I smiled when I saw Mr. Tan's reply. He was willing to have dinner with me on my day off. We actually only had two days off a month, though we could take longer breaks during the New Year and summer.
I knew my interest in him would never lead to anything, but for some reason, even just having lunch with him made me happy.
This time, he was still in Kyoto, so I could invite him to dinner without feeling too self-conscious. I had been looking forward to talking with him again. I was afraid calling him would bother him, but with him here, I could find an excuse to text him and invite him to dinner.
"Kanna-san." He smiled when he saw that I had arrived first.
"Let me pay for lunch this time." I laughed because he was already talking about paying before anything else, even though I was the one who had invited him.
"All right, whatever you say this time..."
We were at Ichiran Ramen, a chain with locations all over the place. It was one of Kyoto's favorite ramen restaurants.
"You really enjoy inviting me out to eat, Kanna-san. Sometimes I wonder if I actually have anything to say that girls enjoy hearing."
"I really do enjoy talking to someone who helps me so often." I smiled at him and brought up how he had saved my bag and been injured because of it.
"I've made a full recovery. There's nothing for you to worry about anymore."
"How have you been lately?" he asked sympathetically.
"I'm fine, as you can see."
"Hmm... I'm going back to Hong Kong tomorrow. Have you ever been to Hong Kong?"
"Not yet. Maybe during the long break at the end of the year. I haven't decided where to go on vacation yet. Would it be all right if I stopped by?" He looked at me as I asked, smiling.
"Of course. But if I'm here, I might be assigned to Jakarta soon. Lately, I've only been here for short periods anyway."
I was just about to order when a voice startled me.
"So it's true—you really aren't interested in me. You invite Brother Daniel to dinner, but you claim you're not allowed to have a boyfriend." I stared in shock as Hisao stood beside me. Why had he shown up here?! He was such a nuisance... Oh, God.
He brazenly sat down across from me with Daniel.
"Your boyfriend from Roppongi followed you here. Why are you still looking for another boyfriend?"
"I don't know how she managed to get here. If my father finds out, I'll be in trouble again."
"You spent ten million on her, so of course she's obligated to make sure you're doing well. Where is she...?" Daniel taunted him.
"She's at the hotel. I lied and told her I had work. When she gets here, I'll invite her to eat with us."
"I'm not getting involved in your business... Handle it yourself. I'm leaving for Hong Kong tomorrow, and it looks like these two are pretty close friends."
"Kanna-san, would you mind if I joined you?" Now he was asking my permission.
"Of course." Naturally, I couldn't refuse him. So much for my plan to talk with Daniel alone.
"He's afraid of being caught alone with his girlfriend." Mr. Tan grimaced as he mocked Hisao. Oh, so that was what had happened.
"Hisao, darling... I missed you." There she was, his beautiful girl. Yes, she was beautiful, and she seemed very outgoing, slim, cheerful, and pleasant. She immediately squeezed in beside Hisao. Daniel looked annoyed and shifted over, but it was still far too cramped. The girl didn't greet us and acted as if she owned the place.
In the end, she moved to the seat beside me.
"Don't be rude. Say hello to Brother Tan and Kanna-san. This is Aiko."
"Brother Tan, Kanna-san." She greeted us before going back to clinging to Hisao in front of us. Daniel and I exchanged glances as we watched Hisao's girl behave that way.
But the next surprise turned out to be even bigger.
"Who is this?" A man's deep voice suddenly made me lift my face from the menu. Mr. Yuto Yamada was standing beside our table.
The three of us automatically stood and bowed respectfully. The girl remained seated. Hisao's face went tense. Finally, the girl stood too when she realized how uncomfortable the atmosphere had become.
"Who are you...?" Mr. Yuto Yamada asked again.
"She's..." He answered for his grandfather.
"Hisao, be quiet."
"I'm Aiko... And you are...?" Mr. Yuto Yamada's eyes narrowed. I had a feeling this was going to turn ugly. How could this girl dare to question Mr. Yamada in return? Didn't she have any sense? Even her boyfriend didn't dare say a word.
"So you're the one he bought that champagne tower for." Mr. Yamada was confirming her identity.
"Yes, Hisao bought it for me." Aiko took hold of Hisao's arm. This was going to be really bad. A major storm was about to break loose here.
"You've disappointed me greatly, Hisao." His grandfather spoke. Aiko finally realized what was happening and let go of Hisao's arm. But it was too late. Not one of us could say a word.
"Kanna-san." Why was Mr. Yamada calling me now?
"Yes, sir."
"Could you help me straighten out this situation...?" He didn't want to look at the girl. Straighten out the situation? I gestured for the girl to leave. She finally took the hint and quickly bowed before slipping away without a word.
"It's done, sir."
"Good. Thank you, Kanna-san." Mr. Yamada left just like that. Mr. Tan and I looked at each other. Hisao let out a sigh and sank limply into his seat.
"I'm so unlucky today."
I was unlucky too. Why had he shown up here? He had only ruined my dinner.
Hisao looked gloomy now. I had actually hoped he would leave, but he was still sitting there.
"Mr. Hisao, aren't you going after Aiko?" I tried to get him to leave.
"No, just leave it... I already told her not to come to Kyoto, but she wouldn't listen."
"You'd better not be seen with her again. Apologize to your grandfather. You know what your grandfather is like. If he gets angry enough to ask your uncle to cause trouble for that girl, she won't survive something like that..."
What a horrifying conversation. That girl wouldn't survive. Getting involved with Hisao was terrifying.
He didn't say anything. Maybe he really did like Aiko. She seemed to know exactly how to win his heart.
"She's a good girl. She never actually told me to buy that champagne tower. Her friends were the ones who baited me into it."
"It's the same thing. You were just too easy to bait." Mr. Tan had enough experience to understand what he was talking about. And I thought he was right.
Hmm... Enough. I gave up. Why was he still here? He should have gone after his girlfriend.
I had been picturing ten million yen this whole time. Hmm... That was what I earned for a commercial and a photo shoot, maybe five or six times over. But that girl had gotten it in a single night. She was either incredibly lucky or far too clever.
"This won't end here. Grandfather is going to make trouble for me. And my father will definitely get involved."
I didn't want to get involved in their conversation.
"Am I bothering you?" he suddenly realized that he had been interrupting us. If so, then leave.
"No." I couldn't tell him he was bothering me, so all I did was answer without looking at him. I didn't like having him here. I called over a server to order my ramen.
"All right, if you say so. I'll eat here..."
"You're not calling Aiko back here? You're not going after her? What if she gets angry...?" I made one last attempt to get him to leave. Hisao looked at me, then gave a small grimace.
"Kanna-san, you've really taken root in Kyoto..."
"What do you mean?" I knew what he really meant. People in Kyoto never said what they meant directly. They said the opposite in their words, while hiding another meaning behind them. Apparently, he understood what I was asking.
"Why don't you just say it outright? I won't be offended." He gave me a small smile. "All right, I'm leaving... Enjoy your dinner. Brother, I'm heading out first..."
I said nothing as I watched him leave. I had no idea what he was thinking. Good. He was gone. I cheered silently inside.
Mr. Tan watched Hisao leave, then turned back to me. I didn't care what he thought about that conversation. The important thing was that Hisao had left.
"Mr. Tan, what would you like to order?" Just then, the server came to our table to take our order, giving me the chance to pretend I was diverting attention from the earlier question.
"You're off today?" I nodded.
"I only have two days off a month, and my schedule is usually packed. I can work until two in the morning. At the beginning of my maiko training, I had to be back at the training hall by nine."
"No wonder Hisao's grandfather said you work so hard..."
"Hisao's grandfather is very loyal to Gion. He funds many performances, and he also owns one of the teahouses here. We respect him. He says that people who devote their lives to art should be supported, but maybe it's also because he used to be a geisha's patron in Gion. Even now that the geisha has passed away, he still visits Gion often."
"Come to think of it, that's the same as Hisao supporting Roppongi." I laughed at Mr. Tan's comment.
"Exactly. That's also a form of supporting the arts..." But I still felt that ten million yen was excessive for a single night. Rich kids like them probably thought ten million was nothing more than play money.
"You always take the initiative to invite me to dinner. Sometimes I feel like you're too friendly."
"I just like listening to people who have more experience than I do."
"Don't you have any admirers your own age? Wouldn't it be easier to talk to someone your own age?"
"No, because I'm more used to talking with older clients. Admirers... maybe there are a few, but Auntie and the okiya rules forbid me from dating."
"You're forbidden to date... That's the excuse you always use to turn down someone's invitations, isn't it?" I smiled faintly.
"You're perceptive..." I gave a wide grimace, and he laughed.
Just then, the server brought our orders. After that, the conversation flowed more casually.
"I have to get to the airport very early tomorrow, so I probably can't talk with you for too long tonight..." He called over the server and settled the bill. I was about to part with him.
"Oh... All right." Time passed so quickly. Today was the only day I could see him. If only he could stay here a little longer.
We left the restaurant and walked through the streets of Kyoto, breathing in the autumn air along the boulevard.
"Take care. Look after yourself, Kanna-san..." He said goodbye to me.
"Mr. Tan..." I wanted to make sure of something.
"Yes...?" He looked at me.
"If I come to Hong Kong for New Year's, I'll really visit you. Would that bother you?" He should have known what I meant by that. He was silent for a moment before answering me.
"Kanna-san, New Year's is still three months away. I don't know where I'll be then. I'm not someone who works in one place continuously for months at a time. Hong Kong will be lively during New Year's, and you'll enjoy your visit even if I'm not there. So I may not be able to promise you anything..." He spoke calmly, and I knew his words were his way of refusing my attempt to meet him in his personal space.
My heart broke.
He thought I wasn't good enough for him. After this, I would cry my eyes out in my room because I'd been rejected by the man I liked. But when I thought about it, my chances had always been slim. I think he was only trying to stop me from falling even deeper into these foolish feelings.
"Thank you for dinner tonight. In that case, have a safe trip and take care of yourself..." I could only hide my disappointment. He smiled when he heard my words.
"You'll find friends there. Take care of yourself too, and if you ever need any help, don't hesitate to call. Just think of me as your uncle..."
Uncle... He really did think I was too young for him. We were only sixteen years apart. Couldn't I call him my older brother instead?
"Thank you for dinner." I bowed to him, then turned and walked back to Gion alone.
The cold autumn air.
I stopped and looked back, staring at his silhouette as it disappeared along Shimogyo Boulevard. A few falling maple leaves brushed against my feet before the cold wind carried them away.
I hated autumn. I hated having my heart broken amid these deep autumn colors. My luck was never any good in the fall.