Somewhere Only We Know

Chapter Four

"Good afternoon, ladies. I am Aihara Yuzu, Associate Creative Director for Miura."

"Hello, I am Kojima Himari, assistant to Aihara-san." The young employee in a sleek dark suit stands up from the plush leather sofa inside one of the atelier's sophisticated styling rooms to respectfully bow. Yuzu looks at the client sitting in front of the LED mirror.

"Mei?"

It was more of a question than a greeting. The sight slightly unsettled the talented designer. Yuzu couldn't accept that the pale, pensive woman sitting on the chair of the styling booth and staring right back at her with lightless, disimpassioned eyes through the mirror is her beautiful high school sweetheart.

"We are terribly sorry for the rush. Miura-san didn't notify us that she will be on leave. We appreciate it if you could please quickly take us through your style book." Her personal assistant politely orders.

Harumin would've given her an eyeroll that would reach the nape of her neck if she knew who the VIP that interrupted her leave was.

"Of course," Yuzu opens her laptop and starts to project the current Miura style book onto the retractable screen off the adjacent wall.

"This season we came up with cuts to complete and bring to perfection the current goals of the futurist female. First, to better explain the thinking behind the design, I will show you the data we gathered on those goals."

Mei wasn't looking at the visuals she's presenting, instead she's set her gaze at Yuzu as the designer is speaking. She loves seeing Yuzu shine. Goddamn, Mei. Yuzu cannot stop her mind from diverting. There are hundreds of other brilliant hair designers in Tokyo. You really do find what you shouldn't.

They've brushed shoulders many times, in private exhibits, in exclusive parties, in fashion shows. They've exchanged glances. But not this close. Not in the bright, ultra-flattering light of this room that Yuzu can see all the pain and the wreckage in Mei.

For the first time, she understood how fortunate she is to not be born with a surname that carries so much pressure and expectation. For the first time, she understood why Mei is unable to relax and just enjoy the moments they had when they were teenagers.

"I'll give you a moment to discuss and decide what it will be. Meanwhile, I will be going outside to brief the style team." Yuzu stands up, bows to both of them and starts to make her way out of the room. She closes the door behind her and upon checking that there's no one near the hallway of the atelier, she begins to let the tears fall down her already flushed cheeks.

She has heard the rumours of the tycoon's ruthlessness and her deteriorating sanity. Their parents have asked her to intervene many times. She would have, if not for the demands of her craft. And that she has promised to put herself and her goals first and foremost in her life in the years that passed. She has completely gotten over what became of their brief relationship, it's been thirteen years. They've both matured, adults who understand the ways of life.

She's crying not because she still cares. She's crying because she couldn't find it in herself that same love for Mei that she felt years ago. That beautiful, intelligent teenager who secretly worked so hard to protect her from the rigid rules of their school to keep her creative identity intact– lost in that tired, disillusioned executive sitting inside the room.

Yuzu wipes her tears and quickly walks back to the styling room. She opens the door forcefully to both Mei and her assistant surprised at her sudden entrance.

"Aihara-san, you could've knocked." says her assistant.

Mei glared at her assistant. "Kojima-san, Aihara Yuzu is my sister. Please mind your tone of voice."

Yuzu clears her throat. "Mei, I don't recommend any of those hair designs presented."

"Or any styling for this matter. I recommend that you have coffee with me."

"I'm on leave, anyway." Yuzu continues, huffish. "I am not supposed to work. So please, will you just come with me?"

Mei's personal assistant is left stunned. She's not used to seeing the tycoon being talked to so casually, or worse, being given orders.

"Alright, Yuzu." Mei softly answers.