Between Him and Her

Lost and Found

The easy camaraderie developed between Ryuuhei and Liya didn't go unnoticed by people. There were many instances when Marlene hinted to Ken that there was more going on between those two more than friendship. Or when Ken told Yasuyuki told over an enkai that Matsumoto-san was acting weird by "playing with" a foreign girl. Through the grape wine, all of Matsumoto's friends came to know that he was hanging out with Liya.

The unexpected phone call from Yasu told Ryuuhei this.

"Hey Ryuuhei," Yasu's voice came through the speaker. "Long time no see."

"It has been a long time," Ryuuhei answered. "How are Kumiko and the kids?"

"They are good," Yasu said slowly, "Atsushi is graduating from the elementary school soon."

"So soon." Ryuuhei was taken back. If his son had survived, he would have been a high schooler now.

"I heard some interesting things about you," Yasu said suddenly.

"Like..." Ryuuhei stopped what he was doing to give his friend his complete attention.

"Like you are playing with a foreign girl."

Ryuuhei laughed at that. "Playing with a foreign girl." He repeated.

"It's not true."

"It is not true. I am not play8ing with a foreign girl. I have recently friended a person, and it happens that this person is a girl."

"Oh... Where is she from?"

"New York"

"America-jin"

"Yes"

"You scored a blonde girl with blue eyes?"

Ryuuhei laughed at his friend's absurdity. Shaking his head, he told Yasu, "No she doesn't look like that. She is a kind girl. Very strong to come and live in Japan. She doesn't speak Japanese very much. But what she learns quickly. I am just helping out with her Japanese, and we both love music."

"Can we meet her?" Yasu said excitedly.

Ryuuhei was silent for some time. "I don't want to intimidate her."

"Are you saying your friends are scary?"

"Well, we have only started hanging out recently."

"Don't worry. Kumiko and I want to go to the coastal town for some fresh crab. It is a good chance for her to learn more Japanese. Come with us. I will drive, and it has been a long time since we hung out like this."

"It doesn't sound like a one-day trip," Ryuuhei asked him.

"It's not. I have a friend who operated a ryokan there, and it has onsen."

Ryuuhei was silent again for some time. "Let me see. I will speak with her and see if she is okay with it."

"So where does she stay?"

"In the apartment building behind my house," Ryuuhei said smiling.

"Aaahhh," Yasu said suggestively.

"I am hanging up now. I will let you know what she says."

It wasn't two days later Ryuuhei broached the subject about the trip to the coastal town.

Liya was happily sipping her melon soda at Saizeriya. They had ordered escargot. After the initial eek reaction that Liya had exhibited, she took to it heartily after the first taste.

"Do you like crab?" Ryuuhei asked.

Liya looked up from her sipping. Ryuuhei knew her legs were kicking slightly in the booth. The fact that she couldn't touch the floor with her feet when she sits in completely was a much-discussed topic. She only reached until Ryuuhei's shoulders. People sometimes noticed his tall and, lean frame and her short, curvy figure. He had even heard them say they made a cute couple. Sometimes he wanted to run away from all of that. Liya didn't notice any of this. She had changed from a cautious girl to carefree and cute girl. She was turning into a Japanese kawaii girl.

"What do you mean? Crab the animal or Crab the food?"

She waggled her eyebrows at him. Those eyebrows were a curiosity for him as well. When she wiggled her eyebrows at him, he had the urge to put his hand on her forehead to stop it.

"Crab the food." He answered. "My friend and his wife want to go have some fresh crab since it's in season."

"Ok." She looked down.

"What is it?" He asked attuned to her different facial expressions.

Ryuuhei waited while she picked her words to answer him in Japanese. He liked that about her. She never rushed for anything but always took her time.

"I want to eat crab. But it is scary."

Confused, Ryuuhei asked, "Are you allergic?"

"No, not me. My sister is. I am afraid of their legs."

Ryuuhei tilted his head to look at her trying to understand what she meant.

Liya said in English then slowly, "Crabs have many legs. In Japan, you cook crab with the legs together. When the restaurant put in front of me a whole crab, I cannot touch it."

Ryuuhei looked at her confoundedly. "Are you serious?"

Liya nodded her head ashamedly.

"Then how do you eat crab?" He asked.

Liya smiled brightly. "Well, my mom cuts them in pieces and cooks them and add spices."

Her eyes had a dreamy quality to them that Ryuuhei smiled.

"It must taste very delicious."

"Yes, it is very delicious."

Ryuuhei knew he was learning a lot about her culture as much as Liya was learning from him about his.

"So," Liya said, "do you want me to come with you?"

Ryuuhei smiled at her unusual way of questioning.

"Yes, I want you to if you can. If it is trouble, then don't bother."

"Ok. Where is this place?"

"It's K>>>> town."

"Is that far?"

"Yes, my friend has volunteered to drive the whole way. It will be a one-night overstay trip."

"Aah," Liya looked down again.

"What is it?" Ryuuhei asked again.

"I have never gone on a trip like that with anyone other than my family," Liya said.

"Don't worry. I will be there." Ryuuhei said encouraging her.

"Ok. I trust you, Ryuuhei." Liya smiled.

Her smiles were like that. Ryuuhei mused. It was never gone. If lost then she found it easily. The way her smile twinkled all the way to her eyes showed her sincerity and kindness.