The Letter: Part Five
"How did you manage to do that" Kuwabara exclaimed to himself for the umpteenth time that night as he tossed and turned on his bed. He just can't believe that it was what he said in his first real encounter with Ana.
"What was I thinking" He muttered under his breath. He had been torturing himself by replaying everything that had taken place after Ana beat those guys. He had every opportunity to know more about her. But no, he didn't take advantage of that. Because all he can think of saying was - 'how did you manage to that?'
"I should have said 'thank you'. But no, I didn't" He continued conversing with the darkness and torturing himself in the process. He was just so stupid. Stupid to even forget to say thank you! Thank you, my foot! She had just saved him from a major injury and all he thought of saying was - 'how did you manage to do that?'. If he is not stupid, he doesn't have a clue what he really is.
"She must think I'm a total loser." He covered his face with a pillow, trying to hide away his embarrassment from no one. He had been wishing to turn back time and redo everything.
"No, wait. I can do her a favor" Kuwabara sat up, an idea crossed his mind.
Yes, that is exactly what he is going to do. Doing her a favor is another way of saying he was grateful for what she did for him. Yes, that was it!
He quickly got up and went straight to the computer. He turned the switch on and waited for it to boot up, he has the perfect 'favor' in mind. He's pretty sure she'll be thankful for what he will do for her.
It was already after lunch, exactly five minutes before the next class starts and everyone was already seated on their proper places. Everyone, except Ana.
Kuwabara looked at Ana's empty chair. Everything is happening exactly the way he had expected it. Ana isn't going to attend the rest of the period again and for sure, she didn't tell anyone about it, which means she is cutting classes again.
But she isn't going to cut class today. Not today. Kuwabara thought as he pulled out a neatly folded white bond paper out of his textbook.
He had made her an 'excuse letter'. The letter said that she had a family emergency and that she needed to go home right away. Kuwabara thought of his plan clever. Not only she'll be excused today, it also explained why she had cut classes the three previous days - the ever effective 'family emergency'.
For sure, she'll be glad. She is in great danger of suspension and the 'Mighty Kazuma Kuwabara' just saved her from that.
He handed the excuse letter to the teacher with a satisfied smile on his face. He is sure the teacher will buy that. She has to, after all nobody doubts a pretty girl like Ana no matter how anti-social she may seem.
And as expected, the teacher believed his little letter. The rest of the afternoon went on the same as every boring afternoon spent in school. - But not for Kuwabara, he was just so glad that he had done something good for Ana that he hadn't thought of being bored at all.
The final bell already rang and Kuwabara walked to the back of the school where he and his friends usually hang out after school. He was going to tell them how Ana saved him from those bullies from the neighboring school. He was certain no one would believe him but heck, it was the truth- And so he shall brag about it.
He was whistling happily as he rounded the corner of the building. Everything was going well for him. - Or so he thought. Well, he didn't exactly have ESP to know that trouble was waiting for him as he turned.
"Ouch" Kuwabara yelled as he felt a knee strike him in the tummy, the impact made him sit on the ground and drop his books.
"Why the hell did you do that" He heard his assailant shouted.
Kuwabara looked up, his vision a little blurry. He tried to make out the face of his attacker. Is that Ana?
"I said why did you do that" He heard again.
He blinked hard and when he opened his eyes again, he wasn't mistaken. Ana was there, staring angrily at him.
"What did I do" Kuwabara managed to ask.
"You know what I'm talking about" She yelled heatedly.
"The excuse letter" Kuwabara asked uncertainly.
"Of course, what else" Ana retorted.
"I thought I was doing you a favor…" Kuwabara tried to explain.
"Doing me a favor? Fuck! You're ruining everything" She hollered, her eyes firing.
"Uhm-uhmm…" Kuwabara struggled to say something. Funny though, he doesn't know what to say. This isn't what Ana's reaction would be in his mind. He thought she would be happy for what he did.
"Never mind." Ana said as she turned to leave. She knows it was useless to hassle him now, he's a wimp and maybe he means well. - Maybe.
Kuwabara saw her walking away from him; quickly he got up and gathered his books. He isn't going to make the same mistake he did the first time, he would face her like a man, like the 'Mighty Kazuma Kuwabara". And he would tell her what he thinks he should tell her - that he is sorry.
"Ana" He called out. Ana didn't stop, he saw her walk faster. He did the same.
"Ana, wait up" She still didn't stop; she was about to cross the streets when Kuwabara finally caught up with her. He stopped her by holding her shoulder.
"Look, I'm really sorry." Kuwabara said.
Ana turned to look at him. She expected to see him smug-looking and grinning. But he wasn't. He has a sincere puppy look in his eyes. Sincere puppy look is good. When puppies look at you that way, they really meant sorry. -She thought.
"I'm really sorry. I was just trying to return the favor you did for me yesterday." Kuwabara said, elaborating his apology.
Ana just looked at him. She was taken by the sincerity in his eyes and his voice. Nobody had ever apologized to her that way except for her aunt.
"I think, I'm the one who's supposed to say sorry." She finally said.
"Why would you do that"
"You mean well. I'm sorry." She said.
"Would you like something to eat? My treat." She added. She is really sorry and decided food will compensate for everything.
"No. I'd rather not." Kuwabara said.
"Please? To make us even" Ana insisted.
"You're sorry, I'm sorry. That makes us even already." He answered with a smile.
"But I hurt your tummy." She said pointing at where she had kicked him hard earlier.
"It doesn't hurt anymore." Kuwabara lied.
"Really" She asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Okay, okay, it still hurts. But just a little." He finally said. He thought she saw her eyes laugh.
"I'll make you a deal. Let's forget the food and let's just play a game. I'll ask you exactly five questions, and you answer them. An then, we're even." Kuwabara proposed.
"That's it? Just five questions"
"Yes. Five questions."
"Well, okay. " She agreed as she walked towards a nearby bench and sat.
Kuwabara followed her and sat at the other side of the bench.
"So what's the first question"
"How did you manage to do what you did yesterday" Kuwabara asked, nearly kicking himself after he realized what had just asked her.
"Oh, that? I know martial arts. I lived with my aunt for 10 years, she's the one who taught me." She answered. She was starting to get comfortable with him.
"10 years? Where are your parents" He asked.
"That's already question number two." She said smiling.
"Yes, question number two." Kuwabara returned her smile.
"My mother died when she gave birth to me. My dad would constantly fly in and out of different places wherever his company takes him. He would ask my aunt who lives next door from our old house to look after me - so I kinda lived with my aunt. Actually, I live with my father now. He's dragging me everywhere his company sent him."
"Why is that" He asked, his hand signaling that it was his third question.
"He and my aunt had a fight about something. And he decided to take me wherever he goes. I never really liked that idea. I loved my life back there." She finished.
"Fourth question: Why do you hate letters? I saw what you did with Koji's letter."
"Oh, that? I don't hate letters. I hate its contents, the words written in it. They tend to be pretentious. I guess that is what people write in letters. Overrated words. Exaggerated. She thought of you once in a while, she'd write I miss you terribly. She thinks you're okay, she'd write your extraordinary. Things like that. You know what I mean"
Kuwabara tried to understand.
"Like my father's postcards. Before his big fight with my aunt, my father would usually send me postcards almost weekly. And at the back he would write sweet things like, 'Honey, I miss you. Love, Otoo-san.' Or 'I'd be back before you know my little baby, Always, Otoo-san.'. I actually believed those letters. But now that I'm living with him, it turned out I'm nothing to him. His letters were just that, Overrated words written on postcards." She felt a tear dropped from one of her cheeks. She quickly brushed it away and took a deep breath. She was telling him more than she was meaning to.
"I'm sure you're not just nothing to him." Kuwabara said, trying to comfort her. He saw the hurt in her beautiful green eyes.
"Believe me, I am. I'm like a piece of furniture to him. He would hire someone to tend to me. He won't even spend a weekend with me. "
"No, I don't believe you're not just a piece of furniture to him. If you were, you'd be a very, very expensive, irreplaceable piece of antique." Kuwabara smiled at her.
"Thank you for that. But I know my father. And he doesn't love me." She smiled back at him but with tears falling from her eyes.
She didn't mean to tell Kuwabara what she had just told him; it's just that she feels she could trust him. - Though she doesn't really know why. Maybe it was his eyes. They were so honest, so warm.
"Oh, God. This is embarrassing." She said as she tried to dry her eyes.
"I didn't mean to cry like this." She explained.
"Hey, it's good to cry sometimes. It lessens the pain." Kuwabara said.
"Yeah, I guess." Was all she said. She never cried like this in front of any one. She didn't mean to. Her tears just flowed.
"What about you? Why did you try to fight with those guys yesterday? You're clearly outnumbered." Ana asked, changing the subject.
"I was just trying to help out a friend." Kuwabara answered a little embarrassed.
"It's okay for you to get beaten up just to help a friend" She asked disbelievingly. She never encountered anyone who would do such a thing for somebody totally unrelated to him. But then, she doesn't really know a lot of people. Maybe that is really how things work.
"Of course. He is a friend. Friends help each other." Kuwabara answered. He has the feeling Ana didn't know much about friendship.
"Oh." Was all she could say.
"I haven't asked my fifth question." Kuwabara reminded her.
"Okay. What is it"
"Can I walk you home" He said a little uncertainly.
'Walk me home" Ana asked, her eyes smiling. No one ever walked her home.
"Yeah." He lowered his eyes, his cheeks turning red.
"I'm sorry. You can't. But you can walk me back to school, my driver is waiting for me there." She said. She would have loved walking home with him. But she doesn't really have a clue how to get to their house and her driver is waiting for her at school.
"You're alright, you know that" She said as they start to find their way back to the school.
"And you're alright too." He said back.
Ana felt herself totally loosened up with him. She never felt like that with anyone for the past four years. It makes her feel comfortable, like she was home.