Exporters for Hire

We're on a hill, well, on the sidewalk that's on the hill and the part of town we came to was by the coast so you can still smell the salt in the air. It's so nice to be here, back in Japan that is. I feel like I always need to clarify myself, sometimes it gets me in trouble, anyways. There was a train that actually went through Kitigawa but we went by car-I guess I should stop overthinking this and just realize it's all part of the journey; so, they say. Her dream, wanting to find every fruit species in the world. That's mine, I'm living it and I love it. Traveling coast to coast just to find fruit and eat it, well research and do all the boring paperwork which ironically funds what I'm doing right now. Weird. I don't think we're actually in Kiti-no we're in the coastal city next to it and we've just been walking in silence, the three of us. When she called him on the phone, I knew it was him. Always checking on me which, isn't a bad thing. I mean, he wasn't wrong, all of my assistants did qu-

"Hey, check out the stars."

We both looked, and I'll admit, I'm actually worried for my job this time around. Sometimes you just get that weird feeling at your job like you're about to get fired. It's very subtle, but it's there. I say that to say, that I don't know if I have the time for all this frivolous, running around and stuff. Ridge's been on the phone the whole time, didn't even greet me or anything. But as I was saying before, my or the assistants that worked for me couldn't handle the trips anymore, so they decided to quit. I don't know, I was, no, not demanding, that's not the word, it's like, what's the word, it's ah! It's a handful. They picked up a lot of my slack and the only one who has stuck around was or well, is Ridge. 

"Are you listening?"

"Not really, to be honest."

"Thinking about work stuff."

"Mmmm, no, but yes. I don't know what I'm thinking." And I really don't. "How come we've stopped here?"

"You mean in Nahari? Well, I just wanted to see the beach or ocean and Ridge, uh, your friend, had messaged me before saying that he'd be here."

He messaged her all that. How much research had he done? Way ta go. Less work for mee-"Oh, okay. Wait, so how did that happen? You know, the two of you getting all acquainted." I'm curious, like, I need to know how he got the drop on me. "He always does this."

"But he said you always do this. Haha, so which is it? Someone's lying." she cracked that small smile she has, you know, I just thought about this, but she's a lot taller than I thought or realized. She has a look of someone who's from Japan, but "Hey, have you been abroad before?  I remember, you were telling me about your dream, uh, before."

"Russia."

"Russia?"

"Yeah, Russia. I went there to study when I was in college because I was interested in some of their literature, and I decided to learn the language. But outside of that, no not really. But I've been all over Japan, the island-what?"

Crap, "Uh, ha, what? You were talking about your experiences abroad and I was listening, ha."

"Yeah, but you made this face, hm-hm. Whatever." It was a half-moon tonight and maybe it's because we're elevated that I feel we're so close to the stars. What face is she talking about?

"And don't even say you don't know what I'm talking about, because you do."

"Haha, I, uh what? Did we only come here for the beach?"

"No, we didn't. Sorry, I've been on a call the whole time, its, yeah, solved. There's actually this really cool place I found that isn't even just about yuzus at this point. It's a larger-well I'll tell you tomorrow."

"You were behind us?" 

"Yeah, he's been walking a few steps behind us the entire time. I thought you knew Mr. Professor. Although, you probably hoped he wasn't."

"And why is that?"

"Yeah, why is that? We're bros, right boss?"

"Egh, don't call me boss." But I guess, "I guess we're cool. You do a lot for me. That's the truth. Even though I know you just want a recommendation."

"I do. I'll stick around as long as I have to for that."

You see? The true nature of people. I'll let her comment go, what was that about? We've turned around now and it's like we're in a mini valley type of thing. You could see the other part of the city from this view, it's amazing. I wish I could do this without the restraint, the need to turn in papers and all the extra stuff. Just collect fruit, you know? Wait, how did Rich get here? "Rich, how'd you get here?"

"Took a train."

I knew it! "Rin, how come we didn't take the train?"

"Hahaha, of course it's because of the adventure. I didn't know you speak Russian! How amazing!" 

 "You didn't ask!"

I actually learned it some time ago, not fluently, there was this woman, she was from Russia, it's a long story. "Anyways, what's so interesting about this city?"

"What's interesting is," she stopped to turn around at the two of us "...is that there is an underground, how do you say, uh, exporter," she turned towards me, "Exporter."

"Ok, thanks I didn't know the word in English or Japanese, I was like ahh, anyways, there's this exporter, who supposedly gets all types of shipments from throughout the world."

"And to add on to that, wait, how do you know about that? It took me weeks to find that out." So, he did do research before coming here.

"I'm in the business. You could say, well, my father is, I just do his dirty work." What she does is dirty work? We walked back to the car, and I guess Rich rented a car too, he must have company money I don't know about. I want to pay for something, but she just keeps paying for it. "You know," she looked at her phone, " I think Tony is still working there, or at least he used to." Tony, don't tell me he's an Italian mob boss? Ok, ok, maybe I'm stereotyping.

"So, who are these people? How do we know they can be trusted and what kind of stuff do-I mean, like what is it that is research worthy about this place?"

"Ha, since when do you care about the research?"

"I always have. I think it's important to document what we find as scientists, and travelers alike, I just hate deadlines. That's all."

"Well, that's reality. Don't worry, I covered your ass this time, wait, no, again. I called the Dean, that's who I was on the phone with. Dude, you didn't even turn in your travel itinerary. What gives?"

"I forgot."

"You forgot, ha, okay! Bro, you can't keep doing this. You won't be able to achieve your dream this way and you're gonna get us without a grant!" We all stopped at the car she rented, "And what dream is that?"

"He wants to collect the most perfect piece of fruit from every species that exists. You forgot, ha, wow. That's all you can say, bro?"

"So, you do believe in the ripest fruit? And you think this is achievable?" I finally took my eyes off Ridge for a second, and what gives? Talking about this in front of her. A stranger. Who was oddly well connected. I really wonder how I fit into all of this. "Of course, I told you I already did, okay, I want to meet this Tony guy or whatever it is. We can talk about this later, okay Ridge?"

"Yeah, sure." he shrugged, "We have enough research to present. Like I told you, we can probably leave tomorrow." And for a split second, I thought I saw her look at me when he said that. 

Ridge apparently got a hotel; he said it was on the company. But-whatever. Whatever. It was 70 bucks and wait, no, I didn't bring anything. I thought I had left something there. Only music is playing, windows down. It feels nice the breeze, it was dark now so you could actually see the stars a lot better. She was really acting weird. "Shin."

"Hm?"

"Shin."

"Why are you telling me your name? I already know it."

What? What is she talking about? "I thought you said you wanted to know my name."

Looking ahead, her long black hair blew strand by strand, "Only if you wanted me to know it."

"But if you know it...that doesn't make sense."

"You know, I don't do this for everyone. It's kinda insulting that you thought or think I do."

Where is this coming from, why is she acting like this? "Do what? We're just driving. And you offered to help me with my research and stuff. I thought you were enjoying your time." Well, at least I hoped she was.

"And I am."

"So, what's the big deal? I don't get it." I really don't. I want to understand her but she's just, I don't know, so unpredictable. "There is no deal. I didn't mean it negatively, I only meant that I am enjoying my time. It's exhausting, going from place to place. It's just-I've never met someone so interested in fruit. Why?"

"Why, you mean like, why I'm interested in that?"

"Yeah."

"I don't know. I just like patterns, groups, organized categories of things and the fruit kingdom is so wide and the science hasn't caught up with all the new data and fruit being found and I want to be on the cutting edge of all of it." Maybe I said too much, the passion escapes.

She just made that smile again! It cracks on the side of her lips "This guy, Tony that we're going to meet, they're, hm-hm."

"What?"

"Well, the-ok. They're kinda shady."

Duh, "Duh, I figured that much. I'm just surprised that Ridge actually found them out. Huh, that's interesting."

"Anyways, I just wanted to let you know. We can go first thing in the morning, tomorrow. I don't know how to explain it-"

"You don't have to."

"N-n-no, but I want to. They're like exporters for hire. They do jobs for the government," Wait, what? "random businessmen with money, civilians, basically anyone who can give them money. What they'll do is ship in and out packages, crates full of gas, oil, drugs and also food that government doesn't ship in, whatever you want, really." she shrugged.

"Stuff that's out of season, not up to food standards, or things they can't afford."

"And there's a lot of fruit you can find that you can't find anywhere else, that you can get if you have a little money." she said. 

"Who are you?" I want to know, but then again, I like not knowing. 

"Rin."

"Yeah, but who are you for real? Why are you doing all this?"

"Is it wrong to just want to go on an adventure with someone?"

"But why with me? You know all these people, and connections, and... I feel this is something bigger than I wanted it to be." But I do love the adventure. We have to go, report this stuff back for our grant, but I don't know. My feet are planted. I don't want to leave for some reason.

"Well, I've never met anyone like you. I just wonder if you'll continue to surprise me."

Her hair kept blowing in the wind, it was faint at night, but you could see the red of her lips, forming that smile she always does. 

***