Tokyo Seduction (Book 1 Of The Gaijin Series)

Chapter 51

No matter how hard Mimi tired she couldn't stop her stomach twisting in knots or her heart doing the samba. She was desperate for her lunch date with Motoko to go well and her subconscious and nerves were running rough shout inside of her. In a crazy attempt to try and achieve one tenth of the style Motoko had she and ended up changing her clothes five times before she decided to wear three quarter length jean leggings with a pink dolman sleeve lace blouse and denim heels. She still felt like she didn't even stack up to the style and grace Motoko had in her little finger but the last thing Mimi wanted to be was late so she settled on what she was wearing.

Mimi arrived in Shinjuku and managed to find the French café with ease. When she walked into the café and saw Motoko was already there, she looked at her watch making sure she wasn't late. Her fingers instantly went to her teeth as she nervously bit her nails. She tried in vain to calm down as she walked to the outside area where Motoko was sitting them a table.

Seeing Motoko her eyes instantly gravitated down to her pregnant belly and Mimi nervousness was replaced by a tight relentless pain in her chest. Determined to make a good impression Mimi shoved those feelings down as deep as she possibly could. Then stopped gnawing on her fingers and gave her a warm smile. The café was busy, there were lots of people sitting at the tables laughing and enjoying themselves giving it was a relaxed atmosphere.

"Good, you found the place." Motoko said as Mimi sat down. "I was a little worried that you might get lost looking for it. It is out of the way and I even thought about choosing another place to meet, but I just love the food here."

"Ha put this GPS App on my phone so I wouldn't get lost," Mimi said. Her hands were shaking as she nervously tucked her phone in her pocket almost dropping it.

Motoko leaned back in her chair and Mimi could feel Hatori's sister appraising her. It made her feel like some sort of prized cow on display at market and it did nothing to ease her nerves. She knew Motoko only had Hatori's best interest at heart and couldn't blame her but it still stung.

"I hope you don't mind but I ordered for the both of us," Motoko said smiling.

Mimi had flash backs from her lunches with Shigure and how he tricked her and her stomach started to recoil. However, Motoko didn't seem the type to do that. "Yeah sure that's fine, "she answered trying to look calm and collected.

"Why don't you tell me how you and my brother met?" Motoko asked.

Mimi was ready for an interrogation and was glad it would start before the food came. She recalled the whole story of how they met happily. It was nice thinking about her first meeting with Hatori in that tiny restaurant in Roppongi.

"Ha tells me you only work Fridays at a high school. I would've thought with all the free time you have, now that you've graduated, you would be working more than one day. Don't you get bored?"

Motoko's tone and roundabout way of asking, if Mimi's some sort of freeloading layabout really got under her skin. Mimi had to take a breath and remind herself, even though she wasn't a freeloader the fact she was virtually not working made it look like she was.

Hell, I have nothing to hide and frankly my not working is not my doing. In that moment Mimi decided she was going to be honest with Motoko. "I used to work as many hours as I could when I worked at Shoutan language school. However, when we moved in together Ha insisted I quit working there," she stopped talking as the food came.

"I'll be honest it caused a huge argument. Back then I wasn't about to stop working and rely on a man to take care of me. Both my parents raised me to be an independent woman. In the end I had to tell Ha if he wanted me to live with him he had to get used to me working." She saw a look of relief and a bit of a smirk ghost Motoko's face. Yeah that's right it's your Neanderthal brother's to blame for my current lack of employment. She took a bite of food and was presently surprised. "This is really good. What is it?"

Motoko's face lit up as a full blown smile spread across her face. "I told you the food here is good. Its Salade au thon mi-cuit. I was in the mood for tuna and they make best salads here."

Mimi didn't want to get Hatori into too much trouble. She could see his sister giving him an earful with regards to women being independent and self-sufficient. "In the end we both compromised. Hari didn't like me getting home so late and to be honest neither did I. He got me the job I have now but only one day a week, because he said 'I had to concentrate on my studies'. Now that I've graduated, well . . . if it wasn't for this move I would ask to work more at the school."

"Do you know what you're going to do now that you have graduated, Mimi?"

Mimi couldn't help frowning. There was that damn question again. It was one that constantly hung over her head and one she still couldn't answer. She didn't want to dump her life's story on Motoko, after all it was very personal but she also didn't want to appear to be some bumbling idiot. Instead Mimi opted for the answer she figured would sound reasonable. "I haven't given it that much thought, but I was thinking I could get a job teaching English. I know that the language school I use to work at would hire me full time. Ritsu . . . oh I mean Hanabushi Ritsuko, my best friend, her dad would give me a job if I asked so I've got options."

Motoko's face lit up at the mention of Ritsu. "I've know the Hanabushi's for years. They're family friends and Wakaba Jinpachi is a dear friend."

Mimi blanched, her mouth went dry, and her appetite vanished as her stomach churned. What the hell! A million thoughts flooded her mind. Why didn't Ha tell me he knew Jin?