Chapter 51.2

Three hours later, Asami exited the private ward of the hospital with a frown. Mr. Chiba had explained to her his plans on wanting her to arrange a meeting with Jason, and the two fought as Asami felt that her father was only using Jason to abide himself to the Singh ambassador, and possibly have the latter owe him a favor. Regardless of what Asami said, Chiba stubbornly refused to change his mind. He argued that he had already given his word and that it was imperative to maintain good relations with the ambassadors of other countries as there never was a certainty in life.

Thus, with a sigh, Asami reluctantly began calling Jason. After several rings, Jason picked up but the background was filled with the noise of laughing children. "Jason here. Sup, Asami?"

"I - whoa," Asami said, caught off guard by the noise. "Did you really go and make an army of little kids, Jason?"

". . . They're not my kids," Jason replied speechlessly. "I'm volunteering at a place right now."

"Ah," Asami understood and wanted to explain to Jason why she called but found herself quiet as she wondered how to say it.

"Something wrong? You seem a tad bit reserved, more so than usual," Jason joked. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say Michelle called."

"Oh please, I'm not some blushing teenager who can barely speak to her crush," Asami snapped back. "Although I am a gorgeous teen."

"Aw, you're breaking my heart here. Literally, I feel it burning - oh wait, no. That's heartburn."

"Haha."

"Jason, here are the dishes," Emily interrupted Jason's call and handed him a few more dishes, which he readily took and placed on the dining table.

"Thanks."

"Whoa, wait a sec. Was that Emily?" Asami was quick to catch on and she grinned when she realized that it was a weekend and the two were spending it together.

"No," Jason denied brusquely. ". . . Maybe? What's it to you?"

"Oh, nothing much," Asami evasively laughed. She was certain that Jason would kill her if he found out what had previously happened between her and Emily. She wasn't even sure of how to explain it.

Would, 'Oh, hey, I slept with Emily once' really fly in this situation? Asami asked herself with irony before coughing and changing the subject. "Does Alle know?"

". . . No."

"Huh."

"Alright, is there a reason you're calling on a weekend?" Jason almost snorted when he heard Asami smirking and asked with a hint of annoyance.

"Yeeaah," Asami replied derisively. She massaged the back of her neck with a hand while walking to the exit of the hospital. "Here's the thing: my . . . dad. He . . ."

Asami explained everything to Jason very quickly, about how Mr. Singh wanted to meet Jason, and how her father, Mr. Chiba, agreed to arrange something using her as an intermediary.

"Basically, my dad's using my relationship as your student to get you to meet Singh when, you know, you visit my place," Asami finally finished.

Jason was silent for a moment, waiting for her to speak, before opening his mouth. "Ok. And?"

"And?" Asami repeated in surprise. "That's it? My dad is literally, like, using you and you just go and say 'and'? No 'How dare he, rah rah blah blah'?"

"Nope, none," Jason replied slightly speechless at how she expected him to react. "So what if he's using me? That's just how society works. There's nothing wrong about that.

"Course, I'll definitely gonna make him pay for setting me up," Jason added.

Asami was stunned into silence, unsure of what to say as Jason continued.

"So when's the meeting?" Jason asked.

"You mean you're coming?" Asami asked back.

"Duh. I'm not gung ho about it and you can definitely bet your ass that I'm gonna do something shitty to get back at your dad. But, yeah. I'll show up. With Alle in tow," Jason added and Asami closed her eyes. "Maybe even Alice."

"Thanks. I don't know what to say," Asami finally replied.

"How bout 'Oh, thank you, brave hero! I can't live without you. Please marry me'?" Jason suggested cheekily.

"Sure thing, princess," Asami laughed.

"Damn it, I fell right into that one."

"Duh, like, obviously."

The two chatted for a bit longer with Asami mentioning a few minor things to Jason before he had to hang up as a child began crying after scraping his knee. Asami prepared to head back and tell her dad the good news when she saw the paramedic, who helped her father sitting outside, browsing her phone while smoking, looking dead bored.

"You know those things are gonna kill you, right?" Asami pointed out the cigarette and the paramedic looked up at her before shaking her head.

"Sweetie, I'm more than likely to die from suicide or an angry patient long before I get lung cancer," the paramedic replied as she flicked the cigarette butt away. A small cleaning bot rushed to sweep it away before buzzing at her angrily in response to her littering. "Ah beat it, you dumb droid. S'not like you've got better things to do."

Turning to Asami, the paramedic got a good look at her as she did the same. The two were dressed very differently; Asami was dressed fashionably in a knee-length dress and a cardigan jacket while the paramedic was dressed in a loose paramedic uniform zipped up to her chest with rolled-up sleeves, giving her a tomboyish aura. They stared at each other for a while longer before the paramedic cleared her throat.

"So," she broke the silence casually. "How's your dad?"

"Other than being slightly annoyed? Not bad," Asami replied. She couldn't help but notice how young the paramedic was. "He has no concussion, or any other injury, to speak of. Just some glass that was stuck in him."

"That's good," the paramedic commented, rather awkwardly. 

The two were silent again and the paramedic finally pointed to her ambulance. "I'd . . . better get going. You know, shift's ending -"

"Oh, yeah, yeah." 

"People to save -"

"Totally get it. I - I just wanted to thank you," fumbled a bemused Asami. "For helping save my dad and stuff."

Gee, why am I nervous around her? Asami asked herself. Is it cause she's older and hot? It's cause she's hot, right?

"You're welcome," the paramedic responded with a smile before cracking a joke. "Anymore thank yous and we're gonna end up kissing."

"Oh, yes please," Asami responded in reflex before realizing that she said it out loud. "I mean, clearly you were joking -"

"Clearly," the amused paramedic said in between Asami's fumbling.

"I was just - uh, I meant - I should stop talking," Asami continued without taking a breath. She closed her eyes and chastised herself for being a bumbling idiotic virgin as the paramedic's smile grew wider.

"What did you say your name was again?" The paramedic asked.

"Asami. Chiba Asami."

"Well, it was nice meeting you, Asami," the paramedic shook Asami's hand before leaving for her ambulance. "But duty calls."

"Wait," Asami called out. "You haven't told me yours. Your name."

The paramedic paused and smiled teasingly. "Maybe if we meet again, I'll tell you."

Damn . . . that booty, Asami thought as she watched the paramedic leave.

The paramedic entered her ambulance and noticed that her mechanical friend, the Medi-bot, was staring at her carefully.

"Not a word, M. Not a word," she warned the Medi-bot remained silent, much to the former's relief, despite his mechanical eyes whirling with thoughts. Just as she was about to start driving, however, the Medi-bot spoke.

"Your hormone levels suggest that -"

"Oh, for crying out loud, shut it!"