Tide Between Two Worlds

Ooh, You Almost Had It...

       Inside one of the bedrooms of the Minamino home, Shuichi was on a FaceTime call with Kiyoni. A long, exhaustive talk with his parents concerning his aquatic situation drove a slight rift within the family. Shuichi leaving his parents for a life underwater? No. Well, at least to Shiori it's a no.

To lighten the mood, Shuichi played a game of show-and-tell, displaying his two aquariums. Kiyoni adored the beautiful blue hue of the emperor angelfish so Shuichi decided to park himself in front of them. Surprisingly, all of the angelfish surrounded his head like a sapphire-jeweled halo.

       "You did say they're angel fish," Kiyoni jestered.

       "...That I did," Shuichi confirmed, going face-to-face with his fishy roommates.

       "So what happened with your parents?"

       "Well, my father says it's a lot to think about and my mother...she's giving me the silent treatment at the moment."

       "Uh oh. That's not good."

       "It never is and I think I understand why this time. The whole 'baby-bird-leaving-the-nest' thing. Guppy in my case."

       "I think it's more than that. I assume your parents went through a lot just to start a family before they adopted you. Now that they have you, they want to experience everything that comes with it. I think the last thing they want to witness is you leaving...as a fish. Leaving for college, sure. For the ocean...that's a pretty big no."

       "I have no choice. What else could I do? If anything, after regionals... I just want to be better prepared. What about you? Have you mentioned anything to your parents?"

       Kiyoni raised an eyebrow, "No. Why should I?"

       "What? I thought you would."

       "And tell them what, Minamino? Oh, yeah. Mom, dad, there's a boy in my class who happens to be an adopted fish and wants to take me away to the ocean so that he could become a prince. May I go?"

       "Well...when you say it like that..."

From her end, Kiyoni's room was as typical as a Japanese teenager's room could get. There were a few anime posters and photocards plastered on her walls. One was of Gojo from Jujutsu Kaisen, an artistic one of Daki from Demon Slayer, and one of Ermes Costello of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. They shared spaces with the likes of Jimin of BTS and Felix of Stray Kids. Kiyoni's honorable distinction went to a poster of BTS member, Jungkook, hung on the ceiling above her bed. She finds it fitting for a hottie like him to be the first person she sees in the morning and the last one at night.

Kiyoni is also a fan of the Sanrio brand. On her study desk was a Hello Kitty printed study lamp sitting next to a My Melody glass diffuser scented in lavender and white musk. On the other side sat her book collection featuring study materials in English and math as well as materials in psychology, crystallography from a metaphysical or spiritual standpoint, and her dream dictionary all held together by a pair of Hello Kitty bookends. In the center of her desk sat an activated tablet that played mood-setting music from Jpop group, Psychic Fever with a black, Bluetooth-activated keyboard adorned in character-coded mini charms featuring the characters Kuromi and Badtz-Maru and a wireless mouse resting on a My Melody mousepad. If anything, Kiyoni's parents were going to make sure their daughter knew how to type and use a laptop or something similar instead of doing any and everything on a phone. That desk is also where she indulges in her hobby. The largest desk drawer held space for her decorative charms and beads stored in individual containers, stored wires, plastic cords, yarn, and chains to construct jewelry with super glue, and pliers. The middle drawer held all her makeup including a brush set, a few eyeshadow palettes, blush, bronzer, highlighter powder, a couple of foundational products both domestic and international, lip color, and vanity mirror. The top drawer was for her stationary items to study with such as pencils, highlighters, rulers, a couple of notebooks, and looseleaf paper. Her bed was neatly made, had a lavender purple bed set complete with a very plush comforter, bedsheets, pillowcase, and was accessorized by an oversized Kuromi throw pillow. Her father gave her that pillow because the character sounded too close to his own daughter's name.