Close Encounters

Kumiko sat at her desk, staring into space and mindlessly doodling on her schoolbooks.

"Ms. Fujiwara."

There was a small bird outside the window building its nest in a tree. She watched as it picked up seemingly random twigs and placed them meticulously in their designated spots.

"Ms. Fujiwara."

Her eyes widened with interest when another bird swooped down and destroyed the nest. The first bird angrily attacked the second.

"Ms. Fujiwara!"

Kumiko was brought back to reality by her teacher's voice. "Perhaps you can tell me the answer, Ms. Fujiwara?" he inquired.

"The answer is…25?" she answered lamely. "This is not math class," the instructor replied sarcastically. "It is history. No wonder your grades are so atrocious. You've been doing math this whole time…"

As his voice trailed off, the class laughed loudly at her blunder. A hot flush crept across her face and down to her toes. It did not leave her for the rest of the day, as she was known as "25-girl" in addition to the usual teasing that she got every day.

When the final bell rang at last she practically ran off campus. In her mad dash for the train station, Kumiko ran headlong into a stranger.

"I'm so sorry!" she stammered. "I wasn't looking and I—" her voice cam to a halt when she saw the stranger's face. It was the most beautiful face she had ever seen. Piercing green eyes, with a kind and gentle countenance, framed by gorgeous red locks…she was speechless.

"You look upset," he said. She nodded mutely. He helped her to her feet, brushed the dust off of himself, and handed her the books she had dropped. "What is your name?" he asked. "K-kumiko," she stammered. Then, with one fluid movement, he pulled a single long-stemmed rose from his hair. The stranger leaned in close as he handed it to her and whispered, "Well then, for you, my dear Kumiko."

And he left.

As she watched him go she finally found her voice. "Thank-you! I hope we'll meet again!" She waited a moment, turned, and walked away.