Layla POV
I froze in complete and utter horror.
'He remembers, last night. There's no way.' I thought as I watched Naoto lean back into his chair, finding this whole ordeal funny.
Layla: "Wait a minute. You remember what happened last night?" I asked, praying he'd say no.
Instead of answering me, he just flexed his brow, indicating that he did.
Layla: "Oh my God. Wow, you remembered we kissed the whole time, and you just acted like you didn't know me." I said, dumbfounded.
Naoto gave me a slight nod.
Layla: "Do you usually have interviews with women you've kissed before? Is this like a regular Tuesday for you?" I said curiously as to why he seemed so calm.
Naoto laughed.
Naoto: "To be fair, this is a first for me too. I didn't know it was you until you turned around. It was quite a pleasant surprise." he smiled.
Layla: "Pleasant surprise?" I scoffed. "Oh, you're good." I squinted my eyes."You deserve an Emmy or like an Oscar or something." I said, referring to his performance. "You genuinely had me fooled," I said, feeling tricked.
Naoto: I wasn't trying to fool you, Layla. That wasn't my intention. I figured it would be easier for you to conduct your interview without the pressure of thinking about last night. Unfortunately, I don't mix business and pleasure. So I handle business first and anything else after.
Layla: "Oh, I see." I said reluctantly.
I couldn't lie, I wanted to be grumpy about what he did, but I couldn't help but admire his work ethic. He handled our situation very logically, so I can't fault him for that, even though the pettiest part of me really wanted to.
Naoto: "Now that the business part of our relationship is over, we can finish getting to the matter at hand." he said, smirking before he spoke again. "Am I your first?" he briefly paused before he chuckled to himself. "Kiss in a club, I mean?" he smiled.
If I was drinking water right now, I would have choked from the way he intentionally paused before continuing his question. He knew what he was doing. He was tricky.
Layla: Look, I swear I've never done anything like that before. I don't just go around kissing random guys in clubs, let alone anywhere else. Believe me. I'm like a nun or a hermit. I'm like a nun-like hermit." I paused when I realized what I was doing. "Oh god, I'm rambling, aren't I?"
Naoto: "You are, but it's kinda cute." he said, holding back a smile.
Something about the way he said cute and the way he slightly smiled at me made my heart flicker.
Naoto: "Don't worry, Layla, I figured you weren't that kind of girl. If you were, this morning would have gone a lot differently." He said, staring out into nowhere. "Either way, I'm just happy you got home safely. I was worried when I couldn't find you."
'He was worried?' I thought, touched by the notion.
Layla: "Yeah, I was safe. A friend took me home."
Naoto: "That's a good friend."
Layla: "They are." I smiled, thinking about Takanori. "That friend was trying to make sure I didn't drink too much. Unfortunately, I got a bit carried away and ended up jumping you." I chuckled. "Sorry. My bad."
Naoto: "Don't be sorry. Actually, I should be thanking you. I wouldn't have had as much fun as I did last night if you had listened." he smiled. He paused for a bit before speaking again. "Miss Layla, I'm curious about something."
Layla: "Yes?" I said curiously.
Naoto: "How do you always seem to know where I'll be? It's beginning to worry me now. Are you by chance a stalker?"
Layla: "Excuse me?" I said, wondering if I misunderstood him.
Naoto: "Are you stalking me, Miss Layla?" he said.
Layla: "What? Stalking you? I only met you last night. How could I be stalking you? I said, blown away by his absurd question.
Naoto: "Well, that's true, we've only met each other face to face once, but this is my third time seeing you. You always seem to show up out of nowhere. So I can only think of two options, coincidence or stalking.
Layla: "So, you went with stalking as the most logical answer?" I said, astonished.
Naoto: "Yeah, I did." He slightly chuckled. "Well, my thoughts weren't unfounded. You have a motive."
Layla: "Oh, do tell me what possible motive I would have to stalk you?" I said, amused.
Naoto: "Well, you do find me attractive, so that's one."
His sentence gave me a slight heart attack. 'How the hell does he know that.' I internally panicked.
Layla: "Wow, aren't you being a bit presumptuous, right now?" I said, with a hint of false offense in the back of my voice. I hoped it would throw him off my tracks.
Naoto: "You're right, I would be acting quite presumptuous if I didn't know for a fact, you're attracted to me." he said smirking.
Layla: "Now, where would you get such an outlandish idea from?" I said, responding to his boldness with my own.
Naoto: "Well, you see, if the whole 'dancefloor seduction' thing followed by a kiss wasn't a strong enough indication, then the "Man, you're hot" after you bumped into me, kind of sealed the deal.
I froze for a bit while the little people in my head burned everything that tied me to the incident in question. I could hear someone in the back of my mind yell, 'Burn it, Burn it all!' Just like that, my 9th grade Math was gone. Next up that pesky memory of our kiss. I'm guessing Naoto could tell by the look on my face that I was malfunctioning because he began waving his hands in front of my face, trying to get my attention.
Naoto: "Hey, are you still with me?" He asked, snapping his fingers to bring me back.
Layla: "Huh?" I said when I landed back on earth. "HOLY CRAP! Wait, you can speak English?" I yelled.
He flexed his eyebrow in agreement with the statement I yelled at him. I'm guessing that eyebrow thing is his thing. It's hot, but I couldn't worry about that right now. I've got to clear up some misconceptions.
Layla: "Okay, look. Let's straighten some things out." I said in my 'big girl about to get things done' voice.
Naoto: "Okay."
Layla: "First of all, I'm NOT a stalker. Every time we've met has been a complete coincidence. I've never been, nor will I ever be a stalker. I couldn't be a stalker even if I wanted to. I'm way too busy to be one, and when I'm not too busy, I'm sleeping because I'm exhausted from work. Plus, don't you think I should know much more about you if I was a stalker. For instance, things like your name, age, birthdate, address." I paused for a bit. "Hell, even your favourite pack of gum," I said, slightly chuckling at how absurd the last thing I said sounded.
Naoto: "What if I told you I knew all those things about you?" He asked.
Layla: "Yeah, sure you do." I said sarcastically.
Naoto: "Layla Ayane Kato, 25 years old, June 9th, 525 W 28th St, New York, and I think your favourite gum is Orbit." He said, listing off a few things.
I paused. 'Wait, wait, wait. What did he just say?' I thought.
Naoto: "Actually, now that I say it out loud, it sounds creepy." he laughed.
Layla: "How did you know all of that?" I asked hesitantly.
Naoto: "The first time I saw you, you were standing in a cypher in an alleyway. You asked a dancer to put your bag on the stairs near me before it began to rain. I grabbed your bag so it wouldn't get wet." he relayed.
Layla: "You had my bag?" I asked.
Naoto: "Yes, by the time I looked for you, you'd disappeared. You seem to have a habit of doing that." He said, looking me in my eyes. "Anyways, I looked through your bag for any way of getting in contact with you. My last resort was to ship your bag to your address, but then I saw you again at the EXPG studio. I went out to get your bag from my car, but when I came back...." I cut him off.
Layla: "I disappeared again." I said, finishing his sentence for him.
Naoto: "Exactly."
Layla: "Do you have my bag? Can I have it back?" I asked, hopeful.
Naoto: "See, that's where the problem lies. I left it with Sato because I figured he'd probably be able to reach you before I could. I had no idea I'd meet you today, or I would have kept it." He said apologetically.
Even though he didn't have my bag with him anymore, it was a relief to know my things were in safe hands this whole time. He could have just left my bag on the stairs, the way everyone else would have. My bag wasn't his responsibility, but yet he tried to get it back to me. 'This guy is really something else.' I thought, smiling.
Layla: "Thank you, Naoto." I said gratefully.
Naoto: "No problem." He nodded.
I got up and began gathering my things together. Naoto also stood up then handed me my recorder off the table.
Layla: "Well, Naoto, I appreciate you taking the time out to meet with me today, and I greatly appreciate your professionalism in regards to our situation. It was wonderful meeting you, and I wish you the best with all your projects." I said, shaking his hand.
Naoto: "You as well, Miss Kato." Naoto replied, still shaking my hand.
I turned to leave until I felt a bit of resistance from the hand that shook Naoto's hand, which he was still firmly held.
Naoto: "Layla." He paused. "I could take you to get your bag from Sato." He offered. "It only seems fair since I'm the one who left it with him." He reasoned.
Layla: "I couldn't ask you to do that for me."
Naoto: "You wouldn't be asking if I offered to."
I shook my head, ready to refuse his offer, but he stopped me.
Naoto: "Come on, you must be completely miserable without your bag for these last few days. Let me take you to get it." He said, still holding my hand.
Usually, I'd kick up a fuss or flat out refuse, but something about him made me wanna say yes. I would have like to think that it was his genuine concern that made me reconsider, but honestly, I liked the thought of being around him longer.
I gave him a slight nod, he smiled, and we were off.