Longing

Mori
Itsukishima
Hiroshima Prefecture
April 6

To Ojiisan, Obaasan, and Chihiro-basan:

Nothing makes me more homesick than an afternoon at Little Tokyo. There is little in the city in the way of greenery, so I crave for every little hint of home. Last weekend, my employer and I joined a few of our other friends and acquaintances for an afternoon of food, photography, and good company. I saw Sachiko-san again, but she was quite preoccupied elsewhere. Seth was unbent enough to accompany me the entire day.

Again, Chris-neesan wanted to document each moment, and she wasn't taking no for an answer! But it was obvious that I found myself an unexpected ally in Mr. Midnight.

Midori: Excuse me, Chris-neesan? You really want me to sit on this rock? Aren't you afraid I'll fall?

Seth: Uh... I suppose if I put my arm here, you'd be better supported.

Midori: Okay... Thank you, then.


Midori: What a great shady spot! Let's take a picture... but uhm, you can remove your arm now, Mr. Midnight.

Seth: There was a beetle.

Midori: What kind? Is it a Trechinae Carabidae?

Seth: More like Invisibilae.

Midori: An Invisibilae Carabidae? I don't recall being familiar with one of that species.

Seth: Recent discovery.

Was he laughing behind my back? I really have no idea what to make of him. One minute he's very solicitous of others, the next one he gives me the brush-off. I'm still glad that he was more than civil that day. Towards the end of the afternoon, we realized that we had somehow broken away from the others, but that didn't seem to bother my business-like employer. We ended up spreading a picnic blanket on the ground; I presented him with some cakes and pastries that I made for the occasion. Seth seemed to like it. He seems to like a lot of things these days.

And somehow, at the end of the day, I wasn't really as homesick as I thought I was.

Always,
Midori