The first time I saw you, I thought to myself,
“God could not have made a more flawless woman.”
I half expected a beam of moonlight to come barging through the window
to pour a cliché stream of angelic light across your silhouette.
But it did not-
the only light that illuminated your features
was a swaying paper lantern that emanated a yellow glow.

You were leaning against the wooden frame
which lead to the inner sanctums of your dressing room.
Gravity played a marvelous trick on your hair,
as it fell just right, so perfectly framing your face.
Was it merely the sway of the lantern,
or my imagination that made the strands of black hair almost glimmer-
No, they did glimmer.

I must have stood there, silently unmoving for an eternity
before the faintest creep of a crimson smile appeared on your face.
I just barely noticed it behind the screen of hair
but I did notice and you must have noticed too-
I would have dropped to my knees there,
pledged my undying affections, for you to tilt your head just a bit more
towards that horrid yellow light.

You turned, slowly- unbearably slowly-
toward the door, the pale blue fabric of your kimono trailing behind you.
You were gone-
It was over-
That God would play such cruel games with a fragile heart-
No, not heart, but soul!
You were imprinted forever immaculately on my soul.

Ah, but you knew all this, didn't you?
You could have collected every set of eyes in a crystal bowl
Eyes that wandered over your figure, imagining what was under all that fabric.
I imagine you would have displayed the trophies with pride
Maybe placed them lovingly by your favorite tea set
or would you selfishly hide them among the stolen hearts?

So what did I feel when I saw your long delicate fingers grip the paper screen?
Nothing- I could feel nothing-
You stole even that from me, you beautiful wretch...
I think I felt my body quiver when I finally looked at you
standing not three steps from me, smiling sweetly

My eyes met yours, with cinematic direction
No finer actress could have captured the expressions that swept across our faces.
The red of your lips was now replaced with a slight pink tinge
and your hair was pulled away from your face and tied with a blue silk ribbon-
It matched your kimono- of course.

I have to admit I was immediately envious
of the water that touched you to wash the paint from your face.
I think I would have liked to have been that water
to strip you down to your naked skin-
to wash away the long day that saw you upon the stage.

You looked down at me with such glistening eyes-
and I wanted to pull away- I really did
when I felt your fingertips on my cheek.
“Who is this stranger, that dares touch me? I don't even know your damned name!”
But... I couldn't help but to let out a soft sigh and melt into your hand.

You pulled me, rather dragged me, into your room.
I was barely in this sacred place, barely aware of the room itself
when I heard the rustle of fabric and felt your hand on my shoulder.
There it was, as I turned to face you-
right on queue-
The beam of moonlight hadn't failed me,
it illuminated your body like some perfectly carved creation-

I don't remember many words from that night
save for a Hello-
I think your name was Kazuya-
I would have called you an Incubus or some such-
and the soft goodbye you gave me as I walked into the night.
What you meant to say was “Goodbye forever, my love”
and I would have started to say, “Please...-”
but no.