TOKYO CINDERELLA STORY

'... ...'

'Honestly, I've got tired of being her boyfriend!'

'... ...'

'So our deal is now settled!'

Masashi turned his vision away from Kenji, biting his teeth; he was very upset, in much grief, that his own sister would be attracted to such a person. Other than that, he was also angry at himself for not having been responsible as a brother.

Why not use the red umbrella as a symbol --.

Kikuo excitedly told Yukiko.

'For example, to say! I just found a cute girlfriend, and you also have a boyfriend, when we invite them to our home, so we hang this umbrella at the door. You should understand! When I see this umbrella hung outside at the door, for the concern of my sister's happiness, I can't help it but go outside for a while longer!'

Kikuo held the umbrella and turned it around in his hand, and couldn't help laughing about it. The red umbrella and the white towel on Hitomi's body overlapped each other, then it was Hitomi's tears ... ...

Even though they did go to the hotel, but in the end Kikuo did not have any relationship with Hitomi.

He could not do it, because Hitomi was of the same age as Yukiko, they were both twenty three years old. In his mind, he was always thinking of this matter, in the end, he could only think of Hitomi as a sister.

When Kikuo explained to Hitomi who had wrapped herself in a towel what he felt, in a rather shy manner, he added,

'I also feel it is a great pity ... ... Though I say this now, honestly, I am a little unsure ... ... But I feel you are not suitable to do this sort of thing ... ... Don't force yourself ... ...'

He just stroked Hitomi's head. With this, Hitomi started to cry, just like a tightly tied string that was broken, she cried as if releasing all her misery all at once.

'This is the first time when I was treated this way, by another person! Really shameful!'

Kikuo silently touched Hitomi who had started laughing, once again, touched her head, saying,

'Let's go home!'

Even by that last sentence, which seemed so strong, Kikuo also felt deeply moved, like the main star of the movie. It was because he could not tell Yukiko about this matter, that he felt worried.

'Remember! The red umbrella, don't forget about it!' Kikuo wanted to confirm the idea.

'I know! I know!' Yukiko answered as if she was impatient; she had taken out all the western wear from the cupboard, set them out to make a choice, she was just troubled what she should wear, what clothes would not make her seem untidy. Ever after the night since she met Masashi, every time she passed by the window of that craft stall, she would specially take a look, but every time she would take a look at the price and sigh.

Still, even though she had spent many days of preparation, at the last minute there was still no meaning after all.

Sunday. As she was preparing to approach the place they were supposed to meet, Masashi was already there. He brought Yukiko into the changing room, saying to her, 'I hope you can change what you are wearing.'

Inside the room were glamourous clothes.

'I'll like to introduce you to my father, he is at the restaurant on the top floor, so I hope you can make yourself more pretty!

He just said such a sentence, and he left the room. As Yukiko was thinking about the meaning of those words, Shinji came in a graceful; manner. As if Masashi had just stepped out, then he had just followed at the back.

'What is he doing! So you are that country dish!' After he said such a sentence, then impolitely he gave the necklace, earrings to her. He said, 'I feel that you are not suitable for him, but I was asked to do this!'

'Country dish? What do you mean?'

'You should understand this better than I do! Because Masashi wanted to avoid the marriage his father had arranged for him, so he asked you here to act as his girlfriend. Really, it's like a child playing a marriage game'

'... ...'

After hearing those words, it was as if she had been splattered with cold water. 'Why' and 'It's really like that' the two muttering words were hitting each other, in the end still not making a sound.

Kikuo had once said 'Charity Business' these words, but, these actions were really not comparable to this.

Yukiko hid her hurt feelings with a smile, wearing the clothes she had worn when she came, walking towards the restaurant where Masashi was waiting fir her.

'I have already heard about what happened. You don't look at what I am now, but I was once the lead of a play in school! Just in that play , a story about a poor girl. For today's show, we'll just follow that storyline.'

She spoke all that in a hurry, as she was afraid that if she stopped, she would not be able to continue that smile on her face.

'But ... ...' Masashi's face was frowning, a face of difficulty.

But, it was too late, Masashi's father had already entered the restaurant. Just at that moment when he saw Yukiko, he was already having that measuring look at her, to see her value. With every step he took, that threatening feeling would increase even more. Seeing this, even Yukiko, who had been preparing herself earlier, should try her attitude immediately now, was also shivering with fear. Even so, there was no way she could escape now.

After the first moments of silence by both parties, Yukiko started talking about herself.

She said that she lived on Noto Honto, an island; and her family was in the hotel business, taking charge of a small guest house; and after she was educated at an Kanzawa Junior College, she came to Tokyo to work; in her early junior college days, she had wanted to an air stewardess or radio compere, but now she was working as an accountant at a foodstuff factory, the only proud thing was her speed at dealing with vouchers was faster than other people.

Masashi's father listened, with hardly any expression, but not until the state where he was angry or disappointed.

Yukiko said in the end,

'Just as I felt that this society had seemingly hardly any warmth, but was actually cold and unfeeling, I met him ... ... Though I know it's very easy to give up, but I simply could not forget him, so I made up my mind, plucked up my courage to come here. All because of him, right now I still feel as though I am in a dream!'

Though these words were of a forcible nature, but they were really words from her heart. She also admitted that she felt as if she was in a dream, all this was a dream.

Masashi's father silently sighed.

As Masashi drove Yukiko home, he said in a somewhat touched manner,

'How did you suddenly think of such a good story?'

Yukiko looked at the scenery outside the window , once again she murmured, 'All this is just a dream.'

'Hey!'

'Hmm?'

'That show, , is talking about a poor girl getting the help of forest goblins, in the end becoming a princess, that's the story!'

'... ...'

'The feeling of acting that show is really good!'

Yukiko silently faced that light blue glass window, softly blowing a whistle.

Masashi didn't say anything.

She got down at the same place that she left the other time. Masashi said, 'Wait for me for a while!' and he went by himself to a nearby florist shop. After a while, he came back with a bunch of flowers.

'Just with this bunch of flowers, I know it is far from being a princess, but hope it as something to say sorry for today!'

'... ... Thank you ... ...'

'Next time when we meet, it will not be like today, I won't ask you to act such a show again!'

As these words passed into her ears, she had just used up all the energy to keep the smile on her face.

'From the start, when you were holding the red umbrella ... ... You had already planned to make use of me, is it?'

Yukiko looked directly at Masashi, Masashi did not say anything, avoiding her gaze. She did not need any answer. As soon as he started to speak, she was afraid she would become more sad.

After a moment of silence, Yukiko started to say,

'I am not acting, today, all the words I said before your dad, are all true. I really wanted to see you another time ... ... Today, wanted to see you ... ...'

Her voice gradually became vague, as Masashi wanted to open his mouth to say something, Yukiko had already turned back and gone away.

She felt that, the longer she continued staying there, face to face with Masashi, she would really couldn't control herself and start crying; she didn't want Masashi to see how she looked when she was crying.

After she returned to her apartment, she discovered an envelope in the bunch of flowers. But what was inside the envelope was not an letter, but many fifteen thousand yen dollar notes -- this is what Masashi said, 'To apologize for today's matter'.

Yukiko took out the red umbrella from the shelf, hanging it at the door.

Then, cried bitterly alone in her room.

Yukiko just released her feelings and cried bitterly; when she felt better, she went out shopping, and she bought many female comics. She should have realized earlier, that those fairy tales, those romantic happenings could only happen in the world of dramas or comics; in real life there could not be any chance of it happening.

She let her eyes, which had become swollen from crying, be calmed down by the winds which had come with the morning sun, and walked all the way home. Just as she had got in, Kikuo came back home too.

'You hear what I have to say! I've found a job! It's as a swimming instructor! Who can't see that my great figure has been trained from being in the countryside; when people say Japan's Dragon, it's talking about me! As long as I don't take leave, I can earn twenty five thousand yen a month!'

'... ... Is it? ... ...'

Yukiko pretended not to pay attention. She really could not manage to smile, at first she thought she had really stopped crying, but now she still had a strong urge to cry.

Kikuo also seemed rather uncomfortable. always coughing; seems like the things he wants to say, was not only the matter of finding a job only.

After Yukiko had just asked, 'What's the matter with you?' she was mixed with Kikuo's 'That.'

'That ... ... In the afternoon, you put up the umbrella at the door!'

'... ...'

'So you made me become stuck outside, not being able to come in.'

'But ... ... that was your idea!'

'Who came? Is it that if I am here, it is not too good? Who would it be? Hmm ... ... Don't tell me you just made a boyfriend, is that right?'

'It's not my boyfriend! It's my colleague!'

'Then why do you need to put the umbrella there?'

'... ... Because that colleague, she fell in love with a guy, should be said that she was strongly attracted by him! But, the other party had no feelings for her at all, so she was left behind, she was very sad ... ... So she cried ... ... That colleague ... ...'

Though she was very careful of what she was saying, but, when she got to the end, she could not help putting some of her feelings into the situation.

Still, Kikuo didn't notice it, he was not a sensitive person.

'Oh, so it's like that!' He completely believed what Yukiko was saying, so he let out a sign of sympathy. 'Your colleague is really pitiful! Next time let's invite her to our home! We'll invite her to a dinner!'

'... ... Yes ... ...'

'If you have a guy you like, don't keep it in your heart, you must tell me, you know! Don't hide alone in a corner and cry!'

'... ... I know ... ...'

'All right, since it's like that, I can put my mind at rest!' Kikuo suddenly did some exercise on the floor, saying, 'Now I am starting my exercise for tomorrow's lesson! Butterfly Stroke!'

He started to move his body.

Seeing his action, even Yukiko who wanted to start crying again, also started smiling at the moment.

'Since now you have work to do, you can think about moving out!'

'There's no need to! I can just live here! Even if I sleep in the toilet, it's all right!'

'But ... ...'

'We're brother and sister, there's no need to live apart! Anyway I also have a responsibility to look after you, what happens if you are tricked by any bad guy?'

'But, this place is so small ... ...'

'Why are you so polite with me?' He turned his body, again changed to forward stroke.

'Is it because you don't have money to pay the rent? Then how about if I help you ask Mother to help you think of an idea? Why don't I try helping you call Mother now ... ...'

As she had finished saying those words, she was about to start using the phone.

'Stop! Don't call and talk about money matters!'

Kikuo suddenly came up, saying those words very seriously. This was the first time he had that serious look, since he had come to Tokyo.

'It's Daddy who told me not to mention it to you.' With these words as the starting point, Kikuo, at the end, let out a sigh, and put a full stop to the conversation.

The guest house at home had come to bankruptcy. Because near the sea, such a big new hotel resort had opened, no more customers came, there was no business and finally the business had to end. There were still a lot of debts, it had been owned when they had renovated the hotel some time ago and borrowed from the bank. Their father had a serious case of mental illness, so was unable to go out to work, their mother's heart was also not very good.

The reason Kikuo came to Tokyo, was not only as his life's last chance. Why he had made up his mind to come to Tokyo, was to earn some money at this place, t