Ride on Time

Chapter 128

Siddharth was still there, boasting and bragging about his washing machine of all things. Mitsuo tried to ignore all of the jabbering and made his way out behind Shruti.
Vasu snorted. "Why talking about washing machine all."
"He's always like that," Madhavi whispered back. "That's why I prefer staying in my room. He used to say that I was 'nonsense'."
Shruti gave her a look as if to say, 'Ignore him, you're not.'
"Let's just blow this joint, he does seem like an unpleasant person," Shree sighed.
"Yeah, I'm with ya on that one," Mitsuo agreed.
For some reason, Siddharth decided that it was the best time to call Shruti over, to which she inwardly groaned at.
"What is it, Anneh?" Shruti asked.
"Come here, I wanna tell you something," Siddharth said in Tamil.
"Amma, no need," Madhavi quietly said, trying to pull her mother back.
"Wait," Shruti hissed and turned back to him. "I'll be back in a while, let me just see the guests off."
"Bring them along too," Siddharth said, much to their dismay. "I want to tell you about Private Distinction. It's a really good investment, your money will grow."
"Is this a bad thing?" Mitsuo asked Shree in a low voice. "Because he seems happy but Ms Shruti and her daughter seem annoyed."
"He's asking them to take an investment plan called Private Distinction," Shree whispered. "You have to pay for it like every month, I think he's an agent trying to force his family members for it."
Madhavi turned to them and gave them an approving nod before turning back to her mother. Shruti sighed and went over, the rest didn't have a choice but to follow.
"Sit down, sit down," Siddharth said, now in English. "So you guys know about Private Distinction?"
"No thanks, I'm already investing in something else," Shree quickly said.
"It's okay, taking Private Distinction will be a benefit too," Siddharth said. "Which company you investing in?"
Shree smiled. "I'm sorry, but I don't wish to tell you that."
Because there was no company that she was investing in.
Siddharth then turned to Vasu, much to his dismay. "You? Private Distinction is a very good investment plan, bro-"
"I'm not working yet, I'm just Madhavi's classmate," Vasu quickly said. "Sorry, Uncle."
"And I'm a foreigner," Mitsuo added, clutching his pendant. "On holiday, with only a 90-day visa. I don't see why I should invest in anything here."
"You bring foreigners over?" Siddharth said in Tamil, much the Indians' surprise. "You don't even know this guy."
"I still know him better than most, Anneh," Shruti said quietly. "Please, let me see them off first."
"Where are you from?" Siddharth asked, ignoring her.
Mitsuo looked up at him. "Japan."
"Japan ah...?" Siddharth repeated in slight surprise. "Why you came here? For work, is it?"
"No, just for a holiday," Mitsuo frowned.
"He's a writer, just like Mohan," Suganthi added with a smile. "You should read his book, Shruti said that it's really good."
"I read it too, and it is," Shree agreed, getting up with her bag. "And I have to go..."
Mitsuo took the cue and got up too, pulling Vasu up as well. The younger man waved at Madhavi and started walking off with the rest, Shruti right behind them.
"Phew," Shruti sighed. "He's been bothering me for that investment thing for months. I already have so many investments, why would I need one more?"
"He tried to talk Thatha into it too," Madhavi sighed. "Lucky he retire already, so cannot."
"I like how he tried to talk us in too," Vasu chuckled. "And he called me bro as if I'm close to his age. The guy looks like he's way past fifty!"
"Never mind him, he's blind," Shruti sighed. "You guys go home safely, okay?"
"We will, Auntie," Shree nodded and hugged her. "Try to avoid the investment thing, he seems scammer-ish." She remembered the fact that he was still Shruti's brother. "No offence, Auntie..."
"None taken," Shruti chuckled. "Anyway, drive carefully, especially near that abandoned house. The slope quite steep there."
They were about to step out of the gates when Siddharth appeared, calling them loudly.
"Do you guys even know who I am? You didn't even show me any respect!"
Something snapped inside Mitsuo. Without a second thought, he charged towards the older man and held him by the collar.
"What do you demand respect when you haven't given any?!" Mitsuo spat, much to the others' surprise.
"Mitsuo!" Shree gasped as she and her brother ran to pull him off.
Mitsuo seemed to realise what he had done and quickly let go of Siddharth with a slight gasp, staring at his shaky hands in disbelief. He muttered a quick apology and bowed before running out the gates in shock.
"Oh no..." Shree watched in dismay. "Mitsuo!" She called and ran after him.
Vasu turned to look at Shruti, who stood teary-eyed but with the ghost of a smile on her face, and ran after his sister as well.
"Ma, are you okay?" Madhavi asked, clutching her mother's arm.
Shruti chuckled and brushed her off, wiping her tears off as she turned to her oldest brother.
"He didn't mean any of that, don't think much of it, Anneh," Shruti said, fixing his clothes.
Siddharth frowned uncomfortably as he watched them run off, flashbacks of past fights with his brother suddenly fresh in his mind. "Who is he?" He said at last.
Shruti just smiled in reply and brought him inside.

Mitsuo ran blindly down the hill, not sure where he was even headed. Eventually, he spotted a compound near the edge of a hill and went over, catching his breath as he took a closer look at the place. To his surprise, it was a Hindu temple. The scent of incense hit him, creating a peaceful and sacred atmosphere.
Mitsuo looked down at his feet, clad in sneakers and socks, and looked over to the pile of slippers near the washing area, then turned to look at the tiled temple flooring. He groaned as he realised that Malaysia was the exact opposite of Japan, where it would be hard for anyone who didn't wear socks. Here, it was the other way around where wearing socks seemed to be a big hassle since a lot of public places required bare feet.
He sighed and took his shoes and socks off before rinsing his feet and seating himself at the brown-tiled temple steps since there wasn't really much that he could do. The place around him seemed to be more on the forest side and he doubted that he would even have enough signal to call Shree or Vasu.
Mitsuo couldn't help but wonder if this was a temple that Shri had frequently visited when he was alive.

Shree and Vasu spotted Mitsuo entering the temple from a distance and ran over, wondering why he went there. When they entered the compound, they saw him seated on the steps, looking dazed.
"Mitsuo?" Shree called as she went over, taking her slippers off as she did.
Mitsuo perked up slightly upon seeing them, waving. "I found this temple and decided to wait here since I'm kinda lost."
"Nah, you're not," Shree chuckled and sat down beside him. "This temple is very close to Shruti's house. One of the highlights of Gasing Hill."
"How far did I run?" Mitsuo asked.
Shree shrugged. "Quite far. We'll have to walk uphill back to the car."
Mitsuo groaned softly. "I'm sorry, guys... I honestly don't know what came over me."
"Maybe the reincarnation thing is true," Vasu piped up. "Because that feller is the brother, right? Disliked brother, I think, where no end of fights would occur between them. I actually looked at Shruti before running after you guys, she had a slight smile on her face, though teary."
Mitsuo shrugged. "I have no clue anymore." He turned to look at the temple behind him. "How old is this temple?"
"Quite old," Shree said. "But only recently has it seen any changes. Before, it was a very small temple, wasn't very well-kept."
"I think it's because the landslide struck the Sivan temple uphill," Vasu explained. "That one used to be the main temple, at the hill's peak. But ever since the landslide happened... ten to fifteen years ago, that temple became quite isolated. I don't even remember what it looks like."
"Yes, you were very small the last time we went there," Shree nodded. "Ironic how this temple used to be isolated, while that one was happening. Now, it's the other way around."
Mitsuo looked at the temple again before turning to them. "Do you think Shri Mohan came to this temple when he was alive?"
"Surely," Shree shrugged. "But maybe not that frequently." She looked around a bit and whispered. "I heard there were some instances here."
"Like what?" Mitsuo pointed out.
Shree shrugged. "Who knows? That's just what rumours state."
Vasu noticed how Mitsuo still looked a bit down and gave him a slight nudge. "Aiya, don't lah. Shruti was secretly happy because of what you did just now. Can see that she smiling, though very faint, but she still did."
Mitsuo chuckled slightly. "It's not that, I know he deserved it. But I just don't know why I did that."
"Because he's annoying," Shree smirked. "Come on, we're at a temple. We can't leave without saying hi, right?"