"I never seemed to fit in with my family," said Chidori as she and Shoji walked along the deck, "my father, my mother, they only seem interested in my little brother. And my relatives," she paused and looked at him, "they expect so much of me."
"How come?"
"They expect me to marry into another wealthy family in order to expand my own family'f fortunes. It bothers me."
She went along to tell him more about her family. Her family was wealthy, owning a chain of convenience stores and her parents pressured her to continuously seek success in school. Her younger brother, who was only twelve, was being groomed to be the heir to the convenience store empire that her parents had built.
"Why is it that everybody has to care so much about money?" she said.
"Yeah, I know," agreed Shoji, "my parents are employees and are children of employees themselves. From where I come from, there's always that drive to rise higher because there's always the worry about not being able to care for your children someday."
"'There has to be something important other than money' I told myself," said Chidori. She put her hands on the rail and looked to the horizon. "Money is meaningless without life. And even if you're alive, money really doesn't mean that much," she went on.
"I agree," said Shoji, leaning on the rail. "What is life? Life is meant to be lived freely."
"You have to be free to make your own choices," said Chidori as she moved her hands a little farther apart.
Shoji straightened up. "And you don't have to live to be compensated every time," he added as he put his hands on the rail.
They noticed that their fingers had touched each other. Both were startled.
"I'm sorry," Chidori mumbled, stepping back and pulling her hands back to her.
"No, I'm sorry," stammered Shoji. He also stepped back. "It's just that I got lost and-"
They were looking each other in the eyes. After a moment's pause, Shoji took a step forward.
Chidori stepped forward too.
Their hands came together again
Shoji drew her close.
A pair of lips met.
"'There has to be something important other than money' I told myself," said Chidori. She put her hands on the rail and looked to the horizon. "Money is meaningless without life. And even if you're alive, money really doesn't mean that much," she went on.
"I agree," said Shoji, leaning on the rail. "What is life? Life is meant to be lived freely."
"You have to be free to make your own choices," said Chidori as she moved her hands a little farther apart.
Shoji straightened up. "And you don't have to live to be compensated every time," he added as he put his hands on the rail.
They noticed that their fingers had touched each other. Both were startled.
"I'm sorry," Chidori mumbled, stepping back and pulling her hands back to her.
"No, I'm sorry," stammered Shoji. He also stepped back. "It's just that I got lost and-"
They were looking each other in the eyes. After a moment's pause, Shoji took a step forward.
Chidori stepped forward too.
Their hands came together again
Shoji drew her close.
A pair of lips met.
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