Saturday, February 16, 2008
Bel Canto
In Japan, Valentine's Day is celebrated by ladies- they buy giri chocolates for their male colleagues. White Day, which comes exactly one month after, is when the men return the favour and buy chocolates for the women who got them something. A fair business transaction, if you ask me, but also devoid of any romantic intent.
I wasn't expecting anything, really, we just got together and all I got him was a bottle of raspberry jam.
He could have bought me chocolate or earrings or other gifts that would have made a typical Valentine's Day gift, but instead he bought me the most perfect present of all.
"Close your eyes," he said, while he fished into his bag for my surprise. "I'm sorry it's not wrapped."
I reached out and felt something of terry cloth material, opened my eyes and saw that it was something covered in a face towel. I removed the blue towel, and saw that he had bought me a novel.
Maybe to some people a novel is a boring present but books are my life and there is nothing that satisfies my soul more than being absorbed in a good read, and the fact that he had chosen one of his favourite titles for me made my heart want to burst.
With my arms wrapped around him, I whispered into his ear, "Did I ever tell you how wonderful you are?" He grinned and shook his head and I repeated myself.
Before I left, he wrote a message in the book and told me to read it when I was on the train.
"To my wonderful, beautiful T,
I'm glad you found me.
Love, Ryan"
How did I get so lucky?
Labels: books, love, memories, tokyo
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