Chapter 35: The Swan and the Duck: Entry Four – Conversations
A couple of Saturdays ago.
Takeshi is undoing his tie in the walk-in closet. Wear out after a long day at work.
"Want some tea, my love?" Yume asks by the doorway.
"That would be lovely, but only if you will have some too."
"I will. I want to talk to you about something."
"I will be with you in a second."
"Take your time. I will prepare the tea."
The CEO changed into house clothes and went to sit on his overly large armchair that was turned towards the glass wall. He laid his legs on the ottoman and hummed his appreciation for finally being home. He exhaled contently when he found the sweet spot on his chair.
As a habit, he looked up at the sky and saw that it was clear. He could see some stars twinkling faintly, trying to compete with Tokyo's city lights. His wife arrived with a tray. She poured the Moroccan mint tea into two cups on saucers and let it cool down on the table beside the armchair. The sweet aroma of the mixed spice variant helped relax the exhausted husband.
"So, what troubles my beautiful wife? Is it something I can take action on?"
"I don't know." Yume said as she took the armchair beside him.
"Do tell then. I am at your service."
"I think Sayaka has started a sexual relationship with Yuu-chan."
His eyebrows almost shot to the ceiling. "Well, thank goodness I am not holding that piping hot tea yet. Please try to walk me through it; don't just drop the bomb willy-nilly."
His wife ignored this animated reaction. "Don't you think they are still too young to do that?"
"I am sure our daughter thought hard before making that decision. But there's nothing we can do about it. You know how hormones act. She finally found someone she loves who loves her back. It is normal to want to be closer."
"Tell that to yourself decades ago. You won't even touch my hand till we are married."
"I am respecting you, my darling. I want you to be sure that you want me. I should not steal precious moments of affection if I am not the one destined for you."
"Whatever." She rolled her eyes, but there was a faint blush that colored her cheeks. The husband was happy that he could still make his wife blush.
"Are you still mad about that? I think I made it up to you as soon as we went away for our honeymoon. And since then, I didn't hold back anymore." He reached out and ran his thumb at the back of her hand.
"You did, but I digress. What shall we do with this situation?"
"First off, are you sure about this? Do you have any proof?"
"A few weeks ago, I heard the maids talking about how Sayaka's sheets were changed again the very next day after they had just changed them. They were surprised that the humper in her closet has another set of sheets after they had emptied it the day before."
"Mmmn," Takeshi took his tea and blowing on it before putting the tip of the cup on his lips. He took a sip, decided that the tea was still too hot, and laid it back on the table.
"Then on Thursday morning of that same week, they found a new set of sheets again. And Yuu was in her room after school that Wednesday afternoon. The same thing happened the following Thursday morning the week after that."
"Okay." The husband doesn't want to interrupt his wife's assertions.
"And this morning the maid told me that Sayaka had instructed her to have her sheets changed as Yuu would sleep over again. I bet you this. That bed will be changed again tomorrow."
"Alright."
"That's it? That's your reaction to this? We will not intervene or anything."
"No, that is a very private matter. But it just proves that my prediction is right."
"What prediction?"
"It's either she will invite Yuu-chan to Italy or she won't come with us." The CEO was finally able to sip his tea comfortably.
"Oh, I am sorry, darling."
"Don't be sorry yet. I predicted it, so I did something about it."
"You didn't."
"Excuse me, love. I need to call Watanabe to invite Yuu-chan's parents to a dinner." He said as he stood up.
"If your daughter finds out about this, you will be in trouble."
"I'd rather face the wrath than not see her in Italy this year."
Yume shook her head before sipping her own tea.
*-/+
The week before the flight to Italy
Watanabe entered the office with a little smirk on his face.
"What amuses you, Kaito?"
"I won the online bidding, sir."
"Really?"
"Yes, a teenage boy and some collector from America would be crying by now for not getting that sought-after Ichiro glove."
Takeshi rubbed his palms together. "Good. Our Swan will be surprised by this. She will be angry at first, but she will know that I care about our prized duck."
"Sir, I think it's been a while since we've been talking in codes. I indulged you long enough. Let's just call them by their names."
"Ah, Kaito, where is your sense of whimsy? Life is so much more interesting in codes."
"As you please, sir."
"Are the uniforms ready?"
"Yes, sir, but how sure are you that they would agree to play?"
"The Calle and Falcone children are good kids. They would love to do something out of the ordinary once in a while. And I am sure Emmanuel will be ecstatic."
"The rugby player?"
"Yes, the very one."
"Sir, I have seen you predict so many things that come true, like clockwork, that it's scary. Why are we making two sets of uniforms?"
"You said so yourself. It's scary. I don't want them to think that I could also predict the exact team members for each."
"Please do tell how you came to these predictions."
"It's easy, really. Once I know who's likely to play, Eliana is a cheerful kid, but she is more artistic than sporty. She'd rather paint than run around in the sun. Once that's settled, I know Eduardo and Jovanney will not want to be on the same team, as it would askew the balance too much. They are both readers and make decisions in a flash. I know they will be the team captains."
The faithful assistant only bowed and encouraged him to continue with his explanation.
"Eduardo will not want to be the one to pick a team member first. He is not one to make a splash. He will not want the spotlight. Jovanney will pick first, and he will pick Emmanuel since that kid will make a raucous if he isn't picked first. And he is a clear first choice for everyone."
"He is enormous, sir."
"Yes. Very strong but had a very gentle, happy-go-lucky attitude. You would be irritated by him, I think."
"Well, I like things to be done in an orderly manner." The assistant rearranged his glasses.
"Eduardo will pick our duck." He said this with a wild smile.
"What makes you think that?"
"I don't think it. He will surely pick her. He adores our Swan, he would want to honor her, but he would also read that she is good. People will think of her as a wild card. But I know that she is the ace."
Watanabe raised an eyebrow.
"You gave me her statistics yourself. Don't you think she's good?"
"Unlike you, sir. I don't see the relationship between the numbers. I am more of a people reader."
"And you have been invaluable to me. Thanks again, Kaito."
"You paid me a great deal, sir. I am happy to be of service to you."
"Aw, but I know you love me and my family. You are not doing things for the money."
"Sir, please continue your predictions."
"I can't understand why you feel shy about this."
The assistant cleared his throat as restrainedly as he could.
Takeshi then continued. "Jovanney will pick Valentino. The firstborn should be picked first, of course, but Valentino is a tennis player; he is fast, and he is no stranger to hitting a fast ball. His batting average will be good, not sure about catching, though. Then Eduardo will pick Claudio to pay homage to the Italians as well. Jovanney will pick Rosalia over his girlfriend. First, because she will throw a fit if she is picked last." He laughs. "That Emmanuel and Rosalia complemented each other so much. Second, because she won't want to be in a team with Eduardo. Though they are not related by blood, those two have a sibling rivalry, though it is more on Rosalia's side. Eduardo was just so talented that she couldn't keep up. But she has many other talents that Eduardo won't be able to surpass. She just needs to accept that their gifts are different and that their parents love them both equally anyway. Finally, Alicia will be the last member of Eduardo's team and will have no qualms about being picked last. She would have predicted it before the picking started and would be amused as the events took place."
"Does her mind work the way yours does, sir?"
"No." That knowing smile appeared again. "That is just her gift."
*-/+
Takeshi's emergency phone rang. He saw the caller ID. "Hmmn, this should be interesting." He breathes in and answers the call. "Hello."
"Sir, they got separated."
"Oh." The CEO understood immediately. Thinking about the intertwining canals, serpentine bridges, and symmetric streets. How common it is to head down an alleyway only to have it dead-end around a sharp corner. "How far away are they from each other?"
"Close to seven hundred meters, sir."
"Ah, in a crowded labyrinth that is Venice, that could be kilometers away."
"Precisely, sir." The detective he contracted then told him how it happened.
"Keep an eye on them."
"Yes, sir. I have Alejandro with the little girl. Following her discreetly. She keeps getting farther away."
"It doesn't matter. I know they will find each other again. If not, intervene when the sun is about to set. Or if they fainted or something, it's 34 degrees there, I see."
"Yes, sir."
"Update me every thirty minutes. Make sure they are safe."
"Very well, sir."
He hung up.
"What happened?" Yume asked.
"A kid was running with an open soda in his hand and tripped on his feet. Yuu saved him, but the soda splashed on her skirt. She went to a drinking fountain and got lost as she tried to get back."
"Hmmmmn, Yuu-chan is so kind. But that is weird. Sayaka wouldn't let her go alone."
"She was on the phone. Probably your parents."
"Oh no."
"Yes, no one can make that child flustered like dear old granny and pappy."
"They are not that bad."
"They still think that Sayaka will grow out of it. She is not in a phase. That is who she is. And she's happy. Why won't they give it a rest?"
"They will learn to accept it. If the past week is any indication, our child will be married as soon as Yuu-chan reaches legal age."
"They will live together once Yuu-chan graduates from high school. But if my reading with her mom is correct, they won't be married till she graduates from college."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, but Sayaka will propose as soon as possible."
"Want to bet on that?"
"Hmmmn, I always overthink when you challenge me like that." The husband eyes his wife. Thinking about the bet he lost in the airport.
"I bet you that Sayaka was irritated that the jersey has Yuu's surname in it and not Saeki. So, I am sure she is itching to propose already."
"So, you're telling me that it's my fault that the timeline was changed."
Yume laughs. "Our daughter is very much like you. When you care about something, you do everything to stake all claims on it."
"Well, when we found a gem." Takeshi took her hand. "We recognized its value immediately." He kissed the hand. "Of course, we will try everything in our power to secure it."
That night, while he prepares to go to sleep, Takeshi receives another phone call.
"Hello sweetheart."
"Dad, I have a weird request. Please permit it. I will be in your debt."
"Daughters can never be in debt to their fathers. You have unrestricted access to any and all of my resources."
"I would have done it myself, but I am not of legal age yet, and it will raise a lot of questions."
"Then tell me. I will do what I can."
"Dad, please, can you set up a security detail for Yuu? Take the expenses from my account. I don't need to be updated. I just want to make sure that she's safe all the time. They can intervene only when absolutely necessary."
"Did something happen, sweet pea?"
"Yes, but I don't want to talk about it now."
"Alright, gorgeous. I will call Watanabe to set it up as soon as possible."
"Thanks dad. I will sleep easy if I know that you are on this."
"I am at your leisure, my darling."
"Ah, about that. Please don't call me 'my darling' anymore."
"Yuu-chan finally gave you a pet name, huh?" He chuckled.
"I am hanging up now."
Takeshi could almost see her eyes rolling at that. He smiled. "Come on, sweetheart, you know that I adore the both of you."
"I know."
"Happy birthday, my child. I love you so much. Dad is here for you, always."
"Thanks dad. I love you too. See you tomorrow?"
"I will be waiting at the edge of my seat."