The Spring I Met You

by Tanya Mindo

  Zoe immediately squeezes herself into the crowd, successfully reaching the bartender again. She orders three glasses of mojito for the girls. Unaware that Kaito is behind her, she recklessly grabs the glasses and accidentally spills some on him.

  “Oh my God, I’m sorry!” she squeals.

  “It’s fine!”

  Kaito takes the two glasses from her hands.

  “No, wait, I’ll wipe it for you!”

  Zoe searches for her handkerchief but recalls that she left it in her purse. The purse is deposited into a locker.

  Since they entered the club, Naoki and Kaito had been on guard, eavesdropping on guys who lurk around their girlfriends. The girls could do as they pleased, but Kaito and Naoki intended to take precautions. They wouldn’t let anyone cross the line.

  Actually, the three of them secretly discussed it earlier. Unfortunately, Taylor seemed to have forgotten.

  Kaito was swaying his body to Usher’s OMG when he felt Naoki elbow him.

  “The girls can’t understand, but that guy wants to dance with Zoe,” Naoki whispered to him, jerking his head toward a Japanese guy behind Zoe. He was eyeing her from head to toe.

  Zoe looked different. She was more feminine and well, sexier. He liked how she tried something new with Marie’s nudging. Kaito tried his best to stop throwing glances her way from time to time. It was difficult, however.

  She was pretty.

  Kaito glared at the guy who was checking Zoe out, then he moved closer to her together with Naoki. Kaito positioned himself to block the guy’s view.

  He knew that it was childish. But then Kaito heard and understood what the guy was saying to his friends, so he felt less guilty. He didn’t appreciate them talking about Zoe like she was a piece of meat. She was so much more than that. He was thankful that Zoe couldn’t understand advanced Japanese or it would have ruined her mood.

  When Zoe mentioned getting another drink, the guy said that he’d follow her. With clenched fists, Kaito took action and shot him daggers, then he trailed behind her.

  And now she has spilled a drink on him.

  “It’s fine, Zoe!”

  “No! No! Wait…!”

  Kaito is stunned when Zoe tries to clean it off using her right hand, her fingers frantically grazing his chest down to his stomach. Kaito blushes. When Zoe accidentally touches his scar, he flinches.

  “Z-Zoe…”

  Then Zoe finally notices the awkwardness of the situation. She stops and reddens.

  “I-I’m sorry!” she yells.

  Despite the darkness, Kaito notices her discomfort. And it isn’t because of the drinks that she’s had.

  “It’s okay!” Kaito replies despite the prickling sensation along the back of his neck and the lingering feeling of Zoe’s touch.

  “Let’s go back!”

  Around 9 PM, everyone decides to leave the club and takes the train to their next destination.

  Taylor looks tipsy. That doesn’t stop him from buying cans of beer from the convenience store at Shimo-Kitazawa. The night is young, he says, and they will sneak in booze to the karaoke room.

  Zoe already had a lot to drink. She finds herself arguing with Taylor about the cans of beer.

  “We might get caught!” she reasons out.

  But it’s too late. Taylor already put the cans of beer in his backpack.

  “We’ve done this numerous times so you can relaaaaaxxxxxx….” Taylor mumbles. Naoki shakes his head.

  Zoe’s thoughts scatter everywhere. Her vision is turning blurry.

  Marie shoos them to stop them from debating about sneaking in booze. She is laughing frantically. Tipsy Jesse hooks her arm on Zoe’s.

  Kaito scratches his temple, laughing. He can also feel the effect of the alcohol in his system, so he knows that he should stop. Like how it’s always been, he and Naoki will look after their drunken friends.

  “Come on,” Naoki says, leading the way.

  The group leaves the convenience store and follows him. Kaito shoves his hands into his pockets and glances at Zoe, who now holds hands with Jesse. Her eyes are a little bloodshot and barely open.

  “Are you alright?” Kaito asks Zoe. She flicks her eyes toward him and then she smiles brightly.

  “Yes…”

  “The party’s not over…” Jesse mutters under her breath.

  Marie grabs Jesse’s hand, and once more, the three girls walk together like high school girls.

  They reach the Karaoke bar. Naoki personally knows the owner, so despite everyone looking tipsy and Taylor’s backpack bulging, they are allowed to get a room.

  Zoe drools as soon as she lays her eyes on the chocolate fountain.

  Their room is at the end of the hallway. The girls slump on the couch, and Taylor immediately takes out all the cans of beer. There are ten of them. Marie grabs the songbook and scans the pages. Jesse opens one can and starts drinking again.

  Zoe also takes one and opens it.

  “Zoe, don’t push yourself, okay?” Kaito warns as he slides next to her. Zoe stares at Kaito, her lips wincing.

  For some reason, Zoe is pissed. Kaito has been watching her all through the night, and it is getting on her nerves.

  Without breaking eye contact, Zoe drinks the beer. With two gulps, she places it back on the table. Kaito frowns at her. She stands up and sits next to Jesse on the opposite couch.

  Marie starts singing Fireworks by Katy Perry. Jesse and Zoe sing along with her. Zoe realizes that if Marie performed at the university festival with Kaito, they would have done an amazing job. The discomfort crawls in her stomach.

  It’s hard because she doesn’t dislike Marie at all. It’s her feelings that’s pissing her off. Her belly flutters even though she knows clearly that Kaito is just looking after her like he’s always done. It’s driving her insane.

  Zoe is no longer a newcomer, no longer someone wrapped around Seth’s fingers. So Kaito should stop taking care of her. Or she’ll take it the wrong way like Marie did.

  And it seems that her feelings are quite stronger—much stronger than what she felt for Seth. It isn’t because she’s just vulnerable.

  In the darkness accompanied by the deafening music from the stereos, Zoe knows that Kaito’s eyes are fixed on her. She glimpses back at him, and their gazes interlock with each other.

  Just stop. Stop looking at me.

  The song the girls are singing ends and next comes Naoki’s Hey Jude by The Beatles. Kaito takes the songbook from Naoki then scans it and books a song by John Mayer. Taylor walks out to get drinks.

  Marie gets up and then occupies the space where Taylor has been sitting, seizing the book from Kaito’s fingers. Then she suddenly lays her head on his shoulder.

  “Hey, hey Kaito. I like that song.”

  She is drunk.

  “You’ve had enough,” he hisses.

  Marie looks up at him. “Ssh… Don’t act like you care…”

  Kaito squirms, his stomach hardening. He glances at Zoe who drinks happily with Jesse.

  He stares at Marie ruefully.

  “Marie, I care, alright? We’re friends.”

  “Yeah, I know…” She lowers her gaze then closes her eyes.

  Taylor comes back with glasses of iced tea, places it on the center table, and sits next to Marie, whose head is still on Kaito’s shoulder.

  He clicks his tongue, a mischievous smile crossing his lips. “What, you guys are starting over?”

  Then he pushes Marie toward Kaito. Marie grunts. Kaito cradles her head with his hand.

  “Taylor!” Kaito seethes. “Stop it.”

  “Ooooh, what’s going on?” Jesse asks.

  Zoe shoots a look at Marie and Kaito, her stomach twisting into a knot. She conceals her pained expression by drinking another can of beer.

  “It’s nothing,” Kaito replies wearily.

  Naoki’s song ends.

  “Why keep it a secret, Kaito?” Taylor yells, his voice raspy. “You and Marie! Sitting on a tree! K-i
-s-s-i-n-g!”

  Naoki covers Taylor’s mouth with his hand and forces a peal of laughter. “This idiot doesn’t know when to stop.”

  Naoki awkwardly grins at Jesse and Zoe. Jesse’s mouth falls open.

  Zoe hangs her head, her breaths becoming coarser and faster. Her head is pounding, and what is happening in front of her isn’t helping at all. John Mayer’s Your Body is a Wonderland starts playing.

  Kaito tries to pull himself away from Marie, but she is already sleeping. It doesn’t feel right waking her up. He’s concerned that she’ll get embarrassed with Taylor’s teasing, especially since he rejected her when she tried to kiss him.

  Jesse laughs. Zoe pretends like she doesn’t care, although a lump has formed in her throat, making it harder to eat the snacks on the table.

  Taylor removes Naoki’s hand from his mouth. “What the fuck, Naoki? Your hand smells!”

  “You’ll smell it again if you don’t shut up,” Naoki warns.

  “Tsk, alright, alright.”

  Things return to normal like nothing happened. They skip Kaito’s song. The next song plays, and it’s for Jesse. Marie is still asleep on Kaito’s shoulders.

  The pain doesn’t stop no matter how hard Zoe tries to ignore it. When she feels her eyes watering, she quietly leaves the couch to go to the toilet, the music buzzing in her ear. She drags her feet, her hands finding support on the walls. She reaches the toilet and stares at herself in the mirror. Her eyes are bloodshot, her lipstick smudged, while her thoughts are jumbled and filled with Marie and Kaito.

  Marie told her it was nothing.

  Over and over, she tells herself that Marie and Kaito are just friends. Like how she and Kaito are friends. But it pisses her off that she is jealous.

  So damn… Jealous.

  She enters a cubicle, does her business, and comes out to wash her hands. She looks up again at the mirror, her thoughts reeling back to Kaito.

  Just Kaito. His alluring eyes, his dark, straight hair that reaches his eyebrows when untouched, his smirks that frequently annoyed her before… Everything about him.

  And her heart skips a beat.

  I like him. God, I do. I like him so much.

  Tears run down her face, but she quickly wipes them away. She likes him a lot, and she’s too afraid to be rejected by her dear friend.

  She needs to pull herself together. The booze has already done a good job of messing with her head.

  Marie wakes up after an hour on Kaito’s shoulder which has gone numb. He massages it as Marie apologizes repeatedly. After a little while, she dozes off again, this time she finds support on the arm of the couch.

  Zoe sings a few more songs before also falling asleep with Jesse, their heads supporting each other. They wake up after an hour as well, tired, and still tipsy. Naoki sleeps from 4 AM to 5 AM. Taylor sleeps the longest from 1 AM to 4 AM.

  It’s only Kaito who doesn’t sleep. He gets sober after drinking coffee, then he watches everyone take alternating shifts on the couch.

  Around 5 AM, everyone is ready to go. The gang walks out of the karaoke bar, exhausted and in need of a decent sleep. The sun has risen.

  They stroll silently toward the station. Kaito and Zoe separate from the rest of the group after quick hugs and goodbyes.

  Inside the train, Zoe lays her head on the metal handle at the end of the seat, her eyes half-opened. Kaito folds his arms, observing her.

  Zoe is wasted. Her hair is a mess. She is absolutely going to suffer a bad hangover.

  The train stops at Kichijoji. Kaito taps Zoe’s shoulder.

  “Zoe, hey, we’re here.”

  “Mm?”

  She half-opens her eyes and gets up. Kaito sighs and holds her elbow to support her. She doesn’t say anything.

  They walk together to the bus stop silently. Zoe pulls her arm away, massaging her forehead. They take the bus, get off at Shinkawa-dori, and walk to the dorm. Zoe can’t walk straight. Kaito shakes his head.

  As they reach the front of the buildings, they face each other. Zoe yawns, and her breath stinks.

  “Take a good rest, alright?”

  Zoe doesn’t say anything. Her gaze is on the floor.

  “Zoe, can you manage going up yourself?”

  She nods slowly.

  “Are you sure?”

  Zoe lifts her gaze, cringing. “Yes, I can, Kaito. I’m a grown-up woman!”

  Kaito frowns. “Wait. Are you mad or something?”

  Zoe bites her lips and averts her gaze once more. “No… I’m not. Just stop… Stop doing that.”

  “Doing what?” he asks, genuinely confused.

  “Making people feel special when they’re not.”

  Kaito is taken aback. He grits his teeth. “Did you hear something? Is this about Marie?”

  She doesn’t reply. Kaito places his hands on his hips.

  “It was Taylor, wasn’t it?”

  Zoe blows out of her cheeks. “It’s both... Taylor and Marie.”

  Zoe hiccups. Kaito rakes a hand through his hair and heaves a sigh. This is what he was afraid of.

  “Okay. I know it was my fault that Marie got hurt. I crossed the line. But we already fixed things. I know you’re unhappy because she’s your friend. I get it. I’m sorry.”

  Zoe exhales out of exasperation. She is light-headed, and her stomach churns. For some reason, however, she feels confident and brave.

  “I don’t care about that…” she growls, balling her fists. “Just stop… Staying next to me. Stop caring too much about me. Go away.”

  “What?”

  “Just go.”

  Then she stomps her feet then storms off.

  “Zoe! Wait!” Kaito yells, but she’s already inside the building.

  Kaito is stunned, pondering what just happened. Zoe asked him to stay away from her. He doesn’t even understand why. She says it isn’t because of Marie, so what could be the reason?

  His head starts to throb. He needs to sleep. He’ll talk to Zoe when they’re well-rested.

  Maybe it’s just the booze. It can’t be because she’s jealous, can it?

  Zoe vomits in the toilet before falling asleep, then she vomits again when she wakes up around 11 AM. She is in the same crop top and shorts, her hair sticking on her face. It’s disgusting. She smells so bad.

  She drinks tap water from the sink, her eyelids heavy. Her stomach and head hurt like hell.

  So this is a hangover. Why did she let herself get wrecked like this?

  Ah. Because of Kaito.

  Caring, handsome Kaito.

  .

  .

  .

  Something happened.

  Her eyes widened as a flash of memory surges in her head.

  It was a fun, wild night. Kaito looked after her as usual, and though she tried not to feel amused, she was happy.

  Then Marie slept on his shoulder. She drank another can of beer.

  And in front of the buildings…

  Go away, she said. She asked him to stop caring and to go away.

  Zoe’s face crumples in shame, her fists pounding on the kitchen counter. She grunts and screams at the top of her lungs as she collapses on the floor, her back leaning on the bed frame.

  She pinches the bridge of her nose. After confessing to herself that she likes him a lot, her stupid mouth pushed him away.

  She screams again. “Gaaah! I’m an idiot!”

  Zoe doesn’t want him to leave her side.

  She lied. She shouldn’t have said it.

  Please let him be too drunk to remember. Please.

  Chapter Twenty

  Zoe misses class for the first time in her life. It leaves her anxious and frustrated, but she doesn’t have the guts to leave the room and possibly run into Kaito. Moreover, her head is still pounding and fuzzy like it’s being split open. At least she has stopped puking her intestines out, her throat stays dry.

  She drank alcohol once, and this already happened to her. She had no control.

&nbs
p; Zoe takes a shower to freshen up, then she cooks instant noodles to warm her stomach. She relishes the warm, spicy sensation that passes through her throat, exhaling in satisfaction.