Knowing me, Knowing Love - Chapter 2 Kaede supposed he should be angry with the guy standing at his doorstep in such an arrogant manner. But he was not. Instead, he felt relieved that he did not feel anything. How he wished that the numbness will last forever. But the guy pushed past him as he entered the house, treating as though it was his. Kaede knew it was useless to even try to stop him. “You’re pale. Are you alright?” “Yes,” Kaede replied monotonously. He never actually ‘invites’ him in, for he knew that courtesies are irrelevant with this man. They entered the living room and Kaede sat down on the plush white sofa. “I did not know you are in Kanagawa,” Kaede asked in an offhand manner. “I am here for a week on business affairs. I saw the obituary in the newspaper yesterday.” “It is so kind of you to come.” “I am not kind, and you know it.” Kaede felt the familiar anger rise in his chest. “It has been four years. I thought you might have changed.” His silence showed them he hadn’t. “You haven’t cried, have you?” Kaede did not answer the question. From the manner he asked, he was more like making a statement. “What kind of marriage was it, Kaede? You have not even shed a tear for her,” the man demanded, his voice rising. Kaede at this point, gaze at the man squarely in the face. “It was a good marriage. We were happy.” “Were you? Then why aren’t you grieving over her death?” “I am,” Kaede replied, trying to hold his anger in check. Never in his life had he been interrogated in this manner. “Deep inside? It thought marriage might have changed you, Kaede. But I was wrong. You are still afraid of emotions, aren’t you?” the man’s tone was mocking. “What is wrong with you? You are deliberately offending me. I think it was best you go now,” Kaede said. He felt as though he might explode if the man stayed any longer, if he asked any more of those painful questions. “Why should I?” The man stood up but Kaede could see he has no intention of leaving just then. “Why have you come?” Kaede asked, trying to control his anger. “To see you cry.” Even now, he still had the power to hurt him, as he did a long time ago. “I hate you, Sendoh Akira!” Kaede muttered under his breath. “Of course, you had to go and marry her, didn’t you?” the man continued. “Tell me Kaede, how was it like? How was it like marrying Nuriko?” Akira was edging closer to him now. Kaede finally could not control himself anymore. “Shut up!” he yelled as his hand formed a fist and launched itself, aiming at the man’s face. To hurt the man that had hurt him so much. But it was futile; his knees were shaking, threatening to give way any minute. Akira caught his hand effortlessly, pulling Kaede towards him. He could clearly see tears running down his pale face now. Kaede struggled in his grip, but it proved to be as useless as the attempted punch just now. He finally gave up and collapsed in Akira’s arms, crying into the chest of the man that had cause the tears in the first place. Kaede continued crying in Akira’s arms. Akira made no move but stood there, supporting the crying man. His shirt was slightly damp from the tears. He offered his handkerchief to Kaede, who accepted it. “Are you satisfied now?”Kaede demanded. “No.” “You wanted to see me cry. Now you have seen it. What more do you want?” Kaede closed his eyes. “You.” Kaede’s eyes opened in surprise. Or maybe it was anger. Maybe it was both. But when he started to speak, his voice radiated his anger. “How dare you! I don’t think this is the appropriate words to say to someone on the day of his wife’s funeral.” “Why? What’s wrong with it? I’m sure people looked at you and they’ll think, he’s young, handsome and rich. He’ll marry again. Well, I am telling you now, the next time you marry, it’s going to be me. You have to face the facts.” Kaede felt like laughing at Akira’s arrogance. “You’re mad! I’ll never marry you! You’re a guy, I’m a guy…” “Was that your reason for rejecting me?” Sendoh interrupted Kaede in the middle of his sentence. Kaede fell silent, at a loss for words. Maybe…maybe it was. “I’ll be returning to Tokyo tomorrow, but I’ll come back in two weeks. Will you still be here?” It sounded more like a statement than a question. “I don’t know,” Kaede said coldly. “I’ll find you. If you need to contact me, this is my number.” With that, Sendoh Akira put his card on the coffee table and left. To be Continued... **Previous ** Next**