I Only Have Eyes For You

by Khardine Gray

  His uncle had been furious, probably because he’d wanted Kaito to run Washington. Kaito was the eldest of them all, and greedy, always wanting more control, which would mean more wealth. It must have torn him apart when their grandfather gave Hiroshi Washington, the American flagship company.

  They all hated that Hiroshi hadn’t given the company back and sought to revoke all the terms in the will that related to him having it. When that didn’t work, they put in place a plan which drew on the organization as a whole. Meaning that while he might be the named owner of Washington, he couldn’t do anything without approval from the board of directors, who were the heads of the organization—his father and uncle.

  Until he got the idea for the training center, he’d just been doing everything by the book, and like a child, going to them for authorization for every single thing. Kaito ran the LA branch, and Shinji New York. They didn’t have to get approval for anything. They ran their branches freely.

  Hiroshi looked at them as heat flushed through his body. This was all pointless, wasn’t it? And, what pissed him off even more was that his father had liked the idea initially but would never stand up for him.

  His father still didn’t trust him. It all boiled down to that. They must have all gotten into some prior discussion and decided on this new strategy.

  The conversation changed to the budget for next month, but Hiroshi couldn’t stand to be in here any longer.

  “I need a break,” Hiroshi declared. He didn’t trust himself to say anything else. If he did, there would be a big argument or a fight.

  Jake immediately kicked his leg and gripped onto the edge of his sleeve. He then leaned closer to Hiroshi and hissed, “Don’t you dare leave me alone with this man,” referring to his father.

  He thought he was talking low enough for just Hiroshi to hear but Kaito heard him.

  When Jake saw that he’d heard, he spoke slightly louder. “And Tender Foot and Chicken Lips,” he added in reference to Kaito and Shinji, who straightened up instantly, getting ready to contend.

  “We can hear you, you know?” Shinji sneered, casting Jake a hardened look, his mouth tight and grim.

  “That would be the point of speaking so you can hear, Chicken Lips.” Jake squared off with him, staring him down with his brows snapped together.

  Jake didn’t care about trying to remain professional. When it came to them, he saw them for the conniving snakes they were and didn’t joke to put them both in their places every chance he got.

  Kaito reached for the transmitter and switched off the intercom so Hiroshi’s father couldn’t hear them.

  “Jake, I’m getting real tired of your antics and smart ass comments,” Kaito snapped, slamming his fist down on the table so hard some of his hair fell forward around his puffed-out stone face. “If we weren’t on this plane I’d bust your ass outside right now.”

  While Hiroshi sat still and tried to calm himself, Jake shot up, knocking his chair into the low bookshelf behind them that held an oil painting of The Lady of Shallot.

  “Man, don’t let the plane stop you. You can try to bust my ass right here and now. But rest assured all you’d do is try. You don’t know who you’re talking to.”

  “Jake.” Hiroshi tugged on his arm. “Calm down. Don’t sink to their level.”

  Kaito and Shinji glared at him for the comment.

  Hiroshi lifted his chin, meeting Kaito’s icy gaze straight on. It wasn’t often that he spoke up. The old him would have told them all to go to hell, but in harsher words. It was hard to keep that person away right now.

  On the monitor, he could see his father fiddling with the microphone. “I can’t hear you guys. What’s going on?” his father said, looking confused.

  “I’m tired of this. If y’all knew how this meeting was going to turn out, why are we here?” Jake’s nostrils flared.

  “We meet to discuss business plans; if the plans are unsuitable we have to discuss it as a group,” Kaito replied.

  “Will you listen to yourself? You actually believe what you’re saying? Or, believe that we believe it? Better you threaten me,” Jake retorted, his mouth set in a hard line. “Damn it, even threaten me like you did last time with your kendo, and I can imagine you coming at me with a sword and me with my chosen weapon, a dinner fork.”

  Hiroshi would have laughed if he wasn’t so angry. Jake sat back down and looked at him. It was good to have someone who would always have your back, but the whole situation was beyond ridiculous now.

  “Thanks,” Hiroshi told him. “I need to take a walk, or I’ll say something that I’ll regret later.”

  Jake nodded understanding. Hiroshi got up, walked around to the intercom and switched it back on. Then without another word to anyone, he left the room.

  As soon as the door closed behind him he rested against it, closed his eyes and allowed the anger to drain from him.

  Was any of this worth it? This was what he’d class as soul sucking and his energy was failing. Living like this under their control and fighting against them continuously was going to give him a nervous breakdown. He didn’t know how much longer he could live like this.

  Jake wouldn’t hesitate to defend him, but the day would come when he would indeed get tired of it all and just leave. Hiroshi shuddered inwardly at the thought as despair began to spread over him.

  “Oh my gosh, no way,” he heard a soft voice say.

  It actually took him a few seconds to remember that Savannah was out here, and she’d been here all by herself for the last couple of hours. Damn, at least nine hours or so. They were nearly in Japan.

  It was amazing that that tiresome, irritating meeting had robbed him of his thoughts of her. He should go talk to her. But what would he say? They didn’t really talk that much when they met, and this being by herself for the majority of the journey was inexcusable. One of them should have checked on her to see if she was okay. He should have gone, or even sent Jake.

  He walked into the living area and saw that she was kneeling on one of the banquettes near the window taking pictures of the landscape below. The sun was just beginning to withdraw its light and imbued them in a soft, warm glow. The subtle light picked up the sparkle in her straight black hair that cascaded down to her waist and kissed the smooth golden-brown skin of her arms. It enhanced her exquisite beauty.

  He liked what she wore today. A sort of powdery pink camisole top that reminded him of lingerie, and a pair of white three quarter length trousers. Both complimented her petite frame and showed off the smooth definition of the curve in her tiny waist and perfectly shaped behind. Hiroshi had to blink to re-focus his mind as he didn’t want her to turn around and catch him checking her out.

  “Hey,” he said carefully. He was really hoping not to startle her, but it didn’t work. She jumped anyway and dropped her phone. “I’m so sorry.” He rushed over to pick it up. “I should probably start wearing a bell.”

  She started to laugh, a dainty sort of laugh that made him smile. “No, it’s me. I scare easily, and I wasn’t paying attention.” She smiled as he handed her back the phone. “Thank you.”

  “I’m really sorry we’ve left you by yourself for so long. I was hoping that we would have finished up everything hours ago.”

  “Oh no, that’s okay. I totally understand and I’ve been fine.” She nodded. “I read magazines, I slept. I made a list of all the things I want to do, and places I want to see, and when I got kind of bored, I watched videos of goats singing I will always love you.”

  At that, he laughed and thought her humor was a little like Jake’s. But, that was probably as far as their similarities went. They didn’t look much alike at all. She looked a lot like her mother, and Jake looked exactly like his dad. Jake was also overly outgoing, but she seemed to lean more towards the shy side until she got more comfortable with you. Which was all the more reason why someone should have gone to check on her, if only to make sure she was comfortable.

  “Thank you so much again, fo
r this opportunity.” Her beautiful eyes sparkled as she spoke.

  “You’re more than welcome.” He tried to imagine what it must be like for her. He’d been traveling between Japan and Washington for such a long time now that he’d grown accustomed to it. Sometimes he was in Japan a few times for the month.

  “I’m just super excited, and extremely grateful.”

  “It’s cool, and honestly you don’t have to thank me anymore.”

  A cautious look crossed over her face and she laced her fingers together as she seemed to be thinking about what else to say.

  Oh no, was she nervous? She looked nervous. Maybe it was the suit and the whole official look he had going on, as opposed to her casual and laid back look. On that thought he shrugged out of his jacket and loosened his tie. Her eyes fixated on the left side of his chest for a few brief seconds, but then she looked back up to his face quickly with a slight hint of pink tickling her cheeks.

  “Meeting over?” she asked.

  “For me yes.” He wasn’t going back inside that room, and sure this might have suspiciously looked like him giving into distractions, but it wasn’t. This was an exception. They probably had an hour left anyway, and he needed a break from everything. “So, what are you up to?”

  “Taking pictures. There is the most amazing landscape outside.” She beamed, adjusting herself on the sofa. Her smile matched her liveliness. “My magazine gave me an entire webpage. I’m going to fill it with all kinds of things. I was thinking of doing an article on the breathtaking view from the air.” The excited light was vivid in her eyes.

  Wow, he’d never met anyone who was so passionate about their work. So passionate that he could feel her excitement as it radiated from her. “That sounds great.”

  “Thanks.” She clasped her hands together briefly, revealing her perfectly manicured, glossy pink fingernails. Pink had to be her favorite color. This was the second time he’d seen her in something pink, and she seemed to try to fit it in wherever she could on the rest of herself. Like on her nails, her lips, over her eyelids, and in the tiny bow on top of her shoes. “I think we’re supposed to be flying over Mt Fuji soon. I’m going to climb it,” she declared with vibrant determination.

  “Wow. That’s definitely a goal and a half.” It was a big goal and he almost felt worried when he looked at her delicate frame. Everyone liked the idea of climbing Mt. Fuji but never really thought about the actual task itself.

  “Really?” She inclined her head and looked at him with anticipation but didn’t seem fazed at all.

  “Yeah. I’ve climbed it a few times.”

  She looked completely impressed by that, and her eyes sparkled with wonder.

  “There’s a saying we have. He who climbs Mt. Fuji is a wise man; he who climbs twice is a fool. I’ve climbed seven times so maybe I’m an idiot.”

  Her gentle laughter rippled through the air, charming him.

  It was his grandfather who’d taken him up the first few times. He claimed it was to teach him a lesson in forbearance, and that to truly be wise you had to become the fool first and see past that. So he climbed five times with him. The other two times he did for himself, as a way of remembrance.

  His grandfather had been every inch the kind of man who wanted to pass down wisdom and history in its pure form. At least that was something Hiroshi could say he did with him, and travel across the whole of Japan to learn its history inside out. He might have thought it was a drag at the time, but he enjoyed spending the time with him and listening to his stories.

  “Did it get easier each time?” A smile of enchantment touched her beautiful lips.

  He leaned his head to the side and considered this. “Not so much. The first time was terrible, I passed out from altitude sickness. But don’t tell anyone I told you that.”

  She giggled. “I promise, I won’t.” For added effect, she crossed her fingers together on her right hand and gave him a firm nod.

  “Have you climbed any other mountains?” While he doubted it, he decided to ask anyway.

  She laughed and shook her head, confirming his suspicion, then pressed her hands to her cheeks. “The closest I’ve ever come to climbing anything was five flights of stairs at Nordstrom. That’s probably not the same thing, right?”

  There was something he just realized. She genuinely made him laugh. It was a refreshing break from his previous agitated state caused from the meeting. “No. I’m afraid it really is not.” He narrowed his eyes at her. “Why would you climb five flights of stairs at Nordstrom?” While he didn’t shop there much he knew most branches had about five or more levels, and the stairs covered more like two floors at each level because the place was so huge.

  “Oh, the elevator broke and they were releasing the new Louboutin.”

  He didn’t know what that was. Something fashion related, he guessed. “Oh.”

  “It’s a shoe designer,” she clarified when she noticed his hesitation. “I’m a bit of a fashion freak.” She chuckled.

  “Right. Well, my mother and sister will be glad to hear that.” His mother and his sister, Sakiko, were the biggest fashion addicts he knew. “My mother is obsessed with shopping and my sister is a fashion designer.”

  “Really?” Her eyes grew wide and looked excited at the thought.

  “Yes.”

  By the look on her face, he just knew she was the kind of girl who loved to shop, and his mother and sister would most probably take her shopping all over Japan.

  She smoothed her silky hair over to the side and tucked a few loose strands behind her ear, drawing his eyes to the fine definition of her jaw line and her delicate ears, which had two very small stud earrings.

  He glanced at his watch. They should be landing soon, which meant they were nearly at Mt. Fuji.

  “Come over here and get your camera ready.”

  She immediately looked even more excited and rose quickly in one fluid motion to move across to where he’d pointed. He stood next to her and stared ahead of them, rolling up the sleeves to his shirt.

  “Rosh…” She suddenly got this thoughtful look on her face. “Is it okay if…if, I just call you Hiroshi? I tend to imagine seeing a giant cockroach every time I think Rosh, which I thought was roach. Or I imagine a guy with long orange hair held back with a red bandana.” She laughed.

  Yes, she certainly did have Jake’s humor, and he liked how animated her face got when she explained herself.

  “Of course, you can call me Hiroshi.” You can call me anything you want, he wanted to say but restrained himself. “You’ll find most people will where we’re going.”

  She smiled. “Cool. Hiroshi.”

  He liked the way she said his name, slow and purposeful. With feeling.

  “Oh,” she said suddenly looking ahead of them and narrowing her eyes. He followed her gaze and noticed that they were just approaching the mountain now.

  “Mount Fuji,” he stated. Savannah took in a sharp breath and got her camera ready but stilled as they approached. At first, it looked like it was part of the massive cloud expanse before them but as they got closer, and the clouds cleared, they could see the formation on its own rising high in its mighty fortification.

  It really was breathtaking to look at, and as they passed over the caldera, the enormous volcanic crater could be seen in its entirety. It was grand enough to look at when you were next to it on the ground, but seeing it all from this view was something else. He must have passed Mt. Fuji thousands of times in his travels and gazed at its beauty from the air. It was the kind of beauty you could appreciate over and over again.

  Like her.

  He watched her face glow with admiration for the magnificence of the mountain. She took a few pictures, then turned back to him looking extremely thrilled. Completely unaware of the captivating picture she made when she smiled.

  Yes, he’d seen Mt. Fuji from the air thousands of times, but there was something more special seeing it with her. He thought maybe if he ever got the chance, an
d if she wanted, he could take her there.

  Maybe. And this wasn’t his way of side stepping his no distractions promise either. It was just a thought, which may not even manifest with his busy schedule.

  They talked about it for the rest of the journey, and he listened intently as she told him about the list she’d made of all the things she wanted to do in Japan.

  They landed an hour later as night approached. His cousins didn’t say anything to him as they got off the plane, and Hiroshi noticed that Jake had this hardened look on his face. He busied himself speaking to Savannah, and didn’t say anything to Hiroshi until Kaito and Shinji had moved off towards the car that had come to pick them up.

  “We need a new strategy,” Jake stated when Savannah went to tend to her luggage, which he could see would probably require a car by itself.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I have an idea. Just leave it with me while I work on it. It may take me a few weeks, but I think it’ll work.”

  “What is it?” It sounded interesting, and knowing Jake, it would be something good. His ideas always were.

  Jake shook his head. “Don’t want to say just yet. Let’s just continue to please the powers that be. Ultimately, we need to balance Washington and being here.”

  Sure, Hiroshi knew that. Things were so uncertain as it was, and now it was clear that he’d never be allowed to do what he wanted, which was to have some time in Japan to set the center up properly. The plan at the moment was for Jake to be here most of the time while Hiroshi travelled back and forth to Washington.

  The training center wasn’t being taken seriously enough for him to make any form of requests to change his schedule. Over the years his father had allowed him a week or two in Japan per month, but he was still very much working while he was here. And, now he had to do his regular work and try to set up the training center at the same time.

  “Things are going to be difficult with that budget and trial period. It won’t work.” Hiroshi pointed out.