It Will End In A Kiss

Transaction

(BLU)

Robin's mother chose a traditional Japanese restaurant to dine in.

She is truly a regal and beautiful. Back when we were in Japan during Robin's grandfather's funeral...I heard that she was raised like a noble princess, married Robin's father; someone with the same status as her, divorced Robin's father, got married again and then divorced again. Doing all of that with cold grace and a brave front even though in truth, she had gone through some version of hell from her two exes.

But for whatever challenges she faces, atrocious they may be, I cannot feel any sympathy for her from Robin. Robin treats his mother like a stranger. Robin is more amiable to Tita Patty and Tita Lydia, Mr.Gilbert's sister. Robin is surely more warm to them than his own mother.

I wonder why. Why is Robin like this to her? Is it because she left him to Robin's father who almost killed Robin with negligence?

"Your father and I will be leaving for Japan tomorrow. I will help him get into a rehabilitation center to get clean." Robin's mother said after the restaurant staff has finished serving our meal.

The array of dishes in the table are simple in theme yet so colorful and appetizing to the eyes. I cannot name all of them as there are about a dozen dishes in the table and all but the ones I know are teriyaki salmon, chicken and vegetable yakitori, spanner crab rice with edamame, pork curry soup and we have a platter of different kind of sushi as a center piece on the table. I saw my favorite tamagoyaki sushi in there. I like it a lot.

But no matter how appetizing the food are, Robin stopped eating when he heard what his mother said.

"You know...I think I'm getting it now," Robin muttered after gentling placing his chopsticks back into the table beside his rice bowl. "Why I cannot seem to forgive you..."

Robin's mother visibly winced. "Keito..."

"You cannot unlove that man, right? You cannot escape from your past with him. Your childhood romance..."

"Its not like that," Madam Misaki shook his head.

"It is like that," Robin sighed as his eyes glanced at me. "Although I cannot entirely blame you as I can probably understand how you feel." He said while keeping his eyes on me.

"I'm helping your father because your Ojiisan and Uncle were good to me," Robin's mother said as a clarification.

Robin looked at her again. Madam Misaki gave him a small smile. "I know, no matter how dysfunctional the Akages are, they care for each other. During the time I spent with Akihiko before he got hospitalized, he would always talk about your father and uncle. He told me stories about them growing up..."

"The maudlin' memories of an old man..."

"This is the last thing I will do for Daimo," Madam Misaki said. "This is the last thing I will permit myself to do for him. We lied when we said we will get back together for you. Daimo has no choice left to him. His father is dead. The one who could tolerate his vices is now gone. Whats left is his brother and mother who are both obsess to keep him on the righteous path for their personal reputations. Daimo has no choice but to clean his act, one way or another."

"And so he came to you, for help?"

"Yes," Madam Misaki nodded. "For all his misgivings as a husband and a father, Daimo was once a good friend to me. Jiro Niisan also asked me to help as much as I can. This is the only way I know how. I will help Daimo get into a rehab, let him keep some of his pride, and Jiro Niisan will monitor him from there. All I have to do is hold Daimo's hand as he enter that place."