Mint

Breath in. Smile. Pout. Glare. Smirk. Turn this way. Look that way. One more gratuitous self groping shot, and...done.

Time to go home.

Home to the empty rooms, and quiet halls. No 'okaeri' with that smoke husked, laughter laced voice of yours. No brush of a hand across my face, gently pushing away the strands of over dyed hair that had fallen out of place (despite the three cans of hairspray to prevent that from happening), and, most glaringly absent: the gentle tingle and the taste of mint flavored toothpaste from the lips of a kiss not given...

I see your face everywhere on my way home. Magazine stands, billboards, big screen flashing over the streets. All of them different. All of them the same.

Same beautiful face; each with different colored eyes. Same carefully blank expression; hair styled a different way.

Nothing new. Nothing that stands out more than the usual...except, now...there's lines. Crow's feet at the corner of the different colored eyes. Slight furrows peeking out on your forehead from under your carefully styled bangs.

I tell myself that you'll be alright, it's nothing more than your usual grueling schedule. Nothing to worry about yet. Still, it's hard not to reach for the phone and dial the familiar number. Even more difficult when your latest single comes on the radio I had turned on in the vain attempt to drown out the silence.

"kimi ni aitakute

dare yori mo aitakute"

I miss you too. But I know you'll be back. The tour will finish. You'll collapse as usual, and You will bring you back to me, where you'll grin through the pain and exhaustion from a body you've pushed too far (again), and sheepishly say 'Tadaima'.

It'll be my turn to welcome you home, and give you the mint flavored kiss.

"Okaeri"

Translations:

Tadaima: I'm home

Okaeri: welcome home

Lyrics:

"I want to see you

I want to see you more than anyone"