Since about the time I arrived, I’ve been having fun running in Tokyo, it’s one of the few things that I actually have a commitment to (been running for about a decade, longer than any relationship I’ve ever had). When I first got here, I met a friend through a colleague (Japanese girl who also speaks French and likes running). I’ve been running with her most morning (we do 1-2 loops around 皇居). After a couple of weeks, she went on a trip and then gave me back お土産 from a trip. I thought, this is nice, food item from another city, she didn’t have to bring me anything at all. After all, running friendships don’t come with any obligations and she thought about me.
She travels a lot on day trips for work and she brings back little souvenirs, so I started doing the same thinking this was a fun thing to do (my work required frequent short trips to other cities too). It all felt really platonic, snack food and tea isn’t exactly what romance is made of. Probably my first platonic relationship with a girl in a looong while.
After a particularly competitive early morning run yesterday that featured rain and humidity (she won… this time), we had a post-run having breakfast (basically food we bring it eat after a run, sort of a ritual we’ve gotten used to). Since I hadn’t seen her in a week, I asked her whether she had a good trip, assuming she was away on business. She told me went to see a friend who’s an artist/animator and that she brought back a gift. It wasn’t the typical お土産 we’ve been exchanging for some months this time, it wasn’t a snack or tea. What she gave me was a really cool original drawing featuring a girl (anime style) that looks a lot like her (even has a matching tattoo). I thanked her for the thoughtful gift and she was really happy I liked because it was supposed to be a drawing of her done up in her friend’s drawing style. This is nice, I have a friend with similar interests and it seems we’re developing a good solid friendship.
We met for a run this morning and things were a bit different, there was more chatting between intervals and I made a terrible joke that got her to smile a punch me on the shoulder (she’s never had any physical contact with me, it’s not something you usually do when running). Breakfast was also different this time in that she brought some food for me in a small bento box and she lightly touched my hand when she passed it over.
I am now wondering, since all my relationships have somehow started (and often ended) with fucking whether I am making too much out of what I am perceiving as clear signals that she might want to do more than running. I figure it’s likely all in my head, but I wonder whether some of you who know Japanese culture and dating can tell me whether I’m overthinking this one.
She’s friends with a lot of my friend’s girlfriends so I figure asking them will likely just make things weird, so why not ask the high-libido crowd at TAG? If she’s reading here, I’m likely fucked anyway.
She travels a lot on day trips for work and she brings back little souvenirs, so I started doing the same thinking this was a fun thing to do (my work required frequent short trips to other cities too). It all felt really platonic, snack food and tea isn’t exactly what romance is made of. Probably my first platonic relationship with a girl in a looong while.
After a particularly competitive early morning run yesterday that featured rain and humidity (she won… this time), we had a post-run having breakfast (basically food we bring it eat after a run, sort of a ritual we’ve gotten used to). Since I hadn’t seen her in a week, I asked her whether she had a good trip, assuming she was away on business. She told me went to see a friend who’s an artist/animator and that she brought back a gift. It wasn’t the typical お土産 we’ve been exchanging for some months this time, it wasn’t a snack or tea. What she gave me was a really cool original drawing featuring a girl (anime style) that looks a lot like her (even has a matching tattoo). I thanked her for the thoughtful gift and she was really happy I liked because it was supposed to be a drawing of her done up in her friend’s drawing style. This is nice, I have a friend with similar interests and it seems we’re developing a good solid friendship.
We met for a run this morning and things were a bit different, there was more chatting between intervals and I made a terrible joke that got her to smile a punch me on the shoulder (she’s never had any physical contact with me, it’s not something you usually do when running). Breakfast was also different this time in that she brought some food for me in a small bento box and she lightly touched my hand when she passed it over.
I am now wondering, since all my relationships have somehow started (and often ended) with fucking whether I am making too much out of what I am perceiving as clear signals that she might want to do more than running. I figure it’s likely all in my head, but I wonder whether some of you who know Japanese culture and dating can tell me whether I’m overthinking this one.
She’s friends with a lot of my friend’s girlfriends so I figure asking them will likely just make things weird, so why not ask the high-libido crowd at TAG? If she’s reading here, I’m likely fucked anyway.
