"'My beautiful Midori,'" she read, letting her voice trail off.
Her heart grew heavier and heavier as she read. When she finished, she read the tear-spotted, slightly crumpled letter over and over. She was almost unaware of the tears streaming down her own face.
"'With my love always, Souzou,'" she finished softly as her vision clouded too much to read anymore.
She had just missed him! She had been so close she could almost feel him in her arms. She could almost taste his kisses... Midori sank to her knees, holding the letter to her heart. Quick as a flash, she jumped up and started collecting her things. Within about a minute, everything was back in her bag, except for the letter. This she carefully folded and tucked into her kimono, so that it remained close to her heart.
Quickly, she found the seventeen-year-old again and tried to pay for the room.
"No, no! Absolutely not!" insisted the hyperactive young girl. "I know you're going to need your money to keep going after him!"
Midori didn't know what to say. The teen patted the older woman's arm sympathetically. Then she started making little "shooing" motions with her hand.
"Go on! Go on! This one's on me!" she said brightly, winking conspiratorially. "You can do it. Keep going!"
Midori was grateful to the younger girl, giving her a faint smile.
"Thank you very much," she said softly. "By the way, what's your name? I don't think you ever said."
"Matsuri Hirano," chirped the teenager. "And it's no problem. I think the whole thing is awfully romantic!"
Midori sighed and gave the girl another smile, a little brighter this time, and hurried from the Dakara.
