Note: the pertinent characters in this story are high school seniors and 18 years of age.
Monday Morning
Mrs. Yoshihara answered the door to find her daughter's friend and classmate, Hana, standing on the doorstep. Being a small woman, she actually had to look up slightly to meet Hana's gaze.
"Ohayo, Yoshihara-San." Hana smiled. Dirty-blond dreadlocks tumbled about as she bobbed her head in the vague indication of a bow.
"Good morning, Hana. Please, come in." Mrs.. Yoshihara returned the smile.
Hana closed the door behind her. Leaving her shoes on a mat next to the door, she followed her friend's mother toward the kitchen.
"Still working on your Japanese?"
"Yeah. I don't have the knack for picking up languages; it's slow going."
Hana stood out of the way, watching Mrs.. Yoshihara prepare a bento lunch. She marveled at the perfect, measured movements and the Zen-like calm that elevated something like preparing sushi to an art. Hana had taken an interest in Japanese culture since becoming friends with Misaki last year. She had been impressed early on by the way the Japanese had long ago worked out efficient, elegant ways of performing even mundane, day-to-day tasks.
"You're early. I don't think Misaki is up yet. Why don't you go wake her up. I'll start breakfast." Mrs.. Yoshihara suggested upon finishing the bento for Misaki's lunch.
"Hai." Hana smiled, bobbing her head again.
Upstairs, Hana peaked around a door frame.
"Misaki?" she asked quietly.
The sun was only just risen and a dim glow filtered through drawn blinds. Eyes adjusting to the gloom, Hana found the room neat and tidy as usual. Well, mostly neat and tidy. As usual. The desk on which Misaki's laptop and accompanying hardware resided was strewn and festooned with all manner of plushies, figurines, stickers and key-chains featuring her favorite anime characters.
Hana padded into the room a few steps. Yes, there she was, still sound asleep in bed. Hana's eyebrows rose.
Misaki lay on her back, shoulder length black hair spilling around her head. The bedclothes, (Hello Kitty sheets), were tangled about her legs. She wore black cotton panties and a hugely oversized black tee which had ridden up to her tummy. Having slept over several times in the past, Hana recognized it despite it's rumpled state. It served as Misaki's favorite nightshirt. The print on it, faded from wear, was of Kaneda, a character from the anime Akira.
Hana stood for several long seconds, eyes wandering up and down her sleeping friend's body. She rolled her lower lip between her teeth nervously. Unsure exactly what she was doing, she pulled her dreads back and used one to tie the lot loosely. She moved around the foot of the bed and slowly, cat-like, slid onto the bed.
Hana moved over Misaki's legs on hands and knees. She could feel her own heart hammering. Her breathing grew shaky. Lowering her face, she inhaled the faint scent of Misaki's skin as she moved up her body. Pausing, she nuzzled her nose under the nightshirt, inhaling deeply.
She drew back when Misaki stirred and murmured in her sleep. Hana was amazed she hadn't been awakened yet. After taking a deep, steadying breath, she moved up so that she was almost eye to eye with her friend.
"Mi-mi chaaan. Time to wake uh-up." she said loudly.
Misaki flinched, then blinked her big dark eyes.
"Wha... nnmmph... Hana? Why are you here?"
"To walk you to school, sleepy head."
Misaki's expression became one of mild embarrassment. She had just realized that rather a lot of her was exposed and her questing hands weren't finding the covers.
