A Day With Kaioshin

It was the end of summer. Erica was preparing to enter college in the fall, though she still was unsure what she wanted to do for a living. She walked along the isles of the grocery store. After checking over her list, she paid for the items and headed for home. After opening the door to her apartment, she walked in and placed the bags on the kitchen table. Then she noticed a note sitting on the table. She picked it up and read it aloud to herself. Erica, As you can tell, I was here, but you were not. I came to ask when you were free for me to spend the day with you. I’ve decided that it’s time to see you for more than ten minutes. And I wanted to do this before you went to college and became too busy. I’ll return later tonight to get your answer. See you then. ~Kaioshin Erica smiled at the note in her hands. She got excited to find out that she’d get to spend a day with Kaioshin. She quickly put the groceries away, and took a shower before Kaioshin came. Around eight o’clock that night, Kaioshin kept his word. Erica was walking into her living room to see him looking out onto the balcony of her apartment. When she was no more than a foot into the room, the god turned around to face her with his trademark smile. “Good evening,” he greeted her. “Hello,” she said back. She walked up to him and they exchanged a quick kiss. “You did find my note,” he asked. “Of course. I’ve been waiting for you to come back. So when do you want to have our day out?” “Any day you want. I’ll go and do whatever your heart desires.” “Tomorrow?” “That’ll be fine.” Erica walked over to the couch and sat down. “Let’s see…we defiantly have to go for dinner; a real romantic type restaurant.” “Sounds good. Anything else?” “I don’t know yet. I’ll think of something.” “Well, I have some things in store for you. And you’ll just have to wait to see them,” he finished with a wink. Kaioshin walked over to Erica and sat down next to her. “I’m looking forward to it.” “So am I. I won’t be able to sleep tonight, I’ll be so excited.” “Well, try to get a good night’s sleep. I’ll be here around nine tomorrow morning. Is that okay with you?” “Fine.” Kaioshin smiled, kissed her cheek and stood up. “I’ll see you then,” he said and disappeared. * * * The next morning, Erica was up at six o’clock. She couldn’t wait for nine o’clock to roll around. She hummed all the way to the bathroom, in the shower, and as she got dressed. She put on a yellow short-sleeved top and jean shorts. Then she went to the kitchen and took a bagel out of the bag she bought yesterday. She could barely eat it because she was so excited. Finally nine o’clock came. Kaioshin appeared in the living room just as the hour turned. Erica waited for him on the couch. She couldn’t believe what she saw before her. Instead of his normal god outfit, Kaioshin wore a white collared button-down shirt, blue jeans, and white sneakers. “Do you approve?” He asked with a slight laugh. “Of course. I just didn’t expect you to come like that. I’ve never seen you in those kind of clothes.” “Well, I’m taking a day off from being a god. This day is dedicated to you, so I thought I’d dress the way the people of Earth did.” “Very cool.” “Oh, you haven’t seen anything yet.” He walked over to her and extended his hand. “Ready?” Erica’s response was putting her hand in his. He led her to the door. “Where are we going?” “Downstairs,” he said. “You’ll see.” Erica grabbed her purse from the table, then locked the door behind them. They took the elevator downstairs. When they walked out to the parking lot, Erica’s mouth dropped at what sat in front of them. It was a brand new, shiny white corvette convertible with the license plate that read EKAIO-1. Kaioshin walked over to the car and looked back. “Well, are you coming?” He asked as he opened the passenger door. “That’s yours?” Erica asked in surprise. “And you know how to drive?” “Yes to both of your questions. I thought we’d ride in style.” Suddenly a pair of black sunglasses appeared in his hand and he raised them to his head. “This is going to better than I thought,” Erica said as she walked over to the car. She sat in the passenger seat and Kaioshin shut the door behind her. He hopped into the driver’s seat without opening the door. He turned on the car and they were off into the day. “Where to first?” Kaioshin asked. “I read in the paper there’s this carnival…” “You got it,” Kaioshin said before Erica was able to finish her sentence. He knew exactly where to go. Erica looked over to Kaioshin. He wore the black sunglasses and his white hair blew back in the wind. He looks so cute, she thought. Soon they arrived at the carnival. Kaioshin parked the car and hopped out, walked over to the other side, and opened the door for Erica. “Where did you learn to drive like that?” She asked. “I drive the Grand Kai’s car a lot.” “Oh,” Erica said, not really knowing who the Grand Kai was. They bought two day passes at the gate and walked in. The first ride they went on was the roller coaster. Next it was a couple of water rides and of course the carousal. As they sat on their wooden horses, Kaioshin looked over at Erica. “Are you having fun,” he asked. “I’m having loads of fun. This is great!” She said with a large smile. When the ride was done, they bought ice cream and then went on the sky ride, which was slow moving seats that went up and down a mountain. They sat in the seat for two and the ride began. At first the two just sat there in silence, looking at the scenery around them. “I was just wondering,” Erica said. “What did Kibito say when you told him you were leaving for the day?” Kaioshin laughed. “He sighed, shook his head and walked away. He knows better than to argue with me. I’m too thick headed.” Erica laughed and it was quiet again. She glanced down and saw Kaioshin’s hand resting on his lap. She took her hand next to him and picked his up. He didn’t look down or at her; he just tightened his grip on her hand. After a few more minutes, Erica moved closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. Kaioshin put his arm around her and picked up her hand again with his other hand. When the ride was over, they decided to get some lunch. They got into the corvette and drove to a small café. They were seated at a table for two next to a window that overlooked a lake. On the lake were many boats and even some swans swimming around. “After we eat, let’s go down there,” Erica suggested. They ordered sandwiches, and soda for lunch. After eating, the two walked down the path to the lake; hand in hand. On the way down, people starred at Kaioshin because of his purple skin and pointy ears, but it didn’t bother him in the least. They continued on and walked right up to the water’s edge. “This is beautiful,” Erica said softly so only Kaioshin could hear. He nodded in agreement. “Hey look over there,” she said pointing to their right. There was a sign that read “Boat Rentals” over a dock. “Do you want to go out on a boat then?” Kaioshin asked her. “If you want too.” They paid for a small rowboat and rowed out to the middle of the lake. Kaioshin stopped rowing and they sat there. Then Kaioshin saw something out of the corner of his eye. He leaned over the side of the boat. “Hey look, there’s a big fish swimming here.” “Really?” Erica leaned over to look. “Where? I don’t see it.” “Right there,” Kaioshin pointed out. “Now he’s going over there.” Of course the two leaning on one side of the boat wasn’t a good idea. Before either could realize what was happening, the boat flipped over and the two went for an unexpected swim. They came to the surface and looked at each other. Erica frowned when she realized her mascara was dripping down her face. Kaioshin started to laugh. “It’s not funny,” she said. Then she looked up and started laughing herself. “What?” “Your hair. It looks weird when it’s all wet!” Kaioshin couldn’t help but laugh with her. Then he slowly flew out of the water and turned the boat back over. After helping Erica back into the boat, he rowed them to the dock. The man at the dock asked if they were all right because he saw them flip over. Kaioshin assured the man they were okay and they walked off. They walked over to a bunch of trees a few yards away from the lake. “Now it’s my turn to pick what we do next,” Kaioshin said. “Okay then.” Kaioshin picked Erica up, supporting her back and legs with his arms. His feet left the ground and they flew into the sky. “Kaioshin! This is so cool!” Erica exclaimed. Kaioshin smiled and flew on. He landed on a cliff about 200 feet high. Erica was put down onto her feet. She looked ahead and saw nothing but sparkling blue water. The sun had begun to lower from the sky. “Do you like it?” Kaioshin asked. “Of course I do. I can’t believe this day is almost over.” “It’s far from over.” He turned her to him and kissed her. After he pulled away, Erica looked into his soft black eyes. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. For a long time they stood there and kissed, the wind blowing their hair. Kaioshin and Erica returned to the lake restaurant and they got back into his car. The sun was barely visible now, and the moon started to appear. They drove back to Erica’s apartment building. When they got to her apartment, Erica unlocked the door and they walked in. “Where do you want to go for dinner?” Kaioshin asked walking over to the balcony window. “Well, my friend told me about this place down town. She said it was a really nice place with a dance floor, but it’s very formal and expensive. She told me that if I ever went there, get dressed up big time. I think it’ll be too expensive though.” “Don’t worry about the money,” Kaioshin said. “I have that all taken care of. Go get ready and I’ll wait for you here.” Erica left to get changed. * * * When she returned, she found Kaioshin standing in the same spot; only he had changed his clothes. He now wore a white tuxedo with a black bow tie and white shoes to match. “Wow, you look nice,” Erica commented. “You look beautiful yourself,” Kaioshin said looking her over. Erica wore a long emerald green dress. It had spaghetti straps and it was on the tighter side, showing off her figure. On her feet were black sandals with inch high heels. Half of her hair was pulled back with a barrette and the rest fell over her shoulders. “Shall we?” Kaioshin held out his arm and she gladly took it. They drove down town to this restaurant Erica’s friend told her about. After parking the car, they walked to the entrance, Erica’s arm around Kaioshin’s. The man inside at the desk asked for their reservations. Erica completely forgot about reservations. She was sure they’d have to leave. “Kaio,” Kaioshin told the man. The butler type looking man looked over the list. “Ah yes, Mr. Kaio. Please follow me.” He led the way to a large room with round tables scattered everywhere. He led them over to a group of tables and placed two menus on the center table. “Enjoy your meal.” He said and walked away. Erica and Kaioshin sat at the table and read over the menus. A waiter in a black tuxedo came to their table, filled their water glasses, and placed a small plate with bread on it in the center of the table. “Are you ready to order?” He asked. The two ordered appetizers and their main course, and the waiter left. “He didn’t even write it down,” Erica said. “They must have to memorize everything.” “I’d like to see how well he does when there’s a large group of people,” Kaioshin joked. Erica viewed the atmosphere. Every table had a white tablecloth draped over it and three candles in the center. Track lights on the ceiling were on low. The dance floor was in the center of the room with a large chandelier hanging over the center. And off to the side was a black Baby Grand Piano, and the pianist was playing light classical music. For an expensive restaurant, there were a lot of people there. Most were eating, but some were dancing. “This place is really nice. I’m glad we came,” Erica said looking back at Kaioshin. He nodded with a smile. It wasn’t long before their appetizers were served. They were barely finished with that when their meals were served. Both found the way the food was presented funny. “I thought chefs, of all people, weren’t supposed to play with the food,” Erica giggled. After the meal, they sat in their seats, stuffed from all the food. Erica looked at Kaioshin. He’s so amazing. He looked like a teenager with his jeans and sunglasses this afternoon. Now he looks rich and handsome in that tuxedo. I love him so much, she thought to herself. Kaioshin looked at her and smiled. “Care to dance?” He asked. “Sure,” Erica said a smiling. They walked over to the dance floor as the music stopped to start a new song. Kaioshin took Erica’s hand in his and put his other hand on her waist. In turn, Erica interlocked her fingers with Kaioshin’s and rested her other hand on his shoulder. They danced slowly to the piano music. People sitting at nearby tables looked at the two people dancing. The first thing they noticed was Kaioshin, but then they saw how cute the two looked dancing together. After the song was over, Erica kissed Kaioshin. She ended the kiss quickly as to not make that big of a scene in front of everybody. They left the dance floor and returned to their table to find the bill. They decided to pay the bill and leave. Erica and Kaioshin slowly walked back to the car. Kaioshin drove down a scenic road. It led up to a hill where people could park their cars and look over the city. Kaioshin leaned back and looked at the stars sparkling above. Erica looked up as well, but then turned her stare to Kaioshin. “Thank-you so much, Kaioshin,” she said. “I had a great day. I wish it wasn’t coming to an end.” “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself,” he said. He opened the car door and got out. Erica looked at him with a curious look. He walked around the car and opened her door. She stepped out and faced him. Then she noticed the car disappear. She looked behind and realized Kaioshin did this. “Take my hand,” he said. She placed her hand in his and they both tightened their hold. Kaioshin and Erica disappeared under the star-lit sky. * * * When Erica opened her eyes she found her surroundings to be very much different than they were a few seconds ago. It was light out. She stood on grassy ground with trees here and there. A brick sidewalk stretched into the distance. “Kaioshin, where are we?” She asked. Kaioshin, still dressed in the white tuxedo, looked at her and smiled. Still holding her hand, he led her down the brick sidewalk over a small hill. When they reached the top, Erica saw a large, white mansion-like house surrounded by gardens. In front of the house was a water fountain spurting out water in all directions. “It’s beautiful,” she said still taking it all in. “Welcome to Kaioshinkai,” Kaioshin said. She turned to look at him in shock. He no longer wore the white tuxedo. Instead, he had on the puffy grayish blue shirt and pants, long blue vest, red boots, and the orange sash tied around his waist. “This is Kaioshinkai? I thought I was forbidden to come here?” “Don’t worry about that. I’ll take care of Kibito and Dai Kaioshin. Come on.” He led the way down the hill and to the house. When they came to the fountain, Kibito greeted them. “Welcome home, sir,” he said. He eyed Erica. He didn’t say anything to her. “Master Kaioshin…” “Never mind Kibito.” Kaioshin walked by and Erica followed. He led her to the large white doors of the house. He didn’t even lift a finger, but the doors opened. The house inside was just as beautiful as it was outside. Directly across for the entrance was a staircase that split into two directions. Above was a chandelier that hung in front of the window over the door that could be seen from outside, but Erica didn’t notice it until now. On both sides of the doors where tables centered with a vase filled with red and white flowers. “Is this where you live?” Erica asked walking a little farther in. Kaioshin put his hands behind his back and walked up next to her. “Yes,” was his response. He saw Erica mouth the word “wow.” “Would you like to see more?” “I’d love to,” she said. She followed Kaioshin up the stairs and to the left. They walked down a hallway that had a wall and some doors on one side and a balcony that overlooked the foyer on the other. At the end of the hall was a larger door. The door opened and Kaioshin walked in motioning for Erica to follow. She followed closely behind him into an averaged sized room. Ahead was a pair of glass doors. Kaioshin opened them and walked out onto another balcony. Erica walked over to the railing and looked out over a large garden. This garden was filled with flowers, benches, trees and what seemed like a fishpond in the center. “Kaioshin…” she started, but couldn’t get the rest out. “You like it?” He asked coming up next to her. “Like it? It’s gorgeous! You live in paradise!” “Well, not exactly. But you can consider it heaven. That’s exactly what it is.” She looked at him. “This is heaven?” “Well, a small portion of it. This isn’t the only planet. This is just Kaioshinkai. There’s the Grand Kai’s planet, North, South, East and West Kai’s planets and many others. “This is amazing…” “Would you like to see something else I think you might like?” Kaioshin didn’t wait for an answer. He motioned his head to the left and led her back to where they came. They walked back down the hallway and down the stairs. Next they walked up the stairs that led to the other side of the house and down another hallway. Near the end, Kaioshin opened a door on the left. They both walked into a brightly lit room. “Is this your bedroom or something?” Erica asked. “Yes, but I want to show you something.” He turned a corner and came to a large window. “Look,” he said pointing to the window. Erica stepped next to him and looked out. What she saw is nothing what she expected to ever see. She saw a whole bunch of different planets scattered in a black background. “What is it?” “The eastern section of the universe. Earth is over there.” Erica looked to where he pointed and couldn’t believe it. “It’s Earth…it’s really planet Earth.” She starred out at the universe. “This is so cool!” “Come here,” he said from behind her. She met him at a round table with a large ball on top. Kaioshin held his hand over it and an image began to appear. A street with people walking in all directions was seen inside this ball. “Does this place look familiar?” Erica leaned closer to the ball. “That’s the street the restaurant we were just at is on! How did you do that?” Kaioshin smiled. “This is how I see everything that’s going on. I can see anything on any planet in the east universe with this.” Erica placed her hand on his arm. “You’re so amazing.” Then she rested her head on his shoulder. “It’s just my job. Actually, my life can be pretty boring.” Kaioshin placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her to him. They kissed for a few minutes. “Kaioshin,” Erica started. “Yes?” “This has been the best day of my life. Thank-you.” Kaioshin smiled and starred into her eyes. “You don’t have to thank me. I had a lot of fun. I’m sorry that these kind of days couldn’t be everyday.” “I know.” * * * Kaioshin and Erica returned downstairs to find someone sitting on a chair in the corner. Kaioshin walked a little ahead and bowed at the large person. He looked very similar to Kaioshin himself, only much taller and heavier. And he didn’t have as much hair in the center of his head as Kaioshin did. “Ah Kaioshin,” the man said. “So Kibito wasn’t crazy when he said a mortal human was on Kaioshinkai.” “No he wasn’t,” Kaioshin replied. “Dai Kaioshin, I’d like you to meet Erica.” “Charmed,” the man said getting up, bowing to Erica. He had a nice personality, and didn’t give Erica the cold shoulder like Kibito did. “Erica, this is Dai Kaioshin. He’s the ruler of everyone in the Other World,” Kaioshin told her. “Hello,” Erica said shyly. “Would you like a cookie?” Dai Kaioshin asked, a plate of cookies appearing in his hand. “Oh no thank you. I’m full from dinner,” Erica replied. The plate disappeared, but not before Dai Kaioshin helped himself to a couple of cookies. “Kaioshin, may I have a word with you in private?” “Of course. Excuse me Erica.” The two Kaioshins walked into another room. Dai Kaioshin faced Kaioshin and let out a big sigh. “Kaioshin, you know better than to bring a mortal here.” “I know, sir.” “Then why did you do it? You’ve told me about this girl, and I can tell how you feel about her. I don’t mind as much of you going to Earth, but bringing her here…” “Dai Kaioshin, please. I know the rules. But this is the first time I’ve done this.” “She’ll go back to Earth and tell all of her friends about what she saw.” “I assure you, I’ll make her promise not to.” “I hope she won’t, East Kaioshin.” Erica was able to hear the whole conversation. She decided it would be best if she left. She sat down on a chair and waited for Kaioshin to return. When he did, she stood back up and faced him. Dai Kaioshin was not with him. “I think I better go home now,” she said. “You heard,” Kaioshin said. “I didn’t mean to get you into trouble.” “Don’t worry about it. I’m not in real trouble. I was just reminded of the rules.” “Still, I think I should go.” Kaioshin walked up next to her. “If you wish. Take my hand.” Erica did so and the next thing she knew she was on her apartment balcony. Kaioshin faced her, the moonlight reflecting off of his earrings. “I love you,” Erica said embracing him in a hug. After a few moments of hugging, the two exchanged a kiss. Kaioshin promised he’d back later in the week and with that he disappeared. Erica looked at the spot where he stood. She smiled and turned to find a red rose on the railing. It had sunk into her head a while ago that she was in love with Kaioshin. This day had just made her love stronger, and gave her a memory she’d never forget.