Chapter 6 Haru

• Tokyo Club Restaurant & Bar was once again busy and jam-packed with customers for a Saturday. Tonight, I estimated about eighty diners already on the premises, enjoying themselves, eating and drinking with family, friends, and loved ones. I was rather glad that neither Jess Taylor nor I were rostered on at the bar area, because that place could get rather rowdy with all the drunk patrons abound. Not to mention some outrageously flirty ones who couldn’t seem to keep their hands to themselves. They particularly liked to feel up staff members’ backsides, especially Jess’, and oddly enough, mine.
• Honestly, every time that happened, especially to Jess, it pissed me off because that type of thing was just not on. I had to admit I was very protective of Jess since she was my best friend, and a very beautiful one at that, especially when she was wearing that waitress uniform of a white blouse and black pencil skirt, which perfectly fit her slender figure, showing off her stunning body.
• Both Jess and I had started work at three this afternoon, preparing for the opening at five, and ever since, we had been rushed off our feet. Now it was prime time and both of us knew it would only get worse as the hours wore on.
• It was about eight when Jess came and collapsed on the vacated chair behind me at the main counter in front of the kitchen. We both were waiting for our next batch of cooked Japanese food to be ready.
• I turned around to face her and folded my arms across my chest as I leaned back against the countertop. I chuckled as I said, “You look like you’re about to collapse. What’s wrong?”
• Jess sighed exhaustedly and said, “I think I’m dying, Haru. I swear I’m going to die. I mean it. There is not one hot gay couple in the restaurant. What is wrong with tonight? I need at least one hot gay couple to revive my strength. I swear if there are none by the time we finish at twelve tonight, when I get home, I’m going to binge-read some Yaoi manga until morning.”
• Jess was a hardcore fujoshi and was obsessed with anything to do with Yaoi or LGBT, be it manga, light novels, anime, or movies. It always amazed me because she looked nothing like the fujoshi type. Jess was a blond-haired, blue-eyed beauty. The type that every guy wanted to date. Except Jess wasn’t in the least bit interested in guys in the dating arena. No, she was more interested in seeing guys dating each other. She’d rather be the observer enjoying the blossoming of romance from a good distance without her involvement. That was why she kept nagging at me to confess my feelings to Aiden, because according to her, Aiden and I would make a perfect couple.
• Yes, I had told Jess about my feelings for Aiden a few years back. Being my best friend, she had supported me and patiently listened to my whining about my unrequited love story, at times offering her fujoshi guidance on how to best approach this overly complicated relationship I had with Aiden. Listening to her helped keep me grounded because reality was harsh, especially for people like me. Then there were times when she’d teased me to fess up to Aiden and get to the sexy bedroom scene already.
• Referring to her binge-reading Yaoi manga, which she notoriously did regularly, I said, “Then you’re just going to complain about having headaches again the next day.”
• “I’ll be fine,” she replied, brushing my concern aside. “I can totally handle—” She gasped, and her eyes widened. “Holy shit!” she swore, which caused me to jolt in surprise.
• “What?” I asked. Was there a fight at the bar? I quickly glanced in that direction but noted that all was well. Turning back to her, I said, “No fights.”
• Jess looked at me for a moment, as if she was conflicted. I frowned at her, wondering what was wrong.
• She sighed and said as she nodded toward the entrance, “Aiden is here.”
• The moment she mentioned Aiden’s name, my heart skipped a beat. Fuck! Worse than a fight at the bar.
• Reluctantly, I turned my gaze toward the entrance of the restaurant. Sure enough, Aiden was there, along with a woman who seemed to be clinging to him. My stomach flipped in dread, and I felt a little sick.
• “And he’s with a chick,” Jess said with a sour expression on her face. “What the hell? One of the hottest guys on the planet came into this restaurant with that woman? Really? Oh, man, I’m pissed now! And why the hell is she clinging to him? That woman needs to understand what personal space means.”
• My throat felt tight as I watched the pair heading toward a table near the window—my section of the restaurant.
• “Shit!” I swore under my breath, feeling like my heart was about to pop out of my chest any moment now. What the fuck, heart? Would you just calm down already?
• Jess must have understood my feelings and patted me on the shoulder. “No worries, darling. I’ll take it from here,” she said, giving me her lovely grin.
• With a turmoil of emotions erupting inside me, I managed to return her grin. “Thanks, Jess. You’re the best.”
• She nodded. “That’s what a best friend is for,” she said. With that, she headed away.
• I watched as Jess elegantly glided toward Aiden’s table. When she came to a stop in front of them, Aiden and the woman turned their attention to her. I noted Aiden smiling as Jess greeted them in her usual cheerful way. I didn’t miss the woman staring at Jess though. I knew she didn’t like Jess on sight, especially since Jess was so friendly to Aiden. Well, to be fair, Jess would put any woman on the defensive because of her stunning looks.
• When a few minutes later she returned with the order, she sighed loudly and made a show of shivering in distaste. “I swear, Haru, that woman hates me. Did you see her glaring at me?”
• I did and nodded.
• “Do you know her?” she asked.
• I shrugged my shoulders. “Probably one of his clients,” I said, trying not to show too much emotion.
• Fuck! I was an adult now. I needed to control these stupid emotions, this envy and jealousy, just because Aiden was hanging out with a woman. A beautiful and rich one, by the look of her expensive clothes. She seemed high-maintenance.
• Jess pulled a face. “Do clients go out on a dinner date with their real estate agent? And do they also emit that sort of vibe?”
• “Vibe?” I asked.
• “You know, the he’s mine vibe.”
• “Is that what you get from her?” I asked, suddenly amused. “Maybe it’s because you’re too hot for her taste and she’s seeing you as her potential competitor.”
• Jess frowned at me. “Competitor, my ass,” she said as she reached her hands out and pinched my cheeks. “I’m no one’s competitor, you hear? And when the hell are you going to fess up to your beloved, like I constantly tell you to? I freakin’ want to see some lovey-dovey scenes between you and Aiden already. It’s been two freakin’ years, and the suspense is killing me. Now here is competition showing up in the form of that sexy devil and you’re making fun of me. How dare you, Haru?”
• “Ouch! Ouch!” I groaned loudly as I chuckled at the same time. “Please stop, it hurts.” I laughed.
• “Oy, Jess, what has Haru done now?” Terrence Ito, the head chef, asked from the kitchen, chuckling. “You’re pinching his cheeks again.”
• Jess finally released me from her unmerciful hands, thank God. And damn, I could feel the gaze of the customers on us. Moreover, I could feel Aiden’s gaze on me. Shit! I could see him watching me via my peripheral vision.
• Jess said in defense, “He was making fun of me.”
• Nursing my sore cheeks, I said, “I was not.”
• “Yes, you were,” she retorted.
• “I was not,” I retorted back.
• Jess was about to pinch my cheeks again when Terence interrupted. “Oy. Oy. We still have customers to serve. Leave your little lovers’ quarrel for when you’re on break.”
• Jess frowned. “It wasn’t—”
• Warren, another chef, appeared and said, “Table twenty is ready.”
• To Terrence I said, “Sorry.” Then I rushed over to get the newly cooked food where I said to Warren, “Thanks.”
• Beside me, Jess expertly took up four plates, two on each hand. I did the same, and a moment later, we headed out to serve the customers.
• It was quarter to ten and I was busy clearing a table when Aiden suddenly appeared in front of me out of the blue, which nearly sent me, and the plates, crashing to the floor. He caught me in time, my face landing against his chest and his arms wrapping around me, which didn’t help because having him in the restaurant was hard enough for me to concentrate on my work.
• Once I regained my composure, I swiftly moved out of his arms, my face hot with the familiar emotions. Then something nagged at me. Perfume? I suddenly felt a little sick again.
• “Why did you just appear like that?” I asked. “You nearly gave me a heart attack.”
• He chuckled, his eyes on me, which made me self-conscious. He said, “I was trying to get your attention, but you were too busy.”
• “Yeah, it’s a Saturday, so it’s busy,” I said. “I’ve been pretty much on my feet since five.”
• “When’s your break?” he asked.
• “It was supposed to be at nine, but it got too busy. I’ll probably be taking it soon.”
• “Good. Come and sit with me when you’re on your break,” he said, turning on his heel.
• “Huh?” I frowned. “But what about your client friend?”
• “You mean Camille?” he said. “She’s fine with it. She wants to meet you.”
• I wanted to tell him that no, it wasn’t all right and I personally didn’t want to meet with this Camille. But he was already heading away, and I had to get these dirty dishes into the kitchen.
• After clearing the dishes and cleaning the tables, I got myself a bottle of soft drink, which was free for the staff, and found myself obediently heading toward Aiden’s table.
• Damn! I wondered why I was doing this. I should just ignore him and take my break in the staff room like I usually did.
• Before I could change direction, however, I found myself already at the table, staring at Aiden.