A Week in Tokyo: Chapter 08

A Week In Tokyo


Chapter Eight: Brief Goodbyes

After everyone had chatted for a while Amano thought it was best to get the group back to his housing complex. At some point during the visit he had called one of his roommates, Seji, and let him know that he was bringing four of his 'relatives' home later that evening. It was getting to be around that time now. The friends had spent so much time catching up that they barely noticed that it was starting to get dark outside.

When Amano noticed the time he told everyone he'd get the car ready. Yukari gave Amano a small peck on the cheek before he momentarily left the apartment to make room in the back of his automobile for more passengers. None of the men minded the arrangement. They were beginning to feel more confident about the plan after talking it over. They had even discussed famous landmarks that they could visit during their stay in Tokyo.

Van had been unusually distant while the others shot the breeze. He kept staring out a small window which rested on the wall facing the blue dining table, watching the sunset get replaced with the darkness and eventually the moon take its place in the night sky among the stars. Every once in a while he would join in the conversation when it regarded his opinion about the living arrangements but as soon as his attention was not needed his eyes would fall back into their place, staring out the window deep in thought.

He remained silent as Amano walked out the door of the apartment and Hitomi rose from the table to retrieve the duffel bag she had placed in the closest earlier. She swung it over her shoulder and walked back into the kitchen. When she arrived at the table where the four Gaean men were sitting she placed it in front of Dryden. She unzipped the bag and pulled out the remaining articles of clothing. The men listened intently as she held up the various outfits one by one and explained how to put them on. She paused when she caught sight of four pairs of shoes at the bottom of the bag. She couldn't believe that she hadn't seen them before.

She pulled the shoes out of the bottom of the duffel and threw each of the men a random pair. The men studied the footwear as they turned the shoes around in their hands. Hitomi explained how to tie the laces of the shoes and buckle the straps of the boots. After trying them on properly they discovered that the white tennis shoes fit Van, the brown dress boots fit Dryden, the black hiking boots hit Gaddes, and the grey running shoes fit Allen. They took off their old footwear and put their new shoes on which completed their outfits and made them look even more like super models than they had before. Hitomi and Yukari looked at each other and squealed.

Amano came running up the stairs a few moments later and told everyone that they were all set to go. Hitomi returned the loose clothing items to the duffel bag and zipped it up. She tossed it to Amano and told him to put it in the trunk. Amano nodded and placed the bag over his shoulder. Hitomi didn't want to leave the kitchen a mess so she took the pile of discarded shoes and placed them neatly on the top shelf of the walk-in closet down the hall. Before the men took off with Amano to their new location, Van asked Hitomi if they could speak in private.

Hitomi cautiously agreed and led Van into her bedroom. She shut the door behind them and turned on the light. Immediately the walls closed in on her. She was standing only inches away from her bed with the man she loved more than anything in the world standing right in front of her. She tried not to think about this as Van surprised her by taking her hands in his own.

He looked rather pitiful when he said, "Hitomi, I need to tell you something. I want to apologize again for what I said earlier today. I guess I was just a bit...uncomfortable with the idea of someone having feelings for you before I did. It was wrong of me to say what I did and...I just want to let you know that I'm sorry."

Hitomi let out a sigh of relief. She had gotten the impression that Van was angry at her by the way he had been acting most of the evening. She let go of Van's hands and gave him a warm embrace. Van felt time stand still as Hitomi tenderly held him close to her and rested her head against his chest.

She said gently, "Van, you really have nothing to worry about. You will always be the closest person to my heart."

Van felt himself go limp in Hitomi's arms. He placed his hands on her waist and drew her closer.  

"Oh Hitomi, you have made me the happiest man on both worlds by telling me that."

The two held each other for a while without saying a word. Being in each other's arms after all of those years was all of the comfort they needed. Eventually, Hitomi pulled away from Van and smiled up at him.

She looked deep into his eyes when she said, "You never have to worry about losing me to anyone. You've always been special to me, even before I realized the feelings that I had for you. I want you to believe me when I say that Amano is just my friend. Besides, you can't be too worried. I didn't tell this to the others but Yukari and Amano are secretly engaged. They haven't told many people. I am one of the only people that they trusted enough to know. They are keeping their engagement under wraps until Yukari graduates from university next year. Amano is graduating this semester along with Ren. He is waiting to get married to Yukari until after she gets her degree."

Van felt his heart beat uncontrollably against his chest. He was so happy that he could have jumped over Gaea's two moons.

He said in a joyful tone, "That is wonderful news! I am truly happy for them. I do feel a little foolish for the way I acted earlier, knowing what I do now. I am sorry for what I said. To make it up to you I promise that I will keep what you told me a secret. I won't even tell Yukari or Amano that I know unless one of them brings up the topic themselves."

Hitomi chuckled.

"Good, because I know that Yukari would give me a hard time if she knew that I told you one of her biggest secrets."

The two heard Yukari say something about Amano waiting for Van in the car with the rest of the guys. Hitomi saw the disappointed look on Van's face and she felt her body go numb. She couldn't bear to let him leave the apartment with the same gloomy expression that he had had all night. She decided now was as good of time as any to give Van a reason to smile.

She placed her hands around Van's neck and said, "Van, I have something to tell you."

Van stared down at her curiously.

"What is it Hitomi?"

Hitomi pretended like she was going to tell him a secret and leaned forward. Van brought his head forward a bit to listen. He was caught completely off guard when Hitomi suddenly pulled him toward her and gave him an affectionate kiss. Van felt like he had died and gone to heaven. When he had recovered from the shock he put his arms around Hitomi's waist and pulled her close against his lips.

They stood kissing each other for what seemed like an eternity. Hitomi ran her fingers through his hair. He felt chills go down his spine. He never wanted that moment to end. The two finally pulled away from each other after some time. Hitomi stared up at Van who had an expression like he had just sampled the finest vino in all of Gaea.

Hitomi stared into Van's eyes lovingly and said, "If you promise to cheer up a little there will be more kissing in your future; but ONLY if you promise me that you will."

The thought of finally having chance to be alone with Hitomi and not being able to show her how he felt was more than Van could bear.

His heart was still beating wildly against his chest when he said, "I promise. You have the word of Fanelia's King."

Hitomi felt a wave of happiness wash over her. She was filled with so much joy that she could have kissed Van again. Instead she pulled him towards her bedroom door. She opened it and gave him another smile.

"Don't be sad anymore, Van. If I see a worried expression like you had tonight I might just have to give you a thousand kisses more to snap you out of it."

Van blushed. He felt guilty that he liked the idea of a thousand more kisses. Locking lips with Hitomi was pure ecstasy. It was better than anything he had ever experienced in his life; and he lived lifestyle of a King. Van simply nodded as Hitomi pulled him out of her bedroom into the living room where Yukari was giving them an annoyed look.

She said in a motherly tone, "Come on guys, Amano has been waiting for a while now. There's plenty of time for whatever you were doing later."

Van and Hitomi exchanged shy glances. The realization of what they had just 'done' dawned on them. Both Van and Hitomi tried their best not to blush. Hitomi laughed nervously and shot a sheepish grin in her friend's direction.

"I'm sorry Yukari. We are going right now. I promise!"

Van gave Yukari the most apologetic look he could manage as the two walked by her. They continued walking through the living room and out the door of the apartment trying to hide the embarrassed looks on their faces as Yukari eyed them suspiciously on the way out.

Van recalled his small moment with Hitomi as they walked out of the apartment and an odd sort of grin washed over his face. The kiss still lingered on his lips. Its sweet touch made him feel lighter than he had ever felt in his entire life. He was so wrapped up in thinking about the experience that he barely noticed that they had walked down the stairs of her apartment. He snapped back to reality when Hitomi took his hand in her own and squeezed it gently. They held hands as they made their way to Amano's car in the parking lot below.

The two finally reached the black Buick Regal. Hitomi let go of Van's hand and gave him a sweet smile that turned any rational thought he had left in to pudding.

She said gently, "You and the others take care. I will see you soon."

Van was hoping for another goodbye kiss but he had no such luck. Hitomi opened the car door and gestured for him to sit next to Dryden and Gaddes in the back seat. Allen and Amano were chatting in the front. Gaddes scooted to the center and Van got into Amano's car reluctantly. Hitomi said a final goodbye to her friends as Gaddes shut the door on Van's side and explained how to use a seatbelt.

The entire car ride Van had a funny expression on his face. It was something between a look of extreme joy and total shock. He responded to each of the men's comments about the strange vehicle they were riding in by saying weird things like, 'It's lovely' and 'that's wonderful' along with a great deal of other  words that the men were almost convinced did not exist in Van's vocabulary before.

None of them knew what was making Van talk so strangely but they decided not to pry. Van was certain to just give them a bunch of nonsense words as an answer if they tried to ask him anyway.

Gaddes added dryly, "I just hope he snaps out of it before we get to Amano's place. It's going to be hard enough explaining why his relatives visited early without trying to speak up for Van."

The men nodded in agreement as they sped down the highway to Amano's housing unit, Van obviously too busy thinking about his first kiss with Hitomi to notice they had been talking about him in the first place.