A pen was rolling on the table.
The sudden numbness made the pen fall from Aki's hand.
'Shit!' He couldn't control the tremor of his right hand so he placed his other hand on it to make it stop. The pen on the table was rolling to make itself fall, it was travelling to the corner. Aki could do nothing to make it stop but then he thought he couldn't let the pen break. It was a gift from Ayan and Aysha on his birthday. His eyes glowed to make it stop from touching the ground. It keeps floating in midair. He then took it when his hand stopped trembling.
Nora knocks on the door, 'Akkun!'
Aki closes his diary and places it in the drawer. A red mark appeared when the drawer was closing itself and vanished after it was closed, 'Ya!'
'You need to go meet the client at 2 pm.' she said.
'I'm afraid I can't today. I have to take Tanya to the hospital.' Aki says with a worried look.
'You want me to postpone it?' Nora asks.
'Ya!' Aki tried to smile.
'It's impossible. You had already done it two days ago.' Nora became angry.
'One more time. For this time only.' Aki requests with puppy eyes.
'But uncle Aito will be worried.' Nora tried to change Aki's mind...
'I promise I will take this project and I will go tomorrow for sure.' Aki smiles.
'You sure?' Nora wanted to be sure.
'Absolutely.' Aki set everything aside and was preparing to get out.
Just then Tanya got off the elevator and was entering his office. Nora saw her getting in.
'Hi, Nora!' Tanya greets her
'Hi! Are you here to see Akkun?' Nora asks even though she knows.
'Ya! I brought lunch for all of you too.' Tanya shows the takeaway boxes.
'Oh! You didn't have to.' Nora was surprisingly baffled.
'It's ok. I wanted to do this. I know you don't like me much but I really don't have any ill intentions.' Tanya tried to convince her.
"This is why I don't like you. I just don't know how you read exactly what I'm thinking." Nora sighs.
Tanya knocks and enters Aki's chamber.
The new manager Tora Ikeda stood beside Nora, 'She is here.'
'Ya!' Nora tried to continue her work.
'Is it true that they have been with each other for 10 years?' Tora asked.
Nora nodded.
'I had no idea why she was refusing all the contracts and social contact for the last few months!' Tora said.
Nora said without interest, 'She was hiding it.'
'She cared for the baby.' Tora tried to defend Tanya Nora nodded, 'She should. It's Akkun's baby!'
'Why aren't they planning to get married now that she is pregnant?' Tora became curious.
'Why!' Nora sounded shocked.
'Why not?' Tora frowns.
'Just because she is pregnant, he has to marry her?' Nora asked with disbelief.
'He isn't denying her.' Tora points out.
'That's because he has gone back to 2017 when he still had feelings for her.' Nora argues.
After a while of silence, Tora says, 'She loves him too. She didn't forget him. Maybe he can feel that. That's why he is not letting her go.'
'He loved Reiji-san! And they….broke up before that, mutually.' Nora felt irritated.
'But still, she loves him.' Tora emphasises.
'How you know that?' Nora waits for an answer.
'I was her junior for three years. We boys just can tell by looking at what the girl feels about her love.' Tora's explanation made Nora more angry, 'Then how can you not feel mine?'
'I just don't love you yet!' Tora admits without hesitation.
'And why not?' Nora was fuming.
'Because of your fickleness.' Tora mocked her childishness.
'I will be totally devoted to you! You can trust me!' Nora's voice changes.
'Shut up!' Tora flicked her forehead.
'Ou! Where are you going?' Nora rubs her forehead.
'To show him the model's list.' Tora arranges the file.
'They are going to see the doctor.' Nora informs him.
'That's why she is here?' Tora was surprised.
'She brought lunch for us too.' Nora didn't want to tell him that.
'She is just a sweetheart. I have no idea why you don't like her!' Tora sighs.
'And I have no idea why you do.' Nora mocked him.
Nora and Aki got out. Nora was driving the car.
The road continued to pass. Aki unconsciously held his right wrist.
Nora noticed, 'Is it hurting again?'
'What?' Aki wasn't sure what she was asking about.
'Your hand. Is it hurting?' Nora clears up the question.
'Oh! A bit..ya' Aki answers.
She looked at Aki. He doesn't wear contact lenses anymore, "'His aura has changed. He stays distracted all the time."
'Drive carefully or we will get into an accident.' Seeing Nora looking at him frequently, Aki thought she could end up having an accident.
Nora pouts, 'I am driving carefully. Don't nag!'
Aki smiles, 'Ya! Ya!'
They arrived at Aito's company. His meeting started on the dot. When he was about to enter, Lin Ryuji was getting in too. Aki politely lets him go first, 'After you…'
'Thank you.' Lin Ryuji thanked him with a smile.
'Oh! Lin Ryuji! Welcome and You! Finally, you came.' Aito gave Aki a look.
'I have heard the reason.' Lin Ryuji said to Aki while looking at him.
Aki didn't have any expression on his face. Nora distributed the documents to everyone. They started the meeting. Ishida and Nora were standing aside.
Aki started the presentation, 'He is the new face of 2018 in our magazine. Uta Nen. He…'
A model's photo was projected on the screen. And the presentation went on.
Ishida asked Nora, 'How is he doing?'
'As usual!' Nora let go a breath of disappointment.
'Could he remember anything?' He continued.
'No. But he keeps writing something when he is free. I still can't accept that he is back with her and forgot everything about Reiji-san! It's Tanya, I'm sure.' Nora squinted her eyes.
'He had an accident. They only rescued Aki and there was no one. You heard the doctors. What's Tanya got to do with that!' Ishida was surprised at Nora's behaviour. 'I know, Still! Both of his major accidents were from falling. The first fall had almost killed him and Mei died. But this time Akkun was ok except for a wound on his right hand and I'm really glad that it was only that. What if he was more hurt? and how come he was in Bunda! He never said he would go to Australia!' Nora became frustrated.
'Are you a Detective? He went on vacation. Maybe he went there.' Ishida tried to look at the simple side.
'With Reiji-san he went, but he came back with Tanya!! How can I ignore that!' Nora whispered.
'How many times would you say that? She said na she just happened to be there! coincidentally!' Ishida reminded her.
'I don't know! I just want my old Akkun back. I don't want him to stay with Tanya when they have already broken up.' Nora was persistent.
Ishida now became serious, 'For God's sake! Stop blaming her. She is pregnant with his child. Nora! Stop being dramatic.'
Everything seems suspicious to her. 'Akkun's memory loss and Reiji-san's disappearance, Aki being back with Tanya. He forgot everything that happened over the past 7 months. It's so frustrating.'
'Listen don't crack your head thinking useless things. If Aki is happy, that's what matters.' Ishida tried to calm her down.
'Does he seem happy to you?' Nora asked.
'If he wasn't then why would he still care for Tanya?' Ishida was contradicted by that as well.
Nora gets disheartened, 'I don't know! I just don't…'
'Nora!' Aki called her. Nora went there and finished the formalities.
'So Akio has finally decided to join here?' One of Aito's colleagues became curious. Aito shook his head, 'No! For this project, I needed a model. It's a joint venture. Why look for a model when my son has a lot of models working for him.'
'Lin-san, I bet you are happy to see Aki-kun working with us.' The colleague asks, turning towards Ryuji.
'Why won't I?' Lin smiles.
Aki left the room after bowing to everyone.
'He is a splendid person. He knows this company's needs very well. This project is in safe hands now.' Ryuji praised Aki's talent.
'He didn't talk with you today.' Lin didn't answer, instead just kept looking at him.
'Don't tell me he forgot you as well!' The colleague said in a mockery tone, 'We thought you were very close.'
'They are still close.' another colleague said.
Lin smiles when they look at him, 'Of course we are. Even if he did forget me, I'm sure we can be friends again with another new beginning.'
'Some changes are better. Seeing he is back to his old self feels better.' The first one said to Lin.
'I'm sure that's what it really feels like.' Their displeased eyes made Ryuji smile.
He ignored them.
Aki was leaving the floor. Ryuji got out and followed him to the elevator. They got in. Nora saw they were not talking.
Nora whispered, 'Akkun you were close to him.' Aki stares at Nora, 'Was I?'
'Ya.' Nora was embarrassed when Ryuji heard it.
'It's ok Nora. I know he doesn't remember me as well.' Ryuji talked kindly.
Aki didn't say anything. He doesn't say anything anymore.
But after a while he spoke, 'I'm sorry for that.'
'You shouldn't be. You had no choice.' Lin got out on the upcoming floor.
He looked at Aki, 'Just be happy, my friend.'
The words he said didn't have any sound. As Aki was looking at him, Aki could read the lips. Aki's eyes grew bigger to see Lin Ryuji smile. Aki tried to open the door.
Nora panicked, 'What happened Akkun? What are you…'
The lift door opened but a floor later.
Aki got down and hurried to take the stairs to go to that floor. But he couldn't find Ryuji. When he was about to leave he saw the light flickering. Lin Ryuji was standing in the hallway near the window, alone. Ryuji turned and was looking at him with a sad smile, 'It's been a long time, my friend…'