My Dear Parasyte
Chapter 11
Banquet
Reiko is as silent as a grave as they sit down at Mister Takeshi's table. Sonia doesn't know what to say as Reiko stares at the activity of other people around them at the banquet. Gotou seems to do the same. Neither of them have gotten a drink or taken as much as a bite of food. If Reiko wasn't going to eat anything Sonia didn't feel right eating either. Maybe Reiko was watching her figure. That must be it. Mister Takeshi smiles at Sonia.
"Are you comfortable? He asks.
Sonia forces a smile and takes a large drink from her glass.
"Yes. I'm good."
"What do you think so far?"
"Of the banquet? It's very nice. This is my first one." Says Sonia
"That's nice to hear." Says Mister Takeshi
Sonia can't help but smile at him.
"Where are you from?" he asks.
"I'm from the United States. I only moved here recently." Says Sonia
"What was it like living in America? I heard that it was all bad manners and pollution." he says.
Sonia laughs nervously.
"No! It's not all that way. It's not like I lived in New York." Sonia looks around the table as she laughs.
Both Reiko and Gotou meet her with silent blank stares. Mister Takeshi smiles politely because he doesn't get the reference.
"O…you have never been to America. Now I feel so smart." Says Sonia her voice filled with sarcasm.
"It was still a fine joke right?" Mister Takeshi asks the others.
"No. You don't have to do that. Perhaps we should be going." Says Sonia.
"Only one hour has passed since our arrival." Says Reiko
She looks at Sonia with her blank stare again. Reiko clearly wanted to stay and wasn't going to back her. Sonia begins to feel all alone.
Mister Takeshi glimpses the sad look in her eyes as she turns away from Reiko.
"Please don't be uncomfortable. It will make me so unhappy. What can I do to get you to stay with us a little longer?" asks Mister Takeshi.
Just then an American song begins to play.
"Um…Reiko would you like to dance?" asks Sonia.
"I have no experience with dance." Says Reiko.
"What? Come on. What music do you like?" asks Sonia excitedly.
Reiko seems to stare right through Sonia when she responds.
"I have never had time for music." She says
Sonia doesn't know if she is doing it on purpose but Reiko has instantly become a real killjoy.
"You like dancing I take it?" asks Mister Takeshi.
"I'm not a professional but I've got a few moves. Do you dance?" asks Sonia.
"I don't get very much time to do anything other than work these days. So I am afraid not." Says Mister Takeshi.
Stupid! She was blowing it by asking questions that were obviously not insightful. No one else was helping with conversation either. Reiko was practically nonexistent.
Sonia ignores the awkwardness and looks down at her cup. On the look down her eyes sweep over Reiko's round breasts. She feels a mix of excitement and guilt as she glances again this time allowing her eyes to linger. They fit so perfectly in the front of her lavender gown. They were so upright and perky. Allowing her thoughts to slip away Sonia wonders about them being free from clothing. Currently being in a crowded room at a banquet that Mister Takeshi invited her to Sonia has to snap back to her senses. This was not acceptable behavior. Who noticed? Sonia looks to Gotou first because he was a man with a stare like no other. Just as she suspected his eyes are solidly focused on her. She swallows hard noticeably in his presence and finally gains the courage to speak.
"What?" she asks him.
Gotou stares for another two seconds before responding.
"I said nothing." Says Gotou
With that response Sonia turns back to Mister Takeshi with a smile. He smiles back at her. She might have only semi dodged a bullet only time will tell.
Mister Takeshi lowers his head and leans in closer to Sonia.
"I've been wanting to ask you a question." He says.
Sonia feels butterflies in her stomach. Could this be a request for a date?
"Sure. Ask away?" Says Sonia
"How open minded are you?" he asks.
If this was some kind of game that lead up to the ultimate question Sonia was in it to win it.
"Very. I will give just about anything a try at least once." Says Sonia
"How do I ask this?"
Mister Takeshi keeps his voice low so the others don't hear the conversation.
"Just ask me." Says Sonia
"Do you think that all in this world are equal?" he asks
"Well yeah human beings." She says
He leans in really close this time.
"The parasites. Do you think we can gain some type of trust with them?" he asks
Sonia's eyes grow wide. He couldn't know about her book. He didn't get that information before the police. Sonia sits in stunned silence for a second.
"I'm sorry. I know that's a sensitive topic." He says turning away.
Sonia wants to engage in the conversation but she is scared stiff to speak her mind to anyone about the parasites. If she did it wouldn't be too hard to figure out that she wrote that book. On the other hand what if Mister Takeshi didn't like her anymore because she was too afraid to speak up? The risk of speaking out was far greater though. Sonia instantly feels extreme sadness so much that her face distorts a bit.
"Making you upset was not my intension." Says Mister Takeshi politely.
Suddenly tears run down her cheeks and she can't stop them. Why was this happening here out of all places? Sonia feels as if she is slowly drowning. She needed to get out of here and fast. She stands up. Mister Takeshi stands up too and gently touches her on the wrist.
"Please accept my sincerest apology."
"I'm sorry…..I…I'm so sorry Mister Takeshi. I need to go."
Just like that Sonia pulls away from his hand and bolts out of the room sobbing like a newborn baby. Mister Takeshi watches her leave.
"Perhaps I should go after her." He says
"Perhaps not." Says Gotou
"She was very upset when I said the word." He says
"Her tears they signify not anger but a great sadness." Says Reiko.
"She may have lost someone due to our kind." Suggests Gotou.
