The Streets Of Japan

He So Likes You

"You're up early," Ava greets as I drop my body down onto a stool at the counter. 

I rest my head in my hand as I bring the steaming coffee to my lips. "Yeah, I didn't really sleep much last night." 

The look she gives me is full of worry so I quickly backtrack. "It was just one of those sleepless nights I get every so often, nothing to worry about," I lie. I don't need Ava fretting over the bedroom or feeling like my lack of sleep is her fault when it's definitely not. 

Before she has a chance to reply Hitoshi stumbles out of their bedroom. "Good morning," he says with a yawn as he slides over to the coffee pot like he does every morning. 

"Morning," I answer, the exhaustion in my voice mimicking his. 

"Am I the only one who actually slept last night?" Ava says, glancing between the two of us.

"Yes," we say simultaneously. 

"You know," she starts, waving her spatula in the air, "sometimes I worry you two are becoming the same person." 

I can't help but laugh at her statement. Hitoshi and I are hardly anything alike. He's so sophisticated and responsible while I could hardly hand any of my college assignments in on time. Although, that could just be related to the fact I'm only nineteen. 

We all eat breakfast together before Hitoshi departs for work, the usual morning routine. I'm sitting on the couch scrolling through Twitter when Ava jumps, literally jumps, into the spot next to me. 

I glance over my phone, "Yes?" I question. 

"Okay so I know that you're my cousin and everything and I really do love you but I also have an all-day concert with my girls and we've had these tickets forever so I can't miss it. Ultimately what I'm telling you is that I'm gonna be out of the house all day and Hitoshi is working late at the office so you'll be home alone today," she says without taking a breath. 

I have to pause to comprehend everything she just quickly told me. "That's fine," I finally say. 

"Really? You don't mind?" she pushes. 

I nod. 

"Okay, well I'm going to get start getting ready. They're picking me up in two hours." She stands up from the couch and rushes into the bathroom to shower. 

Ava dragged me into her room to help her pick out an outfit to wear. After three different outfits, each one much different fro the other, she agreed to wear a pink flowing shirt, denim skirt, and her pink sneakers. She also threw on a pink and white flower crown and a silver necklace with a white feather on the end. Just as she finished putting on her makeup, someone knocked on the door. 

"Coming!" she yelled as she ran to the door. 

When I walked into the living room, three other girls appeared. 

"Oh, Carmen, these are my friends." 

The first girl she points to, Kumiko, has her mint green hair pulled up into two buns on the top of her head. She dons a cream embroidered tank top and light blue shorts. She gave me a smile and wave before Ava moved onto the next girl. 

The next girl, Shinjo, is tanner than the others and doesn't look Japanese like her name suggests. Her long brown hair is curled and she's wearing a forest green dress with black and white adidas sneakers. "Hey," she greets before Ava gestures to the last girl. 

"Oh hey," the familiar face says. 

"Mao?" I ask. 

Reo's sister nods. Her ripped black skinny jeans and yellow crop top hold a more edgy vibe from the other outfits.