The Ganki Story Chapter 3: On Cheating and Second Chances

"Madaling hulihin ang manok na nakatali"

"Will you go out with me?"

His heart raged like the deafening noise of a busy Shibuya District. If a girl agreed to go out with you once and you blew that opportunity out, how do you ask for a second date? After five years?

Oops. Five years? Wait a second...

The five-day rule will only work if you met the girl for the first time. But hey! Meari and Takeshi met already five years ago. The five-day rule does not apply to them because it was way past the fifth day after their first meeting. Why am I so stupid!?! Takeshi taught. Before it was Haagen Dazs and then now this one. Why is he always being an idiot when it comes to Meari? He remembered Robert calling it "The Tokyo University Syndrome". This happens to smart people who acts foolishly in front of the person they are hitting on because the attraction is way above it should be. (The Haagen- Dazs Code-Don't be attracted to someone too much because it blurs you mind. (Robert 2006))

But there's no turning back now. All he could do is wait, imagining all the possible response Meari could give.

a. No way! After what happened five years ago? Hell no!

b. I am sorry I am so busy I don't have time for dates.

c. Dame da! (No way)

He was like a speeding Bullet train made out of porcelain about to hit a wall as Meari opened her lips.

But to his surprise, Meari replied with the greatest and most subtle word in the Japanese language.

***

After his class, Takeshi went straight to Robert's room to tell him the good news. But as he opened the door to his room, he forgot everything as he saw Robert...

...with Mochiko. (Do you remember when I told you that Mochiko advised Sue to go without Robert because of some reason different to what Takeshi had? Well, here's the reason.)

"ROBERT!!! GIRLS are NOT ALLOWED in our DORM!!!"

"Wait. can you go outside first so she can put on her dress."

"Okay" He waited outside, then after awhile, Mochiko stepped outside with the most humiliating bow to avoid Takeshi's eyes. Then he went inside.

Robert, in a "user-friendly-friendly-user" gesture, approached Takeshi. "Please do not tell this to Sue."

It was just then when Takeshi realized what really happened. "You are cheating on her!?!"

"This is exactly why I don't want to be away from her." Before Robert met Sue, he was a womanizing idiot. But Sue changed him entirely, although no one knows how. "You see, she is not just my girlfriend. She's also my conscience. You take her away from me, I'm like a whining school boy eager to eat all those soft, sweet and pink cotton candies there."

"Robert, this must stop. Think about her. Do you wanna lose her?"

"No. Hell no! I love her."

"If this will happen again I will tell her."

"Ok.Ok!"

Just when they about to shake hands for a done deal, Mochiko went inside the room and said "Robert, how about tonight?"

And like all the other bro's do, Takeshi and Robert had a telepathic conversation in front of a girl.

Takeshi: :-x

Robert: :-(

":-0"

":'("

":0"

";-)"

":-/"

":-D"

":-/"

"Yes, Mochiko. Sure." Mochiko stepped outside. Robert thanked Takeshi but Takeshi felt disgusted with himself.

"Robert. I will not tell Sue but please, you will go out with her but no cotton candies, ok?"

"No cotton candies." *wink*

"I'm serious."

"Yeah." *wink*

"Robert?" *mean look*

" Ok! No cotton candies!" Robert, in his attempt to change the topic asked Takeshi the question that he should have asked him minutes ago. "Hey, Why are you here? I forgot to ask"

"I ask Meari to go out with me."

"What did she say?"

"The greatest and most subtle Japanese word."

"Oh! That one? Nice!"

"See? Your five-day rule is not true! We met five years ago and I still have all the chance in the world to get her."

"Do you hear that?" Robert looked at the sky (Or more specifically, at the ceiling), raised his hands and closed his eyes. "God is talking to us."

"Are you stoned?"

"He is saying that you broke the five-day rule five years ago but he will give you this second chance." Robert opened his eyes and smiled at him. "The heaven loves you so much!"

"What are you..."

" Five-day rule, again after five years. High Five!"

***
It was 6pm when Takeshi arrived at Haagen-Dazs. Wearing his favorite suit, he waited for Meari.

And there she was, walking straight towards him. And once again, the most breath-taking smile he had ever seen...


To be continued...(Chapter 4: Dates)

The Genki Story Chapter 2: The Five-Day Rule Part 1

Never forget the names of
people who have

given you chocolates.

One of the many things books have taught us is that there are many decent combinations of words in a certain language that we can say to a person that we haven't met for a long period of time. For example:

a. "Oh! I'm glad we met each other again!"

b. "How are you? It has been a long time!"

c. "Hisashiburi na (Long time no see)."

***

"So...you're here."

What is wrong with me? Takeshi taught. Of all the nice expressions available for a situation like this, he chose the meanest and most awkward of them all. Fortunately, Meari seemed like she didn't mind it after all.

"Yeah, I will be having my masters here. Mochiko! Robert! How are you? I missed you guys." Meari turned to the two. Apparently, Meari had just shown Takeshi how to greet someone nicely. His knees weakened.

"We're good." Robert replied. "Sue has just left for Korea. That's why we're here, to send her off. Good thing we saw you here."

"Meari! You look so pretty as usual. No wonder why Takeshi is still so into you up to now." Mochiko exclaimed. Takeshi looked at her and he just wanted to kill her, right then and there.

Everybody pretended as if no one heard Mochiko talked and then Takeshi asked Meari. "So are you still going to our unversity? 'Cause I am taking my masters there."

"Yes I am. I'll be in Tozai too."

"Nice, so we might see each other in school then."

"Yes. Guys I'm sorry but I have to go. Ja ne! (See you!)."

***

The next day:

"I found out that Meari has a new facebook account and i have seen her profile without her

knowing."

"You are stalking her? Yamitte !(Stop it!) Your embarrassing yourself. By the way how did you do that?"

"The old school way: Create a new facebook account using an alias and invite her through that."

"So what's your alias?" Robert asked him interestingly.

"Bakeshi." Answered Takeshi while doing the "Mr. Clean" gesture, as if it was a brilliant idea.

"And not just that, I have researched online and I found her class sched."

Takeshi went into Robert's study table and sat in a chair facing that. He pulled out a sheet of

paper in his pocket and was about to put it on the table. But he was surprised that something was on top of it.

"ROBERT!!! We are not allowed to have a FOUR-STOREY CHOCOLATE SYRUP FOUNTAIN here in the dorm!!! What? Are you going to build a chocolate factory in here?!?!"

"Jealous?" -_-

"No I'm not. Seriously you'll be evicted if they found it out."

"That's why for a daily supply of hot chocolate, you are not going to tell anyone about this. Deal?" *evil look*

Takeshi thought about it for a second and then..."Deal!"

"Going back to your "Stalker Story"..."

"Ok here is her sched."

Mary Hart
Tozai University Class Sched

Japanese 201 7-9 am
Japanese 201.1 9-10 am
Japanese 201.2 10-11 am
Japanese 201.3 1-2 pm
Japanese 201.4 2-4 pm

"Okay. first of all, what is she taking up? Masteral in Math Major in Decimals? But more importantly, do not tell me your enrolled in one of these."

"Japanese 201.2"

"Takeshi look at me." Robert held his shoulders and looked at him. "Five-Day Rule bro. Remember it. All your chances with a girl you just met will be gone if you haven't asked her five days after you first met."

"That's hilarious!"

"Followers of five-day rule: Ken and Frances."

"And the non..."

"QB and Justin."

***

It was the fifth day since they met again. Meari sat beside Takeshi. Takeshi felt his soul taking off in his body.

"Takeshi I just wanna ask. 'Coz I noticed you following me."

"Am I? Well if that is what you think. But i did not intend that." Takeshi replied in the most stupid way of denying ever.

"Look. Takeshi please don't. It's..." Meari paused to think of the right word and then "...predatory to follow someone."

"Okay. Meari, this is the fifth day and I will ask you this. I don't know if this will work after all those embarrassing moments we had. But will you go out with me?" His throat dried out. As if all his organ danced inside him while waiting for the end of the longest pause he had in years.

Finally Meari opened her lips and said....

To be continued...

The Genki Story Chapter 1: After Five Years

This is my fan fiction of our textbook entitled "Genki", a book for jap learners. I am having a hard time fixing the format. Paano ba mag double space dito. Stupid blogger. More detailed reference citing next issue. wala ako ng details pa para gumawa ng biblio e.

After Five Years

Of course it is comforting to have faith in fate,
But isn't it better to believe that you love someone not
because the planets and the stars have told you
to do so. But it is you who choose, among six billion
people, the one whom you will spend the rest of your life with.

"Look at them, they've been sitting there, holding each other's hand for like three hours."
Mochiko said to Takeshi while they walk towards Sue and Robert bringing riceballs and orange juice. The three were in the airport sending off Sue because she will be visiting her family in Korea for the first time in five years.

"Yeah, right." They laughed together softly. "But hey, you've got to understand. This is their first time to be away from each other since they got together. It has been five years.".

"Oh nice! Riceballs!" Sue exclaimed as Mochiko and Takeshi approached them.

"Thanks. Ahh...Takeshi? Can we talk for a second please?" Robert asked so he and Takeshi walked a bit away from them and talked in soft voices.

"Do you think i should buy a ticket and go with Sue?"

"Robert? What the hell are you thinking? C'mon, people in a relationship go through this, you will not buy a ticket and go with her."

"But..."

"Robert, you have to live through this. Besides you already met her parents here in Japan. I'm sure Sue would want to spend that visit alone."

In fact, Sue wants him to go with her. Because that's what happens when you always see each other for five straight years. Suddenly, you can't bear the thought of being apart. But Mochiko advised her the same advice Takeshi gave to Robert. Although not for the same motive Takeshi had, we'll get to that later.

"Robert, you will stay here. And spend two months away from him, for the first time in five years." Robert's almost threw up went he heard the words "five years". Why does Takeshi has to say that? But he agreed to him.

"It's one already, I've got to go." Sue hugged Mochiko tightly, then Takeshi. Then she and Robert hugged and kissed and just won't stop so Takeshi pushed them away from each other.

"Ah, guys? The kids are looking."

"Oh I'm sorry. Bye Robert. I will miss you." Sue said disappointedly.

"Me too, bye."

And Sue walk away until their sight of her disappear.

"Hey, Robert. Your eyes are teary. Are you gonna cry?" Mochiko said and she and Takeshi burst into laughter.

"No I'm not." And he wiped his tears.

"Hey guys, look there." Mochiko pointed at someone far behind Takeshi. He turned around and there she was, right in the middle of the busy crowd.

A vision. In pink.

Meari Hart.

How can someone not love Meari? At a glance you will surely notice her eyes. It is like they're asking you to look at them again. And you can't stop it, because all the forces in the universe are put on you to look at those eyes again. At the first few seconds, you will think it is deep black. But no, you will realise that it is not deep black, it is in fact, the color of the sky in a peaceful and calm midnight (What do you call that color?). This and her lovely nose, shiny ruby red lips complimented by her perfect white teeth connive to form the smile that will make you think that maybe, angels do disguise themselves as humans and live here on earth. And that smile, was the most breathtaking thing Takeshi had ever seen.

"Oh, it's Meari. Yeah I remember she told me she'll be back after five years." Roberto replied.

"She hasn't grown a bit." Mochiko insulted. Meari is not so tall compared to most Americans. She is 5'3.5" but in an athletic shape. Also, she has a brunette hair.

"Let's go to her." Robert said. But wait, what will Takeshi say? Five years ago, they had agreed to go out but it didn't turn out well. In fact, they failed to meet for some stupid reason:

*Takeshi: Hello? This is Kimura.
Mary: Hello, is this Takeshi? Hello, this is Mary. Takeshi you didn't come today did you?
Takeshi: I went there. I waited for one hour in front of Haagen-Dazs Place.
Mary: Not Haagen-Dazs. McDonalds!
Takeshi: McDonalds...I'm sorry!

Takeshi thought that if not for that crappy failed date, they would have been together. But they never talked after that. Takeshi was so embarrassed.

They walked towards Meari and he still didn't know what to say. What would be the appropriate thing to say? After that incident, there seems to be no expression that would be non-awkward. But there she was, already in front of her. She noticed them and smiled.

Finally, Takeshi opened his lips and said...

To be continued

*These are the exact lines from the book "Genki" page 73
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