So I rushed in at the last minute to Temari, luckily before they closed, and ordered what I always do, the sashimi lunch special.
And, well, after being on the road for an hour, well, a girl has to take care of business, you know? So I went to the little girl's room and did just that, feeling very relieved to make it in time there, too. And while I was sitting there, I felt a funny shifting of the world, and I though fearfully, 'Oh, God! No! Not again!'
And I came out of the restroom, and the world was still as it was, thank God! But ... wait ...
There's a girl sitting at my table. I walk up to her.
"Excuse me," I say quietly, trying not to be annoyed, "This is my table."
I couldn't have been in the bathroom that long, could I have?
And the girl at my table turns, and looks up from me from her chair, and ... OMS! It's YOU!
"Saga!" I exclaim in shock and surprise, "what are you doing here?"
You smiled, pleased at me, and say: "I thought I would join you for lunch. Besides, don't you want the company?"
Flabbergasted, I sit down across from you, and at that point the kind old lady brings out the appetizer, the miso soup and the hot tea.
"Oh," I say quickly, turning a very slight pink, "what would you like to have?"
"Some tea," you say to the lady, who nods and smiles at you and leaves and returns with another cup of tea for you.
"You don't want anything else?" I ask puzzled.
"I already had my supper," you answer, "I'm fine."
I don't have time to contemplate this, as the main course arrives. I offer you some sashimi, but you politely defer, indicating I should dig in. I smile, pray, then mix the soy sauce and wasabi together and take the first piece ... it's maguro.
"Mmmm!" I sigh contentedly, closing my eyes with pleasure as I slowing chew the fish, savoring the taste.
I open my eyes to see a small smile on your face.
"What?" I ask shyly.
"I like watching you eat," you say primly.
"Hmmphf!" I snort, but continue eating as you (regally) wave me on to do.
And it's so nice, me eating, you watching me eat, us talking about nothing: how you're doing, how I'm doing, the weather, the day.
As I finish up, you lean in conspiratorially and whisper to me: "Watching you eat has made me so horny! I just so want to take you home, throw you on the bed and fuck you!"
"Saga!" I exclaim in a shocked whisper, then add: "besides, I don't wanna ..." then I look around in embarrassment, checking to see if anybody can hear our whispered conversation, "... you know ..." I say, even though nobody else is listening in to our conversation, so immersed in each of theirs, "on a full stomach!"
Your conspiratorial smile turns wicked. "Well, then, I'll have to take care of some things first, and then we can ..." your smile widens predatorially, "... well."
And then you lean back, leaving unsaid what's unsaid.
"'Things'?" I ask, confusing written across my face.
"Oh, don't worry your pretty little head, Γlskling!" You say confidently, so smug.
"Uh, okay," I say, not knowing what else to say, feeling a bit overpowered and led along.
I settle up and we leave the restaurant, and as we exit, I feel another, subtle, shift.
I blink, twice.
"Where are we?" I ask. This parking lot is not the parking lot in front of Temari. I turn back around. The lady is turing the 'open' sign to 'closed,' but there is it, plain as day, in both Japanese and English: 'Temari'
I look back at the parking lot. It's not the parking lot I know. And my car isn't there. And the skyline is ... different.
I'm not in Rockville anymore.
"Why, Stockholm, of course, silly girl!" You say so easily. "Where else would be be?"
You lead a befuddled me to your car and we drive off.
"Where are we going?" I asked with a slight concern.
But you have none. You hum quietly, musically, as you concentrate on your driving.
We park in front of a huge brick faΓ§ade and that's when you turn to me.
"Sweetheart," you say tenderly, "I have to take care of some work here. Can you wait a half-an-hour or so? I'll leave the engine running, as you may not be used to the cold here, but can you do that? Wait for me for a bit?"
You look imploringly at me.
"Uh, yeah, okay, sure." I say, like a little girl.
You smile warmly at me, pat my arm, and exit the car, going into the large building. I see an engraving of "Universitet Stockholms" encircling a lit torch with two branches.
Huh. The University of Stockholm. I wonder if you're talking with one of your professors.
I turn to my Edna St. Vincent Millay and continue my reading.
...
After a while I'm awakened to you reentering the car, and we're off again. You say nothing to me, but it looks to me the conversation didn't go well? You're biting your lower lip and a look of concentration, moreso than what driving requires, has crossed your face. You seem to be in a hurry.
I say nothing. What would I say? 'Are you okay?' Doesn't that just make a person who's not okay, more angry or frustrated? Besides, what help could I offer? I look to the road, concentrating on concentrating, concentrating on taking whatever is burdening your mind, concentrating on not being a bother.
I concentrate a lot.
We arrive at your place. Not that I know your place, but it is a four-story building, and you get out of the car, carefully, indicating for me to follow, walk up to the door, enter a code, and we're in, walking β briskly, I might add β up the four flights of steps. You're used to this exercise, but I'm not, even with my normal daily workout, this walk stretches muscles in different ways than I'm used to, and I'm a bit winded when we reach the top floor.
You open your door and wave me in.
We're in.
Your place.
I look around, quickly gathering in the details of your lived-in flat.
Your flat is bigger than my little 'efficiency.'
"Nice nap?" you ask neutrally.
I blink, a bit surprised. "Yes, I suppose it was. I didn't even realized I had nodded off until you came back in the car, so the time passed quickly."
You nod, then grab my wrist.
"C'mon," you command, and you pull me gently into your bedroom.
"Saga!" I exclaim as you shove my rump back onto the bed, "what's going on? You're acting like such a boy!"