by Tanya Mindo
“Hey!”
Kaito sighs, “I’ve gone all the way here. Plus, we both know that you won’t be able to carry all your stuff alone. It’s not a big deal.”
“Well… I have lots of stuff…”
“It shows.”
Zoe knows that she might just drop dead on the floor if Kaito lets her do it by herself, but him, doing these things for her when he doesn’t even know her, is too much. They don’t even know each other's names. It is awkward to ask his name after all that he’s done.
They finally reach the third floor. Kaito is drenched in sweat despite the cold weather, and Zoe squirms in guilt. She opens the door using the password as he hands her the suitcase. The Mitaka tutors enter first. Kaito is prohibited to come in because the floor is strictly for women, and he isn’t authorized.
“Um... I’m thankful for everything. If not because of you, I wouldn’t have been able to arrive here safely.”
Kaito smirks.
“Well… I guess… See you around,” she says then turns around.
“Zoe,” Kaito utters.
Zoe jerks her head back to look at him, surprised that he knows her name.
“I’m Kaito. Kaito Dizon. In case you’re wondering.”
With a slight grin, she replies, “Thanks, Kaito.”
“See you later. I’m always at the common hall.”
Kaito bows and then he descends the stairs.
Kaito lives on the second floor of Building C.
He removes his shoes, then he steps into his room. It’s neat and tidy. He didn’t bring a lot of things with him because cleaning up will be difficult. He only has basic utensils for cooking, a single plate, a single pair of spoon and fork, one glass for water, and one cup for either tea or coffee. When his friends visited, they mentioned that it is as if nobody lived there.
He wonders how long it will take for Zoe to finish unpacking.
Kaito is still drenched in sweat, so he takes a quick shower. Afterward, he sits on his desk and opens his laptop to play some games.
A few hours later, he receives a message from Zhi Ming who lives just next to his room. He is in the common hall, and he has food to share. Kaito’s stomach grumbles.
Nice timing.
He leaves his room and rushes to the hall. New students have left. The registration will continue tomorrow.
Zhi Ming waves his hand as soon as Kaito enters. Kaito takes the seat next to him.
“Ah, gyoza and stir fry vegetables. What a feast,” he jokes. He has lost count of the number of gyoza he has consumed since he arrived in Japan.
“Don’t eat if you don’t want to,” Zhi Ming grunts, taking a bite.
“Just kidding man, this is nice. Thanks.” Kaito grabs a plate and a pair of chopsticks.
Zhi Ming was the first friend he made when he arrived in Tokyo. He is from Hong Kong. He is shorter than Kaito, a bit plump, and he wears thick eyeglasses.
Kaito cleans up after dinner. It has always been that way. Zhi Ming will buy enough food to include him, and he will take care of the garbage. Kaito isn’t always free riding, though. Whoever gets the free food will throw away the trash. It is a fair exchange.
Kaito is heading back to the hall when he sees Zoe pacing in front of the door.
“What’s up?”
She turns to face him, her eyes sparkling. Kaito notices the glow in her face.
She’s well-rested.
With a smile, she says, “Hi, Kaito. I was just looking for you.”
Kaito tilts his head to the side.
“Um… I’d like to express my gratitude for everything today.” Her chin dips down. “…so if you’re free, would you like to have dinner with me? My treat.”
Kaito’s lips break into a gentle smile for a second, though he immediately hides his delight. He doesn’t want her to think that he only helped her to get something in return. He’s also full, yet refusing her offer might be rude.
“You don’t have to. I did it because I wanted to.”
“Well, I want to buy you a meal because I want to.”
The door of the common hall swings open.
“Kaito, I’m going back to my room—” Zhi Ming pauses, then shoots an apologetic look at Zoe. “Oh, I’m sorry, hello. Are you a newcomer?”
“O-Oh, yes. Yes, I am,”
“Zhou Zhi Ming, this is Zoe Torres. Zoe, this is Zhi Ming from Hong Kong. He’s also a USTEP student,” Kaito says.
They shake hands.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Zhi Ming says.
“Same here. We’re going to have dinner. Do you want to join us?” she offers.
Zhi Ming shoots a startled look at Kaito. He shakes his head discreetly, yet it doesn’t escape Zoe’s notice.
“Oh, I’ll pass, I just had dinner… I’ll join you next time.”
“Oh, okay.”
“See you around, Zoe. Bye, Kaito.”
Zhi Ming passes by them. Zoe faces Kaito with a frown.
“Did you have dinner already?”
He nods contritely. “Yes, but it’s your treat, so why would I decline?”
She rolls her eyes at him.
Chuckling, Kaito says, “Let’s go. I’ll show you the nearest and cheapest sushi place just in front of the dorm.”
Zoe keeps her hands buried in her pockets. Kappa Sushi is only a few steps from the dorm and is across the street. They wait outside because the queue is a bit long.
Kappa Sushi is a sushi-go-round restaurant. Zoe can’t conceal her amazement as she scrutinizes the interior of the restaurant. There are booths good for groups of people, and there are also separate counters for people who like to eat alone. Sushi plates and other dishes are placed on a conveyor belt that goes around the entire restaurant. Customers can easily grab what they’d like to eat. The final amount to be paid will be based on the colors and numbers of plates. Kaito only watches her, amused at her facial expression.
“How long will you be staying here?” he asks, leaning on the wall, arms crossed.
“I’ll be here only for the Spring and Summer semesters,” she answers, her eyes still on the circulating plates of sushi. “How about you?”
“I’ve been here since the Fall and Winter semesters,” he replies. “I’ll also return to the Philippines after this summer.”
She turns to look at him. “Have you gotten used to this place?”
He half-shrugs. “I had to. It was only difficult at first because of the language barrier.”
“But you know how to speak Japanese, right?”
“Yeah, just enough to survive,” he responds. “So, what do you think of Japan so far?”
“So far, I think it’s a really beautiful place. The transit system is amazing. It’s just that…”
Kaito waits for her to continue.
“I think the Japanese are a little… Aloof? I guess I’m just used to the warmth and hospitality of the Filipinos. And yes, it’s difficult to talk to locals. Did you see me asking for directions earlier? I didn’t expect it would be that hard, to be honest. I saw it coming since I read things to at least prepare myself. But I was still… Shocked. Seeing it first hand was a different experience.”
Kaito nods slowly. “English speakers may be intimidating to some,” he says with a slight grin.
“Yes… I heard about that.” She recalls the man she asked earlier and wonders if that was the case.
“Mm. Most of the Japanese are disciplined and respectful. They don’t want to inconvenience other people so they might come across as unfriendly,” Kaito says firmly. “They find eye to eye contact rude. They don’t smile at strangers, but that’s just their thing. You will still love it here, I promise.”
“Yes, I think so,” she mutters. “But it’s kind of scary. Earlier, I wouldn’t have known what to do if not for you. I might have ended up at a police station. I felt so helpless and stupid.”
“Zoe, you got through it. It only gets better.”
Somehow, his words comfort her. She sta
res at him, her lips twitching into a smile that reveals her right dimple. “Thanks, Kaito.”
Their number comes up, and a waitress approaches to assist them. As soon as they are seated, he teaches her how to place a special order using the iPad. Zoe beams. Again, Kaito thinks that Zoe’s expression is adorable. He has never encountered someone so transparent. Their orders arrive shortly, and they start eating.
“Do you like it?” Kaito asks as he swallows a piece of salmon sushi.
“Yes, it’s good. I’m not a fan of eating raw food, but sushi is always an exception,” she answers, putting a piece of tuna sushi into her mouth.
“The best sushi restaurants are in the Tsukiji fish market.”
“Can we go there next time?” she asks casually.
Kaito glimpses at her, pleased at the idea of Zoe wanting to hang out with him again. “Next time, then.”
Zoe is ravenous. She continuously orders until her plates pile up. Kaito only orders five plates because he is still full. In the end, Kaito insists on paying for himself because the bill reaches 2,000 yen. Zoe swiftly hands out 1,500 Yen to the cashier.
“Japan’s cost of living is so high,” she whispers to Kaito as they walk out of the restaurant.
Kaito rubs his forehead. “I told you I would pay for myself.”
“Nah. I was the one who invited you.”
“Still…”
“It’s done, Kaito.”
He sighs, “Anyway, yeah. It is. Everything’s double the price. Do you need anything else?”
“Well… I need beddings and pillows. I also need to buy food.” She glances at her phone. Kaito checks his watch. It is almost 7:30 PM.
“But I’ll do it tomorrow.”
“We can do it tonight. I’ll go with you,” he offers. He doesn’t have anything to do anyway.
She shakes her head. Despite the dimness of the light, Kaito notices Zoe blush.
“No, I don’t want to be a burden to you.”
Instead of agreeing, Kaito ignores her plea. There is no reason to be embarrassed. “Let’s go.”
Kaito walks ahead. Zoe blows out of her cheeks and stares at his back, wondering why he is being so nice to her.
He looks back after realizing that Zoe isn’t walking.
“What are you waiting for?”
Zoe blinks. “Y-Yeah, I’ll be there!”
Chapter Four
They purchase groceries first. If it wasn’t for Kaito, she wouldn’t have known how to buy the right ingredients. At that point, she castigates herself secretly for her decision to come to Japan. She also tries her best to conceal her ignorance about cooking, though Kaito senses that she knows very little on the matter. He gets the idea that she is someone from a well-to-do family.
After paying, Zoe learns that she is responsible to put her groceries into her bag. Kaito also tells her that she should separate her garbage into different categories. It is overwhelming, but honestly, she’s excited to do things herself. She has never felt so empowered. She can almost imagine her Ma slow clapping for her.
Kaito takes her to a home depot next. She grabs pillows, blankets, and kitchen utensils.
“Why do you need two pillows?” Kaito asks.
“One is for my head, the other’s just for me to hug. Why? Do you only have one?”
“Yeah. I just need it for my head. Why do you have two blankets?”
“The thin one is for the summer.”
Kaito raises an eyebrow. “You’re buying way too many things. How would you bring all of these home?”
Zoe half-shrugs. “I’ll donate them. I can do that, right? I saw tons of stuff on my floor’s lobby.”
Ah, a rich girl, Kaito confirms.
“Alright… Anyway, didn’t you find the dorm scary at night?”
“Nah. It was dark, but I’m not scared of the dark. I think the world is much scarier.”
At 9:15 PM, they are already walking home. As usual, Kaito carries the heavier bags. The streets are dark and empty. The lamp posts brighten the pavement.
Mitaka is in the suburbs, and Zoe likes how silent the neighborhood is. There are more bikes than cars, and the drivers don’t blow horns. Vending machines are scattered and easily accessible.
“We should have used our bicycles,” Zoe comments.
“Yeah, absolutely. But I don’t have mine. I left it in the parking lot near the station.”
“Is that alright?”
“Yeah, I will pick it up tomorrow. I’ll just need to pay for an overnight park.”
Zoe isn’t dumb to not put two and two together.
“You left yours to ride the bus home with me?”
Kaito doesn’t say anything. He did leave it at the parking lot so he could help her out today. It was an impulsive decision, but it isn’t a big deal.
Zoe grimaces at herself. She feels bad for being such a baby. Moreover, she’s starting to be wary of Kaito’s intentions. She might only be overthinking, but she needs to draw the line somewhere.
“I’m sorry. I’ll pay for parking.”
“Don’t be. And please, it’s not a big deal, alright? You didn’t force me to do anything.”
He gives her a smirk. Not a smile, but a smirk. She takes a glance at him again. She’s unsure of what’s going on in his head. Within that short while, she has realized that Kaito is difficult to read. It’s kind of annoying, though she can’t deny that he’s still her savior.
They continue walking silently until they reach Building B. This time she doesn’t stop Kaito from helping her carry all her stuff to the third floor.
Kaito hands her the groceries. Zoe takes it from him and meets his gaze. The more she looks at Kaito, the more she realizes how attractive he is. His skin is even more flawless than hers.
Kicking the thoughts out of her head, she says, “Thanks, Kaito. You didn’t have to do all these things for me.”
“No worries,” he answers. “I had fun today. It was like reliving my first few days here.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, it was nice meeting you.”
“Yeah…” she whispers.
Seth’s image slides into her mind, and guilt creeps into her heart, making her queasy. Zoe has no intention of keeping him a secret. There hasn’t been a chance to bring him up, that’s all. It is awkward to just mention him out of nowhere. Still, not saying a thing about Seth doesn’t seem right.
Zoe shifts her weight from left to right, her stare on the ground.
“Hey, what’s wrong?”
She raises her head. “Well… I think I should just let you know… I’m actually… Well...”
Kaito cocks his head to the side.
“I mean… I…” She blushes uneasily as she fiddles with the necklace that Seth gave her.
Kaito finally understands. He chuckles, scratching his head. He did think that it might give her the wrong impression, but she didn’t need to put it bluntly.
He isn’t interested in her that way.
“W-What’s funny?” Zoe stammers.
“I know that you have a boyfriend,” he answers and then points to her necklace. “I’m assuming that’s from him. It’s what you’re gonna say, right?”
Zoe averts her gaze, cheeks flushed out of embarrassment.
Right. The necklace.
Kaito stops chuckling, realizing that it is probably his fault. He didn’t mean to act as if he wanted more from her.
“I saw you write your name with a ‘Z’, so I figured that that ‘S’ is someone special to you.” He smirks. “I’m sorry. You might have thought I wanted something more. But I’m just glad to meet someone from home. That’s it. This is a cultural thing.”
She opens her mouth but is unable to say anything.
I’m so stupid!
“Anyway, I’ll get going now. It’s pretty late. You have to rest.” And without waiting for her reply, he descends the stairs.
Kaito said what needed to be said. He doesn’t want her to think that he has a differen
t intention, especially when he wants to stay friends with her.
Zoe is nice and sweet. A little timid, but it’s because she doesn’t want to be bothersome. He understands. He only wants her to be at ease with him.
