Small Home in Japanese Seclusion

"Sure! Hey, I'll show you your room."

"It had better be good, or I'm flying back to England." Selia joked.

Jake laughed. "What's not good about this place? I love it here!"

"I've only been here for twenty minutes, and already I want to stay forever and ever. I'm not going home until I have to." She said. "In fact.. I'd rather just stay here. I don't want to go back to school. Do you?" Selia picked up a flower that had fallen off a tree and twirled it around.

"... We should," Jake said softly. "I hate it all, but, I'm going to go."

"Why? I'm going back too, but.. I want to know, I guess."

"I'm not hated, right? May as well just finish my last two years of school."

"In order to gain peace within your body, you must remove all strong feelings that cause heaviness in your heart." Jake said wisely.

"Jake, getting rid of all the strong feelings would mean getting rid of love, wouldn't it? And we can't have that. Now come on, I'm freezing!"

"Love isn't a strong feeling. It's a soft, delicate feeling that is like silk." He said wisely again, but nodded. "Yeah! Let's go inside!" He leaped down the hill, taking giant jumps per step- considering the hills were so steep, and arrived at his door.

"Really?" Selia asked, once they got inside. "How do you know what it feels like?"

"... I can't tell you that," Jake said with a warm smile, and entered the house. "GRANDPAAA! WE'RE BACK-AAH!"

"Where were you boy?! I boiled hot tea for no reason, and it's all wasted! Do you know how much the heating bill costs these days?! And what's with the highly expensive food bill from the plane? You, young boy, need to learn some respect for your elders!" There he was, his back bent over so pathetically, while whacking Jake vigorously with his wooden cane.

Selia, once again, tried not to laugh at Jake and his grandpa. "Um, I'll drink it cold, sir. I don't mind."

"What's the point in that?!" he snapped.

"It would make sure it didn't go to waste."

Mr. Yashnid stopped whacking Jake. He smiled at Selia. "You are a sweet lady! I am glad Jake brought you home! What a nice catch you got, boy!" He whacked Jake on the legs once more, and chuckled to himself. "Aww, hell. I'll go boil the water once more." He turned around and entered the kitchen.

"I swear, he's gotten crazier than last year..." Jake mumbled, rubbing his back."

"Be nice, he called me sweet!" Selia said, pleased with the compliment. "I quite like him. Just because he whacks you a little bit doesn't mean he's crazy.."

"Did he HAVE to tie his robes around his neck? I think not."

"It was dramatic. Hey, Jake, can you show me my room? I need to use the restroom and fix my hair and stuff."

"Oh. Right!" He grabbed her hand, and pulled her through the halls into a room. "tada!" It was small, low-ceilinged, but beautiful and very well decorated with wallpaper displaying a forest-y scenery and long-legged birds dipping their beaks into beautiful reflecting lakes.

"Oh, thank you." Selia said. Immediately, not really caring if Jake left or not, she put her suitcase on the ground and opened it up, then pulled out her silk nightgown. Then she ran her hands over the fabric, putting her head against it and closing her eyes.

"Do you like it?"

"The room? Yes. Now shh. I'm feeling love." The idea had struck her a few minutes ago, to find something silk and just stick her head into it, and she had been so impatient that she just had to try it.

Jake frowned confusedly, but then began to laugh. "It was just a comparison, Selia! Silk, well, it isn't REALLY love!"

"What?!" Selia said, sounding outraged. She put down the nightgown and sighed in frustration. "Alright, then, that was an immense waste of time. Thank you for the room, it really is beautiful."