Matchmaker: Yukimura Seiichi (Chapter 4)

Chapter Four: You're still the same

“Akaya,”

He turned around and his eyes widened when he saw the person who called his name.

It had been a long time since he heard that voice calling his name. He looked at her, at Yukimura Satsuki who was standing in front of him, looking at him in disbelief.

He stared too, at loss for words. He studied her; she was a lot taller now, slimmer and prettier.

Somehow his heart missed a beat when he looked at her in her dress and her loose curl hair.

How long has it been since he stands in front of her?

How much she had grown...how mature she had become…

Somehow he felt nervous seeing her and absent mindedly he rubbed his nose and grinned, "Hey Satsuki"

Satsuki broke into a smile. And she laughed, “So you haven’t forgotten about me,”

Akaya laughed too, “How could I.” We both went a long way before, he wanted to say, but it came out different. “You’re still the same,”

Satsuki rolled her eyes and Akaya kind of notice the disappointment in her eyes. Ahh…he shouldn’t have said that. Growing up and being around women taught him not to say that.

Never said a woman is still the same way she was when you met her the last time. It almost seem like you’re hinting she’s boring.

That was the rule his fellow professional tennis friends cum rivals said. And he understood. Yet he had forgotten about it tonight.

Perhaps it was finally seeing her, after more than five years already, and it made him slightly and strangely nervous. He had never expected himself to see her again, but then here he was.

“So how are you?” he asked, trying to start a conversation. Satsuki smiled as she tucked in a strand of hair behind her ear, “I’m doing good,” she smiled. Akaya nodded his head, his head spinning trying to think of more words to say to her.

It was strange. A few hours earlier, he was eager to talk and meet his old friend. He even had gone to try strike a conversation with her. He admitted he had forgotten his effort in the day to face her but the intention was still there.

Why then, he thought, he could not muster a word to her?

Well he did manage to spoke to her but his tongue tied when he realized that the person in front of him was perhaps, different than he remembered. He had noticed her physical changes earlier but maybe her personality had differ too?

Akaya studied her, hoping an idea could hop into his mind. He never was this blank around people—well, around people that spoke the same language as him because he couldn’t make a word those foreigners were saying—and ones that were close to him too, no doubt.

She wasn’t just close, the voice in his head went again. You guys dated, remember?

That should’ve explained the situation he was in. The nervousness and the awkward silence between them.

The fact that they were once lovers—though being high school students at that time didn’t earn that title—and they had not spoken for five years added in the rank of awkwardness.

He noticed that she was looking down and he followed suit only to noted that his tie match her dress.

He had chosen the green tie since his mother once said that the color brought out his eyes. Now, he wondered why he had followed his mother’s words when all the years he’d been growing up on ignoring it.

A woman bumped into Satsuki and Akaya looked up. Satsuki apologized to her and her dancing partner and the reality slowly sunk into Akaya. They were bothering the people dancing. He tried and gave her a grin and offered his hand. “Um, should we dance?”

Satsuki looked at his hand and back to his face. Maybe she was feeling the same way he felt. Akaya sighed and smiled. “Well, we’re on the dancing floor,” he conjured. “Somehow,” he added. “And we would look weird standing here…”

“Aren’t you, um, injured?” Satsuki wanted to address him as Akaya but stopped before the word come out. Maybe being a celebrity he is now demanded more on respect or something.

Akaya caught her doubts and gave a clearer smile. His eyes gleamed the same way she remembered and Satsuki felt another wave of relief and familiarity.

“C’mon Satsuki,” Akaya said, “When have you been so worried of me?”

Satsuki smiled back, eyeing the man before her and tried to re-edit the way he is now. He may be a grown man now but Satsuki sensed that his boyish attitude was still there. She took his hand. “Now, I was wondering if you can actually dance.”

His hand was bigger and more calloused than she had remembered, but it still had made her think of him. She smiled as he led their movements, following the music played by the hired band.

He was still the same, she thought as Akaya laughed when they made a mistake in their dance steps and gave her another grin. He was still the Kirihara Akaya she knew; extract the fact that he’s a famous world-ranked tennis player now.

The song had changed and a new one followed, only it had a quicker tempo. Satsuki swayed along with Akaya when she caught the sight of him flinching. It only happened at the flicker of a second but she saw another flinch and looked down at his leg. She paused and took his arm, bringing him to the nearest seats. She gestured him to sit and he blinked.

“Akaya,” she called, “You’re hurting. Sit down.”

The black haired man glanced down at his legs and shook his head with a grin. “Nah, I’m fine. Why don’t we dance? The song’s not bad.” He was about to move when he saw that Satsuki had put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes. Yup, Akaya’s still as stubborn, she thought.

“You haven’t change,” she muttered and pulled him down to sit. Akaya glared at her. “Same goes to you. Demanding as ever,” he replied and eventually sat down when Satsuki pulled a look that resembled Yukimura’s ordering look. Satsuki smiled. “Why don’t I take some punch and we’ll talk? It’s been ages since we last seen each other.”

Akaya frowned. “Fine, I want a full glass. I’m thirsty.” Satsuki showed him her tongue, walked to the table, and took two glasses. She gave one to Akaya, sat down beside him, and took a long sip. It felt strange to be next to him after so many years. Attending a wedding to boot.

But it felt somewhat natural when Akaya began, in his laid back voice, “I caught you looking at me,” he grinned. “Liking what you see?” he said, wiggling his eyebrows jokingly.

Satsuki laughed and slapped his shoulder softly. “You haven’t change,” she smiled. Akaya looked at her and frowned, “Is that a good thing?”

She nodded, “Of course. And here I thought you’ve become stuck up when you’re all famous,”

“Hey,” Akaya looked at her smirking, “That’s stereotype. I’m not like that,”

Satsuki rolled her eyes, “And this is coming from the man who was voted top 100 sexiest men alive,” she smiled, “And top 50 of the young millionaires in the world,”

Akaya laughed and rubbed the tip of his nose, “So you’ve been reading a lot about me eh?”

Satsuki shrugged, “Just those that Seiichi-san and the others are always bragging about. They don’t really hear many words from you, so all of us just depend on the media” she smiled, “But seriously, how are you doing now?”

Akaya laughed. “I’m doing fine until someone made me sit down. He touched the outer brim of his glass. “You’re working now? Or are you still studying?”

“Work, of course, I’ve left the studying part,” she said and watched as Akaya laughed. “But you’re Miss Brainiac.”

Satsuki frowned and elbowed him, “So not.” Akaya smirked. “So where are you working at?”

Satsuki grinned and looked at the dance floor not too far away from where they were sitting. She could see her newly wedded cousin dancing with his wife, his friends and their relatives. “You won’t believe whom my boss—”

Her voice was cut off when someone neared them.

“Satsuki-chan,” Nakao’s voice was heard. Satsuki turned and saw the man stood behind her. She smiled and waved but the man did not notice. He was regarding Akaya, his face flushed from excitement.

“You’re Kirihara Akaya,” he said happily. “You’re the tennis player.” He turned to Satsuki interestedly. “And I thought seeing Echizen before was a surprise. Do you guys know each other?”

Satsuki nodded. “He’s my schoolmate, Nakao-kun. Didn’t I mention that before?” Nakao shook his head, smiling at Akaya, “I thought you were talking about Echizen. Didn’t know you were Kirihara’s friend. Hello, I’m Nakao.”

Akaya shook his hand. “You’re—”

“My friend had seen one of your matches. Last year Davis Cup, he said you were great. And the Masters series before. But—” Nakao glanced at Akaya’s legs. Satsuki wondered how many times Akaya’s legs had been paid attention. Maybe a lot. “Is it true you’re injured now? And you had to miss both French Open and Wimbledon?”

Nodding, Akaya answered, somewhat dazed at Nakao’s enthusiasm. “Um yeah. I’ll be attending ABC and US Open later. After it healed, I guess. You’re a fan of tennis, huh?” he guessed and Nakao smiled sheepishly, “Yes, I support the nation. Especially those who are in top three in the world” he winked.

Akaya smiled. He was used to getting people praising and congratulating him on his achievements. But he never had gotten the fame in his head. Being top three doesn’t mean he’s number one.

“Nakao-kun’s a patriotic person,” Satsuki told Akaya, interrupting his thoughts. “Nakao is always full of spirits.” She continued. “He’s my—”

Again her words were cut off when they heard some shouting inside the hall. Akaya, Satsuki and Nakao turned to look and they saw a group of women surrounding Yuna the bride who was standing on top of a chair, her back facing the other women.

“Satsuki, she’s throwing the flowers!” Nakao said to her excitedly. She nodded her head, “Yeah I can see that,”

“Well go,” Nakao quickly said, pulling her arm and dragging her to the group of women. Akaya watched them from where he sat, smiling and wondering as he watched.

Yuna threw the bouquet of flowers over her head just as Satsuki arrived at the group of women. She heard more screaming and saw people looking at her, and she looked up and saw the bouquet falling towards her.

Out of reaction, Satsuki held out her arms and the flowers dropped into her hands. She blinked her eyes as she stared at it, still in surprised. Behind her, people were cheering and clapping at her.

“Suppi you’re next!!!” She could hear Marui’s loud voice said over the screaming. Her face turned red and she tried to hide her face behind the bouquet.

Yuna and Yukimura clapped their hands for her and Kaori winked. Satsuki turned redder and Nakao hugged her. “It’s your turn next honey!” he laughed and kissed her cheek.

Satsuki laughed and hugged her friend back and Akaya watched them from a few feet away. A small smile appeared on his face. What was I thinking, he thought, of course she had moved on with life.

Of course she had found someone else, they were a thing in the past now.

*

Satsuki walked out of the escalator and dragged her sore feet towards the entrance door to her office. She flashed her identity card to unlock the door before entering.

She walked as fast as she can to her desk, giving her colleagues a small smile as she pass by them. She reached her desk, took off her shoes and sighed in relief as she sat down in her chair.

Two days have passed since the wedding and it had been two days since Yukimura and Yuna went to Venice for their honeymoon.

And it had also been two days since she had last seen Akaya.

They last met when all of them were sending the newlyweds away on their wedding day. Then after that, she and Kaori and their families were busy cleaning up and she didn’t even get the chance to say good bye to him or even ask for his contact number.

But he’d still be around, since he’s on his break, she thought as she pulled her hair up into a bun and puts on her black rimmed glasses as she started her computer.

Well, putting that aside, now’s she’s in her office, so she better focus on her work.

“Yukimura-san,” she heard one of her colleagues calling her name. Satsuki looked up, “Yes?”

Her colleague smiled, almost apologetically. “He wants to see you,”

Satsuki blinked her eyes in surprised as she let the information sink in. And then she sighed as she stood up. “Alright…” she said and looked at the pair of high heels shoes that she had just taken off.

Her feet had ached ever since the wedding and she had wished she had worn a pair of sensible shoes to work.

She put on the shoes and grabbed her organizer as she walked towards the big mahogany door that closed the huge room inside their office.

Satsuki had known her boss even before she had started working for him. Her boss was Yukimura’s acquaintance and that’s how she had gotten the job.

Although she didn’t want her cousin to pull the strings for her, and she had never let any of her colleagues knows about it, but she knew, it was needed if she wanted his friend’s, now her boss, testimonial for her.

The boss’s office wasn’t his real office, in fact he has an office in every company he owns and shares.

And his office here was one of his places to stop by if he wanted to check on one of his many business branches. And the man rarely visits Satsuki and the other workers there, but she’d still see him at least once a week.

If it wasn’t of business, it was socially. And it was all thanks to her cousin.

Satsuki took a deep breath and knocked on the door. She waited for three seconds before going into the room. She had known the man for a while to know that he didn’t want her to waste time by waiting for his “Come in” dialogue.

She walked into the room and headed straight to the desk where the man was seated behind it, in his huge leather chair. He was smiling at her and knowing him, Satsuki knew it meant trouble to her.

“Sore feet?” he asked as she sat across of him. Satsuki nodded her head. “You were dancing too much,” he smirked watching her.

Satsuki looked at her boss and smiled, “As far as I can recall, you enjoyed yourself there too.”

Her boss was still smirking as he passed her a black file. Satsuki looked at it curiously before opening it. “This is?”

“You know about the product business I have started,” her boss said and Satsuki nodded her head, “This is a new product that I am planning to sell,”

Satsuki studied the contents in the file and nodded her head, “Okay…what about it?”

He smirked, “I’m letting you to be the project manager of this,” he told her.

Satsuki’s eyes widened. “What?”

“It’s a great exposure,” her boss said, looking at her, his eyes sharp like a hawk’s.

“But, I haven’t work on anything solo…” Satsuki said, still surprised. She had just started working in the company for a year plus. All she had done is what the boss had told and instructed her. She had never been given a project of her own to handle.

“Good testimonials don’t come easy,” her boss said. Satsuki looked at him and narrowed her eyes. “Is that a threat?”

The man laughed, “Yes or no?” he asked back, looking at her and the folder in her hand. “If yes, you will handle everything of the project,”

Satsuki nodded her head, “From planning an advertisement, manufacturing and selling them,” she said, fully aware of her job’s description.

Her boss nodded his head, still smirking. “And if no,” he paused.

Satsuki knew what he meant, he had just said it a moment ago to her. “No testimonial,” Satsuki repeated. She sighed. It didn’t seem like she had any other choice.

“Yes, I’ll take it,” she said. Her boss nodded his head. “Very well, I will see you soon about this,” he said, still smirking as if mocking her.

Satsuki nodded her head and stood up. She said her excuse and was about to turn and leave the room when her boss called her back.

“Satsuki,” he said, as he snapped his fingers to gain her attention. The man smiled, “Tell them, it is still going on this weekend,”

Satsuki smiled, knowing what he meant. “You’re continuing, even though Seiichi-san is not around?”

Her boss laughed, “The more reason for the old Hyoutei to kick Rikkai’s asses,”

Satsuki smirked, “and here I thought the great Atobe believed in fair fights,”

Atobe Keigo smiled from the other side of the desk, “There’s that, and there’s still the Hyoutei’s pride,”

Satsuki laughed and nodded her head, “I shall inform Sanada-san and the rest then.”