The new chapter is here, so enjoy it, folks!
Just as a heads up, taking a short break as I got invited to volunteer for a website revolving around the youtube show, "Retro Replay," writing articles and stuff like that. It's minimal, but hey, I get to write, and for a show starring a famous American voice actor though I am a year behind in what's been aired.
In regards to the love scene, it will happen. I just need to figure out how to make it occur naturally in the story.
Small spoiler the story will not be unrequited love, just a slow burn but hopefully, in a few chapters, that slow burn will pay off. Maybe four or five, and you'll understand the reason why. It'll be fun, dumb, and silly, and in two chapters, I'll light that fuse!
But before I do that, I have to get through this.
Also, once again, I have Mei in a restaurant but for different reasons. I'm sorry for the repetition!
And someone guessed one of the things going on with Henry! Good catch.
Chapter 13
"Are you sure you want to do this, Mei-Mei?"
Mei was in the process of buttoning up her blouse and was getting a little annoyed with Himeko's constant pestering.
She only had an hour before she was to meet up with Suzuran, and she'd already timed that it would take about forty minutes to arrive by cab, leaving her enough time to compensate for possible traffic.
Despite these preparations, Mei's nerves tight, and right now, she needed Himeko to be confident for her instead of judgmental. But in true Himeko fashion, she was the opposite of what Mei needed though she had her reasons, and Mei wasn't going to hold it against her.
"I mean, are you sure you can handle all of this? You two haven't seen each other or talked in almost ten years. Don't you find it a little weird you just happened to walk onto her family's property? If that doesn't sound like crazy stalker behavior, I don't know what does."
"I'll add that to my list of questions," grumbled Mei frustrated that her slacks were slightly wrinkled, but there wasn't much she could do about it now. "Although I'm uncertain as to how much talking I'll be able to do."
"Please don't do anything stupid, Mei-Mei," pleaded Himeko after shutting something in the background. "I know you feel guilty about what happened, and I'm not going to say that you shouldn't, but don't let her walk all over you. You had a lot going on back then; I hope she understands that."
"I won't know what she understands until I talk to her."
Mei grabbed her phone and wallet and checked the time, and decided that even if it put her at the restaurant earlier than was acceptable, she was going to leave now.
"Well, I'm going to worry about you until you call me back." Mei smiled as she heard the worry in Himeko's voice and finished slipping her shoes on and headed out the door. "Also, I won't blame you if you want to use calling me as a reason to get out of there. I've met Shiraho-san a few times when her family ate at my parent's house, and while she wasn't as offputting as he mother, it was unsettling to see them not laugh or smile."
"If it comes to that, I will," said Mei after pressing the button to the lobby. "But I doubt that it will. Suzuran isn't one to lose her temper, and I'm sure we'll be able to figure out an understanding."
"If you two had never dated, I'd believe you," huffed Himeko as she called for her dogs. "But you hurt her, Mei. I know it's been a long time since you two split up, and I know people like to say that given enough time, all wounds heal, but sometimes they don't. Sometimes people remain hurt, and no matter how much time passes, they aren't able to get over it as I'm sure you know."
"I'd appreciate it if you didn't bring him into this conversation." Mei's blood pounded in her ears as she removed one of her wireless earbuds and stepped outside, happy to see her cab was a few minutes early.
"I wasn't trying to upset you," said Himeko after she heard Mei confirm her reservation and gave the address to the driver and got in. "But we both know that it's true, and I've not forgiven him for what he did either. He hurt you, and that's not something I'm going to forget any time soon, despite my trying to be friendly with him."
"I appreciate your loyalty," said Mei quietly as the cab pulled out into the street. "I also know that you're trying to work past your issues with him, but if you don't want to, then I won't force you. You don't have to do these things to make me happy. We may never see eye to eye, and I've resigned to that reality."
"I'm aware." Himeko sighed, and Mei heard the sound of the television playing something in the background. "But I know how you both get. Even though you say one thing, you two are worried about each other, and you love each other. So if I have to be a go-between for you and your dad while you both figure this whole thing out, then I'm happy too. Besides, it saves me money on food and frees up time for me to get some extra work done."
"How financially prudent of you," Mei smirked when she heard Himeko chuckle and felt herself relax a little. "Thank you, Himeko. You have no idea how much you've helped me out these past few months."
"Make sure you bring me back some nice gifts when you come home tomorrow, and I don't mean things like coffee and macadamia nuts. I want something interesting, got it?"
"I understand. I have a few things I think you'll like, and I got a few small items for the dogs that I think you'll enjoy."
"I'm sure the dogs will find a way to either destroy or eat whatever it is you got us."
They shared a laugh, and after it quieted, Mei sighed and said, "Okay, well, I'm going to be getting out soon. I'll let you know what happens either tomorrow or when I get back to the room."
"I'll stay up as long as I can," answered Himeko purposefully. "But if I don't answer, it probably means I fell asleep. Good luck, Mei-Mei."
"Thanks, Himeko. Talk to you soon."
After they hung up, Mei began fiddling with her phone, looking at anything and everything she could to take her mind off what was about to happen.
Old emails, advertisements, and whatever little social media presence she had helped out a little; unfortunately, the trip took less time than expected and the car slowed to a stop. When she exited, Mei found herself standing outside the entrance to a somewhat unimpressive looking steak house.
Taking a minute to peer into the window, Mei saw that it was furnished rather impressively.
Each table was set for four people with table cloths and glasses where people were eating steaks, fish, and other delectable dishes, smiling and talking as they ate.
On top of that, there were booths and tables along the walls with large leather backed couches or chairs and a massive bar off to one side with large racks holding bottles of wine and shelves stockpiled with liquor that Mei was sure would cost more than one of the entrees if she wasn't careful.
"And here I thought she was going to keep it low key," whispered Mei, shaking her head and deciding to go into the restaurant to wait rather than stay outside in the rapidly chilling night.
"Can I help you, Miss," asked the maitre d', an imposing-looking woman dressed in a crisp suit.
"Yes," said Mei, almost matching the woman's tone out of instinct. "A friend of mine placed a reservation, but I have some time before she gets here, and I was wondering if I could sit at the bar while I waited."
"What's the name?" The woman pulled up a tablet and began tapping the screen.
"Shiraho," answered Mei, hiding a smirk when she saw the woman's hand fumble over the screen and give her a dubious glance.
"Shiraho," asked the woman after looking Mei up and down, an eyebrow arched. "You're the plus one for Mr. Shiraho?"
"It should be Miss Shiraho," explained Mei, catching on to what the woman was insinuating. Mei was aware that she wasn't the most well dressed, but as far as she knew, there wasn't any dress code, so she wasn't sure why the woman was so hostile. "Suzuran Shiraho was the one who made the reservation."
The woman stared at Mei momentarily, but eventually, she resigned and gave Mei a polite nod, grabbed a couple of menus, and gestured Mei to follow her.
"I can seat you immediately. Please follow me."
Knowing better than to argue, Mei followed the woman and thanked her though Mei noticed a small scowl forming on the woman's face but decided that she'd wait for Suzuran.
Choosing to stay true to her promise about the alcohol, Mei stuck to water and ate a little bit of bread as we waited, unsure what the restaurant protocol was.
After about twenty minutes, Mei heard the maitre d' speaking quietly and heard something along the lines of, "I am so sorry. I hope this won't affect any possible future business for us."
"We shall see," replied Suzuran coldly though her gaze softened a little when she saw Mei sitting at the table. "I won't make any demands of you, but I expect top quality service for the remainder of the evening, and I will be speaking to the owner about this."
"Of course, Ma'am." The woman bowed her head briefly, avoiding any eye contact with Mei, and when she looked at Suzuran, Mei caught the older woman absent-mindedly adjusting the floor-length skirt of her dark blue dress. "I will send your server over immediately."
"Very good." Suzuran waved the woman away and seated herself, focusing on Mei, who did her best not to smile. "Also, I've decided to make one simple demand of you."
"Whatever it is, I will do it to the best of my ability." The woman's eyes lifted briefly to show that she was listening to Suzuran, and though her ex bore her no ill-will, Mei felt herself becoming a little scared for the woman.
"It's nothing severe or unseemly," said Suzuran reassuringly while she fixed the sleeve of her dress. "All I'm asking is that before you go, I want you to apologize to my guest for how you received her."
Mei noticed the woman's jaw clench a little, and before Mei could protest, their eyes locked, and the maitre d' stiffly but politely said with a bowed head, "Miss Aihara, I am sorry for the way I treated you earlier. I hope that your visit here is pleasant and that you and Madame Shiraho enjoy your dinner."
"Apology accepted," said Mei with practiced grace. "I hope to enjoy myself as well. I've heard good things about your establishment and am eager to try anything you'd recommend."
"That would all depend on how hungry you are," answered the woman with a nervous smile. "But in regards to our appetizers, I'm partial to the seared ahi tuna and our crab cakes. As for my personal preferences, l recommend the lamb chops with lobster bisque and broccoli or our Chilean sea bass with the garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus for an entree. For a drink, I'd recommend our raspberry cosmopolitan or our pomegranate martini. However, if you want to ask your server for their preferences, I encourage it as those are just my personal favorites."
"Thank you for the suggestions." Mei nodded and looked to Suzuran, whose focus had shifted to her. "Do you want any of those?"
"I shall consider them." Sue's voice had lightened a little now that the woman had apologized, but Mei could tell she was doing her best to try and keep up the front of offense. "But as my friend said, thank you for the recommendations. Please send our server over as soon as possible."
"I'll let them know."
With that, the woman once again bowed her head and hustled off toward the kitchen, and when she was gone, Mei chuckled, and Suzuran relaxed enough to manage a short-lived smirk at least.
"You didn't need to do that," explained Mei after a sip of water. "I mean, yes, she was rude to me. But I'm sure she's had people attempt something like that before with you based on how she asked me if I was looking for a male member of your family."
"That woman knows me well enough to know that my father wouldn't set foot in here." Suzuran sighed and shook her head before asking Mei for a sip of her water.
After a long drink, Suzuran sighed and shook her head as she turned her focus to Mei.
"Honestly. You'd think with how much business I do with them and the money I spend here, that they'd know that if someone came here saying they were to meet me, they'd at least let them sit at the bar and relax."
Mei nearly pulled back when Suzuran reached out and took her hand and gave an apologetic squeeze. " I hope you weren't waiting too long for me."
"Only twenty minutes," said Mei with a small shrug, giving Suzuran's hand a friendly squeeze before pulling it back, noticing the brief increase in pressure from Sue before she let go. "My trip didn't take as long as I thought. I don't know if it was because of the lack of traffic or because my driver was speeding."
"Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if it was both."
They both chuckled and settled into their seats, and Mei noticed a nervous-looking man around their age approaching.
"Good evening," began the man, his voice squeaking as he spoke and handed them menus. "Here are your menus. Is there any...anything I can get you to drink? Water? Soft drinks? Or a drink from the bar?"
"If it's all right with you, Suzuran, can we start with the appetizers the hostess suggested?"
"I think those are excellent choices." Suzuran turned her attention to the young man tapped at the menu. "The maitre d' suggested the crabcakes and the tuna appetizers. However, I'm going to request that the sauces are on the side, and I'll take your sommelier's recommendation on their pairing. Are you okay with that, Mei?"
"Yes." Mei nodded, knowing that it was wisest to let Shiraho take the lead with how the food was ordered. "But since you decided we'd have some wine, would it be okay with you if I got a cocktail or two later on if I feel up to it?"
"I suppose it can't be helped." Suzuran excused the waiter and, when he was gone, began going over her menu while Mei watched her quietly, ignoring the grumbling in her stomach.
"So how is your work going," asked Suzuran as she flipped the page. "Did you manage to make it to the volcano, or did the rain keep you from getting there?"
"I managed to get to one spot yesterday," said Mei quietly, thinking about the downpour that had hit after she arrived and allowed her to get some shots that made the lava flow look like a field of geysers or a strange hellscape. "My team lead seemed pleased with them and gave me the go-ahead to begin working on creating some environmental concepts once I get my other work done."
"That's good." Mei could hear a mild interest in Suzuran's voice but wasn't going to drop her guard just yet. "I'm sorry to say that I haven't followed your work outside of the few people who ask me about what's going on in regards to your more traditional pursuits in the art world, and even then, I must admit that I'm ignorant."
"There's nothing to say about it," sighed Mei as she began trying to decide her on her dinner. "I haven't submitted more than a handful of paintings Harumi and Udagawa over the past few years, and only a few sold. The others I eventually took them home."
"I'm sorry to hear that." Suzuran looked up from her menu, and Mei could see the sincerity in her gaze. "I know how much you've wanted to make your mark on the art world, and if there's anything I can do to help, I will."
"Thank you," said Mei, her eyes focusing on the entrees offered and stopped when she saw the prices.
Despite knowing they could both easily afford the meal, Mei didn't want to end up feeling like she was in debt to Suzuran and focused on a dinner for two but stopped when she realized what suggesting it might imply.
However, after contemplating the costs, she was willing to take the risk and quietly said, "I know that we just ordered appetizers, but what do you say about us splitting the cost on this dinner for two? It's not exactly exotic, but it looks delicious enough."
"It does," agreed Suzuran, her eyes still on the menu. "But I'm feeling like seafood tonight. I think I shall have the salmon. What about you?"
"If that's the case," sighed Mei, both relieved and a little disappointed at the coldness in Suzuran's voice, "I'll have the sea bass as was suggested earlier. It looks delicious, and the pineapple and sweet potato hash that goes with it sounds interesting."
"Sounds like that's settled." Suzuran placed her menu down just as the server returned with their appetizers and a well-dressed woman carrying a bottle of wine in an ice-filled bucket. "But let's enjoy ourselves a little more before placing our orders."
Mei nodded; after they received their appetizers, they cautiously began trying to enjoy the food. It was all impeccably prepared, and Mei followed Suzuran's method of eating the food.
Sure enough, Suzuran's choices were correct. Mei wondered just how many times Suzuran had eaten at this place to figure out how not to overindulge in the sauce before taking a sip of the wine. Not to mention how the crabcake was better with a brief dip in the butter instead of the drizzling method, though Mei was sure she'd try that way if she visited again.
"You look content," said Suzuran as she wiped the corners of her mouth. "Are you enjoying the food?"
"It's terrific," said Mei after finishing her last bite of tuna. "The hostess was right to suggest these appetizers, and I'm sure you noticed that I copied how you ate."
"I did." Suzuran lifted her gaze and took a sip of water before continuing. "I'm sorry if what I did seemed strange, but I've eaten here enough to know that they can sometimes get a little heavy-handed with the seasonings, and I wanted your first experience with them to be a good one."
"Thank you for the suggestion," replied Mei, her face growing a little warm from the wine. "But just how many times have you eaten here? If memory serves me, your family lives on the main island, and it would be costly to visit this restaurant so often. So how come you're out here with your brothers and not the rest of your family?"
"What you say is true," chuckled Suzuran, allowing her guard to drop and a genuine smile to cross her lips. "My family is on the main island, and I forgot that you only ever visited that house when you visited."
Mei noticed the subtle changes in Suzuran's voices and opened her mouth to apologize, but her voice throat locked up when she saw the smile shift to a downcast look as Suzuran reached for her water and took a drink.
For a while, they sat there in silence, Mei eating bits of bread and sponging up the remaining sauce as they turned to the only neutral ground remaining between them: work.
"So does your family do a lot of business on this island? I heard that woman mention something about future business possibilities and was wondering if this is one of your regular partners."
"For some products, yes," explained Suzuran as their plates were taken away and drinks refilled while they ordered their entrees. "Primarily, we sell them some of our local crops. The sweet potatoes and pineapple that will come with your meal are some of ours. We also supply them with some coffee and a few other select crops. I made the deal myself shortly before we met, and we send our crops to their other locations, but that's not uncommon for us as I'm sure you remember."
"I do."
Mei could remember being around for a few meetings her parents had held in their family home, though she'd spent those meals eating with Suzuran's brothers since her parents had used them as teaching moments, and they requested that Mei sit those meetings out.
"Is that why you're living here now? So you can keep an eye on your business dealings?"
"Partially." Suzuran took a sip of her wine, and Mei noticed her cheeks were already growing a little red. "But it was also to get away from my parents. You know, spread my wings a little and handle business on my own for a time and without them staring over my shoulders. But, like you, I am still in a family home that's long since been paid for. Though I am responsible for any upkeep and staff appointments if I require them."
"Sounds familiar," answered Mei as she sat back to receive her meal. "Are they upset with you over your decision to separate from them?"
"They weren't pleased," sighed Suzuran before taking a large bite of salmon.
Taking a bite of her food, Mei had to bite back her surprise at how well the spices on her fish mixed with the potatoes' mellow sweetness while she waited for Suzuran to continue.
"You know how controlling they can get," continued Suzuran after requesting another bottle of wine. "But I don't see why they should be upset. They've had me doing business deals since I was in high school, and save for signing the documents myself; I did all the work on many of them with them only signing the papers or making any adjustments to things that didn't benefit us. So, after college, I came out here and began working on building my own, smaller branch of the family business. I still defer to my parents on occasion, though. But that's to be expected since they and the board can outvote me at any time."
"They still haven't given you your stocks," asked Mei, her asparagus filled fork stopping half-way to her mouth.
"I've received them," answered Sue with a sad smile. "But my parents are still the majority holders in the company, and the board still holds more than me as well. Not to sound morbid, but the only way I'll be able to have any control over the directions our company takes is when I inherit their shares from them. So while I'm free to do what I want, for the most part, I still have to follow their orders if they choose to intervene."
"I'm sorry to hear that," said Mei, setting her fork down and placing her hand on Suzuran's wrist. "I thought they'd trust you enough to respect your judgment."
"Thank you." Suzuran set her silverware down and placed a hand on top of Mei's. "But it's not as bad as I'm making it sound. They rarely say anything about my deals, and they don't visit me often and only really call me if it's about work. My mother does visit me from time to time, and my father does ask for my advice on deals he's unsure about. So they trust me, I think it's more like they don't trust the board or vice versa."
"People with power rarely want to give it up," said Mei, squeezing Sue's wrist before pulling back and returning to her food. "Have you maybe thought about starting side ventures without your parent's permission? At least something that wasn't involved with them. Or is there some non-compete clause that's keeping you from doing that?"
"I've made a few investments in some promising companies." Suzuran's mouth twitched as she refilled Mei's wine glass. "But I'm not going to say anything else. Heaven knows I don't need those rumors flying around about how I'm trying to undercut or defy my parents."
"Maybe when we're not in public, you can give me a little bit more information," suggested Mei with a smile. "I've been looking into some less strenuous income possibilities, and if you could give me some information, I'll contact them personally, so there's no conflict of interest for you."
"I'll consider it." Suzuran's cheeks now had a prominent redness, and she heard a small slur in her usually clear and concise voice, and Mei was beginning to grow concerned. "But what about you? Are you enjoying your current job? Are they treating you well?
"It's barely started," snorted Mei after a bite of potato. "But the team so far is okay. We have minimal contact outside of meetings, but the pay is much better than other projects, thanks to Mitsuko working out a deal for me. I don't know if other people on the team managed something similar, but I don't think many of them did due to the looks I'm getting. I don't know why they're worried; I'm not planning on sticking around."
"Are you sure you're going to be able to keep up this kind of life?" asked Suzuran after a long drink of water. "I know that you don't live a particularly lavish life, but I've heard from some relatives of yours about the work you do, and these contract jobs can be few and far between. Don't you think something more stable would be better? You have the talent and the ability; all you're missing is a full degree, and I'm certain you could get one quickly. I know people who would…"
"Stop Sue," said Mei, her voice firm, but she allowed some hint of weakness to it. "I know you're trying to help, but I'm fine. But…"
Mei pushed aside her empty plate and stared at her ex, whose green eyes looked to be filling with tears at Mei rejecting her offer.
"I'm sorry," whispered Suzuran, breathing deeply as she focused herself.
"Don't be." Mei again took Suzuran's hand and squeezed it. "Sue, I'm happy that after everything that happened that you're worried about me. But I'll be fine. I'm not going to lie and say that I haven't had to dip into my savings at times when the work has been light. But I don't want to have to use what my grandfather left me unless it's necessary. Not to mention, I don't want you to worry about me."
"Is that why you never contacted me? So I wouldn't worry about you?"
Suzuran's head shot up, her eyes narrowed at Mei, sending a chill down Mei's spine despite the slur in the woman's voice.
"No," said Mei, sitting back and releasing Suzuran's hand as she calculated how to proceed.
It'd only just dawned on her that this was the first time she'd drank with Suzuran, and after seeing how quickly her attitude changed, she knew she needed to tread carefully.
"Then why didn't you ever call me," pressed Suzuran, her voice steadily rising as her face and eyes grew redder. "I understand that we're both not comfortable with being open about how we feel, but after everything, we were to each other; for you to just shut me out is something I never expected of you ."
As she finished, their server appeared with their bill, and Suzuran wasted little time stuffing a few bills into the sleeve. It only took a glance for Mei to realize that Sue was paying more than necessary, but wasn't surprised when she heard Suzuran tell him to keep the res and decided to stay silent.
Anything Mei said could instantly cause a scene, and Mei was confident that a few people were straining to hear why someone as prominent and stoic as Suzuran Shiraho was losing her temper at someone like Mei.
"I know that I owe you an explanation," said Mei quietly, her eyes darting at the people staring at them. "But I'd rather not discuss it here. If you want, we can go back to the hotel or to your home, where ever you feel most comfortable and safe, anywhere but here."
"Very well," sighed Suzuran, and Mei could see she was struggling to control herself. "We shall go back to the hotel, it's closer, and I don't want to return home in this condition."
"Okay." Mei stood up, feeling a few sets of eyes on them as she offered to help her friend up.
Thankfully Sue took the offer, and although Mei could have done without having their arms locked together, she thanked the staff and hailed a nearby cab while making sure her companion managed to stay upright.
Luckily the trip back was almost as quick as Mei's initial one, and there was virtually nobody in the lobby save for a few guests who were coming back from their evening's out and the concierge. Seeing them, the concierge nodded politely at Mei and stiffened when he saw Suzuran holding onto Mei for dear life.
"We're fine," said Suzuran when the woman asked if they needed help. "But thank you for your concern. If there are any problems, we will call."
The man said nothing but Mei was sure he was making a note to double-check to make sure they left unmolested.
"I'm beginning to regret wearing this dress tonight," mumbled Suzuran, pulling her skirt up a little to avoid tripping over it.
"Was there any special reason for it?" Mei had to admit that the blue was flattering on Suzuran but had been wondering why she chose that particular outfit.
"The primary reason was that it's easier than wearing one of my yukata," explained Suzuran as Mei hit the button for her floor. "The other was that since this wasn't a formal meeting, I didn't feel like overdressing, though now that I think about it, I may have inadvertently done so."
"If it's any consolation, I think you look lovely," said Mei as the door dinged open, and she helped Suzuran out of the elevator.
"Thank you, Mei." Sue's cheeks turned a little red again, but Mei could see that she kept her mask up and for a good reason.
When they reached her door, Mei helped Sue out of her shoes and led her to the bed.
"Thank you," whispered Suzuran, and as Mei was ready to step away, Suzuran grabbed Mei's hand and pulled her back. "Don't go."
"I'm just getting you something to drink. I promise that there won't be any alcohol in it. Do you have anything specific you want to drink to stay hydrated?"
"I don't know," said Suzuran, her hands moving to her eyes. "This is the most I ever drank. And after I made you promise to keep the drinking to a minimum, I'm the one who went and got drunk."
"Believe me; I was tempted. But experience told me otherwise." Mei placed a hand on Suzuran's head and rubbed it gently. "I'm not going anywhere tonight, Sue. But if you're going to stay, you're going to have to keep quiet. I know it'll be difficult, but we're not at your house, and I don't want anyone misunderstanding. Are you comfortable with that?"
"Yes." Suzuran nodded and watched as Mei retrieved a glass of water, added a bit of a sports drink, and mixed them before handing the glass to Suzuran.
"Are you sure this will help," asked the older woman, staring dubiously down at the drink.
"It might. I'm not familiar with your drinking habits, but it will keep you hydrated and put some necessary nutrients back in your body. But I'm not sure if you enjoy sports drinks, which is why I mixed it with water. If you don't like it, I can move you to water and give you a multivitamin."
Suzuran took a sip of the concoction, swished it around in her mouth, and swallowed before saying, "Thank you, Mei. Have you had to drink something like this often?"
"I should have the night I drank with your brothers, but I got so caught up in everything that I forgot to. Not that it would have helped, your brothers are on another level than the people I normally hang out with, except for maybe Mitsuko and Kaio; those two could give your brothers a challenge."
"Is Mitsuko or Kaio your new...are you in love with either of them?"
"No," said Mei with a dry chuckle. "Mitsuko, like I told you, is Harumi's older sister. She's also my attorney for my contracts and helps me deal with the issues involving my grandfather's estate and other legal matters. She's also responsible for this."
Mei rolled up her sleeve and showed Suzuran the tattoo on her arm and said, "Along with all my other tattoos. Her law practice is her side business, and Kaio and her are partners in it. They've also unofficially adopted my friend Matsuri and took her on as an apprentice."
"I see." Suzuran drained half her drink and set the glass down before tracing the tattoo. "It's gorgeous. I'm sure your grandfather wasn't happy."
"He wasn't," said Mei, taking a deep breath to fight back the tingle Suzuran's soft fingers were sending up her arm. "But since I was eighteen, he couldn't stop me. When he saw it, though, he was so impressed that he gave Mitsuko a free drawing as thanks for taking care of me shortly before he passed."
"That was very kind of him." Suzuran's finger rested on the arrow that pointed toward Mei's wrist and felt a tear roll down her cheek. "I...I heard he only wanted family at his funeral. Is that why no one told me? Did he not want me there? He said I was like family and that he supported us, so why wasn't I invited? Why did I have to find out from family and the newspaper that he died instead of hearing it from you?"
"He would have wanted you there," croaked Mei at hearing Suzuran's voice fracture. "He cared about you and asked me all the time how you were, but I didn't tell him the truth. I'm sure he knew what was going on, but I didn't say that it was my fault for pushing you away, and I'm sorry about that. I should have been more honest with both of you, and you should have had a chance to say goodbye, and I stole that from you."
"You stole a lot more than that from me, Mei."
Mei expected more anger in Suzuran's voice, but instead, she felt something more akin to agony in her words.
"I'll admit that it was selfish, but I didn't send you all those things just for his sake but for yours too." Sue's voice cracked as she spoke, and Mei expected her to throw her arm away, but she just clutched it tighter. "I thought you'd see that I wasn't giving up on you, on us, and that you'd eventually tell me something, at least that he had passed and that you wanted me to be with you."
"I know." Mei managed to lift her free arm and pull Suzuran's head closer to her chest. "Part of me did want you there, but another part of me wanted to shut down and hide away from the world. And as much as I hate to admit it, I think I realized just how much like my father I am. Instead of facing my pain and opening up to the people that love me, I ran away and isolated myself."
Mei pressed her head into to top of Suzuran's head and kissed the familiar green locks as tears soaked through the front of her shirt.
"I hated you for so long," whispered Suzuran, her hands pulling at Mei's blouse. "I was so angry, and I cried so much that my parents were beginning to get worried. But I didn't want to think that you, of all people, who knew what it was like to have someone you love so much just shut you out and act like I never existed. How could you do that to me? I know it was difficult, but I thought I, that we mattered more to you than that."
"You did," said Mei before catching herself, "and you still do, Sue. I still feel guilty over what I did. I didn't want that to happen, but as I said, I'm more of my father's daughter than I thought, and I took the easiest route and ignored you instead of facing you directly. I'm not using that as an excuse for my actions, and I don't expect you to forgive me. I may be selfish for what I did, but I'm not so selfish as to expect you to forgive me just because I said I have regrets. I hurt you, Sue, and I can never take that back."
"No, you can't." Suzuran sniffed and lifted her head, wrapped her arms around Mei's neck as she rested her head in Mei's neck. "Were you ever in love with me?"
"Yes," replied Mei without any hesitation as she gave Suzuran a gentle kiss on the side of the head. "I was very much in love with you."
"But you aren't anymore." Suzuran nuzzled Mei's neck and began kissing it gently, though Mei could tell that she avoided the more sensitive spots despite her inebriation.
"I'm not." Mei hugged the taller woman close to her chest, ignoring the kisses despite the warmth they were sending throughout her body. "But that doesn't mean I don't love you, Sue. I want you to be happy, even if it's not with me."
"Is that because someone else has caught your eye?" Suzuran pulled herself from Mei's neck and rested her forehead against the black hair, her eyes locking with Mei's.
"You could say that," answered Mei, her ears burning as Suzuran stroked the back of her neck. "But I'm not sure about how to approach it since her home life is so complicated."
"I see." Sue's eyes closed, and Mei could see the disappointment return to her face. "So, you're in the same situation as I am."
"It would seem that way." Mei sighed when she felt Suzuran's fingers stop moving. "But I'm still not sure about if I should tell her or not. She said there are things she needs to tell me about the man she lives with, so I'm not going to make any decisions until after that."
"And what if she never becomes interested," asked Suzuran, rubbing her nose against Mei's. "Are you going to be satisfied with your one-sided crush?"
"I'll be disappointed," said Mei pulling back a little out of fear of what would happen if she and Suzuran accidentally kissed. "But I'm trying to make it a point to not lie about my feelings anymore, even if it hurts."
"I understand." Suzuran shook her head in disappointment, her chest aching when she heard Mei let out a sigh of relief as their embrace broke, both of their heads a great deal clearer. "She must be exceptional if you were able to restrain yourself during all that."
"It wasn't easy," whispered Mei as she brushed some hair out of Suzuran's face. "But as much as I wanted to Sue, in the end, I would only end up causing you even more pain."
"Not any more than is necessary." Despite her anger at the rejection, Suzuran allowed Mei to continue to touch her, knowing that it would be one of the last times it ever happened.
"I'm sorry, Sue. I am." Mei cupped one of Suzuran's cheeks with her hand and kissed the other one gently. "But this is all I can give you now. I know it's not what you wanted, but I hope you can accept it."
"I have no other choice." Suzuran's face broke into a sad smile as tears rolled down her cheeks. "It's either that or I lose you again, and that is something I don't think I could live with that."
"I don't think I could either." Mei smiled and felt tears pour down her face as she tried to figure out what to do next.
"Do you mind if I make one last selfish request?" inquired Suzuran as she failed to wipe away her tears.
"What is it," asked Mei as she failed in her attempt to stop crying.
"Can I spend the night? I don't want to go home right now. I promise I'll be gone before you need to check out."
"You can stay," said Mei with a nod. "Did you want me to stay on the couch or the floor?"
"Do you think you could sleep in the bed with me?" Even in the dark of the room, Mei could see the blush on Suzuran's face as she spoke. "I promise I won't try anything, but I just...I want to be held. Do you think that is something you'd be comfortable with?"
"As long as you can hold yourself to that promise, I'll allow it." Even though Mei knew better than to distrust Suzuran, she still couldn't help but feel a nagging sensation building in the back of her mind.
"I promise," said Suzuran eagerly before catching herself and coughing. "I promise Mei."
"All right then." Mei sighed and walked over to her suitcase and pulled out a few tee-shirts and a pair of sweats that she hoped would fit Suzuran. "I'll let you go shower, and I'll get cleaned up when you've finished."
"Okay."
While she waited, Mei turned on a television show and kept her focus solely on the screen until her phone buzzed, and she saw a text from Himeko.
How'd it go? Himeko asked with a series of worried emojis.
Mei stared at her phone for a little bit and then slowly typed out: You were right.
There was a brief moment of ellipses, and Mei got the response: I'm sorry, Mei-Mei. Want to talk?
Mei quickly typed out: I'll tell you when I see you. Have a good night.
Mei didn't even bother to read the reply, and soon Suzuran appeared, dressed in Mei's too-small clothes, and announced that the shower was free. Wasting no time, Mei grabbed her clothes, headed into the bathroom, cleaned herself up, and dressed.
Not even bothering to clean up her or Suzuran's clothes, Mei entered the room and wasn't surprised to see the only lights were coming from the television and a faint crack in the blinds letting in some moonlight.
On the bed, she saw a large mound beneath the blankets shifting slightly. Stopping, Mei wondered if she was doing the right thing. Taking several breaths, Mei resolved to follow through with her promise after reminding herself that this wasn't only for her sake, but more importantly, for Suzuran's.
Approaching the bed, Mei lifted the covers and noticed that Suzuran froze in surprise before turning to bury her head into the pillows.
"Do you want me to sleep on the floor?" asked Mei, sitting on the edge of the bed, her back toward Sue. "It's okay if you change your mind. I won't be upset."
Mei felt the bed shift and heard the sheets ruffling, followed by Suzuran's hand, gripping the bottom of her shirt and begin pulling her toward the bed.
"I want you here, Mei," whispered Suzuran, her hand not letting go. "Please stay with me."
Running a hand through her hair, Mei slipped under the covers and pulled them up over her body and turned to face Suzuran, who was staring back at her, her eyes glistening as she moved closer to Mei.
Mei's body locked up as Suzuran moved closer, and it wasn't didn't relax until she felt Suzuran's hair against the bottom of her chin and a long, warm arm enveloped her.
Following suit, Mei curled her free arm around Suzuran and began stroking her hair as once again, she felt tears dampen her tee-shirt, and Sue's body begin to shake as her sobs filled the room.
