A shockingly loud phone.

The too loud noise seems to come from inside my very skull but as I open my eyes and try to come to my senses, I realise it is just my phone ringing on the bedside table next to me. Its dark still so I haven’t slept through the night yet but I have no idea what time it is. I’d normally put my phone on silent before going to sleep but in my exhausted state I must have simply forgotten. I half roll towards it and pick it up. It’s an unknown number but international. It must be Piya!

“Hello? Piya?” I speak.

“Honey! It’s me. Osh, I miss you already. It’s so good to talk to you,” Piya voice comes rushing through down the line, instantly soothing me from the shock of being woken up so abruptly.

“I miss you too! Have you made it there already? What time is it?” I ask Piya, so glad to hear her after being parted for not even a whole day yet.

“Yes, I made it. Umm it’s a little after two here. Oh sorry! That’s like one am there. I shouldn’t have called you. I should have waited until the morning.”

“No, of course you should have called me. Are you at the airport still? How was your flight? What’s your apartment like?” I bombard her with questions.

“I’m at the airport. There’s a car waiting for me but they’ve provided me with a phone and I wanted to call you right away. The flight was incredible! You really have to fly private someday,” Piya gushes with excitement.

“Well, when I’m an amazing brilliant scientist I’m sure I’ll be able to fly private all the time,” I tease her.

“Silly! They said I can have the plane bring people out whenever I want. There’s like a central number that they’ll give me tomorrow during my inductions that schedule everything based on like hierarchy in the company. I think as their newest ‘amazing brilliant scientist’ I get preferential status or something.”

“That’s great. Don’t forget to bring Yui too though,” I tell her.

“I don’t dare bring her on the same flight as you, do I? She wouldn’t be able to keep herself off you. She can’t join the mile-high club before me!”

I join Piya in laughing but know that she would be entirely right about Yui wanting to get up to no good on a secluded and private plane.

“What time is your induction tomorrow or is it today more like it?” I enquire about what my beautiful girlfriend has on her agenda coming up.

“It’s this morning but they said I could come whatever time I please. Nine o’clock or later but I want to get there at seven. I know how the Japanese value hard work and dedication and I want to make a great first impression.”

“I think they’ve already made up their first impressions judging by the plane but your right. It would be good to get off on the right foot. You should really head to your apartment and get some rest. It’s going to be a big day by the sounds,” I say hoping it doesn’t sound like I’m trying to get rid of her.

“I will. I just wanted to check in with you and Yui first. Can I speak to her if she’s awake?” Piya asks.

“Yui is staying at her place tonight. We decided if you had to be alone that we should be too in solidarity,” I tell her.

“Awww!” Piya whimpers and I think she might have started to tear up.

“But you can ring her! I’m sure she’d love to hear from you too.”

“That’s ok. I’ll wait until a better time and call you both tomorrow night or like today-tonight; after work. You know what I mean.”

“I do.”

Despite trying to make sure that Piya didn’t stay on the phone too long and got all the rest she could she still wanted to hear about everything I had planned for the morning when I woke up properly. I think hearing everything I had on was her way of not feeling left out now that she was in Japan and away from Yui and I.

I was planning on going into Aor’s and my warehouse and getting the administration side of things set up at what would be AORsome Spirit’s head office. I had office furniture picked out as well as a couple of computers to get delivered. I’d need three desktops potentially. One for myself, one for a possible secretary or receptionist and one for Aor depending on how hands on she wanted to be.

Once done there I would head into The Loft to begin working properly alongside Holly and Jessica now that Piya was in Japan and my love life schedule had dropped by half. Piya wasn’t sure what time her first day would go to but instead told me to call her when I had a free moment during that night.

Finally, we ended the call telling each other home much we missed each other again and that we loved each other dearly. After hanging up I feel the urge to use the bathroom before grabbing a drink of water and heading back to bed. I thought I would be a long time getting back to sleep but was surprisingly out almost as soon as my head hit the pillow and I’d remembered to switch my phone to silent this time.