Book #1: The Wind and The Rain: Kutzu and Namie

Chapter Seven- Unagi with Annie

Namie was so shocked that her obi had been untied and she didn't bother to tie it back. Annie had been her best friend forever and to see her here made her gasp.

 Annie smiled and then said, "Why are you so shocked? I sent you a letter."

 Namie made a weak smile and then she went back to her state of shock.

 "Let's go have Unagi at Takutu." Annie said as she pulled up Namie to her feet and started to gather up the things on the ground. 

Namie quickly tied her obi and started to pick up her items. After that, she followed Annie outside of the big building and into the wet streets of Kyoto. The rain was pouring so hard today that Namie almost slipped because of the force. Annie went into a sketchy looking bamboo building with a sign that read: Takutu: Unagi and Rice. Namie went into the building too and sat down with Annie. Namie looked around and saw five booths crowded together and a cash register. At the cash register was a really fine older woman with a salmon kimono.

 "What are you doing in Kyoto?" Namie asked.

 Annie blinked six times and said, "Me? What were you doing there?"

 Namie smiled and then said, "Ugg, I'm hungry!"

 Annie looked up and nodded at the woman. The woman then nodded back and started to pull boxes of rice and eel from the cabinets. 

"So, how is your mom?" Annie asked as she played with her chopsticks.

 Namie looked at the floor and said, "She is...okay.." 

Annie slammed her hands on the table and screamed, "You. Did. Not!"

 Namie nodded shyly. Annie shook her head and smiled at the woman, who was staring at her. A few minutes later, the woman came to the table with two plates of unagi.

 Annie handed her six yen and said ,"Arigato." 

Namie took a bite of her unagi and smiled.

 Annie frowned back at her and said, "Your mom needs you, you shouldn't have done that. The only reason why I ran away was because my mom hated me. Namie, you are mean." 

Namie looked down and said, "I'm poor! What else should I have done, and also, Kutzu is way more nice to me than my mother ever was."

 Annie looked at Namie in shock.

 "Did you say Kutzu? Kutzu? Like THE Kutzu?"

 Namie nodded as if it was no big deal.  Annie shook her head again and dug her face into her unagi. After a while, the girls left the restaurant and parted ways in the rainy street.  Namie walked to Kutzu's apartment and knocked on the door. This is going to be a long year she thought.