Theme #6: Oxygen

Chapter 12: The First Move

For all her youthful enthusiasm and tendencies, Sakura was a romantic at heart and was always more than willing to put her foot and mouth where such instances threatened to occur. She was still quite proud of being the one responsible for bringing her older sister and her current husband, of three years, together. Left to Ayeka, she would have remained an old maid if Sakura hadn’t stepped in to wave her ‘Magic Wand of Love’.

Chuckling softly to herself as she made her way towards the cafeteria, Sakura knew she had finally found another couple to work her spell on. From the moment she laid eyes on Adam almost a year ago, she had known that he was just perfect for her unofficial ‘omiai’ antics. There were several other single female teachers in the building, but there was something about them that Sakura knew wouldn’t go well with the quiet young man. There had been times she had wished she wasn’t married because it would have been so easy to fall for Adam. However, she was and still head over heels in love with Kei and nothing was ever going to change that.

She had watched Adam escape being attached to any one female and that had pleased Sakura immensely. But as the days passed, even she had to realize that he needed someone to come home to at the end of a long day. Although he didn’t talk much, Adam had confided in her with topics she was sure he would have loved to share with a woman he truly loved. He had no siblings or parents and was basically all alone. He went through each day with a smile and a wave but she was sure that deep down inside, he longed for company…companionship…and yes love and affection.

And then comes Aurora.

With her brown hair and hazel eyes and brash American attitude – she was the perfect foil to Adam’s cool and calm demeanor. Sakura was no fool and she had noticed the tension between the two adults from the moment Aurora had come stumbling into the office that Monday morning. Sakura giggled to herself, knowing that Adam’s cheeks had colored slightly at the sight of the newcomer and even the other day when he had ‘absently’ asked about Aurora’s whereabouts. And one could not forget Aurora’s priceless reaction to the hug at the gate the other day between Adam and his lady friend-of-the-moment. Aurora had been incredibly angry about it but she had done a good job in masking her emotions by pretending as if nothing had taken place.

It was all quite delicious to see really.

“What’s so funny?” came the quiet question that jerked her from reverie. She lifted her gaze to meet Adam’s smiling blue ones and for a moment, she felt her heart skip a beat at how good he looked.

Any woman, who has him, would be one lucky person.

“Nothing,” she replied, matching his smile as she hooked an arm around his. “I was just about to look for you since I made an extra bento.”

“Oh…” Adam glanced at his tray of soba and a bottle of water and was grateful he wouldn’t have to suffer through the bland meal. “Thank you.”

“No problem,” Sakura replied with a grin. “Let’s go sit under the trees, huh? We can watch the children in the playground.”

Hardly giving him a chance to argue, she all but pulled him outside, smirking to herself as she noticed Aurora, on her haunches, trying to talk to a first grade student who had scraped his knee. The child had been crying it seemed but he was now looking at the foreigner with undeniable interest, as if unable to believe that there was someone who could talk or look this different.

“She seems to be settling in well,” Sakura began casually as she made herself comfortable on a bench. She opened up the bag and pulled out two black bento boxes. “Don’t you think?”

“Ah…yes…”

She lifted her head sharply and wasn’t disappointed to find him looking towards the playground as well. Hiding a smile, she coughed delicately, almost laughing as he whipped his head towards her quickly. His cheeks filled with color as if embarrassed at having been caught doing something bad and he was grateful for the meal placed before him, which was a much more welcome distraction.

“Wow, this is really nice, Sakura,” Adam praised in genuine delight as he admired the well placed takoyaki, rice blocks with nori, sesame seeds, shrimp furikake and sakura mochi within the four compartments in the black box. It was definitely a far cry from his simple bowl of soba and the smell was quite mouthwatering. Picking up his chopsticks eagerly, he took a bite and gave a low moan of pleasure at its delicious taste.

“I think I’ve died and gone to heaven,” he said, grinning as she clapped her hands and laughed.

“Why thank you, Adam. I’m glad you are enjoying it. Hmm, I wonder if I should invite Aurora over…”

Adam, who had just popped a piece of the takoyaki into his mouth, almost choked on it as it went down the wrong way. He coughed and beat his chest rapidly, trying to get some air back into his lungs. The very idea of having Aurora sit beside him to eat was a shock to his senses and he was unable to stop the dull flush of heat from creeping down his spine.

“Are you all right?” Sakura asked with concern. “I’m sorry…was it something I said?”

“No…no…” he gasped out weakly, shaking his head to reassure her. “I’m fine. Just…went down the wrong way that’s all.”

“Ah okay.” She smiled and picked up her own chopsticks to eat, knowing full well what had caused the sudden near heart-attack. She listened to the children’s cries in the background as they played away. She lifted her gaze again and wasn’t surprised to find Adam glancing or rather stealing quick glances towards them…or to be more precise to the young woman who was now leading two children towards the school building. Aurora was apparently on duty this afternoon and Adam was surprised to see how well she got along with them. He wasn’t sure of what he had been expecting, but in just one week, the little ones had come to enjoy seeing and being in the presence of the gaijin that talked ‘funny’.

A small smile came to his lips as he picked at the rice slowly. Perhaps he had misjudged her after all.

“Ooh, a smile?” Sakura asked leaning closer to peer into his blushing visage. “What’s making you so pleased?”

“Nothing,” he replied quickly. “I’m just amazed at how delicious this is. Kei is one lucky man.”

“Indeed he is,” Sakura said with a firm nod. She patted the small mound of her stomach gently. “And I’m one lucky woman….and so will any woman you finally choose, Adam.”

He almost choked on his food again at the sudden statement, feeling even more uncomfortable with Sakura’s intense gaze. “What do you mean?” he asked with a light laugh that felt forced to him. “I’m not that desperate for a wife if that’s what you’re getting at.”

“And you’re quite happy the way you are?” Sakura asked while twirling her chopsticks in the air. “Are you sure you don’t really need someone to be there for you?”

He opened his mouth to say that he had Akari but decided to remain silent. He wasn’t really sure about Akari anymore these days. Ever since he had made the mistake of sleeping with her, she had become more demanding of his time and attention. The friendly camaraderie they had built up over the months was beginning to crumble down and he hated that feeling. He could no longer talk to her about the things that worried him, although most of them were centered around the very woman they had just seen on the playgrounds.

“We all need oxygen to survive,” Sakura was saying and he forced himself to listen. “Without it, we would die, wouldn’t we? We would just be mere humans struggling to survive in a world with no air to support us. But you know, sometimes, I feel that way with Kei. I look at him and wonder what I would ever do without him. He might be a dork and is as clumsy as a baby just learning to walk but that’s what I love about him and I would have him no other way. He’s my oxygen, Adam. Do you understand what I mean?” She looked at him intently. “You need your oxygen as well. That one person who makes you feel alive and can make every day seem like a brand new day.”

Happy laughter drifted towards them and both teachers lifted their heads to stare at the raucous. Aurora was outside again and she was on her haunches with her hands over her eyes as the children formed a circle around her and began to chant the familiar hide-and-seek song. She said something and the children laughed. From that distance, it wasn’t hard to make out what they were saying. Apparently, Aurora had botched her words and was now waving her hands in apology, begging them to start all over again.

My oxygen…

Adam felt his heart skip a beat and an indescribable and yet an intense emotion course down his spine leaving him confused and slightly dazed. He shook his head slowly and forced himself to eat. It was totally and completely ridiculous. He couldn’t have those kinds of feelings for her. It was simply too soon and besides, he had told himself yesterday that he was going to try to be a bit friendlier.

So what’s stopping you? Why haven’t you done anything yet?

The children’s happy laughter reached his ears again and that seemed to decide it for him. Before he could stop himself, he placed the bento box gently on the bench beside him and rose to his feet.

Sakura watched with eyes widening in surprise and growing delight as Adam strode across the lawn and towards the playground. Some children were the first to recognize him but he motioned for them to be quiet as he tiptoed behind Aurora, who still had her eyes closed, to place his own hands gently over hers.

The children giggled as Aurora cried out softly in surprise. She tried to move away and almost ended up falling on her rear as the children broke their silence and burst into boisterous laughter. Sakura giggled as Aurora opened her eyes to glare at Adam, who was now smiling and doing his best not to snicker at her flushed visage. She settled for a mock jab to his elbow and then tried to scold the children for laughing at her but this only seemed to send them all into more gales of laughter which Aurora finally joined while covering her face in embarrassment.

Sakura leaned back on the bench with a smile of accomplishment on her features. It wasn’t perfect yet, but it was a start. Perhaps things would get better for both Adam and Aurora from here on out…but then again, love did have its ups and downs. She could only hope that they would both be willing to finally give that blossoming emotion a chance to grow.

willing to put her flly