Smiling Mask    

Truthfully, I never would have expected him to be behind that door. I still remember it perfectly to this dying day. The heat of that late night, hollow sound of those first hesitant knocks, your surprised face as me at the door, I remember all of it perfectly. I wonder... do you still remember too?

                                                         XXX

I felt my teeth grind together in irritation as her irritating voice engulfed the house. I glared at her as she just grinned back with the murderously bright power enough to turn nighttime into day in a second.

Freak.

I shifted around in my bed trying to find the most comfortable position on the blisteringly hot bed. Though it was nighttime, the heat is exactly the same as it was in the afternoon, a scorching 95 degrees Fahrenheit… or that’s what it felt like. I pressed the cool paper towel against the back of my neck as if my skin was melting off of my body and all she did was laugh.

My sister. My irritatingly crazy sister from hell is numb to everything unless it relates to her. She can’t feel the heat or the complete silence in the dead of the night, AKA nine o’clock. She can’t seem to connect all of the “time-outs” I gave her with my apparent growing frustration and yet, of course, she can tell if she didn’t get her desert yet, she can tell that she didn’t get to watch her movie, she can tell that I hid every single noise making toy that she has behind my bed.

Must I say it again? Freak.

I guess that I should admit that I am pouring my aggravation onto my little sister yet is it my fault? Staying up in the night waiting for some guy to come to my door when his plane evidently arrived three hours ago, starving because I stupidly decided that “hey! I’m going to eat when he comes!” Sometimes I amaze myself with my dim-wittedness. I doubt he’s coming anyways.

This whole week, we were preparing for some guy to move into the studio under my great-grandmother’s house, the house behind this ours. The work that we had to go through was a pain-in-the-butt due to my mom’s extreme cleanliness. We seriously had to clean every nook and cranny of the house. We had to repaint that room for goodness sake and of course, we are talking about my mom here so when we started painting the room, a thought came into her head that said, “why don’t we paint the whole house too!” You get what I mean? A pain. In. The. Butt.

Even worse, we didn’t even know the guy that was going to move into the house. Was he young? Was he old? Why was he moving here? All the information that my great-grandmother gave us was that he was from the country of Japan, he arrives (now arrived) today at six o’clock, and to prepare dinner for him because he was probably going to be hungry.

Yet, that’s how my great-grandmother is, vague and forgetful. My family lives on her property. A beautiful property filled up with carefully watered plants and fruit trees, a big koa tree by the river, it was wonderful. We live in the house on the front, and she lives in the house in the back or well… she used to. You see, my great-great-grandmother is over eighty years old yet she could still drive, squat, walk, anything that a normal human could do yet it all changed.

His name was Namio Yoshino or as we called him, Grandpa James. He lived with my great-grandmother until his death. Truthfully though, he isn’t really my great-grandfather nor is he even related to me. I really have no idea how my great-grandmother and him even met, though after that incident happened, everything went downhill.

That “incident” was his death a two years ago. He caught leukemia and he was too old to go through chemotherapy so he died a slow death, which impacted my great-grandmother greatly. After that, she started to forget everything. Sure she still remembers a lot, my family, our names. She recognizes us yet she only remembers the things that she wants to remember, mostly from her past and the times she spent with my little sister.

Eventually though, she moved out of the house in the back. Then everything changed. All the plants started to die, the Plumeria tree ceased blossoming, vines choked the living plants, the before vast wonderland had turned into a burdensome wasteland.

Then other things started to happen, my great-grandmother’s daughters, my grandma and her sisters, started getting rid of everything that belonged to my grandmother that was in her house. The harmonicas were donated to a charity, her puzzles that she loved to do were sold at the swap meet, everything in her house eventually faded away into nothingness.

She still had a lot of belongings on the property. In her garage to the side was a mountain of drawers and bureaus filled with suitcases that haven’t been touched in what it may of seemed like decades.

Inside of that garage was a door that had lead to a small studio that held a small room, a bathroom, and interestingly, a small stage with tatami mats that adorned the bottom of it. I always loved that studio, filled with secrets waiting to be discovered yet kept on waiting only to never be found for I was afraid of what bugs may have popped out of each box, each book that I might of wanted to look through.

I sighed in silence as I shifted the book I held in my hands to a more comfortable position. It was an easy book, “The BFG” by Roald Dahl. It was about a girl who was kidnapped by a giant, a Big Friendly Giant, and whisked away into Giant Country and saved all of the children in England. Like I said, it was an easy book for I read it over twenty times when I was in second grade.

I started to go on to the next paragraph when at the door I heard a knock. Three hesitant knocks, a thirty second pause, and then three more confident raps on the door. I paused in silence as a million thoughts ran through my head on who it was. Is it a kidnapper? A pervert? A policeman telling me that my brother somehow died when he was at the park? A million more thoughts ran through my head as to what to do about it yet eventually I just decided not to do anything about the matter yet, that’s impossible to do when you have someone around you at all times.

“Hiro. Hiro.” I ignored her until she started to get louder, “Hiro! Hiro! There’s someone at the dooor!!!” Of course, since she got louder, the knocks got louder too. I sighed as I got out of bed. Some people are so disrespectful to our sleeping senior citizen neighborhood. I unlocked the hatch from the lock and opened the front door and stared at the person that stood in front of me.

He was about 5’8” with light brown eyes. His hair was styled just like in a manga where most of his bangs were pushed to one side while the remaining of the bangs were pushed to the opposite side. The rest of his brown hair with tan highlights (probably dyed) was perfectly styled so that it all ended at the base of his neck. He was wearing a perfectly fitting jacket with a white shirt underneath with long, but not tight) jeans on and a duffle bag hanging onto this shoulder.

“Hi! What’s your name? My name is Ho-Shi!” My sister, Hoshi, exclaimed out of the blue clearly enunciating every part of her name. He squatted down to her view and smiled perfectly white teeth (probably whitened).

“Hiya Hoshi-chan! My name is Kamisato Kazuhiko but you can just call me Kazu!” Hoshi just smiled back at him one of her perfect brightening smiles.

“It’s nice to meet you, Ka-Zu!!!” She then ran off into the house as he got back up onto his feet. I smiled back at him with ease for it was easy to me to hide irritation. I did it all of my life.

“It’s nice to meet you… erm… Kamisato… kun?” He then smiled and offered his hand to me.

“You don’t need to use Japanese honorifics on me! You can just call me Kazu, too okay?” I reached out and shook his hand. It was smooth, soft, and warm (probably lotioned).

“I’m Miyamoto Hiroko but just call me Hiro.” His hand broke apart gently from mine.

“Well, it’s very nice to meet you, Hiro.” I smiled back.

“It’s very nice to meet you too.” Yes, it was very nice to meet someone
who made me spend three hours in growing starvation.

“Do you need anything before you go to the studio, Kazu? Any food or something?” I asked.

“Ah, no. I ate on the way here.”

“I see. Hoshi! Come here! I’ll take you to your house!” I picked up Hoshi and started to the back house robotically.

“So why did you come over here, Kazu?” I asked in curiosity.

“Well, there’s really not much to tell at all, you know. I moved here because my dad wanted me to fulfill a promise that he made here and stuff.” He answered back.

“What was it like in Japan? Where did you live?” He erupted in this whole speech about where he lived. It seemed really beautiful when it came out of his mouth, the Sakura blossoms, the nature until he just started to ramble about many other things and suddenly our conversation about how Japan was like turned into a debate about a blue badger. Yet again, my irritation grew.

“Are you sleeping over, Ka-Zu?” I heard my sister ask. He chuckled, is soft voice ringing, echoing into the night.

“I’m going to live here, Hoshi-chan! Are you okay with that?” My sister let out a laugh as she smiled at him.

“Yes! Do you…” Eventually, I zoned her out and listened to the crickets
chirping in the night. The night sky was filled with clouds as certain stars shone brightly down while others just hid in the night. The crescent moon was high in the sky with a yellow tinge to it making it the center of attention.

I yawned as I got into the garage of my grandmother’s house to the studio door. It was a pretty thin door with a little wooden pocket on the side filled with small pieces of paper and a lonely pencil. Hesitantly, I reached inside and pulled out a key and unlocked the door. I set down Hoshi and gestured him inside.

He looked around in amazement at the fresh looking room for only a few days ago, it was a musky dust-smelling scent filled studio with boxes and old figurines and now it has been transformed into a sort of averagely well studio. It had a twin sized bed, a clean toilet, a small fridge, an electric portable stove, a television, all of the bare necessities though, if he needed a computer, hopefully he brought one of his own.

“So this is where you’ll be living. If you need anything of any sort please call us. Our phone number and other important phone numbers are posted to the refrigerator if you need anything else. Well, if you won’t be needing anything else, I will be bidding you adieu. Good night, Kazu.” With that, I scooped up Hoshi and made my way out without pausing to hear anything else that might come out of his mouth.

After I got through that front door I dropped Hoshi to the ground, dug into the freezer and microwaved two burritos. I growled in silence as I went to pick up Hoshi and threw her onto my parents’ bed knowing that it would not hurt her a bit. She got back up to glare at me.

“Hey!” She screamed yet her scream never fully got to my ears for the door was already closed before a word left her mouth. I grabbed the nearest pillow in sight and slammed it at the ground.

“Stupid guy! Who the hell does he think he is exactly?! Making someone wait for him to come, making her wait for three stinking whole hours in starvation and did not even once apologize?! How dare he just show up on my door with that sickeningly sweet smile of his and tell me that he already ate for one, and two, make like nothing even happened? What is he stupid?!”

Eventually, I decided to be quiet for there was never going to be anyone to listen to my complaints at the moment and just ate my food in complete and absolute silence.

                                                             XXX

Bhamp! Bhamp! Bhamp! Bhamp!!!

I woke up lazily and slammed down the sleep button. Darkness adorned
the room as the clock read 5:45 AM yet I ignored it letting my eyes drift back when-

Bhamp! Bhamp! Bhamp! Bhamp!!!

What the… I sat up in bed and stared at the clock though this time, it read 6:45. My eyes flew open as I jumped out of bed. Sunrays somehow crept through the room when I closed my eyes for a few seconds!!! Quickly, I was all ready at 6:50 and started to eat breakfast. I heard my older brother pull himself out of bed and after a few minutes, he was ready and eating breakfast too. I smirked at him when he slumped into the kitchen. His eyes were still half closed as his hair was lazily spiked.

“Good morning sunshine!!!” I exclaimed rewarding myself with a great “SSSHHHH!!!” from my mom’s room. My brother, who is two years older then I on the other hand, took a couple seconds to answer.

“Shut it.” I opened my mouth to retort yet I heard a soft knock ruin it all. I closed my mouth and opened the door to meet Kazu.

“Ano… how do you people say it here? Good morning… yes! That’s it!!! Good morning Hiro!” He smiled almost the exact blinding smile my sister usually gives me.

“Good morning to you too Kazu! Do you need anything?” I asked. He looked to the side as a tinge of pink lit his cheeks.

“I uh… don’t have any food at home yet and I was wondering if I could eat some here if that’s okay with you…” I glanced back at the clock. It was almost my time to leave at 7:00. I turned back to say no yet…

“Of course you can eat here! Are you the new person that moved in? It’s nice to meet you. My name is Ichirou!” I heard my brother exclaim as he slammed me into the fridge with no hesitation at all.

“It’s nice to meet you too! I’m Kamisato Kazuhiko but please just call me Kazu. Are you Hiro’s brother?” He shook my brother’s hand.

“Oh no. I’m her boyfrien-“ I slammed him against the front door with the
same amount of force he pushed me with. Stupid irritating brother!

“Yes, he is my brother! Why don’t you come inside, Kazu!” I butted my brother even more against the wall as I made room for Kazu to come in. Slowly wand unsurely, he stepped inside the house. I glared at my brother and all he did was laugh back at me. Sometimes I wonder how he just changes moods so quickly.

“Sorry, but we only have cereal here at the moment. Is that fine with you?” My brother asked. Kazu said yes.

“So while you’re new here, why don’t you tell us about yourself.” My brother exclaimed. Hmm… that question sounded familiar…

“Well, there’s not much to tell…”

                                                             XXX

I slammed hard onto my seat in the classroom. Amazingly, the tardy bell rang right after my butt touched that seat. I smiled at the boy that stood in the front of the class, namely, Kazu. Just smile, Hiro, just smile. Somehow you’ll be able to get rid of him… somehow.

We were almost late today coming to school because we underestimated how much Kazu liked to talk and look at scenery. I had to sit through the same conversation I heard last night that ended up with the conversation about a blue badger! We then after that, found out that Kazu is going to our high school, Lost Stars High, so we had to haul him with us for we had to walk the mile there. We were slowed down yet again by his talking and scenery loving self. My brother of course, did not mind a bit. They were best of friends now. I chuckled sarcastically to myself. Idiots attract…

Kazu, unfortunately, is in the same grade as me so he, unfortunately, is in four of my seven classes, three of them being the core classes and the other being Physical Education, my most hated class. I guess that I was lucky that I had three classes not with him.

At the moment though, it was Social Studies or what some of you people call it, History. Kazu had just apparently finished introducing himself and, get this! My teacher allowed him to choose his seat! Talk about unfair. There was a lot of empty seats scattered in the classroom and he just decided to choose the one behind me. *Insert swear word here*

                                                            XXX

“Seriously, Lana! He’s following me everywhere! I just met him yesterday and my siblings already love the hell out of him. No matter where I seem to hide he keeps following me! Four classes, Lana, four classes I have to hear his voice! Even at home. Do you have any idea what this is doing to my poor brain!?” I exclaimed in anguish as I took a massive bite from my chicken patty lunch.

“… Apparently so. You actually seem a bit more sane today then how you are on other days.” I glared at her.

“This isn’t the time for joking you know! You never know when he’ll appear out of the blue!” As I finished the word “blue”, I felt the presence of somebody else walking up to the table.

“Hi Hiro! I don’t really know anybody here so I was wondering if I could sit next to you.” Almost automatically, that smile found its way up my mouth as I gestured him to sit down. He glanced up at Lana. Her dark brown eyes stared back him.

“Ah, are you Hiro’s friend? Sorry for interrupting. It’s nice to meet you. My name’s Kazu, what’s yours?” She grew silent like how she usually did when she was meeting someone else. She smiled back.

“My name’s Lana Haley. It’s nice to meet you too! Hiro has been telling me all about you!” He smiled as a familiar hint of pink tinted his cheeks.

“Well, there’s not much to tell truthfully, you see I…” I growled in irritation.

XXX

I swear he’s going to die young from the fact that more air leaves his mouth then enters it for his extreme talking habit. He’s just blabbering on and on ever since we left the school. My brother had to stay back in his Junior class for some strange reason. I sighed in silence.

“So what do you think about that?” Kazu asked. I paused. What was he saying again? I thought back and dug deep in my thoughts only to come back up with dirty empty hands.

“Were you even listening?” He asked with a slight smile on his face. I felt my face flush, something that it has never done before in my life, I never was the blushing sort of person when it came to embarrassment after all.

“I, uh… was thinking of something at the moment so at the spur of the moment, so in the process of that happening, I zoned out what you were saying. He glanced at me and smirked, his eyebrow raised high.

“Right.” He drawled sarcastically. I glared at him.

“Fine then! You want the truth wise guy? You talk too much for your own good! I mean sure, everybody has the right to be loud and talkative and all but geez! You really abuse that right! If you’re talking a mile a minute, it’s impossible for somebody to actually follow everything if they aren’t an idiot like you and my brother!

“And two! You just irritate me period! Do you know how long I was waiting for you to arrive at my door? Three hours, Kazu! Three freaking hours of waiting in the dark in hunger just so that I could eat with you and meet you properly at the door but no! You appear three hours later with your stomach hungry and full completely disregarding the very thought that I might be hungry and pissed!” I growled. He seemed extremely surprised for a moment yet then it was covered with a smirk.

“So, I finally get to see it.” He exclaimed. I stared at him in confusion. Irritation built up in me like an overflowing dam.

“See what?” I muttered.

“Your true face!” He exclaimed winking at me. I doubled over in shock. What the hell was he talking about? He went on, “You don’t think that I haven’t noticed huh, that all your smiles were fake. I’m not as idiotic as I may seem you know. I could see the irritation building up inside of you since the moment you opened that door. I must say though, your mask is very well developed. I almost didn’t catch it.”

My head short-circuited from confusion. What the hell was he talking about? My “mask” is well developed? When the hell did he learn about that? Was I that careless? Wasn’t he that idiot that I meet a yesterday? When did he start acting… smart?! I was yanked out of my thoughts by a flick to my forehead. What was it with the Japanese and hurting foreheads?!

“What was that all about?” I exclaimed in surprise. He glanced to the side and pouted.

“You’re thinking too much to get anything. To think that I looked up to you…” He then stared down at me for he was at least six inches taller then I, “… figuratively.” He finished. I scoffed.

“Don’t bring my height into the matter, Kazu!” I grumbled aiming a kick for his shin yet missing as he jumped nimbly away.

“Oi, little girl, that was pathetic. Maybe try aiming you know! That might just work when you really think about it!” He grinned as I chucked a rock at his head, which he dodged gracefully. He then took off running along the road back home.

“Maybe next time, little girl!” He called back as I stared in horror. I almost started after him yet stopped knowing that it would just fuel him in his eagerness. I leaned against a wall and started to laugh. Why I did, I have no idea. Maybe I was becoming an idiot just like him.

“When I get home, Kazu, when I come home… I swear that you’ll die a painful and horrible death.” I chuckled softly to myself and started back home plotting of all the things I would do to him when I got home.