Ride on Time

Chapter 104

Mitsuo knew where he had to go now. He got himself a token to Kelana Jaya and stepped onto the train. He had to meet someone, someone he hoped held all the answers he needed.
There was some connection between him and this Indian guy with earrings he was seeing in his dreams. But who was he? Mitsuo found him familiar, yes, but had no clue who he was. Maybe he had seen him somewhere, but he wasn't sure.
Shruti was his best bet. She definitely knew something that he didn't but was just afraid to say anything. He didn't want to bother Shree for this, seeing how she may not even know though she might be just as intertwined in this issue as he was, only just as clueless about it.
The train stopped at Kelana Jaya and Mitsuo stepped out, making his way out of the station and towards Shridhar Industries headquarters not far off. The building gleamed in the early morning sun. Mitsuo found that it was strangely hot even at this time of the day. Then again, it still wasn't as bad as last year's summer in Japan where shelters had to be put up just for people to take cover from the heat.

"Is Ms. Shruti in?" Mitsuo asked the young woman at the front desk.
"Yes, sir, but she has a meeting now," the receptionist said.
"Can you tell me when she's free?"
"In about an hour. Sorry, the meeting only started ten minutes ago."
Mitsuo sighed and nodded. "Okay, I'll wait."
"You can hang around in the mall while waiting," the girl suggested. "It's right over here." She pointed towards a glass doorway.
Mitsuo bowed and made his way towards the mall. There wasn't anything else left to do anyway.
The Shri Mall was bustling even this early in the day. Though not many shops were open, Mitsuo spotted a few of interest.
Mainly a self-service bookstore. He decided to check it out and even bought a copy of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, remembering how Shree had mentioned the book, before wandering around the mall again. Very few shops were open but a Japanese restaurant was, even offering a breakfast menu.
Mitsuo went right in since he was hungry, considering how the curry bun wasn't so good as a breakfast, with the taste still clinging to his throat. He decided to order some okonomiyaki, nattō, and some hot matcha milk. He looked at the time and realised that his flight just departed. Mitsuo didn't care, he didn't wish to leave. Setsubun was a very important festival, but celebrating without his parents, and having them celebrate without him in another state, didn't sit right with him.
Especially since he felt like he was leaving some unfinished business behind. How could he leave especially now?
Mitsuo's phone suddenly started ringing with an Instagram call from Shree. He quickly answered it, sipping on his warm matcha milk.
"Moshi moshi," Mitsuo casually greeted.
"Never mind moshi moshi, where the heck are you?!" Shree screamed from the other end. "We've been waiting here since seven and you're nowhere to be seen! A flight just departed for Japan, is it yours?"
"I suppose it is, yeah," Mitsuo nodded.
"Then where were you?!" Shree screamed again. "So long we waiting in front of the Customs checking, you never come also. How only you took the flight without going through Customs?"
Mitsuo took a sip of his matcha and put the glass down. "I just didn't."
"What?"
"I didn't take the flight, I'm still in Malaysia."
There was a pause on the other end as Shree fumed. "You... you what? You didn't take the flight?! Why?"
"He missed the flight?!" Vasu's voice echoed in the background.
"I didn't feel like leaving. Not yet, at least." Mitsuo admitted.
"And you never bothered to tell us? Seriously, we travelled so far, got stuck in jam all just to see you off, and you what? Just miss the flight?!" There was another pause before she finally spoke, more calmly this time. "Where are you now? Still in Sheralbon is it?"
"No, I'm having breakfast in Kelana Jaya," Mitsuo stated. "I actually checked out earlier, even making my way to KL Sentral. But I just didn't feel like it so I took the LRT straight to Kelana Jaya to speak to Ms. Shruti instead."
Shree groaned loudly. "Of all things you decided to do after cancelling your flight, the first thing that comes to your mind is speaking with Shruti. How about tell Nika that I'm not going? No? You didn't even bother to inform me? Ah?!"
"Speaking with Shruti ah?!" Vasu gasped again.
"Nika, I'm so sorry, I forgot," Mitsuo apologised, finally realising that he had completely forgotten about her. "Why didn't you tell me you were going there? I would've told you I cancelled the flight, right?"
"It's called a surprise, something which you might not understand," Shree quietly said, sounding rather hurt. "Where are you exactly? Having breakfast in Shruti's office? What, she prepared tea and scones all for you ah? Or is it an entire feast you're having while we're stuck waiting for you here?"
A waiter came over and served the nattō and okonomiyaki. Mitsuo nodded a thanks before replying to Shree. "No, I'm actually at the Shri Mall. I'm having breakfast at a Japanese restaurant."
Another aggravated pause on the other end. "That means you nicely sitting and eating sushi while we only waiting here like dungu? Very nice of you, Mitsuo. Thank you. Thank you so much."
"Nika, I'm very sorry," Mitsuo apologised again. "I just got really hungry, skipped breakfast too. So I decided to have some okonomiyaki and nattō. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you earlier, but I'm in Kelana Jaya now, having breakfast in Shihan Sushi-do. It's on the ground floor of the Shri Mall. I wanted to meet with Ms. Shruti but she has a meeting now. I'll tell you when I see her."
There was an exaggerated sigh on the other end before Shree mumbled a farewell and hung up.
Mitsuo put his phone down and fiddled with his necklace, feeling a tad bit guilty for not informing her. Surely, KLIA was far from her place by road, seeing how it costed RM55 and a forty-five minute ride from KL Sentral. His gaze then fell on the steaming okonomiyaki in front of him, followed by the gooey nattō. Mitsuo's mouth watered at the sight of food as he pocketed his phone and started having his proper breakfast.
Dealing with Shree can wait. What he needed now was a meal to make up for his makeshift breakfast of a curry bun.

-dungu means idiot or stupid.