Chapter Four: A Long Talk and On to Japan

They landed and everyone got off the plane. Jackie and her cousins went to a burger place, ordered their food and went back to the lounge to eat. After they ate, they pulled out their books. Jackie was reading the chapter on tax law and didn't notice Tomishiro had joined them until he spoke up. "You're studying law, how interesting. What kind of law are you studying? Is it estate, business, criminal or real estate?" he asked her politely. "Corporate law" she replied tersely. She stopped when he asked his next question, "Are you going to have trouble being away from school for so long?" She was about to give him a snarky reply until she saw that he was genuinely interested. "I do independent studies and have set up to take my classes online. The last two classes I'm taking now are High School Education and Pre-law. My professors have set it up for me to sit in on a courtroom and to be a teacher's assistant while I'm here" she explained to him. " How come you're taking on so much and aren't you only twenty?" he asked her and she smiled at him. "I love to learn new things, it's fun. I'm like a sponge. Life is one big learning experience. It just comes easy for me" she explained. Why was she finding it so easy to talk to him? She should still be mad at him for that kiss. "And I will be turning twenty one in the spring" she added.

"Book learning is fine, but what about life's lessons? I know a few people whom have studied all their lives, but if you put them into a social setting, they're lost. They can't interact comfortably with other people" he said. He was taken aback by her sudden outburst of laughter. " I grew up with Nineteen siblings, eight of them older than Jet and I. They would never let me just bury myself in books. They would take me to parks, camping, skiing, parties and all kinds of sporting events. My brother Jet is the worst of them all. He would drag me to school functions like dances, sporting events, motorcycle racing and not to mention Martial Arts classes and compititions. Then he took me to the MMA training camps and matches. We even got into a few scrapes with the law for street racing, fighting amongst other things. So, I'm not all about book learning or I wouldn't be here right now, would I" she said, smiling as the memories washed over her. He had noticed a slight touch of sadness around her eyes when she talked about Jet, but he didn't press the issue. "Geez, nineteen siblings" he said, trying to imagine the chaos. "Yeah nine biological and ten adopted younger ones. Imagine trying to keep twenty kids under control, but somehow Mom and Dad did it" she explained. "So you and Jet are twins, whose the older one?" he asked. "I am by a whole thirty minutes" she replied. "Why name you Jackie and Her?" he asked in genuine curiosity. Jackie giggle loudly and he raised his brows at that. "Mom is a big Martial Arts movie buff. Jackie for Jackie Chan and Jet for...." she started to explain. "Jet Li. I get it now. She sounds like she has a wicked sense of humour" he said. She went on to explain, "It's not as bad as the oldest twins. Mom thought she was having two boys. Bruce was born first and surprise the second wound up being named Lea." He laughed. "So has there been any news on Jet yet?" he asked. Jackie shook her head no. "Why don't you give them a call? Maybe there will be some good news" he said. He already knew what she was going to hear, he had already received a text from Lea just a short while ago. "I'll call them in a bit. Right now I have some studying to concentrate on. I'll call them in a half hour" she told him. He nodded and just sat there watching her. Jackie tried to study, but the man sitting next to her was too much of a distraction. The memory of that kiss had ignited something long buried and brought it to the surface. She had actually wanted to curl her fingers in his hair and pull him closer.

She had to squash these feelings, but she was finding it very hard to do so with him sitting right next to her and staring at her. Once they were in Japan, they would be going their separate ways. Besides, she didn't know if she could survive another broken heart again. He might have a wife or girlfriend waiting for his return. She had to think of him as her sponsor and nothing more.

Jackie put her books away and took out her phone. She dialed Lea's number and waited for her sister to answer her phone. Lea was at the hospital when she answered the call. Jackie wondered why she was there. Her stomach clenched." Hey, Jackie, how's it going? Did you land in Hawaii yet? "Lea asked. "Yeah we landed a short while ago. Is everything okay over there?" Jackie dreaded but asked anyway. "I have someone who wants to talk to you" Lea said and turned the phone around and showed a man sitting up in bed, smiling. "Hey sis, it's good to see you again. I heard you say you were going. Enjoy it for the both of us" he said. Jackie screeched, jumping up from her seat and said "Jet, you're awake! When!? How!?" Tears were running down her cheeks. She wanted so much to reach through the screen and pull him into her arms. She was so happy to see his smiling face again, but a little sad that she wasn't there with him when he woke up. He instinctively knew what was bothering her and said, "Hey, it's alright, sis, you were here for me for seven months. I heard your voice right before I woke up. Tomorrow I'm being moved to the physical therapy wing. I'm going to bust my ass to get better so that when you return, I'll be ready to cause some more mischief with you again. I'm not strong enough yet and I tire easily so I'll say good night now. Love Ya, Miss Ya, Wolfpack forever. See you tomorrow, bye sis" he said around a big yawn. "Love Ya, Miss Ya, Wolfpack forever. See you tomorrow. Good night Jet" Jackie said back to him. Lea came back on the phone. She was walking out the door and down the hallway. "I had wanted to tell you the news the last time we spoke but there was too much commotion going on. Jet some up just after your plane took off. I'm going to be here every day to make sure he is getting better for you. We will send you videos and pictures and possibly chat. It's very late here so I'll see you tomorrow, okay" Lea said. "You had better or I'll swim back there and kick your ass. Bye sis. Tell everyone I said hello. And take good care of Jet for me" Jackie said and hung up.

She looked up from her phone and saw three people waiting expectantly. Jackie hugged her cousins, letting out a whoop of joy. "Jet woke up! He's doing great so they're moving him to the physical therapy wing tomorrow" Jackie said excitedly. All three were dancing around. Tomishiro looked on and wished she had hugged him as well. "So, I take it, it was good news?" Tomishiro asked stepping closer. Jackie turned to him, smiling brightly. "Yeah, my brother woke up from his coma, he's going to be fine" she explained. He smiled back at her. "You needed such great news. You're absolutely beautiful when you smile" he said. Jackie felt warmth spread through her at his compliment. This man was devastatingly handsome, confident, aggressive and compassionate. He was the perfect man. She had avoided the dating scene after her first and former boyfriend had dumped her in such a heart wrenching way, and along comes this man. Jackie realized that she feels a strong attraction to this man, but she really doesn't know anything thing about him. She decided to remain cordial to him. "Thank you for suggesting that I call my sister back. Now I feel better about being here. The day before I left, I went to visit Jet in the hospital. I told him all about the trip and he heard me. He woke up right after we took off" she said. Tomishiro smiled and winked at her.

They sat at a table, drinking tea as Tomishiro was explaining the rules of the competition, how to fill out the various forms and sizes for uniforms, when the steward came in and announced that they were ready to reboard the plane. Jackie packed up her laptop, phone and mp4 player, which she had been charging up while they were talking. Tomishiro had noticed her reaction to his compliment, the blush and then the shuttering of her emotions. She was still hurting so much. That guy had done a number on her. Then and there he vowed to make her forget that other guy, that other time in her life. He was walking behind her and noticed her walk was bouncier, happier. He was going to have to talk to Jet and Lea more about her. There had to be a way to break through that wall she had built up around her heart. They settled into their seats and waited for the plane to take off. Komiko decided to take a nap, so Mina pulled out her study materials. She started to write down mathematical formulas, erase them and then tore the page out of her notebook. Jackie noticed her actions. "Here let me take a look at that" Jackie offered. Mina moved the book over so her cousin could see it as well. Jackie backed up a couple of pages and showed Mina where she had missed a crucial step. "I always read through it, then go back and re-read it. I locate the complete formulas, mark them off and write them down as a guideline. I stare at them until when I close my eyes, I can see them clearly in my mind. Try it, it may help you too" Jackie explained. Mina did it and was so surprised that it actually worked. She realized that she was able to concentrate on the formulas better without the distraction of meaningless words. "Wow, now I know your secret. It makes it so simple" Mina said smiling. Tomishiro had his eyes closed but had been listening. He now knew one thing about her; she had the ability to see what was important, memorize it and then recall it in great detail. Photographic Memorization is what it is called. It gave him an idea. He would wipe out the past with fresh memories of himself. He smiled. Jackie helped Mina with her studies until Komiko woke up from her nap. The two women traded places and the lessons started all over again. "God Jackie, you're a natural. You should definitely become a teacher. You have such a way of making the work easy and fun" Komiko said, finally understanding where she had been going wrong in her study skills. Where Mina had been leaving out critical information, Komiko was adding too much information from the start, causing confusion. Dinner was served shortly thereafter.

After dinner, Jackie pulled out her laptop and inserted the informational disk that had been with her package. It contained maps for Japan, information about where they were going and local attractions. It was in a tutorial format so she plugged in her headphones to listen without disturbing her cousins or the other passengers. She went through and checked out the rail systems, the bus routes and the local attractions. She found out the village of Izu was located on a peninsula and is famous for its resorts and spas. The village that they are going to will be about an hour's ride from Izu. There were several shrines and temples close by. There were also three new schools in the area as well as a medical clinic donated by the Ichibana/Takahashi Corporation. Jackie's eyes widened at this bit of information. She glanced at Tomishiro. He was busy reading and didn't see the speculative look she gave him. Apparently this man was closely associated with the Takahashi family and rich as sin too. Jackie ejected the disk and put everything away as the stewardess came around again with the snacks and beverages cart.

After that Jackie went to go use the lavatory. While she was waiting for her turn, Tomishiro came up behind her. "I would like to talk to you, if you don't mind" he whispered in her ear. She tensed up instinctively and turned to face him. "I would like for you to join me for coffee or tea and breakfast when we land"he said. She replied right back, "I'm sorry but I have my cousins with me, besides don't you have a wife or girlfriend waiting for your return?" He leaned into her, pinning her to the aisle seat behind her. "No, I don't have a wife or girlfriend awaiting my arrival and your cousins are welcome to join us, if you want" he said close to her ear. He heard the hitch in her breath and it told him that she was affected by his nearness. He leaned into her more before pulling his head back to study her face. Her cheeks were suffused with color from the intimacy of their pose. 'Yes a more direct approach may be the key' he thought.

"No, I can't get involved with you. Please leave me alone" she said, her voice barely above a whisper. He stepped away from her, grinning. "This is not over. I'm going to find a way to make you understand that I'm not going away. That's a promise" he said and went back to his seat. Jackie noticed her cousins had been watching them from over the backs of their seats, smiling. She turned and went into the lavatory as soon as it was empty. She looked in the mirror and saw the deep blush that was coloring her cheeks. Jackie didn't know if it was because of his comments, the intimate pose or the fact that her cousins had seen it happen. All she knew was that she had somehow enjoyed the attention he had paid her. Jackie had felt something akin to the warm fuzzies that her sisters always talked about. She then decided to avoid him as much as possible. She finished up in there and exited.

As she approached their seats, she heard her cousins talking. She glanced over to where Tomishiro was sitting and saw him with his headphones in and he appeared to be sleeping. "I know what you saw and as I told him that I wasn't interested, so drop it" Jackie stated as she settled back into her seat. She pulled out her mp4 and headphones, queued up her relaxation music and went to sleep. When Mina was sure Jackie was asleep, she turned to Komiko. She said, "Oh my God, did you ever see such a blatant act of possession before?" Komiko smiled and responded, "Yeah back in Little Tokyo, in LA, when I was younger. And in regards to our dear cousin, he did it in Seattle while we were waiting for you. He had trapped her against the door to the lounge. Mom says when a man shows his interest in that fashion, it is only a matter of time before the woman accepts his attentions. I wonder if our dear cousin is aware of this ancient custom of courtship. They make the perfect couple, don't you think? We are going to have to keep them in contact with each other." The two women shook hands. Tomishiro smiled. He had had only one earphone in and had heard their whole conversation. He now knew that they were on his side. Jackie was in for the surprise of her life. He relaxed and soon fell asleep.