Trails and tribulations.

Having struggled to get to sleep, I am barely conscious when Yui kisses me goodbye. I’m pretty sure she told me she had to sneak back into her house before her Dad woke up and found her missing. I may have still been dreaming of course. Anyway, when I finally return to the land of the living I awake to find myself all alone in my apartment. The only sign of Yui’s passage being the grey suit she made me laid out on the small lounge chair in my room, along with a freshly pressed shirt and tie. I am touched by the small touches of Yui and Piya in my life. Little tokens of affection that let me know they care.

I have roughly enough time to get ready properly and be at the restaurant Yui said to meet her father on time. I’m tempted to send Aor a message asking how her late-night phone call attempt went but decide to leave it for when I’m not so constrained by time. Teasing Aor will have to wait till later.

The restaurant we’re meeting at is in an upscale suburb just off the central business district. I check my reflection in the mirror as I walk in and am once again impressed with the suit Yui and her Mum handcrafted. I cut a decent figure in it I hope. I’m about to tell the waitress greeting me that I’m here for a reservation when I see Yui waving at me from a table further in. She looks as bright and electric as I have ever seen her, even knowing she had a fraction of the sleep I had. Her boyfriend and her Dad sitting down to meet formally no doubt accounting for her enthusiasm. Before the waitress leaves, I pass my credit card to her and let her know that I will be taking care of the bill for today. She nods and goes to leave, letting me know that she will be around soon to take our orders.

Walking up to the table, Yui and her Mother both stand as I arrive, with her Father remaining seated. I extend my hand in greeting but it is similarly ignored by this gruff older Thai gentleman. Yui’s Mum however graciously takes my hand in hers and I am surprised at how tiny and fragile it seems in my much larger hand.

“Daddy this is my boyfriend…” Yui begins, formally presenting my name to her parents. There will be no mention of Asian Fucker here today.

“A pleasure to meet you both, Mister…” I suddenly freeze, realising I have no idea of Yui’s last name or how to say. She’d always just assured me it was impossible to say and that had been enough for me.

“Mister,” Yui Father begins followed by an incomprehensible series of letters, vowels and other noises that sounds about 14 syllables long.

“Daddy!” Yui tells her father off, “no one here calls you that.”

Yui’s Father again glowers for a moment before relinquishing to his daughter, “Mister Pat and my wife Fa.”

“A pleasure,” I say once again and take a hold of Yui’s chair, pushing it in, as we all sit down again.

“So, you want to sleep with my daughter,” from his words I’m not sure if it’s a question or an accusation from Yui’s Dad.

His words draw another strict, “Daddy!” from Yui once again though.

Yui and my bargain struck last night crosses my mind when I have no hesitation in looking her Dad in the eye and telling him, “Sir, I can tell you plainly, there is nothing physical going on with your daughter and I at this present point,” turning to look at Yui, “and shall remain so until the time is right.”

At my words, a knowing smile creeps onto the corners of Yui’s mouth as she takes her hand in mine and agrees with me, “that’s right Daddy. I’m saving myself.”

Yui’s words seem to satisfy her Father in no way an entire day of interrogating me could. Mr Pat gives Yui the slightest hint of a nod and picks up a menu handing it to his wife before taking one of his own. Feeling I have at least passed the first test I relax a little in my seat and likewise take a look at what the restaurant has to offer.

The food at the restaurant is fabulous. Over lunch, I discover Yui’s Father is a very successful businessman which accounts for him being able to secure a table at this very exclusive and in demand little restaurant. Mr Pat has extensive operations throughout much of Asia. The food however despite its obvious quality does little to improve his mood. While he makes his way through each of the three courses, his face is contained with its own little thunderstorm, darkening his disposition. I try my best to be as engaging as possible, still, it feels like an uphill battle.

It’s not until the meal is almost finished that Yui’s Mother finally has enough of her husband mood and addresses the elephant in the room, speaking as it is for the first time. “Yui dear. You must excuse me for your Father’s behaviour today.”

“Fa!” Mr Pat tries cutting her off.

“No! Enough. Yui, your boyfriend is lovely and welcome to see you anytime. Be damned what your Father says.”

“Thank you, Mummy,” Yui beams at her Mother.

“He does look so handsome in the suit we made,” Fa addresses her daughter before turning to me, “my husband is worried to **** of talk of a trade war between The US and China and what it might do to our companies.”

Mr Pat turns a deep shade of crimson at his wife speaking to me of his private matters.

Economic and International Trade, however, is my field of study at university and the potential ramifications of any trade sanctions a focus of this semesters assignments.

“Mr Pat, may I ask what percentage of your business comes from China?” I say.

“40%. The greatest of any country!” he laments.

“And say there was no trade war and China was simple to experience between 8 and 11 negative growth. What would that do for your company?” I ask.

Mr Pat takes a moment to consider. “A recession like that would lower profits but not harm our operations otherwise. Why do you ask me all this?”

Quoting a research article, I read only this week doing the study Yui has been encouraging me to keep up with, “the number of trade sanctions used against individual countries have increased approximately 600% since the 1970’s as governments prefer to use economic means of persuasion instead of direct military action. The effects of this sanctions, depending if they have classed as moderate to severe, has had the total effect of a trade destruction ranging from 8% to 11%. Simply put, if a trade war was to break out it would have as much effect as reversing one year of China’s recent economic growth.”

I can see Mr Pat weighing up what I have just said and nodding to himself slowly, “and you know of this how?”

“It's my area of study. I am undertaking the twin majors of Economics and International Business at the university.”

“I will think on what you have told me and wonder why my own advisors have not told me such things. You may continue to keep Yui… company…” Yui’s Dad says, giving his blessing for us to continue seeing each other.

“Daddy! Thank you,” Yui squeals and leaps out of her chair to hug her father.

“You are welcome BabyStar,” he says hugging his daughter and then to me, “you may drop Yui back at our house in one hour if you please. I’ll get the bill.”

Standing to shake his hand, “Mr Pat it’s a pleasure to have met you and if you’d honour me, I have settled the bill already.”

A brief flicker that he may be impressed crosses Mr Pat’s face, “My name is Kiet,” he says nodding at last.

We bid our farewells to Yui’s Mother and leave the restaurant arm in arm. Yui positively glowing over how well the introduction went. “You are fucking me so hard on the way home,” Yui whispers in my ear the moment we are alone.

“Umm aren’t you forgetting something?” I ask.