In the absence of sickness, life is but one continuous breath, punctuated with smiles and laughter.
She pondered at the words etched in bronze at the foot of a statue of the man responsible for the pediatric intensive care unit of the hospital. Pictures of him hung in every main hallway of the hospital, and each wing was named after his children and grandchildren. Never had she heard names such as Apollo, Artemis, Antonius or Leto beyond Greek mythology texts, and it was quite amusing to hear these names on the paging system in Japanese staccato. If a man wanted to name all his children after mythological characters, so be it. And if he wanted to donate half his fortune to charity, all the better to leave his legacy with the names of his progeny in each foyer.
Outside the west wing of the pediatric ward, a small smile graced the brooding face of the hidden audience of the man playing La vie en rose on his accordion,on his favorite bench by the west lawn. With the notes that floated sweetly through the air, it was hard to believe that the hands that played them were old and arthritic, with gray hair and a soft wrinkle that betrayed many years of smiling. He was one of the patients in the hospital whose outlook in life she admired from a distance. The man lived as if he never knew he had cancer.
Just like his song.
She sighed.
Blink.
Be positive, be positive…The changing colors of the foliage around the hospital reminded her of how beautiful autumn could be, with leaves that turned to warm red-brown colors as they senesced. It would be cold again soon, and she wondered if by the time the mercury falls a dozen degrees she would find what she was looking for. A breeze swept the courtyard and untucked locks of hair from behind her ears, a hand absently replacing a lock of hair behind one ear, her eyes remaining fixed to no particular point past the trees.
If she could just get through this day, and another and the next after that, she could hold onto hope.
She would belong again.
"Dr. Shirakawa to the green wing, please. Dr. Shirakawa to the green wing."
Pushing off the wall she was leaning against, she sighed as she straightened her posture and brushed the dust off her white coat. Quiet breaks like these were so difficult to enjoy with interruption. For a split second as she turned to the entrance, she was caught in a surreal moment, as if she was in a dream and knew it, only to find out that the stethoscope about her neck and the clinic attire she wore underneath her white coat were all too real. Shaking her head softly, the calm visage that rarely showed itself during the day easily slipped behind a mask of sterile professionalism she's been taught to wear since the early days of her medical training. Stepping through the sliding doors, she strode to the nurses' station where two nurses handed her several papers and a patient's file.
"She's being prepped for the bone marrow transplant. The T cell count is still sky high, and Dr. Kubo wants you to let him know when you want another sample."
"Thank you, Nitta-san." She paused to look through the recent lab work, leaning against the nurses' station desk.
"No problem, hon. Oh, by the way, the girls are wondering if you want to join us for karaoke two Fridays from now. It's Mika-chan's birthday, and—uh oh… lecherous devil in ten paces." Her voice got so low that she lifted her eyes from the file in time to see all the other nurses grimace and scurry away from the approaching predator.
"Well, if it isn't the most beautiful doctor in this hospital," a low voice boomed. Dr. Shirakawa winced and willed herself to remain civil. Dr. Ito, the egotist, the verging-on-pathological narcissist that ever walked the floors of the hospital. If not the planet. When she ignored him, the man stepped right in front of her with a leering smile. She wished she had eyes on the back of her head and didn't have to rely on other people to tell her he was so close on the prowl.
"What are you doing this evening?"
Sharpening a wooden stake so I can drive it through your left fourth and fifth ribs…
"I have a shift till seven in the morning," she said in a tone as close to neutral as possible.
The man sighed. "That's too bad. I wanted to save you from the mundane of this hospital life and take you to this really good restaurant downtown, and—"
"Pardon me, Dr. Ito, but Dr. Kubo is expecting me right now, I have to go."
He quirked a brow and flashed a sardonic grin. "Surely you don't find that old man more interesting than me?"
She had enough of playing games. "The only thing old about Dr. Kubo is the good values every gentleman should have." She picked up the file and replaced her pen in her coat pocket. "It seems that you have much to learn from him. Good day, Dr. Ito."
She walked away from the nurses' station with her previous company staring agape at her back and the nurses behind the station snickering with newfound respect for the youngest doctor on the floor.
Dr. Shirakawa did not get past the elevators without the old patient in room five waiting for her to flash her a grin and a wink, complete with oxygen tank and nasal tubing. He raised a shaky hand at the doctor, and said with an even shakier voice, "How 'bout a five for this old fart?"
The ice seemed to melt from her features from the previous lecherous company and warmed up to the elderly man. She clapped her hand gently against his arthritic one, elating the old man with a grin from ear to ear.
"Go on and save the world, my dear!" he cheered as she walked past him and into a waiting elevator.
"I'm not Superman!" she cracked a grin as the doors closed him out of view. A man who constantly forgot to take his tranquilizer pills… she couldn't blame him for getting delusional.
The hematology floor was shared by the physical medicine wing of the main hospital, where many of the patients spent their time learning how to use their muscles again, anywhere from a minor sprain to hip replacements to multiple fractures. The nurses there knew her as well, and she was the favorite hushed topic of the male physical therapists of the floor. If it hadn't been for the nurses divulging the secret that there was a long-going bet on which of the therapists would succeed in asking her out on a date, she would've continued to be the amiable, clueless coworker at the hospital. Putting up with Dr. Ito more than tested her patience, and being a part of a silly wager wasn't her hobby. She didn't understand why of all the women in the hospital, she was being singled out by unwanted attention. What happened to the nurse fetish? It made her want to hide under a rock.
Finally arriving at her destination, she paused to scan her surroundings for any sign of Ito. He was just as persistent as he was grandiosely stubborn, and she didn't put it past him to sneak around and follow her around the hospital. He had done it before. For a split second, she suddenly wished Dr. Kubo was a lot younger and handsome, if only to deter unwanted attention. Approaching the door, she wondered, with the exception of the old doctor she was about to see, if there was something wrong with the water or the ventilation system of the hospital they were in. Such behavior from the men in the building couldn't be normal, and giving so much attention to a normal, fully clothed person like her made no sense.
It could be an epidemic of psychosis…
She smiled.
Knock.
"Come in."
Swiveling from his leather chair, Dr. Kubo smiled he saw his youngest protégée walk into his office. There was a slight crease on her brow that betrayed annoyance.
"What is it, dear? It's rather unbecoming of someone so young to show scorn."
Her brow eased at the comment and with a sigh she plopped down on the chair in front of his desk. "Not something. Someone."
Dr. Kubo's face twisted. "Ito?"
"You got it. He just doesn't understand the word 'no', and all the nurses avoid him like the plague." She closed her eyes and rubbed at a temple. "I have a mind to hire a hitman."
Her elder companion laughed. "I doubt you'd have to hire anyone, plenty of people in this hospital would do it for free." When this elicited a smile from her, he waved subject off. "Anyway, he's small beans when it comes to what we have on our hands." He turned to his computer and opened a window showing a blood smear, with large cells of blue with big, dark purple nuclei. "Little Maya will be going through a lot today with the transplant, a lot of people will be holding their breaths for her. Including me," he added, sighing. "But… I believe that she'll pull through fine, since she's young and the leukemia was caught early enough… what say you, my budding colleague?"
She paused to chew on the inside of her lip. "You always told me to trust my instincts, and I'm with you on this. After all, you're the only one I really trust around here. You, and the nurses."
The old doctor was tickled, grinning as he saved the file and leaned back in his chair. "Your medical intuition supercedes your youth, my dear. You need not worry too much about Ito, I will make sure the leash gets pulled on him. Just beware that a dog can still snap at you even with a leash on."
He got up from his chair, opened his desk drawer and pulled out a lens cloth. "Oh, guess who asked about you the other day?" he asked, taking off his glasses and cleaning them.
"The lottery commission telling me I won millions?"
He laughed. "Remember my classmate from medical school, Genzai? He wanted to know if there was a Megumi who worked at this hospital. At first I denied it, but after describing you to the tee, I told him your name was Shirakawa Kasumi, and he laughed and told me he must've confused your name with your sister's… I didn't know you had a sister."
A small grin bent her lips at the thought of Dr. Genzai and the name he called her. Only a handful of people knew her real name, if only her first name, and she vowed that only those people would ever know it. Dr. Genzai was a family friend who kept in touch regularly with her folks, long before she was left alone in the world. She was silently grateful and relieved that Dr. Genzai discreetly covered up for the slip of his tongue. It took her a long time to assume a new name and get to where she was now in her medical career, and it wouldn't do to have to start all over again, not when she was making money at a rate steady enough to lead her closer to those she lost. As much as she wanted to confide in her mentor, she couldn't allow someone else to carry the risk of harm without his knowledge. It was a doctor's first duty, after all.
Do no harm...
"How is Dr. Genzai, by the way? You mentioned that he would visit here soon."
"He said he'd come by with some cases for me to look at… wondered if me and the wife wanted to go out to dinner. Would you like to join us?"
Any chance to connect with people who knew her past was always a welcomed event. "Sure, when will it be?"
"I guess he'll let me know when he gets here. Don't worry about any scheduling conflicts, I'll make sure Ito gets the double shift that night."
Megumi grinned. "Still bribing Naoko-san with sweets?"
"I hate the milk chocolate bonbons, she abhors the dark chocolate ones. It's a beautiful friendship."
"You could always just buy the ones you like."
"Yes, but it keeps me from eating a tubful of them, and I wouldn't dare take away the sweet oil that keeps the work schedule greased," he said, winking at her before replacing his glasses on his face.
She rose to her feet and followed him out the door, her smile unfading. "I knew there was a reason why I chose to work for your team." His laugh resonated throughout the hallway as they walked down the corridor. The cadence of their stride reflected more than what their white coats made them out to be, more than just aging master and young apprentice.
They were friends.
Pots and pans clattered above the noisy chatter of the kitchen, with orders being shouted at the kitchen staff and waiters sorting out ready orders. Friday nights were expected to be busy, but the long list of reservations had Tae's eyes swirling. She was itching to find out why all the foreigners who made up half of all her patrons flocked her restaurant, and she usually knew the goings-on around town. As she made her way back to the reservation desk where more people waited for tables, she alerted the servers to be polite and tactful in handing the bill to the patrons. Never had she seen such tall, burly men with exotic beauties clinging to each muscled arm grace her restaurant before.
After ushering the sixth party to a vacant table, she reached for her cell phone and punched a number on speed-dial, silently praying for the other side to pick up.
"Hello?"
"Please tell me you're not busy right now."
Laughter.
"Need me to come in?"
"I need you to save my life! I've got customers coming out of my ears!"
"Sounds serious… you need to see someone about that."
"Come on, this is serious! Please, will you come and help?"
Deliberate pause.
"I don't know, Tae…"
"I'll double what I pay you."
Grin.
"I'll be there in ten minutes."
Sighing her relief, she approached the next party to be seated, a bit disturbed at the sight of a man wearing a near-see-through shirt of sheer material, more so than the two women who hung onto his well-defined shoulders like gaudy scarves. After giving them the wine list at the table, she excused herself and walked briskly back to the front of the restaurant, her eyes immediately falling on the reservation book with a cursory glance at her watch. She hoped it took her help less than ten minutes to arrive.
"Would you be so kind as to let me know when the table for Tsukioka, party of eight, will be ready?"
Tae's head whipped up to see a man with the devil's grin in a black suit, his eyes sparkling an impish sort of warmth and perfect teeth that gleamed predatorily. She immediately relaxed and smiled back.
"Katsu, what are you doing here?" she greeted as he walked to the side of the desk to give her a kiss on both cheeks, a gesture that used to color her skin red to the roots of her hair, now an accepted social greeting that he had gotten her used to.
"Supplying you with customers, of course!" he said, the grin widening from ear to ear.
She gasped. "You mean you know all these people?"
"Not all of them, just the muscle men."
To Tae, it meant that they were the ones paying for the bills. "Why didn't you tell me in advance? I would've prepared—"
"I'm sorry, Tae, I couldn't, the venue owner changed his mind the last minute and all of us had to catch the next available flight back here," he said, leaning closely so that only she could hear his words. "I'm sorry, sweetie. How can I make it up to you?"
She smiled her forgiveness, and before she could reply, one of her servers approached her bearing a whispered message. Tae's eyes flickered happily.
"Tell you what, Mr. Tsukioka. If you pay for a special employee's wages tonight, I'll make sure to leave an impression for all your friends to come back again. Deal?"
He pretended to weigh the benefits of the cost when he lowered his gaze to her throat. Tae already knew the answer, and he was just looking for an excuse to visually devour her.
"When have I ever refused you?" he said in a low tone. It was enough to color her pink. She tried to mask the embarrassment with a smile.
"I think you'll be in a for a surprise, you won't regret it."
"Have I met this employee before?" he asked as she grabbed several menus from beneath the desk.
"Actually, yes, you have." And with a wink, Tae left her lover to mull over the face of an acquaintance they mutually knew.
Intercepting the server who relayed the message earlier, she wove past the busboys and servers with trays full of food to get to her office tucked in the corner of the kitchen. Upon opening the door, she found her friend staring at the wall, her face partly hidden behind the straight black curtain of her hair. Tae jolted her out of her reverie when she attacked her with a hug from behind.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you for coming!" A slight wheeze escaped her friend's throat with a tap against her arms to release her from the vise-like grip, and she contritely obliged.
"I came here to help you, not suffocate!"
"I'm sorry! It's just, I'm really happy you came to the rescue. And, what's even better, is that there's a chance to quadruple your earnings tonight!"
Quirked brow.
"That's too good to be true. And when it sounds too good to be true, it more than likely is."
"I'm not kidding, Kasumi. Tonight's chances of cashing in are huge if—"
"If what, Tae?"
The proprietor pretended to be hurt. "Why so suspicious? Here I go all out for a friend to make the opportunity to make a huge amount of money—"
"You begged me to come here and help with the wait staff, am I right?"
Her face fell a little. "Yes, that's correct, but what I'm trying to tell you is that you won't have to do so much of waiting tables tonight, because—"
"Because what, Tae?"
Kasumi had a lot of reason to be chary. Upon tipsily displaying a playful skill she had learned as a child during a sleepover at Tae's, her enterprising friend had been able to exploit it to the fullest whenever she needed something to impress restaurant critics and the most discriminating of guests. Every one had a price, after all, and for reasons unknown to her, Kasumi could be persuaded, with great difficulty, if the promise of financial gain was high enough. She didn't care why, because in the end, both parties were always happy. If only she could pull it off… Tae sighed resignedly.
"Because… I was maybe hoping that you could do a little… just a little," she reiterated, complete with a measuring hand gesture, "dancing."
Kasumi frowned. "Tae, that was not what you called me in for."
"I know, I know, but Kasumi, I found out that all these people are from Katsu's business circle, and I can't make a good impression for his business or mine if the food is late without some kind of beautiful diversion."
Tae should know better than to fluff the situation with flattery. "Be that as it may, Tae, you know how I feel about doing that in public. That is strictly a family tradition thing." She was met with doe eyes.
"Which is why I got us this!" Tae pointed to a box that was sitting on the floor, prancing towards it like a child on Christmas day. Opening it, she took a wooden stand from behind a folding wall and placed the sleeves through the wooden arms carefully before standing next to it to show the display. Kasumi's lips parted slightly in awe.
It was a black kimono, made of silk that distributed the light's gleam from overhead with its numerous cherry blossom tree pattern embroidered in gold silk thread.With a blink, a memory from a decade ago played before her mind's eye: the kimono she received for her sixteenth birthday, the family members who cheered and greeted her in the banquet hall, and the intricate art of dance that she performed for all to see, the family tradition that was taught as a gift from mother to daughter. A memory that was so vivid and beautiful in her mind that it was almost unbearable.
"So what do you think?"
The question was left unanswered, as her actions alone showed Tae her thoughts. With a mind of their own, her hands made their way to the sleeves of the garment, the pads of her fingers lightly tracing the elaborate gold stitching of silk upon silk.
It was so luxurious and soft, she willed her eyes not to water in remembrance.
"Tae… there's no way I can afford to pay for the rental…"
Her friend laughed. "Who said it was a rental? This beauty is now the property of the restaurant!" When Tae got the dumbfounded gaze she was looking for, her lips moved to seal the deal. "I stopped by the Arashinos the other day and they happened to have this gorgeous thing on the display case by the cash register. Grandma Arashino suggested that I should just go ahead and buy a kimono instead of having to rent one every time we have a special occasion. We've rented kimonos from them ten times in the past, after all, and the cost of five rentals alone could've already bought us one of these jewels. She wasn't really ready to part with this one, she said it was made for someone else, but with some bargaining she finally caved in. A kimono maker's got to eat, too, I suppose. Anyway, this was a really good deal, and I couldn't pass it up! It belongs to us now, so you shouldn't hold yourself back anymore and allow a few lucky patrons to see you perform!"
Kasumi was very quiet and remained so, her eyes lost in the patterns on the silk. Too quiet for Tae's liking.
"So come on, I'll help you put it on! Grandma Arashino told me that this was special, it already has the extra pockets we used to ask them to sew onto the rentals before. And if you need any more adjustments made to it, she said to stop by anytime."
When she made no move to change, Tae became desperate.
"Please, Kasumi… if anything, just for tonight. I had no idea this many people would show up, and Katsu's business associates, no less… I'm already short on wait staff. If I can just divert their attention elsewhere for a few minutes, I can get everyone served and fed without losing customers for the extra wait."
A pause.
"Wouldn't it be better if I helped the servers instead?"
"I promised you good money, up to four times even, if you just do this little thing for me. Please, Kasumi? I'm begging you."
After a few moments of hesitation, Kasumi smiled faintly at the fabric and turned to her friend. No, Tae, you misunderstand… "You know you don't have to beg, Tae. I'd do it for you because you asked me to. Desperately. That's what friends are for, right?"
The proprietress launched thankful arms around Kasumi, relieved. "You can have anything you want from the kitchen!"
Kasumi smiled. "I believe you told me I already had that privilege."
Happily detaching herself, Tae went to her desk and pulled out a lacquer box from one of the drawers. "Okay then, how about this for a gift?" She cheered at Kasumi's reaction when she opened the box.
"Where did you get—"
"Grandma Arashino suggested these fans to go with the kimono. Aren't they pretty?" Tae spread the fans open, revealing a blinding color of gold on one side, silver on the other, each fan having some sort of odd pastel metallic print decorating the inside of the folds.
Tae had no idea what the box's contents meant for Kasumi.
"So come on already and let's get you dressed up!"
Amidst the rustle of fabric, the make-up and Tae's excitement, Kasumi couldn't decide if what she was agreeing to do was irreverence of an age-old tradition, or merely another chance at finding those she lost. She will have to see by the end of the evening. The will to fight her inner battles was extinguished at the sight of her before a full-length mirror. Tae's giggly praises did not reach her ears, for she was very far from the present, back to a time when she had no worry for money, no lack of familial warmth.
"Kasumi, what's wrong? You look like you're about to cry… do you not like it?"
She shook her head to ease herself more than Tae's concern. "I like it. I like it a lot… it's just…" I remember everything…
Just when Tae thought tears would roll down her face at any second, she marveled at the self-control that slipped across Kasumi's features, swallowing some sorrow she didn't understand with one gulp and wearing that small smile of calm determination that would remain during her entire performance.
"Kasumi, I know I'm pushing this on you because of my selfishness… forgive me?"
For allowing her to relive a beautiful memory or for getting paid ridiculous sums of money for dressing like a doll, Megumi had no idea how to tell her best friend that forgiveness wasn't in order, but gratitude. But it could wait, not like her patrons who needed some distraction.
"I can dim the lights when you enter the dining hall. Which music should I put on for you? The shamisen one?" Tae suggested, leading her out of the office and through the kitchen where surprised cooks and servers stood amazed. It was hard to believe that this was the same person who waited quietly in Tae's office, who had done this sort of thing before in the past, and yet all they could do was stare with fascination at her. Neither one of them seemed to notice.
"Actually, Tae, if you trust me to be a bit daring, I will need to prepare several things before I go out."
Worry marred her brow. "Will it take long?"
"Fifteen minutes."
Tae play-pouted and looked at her watch.
"Tonight's important, right?"
Her gaze returned to Kasumi. "Extremely." Business impressions were at stake, hers and Katsu's. She knew that this would make growling stomachs growl even more, but something in the way Kasumi stood quietly while peering through the circular glass windows of the kitchen doors hinted of things new she has probably never seen before.
Excitement.
Tae flashed a grin. "I can stall fifteen minutes." One look at Kasumi's secret smile and she knew she wouldn't be disappointed. She beckoned the servers to be swift with appetizer orders and with one last good-luck embrace to Kasumi, she hustled out of the kitchen and turned on the charm.
Left in the kitchen, Kasumi turned around to find the kitchen staff, all of them men, ogling at her. She cleared her throat along with her embarrassment.
"So… who among you has an MP4 player with weird music on the premises?"
A hand slowly rose among the white uniforms, belonging to the youngest looking man holding a ladle close to his chest.
Delighted.
"May I have a listen?"
It must've been the eighth time he's glanced at his watch since the phone call he received ten minutes ago on his cell. He paced by the entrance of the restaurant, not wanting anyone to hear just how loud the other line was yelling, but not wanting to hang up either. He'd rather get kicked in the face than suffer the wrath of a woman. And she wasn't even his girlfriend.
Another minute ticked by.
But she wanted to be.
"Listen, I can't be involved right now," he butted in as he reached for the door of the entrance. "I never said any of those things, and had I known helping you push your stalled car to the side of the road was gonna lead to this, I would've called a tow truck for you instead."
He jerked his head away from the phone to prevent the other line from blowing out his eardrum with a shriek. At this point, she can be pissed off at him for all he cared. He'd been kicked in the face before, and he's still alive to talk about it. "I'm sorry, my manager forbids me to be involved in relationships with people who have engine troubles and mental problems."
Click.
Sagara Sanosuke took a deep, cleansing breath in and out before allowing himself to reach for the door handle of the restaurant. He knew very well that it was owned by his best friend's girlfriend, and he wanted to be on his best behavior. Even though she picked on him, it was all playful and little brother-like, and he liked her because she was an understanding and cool person who knew exactly how the wheels of Katsu's mind turned. The last thing they needed was a sour-faced man walking into their restaurant and fuel more jokes cracked on his expense.
Seeing no one at the reservation desk, he walked to the seating area where several loud voices shouted his name in greeting, all belonging to the muscled men in the crowd. He grinned to them in acknowledgment, occasionally stopping at a table or two to exchange small talk until he finally spotted Katsu and the rest of their crew. Before he could reach them, the lights in the dining hall dimmed twice, followed by the cheerful voice of the proprietor dressed in business black.
"My dear guests, I am very excited to share with you a very special evening with an exceptionally rare talent. Only on very few occasions am I allowed to witness the beauty of traditional Japanese dance, and I am delighted that you all can be as fortunate as I am tonight."
Pleased murmurs rose from the crowd, widening Tae's grin.
"We are aware that some of you have traveled many hours to be here tonight, and we hope you enjoy the sights and flavors our establishment has to offer. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for indulging us with your presence, and we welcome you to Japan."
Cheers and wine glasses rose to toast to Tae's reception. Throwing a cursory glance at Katsu's table, she savored the gleam in his eyes as she walked to stand next to one of her servers by the reservation desk. Finally noticing his friend, Katsu stood to clap at Sanosuke's back.
"What took you so long? I was about to send someone to look for you!"
"Sorry, pal. I had to ditch this annoying chick who wouldn't leave me alone."
"The one whose car stalled?"
"How'd you know?"
Katsu laughed. "I'm your manager, Sano. I know you to the very last woman you date."
"Correction, I never dated her. But she wanted me to. And how in the hell did she get a hold of my cell number?"
"Who cares? I'll just change it to a new one. So relax and park your butt on that chair, something good's about to happen."
Sanosuke's face cracked with a grin. "It's about damn time."
With the announcement done, Tae directed her gaze at the kitchen doors to look for Megumi's cue. "Thanks for dimming the lights for me," she said to the server while placing a wireless mic around her ear.
"Kasumi-san asked for Yuuji-kun to man the dimmer switches through the song, since he's the only one who knows it." The server moved and carried chairs for Tae and her to sit on.
"Which music did she pick?"
She shrugged. "She asked for something weird, and if Yuuji-kun listens to it, it's definitely weird."
That meant that Kasumi would definitely show something new. With a shock of orange hair and ten earrings in each ear, Yuuji was as Area 51 as they could get. Tae couldn't wait. Speaking softly into the two-way mic, she called out to the kitchen and the chef informed her that almost all of the orders could be ready in five minutes, and that he and the rest of the kitchen staff would like to see the show as well. To Tae, this was a first. She wondered what happened in the fifteen-minute time span she had given Kasumi in the kitchen. To rouse the interest of the chef who never stepped on a tile beyond the kitchen was something that tickled her curiosity even more. When Yuuji emerged through the kitchen doors, she motioned him to join her at the reservation desk.
"We just need to hook this up to the sound system, Tae-san," he said as he handed over his iPod to Tae.
"Yuuji-kun, why do you still have a ladle in your hand?"
Realizing the object was still in his grasp, he hid it behind his back, embarrassed. "Uh, sorry. I was a little too excited to let go."
"Do you know how the lighting works?"
"Yes, you taught me when on the first day," he said, his voice oddly lively. "Uh, Kasumi-san gave some instructions to Abe-san with regards to dessert. She said to tell you to trust her."
After nearly plugging the wrong wire to the iPod, Tae knew she was a little too excited as well. "Can you tell me what she said to them?"
The reedy kitchen hand shrugged. "All I know is they were going through all the fruit like mad. I was too busy with finding a song for Kasumi-san that I noticed little else."
Before she could prod him for more information, Tae saw a dinner napkin waving through a crack between the kitchen doors. That would be Kasumi.
Showtime.
Leaving Yuuji to the lighting, she took a seat next to her server and eagerly kept her eyes peeled. She hoped to remember to breathe.
Doing as he was instructed, Yuuji shut off all the lights, the abrupt blackout filling the room with startled murmurs. In a few seconds, only the stadium lighting gradually lit up, with the recessed lighting remaining off, illuminating the snaking walkway that gave access to the tables. Under the centermost light stood Kasumi, her back straight, head bowed.
Awed applause erupted from the crowd, including Tae, whose lips slightly parted at the radiance of the silk that wrapped around her. She gave herself a mental pat on the back. Kasumi looked stunning. With a slow, elegant bow, a succession of string notes filled the room, accompanied by the oddest bass electronica she had ever heard. The sense of it all was lost on Tae, but with the toss and effortless catch of fans in her deft hands, what seemed dissonant to her ears began to have some harmony behind it.
Tsukioka's party of eight had mouths falling agape at the snap and flicker of the metallic painted fans. It was unlike anything they had ever seen, and as well traveled as they were and Japanese nonetheless, not one of the fan dances they've watched was ever an experience like this. Not when the music was so… odd. And the performer so adept with the fans like they were an extension of her hands. Katsu was impressed that Tae could even find entertainment this exotic, and as the moving mass of iridescent silk danced steps closer to their table, he was floored.
"Oh my God, that's Kasumi!" he exclaimed loud enough that Sanosuke yanked him silent.
"Dude, she might stop dancing if you don't shut up!" he hissed.
Katsu got the idea, but it was just too much of a shock for him to process that this was the same person who was his girl's best friend. "For God's sake, Sano, do you have any idea who she is?"
Sanosuke took a good long look and couldn't think past the word beautiful. She was definitely beautiful. So beautiful he didn't want to blink.
Despite the choice she made with the song being played, Kasumi's senses only felt the crisp notes of a harp, the chilling tones of a xylophone that rollercoasted in time to a bone-rattling bass, and the lightness of the fans in her hands, as if their maker knew the intent of the owner who had them under her command. Earlier she had wondered at the odd metallic print on the inside folds of the fans, but after getting a glimpse of her reflection on the glass windows, she realized that the pastel prints were painted onto the fans to resemble falling cherry blossom petals when the fans were twirled. The discovery made her fall in love all over again with the art passed down to her. She allowed herself a small smile.
Sanosuke found himself reacting to the small tug of her lips. She was like a moving canvas, and her hands were like pictures at an exhibition, with each flip and twirl of her fans a change of scenery. He forced himself to breathe. Maybe he'd hear the air going in and out of his lungs above the quick tempo of his heartbeat.
"Sano, she was the one Tae promised me would make a great impression on our visiting crew."
No response.
"And to think it's Kasumi of all people!"
He was never going to forget that name.
Katsu chuckled silently. "I see you're as impressed as I am. How the hell am I going to afford her wages tonight, this performance is so awesome that I don't think—"
"She's on the payroll?" Sanosuke suddenly asked, surprising Katsu's spine straight.
"Well, not really, just for tonight… Tae promised to make a good impression on our visitors if I forked over the money to pay for a 'special employee'." Katsu shook his head grinning. "And it doesn't get any more special than this."
Sanosuke got quiet. Special, indeed. He had never concentrated as much out of the ring before as he did now, watching her movements intently. She was two tables away from theirs now, and the lights would flicker off every fifth beat for a second, only to turn back on to reveal her standing in a different pose by a different table. It took him a few moments to realize that the attentions of those at the table she visited were distracted by something on their table. At the next flicker of the lights, she appeared before the Tsukioka table, and the smile on her face widened as she met Katsu's awestruck eyes.
"Kasumi, you freakin' rock!" Katsu's cheer sounded like a girlish hiss. To keep herself from giggling, she bowed her head slowly, one fan twirled while the other shut.
Lights off.
Sanosuke felt a faint tap against the surface of the table, and when the lights came back on, he spied a small square tin foil at the edge. As he made a move to snatch the object, the snap of Kasumi's fan startled him, forcing him to look up. When his eyes met her gaze, she was like deer caught in headlights. Kasumi quickly averted her eyes from his smoldering ones, thankful for the fifth beat that saved her from that sudden awkward feeling that began to churn in the pit of her stomach. As if to hide, she flipped an open fan in one hand and covered half her face with it.
What was that feeling about, anyway?
When she got closer to where Tae sat, she could mentally hear her squealing with glee at her. Snapping both fans shut, she pointed one at Tae while she bowed her head, slowly opening the other to reflect the light that shone against her on Tae. The other fan followed suit, and Tae was cheered on by her excited patrons. Katsu was tickled by the gentle stunt, laughing out loud at the flushed embarrassment on his lover's face. With both gold faces of the fan reflecting the gleam of the lights directly above, Tae looked like the sun, and Kasumi a very obliging moon. As the weird song faded to its end, the lights flickered before completely shutting off, and the dining hall filled with shouts of approval and applause. Everyone got on their feet in the dark, and Yuuji turned on the centermost stadium light, under which Kasumi stood, back straight and head bowed as before.
Tae was so ecstatic, she found herself weaving through the tables and calling out to her best friend before launching another lung-crushing embrace. Kasumi tried to hear past her high-pitched words, most of what was spoken through the air sounded so foreign. When the lights went out one last time, Kasumi urged Tae to disengage and run with her quickly to the kitchen. Yuuji counted to five turned the lights back on and walked through the disappointed murmurs and sighs to the kitchen, where the ruckus continued.
The chef led everyone in a cheer that made Kasumi blush to the roots of her hair. When they were done, they scurried the trays of food into the waiting arms of the servers, and one by one they filed out of the kitchen in rehearsed regalia.
Disappointment turned into delight when the food arrived at everyone's table. The biggest men on each table called out cheers and held their glasses towards Sanosuke and Katsu's table.
"Score on the restaurant, Katsu!"
"Sweet show! Can we get an encore?"
"I wanna eat here again tomorrow night!"
"Forget that, I'll pay to get a private performance!"
Sanosuke's eyes shifted at the last comment to the table closest to the center of the dining hall. It figured that it would come from Santorini, the Sicilian fighter with a lethal left hook and a penchant for the beautiful. One would think that he'd have enough on his plate with all the busty blondes and brunettes surrounding him at the table, but apparently he now has his eyes set on someone more exotic from the Land of the Rising Sun. He wouldn't be putting his meat hooks on Kasumi if Sanosuke could do anything about it, and he could do plenty. As he watched Katsu stand to honor their visitors' praise, Sanosuke wondered why he was being so protective over someone he hasn't even met. Yet.
Clearing his throat, Katsu poured out the suave. "Thanks, everyone. I'm glad you liked my pick. This happens to be my favorite restaurant."
"I can see why!" someone piped from the back. Everyone laughed.
"Well, as you guys heard earlier, it's not every time they get a professional to drop your jaws in awe."
More laughter.
"The owner of this restaurant went through a lot to convince our entertainment to even give us the time of day, so I suggest making it convincingly worth her while if we're ever to have a chance at another show."
From a far corner of the restaurant, Tae was all ears and grinning at what Katsu was about to do. As she helped a server unload the plates of food onto a party's table, she listened to Katsu's steady voice.
"I, for one, am a fan of the arts, and as much more as I would like to see another performance," he paused as he takes out his wallet and unloads a stack of bills on the table. "A hundred thousand yen more to be exact… I'm sure you all are budding fans as well."
"Pssh, like one on steroids!" shouted the man wearing the cut-off shirt, followed by a slam on the table with what looked like a thicker stack of bills.
"What? That's puny shit compared to how big a fan I've become!"
Slam! A tall stack of cash.
This went on for a while, until every table had money piled high like they were all playing poker. Tae had to hand it to Katsu; the man knew how to strike and ignite the ego of fighters. With all the testosterone coursing in their veins, it was too easy. Kasumi would walk away from the restaurant a very happy woman.
"I can see that all of you want to show your enthusiasm for this lady to come back." Katsu motioned for several of his crew to collect the money and keep track of how much was given by whom, and when it was all done, the money was handed to smiling Tae.
"Sekihara-san, we have put all our resources together for you to lobby for a repeat performance. Could you please let her know how much we enjoyed it?"
Tae politely bowed to everyone. "I will do my best to find out if she can be persuaded." And she did just that, taking the money with her along with every one's hope in a large envelope.
At this, everyone happily turned to their plates and devoured what they could, lively chatter and boisterous conversations filled the room once more. Katsu was about to sink his teeth into his Kobe steak when Sanosuke threw an arm around his shoulders. The fork holding the steak lowered.
"Bro, I roll straight. I thought you knew that by now."
Sanosuke snickered. "Oh, I most definitely do. What I want from you is information."
"Yeah? I thought you'd've paid for it like the rest of the men here."
"That's why you come in so handy."
Katsu allowed himself to take a bite of his food, savoring the meat before speaking up. "Sano, I'ma make myself clear on this. Kasumi is my girl's best friend. I really respect this chick, and I don't want you wasting her time if you're just gonna play around—"
"Katsu, ask me how she was able to move like that."
A drink.
"You mean, how she was dancing?"
"No, I mean the way she moved from table to table in the few seconds the lights were off."
Katsu stopped moving to think. Sitting next to him was a man he considered his brother and best friend ever since he could remember. He knew how his brain ticked, and back in their days at the orphanage, he understood how he went about to make a point. This was one of them. "It's possible she could run to each table… I mean, they're kinda close to each other."
Sanosuke shook his head. "With two or three seconds in a kimono?"
"Then how?"
He smirked. "She jumped."
"What?"
"Yup."
"I didn't see that! Plus she'd be too winded to dance through the song!"
"If you counted how many beats it took for the lights to flicker off, and the way she shielded her face from the nose down, she was able to make it look as if moving to the tempo of the music was cake, when in actuality it took a lot of effort to not show her breathing."
Katsu cut another piece of his steak and chewed on it along with Sanosuke's explanation. He was right. Sanosuke was frighteningly accurate when it came to perceiving movement. It was his talent. That is, when he was actually paying attention. And if he was paying attention, then he certainly was serious about getting information from him because Sanosuke did not display that kind of concentration when he wasn't fighting.
Point proven.
Wiping his lips with the dinner napkin, he turned to his friend. "I'm warning you, Sano. No games."
Sanosuke shook his head. "No games, Katsu."
Satisfied with the sincerity on his face, he sighed. "All right. What do you want to know?"
Grin.
"Everything."
Sighing in fatigue, Kasumi plopped ungracefully onto Tae's executive chair. How very unbecoming of a lady, she imagined her mother telling her, and then be taught again on how to sit in step-by-step fashion. She blinked and wondered if she'll ever get the chance to see her again. Taking out the fans that she placed in the pockets of her sleeves, she opened one and tossed it in her hand. She hoped that her little stunt that evening helped Tae and Katsu, even if it was very improvised and non-traditional. Kasumi knew that her legs were going to scream bloody murder by tomorrow, and fancy that, she was going to be on-call tomorrow. Not fun.
But even chances such as this were very few – to be clothed in silken perfection, to move like a mirage, to feel alive again.
And most importantly, the opportunity to earn for the chance to see her parents again.
As she reached into her purse for her cell phone, she secretly hoped that Tae could deliver behind her promise. She was relieved to see no calls from the hospital because as much as she loved her profession, she didn't like the overnight hours she'd have to spend that sometimes drove her insane. When she replaced her phone in her purse, the office door flew open and gave way to an ecstatic Tae.
"Omigosh, you can't possibly guess how much you made tonight!"
Kasumi was clueless, shrugging. "I don't know… four times the amount you promised me?"
Tae's grin got bigger and bigger. She took the large envelope she had been hiding behind her back and dumped all the cash out for her to see on her desk. "Try four times two hundred fifty thousand yen." Tae's shrill laughter at Kasumi's disbelief only fueled her excitement, throwing Kasumi a bear hug.
Not only did Tae deliver, she delivered the bank.
"This is some kind of joke, right?"
Giggle.
"Nope, this is the real deal!"
She was still skeptical. Kasumi was far too realistic.
"There has to be some kind of catch."
Tae loosened her hold and left an arm around Kasumi's shoulders. "Actually, it's grease money from the crowd to get you to do an encore. I told them that I'd do my best to find out if you could be persuaded, but not to be successful in persuading you, so either way you and I get to sleep guilt-free tonight." She unlatched herself from her best friend and started making stacks with the money, placing a rubber band around the counted ones. "Kasumi, I know you're under no obligation to do this again, but good grief, you just made more money than you could for a whole month working at the hospital! And how did you move from one table to another like that? It was like I blinked and you were somewhere else! Anyway, I think you should just reconsider their request while all these people are in town, because they're throwing money away like day-old bread at a bakery!"
Kasumi wasn't really listening to Tae's chatter until she said, "Now you don't have to wait so long to save up for that house you want to buy." She came right back down to earth and mentally got on her toes. That's right. All this time, Tae thinks that she'd been scrimping to buy real estate. She let her think so all these years, she would maintain that thought in her mind for as long as she can. Just until she can use that money as a means to a happier end. Then maybe later on she can tell her the truth.
Maybe.
"Oh, and what were those square tin foils you left at each table, Kasumi? Is it some kind of party favor?"
Thank God Tae was one to have flight of ideas when she was happy. Kasumi wasn't quite prepared to deal with money and 'real estate' issues right now. "Actually, it's a little code."
"Code?"
"I asked Abe-san what he had in mind for dessert. He said he didn't have anything special, so I thought I'd throw in some guest participation."
"Oh?! Tell me, tell me!"
Kasumi laughed. "The squares are actually colored on one side, and they coincide with the fruit color they can get for dessert. If the table can guess what fruit goes with the color, they get to have dessert on the house."
Tae quirked a brow at her.
"Don't worry, my enterprising friend. Abe-san said that if he doesn't serve the peaches by tonight, they'll be rotten by tomorrow. He planned on making baked tarts out of them, and if the table guesses incorrectly on the fruit, they'll get peach tarts as a consolation prize. That way, the peaches are consumed, the guests still get dessert and pay for them, and everybody's happy."
How happy Tae was to have a friend who knew how her mind worked. So why now throw in another money-making stunt? "Then for those who get it right, how about you serve them the dessert as a bonus? I mean, with the way they're so crazy about you right now, there's no telling how much more they'd tip you!"
Kasumi paused. She had a good reason to be driven when the earning potential was good, but to take advantage of the gift her mother gave her? Chewing on the inside of her lower lip, she caved in. She already let them see what only a privileged few had seen in the past. Playing waitress after the fact couldn't be any worse.
"Only if you think they can behave themselves… those boys are scary big, and the cat calls weren't very reassuring."
"Then get ready to make more money, Kasumi." The smile on Tae's face flashed like shiny new coins.
The dining hall was abuzz with enthusiasm and chatter after Tae announced the little game that Kasumi suggested. People at each table debated and deliberated on their final answers, whereas other tables had people arguing with loud voices to convince the other that their choice of fruit would be the correct one. At first Tae was worried, but when she heard those loud voices laughing throughout their arguments, she knew it was ego and testosterone talking.
At the Tsukioka table, the people were divided.
"Dude, I'm telling you, yellow's gotta be mango."
"What? We're in Japan, you dope. Tropical fruit won't grow here."
"I got it! It's star fruit, man!"
Katsu's head was shaking. "Again, that's a tropical fruit. Try again."
"What if they imported it?"
Katsu shrugged.
"Man, this shit's kinda hard… there's a lot of yellow fruit out there."
"How about bananas?"
"Possible."
"Does it have to be yellow on the outside, or can it be yellow on the inside?"
"Hey, that's a good question, Sano."
"Lemons?"
"Does that taste good as a dessert?"
"Who cares? It's freakin' yellow!"
"How about pineapple?" suggested Sanosuke.
A chorus of oohs. Pineapple tarts were conceivably good.
Sanosuke squinted at the square tin foil. "Can't you just ask Tae? You're exclusive with the owner, for crying out loud."
"I already know she won't tell me. Just look at her, man," he motioned for Sanosuke to look at Tae standing at the reservation desk, laughing. "She's having too much fun."
Sanosuke sighed in exasperation. Katsu enjoyed his frustration, because it was rare for his friend to show such impatient eagerness to see and meet a woman who wasn't chasing after him for his money or title. And knowing who Kasumi was, she wasn't the type at all. It was going to be fun to see him twist in his seat when their table's turn comes up.
One by one, Tae came by to get answers from each table, and so far not one of them got the answer right. As soon as they gave a wrong answer, servers took their cue in bringing the peach tarts to the tables. Tae saved Katsu's table for last, and when she got to his table, they almost barked their final answer in unison.
"Pineapple!"
Tae faced away from their table and towards the middle of the dining hall. "We have a winning table! Congratulations, your dessert will be out shortly!"
Shouts of cheer and high-fives erupted from the men.
In the kitchen, several of the kitchen staff fought over the chance to accompany Kasumi with the tray of desserts. Outside, Tae signaled one of the servers to shut the lights off three times for every count of five, and watching eyes of the dining hall got a glimpse of Kasumi once more, seeming to appear and reappear closer and closer toward the Tsukioka table. Katsu wanted to laugh at Sanosuke. He couldn't take his eyes off Kasumi.
She bowed to them before placing dessert on the table one by one, every movement as graceful and smooth as she was taught as a little girl. Sanosuke seemed to be holding his breath until she spoke.
"Congratulations, and thank you for indulging us with your presence," Kasumi said with the humility of a well-taught geisha as she bowed again.
A nervous little voice piped out of one of their crew. "Th-thank you for being so beautiful… I mean! S-so kind…"
Sanosuke squinted at the man who spoke at their table. He wanted to be the one to say something first. Before he could open his mouth to assert himself, he saw Kasumi's half prostrated posture jerked straight, and his blood boiled at the cause of her surprise.
"Beautiful goddess of the East," the gravelly voice of Santorini said as he pulled Kasumi by the forearm closer to him. "I deserve another look at your beauty. Come with me to my table so that I may worship—"
Katsu didn't even see Sanosuke get up from his seat, he was already wrenching Santorini's grasp from Kasumi's forearm. "What the hell, Santorini! A little respect and keep your meathooks to yourself!"
Tae didn't like this at all. She was about to come over and try to prevent the altercation from escalating any further when she saw Katsu's head shake for her to stay where she was.
"Come on, Zanza. I'm just having a little fun."
"Yeah? You can have fun with me in the ring in three days, just hands off the lady, all right?"
The man from Sicily snorted. "Feh, there won't be anything left of you by then to keep me from her."
"I'd like to see you try." Sanosuke's hands slowly balled into fists.
Katsu had to do something. He stood between the two and laughed.
"Wow, why in the hell didn't you guys tell me you wanted to do the TV advertisement for the fight series? You guys are unbelievably good at this!"
Both men were still postured to fight and didn't break the menacing gazes each had for the other. After a few more seconds, Santorini backed down.
"Of course, Katsu, I am the best fighter for the job."
Inwardly relieved, Katsu kept the ego stroked. "Let me know when you want to do the clip for it, the producers will be thrilled." Katsu playfully clapped Santorini on the shoulder and ushered him back to his table where the catty women eyed Kasumi in jealousy. As soon as he was paces away from them, Sanosuke turned to Kasumi.
"Are you all right, miss?"
Kasumi's pupils must've been so dilated in fear that she had to blink. Before she could say anything, Sanosuke gently held her forearm out. "Can I see if he left a bruise on you?"
Wordlessly, she nodded. As he slid the soft silk sleeve over her skin, it was interesting to find herself being doctored by a complete stranger whose fingers felt rough and calloused against her skin. She chanced to look up at her savior, and he was a surprisingly tall Japanese man with hair that defied gravity. As her eyes studied his youthful brow, she watched it furrow with a curse. She followed his gaze down to her forearm to see angry red silhouettes of fingers against her skin. They would likely blacken into bruises by tomorrow.
"I'm so sorry… if I'd've been quicker, you wouldn't have gone through this," he said so quietly that she almost didn't hear him. She'll be all right, it'd be no different from getting her knees bruised every time she knocks her locker open at the hospital.
"I am the one to apologize, sir, for it seems I have caused conflict between you and your colleague." When she looked up at his eyes, his cheeks were flushed red.
"N-no, please don't apologize… it's not like anyone likes him. Truth is every hates his guts." His face straightened a little from his embarrassment. "And I'm going to make him pay for every millimeter of bruising on your skin." She let the corners of her mouth turn up as she closed her eyes, and again Sanosuke was spellbound.
"Please do not engage in violence on my account," she said as she reached to recover her forearm under the sleeve, and his fingers reluctantly let go. "There will be no commotion if I was not present, so it would be more convenient for me to leave."
She didn't expect the crushed look of disappointment in his stare. "Oh no, please don't do this to your fans because I was too slow."
In other words, please don't punish me…
Kasumi was relieved that there were still good guys in this world, and judging from the physique underneath his black shirt, he was a force to be reckoned with should one be against him. Both regarded each other for several silent seconds, she from a medical perspective, he from a beguiled one. The clearing of someone's throat snapped their gazes away from each other and towards Katsu, who successfully placated the Sicilian bull back to his pen of playmates.
"Kasumi-san, I am very sorry for that little tussle," he said, scratching the side of his head.
Kasumi smiled and forgave him, missing the painful nudge Sanosuke gave Katsu while she momentarily looked at the floor.
"Uh, Kasumi-san, I want to introduce someone to you," Katsu added, wincing. "This is my friend, brother, bread and butter, Sagara Sanosuke. Sano, this is Tae's best gal pal in the world, Shirakawa Kasumi."
The whole table stifled chuckles at the awkwardness of Sanosuke's nervous bow that he nearly bumped heads with Kasumi. She hid her grin at the gal pal introduction. Katsu was so playful. Pretty soon, the other men asked to be introduced to Kasumi as well, and after a round of bows, she urged them to eat their dessert while it was still hot, and then apologized once more for ruining the atmosphere.
"Shirakawa-san, we know it's not your fault at all, but at this point, I would do just about anything to see you perform again. Even sell my kidney on the black market. When can we see you again?" The rest of their table, along with everyone else who was listening agreed in unison.
Damn it, Sanosuke groused. Why's everyone thinking like me?
Kasumi briefly imagined the man donating his kidney at her hospital and saving someone's life. Surely these people couldn't be that desperate to see her parade around with fans.
"… I am not quite ready to give you an answer, kind sir." Her mother would gush with pride if she could only hear how she was speaking. "If it pleases you, I will alert the proprietor when it has become convenient for me to do so."
The men were more than pleased, and the Santorini fellow was fuming in envy when she stayed with Katsu's table until they were finished with their dessert. When they servers came to pick up the plates, she took her leave.
"Thank you for being so kind to me, gentlemen." She then turned to Sanosuke. "And Sagara-san, thank you for coming to my aid. I'm afraid I am indebted to you."
Katsu was close to laughing out loud at his slack-jawed friend who remained silent, until she turned to walk away.
"Will you come to the fight then?" he blurted out, making her stop in her tracks. The way her eyes looked down at the floor made Sanosuke brace for rejection.
"… Three days from now is Tuesday…"
Hope.
"Yes. If you can, please come."
The whole table followed with a chorus of pleas, and it made Katsu wonder how a woman could make a polite man out of Sanosuke. Human weapons were not trained to be polite.
Kasumi didn't really know her schedule that far ahead, it changed so often that she gave up keeping track. And she didn't really like owing people favors, and Tae was the only exception.
"If I am not preoccupied, then shall I let you know?"
"Yes, please!" Oh my God, please!
She bowed once more and met his eyes one last time. "Good evening then, Sagara-san." She then left the dining hall and disappeared into the kitchen where two of the servers held the doors open for her.
Hoots and jeers flew at Sanosuke, and Katsu was the loudest of all of them. To think that Sagara "Zanza" Sanosuke, three-time fighting champion, was reduced to a nervous wimp in front of his girl's best friend… it was a first. He was so stoked by it that he bought his table another round of drinks. The hardest thing for him now was to get his friend to stop looking at his cell phone for that call in the next three days, and he snickered at the fact that Sanosuke was so drunk with happiness, he didn't even think to give her his number.