“What?” Selina asked suddenly confused herself.

Jiro snapped back to reality and cleared his throat moving away from her.

“Here, you have it. It’s too girly for me,” Jiro told shoving it into her hands.

“What?” Selina asked again still looking up at him.

“I said you can have it,” Jiro repeated. He really wished she would turn away from him.

A smile spread across her face and Jiro couldn’t help but smile too.

“Really?” Selina asked.

Jiro continued pushing it into her hands, “Just take it. Why act like a dummy?”

Selina made a face, “You don’t have to be so freaking mean.”

Jiro was about to retort when Selina suddenly turned away to look around.

“Hey man how’ve you been?” a familiar voice said from somewhere.

The crowd, from somewhere amongst the crowd Selina could hear Calvin’s voice. ‘He’s here. Somewhere he’s here. Calvin came back,’ Selina thought to herself as she glanced around and then there in a black jacket was him. Calvin was smiling happily and shaking hands with someone. A smile spread across her face and she took a step forward then stopped.

“You’re married now,” a voice popped into her head.

Without noticing the stuffed animal that she’d really wanted dropped out of her hand. As it fell against the ground Calvin looked over and she could feel their eyes meet. Selina’s heart pounded. She didn’t know whether to go against marriage or to stick with it. ‘It’s not the same. You’re not the same anymore. It’s not right. It’s Jiro now. It should be Jiro…Calvin,’ Selina thought to herself. Suddenly something that had been in her for a long time started to swell up. Selina turned around and ran pass Jiro.

Jiro turned to watch as Selina ran pass him. Lost in thought Jiro went to pick up the stuffed animal brushing the dirt off of it.

“What’s wrong with her,” Jiro said to himself and looked up to see a man making his way through the crowd.

Jiro pushed the man out of his thoughts and ran after Selina. To his surprise she’d ran all the way back to her house and in such short time too. Jiro entered through the open door and looked around. He found her in her old bedroom sitting against the wall.

“What are you doing in here?” Jiro questioned until he heard her quiet sobbing.

Curious to what was wrong Jiro walked over and sat down next to her. Jiro listened to her cry for a few seconds then held out the stuffed animal.

“What’s wrong Sel? Why are you crying? You know you look like a witch when you cry,” Jiro said turning his voice high waving the stuffed animal in front of her, but she didn't even look up. When he got no response Jiro put the stuffed animal down. “Hey if you don’t appreciate it just tell me. It’s the first time I ever did that. I feel like such a moron now.”

Selina didn’t reply but she finally held her head up. Jiro turned to see tears streaming down her face and for some reason he felt worry.

“I…if I weren’t married to you…just if I weren’t married…” Selina said not going on.

As if controlled by something else Jiro leaned over and kissed her on impulse. Selina pushed Jiro away startled. Jiro leaned over again kissing her. This time Selina tried to push him away succeeding only a few seconds later.

“What is your problem!” Selina shouted anger in her voice.

She got up and walked out of the room wiping her lips with her sleeve. Jiro sat there frozen, confused. He quickly got up and chased after Selina to find her standing still and in front of her stood a person wearing a black jacket. Jiro stopped finally catching on. He recalled Mrs. Ren’s words about a person named Calvin. The person whom Selina had stayed out late with.

Calvin smiled, “Hey Selina.” Jiro could feel Calvin’s eyes pass Selina and land on him. Calvin slowly walked over coolly and held out his hand, “I heard you and Selina got married. Congrats Sel." He turned slightly to look at Selina, who seemed shocked with his words then Calvin turned back to Jiro. "And nice to meet you. I’m Calvin.”

Jiro glanced down at Calvin’s hand and shook it feeling Calvin’s tight grip.

“Jiro,” Jiro replied.

Calvin smiled awkwardly and within his smile Jiro could feel Calvin had something else on his mind.

“We’ll meet again soon,” Calvin said and turned around walking pass Selina. Jiro watched as he put his hand on her shoulder. “Good night Selina.”

As Calvin walked away Selina turned around and without glancing at Jiro walked passed him. Jiro returned to Selina’s room to pick up the stuffed animal and sat down on the bed. No matter how hard and deep  he thought he couldn’t come up with an explanation for what had happened earlier. He felt his mind was in a mess. Before he always thought he’d felt only pity for her, but maybe it wasn’t pity he felt but something else. What was it?

After Selina’s grandparents and mother had returned home Jiro finally found the courage to return to their bedroom to find Selina already asleep. Jiro sighed and got into bed falling asleep right away. When he awoke the next morning he found that Selina missing.

_*_*_*_*_

Selina was bending down her hands playing with the water of the stream that ran before her. With the loud roaring waterfall she didn’t hear  footsteps come behind her. Hands quickly grasped on her shoulder and gave her a small push.

“Boo!” the voice said.

Selina turned around surprised to see Calvin standing there, “Calvin.”

Calvin smiled and sat next to her, “I had a feeling you’d be right here.”

Selina turned back to glance at the water. Small ripples were made each second because of rush of the waterfall.

“I was surprised,” Calvin told.

“What?” Selina questioned.

“I had no idea you’d be brave enough to spend a night with a stranger,” Calvin told. “It shocked me to hear you were married.”

Selina turned her gaze to the ground and remained silent.

“I didn’t do it on purpose,” Selina said.

Calvin gave a loud laugh and Selina turned to look at him startled.

“I don’t care if you’re married,” Calvin began, “you’re still Selina and I still like you.”

Selina stared at him lost. Calvin placed his hand on hers and smiled.

“Come on, lets go somewhere,” Calvin told and off they went.

_*_*_*_*_*_

Grandpa Ren walked around the tool shed to find Jiro chopping some wood. Grandpa Ren walked over to him.

“What are you doing?” Grandpa Ren questioned.

Jiro turned to look at him, “Chopping wood.”

“Stop, stop, stop. I’ve got enough already,” Grandpa Ren said, “I said a man’s got to work but he’s got his limits too. Where’s Selina? Tell her to go make something for you to eat. That girl shouldn’t be sick anymore.”

Jiro stood there in silence and just watched as Grandpa Ren tossed the woods aside. Grandpa Ren seemed to notice something was wrong and did not turn away from looking at Jiro.

“Where did that girl go?” Grandpa Ren questioned with a heavy voice.

Jiro thought for a moment and laughed foolishly, “I forgot I sent her to the garden. I’ll go and get her.”

Jiro quickly turned and walked away before giving Grandpa Ren the chance to say anything more. He sighed to himself as he made his way to the garden.

“What are you thinking? You must be going crazy. Yes that must be it. Being stuck here is turning you into an idiot,” Jiro told himself as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Why did you even lie to grandpa.”

Jiro stopped and stared at the empty garden. Selina wasn’t there, no one was there. Jiro made a face and stepped into taking a few random things and stepped back out.

“I’ll just lie again when I get back,” he told himself.

Jiro stepped through the opened doors and went into the kitchen to find Selina standing there with her grandpa. They turned to look at him as if he were something else.

“What?” Jiro questioned.

“Come here,” Grandpa Ren ordered and Jiro had no choice but to do as told. “Where did you go?”

Jiro turned to look at Selina, who was giving him a warning look.

“Uh…to the garden…” Jiro said making it sound more like a question than a statement.

Grandpa Ren gave a small laugh, “You say you sent Selina to the garden?”

Jiro gulped and thought to himself, ‘I’m gonna die.’

“Selina, didn’t you say you went to take a walk?” Grandpa Ren questioned. Selina nodded in reply.

“Grandpa….” Jiro began.

Grandpa Ren interrupted, “Jiro you’d better not be too soft on your wife. She might have been out with some guy, you never know. Next time don’t lie to keep her out of trouble. You two better talk things out.”

With that Grandpa Ren left the room leaving Jiro and Selina to stand in silence. As guilt presided over Selina Jiro placed what he’d taken out of the garden onto the table and walked pass Selina heading out. Selina watched as he left biting her lip.

That night while Selina slept peacefully Jiro just laid there eyes wide open unable to even close his eyes. He couldn’t sleep no matter how hard he tried. He glanced at Selina and got out of bed. After he closed the door behind him Selina’s eyes slowly opened and she sat up rubbing her eyes.

Grandpa Ren’s words rambled themselves inside his head. Jiro had no idea why, but the suggestion that Selina could have been out with some guy just really bothered him. That guy could have been Calvin.

“You’re crazy, crazy, crazy,” Jiro told himself. “What is wrong with you? You can’t like her. You obviously can’t like her.”

Selina turned around in bed once the sun had reached the early sky. She stared at Jiro’s back for a moment and got off the bed. Calvin would be waiting for her near the waterfall. That was all that mattered to her. As Selina left the room Jiro sat up in bed and stared at the door a heavy emotion overcoming him.

The rest of the day Jiro busied himself with work to stop thinking about Selina, but in the end he would find himself lost in thought about her. Then later he’d find himself standing silently thinking of how he missed her during the day and how good it was to hear her laughter and how fun it was to play jokes on her just to see her reaction. When Selina returned late afternoon Jiro would direct his attention elsewhere not knowing how to talk to her. He didn’t know how he’d react if he knew she was really spending time with Calvin. It was like that for the next couple of days.

_*_*_*_*_*_

Calvin had taken Selina to the most expensive shop. They were having fun picking out men's clothing for Calvin. It wasn't until Selina found a warm sweater she finally thought about Jiro. For the first time the name Jiro occurred to her. It was getting colder and Jiro didn’t have anything warm and he was out all day working…while she was out having fun.

“Don’t tell me that you’re getting that for me,” Calvin said. “It’s too plain.”

Selina turned to him and gave a smile, “I’m getting this for Jiro. Besides it’s getting cold now and he has nothing warm…”

Selina stopped when Calvin’s soft eyes turned into a harsh mean glare, “You’re thinking of him when you’re out with me? Whatever Selina. I knew you’d change.”

Calvin placed the things he was going to buy on a shelf and walked out angrily. Selina stared at the sweater then back to Calvin then hung the sweater back on the rack chasing after Calvin.

“Calvin wait!” Selina shouted. “Sorry! I…I’m sorry! It’s just I’ve never really done anything for Jiro so I just thought about it.”

Calvin turned around and set his tight grip on around her wrist, “When you’re with me, you’re with me. Are you hungry?”

“Yea,” Selina smiled as Calvin smiled back and led her into a restaurant.

Soon after they’d departed Selina headed back on the path toward home when the thought of Jiro out in the cold returned. Thinking to herself Selina turned around and headed back to the shop. Walking in she headed toward the back and found the same sweater. As she picked it up she remembered Calvin saying it was too plain. Selina put it back and found another sweater with some designs that she thought Jiro would like and bought it. When Selina got home she found Jiro standing in the kitchen with her mother. Jiro was learning to cook something and was laughing along with her mother about something. Deciding to leave them alone Selina went to their bedroom.

After supper that night and when she had finished washing the dishes Selina searched for Jiro. Walking around she finally found Jiro sitting alone at the back of the house. Selina dashed over to him and jumped in front of him when she reached him.

“Hey!” she said.

Jiro quickly turned to her, “What?”

Selina blew up then said, “Is that all you say?”

Jiro rolled his eyes and got up and stopped when Selina shouted, “Where are you going?”

“Why? You want something from me?” Jiro questioned.

Selina smiled and Jiro could feel his heart beat a little faster, “Come with me.”

Selina walked ahead and stopped turning back to find Jiro still standing there. Selina walked back to him and grabbed his hand pulling him. Jiro frowned when Selina led him to their room. Jiro stood there silently as Selina went over to a table to get something from inside its drawer. Jiro sat down on the bed wondering what she had in store for him.

Selina headed back to him and frowned, “What are you doing?”

Jiro glanced around, “You brought me here because you wanted to do something right?”

“Pull your head out of the gutter for a moment,” Selina said and pulled her hands out from behind her.

Jiro saw a sweater and raised an eyebrow, “What’s this?”

“It’s a sweater,” Selina told.

Jiro laughed, “Anyone would know that.”

“Then why would you ask that?” Selina questioned then stopped as she realized the answer. “Whatever. Try it on.”

Jiro stared at the sweater, “No.” Even though he felt really glad that she'd actually gotten it for him.

“Come on,” Selina urged.

“No way,” Jiro refused.

A few moments later Jiro found himself with the sweater on, a dead look over his face.

“Are you happy now?” Jiro asked.

“Happy,” Selina said then walked over, “you have to zip it first.”

Selina grabbed the zipper and started to zip the sweater. Jiro found himself not being able to argue back as he stared at her concentrated face. As Selina looked up Jiro quickly looked away pretending he’d never looked at her at all. Selina moved away from him and stood up straight. They stood in awkward silence for a few seconds.