Rice and a Riot

“I’m not going to fight you!” I yelled, sprinting down the corridor of Misako’s home.

“Fight me! FIGHT ME!” Yuki yelled, manically.

She chased me with a kendo-stick in hand, knocking anything aside as she hunted me down. I used the last of my strength to forcefully shut my door to my room. I held the sliding door with my might, not allowing Yuki to come inside and beat me to a pulp.

“Admit it! You’re a demon!” Yuki yelled.

“I should be saying that to you!” I yelled back.

“You’re going to hurt her! You’re going to do something to my precious big-sister!”

“I will not! We are only going to watch a movie!”

“I don’t believe you!”

I could feel Yuki’s orc strength kick in; I was losing the battle of the sliding door.

Misako and I had decided on watching a movie that evening, the theatre was not far away from her home, so we would not have to take a taxi and experience a similar situation again. Misako wanted to watch some romance movie that had recently come out, I wasn’t interested in the slightest, but I wouldn’t mind whatever movie I watched with her.

“Weakling!” Yuki yelled.

Her strength had finally overcome me, and she swung the sliding door to my room completely open. I backed off into a corner of the room, afraid for my life. She approached me like an endgame boss, walking with fire in her eyes. I was in my fight or flight mode:

“Wait! What if I got you something? Do you like sweets?” I pleaded to Yuki.

She instantly dropped her kendo-stick on the ground. Her mouth was open, watering. Stars shone in her pupils.

“W-What did you say? Sweets?” Her mouth slobbered.

“I’ll buy you sweets! Any sweets that you want!” I begged.

She took a final step, she was a nose-hair away from my face. She sniffed me, I assume to scent out any falsities in my offer. She sniffed me like a hound.

“I don’t smell deceit.” She said to me.

“Good, I’m not lying!” I replied.

She took some steps back, creating space between us:

“I want Dango, Green Tea, Ice cream and Daifuku Mochi balls.” She commanded.

‘My money won’t last with her around…’ I considered.

“Sure, I’ll get you all of that…please just let your demon know I’m not a danger.” I begged.

She turned herself around, walking out the door to my room. Without another word, she left. I had made a deal with the devil and lived to tell the tale. My cell-phone rang in my pocket, I took it out as I caught my breath.

“David, where are you? I’m waiting for you at the front door.” Misako said on the phone.

“I-I’m on my way.” I replied.

“What happened to you? You just ran away from me.”

“I was chased by a demon.”

“Demons aren’t real, David.”

Later, Misako and I were in time at the theatre, we purchased some snacks to keep ourselves busy during the movie. We were able to book a wheelchair assisted aisle, but I carried her onto the comfortable chairs as the movie began. We only realized our mistake as I sat down; we had booked a lover’s chair – two seats combined in one, it was made for couples who enjoyed cuddling as there was no arm-rest separating our chairs. The movie was terrifying, not the film, but our situation. I was afraid my hand would slip, and touch hers. So I kept my distance.

“Hey…” Misako whispered as the film continued on.

“What’s up?” I asked her.

“Have you ever had…like shaking episodes since?”

“I haven’t. Not even a headache.”

“Oh…” she trailed off.

Perhaps I had said the wrong response to her. She seemed like a plan of hers had failed.

‘What was her plan? Why did she ask me about my hand shaking?’ I asked myself.

…

‘Oh…’

The movie was nearly over, the climactic scene had arrived. The girl on the screen was crying, and the guy caressed her face.

‘Dammit, let’s just…’

“Actually, look.” I whispered to Misako.

I showed her my left hand, it was shaking. I was obviously faking it. But she'd understood my games. Without a second notice, Misako and I held hands. I felt welcomed, holding her hand was like touching a toy-bear one thought to have lost. A nostalgic touch. I could feel her warmth from her palm, it was oh-so soothing. A fireplace of happiness and comfort were in our hands. We'd wrestled fingers as the movie continued, i wanted my fingers to remember every inch of her hand, to never forget a single detail in them. Her fingers were small, yes, but they fit perfectly in my own. I took a chance, caressing my thumb on her hand. I could feel her shiver as I did so. I looked in her direction to see if she disliked my actions. The theater was dimly-lit, i could not tell the expression of her face all-too-well. I stopped carressing her fingers, thinking I'd gone too far. Then, she returned the gesture, she tapped her fingers against my palm. I knew what the signs were, and I went back to caressing her hand. We held hands for the rest of the movie. Not once, did we let go of one another, we did not care about our snacks and drinks beside us. We just wanted to hold one another. I could feel her hand start to sweat, and she attempted to let go of me.

“M-My hands…sweating.” She spoke.

“I don’t care.” I replied.

I gripped her hand tightly, our fingers intertwined so tight like we were in a shackle. I then heard two coughs from strangers in our row on the far side of us; I assumed it to be someone who was sick. I did not want Misako to catch any illnesses, I wanted to do more things with her the entire summer-break. When the movie finally had ended, we ventured out, looking for somewhere to enjoy dinner together. 

"What about there?" I asked her as we strolled along the night-lights.

There was a small, family-owned izakaya next to the theater. The smells of the food emanating from inside was heavenly. The beer too, made my mouth swelter, of course.

“I know the owners.” Misako said, staring at the restaurant.

“You do? How?” I asked. But I remembered that this was her hometown.

“My mother. This is her go-to-spot when she wants her customers to splurge the most amount of money possible.”

“Smart woman. Want to go inside?”

Misako nodded. I pushed her inside the building. The restaurant was spacious inside, at least thirty people were partying away but there were still seats to spare. The lights were dimly lit to accompany the bustling atmosphere of the customers. Then, an older man and woman stood in awe as they saw us enter the store. 

"I-Is that...?" The older woman began.

"Yes, it's me. Nice to see you again." Misako greeted.

Without another word they jumped on top of her, coddling her dearly. The older woman smooched her cheeks and hugged her immensely.

“Baby Misako! We haven’t seen you in years!” They exclaimed.

“Hello, Mister and Missus Tanaka. How are you?” Misako asked.

“We are fine! What about you? We heard you’re off studying in Tokyo!”

“I am. I’m just back for summer-vacation.”

Missus Tanaka took a long look at me, then she jumped.

"Who might you be?” She asked me, "Baby Misako's boyfriend?"

“I-I’m David Taylor. I’m visiting Osaka with Misako.” I greeted them.

“And on a first-name basis? Oh my, Oh my!” Mister Tanaka yelled.

“Please you two, go find a table in our private room, we will be serving you on the house.” Missus Tanaka offered us.

“We can’t do that to you, Mister.” I replied.

“We cannot accept money from you, Miss Ishihara brings so many well-paying customers to us already!”

Mister and Missus Tanaka showed us to a private table that was surrounded by four-walls, seating us promptly.

“We will bring some beers and some meat; we won’t be long.” They said, leaving us alone.

The couches were extremely comfortable, I could see Misako want to sit on the couch as well, so I offered:

“Want to?” I asked.

“Uh-huh” She nodded.

I lifted her off her wheelchair, seating her next to me on the ultra-comfortable couch. I could see her fidget with her hands as we awaited the food.

“What’s up?” I asked her.

“Y-you didn’t say no.” She replied.

“You speak in riddles, what didn’t I say no to?”

“To us dating. They said you were my boyfriend.”

I froze. I did not know what to say. Thankfully, Missus Tanaka returned, with beers in one hand, and an assortment of food in the other for us to grill.

“Here you go, kids!” She said gleefully.

“L-Let’s eat.” I said to Misako.

“Yeah…”

The grilled meats were fabulous, the flavours melted in my mouth. Along with an ice-cold beer, my tastebuds were in heaven. I grilled more meats for the both of us, and we feasted like royalty. After we devoured our food and drink, I could feel myself loosen up. I was in a state of happiness. I could not say the same for Misako.

“David, can I ask you something?” She asked me.

“Of course, Misako.”

She took a last sip of her drink.

“The reason why I came back home, it’s for my dad.” She said.

“Oh, I see.”

“He’s in prison. He received a twenty-year sentence.”

“That must be hard on you.”

She shook her head denying my statement.

“No, I wish he got a life sentence plus more. It’s his fault. His fault my best-friend, Hitomi, is dead.”

“I don’t know what to say.” I admitted.

“I must be horrible for thinking that, aren’t I?”

I shook my head.

“No, I mean, I don’t know what to say, because I felt the same way. You aren’t a horrible person for thinking that.” I stated to her.

Her eyes widened.

“I’m so…confused. I’m here because he wrote me a letter, he asked me to come to his hearing in a few days. The hearing with the judge is to determine if he’ll be let out on good behaviour. He’s going to be free…and I don’t think I like it. I’m confused, I don’t know what to think!”

Misako sobbed.

‘This was what was eating her up on the inside. She’s been hurt so many times. She’s lost not only her father, but her best-friend. She’s confused, and she’s still in grief.’

I held my tongue; I did not know if I should have spoken to her or let her sob. My heart ached.

‘HOLD HER!’ A mysterious voice echoed within me.

I moved myself into her, wrapping my arms around Misako. Her head rested in my shoulder. She was taken aback from my actions.

“David, what are you-“

I hushed her.

“I don’t know what to say, I don’t know how to comfort you. I don’t know what to do to, to help you ease the burden you have. This is the only thing I can think of. If I hold you hard enough, hopefully some of your pain goes to me.”

“I can’t let you do that.”

“I want to. I want to share in your pain, your grief, your happiness, your sadness, your anger. I want it all.”

Misako held me tight with her hands, she gripped my shirt like her life depended on it.

“I-I’ve been waiting for you, I also wanted to text you, E-mail you, spend more time with you.” She sobbed.

“I’m sorry, Misako.”

“I was so jealous of Hitomi. She was beautiful, smart, talented, talkative. She spoke to you before me. She was the one who reached out first. Meanwhile, I was afraid, so afraid. I was so jealous of the love and bond you two had with one another!”

I held her tighter.

“I’m sorry, Misako.” I said.

“I know you loved her, I read the E-Mails.” She spoke.

“I am sorry for lying to you, Misako.”

“She loved you too, she loved you so much. She wouldn’t stop speaking about you. I was jealous, I was so jealous.”

I held her as she continued to spill her guts out for me. This was the therapy she needed.

“I wished she would die, the night of the accident, we fought again! I told her to die, I told her to never speak to you again. I told her I also had feelings for you!” She exclaimed.

“Misako…”

“And when my father picked us up, I knew he was drunk. But I didn’t care, I just wanted him to kill us both. And I lived, I lived! I’ve had to live with that pain for over six-years. Six-years! I’m a monster, I’m a monster! The gods have punished me, taking away my ability to walk, placing me in a wheelchair for the rest of my life. I deserve pain, I deserve retribution!”

I could no longer listen to Misako torture herself. She was a broken woman. She needed someone to tell her she was wrong, and that she had to shut up about berating herself.

I placed my lips on hers.

And we kissed.