Skipping Away

^_^

The disappointment in Mei Mei's face was evident upon hearing what she said.

And that's when Laurie realized that she can't run away from the match-making of her and Hideaki. It makes her sad, after all, she honestly chose to run to Japan because she wanted to just hang out and catch up with Mei Mei but that won't happen now.

She smiled at her friend, dreading the time when she would have to tell her that she's flying out of the country. Her original plan was to stay until the end of the month. But with her, pushing her brother to her blatantly, she decided to leave the country as early as possible.

She won't be pushed into a corner by the pressures of marriage. She ran away from home and her mother to make sure that it wouldn't happen.

"Hey, I heard we have a special guest today," he shoved the sliding door of the tea room wide open.

"And you are right!" she laughed. The relief in her face must be obvious that Mei Mei rolled her eyes at her.

"Did you cook, Mei-chan?" He asked her sister as he entered the tea room and dropped himself next to Laurie.

Laurie smelled the alcohol from Ryu the moment he entered the room.

Mei stood up, annoyance was written all over her face, "I would check the kitchen," she said, leaving the room.

"The kitchen will still be a kitchen," Ryu holler behind his sister's back.

"You know that she hates that, right?" She told Ryu who picked up her used teacup and poured himself some leftover tea.

"My sister used to be fun like you. But ever since she married that husband of hers, she became so uptight with things."

"You have nothing to say?" he smirked.

"You need a shower."

He slapped the tatami mat, roaring with laughter. "See? You are fun."

"I'm not trying to be fun. I just told you that you need a shower because you smell like you rolled in liquor."

"The word was - not trying!" he shook his head.

His eyes were hazy from alcohol. But despite that, she never felt awkward with Ryu. She never felt that she had to protect herself from him even though he was dead drunk and smirking at her like a sleazy bastard.

"My sister is trying too hard to be the perfect wife."

"What's wrong with trying to be perfect?"

"Please, don't act coy, boss," he grinned at her. "That doesn't suit you and it doesn't suit my sister either, but she follows whatever her husband wants her to do."

"Are you going to complain about it at the dining table?" she arched her brow at him.

"Huh! My father has nothing but praise for that jerk!"

"I see."

She didn't say anything more. But she understands Ryu's disapproval of his sister's husband. If the Old Man Nakamura has good words for Mei Mei's husband, it is not surprising that Ryu was unhappy about it.

His father has no good words for him.

"I see that, Laurie," he huffed.

"What?"

"Don't patronize me. It's not an issue of me trying to get into my father's good graces. I know that -- it won't happen. Like ever!" His speech was slurred.

"I just want my sister to be happy."

"She looks happy."

He watched Ryu dozing off. He was clearly drunk. She wondered how he would sit with them at the dining table if he was too drunk to stay awake.

She could already imagine the disapproval in the old Nakamura's face.

She shook his shoulder when his head dropped in his chest. "Hey, Ryu. I think you should really take a quick shower. Dinner will be served soon," she said pointing to her wristwatch.

Ryu, without a word, stood up from the tatami mat and left the room.

Not more than five minutes after he left the room, a helper came into the room to inform her that they were already waiting for her in the dining room.

She slowly made her way to the dining room, thinking if Ryu would join them. She would love to have Ryu on the table for selfish reasons.

She doesn't want to be the center of attention.

She was still thinking about Ryu's sentiment about Mei's husband when she entered the dining room and got startled that Hideaki was sitting on his father's right side on the table.

Mei was sitting one seat apart from her father's left side. The vacant plate was on the left side of their father and beside Hideaki.

Of course, she can't sit down on the left side of the old Nakamura when Ryu was home for dinner. She has no choice but to sit down next to Hideaki.

She bowed politely to the old Nakamura and took her seat quietly. 'This dinner would be a long one,' she thought to herself.

Once seated, she tried to catch Mei's eyes but she kept avoiding her gaze.

"Where's Ryu?"

She heard the deep voice of the old Nakamura as he asked the helper.

The helper mumbled her answer and bowed so deeply before she scampered to call Ryu.

"It's been a long time, Laurie-san. I have talked to your mother."

'Here we go.'

She sucked in some air, preparing herself with whatever he was going to say, but the old Nakamura just smiled meaningfully, and his gaze shifted with her and Hideaki.

'Oh, shit!'

She smiled and kept her eyes strained on Mei. She could feel her back muscle cramped as she kept her back straight and she didn't dare glance over her shoulder. She would never give Hideaki the chance to think that she was happy to be here with him.

"I apologize that my mother had to impose on your family about me and our personal issue," she watched Mei squirm in her seat. "I thank you for being so generous with me, despite me being here for a short while."

She felt Hideaki flinched in his seat.

"Short while?"

"Yes, I'm leaving at the end of the week," she said, casually. Ignoring the fact that Hideaki turned into a statue and Mei's mouth, parting in a very unladylike manner.