Kabedon: Part 2 of A Tanabata Story

Chapter 9

Junko shook her head. She wasn't surprised that Miko couldn't do it. She chuckled ruefully as Miko looked away, hiding her face from Jack like a shy three-year-old. The speechless boy gaped at Miko, his face frozen in a goofy look of disbelief. Judging by his glazed eyes, his brain had completely shut down.

One, two, three... Junko counted the seconds until he glanced down at the flier in his hand and gave a startled look. "Of course," he finally said in Japanese.

Junko laughed out loud as they continued returning each other's bow, stretching out the awkward silence with their repeated bobbing. They showed little sign of stopping.

These two don't have the courage to date," she thought. But if they ever did, they would definitely be one of those insufferable stupid-in-love couples, the so-called "real lifers" that every (involuntarily-single) classmate hated.

He eventually left. Miko remained on the school steps staring into space as the last of the students flowed around her. The first bell rang. Junko took her by the shoulders and guided her to their homeroom. Miko remained largely unresponsive for the rest of the day. Junko had to switch Miko's math textbook for her literature book when the classes changed.

"Miyamoto-san, please read the next section," the lit teacher called out for a second time, having already given her one pass. "Miyamoto-san?"

After a moment Junko said, "I think she's asleep with her eyes open."

A low nervous chuckle rippled through the class.

"Er, Yes." The teacher adjusted his glasses and looked down at his book. "I suppose all these election matters have been keeping her pretty busy." He called on the student behind Miko and class continued. Junko watched her with growingworry and wondered what was going on in Miko's head. She nearly missed hearing theteacher call her own name to read.

七夕

Later that night, Miko called Junko, in tears. Junko sat at the desk in her room, already dressed in her pajamas, trying to finish her homework.

"I couldn't do it. I tried, but I just couldn't do it."

"Do what?"

"Tell him!"

"I'm not surprised," Junko muttered, only half listening

"Jun-chan, what do I do?"

"About what?"

"About him!"

Junko was not feeling very sympathetic. The more she thought about the last few months, the more irritated she became. She preferred the old, quiet and serious Miko and wished she would go back to that as soon as possible. It was Miko's job to patiently listen to her complaints and assure Junko that all would be well—not the other way around! "What do you want to do?"

"I don't know!"

Junko sighed. "Do you want me to tell him how you feel?"

"No! I would die if you did that."

"Why?"

"What if he didn't feel that way about me? I'd be too embarrassed to show my face at school."

"I already told you, you don't have to worry about that."

"But..."

"Would you like me to ask him how he feels about you?"

"Yes! No! Would you do that for me? But what if he says he doesn't think of me like that?"

"Miko—"

"If he says that, don't tell me. I don't want to know."

"Miko—"

"But if you don't tell me yes, then I'll know he said no—"

"Miko, stop! Just stop already." Junko took a deep breath to keep from screaming.

"Jun-chan?"

"I'll take care of everything, so stop worrying."

"You will?"

"Yes. Just go to bed and don't think about it. Think only of what you'll do after he says yes."

"Oh, Jun-chan. Thank you!"

"Good night, Miko-chan." Junko hung up and sighed again. Who was that girl and what happened to the Miko I knew? 

Miko was the last person she'd have expected to lose her mind over a boy. All through junior high, she had sympathized—if not actually joined in—with Juno's scoffing at the shallow, vapid, boy-obsessed things they shared a classroom with.

Junko returned to her homework grateful for the silence. "Shimatta!" She dropped her pen and slammed her head onto the desk. Did I just promise to talk to the gaijin? Junko removed her glasses and rubbed at her sore forehead. What have I gotten myself into?