Ride on Time

Chapter 69

"So this is AmCorp Mall..." Mitsuo remarked as he entered alongside Vasu, the two ladies walking ahead of them.
"Yes, it's a mall," Vasu pointed out indifferently.
They passed a music shop, where an 80s song radiated. Mitsuo looked at its windows in awe, seeing retro posters of old albums and bands.
"Is that Jim Morrison?" Mitsuo pointed at a orangey poster of The Doors.
"Yeah, that's him," Vasu nodded. "That one too." He pointed to another monochrome one.
"Wow..." Mitsuo remarked as he followed the others.
They made a beeline to the escalators and went up to the top floor, where a very large bookstore was situated. Mitsuo eagerly followed Shree to find his books displayed out on shelves.
"Here," Shree said, leading them to the New Arrivals section. "It's here."
Mitsuo grinned and snapped a photo of his books on display. Shruti chuckled and took one for herself.
"Ms. Shruti," Mitsuo called, pointing his phone's camera at her. The older woman smiled and held the book up next to her face to pose. "Thank you!"
Shruti smiled. "You uploading that on Instagram later?"
"Yep," Mitsuo nodded. "Can I have your username so that I can tag you?"
Shruti agreed and took her phone out to show him. Mitsuo followed her account and promised to upload it later.
"Alright, now where shall we go?" Shree said as she led them to the counter.
Mitsuo quickly piped up. "Where can I find local books?"
"It's there," Vasu said, showing him to another section.
An entire aisle labelled Local Literature came to view. Mitsuo looked so excited as he rummaged in the books, mostly Malay, but at last came to the English ones.
One particular book caught his eye, especially because of the silhouette of a mysteriously musty atmosphere.
Legendary
It was a novel written by Shasha Meow. The author was certainly Malaysian, her details written at the back of the book together with a small photo of herself. And the synopsis appealed to Mitsuo so he grabbed a copy of that and decided to look around a bit more.
A row of familiar books suddenly caught his eye.
Signs of the Past
Mystical Mist
The Collision of Two Worlds
Mitsuo couldn't help but feel a little proud upon seeing those books. It was almost as if he was seeing his own books displayed in a bookstore.
He took his phone out and snapped a picture before following Vasu to the counter to pay for the book.

"Are you guys hungry?" Shruti suddenly asked.
The three immediately shook their heads.
"Nope, we're good," Shree quickly said. "We just only ate nasi lemak before coming."
"Yeah, the nasi lemak from that vegetarian place," Mitsuo added.
Vasu just shook his head and pulled him aside a little. "Question."
"What is it?" Mitsuo asked.
"Why are you so excited for... everything?" Vasu asked, amused.
Mitsuo simply shrugged. "Your country is exciting."
Vasu snorted in amusement.
"Let's at least go for a drink," Shruti insisted. "Sundeer?"
"No no, too expensive lah, Auntie," Shree quickly said.
"Come lah, I belanja," Shruti smiled.
Mitsuo frowned. "Is there a place with Malaysian drinks?"
Shruti spared him a glance, giving him a slight smile. "I think they serve Malaysian delight in Sundeer."
"Like what?" Mitsuo was still excited.
"Just come, we can see," Shruti snorted.
Shree tried refusing again but it just didn't work. They entered the cafe and scanned the menu. Mitsuo was slightly disappointed when seeing that the drinks were roughly around the same as the the Sundeer in Japan without any local delicacies.
So he decided to just go for the usual Passion Fruit Delight.

The four sat down at a table as they sipped their drinks, excitedly chattering.
Well, two of the them were excitedly chattering.
Shree and Vasu exchanged confused glances, one sibling staring at the other.
"How did we just get ditched?" Shree asked in surprise, though the other two were right beside them.
"And I thought this guy needed rescuing from you two," Vasu pointed his thumb at Mitsuo.
Shree was actually surprised that Mitsuo was able to have a very lively conversation with Shruti. Well, he was just as surprised too. But after all, Mitsuo always found it easy to strike a conversation with older people, given his humble way of speaking and his strange ability to relate with them.
The siblings shrugged at each other and just sipped their drinks.
"Are you coming to the temple tonight to watch the dance performance?" Shruti asked. She took a sip of her iced chocolate milk before continuing. "You know, Shree is dancing too?"
"Yes, I came with her when she wanted to discuss something with you the other day," Mitsuo reminded with a nod. "What was it again? Baratanatayam?"
"Yes, Bharathanatyam," Shruti smiled. "It's in the middle of the temple. You coming?"
Mitsuo nodded excitedly. "Of course, I am!" He shot a glance at the siblings, grinning. "Nika said she will pick me up from the hotel!"
Shree sat up at being addressed that way. "What did you just call me?"
"Nika?" Mitsuo simply said. "That's what your family calls you, right?"
"Yes... but that's what my family calls me. You're nowhere near," Shree almost threatened him.
"Aiya, just let lah," Shruti urged with a chuckle. "Why not, right?"
"Yeah!" Mitsuo nodded in agreement.
"No." Shree scowled.
"Oh come on, pleaaase?" Mitsuo almost begged. "It just feels so weird to call you Shree. I don't know why, but it does. Please?"
Shree looked at him strangely, but inside she felt something soften inside. It was like she was dealing with someone who was so close with her that they didn't mind letting their guard down with her, even seeming a little childlike.
Also because she thought he was adorable.
"Okay, fine," Shree scoffed. "Only because you said please."
Vasu was shocked at his sister's reaction, slowly sucking his straw with wide eyes.
"Thanks!" Mitsuo grinned and went back to his Passion Fruit Delight.
"But I wanna ask you... why do you feel strange calling me 'Shree'?" Shree questioned, wiping the condensed water off her hands with a tissue. "I don't see anything strange in my name...?"
Mitsuo frowned, as if considering it himself. "I'm honestly... not sure about it too. I... I don't know."
Shruti silently observed, her hands gripping the cup of warm chocolate milk.
"Are you saying my name is weird?" Shree asked, narrowing her eyes at him.
Mitsuo quickly shook his head. "No! It's just that I feel strange calling you that and I don't know why!"
Shruti smiled and took a sip of her drink, setting it back down on the plastic table. "Have you finished my brother's books yet?" She asked, gaining their attention.
"Your brother?" Mitsuo repeated, confused.
"Shri," Shruti said. "My brother, Shri's books?"
It took a moment for Mitsuo to process that but once he did, he shook his head. "No, I'm still reading Signs of the Past."
Shruti nodded understandingly. "Yes, that's a really good book. One of my favourites, next to The Collision of Two Worlds."
"Oh yeah, I finished that," Mitsuo nodded with a smile. "It's a really sweet story."
"We actually took that for literature back in school," Shree chimed in, putting her drink down. "I heard they recently changed the novel... now it's something about wartime..."
"Yes," Shruti nodded. "Takes place during World War I. Madhavi took that book, Mahatri too. Maybe Mohan will too but it's fine, I still let them read Shri's books in their free time."
"Are those the names of your children?" Mitsuo asked.
"Yes, and you saw them just now in that Saiva restaurant," Shree piped up. "Did you not see?"
Mitsuo nodded. "I saw... your husband is blond, Ms. Shruti?"
"Yes, but sadly only one of my children inherited his hair colour," Shruti shrugged. "Madhavi looks almost exactly like me, Mohan is a mixture of both of us with my hair colour. But at least Mahatri inherited her father's genes."
"Those are some really nice names," Mitsuo smiled. "Did you name your son after your brother?"
Shruti nodded. "I did. I really miss him, after all, he was my best friend. I still wish for him to be here again..." she quickly blinked back the tears that gathered beneath her eye and turned back to her drink.
"I'm sure he will," Mitsuo assuringly said, a gentle smile on his face. "Eventually."
Shruti smiled, being reminded of her brother yet again.

-belanja means treat. It's like treating someone to something, giving someone something on the house, or paying for someone's food. Basically, just treating someone to something.