Categories > Anime/Manga > Viewfinder > Nostalgia
Takaba put up the last of the washed plates on the drying rack; he had asked Gyles to drive him back to his home. When Gyles realized that Takaba was probably going to end up skipping his lunch yet again, he insisted on staying to make something for him.
The meal they ate in silence, Takaba unable to utter a word. What he had done in the shower while thinking of Asami, it was appalling and disgusting, even to him and especially to him. He wanted to scratch away his filthy skin. He was tainted, and now, he was infecting Gyles with his sick disease.
I’m disgusting…
A few times Gyles had said him something, he couldn’t remember what, and Takaba had been so lost in his own mind that he sometimes hadn’t even noticed that Gyles was talking to him until a question came up and he looked up from his plate with a blank, confused look.
He needs to know… he kept thinking, over and over again. He deserves to know…
Gyles came up behind Takaba, wrapping his arms around the slender waist, locking his fingers together and resting his hands on the toned stomach that caved in just slightly around the naval. He jumped slightly when he felt the strength of the arms that came around him then relaxed when Gyles gently kissed his neck, just below the ear, hot lips brushing against tender skin. Wiping his hands on his jeans, he turned in Gyles’ embrace, leaning back towards the sink to look up at Gyles’ face. Blue, deep set eyes, shadowed by the defined contours of the face, gazed into his.
Gyles leaned forward and took Takaba’s lips, which opened easily at the kiss. It began slowly, a gentle nudge from Gyles, the tip of their tongues touched and retracted then met again. This time, they twisted against each other, savoring the taste until Gyles pulled back slowly, a line of saliva lingering.
Takaba reached up and touched Gyles’ cheek, stroking the skin with his thumb.
You poor thing…you don’t even know the lies…
Gyles in response took the small hand into his and kissed them on top of the fingers, holding them gently as though he had a fallen bird in his palm.
But not anymore…
Takaba shook his head and looked down, pulling his hand away.
“What’s wrong...”
He couldn’t look at Gyles in the face, let alone meet his eyes. There was a lump at his throat, muting his voice.
You should know…
“Sei…what’s the matter…”
Those blue eyes, he could feel them riveted onto him, past the superficial layer of skin, digging deeper and farther and seeping into his bloodstream.
I’ll make you hate me, Gyles…
“…to you…”
I’ll make you loathe me…
“What?”
Because that’s just the only way…
“I’ve been lying to you, Gyles!” He pushed Gyles away as hard as he could, stepping out of the embrace. Don’t touch me, Gyles…because I can’t be cruel if you’re touching me…
Gyles paused. “I know that…you don’t love me entirely, if at all. I know you still have someone, another lover, in your heart, but that’s not…that’s not lying, Sei, not that.”
Takaba looked up abruptly, fiercely, heat radiating from his amber eyes. “Don’t you dare talk about what you don’t know! Never again! He and I, we were never lovers! Do you understand?” Then the fire dissipated as quickly as it had burst, as if cold water had doused the heat, leaving not even the glowing ambers. “We never had… that kind of… status.”
That explains a lot.
“Then what could you possibly have lied about?”
“What else?” Takaba’s eyes were hollow as he uttered, “Me.”
“What?”
“I’m not… who you think I am.” His breathing wavered, like a soft tremolo held by a violin, “Do you remember, when I said I couldn’t recognize myself in the mirror anymore?”
“I remember.”
“That’s because… this isn’t me, Gyles. I’m not what I pretend to be. I’m just a fake! A hypocrite!”
“Sei…” he took a step, only to be stopped by Takaba.
“I can’t keep up this façade anymore! It’s unbearable having to lie to you every single day because you don’t me. You can’t know me because I haven’t let you see anything true. I’ve been…oh Gyles… I’ve been misleading you so wrong.”
“What are you getting at?”
Takaba grabbed Gyles’ wrist and led him out of the kitchen, through the living room into his bedroom and closed the door. He swallowed and licked his dry lips.
“Do you see that bottom drawer? Under the desk.” his eyes were fixed on the metal handle.
“I do.”
“Open it.”
Gyles frowned, perplexed at the odd request.
“Go on, open it.”
I have to do this… this is the only way Gyles will ever understand…
Gyles walked over slowly and crouched, slowly pulling the drawer open. There were a few binders of pictures.
“Take those out.”
Gyles did so, placing the thick binders on the des and was about to stand when Takaba whispered, “There’s more.”
There wasn’t, was there? Just the wooden bottom. Unless… it was a false bottom.
“Push it down.”
Gyles pushed down and the other end of the false bottom popped up. He pulled out the thin wooden plank, afraid and curious both at the same time to discover what laid beneath.
There was a handgun inside along with an extra magazine. Under it were a two photographs and legal documents.
Why would Sei be keeping these hidden? And the gun, what use did he have for it? He picked up the thin stack of documents among other things and stood up, placing them on the table; a passport slipped out and fell onto the wooden floor.
Gyles knelt slowly. It was an old passport, much more aged in its passport than the one he had seen Takaba use before. He turned it over in his hand. Did he want to open this? It would probably defunct everything he knew of Takaba, leave what little he knew useless.
His finger slipped in behind the cover and opened the passport. Inside was a picture of Takaba except much younger, but no doubt that it was him, just different. In this one, he had a bright, awkward smile and short chestnut, teeming of energy just waiting to. His aura was still young, as if the fire that he from time to time saw in Takaba was burning at its brightest.
Name: Takaba, Akihito
He looked up at Takaba, who was looking away, biting his lips, dreading the inevitable. Gyles went through the other documents, each with the same foreign name printed across it. Some pictures of family and friends.
“Are these…”
Takaba slid down against wall and buried his face into his hands. He nodded silently.
“For two years?”
Yes…for too long…
“Sweet Jesus…” The documents fell in a messy heap, scattering like leaves in autumn.
Takaba listened as the sound of Gyles’ footsteps drew farther and farther away and his front door closed slammed shut.
It’s better this way…
**
“Ah, Mr. Asami, there you are!” Mr. Merrett came rushing towards Asami, who was hidden in the corner of the reception hall, trying to be as invisible as he possible. He just…didn’t feel much like putting on a fake façade. Not today. Not tonight.
“Mr. Merrett.,” he acknowledged the Englishman with a slight nod.
“This is my wife, Kate.” He motioned at a young woman in her twenties. In fact, far too young for the aging Mr.Merrett, “Kate, this is Mr. Asami, an honorary guest from Japan.”
Asami took the woman’s hand and kissed it at the fingers, “A pleasure Mrs. Merrett.”
She blushed and smiled seductively, much to Mr. Merrett’s chagrin.
“That’s enough now, Mr. Asami and I have some people to meet,” he led Asami away from the young wife and toward a group of wealthy looking gentlemen, involved in a light hearted banter when the two men approached.
“Mr. Merrett! I must say, this is marvelous,” a young blond man in his early thirties came up, “And who is this dashing guest you have here?” he asked as he turned toward Asami, a bright smile stretching his cheeks a bit too wide for Asami’s taste.
“Mr. Clark, so glad you could make it. This gentleman here is Mr. Asami, our honorary guest from Japan. Mr. Asami, this is Mr. Clark. He’s on the executive for British Petroleum.”
This…bubbly man is an executive at BP…interesting…
“What a pleasure,” he shook Asami’s hands a bit too enthusiastically, “the trip must have been difficult. Have you gotten over the jetlag?”
“I’ve been here a week already.”
“Oh, I see. And are you enjoying London?”
“As always. It’s a brilliant city.”
“Nah, I’ve seen better, but yes, it’s quite marvelous.”
Say what?
Mr. Merrett interrupted, “We really must be moving on.”
“It was pleasure, Mr. Asami.” He turned to Mr. Merrett one last time, “But where is Mr. Arlington?”
“Ah, I’m afraid our vice president is taking a vacation in Brazil.” Mr. Merrett frowned a bit, “Shall we move on, Mr. Asami?”
“I suppose.”
**
Takaba shivered as he waited outside Gyles’ door. It wasn’t even that cold, according to the weatherman, it was supposedly a “fine winter day with some long awaited sun.” To Takaba, it didn’t make a difference. Winter was winter, and in winter, there were only different degrees of coldness. Besides, his eyes felt bloated and puffy from crying so long until his tear ducts went on strike and refused to lend its salty liquid.
He had been standing outside for a good five minutes not and no one was answering. He wasn’t even sure whether Gyles was in or not; it wasn’t as if he could just walk in to the garage and see if the car was there or not. The sentinel had only let him in because he frequented Gyles so often.
He still had Gyles’ apartment key in his pocket but no intention of using it. It would be…cruel to make use of it now after what he done just this afternoon. Besides, he fully intended to give it back as a show of…apology of sorts. He wasn’t really sure himself. Now, though, it looked like Gyles wasn’t home and he was going to freeze to death if he just stood outside doing nothing.
The key slid into its hole easily, grinding into the metal slots and latching on as if it belonged there. It may have but not Takaba, he didn’t belong. With a reluctant sigh, he pushed the door open noiselessly and peered inside. All the lights were off and so far, it looked unoccupied. Takaba gathered up more nerve and stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. He reached for the light switch, knowing full well where it was. He might not have slept over very often, but he probably knew the blueprint of the large flat as well as he knew his own apartment’s, if not better.
When the lights flickered on, there was a note written on a bright yellow post-it note, stuck on the forehead of Augustus Caesar, the last of the five Good Emperors of Rome. It was rather humorous to see a piece of paper over what was meant to be a commemorative tribute to such a man of history, regardless of how long ago he had died.
It cracked a rare smile from Takaba.
“You fool…”
He pulled the note from the marble surface and read it, slowly, twice, three times.
Dear my beloved Akihito,
Oh god… Gyles…
I write this note in hopes that it will be gone by the time I come home tonight. It may be a wish futile and desperate after my selfish reaction to your act of courage this afternoon. I hope you will forgive me, Akihito, for what I did to you, and for your resolute honesty, I am forever grateful.
This does not take away from my love for you, instead, I hope to cherish you even more and hold you closer than ever before. I love you, and I will wait for you, ten, twenty years and more, until my death and after it. And I will be content, Akihito, knowing it was you whom I waited for.
Love,
Gyles
He pulled a pen from his pocket and flipped the note over.
Takaba placed the note back onto the forehead of the bust, laughing through his dry tears.
“Gyles, you tenacious bastard…”
He fingered the apartment key and placed it beside the marble bust.
And I run from you as well, Gyles…
He had no tears left to shed as the lights went out.
**
Gyles spotted Mr. Merrett in the reception hall. He had arrived about half an hour or so late, having taken the time to write the last minute note for Takaba. The documents, the passport, the old photos were all still vivid in his mind. He could still feel the rough texture on the aged passport in beneath his fingertips. And he could still picture Takaba’s distraught form. How could he have done that? Walking out when Takaba needed him the most.
Unforgivable.
Now that he could think levelheadedly, Takaba had probably given it a lot of thought before coming to the decision of revealing himself. He probably turned himself inside out, knowing his personality. And he had left Takaba there, broken down and shattered, his head buried in his palms, the papers scattered all around them.
“Mr. Merrett!” he approached the old man with a plastered smile.
“Finally here, Mr. Tennison.” Mr. Merrett pat Gyles on the shoulder a few times.
“Some things held me back.”
“Of course, of course!” he looked around, “Why, you don’t have a partner!”
“Well, no. Not tonight.”
“What a pity. Oh, I almost forgot, I would like you to greet a guest from Japan. He’s outside on the courtyard terrace, I believe.” Mr. Merrett was a bit jumpy, more nervous than usual, “I’ve got some, uh, business to take care of.”
Japan…that’s where Se-…Akihito is from…isn’t it?
“Is he…”
“He’s a close associate of mine.”
Gyles made his way through the reception hall, shaking hands with a few more of the guests before finally making his way to the other side. Cold air blasted him when he opened the door and stepped out into the terrace. Snow crunched under his polished black shoes.
Asami drew in a lungful of smoke. It was a relief to finally get outside and take a breather in the hotel courtyard. The day had drawn to a close hours ago and night had crept in, along with the frost that came with it.
The happy faces those buffoons put on was disgusting. He couldn’t stand it too be perfectly frank; at this point. All he wanted to do was pack up and go back to Japan, where he wouldn’t have time to think about those petty unnecessary things people thought about when they had too much time on their hands.
His sharp senses picked up the sound of footsteps from behind and he turned.
Oh my God…that’s…
It was unmistakable. The aura, the composure, the stance. The power and control he emanated. The very still demeanor made it more than obvious. The distinct trademark posture he had seen in the photograph, it was like an explicit sign declaring the man as him, as who he was. Except, he was…he loomed large in real life.
“Excuse me.”
Asami turned, dropping his cigarette and digging it into the snow.
“You are the guest from Japan, correct?” Gyles extended his hand, “Gyles Tennison.”
That’s the…exhibit owner…he’s the one that knows Akihito…
“I didn’t quite expect to be defined by my nationality. Asami. A pleasure, Mr. Tennison.” He took the hand, knowing it must have touched Akihito’s.
“Mr. Asami, it’s quite an honor to have you here with us tonight.”
“It’s been a rather serendipitous visit actually.” There was a subtle smirk, barely detectable, across Asami’s lips.
Jesus…does the man know?
“Well, there’s always surprises around the corner, aren’t there?” Gyles remarked off-handedly, to see how Asami would react.
“Indeed there are.”
The tension was there, inevitable and present. But their privacy was cut off when one of Asami’s men rushed out and whispered into his ear, the whisper hushed and urgent. Gyles caught at that moment, the change in attitude. It was such a contrast from the man he had just been exchanging innuendos with to the man he saw now with a stern expression, nodding to his subordinate.
”Mr. Asami, we need to move out of here immediately. There’s some suspicion as to whether Mr. Merrett can be trusted at this point. We’ve already prepared for the departure and arranged an emergency flight out.”
Asami turned to leave, but just as he passed Gyles, he whispered, “Keep a tight leash; he likes to run away.”
**
Mr. Carthen jumped at the sound of his phone ringing, wide awake from his unintentional nap.
“TIMES human resources, Carthen speaking.”
“Mr. Carthen. I’m the photographer, Tanaka. We spoke yesterday at the gallery.”
“Ah! Mr. Tanaka, what a surprise. I wasn’t expecting to hear from for another few days. Have you made a decision then?”
“Yes. I’ll accept the proposal, but on one condition.”
“Which would be?”
“I want my plane scheduled for tonight.”
“Tonight?” he stood abruptly from the table, holding the phone with his shoulder and typing furiously at the keyboard. A flight for…tonight…
“Yes, tonight.”
“Ah, just one moment.” Takaba could here rapid clicking and typing, “There’s a flight to Berlin in…just under an hour. You can pick up the ticket at the airport, will that be alright?”
“Perfect.”
“Are you sure you can make it? The luggage and everything.”
Takaba zipped up the last bag. “I’m sure I can get there in time”
“Do you need a ride to the airport?”
“No, thank you. I’ve called a taxi.”
“Well then. We’re very excited to have you in the project.”
“As I am.” Takaba looked out his window as the taxi stopped before the apartment building, “I must really be going.”
“Of course, do contact me when you arrive.”
“I will be sure to. And one more thing.”
“Yes?”
“Keep my locations confidential please.”
“Of course.”
“Thank you.”
**
“You will regret what you have done today.” Asami’s hands released Mr. Merrett’s throat. The man coughed as he sank down the wall, “Let’s see how much of that reputation of yours is still there by tomorrow morning.”
Asami left the hotel room, his men close behind him. He ignored the polite greetings of the hotel employees, as he crossed the lobby.
“Where did you set the destination?”
“I’m afraid the next flight to a country where we have immunity was Germany.”
“Munich?”
“Berlin, sir.”
“Perfect,” he ducked into the car. This was one reason why he liked being a major stock holder in certain airline companies. Enough leverage and a flight could be arranged disguised under “commercial” purposes. It did tend to tangle up the runway schedules in airports though sometimes.
Anyway. The Merrett bastard had been planning on assassinating Asami just before his Thursday departure. The man didn’t know who he was messing with. “Have them contact every one of Merrett’s contacts. Isolate him. Pit him against his own world. A man like that, he will fall in no time.”
By tomorrow morning, all direct and indirect contacts would be pressured to break off relations with the Englishman and what protection he had from the law would soon be stripped away. The man was headed for hell. After all, he had tried to bring down Hades himself, and the god of the underworld would never lose on his own turf.
**
The chaos of the airport was enough to take Takaba’s mind off his worries and focus them onto finding the right terminal and gate for the Berlin flight. He was glad to have the boarding pass in his hands as he loaded his materials into the x-ray scanner. His equipment bag, fortunately, was lined to provide protection against those beastly machines. Fifteen minutes left. Thankfully, the pass from the magazine provided relative ease with all the security. Pretty much, he could walk through them.
He picked up his backpack and duffel bag from the other end of the scanner. He had been here before, but the airports were something he always found a bit hectic even to his space and direction oriented mind. Terminal 2…where the heck…ah, that way…
He was literally running down, and thankfully, there weren’t many departures at this hour already. Turn left, right, sliding doors. Show your boarding pass. Move on.
Move on.
He spotted the gate number. The waiting area was completely empty.
“Flight A220. Last call for flight A220 for Berlin, Germany.”
By the time he reached the desk, he was breathless. “Excuse me…” inhale “I’m…” another breath “on…” last breath “this flight…”
The woman smiled at him. “Take your time.”
“Thank you,” he smiled back sliding his boarding pass and passport across the counter.
She tore the stub from the boarding pass and handed his passport back, “Enjoy your flight, Mr. Tanaka.”
**
Gyles saw the note still pasted on the forehead of the bust.
So he hasn’t…
His eyes then found the key left beside the marble piece. He reached out and touched the metal.
So you were here…
He tore the note from the marble, on the back side was a short letter.
Dear Gyles,
Please don’t hate me for this.
I exposed to you my greatest deception in hopes to drive you away in disgust. I feel I can no longer keep up what we’ve had after my act of treachery against you. I’ve played out the masquerade out too long and the façade is becoming rather difficult to maintain. It took a toll on both of us, I believe. Don’t wait for me, Gyles, because it will only make the both of us miserable, waiting for what will not come.
I don’t know for sure, but there were moments when I think I might have loved you, if only for a fleeting moment. I will treasure those moments, but I beg of you Gyles. Forget me. I cannot ask of you to forgive me. But forget me.
Akihito
So you’re gone then… I hope you find him…
**
The medium sized cabin of the entire plane was completely empty. Not a single other passenger he could see. It was odd, that a plane this size would be so unoccupied. Had there been some terrorist threat he wasn’t aware of? There were plenty of those nowadays. Stupid fanatics.
Not that Takaba really cared. It was a flight out and that was all that mattered. He tucked his backpack under the seat and put the duffel bag into the overhead cabin. He had the entire three seat row to himself and he took advantage of it by pushing up the arm rests and curled up.
The plane was taking a bit of time departing, probably waiting for the rest of the passengers that is.
He covered himself with his coat, using another bundle of clothes as a makeshift pillow and even before the plane began moving, he was fast asleep; He was simply and completely exhausted.
The meal they ate in silence, Takaba unable to utter a word. What he had done in the shower while thinking of Asami, it was appalling and disgusting, even to him and especially to him. He wanted to scratch away his filthy skin. He was tainted, and now, he was infecting Gyles with his sick disease.
I’m disgusting…
A few times Gyles had said him something, he couldn’t remember what, and Takaba had been so lost in his own mind that he sometimes hadn’t even noticed that Gyles was talking to him until a question came up and he looked up from his plate with a blank, confused look.
He needs to know… he kept thinking, over and over again. He deserves to know…
Gyles came up behind Takaba, wrapping his arms around the slender waist, locking his fingers together and resting his hands on the toned stomach that caved in just slightly around the naval. He jumped slightly when he felt the strength of the arms that came around him then relaxed when Gyles gently kissed his neck, just below the ear, hot lips brushing against tender skin. Wiping his hands on his jeans, he turned in Gyles’ embrace, leaning back towards the sink to look up at Gyles’ face. Blue, deep set eyes, shadowed by the defined contours of the face, gazed into his.
Gyles leaned forward and took Takaba’s lips, which opened easily at the kiss. It began slowly, a gentle nudge from Gyles, the tip of their tongues touched and retracted then met again. This time, they twisted against each other, savoring the taste until Gyles pulled back slowly, a line of saliva lingering.
Takaba reached up and touched Gyles’ cheek, stroking the skin with his thumb.
You poor thing…you don’t even know the lies…
Gyles in response took the small hand into his and kissed them on top of the fingers, holding them gently as though he had a fallen bird in his palm.
But not anymore…
Takaba shook his head and looked down, pulling his hand away.
“What’s wrong...”
He couldn’t look at Gyles in the face, let alone meet his eyes. There was a lump at his throat, muting his voice.
You should know…
“Sei…what’s the matter…”
Those blue eyes, he could feel them riveted onto him, past the superficial layer of skin, digging deeper and farther and seeping into his bloodstream.
I’ll make you hate me, Gyles…
“…to you…”
I’ll make you loathe me…
“What?”
Because that’s just the only way…
“I’ve been lying to you, Gyles!” He pushed Gyles away as hard as he could, stepping out of the embrace. Don’t touch me, Gyles…because I can’t be cruel if you’re touching me…
Gyles paused. “I know that…you don’t love me entirely, if at all. I know you still have someone, another lover, in your heart, but that’s not…that’s not lying, Sei, not that.”
Takaba looked up abruptly, fiercely, heat radiating from his amber eyes. “Don’t you dare talk about what you don’t know! Never again! He and I, we were never lovers! Do you understand?” Then the fire dissipated as quickly as it had burst, as if cold water had doused the heat, leaving not even the glowing ambers. “We never had… that kind of… status.”
That explains a lot.
“Then what could you possibly have lied about?”
“What else?” Takaba’s eyes were hollow as he uttered, “Me.”
“What?”
“I’m not… who you think I am.” His breathing wavered, like a soft tremolo held by a violin, “Do you remember, when I said I couldn’t recognize myself in the mirror anymore?”
“I remember.”
“That’s because… this isn’t me, Gyles. I’m not what I pretend to be. I’m just a fake! A hypocrite!”
“Sei…” he took a step, only to be stopped by Takaba.
“I can’t keep up this façade anymore! It’s unbearable having to lie to you every single day because you don’t me. You can’t know me because I haven’t let you see anything true. I’ve been…oh Gyles… I’ve been misleading you so wrong.”
“What are you getting at?”
Takaba grabbed Gyles’ wrist and led him out of the kitchen, through the living room into his bedroom and closed the door. He swallowed and licked his dry lips.
“Do you see that bottom drawer? Under the desk.” his eyes were fixed on the metal handle.
“I do.”
“Open it.”
Gyles frowned, perplexed at the odd request.
“Go on, open it.”
I have to do this… this is the only way Gyles will ever understand…
Gyles walked over slowly and crouched, slowly pulling the drawer open. There were a few binders of pictures.
“Take those out.”
Gyles did so, placing the thick binders on the des and was about to stand when Takaba whispered, “There’s more.”
There wasn’t, was there? Just the wooden bottom. Unless… it was a false bottom.
“Push it down.”
Gyles pushed down and the other end of the false bottom popped up. He pulled out the thin wooden plank, afraid and curious both at the same time to discover what laid beneath.
There was a handgun inside along with an extra magazine. Under it were a two photographs and legal documents.
Why would Sei be keeping these hidden? And the gun, what use did he have for it? He picked up the thin stack of documents among other things and stood up, placing them on the table; a passport slipped out and fell onto the wooden floor.
Gyles knelt slowly. It was an old passport, much more aged in its passport than the one he had seen Takaba use before. He turned it over in his hand. Did he want to open this? It would probably defunct everything he knew of Takaba, leave what little he knew useless.
His finger slipped in behind the cover and opened the passport. Inside was a picture of Takaba except much younger, but no doubt that it was him, just different. In this one, he had a bright, awkward smile and short chestnut, teeming of energy just waiting to. His aura was still young, as if the fire that he from time to time saw in Takaba was burning at its brightest.
Name: Takaba, Akihito
He looked up at Takaba, who was looking away, biting his lips, dreading the inevitable. Gyles went through the other documents, each with the same foreign name printed across it. Some pictures of family and friends.
“Are these…”
Takaba slid down against wall and buried his face into his hands. He nodded silently.
“For two years?”
Yes…for too long…
“Sweet Jesus…” The documents fell in a messy heap, scattering like leaves in autumn.
Takaba listened as the sound of Gyles’ footsteps drew farther and farther away and his front door closed slammed shut.
It’s better this way…
**
“Ah, Mr. Asami, there you are!” Mr. Merrett came rushing towards Asami, who was hidden in the corner of the reception hall, trying to be as invisible as he possible. He just…didn’t feel much like putting on a fake façade. Not today. Not tonight.
“Mr. Merrett.,” he acknowledged the Englishman with a slight nod.
“This is my wife, Kate.” He motioned at a young woman in her twenties. In fact, far too young for the aging Mr.Merrett, “Kate, this is Mr. Asami, an honorary guest from Japan.”
Asami took the woman’s hand and kissed it at the fingers, “A pleasure Mrs. Merrett.”
She blushed and smiled seductively, much to Mr. Merrett’s chagrin.
“That’s enough now, Mr. Asami and I have some people to meet,” he led Asami away from the young wife and toward a group of wealthy looking gentlemen, involved in a light hearted banter when the two men approached.
“Mr. Merrett! I must say, this is marvelous,” a young blond man in his early thirties came up, “And who is this dashing guest you have here?” he asked as he turned toward Asami, a bright smile stretching his cheeks a bit too wide for Asami’s taste.
“Mr. Clark, so glad you could make it. This gentleman here is Mr. Asami, our honorary guest from Japan. Mr. Asami, this is Mr. Clark. He’s on the executive for British Petroleum.”
This…bubbly man is an executive at BP…interesting…
“What a pleasure,” he shook Asami’s hands a bit too enthusiastically, “the trip must have been difficult. Have you gotten over the jetlag?”
“I’ve been here a week already.”
“Oh, I see. And are you enjoying London?”
“As always. It’s a brilliant city.”
“Nah, I’ve seen better, but yes, it’s quite marvelous.”
Say what?
Mr. Merrett interrupted, “We really must be moving on.”
“It was pleasure, Mr. Asami.” He turned to Mr. Merrett one last time, “But where is Mr. Arlington?”
“Ah, I’m afraid our vice president is taking a vacation in Brazil.” Mr. Merrett frowned a bit, “Shall we move on, Mr. Asami?”
“I suppose.”
**
Takaba shivered as he waited outside Gyles’ door. It wasn’t even that cold, according to the weatherman, it was supposedly a “fine winter day with some long awaited sun.” To Takaba, it didn’t make a difference. Winter was winter, and in winter, there were only different degrees of coldness. Besides, his eyes felt bloated and puffy from crying so long until his tear ducts went on strike and refused to lend its salty liquid.
He had been standing outside for a good five minutes not and no one was answering. He wasn’t even sure whether Gyles was in or not; it wasn’t as if he could just walk in to the garage and see if the car was there or not. The sentinel had only let him in because he frequented Gyles so often.
He still had Gyles’ apartment key in his pocket but no intention of using it. It would be…cruel to make use of it now after what he done just this afternoon. Besides, he fully intended to give it back as a show of…apology of sorts. He wasn’t really sure himself. Now, though, it looked like Gyles wasn’t home and he was going to freeze to death if he just stood outside doing nothing.
The key slid into its hole easily, grinding into the metal slots and latching on as if it belonged there. It may have but not Takaba, he didn’t belong. With a reluctant sigh, he pushed the door open noiselessly and peered inside. All the lights were off and so far, it looked unoccupied. Takaba gathered up more nerve and stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. He reached for the light switch, knowing full well where it was. He might not have slept over very often, but he probably knew the blueprint of the large flat as well as he knew his own apartment’s, if not better.
When the lights flickered on, there was a note written on a bright yellow post-it note, stuck on the forehead of Augustus Caesar, the last of the five Good Emperors of Rome. It was rather humorous to see a piece of paper over what was meant to be a commemorative tribute to such a man of history, regardless of how long ago he had died.
It cracked a rare smile from Takaba.
“You fool…”
He pulled the note from the marble surface and read it, slowly, twice, three times.
Dear my beloved Akihito,
Oh god… Gyles…
I write this note in hopes that it will be gone by the time I come home tonight. It may be a wish futile and desperate after my selfish reaction to your act of courage this afternoon. I hope you will forgive me, Akihito, for what I did to you, and for your resolute honesty, I am forever grateful.
This does not take away from my love for you, instead, I hope to cherish you even more and hold you closer than ever before. I love you, and I will wait for you, ten, twenty years and more, until my death and after it. And I will be content, Akihito, knowing it was you whom I waited for.
Love,
Gyles
He pulled a pen from his pocket and flipped the note over.
Takaba placed the note back onto the forehead of the bust, laughing through his dry tears.
“Gyles, you tenacious bastard…”
He fingered the apartment key and placed it beside the marble bust.
And I run from you as well, Gyles…
He had no tears left to shed as the lights went out.
**
Gyles spotted Mr. Merrett in the reception hall. He had arrived about half an hour or so late, having taken the time to write the last minute note for Takaba. The documents, the passport, the old photos were all still vivid in his mind. He could still feel the rough texture on the aged passport in beneath his fingertips. And he could still picture Takaba’s distraught form. How could he have done that? Walking out when Takaba needed him the most.
Unforgivable.
Now that he could think levelheadedly, Takaba had probably given it a lot of thought before coming to the decision of revealing himself. He probably turned himself inside out, knowing his personality. And he had left Takaba there, broken down and shattered, his head buried in his palms, the papers scattered all around them.
“Mr. Merrett!” he approached the old man with a plastered smile.
“Finally here, Mr. Tennison.” Mr. Merrett pat Gyles on the shoulder a few times.
“Some things held me back.”
“Of course, of course!” he looked around, “Why, you don’t have a partner!”
“Well, no. Not tonight.”
“What a pity. Oh, I almost forgot, I would like you to greet a guest from Japan. He’s outside on the courtyard terrace, I believe.” Mr. Merrett was a bit jumpy, more nervous than usual, “I’ve got some, uh, business to take care of.”
Japan…that’s where Se-…Akihito is from…isn’t it?
“Is he…”
“He’s a close associate of mine.”
Gyles made his way through the reception hall, shaking hands with a few more of the guests before finally making his way to the other side. Cold air blasted him when he opened the door and stepped out into the terrace. Snow crunched under his polished black shoes.
Asami drew in a lungful of smoke. It was a relief to finally get outside and take a breather in the hotel courtyard. The day had drawn to a close hours ago and night had crept in, along with the frost that came with it.
The happy faces those buffoons put on was disgusting. He couldn’t stand it too be perfectly frank; at this point. All he wanted to do was pack up and go back to Japan, where he wouldn’t have time to think about those petty unnecessary things people thought about when they had too much time on their hands.
His sharp senses picked up the sound of footsteps from behind and he turned.
Oh my God…that’s…
It was unmistakable. The aura, the composure, the stance. The power and control he emanated. The very still demeanor made it more than obvious. The distinct trademark posture he had seen in the photograph, it was like an explicit sign declaring the man as him, as who he was. Except, he was…he loomed large in real life.
“Excuse me.”
Asami turned, dropping his cigarette and digging it into the snow.
“You are the guest from Japan, correct?” Gyles extended his hand, “Gyles Tennison.”
That’s the…exhibit owner…he’s the one that knows Akihito…
“I didn’t quite expect to be defined by my nationality. Asami. A pleasure, Mr. Tennison.” He took the hand, knowing it must have touched Akihito’s.
“Mr. Asami, it’s quite an honor to have you here with us tonight.”
“It’s been a rather serendipitous visit actually.” There was a subtle smirk, barely detectable, across Asami’s lips.
Jesus…does the man know?
“Well, there’s always surprises around the corner, aren’t there?” Gyles remarked off-handedly, to see how Asami would react.
“Indeed there are.”
The tension was there, inevitable and present. But their privacy was cut off when one of Asami’s men rushed out and whispered into his ear, the whisper hushed and urgent. Gyles caught at that moment, the change in attitude. It was such a contrast from the man he had just been exchanging innuendos with to the man he saw now with a stern expression, nodding to his subordinate.
”Mr. Asami, we need to move out of here immediately. There’s some suspicion as to whether Mr. Merrett can be trusted at this point. We’ve already prepared for the departure and arranged an emergency flight out.”
Asami turned to leave, but just as he passed Gyles, he whispered, “Keep a tight leash; he likes to run away.”
**
Mr. Carthen jumped at the sound of his phone ringing, wide awake from his unintentional nap.
“TIMES human resources, Carthen speaking.”
“Mr. Carthen. I’m the photographer, Tanaka. We spoke yesterday at the gallery.”
“Ah! Mr. Tanaka, what a surprise. I wasn’t expecting to hear from for another few days. Have you made a decision then?”
“Yes. I’ll accept the proposal, but on one condition.”
“Which would be?”
“I want my plane scheduled for tonight.”
“Tonight?” he stood abruptly from the table, holding the phone with his shoulder and typing furiously at the keyboard. A flight for…tonight…
“Yes, tonight.”
“Ah, just one moment.” Takaba could here rapid clicking and typing, “There’s a flight to Berlin in…just under an hour. You can pick up the ticket at the airport, will that be alright?”
“Perfect.”
“Are you sure you can make it? The luggage and everything.”
Takaba zipped up the last bag. “I’m sure I can get there in time”
“Do you need a ride to the airport?”
“No, thank you. I’ve called a taxi.”
“Well then. We’re very excited to have you in the project.”
“As I am.” Takaba looked out his window as the taxi stopped before the apartment building, “I must really be going.”
“Of course, do contact me when you arrive.”
“I will be sure to. And one more thing.”
“Yes?”
“Keep my locations confidential please.”
“Of course.”
“Thank you.”
**
“You will regret what you have done today.” Asami’s hands released Mr. Merrett’s throat. The man coughed as he sank down the wall, “Let’s see how much of that reputation of yours is still there by tomorrow morning.”
Asami left the hotel room, his men close behind him. He ignored the polite greetings of the hotel employees, as he crossed the lobby.
“Where did you set the destination?”
“I’m afraid the next flight to a country where we have immunity was Germany.”
“Munich?”
“Berlin, sir.”
“Perfect,” he ducked into the car. This was one reason why he liked being a major stock holder in certain airline companies. Enough leverage and a flight could be arranged disguised under “commercial” purposes. It did tend to tangle up the runway schedules in airports though sometimes.
Anyway. The Merrett bastard had been planning on assassinating Asami just before his Thursday departure. The man didn’t know who he was messing with. “Have them contact every one of Merrett’s contacts. Isolate him. Pit him against his own world. A man like that, he will fall in no time.”
By tomorrow morning, all direct and indirect contacts would be pressured to break off relations with the Englishman and what protection he had from the law would soon be stripped away. The man was headed for hell. After all, he had tried to bring down Hades himself, and the god of the underworld would never lose on his own turf.
**
The chaos of the airport was enough to take Takaba’s mind off his worries and focus them onto finding the right terminal and gate for the Berlin flight. He was glad to have the boarding pass in his hands as he loaded his materials into the x-ray scanner. His equipment bag, fortunately, was lined to provide protection against those beastly machines. Fifteen minutes left. Thankfully, the pass from the magazine provided relative ease with all the security. Pretty much, he could walk through them.
He picked up his backpack and duffel bag from the other end of the scanner. He had been here before, but the airports were something he always found a bit hectic even to his space and direction oriented mind. Terminal 2…where the heck…ah, that way…
He was literally running down, and thankfully, there weren’t many departures at this hour already. Turn left, right, sliding doors. Show your boarding pass. Move on.
Move on.
He spotted the gate number. The waiting area was completely empty.
“Flight A220. Last call for flight A220 for Berlin, Germany.”
By the time he reached the desk, he was breathless. “Excuse me…” inhale “I’m…” another breath “on…” last breath “this flight…”
The woman smiled at him. “Take your time.”
“Thank you,” he smiled back sliding his boarding pass and passport across the counter.
She tore the stub from the boarding pass and handed his passport back, “Enjoy your flight, Mr. Tanaka.”
**
Gyles saw the note still pasted on the forehead of the bust.
So he hasn’t…
His eyes then found the key left beside the marble piece. He reached out and touched the metal.
So you were here…
He tore the note from the marble, on the back side was a short letter.
Dear Gyles,
Please don’t hate me for this.
I exposed to you my greatest deception in hopes to drive you away in disgust. I feel I can no longer keep up what we’ve had after my act of treachery against you. I’ve played out the masquerade out too long and the façade is becoming rather difficult to maintain. It took a toll on both of us, I believe. Don’t wait for me, Gyles, because it will only make the both of us miserable, waiting for what will not come.
I don’t know for sure, but there were moments when I think I might have loved you, if only for a fleeting moment. I will treasure those moments, but I beg of you Gyles. Forget me. I cannot ask of you to forgive me. But forget me.
Akihito
So you’re gone then… I hope you find him…
**
The medium sized cabin of the entire plane was completely empty. Not a single other passenger he could see. It was odd, that a plane this size would be so unoccupied. Had there been some terrorist threat he wasn’t aware of? There were plenty of those nowadays. Stupid fanatics.
Not that Takaba really cared. It was a flight out and that was all that mattered. He tucked his backpack under the seat and put the duffel bag into the overhead cabin. He had the entire three seat row to himself and he took advantage of it by pushing up the arm rests and curled up.
The plane was taking a bit of time departing, probably waiting for the rest of the passengers that is.
He covered himself with his coat, using another bundle of clothes as a makeshift pillow and even before the plane began moving, he was fast asleep; He was simply and completely exhausted.
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