Saeko excused herself from her friends, telling them to continue on their way home; she would catch up later. A few offered light protests, but only to show they were disappointed to be deprived of her company, not because they believed it would dissuade her. Once she set her mind on something, she always achieved it.
It didn't take her long to follow the thread of sound and find its source sitting on a park bench, reading a handful of papers. His laugh had faded to a contented chuckle, but there was still no mistaking it. He was a grown man, although--she eyed him appraisingly--not nearly as old as her father, and he wore a suit and tie. His clothes, along with his glasses, made him look very dignified, but they couldn't completely hide the little boy's spirit in him.
She approached boldly, though she remained silent to avoid disturbing him. She merely stood, watching, until he noticed her. He intrigued her the way he mumbled as he read, his emotions so open he couldn't keep them only to himself. She also saw that, along with his briefcase, he had a small wrapped package beside him on the bench.
Finally he took note of her presence and hurriedly collected himself. "What do you want, little girl?"
"Ryudo Saeko desu," she introduced herself with a bow. "I wanted to meet you."
"What?" He frowned in puzzlement. "Why?"
"Becase you sounded so happy." It did strike her as a strange explanation, now that she said it aloud, yet it felt right. Being near him, speaking to him, simply reinforced her impression that he was a person she needed to know, to bring out her happiness the way his had bubbled free earlier.
He glanced at the papers in his hand, a dreamy expression softening his features. "My superiors have recognized my value and are giving me a promotion." His distant gaze focused upon long-cherished goals, revealing a heart that strove constantly to attain them. "From my new position, I'll be able to make excellent contacts, and I'll soon rise through the ranks of..." He trailed off, remembering with a start that he had a rapt audience. "It's politics. A young lady like you wouldn't understand."
She offered him her cutest smile, inwardly wondering how her classmates would react if they heard *that* assumption. The images of their stunned faces nearly provoked her own laughter. Instead, she nodded at the dainty package beside him. "Did your superiors give you that along with the promotion?"
"This?" He set aside his papers and picked up the gift, a blush tinting his cheeks. "I bought this for...someone special. To celebrate."
Once again he had thoroughly surprised her, but this time she wasn't sure she could identify the feelings stirred up in response. He earned a promotion, and his first impulse was to buy his special person a present? The display of generosity warmed her, yet something about the idea left her with an odd impression of loss.
She cocked her head and regarded the gift. In some ways it resembled the man holding it--a carefully designed exterior, similar in appearance to countless others, but a delightful mystery inside, barely hinted at by its form. What would the woman who opened it discover? How much joy would it bring her?
Saeko raised her eyes to meet his. She wanted to be the one to find out. "You never told me your name," she reminded him quietly.
"Hm?" It took him a moment to realize the subject had changed. "My apologies. I'm Toba Seiichirou. Nice to meet you," he replied automatically.
She filed the information deep in her memory. "The pleasure is mine, Toba-san." She bowed in farewell, butterflies dancing in her stomach as she reflected upon the absolute truth of her words. "Until we meet again."