The Encounter

CHAPTER FOUR

Encounters by Shintaro, had been quite successful for the past six months. Attended by his affluent colleagues in business during its grand opening, Shintaro's restaurant was also embraced by locals and tourists alike. "Perhaps I'll do the selection of kitchen wares and spices next time," he told his crew on an inventory meeting. If he was not too busy with the kitchen and guests, he made time looking through and audit of his sales and inventories like the one today.

"Sumimasen, Yamamoto-san, I can do it for you." One crew volunteered.

"It's okay. Just go on with your responsibilities here. I'll take care of this."

"Hai! There was one clerk in-charge of it. The name is at the bottom of this page." The same crew showed it to him.

"Thank you." He made a mental note of visiting his mother's newly-opened branch in Ngee-Ann City.

As expected, his mother did not settle for less. She was always well-connected with well-grounded business people who were as careful and passionate as him. In front of him, the edifice stood magnanimously which was actually more intimidating in person rather than in pictures. He made one quick turn to the left side of the building and located what he was looking for.

"Good afternoon! Wel-" The salesclerk must have been shocked to see him as her eyes grew wide and her jaw dropped watching him making his entrance at the shop.

"What are you doing here?" Shintaro skeptically asked the woman.

"Me? I'm working here?"

Her slight high tone suggested sarcasm it made him pissed off. "Obviously. But why here? Are you following me?"

The woman's eyes flickered in annoyance of his interrogation. "Why on earth would I follow you?"

"Right. Is that how you treat your customers?"

"Sumimasen."

"Is there any problem? Oh, Mr. Yamamoto!" Erina Aoki, the 'divine beauty' attended them to check the commotion. She was looking at him and the woman alternately and he did not like the humor that came from those eyes. It seemed she was having fun at the peeve that came thru his eyes as well, as if they had been in this inside joke before.

"Oh, well, not really," he replied blandly, halted and looked at the woman behind Erina. "Just a misunderstanding. I'm here to check for a few things." The woman excused herself and attended another customer. Erina was explaining to him the stocks he could possibly purchase for the way but he was too preoccupied with the woman he now remembered as an employee from the restaurant he used to work at and wondered how she got this job. But why would he bother? Was she even important? He needed space. Once again, his head hurt as if it was a sign of an incoming pandemonium.

"Are you all right, Shintaro-san? Shall I call your doctor?"

"No, no. I'm okay. I need to breathe." He stepped outside of the building and looked for a bench to sit on.

Was he just stressed out or this was some kind of effects of the drugs he was taking? Better yet, a triggering memory coming out? He reminded himself to take everything easily but it seemed he was running from one thought after another. When he first saw her at TYH, his head hurt continuously like this he wanted to pound it. That night was rather arduous as he had previous legal arrangements with the company and the turnover of some of his people. This was when he saw her again at the visitor's lounge on his way home. He had to use the exit doors by the laundromat to get to the parking lot. And she was there at the sofa curled in her uniform. He wondered if she lived far for her to stay in this hidden spot of the building. She must have been cold, he thought when he noticed the temperature in the room. He had worn warm clothes underneath his coat so he decided to take it off for her as blanket as he drew nearer to her. He was surprised when she caught his arm and started sniffing and smooching it like he was some kind of a stuff toy. He felt it was awkward as few guests passed their way so he thwacked her forehead impulsively.

"Aww!" She felt her forehead sore and was appalled to see him. She immediately dropped his arm when he sent her a harassed look.

"Are you done fantasizing me...Ito Himari?" Himari. His gaze was drawn from her face down to her nameplate. She must have felt horrified and covered her chest with her arms. He chortled with a smirk. She asked him with the same question of why he was still in the building at that hour. He was already too tired, and so without a word, he put his coat on her shoulders instead. She was taken aback by that he observed, and left.

He should not be smiling at that thought for she sure was a pain in the head - literally.

Did Erina bring her here? Would she be of help? If she was, why did he have this pain?

The bench he was sitting on was adjacent to the counter so he could see her directly from here. There were two women now and judging from their gestures, they must have been talking about him. His hunches seldom failed him. He could see the rather Singaporean native lady giggled. Do young girls always do that regardless of race? In all honesty, at his age, he knew what girls were like. He could certainly give them what they wanted but he was not easy. Erina once told him he was an abyss within an abyss. No one could fathom what was within him completely even himself. Going back to the view directed from here where the afternoon sunny breeze delighted him, he wondered what their conversation was. Really? I'm interested in that nonsense? But this Himari just pouted and sneered at him as if he was a disgusting monster man. How could this woman despise me? Really? She should be grateful she still had a job. He shook his head and consciously realized it stopped from hurting. At that juncture, he received a call and in an instant, Erina was out beaming at him.