The Art of Learning to Love

7

Kenshin wasn't surprised to find him on his couch watching a movie an hour before he was supposed to pick up Annabel. Hiroshi was the only one who had keys to his place, and had never shown up without calling or texting first, usually bringing a case of beer with him.

"What a strange coincidence, I needed a beer today and here is a whole case! Must be my birthday!" Kenshin sing songed, laughing when his friend threw out a leg with the intent to kick him.

"You're being a Debbie downer... what's wrong?"
"I need to ask a favor."

"Ooooh my favorite! Specially since you had to grind it out, that's how much you didn't even want to ask! But shoot, I owe you a million favors at this stage..."

"I need you to get me a dinner reservation for 8pm at—" he motioned with his hands, since they had agreed to never mention the place again. Kenshin vigorously shook his head.

"No, no no no! Ask anything but that!"

Hiroshi made a face, rolling his eyes.

"Why?"

"Because..."

"Uh huh????"
"I want to take someone there. I'm serious Kenshin."

His friend nodded, stunned into silence. Reaching for his phone silently, Kenshin walked away as he waited for an answer to his call. Hiroshi let out the breath he was holding once he wasn't in Kenshin's line of sight. He had been debating whether to tell him or not, and then it dawned on him, this was a one time thing, Annabel would go back home in 3 days time and he would never see her again.

He could show her a good time and not worry about any lingering feelings. Or getting caught up in anything with her. She was a distraction that he did not need at the moment.

****
His jaw hit the floor when he saw her step out of the hotel, looking nervous as she walked towards him.
"Hi... is this ok? It was-"
"You look beau- Fine. You look fine." He wasn't sure why he amended his statement, but opened the door for her and waited until she'd settled in.

The burgundy curve hugging dress she wore clung to her in all the right places, slim spaghetti straps showing off her shoulders and a slit to the side showed a little thigh. Paired with black 3 inch strappy heels, and a cropped Moto jacket, her hair in soft waves, she was a vision he never thought he'd be interested in.

He swallowed hard as he got into the car, closing his eyes for a few seconds to acclimate to her smell in the interior; it was sweet and sugary, but he found he didn't mind it.

"You look beautiful in that dress. I hope I do not have to fight anyone tonight..." he murmured, opening his eyes slowly to look at her. Her plump lips were glossy and shimmered in the dim lighting as she smiled, eyes lined in black with a sparkly barely there gold eyeshadow bringing out the color of her light brown eyes.

He snapped out of it when she chuckled.

"Unless Tom shows up, I think we're good. No one will even give me a second look. Thank you by the way, for the compliment. And for the dinner invitation..."

Nodding, he put the car in motion, getting them to the restaurant with 5 minutes to spare.

"Are you afraid of heights?" He asked casually as he led her toward the building, a hand on the small of her back. She shook her head, casually stepping closer to his side as a group of rambunctious teens walked towards them.

His arm went around her waist, Hiroshi standing taller as the crowd of 5 teens skirted around them, oblivious to the disgruntled look he gave them before shaking his head and reaching for the door.

In the elevator, they headed to the 41st floor, his arm still around her waist, surprised she hadn't moved away or complained. In his life, he'd never felt more comfortable with showing physical affection to any woman than at that moment. It was something he'd never thought possible as he'd tried, on several occasions, to train himself with countless women.

The small gasp she let out made him smile as they walked up to the hostess.

The view from the floor to ceiling windows at that time of evening gave a brightly lit perspective of a mini Tokyo from above. She kept looking back at him with a giddy smile as they were led to their table, right by one of the windows, her smile widening when they sat down.

"This is amazing! How did you even get reservations here so short notice?!" She asked in an excited whisper, looking around her in awe. Instead of answering, he looked her over one more time, taking his time to discreetly examine her.

He noticed that she wore a thin platinum necklace with 2 different sized rings hanging from the end of it and a simple but expensive silver watch. It endeared her more to him, he liked simple, clean lines and it seemed like she did too. She didn't strike him as the type to be over the top for attention, dressing appropriately for whatever the occasion.

"Are those your wedding rings?" He asked, ignoring the wine menu, deciding to let her pick. She nodded, fidgeting in her seat before she sighed.

"I— I don't know-"

"You do not need to explain. What's past is prologue-"

"Shakespeare... interesting."
"Do you agree?"

He eyed her intently, watching her look away over the city before she turned to him and nodded.

"Everything that has happened has led me here... to this point in time, for some reason. At the current moment, I'm not sure what that reason is though."

Her words swam in his mind for a few seconds as he thought it through; he knew the answer. He knew his purpose at that moment. He would help her rescue her friend as discreetly as he could. With the least amount of involvement directly from himself, he decided as he casually stood.

"Excuse me for a few minutes" he said, retrieving his vibrating phone from his suit jacket pocket and nodding towards the menu.

"Order a nice wine, some appetizers and we can decide on the main course together when I return" he instructed her before walking away, an unexplained elation coursing through him when she nodded enthusiastically, smiling softly at him.

He was definitely too far gone.