The Falling
"だれ かのじょ わ ? (Dare kanojo wa ? - who's that girl ?) "
Takeshi who sits on the soft sofa on his hotel room gulps his beer in slow motion. But that avoidance move can not break Hiroshi's stare who insists to get an answer. "だれ? (Dare ? - Who ?" Takeshi finally is asking back indifferently.
Hiroshi snorts. This time Takeshi's act is terrible. After back from dinner, the only thing Takeshi had done was only to stare blankly at the television, not even care what's on it. Beer on his hand has also been drunk for merely two gulps. Something has been bothered him. And Hiroshi is already able to guess what or who it is. "She is the girl who is on the picture, isn't she ? The picture you often bring," Hiroshi attacks him again in Japanese.
This time Takeshi just glances at Hiroshi for a second then drops his head down. Hiroshi sits on the table in front of the sofa then leans forward to Takeshi. He gives his final question, "君のかのじょですか ? (Kimi no kanojo desuka? - your girlfriend ?)"
----------------
After back from toilet Yu Jin throws his body slowly beside Xiao Ping who sits staring at carpeted floor of hotel lobby. He doesn't know what is in Xiao Ping's mind but his move is able to steal her attention.
Xiao Ping sighs then turns to Yu Jin. "We better go home," Xiao Ping decides reluctantly. Yu Jin follows her sight that she is now directing it to a man on suit that talks to a crowd of girls. Soon after the girls stand and walks to the main door. "Looks like we are going to be expelled, too," Xiao Ping adds.
Yu Jin nods to understand. It is almost 10 PM. The hotel doesn't want their guests being disturbed thus they usually ask guests who don't stay to leave. "Let's go," Yu Jin asks while standing.
Xiao Ping weakly nods then also stands. In lethargic she walks behind Yu Jin while her mind is busy comforting her heart. It isn't as bad as you thought, isn't it? Your dream is broken. He doesn't know you. Everything is a lie. But.. It's not that awful, right ? You can handle it well. Her heart agrees, but still can not cover her sadness, even from her own mind. Why are you sad ? Aren't you still lucky to be able seeing him up close ? Xiao Ping's head nods to agree with her mind.
"Xiao Ping, the parking ticket is with you, isn't it ?" Yu Jin's question makes her gasp a little.
"Wait a minute," Xiao Ping says then opens her bag to search. "I can't find it," Xiao Ping reports with a pale face. But she remembers something and pats her forehead. "Seems to be fallen off at the lobby. I was searching for tissue then my bag fell and to have its content fell out," she says. Xiao Ping then walks away while saying, "I will be back soon."
Yu Jin wants to go with her, but he needs to move his motorcycle first because it is blocked other vehicles.
------------------
A little in hurry Xiao Ping walks through the double-glass door that opens automatically before her. The hotel lobby begins to look deserted, only few hotel employees do some work there. When she arrives at the sofa she sat on, Xiao Ping starts searching for the parking ticket. She smiles in relieved when she found it lying under the couch. After groped her hand to reach the ticket, Xiao Ping is about to stand from her squat. At that moment, someone calls her, "Shiawase-chan ?"
Xiao Ping gasps, unconsciously drops the ticket off from her hand. The voice is different from Takeshi's voice she heard all this time. But .. Takeshi was the only one who called her "Shiawase", it even was only in emails.
Xiao Ping stands and turns her body around. "Shiawase-chan ?" the voice asks again, trying to confirms that it is the right person. The voice belongs to a man. The man who walked with Takeshi's group before. That chubby Japananese man.
"对 (Dui-right)," Xiao Ping answers. Realizing that the man probably doesn't understand her answer, Xiao Ping quickly nods. That man, Hiroshi Hayashi, smiles friendly and gives Xiao Ping a paper. Xiao Ping takes the paper and reads the words on it. Once she read it, she drops the paper in surprise. "Dear, Shiawase. Meet me on the roof. Follow this man. lostboy2000."
-----------
For the fourth times Yu Jin glances at his watch fretfully. It has been more than ten minutes he waited for Xiao Ping. "Maybe she can't find the ticket," Yu Jin thinks inwardly then sighs. Xiao Ping is naive. She must feel guilty and keeps on searching for it. Whereas if it really is missing, all they need to do is reporting to the hotel security. While wearing a thin smile that always come when he thinks about Xiao Ping, Yu Jin gets off from his motorbike, locks it, and walks to the hotel to catch Xiao Ping up.
Yu Jin slightly jumps to skip the last stair of hotel terrace then walks through the opened glass door in front of him. His sight is aimed to where Xiao Ping and he were. No one is there. While wandering his sight with a furrowed eyebrows, Yu Jin approaches the velvet brown sofa. On the carpet beneath the sofa is laid parking ticket and a paper. The furrow on his forehead is getting deeper. He takes those two things. After reading what's on the paper, his face becomes worry. He quickly approaches the reception table.
"Good evening, Sir," the same employee greets him. "Is there any rooftop in this hotel ?" Yu Jin asks but sounded more like accusing than asking. The employee is a little surprise and nods in reflex. "How to get there ?" Yu Jin quickly asks another question. The employee becomes suspicious. "Forgive me, Sir. The rooftop is not for public," he rejects to answer. "Please..," Yu Jin urges. The employee's face become cold. "Forgive me, Sir," he says as cold as his expression. "Now, if you don't have any other need, please excuse me," he adds before turns around and leaves Yu Jin that grows more panic to hear the answer.
With his back leans on the reception table, once again Yu Jin wanders his sight around to the whole ground floor of the hotel. Suddenly his ear hears from a far the receptionist greets someone, "こんばんわ (Konbanwa - Good Evening), Hayashi-san". "こんばんわ (Konbanwa)," someone greets back. Yu Jin's instinct moves his head to the voice. That Japanese man.. as fast and wide as possible Yu Jin chases the Japanese man who walks to the elevator.
"Excuse me," Yu Jin says in English then taps the man's shoulder. "Where is Xiao Ping ?" he asks. Hiroshi turns his head around with forehead is knitted. "Pardon me ?"
Yu Jin hands over the paper he found. "You are his man, right. I saw you with him at the restaurant. Where is she ? The girl. Where is Xiao Ping ?" Yu Jin asks repeatedly. Hiroshi shortly glances at the paper then thinly smiles. "I don't know what you're talking about," he answers then slightly bends down to say goodbye.
"ちょっと まって ください (Chotto matte kudasai - Please wait for a moment)," Yu Jin asks stoping Hiroshi three steps in front of him. Yu Jin quickly catches and stands before Hiroshi. Yu Jin closes his eyes to calm his mind. "おねがい, ちょっと かのじょ に であわせて ください (Onegai, chotto kanojo ni deawasete kudasai - Please, let me meet her for a moment)," Yu Jin says in stiff. He has left Japan since he was twelve years old so it takes an effort for him to speak in Japanese.
Hiroshi stares at Yu Jin. The worry in Yu jin's face makes him pity. But ... "ごめん なさい, それ が できなくて ("Gomen nasai, sore ga dekinakute - Sorry, I can not do it)," Hiroshi regrets.
Yu Jin stares at him for few seconds, to beg the Japanese man. Yu Jin bends down deeply while saying, "おねがい します! (Onegai shimasu ! - Please !) かのじょ わ だいじょうぶ だ と きめたい だけ で (kanojo wa daijoubu da to kimetai dake de - I just want to make sure she's fine)"
"Eh ...," Hiroshi becomes awkward receiving Yu Jin's respect. He quickly pushes Yu Jin's shoulders to straighten him back to his height. Yu Jin stands straight but doesn't lose the sincere pleading sight to Hiroshi. "そのご わたし わ もう じゃましません よ (Sonogo watashi wa mou jamashimasen yo - After that I won't bother)," Yu Jin promises.