Bright Burning

Yojin

The problem with being such an avid reader is getting to the end of a good book, as much as I dread that part I still find myself reading faster than I usually do to speed up the process and find out how it ends. It's a personality flaw but at least I finish at a quicker rate so I can start a whole new book. The one I was rushing to complete currently was some weird memoir from a Canadian senator, it wasn't horrible but the half off price at the book store made sense.

Getting closer to the familiar konbini I put the story into my bag and thanked a young man who held the door for me. It didn't take long to spot my student at the back so I didn't bother looking at my dinner options as I clicked my heels over to her. She had apparently changed out of her school uniform, her casual attire being totally opposite of my long flowered sundress. "I'm happy you came." I patted her back and watched her half used pencil write some kanji's I didn't even recognize.

"It wasn't really a choice. Even if I said no you would know where I am."

I hung my bag on the back of my chair and wondered if she was kidding. Was I being weird? I didn't want to be a creep. After my conversation with Amy I wondered why I was even doing this. Taking out my glasses I was finally able to let out an awkward laugh as she glanced up with a smile. "What are you working on?"

"Japanese literature." Turning her pencil over she stuck the end of her tongue out as she erased a mistake. "Do you always read?"

I leaned forward and clasped my hands as I tried to understand what she was writing, half of it was too advanced for my language skill. "Not ALL the time."

"That sounds like a lie." Picking up her paper her brown eyes scanned the page trying to see a mistake. "What do you think?"

Scratching my neck nervously I took the paper and cleared my throat to attempt to read.

"Every time I see you walking there's a book in your hand."

Looking up over my glasses I glanced between her two eyes that studied me. A shadow passed by us causing her pupils to get smaller for only a second. When the light hit her again I noticed the beautiful flecks of black and orange that coated her iris, her left eye a softer shade from what I assumed was the lighting. She really was a unique beauty that could be studied only close up. Was I tutoring her because I thought she was pretty?

"I guess I do always read then." Forcing myself to look back down I pretended to read even though there was no way in hell I could understand what she was saying. I knew it was about poems but that was as far as I got. "What- what does this mean?" Putting the paper down and pointing I tried to sound it out in my head.

"Yojin. It means...I don't know the word in English it's like watch." She smiled while kicking her legs underneath her, I could feel them softly shake the table. "Look, I'm tutoring you."

Suddenly I became nervous so I put her paper to the side and took my glasses off, I wondered if I looked too old with them on. "I don't see you really talk in school."

She didn't cower at my statement but she didn't stop looking at me either, almost curious at what I said.

I closed my eyes and laughed. "I guess I'm just having a hard time figuring you out." I wasn't sure why I was sharing that with her but it was true, all her classmates were classic. Original in their own way but they fit into the boxes they designed. Amy was also an original woman but she was easy to figure out.

"Precautious." Akira picked up her pencil again and took another piece of work out. "Yojin means precautious."

I furrowed my eyebrows and let my eyes scan her shiny hair that fell around the paper she started to work on. "You must avoid a lot of questions."