Chapter Fifty-Four: Taking and Eating (1/2)

Sachiko Fujimura entered the room carrying a wooden tray, setting down teacups and plates of pudding on the table one by one. Ayako Fujimura soon returned as well, draping a camel-colored wool coat over her arm.

“I’ve already contacted the local laundry. They’ll send someone over soon to pick up Mr. Ye Zhao’s clothes. Until then, please make do with this coat for now.”

Although Ye Zhao couldn’t quite understand why a household of only two women would keep men’s clothing around, it was probably something left behind by Ayako’s ex-husband or former boyfriend. Hesitating, Ye Zhao said, “Really, there’s no need to go to so much trouble.”

Ayako smiled faintly. “It was my oversight—I shouldn’t have let you wear old clothes. Let me buy you a new coat.”

“That’s not necessary,” Ye Zhao quickly interjected. “This one will do just fine, and I’ll return it to you later.” With that, he changed out of his dirty clothes right there in the living room and put on the coat—it fit surprisingly well, though its style was a bit outdated.

…

Dinner was held at a refined Japanese restaurant in the city, with Ayako, naturally, playing the host. In the elegantly decorated private room, Ayako sat at the head of the table, with Ye Zhao and Sachiko on either side, while Shun Takeda and Yuki Kamimura humbly took the lowest seats, doing their best to remain invisible throughout the meal.

Perhaps due to her years of performing in kimono, Ayako’s mannerisms exuded a certain classical grace. Even dressed in a stylish knit top, she gave the impression of sharing company with a beauty from another era.

“I really enjoy your music, Ye Zhao. I’ve always wanted to meet you, but I never expected to run into you here in Akita,” Ayako said softly. Despite being an enka singer, she was a die-hard rock fan.

“I never expected to meet you either, Ayako—” and to have your daughter dump hot cocoa all over me, he silently added.

Sachiko asked curiously, “Mom, is this gentleman also an entertainer?” Not being a fan of celebrities or gossip, the name Ye Zhao was still unfamiliar to her.

“Ye Zhao is currently the most popular new singer. Even kindergarteners know how to sing his ‘Summer Colors.’”

“Oh,” Sachiko replied indifferently. “Well, I wouldn’t know out here in the countryside.”

Ayako smiled knowingly. “This time, I’ve come home to take you to Tokyo. I’ve already made arrangements with a school for you.”

“Really?!” Sachiko’s surprise and delight were written all over her face.

“When have I ever lied to you?” Ayako’s tone softened. “To be honest, it’s my fault. I’ve been so focused on my career these years that I haven’t fulfilled my responsibilities as a mother.”

Sachiko tried to comfort her. “Aunt Yamei used to come by and take care of me… Of course, that isn’t the same as having you here.” The story of her father’s suicide over her mother was well known, and relatives had always treated the mother and daughter coldly. The harsh criticism Sachiko had endured over the years was unimaginable, and perhaps her brash, rebellious facade was just a way to protect her vulnerable heart.

Ayako glanced apologetically at Ye Zhao. “I’m sorry you had to witness our family affairs.”

“It’s no trouble at all,” Ye Zhao joked to lighten the mood. “In fact, being able to observe Ayako starring in a family drama is an honor for me.”

Ayako covered her mouth with a laugh. “You really do have a way with words.” She continued, “Ye Zhao, is your trip to Akita for work or pleasure?”

“Ayako, you can just call me Ye or Yu-chan. I’m here in Akita to promote my new single.”

“In that case, I’ll call you Ye. And you don’t have to keep calling me ‘senpai’ every other sentence,” Ayako replied. “So, what made you decide to promote your single here, Ye? The market here can’t compare to Tokyo’s metropolis—it's even smaller than some neighboring prefectures.”

“Well, since this single doesn’t have a tie-up, I needed to find other ways to get exposure. Besides, it's a winter release, so I thought I’d start in Hokkaido and work my way southward.”

“Oh, I see,” Ayako said, somewhat surprised. “I know BEING artists don’t often appear on TV, but it’s rare to see a single promoted without a tie-up. By the way, Ye, what’s the name of your single?”

“‘WINTER, AGAIN.’” Ye Zhao turned to Yuki Kamimura. “Did you bring a copy today?”

Yuki quickly reached for his shoulder bag. “I brought one—I was planning to give it to the producer at Akita Broadcasting.” He hurriedly handed the single to Ye Zhao.

Ye Zhao passed it to Ayako. “Please have a listen, Ayako.”

Ayako accepted it. “Thank you. But I don’t have anything to give you in return…” She thought for a moment, then took out her cardholder, pulled out a business card, jotted down a phone number on a slip of paper, and handed both over. “Let’s exchange contact information. We can get in touch again once we’re back in Tokyo.”

Since Ayako had taken the initiative to exchange contacts, Ye Zhao quickly took out his own business card and copied down her number. The title on Ayako’s card read “Enka Singer,” but it was the tiny letters at the bottom that caught Ye Zhao’s eye—her agency was listed as:

“BRUNING?” Ye Zhao hesitated. “Ayako, you’re with BRUNING?”

Ayako smiled knowingly. “Don’t worry. I have no such prejudices. Even if you’re a BEING artist, I won’t draw lines over company rivalries.”

Indeed, Ayako had known who he was from the start. If she were the sort to care about company rivalries, like Kyoko Koizumi, she would have just left money for the ruined clothes and walked away, instead of inviting him home and even hosting a dinner to apologize. Though Ye Zhao’s current troubles had been caused by BRUNING’s machinations, a company was one thing and its artists another. Since Ayako could make that distinction, Ye Zhao couldn’t very well lump everyone together either.

Thinking this, Ye Zhao smiled. “Since you say so, Ayako, I won’t give it another thought.”

…

In the end, Ye Zhao never got the chance to return the coat Ayako lent him. The day after their dinner together, when he called to arrange returning it, Ayako apologized over the phone, saying she’d had to rush back to Tokyo unexpectedly and had already left Akita that morning with Sachiko.

It wasn’t anything important, so Ye Zhao figured he could return it when he was back in Tokyo, and put the matter out of his mind. That morning, Shun Takeda received a call from Kota Obara, a producer at Akita Broadcasting. On the line, Obara explained that the radio station had received a flood of song requests the previous night and wanted to invite Ye Zhao to appear on their evening broadcast.

When Takeda came to ask, Ye Zhao agreed without hesitation. He was here to promote his single, not to sulk. Yesterday’s public performance in the city had simply been a way to sow a few seeds, and now that they’d begun to sprout, he had no reason to turn down an opportunity that had presented itself.

After the radio appearance, even though the single promotion schedule was tight and there were still many places left to visit, Ye Zhao decided to linger in Akita for another day of leisure. He took Takeda and Kamimura with him to Echigo-Yuzawa for a little company-funded vacation, making a pilgrimage to the setting of “Snow Country.”

“Ye Zhao, are you sure it’s okay to take time off from promoting the single?” Kamimura seemed more anxious than Ye Zhao himself.

“We don’t get to visit Yuzawa often. Relax and enjoy yourself. Work is important, but you can’t let it chain you down.” Ye Zhao reassured him lightly, then turned and wandered off to browse for local specialties at a nearby shop.