The saturday started off in almost an upsetting manner, with no confirmation of lunch yet. Stubborn me wouldnt ask a second time, the understanding me wouldnt ask a second time as well.

Fifteen minutes to 11, Meet at 1 in Orchard. I was half expecting a No, but not No without informing.

I sat in the bus looking at the present.

Fifteen minutes past 1, Why arent you here yet. Was asked to walk to Paragon for lunch. I spend the waiting time feeling upset even over the phone. That was almost fifteen minutes to 2. There are excuses but I didnt bother to convince myself they are the truth.

Still upset, I tried to appear at least less upsetting. Placed orders and in the midst of the conversation, I opened my bag, flipped the pages and trust the present across the table. I said something like its for your birthday.

The response came almost instantly, at least now that I recall. A random flip at first, then page by page. Only noticed it stopped at Mickey in gown page a little longer. The words that followed next were things I never hear before.

Someone said its touching, in a chirpy manner, not jus once. That the favor will be returned. The most significant being the two diaries. Every picture presents a shared experience. That it wouldnt be placed in the office, fearing that someone will tear a page off. Fearing that someone will write or draw something on it.

I asked, then whats the point for it. Its meant for you to use it.

I didnt say, I had mine in the office too. I didnt even say I had one.

But it wasnt jus that. It is precious to be used. I wouldnt use it. I will keep it as memory. Someone asked how much it costs. And which was done by me.

Give me a bag to put it inside, I dont want it scratch. I was about to pass a plastic bag over before someone found a bag to put it in.

Nothing much about it was subsequently mentioned.

~*~

I tried to imagine how it would be like. How the day would be. How we would be seated. How the conversation will be.

Because I didnt want it to be cast aside the instant it appear on the table, it came without a wrapper nor a bag.

~*~

So it was a short lunch. Where someone had to sit across the other side of the table, in a manner I dislike most. In Sushi Tei. In a manner I wish was back to the past.

Not jus efforts to meet up for a rush lunch.

If there is one thing I want to tell you today
Will we have lesser things to talk about.

Even that I didnt have anything I want to write in the birthday card, for the first time.