Maybe drinking wasn’t such a good thing after all. Koma and her team crushed in my car, snoring away as I searched up their addresses.
“You said you like being a kid too, yet you are the one driving us all home,” Arigato laughed in the passenger seat next to me.
I smiled. “It can’t be help when you have people with such little hopes like them. Ok, let’s drop of Inomi and Durham first.”
“They live together?” Arigato asked.
I nodded. “Roommates. It makes life easier when you can share the bills.”
“What about Koma?” he asked.
“She’s living with her fiance,” I said. “Their wedding’s next year. You should come.”
I felt his smile as he said, “You plan to keep in touch.”
“Of course,” I said as my smile danced on my lips as well.
“Why don’t you roommate too?” he asked, “So you don’t have to live alone.”
I laughed a little. “That’s not the point, Arigato. I like living alone.”
“That’s why you don’t consider yourself alone?”
“Yep,” I nodded.
He sat in silence for a little while before asking, “Ever thought about getting a girlfriend?”
I nodded, “Yep.”
After a second of silence, “And?”
I laughed as I shook my head. “I’m what Koma like to say, the type that have bad luck in love. All my girlfriends either break up with me before anything serious happened or just drift into friendship rather than love.”
“Oh,” he said.
“What about you?” I found myself asking but I didn’t really meant to. It just slipped.
“Nah, all the girls I ever gotten were disapproved by Namaste, so I gave up,” Arigato said.
“Why she disapproved of them?” I asked, more curious than I should be.
“Well, I like girls that are outgoing and sociable. She said they are too into themselves and beauty, not good enough for me.”
I thought of a girl I dated for four months. She was the class president, really outgoing. She talks to everyone and everyone loves her. She sees herself highly and whenever I was with her, I felt good. But that was only illusion because as soon as I’m not with her, I felt just like another person. That’s how we drifted into the land of friendship instead.
“I didn’t know you like those types,” I said.
I felt him shrugged. “They make me happy. Namaste said it’s only for that instant. I believe her too, that’s why I left them and gave up.”
I stopped the car and reach behind to shook up Inomi. “Your stop.”
He woke up and looked out the window. “Thanks man.” Then he turned to Durham and shook him up. “Dude, open the door. We’re home.”
“Huh?” Durham looked out then reached for the door. They both got out. “Thanks, Ken.”
“Goodnight you two,” I said then I watch them go to their apartment door and opened it. They waved before closing the door behind them. “Ok, Koma next.”
“Guys,” Koma said. “I’m sorry for returning with no information.”
“It’s only the first week,” Arigato assured her. I smiled.
“Still,” she sighed. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s ok,” I said this time. “We turned up with nothing either, so don’t think too much about it.”
She sighed again then said, “You should keep in touch so you two can come to my wedding. I’m sure your sister would love it.”
“She will,” he answered her. “She likes fantasy a lot.”
Koma stayed silent but I can feel her relief.
Soon I dropped her off and waved goodnight to her and her husband as well.
“What’s your address?” I asked.
He seemed to hesitated before saying, “I don’t want to go home right now. Mother, she will question me and I’m not in the mood to answer.”
“Where have you been staying then?”
“At a motel,” he said then sighed. “I don’t even sleep in it. Sometimes I just stay at a 24 hours cafe.”
I sighed. “Wanna sleep over at my place then?”
Through I am focusing on the road I can feel him staring at me.
“What?” I asked. “Don’t trust me?”
He chuckled a little. “No. It just came as surprise since you said you like living alone.”
“A little company sometimes doesn’t hurt,” I said. “Beside, I was thinking about forcing you to sleep because you looked like you haven’t slept since the last time I forced you to sleep.”
“That’s true,” he said.
“Then my place it is,” I smiled at him quickly before returning my attention to the road.
When he stayed in silence, I glance at him and saw his smile and calm face. He looked so much better, way better than when I met him those first couple days. “You looked better.”
“Huh?” he sounded confused but then laughed a little. “I guess. You’ve been a good company.”
“Glad to know I can make someone who's as worried as you are happy.”
“With you, I’m actually less worried and more motivated to look for her.”
“That’s too much of a compliment,” I said with sarcasm.
“I think it’s not enough,” he said with a serious tone instead. “Thank you, Ken.”
Suddenly I felt embarrassed. “Oh man, you’re making me embarrassed.”
“What?” he asked with confusion then said, “Sorry,” in a little voice that told me he’s embarrassed now as well. I smiled.
In the comfort silence of my car, a phone starting ringing. The ringtone was cute, like spring days with a parade and all sunshine and happiness.
“Hello?” I heard Arigato answered with shock.
I looked at him quickly, our eyes caught each other, shock was written all over his face, then I turned back to the road. Then I heard the little girl voice, sweet and sad.
“Brother?” she said. “Hi. Sorry.”
“Namaste!” he said. “Where are you - ”
“No, listen!” she stopped him. After a pause, she continued. “I saw the news, why did you chose such an ugly picture of me?” her voice was light but as she realized that Arigato wasn’t in the mood, she quickly changed it. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you worry. I’m just at Bonmi.”
“Bonmi?!” Arigato echoed her. “How did you get there?”
“She took the bus!” a female voice, louder and more mature, said. “Then she called me to pick her up.”
“How did you get the ticket?” he asked his sister.
“I bought it from a pair of travelers. They had extra,” her voice seem to trail off. “I’m ok, Ari. Seriously. I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were going to be - “
“You didn’t know!” Arigato shouted. “You knew I only have you, yet you just left! Of course - “ he turned to me when I lay my right hand on his shoulder. I gave him a quick smile before turning to the road.
“Ari?” she sounded worry, sad, and mad all at once.
“I’m sorry,” he said with a calm voice. My hand returned to the steering wheel. I smiled. They are so a like in so many ways, and that nickname is very cute. “I shouldn’t yelled like that, but you did gave me a scare. For a whole week you didn’t even answer your phone and nothing showed up. I got worry. And you, Bonmi! Why didn’t you call?”
“Sorry,” the more mature voice said. “She lip blocked me.”
“No I didn’t!” Namaste said.
Arigato sighed and a smile was on his face when I glanced at him. My smile grew.
“Look what you done. I’m with the officer and three forces that are beat up because of you,” Arigato said. “You better give them a proper apologizes.”
“I will,” Namaste answered. “I’m sorry. I just wanted some alone time.”
“I understand,” he said. “But you should’ve told me first. Don’t ever do that again.”
“I’m sorry,” she said again, then she was sniffing and sobbing.
“Remind me of you,” I said.
Arigato laughed. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Ok,” she said through the sobs.
“I love you,” Arigato said.
She was silent before saying, “I love you too, Ari!”
He hung up and sighed loudly.
“Wanna go home then?” I asked.
His hand grab my shoulder and his weight was on it as he lean over and kiss me on the cheek. “Thank you.”
I felt my face flushed. “No distracting the driver, please!”
He chuckled then said, “Gosh I’m so happy right now. That Namaste!”
“Who’s Bonmi?” I asked.
“Namaste’s first through fifth grade teacher and second mother. She’s the reason why Namaste wanted to run away that first time when Dad remarried but not to Bonmi.”
I laughed. Then waited for a second before asking, “My place, still?”
I felt his stare as he said, “If I’m still welcome.”
I smiled. “If you still want to.”
“If I’m wanted.”
It felt like a challenge, so I looked at him with a silly smile and said, “You’re wanted.”