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There is an old saying in English culture to “never judge a book by it’s cover”, meaning that just on appearance alone a person should not assume things about another. Sakura was a young woman who firmly believed this. She was a victim of this; most people undermined her or treated her in a condescending way simply because she had an air of “cuteness” and “innocence”. It made her life difficult when no one took her seriously, and plenty of times she felt like throwing her hands up in the air and giving up.
But she couldn’t. She had to continue with her education, animation and graphic arts being her major interest, she had to get herself at least a part time job, and she had to prove time and time again that she was tougher than she looked.
So when she admitted she was infatuated with the tattoo artist across the street from the bookstore she worked at, most people were appalled.
‘He’s too dangerous! Look at him!’
‘Who knows what kind of past he has? What if those tattoos are gang symbols?’
‘You’re such a sweet, young thing, why can’t you find yourself a nice boy?’
Though she understand the people in her life meant well, what they said out of concern was extremely hurtful to her. Just because someone kept to themselves and drew beautiful art in a different way didn’t mean they were bad. The stigma towards the man and herself was infuriating, and it made her fall even more in love with the mysterious artist.
So she found herself standing outside the tinted windows, Inkspot Tattoo Emporium in it’s stylized, red and gold paint staring down at her, daring her to come in. It was a cold, windy day, making her bundle up in her thick, white coat and shiver, but she dared not loosen her grip on the tiny pink box in her hand in favor of closing her coat more. The pink box was more important to her now then her comfort. She worked too hard to stand where she in now to mess up. She either had to take the steps forward now, or turn back, enter the warm safety of the bookstore, and forget about all of this.
She straightened herself, and walked through the doors.
The shop itself was surprisingly inviting. It smelled sterile and looked clean, with black lounge chairs matching the checkered tile floor and red walls nicely, and, to her pleasant surprise, the faint voice of Frank Sinatra filtered into the air. It wasn’t what she expected, but it was welcomed.
The bald man standing behind the front counter looked up from a magazine he was reading and smiled warmly at her. “Hello, missy. Do you have an appointment?”
Sakura jumped at the voice, too distracted before by the shop to notice the man. “Oh! Um, no…” She took hesitant steps forward. “I wanted to drop off something for Kuro-san, if that’s all right?”
The man stared at her as she placed the small pink box on the counter, and his smile broadened. “Well, he’s busy with a client right now, but I’ll make sure he gets this.”
Sakura smiled and gave a small bow. “Thank you very much!” She quickly turned around and left, not wanting to be away from her job for too long.
-
Sakura preferred the morning shift at her work, but seeing that Ms. Bethel had an ultrasound appointment she gladly walked through the doors at eleven to start her shift. The comforting smell of ink and musty paper wafted in the air as she walked around the shelves of old tomes toward the clerk desk. She saw Tommy, a young teenager who hardly spoke to anyone, sleeping in his arms on the glass surface and tsked to herself. She shook her head and made her way around the teen and to the back room, opening and closing the employee door. She heard a surprised yelp on the other side, but ignored it as she set her things in her respected locker and clocked in. As she made her way back out to the main floor, she saw the teen rub his eyes with a disgruntled look.
“Tom-chan, why don’t you rearrange the New Releases section? We’re expecting a new shipment today.”
The teen nodded and was about to leave her with the register when he stopped, “Oh, hey, some guy came in and left you something early this morning.”
Sakura turned to him, interest peaked. “Oh? I wonder why…”
Tommy shrugged. “I don’t know, but I left it under the shelf.”
She nodded. “Thank you, Tom-chan.” She watched him leave to do as he was told, then she looked down to see a white box with a large white and silver ribbon tied neatly. She felt her heart flutter and reached for the box.
She couldn’t contain her excitement as she opened the box gently, minding the expensive paper and ribbon, and gasped at the context. In the box was a handmade notebook with a Japanese crane pattern on the creamy pink colored cover, a quill and ink set with a matching calligraphy book, and a polished glass figurine of a cherry blossom branch, all nestled in a soft, cotton material. A small note laid on top of the small gifts her name written in her respected Japanese characters.
She felt herself get giddy at the small gifts, but calmed herself not wanting any attention on herself. She reached for the card and opened it, reading the beautiful kanji and blushing happily.
Sakura,
The chocolates you made were delicious. I hope you enjoy my gifts for you. Maybe we can meet and have lunch sometime.
Don’t be a stranger.
~Kuro