CHAPTER 13
I sat on the patio of my Mediterranean-style bungalow, basking in the early sunshine that Friday morning. My butler, Hamilton, set down the ornate silver tray with three dailies and my breakfast. I smiled at him while opening the business section of the New York Times.
Hamilton, who has only been in my employment for three months now, was shocked that I smiled at him and left hurriedly. I could've sworn he just crossed himself now discreetly on his way back to the kitchen. I was grinning now.
Eversince I got back from my cottage in Sendang with Tsukushi, my spirits have been flying high and had not once touched the ground. All throughout the week, people from my New York branch have been acting weird around me: the men, gaping whenever I would kid around with them, and the ladies...well, out of the corner of my eye, I caught a couple of them sighing dreamily when I gave one of my rare smiles. And I thought Soujiro and Akira were the only chick-magnets among the four of us.
Of course everything had been perfect except for Wednesday. Shizuka had unexpectedly shown up in my office as I was on my way to a dinner meeting. She had been desperate to talk to me that she even begged me to cancel my meeting that night. I took her out for a quiet dinner as she poured out her story over wine and foie gras. At that moment, I saw Doumyouji Kaede walk inside the restaurant and excused myself from Shizuka to invite Aunt Kaede to Amanpulo. Thank goodness she didn't seem surprised to see Shizuka with me. She might mention it to Tsukushi though. I made a mental note to bring it up with her later.
As I opened the business section of the Japanese newspaper that I was holding, I glanced at my Bulgari watch. I'll be fetching Tsukushi from the Doumyouji mansion in thirty minutes. Akira and his family will be meeting with us at the hangar of my jet at a nearby private airport.
Five years ago, Akira had met Natsuko at Soujiro's father's birthday bash. She had just flown in from the States where she had studied the cello and acquired her degree in Music. It was not a very good beginning for Akira and Natsuko. Natsuko had overheard Akira belittling her before they were even introduced. Thus, I could imagine their shock when they found out that it was Natsuko whom Akira's mother had been pushing him to go out on a date with. It turned out that their mothers were childhood friends. It was a humbling experience for Akira as he had to swallow a lot of pride and chauffeur Natsuko around town to pacify his mother. She was the only woman who could really get under his skin. That he couldn't stand her was his often complaint. I had the suspicion then that Akira had been fighting off his attraction for Natsuko. He had finally met his match; here was a woman seemingly immune to his charms.
On the day of her concierto, Natsuko told the audience that her last piece was dedicated to a boy she once loved and whom she vowed to return for in Japan. Akira bolted from his chair, not wanting to listen anymore. I couldn't help but smile when he grumbled and stood up. But as he was walking up the steps towards the exit, the faint strums of the cello reverberated in the hall. He paused and turned around. It had been his favorite song from childhood: the theme from Doraemon. Akira found out that Natsuko had been the pesky girl in pigtails and had a missing front tooth who always wanted to play with us when we were barely teens. Natsuko admitted that she had been in love with Akira all this time and had turned to playing the cello to forget him.
Akira and Natsuko have two kids now; both are studying in London where their family is now based.
I envy Akira's happiness. Things have been so simple for him. Just a one- shot deal and he's set for the rest of his life. I smiled sadly and sighed. Well, I just hope the gods are smiling down on my future nowadays.
When I arrived at the Doumyouji mansion, Tsukushi was at the gazebo pouring over the quarterly financial reports. She was curled up on the seat, her dress carefully tucked in; she looked like a teenager reading a fashion magazine. I couldn't help it; I kissed her bare shoulder, which startled her. "Good morning," I greeted her, giving her a dimpled smile. This of course earned me a morning bop on my head. "Oww!"
Tsukushi smiled angelically, fixing the reports again. "Serves you right for sneaking up on me, Hanazawa Rui!"
Helping her up, I got the handful of papers in her hand and placed them on the table. "I did not sneak up on you. Your butler didn't announce me anymore. And please, don't bring your homework there. We're going there to relax. I forbid you to bring anything related to work."
A guilty flush appeared on Tsukushi's cheeks. "You brought your laptop along, didn't you," I asked, raising an eyebrow. She nodded. "You've packed in inside your suitcase already, right?" She nodded once more. I grinned at her. "Well, looks like we'll have to leave your suitcase behind then."
"Wha..What will I wear," Tsukushi asked, panic rising in her voice. "You're kidding right?"
"Of course not, I told you not to bring your laptop last night. And yet, you still decided to bring it along. So now we'll have to leave your suitcase behind since it's already late and we don't have time to sort out your trunk." I paused, my hand under my chin. "As of what you're going to wear...maybe I could tell Akira to reschedule their visit to the cottage. Personally, I never had a problem with nudity but my godchildren will be there." I looked at Tsukushi with a wicked gleam in my eyes and wiggled my eyebrows.
She whacked my arm this time, laughing. "You lecher! We better go or we'll be late."
I sat on the patio of my Mediterranean-style bungalow, basking in the early sunshine that Friday morning. My butler, Hamilton, set down the ornate silver tray with three dailies and my breakfast. I smiled at him while opening the business section of the New York Times.
Hamilton, who has only been in my employment for three months now, was shocked that I smiled at him and left hurriedly. I could've sworn he just crossed himself now discreetly on his way back to the kitchen. I was grinning now.
Eversince I got back from my cottage in Sendang with Tsukushi, my spirits have been flying high and had not once touched the ground. All throughout the week, people from my New York branch have been acting weird around me: the men, gaping whenever I would kid around with them, and the ladies...well, out of the corner of my eye, I caught a couple of them sighing dreamily when I gave one of my rare smiles. And I thought Soujiro and Akira were the only chick-magnets among the four of us.
Of course everything had been perfect except for Wednesday. Shizuka had unexpectedly shown up in my office as I was on my way to a dinner meeting. She had been desperate to talk to me that she even begged me to cancel my meeting that night. I took her out for a quiet dinner as she poured out her story over wine and foie gras. At that moment, I saw Doumyouji Kaede walk inside the restaurant and excused myself from Shizuka to invite Aunt Kaede to Amanpulo. Thank goodness she didn't seem surprised to see Shizuka with me. She might mention it to Tsukushi though. I made a mental note to bring it up with her later.
As I opened the business section of the Japanese newspaper that I was holding, I glanced at my Bulgari watch. I'll be fetching Tsukushi from the Doumyouji mansion in thirty minutes. Akira and his family will be meeting with us at the hangar of my jet at a nearby private airport.
Five years ago, Akira had met Natsuko at Soujiro's father's birthday bash. She had just flown in from the States where she had studied the cello and acquired her degree in Music. It was not a very good beginning for Akira and Natsuko. Natsuko had overheard Akira belittling her before they were even introduced. Thus, I could imagine their shock when they found out that it was Natsuko whom Akira's mother had been pushing him to go out on a date with. It turned out that their mothers were childhood friends. It was a humbling experience for Akira as he had to swallow a lot of pride and chauffeur Natsuko around town to pacify his mother. She was the only woman who could really get under his skin. That he couldn't stand her was his often complaint. I had the suspicion then that Akira had been fighting off his attraction for Natsuko. He had finally met his match; here was a woman seemingly immune to his charms.
On the day of her concierto, Natsuko told the audience that her last piece was dedicated to a boy she once loved and whom she vowed to return for in Japan. Akira bolted from his chair, not wanting to listen anymore. I couldn't help but smile when he grumbled and stood up. But as he was walking up the steps towards the exit, the faint strums of the cello reverberated in the hall. He paused and turned around. It had been his favorite song from childhood: the theme from Doraemon. Akira found out that Natsuko had been the pesky girl in pigtails and had a missing front tooth who always wanted to play with us when we were barely teens. Natsuko admitted that she had been in love with Akira all this time and had turned to playing the cello to forget him.
Akira and Natsuko have two kids now; both are studying in London where their family is now based.
I envy Akira's happiness. Things have been so simple for him. Just a one- shot deal and he's set for the rest of his life. I smiled sadly and sighed. Well, I just hope the gods are smiling down on my future nowadays.
When I arrived at the Doumyouji mansion, Tsukushi was at the gazebo pouring over the quarterly financial reports. She was curled up on the seat, her dress carefully tucked in; she looked like a teenager reading a fashion magazine. I couldn't help it; I kissed her bare shoulder, which startled her. "Good morning," I greeted her, giving her a dimpled smile. This of course earned me a morning bop on my head. "Oww!"
Tsukushi smiled angelically, fixing the reports again. "Serves you right for sneaking up on me, Hanazawa Rui!"
Helping her up, I got the handful of papers in her hand and placed them on the table. "I did not sneak up on you. Your butler didn't announce me anymore. And please, don't bring your homework there. We're going there to relax. I forbid you to bring anything related to work."
A guilty flush appeared on Tsukushi's cheeks. "You brought your laptop along, didn't you," I asked, raising an eyebrow. She nodded. "You've packed in inside your suitcase already, right?" She nodded once more. I grinned at her. "Well, looks like we'll have to leave your suitcase behind then."
"Wha..What will I wear," Tsukushi asked, panic rising in her voice. "You're kidding right?"
"Of course not, I told you not to bring your laptop last night. And yet, you still decided to bring it along. So now we'll have to leave your suitcase behind since it's already late and we don't have time to sort out your trunk." I paused, my hand under my chin. "As of what you're going to wear...maybe I could tell Akira to reschedule their visit to the cottage. Personally, I never had a problem with nudity but my godchildren will be there." I looked at Tsukushi with a wicked gleam in my eyes and wiggled my eyebrows.
She whacked my arm this time, laughing. "You lecher! We better go or we'll be late."