Submerged: to cause (something) to be under water, to cover or hide something completely
Drowning...
Coming all the way from Burundi, the dreams and promises of Tokyo which Alina Havyarimana had, feel like an illusion as she quickly realizes that n...
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I watched Kiku, the journalist I had invited into my home take in our surroundings with confusion, awe and curiosity.
Of course, she had no idea why she was here, seated across from me in a room she'd likely never imagined she'd enter. We had no prior history, no professional overlap. I But I had summoned her, and I needed her to understand why quickly.
"I have a proposal for you" I said, keeping my tone smooth but firm.
"You're ambitious, you're resourceful and yet never get the recognition you want. You want to move up. I can make that happen" I wasn't going to waste time mincing my words.
Kiku's lips twisted into a wry smile.
"Well, you are quite attractive, Kaneshiro-san, but I prefer women."
I smirked, leaning back into my chair. Did she think that I was propositioning her? I wondered what kind or people she did business with.
"You misunderstand me. I don't handle business that way," I replied coolly.
"And even if you were into men, you're not my type." I added for good measure.
I saw her eyebrows twitch, she had the audacity to offended by the remark. But I had to set the tone of this meeting. Establish control. Misplaced flirtation wasn't part of the game. In truth, I had never had to flirt my way through anything. In my world, you were either competent or not, effective or not. Alina was the only exception to that rule, the first time I saw her, I had to put the charm on. If the night hadn't ended badly I would have gone the whole nine yards.
Kiku poured us both the sake I had set on the table, it was the traditional way when it came to our drinking culture. It reminded me of the time Alina gracefully hosted the jebena buna for us.
"Kanpai!" we toasted to each other.
She took a sip and her face lit up in pleasant surprise.
"This is... good. The best sake I've had in the whole of Japan."
"It’s from my grandmother’s family in Okinawa. They’ve been making sake and Yamazaki on the island for generations" I couldn't keep the pride off on my tone.
Her lips curled into a half-smile.
"Seems like you have your hands in everything, Kaneshiro-san"
I didn’t respond to the bait. An obnoxious person would've started mouthing off about all their establishments and accomplishments. I wasn't that dumb
All journalists like Kiku always looked for an angle. To be frank, I didn’t like journalists. Growing up with my mother’s fame in the music industry , I’d seen firsthand how manipulative and prying they could be. I rarely gave out interviews and when I did, it was always something related to my work.
