Looking Back… Part 2.

2006/12/07 20:20

Autumn, several years ago.

An acquaintance of mine showed me a place that was hiring for a part-time job—where I met my girlfriend, Y-ko.

She had shown she was competent enough to take on a lot of work despite being so young.

Since we were relatively close in age and often spent time working together, it didn’t take much time at all for us to grow friendly…

Soon we were going out to eat after work and making shopping trips together on our days off.

It didn’t develop into anything more than a friendship between the boss and the part-timer until one late, moonlit night, when we were trudging home after working overtime.

Y-KO:	Look at that! What a beautiful moon.
ME:	It sure is…
	Err, Y-ko?
Y-KO:	Hmm? What?
ME:	May I hold your hand?
Y-KO:	Huh? My hand?

She stared at the hand I was offering, frozen.

Well, that makes sense.

We’d been friendly, but certainly not holding-hands friendly.

ME:	Yes, your hand. May I?
Y-KO:	… All right.

I grabbed the hand she reluctantly held out, entwining her fingers one by one.

My palm was damp with nervous sweat.

Y-KO:	… This makes me feel nervous.
ME:	Me, too.
Y-KO:	Do you like holding hands?
ME:	Yes, I do.
Y-KO:	I see.
ME:	But more than that…

Here, I stopped both my sentence and my gait.

An instant later, she stopped walking as well.

She turned around, looking up at me with her head tilted.

Our eyes met.

Y-KO:	… Yes?
ME:	… I like you.
Y-KO:	… Huh?
ME:	May I kiss you?

My empty left hand traced her cheek.

She closed her eyes.

Several moments later, after our lips broke contact, we looked into each other’s eyes again.

Y-KO:	… I just want to tell you one thing first.
ME:	…… What is it?
Y-KO:	I’m an otaku. Is that okay with you?
ME:	… Huh?
Y-KO:	… Actually, in my case,
	I’m what’s known as a fujoshi… so… are you weirded out?
ME:	Uh, no. I’m just surprised. I would never have thought you were…
Y-KO:	Well, I keep it a secret from other people…
ME:	… So, what about it?
Y-KO:	Huh?
ME:	What’s the connection between me liking you, and the fact that you’re an otaku or a fujoshi or whatever?
Y-KO:	Um…
ME:	I like you a lot, and it has nothing to do with what you call yourself.

And it was true.

It didn’t matter to me whether she was an otaku or not.

Y-KO:	… Um, thanks.
ME:	Would you be my girlfriend?
Y-KO:	……… Sure. I’d love to.

And as she said this, she smiled shyly.

But at the time, I had no idea what she meant by the word fujoshi.

And that’s where we left off in the previous volume.

But there is more to this tale…

ME:	By the way, Y-ko…
Y-KO:	What is it, boyfriend?

You don’t have to refer to me as “boyfriend.”

It’s a bit embarrassing… but that’s not my point.

ME:	You mentioned the word, uh, fujoshi earlier. What is that?
Y-KO:	…… Pardon?
ME:	I mean, I don’t really understand what fujoshi means…
Y-KO:	…… Pardon?

She froze.

Y-KO:	…… What? Hang on a moment.
	You mean you said it was okay without knowing what fujoshi meant?
ME:	Well, er, yes…
Y-KO:	You idiot!
	How many times have I told you at work to ask right on the spot if there’s anything you don’t understand?! Why would you approve something like that without understanding what it means?!
ME:	…?! I… I’m sorry.
Y-KO:	Well, you can’t turn back now and say, “Sorry, it doesn’t count now.” Got that?!

I don’t know what’s going on, but I do know that she is mad!

But if I was the one who asked her out, why is the issue here about my approval?

Plus.

ME:	… Look, it’s not like I care so little about you that this fujoshi whatever is going to change my mind.
Y-KO:	Well… thank you.
ME:	No problem. Now, since I don’t know, I will ask.
	What is a fujoshi?
Y-KO:	… Err, well…

She fudged her speech and clearly averted her eyes from mine.

… Well, this is obviously not going to make the issue any easier!

ME:	Is this fujoshi thing really that big of a deal?
Y-KO:	… Don’t freak out when you hear it, okay?
ME:	I won’t freak out, and of course, I won’t hate you for it. I promise.
Y-KO:	……
ME:	……
Y-KO:	… Well, a fujoshi is—

… a fujoshi is?

Y-KO:

—a girl who enjoys romance between a boy and another boy.

……

A girl who enjoys romance between a boy and another boy.

……… Come again?

ME:	…… A boy and another boy?
Y-KO:	… You’re looking like you don’t get it.
ME:	Huh? Oh, sorry.
Y-KO:	Okay, it basically means I like BL—boy’s love.
ME:	… So you’re saying you like gay guys?
Y-KO:	Oh, go ahead, be blunt about it! It’s not really exactly the same thing…
	But I guess that would be the simple way of describing it.
ME:	……… So, er, you’re saying it’s not that you like gay characters?
Y-KO:	That’s not exactly it. Here’s an example: Kira and Athrun.
	Traditionally, Kira is paired with Lacus and Athrun with Cagalli, but in my case, Kira and Athrun are a couple.
	That would be labeled Kira × Ath.
	… You see? I like this sort of BL manga and whatnot.

* Kira Yamato ( Earth Alliance) × Lacus Clyne ( ZAFT), Athrun Zala ( ZAFT) × Cagalli Yula Athha ( Orb Union) are the primary pairings.

In Y-ko’s case, it is Kira () × Athrun ().

From Mobile Suit Gundam SEED.

…… Sigh.

I think I understand, but I also think I don’t.

ME:	… Uh, hang on… Kira × Ath?
	Those two get paired together…?
Y-KO:	… Look, don’t think too hard about it, okay?
	It’s not really all that serious of a topic…
	As long as you understand that I like that sort of stuff, that’s all you need to know.
ME:	Oh… I see… Okay, got it.
Y-KO:	So… are you weirded out? Are you okay?
ME:	… Huh? Yeah, I think I’m fine.
	So, you’re saying that it’s not like you prefer someone whose profile I don’t match?
Y-KO:	Huh? Well, yeah.
ME:	Well, then there’s no problem.

Whew! That’s great.

I don’t know what I’d do if she suddenly told me I wasn’t right for her.

Y-KO:	…… Are you sure you want me?
ME:	Of course. What did I just say?
	I love you, and it has nothing to do with being an otaku or fujoshi.
Y-KO:	… Okay. Thanks.
	I… I love you, too.

And so,

on an autumn night, beneath a beautiful moon…

our relationship became that of boyfriend and girlfriend, and she became…

my geeky girlfriend.