Chapter Text
She stared at her teacup without really seeing anything. Morning’s first sun rays made Tokyo so beautiful, so fresh, and even though she knew that beautiful scenario from the hotel’s highest restaurant should make her morning better, somehow, she couldn’t care. Today it didn’t impress her. She started to doubt if her plan to make herself in a better mood would even succeed. Gorgeous breakfast on the first-rate restaurant and some shopping was her plan to forget the bomb her parents dropped last night, but at this point, it hasn’t worked out, and somehow she wondered if even shopping would make difference.
Yet Ran didn’t want to go home. Not yet. Right now, she was so angry with her parents, and even thinking of them made her mood drop more even though she was sure that it couldn’t be even possible. She wasn’t ready to forgive them, not yet. Okay, the reasonable side of her knew that she was the only one who was in this war and she knew she couldn’t win it. She had lost this fight as soon as she has started it. She should just accept her faith. Yet the hotheaded side of her made sure that she would do everything much harder for her parents than it should be. It would be her silent rebellion against them.
Ran leaned with her elbows on the table and hid her face in her hands. God, if her best friend would have been home… Ran would have called her, told her everything and maybe stayed there night or two. Maybe things would have been better soon. But no. Sonoko was visiting her boyfriend’s place which was… was… Hah, Ran couldn’t even remember where Makoto-kun lived. And like she even cared. At least not now.
Ran felt how her eyes started to make tears. God, she was so envious! Sonoko got to choose who to date, who to marry…
Why did God hate her so much? What she has done wrong to deserve this?
“Excuse me… Can I join?”
Ran raised her head. Beside the table stood a young man who was dressed in a white blouse, blue tie, which was a little slack, and dark grey trousers. He has dark brown hair, serious blue eyes, and a gently little smile on his lips. He held a coffee cup in his right hand and in his armpit, he held a rolled newspaper. Or that what it’s looked like to Ran. On his other hand, he held a dark grey jacket.
Somehow Ran felt like she has seen that man somewhere before, yet she couldn’t remember, where or who he would be. Maybe it was her imagination?
“Oh”, she said after realising that this man was still waiting for her answer. She glanced at her teacup and breakfast which she hasn’t touched. “Mm, actually, I… I…”
“Please?” the man interrupted her. Ran raised her gaze to him and saw how that man glanced to the restaurant’s doorway. Ran almost looked that way herself, but the man turned to her before she did. “I promise, I won’t bother you.”
Ran looked at the man who just showed her a bright smile like trying to convince her that she should let him. Ran wasn’t sure what was going on, because she was pretty sure that usually random people wouldn’t join other’s tables, not when there were still free tables. And if it was for a view of the city, this wasn’t the only table close to the windows.
But why would she care?
“Well, if you want to”, she said and sway her hand towards the free spot in front of her. “Be my guest, I guess.”
“Thank you”, he answered. Ran followed how that young man put his coffee cup and newspaper on the table before setting his grey suit jacket on the chair’s back. Then he sat down. He met her gaze and smiled before taking his newspaper and opening it in front of him to read it.
Ran sloped her head a little. She found it a little amused that someone still read the newspaper, at least someone who looked young enough to have a smartphone. Or at least to her, he didn’t look much older than her, but at the same time, she knew that sometimes people age differently. Maybe he was just a lucky one and looked younger than he really was?
Somewhere behind her she heard loud voices.
“Are you sure he isn’t here?”
Ran turned her head. She saw two young women standing in the restaurant’s doorway talking to the waitress. Another one looked around like searching for something or someone when the other just looked desperate and almost prayed to the waitress to tell her something. “Come on, he’s Kudo-sama! I’m pretty sure he came here!”
Kudo-sama?
“As I said before, he’s not here”, the waitress said loud and clear, and Ran saw how she has enough of those two. “And now, if you two excuse me, if you’re not going to eat here, could you leave, please? You have disturbed our customers enough.”
“But we need to meet him…”
“And I’m going to call guards if you’re not leaving now.”
Two women looked at the waitress like she had offended them, but they left, though making sure that everyone would hear how the waitress hadn’t been respected them at all. Ran shook her head. She couldn’t believe how some people could behave like that. And who is this Kudo-sama? Probably some kind of celebrity, was her guess.
She turned around and saw how the young man in front of her has lowered his newspaper enough to see over it what was going on. His gaze met hers. He showed to her a little smile.
“Do you know what that was about?” she asked out of curiosity. “Who is this Kudo-sama?”
Those blue eyes stared at her for a moment, like measuring her for something. Ran wasn’t sure why though. Then man just shrugged his shoulders before severed on the left side of the newspaper to get his coffee cup. “I have no idea”, he answered and took a sip of his coffee. After putting the cup on the table, he continued: “Probably some wannabe celebrity or something.”
Ran smiled. “You almost make it sound like you are jealous.”
The man laughed dryly and looked at her. “And be chased by women who would be selfish enough not to care who they disturb or hurt to get their idol’s attention?” He glanced in the doorway before raising his newspaper to continue to read it. “No thank you.”
Ran smiled shortly, yet she didn’t take her gaze away from the man who has hidden behind the newspaper. Well, he has just said the truth. Even though Ran sometimes dreamed that she would be a celebrity, she wouldn’t want any of her admirers to be rude to others. But maybe that was one thing that can’t evade. Every people were different, and as that man had said, some people would be selfish enough to do anything just to get their idol’s attention. It was sad but true.
But truth to be told, when Ran looked at that man who was so interested to know what happens in the world, she could imagine that that man could be something bigger than he told her. He was handsome and nice. He has manners. And if his words were true and not just something that he decided to say just to make an impression, he would be fair. Or she could be totally wrong about him…
But then, how many celebrities would come to the hotel’s restaurant to eat breakfast in the suit? She wouldn’t. If she would be a big name, she would try to get dressed like anyone else. Suits are something better and would draw attention. They would be recognized sooner or later. So maybe he was just some businessman. Maybe he was here to make some contracts or have meetings. That was the only reason why anyone would dress in the suit in the mornings.
“Can’t take your eyes off me?”
Ran blushed and leaned backward. The man lowered his newspaper enough to meet her gaze. He smiled and his eyes glimmered mischievously.
She wasn’t sure if she liked him or not.
“Pretty full of yourself”, she answered trying to hide her shame of getting caught for staring. “How can you tell from behind that newspaper that I stared at you and not someone behind you?”
The man smiled and closed his newspaper. “Oh, don’t we all feel it when someone is staring at us?” he asked while folding the newspaper and laying it on the table. Then he gave to her his full attention. “And how much you want to bet that behind me is no one?”
Ran let her gaze wander behind him even though she knew better than him that there was no one.
“Fine”, she said in the end. “Are you some kind of mind-reader?”
He laughed. “Not at all”, he answered. “I just happen to pay attention to my surrounding.”
“Why?” she asked. “Are you hiding from someone?”
The man shook his head and took his coffee cup. Somehow his cheerfulness melted a little when he looked at his cup. “Well, not exactly someone… Maybe more like something. Though it’s useless”, he answered and took a sip on his cup. Ran stared at how he put down his cup and leaned against the table. “But enough of me, miss. How about you?”
“About me?”
“Yup”, he answered. Blue eyes wandered to her plate and teacup. “Your tea is cooled down because it doesn’t steam anymore. And you haven’t eaten anything from your plate. It seems like it’s your first, though it’s a different story if you took a new plate after first was empty, still, you haven’t touched that, so…” He looked at her eyes. “I believe something is bothering you.”
Ran felt impressed, yet a little annoyed. Why that random man was so curious? It wasn’t his problem what Ran did or didn’t, and any of this wasn’t his business!
“What is this? Some kind of interrogation?” she asked defensively.
“No”, he answered and leaned backward. “Usually, people don’t have an appetite when something bothers them.”
“Really?” she asked dryly and looked at his cup. “Then why haven’t you got anything to eat? You are here to eat breakfast like other of us, right?”
The man looked at the buffet. “Well, I’m not hungry”, he said and showed a gloomy smile to her. “As I said, I’m here to try to hide from my problems. And because of them, I’m not hungry.” He lowered his gaze at his cup. “Well, I thought I would feel better after a cup of coffee, but truth to be told, either this coffee is terrible or it’s just me why it doesn’t taste as good as I hoped.”
Ran felt pretty bad for being mean to the man. Something bothered him, and she was just annoying… And yet, it wasn’t his fault that Ran has a bad day.
“I’m sorry”, she said and lowered her gaze back to the teacup. “I shouldn’t have…”
“No, it’s okay”, a man answered lightly. “I shouldn’t have tried to pry.”
He moved and Ran raised her eyes to see that man was about to leave. She felt something squeeze her throat. Was he leaving because she was mean to him?
“I just… I just have a bad day”, she said fast. The man stopped and looked at her. “I mean…” Ran moved her eyes off him and looked at the city from the window. “My parents, they decided without me that I should marry someone. I mean…. like…” She kept a little break, trying not to start crying again. “They arranged my marriage.”
There, she has said it. Out loud. To someone else… And to someone who she didn’t even know.
“I mean… I… I have always dreamed that I find someone who would love me and go on dates and we would move together, he would propose to me, we would get married and all that…” Ran was happy that she couldn’t see her reflection from the window. Must be a pitiful sight. “But now, instead, my parents have decided without me that I need to get married as soon as possible! I mean… Why didn’t they say anything about it earlier? I… I… I don’t know if I could have done anything differently, but at least I would have had more time to be okay with this. Or tried to find someone in my life! All this time I thought that I can decide who I marry, plan my weddings and all but out of nowhere they just took that liberty from me! Why? Because this is best for me! I’m at my best age to make family and all. So what?!” She felt anger and frustration come back to her. “I’m just twenty! I have still plenty of time! Why my happiness isn’t important to them? Do they think I can’t ever find anyone? Do they think I’m going to be happy with someone who I don’t even know? And how they can know if that person is kind to me? He can be a monster, who just want to use me, and…”
Out of nowhere, she realized that she has ranted all this time and hadn’t got any answer. She turned her eyes back where the man has stood a moment ago. He was still here. Blue eyes stared at her and… He smiled cheerfully?
“What?!” she shouted before giving any other thoughts of anything. Why did she even think that man could understand her distress? It seemed that it would have been better if she would have let him go away earlier. “Yeah, I know, I’m pitiful and childish, selfish person who just has dreams and I wanted to make them true, but instead someone took them from me without asking, and you dare to laugh?”
“Hey, I’m not laughing, just smiling…”
“Yeah, and why is that? Because I’m just childish? Because I don’t want to get married to some random guy…”
“No, it’s not that…”
“Then what it is?!” Ran shouted. She stared at his eyes feeling angry. Oh, how much she just wanted to stand up and kick that man’s sorry ass for laughing at her, for…
“Oh, come on, don’t cry.”
“What?” she asked just before she felt something soft on her cheek. Tears. She hasn’t even noticed that she was crying… A white handkerchief appears in her sight. The man was offering it to her.
She looked at him for a second before taking a handkerchief from him, though a little ruder than she maybe should have.
“I wasn’t smiling for your misery”, he said, and she heard him moving something, but she didn’t look. She just took a napkin and dried her eyes and cheeks. “I can understand how you feel…”
Ran laughed dryly and turned to him. He had moved his chair closer to her. “Well, it didn’t look like it”, she said with a cold voice. “I wouldn’t laugh at someone about this if I would know how it feels.”
The man glared at her. “Are you going to let me explain before judging?”
She snorted. “Not sure if I want to hear your explanations.”
“Well, wanted or not, I smiled because I’m in the same situation.”
Ran stopped everything. Then she laid down the napkin and met his serious gaze.
“I smiled because I listened to you and…” It was his turn to let out a dry laugh. “Well, I have been thinking some of those things since yesterday evening. I have been angry and disappointed of my parents that I also forgot that in the end, it isn’t so uncommon that parents arrange their children’s marriage.”
“It isn’t?” Ran asked with a little confusion. “I haven’t heard…”
Man smiled. “Well, were you ready to tell happily to everyone that your parents chose your future husband without asking your opinion?”
“Well, I wasn’t…”
“In my line of work, I have heard too many people being together because of arranged marriage. And it’s coming out only if it’s the ultimate must. So, I believe no one wants to tell anyone if they don’t have to, and that’s the reason why many people think they are only ones.”
“But… why?”
Man shrugged. “My guesses are as good as yours”, he answered and leaned with his left arm on the table. Ran felt his warm skin against her hand. “Because parents have been friends and decided a long time ago that if their children haven’t married at a certain age, they can have each other. Because some parents don’t have enough money to provide for their child and they want them to marry someone who can. Because of making sure they got wealthy spouses. Because of some opportunities.” He shook his head. “There are too many reasons, and since it’s not illegal…”
“Though I think it should be”, Ran snorted.
“Well, I think so too.”
They changed smiles. Ran wasn’t sure what to think of this all. Well, even though her parents have said that it was best for her, she believed that money was the reason. Even though she has believed that they got enough money to survive, it could be possible that they didn’t. Maybe that was the reason why they decided that Ran should marry someone.
“So… What was your reason?”
Man didn’t raise his gaze on her. “Because of my parents… No, because my mother is impatient”, he answered. “After high school, she just asked why I don’t have a girlfriend, and I just said that I haven’t found anyone interesting. So, I was all by myself, mostly working. Then my parents came to visit some weeks ago and she was still so confused that I didn’t have anyone, so without asking from me, I believe she took reins on her hands.”
Ran laughed. “Pretty hard to believe that you don’t have a girlfriend already.”
He met her eyes, looking a little confused. “Why?”
She shrugged. “Well, handsome man like you…” Then she stopped with horror. Did she really say that out loud? She looked at the man who first looked more confused before he started to smile. “No, I mean… I… You know… I didn’t mean it… like… that, you know?” she tried to save herself.
“Do I?” he asked.
“Well, you know, I mean that…” The man started to laugh and Ran stopped and looked at him with confusion before she realised that he was just making fun of her. “You idiot, forget what I said earlier! I understand pretty good why no one wants you!” Yet a smile came to her lips too. Somehow she felt a little lighter than earlier even though she wasn’t ready to forgive her parents. But still, this was better than nothing. Maybe this was all she needed? To talk to someone who would understand.
Then her phone started to ring. She took it out and felt how her good mood was fading away. It was her mother.
“Not going to answer?”
“It’s mom”, she answered and put the phone on the table, just muting it. “I… I just don’t want to talk to her yet.” She sighed. “Though I know I should probably go back to home and live with this miserable faith, but… I don’t want to.”
The man leaned back and crossed his arms. “Then, what would you like to do?”
Ran gazed out of the window. The day was beautiful, yet the sight of Tokyo made her somehow feel… sad? She knew she has two months before weddings, yet she told herself that the time would go too fast for her. Would she learn to live with this? Could she ever walk the street of the city without feeling anxious, sad, lonely? Could she go anywhere in Tokyo without counting days at the weddings?
She felt like she would love to go somewhere. Somewhere where she could just forget everything and enjoy her life. Yet she didn’t know where. She wouldn’t have enough money to travel too far, nor have any friends whose place she could stay overnight.
“I don’t know”, she answered honestly. “I just thought that I would love to leave Tokyo for a day or two. Going somewhere where I don’t have to remember these problems. Escape from everything.”
He didn’t say anything, and maybe Ran didn’t even wait for an answer. What could he say in this situation anyway?
Her phone started to ring again. Her mother. She probably should just face the reality and answer her.
“Before you answer”, his voice interrupted Ran who was just taking her phone in her hand, “what about we run away together?”
“What?” Ran asked and looked at him like she hasn’t heard him right. Well, she was sure that she had heard it wrong, but he looked at her so seriously that she doubted it.
“Let’s run away together”, he repeated and smiled. “Why not? We both wanted to go somewhere else. So why not go together?”
Ran just stared at him. What was he suggesting? There were so many problems with that idea, and she wasn’t even sure where to start.
So, she laughed. “As much I like the idea, do you know how many problems there are?” She shook her head. “That’s not going to happen.”
“Humour me”, he said as he fixed his posture on the chair. Ran couldn’t believe how carefree that man could be.
“Why would you want to go with me?” she asked. “You just don’t know me.”
“Why wouldn’t I?” he answered. Then he shrugged. “Maybe I want to know you.”
“I’m going to be married.”
“As do I.”
Ran shook her head. This didn’t go anywhere. “But I don’t know who you are or anything else”, she said. “I don’t even know your name…”
“I’m Shinichi.”
“Ran.” Only then Ran realize what she had done, and almost immediately she just wanted to slap herself on the cheek. Idiot! She was too easy.
“Ran”, he said like tasting her name. “I like it.”
“It doesn’t matter if you like it or not”, she protested even though she felt her cheeks to say otherwise. “Why should I trust you to go anywhere with you? How do I know if you just… if you… What do you really want from me? Why me?”
Shinichi smiled. “Ah, you’re a woman of reason. I like it”, he said. “Well, you are right. I could just try to get you somewhere and do bad things. But… well, I can’t give anything else than my word of it that I’m not here to hurt you or do anything else to you.” He kept a little break like thinking what to say next. “I’m just… We are in the same situation, aren’t we? I don’t want to go home yet, though I don’t know where else to go. I don’t have many friends, and even if I would, I’m not sure if I want to be with them, because I don’t believe they could understand what I’m going through right now.”
“But you said earlier that anyone could be in the same situation, they just don’t say it out loud…” She shrugged. “Maybe they can understand.”
He looked away and for a moment Ran thought it was it. That he had given up.
“Do you have… someone?” He looked at her again. “Someone who you want to talk about this and who would understand?”
“Yes, I… I…” Ran has thought that answer would have been clear. Sonoko. She was her best friend, she could tell her everything and she would understand. And yet, right now Sonoko was the one who had a boyfriend, who enjoyed her life and was going to marry him one day. So even if Sonoko would understand her, how about Ran? Ran knew she shouldn’t, yet she was jealous of Sonoko. She got something Ran didn’t, and even though she was happy for her best friend, could she still not be chagrined because of it?
“You…?”
“But still, I can’t go with you”, she continued skipping his question. “I have to go back, because… I… I don’t dare to leave my parents in a bad situation because of me.”
“I didn’t say we are going to stay anywhere for a long time”, he said. “Maybe day or two? Just some take off from everything, nothing more.”
“And…” Ran felt like she wouldn’t like to say it out loud, but if that would be key to decline this, then so be it. “And actually, I don’t have money for traveling.” She laughed nervously and looked around her. “For me eating breakfast here is a luxury, and I can’t do things like this too often…”
“Don’t worry about it”, he said. “I can pay for this trip.”
“No, you can’t”, Ran laughed, but seeing how serious Shinichi was, she let her smile fade. “You can’t have enough money for both of us…”
He shrugged. “I have done work too long and not having anything where to spend them, so… why not?”
“But you’re going to get married and have a family”, Ran objected. “Shouldn’t you save for it?”
Shinichi raised his eyebrow. “Well, I would still be working, so I don’t see any problem here.”
Ran just stared at him. “Sorry for being bold, but what on earth are you doing for a living?”
“Let’s just say I’m kinda entrepreneur.”
“Entrepreneur?” Ran repeated still trying to understand how. “Is that some family business or…”
“Just me”, he answered. Shinichi started to smile when he saw Ran’s suspicious gaze. “And no, I’m not selling drugs or anything like that. Actually, I’m kinda working against things like that.”
“How old are you?”
“Twenty.”
“Then how…”
“I just started to make a name for myself in high school”, he answered. “So, when I started, people knew me. That’s it.” And before Ran had time to ask more, he leaned forward. “So, how about a trip, you and me? I’ll pay. You just keep me company and enjoy.”
Ran stared at those blue eyes which glimmered with enthusiasm. As nice as the offer sounded, she knew she shouldn’t accept it. And even though it was the right thing to do, it made her feel bad already. Though she wasn’t sure why. It felt like she should say yes, go with this stranger…
“I’m sorry, I can’t”, she said finally and turned her gaze away. “I just… can’t.”
Yeah, this was the right thing to do.
He didn’t answer right away, and Ran didn’t dare to look at him. Maybe she was afraid that he would be sad about her answer. Or maybe angry?
“Well, it’s okay”, he answered quietly. Then she heard how he stood up and moved the chair in its own place on the other side of the table. Only then Ran raise her gaze to follow how he took his jacket on his arm and then turned to her. He smiled, though it wasn’t as bright it has been. Somehow it made Ran’s heart sink a little.
“Thank you for the company”, he said and bowed for her. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Ran.”
Ran wanted to answer him. She wanted to apologize that she couldn’t accept his offer. She wanted to say that she was happy to meet him too, that he had made her day a little better, yet nothing came out of her mouth. In the end, she just smiled at him with a sad expression and let him go without saying anything.
It’s all right, she told herself. He was a stranger. Even though he was nice, who knew what he would have done to her after they were left. Even though he has good intentions, who knew where it would have led her. And even if he just wanted company for his trip, maybe he could ask one of his friends…
But if it was okay, why did she feel so terrible? Why she was sad about doing the right thing? Why…
Her phone started to ring again. Third time. The caller was the same as before. She took the phone in her hand, yet she didn’t answer it. She knew she should, but she couldn’t. She didn’t want to face reality, not yet.
She looked out of the window. Maybe she could send her mom a message, saying that she wasn’t ready to talk to her or her father. That she would come home later, after some shopping. Yeah, shopping sounded good. Maybe she would feel better after walking from shop to shop, seeing all the beautiful clothes, make-ups, and everything, buying something nice for herself…
Why doesn’t it make her feel any better?
She stood up, took her handbag, and walked as fast as she could out of the restaurant. She called an elevator, but since both of them were too slow for her, she decided to take the stairs. And she moved as fast as she could, floor after another. And then she got to the first floor, and for a moment she scolded herself for being an idiot before she saw him. He stood at the reception and Ran guessed that he was paying, though she didn’t know that he had stayed here. Well, it didn’t matter to her.
So, she walked towards him.
“Thank you for staying, hope we see you again!”
“Thank you”, Shinichi answered and turned around to leave. Then he froze in front of her.
She smiled carefully while squeezing her handbag’s strap nervously. “Hey.”
He answered her smile. “Hey.”
Ran felt how her heart was racing in her chest. “I wonder… Is your offer still available?”