Remember Me, Baby.
Just a Stranger

The entire operation plan was carefully planned. Andrew and Clark will impersonate one of the guests using their identities as real estate entrepreneurs from Europe. They'll try to get Mr.'s attention. Kobayashi boasted, of course, about the size of their company and the amount of their income per year. Then when the mafia boss falls into a trap and invites them to the VIP room he used to blackmail his victims, that's where the mission will be.

All exit routes and backup plans are in place, just in case something unexpected happens. Satoru and Naoko—two Mr.'s men. Tanaka—which will take care of the transportation part. They will move Andrew, Clark, and Kobayashi Sora to a safe house. Meanwhile, Jovanka and Jimmy are tasked with distracting the bodyguards and helping carry out a backup plan in case the first plan fails.

It was late in the evening when Andrew and Clark exited the white house— as they both named the EEL headquarters. Their car was ready in front of the main lobby. Clark received the key from the young man who had parked their car and bowed at a glance.

“Thank you,” he said before opening the car door and starting the engine.

They circled the building, following the instructions to exit towards the highway through the gate on the east side. The bustling main road again welcomed after passing through the automatic crossbar. The pedestrians are getting more and more in a hurry. Maybe because they want to pursue dinner time with their families at home.

Clark glanced at Andrew who was seriously staring out the window. He knew his best friend was planning something, or maybe he was considering something. The look on his face was really hard to guess. Clark knew he couldn't do anything to help Andrew. Garry has not provided the information needed, let alone himself who has never even met Miss Sakamoto. However, at least .. he can help Andrew not be too depressed.

“You want to have fun for a minute?” haggle while typing in the GPS search field.

“Hum,” murmured Andrew slowly. It needs a little entertainment. Staying at home can make him think of things he shouldn't think about.

“Alright, let's get some fresh air before going back to dive!” clark shouted as he clenched his hand on the wheel.

The sound of squeaking tires rang out loud enough as Clark turned the steering wheel to the right, following GPS directions to Ginza. It just so happened that he had already planned this when he knew their mission would be carried out in Japan. The man had already found out the pleasant places to visit. Ginza is one of the best izakaya-4 regions in Japan. There are many interesting places they can visit there, ranging from the lower to upper middle class.

Clark stopped in front of a building that wasn't particularly conspicuous. After giving the car keys to the valet, the two men walked in, approaching two guards wearing black suits in front of the entrance. Clark thrust his phone to scan. Just for a moment, then the guards gave them permission to enter. It made Andrew a little suspicious that Clark had prepared all this before.

“You've booked this place?” asked Andrew while looking at his best friend with a probing highlight.

Clark grinned widely and played his eyebrows and replied, “Yep. I've been ordering it since we left Moscow. I was going to invite you here after our task is done .. but, it seems you need it now.”

Andrew could only sigh and throw his face away. Can he protest? After all, he really needs to loosen all his nerves that feel tense. He circulated the view to observe the building which was apparently wider than he originally thought. The interior design includes semi-modern, although there are still some carvings of dragons and koi fish on the doors and windows. Some of the patterns and architecture of the building have adapted a lot of Western culture. What a perfect blend.

“Lewat here,” said Clark while pointing to the hallway to the elevator, “I booked a place on the rooftop. According to the internet, the view from there is more beautiful.”

Again Andrew just kept quiet and followed his best friend without refuting. He has absolutely no energy to argue or protest, only to follow Clark until they finally stop by the balcony.

Andrew remained without comment as Clark picked a seat in a slightly open space. Some decorations of live flowers are placed in small pots, look harmonious with other ornaments that are used as displays. You could say, this place is not too ordinary, but also not too luxurious. Andrew praised Clark in his heart. His best friend was most familiar with finding a comfortable place.

“Sumimasen!” clark raised his hand.

A young man who still looked young but was quite experienced approached their table. Quickly and eloquently, Clark ordered several types of alcoholic beverages and their side dishes.

“Give us two bottles each of sake-5, umeshu-6, and sochu-7,“ Clark said while rubbing his hands vigorously.

“What?” his hiss when he saw Andrew glaring at him, “We are in Japan, of course we have to enjoy traditional Japanese drinks. Would you like to order fruit juice?”

“You spent yourself,” threatened Andrew while crossing.

“Give me a beer,” the door to the waiter. He had tried sake before and did not like the taste too much.

“Good, Sir. Anything else?”

Clark ignores the ramblings of his best friend and returns to order, “Baw also two servings of nabe-8 and yakisoba-9 noodles. Oh, also edamame beans .. I want to try everything.”

“Good. Please wait a minute.”

Clark smiled broadly when his order came shortly after. He poured the sake into a glass and finished it up the toilet.

“Quick drinking. After this I'll take you to have fun in Shibuya,” Clark commands while thrusting a glass filled with beer on Andrew.

Andrew was about to raise the glass and bring it closer to his mouth when his tail caught a small movement near the north balcony. The familiar silhouette appeared to be talking to someone on a mobile phone. His face looked very serious and a little displeased, making Andrew frown in curiosity.

Clark who noticed the drastic change in Andrew's face immediately followed the direction of the man's gaze. He turned around, looking to see who or what had caught his best friend's attention.

“Drew?” muttered Clark while twitching a few times, “Your painting is alive? He followed us here?”

Andrew did not dare to blink. He did not answer Clark's question for fear that he was hallucinating. Their chance to meet accidentally like this was arguably one in a thousand, let alone two times in a row in a fairly close-knit time frame. In addition, he believes the city of Tokyo is not narrow. It's not easy to cross paths with someone like this without making an appointment first. Unless ... unless someone has arranged it ….

Destiny?

Or is it really a coincidence and an accident?

“Andrew?” call Clark in a warning tone when he sees his best friend standing up.

Now he believes Andrew is not just making it up. He himself could not believe the girl actually existed, looking a hundred percent like a painting made by Andrew. There is no difference in the least. Starting from posture, how to stand, hair that is scattered and blown by the wind, to a thin smile that appears on his face. It really was him.

The shock on the girl's face before him made Andrew slightly retreat. Somehow he had arrived near Sakamoto Keiko .. his girl.

Keiko is too surprised to forget that her phone is still connected to Hiro. They had already made an appointment to eat at this place, but Hiro suddenly could not come. Then, suddenly the strange man was standing in front of him, looking at him with a look that ... full of longing? This is really weird.

“Hallo, Miss. Forgive me for my scepticism this afternoon. Oh, I haven't been able to introduce myself well. I—“

“Honey, who is talking to you?”

The loud voice from the phone shocked Andrew and Keiko as well.

The girl hurriedly brought her phone closer to her ear and walked away. Faintly, Andrew could still hear the sound of his merdunya being carried away by the wind.

“Nobody. Just a stranger. Come quickly when you're done. I'll wait for you.”

Keiko squeezed her phone tightly. The look in the foreign man's eyes made him flutter in a strange way. And again, the man was not like a stranger, as if they had known each other before. However, he could not remember clearly.

Andrew stared at Keiko's small back away with an indecipherable expression. His right hand held the glass tightly until his knuckles turned white.

A stranger.

Yep. The two of them were only strangers bound by a strange destiny. Destiny which he himself did not understand. However, if he could choose .. he would still choose to love the girl.

“Nona!” call Andrew while chasing after Keiko who has almost reached the door.

Keiko froze, not daring to turn to the source of the voice that made it seem as if she was losing her mind.

“Nona, please tell your name,” pinta Andrew politely. He did not want to scare the girl by leaking that he already knew everything.

Keiko clenched her hands in front of her chest. After taking one deep breath that felt heavy, he said, “I'm engaged, Sir. Find another girl to play with. I hope we never see each other again.”

After saying that sentence, Keiko pulled the door leaf and rushed out.

“You are wrong, Miss ... We will meet often,” murmured Andrew while staring at where the girl was standing.

From his seat, Clark watched all of that while holding his breath. Now he can only hope that their mission is completed so that he can drag Andrew back to Paris. It seems like handing Andrew over to Mr. Roux in order to be married off to Cecille is a good choice rather than seeing his silly dead best friend here.

***

Note:

Izakaya which literally means "on-site (dine-in) sake shop", is a typical Japanese bar/restaurant that serves dishes in small portions to accompany ordered drinks.

Very popular to be a place to hang out a bunch of friends or coworkers. There are casual to classy dishes with a variety of menu choices.

Source: https://id.japantravel.com/guide/semua-tentang-izakaya/27758

Sake: a Japanese alcoholic beverage derived from fermented rice.

Umeshu: a Japanese alcoholic drink made with steeping ume plum (still raw and green)

Shochu, the alcohol content is higher than sake or wine, but lower than whiskey. The taste and aroma of shochu is very different from sake because the raw material is a mixture of various types of agricultural products and tubers.

Japanese steamboat cooked in a pot and containing vegetables, meat, fish, etc.

Yakisoba: cooking Japanese fried noodles with noodles, cabbage, vegetables and meat, plus seasoning uster sauce or yakisoba sauce.

source: wikipedia

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