Daddy's Little Girl
started: June 6, 2010
She looked so cute, sleeping there in the bucket seat. To wake her, or not to wake her? Nomiya pondered briefly, before his conscience (he was surprised that he HAD one) kicked in. Well, it wasn't the first time his self-control had been tested since he fell for this girl. He pulled the passenger of the red SUV open.
"Ayu," he said, shaking her shoulder gently. "Ayu, wake up. We're at your house." Somewhere between now and two months ago, he'd tried calling her first name…and didn't get a kick in the face, which he figured was a good sign.
Yamada blinked up at him. "Takumi-san?"
He'd been asking her for the longest time to address him using his first name, but she'd hesitated, and Nomiya thought she was still pining for another Takumi, that brat who'd flown to Spain with Rika-san. Recently, though, she'd started Nomiya "Takumi-san" all on her own.
It reassured him somehow; things were changing.
Yamada yawned. "I fell asleep again."
"You always do," he chuckled, reaching to her right side to unfasten her seatbelt. "Well, out you go." He stepped back to give her room.
"Thank you for the ride." She smoothed her hair back with her fingers.
"No problem. I'm sorry that Miwako's been pushing a lot of pottery orders on you lately."
"I don't mind at all! I'm really happy."
It was almost heart-breaking to see her. Her smile was so genuine, so innocent. Neither coy nor flirty. Not like the smiles of the superficial women he'd dated before. "Well, it's good to see you happy for a change," Nomiya teased, grinning at her.
Yamada blushed and looked away. "Ah, those times when I…acted childishly…before Takumi-san…I'm really sorry-" she stammered, but he was pulling her to him, kissing the top of her head.
"Didn't I say it before, Ayu? Whenever you feel down, I'll be there." He felt her relaxing, resting her cheek quietly against his chest.
The lights that suddenly beamed down from the apartment at the top of the Yamada liquor store surrounded the two.
"Is that you, Ayu?" barked the voice of Yamada's father, from the window.
Yamada instantly pulled back from Nomiya. "Y-y-yes!"
"Well, hurry up and get in the house! What time do you think it is?"
Flustered, she murmured a quick "Thank you! Good night!" to Nomiya before rushing into the store's side door.
Moments later, the second floor lights that seemed to glare accusingly at him were switched off. Nomiya sighed and started up the SUV's engine.
He hated not being the only one who called her Ayu.
Clink, clink, went the store's door chime.
"Welcome!" Yamada said, instinctively turning to face the counter. "Ah, it's you Takumi-san."
Nomiya grinned, then casually explored the shelves as he spoke. "The professor said it was your day off, so I figured you'd be here." He delighted in Yamada's blushing face. "Good timing, too."
"Goo-good?" Yamada stammered.
"Well, a former client invited me to a party at his home. I Thought I'd bring some sake. What would you recommend? Some of these, maybe?" He crouched before a shelf near the counter, where the rarer brands were displayed.
Yamada hurried beside him. "Is it a dinner party?"
"More like a late lunch."
She rubbed her chin for a moment. "Well, you wouldn't want the guests to be intoxicated that early in the day, so maybe something light." She crouched down as well, running a hand over the gleaming bottles. "We got some nice green tea sake a few days ago."
Nomiya sighed inwardly. There it was again, her adorable earnestness. It always got him thinking. The two of them were so close, almost touching, and hidden by the tall line of bottles, they were almost out of sight.
"Ayu?" Yamada's father's head poked out from the staff door behind the counter. "I thought I heard a customer come in - oh, its' you." Nomiya could've sworn there was a tinge of disgust in Mr. Yamada's voice. "Your name's Nomiya, eh?"
Nomiya stood up quickly and held out his hand. "Nice to see you here, Mr. Yamada. Ayu was just recommending some green tea sake - "
"I can't find it," Yamada said worriedly, looking up at him. "Dad, did we sell all of it?"
"The daiginjo?" With a grunt, Mr. Yamada turned back to the staff door. "Let me check the storage."
"Thanks!" Yamada called out as the door shut.
Nomiya retracted his outstretched hand. "Ayu, I may be imagining it, but…I don't think your father likes me coming into his store."
Ayu laughed in disbelief as she stood up. "Are you kidding? You're single-handedly increasingly our store sales each month. My dad LOVES it when you're here."
He raised both eyebrows. "Really?"
"Yes, really." Yamada nodded emphatically.
Then, is he that gruff with every person who goes here?, Nomiya wanted to ask, but the shop chime tinkled and Yamada had to greet the next customer.
Yamada hauled the heavy crate into the back of Nomiya's SUV with surprising ease. "Thanks for giving me a lift to the Fujiwara office, Takumi-san. When I brought the pieces home as I finished making each one, they didn't look like much, but now…."
"Not a problem," Nomiya shrugged, trying not to mind how cramped the inside of his car was.
"I almost forgot!" Yamada cried suddenly. "There's one more piece still in the house. Be right back."
Nomiya watched her rush inside on her long legs.
"Hey, it's you again." Yamada's father came around from the back of the store.
Never had Nomiya been so close to showing nervousness. "H-hi Mr. Yamada. I was just picking up Ayu…." When Mr. Yamada's face hardened at "picking up", Nomiya cleared his throat. "…Ayu's commissioned pottery for the agency."
Mr. Yamada grunted. "That so?" After an awkward pause, he said, "We just got a new infused sake. Come with me, it's at the back of the store."
Nomiya glanced uneasily at his SUV, then hesitantly followed Mr. Yamada's steps.
"Ah, here it is." With a slight "harrumph" Yamada's father opened a tall, elegant glass bottle. He put two tiny cups on the table and filled each to the brim. "Here, try it."
"Thank you." Keeping one eye on Mr. Yamada's face, Nomiya lifted the cup to his lips. "Well, bottoms up." He emptied the cup in one gulp. After the fire settled in his gut, he took a breath. "Very nice. Apple infusion?"
Mr. Yamada chuckled. "That's right." He too, had emptied his cup, and was now contemplatively rolling its edge on the table. "You know, my daughter made these cups."
Nomiya held the small, bowl-like piece up to the light. He should've recognized that delicate curve leading to the cup's lip. "I thought the workmanship looked familiar."
Mr. Yamada was now stoppering the glass bottle. "I worry about that girl. Some time ago she started getting really sad." He eyed Nomiya. "Said some friends of hers had gone to far-off places…the way she talked, it was like she'd never see them again. Sometimes I'd catch her staring off into space, even in the store."
Is he talking about Mayama? Nomiya wondered.
Mr. Yamda braced his arms on the table. "And then she starts showing up here with you."
Nomiya fought the urge to gulp nervously.
"I've seen her get all jumpy when you're in our store. And she talks about you non-stop. Nomiya this, Nomiya that. She's so upbeat sometimes, wonder if it's really my Ayu. So you know what I think?" Mr. Yamada shoved his face close to Nomiya.
Nomiya smiled fearfully.
"I THINK," Mr. Yamada continued,"that you've been really good to Ayu." He pulled back, his expression now calm. "I'd been wondering how long that gloomy mood of hers would go on for. Now I don't worry anymore."
Sighing with relief, Nomiya attempted a laugh to hide the fact that his heart had almost stopped.
"So, you let me know when you're dropping by, eh? We could use a taste tester to try out our new bottles before they hit the shelves."
"Sounds good." Just then, Nomiya's phone rang. Yamada was calling. "Well, I better get going. Thanks again, Mr. Yamada."
"You're plenty welcome. And by the way…." Mr. Yamada crossed his muscular arms over his chest. "If you ever make my daughter cry, I'll kill you."
"Takumi-san! I was getting worried," Yamada said, looking up at Nomiya.
"I'm sorry. Your dad dragged me into the storage room to try some sake."
Yamada's eyes widened. "He did?" She looked Nomiya over, head to toe. "But you're in one piece! How do you feel? Did he say anything to you?"
Nomiya laughed softly, pulling her close. "I just had a drink with your father. That's all." He patted her shoulders. "Come on, we have to go."
"Well, that means I was right, wasn't I?" Yamada said inside the car, as she fastened her seatbelt.
"Right about what?"
"My dad DOES like you."
"Then what was that about me being in one piece?"
Yamada paused. Looking out the window, she laughed nervously.
Nomiya let out a groan of disbelief as he turned the car out onto the road.
Ended March 27, 2011