Mimi was, like, soooooooooooo OMG excited. She was going to do this, she HAD to do this.
But everyone needs a partner in crime. Or in Mimi's case, a partner for party planning. Faster than you can say "High School Reunion", Mimi had already dialed Sora's number…
Back in Paris..
Yamato fiddled with his camera as he took around. This city was not as he expected. It was… kinda normal. No one was sappily playing a violin, nobody was trying to shove a plate of frog legs down his throat, and not a soul was talking in a bad French accent.
DUH, Thought Yamato, There ARE French. They're speaking French. They can't have bad accents if they're speaking their native tongue.
The Eiffel Tower was beautiful. It looked so… silly in movies, but here it was the real deal. Yamato couldn't stop taking pictures. It was majestic, amazing, and romantic, fluid and peaceful…
Yamato stopped suddenly and shook his head furiously.
NO NO NO! That's the last thing I need, to get all gooshy and puffy! Cried Yamato's mind.
"Uh, are you alright… " Said a soft female voice from behind him.
Yamato realized he must've looked quite funny, bent over, hands clutched to his head, whispering nonsense furiously, all alone on the sidewalk.
Yamato turned to see the source of the voice. He realized he'd broken down directly in front of a small corner café, and that a young woman was staring at him like he'd just eaten a sock directly in front of her.
"Oh, uh, sorry… How'd you know I speak English…?" Asked Yamato, scratching the back of his head, not knowing what to say to the pretty young lady in front of him.
She laughed. "You look very American," She Explained.
"Really?" He asked half-heartedly as he jumped the small wrought-iron fence that separated them.
"I think only Americans jump fences like that, one handed and such," Said the woman, smiling, "Though I shouldn't talk, I live there, you know."
"Whoa. You look… totally French… in a good way," Said Yamato. It was true. Her long red hair framed her face, she had pointed reading glass, her skin was a clear, creamy color, and she sat in front of an impressive-looking laptop. All she needed was a beret, and you'd never guess anything different.
"Well, I was born here, you know! I love it here. I might live in the states, but I always love it here. I find most of my inspiration comes when I'm here, being a writer and all," She said, taking her right hand and pulling her hand behind her ear.
"Wait… I… I think I remember you!" Cried Yamato.
"Really? Have you read any of my books? Did you like them?" Said the writer, suddenly very interested and excited about what he had to say.
"No, no. Its just… are you Sora Takenouchi?" He asked cautiously.
The young lady's brow furrowed in confusion.
"Who?" She asked quietly.
"Sora? You were a buddy of mine in high school! Its me, Yamato Ishida! Don't you remember?" Yamato practically squealed.
"I'm… that's not my name. I'm Carmella Peret. The French romance author," She explained, then smirked, "Did you fancy her or something? And now you see her wherever you go?"
"No, no, you just kinda looked like her. She had hair the same color as yours, same figure as you. Maybe my memory is rusty. Haven't seen anyone from High School in three years…" He sighed quietly.
Yamato noticed that he, in his excitement, must have jumped on his feet, and was now leaning over the table. No wonder Carmella seemed so intimidated. Just as he was about to sit down, however, he noticed something. Carmella sat directly beneath the Eiffel Tower, the sunset casting a golden layer over the tower and the woman in front of him.
"Whoa…" Whispered Yamato, "Uh, hey Carmella, can you do me a little favor?"
"What?" Asked Carmella, genuinely interested.
"Can I take your picture? Not 'cause your famous or anything, just because… you can keep your head down… its just… it'll be an AWESOME picture…" Explained Yamato.
"Its okay, I understand," Said Carmella, "One of my brothers is into photography. You just want to capture it."
She bent down slightly and started to fiddle with her laptop. Yamato took several pictures, then sat down quietly.
"What? Did I just make you day?" Smiled the author.
"Like, my whole trip. I need good photos… I want to really be a good photographer. Like a professional," He said, sighing in a depressing way.
"Hm. That seems odd. I don't know what it is… but… it doesn't seem to fit you," Said the French woman.
"I guess not. Hey, you wanna go get something to eat, Carmella?" Asked Yamato, now hungry for something after his session of furious photo-taking.
"Are you… asking me out?" Sniffed Carmella, then she laughed heartily, "Maybe us French women don't age well. I'm Thirty-seven dear. Married, two kids. HA! You've just made my trip too."
Yamato's eyes grew three sizes, and he quietly excused himself from the table.
All night long. It was all that he could think about. He had tried to pick up someone closer to his mother's age than his own.
This disturbed Yamato.
(Author Note)- Okay, your first question:
How does a Japanese guy(Yamato) look American:
(A) Yamato lives in L.A.(I thought you'd all get that in the title…) I imagine that he moved there sometime in middle school, so that explains why he went to high school there… plus, his hair is naturally blonde, right? I think that takes away from his Japanese-ness .
How does a 37-year-old French lady(Carmella) look like a 21-year-old Japanese-American girl(Sora):
(A) Slim bone structure, same reddish hair, creamy skin, and my imagination. You just have to kinda put it together yourself. Yamato hasn't Sora since High School, 3 years can make you kinda rusty in the image-remembering-department. Sora and Yamato weren't all that close in HS anyway. Yamato, you will soon find out, was more into music than girls at that point. (sad, isn't it?)
Yamato, Sora, Mimi, and such… are all 21. Clear things up?
I'll make Sora the star next chapter, kay?
