Dating experiment – part 1
I met Chris through Eddy. Chris was studying at Waseda that year in the same program as Eddy. He was not a bad looking white boy from the East Coast though he had his hair to chin length with long sideburns. He spoke little Japanese but did so softly and humbly, which I liked. He wore a cologne, which scent I found the most alluring on a man. I once said to his face that he smelled nice. As he looked surprised, I worried I was too intrusive. He told me it was Tommy Hilfiger, the brand I had never heard of until then.
I didn’t intend to flirt with him, nor was I attracted to him, but I danced a slow dance with him during one of our night out at a club. I saw Eddy and Aki look into each other’s eyes affectionately and very naturally came to an embrace. So I pulled Chris to me as we were left out.
Chris and I got on the same train home, and Eddy and Aki got on theirs together in a different direction. I felt exhausted as soon as I sat down, and we spoke very little. I could only think of my bed. The train came to a half at his station. I said good night, and he looked at me for a moment and kissed me lightly on my lips. I was shocked but kept my cool and waved at him as he got off the train.
He started to call me, and a week later, he asked me out on a date. It might have been my first proper date. We went to a restaurant in Yebisu. It was close to Christmas, and the complex of offices and restaurants and shops was bright with impeccably designed illumination. The building walls were made to look like bricks to emulate European cities, while in reality, bricks were never used in such an earthquake-prone country. Even though artificial, the complex was new and not overly tacky, thanks to the world-class architects. At the restaurant, we spoke in a mix of Japanese and English, but his Japanese being worse than my English and my English not attuned to conversational skills, our date was elemental if not downright awkward. After the meal, we went back to my place and made out in my bed.