The Uninvited Guest

“Not a lot has changed, you know? Everything is just the same as when you left all those years ago. I may have gotten a bit older. But that’s about it.” He said to me as we drove.

“You have totally changed. You have a whole CHILD.” I retorted, “How is she so unfortunate that she had to get pregnant with your child?”

“Says you…you deserted her!” He snidely remarked.

“You little demon!” I yelled.

“Excuse me. You boys do know that I’m in the car with you? You two aren’t alone right now.” She commanded us, quieting down our banter.

Hiroshi’s wife, Hanabi Hayakawa, sat in the front passenger seat as Hiroshi drove me from the airport. It was a shame she had to take on that brute’s surname, but I was happy for Hiroshi. She was a beautiful woman, with short-brown hair. Her strict demeanor calmed Hiroshi’s wild nature, so I knew they were a perfect match. They met a year ago, and since then, they never separated. I did not see what Hanabi saw in that man, but, to each their own I supposed. Hiroshi had grown up himself; he sported a full-beard (like mine), and was chubby in the stomach. He had become the ideal father. He had left his father’s company a month in, starting his own company from the ground-up without any financial help from his family. He wanted to show the world he could make it on his own, so he started an alcohol company. It was doing extremely well for being such a new business, it had reached the radars of celebrities around the globe. I was proud of him.

“I have the sudden urge, to fight you, for old time’s sake.” Hiroshi threatened me as we reached inner-Tokyo.

“I am superior to you, I never stopped training.” I retorted.

“If you both fight, I will murder you both in your sleep. You are both adults now.” Hanabi scolded us.

“Yes ma’am.”

I forget to mention, it had been six years since I had last been back in Japan. We were already in our late twenties. I had completed my master’s and doctorate degree in the shortest amount of time. Numerous companies had scouted me for my work in designing new business market strategies, but I refused every offer. I had saved up as much money as I could, working long shifts in America, so that I could apply for citizenship in Japan. I was initially rejected, but we had made plans for a workaround, so that I could legally live in Japan as a citizen.

“We’re here.” Hiroshi said to me, parking his car opposite the building.

I admired the building, it was two-story’s wide. She'd purchased the empty building next to the store, and combined both buildings into one. I could see the shop filled with customers as they walked in and out. The sign atop the building read: ‘Midnight Crusaders: Watch Manufacturing’.

“She’s done a beautiful job with the place,” I mentioned.

“She really has. After Uncle Mitamo retired, she really let the place shine.” Hiroshi explained.

“What are you waiting for? Go and see her, you dumb idiot.” Hanabi yelled at me.

“Apologies, let me go. Thank you for picking me up.” I thanked them.

“Of course, we will drop your luggage at the house. Go enjoy yourself.” Hiroshi replied, igniting the car engine, and driving away.

I walked closer to the store, looking to see who might be inside. Then, I spotted a familiar face at the front desk of the store.

“Hello, there.” I greeted.

He stood up on his hind legs, mouth-agape.

“You…You!” He said.

“Nice to see that you’re alive, Yuta.”

“DEMON HAS RETURNED!” Yuta yelled.

Yuta leapt over the counter, dodging and weaving his way through customers to me. I initially thought he was going to attack me, but he moved himself into my arms.

“David! You’re back!” Yuta exclaimed.

“Of course, I said I would be. You’ve gotten big! You’re no longer a kid, I see.” I said to him.

“I’m already sixteen.” He told me, breaking our hug.

“You work here? Why have you got work clothes on?” I asked.

“I help big-sis on my off days after school. She pays me pretty a looooooot of money.”

“That’s awesome, it seems she’s done a lot to this place.” I stated.

“She has, but because she expanded so much, she needed some help with making the watches.”

“What? She makes watches?”

“Did you not read the sign outside? Are you stupid?”

“Oh, I did.”

“Oh! Wait! Let me go fetch the others!” Yuta yelled, rushing off upstairs.

“Others? Wait, what?” I asked, but he was gone.

Yuta still had the same explosive energy as he did as a kid. As I waited for his return, I inspected the watches on display in the cases. I saw that she had used Hitomi’s schematics to make different watch designs and pocket watches. The brand: ‘M.C’ was engraved on each watch. She was a true genius of her craft. Then, voices echoed from a room in the back of the bottom floor. I decided to take a peek inside and walked. As I walked through the employee only entrance, I was greeted by familiar faces.

“David!” They said.

“Mister and Missus Takahashi?” I asked.

The elderly couple came to hug me. They were much older, but they were still the same.

“David, my boy! You’ve returned!” Missus Takahashi said.

“I said I would…but what are you two doing…working here? What happened to the house?”

“Oh, Hiroshi purchased the house from us for a large-sum. We’re retired now, but we decided to help out at the shop!” Mister Takahashi told me.

“Wow…Hiroshi’s actually a gentleman.” I replied.

“He truly is! He even purchased this building!”

Then, from behind Mister Mitamo appeared before me. He had greyed hair, but was smiling from ear to ear. Mister Mitamo hugged me tightly. He wore work clothes branded with the business logo, I was surprised at his appearance.

“I thought you retired, old man!” I yelled.

“I am retired, you fool! I’m just helping out from time to time. I will always love watches!"

We both laughed at one another, then hugged.

“How are you doing, old man?” I asked him.

“I’m doing amazing. I hope you’ve returned to stay this time, kiddo.”

“I have, I made a promise I would.”

Then, a kick in my backside threw me to the floor. I wheezed in pain; I was getting older; I couldn’t handle big impacts anymore. I rubbed my backside, attempting to ease the pain.

“Hmph, it seems you’ve returned.” A female voice said.

I turned to see the girl…no…woman, Yuki behind me.

“We haven’t seen one another in six years, and this is how you greet me?” I groaned.

Yuki picked me up without effort, setting me to my feet. She embraced me as the pain declined.

“You idiot…you made her wait so long.” Yuki said.

“I know, I know. But I’m here now. How are you doing, Yuki?” I replied.

"I'm good, I'm good..."

Yuki was already eighteen; Hiroshi told me she was national champion for karate at the age of sixteen already. She had a big future ahead of her. She was even taller than me at current. Her sister looked after her in Tokyo as she had begun studying at Tokyo’s university. Her mother had retired, and was dating a man I knew all too well.

"When are we going to see our parents again... they've been traveling the world for two years now." I said to Yuki.

"They are lovebirds, let them soar." Yuki replied.

"My old man better not marry her, just yet... It'll be awkward to marry after they become husband and wife."

"Then you better get married to her, tomorrow!" Mister Mitamo prodded me.

‘Wait a second…’  I thought.

My brain clicked, the person I had come back to Japan for, wasn’t even in the room.

“Wait? Where is she?” I asked.

“Who?” Yuta asked me.

“Misako? You know, the woman I came back for?”

“Oh, her.”

“Yes, you imbecile, her. Where is she?”

“Uh…” Mister Takahashi began, “She’s right behind you.”

My soul jumped out my body. I turned my body to see.

There she was.

Misako had dropped bags of groceries on the floor. She wore a long-vanilla colored dress. Her hair tied into short-buns, it was like the time I first met her in person all those years ago. Misako was shaking, her fists curled into balls. I let go of Yuki, walking up to Misako.

“I’m bac-“

A fist flew into my gut. I had suffered to blows in one day after coming back to Japan. I fell, once again to my knees.

“You hugged another woman before you hugged me!” Misako yelled.

I got up from the floor, walking closer to her again.

She was not angry at me for hugging Yuki,  she was not angry at all.She had tears of elation, they streamed from her face. She was crying, tears of relief, tears of joy.

“I’m back, Misako.” I said as I stood a few centimeters from her.

“You jerk, you never told me you were coming back.” She said to me.

We'd spoken every single day on the phone. Not one day had passed in the years where we did not contact one another. I made the promise to see her face every single day. I'd lied to her, saying I had another month in America before I went back to Japan. I just wanted to surprise her one last time.

“Surprise?” I said.

She threw her hands across my body. I lifted her up from her wheelchair - the same one we purchased for her all those years ago.

“DAVID!” She screamed.

I twisted her in the air. I twisted the love of my life. I knew I was never going to let go of her, ever again. I was going to marry her.

“I love you, Misako.” I mumbled.

“I love you, David!” She yelled.

"Let's get married. Let's share our love with the world. Let's be together, forever."

She nodded.

"You didn't waste any time asking me that question... I thought you'd take time to ask me."

"No way. I want to marry you... right now. Will you be my wife?"

She kissed me.

"Of course, let's get married, David."