Between Him and Her

Saying Hello

Liya knew he had heard and looked at her. There were two ways how she approached people: on a need to basis, and the other was to let the other person come to you. She had never approached anyone to build a friendship. She could remember all the instances when she was shot down as uninteresting, forgotten, so insecurities raised its ugly head in her head. Moreover, she was not ready to be ignored by foreigners. She started humming "November Rain" by Guns N Roses.

Ryuuhei's eyes wandered back to the girl who was staring out nodding her head according to the beat of Guns N Roses. He knew the song so well after having played it for a spring concert festival in high school. He played the bass guitar. She has a nice voice, he thought to himself. As she was humming to herself, he could feel the cords moving in the air. When she stopped, he straightened right away. She was getting ready to leave. Will she say goodbye? She knows my name. Maybe? He watched her face waiting for her eyes to glance at him. But she didn't. He was disappointed. Disappointed? He hadn't shown any inclination to speak with any foreigners. Sure when he was younger and a university student, he had thought those western girls cute and gone out with a couple of them before he had decided to settle down with Yukiko. Nowadays he would see Japanese guys with foreign girls under the guise of dating only to practice their English. Actually, that had been his idea as well; however, they ended up practicing Japanese instead. But sometimes, he would encounter married interracial couples with their children on their annual vacation from wherever it was they came from. He knew they weren't from Japan as their children often spoke a foreign language.

Liya heard her stop being announced and tightened the straps of her backpack ready to get off the train. Should I say goodbye? Maybe not. I shouldn't. It's better this way. I might look like a stalker. Stalker, was she one? In high school, there was a boy who had called her one. She never lived that one down. It had only pulled her more into her shell. Sighing, she stepped out as soon as the doors opened without a glance. Her heart felt weird. It was unsettled. No sooner had she stepped forward ten paces towards the exit that she noticed the person walking next to her. She turned her head, and she had to look up to meet that person's face. Liya saw his lips move but didn't hear anything as her headphones were blaring Eminem now.

Ryuuhei didn't know how or why he was standing next to her. He wanted to say hello. That was what he did. "Konnichiwa."

Liya immediately removed her headphones. "wha.. sorry. Sumimasen?"

Ryuuhei paused. It had been a long time since he spoke English. He could make do with simple greetings and responses. "hello."

A deeply accented voice, how nice, she thought. "HI." She replied keeping her excitement down.

"Hello." He said emphatically now.

She smiled and said, "hi, how are you?" She felt like she was having a conversation with a young child.

"I... fine. And chu?"

"I'm good."

"What-o issu yu wur naimu?" He asked painstakingly.

"I'm Liya." She put out her hand for a handshake. He looked down. "And you?" she asked.

"I amu Matsumoto Ryuuhei." He said shaking her hand. She smiled again. "Naice chu meet-o-you."

"It's nice to meet you too." Liya couldn't help but keep on smiling like a loon. They let go off each other's hand. Liya fisted her right hand keeping that warm heat inside.

He gave her a slight bow to her indicating that he was turning around to go back to the platform. Wait? Did he get off the train to talk to me?!

"Wait!" She cried. He stopped immediately. She took her phone out. She had one of those Japanese phones with an infrared feature where you can exchange information easily. He saw her phone and looked at her.

"Can I have your number?" She asked.

"Yes," he said. With their numbers and mail id exchanged, she said goodbye and walked away. What is this feeling?

Ryuuhei waited for the next train. As she stood on the platform, he couldn't help but replay their conversation over and over. Her pronunciation was so easy to listen to, and he understood her even though she had only spoken a little. He was surprised when she had turned around to ask for his email id.

His train arrived, and he got on it.