Ride on Time

Chapter 82

Mitsuo was really grateful for whatever trips the family was taking him on. He was getting lots of information for his book too, especially because of the inside view of a Chinese household celebrating the Lunar New Year.
Aside from the nosiness of the Chinese couple, Mitsuo learned that some Buddhists are vegetarian the day before the new year since it was the Laughing Buddha's birthday. The Laughing Buddha, or Hotei as he knew, was the God of Happiness and Prosperity. Mitsuo also realised that the Indians believed in him too, seeing how Shree's family had a large statue of him in their living room.
And how there was a miniature idol of said deity on the dashboard of their little minivan too.
Were there any in their altar? Mitsuo didn't notice. Maybe they did, maybe not. Mitsuo groaned at not being observant enough to notice.
Mitsuo then thought about their trip to the Buddhist temple. Devi insisted that they go right back home after visiting the temple, saying how the blessings they received from the visit shouldn't be brought elsewhere. Mitsuo noted that in his little notebook too.

Shree sighed and remembered that strange dream she had. She hadn't really gotten infatuated with any man recently, save for Mitsuo. But she wasn't really infatuated with him, maybe just a tiny crush.
But whoever the guy was in her dream certainly didn't look like Mitsuo. He seemed a lot more tanned, a lot more Indian even, but he did remind her of Mitsuo.
Like how she actually felt safe with him despite not knowing him for that long. And how he had rescued her from a creep.
For some reason, that incident actually looked very familiar to her, though she had never been to any place that looked half as beautiful as the view she got from the bridge. Maybe once or twice during her visits to Pahang, but never like that.
But it was still so familiar, the place, that dreadful man, the saviour, everything.
Shree sighed and closed her eyes before saying her night prayers in her heart.

***

Mitsuo finished the last page of The Collision of Two Worlds and sighed, taking the bookmark out and closing the book for the last time after reading it. He placed it on the shelf together with his other novels and realised that he only had one left. The one by a local author other than Shri.
He placed the bookmark on the first page and stuffed it into his bag before putting his shoes on and heading out the door.
Mitsuo didn't know why, but he felt like he had to go see Shruti right this instant. It was like she was the closest he could get to meeting the real author of his three favourite Malaysian books. She was the closest Mitsuo could get to Shri Mohan.
At least, that's what he told himself when he got the sudden urge to go visit her.
So just like before, he walked down the ramp, crossed the busy street of Asia Jaya, and made a beeline for the LRT station. He got a blue token, scanned it on the turnstile, and was on a train headed for Kelana Jaya moments later.

"Is Ms. Shruti in?" Mitsuo asked the young Indian woman at the reception desk.
The girl nodded. "Yes, she's in, but she's in a meeting."
Mitsuo inwardly groaned.
"But don't worry, she will be available in five minutes," the receptionist smiled. "Just have a seat for a moment, sir."
Mitsuo nodded and looked over at the plush red couches that she gestured to before turning back to her. "Will it be okay if I looked around a bit?"
The girl shrugged. "Sure, I don't think that would be a problem. Just don't go to any of the restricted areas and you can even visit the Shri Mall if you like. It's in the west wing, over there." She pointed a hand towards a glass doorway.
"Shri Mall?" Mitsuo repeated in surprise. But he quickly bowed upon seeing how the young woman was seemingly waiting for an answer. "Oh okay, thank you."
The receptionist smiled. "You're welcome, sir."
Mitsuo nodded and wandered around the lobby, eventually entering a passage at the side. Unlike the lobby or Shruti's office, this part of the building looked quite old. Mitsuo figured that this must've been a part of the original building left out by the renovation that Shree mentioned.
There were office rooms where clerks went in and out, and some doorways didn't have any labels.
Mitsuo walked past one room but stopped short, taking a few steps back to take a closer look at it. The style of the door looked like that of an office, even having the slot for a nameplate but upon peeking into the glass window, he realised that it was a filing room.
That didn't seem right to Mitsuo, seeing how it clearly used to be an office. It was like it was disorderly. Very disorderly.
Mitsuo frowned and touched the door, running his fingers through the wooden surface, before turning back and heading back to the lobby.

The receptionist told Mitsuo that Shruti was available to see him as soon as he reentered her view. He nodded and made a beeline for the lift lobby, trying to remember his way around building from when he last came with Shree. Mitsuo remembered that Shruti's office had been in the fifteenth floor. So he pressed the button to that floor and leaned against the handrail as the lift ascended.
He came to same lavender-scented corridor and looked around to find the CEO's office. The acronym was literally etched upon the door. Mitsuo must've missed it before since he didn't notice Shruti's name on it too.
Shruti Neely Shridhar.
Mitsuo took a deep breath before knocking onto the door. The older woman asked him to come in after just one rap.
Shruti stood up in surprise as soon as she saw Mitsuo enter her sitting room, her mouth slightly agape.
"Mitsuo?" Shruti said in surprise. She quickly shook her head and motioned to the chair in front of her. "Have a seat."
Mitsuo bowed and sat down on the chair in front of her as she sat down too. "Shruti-san."
Shruti bowed slightly as she pulled her chair closer to the table. "It's good to see you again, Mitsuo. Did Shree come? What brings you here?"
Mitsuo frowned slightly, not really sure why he actually came. "I... Nika didn't come with me, Shruti-san. I came by myself."
Shruti tilted her head in confusion. "Why's that?"
"I just... I just came to speak to you... to speak about The Collision of Two Worlds," Mitsuo didn't know what else to say, playing with his manji. "I only finished it this morning, it was really good,"
"I'm glad to hear that, Mitsuo," Shruti smiled. "Shri has always been my favourite writer too, the best if you ask me." She chuckled and motioned towards a book beside her. "I couldn't really find any that matched his style, until I read this."
A wave a pride hit Mitsuo as he looked over to the book she was referring to.
Timeless Love.
"You finished the book?" Mitsuo asked in surprise.
Shruti nodded, a slight smile on her face. "I finished it overnight. I was just gonna stop after one chapter, but I ended up reading all fifty of it before I could peacefully sleep." She chuckled. "My husband was so concerned for me that he actually asked me to take a day off the next morning." Then she burst into laughter like what she was telling him a hilarious joke. "It was Sunday!"
"Your husband sounds like a really caring person," Mitsuo smiled, nodding slightly. "And I'm really glad that you like my book."
"It was hard not to love your book, Mitsuo," Shruti's lips quivered slightly as she continued. "It was like my brother had written one last book after The Collision of Two Worlds. Your writing style is very similar to his, if you noticed."
"Oh no, his was much better than mine," Mitsuo modestly added with a chuckle. "His words have a certain sophisticated imagery. He could paint detailed pictures with just a sentence."
"Yours isn't far off."
Mitsuo bowed modestly and had no idea what else to say until Shruti spoke again.
"You want something to drink?" Shruti asked suddenly.
Mitsuo quickly shook his head. "Oh, no. I'm good."
"Oh come on," Shruti chuckled and got up.
She went to the side of the room and grabbed a few bottles of water, handing one to Mitsuo before taking the other one for herself.
"You know, Mitsuo, your writing style isn't the only thing about you that reminds me of my brother," Shruti stated before taking a sip of water. "The way you—" she stopped short and looked at him.
"The way I...?" Mitsuo leaned forward slightly, his fingers clutching the manji pendant.
Shruti was about to continue but a loud rap on the door got her attention.

Also you guys might notice how Shruti's name was written as Shruti Neely Shridhar on the door instead of just Shruti Neely. This is because it's very common for Indian women in Malaysia to still go by their father's names even after marriage. However, Indian women in the nineties, especially teachers, would usually go by their husband's names like how they do in India. I think they still follow this there but it's not like that in Malaysia anymore. Women still go by their father's names even when they're married. Neely is Shruti's husband's surname, by the way, and so she took his name because of the binomial system. However, Shruti decides to not let go of her heritage, the patronymic system where she also keeps her father's name. So she embraces both sides.