I watch as she runs up the drive, her raincoat wrapped tightly around her and an umbarella clutched in her hand. I run to the door to meet her, throwing it open before she can even ring the doorbell and pulling her in.
She looks even better then I remember her, but that is four years ago now. Four years since I was last in Japan, since I last say anyone. Not that I haven't had frequent contact with some of them, Sakai exceptionally.
She smiles at me and I grin back, glad I can almost look her in the eye now. Of course, I'll always be a little smaller then her, but I come up to her chin which is a big improvement.
"Sakaki," I exclaim, "It's so good to see you again."
"It's good to see you also," she reples, putting down the umberella, and the glow on her face tells me that she means it. I reach out and take the raincoat of her as she shrugs out of it and run to hang it up, then rush back to her and pull her into a tight embrace. She laughs and hugs me back fiercely.
Four years was really too long.
"Oh Sakaki," I whisper, "I missed you so much." She seems to nod against me but I'm not really concentrating. I don't want to ever let her go again. I didn't realist how much I cared about her until she was gone and seeing her again like this is the most wonderful thing.
Eventually, she steps back, reaching out and touching my hair before letting go completely.
"I'm sorry about the weather," she says, her eyes drifting to the window. The rain is awful, truly sheets. I can't see anything at all out there, it would be an awful night to go out.
"What is there to be sorry for, Sakaki-san?" I ask, smiling as she blushes slightly. How can she not know how cute she it.
"I promised I'd take you out to meet with the others to celebrate you coming back…" she says, frowning a little and not meeting my eye. I reach out and take her hand, pulling it towards me. She looks at it, then slowly to my face.
"Sakaki…" I whisper. "It's ok…I'd rather spend time with you alone anyway…" and then I lean forward and kiss her. Softly, tenderly. A little awkward in all truthfulness since she's so tall. For a second, she doesn't move and I begin to fear that I've greatly misjudged our friendship and that she's not interested at all, but then she's moving, kissing me back, sliding her arms around me and lifting me a little so it's not as awkward. I want somehow to express in that kiss how much I've missed her and longed for her for the last years but I'm afraid I fall short. Eventually, we're forced to break the kiss and stand there, smiling at each other.
"I think…I would rather spend the time in alone with you also…" she says.