Lesson 5: Jiro and Tom Decide to Go to the Movies
The rain doesn't let up, and Tom agrees when Jiro suggests they return home for the day. Instead of the going to the beach or anything else, they help Jiro's mother with chores and watch her cook dinner. Tom's grasp of the language is still not as strong as he'd like it to be, and Jiro helps him to improve. They sit on the sidewalk and take turns pointing to various objects and calling out their names, which earns them more and a few strange looks, but it's productive.
Later that night, after the dishes from dinner have been banished to the sink, Mr. Tanaka is reading the paper, and Mrs. Tanaka is laughing with Kimiko as she plays with her daughter's hair. Tom peeks back and forth between them, the television, and his largely neglected book, until Jiro plops down onto the floor beside him and says, "これから いそがしいですか?"
Tom blinks at his page before dog-earring the corner. "いいえ, べつに..."
"じゃあ, えいがに いきませんか?"
A movie? Tom casts another glance around the quiet family room.
Yes, please. He's bored out of his mind.
"いいですね!"
He winces. That came out…entirely too…much…
Thankfully, Jiro doesn't seem to notice. He only smiles.
He tells him that the theatre is only a few minutes' walk away, so, with a word to Jiro's father and trip to his bedroom for money, they begin the way on foot. The air outside is muggy from the rain and heat of Japanese summers, but the sidewalks are well-lit and the walk is…nice. Jiro is a bit of goof, and Tom laughs a few times.
The theatre has come into sight when Jiro stops and suddenly looks bashful. Tom gives him a curious look.
"ああ...なにを みましょうか?"
Tom only stares at him for a long enough moment that Jiro begins to fidget uncomfortably, before he busts out laughing.
"s-そうですねえ..." He eventually manages to say, still snickering. People from outside the theatre are glancing at them curiously.
Tom can see that Jiro's cheeks are flaming even in this light, and he almost starts laughing again when the other teenager tugs weakly at his bangs. That should not be…adorable.
Twitching restlessly, Jiro makes an aborted gesture towards the row of posters along the theatre. "ちゃんばらが いいですか, せいぶげきが いいですか?"
"ちゃんばらが しましょう." Tom forces himself to consider the posters.
Jiro smiles gratefully and leads the way across the street. Tom waits for him by the entrance to buy tickets, and nudges his shoulder companionably as they pass through the doors. Jiro's blush is still lingering in his cheeks, and part of his hair is sticking up, but he conveys a silent agreement. Truce.
Translations
(1) Are you busy from now? (Waiting on my friend to recommend a better translation, grr.)
(2) No, not really.
(3) Well then, won't you go to a movie with me?
(4) That sounds good.
(5) Aah, what should we see? (I added the 'aah')
(6) Let's see…
(7) Would you like to see a sword-fighting samurai movie or a western?
(8) Let's decide on a samurai movie.
A/N: I have *no* clue how to stutter in written Japanese. So, s-そうです.