Tokyo – Friday Night

There’s nothing out of place in the pristine Nohga Hotel in downtown Tokyo. People everywhere are coming and going for leisure or travel, opting to stay or passing through these downtown lights. Samuel Grayling rides the elevator down to the first floor as the ding announces his uneventful arrival. He walks amongst the crowd, just another face, some American wrapping up business in the land of the rising sun.

His English is typical, his Japanese worse, more so the reason for him to find Yui as soon as possible. She’s early, it seems, giving Sam some reassurance that he’s on the right track.

“I’m glad you made it,” Sam states, capturing Yui’s attention.

The clanking of glass and faint jazz from the bar is enough to keep their conversation private in public.

“Hey, you.” Yui’s smile is genuine even though this is just business, her English right on point. Her eyes remain on him. “Everything ready?”

Sam nods, mumbling one thing or another as he glances at his jacket. “Too much?”

Yui shakes her head, a scrunched face as she reaches out and gives the open ends a tug. “No. It’s perfect.” She notes Sam’s audible huff, the way he keeps looking around. Her eyes are on him, but it’s not detrimental that she’s the one keeping his attention tonight. “Nervous?”

Sam smiles when he looks at Yui, glad that she mimics the same. A nervous chuckle escapes. “A little, I suppose.”

Yui looks to the foyer, a heads up with a little wave to an obvious someone.

Akemi Enomoto approaches, a Japanese woman in a fitted dress down to her knees. It’s a little black affair, to be sure, matching heels and naturally beautiful, jet black hair.

The introductions are made, Akemi smiling as she shakes Sam’s hand with a well-rehearsed, “Hello. Good to meet you, Sam.” Her English is paced and deliberate.

Akemi notes Sam, his upright and confident American posture. He moves too much, like most Americans, rambling words that she doesn’t understand.

Yui an Akemi talk to one another in Japanese: “Everything is here in the hotel. There’s no need to go anywhere. He’s a good guy.”

Akemi nods, adjusting the chain purse strap across an elegant shoulder. “Thanks for everything again. I’m really not concerned. Another weekend, it seems.”

Sam extends a gracious hand to Akemi, saying her name as best he can, murdering it with an English drawl which causes her to smile. He’s trying. He’s sweet.

His words are muffled from all of the noise and clinking glass, the bright lights of Tokyo ensuring Akemi remains in the best of light. Sam feels the urge to reach out and pick her up, an easy enough task with her petite figure. “I want to tell you something, Akemi.”

Yui translates.

Sam retains a light touch on Akemi’s hands, rubbing his thumb over her soft skin. Akemi adjusts her stance, tilting her head as she becomes relaxed. She’s not concerned.

Yui taps the bar. “I’ll leave you two alone.”

“No,” Sam injects, a look to Yui. “You don’t have to leave just yet. It’s ok.”

Yui and Akemi exchange looks.

Sam looks directly at Akemi. “I think you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” There isn’t a pause for translation. “I want you to know how much I appreciate this, and you, for coming out here. I’ve never been around a woman like you outside of work, here I mean, in Japan. I want to say that I’m glad that I haven’t until now.” His thumb strokes her hand, handsome eyes outlining her gorgeous black hair and round face. “It’s a shame that we didn’t meet out there,” he continues, gesturing with his head, “somewhere in Tokyo…just passing by. Still, I’m really glad to meet you here.”

Sam is finished, it seems, Akemi looking to Yui who sports a smirk.

Yui summarizes, a light shake of her head as she does: “He’s saying nice things about you.”

Akemi huffs a little smile at Sam’s out-of-cycle and misinterpreted remarks. “Oh. Ok.”

It’s to the elevator and the 28th floor, Sam and Akemi gesturing and speaking in small English in an attempt to put her at ease, possibly just trying to convince themselves to remain calm for that matter.

It’s no secret what’s happening here—Sam paid for the entire night. He wants nothing irregular or strange, just an expensive night between two strangers in a luxury hotel paid for by a company Akemi doesn’t care to hear about.

Sam is a gracious host, seeing Akemi inside. Her purse is on the counter, an overnight bag ushered in by the bellboy. He tries not to notice Akemi as she moves around, attempting not to watch a woman do such casual things.

“Here,” he remarks, the door latching closed behind him. Sam retrieves a bottle of water from the refrigerator, moves to the window and adjusts the shades, dims a light before clapping his hands. He looks around, hands on his hips before looking at Akemi. He smiles. “What?”

She shakes her head.

“No! Tell me.” His arms are out, a smile remaining. “Am I doing it wrong?”

Akemi says something beautiful in Japanese, an honest smile on her pretty lips. She’s teasing him to some extent, he’s sure.

Sam chuckles, hands in his pockets. “I know. I just…want this to be ok…for you, I guess.”

Akemi doesn’t like the way this American man shuffles in place, sharp heels on plush carpet effortlessly carrying her to him. She doesn’t leave heel marks in the carpet, no sign of her presence other than what Sam witnesses before him.

Sam takes her hand.

Akemi touches his shirt, brushing a slender hand aside before his jacket loosens.

He gives the blazer a toss to the chair, Akemi’s hands fiddling with the first shirt button.

“One minute,” he calmly injects, capturing her attention. His hand slides onto hers as it rests on his chest.

Akemi gives Sam what he wants, looking into his eyes as his hand hardly touches a tender face. Her heart beats louder, her body awakening to his warmth.

“I just can’t tell you how pretty you are, Akemi.” He watches her eyes, how they shift between his.

“You can kiss me.”

“I’m not even sure if this is what I want. I don’t know what I want. I just really needed you here, with me, to have someone as beautiful as you this close to me.”

Akemi allows her smile to show. He’s not trying to make it obvious what he’s saying to her. Nonetheless, she knows it's sweet by the way he lightly adjusts his touch to her face.

“Oh…” she sarcastically comments to herself, watching his eyes as she touches her body to him. “One of those.”

Sam isn’t too shy, however, a light kiss to Akemi’s cheek as his hands slip around her body. He’s hugging her, Akemi returning the favor with arms around his neck, pulling him close for a genuine hug. They hold on to one another, Sam lifting Akemi off the floor as one of her high heels falls. Akemi has no option but to hang on – there’s no way to escape this man’s grasp anyhow and, honestly, she doesn’t mind.

They sway, Akemi’s bare foot and heel limp in the air. She laughs at her situation.

“What?” he asks, looking at her.

Akemi shakes her head, leaning in for a kiss. It’s a simple thing they do, this touch of their lips, Akemi warming up to the idea of riding this man into the bed if that’s what’s needed to calm him down. The thought of herself naked, riding him in the dark does wonderful things for her body and psyche.

Sam returns the kiss, carrying her to the bed. Akemi is eased down, Sam kneeling before her. She watches, Sam helping remove her other heel. She likes the way he massages one foot, then the other.

She moves hair from her face as Sam takes his time. “Tell me what you want.”

“This is how I want to remember you, Akemi. Just like this.” Sam admires her long legs, the feel of her soft skin. He leans forward, lips gracing the tops of her feet. He looks up at her, hands massaging. “You shouldn’t have to be here…like this. You should be with a man, a good man…I just wish it were me.”

Champagne arrives, Sam pouring, Akemi’s dress still attached to her body, though it goes against every primal male instinct that Sam possesses.

He can have her, right now. Over there, and over there. In there. Anywhere.

Sam chooses, however, to keep Akemi right where she is for right now.

Akemi hears him talking, only able to pick up select words here and there, but its really about how Sam looks while he’s talking. He’s trying to convince himself, more or less it seems, but whatever he’s talking about, it seems to include her is some form or fashion. Sam isn’t the only one who harbored expectations for tonight. It’s no shameful thing for Akemi to have needs of her own.

At one point in their evening, the alcohol and Akemi’s curiosity got the better of them. Her dress was easier to hike up than it appeared, allowing Sam to tug and toy with the elastic band around her waist.

Akemi’s kisses remained firm against his neck as her hand slowly rubbed up and down, taking her time stroking under a loosened belt and unbuttoned pants. She didn’t mind the way he gently pinched her taught nipples under the dress.

Some things happen. Small things.

Tensions peak when Sam notes that the champagne is half full as Akemi puts her hells on.

“Three is my limit. After that…I get too loopy even for myself.” 

Yui’s phone buzzes…@Akemi: We’re coming down

Yui checks her watch as she begins walking toward the Nohga Hotel. It’s only been three hours. That’s it? She finds the two newly-acquainted strangers in the lobby. “What happened? What did he do?”

Akemi shakes her head, adjusting her purse. “Nothing happened. Well…some things happened. He was a gentleman. It’s fine.”

“You’re not staying?”

Akemi shrugs, a hand gracing Sam’s shirt. “He gestured for us to leave, helping me put my shoes on, so...”

Yui snickers. “Just your shoes?”

Akemi shrugs, but the smirk wants to emerge. She turns to Sam, a kiss to his cheek.

Sam smiles, taking her hand. She looks down, a business card exchanged in the mix. “It’s not business,” Sam begins, shrugging. “I wrote my personal number on the back.” He gestures, Akemi following along. A tiny smirk quickly grows into something bigger. “Come to America. Or…maybe I’ll be back to Tokyo.”

Yui doesn’t have to translate. There’s a handwritten number on the back, the words America and Tokyo standing out in his explanation.

“This guy…after my heart.”

Yui nods, forcing herself to look away. This isn’t her moment. Let them have it.

---

Japan Airlines flight 7013 touches down in the night, everyone aboard exhausted from the 10 hour ordeal.

As one of the final birds in tonight, the place is in a scramble to get the hell out of there.

Akemi texts the number she now knows well, Japanese characters popping up with question marks all over Sam’s phone.

He gets it. @Sam: Ok

Akemi disembarks the 747 in San Diego, an honest smile and, “Hi!” to Sam as he helps with her bags, an impactful hug after four months of back-and-forth.

“I am so happy you is here,” Sam attempts.

Akemi goes along. Good boy. He’s trying. “I’m happy to see you, too. My first trip to America. And with you.” A set of reserved kisses finds Sam, the final one held in place, as she lets out a little squeal from his determination.

Sam has one week, only seven days, to convince Akemi to stay.