Birthday

It's still far yet, but I'm thinking of taking a day off on my birthday this year. It might sound stupid for you since I've heard that people take a day off on their birthday because they don't want to work on their special day (I'm not sure if it's truth tho), however, I haven't done it. As for me, the day has been something special, but not that special. It just hasn't been that different from other general days. I haven't gotten expensive things as a present from parents, but got some small money because the limit of the price was too low to buy something like what my friends got for their birthday (you will be shocked if I tell you the price). So I'd rather have gotten the small money itself. And since my birthday was during what is called summer vacation in old days, I was rarely celebrated by friends. Most of them forgot about it even they said something like "Let's do something on your birthday" before vacation started.

I also haven't gotten presents what usually girls expect their bf to give. I know that there are bunch of girls that want their bf to buy something nice on their birthday, but I think I'm a kind of odd girl. I haven't asked for birthday presents to my bf...correctly just twice in my life. I remember one of my friends said it was of course that her bf had to buy something she wanted on her birthday or Christmas. Actually, she was complaining about his sense because whenever they went out and browsing stuffs at the stores, she gave him some hints of things that were her taste. However, what he gave her on the special day was very pointless. She was mad about it, and complained while we were eating lunch, lol.

My memorial birthday was when I turned 20 years old. It was also during summer vacation and I was staying over somewhere with my bf and a few more friends for meeting. My birthday was already celebrated a few weeks ago when we did BBQ on the riverside, so I really didn't expect anything. I didn't even have the idea that they remembered the exact date. However, it happened. I was with some other people of from other universities, and my friends searched for me and took me to their room in the midnight. They told me that they bought a cake for my birthday, and celebrated my birthday when the day came. Actually the cake was a simple one, not exactly a cake, but a kind of sweets that they got at the souvenir shop at the hotel. It was such a simple thing, but I would never forget that day. I wept for the first and the last time in joy. Their simple kindness became the thing that I can't forget. The was definitely my best birthday in my life.

So, I'm thinking of taking a day off on my birthday this year. Thinking of past a few years, there was nothing special. I usually worked on my birthday. I went to part time job when I was student, and went work as well since I started working. I didn't do anything special. I even didn't meet my bf. It's normal to meet bf or gf on a day around birthday to celebrate however we can't do it on the exact day. However, I didn't do it. I even wonder if I was celebrated my birthday in person, lol. Maybe not. I even rarely received presents from them. I'm sure if I received something from someone I was in love, I wouldn't forget about it. But don't take it wrongly, I'm not complaining about it. I'm not saying that my bf was cruel or something since I was the one who usually told them I didn't need anything.

I said that not because I didn't want anything. I just didn't want to force them. If they give me something, it has to come from themselves. They don't have to give me a present because of birthday. However, if they feel like giving me something to make me happy on the special day, doesn't the feeling itself mean anything? So, I appreciate it and actually it's the thing that delights me the most.

Anyway, it's just a random thing that I felt like getting a day off this summer. I hadn't thought that way, but I just thought it would be like a small present for myself. I can choose how to spend whole the day not just after work. Everything is up to me :) It will be great, won't it be? :P However...I don't know if I want to do it just for enriching my somber days, lol. At least, I'm sure its not kind of a thing that someone gets hurt because of it. So, it will be fine ;)

All Small Things

"All Small Things". It's the title of the book. The book was one of books I borrowed from the library recently. I started going to the library again after a year because I wanted to borrow a book which a girl recommended me. The title of the book was "Tokyo Guest House" and its story starts from when Akio comes back from his half year trip to Asian countries. He used to stay at his girlfriend's apartment, but when he came back, she had been already lived with another guy. It was natural since Akio hadn't kept in touch with her since he quitted his job and left Japan all of a sudden. He thought he would stay with her again when he came back, but she was already gone. Since he didn't have anywhere to go other than his gf place, he was bewildered. However, he remembered about a woman he met in Nepal. She told him that she has a lot of rooms in her house, so he can stay there like being in a GH if he wants. The story is about his new life living there. The girl who recommended me the book told me that she vaguely knew why Akio's gf left him. As a girl, she understands what Mariko (Akio's gf) felt. She told me if she were Mariko, maybe she would leave Akio as well. It was a little bit interesting because her name is actually Mariko, and she was talking about Mariko in the story.

When she talked about the book, we were in a Turkish restaurant with another guy. We all were solo travelers who met in Vietnam and it was the first meeting back in Japan. Unfortunately, other people couldn't come since they live far away. Me and Satoshi were interested in the book and promised her that we would read it. Actually, she wanted to let her know what we think when we finish the book. She wanted to hear opinions from the both side; being as a women, and man. My action was very quick this time. Next day, after work, I dropped in the library and borrowed the book already. I read half of it at night, and the other half on the train next morning while going to work. Since I worked on the book so quickly, I felt like as if I was a firework which already finished burning. However, I understood what she meant. As a girl, I know what she felt. Akio wanted to talk to her when he came back. However, she didn't want to meet him. She even rejected talking to him on phone. In the last of the story, he finally meets her. And the words she says at that time is very impressive to me. Being a girl, I know what she means. I will feel exactly the same way...Actually, I thought about someone when I read it, and I'm sure she felt the way because she is in love with him.

So, the book "All Small Things" is one of the books of the same author's. A girl, whose name is Kayano feels that something is missing about her quiet love and asks her friend to tell her about the most impressive date she's ever experienced. The girl tells her about the story, and later, she asks her a similar question. The question is passed to people to people like a relay. Each story is based on the real episodes that the author got by a questionnaire, and you will be surprised how simple they are! But I believe happiness comes when such small things move your heart. Maybe it's not that dramatic nor gorgeous as we imagine. Actually, when I think about my happiest moment, it's always something not that special. For example, I remember I was very happy when my bf held me and said something while he was talking on the phone with his friend. The words were not that special, just something simple and the place was not special either. It happened while we were walking in the city...so, not such a romantic situation. However, I remember the moment somehow as one of the happiest moment being a relationship with him...I bet even he doesn't remember it. And why I wrote this post is just because I remembered about it when I passed the place with my friend today. Thinking about my happiest moment, I was surprised how simple they are. Even though it looked "nothing" for others, it was definitely "something" for me. However, I know however being simple, it's hard to impress someone on purpose. So, I want to treat such a little happiness which happened on me as a treasure, and hope that someone received such a little happiness from me sometime as well even I don't know.

Finale

I think, maybe the last a few hours before leaving for airport were a kind of most exciting time. Excitement and danger were two sides of the same coin. It wasn't dangerous in the end, however, it would have been my responsibility if something happened there. Simply, I had to trust my sense. My heart beaten fast when I was packed in the car with some Vietnamese and a Japanese. I was the only female there. I didn't know most of them. If I could say I know someone, it was Duong and his Japanese friend. That meant if I was kidnapped, and was killed somewhere, no one would know. I had a promise to meet up with Sakiko at 9PM at her hotel, however, I was sure even if I didn't appear, she wouldn't take is so seriously. Me and those guys left the hotel around 8PM and I was not sure where we were going. I was in a space where the language I didn't understand even a word flew back and forth surrounded by guys. I had a strange feeling inside there, which expectation and insecurity were competing.

After 15 minutes or so, our car arrived at a wedding ceremony hall. Duong and me got off firstly, and went through the door. He told to the receptionist that we were going to karaoke, and we went upstairs. Since no one followed us quickly, there were only me and Duong. I felt a little bit uneasy and asked him if we shouldn't wait. He told me they were coming soon, and we kept going up. And it brought me a coincidence. I don't know if it was on purpose, but all of a sudden, he asked me if he could kiss me. I was flurried and didn't understand what he said since I was busy to think what he held my hand for, and before I understood his words," he kissed me quickly. How dare he did such a thing!!! However, I didn't miss escaping from being hugged v(^_^)v But I'm sure I wouldn't have missed striking a blow IF he kissed on lips :P Thus, I placed him as a play boy, lol. I didn't expect I would be purposed to by a Vietnamese guy at a ceremony hall~ how romantic (j/k).

When everyone got to the karaoke room, they started singing. The karaoke machine was very high-tech...it was actually something similar what we saw in Japan 15 years ago or more I guess, and there were only Vietnamese songs. OK, there were some English songs as well, but I didn't know any of them. The only song I knew was 'Let It Be' and I didn't know whole of the song. I hadn't expected that I would go to karaoke with Vietnamese guys, so it was interesting. Everyone sang being drunk. I ate noodle with his Japanese friend seeing people making whoopee singing and dancing. It was such a surrealistic space.

At 15 to 9PM, I left there. One of them drove me to the hotel. Getting my backpack, I waited for Sakiko. On way to and at the airport, we chatted a lot. She told me maybe she would have fell in love with one of the guys we had dinner with if she spent time with him a few days more. I said, yeah you might be. Even I didn't fall in love, I also feel something special to people I met during my trip. It may be just one chance encounter in a short unusual life, and actually I'm sure it will be. However, therefore it makes a strong impression. I remember Duong told me not to forget about him. Surely, I will never. Maybe in the future, when I see pictures of Vietnam or eat Vietnamese foods, I will naturally remember about my trip to Vietnam. I don't think I will forget what I felt and experienced there because it was a part of my unusual life and He naturally lives there. I'm sure he will be the one if one of us forget about the other since I'm just one of those travelers who come and go in front of him as a manager of a GH.

Thus, my trip which had adventures and a slight romance(?) reached its finale. It was good I spent the last a few hours with Sakiko and talked a lot. It's an unfortunate thing that she lives in Hokkaido. However, I want to see her again whenever I get a chance...not just her, but everyone I saw there. I met a lot of nice people there! Maybe I will never forget about them, and I'm glad if they also remember about me sometimes when they look back about their trip. A guy's words pushed my back to Vietnam. I'm not sure yet, but a book that a girl I met there recommended may lead me to next place. However it seems that I can't be free for a while, I don't think I will give up jumping into an inordinately days with full of excitement. Hopefully, a year later, I'll be somewhere carrying my backpack again. Because, I find myself being cheerful when I carry my backpack♥

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