Ride on Time

Chapter 90

Mitsuo gulped and smoothed his shirt backstage.
"Hey, you nervous?" A voice sounded, making him turn around to see Shree clad in full Bharatanatyam garb. "Come on, you did good on your interview and the whole of Japan watched it."
"Well, now I'm beginning to think that Japan isn't the only country that watched it," Mitsuo shrugged slightly, shaking his head. "How did you guys even find it?"
"It's easier to find than you think," Shree pointed out. "Also, I couldn't understand a word since the audio and subtitles were all in Japanese. All I know is that you have a thick Kansai dialect. What's it even about?"
"My book that hit the international market so fast," Mitsuo admitted with a sigh. "And also because I'm one of the youngest writers."
"Then why are you worrying to speak on stage?" Shree asked, pointing a hand at the stage. "This is a small crowd compared to that interview."
Mitsuo felt a bead of sweat trickle of his forehead and wiped it off with his fingers before it could drip.
"Just go, Mitsu," Shree urged with a smile. "Go lah." She handed him the microphone, her gold bangles clinking slightly.
Mitsuo gulped and stepped onto the stage, mic in hand. Vasu immediately started clapping, while Shruti watched him with a big smile. Mitsuo had no idea how to be the emcee but tried as hard as he could to act like the master of ceremonies. The event manager had given him a small card to refer to for the agenda. To his surprise, Shree's name was first on the list.
Mitsuo's face lit up with a smile when he saw that. He looked up at the audience, his gaze earnestly sweeping them, before announcing the dancer's performance.
"So first off on the list, we have the amazing Shreenika showcasing her graceful and sophisticated movements in the traditional art of Bharatanatyam!" He looked over to the backstage area and nodded to her before turning back to the audience. "Let's give a big round of applause for our stunning opening act, Shreenika!"
He stepped to the side of the stage and grinned at Shree.
"That was exaggerated..." Shree sighed. She assumed her stance and strode onto the stage, stopping at the centre before turning to the audience. She pressed her hands together before her chest and bowed deeply with her eyes closed.
Shree thanked Earth Goddess Bhumadevi and waited a second for the music to start before beginning her dance. Her movements were fluid and beautiful, going with the beat of the music. She wished that there was a live orchestra, much like the temple performances that she had done before, but loved every step she danced nonetheless. Though her hands and feet were bare from the henna that dancers usually adorned, she still looked as graceful and complete as any experienced Bharatanatyam dancer.
Mitsuo thought otherwise. In his mind, she was the best Bharatanatyam dancer there is, looking just as graceful and beautiful with the costume or with regular clothes. He watched, entranced by her delicately precise movements.
At last, Shree finished her dance and once again stood in the middle of the stage and bowed deeply, pressing her hands together in front of her. She strode back to the side and disappeared behind the stage.
"Did I do good?" Shree asked Mitsuo as soon as she saw him. "Oh gosh, I didn't even have time to practice last night!"
Mitsuo smiled. "You did great. The dance was mesmerising."
Shree felt her cheeks going warm. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Mitsuo sighed. "Now it's my turn to go on stage again."
Shree chuckled and watched him go back on stage. She took the back exit and made her way back to the hall, slipping beside her brother who shared a table with Shruti.
"Auntie, you should really tell that receptionist who I am," Vasu complained. "He tried to halau me just because my name's not on the list."
"Sorry lah, I didn't know you were coming," Shruti apologised. "Next time I tell, okay?"
Vasu nodded, a slight smile twitching his lips. Shruti got up and went to stage when Mitsuo announced the speech that she would be giving. Shree didn't really pay much attention and scrolled through her phone instead. But she still politely clapped at the end of it.
"Why are we even here?" Vasu suddenly asked. "Like... this is a company event."
"Because I'm performing," Shree pointed out.
"Yeah, but you already perform, what," Vasu countered. "Shall we go home?"
Shree rolled her eyes and reached for her glass of punch to drink. Shruti eventually returned to her seat and heaved a sigh of relief.
"Go stand with him lah," Shruti piped up just before the rim of the glass could touch her lips.
Shree set the glass down and turned to her. "Uh... why?"
"Go lah, for sure he boring standing there alone, right?" Shruti remarked.
'But I'm hungry,' Shree wanted to say but bit back. "But I wanna sit here." She settled on saying.
"Aiya, just go lah." Shruti urged again. "Go, go sit with him."
Shree frowned and started getting up.
"Oh come on, Shruti," Tyler chimed in suddenly, making the younger woman pause in her tracks. "Let her be lah. I'm sure she's tired after that dance routine."
Shree was slightly amused when he spoke. He was blond, a Caucasian from Europe, but he sounded so Malaysian. She grabbed her drink again, taking a long sip.
"Is there any food?" Shree leaned towards her brother.
Vasu smirked and pointed his thumb towards the buffet table at the side. Shree grinned and went over, getting two plates of finger food before making her way to the backstage like what Shruti had suggested. She invited Vasu to come too but he seemed more interested in chatting with Madhavi instead. So she went alone.

Mitsuo had a hard time pronouncing the names of some of Shruti's employees receiving awards of honour. He stood at the podium and announced the names one by one, butchering most, and gaining strange stares from their owners.
"Uh... now we have the Chief Marketing Manager, Mr. Mikail bin Ahmad... Shed?" Mitsuo announced, earning himself a glare from the Malay man and laughter from the murmuring audience. "My sincerest apologies if I mispronounced your name, Sir."
Mikail shook his head and got off the stage. Shruti laughed as she waited for the other prize receivers. Shree sat backstage, giggling softly at all the butchered names as she snacked on the finger food.
The prize-giving ceremony was soon done and Mitsuo now announced another dance performance, this time a traditional Malay dance complete with a gamelan orchestra and angklung players. He heaved a sigh of relief and made a beeline for Shree, seating himself beside her as he dabbed the sweat off his face.
"How did I do?" Mitsuo asked, taking his plate to resume his snacking session.
"Terrible," Shree chuckled. "Seriously, Shed? It's Sa-ed."
Mitsuo looked confused. "I thought Malaysians pronounced S Y as sh as well?"
"Yes and no," Shree explained. "For most words, yes, but Syed makes an exception. I think it's an Arabic thing."
Mitsuo nodded slowly and bit into a colourful jelly-like item. He swallowed his mouthful before speaking. "Also, what's this? It's really good."
"That's kuih lapis, layer... kuih," Shree translated. "You translate kuih to English, you get cake but that's not true. Cake is kek in Malay. Kuih is different."
"So it's like Wagashi, then?" Mitsuo asked before taking another bite.
"Yes, that's right," Shree nodded. "Also, how long is this event gonna take? I wanna balik lah..."
"You wanna what?" Mitsuo tilted his head in surprise.
"Go home," Shree sighed. "Balik means go back or go home. This event is so boring..."
Mitsuo was horrified. "Please, don't go home." He almost pleaded. "You guys are my ride! If you go home, I'd have to deal with Ms. Shruti and her family!"
"I thought you like her?"
"I'm okay with her, not her entire family..."
Shree nodded understandingly. "Fine, we'll wait."
"Don't go back yet, okay?" Shruti suddenly appeared through the backstage door, startling the youngsters. "I have to settle your payments all. Wait first, okay?"
"How long does this event take, Ma'am?" Mitsuo asked.
"It finishes at nine," Shruti said. "Don't worry, maybe can finish earlier."
With that, she invited both of them to come down and eat at the table. A few heads turned, seeing how the master of ceremonies was seated with the CEO and her family, casually chatting and eating biryani with chicken and mutton curry.