*-*-*-*-*-*-

Jiro walked out of the elevator and down the hallway. An ordinary day it had been. Recently he’d been walking through the offices at work and found himself arriving at Selina’s empty desk almost every time. He had to admit that he missed having lunch with her and wondered when she’d be able to come back. Yet, he also didn’t want to admit that the only enjoyable thing that made him look forward to work was being able to talk with her.

Jiro stopped outside of room 215 and opened the white framed door. His mother was inside the bed with some wires attached to her. She was looking through a fashion magazine that he guessed the nurses had bought for her. Once she saw him she put down the magazine and smiled happily that reminded him immediately of Selina for some reason.

“Jiro you’re here,” his mother said.

Jiro nodded and pulled up a chair to sit by her.

“I’m here mom,” Jiro said. “Dad said you’re sick again?”

She nodded slowly, “But I’m going to get better really quickly. I had a good dream last night and it must mean something good.”

“What did you dream about mom?” Jiro questioned.

“That you’re going to get married soon,” she said.

Jiro’s face became expressionless then he laughed thinking it was a joke, “Mom I don’t have a girlfriend.”

“Then…don’t you want to get married soon?” she asked.

Jiro remained silent.

“There must be a girl that you like,” she said, “I’m sure of it.”

Jiro didn’t know why, but his lips curved into a small smile he didn’t want to show.

She smiled and let out a small shout, “Ah! So you do! Who is this lucky lady by the way? She must have been someone special that caught your attention.”

Jiro wiped the smile off his face and laughed again, “No mom.”

“Come on tell me. If you tell me maybe I would feel happier,” she said pestering him. “Come on tell me.”

That smile climbed its way onto his face again and Jiro had to bite his bottom lip hard to repress it.

“Well…she just started work at the office,” Jiro told. “We’re just friends besides she’s Chun’s girlfriend already.”

His mom kept the smile on her face the whole time Jiro spoke.  

“You do like her,” his mother stated.

Jiro shook his head, “Mom I already said we’re just friends.”

“Do you think she’s pretty?” his mom questioned.

Jiro seemed to think a bit before answering, “Well…she’s cute.”

“You do like her Jiro!” his mother said aloud. “Chun’s already had too many girlfriends. I’ll ask him to lend her to you.”

“Mom!” Jiro complained. “We’re just friends.”

“No guys and girls are friends,” his mother said shaking her head. “It’s impossible and you can’t possibly just be friends with her either. What girl wouldn’t like my Jiro?”

Jiro felt like going speechless. Before he could protest to her words there was a knock on the door and a nurse walked in.

“It’s time for your medication,” the nurse said.

Jiro turned to look at his mother who smiled back.

“Then I’ll go,” Jiro told knowing his mother didn’t want him to watch then inject their “medication” into her. He knew well that she didn’t like him to watch her in pain.

“Good luck,” his mother said patting his hand.

Jiro smiled and nodded towards the nurse as he headed out.

*-*-*-*-*-*-

Chun sent Selina back to his place and headed off to work. During the middle of the afternoon when his mother was headed off to Jiro’s office to meet with his dad Chun tagged along. At his office Chun met up with Jiro in his office.

“Dude you look so bored,” Chun said watching Jiro at his desk from the comfy couch he was lying on.

Jiro took off his glasses and rubbed his red eyes. He had almost fallen asleep again.

“It’s been paperwork all night,” Jiro told.

“Don’t you do them during the day?” Chun questioned. “You’re slacking off again aren’t you? You lazy bum.”

“Hey I have plenty of business too,” Jiro defended himself. “I went to see my mother today.”

Chun raised his eyebrows and sat up, “Your mother? Wow I haven’t seen her since high school! How is she?”

Jiro shrugged, “She was in a chirpy mood today, but she’s caught another cold.”

“Is that so…” Chun commented. “She’s been ill for a long time. Mom said she’s lost a lot of weight.”

“Of course when you’re sick you can’t eat much,” Jiro told. “She doesn’t look the same anymore.”

“I feel so sad for her,” Chun told.

They were silent for a moment and Jiro pondered whether he should ask Chun about Selina.

Without thinking any further he asked, “So…how’s Selina doing?”

Chun looked up at Jiro pushing his suspicious thoughts back. He didn’t want to think badly of his cousin.  

“Well…she hasn’t stopped crying…I guess it’s hard for her to get over it since he’s her only family left. She’s in a dramatically weak state right now,” Chun told.

“Weak?” Jiro repeated.

Chun nodded then smiled, “You won’t believe what she did.”

“What?” Jiro as with much curiosity.

“She hugged me!” Chun said with much joy which made the half smile on Jiro’s face disappear. “I guess being out of a relationship for such a long time can make a person forget the happy feelings they can gain from it.”

“Yea…” Jiro agreed feeling sort of disappointed.

After Chun left Jiro found himself thinking of when Selina had jumped at him hugging him tightly. Did she hug Chun that way also? Or did she hug him in a different way? A hug that only girlfriends would give their boyfriends? Jiro felt like shouting out, but all he did was gripped his pen tightly. He wanted to talk to her again…why were things the way they were? How did he even develop such feelings in the first place? He was unsure of how everything had happened. It felt like he had already flown into a dark tunnel without even knowing so.

*-*-*-*-*-*-

Selina sat out on the balcony staring out into the dark night sky with the dim twinkling stars. She had been bored, but hadn’t wanted to do anything as if all the energy in her had been drained. The door behind her opened and Chun walked over with a small plate of chocolate brownies and cookies. She guessed he had just arrived back from work because he was still in his suit.

“I heard that if you eat something sweet in your most depressing times you’ll feel a lot better,” Chun told. “Try one.”

“Depends…did you make them?” Selina joked.

Chun smiled, “Glad to see you can still joke around.”

“Thanks,” Selina said as she grabbed one of the plate and bit into it.

She let the sweet sugary chocolate taste swirl inside of her.

“Do you know the best way to make a wish?” Chun asked.

Selina shook her head no.

Chun turned to look into the night sky blanketing the earth, “Pick out the first star you see and quickly make a wish. It has to be less then 2 minutes or else it won’t come true.”

“There’s a time limit?” Selina questioned.

“Of course…if it’s too long it’ll be too complicated to accomplish,” Chun told.

Selina found it so childish, but felt touched by how he was trying to comfort her and keep her mind on something else. If he wasn’t there she would have probably drowned in her own tears. Selina looked at his face closely as he continued talking. He would be the perfect ideal man for a girl.

They were standing so close to each other that Selina felt conscious of her position. Why did she suddenly care now? She’d been closer to him than this before. Then she thought of Jiro. If she would ever have the chance to be able to stand with him like this she would have to go crazy.