Chapter 10
Ten
My brain, traitor that it is, replays Saturday on a loop.
Sure, the site visit was exciting, but it’s the data I can’t measure that I’m stuck on.
I keep coming back to the motorcycle ride.
I can still feel the vibration of the engine and the way my arms fit around Theo’s waist as if they belonged there.
Then there was dinner. Hearing about his nan and that he was lonely tugged at my heartstrings. It gave me a rare glimpse into the man behind the mask that felt dangerously intimate.
The truth is, I didn’t want the night to end. I wanted to keep talking to him. I wanted to know more about him and his life outside of work. And what’s worse is that I think I’m developing a crush on him. Which is a disaster, because I know better than anyone that nothing can ever come of it.
Get it together, Kaori. I reach for my phone to find a distraction and text Rei. My brain shifts back into Japanese mode.
Kaori
Good morning. Did you get the video I sent you?
Rei
I haven’t watched it yet, but I will when I get a chance.
Kaori
You should. It’s officially going on the “Reasons Florida is Good” list.
Rei
I seriously doubt that, but I’ll keep an open mind.
Kaori
That’s all I ask.
I laugh to myself. There’s no way she’ll be able to say anything bad about a Disney fireworks show.
After a shower and a grocery run, I settle onto the couch with my laptop. I tell myself I’m going to focus on work, but my self-control is at an all-time low. Giving in, I pull up my contacts and start typing to Theo.
Kaori
Hey, this is Kaori.
I chew on my lip. I want to keep this casual, but also professional.
Kaori
Thanks again for dinner the other night. I know you’re busy, but remember what I said about hanging out? Well, I was just thinking . . . on Fridays, a few of us from the office do trivia at Original Jorge’s. You should join us.
I pause, my thumb hovering over the keyboard. I need to make it sound less like a date and more like a team effort.
Kaori
We’ve won the last few times, but we could use some help defending the title. It would be good to have you in the trenches with us for once. No pressure, of course.
I reread it once, brace myself, and hit Send. Setting the phone down, I blow out a breath. That wasn’t so bad. I don’t know how the guys will react, but I don’t really care.
We should make an effort to include Theo. It’s the perfect team-bonding activity. And a way for us to hopefully make him feel a little less lonely.
I relax against the back of the couch and launch the CAD program on my laptop. The last few weeks have been so busy. I haven’t had any time to myself. So today’s a “me” day. Time to play with some of my own designs. I don’t want my skills to get rusty.
My phone chimes.
Theo
Thanks, but I’ll have to pass this time. I’m in London. I won’t be back until the middle of next week.
My eyes widen.
Kaori
London again? That was a quick turnaround.
Theo
What can I say? I’m in high demand.
I snort. I can imagine the look on his face as he typed that.
Kaori
I guess you are. Well, let’s call it a rain check. Next week?
There’s a long pause, then the dots blink.
Theo
I’ll tentatively put it into my calendar. See you when I get back.
I sigh, a mixture of anticipation and disappointment swirling in my chest. I’ll have to wait another week to see him again. But beneath the disappointment, I also feel a sharp pang of sadness for him.
He just admitted how isolated he feels, and now he’s flying right back into the monolith of that London office. I hate the idea of him being friendless and alone. I promise myself that I’ll make sure he has at least a little sunshine this week. I can already picture the perfect Office meme.
My phone vibrates again. I pick it up expecting another text from Theo, but this time, it’s a call from my father.
“Moshi moshi. Otōsan,” I say, slipping into Japanese as I swipe to answer.
“Kaori.” Hearing his voice makes me a little homesick. “I didn’t expect you to pick up. I thought you’d be at work. How are you doing?”
I smile faintly. The same question, every time. “I’m well, Papa. I worked the weekend, so I have the day off. I’m keeping things low-key today, staying inside and hiding from the heat.”
“It’s a good thing you have air-conditioning.” He chuckles before catching me up on what he and Mama have been up to recently.
“You two have certainly been busy,” I say, leaning back against the couch. “I feel guilty that I’m not there to take some of these events off your plates.”
“That’s one reason I wanted to call. I was hoping I might be able to ask you and your sister to give a keynote speech at the spring gala for the Kyoto Museum of Traditional Arts.
The theme this year is “Where Origami Meets the Modern World.” I thought you two could speak together about the intersection of folding techniques and engineering. ”
I pull my laptop closer, the cursor blinking over my CAD design. “I don’t know about Rei, but I’m happy to do it. I’ll reach out to her later tonight.”
I open the notes app on my computer and jot down a quick reminder. Origami is one of her favorite hobbies. Despite the fact that she hates public speaking, if I’m doing it with her, I’m sure she’ll agree to it. It’ll be the perfect opportunity for her to get some practice in.
“Any other appearances you’d like me to make?” Off the top of my head, the only event I have planned is a talk I’m giving for the Japanese Embassy on my experience as an international student.
“There is one more.” He hesitates. “Do you remember the state visit we have planned for January?”
“The one in Ireland?” I ask, reaching for my iced latte. I take a small sip, expecting him to ask me to join him. With Rei in the UK, I’m sure he’d like the whole family to put in an appearance.
“Yes,” he says.
“What about it?”
“We’ve run into a little hiccup. It looks like I’m not going to be cleared to travel for a while after New Year’s. It seems we may have to postpone or cancel it.”
I sit bolt upright. A shiver shoots down my spine. “Papa?” My voice comes out slow and tight. My father isn’t a man who’d just cancel a visit. “What’s wrong?”
“Relax. It’s nothing serious,” Papa assures me, his voice steady.
“Just that old disk in my back. It’s been bothering me again, and your mother has finally convinced me to have it dealt with once and for all.
I’m booked in for surgery in December. The recovery should be straightforward, but it means no standing for long periods and certainly no flying. ”
I let out a long breath, the immediate panic for his health subsiding, only to be replaced by a different kind of dread. “I’m glad you’re taking care of it,” I say softly, though the knot in my stomach refuses to loosen.
“As am I,” Papa replies. “But it does leave us with the matter of Ireland.”
“Is Uncle Kenji not available?” I ask.
My father’s brother is the crown prince and normally the first person the Imperial Household Agency taps to step in for Papa when he isn’t available for a diplomatic event.
“No. It’s the same week as the Pacific Rim Economic Forum in Singapore.”
“What about Cousin Hisashi?” Uncle Kenji’s only son. Third in line to the throne is the next most obvious backup.
“He’s preparing for university entrance exams,” Papa says.
Translation—Hisashi will be welded to a desk, trying to earn his way into the University of Tokyo—the Japanese equivalent of Harvard or MIT.
“So that leaves . . .”
“You,” Papa finishes.
I’ve attended state dinners before, and of course appeared at low-stakes events, but this is in a different league altogether. It’s international. And it would mean me acting as the head of state’s representative with the world watching.
“You’d need to be available for three days,” Papa continues, as if he’s asking me to pop over for tea. “Two in Dublin and one in Galway. There’s a dinner with the president, a few cultural engagements, and a tour of the embassy’s new expansion. Nothing you can’t manage.”
My stomach twists. It’s August now, which gives me a few months to prepare—but that doesn’t make the knot loosen.
By January, will I even have enough vacation time accrued?
Or am I supposed to walk into Anya’s office and say something like, Hello, I need extra time off after the holidays.
Also, minor detail—I’m a member of the Japanese imperial family and I’ve been asked to represent my father on a state visit to Ireland. Is that going to be a problem?
The mere thought of it makes me lightheaded. I’d have to blow my cover and undo everything I’ve built here in America. Everything I’ve worked so hard to be on my own terms.
But then I remember who’s asking. Not just Papa—it’s the emperor. I am reminded of my duty and the ancient obligation that flows through my blood as a Japanese princess. When the head of state asks for your participation, you don’t say no, you simply answer the call.
I chew at my lip, forcing myself to think practically.
If I frame it as a family obligation early in the new year, maybe as something that was already on the calendar before I started at Excelsior, it might not raise too many questions.
If I stay vague, no one has to know where I’m really going.
Or what I’m doing. It’s not a lie. Technically speaking.
“Okay, Papa,” I say softly, even as nerves spark in my chest.
“I knew I could count on you.” His tone is warm and proud. “I’ll inform the Imperial Household Agency.”
The line goes quiet for a moment before we say our goodbyes, but his words linger long after the call ends.
I set my phone down on the table and stare at the black screen of my laptop. I’ve faced plenty of challenges already—moving to a new country, college, a new job. But this is different.
I hope I can handle it.
The week without Theo is uneventful. Soon, it’s Friday again.