She (TakashiMorinozukaxOC)

Chapter Four: In the Streets of Tokyo

Jenni rushed down the hall. Her house slippers padded on the bamboo floors, and she adjusted her shirt. The black fabric was tucked into a flower-printed skirt with fishnet tights underneath. When she got to the front door, she pulled on a pair of sneakers and laced them quickly. They were dirty and battered; she hoped that she'd find a new, nicer pair for school. 

She exited the house and put on her sunglasses.

"That's a cute skirt, Jenni-chan!" 

Jenni smiled at Mitsukuni, who stood with Takashi next to the car that was to take them into the city that day. A bit of highlight sparkled in the sunlight as she smiled. Her hair was loose save for the braid in the front. She adjusted the purse strap on her shoulder. 

"Thank you," she fluttered the material happily. It was flowy cotton, and yellow in color except for the white and green flowers printed on the fabric. In one glance, Takashi looked her up and down, until settling on her sunglasses. 

The trio got into the sleek, black car. Honey told the driver where to go. 

"We're going to the shopping district to get more cake, and I wanted to see a new arcade, and Takashi needs to pick up something." 

Jenni nodded, "Sounds like fun," she said. She looked out the window, herself sitting on the other side of Honey in the seat. She rested her head on her hand as the car moved smoothly along the Sakura trees and exited the from gate. 

"Do you need to do anything in the city, Jenni-chan?" 

She nodded, "I need to do some school shopping. I can't afford the school uniform, but I can at least look decent." 

Honey nodded, "Right!" 

The car was silent for a minute, but Honey couldn't let that happen. 

"Did you think about coming to karate this week?" 

Jenni shook her head, "I don't think it's for me." 

"But you're good at it!" 

"That's the problem," she all but bit it out. 

Mitsukuni's face fell a little sad, "Huh? What do you mean by that?" 

"I'm not interested in inflicting pain. What happened yesterday was an accident. I had some pent up anger," she looked back out the window, "It's gone now." 

It wasn't, though. Anyone could see it deep down inside the pools of mossy green. Her eyes were a bit bloodshot; she had been crying again. While she smiled and looked better than yesterday, the two young men in the car with her knew that she was far from fine. The anger stewed below; it hadn't been satiated by her small outburst during Judo. She needed another outlet. 

"I don't want to hurt people." 

Honey looked concerned, "Karate isn't about hurting people," he told her, "it's like Judo. It's about respecting your opponent and yourself." 

Jenni gave him a forlorn stare and took off her sunglasses, "I guess you're right," she shot her glance up to Takashi briefly, "I'll think about it, okay?" 

The car finally came to a stop in a pull-off lane. Jenni, Honey, and Takashi exited the car. She pulled her purse close to herself as a member of the crowd lining the sidewalk startled her. Turning, Jenni looked up to the buildings around her, her eyes filling quickly with astonishment. 

The city was huge. She had only gotten to see so little of it when she had landed. The driver had whisked her off into the limo and taken her directly to the estate. But now she paused, backing up a step with her hands clutching her bag's strap tightly. How small she felt couldn't compare the enormity of the buildings and lights and people around her. How insignificant she was in the spectrum of happenings on the streets of Tokyo that took her breath away. The smile that Takashi grew to know spread on her face, and he noticed that it was almost as vibrant as it had been before.