Kabedon: Part 2 of A Tanabata Story

Chapter 6

"Are you sure? How do you know?" Miko asked for the thousandth time.

Junko rubbed her forehead. Miko's constant pleas for reassurance were giving her a literal headache. She looked to Kitamura Rio and Yazawa Ai, who failed to notice her silent cry for help. They, along with a few other girls from their class, were busy making campaign posters for Miko's historic run at the student council. Junko had rounded them up to help while Miko was supposed to be working on her campaign speech, but all Miko could think about was that boy.

"I've told you a hundred times, so I'm only going to say this once more." Junko put down her marker pen and leaned forward, staring into Miko's large gorgeous eyes to make sure she had Miko's full attention. "You could ask to be the girlfriend of any boy in this school—hell, any boy in this town—and not one of them would say no."

"But—"

"That's it!" Junko held a hand up to stop her. "I'm not saying it again." Then she muttered, "It's embarrassing enough having to tell you how beautiful you are."

"But—he's an American."

"How do you know that?"

Miko blushed and looked away. "I asked around."

Asked? Who? As far as Junko knew, Miko never talked to anyone but the occasional teacher. "So? What does that have to do with anything?" she asked.

"Well..." Miko glanced at Yazawa Ai, "I'm not flashy and sophisticated like some girls. I'm not even little and cute." She glanced at Rio and began fiddling with her long straight black hair. "I'm just big old plain me."

Junko stifled a laugh so as to not hurt her friend's feelings. Leave it to Miko to only see her faults. It was true that nearly every girl in the school had colored, cut or permed her hair in some fashion to stand out from the typical straight black-haired Japanese look. It was technically against the rules, but as long as they did not draw too much attention, the school administrators overlooked it. They cared more about things like test scores and university acceptance rates and job placement.

Miko, with her natural hair and her hime haircut, was as traditional as a kokeshi doll. "I'm sure he's seen plenty of flashy girls in America."

"But wouldn't an American prefer that sort of girl?"

Junko chuckled. "That's what makes you special. In his eyes, you are both beautiful and exotic."

Miko blushed.

Junko shook her head and returned to her poster. If you don't confess to him the next time we see him, I'm going to tell him you like him."

Miko jerked back and gasped. "You wouldn't!"

"If it will shut you up, I will."

七夕

Miko's woke the next morning feeling strangely tired. Her fitful sleep had been plagued by unremembered dreams. She thought she remembered one that involved a tree or some other shadowy presence towering over her. Periodically, she felt a hand gently brush her cheek, but when she looked up she only found a green twig tickling the side of her face and the vague sense of someone having just stepped out of sight.

As she prepared for school, she remembered Junko's threat to tell Jack...what? That she liked him? That didn't seem possible. 

She chuckled nervously to herself raising Koizume's eyebrows as she packed Miko's lunch. Just because I find him a little interesting doesn't mean...anything, she thought. Surely Junko was joking. Miko's heart gave a little flutter.