Ride on Time

Chapter 62

"Was the trip okay?" Devi asked as soon as Shree entered the house.
"It was fine," Shree smiled. "Did you cook yet?"
"Not yet," Devi shook her head.
"Good, because I bought nasi kerabu for lunch," Shree smiled. "I already ate just now with the guy that returned the hairpin the other day."
"Hairpin ah?" Devi repeated, confused.
"The guy that I ran away from but he was just trying to return my flower hairpin?" Shree explained. She spotted her grandmother's confused face and sighed. "Aiya, Vasu and I saw him in Selera also, what?"
Devi's face lit up. "Oh oh. That boy. What happened?"
Shree left out the part she was harassed but told her of the part she bumped into Mitsuo and turns out he was a writer.
"Remember this book?" Shree grinned, digging in her bag before pulling out Timeless Love. "One of the only Japanese books with no dirty scenes or mentions? He's the writer."
"So he's Japanese lah..." Devi understood.
"Yes," Shree nodded and turned the book over to show her grandmother the small picture of Mitsuo on the bottom of the back cover. "That's him. He also wear the swastika pendant. The reverted one, they call it manji."
Devi took a close book at the picture and nodded as she handed the book back to her.
"He also followed me to see Shruti," Shree went on. "Apparently, he didn't want me to go walking around alone."
"Are you sure he's not just following you?" Devi said, a slight frown on her face. "Nika, nowadays you must be very careful when talking to people."
Shree sighed in defeat. "Fine... he was slightly worried because one feller tried to disturb me in the train. Stupid idiot kept bumping into me. That feller only stepped in and asked that creep to apologise."
"Oh..." Devi nodded, frowning in disappointment. "This is why I told you to wait for your brother. Public places are scary for a young girl like you to travel alone in."
And then she went on lecturing Shree, even pulling out a few unfortunate stories of women getting kidnapped or murdered in the past.
Shree quickly stopped her. "Awah, Awah. Wait lah. I not chet finished the story also lah."
"What happened then?"
"He seems really interested in Indian culture, asking me about Pongal and all."
"That's why lah," Devi sat straighter with a grin. "You see, Japanese people really respect Indian culture. Even back during the Japanese occupation, they really respected the Indians."
Shree nodded, not really sure about the legitimacy of the old tale. "But Awah, you were born after the Japanese time."
"My mother got tell lah," Devi said in English, slightly annoyed.
"Oh... okay..." Shree quickly nodded. "But yeah. Nowadays, Japanese likes Indian culture. They like Rajinikanth and Madhavan movies also, got some even imitating Vijay's dances. I heard there are a few temples in Tokyo too."
Devi smiled proudly. "So, what this feller said?"
"He kept mistaking Pongal for Thaipusam. I asked him to go to the temple early morning and see how they do Pongasorru. I also asked him to come to the temple and watch my dance performance."
Devi frowned thoughtfully, her face eventually forming a smirk. "Good idea. But why don't you call him here?"
Shree's eyes widened with surprise. "Awah. I barely know this guy. I've only seen him a few times. I've never even brought a friend home. You want me to bring this guy?"
Devi chuckled, a faraway look in her light brown eyes. "Back when I went to Singapore in '75, your grandfather and I went to the Tiger Balm Garden. There was a Japanese man there and he approached me, saying how beautiful I looked in my saree.
"He asked me if he could take a picture of me to show to his people in Japan," Devi went on. "I didn't even have to ask your grandfather, he immediately agreed."
Shree nodded. "Yeah, but..."
"Another time, when I was still working in the Tobacco Company lab before getting married," Devi continued. "My boss was a Japanese man. He was a nice man and very tall. He always bowed whenever he spoke to anyone, and he could barely speak English.
"One time, when I was talking to him, I blacked out," Devi smiled wryly. "You know how I was very weak back then, I easily fainted. The Japanese man easily carried me and let me sit in his car, turning the air conditioners on and making sure I was okay. Only then did he let me leave."
Shree nodded again. "I know... this isn't the first time you're telling me this story, Awah."
"Yes, but what I'm trying to say is... the Japanese are very nice people and they respect us Indians," Devi said. "I know, there are bad people and all there too, but this feller you're talking about seems nice. You said he stepped in when one feller tried to harass you? Not many people do that! Your grandfather was the only man I've seen so far that stepped up to this kind of people."
Shree smiled, remembering stories of her grandfather as she nodded. "I'll ask Mom first."
"I'll tell her later."
Shree had no idea what to think now. On one hand, she did like Mitsuo. On the other hand, she was still a little unsure. After all, she not only looked up the good things of Japan, but the bad things too.
And one of the bad things were women-hunting, stalking, and other bad things that she shuddered to think about.
Shree decided to keep a lookout for Mitsuo the next time she went to work, meaning to squeeze as much information from him as she could.
Then again, he was a writer.
And as a former literature student, she knew that every writer would somehow add an aspect of themselves in a form of a character in their books, whether it was the protagonist or as a memorable side character. There was always a glimpse of the writer themselves.

Mitsuo heaved a sigh of relief once he crossed the street and went up to Sheralbon's lobby. He took a lift up to the fifteenth floor and went straight to his room to rest.
The nasi kerabu was very filling, but he couldn't help but feel drained.
No more gym sessions for the day.
Mitsuo changed into a comfortable yukata and sat on the bed, his laptop placed on a pillow against his lap. He then connected it to the hotel's WiFi and opened the streaming app to watch one of his favourite Rajinikanth movies.
Padyappa. It wasn't only funny, but it was still a very good movie to watch.
He even pulled out the pack of hot and spicy chips that he got from the petrol station store downstairs, together with the dates-flavoured milk.
A strange combo, but Mitsuo liked it nonetheless.
Mitsuo suddenly thought about the festivals that Shree had told him earlier that day. He knew that Thaipusam had something to do with Lord Muruga, who was also a significant reference in Padyappa.
And Mitsuo also heard that the Thaipusam celebration in Batu Caves was one of the biggest in the world. It was in Malaysia too, only a few train rides away by LRT, and what was stopping him to go?
Mitsuo was certainly going.