Revealing The Truth
"Take.. eh, how are you, aunty ?" Hiroshi's greet slues to see the person sits beside Takeshi. Takeshi Hasegawa approaches his assistant that stands on the entry door of Mr. Hamada's office.
"What is it ?" Hiroshi whispers when Takeshi is in front of him. "My mom insists to pay my debt," Takeshi explains in hiss. Hiroshi is surprised and forgets to low down his voice, "That can't be!"
"What can't be ?" The same question is spoken almost in synchronous from two different pairs of lips, Takeshi's mother and... Takeshi and Hiroshi quickly turn around their heads. Mr. Hamada.
"Hamada-san," both greet with chocked voice. Quickly Hiroshi moves, giving space to Mr. Hamada to come in.
"Ah, Hasegawa-san, こんにちわ (Konnichiwa - Good day)," Mr. Hamada greets Takeshi's mother that has stood. "こんにちわ (Konnichiwa - Good day), Hamada-san," Mrs. Hasegawa replies, bending her body slightly. "What is the reason for me to have an honor to be visited by you ?" Mr. Hamada asks friendly, but straight to the point. "I want.."
"My mom wants to congratulates you on your second daughter's born, Boss," suddenly Takeshi cuts his mother's words. With nimble steps he approaches his mother and holds her hand, "Isn't it right, Mom ?" Takeshi asks while his stare says 'please, mom, i will explain everything'. Mrs. Hasegawa sharply stares back at her son. Takeshi's hand squeeze is like saying 'I promise'. Mrs. Hasegawa releases the grip. Her sight softens as it moves to Mr. Hamada.
"Congratulation on the birth of your second daughter, Hamada-san," she says then once again bowing in respect. Mr. Hamada returns her bow. "Thank you very much," he says after straightens his body back.
"Well, let's have an office tour, Mom. I have promised you, right," Takeshi is trying to dampen the relief that fill his heart so it doesn't show in his voice. "Don't you have any work ?" Mr. Hamada asks. "Later at 11, Boss," Hiroshi responds. "Alright then. Please look around our simple office, Hasegawa-san," Mr. Hamada humbly says.
After bowing once more time, Mrs. Hasegawa, guided by Takeshi, comes out of Mr. Hamada's office. They walk soundlessly until at the end of the corridor. "So ?" Mrs. Hasegawa demands Takeshi's promise. "We better go to the lobby, Takeshi. Walls here have a lot of ears," Hiroshi suggests from their behind. Takeshi stares to his mother to ask an agreement. His mother nods.
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"ありがとうございます (Arigatogozaimasu - Thank you)," Li Wei and Yu Jin say together while deeply bow to a girl. The girl laughs shyly. Perhaps amazed by Li Wei's spiky hair, she was willingly to help them entering the building, told the security that they were her company's guests.
"Can we exchange numbers ?" Li Wei asks her. The girls nods happily and gropes her bag to search for her name card. Yu Jin can only rolls his eyes. His friend is never absent to flirt. "あなたの ? (Anatano ? - Yours ?)" the girl ask to Yu Jin while handing him her name card with both hands. "Oh.. I'm not living at Japan," Yu Jin says in Japanese. "E-mail ?" she pursues. Yu Jin glances at Li Wei who raising his eyebrows. "Sure," Yu Jin says and saying his email.
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The quite spacious lobby is conquered by a deep silence. It has happened more than a minute since Takeshi finished explaining to Mrs. Hasegawa about his exclusive contract. A contract that firmly forbids him to have a relationship.
The whole face muscles of Takeshi's mother are tense, suppressing unspoken anger and disappointment. Her eyes sharply stares at Takeshi who doesn't dare to even raise his head.
"Why ?" That's the only word that slips through her mouth. Takeshi raises his head so slightly, really just to be able to peek on his mother's expression that is still suppressing emotion. Fully doubt he answers, "I.. at that moment I was assure that I would be impossible to have a girlfriend within 3 years. I thought.. it was impossible for me to fall in love.. after...," Takeshi sighs, this time he purposely stares at his mother to tell the rest of his sentence.
"Ayumi," Mrs. Hasegawa hisses in regret. Mrs. Hasegawa's anger toward her son is vanished. She understands al though doesn't agree Takeshi's decision on agreeing the contract.
"But you do fall in love again, dear," Mrs. Hasegawa says between relieved and regret. Takeshi smiles at her bitterly. "I do"
"Is there really no tolerance ?" Mrs. Hasegawa asks again after in quiet for sometime. Again, Takeshi smiles in bitter. "I think you know my boss well enough, right, Mom?" he asks rhetorically as an answers. Though it didn't need answer, his mother eventually answers with a tender pet on his arm. "How much ?"
Takeshi turns to Hiroshi, about to asks his assistant to answer for him. But it is when he sees two men walk approaching him.
"Hasegawa Takeshi ?" Yu Jin asks once his foot is stepping on the thick carpet below the couch. He doesn't care about the surprised look on Hiroshi's face. Since he caught Takeshi's figure accidentally when he was about to enter the elevator, Yu Jin has only focused his sight on the idol. Takeshi Hasegawa answers his question by standing up.
"I'm Yu Jin," Yu Jin introduces himself, purposely in English. Takeshi's expression changes to hear his name, and he sees it. Yu Jin feels no need to add 'Xiao Ping's friend' since he is sure Takeshi knows who he is.
"Can we speak alone ?" Yu Jin asks in a calm but unarguable tone. "It is about her," he says the punch line. Takeshi nods, halts Hiroshi that was about to interrupt. "Follow me," Takeshi invites him then walks to lead.