A Glass Half- Empty
When will you say that the glass is half-empty?
When is it half-full?
It is Saturday night and Cagalli decided to take Athrun to her parents' house for dinner.
On the way, they started debating about this question.
"I think," she says as she puts her coat on, " It's more appropriate to call it half-full. If it has something in it-like water of instance, it should be described as…"
Athrun was staring at her image in the large mirror. Her lips were glossy because of the lip balm. She was wearing everything at ease.
"…the glass is half-filled with water," she ended.
"It's half- empty…" Athrun countered. But he didn't bother saying why.
" No. It's half-full."
They were on the sidewalk…waiting for a cab.
Her hand was placed beneath his… barely holding each other, but feeling the presence is more than enough.
"Where are we heading?" the cab driver asked as they took off.
"23rd Maple Street…" Cagalli instructed.
They were seated at the back of the car.
" Mr. And Ms. Yamato… aren't my real parents," Cagalli confessed.
" They adopted me and my brother when we were three…"
The car skids along the highway. The engine is quite noisy.
"I…didn't have any parents," Athrun said. " They died of a plane crash, a year after I was born."
"Who adopted you?" she asked.
"No one. My aunt took care of me, and soon as I grew old enough to understand that I'm all alone, I left her."
" I see."
They entered the familiar street. Cagalli looked at the window.
The houses were not that big and fancy, but one can tell that almost all lof them are cozy…
" When someone drinks on the glass of water, it was- emptied, right?"
He asked without looking. The headlights of the incoming vehicle flashes through his eyes, but they never blink.
" But when someone puts water to an empty glass…it is filled… right?" she said to him.
The car pulls to a stop.
"We're here," she said.
(End of scene)
Cagalli's parents were warm. They were very accommodating.
"She said she wants to have her favorite food done… because she has a special guest," Mrs. Yamato said to Athrun.
" And she was very excited too. She's been convincing us to postpone our trip for this weekend," her father added.
" Stop that you guys," Cagalli said. She was blushing.
A familiar voice called out to her.
"Haven't seen you for a while…"
"Hey! You're here too!" Cagalli said upon seeing her brother descend through the stairs.
" This is Kira…" She introduced him to Athrun.
" So you're the first one…" Kira started but Cagalli stepped on his foot so he wasn't able to continue.
"Aw! What's that for?" Kira yelled.
" Just…shut…up."
They had dinner. The food was great, and it filled everyone.
-Steamed lobsters, grilled turkey, and potato salad.
The dessert- blueberry cheesecake.
Athrun felt warmth from this family. He saw them… he observed.
The glass on front of him… was half empty.
Cagalli was with her mother in the kitchen, preparing the dessert.
" A quiet person…" her mother started describing their guest.
"…A bit mysterious, but I know…he has a good heart." She winked at her daughter.
"You are the first guy that she introduced to mom and dad…out of the tons," Kira finished what he had started to say earlier.
Athrun just smiled. "I think I'm happy to hear that."
"So, what do you do?" Mr. Yamato asked.
" I'm a scriptwriter, photographer/ editor… whatever the situation calls," Athrun answered.
" Very artistic indeed," Kira commented.
The dinner was over, and a little bit of chattering followed.
Then, the visit was through.
She was with him. They decided to take the bus, and walk for a while.
"What did they say to you?"
" Just a little bit of interview," Athrun replied.
The stars were countless as they feast the cloudless sky. A full moon.
They continued to walk without talking. Suddenly, Cagalli stopped. Athrun went a few steps in front of her before realizing what she did.
"You're glass… was half empty," she whispered. Her eyes were misty.
He looked back at her.
" Yours was half-filled…" he said with a painful smile.
For this world where everything seems to go unnoticed, and feelings vanish like the thin air, the question of whether a glass is empty or filled seems to make no sense.
But we all carry these glasses, like a dream, or a dark secret.
Either way, glasses which are half-filled should be completely filled, and half-emptied glasses be completely emptied…
Or both- be occupied 'till everything overflows.
