Chapter Three – A New Love & An Old Love
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On her last day, as she finished earlier than usual so she had an hour before lunch break started so she was going to leave her office to go eat at a nearby café when her office phone rang. She turned around, and sat in her chair, then picked up the phone.
"Hello Hatsumi, Dean here. Today's your last day of the mail room job. Remember tomorrow to meet me in my office at 8:30 a.m. We have to go over designs for the new Chanel accessory line. Can I speak to you privately in my office now?" Dean said on the other line.
"Sure thing Dean." Hatsumi replied.
"Ok come over now, you don't need to knock." Dean responded. Hatsumi then hung up the phone, and walked to the conjoining door that connected her office to Dean's. She opened it and there he was on his chair, his blue eyes looking directly into Hatsumi's.
"Have a seat please Hatsumi." Dean said. Hatsumi sat down.
"Now, I have been looking over your progress and you've done extremely well so far as a fashion intern. But that's not why you're here. Hatsumi, ever since you walked into my office, I could not stop thinking about you. You are beautiful and smart, and I really would love it if you could go out with me. Hatsumi, do you want to go out with me?" Dean asked. Hatsumi was in shock. All of a sudden her heart started racing and pumping hard. Thump thump. Thump thump. Thump thump.
"Dean… I… I wouldn't want to do anything to jeopardize my job. Even if it didn't work out I don't want it to create this… awkward thing between us. It's too risky Dean I can't. I'm sorry." Hatsumi answered.
"Ah, see I knew you might say that so I propose a plan – if this doesn't work out I promise not to destroy your job and I'll hire a temporary person to stand in for me when we have to meet or talk. That way, we won't have any awkward moments because you won't even be able to see me around any more. Well I really like you Hatsumi. I'm falling more in love with you everyday and I won't take no for an answer." Dean replied. This reminded Hatsumi of Ryoki. She gave out a weak chuckle. The good old days she thought. She thought about it for a while then she said,
"Ok Dean. Sure why not? I guess I had a little crush on you for a while now so it sort of works doesn't it?"
"Ok great! I'm so happy Hatsumi. Say, let's take the rest of the day off and go shopping then out for dinner. What do you think?" Dean asked.
"That would be great Dean!" Hatsumi beamed.
And so the new couple went outside, and went shopping. Dean bought himself some new shoes and got Hatsumi a new multi-colored purse, a sexy black cocktail dress from a French store, new black and pink Jimmy Choo heels, a black blazer, and some ice cream. Then they went out to dinner at "Ricco's" which was this new Italian restaurant that just opened up. They shared delicious pasta, with garlic bread and chef's salad. For dessert they shared the Strawberry Cherry Cheesecake with whipped cream. It was utterly ravishing and delicious. Then Dean walked Hatsumi back to her apartment and they shared their first kiss outside Hatsumi's door.
"Goodnight Hatsumi." Dean sighed.
"Good night Dean. It was fun going out with you today. Thanks for the stuff and for dinner. I had an amazing time today." Hatsumi replied.
"I'll see you tomorrow morning, bye!" Dean said, walking away.
"Bye!" Hatsumi said, opening her door and closing it.
In Tokyo, Japan …
Meanwhile, Shinogu was Japan's top lawyer. He had his own practice firm and was his own boss. He loved the perks that came with it. Everyone in his company was the best and his firm was the most suggested one by everyone. He was in his office, reading the newspaper that day when his cell phone rang. He picked it up, opened it and put it to his ear. "Hello? This is Shinogu here. What? A convicted murder case? All the way in Paris? You want me? Ok fine alright. When is my flight? Today at 10 p.m.? Ok alright. Thank you. Bye." Shinogu said, and then shut his cell phone closed. He was outside his apartment, now going in to start packing for his case. After he finished packing, he watched T.V. and prepped for the case until his taxi came and honked. Shinogu left his apartment and locked the door, then he went into the taxi and it took him to the airport where he boarded on a plane to Paris. Little did he know, a certain someone was in Paris…
Back to Paris, a year later…
"Hatsumi, what do you think of these watches?" asked Dean.
"Well for starters, the background colour is too dark, you can't see the time and the clock should be a little bit bigger." Hatsumi answered.
"Ok thanks I didn't notice that. You have a good eye sweetie." Dean said sweetly, smiling and giving her a kiss.
"Thanks!" Hatsumi replied.
"Ok I'll go tell Jeff to redesign them. I think that's about it today. Why don't you stay in your office and relax until I get back ok?" Dean asked.
"Ok no problem. But do tell Jeff that I love the exterior design!" Hatsumi exclaimed.
"Ok I'll tell Jeff to keep the exterior design. I have to go now bye babe!" Dean said, kissing Hatsumi again on the cheek. Then Dean left and closed the door.
In the previous months, Hatsumi felt like the relationship between her and Dean was going nowhere. Dean's kisses weren't that passionate, and it felt more like shopping than it felt more like dating. She felt no more chemistry between them and she was toying with the idea of maybe breaking up with Dean. She wasn't so sure yet. Hatsumi walked to her office and went on-line the internet. She spoke to Akane there, and Hikaru. They seemed to be having fun, but missed Hatsumi. After saying their good-byes Hatsumi logged off and worked on some samples for the accessories line.
A few minutes later, Dean returned, and they went out at a café for lunch. Just when they arrived, Dean's phone rang.
"Hello? What? Can't you get someone to do that? Ok I'm heading over there now, bye." Dean spoke into his cell phone, and then closed it shut. "Sorry babe, I have to go something happened at work. You'll be fine by yourself right?" Dean asked Hatsumi with a sorry face.
"Uh… I guess so you go on ahead Dean." Hatsumi said, sympathetically.
"Ok bye!" Dean waved and left. Hatsumi looked down to read the café's menu.
"Ow!" Hatsumi let out a cry of pain. It felt like something hard like a briefcase hit her arm. "Excuse me…" Hatsumi looked up and got shocked.
"I'm sorry miss, my apolo… Hatsumi? It's me! Shinogu!" Shinogu exclaimed.
"Oh my god! Shinogu it's you!" Hatsumi exclaimed as well.
"What are you doing here in Paris?" Shinogu asked.
"I got a job as a fashion intern here in Paris for Chanel, I've been here for almost a year and I still have 3 more years to go! What about you?" Hatsumi answered.
"Here on a case. I'm a lawyer. You… going out… with anyone?" Shinogu asked cautiously.
"Yup. I have a boyfriend… it's been almost a year I guess. You?" Hatsumi asked.
"No. I'm too busy but after this case, my firm wants me to take a year off to relax. After all I am my own boss so I can do that anytime I want to!" Shinogu chuckled.
"Hey babe! I'm back!" Dean exclaimed, now looking puzzled.
"Who's that?" Dean asked, pointing to Shinogu.
"Oh – I'm so sorry, this is just… a friend of mine from where I came from." Hatsumi replied. Shinogu looked disappointed. But he quickly put his smiley face back on.
"Hi, I'm Shinogu. You must be the boyfriend she was talking about." Shinogu said, offering his hand.
"Dean." Replied Dean, grabbing Shinogu's hand and shaking it.
"Sorry you'll have to excuse me. I have to go. Bye. Maybe I'll see you sometime Hatsumi." Shinogu said, waving good-bye and leaving.
"Bye Shinogu!" Hatsumi said.
"Hey babe, I had the situation handled as soon as possible so I could be here with you." Dean said, sitting across from Hatsumi. The two chatted while they had a small lunch, then they returned back to work. Then they finished and it was getting late and Dean had to go do some "errands" as he so put it that way. So Hatsumi went back to her apartment where she worked on something that she wanted to show to Dean after she finished her 2nd job, for her new line. She thought Dean would be impressed by the effort so she worked on it all night. Meanwhile… Dean was outside walking and sat down in a café far away from his work. Five minutes later, an older, classy French woman came.
"Patricia! You made it! I was worried that you wouldn't be able to find this new café." Dean replied.
"Such nonsense. So Dean, have you miss me much?" Patricia said, in a heavy French accent.
"No, how could I? Our sex was amazing that night before you left. Say, do you want to go back to my apartment…" Dean said with a smirk on his face, winking at Patricia.
"Sure why not?" Patricia said. They both got up, and shared a very passionate kiss. Then they held hands and walked together. Little did they know, Shinogu was walking out late that night and he had witnessed the whole thing. I've got to tell Hatsumi this, before Dean hurts her! Shinogu thought to himself. Someday, that day would come.
The next morning… Hatsumi woke up and went to work as usual. But first she had to meet Dean in his office. Today was the first day of her new independent job and she couldn't wait to show him her idea. She went up the elevator and knocked on Dean's door.
"Enter!" Dean announced. Hatsumi turned the doorknob and went inside.
"Hey Dean, how are you doing?" Hatsumi asked.
"Great, so you know that today's your first day of your last job for 3 years. You excited?" Dean answered.
"Yup! In fact I've got one idea to show you, it's all planned out and everything." Hatsumi said, showing Dean her work.
"Your own sunglasses line. I love it. You should make more designs okay? Maybe one with the Chanel logo in it somehow?" Dean asked.
"Sure I can work on that now. That won't take me until a couple more months to make some more ok?" Hatsumi said, with sweetness in her voice and a smile.
"Sure. Take your time." Dean said.
"Okay! Thank you so much!" Hatsumi replied before going into her office. She set up her notebook in her book bag that she carried everyday, and began sketching some ideas. Little did she know… life had more plans in store for her...