Gemotions

Walking into the apartment, the usual noise of the city seemed to fade. Instead, the distinct cadence of Japanese filled the air, emanating from their shared bedroom. Michael paused, his heart rate spiking. He stood perfectly still.

He slowly and carefully peeked inside. There was Jennifer, sat with a headset on, her eyes closed, listening intently to a recording. He was taken by the movement of her lips. The strange sounds, the accent, were not quite perfect, but she was definitely speaking the language.

He leaned against the doorframe, a smile slowly creeping across his face. He felt a buzzing sensation in his chest. A warmth started there.

Jennifer opened her eyes, startled, and pulled the headset down.

“Konnichiwa,” she said, shyly.

Michael shook his head, not trusting himself to speak. Instead, he just walked inside, wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her.