June returned to unpacking her belongings:
three pairs of jeans—one black, one grey, one blue; six free T-shirts she had
received from events in high school and college; two pea coats to properly
represent the east coast and two heavy jackets for the serious winter to come;
a weeks worth of boxer shorts, she preferred this kind of underwear; three bras
that she honestly didn’t really need; and ten hats. She had contemplated how
many hats to bring with her to Japan and in the end decided that she necessarily
needed ten. Any more than that would have been excessive. As she picked up and
felt the stitching along the brim of her favorite red hat the door behind her
slid open.
“Five
o’clock!” Mina announced as she beamed through the door.
“Second
announcement today,” June smiled back, “what was with the 5 p.m. song earlier?”
“Oh that,
they have that everywhere around Japan. It comes from the speakers right
outside our house. Did you see?” She pointed up and toward the front door. “The
same speakers that sounded the tsunami warning.” she added grimly. “Anyway, in
this house that song has a special meaning,” her smile came back bigger and
even more lopsided as she pulled her hands out from behind her back, “beer!”
She tossed a can in June’s direction.
Both hands
outstretched, June caught the cold can and felt a chill spread from her hands
through her body. She was more of a wine than a beer type of person, but she
was willing to give this Japanese beer a try.
“On a hot
day like this, beer is perfect neh?”
Mina tilted her head back and took a big swig. They had moved to the living
room and were sitting cross-legged around a small table. “Any day really, beer
is good,” she added nodding solemnly to her Sapporo.
June
watched a mosquito fly slowly by, drunk on the afternoon heat.
“Ah! Gomennasai! You don’t drink?” Mina
asked.
“I do,”
June took a quick sip to prove it, “it’s just that I haven’t eaten anything in
a while and I don’t want you to remember me as the girl who got drunk her first
day in Japan.”
Mina
laughed, “Where are my manners? Please, have something to eat” she said as she
pulled out trays of crackers, nuts, and candy onto the table. “And don’t worry”
she lowered her voice and drew closer “after tonight, you will remember me as
the girl who snores and sleeps with her mouth open!”
June was
taken aback at first but was soon laughing and confessing along with Mina.
“Sometimes I talk in my sleep and ask for things, usually food.”
“I drool
sometimes when I am not careful.”
“I always
kick off my blankets.”
“For me,
the most comfortable position is on my back, mouth open, snoring and drooling
with my hand down my pants.” Mina drained the last of her beer and crushed the
can. “Dakara, no pictures please!”
June
laughed as Mina went to grab another can. She had heard that many Japanese were
introverted and not very open to new people. Incredibly polite but rather cold,
she was told. It seemed like they were wrong. I’m roommates with the complete
opposite, June thought happily.
“June-san wa? Another Beeru?” Mina
asked, head in the fridge.
“Yes,” June
said tilting her head to catch the last drops, “onegaishimasu!”
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