Running On Empty

Chapter 22~ JAPAN, RICE, LETTERS AND TIME DRAGGING ON BY~

Hello! It has been a long time since the last update, hasn't it? I have to say that I was struggling on writing this chapter, but I wanted to at least give an insight of each characters in third person. I'm not good with writing in third person, and I usually don't like writing stories like that, bit I think that this chapter came out really well! It has been the longest chapter for this novel so far, so enjoy! I also want to thank my readers that have commented and sent me messages as well! I love hearing from fans! I hope that this chapter was worth the wait for you all!  

The song I picked out was a pretty popular one, but it was a perfect fit to the chapter, so enjoy it! I was really moved by the cover when I listened to this song for the first time! It is 2:30 AM right now, but I was too excited to wait until tomorrow! If there are any grammar errors, please feel free to tell me, otherwise sit back and relax!

Thanks for reading! See you all next time! 

~S&L

The air is nice and peaceful. Mountains run along the edge of the horizon from the east to the west. Jaylin Hennery wakes up to the sound of his alarm clock, slamming the button to shut it off. It doesn't turn off, so he decides to throw it on the floor before rubbing his eyes.

Another cold day in Kyoto. Jaylin watched as the snow falls slowly to the ground from his window. After being here for two years, he had gotten used to the weather of this strange country. It was fascinating to him to be able to feel the cold when the temperature dropped down. He had never been outside in America when it was snowing. His house was very spacious compared to the tiny houses next to his. Inside his house there were floors that were straw mats called Tatami. There was a small table in the center where he, Madeline and Garrett ate their meals together every day.

On the wall hung a scroll with flowers that were in a vase below it. Jaylin had tied for a long time to understand what the writing said, but had a difficult time understanding the language in Japan. He had picked up a few phrases in Japanese like the greeting when people walk into their homes. It was a custom to say "Tadami" ("I'm home"/ "I'm here."). Madeline or Garrett would always reply "Okaerinasai" ("Welcome home."). Jaylin was still very confused with to greeting that had always seen others say so easily. It only reminded him of the time when he first met Silya.

How was he supposed to get through another two years without hearing from Silya? He had already longed to kiss her again as soon as he stepped into the house. He hated the thin screen door that slid open and close and hated the fact that he had to eat with people that were just his servants. He had made some effort to talk to some of his classmates at school. They had all given him an awkward stare as their eyes laid on his blond hair and grey eyes. It couldn't have been more obvious that he was a foreigner.

Madeline made him study Japanese textbooks filled with greetings, Japanese language and the history of Japan every day after he got home from school. He was a fast learner, soaking up every bit of information like a sponge. The sensi (teacher) of his homeroom class had often complimented Jaylin on his skills. Even though he knew how to say things in Japanese, he did not understand their customs. It was so different from America in his eyes. Then again, he didn't know that much about it to begin with before Silya came around.

Jaylin made his way down the tiny hallway, not used to how narrow it felt. It was a pretty home that was sort of like a nature getaway. Jaylin loved hearing the tiny pond in front of his house. There was a small water fountain called Tsukubai that had a short bamboo stick that stuck out of from the center. Water flowed out of it slowly and when it would fill up, it would make a clank sound. There were many times where Jaylin would allow himself to relax out in the open air. He had gotten used to the sound of birds chirping and his neighbors greeting him with tiny bows. Many times, the backyard was the place where he would sip tea while sitting in a W position with his feet. Garrett had warned him many times not to W-sit, but he never took his word for it. It was comfortable, even though it would hurt his muscles and bones in the future. He didn't like sitting on his legs during meals. There were no chairs in his house, which made it more difficult for him to adjust to a comfortable position. His backyard was huge compared to his neighbors that lived in small buildings that were higher in height. He loved taking his shoes and feeling the grass with his bare feet.