As I climb the steps to Yuuko's door, I check my watch. 7:58pm. Maybe I ought to wait a while. To my surprise, the door opens and Yuuko greets me.
 
Yuuko: "Helloo, I'll be just a minute."
 
Before I can say anything, she closes the door again. How did she even know I was at the door? Does she have ESP? Maybe she has tiny cameras that watch the doorway. I take a look around and the door opens again. Yuuko steps out, coat in hand.
 
Yuuko: "Are you ready?"
 
We start down the pathway when she makes an unexpected turn to my right. With a click of a small remote she has in her hand, her garage door opens.
 
Hisao: "I didn't know we were taking your car."
 
We get in and she starts it up. It's an older model, but still in good condition. The glove compartment has some envelopes sticking out of it despite it being closed. I'm having a hard time wondering whether a messy or a pristine car fits her personality more. I instinctively pull on one of the loose ends of thread at the bottom of the passenger seat.
 
 
 
 
Hisao: "So, where are we going?"
 
Yuuko: "It's an Italian restaurant downtown."
 
Having only been to the Shanghai, it'll be nice to see what else the downtown area has to offer. The car ride is quiet. I feel like saying something to cut the silence, but my mind goes completely blank. I hope she isn't taking it the wrong way. Right above us is an incredible sky with burnt red clouds floating in a sea of gold.
 
Hisao: "What a beautiful sky."
 
I say rather bluntly. Yuuko only answers with,
 
Yuuko: "Mhmm."
 
I feel as if I should add something like "but not as beautiful as you", but it sounds incredibly tacky. We pull into a back parking lot with vines of ivy climbing up the brick walls of what must be the restaurant.
 
Yuuko: "Here we are."
 
Upon entering, the first thing I notice is the music. Classical opera. It's a little loud. We go to sit down and examine the menus. It only takes her a few minutes to decide what she wants while I'm still deciding between two items. when the waiter comes, I can barely make out what he's saying over the music.
 
Yuuko: "Spaghetti please."
 
Hisao: "Uh, I'll have the chicken parmesan."
 
I'm not sure if he heard that, but he goes back to the kitchen.
 
 
 
Hisao: "This was a nice choice for dinner."
 
Yuuko: "What?"
 
Hisao: "I said, this was a nice choice for dinner."
 
Yuuko: "I CAN'T HEAR YOU."
 
She looks around, thinking she's making a scene.
 
 
Hisao: "Maybe we should get this to go."
 
Yuuko gives an awkward smile and nods.
 
 
In no time, we're heading back to her house with our meals boxed up. I resist the urge to take a peek at my meal until we get there.
 
 
Yuuko: "I'm so sorry about dinner."
 
Hisao: "It's alright."
 
 
We sit down at her dining room table and she grabs one of the boxes.
 
Yuuko: "Oh, this must be your's."
 
We switch boxes.
 
Yuuko: "I'm sorry, THIS one's your's."
 
We exchange boxes again. I open it to find some kind of lemon chicken. I knew the waiter misheard my order. Yuuko opens hers. She ordered a plate of spaghetti with some greasy-looking pork sausage. I feel a twinge of happiness that they at least got her order right and start to work on my meal. Her eyes periodically dart up at me before going back to her food. The only sound is of us eating for five minutes.
 
 
Yuuko: "I have a confession to make."
 
A feeling of dread comes over me as I think she's about to say we can't date anymore because of our age difference.
 
Yuuko: "I didn't really have a plan for tonight, so maybe we can just watch a movie?"
 
Her tone becomes more of a question at the end.
 
Hisao: "Sure. That sounds fun."
 
Yuuko: "Good."
 
She cleans up her plate and brings me to the living room. There are detective novels taking up almost every available inch of space on her coffee table.
 
Yuuko: "Do you like mysteries?"
 
Hisao: "Sure."
 
 
The movie is an old black and white film about a private eye looking for a missing girl in Paris. There's something about black and white films that feels nostalgic for that time, even if you weren't alive to see it.
Maybe solving mysteries is what she's really passionate about, but with what little free time her two low-paying real life jobs give, that's just a glamourous daydream. I look to Yuuko, who's wiping away a tear for the main character as he kisses the girl on a bridge. She slowly turns her head to me, and in slow motion her face gets closer to mine. My cheeks begin to feel warm as I do the same, about to mimic the scene. Her lips part as do mine as I prepare myself to lock lips with Yuuko. The roof of my mouth becomes wet. I close my eyes and then- we bump foreheads.
 
Yuuko: "Ow, sorry!"
 
Hisao: "I'm ok."
 
Man, that hurt more than I expected it to. Yuuko blushes and gives me a cute grin I've never seen from her. It's... absolutely adorable.
 
Yuuko: "Uh, you've got some lemon butter on the side of your face."
 
I wipe my face in embarassment to hear Yuuko chuckling. She seems to ease herself and her hand takes mine. She turns back to the movie as the closing scene ends. Seeing her feel more comfortable, I decide that maybe it was for the best that we didn't start making out. I don't think she's completely at home with our age difference yet. Right now though, I can settle for this. She looks happy, and that's all I can ask for.