Kawakami III

From my experience it’s one thing to jump off or out of a building of extreme height. It’s another thing to be in a helicopter or plane weaving in and out and around skyscrapers. I can confidently say that it is a complete and utter life changing thing to combine the two together. Complete with a drone light show and firework display accompaniment, I descended from the sky.

The wind whipping at my clothes, beating my hair back out of my face. My reflection on the windows of my own building racing me to the earth below me. I could see individuals in the mass of a crowd as I got closer, still dropping rapidly in free fall.

The very last moment.

I wanted to push myself to the last possible moment.

I yearned to know the thrill of being on death’s doorstep.

I hungered for something novel and different than anything I had tasted before.

Emotions stared up at me. Mouths agape.

Fear.

Awe.

Shock.

Reverence.

I pulled my parachute and hung from the sky above everyone. I could hear them shouting and pointing at me. Cheering me on. Applauding my audacity. It felt good. I loved it.

///

Sometime after landing and attending to my wardrobe, I sought out Charles and Yuki. Hopefully they had made some progress on locating Ms. Shinohara. Considering the way words around my name spread like wildfire, I was more than hopeful that she’d be in attendance tonight.

I found Yuki at his usual post, doing his usual thing he does at my parties. Nobody’s perfect, and Yuki’s big thing is getting even more drunk at the bar and hitting on whomever happens to be there at the moment.

I pulled him away from his next mistake and ordered some water for the two of us.

‘Jeez Yuki, the way you’re smelling right now makes me think you were drinking while piloting the helicopter.” I commented.

“Ah—hic—haha, secrets out! I guesssshh.”

Ol’ reliable is reliable is for about fifteen minutes every twenty-four hours. That’s my best friend.

“Listen Yuki, have you seen Shinohara? You made sure to tell your gossip girls about tonight? She’s coming right?”

“Woahhh, woah woah. Slow down Kamikami Kai! You must really like this girl if you’re talking like that! Ahaha!” Yuki struggled out.

“Alright man, forget it. Have fun tonight.” I pushed him back toward the bar and turned to leave.

“Thanks for the—hic—permission! Ahahaaaa… Hey you look familiar. Do I know you babe?”

I faced Yuki again to knock some sense into him amidst my curiosity to see who he was talking about. Yuki doesn’t just call anyone babe. And it wasn’t just anyone.

“Shinohara! What are you doing here??” I exclaimed.

“Ugh get away from me you slob. I can’t believe I run into you everywhere I go. Actually disgusting. You would get drunk off hand sanitizer and flirt with a butcher’s leftovers.” Shinohara coldly cut into Yuki.

“Uh excuse me, you two. It seems you’ve met before?” I mustered through a tense smile.

“Yeah, this guy totally was hitting on me at the gala. It was at the bar too, I should know better I guess. Anyway, how are youuu? It’s been so long, Mr. Kawakami!” She flipped her complacency to excitement like a coin.

“O-oh well, I am good. How are you settling in to the city? Charles, my butler, remember him? He told me a bit about your situation and showed me the news too.” I muttered.

“Oh, you saw all that? HAHA! What a funny thing, right? Not the craziest thing I can imagine, right? Me and you, what do you say, Mr. Kawakami?” She started staring at me with those eyes. They were so distinct, but I couldn't quite put down the difference.

“Ahem, well, I’d first like to apologize. I treated you poorly, and in return, I’d be willing to accommodate you and your desires. If that works for you, I mean.”

“Mr. Kawakami, you don’t strike me as the all-powerful Mr. Confidence I previously met. Did something change from then and now?” She teased.

“Um, no. Just a proper reflection of my actions, I suppose. And I’m still awaiting your answer, Shinohara.”

“Oh, how informal, are we getting closer now?”

“It’s all the same to me.”

“Okay then, Kawakami, no, Kai. Maybe we should ditch this lame old party for something more intimate and private together, hmm?” She put her hands on my chest and moved closer to me.

Something had fundamentally changed with her behavior, but I had changed too.

She linked her hands around my neck and moved her mouth up to my ear.

“Everyone is watching, listening, and even recording what we’re saying right now. Maybe we should head out?” She whispered.

Goosebumps ignited across the back of my neck as she drew back and dragged a lazy finger around my ear.

No need to tell me twice.

“Charles, keys. Borsche 911. I’ll see you this weekend.” I said curtly while grabbing the keys from his outstretched hand.

“Shinohara, you’ll have to say your goodbyes another time.” I grabbed her hand and pulled her through the crowd enveloping us. Icy stares cut us down with each step through the crowd, but I ignored them all. Everyone was starting to get raucous, moving together like a collective mass and starting to notice that I had chosen to leave with Shinohara. They protested the unusual sight, as if they denied the rumors they themselves fueled.

“That’s that girl from social media! Why would Kawakami settle for a bird like her?”

“Sure, enough give a man enough attention and he’ll return the favor!”

A flash of a camera blinded me abruptly.

“She probably just wants that car, or the helicopter!”

The paparazzi surged around us, emboldened and taking even more pictures.

I opened the passenger door for Shinohara, and pushed her in.

“Everybody! I have an announcement to make!” I shouted; they obeyed.

“The next person to mock Shinohara Shoko as a woman, a reporter, and my lover, I will personally guarantee your failure in everything you do. I will see to your ruin as the sun rises above this land. I will celebrate your downfall in every moment and let my living breathing body be the very evidence necessary to denounce you. You’ve been warned. Goodnight.”

I climbed into the driver’s seat and drove away. Woman secured. Pride, image, and status maintained. For both of us.

///

Given our newfound status, I figured we’d want some privacy. I drove us to my private airport located just across the bay which would take a bit of time. I had already arranged with Charles to have one of my jets standby if things were to come to this.

The ride over was quiet. Ms. Shinohara had calmed down from before and returned to what I assumed was her usual self. She just sat there, looking out the window the whole time. Watching the buildings pass by endlessly. The city invited a dense melancholy at night, and she absorbed it tonight.

After some time we arrived.

“Ms. Shinohara, how does a quick trip to Kyoto sound? It’s only about an hour but at least we can get away from the hustle and bustle of things.” I got out and stretched my arms and my legs. I was starting to feel more comfortable around this woman.

She remained seated in the car.

“Ms. Shinohara?” I leaned my head in and asked.

“You doing OK? We don’t really have a departure time set, but I’d at least like to get up in the air. It’s only fair to the pilots and crew, I mean, they do have families and things to take care of outside of work.”

“Kawakami… I-I can’t go with you tonight. I’m sorry, but it’s just not going to work out…” She mumbled, avoiding all eye contact.

“Not work out? What are you talking about? We came all this way. You, you said all those things at the party. Honestly, I’m embarrassed. I really thought you were coming onto me. What could possibly be the reason you don’t want to go? Do you really want to go back to Tokyo right now where all those sharks in the media are waiting just to make up some more lies about you? And about me?”

She stared up at me with a longing betrayal in her eyes. They were confusing yet sincere. She clearly wanted something, but it wasn’t something she could accept either, I suppose.

“Kawakami. I’m sorry but I’m going to stay in Tokyo. I have work to do. I-I can’t afford to parade around with you in private jets.” She mustered.

“Work? Are you kidding me? Don’t think I’ve forgotten exactly who you are, Shinohara! Your work is ME! I know why we met, and why you came to my parties. I’m sure you love all the attention that’s come your way now too. I thought you could be different. You were sincere Shinohara and I was wrong. I thought I needed to give you a chance when in reality, you’re no different from the rest of them. I’m done. Have fun at your day job, however long that’ll last. Jeez.”

I slammed the door on her and boarded the plane. A moment of clarity overcame me, thinking maybe I had been too harsh. I shook my head in annoyance at my own lack of commitment and texted Charles a brief update on the turn of events and told him to take her home and to ensure that we’d never cross paths again.

I really had become too lax with woman lately, such a headache.