Minzy: Ya know, you totally makes me sick, ya!

Kokoro: What!! What did I do, now?

Tricia: I think what she means is it totally that you have a boyfriend already and you just barely hit the two month mark yet. That by definition totally .

Yuki: And plus he is like the most desirable guy in the Japan, or at least the top ten in our age group.

Minzy: Umm, at least the top twenty…Koki tends to fly under the radar.

Kokoro: That’s true…I mean how can Kame and Jin totally eclipse him *signs* but at least for the moment he is all mine *squeals*

Minzy: and this comes from the girl who swore to me up and down that there was nothing going on between her and Koki.

The other girls look knowingly at their friend, who at the mention of her previous denials could only blush, which in her case make her cheeks turn a darker brown due to her brown skin tones.

Kokoro: What?? *attempts to act innocent widening her doe eyes to make them appear more rounder and innocent*

Tricia:*mocks* what?  Yeah, she told me that too…

Yuki: me three…

All three girls look at Kokoro again with knowing looks.

Kokoro: What?! At the time I serious thought it was one sided…*wanting to turn the topic from herself*  Anyway enough about me, it’s your turn girls. What’s up?

It was the weekend and the girls (Minzy, Kokoro, Tricia and Yuki) had decided to get together and just hang out and do girl things. This weekend had been Yuki’s turn, so they were all at her small apartment that was in the lower rent districts of Tokyo. Even though Yuki’s place was small it was cozy and completely her. She had decorated her place to reflect who she was, and right away you knew that Yuki was an artist.

It was brightly decorated and flowing with life, from the rugs on the floor to the pictures on the walls to the spread on her bed.

Minzy:  Can I say thanks so much for including me in the group. I feel kinda alone since all the girls are gone and I am alone in the dorms.

Yuki: no problem, we like adding new people to the group when we can…

Tricia: all though most  people will not stay once they find out how we really are…

Kokoro: Yes.., rowdy, loud, argumentative, and think we know everything to a fault and can be quite aspirating...

Minzy: Sounds like fun to me. By the way Yuki-chan, your place is awesome. I mean how can you put these colors together since…*she stops because she feels like she is about to say something that will cause her to put her foot in *

Yuki: you can say it, its not a bad word. I am color blind. The downside of having these beautiful colored eyes. And to answer your question I am learned early on what color was opposite a particular color on the color well could compliment that color almost perfectly. *sighs* although I wish I could actually see the colors, but I am grateful that I can see.

Minzy: who do you get your eyes from?

Yuki: My dad, he used to  be apologetic  to me all the time like it was some curse that he had passed down to me, especially when I found out I was an artist. But he also encouraged me that there were no limitations on my arts only the one that but up here *she taps her forehead*

Tricia: Wise man…

Minzy, Kokoro and Yuki shake their heads in agreement.

Tricia: So…girls I have two things I need to discuss with you. 1) When are we going Karaoke? And 2) what do you do when I guy you just barely met  kiss you?

Kokoro: What!?

Yuki: we are totally getting to the first part last so just jump into number 2 will you? Who kissed you?

Tricia blushing and getting a little flushed begin to twirl the strands of her hair around her fingers and got this far off look into her eyes.

Minzy: *snaps her fingers in front  of her face* Hello…earth to Tricia!

Kokoro: wow…he must be cute.

Tricia shakes herself out of her trance.

Tricia: What? Oh, was he cute…at first I thought he was okay looking but now I kinda think he was hot.

Kokoro: You said you barely met him. Is he an employee?

Tricia wanted to tell the whole story but then she didn’t. she didn’t want to be teased about it since Kokoro knew this person…and still not sure how she felt about the incident she just decided to give very basic details.

Tricia: No he was a beta tester who wanted to tell me his views of the game…and we got into a conversation and before he left he gave me a really hot kiss and told me I was cute

The girls got rowdy at that and asked for more details which to response Tricia just tightened her lips.

Yuki: Okay it looks like you want tell us anymore but answer this…will you ever see him again.

Tricia: Its…a possibility. If I want I know how to get in touch with him, just as he can with me. I mean I don’t know.

Kokoro: wo..ah! Nihon romance number 4 going on here.

Yuki: number 4?

Kokoro: Yep, Minzy and Jin

Minzy: Na uh!...

Kokoro: Yuki and Mystery guy, me and Koki, and now Tricia and her mystery guy she refuses to reveal. This summer has been productive.

Minzy: whatever…there is nothing between me and Jin. Okay.

Tricia: says the girl that always says that…what’s the smart girl quote for that?

Kokoro/Yuki: Me thinks she protests too much.

To which Minzy just rolled her eyes. The girls laugh and finishing talking and planning the requested karaoke night out for the following weekend and having a good time catching up with each other.

***

Later as Minzy and Kokoro walked home…

Minzy: Thanks for inviting me. When I first met your other friends I was worried that they wouldn’t like me or I wouldn’t like them…especially that Tricia…

Kokoro: *Laughs* Yeah when you first meet Tricia she can be pretty scary …and intimidating. She still intimidates me sometimes. But I’m glad that we can all get along…

Minzy: yeah, me too.

They were standing out on an open train platform as they waited for the next train to take them to their side of Tokyo.

There was something that was nagging at Kokoro about Minzy in relation to Jin. Although she wasn’t currently going to The Complex  she had gotten a hint from Junno a few days ago that there was something seriously going on between Minzy and Jin…something intense that Jin even made sure that Minzy was made a dancer for his American tour.

Kokoro: I am a little curious about something…Are you really coming with us as a dancer on Jin’s American tour?

Minzy: Yeah…

Kokoro: You don’t sound as excited about it.

Minzy: Well, to be honest. I have someone back home that’s waiting for me.

Kokoro:… Someone?

Minzy: Yes, the love of my life, he means everything to me….*sighs in longing* I miss him a lot actually.

So she has someone else that she loves…then what’s going on with her and Jin? I am confused…Kokoro thought thinking on the things that she had overheard Junno tell Koki.

Minzy: Lolita, were you thinking that there was something going on between us, Jin and I?

Kokoro: ummm…maybe…so I was wrong?

Minzy: to be honest no…a long time ago in a land far away we once had something. Something I treasured very much only for it to be thrown away…it’s a feeling I don’t wish to visit often, if you know what I mean.

Kokoro: Yeah, I know what you mean.

As they watched as the train approached Kokoro couldn’t help wondering about the treasured relationship between Jin and Minzy.

***

Tricia was also making her way back to her house. It had gotten late they had stayed until it was pitch black. To drive at night in Tokyo traffic was different then driving in Miami or New York both of which she had done and now she could at Tokyo to the list. But it was maddening just the same though. She enjoyed driving but not when the traffic was crazy as it could be in a city as large as Tokyo it could be trying. But finally after forty minutes she pulled into her driveway and was walking into the front door of her company home.

Flopping down on her bed she thought of how fun it was to just hang out and act out and Tricia realized how much she need that time with her friends. Including Minzy. At first she was very weary of meeting Minzy because she wasn’t sure of her motives of befriending Lolita. Lolita was way too trusting, sometimes to a fault, but when she had first meet her she realized that in this case Lolita had made a good choice for a friend even if she had something going on with Jin.

Being as nosy as she was Tricia couldn’t help trying to slyly dig for information but Minzy was a smart girl and knew when someone was trying to unsolicited information from her, so Tricia wasn’t able to get any info. Damn. She smirked, but heaven help Minzy because she was going find out.

As for Tricia she wasn’t giving up any information either about the Kissing Thief she had encountered the other day and although she had told the girls about the incident she was keeping on part of the story close to her heart. The Thief was a member of certain boy band called Kat-tun.

This member who went around kissing girls that he just meet , made her acquaintance on  that rainy and stormy day a couple of week ago, coincidentally the same day that Koki and Lolita became official…

Junnosuke stood before Shimada’s Headquarters taking in the building that the company was housed in. It looked like any other high-rise that you would find in Tokyo, and nothing appeared out of the ordinary. Deciding not to stand in the lightening and rain much longer he crossed the street and entered into the building. Once inside he made his way to the elevator bank  and entered an elevator. Once inside he pressed the button for the floor for Shimada Games. But before he could reach that floor, a few floors traveling up the elevator stopped and opened to allow a woman, a geijin, on board.

Junno was dressed in jeans, t-shirt with a zipped up hoodie that Koki and Lolita had designed for him. It covered his head, obscuring his face, and a large pair of dark shades completed the disguise.

When the blond haired woman got on she bowed in greeting and noticed that the floor that she wanted was already pressed.  But before the elevator could complete its journey even one floor up the elevator stopped completely and the power source went completely, trapping the two of them alone, suspended high in the air.

Tricia: No!! No!! This CANNOT be happening!!

She began pushing the emergency call button.

Tricia: Hello!! Is anyone there??

Male voice over the intercom: Yes. We’re here. There has been a power outage over several city blocks. We will try to get you out as soon as we can

Trica: *softly in fear* o-ookay.

She cuts off the intercom but it’s not long before she really starts to freak out and starts to hyperventilate. Her eyes are closed. She appeared to be trying to calm herself but it wasn’t working.

Junno: Are you okay? *he begins to see that she is really starting to freak out.*

Tricia: How can you be so calm? We are about to die in a large metal box!!!

Junno: It’ll be okay.

Tricia: I want it to be… but why did this have to happen today of all days.

Junno was confused, what was special about today.

Junno: what’s special about today?

Tricia: I was in the World Trade Center the second tower on this day. I was in an elevator when the world stopped and shudder.

Then it hit Junno what today was, September 11, 2010. Junno didn’t know what to say. At that moment the woman, slumped to the floor, tears falling from her eyes, Junno only just barely catching her before she fell to the floor.

Junno: hey, its okay. I am with you.

She nodded her head as she fully moved to sit on the floor and wait for the service men to arrive.

Tricia: Yes, thank you. By the way my name is Soledad Tricia.

Junno’s eyes widen behind his shades. She’s the woman who designed the video game and who he was coming to see.

Junno: Ahhh! So YOU are genius girl?

Tricia: what?

Junno: the gamer extraordinaire! I heard a lot about you on-line developing the new game for Shimada Games. I actually came to see you today.

Tricia at that lifted her head and looked more closely at the man that now sat beside her on the floor.

Junno pushed the hood from his head and pushed his glasses on top of his head revealing his face. Before she could stop her self she gasped.

Tricia: Taguchi Junnosuke?? What are doing here? And how do you know who I am?

Junno was glad to see that her mind was now off of the horrible memories and was more focused on more positive things, him.

Reaching into his hoodie jacket pocket he pulls out the small demo disk and held it in front of her face. Tricia’s eyes widen and taking it from his hands, she looks at the disk.

Junno: The game was really good. Jin was given the game by Lolita, your friend, to test but he has a busy schedule so I tested it for him. I was following the instructions and was coming to return it to you personally as requested. Should I tell you what I think?

Tricia: So, Jin…*shakes her head* so how did you like it? It looks like we have time to talk here.

Junno noticed that she was a little disappointed that Jin wasn’t the one to test the game but she hid her disappointment well. Junno gave her points for that.

As they waited for the service men to get them out of the elevator they discussed the pros and the cons of the game’s capabilities style and playability; what he enjoyed most out of the game and so one. Tricia could not help but enjoy her self as Junno kept her smiling and laughing. She was enjoying the impromptu geek fest that was going on between them. Junno watched her as she animatedly talked about the design of the game he couldn’t help but marvel at her beauty.

Her nose was straight and fine her skin clear and smooth like porcelain and her blond hair was not manufactured form a bottle but was a natural honey blond that silkily fell around her shoulder like a golden curtain, she was almost as tall as him her top of her head stopping just under his nose. The melodious sound of her Spanish accented Japanese was beautiful to his ears to hear.

In other words Junno was enraptured.

As the wait became longer their conversations moved to other things. He asked her how she like Japan. She loved it. How long had she and Lolita been friends. Since University so for 8 years now.

Junno: how did you decide to become a game programmer?

Tricia: I don’t think that there was any time that I wasn’t wanting to be a game programmer. My dad was a computer engineer so I was introduced at a early age to programming and  I love it. It’s a world into itself. I remember when Tomb Raider was out I was so pissed because I wanted to be the one who had designed that game, it was just too cool.

Junno: You said your dad was a programmer is he retired.

Tricia: *Her face fell a little* He died on 9-11. He worked in the 2^nd tower.

Junno: I am sorry.

Tricia: Its okay, you weren’t responsible so no need to feel sorry. God I wish they would hurry the hell up! I don’t like being trapped in here. How can you be so calm?

Junno: *smiles flirtously* because I am trapped, alone with a pretty woman.

Tricia: I didn’t know that the famous Junnosuke was a flirt.

Junno: And I bet you wouldn’t think I would do this either.

The “this” in question was a kiss. He had impetuously leaned over and gently kissed her on the lips. Tricia keep her eyes open for a moment taken back in surprise then her eyes closed in bliss as Junno lush lips coax her’s open to allow his tongue to explore her warm mouth. If you had asked Tricia to describe the kiss, she would be at a loss for words.

But it was nice.

Just when Junno ended the kiss, they heard the repair men call out to them that in two minutes they would have the doors open.

Tricia: Why did you do that?

Junno: Because you deserved to have a better memory, for today then what you’ve had for the past 9 years.

Just than the doors opened, Junno and Tricia were greeted by the relieved faces of the workers. As they excited out into the hall way Junno turned to her. His hood was pulled over his head and the shades were back into place. He bowed to her and the workers and made his way to the stairwell (the power was still out) and before he excited through he gave one last smile and vanished from sight.

***

Minzy and Jin’s story this far….

Minzy has come to work as a dancer for Johnny Associates as a dancer for Tatsuya MousePeace Tour, and has also come face to face with Jin Akanishi. We come to find out that during Jin’s time in LA that he and Minzy have developed a relationship that had ended in heart break for Minzy….

Jin Akanishi sat in front on his television. It was off, but Jin looked at it blindly as his mind to a thousand miles away in America, traveling back into time to his Study Abroad. His mind and being was focused on the memory of Minzy and the first time that he saw her. She had walked into the café that him and his friends frequented.

She waves at his friend David and when Jin looked at her fresh face he couldn’t seem to take his eyes off of her, even after he found out that she was David’s cousin.  If David even thought for one second that Jin’s looked at her the wrong way that he was a dead man. Besides he hadn’t looked at her like a woman, at least till he got to know her. That first lunch encounter Minzy had engaged him as no female had before or since which was why he had asked her if they could meet again.

She had agreed.

Then her cousin David had found out, that had led to David and Jin getting into a physical altercation. David accused Jin of using his younger cousin, and forbad him to even look at her let alone be in the same room. Minzy had been hurt and angry at her cousin for treating her like a child and assuming that she wasn’t mature enough to chose whom she would and wouldn’t hang out with.

So in defiance she continued to see Jin behind her cousin and mother’s back. (her mother had also been against her and Jin hanging out together since Jin was already considered a adult male at the age of 20 and she was all of 17 years old) But Minzy didn’t care about all that, she just wanted  to be with Jin.  The rumours of him being a playboy, she ignored, because he wouldn’t do her like that would he? Could he?

As Jin was floating through the memories of the past he looked at the black envelope that lay on his coffee table. Picking it up he opened the envelope and pulled out the letter that he had read so many times that he had it memorized, yet even though it hurt his heart, he read It again.

Dear Akanishi –san:

I am sending this letter to you to discuss the issue that seems to be floating in the air between us in the hopes that this will allow both of us to come to terms with what once was, yet  can no longer be.

 At one time you had my heart and no one could convince me that we weren’t meant to be. But fate is cruel…., you were cruel. You seem convinced that you and I can pick up with where we were 5 years ago. But, we cannot.

One, because I am not the same naïve girl that you first met, two you were never the person that I thought you were;  and three, there is someone who resides in my heart that I cannot allow to be hurt by you.

So please, consider my wishes and leave the past where it should be--- in the past and let me go. If I had know that we would meet again like this I would not have taken this route, but that cannot be helped at this point.

I am not doing this to hurt you, but to be more responsible to the person that I owe all my love and protection too.

Good bye Jin…

Gong Minzy

Jin held the letter in his hand as he rested his head back on the back of the sofa chair. His heart full of regret and longing.

 At that moment his phone rung. It was his girl friend Beni. He had been avoiding her for the past few weeks, using work as an excuse for not being able to see her. If he was honest with himself he needed to end things with her. She wasn’t the one he really wanted to be with, had never ever really been, and even though the woman that she was a substitute for continued to state that they shouldn’t and wouldn’t be together it really wasn’t fair to her to string her along.

Jin: *flips open the phone to answer the call* Hello.

Beni: JIN!!! Hey babes how are you?

Jin: Cool, what about you?

Beni: Fine…

There is a pause and neither one says anything for a while, the Jin begins to speck…

Jin: Beni…,

Beni: it’s okay Jin…I think we need to do this face to face. I don’t want to be dumped over the phone, it’s the least that you can do for me right?

She had a point there. It was the least that he could do was to explain to her that it was time to stop pretending.

Jin: yeah…it is. Can we get together next week sometime?

Beni: Yeah, I’ll call you latter in the week to set it up. Goodbye Jin.

She disconnected the line. Jin wondered why when ever he heard someone say goodbye to him that there seemed to be a sense of finality to it. With Minzy, with Beni, with Koki.

At the thought of Koki he pondered on that relationship that had went down in flames. What was going on in his life?

Jin are you really going to let a almost 7+ year relationship go down the tubes because of what someone else did or are you going to be a man and fix this

Jin could hear the should of Kame’s annoying voice  was  filling his head, but he was telling the truth he needed to at least fix one of his relationships.

Filled with a sense of determination he decided that he need to see Koki before this became to messed up and were unfixable.