In about six hours, we were already stepping on the bustling premises of Tokyo International Airport. Kim's driver in Japan fetched us, and to my surprise, we headed towards a hotel inside the airport, the Royal Park Hotel.
"What are we doing here?" I asked, scanning my eyes over the façade of the huge building.
"You're pregnant. You need to rest for a while," Kim responded, glancing at the building before us.
"Sir Kim, can you take Miss Yen with us on all our coming business trips?" Trish butted in, stopping me from thanking Kim right away. "With her around, I can also enjoy the special treatment for a pregnant woman."
"Silly girl. But by the way, Trish, from now on, you will be accompanying Yen in all her travels while she is pregnant."
"What?!" Trish squealed, making Kim's driver frown. I couldn't help noticing his reaction from the rear-view mirror. Trish was sitting beside him while Kim sat next to me in the passenger's seat.
"How about you?" Trish followed up with a question.
"I can designate it to someone else. Recommend someone for me from the accounting department."
"A lady or a gentleman?"
"A gentleman."
"So, it means no one can replace me yet from your heart."
Trish burst out giggling while Kim rolled his eyes. I really admired their boss-to-secretary tandem. If I didn't know that Kim was over-heels-in-love with Jakara, I would think he and Trish could make a good pair.
"You may think so. It would be fine with me."
"I think I would just have to hunt and kill Jakara. What do you think?" teased Trish, still laughing.
"Then I will tell Cris to break off your engagement."
"If you wish to kill me. Do it."
Kim laughed softly, making me smile as well while stealing a side glance at him.
"We're here," the driver suddenly announced, breaking off their bantering.
We all both looked out and realized that we were already in the parking area. It didn't even take us five minutes to reach the hotel.
"Trish, Yen, go up to your room first. Then I'll meet you at the restaurant in thirty minutes."
"Yes, sir. But I'm starving already." Trish pouted, moving her eyes from Kim to mine.
"But Yen perhaps needs a little rest. You had snacks at the plane, right?"
I laughed, knowing Trish's excitement for her craved foods. She apparently could eat non-stop, but it never showed on her body. Her abdomen was still flat, and her hips flaunted into beautiful curves.
"Come on, Trish. I won't take long. Promise."
She giggled like a child, making Kim shake his head.
Once Trish got our room cards, we immediately went up to our shared room. It was a spacious prism suite with glass walls on two sides and floor-to-ceiling windows. Seeing that it had a sitting room where we could view Mt. Fuji's graceful and snow-covered cone, I no longer wanted to go down. Taking lunch here while feasting on Japan's tallest mountain was more refreshing than looking at those hundreds of dishes displayed at the buffet hall below. Speaking about food, I remembered I couldn't get near any restaurant.
"Trish, you may go down for lunch now."
Trish furrowed her brows and looked at me. "I remember that I can't be in any restaurant. The aroma of those different dishes will make me throw up."
"Oh." I smiled, and Trish heaved out a sigh.
"Such bad timing. Don't worry, I'll explain it to Mr. Kim."
"No need. I can have my food served here."
Trish immediately left the room while I slumped at the sofa, staring off in the distance. Looking at Mt. Fuji's snow-covered peak, I suddenly felt something disturbing deep inside that I couldn't understand. My heartbeats raced that I could already feel the pounding at my throat. Images of snow-covered slopes and plains flashed in my mind. I scrambled to my feet to catch air, pacing back and forth in the sitting area.
Is this the panic attack that Zed and Kim talked about? Why am I feeling this only now? And why would I have panic attacks? I had a happy childhood as far as I could remember.
"Yen?" Kim's voice cut through my wild imagination. I turned to look at him, both surprised and afraid: afraid that he might have seen my agitation and surprised that he was here, instead of having lunch with Trish.
"What's wrong?"
I heaved out a sigh, but I hurriedly reached out and unstrapped the curtains from the side, closing the window and blocking my view from the snow.
"I had palpitations. Pregnancy-related symptoms, you know."
He gathered his brows and held my gaze. "I'll take you to the hospital."
"No. I'm fine."
"You're not. Look, your pale."
I let out a faint smile and pulled out a sigh again. "I just need to have a nap, I think."
"You need to eat first."
Before I could complain, the doorbell buzzed. Kim walked to the door and opened it. Perhaps, he was already expecting the food delivery because he didn't think twice about opening the door. A young lad indeed appeared, holding a food cart.
Kim gestured for the attendant to come inside. I immediately stepped aside, afraid that the aroma would overturn my intestines. But when the food attendant started arranging the food on the coffee table, my mouth watered. I didn't realize I was hungry already.
"Come here," Kim said, looking in my direction. He was already standing before the table, waiting for me.
"I gave special instruction ahead to the manager, so I am sure these foods are fine for you. No fish, chicken, garlic, onions, and peppers."
"Oh, thank you so much," I said shyly, walking back to the table.
"It's a pleasure."
After I got seated before the table, Kim's phone sounded. He stood up and gestured to excuse himself. Somehow, my eyes fell subconsciously on his side of the table and found that he left his other phone. Along with it was a bunch of car keys, and beneath it was a small, brown booklet. It was an organizer.
Suddenly, my curiosity piqued. What Zed and Arah told me that he didn't love Maezy lingered in my mind. But why did he marry her?
Tempted to know more about him, I flipped the passport cover open. His details then ran through my eyes.
Civil Status: Married Spouse: Jakara Blue
I immediately looked for the date and found it at the upper corner of the sheet. My eyes then flew wide at what I saw.
March 20, 2012.
That was almost six years behind. And as I recalled, he and Maezy just got married a few months ago.