Exiled (AmBw)

Chapter 32

Takanori POV

What is that feeling? You know, that peculiar feeling you get right before an important day. It's like a strange concoction of nervous and anxious, but happy and terrified. All you want to do is throw up, but unfortunately, your nerves are so shot you become as useful as a wet matchstick. Yeah, well, I've felt this sickening feeling for three days straight. From the minute I recognized my mother's ring in the picture Hiki showed me, I hadn't stopped thinking about who the woman in the photo could be. Collectively I think I've only had about 6 hours out of the three days in Hokkaido where I wasn't thinking about her. If I wasn't working, I was thinking about her. It was torturous, and it was starting to show. My assistant and driver sat in the front, expressing their worry through their glances in the car's rearview mirror. I completely understood their concerns. This wasn't like me. Right now, I was a mess, and I didn't know how not to be.

Slouched down in the back seat of the car with my hood on, shaking my leg like a crackhead waiting for a hit, I watched the doors of Hiki's convenience store for any signs of life. A few torment-filled minutes passed before I saw the closed sign on the door turn to open, and the blinds of the store slowly raise. Like a dog off to the races, I was out of the car and into the store in seconds.

Takanori: "Hiki?" I called for her the minute I burst through the door.

"Good morning. How can I help you?" An older man said, opening the last blind of the store.

Takanori: "Oh, good morning." I said, bowing to the older gentleman. " Is Hiki here?" I asked, looking around.

"She isn't in today. Did you have business with my wife?" He asked, walking closer to talk to me.

Takanori: "Oh, you're Hiki's husband. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Taka." I paused briefly. "Takuya," I said, choosing to use the alias I usually used when reserving hotels. "Yes, I did have business with your wife today, but since she isn't here. I'll come back tomorrow."

"She won't be in tomorrow either. She's in the hospital." The older man said, his expression turned troubled.

Takanori: "Hospital?" I exclaimed. "Is she ok?" I asked, concerned.

"She took a pretty nasty fall stocking shelves a few days ago. She'll be out of commission for a while until I'm sure she's going to be ok." He said, trying not to look too concerned.

Takanori: "Of course, I am sorry to hear about your wife, mister?" I said, realizing I didn't know his name.

Chiiro: Ite Chiiro.

I smiled, bowing to him. He slightly bowed in turn.

Takanori: "Mr. Ite, would it be ok for me to send flowers to your wife's room? She's always been kind to me, and I want to do something for her." I said, hoping he'd say yes.

Chiiro: I see no reason why you can't. She is in room 378 at Seibo Hospital. Visiting hours are between 11-8 pm.

Takanori: Thank you, sir. I said, taking a bow before leaving.

'Well, that didn't go as planned.' I thought, tearing open a pack of one of the four bags of yellow M&M's I bought before leaving the store. After pouring a few in my hand, I tossed them into my mouth, feeling slightly disappointed. I got myself all worked up, and here I am, right back at square one. If I didn't find something to fill the void until 11 when I could see Hiki, I would end up stress eating every last bag of M&M's in Japan.

I stood for a bit, deliberating my next move. I ran through a list of people that could distract me until the time. Then my little troublemaker popped into my head. Layla would have been perfect, but she was back in New York, living her life without me. "What a cruel woman." I thought, pulling out my phone to text her. After penning what I thought was quite an eloquent text, 'Hey beautiful, miss me?'I shoved the phone back in my pocket, wishing Japan was a 45-minute commute to New York, so I could be with her until I was able to solve my 3-year dilemma. Unfortunately, this meant the honour of distracting me fell upon the next lucky person in my mind