chapter 9

I chose to just ignore what Emily did. It's natural for my cousin to be cursed. It is not new to me that it once insulted some of us in the past.

"Has anyone been seen in the investigation?" I just asked Emily to look away from Susan who was walking back to the kitchen.

"Nothing yet. It's not clean to create that problem, but it's hard to identify who is at fault. The workers on your farm have a log book. Everything is on time when entering and leaving."

"You know they're coming back after they—."

"Gaga, there are many surveillance cameras scattered throughout the hacienda. If anyone comes back to steal, they will definitely be seen in the security room. Also, there are many security guards patrolling here."

I just sighed at what I heard Emily say. Moments later I fell into deep thought. I will not allow this to continue. We are being robbed of big money. If Daddy were alive, I’m sure it would ignore that matter. It already has a lot of money and it is easy for it to return what was lost. But I am different. I will not allow any of that thief to abuse me.

"I'll talk to Akihiro." I seriously say that Emily's eyebrow was slightly raised. My forehead furrowed. "Can you tell me about him?"

Emily smiled. "Did he get your attention?"

I rolled my eyes. "He was my highschool teacher. I was in grade twelve when he became my teacher. So, yeah, he got my attention. Especially when I found out he was the son of the woman Dad married."

I remembered again what Akihiro and I had to answer. He didn't even say directly that I knew there was a part of him that blamed Dad for his mommy's death. If Dad hadn't come into their lives, that accident wouldn't have happened. He was angry and sad. But he still chose to stay here at the hacienda to grant Dad's request. I don’t know what his real reason is. I just suspected it was bad. I don't have any proofs about that. So here it is and I still want to get to know him. Though, I already know him being my highschool teacher, that was only limited. I want to know everything about him. It’s all about the person I told how I felt. Stupid me!

"Well, he's nice." Emily said smiling.

A sharp look I gave it. "That's not what I want to know."

It let out a loud laugh before sneezing. "Akihiro is a good person, Mayumi. If not, why are the LGC and the hacienda left by Tito still doing well? He has managed many companies, including his mommy's company. But you see, he can still do it well done for five years.He left teaching just for Arnold's last request.He wanted him to manage everything while you haven't graduated.But now that you're here, I think he's planning as well Akihiro to leave everything to you. "

I fell silent. Damn! Now I doubt if I'm really smart. Shit! My stupid!

"Emily ..."

Emily's two eyebrows rose. "Why?"

I stared at it carefully before speaking. "Why doesn't Akihiro want to tell me what happened to Dad?"

Emily was slightly taken aback. I don't think it expected what I asked. Why? Maybe Emily already knew. This is also what told me about that. But I was the one who thought badly of Akihiro. "Why does he want to keep what happened a secret from me?"

Emily sat up straight. "I don't know the real reason. But at first, I thought he might take advantage of what happened. So I told you about Tito and Tita's accident. As time went on, I saw Akihiro's intentions were pure."

"You mean, there's a possibility that someone else was responsible for the accident?"

"It seems so," Emily replied. "Why don't you investigate?"

"Right. I should do that, instead of accusing Akihiro for what happened." God, I am so sorry for blaming him. I don't know the story, yet, I have the audacity to point my finger on someone who was just fulfilling my father's last wished. I’m stupid in that part. Why then did I not think to do what Emily suggested? My fool.

I took a deep breath. "How did you meet Akihiro?"

"When he and his Mommy got married." Emily answered casually before standing up. "Can I rest for a while, Mayumi? The length of my trip."

"Sure ..." I just answered. I stared intently at Emily's receding back. Its movement is refined and really has a hint of sophistication. Emily is a beautiful woman. Probably because his family is also rich so he can freely buy the things he wants to maintain the beauty of his whole body. She's gorgeous.

"Is that Emily?" Question I turned to the main door. Akihiro's standing there, holding a basket of strawberries and grapes that it probably got at the green house.

"Yes," I answered. I was about to stand when he set the basket down on the coffee table in front of me. "What—."

"They're sweet, you should try some." He said seriously meeting my eyebrows. I feel guilty for what I told him before. I looked at Akihiro intently. He just shrugged his shoulders before taking some grapes out of the basket. He didn't say what you ate before grinning. "I won't poison you, if that's what you're thinking. Eat those and maybe just have fun."

I let out a deep breath. I'm so stupid. We need to talk and I might even go crazy thinking about the mistakes I’ve made. Akihiro was about to turn around when I said his name. He raised an eyebrow at me. "You have something to say?" He asked.

I hesitated to nod. Goddamnit. Why do I believe in nonsense? I just realized everything. Akihiro helped me. There was also a hint in his eyes that the words he was uttering were true. He's right. Why would he hurt me? He also lost. And I could see in his eyes the great pain when he mentioned about his Mother. "Can you tell me about their wedding?"

Akihiro frowned. "Married ...," he paused. He took a deep breath before looking at me intently. I averted my gaze, causing him to let out a violent sigh again. He slowly walked closer and sat on the sofa. One away from me. "Why?"

"I'm sorry I didn't come home to attend Dad's wedding." I said in a low voice.

"You video called him, right?"

"I did, but it's different if I go personally." I said once staring at my hands. I play with my fingers. It was as if something was there that was calming me down. I was nervous in Akihiro's presence.

Akihiro was silent for a few minutes. When I looked back at him he was leaning back in his chair. He also applied the back of his head to the lean. He just silently stared into space. "Aren't you going to say something?"

A hint of a smile formed in his lips. He looked at me. "All right, I'll tell you. But first, tell me, what did you do when I said I love you too?"

Suddenly my eyes widened. Even though I couldn’t fathom in my mind what he was referring to, it seemed like lightning had entered a scene. I used to read my test paper.

"Mayumi ..."

"Uh ..." I don't know what to say! To be honest, I forgot about that. If we hadn't just met here at the hacienda you might have been completely buried in the past. Actually, I also don’t know what I did. The day I received the test results and read his reply to what I said, Dad suddenly called me.

"It's okay if you don't want to—."

"I'm sorry, I can't remember what I did after reading that. But, I remembered smiling while reading your reply. I ... I was h-happy?"

He chuckled. "You're stuttering and you're not sure."

"I feel like I'm in your class. And you're asking about something I didn't study. I hate you." Annoyed I said that Akihiro was laughing.

Akihiro sat up. He stopped laughing and stared at me intently. "Tito Arnold and Mommy were unparalleled in their joy when they got married. It's like they're back to being teenagers. Is that on the courtship stage."

I smiled. "And then?"

"Everyone was happy for the two of them, including me." Akihiro paused to reach for the strawberry in the basket. He wiped it with his handkerchief before handing it to me. "Eat."

"And?"

Akihiro didn't answer. He just stared at me and without saying a word messed up my hair. "They were happy, Mayumi."

"That's it?" Meet the eyebrow I asked. Inadequate. I want to hear what else happened. But it looks like Akihiro has no plans to tell a story. "Why?"

"Let's not talk about them. You'll just be sad." He said seriously that I averted my gaze. I took a deep breath to calm myself. Maybe Akihiro should have stopped talking. Their accident happened next. He's right, I'll just be sad.

"Hey," he said softly. I felt his palm on both my cheeks. There seems to be a sweep. It was only then that I noticed that my tears were flowing freely. I gently shook his hands. He didn't moan so I wiped away my own tears. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah!" I said in an inspired voice. "I'm fine ..."

"I'm sure you're no—."

"Emily told me about the mango problem." I change the subject. I don't want to talk about my tears anymore. You don't count. "Can I help you?"

Akihiro stared at me for a moment. He moved slightly away from me which eased my breathing. God, I just now realized I was holding my breath. "I thought you didn't want to work with me?"

"You're feeling ah, we both own this hacienda so I have the right to give an opinion on our problem."

"Let's?" Akihiro said with a small smile on his lips.

"Are you laughing at me?" I couldn’t help but be bored. I'm serious, while he treats me like a child.

"What's with the sudden change of mind? Don't you want to work on" He asked with a smile before holding his chin. "Let me guess, you weren't hired by the last company you applied to. Or maybe—."

"That's right! Then why should I work so hard when I can work here. I don't have a contract. I still have my time. I can do whatever I want. Just don't be abusive and I might evict you from my house." I'm lying. Damn! Hopefully effective. It looks like Akihiro is still good at blinking people.

"Liar." I told you so. The fool immediately realized that what I said was not true. "Tell me the truth, Mayumi."

Because of the intensity of his stare at me I was suddenly startled by the grapes in the basket. Those were five pieces that I immediately fired as well. And because of that stupidity of mine, I almost died. Akihiro quickly touched the back of my head with his left hand. While the right one took the grapes out of my mouth without saying a word. I'm so stupid!

"Susan, please water! Please hurry!" Akihiro shouted after getting the last grape down my throat. I gasped as he removed the grapes. I licked myself for a moment as he wiped the saliva from my mouth. Fuck! Embarrassing! My pig!

"Oh my God! What's happening?" Emily asked worriedly. His hair was disheveled and he was wearing only a shirt and shorts. Akihiro's scream seemed to disturb his sleep.

"This is it, Hiro." He said as he handed Akihiro a glass of water.

I closed my eyes firmly. I leaned back on the soft back of the couch. I can still feel the redness all over my face.

"what happened? You're almost going to die ah!" Emily asked angrily. There was no time for me to look sharply at him.

"Mayumi was blinded by grapes." Akihiro answered. He looked at me affectionately before reaching for the glass of water.

"Gaga! Don't you have teeth? The tenderness of grapes you don't chew? You'll look like a fool if the cause of your death is grapes." It's hard to say more. But the concern on the face is obvious.

"Don't scold me anymore. All right, leave us first." Akihiro said before helping me drink the water.

When Emily left and I just bit my lip so hard. "My stupid."

"It was an accident." Said Akihiro.

"I'm sorry ..."

He stared at me before grinning. "Sorry for what?"

I was embarrassed to stare at Akihiro. "You didn't just wipe my tears. You also wiped my saliva." Akihiro replied with a loud laugh. Even I was amused by the incident. Bwisit! Still embarrassing!