your sister scared the hell out of me! It won't happen again!" After a few moments Sano pushed the button and the movie started.
Half an hour had passed and both of them were already very tensed, Misao was sitting close to him having jumped aside more then once, but never screaming. "Don't open it! Don't open it!" She said silently to one of the characters in the movie. But unfortunately for him Misao's words didn't reach him. Misao buried her head in Sano's shoulder when the person opened the door. "Chicken." Sano whispered to her. Misao lifted her head at his words. "Is it over?" She asked ignoring his insult. "Yeah, yeah the guy's dead" He answered and she lay her head back on his shoulder but facing the screen this time.
After another hour the movie was almost finished. "So those people weren't dead after all!" Misao stated when the end credits started rolling over the screen. "Yeah, there was no need for squishing my arm, I think I lost all feeling in it." Sano said grinning. "Don't exaggerate you roosterhead!" Misao said and pinched his arm. "Hey!" Sano yelled as he pulled his arm back. Misao just grinned. "So do you feel like going to bed already?" Sano said while he pushed the stop button. "Nah, it's still early, we can do some other stuff." "That's fine but we can't wake up the neighbours." When he said that Misao thought back at the guy she had seen entering the house. "Say Sano, do you know who lives in number 33?" She asked, hoping her friend would know the guy. "I heard a new guy moved in there not to long ago, but I wouldn't know who he is." He said uninterested. "Why?" "Nothing really, I just saw him at school the other day." Misao thought back to that day and remembered she still hadn't figured out what he had been doing there. "Maybe he's a murderous killer looking for young, innocent girls to torture." Sano said with a grin. "Sano! Don't say such things!" They talked for an hour more, totally forgetting about the guy in number 33. They went to bed around midnight.
Misao gasped when she saw a man sitting at the dining table on the same spot her father used to sit. She looked straight at him and he looked from her to her mother, waiting to be introduced.
"Misao, this is Hiroshi Harata, a colleague. Hiroshi, this is Misao my eldest daughter." Her mother said with a bright smile. Misao looked at her and threw her a very poisonous look, but she hadn't seen it.
"Hi Misao, nice to meet you. I hope you don't mind that I join for dinner." He said in a friendly tone.
"What if I do?" Misao said flatly.
"Misao!" Came the angry reply from her mother. "You should show some manners to our guest!"
"I just answered straight to his question, and he's your guest, not mine. Will you please excuse me now?" Misao ran upstairs her room and heard her mother call after her but she didn't listen. She threw her door shut and let herself fall down on her bed in tears. She missed her father so much! Didn't mom miss him? Why would she want to replace him? Misao buried her face in her pillow and continued crying.
After a few minutes she heard someone come up the stairs. Only a few seconds later the door to her room silently opened, as she had expected. Misao didn't look up, as she knew exactly who it was that had just entered her room. She felt him sitting down on the end of her bed and he softly called out her name.
"Misao?" At first Misao didn't want to answer but when he slapped her butt she screamed and turned on her back.
"Jiya! How many times do I have to tell you not to do that!?" Misao yelled at Okina. Okina just smiled at her.
"As many times as you're gonna do something like this again." Misao looked away from him as he said that knowing exactly what he meant.
"I know Jiya, but I can't just forget everything and continue my life like nothing happened. I don't know how mom does it, but I just can't accept someone else as my dad."
"I know it's very hard to forget such things and don't think your mother is finding this to be more easy than you Misao. The last thing she wants is to find a new father for you, she knows better than anyone else that it is impossible. All she wants is to go on with her life. You can feel that the way things are going now it can't continue? Think about your sisters they deserve to spend more time with their mother. Think about yourself, you hardly have time to yourself, going to school, having to take care of your sisters and the job you have, you hardly have time left for yourself. If your mother would find someone to help her in the house and to make money, she would be at home more often and all of you would have more free time." Okina knew that whatever he said Misao would at least consider it, she had always come to him first for advice.
"I know you're probably right but I can not just accept a guy that I don't even know to come here and take my father's place. It takes time and my mom isn't giving me any time." Misao knew her mother probably had her reasons and she wanted to have more time for herself too, but not everything was easy.
"Well think about what I said and then consider this guy again, he's a good guy, really and from what I heard he used to skate when he was a boy." Her grandfather said while he got up form the bed and winked at her.
Misao stared up at the sealing thinking about what Okina said some more. She knew he was partially right but she was too stubborn to just admit it. It took her some time to put everything straight and when she decided to go down again the man had left. Her mother sat in the couch, her back facing Misao. Misao bowed her head and looked at the floor. "I.I'm sorry mom."She said, trying to make up with her mother. "I know this is hard for you Misao, but you have to understand I only want the best for you and your sisters." Came her mother's reply. Misao sighed as it was about the hundredth time she heard that. "Mom...just give me some time.I'll do my best." she said hoping her mother would understand her part in this all. But she didn't give her a reply. Misao decided to go do her homework before going over to Sano to watch a movie they had rented. "Mom I'm going over to Sano after my homework, is that ok?" she yelled. "If it gets late I'll sleep over at his place!" "Ok that's fine but give me a call when you'll be back." Her mother called from where she sat. "Yeah mom, don't worry!"
As said Misao left after her homework and skated towards Sano's house, which was in the same street as hers. She rang the doorbell and waited until the door was opened. While waiting she looked around and to her surprise she saw a person opening the door of the house only a couple of houses next to Sano's. She seemed to have seen the person before but couldn't recall when. "Misao?" she suddenly heard behind her and she turned around. "Hey Sano! Readyl be back."ive me a call when you'ork,is that ok?"er to Sano to watch a movie they had rented. for a great time?" she asked in a cheery voice. "Off course! When am I not?! Come in!" He said while almost pulling her inside. Misao greeted Sano's mother and sister while being dragged towards the living room, where the wide screen television stood. Sano let himself fall down on the big couch and turned on the TV with the remote control. "Would you insert the tape in the VCR for me? So I don't have to get my lazy bum up again?" Sano asked Misao. "Alright you roosterhead keep your lazy bum in the couch." She answered and took the tape from the tv-tabel to push it in the VCR. Then she sat sown next to Sano and waited until he pressed the 'play' button. "What are you waiting for?" She asked him. "You do know it's a thriller right? Don't you go screaming the whole neighbourhood together!" He said teasingly. "Argh Sano! That was because your sister scared the hell out of me! It won't happen again!" After a few moments Sano pushed the button and the movie started.
Half an hour had passed and both of them were already very tensed, Misao was sitting close to him having jumped aside more then once, but never screaming. "Don't open it! Don't open it!" She said silently to one of the characters in the movie. But unfortunately for him Misao's words didn't reach him. Misao buried her head in Sano's shoulder when the person opened the door. "Chicken." Sano whispered to her. Misao lifted her head at his words. "Is it over?" She asked ignoring his insult. "Yeah, yeah the guy's dead" He answered and she lay her head back on his shoulder but facing the screen this time.
After another hour the movie was almost finished. "So those people weren't dead after all!" Misao stated when the end credits started rolling over the screen. "Yeah, there was no need for squishing my arm, I think I lost all feeling in it." Sano said grinning. "Don't exaggerate you roosterhead!" Misao said and pinched his arm. "Hey!" Sano yelled as he pulled his arm back. Misao just grinned. "So do you feel like going to bed already?" Sano said while he pushed the stop button. "Nah, it's still early, we can do some other stuff." "That's fine but we can't wake up the neighbours." When he said that Misao thought back at the guy she had seen entering the house. "Say Sano, do you know who lives in number 33?" She asked, hoping her friend would know the guy. "I heard a new guy moved in there not to long ago, but I wouldn't know who he is." He said uninterested. "Why?" "Nothing really, I just saw him at school the other day." Misao thought back to that day and remembered she still hadn't figured out what he had been doing there. "Maybe he's a murderous killer looking for young, innocent girls to torture." Sano said with a grin. "Sano! Don't say such things!" They talked for an hour more, totally forgetting about the guy in number 33. They went to bed around midnight.