Capítulo 6: Treasures
It felt like I was dreaming.
Today was the day, nothing could stop me not even mom who saw me off at the door.
"Are you wearing that?" I heard her say but it didn't register.
"Congratulations on making it in, Kagami-kun!"
That Sunday on my way to the company, I ran into our neighbor, Mrs. Amamiya, Amara's mother. That snapped me out of it.
She was a tall lady with a waist like a wasp, she had fat and curves in all the right places; her legs were thick but slender, whenever she wore a slit dress one couldn't help admiring them, her arms were slim and her bust... whatever manner she styled her hair in it was always a burnt orange color that emphasized her honey brown eyes that were accentuated even further by her cat like eyeliner.
(A goddess... or a celebrity?)
What usually happens when someone first meets her is they end up gawking, not listening to a thing she says, they'll just nod. I'd like to think I'm past that phase now. I smiled instead.
"Thank you!"
"Are you on your way there right now?"
"...Yes."
She looked me up and down, tapped a nude-colored nail against her cheek.
I could feel my blood freeze for a moment as the look in her eyes morphed from an amiable expression to one of stern disapproval.
Amara once told me her Mother says I have horrible fashion sense. The thing is she never says it to my face which is fine but it always registers in her eyes. This sort of person is way scarier than 10 Yumena-sans.
Mrs. Amamiya's face was serious but her voice was quiet as she held up a hand. "Wait a minute." She went back inside.
I swallowed.
The air felt heavy as I waited.
Amara came out shortly afterward surprised to see me standing there.
"Kagami? Good Morning..." she greeted me but confusion was written all over her face.
My smile felt stiff. "Good Morning, Amara."
"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be heading to the company?"
"Ah, yes, well..."
I heard the sound of heels and my head quickly snapped in the direction of the door.
Mrs. Amamiya returned, even the way she walked was distracting, before I knew it she was already in front of me blinking as she handed me a jacket.
"Ah, Amara, the jacket you ordered the other day was the wrong size. Instead of mailing it back, I'm giving it to him. Is that okay?"
Amara looked slightly irritable but just for a second. She sighed."If I weren't here, you would have given it to him anyway right, what's the point in asking?"
I could understand her frustration, one time my Mom gave away my old toys from when I was a kid to a neighbor's son. Even though I didn't play with them staring at them on the shelves had always given me peace of mind. That was the closest I ever came to hating my mom. I didn't mind her giving away anything else but those things meant the most to me.
If Amara was upset by it there was no way I could subject her to the same experience. "Ah, that's okay... I couldn't-
"Wear it." Amara suddenly told me. She pointed at my burgundy cardigan, which I admit was a bit worn out and lint covered, I didn't become conscious of it until then. "You wear this jacket everywhere, I get you love it a lot but when you're starting new things you should try to start with new energy."
I thought she would be bothered but she was fine. But what's this about new energy, how's that related to my clothes?
Her Mother nodded and added. "I get studious country boy is your style, but in the city here others might think you're a hobo!"
Studious country boy... my style? Does she think I dress like a hobo? Am I that bad in her eyes?
Come to think of it was the same thing about my hair... I came to officially befriend Amara when Mom dragged me to Amamiya-san's hair salon. In exchange for Amara styling my hair/teaching me, I was to teach her Japanese... ehhh.
"Ehhh..." I scratched my cheek.
Amara cringed as she stared at her mother before finally looking at me, when I didn't respond she sighed.
"Well... your jacket is a bit worn out. If it really makes you comfortable you don't have to wear mine. I was going to ship it back anyways since the size is too big." Amara reached for the jacket.
(Unlike her tall Mother who had a voluptuous figure, Amara was a petite girl, one might question their relation if it weren't for the resemblance in her eyes and lips.)
Only for Mrs. Amamiya to shift away. "No."
Amamiya-san's polite smile twitched.
"Listen here... Kagami-kun, fashion is self-expression. Take a look at Amara, with her resting bitch face (Amara dully blinked at her Mother's diss, completely unfazed) she always seems to be in a horrible mood. But because of her clothes, I can always guess how she may be feeling."
"Ahhh!" I found myself nodding enthusiastically, even after being insulted. "That's true! It's a big help to me as well..." I don't know what made me more relieved at that moment knowing that even her own mother had a hard time deciphering her own daughter or the fact that we both used her clothing as hints to communicating with her.
"So you see, It's a big help to me. Kagami you're finally going to be working with other musicians, when they look at you, they'll see a boy with comfy worn-out clothes. And I get some people in your field do dress that way because it helps them relax and focus. BUT. This is your first day." Amamiya-san continued
She had a lot to say, it was the most she had ever spoken to me, to be honest, I was too distracted by this fact alone to take it personally.
And here I thought I had gotten past my state of nodding without listening.
"Though truthfully," Mrs. Amamiya sighed, she closed her eyes and paused before finally opening them and sighing once more. "Truthfully, it pains me to say this, honestly Kagami you're a sweet boy but whenever I see my daughter walking around with you, I can't help feeling embarrassed for her."
Amara's apathetic gaze quickly spiked to agitation, she growled. "MOM!"
"Now, now..." Ironically, I ended up trying to diffuse the situation distracting me from being too embarrassed.
Amamiya-san continued as if she had heard nothing.
I'm beginning to understand some of Amara's frustrations with this woman.
"Honestly, it's such a blessing to have a daughter, although she may be lacking at least she takes after me for having a fashion sense-
Amara quickly looked at me. "Mom is exaggerating, the way you dress is normal!"
Her mom continued "-If you're going to keep being friends with my daughter you need to meet my requirements. Please, for the sake of my sanity and for the sake of your future friendship. Please. Wear this jacket. No, change what you're wearing. Change everything right now. Amara can lend you some clothes, she likes wearing baggy shirts. It should be your size."
I was speechless.
My gaze flickered to Amara who seemed to be containing her anger as she had her eyes closed and held up her hands as if stopping herself from balling them into fists.
"Amara, go lend him one of your shirts."
Amara exhaled, her hands fell. Without looking at her Mother or me she walked back inside.
I looked to her Mom who gestured for me to go after her.
I'd only ever seen Amara's room from the other side of the window, the window curtains that looked like a beige brick wall were familiar, but the rest wasn't.
Banana yellow walls, a bed that had the frame of a sofa's backrest, apart from a fancy white looking desk, a tall mirror with lights there was nothing else. Foreign rooms usually had a lot more furniture than this. So she's a minimalist huh?
"I'm sorry about my Mom." she apologized after emerging from the closet.
"Ah, it's-
"Don't say it's fine. She has high expectations. It's okay to say it." She handed me a shirt. "I'll leave so you can change."
"Eh..."
She was gone before I could say anything else. Oddly enough despite their agreements, she never complained about her Mother in front of me. Most friends normally spend a couple of times bitching about how unfair their parents or are or the fact they don't get it.
I've never been friends with a girl before... Is it a girl thing? Perhaps... she's too embarrassed so she doesn't want to talk about it? Or perhaps... she's embarrassed by me? I don't know which thought stings even more.
I hope... one day, we'll be able to talk about all sorts of things, even the things that bother her.
For the time being let's appease Amamiya-san.
Changing in a girl's room. I felt conscious of this more than anything, that made me feel fluffy. I wish I could let this moment sink in more but I couldn't stay here for too long.
The shirt was a simple tee with white and yellow horizontal stripes, and the jacket Amamiya-san recommended was a dark blue denim fur-lined jacket with orange threading, a tiger dressed like a biker was sitting at a table eating a sloppy joe was embroidered on the back while a white rabbit in a magenta mini dress with fishnet stockings was seated across from it eating a salad.
The flip side of the jacket was made from brown wool, making something perfect to wear in winter. It was nearing summer now though...
Where did she even buy something like this? Amara's taste is really... something you can't find anywhere...
As I put it on Amara's scent wafted into my nostrils.
I asked her about the smell upon leaving her room.
"Ah, it's snow lotus scented perfume..." Her eyes widened slightly and she seemed flustered. "Sorry, I spray it on all my clothes. I should have washed it but I didn't know mom- wait, why am I apologizing? She's the one who should be held responsible for going through my stuff!" She nodded to herself, annoyance shimmering inside them, but then when she realized I was watching, her expression went back to being blank.
"Ah, it's okay, it's okay." I knew I smelt this scent somewhere before. So that's what it was. Hehe... I'm wearing Amara's scent. It's almost as if I'm wearing her... heh.
We left the house. After looking me over, Mrs. Amamiya nodded in approval. She said she'd drop my clothes off at my house later. I wonder what my Mom would say to that... I could already imagine mom and Amamiya-san shit-talking about my lack of interest in my appearance... just thinking about it made me exhausted all of a sudden.
On the walk to the company,(Amara was heading to a cafe, she got a part-time job and often works around this time) Amara kept glancing at me asking if I felt offended.
"I'm really fine, I never put much thought into what I wear, to begin with."
Amara frowned at me. "You shouldn't live that way. You've got the looks, you know?"
"Eh?" Was she siding with her mom now?
"I hate it when people look down on you, but what's more frustrating is that it's because you- you don't treasure yourself."
"T-that's not true."
"Treasure yourself more hmm?" She folded the collar of my (her) jacket, her face getting slightly closer to mine as she did, and as she patted it said. "By the way this jacket suits you, you can have it."
"Eh... does it really." Does she really not feel awkward getting so close to me at all? In the past it bothered her. She would coldly tell me I'm trespassing into her personal space or scoot away from me. Doe this mean we've gotten closer?
Still, I will admit this jacket is pretty cool.
REFLEXIONES DE LOS CREADORES 
Bisa
Bisa What'd you think of this chapter?
I was wondering whether to put the parenthesis notes afterwards but ended up just sticking them in. Hope that's okay. Happy reading.
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