Shelf #007

As soon as Spike gave the hotel number to Kuu, the two quickly went back downstairs to the living room. Kuu was on the phone, waiting for an answer. For a few seconds, there was still the ringtone, which drove Kuu to feel even more nervous. What would be the first thing to tell her?

Finally, the hotel man was heard on the other line.

"Westin Fuwa Hotel, good morning," the male voice said.

"Hi," Kuu greeted.

"May I help you, sir?"

Kuu breathed nervously, holding the phone's receiver with a shaking hand.

"Ahm, look– this is a very odd situation. I'm a friend of Julienna Scott's–– and she rang me at home the day before yesterday–– and left a message saying she's staying with you. . . ."

Ookay, Kuu now wondered if that made any sense to the receptionist. On the other end of the line, at Westin Fuwa Hotel, the male receptionist about late forties with a sparkle of gray on his hair, was quite puzzled to this caller. He raised an inquiring eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, we don't have anyone of that name here, sir," he said.

"No, that's right–– I know that," Kuu said, breathing heavier and tried to focus his mind on what was supposed to tell this receptionist. Pacing around the room would help a bit, so he did near the window. "She said she's using another name. . . but the problem is she left the message with my flatmate, which was a serious mistake."

Kuu leaned on the windowsill. "Okay. Imagine–– if you will the stupidest person you've ever met. Are you doing that?"

Now Spike happened to be in the foreground of this scenario, reading today's newspaper on a sofa across Kuu. Not with the scuba diving gear anymore, but black sleeveless shirt and leather pants. Still with the goggles on.

"Yes, sir. I have him in my mind," the male receptionist said.

"And then double it–– and that is the–– what can I say– the git I'm living with and he can't remember. . . ."

"Try 'Tsuruga'."

Kuu blinked at Spike. "What?"

"I think she said her name was 'Tsuruga' –– though I can't remember the other name after that."

"Sorry, please excuse me for a second," Kuu said on the reciever and held it a bit away from his mouth. "There was still the other name? What is it then?"

"Like I said, can't remember."

Kuu went back to the phone. "Umm–– Does 'Tsuruga' mean anything to you?"

"Which 'Tsuruga' sir?"

Kuu froze. So it really was 'Tsuruga'. Now what was the other name! His mind thought about names that would fit with that but there was just none. He ran his hand through his hair in desperate. . . . Damn, this felt like needing a password just to get through. . . . Suddenly, he remembered Julie picked out two volumes of 'Skip Beat!' manga from his bookshop. Then she mentioned how much she loved reading only that story. . . . and her favorite character. Now –– she said she loved the male lead, didn't she? The character appeared on his mind.

Kuu tried to guess that as he spoke. "Umm –– is it, 'Tsuruga Ren' perhaps?"

The male receptionist smiled and nodded. "I'll put you right through, sir."

'Tsuruga Ren' was indeed the magic word.

"Oh my God."

Kuu then suddenly breathed a sigh of relief and tried to practice how to sound good.

"Hello. Hi. Hi."

Then an intercut with the tone sounded on the phone.

"Hi."

It was Julie at long last. Though it was only her voice that he heard, and he never saw her right now, but Kuu got caught out in surprise.

"Oh hi. Hi, it's Kuu Thacker. We, ahm. . . . I work in a bookshop," Kuu said. Weird, it didn't feel like sitting on the couch at all now.

Julie's voice spoke on the other line.

"You played it pretty cool here. . . waiting for three days to call."

She had been calling, looking and waiting for him. Kuu just never knew what to say here. "No. uhm, I've never played anything cool in my entire life. Spike, who– I'll stab to death later, never gave me the message."

"Oh –– okay."

"Perhaps I could. . drop round for –– tea later or something?"

"Y-yeah –– ummm, unfortunately, things are still going to be pretty busy, but. . . . O-okay. Okay, let's give it a try. Four o'clock could be good."

Kuu felt she suddenly sounded quite a bit nervous. . He smiled warmly. "Right. Great."

"I'll see you tomorrow then, Kuu. Four o'clock. . ."

"Right. Great. I'll see you too."

". . . umm, bye."

"Umm, bye. Bye."

He hung up the phone, still blinking in a daze. He couldn't believe it. He can finally see her again.

"Classic. Absolutely classic. . ."

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