They parked the car in front of a restaurant. Toshiro couldn't read the kanji but he knew it was a restaurant. He could smell all of the delicious food that they were cooking. The building was brown it looked old, and the kanji letter were written in red paint that matched the doors. Makayla pushed the doors open. The place had changed a lot since she had been there. The hardwood floors were now grey tile. The bar that used to be in the front was no more only tables and booths sat in its place. White table clothes covered the once-bare tables.
"Konnichiwa," the woman said to Makayla while grabbing menus. Makayla turned to look at her.
"Makayla," the woman said to her "Is that you?" she questioned
"Yea it is," Makayla told Akika. "Akika-Chan, I missed you," she said hugging her. Akika looked amazing as always. Her hair was long and black she had it pulled back into a long ponytail. Her brown eyes were radiant as ever now they looked like half-moons because she was smiling so hard. She was still skinny after having two children. Makayla had to give it to her. She looked just like she did when she left.
"You look so pretty," she told her.
"Yea I guess," she told her
"Come sit down," Toshiro sat next to his mom. Akika kept staring at him it was starting to make him nervous. "Order whatever you want on me," she told Makayla. I should call Mizayaki she would want to know you're here." Akika walked to get the phone she dialed numbers quickly and waited for someone to answer.
"Mizayaki," she said into the phone,
"Yea"
"You won't believe whose here….
"Who?" Mizayaki asked
"Guess," Mizayaki was getting a little annoyed
"Why can't you just tell me," she asked
"Fine…its Makayla."
"Makayla?" Mizayaki thought about it
"Where is she…is she there… I'm on my way right." Mizayaki quickly said.
----
All three women were united and talking nonstop. Toshiro was in hell he was the only boy there and they kept staring at him. He knew they were talking about him but they were speaking so fast in Japanese that he could only catch certain words.
"So that's him," Mizayaki said looking at Toshiro.
"Yea it is."
"So he's not dead." Akika said
"No I lied, I'm sorry," Makayla told them
"Oh, so he doesn't know he has a child?" Mizayaki asked. Mizayaki was tall and thin. she looked like a model straight off the runway. She had dyed her hair blond it looked really beautiful on her.
"No, I didn't tell him" Makayla confirmed.
"Wow, okay so you're going to tell him right?" Mizayaki kept grilling her.
"Yea I will," Makayla said
"He looks just like him it's scary," said Akika. "He's so cute though," Akika smiled at Toshiro.
"Yea he is so cute," said Mizayaki.
"So enough about that tell me about your life in America," Akika asked
"There is nothing to tell. Makayla said looking down at the table. "When I left you all I didn't go home."
"Yea we know your parent called my parents and the Ayumoto looking for you," Akika explained
"I couldn't go back. I knew they would be disappointed in me for breaking off the engagement."
"But it wasn't your fault it was his," Mizayaki cut in.
"So it doesn't matter, but I'm engaged to another guy," Makayla said holding out the ring.
"Nice I like it," said Mizayaki. Akika hit her playfully in the arm.
"It's not about the ring," Akika reminded her. Akika had always been the sentimental one. Mizayaki the practical one, always said If he couldn't provide for you why marry you could just date."
"Tell me about the mystery man," Akika asked.
Well, he's nice he's from South Africa," Makayla started.
"How exotic," Mizayaki said.
"For you, Makayla explained. "He owns a diamond company, that's why we are here he is going to open a store in Japan."
"Really," asked Mizayaki
"But you love him right?" Akika asked. She always had to make it make sense.
"It doesn't matter if you love him," Mizayaki explained. "He owns a diamond company Akika"
"Mizayaki you married for love so why should Makayla" Akika yelled to her.
"Yea but if he had been poor I'd marry his friend," Mizayaki said. They all laughed together. "and beside diamond are a girl's bestfriend" Mizayaki sang.
"But seriously do you love him?"
"I like him a lot, we've only been dating for a year now so it's a little early to tell," Makayla tried to justify her answer. "Plus I need the money. I have to take care of him."
"I understand you," Mizayaki said placing her hand on her friend's hand
"Me too," Akika explained "But you know if you need money you could always ask us."
Makayla started to cry. She knew her friends would always be there for her but she never wanted to be a burden.
"Why did you say that," Mizayaki whispered to Akika.
"I'm not crying because of that, I'm just so happy to see you guys," Makayla explained to her two friends. They had so much to catch up on.
"I saw Jiro today," Makayla told Akika, drying her eyes.
"Oh, where," Akika asked she was Jiro's wife.
When Makayla had come to school in Japan she met Akika.
When her parents announced her engagment to Hikaru Akira was a friend that helped her navigate Japanese life and culture. Every time they had an outing or event to go to. Makayla would bring Akika. Soon Jiro and Akiko's friend ship blossomed into something more than friends.
"He was at my hotel looking for a client, he seemed distressed," Makayla told her friends.
"Oh he's always stressed"
"where's Ayumi" Makayla asked. Ayumi completed their group.
"Oh well you know she's a princess so we can't get in touch with her much," Mizayaki said with sarcasm in her voice. Makayla had almost forgotten. Ayumi married crown Prince Inoue Tokanoshi. Ayumi was so obsessed with the prince, he ignored her for the first couple of times they all went out but then one day he acknowledged her presence.
"Well she is a princess you can't expect her to be able to just drop everything for us," Makayla said
"Yea well they are having a formal ball next week, you should come, she sent us three invitations, I'll see if I can get another for your Fiancé," Akika told her.
"Yea she would be happy to see you not to mention Inoue."
"Okay I'll go, just find a way to get Quinton in." I think Toshiro is ready to go," Makayla told her friends
"I know he hated spending time with us, all we did was talk, maybe he can play with Fumiko and Chieko"
"I'll bring him by again, I promise we're staying for about six months."
Mizayaki and Akika looked at each other.
"Now we can be like old times," Mizayaki said "I'll call you Sunday maybe we can do lunch or dinner."
Makayla nodded things were finally looking bright.