Take Two-Chapter Two
Author: Bitz
Title: After a Long Day of Work
Rating: Teen
Pistachio #21. a picnic
Green Tea #27. give me a moment
Honeydew #7. rude gesture
Topping/Extra: N/A
Story: Take Two and Call Me in the Morning- Chapter 2
Summary: Aija heads to M'Kya's picnic party and has various memories while Hikaru heads home to visit with his mother
Characters: Aija, M'Kya, Reggie, Teanna, Hikaru, Chinatsu
Word Count: 2974
A/N: A chapter that I wrote for NaNo
Breathing a sigh of the fresh brisk Seattle air, Aija relaxed in her car for a moment or so before reaching over to start the engine of her car. As she let the engine hum for a minute, she looked over at the building after hearing voices behind her. A group of four doctors lead by Mizuno-sama were walking out and heading towards the parking lot. Immediately Aija’s eyes locked on to Dr. Mizuno who was in the back. “My goodness that is a beautiful specimen of a man…” She whispered to herself. As if he heard every word she said, the young doctor turned his head and stared straight at her.
Aija boldly stared back and after a moment, Dr. Mizuno gave a slight frown before heading toward his car behind the doctors. Aija shrugged and then put her car in drive, heading to her next destination. M’Kya’s friend, Teanna was having a barbecue get-together at their apartment and Aija had been invited. So she drove down interstate 5 heading that way. Aija smiled as she saw the glowing lights of downtown Seattle. She had moved there about 4 months ago and she was happy that she was finally getting used to getting around the new city she had never been in before. She remembered the situation of how she came down here.
6 Months Ago
“Seattle?” Aija asked, confused.
“Yea, gurl! My homegurl that I grew up with…her name Teanna. She wants me to come down there to stay with her in her new apartment.” M’Kya replied, blowing on her freshly painted nails.
Aija still couldn’t grasp what M’Kya was saying. “So, you are just going to drop everything and go?”
M’Kya scoffed. “Well, yea! She’s my homegurl! I can’t just leave her hanging.”
Aija couldn’t block out the sting of that stab to the heart. “Well then, damn…I guess you don’t have anything to worry about. No friends down here or anything like that.” She had been M’Kya’s best friend since early high school so this was fresh news to her.
Her friend rolled her eyes at Aija’s words. “Oh, come on now, Aija! You know you my gurl too.”
Aija nodded silently and then M’Kya’s face lit up. “You know wut? You should come with me.” She said.
“To Seattle? With you?” At Kya’s nod, Aija fidgeted with her fingers. “What about your friend? Don’t you have to ask her first?” She asked.
“Yea. But I don’t think it will be a big deal. I’ll call her tho.” Aija stared at her best friend as she finished her nails, not sure about the situation presented to her.
“What if she says yes? You want to?” M’Kya stared back at Aija; her eyes almost pleading with her to go. All Aija could do at the moment was sigh.
In the end, Aija had agreed and had traveled with M’Kya all the way to Seattle in her car. It was a good car trip where they had the chance to bond and make memories on the way. But when they got there, she was put on the back burner as Kya made a fuss over her “homegurl”.
Aija then put things into her own hands. First off, she decided that she wasn’t going to stay with M’Kya and Teanna. She felt like she was a grown woman and grown women take care of their own. She decided to get a condo and asked her father, Derrick to help her out until she got a job.
“A condo all by yourself in Seattle?” He asked when she had called him on the phone.
“Yes, Daddy. If you don’t mind helping me with it, I will find a job and pay you back when I can.” Aija said in a honest voice.
Her father sighed; it was not easy on him to think of his only daughter by herself in a unknown city. But he knew that she needed to learn how to be her own person and so answered, “No need. I’ll take care of the payments until you can do it yourself. But… Little Girl, you are sure about this?”
Aija smiled at his nickname for her and said, “Yes, Daddy. Please don’t worry and don’t send a guy from your police force to come and watch over me either!” Derrick chuckled at his daughter’s wit and Aija giggled hearing him snap in the background. “Dang, you got me, Little Girl. All right. Be expecting money in your account soon.”
“I’ll be sure to check. Thank you, Daddy.” Aija said, smiling from ear to ear.
“You are truly welcome, Little Girl. You take care of yourself and if you EVER need me for anything, I will come down there, all right?”
“I will, Daddy.” Aija could feel tears welling in her eyes as she felt the love for her father overflowing. “I love you the best.”
“I love you the most, baby. Goodbye.”
So with her father’s help, Aija was able to find a nice condo and even some great furniture to go with it. But right away, she looked for a job. The need to be independent was just too strong. That’s how she found herself at the doctors’ offices of Ryutaro Mizuno, Hikaru Mizuno, Andrew Carter and Christopher Dunn. She had previous administrative abilities and felt that this would be a good job to sustain her. So far so good despite Hikaru’s brush off of her earlier.
Even though she had said yes, Aija felt the feeling of discomfort grow with each mile she drove. The nice buildings she drove past soon gave way to run down apartment buildings and she grimaced. The last time she had seen buildings like this…
It was when she was passed out on the bed and the front door sounded like it was being broken down…
Aija shook her head at the sudden thought and then pulled into a ramshackled apartment complex. She drove down to the destination looking around. Everywhere there was the same image. Either men outside smoking blunts, ladies wearing less than nothing or kids walking around in diapers looking dirty. “Damn shame really…” Aija muttered as she turned her car into a parking space. Music was blasting outside when she got out of her car. She took her sunglasses off, meeting the light of the setting sun, before walking to Teanna’s apartment on the first floor. A random guy sitting outside of the door, drinking a beer, eyed Aija’s curvy body covered in her white blouse and her tan pencil skirt and before Aija could go inside, grabbed her hand and said, “Say, what’s up, Ma?”
Frowning, Aija wrenched her hand away from the man, her usual demeanor melting away and revealing a side of her that she rarely let be seen.
“Get the hell off of me, nigga! You don’t know me like that!”
The man scowled and exclaimed, “Damn, bitch! Get the hell on then! You too good for a brother to talk to you?”
“With my standards, I guess so! Just drink your fucking beer and have a good night.” When she walked inside the home, she immediately went toward the back because she knew that’s where everybody would be. She was correct. Everybody was outside hanging around the backyard eating and dancing. Aija’s eyes scanned for M’Kya and seeing a mini dress covered sista, she knew she had found her.
M’Kya turned around and once seeing Aija, she smiled wide and said, “Hey, Gurlie! Come on in here! You just get off of work?”
Aija nodded, giving her friend a hug. “Yes, ma’am. That barbecue smells so good.”
M’Kya motioned to the table saying, “Well, go help yourself, babe. That’s what it’s out here for.” Aija turned to walk to the table. “All right, I’ll be back.” She walked to the elongated table covered in everything she loved. Barbecue, fried chicken, cole slaw…you name it they looked like they had it. Aija pulled a paper plate from the stack and was about to grab some Macaroni and cheese when she noticed a woman across the table from her. Once glance at the yellow micro braids, let her know that it was M’Kya’s other best friend. She looked up as well.
“Oh. Hey, what’s up?” Teanna greeted quietly.
“Hey.” Aija greeted back. The two women regarded each other silently before each reaching to get some kind of food. They weren’t too fond of each other and personally, Aija preferred it that way. Teanna didn’t like Aija because she thought Aija was a goody goody, which might have been but she didn’t mind being what she was.
After sitting back down, Aija ate her food quietly watching the chatting and dancing around her. She waited for M’Kya to come and sit next to her for a few moments, but soon the moments turned into an hour and then she realized that she was either going to have to get up to find M’Kya or just go ahead and go home. As she got up to throw away her plate, she saw M’Kya slow dancing with the same guy that was waiting in front of the apartment. “You’ve got to be kidding.” She muttered.
When she threw her plate away and came up to them, the guy gave a big sleazy grin that made Aija stop in her tracks. “I see you came around, gurl. You wanna dance with me next?” He asked, after gripping M’Kya’s ass cheek almost possessively. Aija wrinkled her nose up at the action and shook her head.
“Um…I’m going to pass on that one.” She answered strongly.
M’Kya turned her head and looked at Aija. “Oh hey, gurl! This is Reggie. Reggie, this is my homegurl, Aija.” Reggie licked his lips and then said, “Mmm…Aija. It’s my pleasure.” Aija scoffed and then began putting her purse on her shoulder. Aija just gave her one look and said, “I’m leaving.” M’Kya frowned in confusion asking, “What for? You just got here.” Aija now gave her a look of disbelief and then walked back inside the house towards the front door.
Her heels sounding on the sidewalk mixed with another’s and she heard M’Kya yelling, “Wait! Aija! Stop!” Aija took a deep breath of patience and turned around, seeing M’Kya and her still confused face. “What’s with you, gurl? Weren’t you having fun?”
“You’re serious? What kind of fun are you talking about? Me sitting by myself eating at a party that you invited me to? Or, damn must have been when I was stood up by my best friend so that she could dance with the biggest scrub of the party!” Aija exclaimed, motioning towards the apartment.
M’Kya looked offended. “You don’t know what you’re talking about! Reggie be getting his paper, boo. You don’t have any right to talk about him like that.”
Aija couldn’t believe her ears. “See, just the fact that you ignored how I felt to talk about some man I barely know speaks volumes, Kya. I thought I meant more than that.” She turned to walk to her car but then felt a hand on her wrist.
“Wait. I’m sorry, Aija. I should have been there for you. That was messed up of me. I’m sorry, ok?” Kya said, sincerely with her hand over her heart. “It’s ok. You looked like you were having fun.” Aija said, holding on to her car keys.
“So you don’t want to come back in?” Kya asked with a smile. Aija shook her head with a soft smile of her own
“I’m tired from work and I’m just ready to get the hell home.”
“All right then. Maybe I’ll come and hang out with you tomorrow at lunch time.”
Aija smiled; this was the M’Kya she knew. “That sounds good. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
The two friends hugged and as she did, Aija looked up seeing Reggie waiting in the doorway. He stared straight at Aija with a look of hunger and bit the corner of his lip. Aija release from the embrace and headed to the car. When she backed out, she couldn’t have pressed the gas harder. She wanted rocket fuel to get out that hellhole.
*******
Before heading to his home, Hikaru stopped by his parents’ house. He stopped his gray Aston Martin AM 310 Vanquish in the driveway then got out and walked up to the door. Once inside, he removed his shoes and put on his slippers that his mother always had out for him. He smirked. Even though his family lived in America, they were firm on their Japanese customs. Everywhere reminded him of back home in Japan. It was like he was teleported there. He walked inside the living room, scanning the vastness and the glass window while yelling out, “Taidama! I’m home!”
“Konnichiwa. Hello, my son. How was work?” Hikaru’s mother, Chinatsu asked him as she walked in from the master bedroom.”
“It was the same as usual. Sick people, diagnosis, medicine, send them on their way.” Hikaru drawled out as he sat down on a white couch. “It just gets boring after a while, Kaa-san.” Chi nodded; she hated to see her son so down. “So nothing new happened huh? Well, maybe next time.” She said cheerfully. Hikaru couldn’t help but smile along with his mother. She always had such a sunny disposition.
“There was a new receptionist today though. I think her name was Aija.” Hikaru said then, surprising himself with the remembrance of the girl. Chinatsu didn’t miss the way her son’s face changed and asked, “Pretty girl, I assume?” Hikaru thought. Aija wasn’t ugly, that was for sure. She had been professionally dressed and her hair was in a tight bun. Her eyes were bold and striking. Sure, she was beautiful but what Hikaru remember the best was her spirited personality.
She was mannered yet didn’t back down from any of his words. He knew he wasn’t the nicest either, but she had kept her cool and for some strange reason, Hikaru admired her for that.
“She was lovely, I admit Mother.” Hikaru answered finally and Chinatsu smiled. She was ready for her oldest to start getting his life together and as such was always asking him about women he came across. Hikaru didn’t mind, but if his mother knew only half of the things he did in the life…
She’d probably disown me. He thought to himself and then decided to change the subject.
“Asami? How is she?” He asked, grabbing a magazine. Chinatsu smiled. “She’s well. She should be coming home for spring break.” Hikaru’s younger sister, Asami was going to school in Princeston. She, like Hikaru was a shining star in their parents’ eyes.
“Ah, that’s good. I can’t wait to see her.”
“She can’t wait to see you too. Is your father on his way home?”
“Oh, no. Meeting with the Board.”
“Oh, that’s right. I guess I’ll start dinner for him. Are you staying to eat?”
Hikaru shook his head. “No, Kaa. I have to meet somebody tonight.” At his mother’s raised eyebrows he added, “A friend.” Chinatsu seemed satisfied with that answer and Hikaru got up saying” I’m going to my room for a bit. See you later.” His mother nodded then got up to go to the kitchen and Hikaru headed upstairs to his old room. Being one of the only two children Ryu and Chi had, Hikaru’s room had never been used for anything else and neither had his sister’s. Hikaru didn’t sleep in it much; just naps, but he usually came up so that he could de-stress and relax.
He sat on his bed and for a moment just looked around the college style bedroom. His mother had decorated it- she put pictures of him and his friends on the walls and the desk. He got up and picked up a frame that had a picture of him and his best friend, Takumi. They had lived together in Japan and usually did everything together. He and his girlfriend Briseis were together still from what he knew and whenever he called him, Takumi sounded happy.
Happiness.
Such an emotion was foreign to Hikaru now. The only ones he knew were stress, fatigue and more often than not, anger. Anger that he was here, anger at his father and anger that he was at the career level that he was. But in his mind, there was nothing he could do about it.
“You are the one who will take up this business after me, Hikaru. Do not forget that.” He heard his father’s voice echoing in his head. He growled in frustration and then picked up his phone and dialed a number. After a few rings he heard a woman answer.
“Hey, are you ready?”
When she answered yes, Hikaru smiled wide and he began to leave the bedroom, but not before saying, “I’m on the way.” He heard giggling and then her agreement and headed down stairs. “Hold on.” He walked in the kitchen, kissed his mother goodbye and then ordered “I’ll be there in fifteen. Be sure you are naked when I get there.”
Title: After a Long Day of Work
Rating: Teen
Pistachio #21. a picnic
Green Tea #27. give me a moment
Honeydew #7. rude gesture
Topping/Extra: N/A
Story: Take Two and Call Me in the Morning- Chapter 2
Summary: Aija heads to M'Kya's picnic party and has various memories while Hikaru heads home to visit with his mother
Characters: Aija, M'Kya, Reggie, Teanna, Hikaru, Chinatsu
Word Count: 2974
A/N: A chapter that I wrote for NaNo
Breathing a sigh of the fresh brisk Seattle air, Aija relaxed in her car for a moment or so before reaching over to start the engine of her car. As she let the engine hum for a minute, she looked over at the building after hearing voices behind her. A group of four doctors lead by Mizuno-sama were walking out and heading towards the parking lot. Immediately Aija’s eyes locked on to Dr. Mizuno who was in the back. “My goodness that is a beautiful specimen of a man…” She whispered to herself. As if he heard every word she said, the young doctor turned his head and stared straight at her.
Aija boldly stared back and after a moment, Dr. Mizuno gave a slight frown before heading toward his car behind the doctors. Aija shrugged and then put her car in drive, heading to her next destination. M’Kya’s friend, Teanna was having a barbecue get-together at their apartment and Aija had been invited. So she drove down interstate 5 heading that way. Aija smiled as she saw the glowing lights of downtown Seattle. She had moved there about 4 months ago and she was happy that she was finally getting used to getting around the new city she had never been in before. She remembered the situation of how she came down here.
6 Months Ago
“Seattle?” Aija asked, confused.
“Yea, gurl! My homegurl that I grew up with…her name Teanna. She wants me to come down there to stay with her in her new apartment.” M’Kya replied, blowing on her freshly painted nails.
Aija still couldn’t grasp what M’Kya was saying. “So, you are just going to drop everything and go?”
M’Kya scoffed. “Well, yea! She’s my homegurl! I can’t just leave her hanging.”
Aija couldn’t block out the sting of that stab to the heart. “Well then, damn…I guess you don’t have anything to worry about. No friends down here or anything like that.” She had been M’Kya’s best friend since early high school so this was fresh news to her.
Her friend rolled her eyes at Aija’s words. “Oh, come on now, Aija! You know you my gurl too.”
Aija nodded silently and then M’Kya’s face lit up. “You know wut? You should come with me.” She said.
“To Seattle? With you?” At Kya’s nod, Aija fidgeted with her fingers. “What about your friend? Don’t you have to ask her first?” She asked.
“Yea. But I don’t think it will be a big deal. I’ll call her tho.” Aija stared at her best friend as she finished her nails, not sure about the situation presented to her.
“What if she says yes? You want to?” M’Kya stared back at Aija; her eyes almost pleading with her to go. All Aija could do at the moment was sigh.
In the end, Aija had agreed and had traveled with M’Kya all the way to Seattle in her car. It was a good car trip where they had the chance to bond and make memories on the way. But when they got there, she was put on the back burner as Kya made a fuss over her “homegurl”.
Aija then put things into her own hands. First off, she decided that she wasn’t going to stay with M’Kya and Teanna. She felt like she was a grown woman and grown women take care of their own. She decided to get a condo and asked her father, Derrick to help her out until she got a job.
“A condo all by yourself in Seattle?” He asked when she had called him on the phone.
“Yes, Daddy. If you don’t mind helping me with it, I will find a job and pay you back when I can.” Aija said in a honest voice.
Her father sighed; it was not easy on him to think of his only daughter by herself in a unknown city. But he knew that she needed to learn how to be her own person and so answered, “No need. I’ll take care of the payments until you can do it yourself. But… Little Girl, you are sure about this?”
Aija smiled at his nickname for her and said, “Yes, Daddy. Please don’t worry and don’t send a guy from your police force to come and watch over me either!” Derrick chuckled at his daughter’s wit and Aija giggled hearing him snap in the background. “Dang, you got me, Little Girl. All right. Be expecting money in your account soon.”
“I’ll be sure to check. Thank you, Daddy.” Aija said, smiling from ear to ear.
“You are truly welcome, Little Girl. You take care of yourself and if you EVER need me for anything, I will come down there, all right?”
“I will, Daddy.” Aija could feel tears welling in her eyes as she felt the love for her father overflowing. “I love you the best.”
“I love you the most, baby. Goodbye.”
So with her father’s help, Aija was able to find a nice condo and even some great furniture to go with it. But right away, she looked for a job. The need to be independent was just too strong. That’s how she found herself at the doctors’ offices of Ryutaro Mizuno, Hikaru Mizuno, Andrew Carter and Christopher Dunn. She had previous administrative abilities and felt that this would be a good job to sustain her. So far so good despite Hikaru’s brush off of her earlier.
Even though she had said yes, Aija felt the feeling of discomfort grow with each mile she drove. The nice buildings she drove past soon gave way to run down apartment buildings and she grimaced. The last time she had seen buildings like this…
It was when she was passed out on the bed and the front door sounded like it was being broken down…
Aija shook her head at the sudden thought and then pulled into a ramshackled apartment complex. She drove down to the destination looking around. Everywhere there was the same image. Either men outside smoking blunts, ladies wearing less than nothing or kids walking around in diapers looking dirty. “Damn shame really…” Aija muttered as she turned her car into a parking space. Music was blasting outside when she got out of her car. She took her sunglasses off, meeting the light of the setting sun, before walking to Teanna’s apartment on the first floor. A random guy sitting outside of the door, drinking a beer, eyed Aija’s curvy body covered in her white blouse and her tan pencil skirt and before Aija could go inside, grabbed her hand and said, “Say, what’s up, Ma?”
Frowning, Aija wrenched her hand away from the man, her usual demeanor melting away and revealing a side of her that she rarely let be seen.
“Get the hell off of me, nigga! You don’t know me like that!”
The man scowled and exclaimed, “Damn, bitch! Get the hell on then! You too good for a brother to talk to you?”
“With my standards, I guess so! Just drink your fucking beer and have a good night.” When she walked inside the home, she immediately went toward the back because she knew that’s where everybody would be. She was correct. Everybody was outside hanging around the backyard eating and dancing. Aija’s eyes scanned for M’Kya and seeing a mini dress covered sista, she knew she had found her.
M’Kya turned around and once seeing Aija, she smiled wide and said, “Hey, Gurlie! Come on in here! You just get off of work?”
Aija nodded, giving her friend a hug. “Yes, ma’am. That barbecue smells so good.”
M’Kya motioned to the table saying, “Well, go help yourself, babe. That’s what it’s out here for.” Aija turned to walk to the table. “All right, I’ll be back.” She walked to the elongated table covered in everything she loved. Barbecue, fried chicken, cole slaw…you name it they looked like they had it. Aija pulled a paper plate from the stack and was about to grab some Macaroni and cheese when she noticed a woman across the table from her. Once glance at the yellow micro braids, let her know that it was M’Kya’s other best friend. She looked up as well.
“Oh. Hey, what’s up?” Teanna greeted quietly.
“Hey.” Aija greeted back. The two women regarded each other silently before each reaching to get some kind of food. They weren’t too fond of each other and personally, Aija preferred it that way. Teanna didn’t like Aija because she thought Aija was a goody goody, which might have been but she didn’t mind being what she was.
After sitting back down, Aija ate her food quietly watching the chatting and dancing around her. She waited for M’Kya to come and sit next to her for a few moments, but soon the moments turned into an hour and then she realized that she was either going to have to get up to find M’Kya or just go ahead and go home. As she got up to throw away her plate, she saw M’Kya slow dancing with the same guy that was waiting in front of the apartment. “You’ve got to be kidding.” She muttered.
When she threw her plate away and came up to them, the guy gave a big sleazy grin that made Aija stop in her tracks. “I see you came around, gurl. You wanna dance with me next?” He asked, after gripping M’Kya’s ass cheek almost possessively. Aija wrinkled her nose up at the action and shook her head.
“Um…I’m going to pass on that one.” She answered strongly.
M’Kya turned her head and looked at Aija. “Oh hey, gurl! This is Reggie. Reggie, this is my homegurl, Aija.” Reggie licked his lips and then said, “Mmm…Aija. It’s my pleasure.” Aija scoffed and then began putting her purse on her shoulder. Aija just gave her one look and said, “I’m leaving.” M’Kya frowned in confusion asking, “What for? You just got here.” Aija now gave her a look of disbelief and then walked back inside the house towards the front door.
Her heels sounding on the sidewalk mixed with another’s and she heard M’Kya yelling, “Wait! Aija! Stop!” Aija took a deep breath of patience and turned around, seeing M’Kya and her still confused face. “What’s with you, gurl? Weren’t you having fun?”
“You’re serious? What kind of fun are you talking about? Me sitting by myself eating at a party that you invited me to? Or, damn must have been when I was stood up by my best friend so that she could dance with the biggest scrub of the party!” Aija exclaimed, motioning towards the apartment.
M’Kya looked offended. “You don’t know what you’re talking about! Reggie be getting his paper, boo. You don’t have any right to talk about him like that.”
Aija couldn’t believe her ears. “See, just the fact that you ignored how I felt to talk about some man I barely know speaks volumes, Kya. I thought I meant more than that.” She turned to walk to her car but then felt a hand on her wrist.
“Wait. I’m sorry, Aija. I should have been there for you. That was messed up of me. I’m sorry, ok?” Kya said, sincerely with her hand over her heart. “It’s ok. You looked like you were having fun.” Aija said, holding on to her car keys.
“So you don’t want to come back in?” Kya asked with a smile. Aija shook her head with a soft smile of her own
“I’m tired from work and I’m just ready to get the hell home.”
“All right then. Maybe I’ll come and hang out with you tomorrow at lunch time.”
Aija smiled; this was the M’Kya she knew. “That sounds good. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
The two friends hugged and as she did, Aija looked up seeing Reggie waiting in the doorway. He stared straight at Aija with a look of hunger and bit the corner of his lip. Aija release from the embrace and headed to the car. When she backed out, she couldn’t have pressed the gas harder. She wanted rocket fuel to get out that hellhole.
*******
Before heading to his home, Hikaru stopped by his parents’ house. He stopped his gray Aston Martin AM 310 Vanquish in the driveway then got out and walked up to the door. Once inside, he removed his shoes and put on his slippers that his mother always had out for him. He smirked. Even though his family lived in America, they were firm on their Japanese customs. Everywhere reminded him of back home in Japan. It was like he was teleported there. He walked inside the living room, scanning the vastness and the glass window while yelling out, “Taidama! I’m home!”
“Konnichiwa. Hello, my son. How was work?” Hikaru’s mother, Chinatsu asked him as she walked in from the master bedroom.”
“It was the same as usual. Sick people, diagnosis, medicine, send them on their way.” Hikaru drawled out as he sat down on a white couch. “It just gets boring after a while, Kaa-san.” Chi nodded; she hated to see her son so down. “So nothing new happened huh? Well, maybe next time.” She said cheerfully. Hikaru couldn’t help but smile along with his mother. She always had such a sunny disposition.
“There was a new receptionist today though. I think her name was Aija.” Hikaru said then, surprising himself with the remembrance of the girl. Chinatsu didn’t miss the way her son’s face changed and asked, “Pretty girl, I assume?” Hikaru thought. Aija wasn’t ugly, that was for sure. She had been professionally dressed and her hair was in a tight bun. Her eyes were bold and striking. Sure, she was beautiful but what Hikaru remember the best was her spirited personality.
She was mannered yet didn’t back down from any of his words. He knew he wasn’t the nicest either, but she had kept her cool and for some strange reason, Hikaru admired her for that.
“She was lovely, I admit Mother.” Hikaru answered finally and Chinatsu smiled. She was ready for her oldest to start getting his life together and as such was always asking him about women he came across. Hikaru didn’t mind, but if his mother knew only half of the things he did in the life…
She’d probably disown me. He thought to himself and then decided to change the subject.
“Asami? How is she?” He asked, grabbing a magazine. Chinatsu smiled. “She’s well. She should be coming home for spring break.” Hikaru’s younger sister, Asami was going to school in Princeston. She, like Hikaru was a shining star in their parents’ eyes.
“Ah, that’s good. I can’t wait to see her.”
“She can’t wait to see you too. Is your father on his way home?”
“Oh, no. Meeting with the Board.”
“Oh, that’s right. I guess I’ll start dinner for him. Are you staying to eat?”
Hikaru shook his head. “No, Kaa. I have to meet somebody tonight.” At his mother’s raised eyebrows he added, “A friend.” Chinatsu seemed satisfied with that answer and Hikaru got up saying” I’m going to my room for a bit. See you later.” His mother nodded then got up to go to the kitchen and Hikaru headed upstairs to his old room. Being one of the only two children Ryu and Chi had, Hikaru’s room had never been used for anything else and neither had his sister’s. Hikaru didn’t sleep in it much; just naps, but he usually came up so that he could de-stress and relax.
He sat on his bed and for a moment just looked around the college style bedroom. His mother had decorated it- she put pictures of him and his friends on the walls and the desk. He got up and picked up a frame that had a picture of him and his best friend, Takumi. They had lived together in Japan and usually did everything together. He and his girlfriend Briseis were together still from what he knew and whenever he called him, Takumi sounded happy.
Happiness.
Such an emotion was foreign to Hikaru now. The only ones he knew were stress, fatigue and more often than not, anger. Anger that he was here, anger at his father and anger that he was at the career level that he was. But in his mind, there was nothing he could do about it.
“You are the one who will take up this business after me, Hikaru. Do not forget that.” He heard his father’s voice echoing in his head. He growled in frustration and then picked up his phone and dialed a number. After a few rings he heard a woman answer.
“Hey, are you ready?”
When she answered yes, Hikaru smiled wide and he began to leave the bedroom, but not before saying, “I’m on the way.” He heard giggling and then her agreement and headed down stairs. “Hold on.” He walked in the kitchen, kissed his mother goodbye and then ordered “I’ll be there in fifteen. Be sure you are naked when I get there.”