My Promise: Chapter 3
Young Aiba secretly, and carefully maneuvered his way through the mansion. He didn’t want his father finding out that he wasn’t taking his piano lessons. That day was a special day and he wouldn’t want to waste it away taking lessons.
Masaki woke up from his dream and took in a deep breath. He lifted his hands in front of his face to see his palms. “Funny how we switched roles this time…” he said as if he was talking to someone. He came to and got up to get ready. It was a few weeks after Jun had came in for a drink. It was also the same day his boss and his boss’s girl came in for dinner. Masaki sighed. “maa….this is gonna be tough…”
He needed to go food shopping that day to stock up on his supplies for business again in 2 days. As he locked the door to the shop outside, he turned around to be greeted by a girl who looked familiar. “ah! You surprised me there!” he said falling back onto the restaurant door. He took a good look again. “are? You’re that girl from that one night!”
The girl looked at him flustered. “ah…I’m so sorry I came so suddenly. I’m Ninomiya Mizumi.” She dug in her purse for her business card and handed it to him bowing. Masaki took the card. “ah you’re the girl who came in with Ohno-san the other day right?” mizumi smiled blushing at the recognition. “Y-yes I was. I had a good time that night. Thank you for the great food. I came by today hoping to see more of the restaurant since it’s been so long I’ve been to a family restaurant like this, and I’ve been so busy with work now-a-days that I couldn’t come sooner.” She looked behind him. “oh…it seems as if you’re closed?”
She looked up at him. He was taller than her of course with beautiful dark eyes. She seemed drawn in for a moment. “Sorry it’s my day off. But I’m going shopping. If you’re not busy, would you like to assist me since you came all this way?” Masaki smiled nervously asking her. ‘Of course she would say no. she’s way too busy! But…’ he looked at mizumi intensely. ‘I have to…I’m sure jun would want me to…’
Mizumi made her decision. “Alright! I don’t have any work today since it’s my day off. Why not? I would like to learn how master makes his food.” Masaki beamed with happiness but he knew it wouldn’t last long. ‘I see…’ he said to himself.
Kazunari was working on some papers at home in his office area. He looked over mizumi’s project for releasing a new line of skin care products. He smiled pleased at his sister’s work. “She’s a hard worker….as always. No matter what she goes through…” he leaned back in his chair thinking sad thoughts. “One, two, three, four…” he started counting but was interrupted by a knock on the door. It was butler sho.
“What is it Sho?” he straightened the chair once again. Sho entered the room with a face that was looking serious. “Kazunari-sama, the madam…” Kazunari’s eyes darkened. “I see…” he laughed lightly. “Don’t worry about it. Everything will be fine.” Sho’s serious face turned into a happy one again. “Understood. Shall I get some tea? It’s almost tea time.”
Kazunari nodded smiling. “Thank you sho. You’re the best!” As sho left, he closed his eyes leaning back in his chair again. Memory flashed before him hugging a girl tightly not letting her go. “never…” he said to himself…
Mizumi saw the many vegetables they had in their bags. She and masaki had just finished shopping and was heading back to the restaurant. It was already past lunch our. “those bags aren’t too heavy are they? “ Masaki asked her. Mizumi shook her head. “It’s not heavy at all. I enjoy doing these things. I use to do it with mother all the time before she got remarried.”
Masaki was feeling happy. It’s been a long while since he was like this with her. They brought the groceries inside in the kitchen. As masaki was putting the groceries away, mizumi went around to look at the eating area where customers usually fill the seats. She felt relaxed.
While reminiscing in her memories in one of the booths, a glass of water was set in front of her. “Since you helped me to day, let me treat you to lunch here!” he said smiling sitting across from her at one of the seating booths.” Mizumi shook her head frantically. “ah no! it’s okay. As long as I helped you, it’s good enough. I wouldn’t want to impose…” Her stomach then made noises. “ah…hehe…” she laughed nervously. She says no, but her stomach says otherwise.
Masaki laughed. “it’s okay, don’t worry about it. Let me make you our house special for this week. It’s Ariake rice with a side of chinese dumplings.” Mizumi’s eyes widened with delight. “That sounds yummy!! Alright. Do you mind if I help you though? It wouldn’t me fair of me just to let someone cook for me with out me helping.” Masaki shook his head. “Just sit there and let me take care of it.” He smiled at her and she nodded in response as he went into the kitchen to fix her lunch.
Masaki woke up from his dream and took in a deep breath. He lifted his hands in front of his face to see his palms. “Funny how we switched roles this time…” he said as if he was talking to someone. He came to and got up to get ready. It was a few weeks after Jun had came in for a drink. It was also the same day his boss and his boss’s girl came in for dinner. Masaki sighed. “maa….this is gonna be tough…”
He needed to go food shopping that day to stock up on his supplies for business again in 2 days. As he locked the door to the shop outside, he turned around to be greeted by a girl who looked familiar. “ah! You surprised me there!” he said falling back onto the restaurant door. He took a good look again. “are? You’re that girl from that one night!”
The girl looked at him flustered. “ah…I’m so sorry I came so suddenly. I’m Ninomiya Mizumi.” She dug in her purse for her business card and handed it to him bowing. Masaki took the card. “ah you’re the girl who came in with Ohno-san the other day right?” mizumi smiled blushing at the recognition. “Y-yes I was. I had a good time that night. Thank you for the great food. I came by today hoping to see more of the restaurant since it’s been so long I’ve been to a family restaurant like this, and I’ve been so busy with work now-a-days that I couldn’t come sooner.” She looked behind him. “oh…it seems as if you’re closed?”
She looked up at him. He was taller than her of course with beautiful dark eyes. She seemed drawn in for a moment. “Sorry it’s my day off. But I’m going shopping. If you’re not busy, would you like to assist me since you came all this way?” Masaki smiled nervously asking her. ‘Of course she would say no. she’s way too busy! But…’ he looked at mizumi intensely. ‘I have to…I’m sure jun would want me to…’
Mizumi made her decision. “Alright! I don’t have any work today since it’s my day off. Why not? I would like to learn how master makes his food.” Masaki beamed with happiness but he knew it wouldn’t last long. ‘I see…’ he said to himself.
Kazunari was working on some papers at home in his office area. He looked over mizumi’s project for releasing a new line of skin care products. He smiled pleased at his sister’s work. “She’s a hard worker….as always. No matter what she goes through…” he leaned back in his chair thinking sad thoughts. “One, two, three, four…” he started counting but was interrupted by a knock on the door. It was butler sho.
“What is it Sho?” he straightened the chair once again. Sho entered the room with a face that was looking serious. “Kazunari-sama, the madam…” Kazunari’s eyes darkened. “I see…” he laughed lightly. “Don’t worry about it. Everything will be fine.” Sho’s serious face turned into a happy one again. “Understood. Shall I get some tea? It’s almost tea time.”
Kazunari nodded smiling. “Thank you sho. You’re the best!” As sho left, he closed his eyes leaning back in his chair again. Memory flashed before him hugging a girl tightly not letting her go. “never…” he said to himself…
Mizumi saw the many vegetables they had in their bags. She and masaki had just finished shopping and was heading back to the restaurant. It was already past lunch our. “those bags aren’t too heavy are they? “ Masaki asked her. Mizumi shook her head. “It’s not heavy at all. I enjoy doing these things. I use to do it with mother all the time before she got remarried.”
Masaki was feeling happy. It’s been a long while since he was like this with her. They brought the groceries inside in the kitchen. As masaki was putting the groceries away, mizumi went around to look at the eating area where customers usually fill the seats. She felt relaxed.
While reminiscing in her memories in one of the booths, a glass of water was set in front of her. “Since you helped me to day, let me treat you to lunch here!” he said smiling sitting across from her at one of the seating booths.” Mizumi shook her head frantically. “ah no! it’s okay. As long as I helped you, it’s good enough. I wouldn’t want to impose…” Her stomach then made noises. “ah…hehe…” she laughed nervously. She says no, but her stomach says otherwise.
Masaki laughed. “it’s okay, don’t worry about it. Let me make you our house special for this week. It’s Ariake rice with a side of chinese dumplings.” Mizumi’s eyes widened with delight. “That sounds yummy!! Alright. Do you mind if I help you though? It wouldn’t me fair of me just to let someone cook for me with out me helping.” Masaki shook his head. “Just sit there and let me take care of it.” He smiled at her and she nodded in response as he went into the kitchen to fix her lunch.