Ride on Time

Chapter 124

"Eh, Tyler, you wanted to say something?" Shruti asked, seeing how he was still standing there.
"Technically, but who was that guy, anyway?" Tyler asked. "Was he really a friend of Pa's like he said?"
Mitsuo was actually surprised that Tyler, a Caucasian, actually understood the conversation his wife had with Ramesh. Then again, he had been living with an Indian family for at least twenty years, seeing how their oldest daughter was the same age as Vasu.
Shruti shrugged. "I think so. I think I have seen him a few times, but I'm not sure. Must ask him and see."
"Well, he made quite the racket downstairs, the security team wanted to throw him out but then he saw me and claimed that he knew who I was so I brought him here," Tyler explained. "Seemed a wee bit of a whacko."
Shruti snorted. "You're right about that. Let's just try to interview this Suresh boy and see. Ramesh, Suresh. Name also rhyming."
Shree and Vasu suppressed giggles.
Tyler snorted and came over, pulling a chair to sit by her. "Anyway, is this the Japanese boy you mentioned?" He gestured towards Mitsuo, who averted his gaze as he played with his Manji.
"Yeah," Shruti nodded. "See or not? Still also playing with his necklace and sitting. Same like my brother, you should've seen him."
Mitsuo didn't know what else to do besides giving him an awkward smile. Tyler smiled back and turned back to his wife.
"Well, you were his sister, so it must be right," Tyler shrugged. "Especially since you guys were really close."
Shruti nodded. "Yeah, and he's even got dreams that's exactly like how my brother died. Even with details none of us knew."
"It's creepy, but it's true," Mitsuo finally said. "I'm sure Mrs Shruti has told you about it."
Tyler nodded. "She has. I even compared your writing style with her brother's and... they were exactly the same."
"That's true," Shree agreed. "I found my old literature book, which I actually bought since it was so good, and reread it. It's almost the same writing-style and structure as Timeless Love."
"Yeah, also was there a fight going on here before I came in with that Ramesh?" Tyler asked. "You seemed pretty tensed, Henny."
Shruti chuckled. "Nah. I was just telling Mitsuo about how my brother passed and he apologised for making me go through the grief once again. I just mentioned that I didn't care so long as my brother found justice. I guess I shouted out that last part, but it wasn't a fight."
"Yeah, nothing actually happened," Shree added. "Just some investigation, Uncle."
Tyler nodded and his gaze suddenly fell on Vasu, who quietly sat staring at his phone. "Anyway, he's our Maddy's friend, right?"
"Yeah," Shruti nodded. "Her best friend, apparently."
"Huh?" Vasu suddenly realised that the talk was about him.
"You Maddy- Madhavi's friend, right?" Tyler asked
Vasu nodded. "Yes, Uncle."
Tyler nodded and gave him a knowing smirk before patting his wife's head and then leaving.
Shruti sighed and fixed her hair. "He didn't mess my hair, right?"
"Nah, you look good," Shree chuckled. "But yeah, Mr Neely is right. That guy did seem sus."
Shruti snorted at her use of slang. "Yeah, I can definitely see that. His name Ramesh, some more. Like that feller in Snegithiye."
"Then I guess I need to keep away from him," Vasu smirked. "After all, my nickname is Vasu too, just like Jyothika in that movie."
The two women burst into laughter while Mitsuo cluelessly sat there, not understanding the reference.
"Just make sure to not make friends with anyone named Radhika," Shree added. "And don't make enemies with anyone named Geetha."
"For that Hitler lady, that Bagamathie itself enough lah," Vasu snorted. He spotted Mitsuo just awkwardly sitting there and chuckled. "Oh yeah, you don't know what we're talking about, right?"
Mitsuo innocently shook his head.
"You should watch that movie lah," Shree suggested. "It's a good movie. A thriller."
Mitsuo nodded. "I'll try to find it."
"Aiya, come on lah, how this feller gonna know Tamil movies?" Shruti chuckled but frowned when remembering how Misao was a big fan of Rajinikanth. "Wait, Tamil movies still famous ah there?"
Mitsuo nodded. "Of course. The songs are really famous too. Some love Indian dances too, like the ones from movies and stuff."
Shruti nodded thoughtfully. "So it's still famous ah... that time itself Muthu very famous. They call something else, something Maharaja."
"Muthu Odoru Maharaja," Mitsuo corrected with a smile. "The Dancing Maharaja."
"Probably because of that song lah," Shree shrugged. "But I prefer Padyappa."
"Chandramukhi also," Vasu added.
"Oh yeah, those are the best," Mitsuo agreed, nodding excitedly. "Hey, maybe we should have a movie marathon sometime!"
Shruti smiled. "Still famous there..."
They eventually left since there wasn't anything they could actually do with Shruti aside from bothering her during work. The three spotted Ramesh boastfully arguing with the receptionist, this time out of triumph.
"If I tell Shruti means she will fire you, you know or not?" They heard him say. "Next time see me means, let me in, okay?"
"Wow," Mitsuo remarked, turning to the rest. "Mr Neely wasn't kidding about the racket thing."
"I think he was here when we came in also," Vasu stated. "I only saw his Botak head from the back. For sure, he only."
Shree snorted. "Botak means bald in Malay." She translated for Mitsuo. "Also yeah, you should watch Snegithiye. I don't think the version I have has subtitles. Try to find lah somewhere."
Mitsuo nodded. "I'll see what I can do."

Mitsuo still drew a blank when he arrived back at the hotel. He felt lazy to go out for food too and ended up just ordering something from FoodieKuma. The logo was the face of a smiling blue bear and Mitsuo kinda found it funny that they used the Japanese word for bear instead.
It was Chinese food, something called Kam Heong pork on rice. Mitsuo never heard of such a thing before but decided to just give it a try to see how it goes.
He ended up asking Shree about it and she told her that it was a Malaysian Chinese-style cooking that couldn't be found in China or Chinese restaurants outside Southeast Asia. Mitsuo understood and couldn't wait to try it out.
While he waited, Mitsuo thought about this Ramesh guy. Tyler was right, he did seem like a whacko when he came in like that and argued with the receptionist. He also suspected a sort of sinister air around him. Mitsuo didn't know why, it just felt like that to him.
His phone suddenly dinged with a notification that his rider was near. Mitsuo grabbed his wallet and phone to go down and collect his dinner from the lobby.