Ch. 37 - Misaki : The Lost child

I silently stood as she stares at me steadily, I look at her in the eyes and there seems to be no end in her gaze. Her clear eyes are so intensely focus on me, it feels like im being swallowed by the abyss as her gaze makes me lost in thoughts.

I couldn't break away from her eyes and I stood frozen, speechless. A sudden flicker of lights coming from the window manages to distract me from her eye and allowed me to break away from it. I squint a bit then look back at her, she still has the same look on her face as she didn't seems to taken as second to look away.

"My name is Akagi Masahiko, ma'am."

I told her.

"Yes, I know."

She replied.

"I will be taking my leave now, ma'am"

Said by the manager. She left without saying anything else and only me and the landlady are left in the room. I can't help but feel awkward by the way she's looking at me. She doesn't seem mad so I dont think I did something wrong, she has the particular look on her face as if she's wondering and worried about something.

"Ma'am is something wrong?"

I asked.

"Have we met each other before?"

She asked, curiously.

"No."

Even though I was sure im not, I remembered that her family name is Akagi as well. So it makes me wonder even in the slightest of bit.

The landlady sat down on her seat and started to rub her chin.

"I thought having the same family name as you is just a coincidence, but now seeing you in person you look very familiar..."

I couldn't really understand where she's coming at but im sure she's just overthinking.

"Im not really sure if I know what you're talking about ma'am..."

I said while scratching the back of my head.

We just exchange looks before I started to feel irritated and uncomfortable with her unparalleled gaze.

"Ma'am, if you'd excuse me, I must go now."

I told her, without waiting for her to reply I just decided to leave as I dont think there is something important to talk about. But as I was about to walk away she interrupts me by standing up from her chair and by trying to reach her hand out to me.

"Wait!"

She said in a loud but not persuasive voice.

I turn around and she walk right next to me.

"Just wait, I want to ask you something."

She said as she grabs on my shoulders and tries to gently but forcefully push me towards a chair.

At this point I kinda feel creep out and uneasy around her, even though I could just refuse to talk to her, she is the landlady of this place and she can just kick me out of she wanted to. But she looks nice and I dont suspect her that she would do something absurd. So I just decided to comply and go with the flow.

"Can I interest you in any drinks or snacks?"

She told me while smiling. I haven't replied on her question yet but she already went on her way and picks up an iced coffee drink from the mini fridge behind her desk.

"Ah, thank you ma'am."

"No problem~ Just call me madam Kanae."

Her charming aura matches with her hospitable nature.

Kanae reaches out somethinh on her desk drawer, but its not so visible from where I am siting. She might be looking for some documents or something.

"I just need to interview you for a bit, I will be asking some questions, okay?"

She told me.

"Okay, but for what use, madam Kanae?"

I aksed her.

"Oh, its just so I can know my tenants better in case of emergency."

I wasn't entirely convince thats its her sole purpose but I dont really have anything valuable or can be used to frame me. So without having a second thought I just answered her questions. I ended up telling her what she needed, where I came from and who are my relatives. However, I didn't mentioned who my aunt was and just mentioned that the only family I have are my grandparents who passed away, and my cheating mother and lost father.

"...my mother left me alone in our home as she fled to the countryside with her new boyfriend, I was under the care of my grandparents since then."

I feel like if I tell her a tragic story about myself which people aren't really comfortable to talk about, she would feel guilty and stop. So I make sure to tell her the main reasons but not very detailed or precise.

"My, you poor thing..."

She worryingly said as she gasp, her hand hovering over her mouth.

I bow my head and rub my own hands to make it seem like im traumatized by recalling the experience. But it reality I dont really care and I dont want anything to do with the past.

"What about your father?"

She asked.

I dont really know much about him, considering all my mother told me about him are all lies and my aunt doesn't really have any memories of what he is like.

I wasn't sure what to answer since I no longer have accurate information regarding my father. But I just told myself "Why does it matter?". On my head, so I just told her what I know.

"I never really get to see him as my mother divorced him when I was young."

I simply replied. I raise my head and lean back on my seat. It was getting personal and she seems to be interested in hearing more about my past, im starting to feel irritated and disturb. The room was filled with awkwardness and her questions are beginning to get tricky. After a few more minutes I was finally able to go back to my room, she set me off with a another drink and smiled at me.

"You seem very interesting to talk to, care to come back next time to chat?"

She told me as I was leaving her office.

"Of course, madam Kanae."

I replied to her.

She seems very nice and approachable. I did enjoy talking to her for the time being, however I cant stop wondering why she told me I look familiar. Im a bit curious but I couldn't bring myself to ask as I feel it would be rude.

She looks at me like she has found someone of familiarity or like a friend she hasn't seen for years. But I think I might be overthinking it, she probably just mistook me for someone else.

As he excited the door, Kanae felt a subtle yet quick feelings of pity and relief. She pulls out the tape recorder she had secretly placed on her drawer, and a photo of her husband. Akagi Masahiko's real father, Akagi Masao. At first glimpse she can already tell the similarities in appearance between him and her husband. She wasn't entirely sure but when his stories perfectly matches what Masao has told her, she feels overwhelmed with different emotions, she was surprise to see her husband's lost son and is excited but doesn't know how to tell her husband. She decided to call her husband but she doesn't know if its the right time and how would she explain it to him. Walking around in circles, worryingly thinking about how her husband would react. She is nervous and excited at the same, her chest is beating so fast and she doesn't know how to dispose of her overwhelming emotions. She knows her husband is still working restlessly as a chef on a cruise ship, even herself wasn't entirely sure if it really is his missing son. After , trying to calm down and think for a moment, at the last second she change her mind and put down her phone. She thinks she'll only disturb him and make him confuse, she feels she needs to gather more evidence than just what she had before telling her husband. Before she could sit back down her phone rang and much to her surprise, it was her husband calling. She gasp, rattled by his sudden call after just deciding not to tell him. She calms herself down and think of something to convince him.

"Hello, dear~ Why'd you call me all of a sudden?"

She said.

"Huh? Love, you just rang my phone, is there something wrong?"

Hearing her husbands voice makes her happy and all, especially that they haven't seen each other that much since he has to work on a cruise ship. But hearing all the sizzling sounds, the noises of pans and plates clanking on the phone, just shows that he is busy, but even so he still calls her back, sounding worried.

"Oh, is that so dear? Im sorry but I didn't realize I did call you first. I just miss you~."

Kanae tries to convince Masao, however she felt touch even by this act of her husband who always looks after her. She sincerely tries to say sweet words to her beloved Masao. Hearing his voice after she assures him that nothing is wrong, she tears up a bit by imagining how happy his husband would sound if she really manages to reunite him with his lost son. As she talks to her husband, Akagi was up in his room, comfortably laying down on his futon exchanging messages with her childhood sweetheart.

"I didn't mention it earlier as I was embarrassed and you make me blush more than enough but...I had a wonderful time with you, Masahiko."

As the night gets deeper, the neighborhood becomes even more silent. The more he is able to hear his own heartbeats, pounding loudly while rejoicing every moment they spend together. In his head, he created a scenario were he dreams of finally getting over this hardship he currently suffers and live a happy life with her. And were he would to promise to Misaki, that unlike his own parents, if they finally bear a child of their own. He would make sure they wouldn't grew up on a broken family.

"I am also thankful, that someone like you falls in love with someone like me."