Walking back to Shinjuku station, I bumped into Yuri, one of my best students, with another girl. “This is my friend,” Yuri said. They were going to the station, too. On the way, we talked about this and that, but it was awkward. Yuri was quieter than usual; she looked troubled. Did I say something wrong? Waiting for a traffic light, Yuri faced me. “I told you she was my friend,” she said. “But she’s really my girlfriend.” She said it with confidence, the way she spoke in class. “I’m so happy for you,” I said. The light turned green.
Ian Willey teaches English in Japan. His writing has been nominated for Best of the Net and Pushcart Prizes and the Best Microfiction anthology. Instagram: @haiku_ian