Chapter 5
"Good afternoon, Sir." Aiko said. A shaky smile plastered on her lips.
And with her heart slamming against her ribs, she glanced up at him. Forgetting who she was and where she was, she surveyed him. His thick lavender hair with few strands hanging loosely on his forehead. He had stubborn face, but very striking. With his half-smile and bedroom gaze, no wonder the women in her department talked a lot about him. He was every woman's fantasy.
And again, she felt this certain joy when Trunks said 'Hello'.
Kurt cleared his throat that made her back to reality. She blushed. Her colleagues started to leave the table.
"I didn't remember you eating here, Trunks." Kurt said.
The corner of Trunks' lips twitched in a humorless smile. "Perhaps we just missed the timing, Kurt." Trunks' tone was indulgent. He looked at the counter and asked the crew to come. He ordered the menu for the day.
"Sofia told me that you have lunch date today, stood her up again?" Kurt's voice was filled with animosity. And he didn't even try to hide it.
"Your sister knew that I have appointment before lunch, Kurt. It was finished early than expected." He answered without expression. He then turned to her. "Mind if I join you, Aiko?"
"N-no, Sir. Please." She pointed the chair in front of her but he took the seat beside her.
"How did you know Aiko?" Kurt asked as suspicion suddenly crept on his mind, looking at her and then to Trunks. "You were in New York on her first day."
Again, that humorless smile. "I hired her."
"You hired her?" Kurt asked disbelievingly.
She swallowed, totally forgetting that she was eating. "He's right Kurt. Mr. Briefs interviewed the applicants for the position I have now. He hired me on that day."
Kurt was silent for a moment, taking his time until the crew had placed Trunks' order. He then stood.
"You surprised me, Trunks. You interviewed the applicants? Why? You saw Aiko among the queue of applicants and recommended yourself to do the job of Personnel Department?"
"Shut up, Kurt." It was said softly but the depth of warning was imprinted.
Kurt clenched his fists and looked down on her. "Forewarned and forearmed, Aiko. Our boss here holds the trophy as the playboy of the century besides being my sister's fiancé."
Aiko was shocked on Kurt's anger which was obvious on his face. He immediately left the cafeteria while everyone was in awe, especially hearing what he had just said.
Trunks looked at his food and acted as if nothing had just happened. "Hmm, this is good." He commented.
Aiko couldn't find the right words to say. Her heart was beating differently. She couldn't remember having this feeling before, and yet she felt the same familiar happiness.
"Finish your food." He commanded when he noticed that hers was almost still untouched. She lost her appetite but still, she forced herself to eat.
"How's your job?" He asked after a long silence.
She lifted up and smiled gently. "I'm doing fine, Sir. My colleagues are all kind and supportive."
"Including men, presumably." He was sarcastic. "I saw how men clustered around you as if you were a flower, ripe for pollination."
She gasped. Her eyes went wide as she let the full force of what Trunks had said. She was patient, slow to anger. But at that very moment, anger was obviously the only feeling inside her.
"Would you… would you mind repeating that?" She was surprised of her voice. She took all her strength to control her anger.
"I know you heard what I just said." Trunks growled softly.
"The words were faultless, Mr. Briefs." She said calmly but her eyes sparked fire. "I was referring to the tone you used."
His lips twitched. "What was my tone, Aiko?"
"Please don't let us play with words, Sir." She said too politely. "Did I violate any rules and regulations? As well as my colleagues?"
Trunks straightened his back and sighed. "I don't mean anything, Aiko." He paused significantly. "I only pointed out that the men in your department seemed to be taken by your charm."
"Men always behave like that. They tend to want to impress the new girl, right?" she said blandly. "Oh, but I'm sure the attentions wear off after a few weeks."
"I doubt that, Aiko. You're too pretty to ignore." He stood. "I'll go ahead." He looked at her before leaving the cafeteria.
Did he just compliment her? Aiko's eyes went down to Trunks' plate. He didn't even consume half of the actual serving. She tried to finish her food, aware of the stares of those around her.
It was the second time she met him, and again left her with the confusing emotions. There was something she couldn't name that wanted to emerge out of her mind.
"What happened?"
She raised her eyes to see Emma sitting in front of her.
"One minute, boys were all around you." She commented amusingly. "I wasn't able to sit here because of them. Then, another minute they all left when Mr. Briefs sit beside you. No one could ever paint the face of Kurt when he left. Mr. Briefs didn't finish his food and had a frown on his forehead. Why?"
"I'm as clueless as you are." She said.
Emma laughed good-naturedly. "You know what, we were all shocked seeing Mr. Briefs here."
"There's always a first time, Em." She said drily. "This is the company cafeteria. And even the senior executives eat here."
"Did you know that Mr. Briefs is not one of Kurt's favorite people?"
That got her attention. "So I noticed. Why?" she asked curiously. "Is he always like that towards Mr. Briefs?"
"That's only Kurt, but not because he was the son of one of the stockholders. It was easy for Mr. Briefs to fire him if he would base on his attitude. But Kurt is intelligent and efficient. He joined the company few months before Mr. Briefs became the President. Kurt had passed the board exam and knowing Mr. Briefs, he acknowledged Kurt's dedication to his job. The animosity between the two is more of, personal - Sofia."
"Mr. Briefs' f-fiancée?" She felt a sudden undeniable pain towards her heart. She was surprised. Why she had to feel that way?
"I'm not sure if that's the right term." Emma said. "I've been in this company for more than seven years. Few years back, there was a rumor that she was Mr. Briefs' girlfriend. And she kept on going to LA because Mr. Briefs was managing our branch there. Not to mention, Sofia also had a brother in Van Nuys." She continued. "Then, six years ago Mr. Briefs took a vacation here in Japan while Sofia was left in LA. And in less than a month, it was rumored that Mr. Briefs got married—"
"M-married?"
"Yes. It was said to be a whirlwind romance and they married in a simple civil rites. Then a week later, they went to LA for honeymoon. We weren't given a chance to meet the young Mrs. Briefs."
"What happened?" She wasn't aware that she was holding the side of the table making the white covers crumpled. Her chest was pounding violently as if ready to burst. Her headache was slowly creeping.
"When Mrs. Bulma Briefs announced her retirement, Mr. Briefs went back here but without his wife. Much as he wanted to go back to LA, he couldn't since he was appointed as the President."
"What happened to… to the wife?"
Emma shrugged her shoulders. "No one really knows. There were speculations that the two had disagreements and later separated. Well, it's usual. Divorce is a common thing nowadays. And that's how people around here assumed that Sofia and Mr. Briefs continued their relationship, as she had been a constant sighting he—hey!"
Emma abruptly stood up when she saw Aiko's head slowly drifting on the table.
"Aiko!"
"I love you… You will always be in my heart…"
She looked up, wanting to hear again his promise. Her smile had vanished and panic swelled in her chest. The man had no face. She raised his hand to remove the thing that covered his face. But her faceless lover stepped back, farther away.
She called him in anguish, crying out his name. But she was screaming without sound. Then out of nowhere, there was a faceless woman. She was laughing at her. Then her hands moved down to touch her…
She heard voices. Those voices were dragging her to go up from that strange vision. She didn't want to entertain the voices, she wanted to see the woman without face.
"Aiko, wake up… What's wrong with her, Dr. Muroka?
"She's coming around, Mr. Briefs. Please calm down."
"She's sweating!" He took his handkerchief and gently wiped the sweat around her lovely face. He looked at the doctor annoyingly.
The familiar voice made her eyes snap open. For a moment she was staring at Trunks' face with a blank look.
"Aiko…"
She blinked. Her chest heaved. "Y-you… have a face!" she blurted out.
The woman gasped while Trunks furrowed his eyebrows.
"Of course, I have a face." He said. There was a hint of smile as he uttered those words. "How are you feeling? Do you feel any pain?" He asked continuously that made her stir up from a deviant dream.
She couldn't look in his eyes. How foolish of her to have him mistaken as the man in her dreams. Her eyes roved around her. White ceiling and walls.
"Where am I?"
"You are inside Capsule Corporation's clinic, Miss Matsui. I'm Dr. Muroka."
She looked at her, "How long did I pass out?"
"Only few minutes, Miss Matsui. Less than three minutes when Emma brought you here, along with your other colleagues."
"What happened Aiko?" Trunks asked. "I haven't yet reached my office when I heard that you fainted."
She touched her temple. It wasn't painful anymore but she still felt wobbly. "I got a severe headache. I forgot the pill in my bag."
"Pill? What do you mean?" Trunks asked before the doctor could say a word. "Are you always like this? I mean… this fainting spell?"
"If my memory serves me right, this is the second time Mr. Briefs. The last time was in college."
"I'm taking you to the hospital." Trunks said and held her hand to assist her.
"It is not necessary, Mr. Briefs." She declined and stood on her own but he still supported her. "I'm okay." She smiled faintly. "My grandmother's a doctor."
"Are you sure?"
"Very." She smiled at the company doctor and murmured her thanks.
"Let's get your bag and I'll take you home, Aiko." He said with a firm authority.
"Really, Mr. Briefs, I feel better now. There's no need—"
"Let's stop this argument. I'll let the company driver ride your car."
"He's right, Miss Matsui." Dr. Muroka concurred. "You can take off the rest of the day."
They were already outside of the clinic when she spoke again. "The company driver can take me home."
"Are you always this argumentative?"
Aiko opened her mouth to say something but decided against it when she saw the determination in Trunks' eyes.
Moments later, they were on the road and she realized that it was just right to go home. She could feel the heaviness of her head and reclined on the headrest.
"How do you feel?" Trunks asked, worry crept his voice.
"Still wobbly." She said honestly. "Thank you for taking me home, Mr. Briefs."
"Call me Trunks." He said in a matter-of-factly tone. "Is it common for you to have this, Aiko?"
She couldn't answer immediately. She wasn't sure if she needed to tell him her condition. Then, she decided to tell him half the truth.
"It was early winter six years ago when my parents took me to a hospital, Mr. Bri—Trunks." She amended when she saw his eyes slit. "I… had blood cancer which I survived. I'm one hundred percent cancer free but not the headaches."
Trunks slowed down and looked at her. "It was on the private investigator's report."
Aiko's eyes widened. "You… you had me investigated?"
"It's a normal company procedure, Aiko. Don't make a big deal out of it. You're handling with trade secrets of the company."
She leaned back. He was right.
"What did your doctor say? Why do you always have headache?" he continued probing, his voice half-worried, half-curious.
"Oh, the headache is normal…" for a person who has amnesia and who's trying to remember.
Trunks kept silent. She provided him the direction. Few moments later, they were entering their circular open driveway.
"T-thank you," she spoke softly, smiling a little. "Do you want to come in and meet my parents?" Her invitation was sincere. She wanted her family to meet Trunks, especially her Dad.
"I love to. But I have appointment at three o'clock. Maybe, some other time. I assure you, I really want to meet your parents."
She nodded and hid her disappointment. And before she could reach for the door handle, Trunks already did it for her. Aiko closed her eyes for a moment as his scent assaulted her senses. There was something about the musky scent that was so achingly familiar.
"Aiko…"
She snapped her eyes open at the deep and husky voice. Trunks' face was just a kiss away from her. He was looking intently at her, curiously worried. And something else crossed his eyes – desire?
She swallowed a big lump in her throat and immediately went out of the car. She murmured her thanks and then she saw the company driver who was trailing them and driving her car. The driver politely gave her the key and hopped inside Trunks' black Audi. She waited for the car to be out of her sight before she entered their house. Miranda was on the stairs and saw her. She could be mistaken for a sixty-year old woman but she was actually in her seventies. She was slim, beautiful and had a good posture. Not to mention, the rituals she was always doing before bed time.
"Hi, honey." Her grandmother greeted warmly. "You're early."
She kissed her. She didn't want her to worry, so the lie came out easily. "We had a luncheon meeting outside the company, Grandma. For the chemists-analysts. And when it was finished, we were given the privilege to go home. Anyway, it's almost three o'clock."
"I don't understand why you are doing this, Aiko." Miranda said disapprovingly. "In less than a year, you'll have your trust fund. In fact, the interest is enough for a business capital. You don't need to work and get that minuscule salary."
"I know Grandma." She lovingly held her arm and guided her to the family room. "But I want to experience working. And besides, I still couldn't think of business that I can handle. Having a business is a serious matter."
"Why not pursue your studies? Take your Master's Degree. Or take up Medicine?"
She sighed and sat on the piano stool. This wasn't the first time that they discussed the topic. "I don't want to study as of the moment, Grandma. The attack of headache became more often when I attended my review class. It may happen if I continue to study. And Medicine isn't that easy."
"D-do you frequently experience the headache? Do... do you have these flashes again?"
"Quite long ago, Grandma." She lied. "I'm enjoying my job and I really like all my teammates."
Miranda sighed. She walked on the lounger and sat. "If that is the case, then I suppose I'll begrudge you with your job. And promise me, Aiko. Don't hide anything from me, especially your condition, your headaches…" She paused, then. "Or, if you… if you remember something from the past that… that might confuse you."
She smiled fondly at her grandmother. "Cross my heart and hope to die. You're my doctor, remember? Why should I lie to my doctor?"
"Aiko?" Yuki was on the door. "Why are you early?"
She sighed deeply. She needed to explain again everything she had said to her grandmother. And later, she needed to tell her father the same thing. Sometimes, she was tired of this routine but then she couldn't blame them. She was an only daughter. And she almost died, so they were being protective.
It was a miracle that she was even allowed to work. She stood, put her arm around her mother's shoulders and explained.
