Ayumi sat in the back of the sleek, black car, glancing out the window as the cityscape blurred by. The chauffeur, a stern-looking man with a discreet yet watchful gaze, navigated the streets with ease. His name was Hiroshi, and unbeknownst to Ayumi, he was also a Yakuza guard assigned to protect her.
As they pulled up to her apartment, Ayumi thanked Hiroshi and stepped out of the car. He gave her a polite nod, and she hurried into the building. Once inside her apartment, Ayumi immediately plugged in her phone. It had died sometime during the night, leaving her disconnected from the world. She watched as it powered up, the screen lighting up with notifications.
The moment it had enough battery, her phone went berserk with a barrage of text messages, voice mails, and missed calls. All from Rina.
Ayumi's heart raced as she quickly opened the most recent message:
"AYUMI! Where are you?? Are you okay?? Please call me!!"
Just as she was about to respond, her phone rang. It was Rina. Ayumi answered immediately.
"Rina!" she exclaimed, relief and guilt washing over her. "I'm so sorry! My phone died, and I—"
"Ayumi! Thank God you're safe!" Rina interrupted, her voice a mix of relief and frustration. "I was worried sick! What happened? Where have you been? You just disappeared from the bar!"
Ayumi took a deep breath, preparing herself for the inevitable teasing. "I know, I'm really sorry. I drank too much, and I ended up wandering into the VIP area. I sort of... passed out, and this man helped me. He took me to his place because he didn't know where I lived."
Rina was silent for a moment before she burst into laughter. "Wait, you spent the night at a guy's house? Ayumi, did you finally lose your V card?"
Ayumi's face flushed a deep red. "No! Nothing happened! I just slept, that's all. He was a perfect gentleman."
"Sure, sure," Rina teased, clearly enjoying Ayumi's embarrassment. "So, who is this mystery man?"
"His name is Alexander Sato," Ayumi replied, trying to sound nonchalant. "He's... interesting. He was really kind and took care of me."
"Alexander Sato, huh?" Rina mused. "Well, he sounds hot. Is he hot?"
Ayumi's mind flashed back to Alexander's striking blue eyes, his strong, chiseled features, and his charming smile. She felt her cheeks heat up again. "He's... attractive, I guess."
Rina laughed again. "Attractive, you guess? Ayumi, you're terrible at this! Anyway, I'm just glad you're safe. I was so worried."
"I'm sorry for making you worry, Rina. I promise I'll be more careful next time," Ayumi said, feeling a wave of gratitude for her best friend's concern.
"Just make sure there isn't a next time," Rina replied. "And maybe next time, invite me to the VIP area too!"
Ayumi laughed, feeling lighter now that she had spoken to Rina. "Deal. I'll talk to you later, okay?"
"Alright, take care, Ayumi. And don't forget to tell me all the juicy details when we meet up!"
Ayumi hung up, shaking her head with a smile. She was grateful for Rina's sense of humor and her unwavering support. As she put her phone down, she couldn't help but think about Alexander. Despite the embarrassing circumstances of their meeting, there was something about him that intrigued her.
With a sigh, Ayumi decided to take a long, hot shower to wash away the remnants of last night's chaos. As the warm water cascaded over her, she let her mind wander back to Alexander. She wondered if she would see him again.