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tadelsaweek · 10 years ago

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Sunday- Anything goes

The First Date (or how Elsa came to appreciate traditional japanese clothing)

Tadashi Hamada felt like the luckiest man in the world. He was currently attending the school of his dreams, San Fransokyo Institute of Technology. His studies were going well. He had many friends at school that were kind and helpful, if not a bit eccentric. His younger brother was finishing up High School at the age of thirteen, a certifiable genius (having an extremely intelligent younger brother had its ups and downs, but Hiro’s achievements had always been a source of pride for the older Hamada sibling). But what Tadashi was feeling especially happy about at the moment was a woman named Elsa.

Elsa was his new girlfriend, to be more precise. They had met the previous semester while working on an engineering project together. Tadashi usually worked well with most of his classmates but collaborating with Elsa had gone especially well. She was intelligent, she had to be to have gotten in to SFIT, but there was more to her than just book smarts. At first she had been quiet, and seemed timid, but it soon become clear she had no reservations about her mental prowess. Tadashi had never worked with someone (save his younger brother) so skilled in robotics. They worked so well together that they began teaming up for all the projects that followed. With each venture they began to tell each other more about themselves. It turned out that they had quite a bit in common. They both had lost their parents to tragic accidents, and had a younger (and often times obnoxious) sibling, among other things. It wasn’t long before they began spending time together outside of school. This had been going on for the last few months until during their last hang-out, Tadashi worked up the courage to ask about something that had been bothering him.

"I like hanging out with you, Elsa. These last few weeks have been amazing. I just was wondering, though, is there any chance that you might…" he grit his teeth and with one large breath "wanttobemorethanjustfriends!?" There had been a long moment of silence, but Tadashi had felt too nervous to look up from the remnants of the coffee cup in his hands.

He finally heard a soft chuckle come from the woman sitting next to him. Curiosity got the best of him and he glanced over at Elsa, his heart hammering in anticipation. When he finally managed to look her in the face he saw a warm smile, with just a hint of humor in her eyes. She looked as if she were trying not to laugh.

"What’s so funny?" he queried. It wasn’t the reaction he had expected, but it wasn’t an unwelcome one.

"Oh? Nothing!" she breathed after a minute. "I guess I’m just relieved."

"Relieved?" Tadashi didn’t understand, and it showed on his face. His quizzical look succeeded in eliciting a giggle from Elsa.

"Yes, relieved that you said it first." She glanced upwards a moment, gathering strength for the following confession. "I was wondering how I was going to ask you the same thing." Elsa’s piercing blue gaze met Tadashi’s and realization dawned on the young man.

"You mean?"

Elsa nodded her head, her eyes scrunching up in a smile that took up her whole face. A nervous chuckle filled the silence as a slight blush creeped across her cheeks. She peaked over at the stunned young man sitting next to her, but that only caused another stream of giggles.

"So, does this mean you’re my girlfriend now?" He had asked in as calm a manner as he could manage. It was clear he was holding in a great deal of hope and excitement.

Elsa tried her best to appear calm as she answered “If you want me to be. Does that mean you’re my boyfriend then?”

Tadashi couldn’t hold it in any longer and with Elsa’s reply he leapt out of his seat. The young woman watched in wonder as he did a little jig before pivoting to face her in her seat. A bemused smile was on her face as he knelt to meet her gaze.

"You have made me so happy. I… I don’t even have any other words. I’m just…" His mind was racing and he was starting to sound a bit out of breath.

A smile was still in place on Elsa’s lips, until she noticed the fading light that was the setting sun. “Oh my goodness! I need to work on my homework! I’ve got a paper due tomorrow!”

Disappointment splashed across Tadashi’s face for a moment before he checked his emotions. It was so unfair that this wonderful moment was coming to an end, but he knew it was only the beginning.

"You’re right. I should get back and help my Aunt with the cafe, since I’m pretty sure Hiro’s been hiding out all day to avoid working." The excitement that had been evident in his voice just a few seconds ago was gone.

"We should go on a date, our first official one as a couple, soon," Elsa ventured, not wanting to leave Tadashi sounding so defeated. The suggestion had been just the thing to perk him back up.

"Yes! When? Where? What would you like to do?" he questioned, straightening as Elsa rose from her seat.

"I’m free a week from now, how about you?"

"In a week? Okay! Yeah, I think I’m free too!" Tadashi was vibrating with excitement as he accompanied Elsa back to her apartment just off campus. As they walked they worked out the details of their date.

"Alright, I’ll see you around campus. And can’t wait for our date next week." Elsa confirmed as they stopped in front of her door.

"Yes, one week. And of course I’ll see you around campus, I mean we have two classes together and-" Tadashi fell silent when he felt Elsa’s lips brush his cheek. He watched in stunned silence as she ducked inside her front door, her face a vibrant shade of red. He also thought he heard a stammered "goodnight" but his head was swimming and his senses couldn’t be trusted at that point.

Tadashi replayed that evening over in his head hundreds of times during the week before their first official date. The next day he was not able to wait to announce to his friends about his new status as “Elsa’s boyfriend.” He also would tell anyone who even feigned interest about the exchange that led to his new title.

And now the day had finally arrived. Tadashi was in the midst of his first official date with his new girlfriend and he kept having to pinch himself to be sure it was real. They had already been to a late lunch at a nice cafe (not the Lucky Cat, he didn’t need his aunt hovering over them during their date). Now they were walking through an older part of San Fransokyo. Elsa had come to the city for college, so Tadashi had thought it a good idea to show her some of the sights. The campus was in a newer section of town and so they were now touring one of the older, more charming areas. It was quieter and had all manner of quaint shops lining the streets.

Tadashi looked over at the beautiful blond walking beside him and couldn’t help but let a silly grin spread across his face. She was taking in her surroundings, wide-eyed and curious. Many of the shops on this particular street had strong Japanese influences. Signs written in japanese kanji were everywhere. Every few steps, Elsa would indicate a sign on one of the storefronts and ask what it meant. Tadashi was more than happy to read them for her, pointing out certain characters that were used often. Elsa listened, soaking it all in. Tadashi was blown away by how quickly she was absorbing the information. He hadn’t thought it possible, but he was becoming even more enamored with the young woman walking by his side with every passing moment.

After a few minutes of this, Elsa paused to look in the window of one of the shops. “What does this one say?” She asked, peering in at a small display of odds and ends. Fans, hanging scrolls, even a samurai sword, were all placed in the window, with a hand-painted sign in large kanji.

"Ah, I suppose the closest translation would be ‘antiques.’ Want to go check it out?" Tadashi asked. Some of the items looked quite old and it was a shop unlike any of the others on the street.

"Sure!" Elsa agreed.

The young man opened the door for her and both were greeted by the tinkling of a small bell.The interior of the store was small, clean and filled with a range of items.

"Greetings." An older woman smiled from behind a counter at the back of the room, "Is there anything I can get for the two of you?" She began to make her way around the counter, revealing that she was wearing a simple, yet elegant kimono. "Many of these items come directly from Japan, some of them are even from my own family. Take a look and let me know if you have any questions."

"Thank you," Tadashi said with a bit of a bow before a bookcase caught his attention.

"It’s a beautiful shop," Elsa complimented as she watched her date gravitate towards the collection of books on the wall. She almost followed him, but she had wanted to get a closer look at the clothing the shopkeeper was wearing.

"Thank you." The woman glanced over at the young man, then back at Elsa with a knowing smile. She took a few more steps until she was just an arm’s length in front of the young blond. "I see you appear to be interested in my kimono?"

"What?" Elsa suddenly realized that she had been staring, and at the shopkeepers words she blushed. "Sorry, it’s beautiful. I’m not familiar with them, I’ve only ever seen them in pictures."

"Not to worry. It’s a bit old-fashioned of me to keep wearing them, but after so many years, it’s a sort of a comfort." The shopkeeper’s smile turned melancholy at the thought. "Here, let me show you something special, I think you will appreciate it." The older woman turned towards the back of the store and beckoned Elsa to follow with a wave of her hand.

Tadashi was still pouring over the bookshelf so Elsa followed the shop owner. Her guide took her to a small alcove at the back of the shop that had a shelf full of large boxes. Each box was a natural brown color labeled with several lines of kanji on the lids.

"Some of these were mine when I was around your age," the shop keeper announced as she pulled one from a lower shelf. "I used to be a dancer, and I always loved dressing up in the special kimono for the festivals throughout the year." She slid the lid off the box to reveal a kimono folded inside.

"Oh my," Elsa gasped, "It’s gorgeous!" She watched as the older woman pulled the garment out of the box. Burgundy and violet silk unfolded to reveal white peonies accented with gold thread. The sight took Elsa’s breath away.

"This is a furisode kimono, see the long sleeves? It was one of my favorites I wore for special occasions before I got married." The woman ran her fingers over one of the large peonies depicted on the fabric and sighed. "Kimono are more than just clothing, they are works of art. It pains me to have to keep all of them in boxes where they can’t be appreciated by anyone." As she finished speaking the shopkeeper looked up at Elsa with a twinkle in her eye. "You should try it on."

"What?"

"Yes. The colors would compliment your complexion so well and I have the perfect obi to match!" Before Elsa could protest the older woman had already turned and pulled another smaller box from the shelf. From this box she produced a length of white fabric with pink shapes on it. As she looked closer, Elsa realized the pink shapes formed a hexagonal pattern that looked like large cherry blossoms.

"Oh no, I couldn’t wear this, I don’t even know how," the younger woman stammered, but desire showed in her eyes.

"I insist. No one has so much as looked at these things in years and it has been nearly fifty years since I wore it last. Start putting this on behind here, and I will help you with the rest." The woman handed Elsa a lighter robe-like garment and a length of cord and ushered her behind a screen.

Questioning her sanity, Elsa removed her blouse and jeans and slipped on what she later found out was a nagajuban. It was white and pink with a subtle pattern of flower petals. Had she not been educated to the contrary, Elsa would have mistaken this simple garment for an actual kimono.

As soon as she was presentable Elsa signaled to the shopkeeper who began assisting with the rest of the ensemble. The older woman was fastidious as she adjusted and tied cords to hold the kimono in place. As she did so she began to tell Elsa about her youth as a traditional Japanese dancer. She had been born in Japan, but had moved to San Fransokyo when she was quite young. When her family first had moved to the country her parents had enrolled her in a special dance studio to stay in touch with their heritage. She had been part of a troupe that performed for many of the Japanese festivities held throughout the year. They gained notoriety for their adherence to tradition and were frequently written about in the San Fransokyo Tribune.

"We were practically celebrities." She explained as she began positioning the obi around Elsa’s waist. "My troupe once performed for the president." She fell silent after that, as she began to tie an intricate knot with the ornate length of fabric.

"There, it’s been a few decades, but I still can manage. Here, take a look in the mirror." The shopkeeper guided Elsa to a large mirror hanging on the wall just on the other side of the screen.

"Oh," was all the younger woman could manage to say as she looked over her reflexion. It was like seeing a completely different person. She also glanced over and saw the older woman beaming with pride behind her. Elsa turned carefully to face the shopkeeper, "This is beautiful. Thank you so much, um, I’m sorry I didn’t get your name."

"Mineko," she answered with a smile, "It is so wonderful to see my treasures being worn again. I’m sorry for being so forward, but it’s like visiting an old friend I haven’t seen in years, seeing you wearing that now." She paused, looking like she might shed a tear or two before taking a deep breath and grinning. "We should check and see what your boyfriend thinks, huh?"

Elsa started, “Oh goodness! Tadashi, I nearly forgot.” Both women peaked around the screen to find the only other occupant of the shop still glued to the bookshelf in the front corner of the room.

"Well I’ll be, he didn’t even notice we were gone did he?" Mineko mused aloud. Elsa chuckled before taking a few careful steps out from behind the screen.

Tadashi was flipping through one of the ancient books he had found on the shelves in the shop. It was fascinating, a rare translated copy listing family histories about many of San Fransokyo’s Japanese immigrants. He had been leafing through the giant tome for several minutes, searching for his own surname. He had been having no luck in finding any trace of the name Hamada in the text, but he was still only a quarter of the way through.

"How do I look?" Tadashi heard from somewhere behind him and jumped. How could he have forgotten who he had come in the shop with? A sudden rush of remorse and panic washed over the young man as he snapped the book shut and turned to apologize to his date.

"Elsa, I am so…" but instead of apologizing as planned, Tadashi felt his voice leave him and his knees go weak at the sight before him. He had seen old pictures of his mother wearing her wedding kimono once. He even had a vague memory of his whole family dressing in yukata, a light cotton kimono worn during the summer, for the Obon Festivities held in the city back before his parents had died. Nothing could have prepared him for this though.

"Elsa?" He managed to squeak after a moment.

"Do you like it? Mrs. Mineko suggested I try it on," Elsa giggled, gesturing to the shopkeeper. The older woman stifled a laughed behind her hand as she watched Tadashi’s face contort in an attempt to form words. What came out instead was all manner of "ums" and "ahs" until the young man finally closed his mouth and cleared his throat.

"Do I like it?" he repeated after gathering his thoughts and taking a few steps towards his date. He made a show of looking her up and down before a giant smile spread across his face. "Elsa, I have just decided, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen!" He turned to the older woman standing just behind his girlfriend and bowed "Thank you Mineko-sama. I’m glad you talked her in to trying it on."

The older woman bowed in return with a broad smile. “It has been a few years since I last dressed anyone besides myself in a kimono, but I suppose I did alright for an old woman. Luckily I had a beautiful young girl to model for me. She’s quite something, young man, you better hold on to her the best you can.” Straightening out she looked over at a blushing Elsa and winked.

"I intend to," Tadashi beamed. "Oh, would it be okay if I took a picture?" he asked as he reached for his phone, a broad question intended for both Elsa and the shopkeeper. Both women nodded as an answer.

Elsa posed as Tadashi snapped several photos on his phone from different angles. He even got a detailed shot of the ornate knot formed by the obi, commenting on the skill it must have taken to tie it.

"Believe it or not, that’s one of a the simpler ways to tie it. My dance troupe had a man in charge of our wardrobe who had studied for years learning how to tie obi," Mineko sighed.

"Years?" Tadashi choked, "How long would it take to learn how to tie it this way?"

"You look like a smart young man. I could teach you in a few weeks, probably, but it would take a few more months of practice to get it just right. Planning on needing to tie women’s obi sometime soon?" the older woman inquired.

"Well, not that this would be for sale, but seeing her like this, it would be nice for the both of us to dress up for the next festival. Don’t you think?" Tadashi stammered, looking to Elsa for confirmation. The young woman nodded with a smile while glancing down at what she was wearing.

"I see," Mineko mused with a nod. "I will make you a deal. If you come by and help me move a few heavier items around the shop for the next few weeks, my husband used to do that but his back is causing him trouble lately, I will teach you to tie an obi like this as payment. How does that sound?"

"That sounds like a deal!" Tadashi agreed, "When would you like me to come by?"

"Here, let me get you a business card and maybe you could write which days you would be able to help down here," the shopkeeper said while walking over to the counter and grabbing a pad of paper and pen. Tadashi followed and began jotting down the information she asked for.

"I should probably change back in to my regular clothes," Elsa ventured as the older woman made her way back to her side.

"I suppose so." With that the shopkeeper escorted Elsa back to the screen. She helped untie the obi and then stood by as the younger woman changed back in to the clothes she had walked in wearing.

"Thank you so much, Mrs. Mineko." Elsa said as she came back from behind the screen, handing the kimono, obi and nagajuban, neatly folded, back to the older woman.

"You can call me Obāsan. And thank you, Elsa, for humoring an old woman,” the shopkeeper responded with a small bow.

"Alright, here’s my information, Mineko-sama, my phone number is there, just call and let me know when you need some help." Tadashi handed over a slip of paper before turning to his date, "Ready to continue? Or would you like to head back?"

Elsa glanced down at her watch, “It’s getting a bit late. Maybe we should head back home. Are you ready for class tomorrow?”

Tadashi winced, “I may or may not have a progress report to hand in on my current robotics project tomorrow. It shouldn’t be too complicated, but Callaghan is pretty strict about them.”

"Alright. Let’s get you back to the lab then," Elsa said, "Thank you again Obāsan, for everything.”

"It was my pleasure. Be sure to come back by for a visit sometime," Mineko said with a warm smile as the couple made their way to the door.

"Talk to you soon!" Tadashi called from the door with a wave.

It was a short walk from the shop to one of the trolley routes that would take them within walking distance of the SFIT campus. “Thank you, Tadashi, I had a wonderful time today,” Elsa sighed as they approached her apartment.

"You sure you don’t want to come to the lab with me? I promise you won’t be too much of a distraction. Maybe a little bit of a distraction, but I’m sure I can still manage to get my work done with you there," Tadashi pleaded once again. It had been the subject of the last few minutes of their conversation.

"I’m sure. You’ll get things done much quicker without me. Besides, you’ll see me tomorrow in class." It was hard to deny him when he was so ernest in his desire to be around her, but after the long day she was feeling drained and needed a few hours to recharge.

"Okay, if you insist," he pouted, "Do I at least get a goodnight kiss from my girlfriend before I go?"

Elsa felt her cheeks grow warm at the mention of a kiss but smiled nonetheless, “Of course, I think that sounds reasonable.”

"Okay, good, just one thing. Last time, you missed."

"Missed?" Elsa queried, she thought back to the week before, trying to decipher what he meant.

"Yeah, when you gave me that goodnight kiss? You got me right here," He said, pointing to his cheek, "I figured maybe it was because I’m a bit taller than you, so here." Before Elsa could say another word, Tadashi leaned forward and touched his lips to hers.

The kiss began light and sweet, but just when Tadashi thought Elsa would pull away he felt her lean in to him and place her arms around his neck. Happy to oblige, he deepened the kiss while wrapping his arms around her to hold her closer. Both blissfully lost all sense of time and place for a brief moment until they realized it was time to pull away and catch their breath.

"Wow," Elsa sighed, opening her eyes to look at her boyfriend. A smile crept on to her lips as she drank in the sight of his flushed face. From the way her cheeks burned, she guessed she was a bright shade of red herself, but she didn’t mind.

"Yeah." Tadashi was breathless and couldn’t stop his mind from racing as he looked down into the beautiful face before him. He didn’t know how long they had been standing there like that, but he didn’t care much either. Another moment passed but as much as it pained him, he knew he had to get back to lab and finish his work. "Well, yeah, that’s how a goodnight kiss is supposed to be. I hope this was an educational experience for you." He hoped his sense of humor didn’t sound too ridiculous, but it was the only thing he could think to say to stifle the hurt in his voice.

"I would agree that this was a most educational experience for me. We should plan a few more, very soon," Elsa quipped, her smile turning slightly mischievous.

“Yeah? I mean, yes, of course,” Tadashi agreed with a nod and a look of mock-seriousness.

"Yes. Now go get your work done. I don’t want Callaghan to be angry at my boyfriend," Elsa commanded, pulling away. She was sure to put emphasis on the last word, watching as Tadashi’s eyes sparkled at hearing her use the term.

"Alright. See you for a quick educational experience before class tomorrow, then." Tadashi began to walk backwards away from his date, nearly tripping over his own feet in the process. It would have been safer to turn and walk normally, but he just couldn’t bring himself to look away from her until she waved goodbye and slipped in her front door.

——-

Several weeks passed after that first official date. Tadashi went to help Mineko a few hours each week, and as promised she taught him how to tie obis and other tips on how to properly style a kimono. Elsa stopped by the shop on a few occasions as well, looking over the other kimono the shopkeeper had kept from her youth and listening to her stories about her years as a dancer.

One day Elsa received a call. She knew it was Tadashi before looking at the screen as his personalized ringtone started to drift from her phone. “Hey, what are you up to?”

"Elsa, I’m just getting back from Mineko’s. Where are you?" He sounded frazzled, which worried her.

"I’m at the lab, is something wrong? Is obāsan okay?”

"She’s fine, I just have a gift for you from her and she said I had to give it to you right away. I’ll see you in a few minutes." Elsa looked at the "call ended" screen on her phone in confusion before shrugging and getting back to work.

Fifteen minutes after the call, Elsa heard rushed footsteps down the hall. She glanced up just in time to see Tadashi burst through the door of the workroom they shared, carrying a large box.

"Hello, and oh my goodness, that’s a big box. Did you carry that the whole way here?" She hopped up from her seat and rushed over to help her boyfriend through the door with his cargo.

"Yeah, but I took my scooter this time, so it was okay," he gasped as he closed the door behind him. "Here, she said to give you this first though." Elsa looked down at the small envelope Tadashi had fished out of his pocket. She took it, pulled the slip of paper from it and began to read.

My dear Elsa, it began in Mineko’s tiny neat script. Tadashi has been doing well with learning how to tie obi, so I figured he should have something to practice on when he’s at home. I imagine you will think this is too much, but if you will promise to come and visit when you wear them, I will consider that payment enough. Thank you for being so sweet to me. You and Tadashi are a lovely couple and I wish you nothing but happiness in you future together. Love, Obāsan.

Elsa’s eyes widened as she looked up from the note at her boyfriend. “She didn’t!” Not saying a word, Tadashi set the large box on one of the few clear spots in the workroom and gestured for elsa to open it.

Her hands began to shake as she untied the twine that held the lid in place. She was almost too afraid to look, but curiosity got the best of her and she peered inside, dropping the lid on the floor in shock once she saw the contents.

Inside was a neat stack of what appeared to be four kimono, with an obi to go with each. On the top was the kimono Elsa had tried on the first day they had met the shopkeeper, a scarf-like piece of fabric wrapped around the kimono and obi to keep them together. Tucked into the collar of the garment was a slip of paper that red “spring.”

Elsa lifted the first kimono to peek at the one just under it. This one was deep blue with tiny snowflakes embroidered in silver thread on the collar. It was paired with a white and silver diamond-patterned obi. The piece of parchment found in this kimono read “winter.”

"She did not just give me an outfit for each season,” Elsa sobbed, covering her mouth with her hand to keep herself from crying. She stood and looked up at Tadashi, unsure of whether she wanted to laugh or weep.

"I tried to offer her money, but she practically threw me out the door with the box. She may be older, but she’s pretty strong!" Tadashi explained. He stepped closer to Elsa and wrapped her in a warm hug. "She was so excited for me to give them to you, though. She made me swear up and down that I would bring you back when you wear them. She said it was so that she could check that I was tying them properly, but I could tell she just wants to see someone wearing her favorite kimono again."

Elsa turned bury her face in Tadashi’s chest, unsure of what expression to make. She took a deep breath and tried her best to clear her head of all the thoughts that were flooding in. “I guess we have no choice then,” she mumbled into his shirt. “When’s the next festival?” She angled her head back to look at his face, chin resting just under his clavicle.

He looked at the ceiling as if he’d find the answer written there, “Well, we’re nearly through spring semester, so Tanabata festival in the summer I think? I can’t remember the last time I went to any of the celebrations. I guess now is as good a time as any to start going, though.” He looked down into Elsa’s face and smiled reassuringly. He was expecting her to agree, but was pleased to feel her lift herself up on her toes to meet her lips to his in a soft kiss.

Elsa tilted her head back just enough to whisper, “I didn’t miss this time.” She had started out using the phrase to tease her boyfriend about the way he had stolen his first real kiss from her. But each time she said it, it began to take on a whole new meaning. It now was a way for her to assure him that she meant every kiss she gave him. Part of a secret code that only they understood.

"I love you, too," Tadashi murmured before leaning in again.

#tadelsa #tadashi x elsa #tadelsa week #submission #amgodfrey88 #day 7

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