7 Of Threads and Breads

Of Threads and Breads

Tiny droplets of water pitter pattered as it drips down the concrete from the now folded umbrella. A light sprinkle of rain greeted Hitomi’s morning. The place is buzzing as usual, people going everywhere to somewhere, to nowhere. The countless faces passing by, just waiting for someone familiar out of the crowd, what perfect place to do that, nowhere other than the symbol of loyalty and waiting, at the Hachiko Memorial Statue in Shibuya.

She could not stand to stand under the popular dog statue as there are many people taking their picture with it. She instead decided to wait in one of the nearby trees with a round bench surrounding it, there are too many people for her to seat so she just stand there waiting. She huff in annoyance, puffing her very round cheeks, that are now tinge with a shade of red.

She try to look her best today to the point her sister thought she was going on a date and was giving her advice as she left the hotel. Well perhaps it really is a date. She wore her favorite marsala colored with scottish patterned dress with white oversized peter pan collar and a matching bolo tie. In the lower portion of the left collar is a small number eight pin, hachi. She put her hair in half updo style and pinned it with a cute strawberry hairclip.

She arrived earlier than the meeting time, the people around are disorienting, it’s making the waiting longer than it really is. Her only consolation is the melon pans she bought on her way here, she was thinking of maybe sharing it to the girl she was set to meet, but nope the smell is calling her. She is not called Bbangtomi for no reason, as bbang means bread. She took it out of the paper bag and is set to bite it when an unwelcomed voice called to her.

“Waiting for someone, Miss?” A boy in bright yellow shirt, bonnet and cuffed jeans ask her.

“How about you play with us, instead?” The boy with him asked, he is in dark blue flannel shirt and rip jeans, both of them probably just about her age.

Her morning going is downhill, she is not that familiar with Tokyo to begin with. She is from Tochigi and the only times she get here is when she tag along her elder sister, whenever the later has business in the area.

She furrowed her eyebrows to try look angry it is not very effective as she looks more like a shiba inu with her melon pan. She can’t muster her death glare right now. She only wishes to eat the delicious melon pan in peace and not get disturb by teen boys picking up girls.

“uff…” the boy with a bonnet squeaked as he got hit by something. It’s flying purse, there is also an incoming umbrella, set to hit him in the face.

“Leave her alone!!!” the petite girl with the umbrella hissed. Wearing a light blue dress with sailor collar and her brown hair just flowing with the wind, the girl looks fearless.

She is carrying one of those longer umbrellas and using it she point at one of the boy’s neck and said,

“I’ll call the police.”

Her hand ready on her alarm kit, Hitomi also have one of those but her hand is too full with the bread and her foldable umbrella.

When the attention of those around started to go to them, the boys relented and leave.

“Thank you.”

“Are you ok?”

They said almost simultaneously. Hitomi is still holding her melon pan with both her hands when she said it.

With how fierce and brave the girl is earlier you would not notice how tall or rather short she is. In Hitomi’s estimate about 8cm shorter than her. The girl in front of her looks cute like a fairy, with her dress, demeanor and stature.

“Kawaii-desu” is the only thing Hitomi can think of to describe the girl.

“Na..na..Yabuki – san?” She asked the other girl making sure she get it right, that indeed the one in front of her is none other the girl she used to chat with the past month, Yabuki Nako.

“Honda-san?” The other girl almost simultaneously asks her for the same reason she did.

“Hii-chan, Hii-chan is fine. Just like what you call me in Line.” Hitomi said as she waved her hand in front of her still holding the melon pan in one hand and the umbrella on the other.

“Then, it’s Nako-chan for me.” As the girl, named Nako, extend her hand to officially greet her.

She took her hand and asks “Do you like Melon pan?”

“Sure” Nako answered as she took the one of the melon bread that Hitomi is offering.

There was a pause as both took a bite of their respective bread. It’s delicious, just the right crunchiness on the outside crust while the inside is soft and melts in your mouth.

After taking a couple of bite Nako asked “Should we go now?”

“Ye…Yes.” Hitomi replied. They then went their way to their first destination – the bread is delicious but they could use a lot more than that and some place to be cozy and just chit chat.

There is a sense of familiarity but also awkwardness between them. They have been talking online for way past a month now – in that time they quickly get along well. In that time Nako feels likes an old friend, she have been able to open up to … online.

How did they get connected, it’s in a sense different thread of things. Hitomi was asking advice in an online community about things she needs to prepare as she was set to study in Korea. One of her great concern is to find a place to stay there. Nako was doing the same, they did reply to each other post of things they have done in preparation but outside of that they never interact nor exchange contact.

That’s until an acquaintance, Iwatate Saho, got her connected to Takahashi Juri. Juri have studied in Korea for a year as an exchange student. With her help Hitomi was hoping to ease her preparation and most specially find a good place to stay. That is the thread that connected them. Saho’s “friend” Tomu happens to be a friend of Sashi a person who is very close to Nako and with that Nako got connected to Juri.

How many people was that in between them four? Must be fate right?

It was Juri who connected and created a group chat for the three of them. Since she got annoyed whenever she answered something for one and she need to do the same to the other. It’s more efficient this way she said. Heck Juri thought that the two would be better off as roommates it lessen the cost of rent. Juri recommended them the places they could inquire for a long term stay, one of which is the place she personally stayed at, 48Diamonds.

They recognized that they indeed replied to each other post in the community. They hit it off and from then on they personally message each other to share their worries, their hopes and their dreams.

Nako brought Hitomi into one of her favorite café in Tokyo, a couple of station away from Shibuya. It’s somewhere in a back alley kind of place, it was not that crowded but the café is fairly populated. They did not talk much on their way, outside of a few chuckles and hi’s, it’s sort of a weird feeling.

“Welcome to Uzura no Ichigo café!” The staff greeted them.

Both of them look up at the menu, trying to decide what to order. Nako was the first to speak.

“Uhm, One Mint Choco parfait with Extra Oreo. Mmm… Mixberry Juice.” She ordered while still thinking of it sounding quite unsure.

“One? Mixberry Juice?” The cashier asked making sure she get her orders right.

“Yes and hmm, Hiichan?” She said half answering the cashier and turning her attention to the girl beside her, asking her what she wants to order. Hitomi pointed to a picture of a brown greenish colored pancake with what seems like strawberry jam and cream inside.

“Ah, Green Tea Strawberry Cream Dorayaki?” Nako asked figuring what the girl beside her wants to order.

“hmm, one Green Tea Strawberry Cream Dorayaki , and uh.. Iced Latte?” Hitomi said trying to recite her order while still very unsure, there are lots of delicious looking foods in the menu and it’s hard to choose.

They sat near the window and Hitomi paid attention to the street, never really know what to talk about. She is with someone she knows but also does not know. She is racking up her brain, which on most occasions are only filled with bread, strawberry and dance, to think of an ice breaker or just anything to start a conversation. In frustration as the only thing that pops up in her mind is the delicious looking Dorayaki, she put her arms on top of the table, folded, and rest her head on top of it puffing her cheeks.

Nako just observes her trying her best to fight the urge to pinch the other girl’s cheeks.

“Kawaii~” She suddenly blurted immediately putting her hand over embarrassed when she realized what she said.

“Nani?” Hitomi asked confused.

“The, the… the logo is cute.” Nako said, trying a saving move for herself by pointing on the café logo of a quail holding a strawberry that is engraved on the table.

“Quail!?” Hitomi said cutely pointing on the Japanese Quail silhouette in the logo.

“Strawberry, kawaii-desu.” Nako added pointing to the strawberry the quail is holding.

“Pftt..”They both chuckled after realizing the logo of the café represents the two of them.

Funny event the fates are playing on them. Aside from exchanging personal messages the two also followed each other Instagram. That is where they formed their idea of each other.

The Nako, Hitomi knows, the Nako she chats with, the Nako in her head are formed mostly by their chat exchanges and glimpse of life from the collection instagram images and clips.

Nako is cute, very pretty – despite that she has this lowkey aura of being more mature than her age. She loves to sing, time to time she will send Hitomi clips of her singing and the girl has naturally high voice, sometimes she is astonished at how high she can reach. Nako would also regularly post about her pet quails, something Hitomi find endearing; the bird in her opinion catches Nako’s essence perfectly.

Now finally putting all those glimpses of faces, collages of images and story clips and linking it to the person in front of her, an actual breathing, living person, who is right now laughing at the fact that the café logo is coincidentally an animal that has come to represents her. That sort of awkwardness, happiness and confusion to finally face someone you have been very familiar with online.

Hitomi kind of want to touch the girls face, her hand unconsciously moved toward the girl, thanks god that she became aware of it immediately and stop before she have done so. Too bad Nako noticed it and in a playful way she leans her head to Hitomi’s hand. Somewhere a strawberry died of happiness.

“kawaii~~” Hitomi muttered under her breath.

Their moment was cut short when they heard the waitress coming to the table.

“Excuse me, One Mixberry juice.” The waitress said, Hitomi pointed to Nako to signal her that the drink was for the other girl.

“Iced latte?” She continued, this time Hitomi raised her hand.

The waitress then put the Mint Chocolate parfait that Nako immediately pulled to herself, as well as the Green tea Strawberry Cream Dorayaki, which Nako pushed towards Hitomi, to the table.

Hitomi is quite excited to take a bite. Nako could not believe how a lot cuter the other girl is in real life. More than the images she saw the girl posts. Hitomi’s instagram feed are mostly just about bread, cheerleading, dancing and occasional selfies of her eating mostly bread. Hitomi’s cheeks are a lot fluffier than she imagined. Nako have come to associate Hitomi with two things she love to post, bread and strawberry. It really is different feeling watching the girl in front of her eat one of her favorite thing versus just watching those clips of her from instagram stories.

“Are you nervous?” Nako ask Hitomi, recognizing the awkward pauses in their conversation.

“hmm..About Korea? ” Hitomi mulls a little and nod afterward to acknowledge that she indeed feels nervous about going to Korea.

“Do you think there is a nearby bakery there?” She added, in funny way, she does love bread and having a nearby bakery to where they would live would ease in her stay in the country.

“I think so, I heard Koreans love breads and eats it alot.” The smaller girl replied, giving Hitomi one of the small random factoids she found from the internet.

“I hope we get along with others at the apartment.” Hitomi said, expressing one of her wish.

“I hope so too, Miss Lee Chayeon there sounds kind. She answers our question patiently.” Nako replied as she took a scoop from her parfait.

“Yeah, she tries to really help us a lot even if she misspeak some of the words sometimes.” Hitomi continued, giving positive review to the person that they regularly talk to from the place they are set to stay.

“We should give her something when we arrive there.” She further suggested. It’s been quite pleasant to communicate to the girl who is seas away from them right now but will be their flat mate soon. Nako then raised her thumbs up in agreement.

As they eat, their talks evolve to school stuff, sharing about their regular days and things they will miss.

“Miku.” Nako mentioned, looking down to fiddling fingers with tear drops forming on her eyes.

“Bestfriend?” Hitomi asked, Nako nodded in confirmation.

The smaller girl folded her arms on top of the table and buried her head, “I will miss Miku.” she added. Hitomi pats her shoulder to provide some comfort.

Nako lifts her head to face Hitomi and the later then cups her face and said. “I will be here for you, I can’t replace her but I will make sure to not leave you.”

Nako tilt her head as if a baby animal melting in her hold, it was so cute that Hitomi is sure that her heart have skip more than just a beat.

When they finished their meal and now have energy from all the sugar to go around, they decided to move on their next target. It’s shopping time. They drop by a bookstore to pick up some more Korean Language guides, guide to Korea and other help books. Afterwards they went to some clothing shops both new and secondhand one looking for something to give the people that is helping them, Chaeyeon and Juri.

For Chaeyeon they pick a black bonnet with white 00 in front, they just get the vibe that it’s something that will suit her. For Juri they got her an egg mascot neck pillow as sort of lowkey tease as the girl is known for being called egg. They have not seen both personally, Juri’s gift will be handed by way of Saho and while Chaeyeon’s will be handed personally once they arrive at the apartment. Satisfied with their haul they decided to visit an accessories shop in more of a window shopping mode way, just testing stuff and generally having fun.

Later they took a late lunch at a tonkatsu place. Hitomi got herself Cheesy Katsudon while Nako pick a mild spicy flavored one. Nako noticed that, the tonkatsu place TV is tuned in, in a broadcast talking about cheerdance. In it she saw a girl flying through the screen doing cartwheels and backflips.

“That’s so cool, amazing.” She said as she had her eyes on the TV.

“Hiichan can do that too right? You do cheerdance to, right?” She asks Hitomi as she switched her attention to her companion.

“Hmm, I can do backflips.” Hitomi replied humming with her fingers under her chin, thinking.

“Not as good as them though, they are so cool.” She added pointing to the cheerdancer being covered from the broadcast. Hitomi then puffed her cheeks and continued “I wish I am.”

Cutting her thought is Nako blurting “Whoaaa…Sugoi!” because she saw a girl getting thrown up high in the air.

“oohh flyers, wow.” is Hitomi’s reaction.

“Have Hiichan got thrown up in the air too, like that?” Nako curiously ask the strawberry mochi girl beside her. Who would think that such cute being is capable of doing backflips and dancing hard?

Hitomi think for a while, with her index finger up her chin, counting how many times their school team tried to make her fly “two.. ah no.. three.” She replied while raising three fingers.

“Ah, Hitomi is Amazing! ” Nako exclaimed as she put both her arms forward and finally unknowingly manage to squeeze the fluffy cheeks of Hitomi. For her other than strawberry, peach can describe the girl as well.

“Can I see it?” Nako requested with such puppy eyes, that a shy Hitomi who rarely post dance cover and only talks about her love of dance, can’t resist. She can’t do backflip in this place, so instead she tried to find the clip from her last performance with her team. It does not have her flying as she never got the gist of it but it has a lot of her doing barrel rolls, cartwheels and of course backflips.

“See… I’m not as good as them.” Hitomi huffs, as she put her chin over the palm of her left hand.

“No, you are amazing, Hitomi.” Nako said encouraging her rather shy friend. Hitomi smile to her in return, her cheeks a tinge of red, probably from being slightly caught off guard from getting praised.

“That’s such a lovely sight.” Nako thought, she loves cute things and Hitomi is the very definition of cute right now.

Their day continued, and as it passes by the more they are confident they would get along well in the future. It truly is meeting an old friend rather than meeting a new one. They already knew parts of each other and putting a face for each word made everything not just stream of text or blobs of images but a genuine reality.

They pick their last stop as it was already four in the afternoon, they decided to go in a park and wait out there till maybe five. On their way there they got distracted by a petshop and decided to enter.

They are just really looking around. Hitomi saw some cute dog clothes and toys that she thought that would be perfect for her pet dog. That just made her sad; she will definitely miss the cute dog. While she was choosing for the best one out of the dog clothes, a beautiful girl passes by. She has short bob cut hair, and is wearing a black t-shirt with a sleeveless red tartan patterned hoodie over it.

“What is it Hiichan?” Nako inquired when she noticed that the Mochi is suddenly staring into space. She did not know that Hitomi is actually staring to a certain person that suddenly caught her eye.

“That girl, she so pretty.” Nako said under her breath, she also now noticed the girl who is heading to the counter.

The girl has rather big ears but it complements her face perfectly, it makes her very memorable. She is carrying some canned cat foods and picked up one of those dangling feather toys as she mutter to herself, “I hope Maru-chan would like this.”

The two girls stared at her for awhile, which she seem to notice she look at their direction and well the other two pretended they are not staring. They giggled as they walk out of the store buying nothing. Hitomi forgot that she was even planning to buy some dog clothes.

The fates are having fun, stringing in along threads, who would know they might see this girl once again.

At the park they sat under a tree facing a river, with crepes on their hand that they bought from the nearby food truck. They just hum there for awhile, taking in the view.

“Nako-san, would you… do you plan to audition when you get there.” Hitomi ask while she contemplates on that possibility, her eyes transfixed to the river.

“I’ll try.” Nako replied not with a feeling of sureness but rather of hope. She then returns the question back to the other girl “How about Hitomi?”

“I don’t know…. but with you, I would. I don’t think I can do it alone. I am not brave.” The strawberry hearted girl answered earnestly looking Nako deep in her eyes.

“Then we do it together, promise.” Nako said smiling to her and raising her hand for a pinky promise.

“Promise” Hitomi respond linking her pinky fingers to Nako. It’s a simple gesture that holds tremendous meaning.

They look at the river in front of them , it has a rather soothing effect, relaxing kinda like being in zen.

“You know what? I want to see Twice-sama.” Nako said out of the blue talking about her aspiration to meet her favorite KPOP group, just like your everyday fangirl.

“I’m sure you will have chance to see them.” Hitomi told her while she glances to her side smiling at how cute the other girl is.

Hitomi reach for Nako’s hand and hold it, the other did not protest but instead clasped her hand tightly, it’s some sort of understanding.

It’s peaceful, Nako then stretch her arm, the one holding the crepe up proposing a toast.

“For our hopes and dreams.” She said.

“For our hopes and dreams.” Hitomi followed also raising her crepe up. This is their toast, a cute toast, they are not legal to drink yet so crepes can do for now.

“Fighto!!!”

“Hahahhaahhahaha” They laughed at what they just did.

They spend some more minutes just giggling, chatting and just admiring the view.

“Nako-chan, I need to go now.” Hitomi informed the girl beside her sadness in her voice; she poked her cheeks to call for her attention.

“That fast?” Nako asked. They may have spent the whole day together but it feels time went by fast.

“It can’t be help, I’ll walk you to the station.” Nako stands up and offered her hand to Hitomi. Hitomi took it and they walk hand in hand, swaying as if they been together since childhood.

Hitomi arrive in the hotel she and her older sister is staying. She immediately went and dive head first to the bed and buried her head in the pillow. She did not even notice her older sister on her way there. Intrigued she just watched her strawberry mochi of a sister quietly.

“Seems that your date went well, Hii-chan.” She a bit. Amused at how her sister is acting, first time she saw her like this. Mostly the younger is very much uninterested in things such as love, that it’s better to just ship her with a bread.

“It’s not a date, Onee-chan!” Hitomi retorted mustering her death glare toward the older, like a cute puppy getting annoyed. Her older sister just snickered and silently giggled at how cute her sister is acting. She is going to miss her, two weeks from now and the younger will be in a different country.

“I’m going to order our dinner, what do you want? “ Her sister ask her as she prepare to go out and get the two of them food.

“Anything, I’m still full. Some bread will do.”There she goes, wanting to eat bread again.

The older girl was about to go, when Hitomi’s phone lit up. She received a message from non-other than Nako. It made her heart flutter, the message is just picture of breads and Nako telling her that it seems the place they are staying in Korea is now serving bread.

She stared at it for awhile while lying down, her smile reaches her ear and blush is evident on her face. Her older sister just watches her, astonished, she kind of want to .

“I thought it’s not a date, why are you smiling like that. Hehehe Hiichan… grew up… hhaha.” Her sister said as the older made a quick escape. Hitomi’s just sighed watching the door of their hotel room closed.

With the things she and Nako did today it could very well be a date and technically it is a date. Hitomi again smiled thinking about the other girl, she once again buried her head in the pillow and her legs playfully paddled. She messages her back and they once again began talking in the platform they first met.

Today Hitomi is shining, whatever the future holds in Korea, someone will be with her. May they someday stand on the same stage together. The fates worked hard to connect them and it does feel that it is destiny that they come to know each other.

Tonight a strawberry hearted bread loving girl sleep happily, not afraid of what the future will bring even if that future is in another country. Tonight, July 29, is the start of fulfillment of her hopes and dreams.

Notes/ Thoughts:

We go and fly abit to Japan in the story and meet the cutest pair. Did you see that glimpse of BookheeXDahee ship, I'll play with all the interaction possible lol. I wonder how they will be if I Introduce Person "N" ;) to the story. *evil laugh*. Ah sorry I got caried away. Even if I started with almost no plan aside various scenarios I think I can say I have manage to plot small things here and there. The story started with Chaebol ship running wild in my head.

Did you catch the small foreshadowing [I'm fan of foreshadowings lol] for this chapter from the previous one? There are small foreshadowing here and there. This chap is set on July 29, ch 6 is July 28 - I put a calendar of events lol. Anyone catch a passing cherry blossom. Next one is also set in Japan before we going back to Korea.

I tried minimizing using Japanese / Korean words but sometimes things like Kawaii cannot just be translated as Cute and Nani (what) in japanese has cuteness in it that I think cant be captured in english equivalent.

I know the story jump from being totally crack/comedy to cute-fluff to somewhat angsty. What do you think of my writing

Thank you very much.

Sketches:

This all I can sketch T_T. Weekdays is hard.