And sorry about the lame grammar, speech and so. I’m just bad doing this. (but if the text was written in portuguese…)

Part II – he wants your loving tonight

“I don’t know if I did the right choice” said the 31 years old man to his redhaired friend, “I think I am really in love with Makie, but…”

“Wait, do you think you’re in love? Did you really dump her to left her for a woman you think you love? Aoshi, what’s happening to you?”

“I really don’t know, Kenshin. I’m so confused… I really loved her, but I don’t feel the same anymore. It’s just… I’m on another time of my life. I’m thirty-one now, she is a young girl of twenty… I don’t think he have a lot of things to offer one to another, do you know?” the blackhaired man said, putting his head down in his own hands. He was really confused. He knew he didn ‘t love her anymore, so why did he feel so empty inside?

“Don’t you really feel the same anymore?” the redhaired guy asked, approaching his friend.

“I don’t know, my friend… Her face when she leaved the restaurant… She seemed hurt.”

The redhaired guy sighed. Of course she was feeling hurt. She was expecting for a marriage ask and not a cruel dump on the dinner that were planned to cheer her birthday.

“I shall go now, I have a date with Makie” the man said, getting up from his seat.

“May I ask you something, Aoshi-dono?” asked the redhaired guy, which name was Himura Kenshin.

“Does silicone feel better than natural breasts?”

Aoshi just left the room.

“Do you want a diamond ring?” Aoshi asked his girlfriend of two years, Makie, while having dinner with her at an expensive restaurant – her suggestion, of course. Little by little Aoshi was seeing how she really was the woman he was looking for, and even if she ended up being a little expensive, she was intelligent, kind, caring… And had a life experience his former girlfriend couldn’t share with him. He was thinking about marrying her. She just had to accept.

“Yeah. Now that we are getting engaged…”

Aoshi opened his eyes.

“I read your agenda. Sorry… I just couldn’t help. Oh, Aoshi, I’m so happy!”

So they started planning their marriage that very moment. They had invited his former girlfriend, but she didn’t seem to be interested, as she didn’t come to the party. And after both of them said “yes”, they went to their honeymoon, starting their “happily ever after”.

Three years later

Aoshi sighed while warming the water for his green tea. He was living alone since he and his ex-wife got divorced – she suing him wanting a part of his money, because “she has leaved her work to live fully devoted to him”. Bullshit, she had never worked. Now, everytime he thought about women, his mind wandered to the first girl he really loved in his life – still loving actually – and to what she had turned, he knows for his own fault in parts. That really got him sad. Was she happy living that way? If he hadn’t left her… They would just be like his best friend Kenshin, maybe better. They would have a great house, a minivan, two or three kids running around…

He listened to his kettle make an annoying noise, meaning the water was already warmed enough. Stopping his daydreaming, he started to make his tea, thinking about what he could do on that Sunday morning (and the afternoon and the evening and the night too). “I should get the things to my presentation prepared, maybe.” he tought. “I am going to meet her again…” Just thinking about seeing the woman who transformed his life for better ten years ago made his heart beat faster, and all the gloomy and stoic personality he had build over the last three years were fast destroyed by remembering her sweet smile or the way she screamed his name while they were having sex.

Bittersweet memory: she was having sex with everyone now, after all. Drinking his tea, he took his seat on his sofa, while reaching for the remote control of the television and turning it on. As always it has nothing which got his attention, so he picked his mug and started to walk around his house. “This house would seem less vacant if there were someone here with me… Man, I am really getting old, thinking things like these.”.

He turn his computer on, checked his emails – an email confirmation of his introduction meeting included – and them opened GoogleDocs to start and write his presentation. When writing the title of his presentation, he heard his cellphone rang, and got up to answer it.

“Shinomori Aoshi.” his first girlfriend always said this way of answer the phone was weird, but she liked it anyway.

“Hello, Aoshi-san. I’m Higashidani Uki and I am calling you to say your introduction meeting is confirmed.”

“I read it on my emails.” Aoshi answered the voice, which seemed to be really cocky.

“Okay then. I would like to say to you that you have to be with your presentation and future projects for the company on your hands. Besides, we want you to show the presentation you used on your job interview and tell us what you did modified and what you improved on it. We have your first presentation, so don’t try and fool us, because we’ll know you aren’t telling the truth. Did you understand, or am I blurring your thoughts some way?”

“I did understand”.

“Okay. See you tomorrow.”

Aoshi turned the cellphone off, thinking about how this girl was strange herself. Getting tired of getting bored at his house, Aoshi resolved he would ride on the bicycle by the city. He got out of the house, grabbed his bicycle and got to ride around the Tokyo outskirts.

His day sucked. He went to a park near his house, and everything he saw were happy families with cute kids playing around and things like this. He even cogitated to get inside the lake with the bicycle and other personal objects and stay there until he was dead, but after thinking better he declined. He wasn’t feeling good, because all his could think it was how good it would be being with her, having kids with her, being loved by her.

Thinking himself crazy, he put himself on the bicycle and got to the best therapist he knew in his life: Himura Kenshin.

He got at Kenshin’s after about a forty minute ride, soaking wet on sweat and with a really sad expression on his face. He was thirsty, starving and getting crazy. He rang the bell, but no one come to answer the door. One more time, he rang the bell, this time exasperated. For the second time no one showed up to answer the door, so he put his ear on the door, to hear if there was some noise inside the house.

Silence.

It was when came to his mind Kenshin was on a symposium to show the results of his research. Probably Kaoru wasn’t home but even if she was, she wasn’t the person who he wanted talk to. She would start a speech about “how we said you were wrong and how you deserve what is happening to you now and you know what? It would be great if the two of you encounter again and she say she didn’t want you anymore.”, she was a friend of that girl, after all. Sighing, he sit in front of Kenshin’s door and grabbed his cellphone, calling his friend. He was so tired to ride back home that moment.

“Aoshi? Are you trying to suicide again?” Kenshin said with a smile on his voice.

“Of course not. Are you busy?” Aoshi said, thinking the jokes of his friend were strange enough to just him laugh with them.

“I think I should start charging these appointments, don’t you think?” the redhaired man said, still smiling.

“Are you busy or not?” Aoshi asked in a monotone voice, but Kenshin knew he was beginning to be irritated.

“No. Tell me what is happening.”

“Her.”

“Again? Aoshi, I am really starting to think you should find some professional help to your case. But why today? Is something special happening, is her birthday, it would be your anniversary…?” Kenshin knew that everytime this dates in special were coming Aoshi got even more gloomy and kept saying things like “I am the most idiot person in the world”.

“No. Her birthday is on November and our anniversary was on July. The fact is we are going to encounter again.”

“What, are you picking some astrological advice and all? I had never thought you would become so mystical, my friend.”

“I am going to work at the same company as her.” Aoshi sentenced. Kenshin lost his speech for some minutes, but then recovered.

“Are you stalking her?” Kenshin simply asked. Then another idea came to his mind. “Are you reading that gossip magazines? That ones which she always is on the ‘crazy bitches’ section?”

Aoshi kept silent. He really read that gossip magazines, just to know what she was doing of her life. The first time he picked one of this magazines was when he saw her face on the cover of it, saying about the new designer of Onmitsu Oniwabanshuu Inc., thing he though was very strange, because she was beginning to be a model when they were dating. So he opened the publishing to read the little report about her. What he read made his heart cringe. There were more news about her crazy lifestyle that from her work as a designer. Reading that 3.000 characters report he discovered almost every detail of her new life. The parties she went, the men she slept…

“Do you really believe this magazines, Aoshi-dono?” asked Kenshin.

“I really don’t know, but at least I know I will work at the same company as her… Your wife and kid are coming. They will see me sprawled like a blob on the floor.” Aoshi commented like this was nothing.

“Are you in front of my house?”

“I went to look for you. But I kind of forgot you were at this symposium where you are so important you couldn’t send a trainee in your place.”

“Kaoru will eat you alive.”

“I know.”

“She will try to get back at you. Prepare yourself.”

“I know. Hi Kaoru.”

“What are you doing here, sprawled in front of my apartment like this was something worth doing?”

“He went to look for me.”

“Kenshin?” Kaoru said, surprised. Then, she looked to Aoshi, who was looking a little dead, and resolved that a little chat with that thing wouldn’t be bad.

“I think I’ll hung up. Thank you again, Kenshin” Aoshi said, preparing himself to get out of the front of the house of his friend.

“Don’t worry.” Kenshin replied.

And then Aoshi hung up. Kaoru looked to him, grabbing his things and preparing to come back home and called him.

“Come, I think you may be hungry and all… I don’t think chat a little will kill both of us, don’t you think?”

But Aoshi thought that, yes, that could and would kill him.

In fact the talking with Kaoru didn’t kill him. It was good, actually. She listened to every word he said (he concluded he was a lot strange on that Sunday, because he really didn’t like talking), and after listening him she put her opinion, without disqualifying him or scolding him. And so, they talk about their – and hers – lives in this years where the group was apart. She insisted in riding him back home, but he said he would be alright riding on bicycle.

He had the best night of sleep in the last five years. The most anxious, too. He would see her again. Finishing his shower and picking his backpack, he got his shoes and packed them inside his backpack. He grabbed his helmet and checked if his sneakers were tied and got to the lifter of his building. When he arrived the parking, he went to the bike parking and picked his bicycle. The place where he was going to work was near his house, so he could go to work by bicycle.

Well, it was really weird a man in a suit with a helmet and sneakers riding on a bicycle but he really didn’t care.

After a thirty minutes ride he got at his new workplace going to the first restroom he found, in order to change his sneakers for her working shoes and to put his helmet inside his backpack. Getting out of the restroom (where he had freshen up a little too, because the ride made him sweat and he was not so presentable to his introducing as the new accountancy responsible.), he got his briefcase where all he would need for his presentation were in, heading to the room where the meeting would be hold.

When he got to the place, the room was empty except for a young woman who was typing something on a notebook. She seemed to be secretary of someone important in the company. She stopped typing when she noticed someone was in the room, and looked to Aoshi, smiling in a way he could say she was trying to be seductive.

“So… Are you Shinomori Aoshi? You’re a handsome, do you know?” the woman said, making Aoshi uncomfortable.

“You are…” Aoshi asked, wanting to literally run to the hills.

“Higashidani Uki. And I know it’s a pleasure to meet me.”

Aoshi was about to say that it wasn’t being a pleasure at all, but he thought twice and decided not to do. To her being inside that room she should be at least the secretary of someone very important in the company hierarchy.

“So what do you do here in the company?” Aoshi asked, faking interest. He was feeling he would regret of this fake interest and of this conversation, but in the moment, he has nothing to do…

“I am the secretary of Higashidani Kamishimoemon” she answered. “Before you start thinking this is nepotism, I should remember you we are a familiar enterprise.”

Aoshi wasn’t thinking this, but well, was good to know the company has a familiar base.

“Ah! You’re supposed to wait out of the room until they call you. I think it’s just this.”

“Thank you” Aoshi said getting out of the room. Uki called him, and he turned to her.

“Wouldn’t you kiss my hand?”

Aoshi looked to her and kept his path, thinking this girl was really convinced.

An hour or so passed while Aoshi was checking his emails on his Blackberry. Nothing so useful, just stupid jokes from his cousins in Kyoto.

“Aoshi-san, you may come in.” said a young boy (or should he say girl? He was so… androgynous.), that seemed to be eating him with his eyes. Oh, no. One more crazy boy running after him, no.

Or was the same boy from Facebook?

He got inside the room and saw her, her head down on the table, murmuring something to the girl beside her. And so he feel he was going to be introduced, so, he looked to everybody inside the room and gave them his best dignity look.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I have the honour and pleasure to introduce you our new treasurer” said the man who was presiding the meeting. He had no idea who he was, but he felt he would be important in his new corporative life. “Meet and appreciate the work of Shinomori Aoshi.”

And so, he looked to her. Looked to her eyes, and felt sad. Felt hurt for having her so close but so far at the same time. And so their looks met. His heart started thumping harder; the love and the desire he felt coming back again (this moment he thought it was really good his pants were loose). And then, he didn’t know why or how…

She fainted.

Onmitsu Oniwabanshuu glossary:

Shinomori Aoshi (substantive; male; gloomy and reserved) – the new accountancy chief of the Onmitsu Oniwabanshuu Inc., worked to a lot of foreign companies remotely, but now he resolved he would work on a real thing for once. After he and his ex-wife divorced he become a really serious, quiet and gloomy man, only talking to his best friend, Himura Kenshin. He still in love with his first real girlfriend, but he just notice this too late. No one knows, but since his 33 years old he hadn’t had sex with anyone because he remember of both women of his life. Has family in Kyoto, live by himself and his most appreciated activity is drinking green tea while listening acid jazz and riding on a bicycle.

Authoress notes:
Just remembering that Misao was born on November while Aoshi was born on January. He is 10 years older than her, yeah, but this difference is almost eleven because of their birthday dates.

Artemys Ichihara
São Paulo, fim de primavera de 2011
São Paulo, 2011 spring ending

Artemys Ichihara
São Paulo, primavera de 2011
São Paulo, 2011 spring 

Dizem que, ao se encontrar a primeira estrela, todas aparecem. Não sei se eram estrelas, ou se eram apenas os reflexos dos meus óculos; acho que o segundo, mas  novos brilhos começaram a surgir. E, na minha imaginação, eu via constelações inteiras, via grupos de estrelas brilharem no céu. Imaginava o Universo acima de mim e sonhava com um manto prateado sobre minha cabeça.

E brincando de estrelar, eu descubro que existem estrelas em SP.

Título levemente baseado na música “Não existe amor em SP”, de Crioulo

Artemys Ichihara
São Paulo, primavera de 2011
São Paulo, 2011 spring

Part I – you gonna make me delirious

“That son of a bitch! Who he thinks he is? Using me for four years, fooling me for four years and then he just say that he found another?… But if he is thinking I’m going to get sad, he’s completely wrong. The old Makimachi Misao is dead, and now, a new one is raising. Just want and see world. You’ll remember my name.” said the little fumming woman getting inside a drugstore and grabbing all the condom packs she found at the place.

“Are you going to travel with someone special, miss?” asked the smiling cashier while counting the total price of the condoms the girl bought.

“Actually no. I’m planning of using all of them tonight. Each one with a different person.”

The cashier smiled.

The girl got her purchase and got to waste her night on.

“Misao… Are you drunk?”

“Hell yeah.”

“And… wait… are you… made up?”

“Heeeell yeah.”

“And… using high heels?”

“Motherfucking yeah.”

“Can you explain why did you call me, six in the morning, smelling to alcohol, dangerously drunk, made up and in high heels? Where the hell you were? Aren’t you having a romantic dinner with you ‘oh-so-charming’ boyfriend?”

“Actually, I can explain ya” the girl called Misao started to say in a drunken and hurt voice. “I was having dinner with my ‘oh-so-charming’ boyfriend. Or should I say ex-boyfriend? Nevermind. So, I was there, all made up, stunningly beautiful, using these pretty red and high pumps, in this dress that boost all of my best (which you can say that aren’t a lot of things), waiting for a wonderful dinner with my prince charming and do you know what I received as a gift for my hopes? Lemme tell ya. I received this: he sayin’ to me he had found another and didn’t love me anymore. Can you believe? He just say ‘oh, I don’t want to keep hurting and fooling you, and I have to say this to you… I am in love with another. I’ll introduce both of you and I really hope we can have a friendly convivence now. I really apreciate your company and I hope we can still being friends.’ and so he introduced me to that whore. And you know the worst part of everything, Kaoru my hottie? HE OBLIGATED ME TO HAVE DINNER WITH THEM! And I had to eat that shit quiet on my seat. When I finished my meal, I just got up and got out of the place. I didn’t even waited for the dessert. I leave him with his lies and that bitch that I know is only using him. But ya know something good happened with all this drama.”

“What?” asked Kaoru, putting Misao inside of her car, desperately worried about her friend. She knew how much Misao loved her boyfriend. She listened to her secret dreams of starting a family with him after all.

“I got the best fuck in all my life.”

“!”

“After the dinner I passed at the first drugstore I saw and purchased a lot of condoms and went to a party in charge of using them. Well, there are some of them left, but I can tell I used the great part of them.” Misao finished, smiling. “I think I fucked three guys tonight. I don’t know. Somewhere in the night the things started to get a little blurred…”

Kaoru just almost died of fright.

“But do ya know the worst part of everything?”

Kaoru denied.

“I was hoping he would ask me in marriage in this fucking damned dinner!”

And then, Misao began to weep bitterly.

Five years later

“WHAT DO YOU FUCKING WANT?” screamed the woman to the person on the other line on the cellphone. Who are nonsense enough to call her seven in the morning on a Sunday? Come on, she had just gone to bed!

“Oh… sorry then… I’ll, ya know, hung up the… (snif) phone…”

“Oh (fuck), sorry Kao-chan… I’m really sorry… But ya know, I had just gone to bed and you called me… Well, we aren’t here to talk about my problems, are we? So how can I help you, my little flower?”

“Am I… ya know… fat?”

“Do you want me to be a) sincere? b) reasonable? c) sympathetic or d) truth?”

“Aw, Misao-chan… I really don’t know… I want you to be sincere, but sympathetic, telling me the truth and being reasonable.”

“Okay, then. You are, actually, fat. But, well, you’re seven month pregnant after all. It would be worring if you weren’t. But if you let me say, I still thinking you are the most stunning mommy in all the world. Just what I think” finished the woman, feeling a strong headache start on the depths of her brain.

“You’re the best friend a pregnant woman could get! And so, cute weasel of mine, how are you doing?” said the woman with a smile on her voice.

“With a hangover. And drop this weasel thing.”

A sigh could be heard at the end of the line. Trying not to be hostile, Kaoru started to speak again.

“Don’t you think it’s time, you know, to settle down, to slow down, I don’t know… Maybe start to look for your prince charming and…”

“I don’t believe this “prince charming” thing, Kaoru” answered Misao in a bittersweet voice “Maybe you still believing the people can be made one to another, you found your prince after all.”

Kaoru sighed one more time. She really worried about the “partying hard” lifestyle of her best friend. She knew that Misao slept at least with one different man for night – well, this when she didn’t slept with more than one in the same night. She also knew that Misao really didn’t care about her reputation, but Kaoru yes, she did. She knew Misao was considered the greatest of the bad examples – and she knew Misao herself knew this too. And she worried about some other things, too. What if she got pregnant? Or got a disease? Keep trying not be rude, Kaoru continued her speech.

“Misy… Really, why don’t you give a second chance to love? Well, there is a music which say that ‘everyone need love’. You are not an exception, sweetie.”

“I gave a chance to love once and you remember what happened to me. I build my castle on the clouds and, well, he said he didn’t love me anymore and left me for another. Besides, I am kinda giving a little room for love. I make love almost everyday. Well, it happen to not be with the same person everytime, but, who cares?”

“No Misao.” Kaoru replied, serious “What you do is having sex. To make love is a completely different thing. Ya know, you should stop thinking all men are the same. Me and Megumi…”

“You and Megumi are lucky girls. Me, in the other hand, am not. I am really aware that the guys I bed just sleep with me because I am a slut. I am not so pretty at all. But I really don ‘t care, Kaoru. As you can see, I’m fine.”

“Misao… you are beautiful.”

“I prefer not to believe in this. Ya know, the first and last time I believed I was a beautiful woman I was left for a blonde whore with big silicone boobs. But really, Kaoru, you don’t need to worry. I’m fine…”

“But… what if you get pregnant or something worse, like getting a disease? Misao, you should slow down! Great, you go to parties and drink all your little body can handle and then you fuck any male you find in front of you… So you come back home without knowing how you did and wake up with the greatest hangover a human being can have and you know what? You still alone. Really, Misao, do you really think you can be happy this way?”

“I don’t think I can be happy this way. But is the only way I can live without having my heart broken again.” Misao answered, sighing heavily and trying not to cry. What Kaoru said was harsh, but it was completely the truth.

Kaoru closed her eyes, putting her free hand over her swollen belly. If that dinner incident hadn’t happened, maybe Misao would have a little toddler to play with hers. Or two, just like she will have two months in advance. “One cannot back in time. But… I really thought they would be happy together…”

“Are you free this afternoon?” Kaoru asked, walking through her living room. The cordless phone was giving signs that its battery would end soon.

“No. I’ll be sleeping” Misao said putting her head inside the blankets. She felt like her head was going to explode.

“Okay. I’ll pass at your house at four in the afternoon.” Kaoru sentenced.

“Kaoru, answer me something, and please, tell me the truth.”

Kaoru asked her to continue.

“Can you really drive? I remember listening to your doctor say you were kind of prohibited to sit on the driver’s seat…”

“Actually yes, I really can’t, but I am feeling like riding around and you’re the perfect company to do it.”

“And Kenshin?”

“The very stupid is on a conference. Damn this researchers.”

Misao laughed loud, feeling her head hurt even more.

“Don’t forget I’ll be picking you at four. Good night, sex angel.”

“Fuck you”. and then, Misao turned off the mobile phone, drifting herself to sleep.

Kaoru and Misao were walking down the Harajuku streets, seeing some strange people dressed like anime characters, some really cute clothing and things like this. Kaoru was eating an ice-cream while walking, as Misao was holding Kaoru’s oldest kid, Kenji, who was playing with her sunglasses, and doing some short reports about the men they saw crossing their path. The summer heat was tiring Kaoru out but she was a stubborn person, so she kept walking, even the thing she most wanted was sit on somewhere and do absolutely nothing in hours.

“Well, with this guy I would just work on a blowjob. I don’t think he deserves more of my free time” ended Misao, bitting Kenji’s cheek. Kaoru smiled to her, thinking she was a lost case.

“What is blowjob, auntie Misao?” asked the four years old, curious.

“Is when you play so much with a person, that the person pees on its pants!” Misao answered, naturally. Kaoru begun to laugh, eyes tearing in the process.

“Do you already blowjob someone, auntie Misao?” asked Kenji still curious.

“Aaaah, yeah, little one.” Misao said pushing him in a tight hug. “And your mommy did, too” Misao finished, starting to tickle the kid.

“Uaaaaa!” exclamated Kenji, happy and giggling with the sensations the tickling was causing him.

Kaoru coughed, dropping her ice-cream on the ground while coughing. She looked down to Misao and Kenji, like she was asking for another amount of the sweet. Misao sighed simutaneously with Kenji, saying in unison:

“No more candies for you, young lady.”

“Aw. That’s not fun. Misao, did you think about I said earlier to you?” Kaoru asked, looking for her bottle of water inside her bag. Kenji was begginning to be fussy, saying he was thirsty.

“What? Having my heart broken again?” Misao replied, putting Kenji down, letting him drink the water his mother was giving him. “No, I didn’t think about it and I really think I won’t be doing this any time soon.”

“I still thinking you should grab a boyfriend. It’s good to have someone to share your feelings.”

“I have someone to share my feelings. It’s a virtual service called blog.”

Kaoru picked her son’s little hand, saying ‘whatever’, and guided them towards the parking to get inside her car and come back home.

“Good morning, Misao-sama”, said the little brunette she has as a secretary, a twenty year old girl called Tsubame. “Well, I think you didn’t checked your email, am I right, ma’am?” she said with a smile.

“Quit called me that, Tsu-chan! Come on! Now, come here and give me a hug. No, I didn’t read my emails. Yesterday I was hanging out with your sister-in-law” she said, hugging her secretary, who was red as a tomato. “What, some surprise meeting to annoucemment that one of our lovely bosses had kicked the bucket? Hm?”

“Kind of, Misao-sama… Well, he hadn’t as you said ‘kicked the bucket’, but just retired. So, you have a meeting in thirty minutes to listen to his retirement and to meet the person who will replace him.”

“Wait, about what of our bosses you’re talking? Saito from the design team? Uramura from the general administration? Kamishimoemon from the marketing team?” Misao asked, not letting Tsubame get out her embrace. Tsubame was trying to get herself free, but failing.

“Oguni-sama from the accountancy.”

“NOOOOO! Not even to be Yumi-san from the documentation center or Oumime-chan from the archive…”

“Yumi and Oumime are thirty yet, Misao-sama. Impossible.”

“Nngggghhnnngg” affirmated Misao. Tsubame smiled, pointing to her clothing.

“Well, as much I really like your style, I think you shoudn’t attend the meeting dressed like this. Old people and all.”

Misao was dressed in colored tennis-shoes, colored tights and a lime-coloured skirt which reached her knees. On the top she wore a purple T-shirt with some white lyrics written on.

“It’s not like I am going to be fired because of my clothing. Besides, we just have some minutes to the meeting and…”

“No, Misao-sama, you have some minutes.”

“Aren’t you coming with me?” Misao whined.

“HA! Of course I’m not coming. What, deal with Saito, Uramura, Yumi, Oumime, Kamishimoemon, Oguni and Enishi at the same time? Thanks, but I pass. Good luck to you, Misao-sama.”

“I should fire you because of this…”

“Here is your briefcase. Inside are all the papers and reports you’ll need at the meeting and some funny cat pics if the whole thing gets so boring. I think you’ll need some chicles and chocolates, so they are inside too. Ah, there are paper sheets and pencils if you feel like drawing. Good meeting, Misao-sama.”

“Tsubame. Te quiero” she said, kissing her friend on the cheek.

When she got in the lifter, she started to listen to a music she knew by heart, singing together. Her co-worker and one of her best friends entered the lifting, apparently going to the same meeting she was.

“How was your saturday night, weasel?” he asked, ruffling her hair. She put her square glasses on their place, while shaking her head to put her black hair again on their place.

“Hot. I got some drunks, grab some drunken guys and some even more drunken girls and we did an orgy. Yours?” answered Misao, irritated.

“Really?” asked her friend, half frightned, half curious and a lot interested.

“Hell, Sano, no! I do not partake in orgies! I get the men on by time. Well, actually I drunk until almost faint and then I got a cutie guy to have a nice fucking night on a hotel near the party I was. Satisfied?”

“Wow, Misao, you treat us men like pieces of meat.” the boy beside Misao said, pretending to be hurt.

“Yeah. I treat you like pieces of meat ’cause you are pieces of meat.” said Misao, picking one bubble-gum of her briefcase and putting inside her mouth. “And your night?”

“Ah, I just got glued to Megumi all night long. I have nothing more to do, since she was on cycle. Hey, Saito will piss you off because of your bubble gum.”

“Fuck the police.” Misao said and laughed excitedely. Misao’s friend, called Sagara Sanosuke, laughed as well.

They got in the meeting, each one sitting on opposties seats at the great table with everyone who hold some importance already seated on their places waiting for the meeting beginning.

Misao didn’t know what had happened at the meeting as she had slept almost all the meeting duration; drawing, eating and seeing funny cat pics not being enough to prevent her from sleeping. She woke up when they were thanking Oguni for his devotion to the corporation, and preparing the team to receive the new accountancy chief.

“And now I would like to introduce you our new accountancy chief, who happens to be our new treasurer too. He had already worked on a lot of foreigners companies and now he is here to help us to keep growing up.”

Misao mouthed “this crap sucks” and the young lady called Masukami, a girl who worked at the sewing machines and was the little sister of Oumime, chuckled a little.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I have the honour and pleasure to introduce you our new treasurer. Meet and appreciate the work of Shinomori Aoshi.”

Misao looked to the face of the man, directing her starring in his eyes. He looked her back; his eyes seeming a little hurt. And was with this meeting looks all her past come back to her. And so, she fainted.

Onmitsu Oniwabanshuu glossary:

Makimachi Misao (substantive; female; short-tempered) – One of the principal designers of the Onmitsu Oniwabanshuu Inc. team, a fashion & design company which takes place in the Tokyo downtown. She’s considered one of the greatest designers on the company and is very famous on the Tokyo social circle, but not just because her work as a fashion designer. Her lifestyle made her show her face on tabloids and gossip magazines, she being a Casanova herself, known by all the conquers she had in her young life. At her 25 years old, she had already slept with all the male team of her work, their friends and brothers and, said some of the more informated people, some girls too. Besides fucking every male she saw in front of her (their sexual orientation not included, she slept with Kamatari the makeup artist, after all) it isn’t known she already had fallen for one of these men, even if they got crazy about her. She is know as well by her “hot body and frozen heart”. Lives by herself, has family in Kyoto and her most appreciated activity is playing “Just Dance” at Nintendo Wii.

Artemys Ichihara 
São Paulo, começo de primavera de 2011
São Paulo, 2011 spring beginning

Sanosuke subiu no palco improvisado que montara com algumas peças do dojo que seriam dispensadas, pegou um microfone de brinquedo de Kenji e resolveu começar seu show particular. Uma música estranha, com um arranjo harmônico pavorosamente ruim começou a tocar.

Dig-dim, dig-dim, dig-dim / Dig-dim, dig-dim, dig-dim / Dig-dim, dig-dim / Sou foda

Sanosuke rebolava ao som da música, tentando parecer sensual.

Sou foda, na cama eu esculacho / Na sala ou no quarto, no beco ou no carro

Sim, Sanosuke era foda. E, de fato, esculachava. Pegava todas e nenhuma reclamava, afinal de contas, ele era o melhor. Bem… Ele nunca dava chance de as garotas dizerem o acharam da performance do rapaz, mas ele sabia porque confiava no seu taco. E isso fazia dele o melhor.

- Sério, que raio de música é essa? – comentou, sem emoção, Megumi. Sanosuke fitou-a, seu olhar caliente, e disse:

- É a música que vai fazer todas as mulheres desta sala caírem aos meus pés.

Tae riu loucamente. Kenshin abraçou Kaoru. Aoshi puxou Misao mais para perto. Yahiko tentou tapar os olhos de Tsubame, que se desvencilhou, afirmando que aquilo seria, no mínimo, engraçado.

- Sério mesmo, Sanosuke?

- Espere e verá.

Megumi bufou. Sanosuke sorriu.

Eu sou sinistro. / Melhor que seu marido, esculacho seu amigo / No escuro eu sou um perigo / A-vas-sa-la-dor.

Sanosuke era o melhor, e ele sabia disso. Melhor que o marido de qualquer uma que estava ali. Melhor que o Kenshin, melhor que o bloco de gelo, melhor que o moleque e melhor até que o lobo – que não estava presente, mas se estivesse, continuaria sendo melhor que ele. E amigo de nenhuma mulher no mundo chegaria a vislumbrar a oportunidade de ser superior a ele.

E entre quatro paredes? Sanosuke SABIA que era um perigo, principalmente se as luzes estivessem apagadas. Arrancava suspiros e retirava gemidos com um simples olhar. Era avassalador. Deixava as garotas de pernas bambas sem sequer tocá-las. Conseguia deixá-las úmidas sem respirar o mesmo ar.

Ele era foda. E sabia disso.

Um cara interessante, esculacho seu amante / Até o seu ficante / Mas, mas não se esqueça / Que eu sou vagabundo / Depois que a putaria começou rolar no mundo (no mundo, no mundo)

Sanosuke era – para ele, obviamente – a pessoa mais interessante do planeta Terra. Nenhum homem que ele conhecera em sua viagem pelo mundo (tirando o Zé, dono do bar, e um tal de Smith que roubou a carteira dele) conseguiria chegar a pensar em ser mais interessante que ele, que chegou a ser amante do amante de uma moça (ela era casada, e tinha um amante. Ele, no caso, era o amante número dois), e fez vários garotos perderem seus alvos de flerte.

Bem, sempre deixando claro que ele não ficaria com nenhuma delas e não pagaria as contas dos restaurantes e pousadas, porque era vagabundo desde que se entendia por gente. Talvez por isso tivesse apanhado tanto do seu pai… Será?…

Pra te enlouquecer, pra te enlouquecer / Todas, todas que provaram não conseguem esquecer / Sou foda

Ele também não tivera a oportunidade de descobrir se de fato ele fora inesquecível, mas… ele sabia que era.

- Cara… Sério… Olha… eu pensava que… você não poderia… ser mais, hm, como dizer… idiota. Mas, bem, veja bem, você é meio que pior que o Aoshi bêbado! – disse Misao, segurando o diafragma para não rir.

Sanosuke prestou mais atenção no Aoshi sem o -sama do que na crítica da garota doninha.

- Sano… Saaaaaaano… Saaaaaaaanooooooo… Quanto o senhor bebeu antes de vir fazer isto? Puxa vida, este servo confiou no senhor e… – Kenshin estava decepcionado.

Yahiko estava dançando e causando vergonha alheia em Kaoru, que pensava “eu não ajudei a criar esse guri” e em Tsubame, que alegava que “se ele continuasse dançando daquele jeito, desistiria de casar com ele sem arrependimentos”.

Aoshi não gostou do comentário acerca de seus momentos inebriados. Ressuscitava péssimas lembranças. Quer dizer… os peitos da Misao estavam macios e…

OK. LEMBRANÇA ERRADA.

- Sério mesmo, Sanosuke? Quantos anos você tem, dez? – perguntou Megumi, cansada. Misao se levantou, espreguiçando-se.

- Se tu não se importa eu tenho mais o que fazer, galo. Bonde do prepara o almoço partindo! – disse – Ah, só to imitando o vocabulário rebuscado da musiquinha do Cabeçudo…

Aoshi e Kaoru a seguiram. Kenshin foi ajudar Sano a desmontar o palco improvisado. Kenji apareceu correndo, e resolveu que ajudar seu pai e o tio Sano poderia ser divertido.

- O que foi aquilo, Sano? Puxa vida, este servo sentiu vergonha pelo senhor! Tantos anos fora e nem isso colocou um pouco de bom-senso na sua cabeça?

- Tá rabugento, hein, Kenshin… Será a idade? Ou é esse molequinho aqui? – disse apontando para a cabeça ruiva carregando uma viga pequena de madeira. Kenshin apenas sorriu, pensando que ele não iria mudar. Sano voltou a falar – Além disso, eu sabia que não iria ganhar ela com isso. É tudo parte do plano.

Kenshin começou a se sentir mal pelo amigo. Tinha um segredo que ele deveria revelar mas… Será que era obrigação dele, mesmo? Afinal eles eram amigos, mas eles também eram. Mas e ela? Começou a pensar, pensou tanto que tropeçou em um pedaço de madeira, caiu no chão e bateu o nariz, que começou a sangrar. Megumi foi atendê-lo, e chamou Kaoru, para que ela buscasse os curativos que Megumi sabia que tinha na casa.

- Como você fez isso, Himura? – disse Misao, analisando o ferimento enquanto Kaoru ajudava Megumi a esterilizar os instrumentos que usariam para dar pontos na narina rasgada de Kenshin.

- Este servo estava pensando sobre uma situação delicada…

Misao entendeu imediatamente.

- Ô doninha, e o almoço? – perguntou Sanosuke.

- Aoshi está terminando de fazer o arroz e a carne. – respondeu Misao. Sanosuke chegou a conclusão de que naquele angu tinha caroço e de que Misao chamando o cubo de gelo só de “Aoshi” era tão estranho que as profecias do Mal do Século ocidentais pareciam fazer sentido…

- Hm…

- Que cara é essa, galinho? – perguntou Misao, estranhando a expressão profunda e pensativa de Sanosuke (que não convencia a ninguém e, se Sanosuke se olhasse no espelho, não convenceria nem a ele mesmo). – Pensando em maneiras melhores de se conquistar uma mulher?

- Na verdade, não, doninha. – respondeu Sanosuke – Estou refletindo sobre o fato de todos vocês estarem esquisitos. Você chamando o cubo-de-gelo de Aoshi, o Kenshin me olhando como se eu fosse a pessoa mais coitada do mundo…

- Qual o problema de eu chamar o Aoshi de Aoshi? É o nome dele! – respondeu Misao, exasperada. Ela também sabia por que Kenshin olhava Sanosuke com cara de coitado, mas não contaria a Sano. Isso era algo entre as pessoas de Tóquio, e ela não tinha absolutamente nada a ver com isso.

- E o -sama? – perguntou Sanosuke, um pouco venenoso, um pouco divertido.

- Isso é uma convenção entre a gente. Não creio que interesse a você saber por que resolvemos isso.

Sanosuke olhou para Misao, que o fitava de maneira tão adulta que assustava. Kenji começou a pular em Misao, exigindo que ela fosse brincar com ele no jardim, e ela obedeceu as ordens do pequeno espadachim.

Tudo muito estranho. Os anos que havia passado fora modificaram tudo. E ele se sentia perdido. Mas isso não era motivo para desistir da morena que havia feito suar durante todos os seus anos de viagem. Nenhuma mulher, em nenhum lugar onde passara conseguira tirar Megumi Takani de seus pensamentos. E não importava o que ele tivesse de fazer, ou os desafios que a vida lhe impusesse, ele iria conquistá-la.

Kenshin estava pensando na melhor maneira de contar ao seu melhor amigo que a mulher com quem estava tentando iniciar um romance já estava saindo com outro homem. E que esse momem acontecia de ser seu melhor amigo de infância, que lutou junto dele no Sekihoutai e uma das poucas pessoas com quem manteve contato enquanto estava fora (a título de curiosidade, as outras pessoas eram Kenshin, Megumi e Misao, Kenshin com mais frequência que Misao, que normalmente o mandava cartas pedindo comida por correio, e Megumi toda vez que ele se quebrava e achava que o tratamento que havia recebido iria interessar a ela saber). Kenshin sabia que Sanosuke se sentiria traído, que tentaria quebrar todos os dentes de Katsuhiko e que a amizade poderia ser destruída somente por conta de uma mulher – que Kenshin bem sabia, não estava muito interessada em nenhum dos dois, saindo com Katsuhiko somente para passar o tempo. Suspirou pela enésima vez ao dia, resolvendo que iria colocar isso em pratos limpos naquele momento.

Entrou no quarto onde Sanosuke estava hospedado sem sequer bater, sentando-se ao seu lado. Sorriu, daquela maneira idiota que só ele sabia, pensando em como começar. Sanosuke se adiantou:

- Ela tá saindo com outro cara, né? A doninha comentou comigo. Disse que não queria que eu quebrasse a cara e fosse feito de idiota. Ela disse meio a contragosto, porque era uma coisa das pessoas de Tóquio e ela não tinha nada a ver com o assunto, mas que se sentia na obrigação de dizer. Ela não me disse quem era o cara, falou que era muito invasivo. Você sabe quem é?

Kenshin assentiu.

- Pode me dizer?

Kenshin suspirou.

- Não sei se posso te dizer quem é. Isso traria… problemas

Sanosuke fitou Kenshin, e seu olhar dizia que podia confiar no moreno. Jogando para o alto todo o bom-senso que havia reunido nos seus 33 anos de vida, Kenshin resumiu sua resposta em duas palavras:

- Katsuhiko Tsukioka.

Aquilo bastou para que Sanosuke perdesse a cor, a fala, e a cabeça.

Tudo o que Kenshin viu foi Sanosuke correndo em direção à porta da casa, certamente para ir atrás de seu rival.

Kaoru parou Sanosuke no meio do caminho, impedindo que ele tentasse destruir a acarcada dentária de seu amigo. Gritou para que ele voltasse à razão, disse que não valia a pena. Sanosuke se sentia traído; não que de fato tivesse sido traído, afinal, Megumi não era nada além de sua médica. Sentou-se na frente da porta do dojo e suspirou. Não, ele não ia quebrar Katsuhiko. Ele iria resolver as coisas de outra maneira.

Levantou-se e resolveu se dirigir à casa de Megumi, para aclarar os assuntos, ignorando os gritos de Kaoru.

No meio do caminho se deu conta de que Megumi não morava mais em Tóquio e estava hospedada no dojo, e acabou voltando para casa.

Megumi estava sozinha no quarto onde estava hospedada na casa de Kaoru, lendo alguns periódicos recentes científicos que Aoshi havia conseguido para ela em negociações com fornecedores estrangeiros – afinal, chocolate para bolo era meio caro no Japão e era bem mais barato e seguro conseguí-lo de fornecedores europeus – quando escutou alguns passos em direção à porta de seu quarto. Ignorou-os e continuou lendo, pensando ser Aoshi indo até o quarto de Misao para… Bem, não interessava o que iriam fazer agora. Intrigou-se quando os passos pararam em frente à sua porta, e quase teve um ataque cardíaco quando sua porta se abriu, revelando um homem alto, de cabelos castanhos e um sorriso malicioso nos lábios.

- SANOSUKE, SEU IDIOTA, O QUE VOCÊ TÁ FAZENDO NO MEU QUARTO? POR QUE ENTROU SEM BATER? – griou Megumi, exasperada, enquanto assistia Sanosuke fechar a porta de correr delicadamente e fitá-la com um olhar que Megumi bem sabia classificar, mas não queria colocá-lo naquela categoria.

“Sanosuke Sagara não pode sentir desejo por mim. Não bate, não é lógico. Ele estava brincando hoje à tarde… Não estava?”, pensou a médica, não acreditando nos passos firmes e cada vez mais calmos do homem a sua frente. Passos esses que faziam com que ele se aproximasse dela.

Sanosuke se manteve cerca de um metro de distância de Megumi, sentando-se ao seu lado. Cheirando o aroma que desprendia do seu corpo. Desejando jogá-la naquele tatami e fazê-la sua até o fim de seus dias.

- Fiquei sabendo que você está saindo com o Katsu.

Megumi olhou para baixo. Não era motivo de orgulho estar saindo com o jornalista, mas como ambos estavam na seca, decidiram que seria conveniente se encontrarem de vez em quando. A relação deles estava mais pra uma amizade colorida do que para a relação que deveriam ter se fossem de fato um casal de namorados, mas ambos eram adultos e sabiam o que estavam fazendo. Tinham consciência de que o interesse de ambos era passar tempo e que ali não tinha nada além de duas pessoas satisfazendo uma necessidade mútua: tirar as teias de aranha.

- É.

Megumi sentiu Sanosuke se aproximar dela com a resposta. Agora, ele estava a míseros cinquenta centímetros de distância de seu corpo. E, mesmo sem querer, Megumi estava começando a ficar meio sem ar.

- E… Ele te satisfaz? – perguntou Sanosuke, com um pouco de vergonha.

- Dá pro gasto. – respondeu Megumi. Sanosuke diminuiu ainda mais a distância, ficando a vinte e cinco centímetros de Megumi. Era impressão dela ou ele estava avançando em progressão aritmética negativa?

- E… isso basta para você?

- No momento, sim.

Sanosuke terminou de diminuir as distâncias entre os dois, empurrando Megumi e obrigando-a a deitar no tatami. Fitou-a, sedento, olhando para seus olhos assustados e seu cabelo bagunçado espalhado pelo chão. Aproximou seus lábios dos dela, quase que os selando levemente, e disse em um suspiro quente e úmido:

- Será mesmo que você merece as migalhas do Katsu?

Megumi estava em uma batalha interna que nunca sofrera antes. Por um lado, seu corpo – sua parte animal, seu sistema reprodutor – pedia a gritos que sucumbisse à tentativa de sedução do moreno que tinha em cima de seu corpo. Ele era quente, forte, e parecia aconchegante e confortável. Parecia que consiguiria fazê-la gritar – coisa que Katsu, feliz ou infelizmente não fazia – e, ainda assim, parecia que seu abraço seria a coisa mais carinhosa de todo o Universo. Podia se imaginar parindo os filhos dele, podia sentir todo o amor que ele tinha para dar para ela…

Podia sentir que seu útero implorava por aquele momento.

Entretanto sua mente – a parte que regia suas atitudes em todos os momentos de sua vida – dizia que aquilo era loucura. Que Sanosuke era pouco mais que uma criança, que era bem mais novo que ela e que se atirar em seus braços seria imprudente. Sua mente lembrou-lhe que ela estava “de compromisso” com seu melhor amigo; lembrou-lhe que não seria bom para a sua já manchada reputação ter uma tarde passional com Sanosuke enquanto estivesse saindo com Katsuhiko. Que era imoral e injusto com o jornalista e ilustrador fazer aquilo, que ela estaria se igualando às garotas do distrito da luz vermelha se continuasse com aquilo.

Mas Sano era tão quente… Cheirava tão bem… Não poderia ser ruim fazer algo com ele, poderia?

Não percebeu quando anulou as distâncias entre seus lábios e os lábios dele, mas pode sentir como movia suas próprias mãos para a nuca do rapaz, apoiando-se e acariciando-a levemente. Sentiu também como Sanosuke correspondia ao seu beijo, pedindo passagem para dentro de sua boca.

E, num rompante, separou-se dele, percebendo o que acabara de fazer.

Sanosuke fitou-a, divertida, aproximando seu rosto do dela novamente, brincando com o pouco autocontrole que restara na mulher. Colou seu nariz ao dela, dizendo:

- Duvido que você resista.

Megumi bem que tentou, mas seu desejo e seu corpo foram mais fortes que sua mente e seu bom-senso. Atirando-se novamente para cima de Sanosuke, puxou-o pela gola da camisa, colando ainda mais seus corpos, sentindo como o calor aconchegante dele se transformava em paixão pura e como ele fazia seu corpo tremer. Sentia como suas roupas começavam a ficar incômodas e como as roupas dele pareciam fora do lugar.

Sentia uma vontade irrecusável de abrir as pernas. E sentia que o único lugar onde ele deveria estar era no meio delas.

- Eu disse que era melhor que seu ficante.

E, com isso, Sanosuke se concentrou em beijar o pescoço de Megumi, enquanto fazia suas mãos viajarem pelos caminhos sinuosos do corpo da médica.

Megumi e Sanosuke não saíram do quarto naquele dia. Estranhamente Misao e Aoshi haviam sumido. Kenshin suspirou, olhando para Kaoru, que estava deitada de bruços no futon que dividiam.

- Este servo acha que não dormiremos esta noite, Kaoru-dono.

Kaoru sorriu, maliciosamente, sem olhar para Kenshin. Não dormiriam mesmo.

- Por quê? – perguntou a miss kenjutsu, fingindo inocência.

- Megumi-dono e Sano em atividades interessantes no quarto, Aoshi-dono e Misao-chan nas mesmas atividades interessantes no quarto de Misao…

- Kenshin, me responde, onde o Kenji está dormindo hoje?

- No Akabeko. Por qu…

Kenshin sorriu, profundamente satisfeito. Não dormiria, de fato. Aproximou-se de Kaoru e abraçou suas costas, mordendo sua orelha.

- Deseja compartilhar o mesmo destino de suas amigas e também participar de atividades interessantes, Kaoru-dono?

Kaoru virou-se, mostrando sua yukata aberta.

- Seria um grande prazer.

Aoshi acordou de um sono extremamente pesado, incomodando-se com a luz que entrava pelas janelas. Seu dia fora maravilhoso. De tarde, após almoçar, levou Misao para um passeio por Tóquio, o que fez a garota-doninha extremamente feliz. Andaram por lojas, tomaram raspadinha de gelo, sentaram-se na margem de um rio e por ali trocaram carícias. Quando Aoshi percebeu que as pernas de Misao estavam começando a se abrir, decidiu que o melhor que faziam era voltar para casa.

Chegaram no dojo e perceberam que não tinha ninguém no seu caminho. Aoshi pegou a mão de Misao e foram para o quarto onde ela estava hospedada – era o mais próximo da porta.

Pararam alguns instantes olhando para a porta do quarto de Megumi, ouvindo alguns sons suspeitos. Pareciam gemidos, grunhidos e esse tipo de som animalesco que as pessoas costumam soltar quando… estão soltas. Misao virou seu rosto para Aoshi, meio rindo, meio excitada, puxando-o para seu quarto. Daquele momento em diante as coisas deixaram de fazer muito sentido, então ele não viu importância em recapitular os capítulos da noite vivida.

Olhou para baixo e observou o rosto da garota que dormia, completamente nua, ao seu lado, enquanto acariciava seu seio direito. De fato, os peitos de Misao eram macios. E ele gostava da textura deles.

Era homem, não era? Tinha direito de apertar uns peitos de vez em quando!

Levantou-se, desvencilhando-se do abraço de Misao, que gemeu em protesto ao sentir o calor gostoso de seu… relacionamento não-classificado indo embora. Virou-se e tentou se enfiar mais debaixo das cobertas. Se ele não dava calor, então ia procurar em outro lugar: bem debaixo do cobertor.

Aoshi vestiu-se, indo em direção à cozinha ajudar Kenshin a fazer o café-da-manhã; afinal ele sabia que Kenshin madrugava. Percebeu a porta do quarto de Megumi entreaberta e não conseguiu controlar a curiosidade de observar o que poderia estar lá dentro. O que viu foi algo que ficou gravado na sua retina à fogo durante anos de sua vida: Sanosuke e Megumi completamente agarrados, entrelaçados de uma forma que não era possível saber onde começava um e terminava o outro. (E aqui seu humilde narrador faz uma pausa para ressaltar que, se esta história se passasse cerca de 130 anos no futuro, Aoshi teria fotografado-os com seu Blackberry e enviado a foto para o Facebook, registrando essa cena constrangedora para sempre). Pensando em maneiras de azucrinar a felicidade alheia como haviam feito com ele quando o descobriram em uma posição semelhante com Misao, continuou seu caminho, sentindo os primeiros raios de fome em seu estômago. Um dia divertido estava por vir, sem dúvidas.

A semana estava estranha para Katsuhiko. Em um momento descobria que seu melhor amigo estava de volta e, quase três segundos depois, descobria que havia recebido um pé-na-bunda da mulher mais gostosa que já comera. Sentado em uma das mesas do Akabeko, viu como Tae se aproximava para anotar seu pedido. Não era uma mulher deslumbrante, mas também não era um rabo-de-saia que se pudesse jogar fora.

- Bom-dia, Katsu! – disse a mulher alegremente – Fiquei sabendo de tudo o que aconteceu com você essa semana… Sinto muito – complementou, usando um tom extremamente triste.

Katsu deu um meio-sorriso, preparando-se para explicar o que de fato acontecera para sua próxima “presa”.

- Era tudo parte do plano.

Tae virou seu rosto para o ex-fabricante de bombas, soltando um surpreso “hã?” no processo.

- A verdade é que a Megumi não estava muito interessada em mim, então ela estava me usando pra fisgar alguém mais interessante. Não sei em que parte do jogo ela começou a achar que estávamos nos encontrando de verdade, mas não passou de passatempo para mim e para ela. Pelo menos ela arranjou alguém que a coma de verdade, desta vez.

Tae não sabia se ficava chocada ou se dava risada.

Amigos estranhos ela tinha arrumado nesses últimos anos. Mas, pelo menos, eram os melhores amigos que poderia ter feito.

Todas-todas que provaram não conseguem esquecer. / SOU FODA.

Artemys Ichihara
São Paulo, começo de primavera de 2011
São Paulo, 2011 spring beginning

Now he was just freaking out ‘cause he didn’t have all my love to him. Because of his own disability to decide what he wanted of me… He is nearly to lose me.

There you were freaking out,
Trying to get your head around the fact that me and you and love is dead
See how I’m trippin out
’cause you can’t decide what you really want from me

So now I see you’re shouting — shouting for god’s sake! — because you’re so afraid of loosing me, just to grab my attention. In your desperate you can’t even notice you had became just a shadow of what you were all your life, just because you were too late and I resolved I would try and move on.

How could things turn so fragile?

There you were shouting out
Cranking up your altercations, getting upset in your desperation
Screaming and hollering
How could this love become so paper thin?

You just try. You try to turn my attention to you. You try to convince me you shall not abandon me   again. You try… And I am afraid of saying you probably are failing. You tire me just to talk to you… How could the things turn so upside-down? It wasn’t me who tire you a few years ago? So why am I the person who feel exerted now?

You ask me to give my love to you again, you ask me to trust you one more time. But how could I believe you if in all those years you did nothing but disappoint me, making my life a rollercoaster of disillusions and fake hopes?

I can’t do this. Not when you have so little to give me back.

You’re playing so hard to get
You’re making me sweat just to hold your attention
I can’t give you nothing more
If you ain’t givin’ nothing to me

But when I look into your eyes… I forgot all my previous suffering and think that you can be serious this time. I just don’t know how things had turn into this… But I know you really make me love you, even if is with a little L.

Because I can see it… How I had done to you… You’re breaking my recently build walls, turning it into a broken shell. And making me love you again.

Why does it have to be like this?
I can never tell
You make me love you, love you baby
With a little L
Seems like you’re stepping on the pieces
of my broken shell

– Duvido, cara. Duvido você beber isso aqui — disse um garoto meio pálido, aparentando estar doente, mostrando um objeto meio esquisito para seu amigo, tão pálido quanto ele.

– Já disse que bebo, porra. Não duvida de mim. — respondeu o colega.

O primeiro garoto colocou sobre a mesa, com um pedaço de papel por baixo, um absorvente íntimo usado, e olhou para seu amigo, desafiando-o.

– Quero ver.

– Ai, carai… — disse o desafiado, pegando o absorvente e começando a beber dele.

– CREDO, MANO! QUE NOJO! PARA DE TOMAR ISSO DAÍ, VÉI, ‘CÊ TÁ DOIDO??!!!

– Isso é sangue de menstruação, isso é maravilhoso, isso é o paraíso. — replicou o colega, tomando o sangue como se fosse o vinho mais fino.

– Argh, vampiro nojento.

– Bem melhor que sangue de vaca, isso eu garanto…

– Não vamos entrar nesses méritos, okay?

E assim, ele se retirou da sala, abandonando seu amigo — que ainda tomava o sangue de menstruação — e desacreditando que algum ser quase vivo pudesse fazer aquilo…

Conto baseado na música “vampiro doidão” do cantor brasileiro Raul Seixas.

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Artemys Ichihara 
São Paulo, fim de inverno de 2011
São Paulo, 2011 winter ending 

Manifestou-se a voz de timbre infantil, embora com a tonalidade bastante madura, olhando para o rosto emoldurado pelos cabelos cor de cobre com seus olhos de azul sobre azul, nada de branco — os Olhos de Ibad, a marca do vício que o uso contínuo de mélange proporcionava, aquilo que a amarrava à Arrakis, aquilo que fazia dela uma verdadeira fremen –, não sabendo pela primeira vez nos seus curtos quatro anos o que falar; na verdade, como falar. Respirou fundo e resolveu que era melhor fazer seu protesto antes que fosse tarde demais.

Lady Jéssica fitava sua filha, intrigada. Não era do feitio dela hesitar daquele jeito.

– Não quero usar isso.

– Por quê? — limitou-se a perguntar lady Jéssica.

– Porque abas são cafonas e estão fora de moda há séculos. — respondeu Alia com sua voz quebrada, ainda com dificuldades em pronunciar algumas palavras.

Lady Jéssica fitou-a, chocada. Nunca havia imaginado que, junto de todo o conhecimento ancestral que recceberam da Reverenda Madre anterior, Alia também desenvolveria um acurado e bastante crítico senso de moda…

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– Mommy…

Showed up a tiny and childish voice with an extremely adult tone, looking to the hair covered face with her all blue eyes — with nothing of white –, not knowing for the first time on her short four years old life what to say; better saying, how to do it.  She took a deep breath, and resolved to make her complaining before it was too late.

Lady Jessica looked to her daughter, curious. It wasn’t like her being this hesitant.

– I don’t wanna wear this.

– Why? — lady Jessica limited herself to ask.

– Because abas are cheesy and out of fashion for centuries! — said little Alia with her broken voice, with difficulty while speaking some words.

Lady Jessica looked to her, chocked. She didn’t had imagined that with all the knowledge they have received from the former Reverend Mother Alia had also developed a really critical and accurate sense of fashion.

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Artemys Ichihara 
São Paulo, fim de inverno de 2011
São Paulo, 2011 winter ending 

Continuou a caminhar, alegre. Seu dia fora uma droga. Errara um registro no trabalho, recebera gritos coléricos de seu chefe, pisara num chiclete, quase sofrera um atropelamento. Mas ainda assim, estava feliz. Iriam se encontrar. Podia isso ser motivo o suficiente para apagar todas as desventuras sofridas nas últimas dez horas?

Suspirou e concluiu que sim. O sentimento mútuo que nutriam transformava todos esses acontecimentos em experiências de significância irrisória, que no máximo se tornariam histórias engraçadas a serem divididas para serem degustadas, refletidas e ali mesmo morrerem. O dia que seguiria àquele provavelmente seria igual de acontecimentos pseudo-catastróficos; por que se irritar com coisas tão pequenas?

E então, ao longe, avistou seu objeto de afeição. Sorriu, sentindo seus lábios racharem no insano mormaço, acelerando o passo. Quanto mais se aproximava, mais a ansiosidade tomava conta de seu peito.

Parou a sua frente, notando as gotas de suor na fronte. Usava uma roupa leve, dado o calor que fazia.

Mesmo com a temperatura absurdamente quente, lançaram-se em um abraço confortante e em um beijo sedento, confortando mutuamente a sensação de solidão que acompanhou seus dias. Não ligaram para os transeuntes, nem para a maneira como suas roupas grudavam no corpo. Muito menos para a maneira como seus óculos escuros pareciam degladiar-se por espaço, embaçando e riscando no processo. Apenas aquele momento importava, juntamente da presença do amor que compartiam.

Não tinham motivos para se preocupar com coisas tão pequenas. O cheiro de protetor solar que dividiam, aquele abraço gostoso, o passeio que estava por vir;  aquilo era o que realmente importava.

As coisas simples, feitas pelo coração, eram o que importava. O amor era o que importava.

O restante, naquele momento, era supérfluo.

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Artemys Ichihara 
São Paulo, fim de inverno de 2011
São Paulo, 2011 winter ending 

Bom, pelo menos roupa de gari em São Paulo é estilosa, né, aquele negócio laranja e tudo do mais.

A verdade é que meu editor só parou de me encher o saco quando resolvi começar a escrever contos eróticos pro jornal. Melhor, não eram contos eróticos, era literatura pornográfica, mesmo. Dizia que eu “tinha nascido para fazer aquilo” e que “melhor não poderia ficar”. Fazer o que, se meu editor sempre foi um pervertido? Preciso me alimentar, então, se ele aprovar as porcarias que eu escrevo, tudo bem.

A verdade é que meus textos ditos eróticos são péssimos. O núcleo das histórias é sempre igual. Quase sempre as mesmas posições, de vez em quando eu mudo. Mas ele acha maravilhoso. Ele acha divino. Ele acha… que aquilo é sexo de verdade.

Rá! mal sabe ele que aquilo poderia passar — e muito mal passado, diga-se de passagem — por uma aventura de um adolescente em suas primeiras vezes.

Mas fazer o quê? Provavelmente meu editor ainda é virgem…

E, enquanto ele continua aprovando meus textos horrendos, eu tento (ainda que escondido) escrever alguma coisa de verdade pra, quem sabe um dia, parar de escrever essas porcarias onde sempre, sem exceção nenhuma, os dois chegam ao orgasmo juntos.

Aliás, tenho um texto para terminar.

O nome? Sexo selvagem na piscina.

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Artemys Ichihara 
São Paulo, fim de inverno de 2011
São Paulo, 2011 winter ending