What are my interests? Specifically? Well I thought I'd already gone into some of them...but I guess I can do an old-fashioned listing and waste paper...
Likes: vanilla ice cream (it's my favorite), comfy clothes (due to hot weather), candles (I like the smell and the look they give), good books (like I said - I'm a bookworm), smelling nice (that's a girl thing), pop/soda, cappuccino, days off (which you know I get very little of), beautiful flowers (I'm a sucker for pink and yellow roses mostly...and I also love irises), and small dogs (especially Chihuahuas, Pomeranians, Beagles, Scottish Terriers, and probably a few more)
Interests: Psychology (I like thinking of how the mind works), family values, Biology (because I love nature so much), some art, nature (big time tree hugger), serious conversations, order / things being orderly (goes with me being a bookworm), and antiques (being a history buff)
I've got a lot more of course, but those are just some things off the top of my head. But that gives you a little better idea of who I am anyway.
As part of my dislikes - I don't know whether you want this or not but I'll include it - I don't like loud thunder, not being able to study enough or get homework done, semester exams (NO STUDY TIME! AH!!), gory films (I don't like nightmares), candy (I try to keep my teeth healthy), loud people (I like quiet - it's what I'm used to), and smoking (NASTY).
So what do you like and dislike? I don't need a book, just a few things. I thought I told you something already, but I guess not. Was there a reason you asked for a specific list of what I liked a lot of? Other than to get to know me of course...
Why did he want a specific list? Well he wasn't going to tell HER that.
She was right in saying he didn't need her dislikes. That wasn't what he needed. He just needed a few things what she was interested in, and it was nice to know she liked a lot of things that other girls did. He was beginning to put her as separate from 'all those other girls'. Not like that was a BAD thing, but he'd never really met anyone like her before. She was rather indifferent to a lot of things that he figured would piss a girl off or she wouldn't like.
No...what he needed that list for was coming up in a week and his sneakiness would hopefully pay off.
And he would be able to be even sneakier if she responded like he wanted to in his next letter and not connect the pieces of both before next Monday rolled around. He hoped she wasn't doing anything major or - gods forbid - WORKING during her birthday. Or if she was, if she would at least take some time out to celebrate being twenty. Though if it planned out right, this would work no matter WHERE she was or what she was doing.
Vanilla ice cream, comfy clothes, smelling nice, pop/soda, cappuccino, days off, and small dogs he couldn't do a thing with.
But the candles, good books, nature, and beautiful flowers were perfect to work with and pick through.
I'm a sucker for pink and yellow roses mostly...and I also love irises.
He grinned. This would be cake. If she liked such simple things - things he had a history of buying for girls he dated in the past - the only thing he had to worry about was the second part of his plan.
He folded the letter and stuck it in the envelope to keep it safe in his back pocket. A hand dug in his other and grabbed his wallet. He fiddled with the chain helping him from losing it and flipped it open, pulling out what money he had. After a brief count, he found he would need an extra ten or fifteen to pull of what he wanted to buy. No big deal.
"Oi obaasan...I'm going to need to borrow some money!" He called, heading up from the back storage room.
As soon as his head was in view of the front counter, he met aged eyes. "How much do you need?"
"Do you think you could loan me a twenty?"
"When did you come in?"
He blinked and nibbled his lip in thought. "Ano...I think I've been here four hours already...does that cover it?"
His grandmother bent down below the cash register she was standing post at and picked up a worn notebook. The one he marked his hours down on. He was the only one who ever used that notebook, and it held every minute and transaction he worked off of at least this year.
After a second, wise eyes stopped skimming. "You'll have to be here for another two and half hours to work it off." She murmured. "You're still working off this month's magazine subscription and those snacks you grabbed for break."
He snorted in amusement. "That won't take long. What else do you want me to do around here?" His arms threw out to the side, stretching the muscles, before hands lazily folded against the back of his head. He patiently waited while his grandmother put the notebook back and thought. He knew his grandfather and great grandparents were loitering around here someplace, and it was still too early for Jayden to come in. She didn't even need to be in unless she was going to work the register and his mother wasn't coming in today.
He, his father, and grandfather had a lot cleaned, stocked, and priced so far.
"How far are you on cleaning the back room?"
His lips pursed. "I'm almost finished sweeping the dust outside, then I'll start on giving it a good mopping for the week. Anything else you want?" Rarely did he take orders like this unless it was at work. Here he knew where to draw the line between job and taking shit from people. Even then, the only people he would do things for without question like that was his family.
"Did you clean the shelves for the week? And unpack the latest shipment to get that marked?"
"Otousan started on some of the shipment a while ago. He got halfway done in the back until I started sweeping and left the rest till I was done. I think he went home for lunch though. I haven't seen him since."
Graying brows furrowed. "Where's your ojiisan?"
He smirked. "I think he's upstairs in the main office with his fubo."
Mamorah sighed and resisted the urge to scowl. "One would think I was the next owner of the store, not that bum. He shouldn't be sitting up there with those two unless he's on break. Doesn't he know he's costing the store...especially if he doesn't mark it down??"
He fought a smirk. His obaasan - the business shark. "Would you like me to go fetch him obaasan?" He muttered, trying not to grin at her behavior.
"Iie...I think if you finish mopping the back room and then go clean what shelves aren't done for this week's shipment...that should give you those two-plus hours. When your otousan comes back, he can stock the shelves. I'll give that jijii a little more time before I go get him."
He grinned at the old woman before giving a playful salute and heading back to finish his work. Those few cleaning jobs would take him the rest of the time, especially all the shelves in the place. Every Monday, all shelves got a thorough cleaning to keep germs and dust away. Then the floor was swept and mopped when needed to finish keeping the store clean.
It was a routine he did every morning, at least in the back room. Normally, he cleaned the back room and sometimes unpacked and labeled goods Jayden and okaasan didn't, also cleaning the shelves and front floors when they didn't.
The place wasn't really that big, given the amount of things inside. The front - when totally void of anything - was about the same size as the back room, if not a little smaller as the back needed to be bigger for storage. Two sets of stairs to both back and front rooms made transportation a lot easier on the eldest generation. Over all of the ground floor, there was the top half, which was used as office and office storage.
He was pretty sure if he looked - though he would never dare - through the filing cabinets at monthly store earnings, he could find records dating as far back as 2056 when the place first opened. His great grandparents were rather good at keeping and storing files for possible need in the future.
Quickly sweeping the dirt pile outside through the garage opening, he then went for the mop and dunked it in a large pail. He left the delivery door open for the air - as it got quite hot inside at times - and started at the open door.
The more he mopped, the more he almost felt like a different person. Not totally different...just more resolved. Responsible. Doing such mundane chores like this, and so agreeably, wasn't like the sarcastic, independent person he was. He made it seem like he didn't take anything from anybody and if he did, it wasn't without great reluctance.
True, there WAS that part of his mind. He assumed everyone had something like that... And he balanced it with this reliable part he showed whilst in the store.
If his friends came in, which they never did, he knew they wouldn't even recognize his behavior. He smirked and dunked the mop again, rinsing it out. One more dance around the floor and he'd be done for the week.
His thoughts turned to the plan he briefly pushed aside and went over a few options. It was rather simple, the things he intended on buying. Without a doubt, he knew she'd like them. Though they'd only known each other maybe...what, a solid month, he had a feeling of her through her words.
Kalie Himmen was starting to become known to him.
There wasn't really a problem with that, given it was through words. He met the person and now he was meeting the personality. He didn't know which one he liked better.
He did as requested and sent a full family picture in his last letter, taken only a year ago upon his mother's wish. He also asked for a few of her, as she suggested, wanting to have that small insight. And also something to jog the fading mental image of her.
Just as he finished rinsing out the mop, a thought struck. It was so ingenious he was amazed he hadn't thought of it and integrated it into his plan before now. He smiled and took a second to lean on the mop, pondering this new idea.
'Well...she DID say she wanted to hear me play...she never asked about my singing.' His nose wrinkled in good humor as he grabbed the pail's handle and went to the opening in the wall. 'Sheesh, she's going to get more presents in one birthday than any girl I've ever bought for!' He gave a chuckle and heaved the dirty water out back, leaving the door open for the light and breeze.
That wasn't a bad thing...it was just a lot of little things rolled into one big present. It would also be a thank you for getting those lyrics booklets too. As he went for the cleaning supplies for the front, he counted it all. Himself, his guitar, a happy birthday song, the flowers she mentioned, nature, and a small candle gift wrap.
As he opened the door, the air conditioning hit him full in the face and he took a second to enjoy it, as opposed to the humidity and heat of the back room.
'She'd better ENJOY all this, damn it!' He mused, looping a few rags through the belt loops. Twirling the solution with his finger as if it were a gun, he strode to one side to get to work.
~*~*~
Even though everything was set and he had all the money he needed, he had to know for sure that the second part of his plan would be able to go off. Otherwise he would have to change what he bought her.
He absently cracked a few knuckles before grabbing the pen in his teeth.
Hey K,
Thanks for the suggestions. Yea that gives me a pretty good idea, but I have to admit, that's pretty girly. You didn't strike me as one who got offended by a lot or liked a lot of ultra-feminine stuff, you know? So...don't go getting offended by THAT or anything...I'm just saying.
I'll respond in kind and be fair with a few things I like and dislike.
Likes/Interests: L-Guitar, I-Skateboarding, L-Dancing, I-Martial arts, L-Family, I-New people, L-Rainstorms, I-Animals, L-Annoying older sister at times, I-Helping family business, L-Spicy food, I-Nature, L-Swimming, I-Climbing trees, L-Old oriental outfits.
Explanations: My guitar is my life. I love playing it, and yes I HAVE played some of those pieces you gave me.
As you know I like skateboarding and I use my board to get me to places I want to go. And although I said Andytown is teeny tiny, there is no gravel road here.
I like dancing, mostly to burn off energy and have fun, and I'm at least relieved we have a dance club here. It's small, but it's better than nothing.
My martial arts are kinda a hobby of mine and I've been at it for ten years and counting. The exercising bit kinda ties in with my Kempo (martial arts).
I like being with my family, even though I do enjoy annoying Jayden till she screams. Just family love... Ah, sibling rivalry...
And of course I like new people...
Ah, rainstorms...I even like loud thunder. I can't believe you don't! And you call yourself a nature lover... Kidding. I love rainstorms though; it's just the feel of the rain hitting and the coolness of it despite the hot air. Then there's lightening and how awesome it makes everything look in the dark.
You and I have a common interest in animals and nature and that's cool. I'm a big nature buff as well, always have been.
I already made mention of the business in other letters.
The spicy food bit has to deal with my background. I LOVE spicy food!
Swimming is good way to beat the heat, but we don't have a pool on our property, so I normally go when I work off the money.
Climbing trees has to deal with my nature fling, but I've always been told by my mother I'm a little monkey and she has no clue where I got so good at that.
The oriental outfits have to deal with my heritage. I've got this cool red get-up with a white under kimono I wear, but only on holidays or something important. It's folded right now, but I've gotta show it to you...being a history buff, I think you'd like it. It was a present I got from the family off a pattern they saw in some old era-I forget which one.
Dislikes: Obstinate people, violence, Japanese symbols, early mornings, thinking of the future, relatives in pain, tight clothes, pushy Christians / Catholics, being single, being ordered around, short hair, pop music, prejudice, old gas vehicles.
I can't say I hate obstinate people because I know I can be bad at times, but those who just don't have open minds and won't give I don't have a high tolerance for.
I don't like domestic violence whatsoever. I can't stand to hear one of my friends or someone I know got into a fight, especially over something stupid. I just don't like fighting.
Japanese symbols - either hiragana, katagana, or the plain kanji - I can't read. I'm trying, but it's not going very well. It's almost like trying to learn sign language. My grandparents and great grandparents help from time to time, but otherwise I'm learning on my own and it doesn't help.
Early mornings...HISS! HISS, HISS, HISS!
I also like baggy clothes like you for the same reason...and also a guy reason. I...uh, think you know what that's for. Especially shorts.
Ah, Christians and Catholics. I hope I didn't offend you with that. Cam's a Christian, so it's not like I HATE them or anything...I just can't stand those who try to convert me. I'm Japanese, hence I'm Buddhist. Sure I've read a little bit about the bible, but I like my religion better.
Ah...being single. I don't know why it is, but I just can't stand being without someone special. I've been that way since I was a teenager and I've never known why.
Unless I'm working, only my family gets to order me around. Or, unless I'm doing it for someone else, I don't like taking orders like a dog. Especially by people who can do just as easily themselves.
The short hair thing is kinda hypocritical isn't it? The only reason I have such short hair is I lost a bet - which I am NOT going into - with my friends and had to cut off what I used to have. It's all black now as you saw, and the same length it was when there was white mixed in. I think by the end of the year, it'll be down to the ends of my shoulder blades and I can start braiding it again. (My first - and only - braid is still braided and tied at both ends to keep it that way...and locked away in my mother's oak chest. She told me it's a parent thing.) My hair grows rather fast and I like that. It's kind of sad isn't it? I take very good care of my hair and I like it long. It's partially an ethnical thing, partially cause it just looks good on me.
Pop music can go to one of the seven hells for all I care. Cam listens to it and I. HATE. IT! But I put up with it...as only a doting boyfriend would. ...Can I gag now?!
Prejudice is a no-duh for me. I'm Japanese and I don't tolerate ANY of those stupid words for 'my kind'. If I hear it, I WILL get in someone's face.
The vehicles thing goes back to nature . I'm SO glad they got rid of petroleum and went to solar power. Sheesh, it took the morons long enough to do it. And how clean did it make everything afterwards?? People of the past were rather stupid, don't you think??
Before I end this, as I think my list and explanations make this a LOT longer than it should've been, I was just wondering what you were doing for your birthday. That's coming up isn't it? You mentioned it was in September. Is the little bookworm going to buckle down and study / work right through it? Or is there a party animal who likes to go out and live it up when you advance another year?
I know you're busy and all...but do you think you could reply before the week's out? Preferably a.s.a.p. and before the Monday you become almost a legal adult. Who knows...maybe I'll stop down and bring the Champaign with me.
Inaki
September 8, 2097
He put the pen down and flexed his hand. This was probably one of his longer letters, and it didn't contain that much! Wanting to get it off a.s.a.p. himself, a hand dug around for a stamp and envelope.
He smirked. He was such a diabolical genius sometimes. He made that last paragraph sound as if he hardly remembered her birthday, when in reality, there was an ink circle around the number on the calendar over the desk.
Even if he WASN'T going to buy her anything, he would still send down an extra letter or something to say happy birthday or whatever, in recognition of her special day. Even if she studied or worked it, he knew where she'd be both times. That Champaign remark was a joke. He wasn't going to bring alcohol to someone who he didn't know drank or not, not to mention was still underage. But he WAS intending a trip down there...with a few goodies of his own.
Hurriedly, he folded the latest and stuffed it in an envelope, grabbing his board for a quick skate to the post office.
**I am a BEGINNER Japanese learner...so if these are not 100% correct...please let me know if you care to do so. I only have a web page to learn from, a dictionary, and a few months experience to work with.**
Translations: Ojiisan-Grandfather Oya-(both) Parents Jijii-Old man (Impolite version)
Hiragana/Katagana/Kanji-Three different types of Japanese writing