osutoraria

Mick was wiping tables when Kumiko and Yuki came up the stairs. Yuki could see that he was focused on the job, his brow furrowed as he tried to remove a difficult mark from the glass surface.

Mick wore silver rimmed glasses which complemented the silver pendant that hung on a black leather strap from his neck. A white T-shirt, faded and torn jeans and a black belt completed the ensemble. He was in his late 20s but the harsh Australian sun had made sure he looked in his mid 30s. Yuki loved the fact that she still looked like a teenager even though she was much older. Australian men were the opposite and looked far older than their years.

Mick's blue eyes twinkled as he saw them, probably preparing a flirting comment or two.

Yuki was still embarrassed about her English so, as always, she allowed Kumiko to do the speaking for her.

"Put your back into it. I'm not eating here again if this place isn't spotless!" Kumiko said, good-naturedly.

Mick grinned. "Haha. Good to see you too. What are you up to?"

Yuki had no idea what this meant but Kumiko answered without hesitation. "Nothing much. Heading to Taronga Zoo. Want to come with?"

"I wish. Got to work. Why don't you take her to Australian Wildlife World instead? It's closer."

Kumiko leaned over the table and shook her head carefully. Yuki could see Kumiko's body language was being used to maximum impact at this point and watched as Kumiko's silky long black hair slid across her breasts. She was also surprised to see Mick visibly swallow. Kumiko knew how to play men.

"Taronga is bigger and has more animals. It's also more of an adventure. We get to take the ferry and everything!" Kumiko said, in a softer voice.

Mick lowered his head so that he was looking up to her eyes, then delivered his challenge. "Don't flirt like that unless you intend spending half an hour with me in the disabled toilets, later."

Yuki was shocked but Kumiko just smiled and touched his cheek. "In your dreams!" She stood up straight and casually swept her hair back over her shoulders. "You leave your wife and spend Christmas with me and I'll think about it"

Mick laughed. "You know I can't do that."

Kumiko shrugged. "Oh well. Your loss." She flounced away from Mick and headed for the down escalators. Yuki nodded at Mick as she went to follow her. Mick smiled a very genuine smile that for some reason made Yuki weak at the knees. She couldn't believe that she was attracted to a married man.

She followed Kumiko down the escalators and out of the Plaza, passing a sign for Azuma Restaurant and the Japan Foundation. It looks like the building was built for Japanese businesses.

Outside the traffic had begun to increase. They only had a short distance to walk before reaching the ferries. Kumiko was smiling but Yuki was lost in thought. People were so direct here. She didn't think she could adapt. She remembered back to Tuesday morning.

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Yuki's mother had prepared an extra special bento box for her to take on the plane. It wasn't just her first trip to Australia, it was also her first trip out of the country. Naturally her mother was very worried about her.

"Now you've got plenty of shoes. You know those Gaijin never have any spares. You're going to have to take your own"

"Yes, mum."

"I've also packed some tea for you. I don't know what they drink over there but it probably isn't green tea. And I'd like you to take this." Her mother handed her an envelope. Inside was 10,000 yen. Yuki was overwhelmed.

"Mother, I can't take this. This is too much"

"No, I want you to have it because you are getting too old to be single. You might meet a nice man in Australia and you might need to buy some new make up and clothes to look good for him." Her mother smiled at her.

Yuki smiled but knew her mother was old fashioned. Her mother expected her to find a nice pure Japanese man who could take care of her. She didn't want a traditional Japanese man who wanted her to do all the washing and cooking, she wanted a tall, blonde, blue-eyed western guy who treated her as an equal.

She just nodded and thanked her mother for the money. She'd obviously been saving for a long time.

The night before she had said goodbye to her father, knowing she wouldn't see him when she awoke in the morning. He worked long hours, 14 to 16 hours a day. The only advice he gave was to find a nice Japanese man. She didn't intend to do that at all.

Her boyfriend of 5 years accompanied her on the long train trip to Narita airport. They knew that this was the end of the relationship but neither had the heart to say it to the other. They held hands the entire way but didn't say anything. Yuki could feel her eyes fill with tears and tried to blink them away but then her boyfriend hugged her on the train, in public, just as they reached the final stop. This was something only young people did but she let him hold her until the doors opened.

They both exited, she heading for the airport, he heading to the return train. She didn't look back.

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"Hey, Yuki. Snap out of it. You can't have jet lag, there's only an hour difference!" Kumiko was smiling.

"Sorry, I was miles away. I was just thinking of Aki." Yuki tried to smile but felt sick. She knew what Kumiko was going to ask next.

"You should have left him ages ago. This is a new life now. What did he say when you told him it was over?"

"Er."

"Oh my God! You haven't told him? You haven't ended it? What do you think you're doing?" Kumiko remonstrated.

"Hey. I'll do it tomorrow. Okay. I want to enjoy myself today and I'll call him tomorrow. I'll tell him then!"

"Okay. Make sure you do. You can't relax here if you're still worrying about broken relationships in Japan. You have to call him tomorrow. If you don't, I will" Kumiko was a bit upset.

"Sorry. Right. I'll do it. So, where are these ferries, then?" Yuki wanted to change the subject as soon as possible.

"We're here!"

They were at the right place but there was no ferry. "Oh no" cried Yuki in dismay. "We've missed it!"