[Complete] Invisible Chains- Chapter 15
Chapter 15
I sighed under my breath as a server placed a dish in front of me. I was in a predicament. I was having lunch with not only Aiba-san but with my father as well. It was not only awkward for me but I was eating lunch with two men that I felt very uncomfortable with. Thankfully the other stockholders weren’t here to criticize me in front of Aiba-san. If he heard the things that those stupid stockholders would have said in front of me, I think he would use those words to backstab me later on.
I frowned before I picked up the fork and knife. In front of me laid a medium-rare steak with a citrus sauce and some mushrooms. I started to cut the steak when my father initiated a conversation with the nervous Aiba-san. “So Aiba-san, you’re our new promotional characters for our health products?” I rolled my eyes and it felt like pins and needles were prickling on my brain.
I wanted to yell out at him that I already told him about Aiba-san. However no matter how many times I would tell him, he would rather hear it from the actual person. “Uh, hai. I’m in an idol group with 4 other members. We’re known as Arashi.” He said and then my father slowly nodded his head. Was this really important to ask? Why does he even want to know?
I took a bite of my steak when my father asked another question about his career again. They took a good 30 minutes, which we went on to dessert by the way, talking about Aiba-san’s and my father’s career. They shared experiences and stories while I sat quietly eating my food. At that moment, I honestly felt like a mere existence that was there to eat the food and warm up the chair. No one, even Aiba-san talked to me throughout the entire meal. You could say I was rather disappointed that Aiba-san didn’t even turn his head to talk to me or acknowledge I was there.
But as he talked to my father, I noticed that his behavior had changed. I could no longer see that playful and cheerful man that I had always bumped into. He acted mature and thought about his words before he said anything. I couldn’t see any happiness that I had previously seen. Well then again, my father has this presence that would make anyone go tense. I sometimes wonder why I didn’t inherit that feature, it would be very useful in certain situations I had in the past.
I sliced a piece of cake with my fork and then placed it my mouth. The savory flavor of raspberries floated in my mouth. I was about to fully enjoy it when I heard from my father, “So what do you think about Asuka-kun?” I coughed abruptly. I had chocked on my food that I was excited about. I quickly grabbed the glass of water and chugged it down. Once I calmed down myself, I looked at my father again. Now, what did he just ask?
“I want your honest opinion. Asuka-kun is rough around the edges but she’s my only child.” He said jokingly. I rolled my eyes and continued to eat my cake. I was upset at my father, not at the ‘rough around the edges’ part but he said I was his only child. How could he forget that he has two children? The one he abandoned years ago, because he didn’t want another girl in the family.
“Asuka-chan is… She’s a nice person that had helped me out a lot.” He said with his head lowered. He looked like a scared puppy. My father smirked and took a sip of his wine before he said. “Of course she’s a nice girl. I raised her to be like that.” I scoffed, “Yeah, right. You don’t even know what the first step to parenting is.” I grumbled my words under my breath. Aiba-san forced a laugh and tried to be friendly but I could tell he was getting more nervous that he was going to have a mental breakdown soon.
Out of nowhere, my father did the unthinkable. He leaned forward in his seat and had a bright smile on his face. Then he said those words, “Are you dating my daughter with the mind of getting married?”
Both Aiba-san and I shot our widened eyes at him. I was speechless. How could… How could he say those words? We’re not even dating for heaven’s sake. I couldn’t take his ridiculous anymore. I jumped out of my chair and eyed at my father who was looking at me. “Gochisousama. I’ll be leaving now.” Then I turned my head towards Aiba-san. “Thank you for having lunch with me and my otosan. Please do me a favor next time if you want to meet me, just contact me.” I bowed my head to him before I rushed out of the restaurant.
I walked away from them. I couldn’t stand my father any longer. Why did he have to say to him? Why did I just feel like a sent away bride? Does he think that if I know a guy that I would automatically be his wife? I stood in front of the elevator shaft and waited for the shaft to pick me up. I should have expected something fishy once my father asked Aiba-san and I for lunch. Why didn’t I figure it out before I had to have that embarrassing moment in front of Aiba-san?
The elevator shaft opened in front of me and once I entered with no one else inside, I clenched my jaw tightly and gripped my hands into two fists. Why did I let myself get wedged into a situation like that? Then I shoved my hands in my pocket when I suddenly remembered that I didn’t even get my handkerchief back from Aiba-san before my father took us to lunch. I let out a loud sigh and groaned. My main mission was to get my handkerchief back from him and I couldn’t even do that without getting swept away again. Looks like the rest of my day will be terrible.
I folded my arms and the floor stopped to let some people on to go the bottom floors. I looked at them with a fuming look as I got the annoyed at the thought that I had to see Aiba-san again, just for a handkerchief! Once the people saw my face, they immediately took a step back and decided to wait for another elevator. They must have saw how pissed I looked.
I reached my office without any other employees boarding the elevator with me, even if they were in a rush to get to their destination. No one, even my assistants who would usually greet me and ask about lunch, had never spoke a word to me. Even though I drove everyone away, I didn’t mind. I need some time to myself. By the time my anger subsided, I realized something that I would never have thought of doing in my entire life. My father wanted to hook up Aiba-san and I together.
~*~
The day was done and it was time to go home to get some rest. However I wasn’t in the mood to encounter my father again after what had happened over lunch. I was still irritated and angry that he wanted Aiba-san and I to get married. With my purse hanging over my shoulder, I walked out of the elevator and into the underground parking lot. Then I walked over to my car as I reached for my car keys in my purse to get into my car.
Once I started the car, I was lost in my own thoughts about my father and Aiba-san that I somehow ended up to that one place I could rely on for comfort.
I parked the car and walked towards Genta’s sushi restaurant to be welcomed by a warm smile from Haruhi. “Oh, Asuka-chan! What a pleasant surprise! We were just talking about you.” I furrowed my eyebrows at her as her words kept replaying in my head. We? Who was ‘we’? Genta and Haruhi? No, I must be mistaken, Genta hardly speaks to anyone and let alone why would he talk about me?
I slowly turned my head to see a shy Aiba-san with blushing cheeks trying to avoid eye contact with me. “Yo Asuka-chan!” He said awkwardly before he picked up his beer glass to drink out from it. I clenched my jaw tightly. At that moment, I wanted to close the door and run back to my car. I wasn’t in the mood to see Aiba-san again nor I was in the mood to talk to him. Yet, I had nowhere else to run to. The only choices I had were here at the restaurant or back home. Then I started to think of my odds, which one could I tolerate the most without getting a major headache. I slowly trailed my eyes towards Aiba-san and sighed under my breath before I closed the door behind me. Aiba-san is a pain but I knew my father was going to bug me at dinner about Aiba-san and his conversation with him. I rather take my chances with Aiba-san than my father.
I took a seat a few seats away from Aiba-san, and Haruhi handed me a warm damp towel to clean my hands with. “What drink can I get you?” She asked. I looked at her and smiled. “I’ll take some lemon cider.” Although my body desperately called out for me to drink some beer, I had to wake up early tomorrow for a meeting that I didn’t want to miss. Also once I start drink beer, I would want to drown myself in it after what had happened at lunch today with Aiba-san and my father.
Haruhi placed a glass of lemon cider on a coaster in front of me. As I picked it up to drink from it, a person emerged from the washrooms. I could tell it was a man from the corner of my eye but I didn’t exactly whom it was or didn’t pay attention to him. However once I heard his voice, I knew that it was another man that I didn’t feel like seeing.
“Konbanwa Asuka-chan. You know this restaurant too?” I slowly turned my head towards the voice. I had almost chocked on my lemon cider when I saw his face. I took the glass off from my lips and quickly returned to a calm composure. With a small and yet gentle smile, I said. “Konbanwa Ninomiya-san. What a coincidence meeting you here.”
Then with a smirk, Ninomiya-san muttered but it was loud and clear for me to hear. “Yeah, what a coincidence…”
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A/N: I just love the last line. Just makes me smirk. I hope you are enjoying the story so far. Don't worry, we have a long way to go until this interesting story ends. (○ﾟε^○)
I sighed under my breath as a server placed a dish in front of me. I was in a predicament. I was having lunch with not only Aiba-san but with my father as well. It was not only awkward for me but I was eating lunch with two men that I felt very uncomfortable with. Thankfully the other stockholders weren’t here to criticize me in front of Aiba-san. If he heard the things that those stupid stockholders would have said in front of me, I think he would use those words to backstab me later on.
I frowned before I picked up the fork and knife. In front of me laid a medium-rare steak with a citrus sauce and some mushrooms. I started to cut the steak when my father initiated a conversation with the nervous Aiba-san. “So Aiba-san, you’re our new promotional characters for our health products?” I rolled my eyes and it felt like pins and needles were prickling on my brain.
I wanted to yell out at him that I already told him about Aiba-san. However no matter how many times I would tell him, he would rather hear it from the actual person. “Uh, hai. I’m in an idol group with 4 other members. We’re known as Arashi.” He said and then my father slowly nodded his head. Was this really important to ask? Why does he even want to know?
I took a bite of my steak when my father asked another question about his career again. They took a good 30 minutes, which we went on to dessert by the way, talking about Aiba-san’s and my father’s career. They shared experiences and stories while I sat quietly eating my food. At that moment, I honestly felt like a mere existence that was there to eat the food and warm up the chair. No one, even Aiba-san talked to me throughout the entire meal. You could say I was rather disappointed that Aiba-san didn’t even turn his head to talk to me or acknowledge I was there.
But as he talked to my father, I noticed that his behavior had changed. I could no longer see that playful and cheerful man that I had always bumped into. He acted mature and thought about his words before he said anything. I couldn’t see any happiness that I had previously seen. Well then again, my father has this presence that would make anyone go tense. I sometimes wonder why I didn’t inherit that feature, it would be very useful in certain situations I had in the past.
I sliced a piece of cake with my fork and then placed it my mouth. The savory flavor of raspberries floated in my mouth. I was about to fully enjoy it when I heard from my father, “So what do you think about Asuka-kun?” I coughed abruptly. I had chocked on my food that I was excited about. I quickly grabbed the glass of water and chugged it down. Once I calmed down myself, I looked at my father again. Now, what did he just ask?
“I want your honest opinion. Asuka-kun is rough around the edges but she’s my only child.” He said jokingly. I rolled my eyes and continued to eat my cake. I was upset at my father, not at the ‘rough around the edges’ part but he said I was his only child. How could he forget that he has two children? The one he abandoned years ago, because he didn’t want another girl in the family.
“Asuka-chan is… She’s a nice person that had helped me out a lot.” He said with his head lowered. He looked like a scared puppy. My father smirked and took a sip of his wine before he said. “Of course she’s a nice girl. I raised her to be like that.” I scoffed, “Yeah, right. You don’t even know what the first step to parenting is.” I grumbled my words under my breath. Aiba-san forced a laugh and tried to be friendly but I could tell he was getting more nervous that he was going to have a mental breakdown soon.
Out of nowhere, my father did the unthinkable. He leaned forward in his seat and had a bright smile on his face. Then he said those words, “Are you dating my daughter with the mind of getting married?”
Both Aiba-san and I shot our widened eyes at him. I was speechless. How could… How could he say those words? We’re not even dating for heaven’s sake. I couldn’t take his ridiculous anymore. I jumped out of my chair and eyed at my father who was looking at me. “Gochisousama. I’ll be leaving now.” Then I turned my head towards Aiba-san. “Thank you for having lunch with me and my otosan. Please do me a favor next time if you want to meet me, just contact me.” I bowed my head to him before I rushed out of the restaurant.
I walked away from them. I couldn’t stand my father any longer. Why did he have to say to him? Why did I just feel like a sent away bride? Does he think that if I know a guy that I would automatically be his wife? I stood in front of the elevator shaft and waited for the shaft to pick me up. I should have expected something fishy once my father asked Aiba-san and I for lunch. Why didn’t I figure it out before I had to have that embarrassing moment in front of Aiba-san?
The elevator shaft opened in front of me and once I entered with no one else inside, I clenched my jaw tightly and gripped my hands into two fists. Why did I let myself get wedged into a situation like that? Then I shoved my hands in my pocket when I suddenly remembered that I didn’t even get my handkerchief back from Aiba-san before my father took us to lunch. I let out a loud sigh and groaned. My main mission was to get my handkerchief back from him and I couldn’t even do that without getting swept away again. Looks like the rest of my day will be terrible.
I folded my arms and the floor stopped to let some people on to go the bottom floors. I looked at them with a fuming look as I got the annoyed at the thought that I had to see Aiba-san again, just for a handkerchief! Once the people saw my face, they immediately took a step back and decided to wait for another elevator. They must have saw how pissed I looked.
I reached my office without any other employees boarding the elevator with me, even if they were in a rush to get to their destination. No one, even my assistants who would usually greet me and ask about lunch, had never spoke a word to me. Even though I drove everyone away, I didn’t mind. I need some time to myself. By the time my anger subsided, I realized something that I would never have thought of doing in my entire life. My father wanted to hook up Aiba-san and I together.
~*~
The day was done and it was time to go home to get some rest. However I wasn’t in the mood to encounter my father again after what had happened over lunch. I was still irritated and angry that he wanted Aiba-san and I to get married. With my purse hanging over my shoulder, I walked out of the elevator and into the underground parking lot. Then I walked over to my car as I reached for my car keys in my purse to get into my car.
Once I started the car, I was lost in my own thoughts about my father and Aiba-san that I somehow ended up to that one place I could rely on for comfort.
I parked the car and walked towards Genta’s sushi restaurant to be welcomed by a warm smile from Haruhi. “Oh, Asuka-chan! What a pleasant surprise! We were just talking about you.” I furrowed my eyebrows at her as her words kept replaying in my head. We? Who was ‘we’? Genta and Haruhi? No, I must be mistaken, Genta hardly speaks to anyone and let alone why would he talk about me?
I slowly turned my head to see a shy Aiba-san with blushing cheeks trying to avoid eye contact with me. “Yo Asuka-chan!” He said awkwardly before he picked up his beer glass to drink out from it. I clenched my jaw tightly. At that moment, I wanted to close the door and run back to my car. I wasn’t in the mood to see Aiba-san again nor I was in the mood to talk to him. Yet, I had nowhere else to run to. The only choices I had were here at the restaurant or back home. Then I started to think of my odds, which one could I tolerate the most without getting a major headache. I slowly trailed my eyes towards Aiba-san and sighed under my breath before I closed the door behind me. Aiba-san is a pain but I knew my father was going to bug me at dinner about Aiba-san and his conversation with him. I rather take my chances with Aiba-san than my father.
I took a seat a few seats away from Aiba-san, and Haruhi handed me a warm damp towel to clean my hands with. “What drink can I get you?” She asked. I looked at her and smiled. “I’ll take some lemon cider.” Although my body desperately called out for me to drink some beer, I had to wake up early tomorrow for a meeting that I didn’t want to miss. Also once I start drink beer, I would want to drown myself in it after what had happened at lunch today with Aiba-san and my father.
Haruhi placed a glass of lemon cider on a coaster in front of me. As I picked it up to drink from it, a person emerged from the washrooms. I could tell it was a man from the corner of my eye but I didn’t exactly whom it was or didn’t pay attention to him. However once I heard his voice, I knew that it was another man that I didn’t feel like seeing.
“Konbanwa Asuka-chan. You know this restaurant too?” I slowly turned my head towards the voice. I had almost chocked on my lemon cider when I saw his face. I took the glass off from my lips and quickly returned to a calm composure. With a small and yet gentle smile, I said. “Konbanwa Ninomiya-san. What a coincidence meeting you here.”
Then with a smirk, Ninomiya-san muttered but it was loud and clear for me to hear. “Yeah, what a coincidence…”
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A/N: I just love the last line. Just makes me smirk. I hope you are enjoying the story so far. Don't worry, we have a long way to go until this interesting story ends. (○ﾟε^○)