My Dear Parasyte
Chapter 8
Clothing is essential
Sonia gets home and changes into a comfy pair of denim shorts with a tee shirt. There was no telling how long Reiko would want to shop so she wanted to be prepared. Her doorbell rings at six precisely. Sonia nervously wipes her sweaty palms on her shorts before opening the door. Reiko Tamura is standing in the doorway still wearing her work clothes.
"Hi." Says Sonia awkwardly.
"Hello. Are you prepared for the trip we agreed upon?" asks Reiko
She gives Sonia her usual emotionless stare.
"Yes. I thought I should change. I didn't know how long we would be." Says Sonia
She looks down at her own attire then back up to Reiko's.
"Was that silly? She asks.
Reiko doesn't respond. She stares at Sonia in silence.
"Soooo….okay I guess we should go." Says Sonia
Sonia locks her door then follows Reiko. They catch the train together. Once they have begun their trip Sonia decides to make small talk.
"So where are we going?" asks Sonia.
"To the clothing store." Says Reiko
This was Sonia's chance to get information.
"Do you have any pets?" asks Sonia
"No I do not." Responds Reiko.
Unlike normally she doesn't look at Sonia. She instead stares out of the train window at the passing scenery.
"Are you enjoying the scenery?" asks Sonia.
"I do not find it bothersome." She says
"Are you excited about shopping?" asks Sonia
"Excitement? No." says Reiko.
Sonia is all out of ideas on what questions to ask to get Reiko to open up. She always appeared so stiff even now.
"Well I don't get to go shopping all that much so I guess I'm a little excited." Says Sonia.
Reiko doesn't respond or look in Sonia's direction.
"Have I said something offensive to you at all?" asks Sonia.
"No." says Reiko as she turns to stare at Sonia's face.
"It's just that you never really seem to want to talk to me about anything." Says Sonia turning away from Reiko's stare.
"So you believe that I dislike you in some way." States Reiko.
"It does come off that way." Says Sonia
"If I harbored distaste for you I would not have asked you to accompany me." Says Reiko
"Okay."
Sonia is put more at ease by Reiko's response.
"The way you look at me it reminds me of someone." Says Sonia.
"Whom?" asks Reiko.
"Two guys really. The mayor and this other guy."
"You know Takeshi Hirokawa?" asks Reiko
Her voice betrays her surprise and Sonia likes that Reiko finally seems interested in something.
"Well I don't know him that personally but I will. He invited me to his banquet." Sonia says as she giggles.
"This I find surprising." Says Reiko
"Why? Is he your boyfriend?" asks Sonia smiling.
"Simply put he is an associate of mine." Says Reiko.
"Do you want him to be more than that?" asks Sonia.
"No." Says Reiko.
Sonia nods and smiles.
"Does he have any close female friends?" asks Sonia
"None that I have been acquainted with. I do not follow Takeshi Hirokawa's personal interests but he is not one to operate without purpose." She says.
Sonia turns back toward Reiko's stare.
"What else do you know about him?" asks Sonia
"You possess a noticeable interest in him." says Reiko
Sonia blushes as she looks away. Just as she does Reiko turns away to watch the scenery.
"We must get off now." She says
"Oh this is our stop?" asks Sonia happy to change the subject.
From now on she was going to focus more on Reiko. After all she had invited her to assist in picking the perfect clothing for whatever this occasion was going to be. After getting off the train Sonia opens her mouth to ask Reiko a question but stops without saying a word. The upscale boutiques in this part of town was astonishing. Sonia had never been to the wealthy part of town. She didn't see a reason to go since she didn't have the funds to purchase anything.
"This is where you shop?" asks Sonia
"I also do not shop often as a result I have a sizeable savings." Says Reiko
She begins walking without looking back. Sonia has to briefly jog to catch up.
"This is amazing! What are we- I mean you buying?" shouts Sonia
"We will soon get to that." Says Reiko
A couple dressed in expensive clothing nearby give Sonia a judgmental glance. She was out of her element but unlike her Reiko never breaks her confident stride.
"Have you been here before?" asks Sonia a bit more quietly this time.
"Yes. On occasion. I do enjoy the tailoring of a few articles of clothing here." Says Reiko.
"I can't believe it." Says Sonia.
"You cannot believe what?" asks Reiko.
"No it's just a figure of speech. I mean I am so excited right now." Says Sonia
Reiko stays silent.
"Where are you from?" asks Sonia.
Reiko stops in her tracks at the question.
"Why would that be important to you?" asks Reiko.
Reiko turns to Sonia and displays an expression that Sonia never thought her capable of making. Reiko's face is strained and she seems ready to explode.
"I'm sorry Reiko. It's not important. We don't ever have to talk about it. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean anything by it."
Sonia is shaken for a moment chilled to the core but Reiko doesn't notice or pretends not to notice seeing as she returns to her usual blank stare. As they continue on Sonia thinks she must have hit a nerve. Maybe Reiko's childhood was damaging. She was stupid to ask her about it so plainly. Wanting to ease the tension Sonia points to a shop filled with mannequin's wearing the latest expensive designer fashions.
"Wanna go in there?"
"If you are suggesting then yes." Says Reiko.
Sonia follows Reiko into the store still a little nervous from her previous reaction, although Reiko comfortably returned to normal just like it never happened. There was something different about Reiko though her mannerisms they were quite strange. Sonia couldn't brush it off any longer. Either she was a total psycho which would explain things about her partially or there was something else something more that contributed to explain her completely.
