To Aya

By Mia Marci

'I shouldn't have taken such care in wrapping the damn package. Why spend an extra hundred yen on good wrapping paper, if your hands are going to keep crumpling and rumpling the package?'

'Where the hell is he anyway?'

She waited, seated on the park bench, the package in hand - the wrapper shining under the light of a nearby street lamp. Time and again, her eyes darted uneasily from the package to some other corner of the deserted park. There was an obvious temptation in that box, and a pain in taking care of it as she shifted nervously in her seat.

'Just come already!'

"Chikara-san?"

She immediately rose from her seat at the call, seeing him approach her with easiness that irritated her even more. Chikara took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself, waiting for him to approach her. Closer, closerŠcloserŠ

She shoved the package to him.

"There. I just wanted to give it to you." She said briskly. "I wish you didn't take so long; what happened, tried in vain to revive your wilted roses?"

Aya looked at her - his facial expression its usual deadpan but with the faintest hint of a curious, amused glint in his eyes. Chikara looked back at him, annoyed then shook her had as she turned her back to him. "Enjoy the present." She called, walking away from him without a look back.

Aya watched her figure disappear into the distance, then eyed the package. He sat upon the bench, and slowly un-wrapped it.

Inside: a purple box.

He carefully took off the lid.



'I hope he enjoys itŠ' Chikara thought acidly, as she walked back to her apartment.



Aya couldn't help but smile at what he found. Half a dozen dark, tempting chocolate pralines and a small butterscotch lollipop.

"Yum." He said to himself, taking a bite of one delectable praline. "Happy Valentines Day, to you too, Chikara-san."



"I wanted those chocolates more than him." Chikara said aloud as she shut the door of behind her and threw her shoes aside. "I'll have to kill him if he doesn't like them."

With that, she walked to the kitchen to make herself some tea - without even a glance at her calendar, which read 'February 14th, Valentines Day'.