The cute Japanese girl with a tuque

Yesterday I went to Triple O's to call my girlfriend at dinner. Weird you say? Well not entirely. November 12th, 2006 I met hime at Triple O's. At around 6pm to be exact. So that's when I called her. I sat in the same seat she was sitting in when I first met her and reminisced about that day...

It was raining and cold. I used to work at Triple O's so I was going there at the time to see some of the employees and I remember as I walked in I saw this girl sitting at the "bar" table (It's not really a bar, its on the other side of a magazine rack but it only has seats on one side - like a bar). I remember stopping at the door just after entering the store to look at her. I remember thinking "she's beautiful" but I knew it was pointless to think that because, well, I knew it'd be impossible for me to ever be her friend. So I enjoyed the short moment and went to talk to my friends (I didn't want her to notice me and think I was weird).

I talked to the people working there for quite a while but then it got busy and they had to actually start working again so I was waiting around (I had no other plans). But it was busy for too long... And that girl was still there. It looked like she was studying something. "Maybe English," I remember thinking to myself, "she looks Japanese". I had just started really learning Japanese and I was kinda excited to try saying something so.... I went for it. I went for it! I've never talked to a stranger in my life. An absolute stranger and I talked to her. (Well it took me about 10 minutes to get enough courage to say hi but it was totally worth it.. Even though it didn't seem to be at the time.) I remember I said "excuse me?"... no answer.

I was devastated. The first time I had spoken to a stranger and she didn't answer. But wait! She was wearing headphones. Maybe she couldn't hear me? I tried again... "excuse me?" Once again no answer. Well I've gone this far I might as well continue. So I tried a different tact, "sumimasen". (she's gotta know I'm talking to her now). But still! no answer. What should I do. This is the time when my heart started to pound. Should I give up? Keep going? ドキドキ I decided.

I put my hand down slowly on the table, close to her (I knew it was weird) and I inched it towards her. She finally noticed it and looked at me. Our eyes met and my heart stopped. WHAT DO I SAY NOW?! "Are you Japanese?" I think is the first thing that came to mind. She answered smoothly. "Are you studying English?" my thoughts started to blur. Wow, I'm talking to her. I believe she asked me "Do you know Japanese?" and I said "No, not really. Well a little bit" then I said what I had been learning. 「私は・日本語を・勉強しています・でも・まだ・上手じゃありません」 "I'm learning Japanese but I'm not skilled yet". She laughed and laughed and laughed. I had given some kind of impression apparently. It seemed to be good. I was excited.

We talked for hours and hours. We talked for a little over 6 hours. From about 6 to a little after midnight. It was the most exciting and interesting night I've ever had. I believe some people refer to it as "Love at first sight". I wanted to see her again. I had to see her again... but that required that "courage" thing again that I'm not very good with. But hell, I've already faced my fears once and I didn't want to pass up this once in a life time opportunity. I knew I'd never see her again if I didn't act. So I asked for her number, and she gave it to me! I gave her mine also. A little while after that we said goodbye and parted ways. Little did I know that she would be the girl I fell in love with.

Thinking back now... I'm so glad I talked to her. I'm also so glad that I'm kinda persistent. If I wasn't I would have given up trying to say hello and I wouldn't have ever been with the girl of my dreams.

So that's my story of last night. And that's my story of last night - one year ago.