Chapter 7 Poppy

Part 1

I'd been focusing on my breathing, trying to relax and radiate detachment. Therefore, Jasper's question is unexpected.

Surely, I am safer if he believes I'm ignorant. Yet the cold way he is staring at me chills me to my marrow. If I deny his words are true, it will be obvious that I am lying. "What do you expect, I thought you'd fallen but you said you'd been in a fight and now you're searching the streets outside my apartment. I can only assume for your assailants."

He strides over to me and lifts me from the sofa, his face inches from mine. "Not why are you scared. Why are you scared of me?"

The truth must be in my eyes, the eyes that I cannot drag away from his. Nausea bubbles away in my stomach and my breath becomes intermittent and shallow. I know I should be trying to breathe more deeply to alleviate the increasing feeling of light-headedness, but I can't. He knows, there is no point lying but how can I say it, how can I utter that word.

His grip on me tightens. "Tell me."

"You're… you're yakuza." Embarrassingly I can hear the tremble in my voice. I'm about to die and I'm worried about embarrassment! Perhaps because even having been attacked and unable to see, Jasper still managed to maintain his poise and confidence. I find him attractive, for more than merely his looks, and now I know I am unworthy of him. Ha, as if there could ever have been anything between us. I bring my knee up as sharply as I can.

He lets go of me and I'm running for my front door. My hand grabs the handle, but it won't move. Panic makes me tug harder, twist and pull but it still won't budge.

Part 2

I can't hear anything beyond the beating of my heart, yet I know he is getting closer. Giving up on the door, I turn around to face him. This being the end, a sense of calm descends on me. Or perhaps I do have a chance, I practised karate for many years, he has no weapon and without those glasses he cannot see.

"Yakuza?" He sounds out the word as if it is unfamiliar to him and not what he expected to hear.

I stare at him, who doesn't know that word.

"Miss Poppy, I am sorry to have scared you. My fall resulted in amnesia, like you, I surmised that before that incident I had been attacked. By whom I don't remember, nor why. Please understand that I could not easily dismiss the notion that the woman who rescued me wasn't involved to some extent."

Feeling affronted, I eye him warily not relaxing my stance.

He remains standing at a respectable distance from me. "My memory is very patchy. What does the word Yakuza mean?"

I'm sure he's lying about the amnesia; however, I have no idea why he would. I decide to humour him. "They are criminal groups with a hierarchical structure. They say they are all about loyalty, honour and respect but this is only towards other members of their group, particularly those of a higher rank, and to protect their groups reputation no measure is too extreme. Members have symbolic tattoos to denote rank and affiliation, but when dressed you'd mistake them for respectable businessmen. You obviously fit right in, and not merely because of your back."

Relief then amusement lights up his eyes. "You are mistaken about my affiliation. Furthermore, I have no intention of hurting you."

I relax and he darts towards me his fist aiming for my head. Reflexively my right arm shoots up to deflect his punch while my left hand aims for his jaw. His body flows sideways out of my way, and I hit air. His next blow catches me on my deltoid, giving a wake up and concentrate vibe. He's playing with me.

Part 3

I keep my fists up, my weight low, and wait for an opening. There are none, yet I must escape before he becomes bored of this game. I shall just have to make one myself, I flick my eyes to his groin and back, jump forwards and twitch my leg. His arm sweeps down as he twists away from me, and I land a blow to his side with my fist. Or rather I completely pull the punch, I doubt he even felt it. It hammers home to me that Jasper has survived a real fight, has real fights and I've only ever pretended.

He laughs and as if by magic I am back against the door, with one of his arms pinning my waist the other holding up my right hand and his body twisted so that his hip presses against my thigh to protect his groin. "I'm happy to call that a draw, one strike each if you'd like?"

Once again, I'm captivated by those otherworldly eyes of his and as my adrenaline drains away, I feel tears prick at my nose.

His hand releases mine; he steps back and gives me an elegant bow. "It seems I must apologise again. I wanted to convey the truth that I have no intention of harming you, not upset you. To make amends I shall prepare you lunch. Then we can talk."

"Really? That's why you tried to hit me?"

He smiles sweetly at me. "Semi, you are so cute that I had an urge to kiss you, play fighting was my second choice."

Released I stand awkwardly, until Jasper disappears. I try my front door, it opens easily. I wonder in what percentage of universes I go through it, wonder if this is the only one, the outlier, where I close my door and go and watch tv while I wait to be fed.

Part 4

Fantastic smells emanate from my kitchen, the alternative versions of me are going to miss out. Jasper brings dish after dish into my lounge and places them on my table before sitting next to me on the sofa.

My first mouthful is extraordinarily delicious, so is the next. How he managed that with my store cupboard ingredients I have no idea. I polish of the last mouthful, and feeling replete, joke, "Can I keep you."

"That is one of the things I wanted to talk to you about. Although it won't be forever, just until I regain my memory…"

Yes of course, Jasper is only the snog type of person. In no universes do I get to keep him. Although I guess for any sensible woman, he'd be the avoid type. "Really I should take you to the Canadian embassy. You will recover your memory faster being amongst people and places that you know. They'll help you get back home. Have you still got your passport?"

"No, I only have the clothes you found me in."

And his pin torch thing that he hid in his pocket. "Oh, well I'm sure they can sort that out too."

His eyes wander as if drawn to the tv and he gesticulates. "What is that?"

A distraction it may be, however when he asks about the program I'm watching, he isn't giving of weird shifty vibes, he seems genuinely interested. Perhaps he has only recently arrived in Japan, or he doesn't watch much tv. "I was watching Sekai no Hate made Itte q." Jasper looks blank, so I continue, "celebrities travel around the world and participate in festivals, it's interesting and often amuses me."

"How does that thing show the images."

I shrug, "My tv? I have no idea; you probably have to have studied electronic engineering and circuitry to understand it properly. Although there should be simplified explanations online."

"So, it's not magic?"

I giggle. "Of course not, how could it be." I type it into my phone and show Jasper an article.

He gazes puzzled. "Those are similar symbols to the ones outside, what do they mean?"

Oh, he comes from Canada doesn't he. I get my phone to translate it into English for him. Jasper continues to look blank. "I recognize the script but not the words they make."

Weird, he can speak with me though. I get it translated into romanji.

"Some of these words are familiar but not all." He sounds lost, which tugs at my heart a little until the ghost of a satisfied smile shows in his eyes.

Part 5

I need to be careful of this man. If the tattoo encompassing his back didn't say this to me, then the easy lies and emotional manipulation should. Still on his side, he is one fantastic cook…

"When we went out together last night, what was the chirruping sound?"

He's making it sound like we were on a date; on purpose I suspect. He wants to lay low with gullible me for a while and is upping the charm after petrifying me. "Male cicadas. They make that sound to attract mates." I find a picture of them on my phone and show him.

He stares at the picture looking resigned. Then passes my phone back. "And this is your mobile, isn't it?"

I nod. Where has he been for the last two decades?

He sinks into thought. I realise that I'm staring at that handsome face of his and decide to distance myself. I pick up the plates.

"Wait, I'll wash up later. Will you take me to the spot you found me. Please."

"No way. Your attackers could still be there." I get my phone out and show him the spot on google and chuckle despite the seriousness of the situation. "See that lamppost, you thought that was me. Do you think you can remember those directions."

"Yes, thank you. I will return anon."

It would be crazy to follow him. I try and refocus on my program. However, anxiety is building up within me making it impossible to concentrate. I run to catch Jasper up and grab his hand just as he's about to walk across the road towards a red light. "What are you doing! You have to wait for the green walking man."

"It will not happen again." He instantly removes my hand, a look of displeasure, at my touch, on his face. That hurts way more than it should and if I didn't know better, I'd say he had that red aura back flickering around him. Or is the aura his anger, am I turning into some kind of mystic. I check my phone, a red aura shows around people who are passionate, courageous, confident, loyal, and adventurous with plenty of physical energy, they like to lead, are analytical and…. they love the truth. Okaaayeeee, so I'm not a mystic.

Chapter 8

Part 1

When we are a street away. I say, "Hey, best if we go separately, then I can call for help if you need it."

He examines the area and comes back for me. "It seems safe. Please lie how and where you found me."

Ok, I think I can do that. The image is still seared into my brain due to the shock of finding him, better still there is the dark stain to line my head up with.

He moves to my side then a couple of metres away. "Did you notice anyone else standing about here and here, when you first saw me?"

"Well, there was definitely no one standing next to you." I try and think back to that night. My focus was mainly on Jasper. A few people walked by and there was the small crowd. "No one else was that near until later."

He ponders for a while then suggests we go home. He uses that word for my apartment. It feels so natural, when it really shouldn't.

As we walk back, we pass a coffee shop. From our conversation coming back from Takumi's, coffee is Jasper's favourite drink. Perhaps if I get some coffee beans for him, he'll be able to enjoy a cup rather than having to swallow it quickly for the caffeine hit. When I suggest it, Jasper's polite smile becomes genuine, and he readily agrees. I grin to myself as he indulges in a technical chat with the owner and eats some of the beans on offer, before choosing a packet. It is super expensive; however, I buy it anyway. It is scary how he's got me wrapped around his little finger so quickly. The only saving grace is that he will be gone soon. My heart aches, he will be gone before I even have a chance to get to know him. But perhaps that is for the best.

Part 2

Lunch was one stupendous feast; however, it has left me with next to no ingredients in my apartment, bar Jasper's deluxe coffee beans. Moreover, I'm exhausted. Which I feel is in direct proportion to Jasper's energetic enthusiasm. To be fair, how interested he was in everything was cute at first, but now I'm tired of showing him how to do simple everyday stuff like use a washing machine, program the tv, and weirdly use the rice cooker and hob. If he couldn't do that how did he cook lunch? Not that I care at this point, I just want to get some dinner and go to bed.

Oh great, Jasper is insisting on coming to the seven eleven with me, like it is some exciting outing that he's heard about but has never experienced for himself. Wanting our shopping trip over as quickly as possible, I choose the bolognaise for both of us, get it heated up and hurry Jasper back to my apartment before he asks any more questions about the produce on offer, and I lose the will to live.

Disgust appears on his face with his first mouthful, and immediately fades into mild distaste. True it doesn't taste fantastic like his cooking, but it tastes alright. I usually look forward to it as a meal I don't have to cook. I pause chopstick full of spaghetti halfway to my mouth, I feel hurt again which is ridiculous.

Jasper puts down his tray. "Why don't we bin this and go and see your paramour, his cooking is sublime?"

I laugh nervously. "He's a little old for me, don't you think? Besides he's married with three children and two grandkids."

"Not the chef, his assistant."

My stomach sinks, there is no way I'm taking Jasper anywhere near Takumi's Ramen bar. If I can never eat there again or see Kenta, so be it. "Because you seem to have no money, and I don't earn enough for us to eat out every night." I stand up and take my meal into the kitchen, where I sit on the floor in a corner and eat in a sulk.

Part 3

I awaken in my own bed. I could believe the last couple of days merely a nightmare, bar the delightful smell of fresh coffee permeating the air.

Jasper glides into my room. "I trust you slept well… or did you prefer having my stomach for a pillow."

Really! can he just not help himself. I can feel my cheeks heating much to his obvious amusement. At least he thinks I'm blushing because of my mouths proximity to the sign he'd been having 'nice' dreams. Rather than because I had those too that night, with him as my muse. I can't remember clearly, just vague fragments of him kissing me, of feeling his skin against mine and the stroke of his fingers, to the backdrop of pleasure so intense I felt like I was drowning in it.

Jasper passes me a mug. "Please drink your coffee immediately, it is at the perfect temperature."

I thank Jasper. As I sit up to take the proffered cup, my sheet falls away. I hastily pull it back up. He carried me asleep from the sofa to my bed, not cool. Worse I sleep naked, and he is obviously laughing to himself. However, I feel that I haven't the energy, at the moment, to make him understand why I consider his behaviour off. Tiredly I sip the coffee and am amazed. "Mmm, this is delicious. The best coffee ever." Well worth the expense, as long as he teaches me how to brew it properly before he leaves.

He chuckles, "If only I'd had Canadian red coffee beans, I would have brewed you a cup worthy of that praise." Disappointment briefly shows in his eyes. He's not being insulting, he wished to please me, but has learned nothing from the bolognaise fiasco. Ooh, I am so looking forward to catching up with all the work I missed yesterday, and that surprisingly isn't me being ironic. I think I'll skip breakfast and grab a roll on the way to work instead.

I choose an egg sando, I need some indulgence and creamy egg salad in soft white bread, fits that to a tee. But what am I to do about Jasper? I haven't the money nor talent to create the sort of high level of cuisine he wouldn't toss in the bin.

Part 4

I laugh at myself; I've known Jasper for less than a day. I have no idea who he really is let alone what he's like. If my cooking isn't good enough for him, he can go and sponge of someone else. Although he did like my marmalade, which makes me stupidly happy… Damn that man, he was in my head for the entire train journey and still is. It seems he's the perfect balance of mystery, annoyance and sweetness to have me bewitched.

Itsuki bows at me as I enter the shop and I bow back slightly lower, because I know this will make him have to bow again lower still, even though he knows I'm doing it on purpose, and for some reason it amuses me, even though we are good friends or maybe because of it. I grin at him as he straightens up, however he doesn't grin back.

"Is everything alright?"

"Flower didn't turn up to work yesterday, unlike you she didn't phone in sick, and I haven't been able to contact her. I'm worried."

I'm worried too. Knowing that she has her phone on silent, I send her a message. 'Hope you're alright. Please message me back so I can let everyone know why you're off work." It's difficult to concentrate on the account sheet, not knowing what is wrong with her. Although no police officers have called around, so surely it can't be too serious.

For lunch I have the bolognaise Jasper tossed in the bin when I wasn't looking. Luckily, I was suspicious and checked. Itsuki opens his bento box, and as usual I'm jealous. "Oh, wow those soot sprites are adorable." You would think that his wife Masuyo had nothing to do all day but make him delicious, beautiful and varied lunch boxes. When in fact she is an accountant and works full time. I pull out my phone and take a snap to add to my massive collection. I tell myself that one day I will be organised enough to recreate them.

Itsuki passes over one of his soot sprite rice balls. It would obviously be incredibly rude to refuse his gift, so I don't.

Hmm, perhaps it would feel more worthwhile to make Jasper and me a lunch box. However, the theme would have to be something specifically for him. I'm thinking coffee, cicadas, perhaps some flowers to go with them. Masuyo has cookie cutters for flowers but also carves carrots and radishes. I bet I could make a really cute cicada…

Part 5

There is still no reply from Flower by the end of my shift, so I travel to her apartment on my way home. I bang on the door, listen for her footsteps, bang on the door again and shout her name. Nothing, her apartment is as quiet as a morgue.

We'd swapped spare door keys a while back, after I'd accidently locked myself out of my apartment, so having waited a few minutes, I open the door. The door catches on the chain. Flower must be inside, now I'm properly scared. Has she fallen over and knocked herself out, broken her leg? She'll have been without food or drink for at least two days now. I shout again, "Flower."

Nothing. I hit her door with my shoulder, once twice, scream her name and bash the door again.

"Excuse me, is there a problem."

I explain to the man about Flower not being at work and the chain being in place. He puts his shoulder to the door and the chain's screws come away from the doorframe. We hurry inside together and hunt around her apartment. I find him in her bedroom, gazing out of the semi opened window. She's on the 8th floor, no way did she leave that way, did she?

"You should call the police. I'm Nakamura Yasu. I'm in flat 8-4 if they need to talk to me."

He leaves and I'm left alone to do another sweep of her flat. With a sinking heart I note her phone on her bedside table. Only a few days ago she had me guess her new personal record for hours spent on her phone, set the day before, it was nineteen hours and thirty-six minutes. I call the police.