[ Hirono ]
Most days I work from home. As a software developer my days are quite peaceful other than the days I put off work and drown in the deadlines that would catch up to me. I'd say I'm quite content in my life as a 28-year-old. Although, I do have to admit there has been the dreadful talk of when I was getting married whenever I'd visit my relatives and family. I get that marriage is what should be happening at this age as most of my cousins and schoolmates are all getting married but I can't exactly help being single, can I?
My parents have tried setting me up on multiple blind dates none of which went well. The first woman I had went on a blind date turned out to have a weird fetish for Japanese men. She had excused herself to take a call and whilst waiting I decided to head to the bathroom. Coming back I passed by, behind her and overheard her conversation on the phone.
"The guy I'm on a blind date with is Japanese, Mia! Like an actual Japanese man. He's really good-looking." She chuckled. I couldn't hear the voice on the other side of the phone but what she had said was enough to keep me listening. "I know right? I mean when would I ever find a man as fine as him? I'll definitely make it happen. We will definitely get married, then oh my god." She gasped. Geez could she get anymore weirdly excited?
"What if we have kids together? Both Malay and Japanese blood, oh my god our kids would be so adorable!" She squealed excitedly as I glowered in disgust. That was enough for me, I didn't need to hear anymore---I didn't want to hear anymore.
I mean I guess it isn't too weird about being particularly attracted to Japanese men but the children bit was a little much for me. When she had gotten back we simply picked off from where we left off and at the very end when we were deciding to meet again I told her I didn't think it would work and left. Although she did seem taken back and sort of panicked asking why over and over I quickly gave her an answer. It was a little rude but It was the only way and luckily she didn't push it. Since then I had gone on a few other dates none of which ended well. One had a ex she was trying to get over, the other was a really shy girl who stammered to speak at all throughout the date that ended when she ran out. Then there was another who was normal enough until I found out the conditions to dating her was to marry her within two years and move in with her family which sounded terrifying (not the marriage part but living with her family).
After arguing with my parents that I didn't want to try anymore a year had passed since then. Of course they were furious that I had given up so easily but can that really be giving up when I was meeting women that I was arranged to meet? I mean it wasn't like I swore off love. I simply didn't want to meet anyone that way anymore as I came to realise I'd prefer to meet someone organically.
No pressure to impress but starting off as just two people getting to know each other and seeing where that will lead to. Although it is nearly impossible to find anyone this way since I work from home most of the time and only ever go out to hang with my childhood friends Shun and Haruki. Well them and the bookstore. But If Im really fated to find love someday surely it will find me one way or another.
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Today was my weekly visit to the bookstore for a new read. Im not that crazy to buy books every week its just I've just been in the habit of buying them of late since Im on a reading streak, and I do know I can just buy it at once but if I do I most likely won't read for a long while. It's how you buy books of multiple genres at once and you get lost reading one of them so switching to another genre doesn't strike you intrigued so you wait it out and time passes in a breeze and you still haven't read it in over a year. By limiting myself to books I do want to read right away, I visit the bookstore once a week and ensure I buy a maximum of three books but usually its two or one.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Today I came in to get the special edition of When We Rise by Kohan Miles. Along the way I decided to pass through the manga section in hopes to find any new reads. Entering the manga isle I noticed a girl wearing the most beautiful hairpin I've ever seen. It flowed half- way down from the top back of her hair. It was a mix of beads, chain and flowers binded together against her ash brown hair. I looked over noticing she was holding a copy of Love Attack! That's a good manga. I've read it five times (It's one of my all-time favourites). It looked like she was trying to decide between Love Attack! and The Fall of Red. Well, they're both good so she'll be fine whichever she chooses. I then turned back to focus on looking for a new read.
I quickly found an interesting manga, Rome's Deductions. It sounded pretty interesting and Im on a streak of detective stories at the moment. I quickly grabbed it to make my way to the cashier, but just as I could move from the isle my stomach grumbled in an odd noise before a crippling pain surged in. It felt as if someone was twisting my guts from the inside. I clutched my stomach hunched over in pain. Was this from the spicy ramen challenge I had with my dad last night?
It should be okay, I'll just check these two books out and quickly head home (If I can help it I would much prefer to use the bathroom at home, especially for a dump).
I tried taking a step and it felt as if my gut had been twisted even deeper. Nope. I can't hold it. Quickly I dropped the books in my hands and ran to the bathroom. After what had been a painful 30 minutes it was finally over. Taking a step out of the bathroom I let out a long sigh of satisfaction and relief. This feeling is just otherworldly.
I then made my way back to the isle to grab the books I had left when I noticed the girl from earlier was still there, but now she was squatting on the ground still eyeing between Love Attack! and The Fall of Red. It's been over thirty minutes since I left and she still hasn't decided? Well I do get the struggle. It reminds me of the days I could only afford to buy one book at a time and would spend an hour debating which I should buy.
Perhaps I should help her? Im sure the younger me would have appreciated getting someone's opinion to help in deciding instead of standing in the isle for an hour or two to decide.
Decidedly I came up to her. When she first turned to look up at me I felt my heart skip a beat. She was beautiful. A radiance that felt like I was looking directly at the sun. I quickly brushed off my slight pause. She had looked a little surprised from being approached but she quickly waited to listen to what I had to say. I only had spoke a little of helping her to choose and she seemed uplifted thankfully. But as we spoke I ended up bringing up my grandparents which took a wrong turn.
She looked super uninterested in what I had to say about that and to top it off she looked incredibly uncomfortable when I finished my story. Ah...Perhaps I should just cut this short since it seems like I'm bothering her. I mean I get it, strangers talking for a brief moment to help one another is fine but when it drags on not many people enjoy that. I then quickly cut into the awkward silence between us as I bid her goodbye saving her from any further stress.
I quickly paid for my books and headed home.
A week has passed since then and odd enough I sometimes find myself rewinding to the moment I had met her. I mean she was pretty so it's pretty impossible to forget that and it wasn't every day that I bumped into a cute girl like her...Not that any of this matters of course. But I do wonder if she frequents that bookstore and if so, does she live in the area?