"But to their surprise someone was waiting at the table." The dark shadowy figure at next to a freshly made bowl of curried potatoes made Maya's heart jump. She literally wanted to hide behind Masumi, but she knew she must be strong.
"Hello, Ms. Kitajima. How are you doing after your rest?" Eisuke inquired.
" I'm doing great and my head feels better." Maya replied.
" You look stunning tonight, you suddenly made the room feel warm again." Eisuke commented.
"Eisuke is right." Masumi thought. " The room is so warm and loving on Maya's side. But his side is despicably cold. Will Maya be able to keep her mask from cracking? Why is he here? He never comes down here. Will he make Maya uncomfortable.?
In order to break the tension, Masumi offered Maya a seat across from him, but 2 seats away from his father, Eisuke. Masumi commented on how sweet the food smelled and how great everyone looked. But Eisuke had his own plan for dinner tonight.
" Maya how do you feel about having children in the near future?" Eisuke randomly spat.
" I love children, but I don't think I have to patience to care for them." Maya proudly stated.
" Father, don't you think that's a little intrusive?" Masumi scolded.
" Well, if she thinks she can be little miss detective, I think she can handle a bit of interrogation on her own. Can you Maya?"
" Yes, I can actually."
Masumi really became worried, he was on level 63 of mind games, Maya was at level 17, Eisuke was going to eat her alive!
"Maya, How do you think I can mend this "relationship" with me and my son."
" Well first off you can apologize. Then try to talk to him, even if you stabilize it. Apologize thoroughly, tell him the truth and why you did what you did. Show him he's worth something more that a lonely business demon." Maya answered.
"Maya." Masumi mumbled.
"I'll consider it, Maya." Eisuke laughed.
His laugh was frightening, more so than watching a horror movie in an apartment by yourself on a windy night! Maya was becoming infuriated more so by the minute, she wanted to scream in his face. But she couldn't.
"Maya, what do you think of Masumi?"
She began to turn red. " He's alright, he's nice, but he's too cold for certain things. He's too lonely."
" What do you think of filling his lonely heart?" Eisuke inquired.
Masumi slammed his hand down. " Father that's enough." He coldly replied.
" But she didn't answer, Maya what do you say?" Eisuke breezed.
" I don't know!" She sobbed. Her fork hit the ground.
" Father, why would you do something so demeaning?" Masumi roared. The maids began to cower in fear, for the work demon never lost his temper so.
Maya began to cower in her chair, his father kept his stance. " Maya, if you don't want to stay here, I can pull whatever strings for you to leave, And you'll never have to come back, ever!"
Maya knew if she said yes, his father would be happy. " No, I'm staying."
His face froze in horror. Why would she stay with a proud monster and a cowering one?
"Then follow me." Masumi commanded.
He grabbed a jacket for himself and one for her. They walked outside into the snow. It was quite dark for 6 o' clock. He began smoking a cigarette but he was trembling.
"Masumi?" She asked
He turned his face towards her, red and watery. The demon cries? She thought.
"Yeah." He replied.
" Is this why you are so cold?"
" Yes, Maya it is."
He was nothing but an old rebellious teenager, sad, lonely, still discovering himself, wanting to be loved. It was quite sad. But she knew he barely had a happy home, he mainly kept to himself.
Not knowing what to do. She laid a hand on his shoulder, and then he pulled her close and hugged her. He was squeezing the life out of her, and he needed someone to care. So she didn't mind.
His tears began soaking her dress. She held his head while whispering "Just let it out."
He began to laugh. " Just look at me, how pathetic I am, a large hopeless teenager."
"You are, but everyone is still a teenager on the inside, selfish, rebellious, lonely. It's life's way of throwing you to the dogs." Maya commented.
" You know chibi-chan you look awful!" Looking at her was just hurtful, her dress hanging at one side, almost exposing her friend, her dress torn up to the thigh, her shoe, lost. She was slightly blue because she was so cold, turning red realizing half her body was exposed.
He on the other hand, was fully intact. Well, physically for that matter. Mentally, not so.
" Would you like to dance?" Masumi asked.
" Sure, but in these rags, I'm not so sure."
"Let's go anyway." Masumi smiled.
Running to the dance hall, they danced almost every dance known to man, Tango was by far his favorite, But while dancing she became uncomfortable and they had to stop. She looked all shades of red. He thinks it was his hands on her body. She on the other hand needed a cooling stage, lots of water to drink and lots of ice water to dip herself in. She was near death!
But when she broke out into her short belly dance lessons. She became so hot she had to run on the balcony into the snow.
I feel so dirty! She thought. Gross, I have the hots for Masumi, I mean come on, how awkward would that be, I'm going straight to hell!
"Night Masumi." Maya ran and excused herself to bed early.
"Good night, Maya." It was going to be a hard night for Masumi, very hard!