Intermission 13: Anzu Fujiwara (2)

She can’t believe he did it. He actually did it!

Anzu Fujiwara throws her whole weight on her hotel bed, yet for the first time in what feels like forever, she feels as light as a feather.

It’s midnight and she just finished talking to her parents. Her father explained that David and his older brother approached him with an extremely favorable proposal that would set them for life. Her mother wanted him to accept it, and even his desire to keep the business in the family didn’t seem so important anymore.

Then her father received a call. Only a few hours after the brothers talked to him, the older one called to say their own father supported the purchase proposal, meaning he was willing to call off the deal for her and David to get married.

What’s more, her father actually asked her what she thought of this. Of course, she didn’t hesitate and told him she didn’t want to marry someone for business or profit. To her surprise, they accepted that.

She still can’t believe it. David said he wanted to do it, but she honestly didn’t believe he could. Her chest swelled with deep appreciation and respect for him. He told her they shouldn’t see each other because he’d be busy dealing with this issue, but to get it done in only four days?

With the pressure from her parents finally off her shoulders, she can think clearly.

…

And her thoughts immediately go back to that Saturday at Karaoke.

It was a shock to see a picture of five naked women just casually hanging out clearly after sex and just waving hello like it was an everyday thing. Besides, Ms. Campbell and Ms. Owens were there. She can’t help but feel that’s… wrong in some way.

But she knows she has no right to judge. Especially since David was immediately accepting of her own, weird desires. He didn’t mock her, question her or even pitied her. He just casually reassured her that it was okay for her to want that in a relationship.

That… meant something.

Not to mention that she works with the literature and English teachers every day. The other teachers have commented on their recent change of attitude and even try to pry into it. They both smile, laugh and talk with others a lot more than they did before.

If they’re happy, is what they’re doing truly wrong?

…

If it made her happy, is wanting to have a relationship where she can share her boyfriend truly wrong?

So long as everything is consensual, it should be okay, right?

…

…

She wants to see David again. She’s still not sure exactly how she feels about him, but she wants to see him again. Maybe she’ll know when he’s in front of her again, and with all this marriage business out of the way, they can actually pursue something… meaningful together.

…

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Here in Japan, Christmas Eve is more about couples than family or religion. Should she…? No, no she shouldn’t. They’re not a couple. They just went out on dates out of obligation. Sure, it was really fun, and she had a great time, but…

…

Maybe she should take this as a chance? She really does need to talk to him. She owes him that much, at least. But maybe they could try to make something real out of this **** relationship.

…

Yes. She’ll call him. She’ll call him and ask him to meet her tomorrow for Christmas Eve.

She picks up her phone and sees the time. It’s already past midnight! She can’t call him now! Who the hell calls at midnight to ask you out on a date the next day? Besides, he must be tired. He’s probably already asleep.

…

But if she doesn’t call him now, he may make plans for tomorrow. Does he have plans already? He probably does. But she doesn’t want to miss her chance! Christmas Eve only happens once a year, after all! And they’re in Japan! It could be so special!

…

JUST CALL HIM YOU INDECISIVE IDIOT.

She’ll just pick up her phone and…

…it starts ringing.

It’s him.