* JFC isn't sure if he needs a dentist or a barf bag.
barf bag... the dentist's clinic is full...
Only question left is if Shiba-chan can get a signal while she's there.
I've already spoken to an ISP... they promised that she can get a signal...
Their little flirting was ...
... I can tell he speaks Tagalog on purpose. Man, Rika shoulda licked the gravy off her cheek!
definitely... ... he wants to leave yossui out of the conversation?
... i know! she really should have... but whenever i mentioned the gravy thing to her she just plugs her ears and sings "Lalalala~ I don't hear you" ... nice melody...
Rika and Yossie are so cute they put babies to shame.
Poor Joseph
...
that was me attempting to be sympathetic
But in all reality
I don't care what happens to him
me too... kinda shameful on my part, ne~?
MWHAHAHA Joseph you don't stand a chance.... wow that was pretty evil of me sorry Joe maybe-
...
...
nope can't do it
YAY ISHIYOSHI!!!!
YAY ISHIYOSHI!!!!
I'm a tiiiny bit sympathetic since they are being so lovey dovey in front of him. But its IshiYoshi we're talking about no original character stands a chance.
... yeah... poor guy... he practically stopped existing to IshiYoshi that moment...
joseph:
gloop:
i love your quick updates~! keep 'em comin
thanks... here's another one... hmm...
ahh what a sweet moment of ishiyoshi, i think joseph should leave, he stands no chance against yossie
... Okay... so there's a general consensus that this guy is no match for the awesomeness of yossui... ... but i think he ain't leaving just yet...
UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's already three o'clock in the afternoon. Rika spent the past few hours talking with both Joseph and Yossui. Yossui seemed cool about the whole thing but Joseph looked a bit apprehensive. Rika felt awkward as the two didn't talk to each other and would speak only to her.
Hitomi's cellphone rang. She looked at the display to see who's calling. "Ka-chan, I need to take this call..." She whispered to Rika who just nodded at her. She excused herself from the two as she stepped out of the room.
Joseph finally could breathe again. Things that were gnawing at his curiosity found their way out of him. "... Rika... Bakit mo nga pala kailangan mo ng bodyguard?" (... Rika... Why do you need a bodyguard anyway?)
"... ah... yun? ..." (... ah... that? ...) Rika didn't see that coming. Well, she knew she should have. After all, she and Hitomi had that debate again right in front of him. "... ah... kasi... ..." (... ah... it's because...)
Think, Rika, think!. "Kasi si Hitomi... negosyante siya..." (Becuase Hitomi... she owns a business...)
Right... way to go, Rika . "May mga kalaban... " (She has tough competitors...)
"Baka ikaw ang puntiryahin?" (And they can target you?)
Rika just nodded. She didn't like lying and she really felt bad after lying twice today. First to Tita Eula and now to her friend, Joseph. But she didn't have a choice.
Joseph leaned back on his chair. "... Bakit naman kasi, siya pa..." (Why her?)
"Ano?" (What?)
Joseph closed his eyes. "Kung hindi kayo kayo, hindi mo na kakailanganin ng bantay... Pinapahamak mo lang yung sarili mo e..." (If you aren't together, you wouldn't need a bodyguard... You're just putting yourself in danger...)
"Jo... Kaibigan kita pero hindi ko gusto ang tono ng pagkakasabi mo nyan..." (Jo... You're my friend but I don't like your tone when you said that)
"Totoo naman, di ba?" (It's true, isn't it?)
"Mahal ko si Hitomi..." (I love Hitomi...)
"Ako--" (I--) Joseph was interrupted by Hitomi's re-entry into the room. She had a huge bouquet of white dandelions in one hand, a basket of fruits on the other and a huge smile on her face.
Rika was clearly surprised. She stared wide-eyed at the bouquet. Dandelions were her favorite flowers. Her mother used to grow them in their garden.
Joseph looked at the huge bouquet Hitomi held. They were beyond compare. The carnations he bought from *Dangwa that he brought this morning couldn't measure against them.
Hitomi walked past him to the table.
She carefully placed the basket on the table. "These are for your Tita and whoever's gonna stay here for tonight... and Jr in case he wakes up... Dole was nice enough to have one basket sent here every other day..." She walked slowly to Rika who was glued to her chair, her jaw dropped. "~white Japanese dandelions, for you~... carefully picked this morning and shipped directly from home~"
Rika couldn't believe it. She hasn't seen this specie since she left Kanagawa 5 years ago. "... ... ... Home?"
"Ni~ppon~..." Hitomi handed the bouquet to her and kissed her on the forehead. "I ordered them this morning after dropping you off at the train station... so it took them about five hours to get to you..."
Rika looked up at her prince. "They're beautiful... ... how did you--?"
Ah... Ayumi... Hitomi just kept the huge smile on her face. She was pleased at Rika's reception of the first phase of her surprise. She then turned to Joseph. "Is it alright if you come over in her place in the morning tomorrow? She'll still come over but she'll be a bit late..."
Joseph, still in shock could only nod. His rival was frimmin'** loaded.
"Thank you. I'm glad Rika has a friend we can depend on in times of emergencies..."
"Emergencies? What's the emergency, To-chan?"
"Well, tomorrow, I'm going to have the monthly video conference with the board officers... The emergency is Ken. I told him about us the other day and he was ecstatic. He wants to see you right away. So he's joining the meeting tomorrow so that he can talk to you after... I also want you to meet someone..."
Rika looked towards Joseph who was hyphaluted at the moment. "... Is it really okay, with you, Jo?"
"Of course it's okay with him. Right, Jo?" Hitomi walked to Jo's side and gave him a pat on the back.
Jo looked up at Hitomi and nodded.
"All right! I hope I can be friends with you, Joseph~" In her mind, Hitomi had her evil grin on.
Keep friends close, and rivals closer Rika smiled at the two. She was glad that it appeared that her friend and her lover are getting along better now. There's still some tension but Hitomi's gestures distracted her from them. "By the way, Jo... What's your cellphone number? so I can call you when necessary..."
"A... oo nga naman... 09176649311..." (A... right... #)
Rika encoded the number on her phone and saved it in her phonebook. "I'll just drop you a missed call so you won't have to write mine down."
"Okay..."
A loud knock broke the conversation and a loud call from outside shook Rika. The person who knocked slowly opened the door. It was Mayumi. "Bisita po~" (Visitors are here~) Hitomi quickly walked to Rika's side and held her hand tight. She gave a side glance at Joseph.
Joseph noticed the uneasainess in Rika's actions and the side glance Hitomi gave him. Although he didn't understand what was going on, he decided to go along whatever the two were doing. It seemed that Rika needed his help.
To make things worse, Mayumi wasn't alone. Behind her stood a man whom Rika could not even look at.
Tears slowly formed in her eyes. Nothing can be a worse than this. They were adding insult to injury and they should know it.
Hitomi squeezed Rika's hand. The gesture caused Rika to look at Hitomi just as the prince mouthed words that gave Rika the strength to just get through this: "I love you."
Trembling, Rika let go of Hitomi's hand and made mano to her stepmother. She simply bowed to her "stepfather". Hitomi made mano to Mayumi too and shook Dan's hand as she introduced herself to them. "Yoshizawa Tomi desu. Rika-chan no Koibito. It's nice to meet you."
Mayumi blushed. "Yoshizawa-san, you don't need to make mano to me... the age gap between Rika and I isn't that wide..."
"But you ARE her stepMOTHER... It is only proper for me to show respect to you with that in mind. I am glad to finally have met you."
The rapport Hitomi exuded to them convinced Mayumi that this can't be the guy who socked Baldo. She didn't know how Rika bagged this one but what matters now is to prevent herself from groping at this handsome fellow here and plot on how to get Rika back. It is pretty obvious that the plan could not be executed today.
"Rika, iha... Kami muna rerelyebo sayo dito... Hindi pwede si Eula ngayon e, overtime sa trabaho... E wala naman kaming gagawin nitong si Dan... Pwede na kayong umuwi muna..." (Rika, dear... We're going to be your substitutes here... Eula can't make it... overtime at work... Dan and I don't have anything to do anyway... So you can go home now...)
Rika looked at Joseph giving him the quiet sign while side-glancing at Hitomi. Hopefully he got the message. "Jo, we're going on ahead of you, okay?"
"O, sige..." (Okay...)
"Thank you po, Tita... Tito Dan..." Rika got the two bouquets and proceeded to the door. "Mauuna na po kami..." (We're going on ahead...)
"Mag-iingat kayo..." (Be careful...) Mayumi led them to the door, patting Hitomi on the back.
As soon as the door closed, and Mayumi was surely out of sight, Rika cried. Hitomi simply embraced her, assisted her as they walked back to her car and whispered to Rika repetetively. "Don't be afraid... I'm here and I love you..."