Page 22 of Just Try, Again and Again

His eyebrows scrunch together and my mood drops at the sight. Dad stays silent for a second. He heads in the direction of his home office, motioning for me to join him. Once I close the door behind me, he pours and hands me a tumbler of scotch.

“Astrid told me she ran away from home. Is that true?”

Just when I started to have positive feelings for this woman…I should have known better. “Yes, but it’s complicated.” I take a sip of the scotch, feeling the burn at the back of my throat. He only ever takes me to his office and gives me alcohol when he wants to break bad news, and I wonder what it will be this time.

“Care to elaborate?”

“What are you getting at, Dad?” I ask. This man has never taken an interest in my love life. As much as I am flattered, I can’t figure out his angle.

He sighs and then takes another gulp from his drink. “Look, Bryce, I’m just trying to look out for you. I know I haven’t been the most present father, but I’d like to change. I’m not getting any younger.”

“Haruki’s mom died when she was young, and after that, her relationship with her father deteriorated, but they’re on the mend now.” Our stories are so similar that if I say more, my father will probably think I’m making all this shit up.

“I see. Just make sure your relationship doesn’t interfere with your life plans, alright?”

A bitter laugh comes from my mouth. “And which life plans are those?”

“Bryce, don’t do this. You know what I mean. If you want to work at my firm, or any firm, for that matter, and be in investment banking, you need to put in the hours. I’m justworried you’ll be too focused on your relationship to concentrate on school or your career, son.”

I decide to try my luck. Maybe I’ll get a different answer this time—holiday spirit or whatever. “I feel like I want to take my career in another direction.”

By the look on his face, you’d think I just massacred a village full of children, but he hides his disappointment with a bitter chuckle. “You used to say this when you were in school, but you always came around. It’s normal to flip-flop when you’re young. After college, you’ll see things differently; I’m sure of it.” And this is exactly why, no matter how much I try, I will never get what Haruki has with her dad. Arthur Simmons lacks the ability to introspect and reflect.

I gulp the rest of my scotch in one go and stand up from my chair, making my way back out. This conversation interests me as much as the term “asset management” does. “Maybe. Good talk, Dad.”

Knowing that Haruki is eating dinner with her extended family tonight, happy and enjoying her life, I text Cameron, the person I have always contacted when my relationship with the only parent I have gets too much for me.

Wanna get stoned?

Cameron

Do you have some rich friends from college I can sell my shit to? I’m strapped for cash at the moment.

It’s Christmas, man. Most went back home. Why don’t you have money?

Cameron

Baby sis fought with my mom’s new boyfriend and got kicked out. She lives with us now.

19

Haruki - 18 years old

At the rate my heart is beating, I’m pretty sure I’m going to have a heart attack soon. Seeing Bryce again after all these months is scary. We mastered the art of the long-distance relationship. Our scheduled video calls and constant texting are doing what they’re supposed to—keeping our spark alive.But what if it’s awkward now? What if he doesn’t want to be with me anymore? What if we fizzle out?

My glance moves from the exit area to the large screen showing the arrival times, double checking for his flight, when I hear a deep voice calling out to me, followed by a hand on my shoulder. “Haruki, I’m here.” I turn around to see two dreamy blue eyes looking at me. Bryce grins from ear to ear and I can’t help but do the same. My arms immediately reach for his neck as he hugs me and lifts me up, dropping his coat on the floor. “Fuck, I’ve missed you so much, baby.”

“I’ve missed you, too. And I can’t believe you’re here!” The back of my eyes are burning, but I ignore the feeling. I don’t care who sees me crying here. We’re in Tokyo, nobody knows us.And even if they did, I still wouldn’t care. Bryce is in Japan; this moment deserves my tears.

“So how was your Christmas?” he asks while we walk hand in hand to the Narita Airport station so we can catch the train to Shinjuku, where our hotel is.

“It was awesome,” I answer. “We stuffed ourselves with KFC.” Bryce already saw the picture and the explanation I sent him, but he still cocks his eyebrow anyway. “It’s a Japanese thing. I think out of all of the traditions out there, this one is my favorite. My brother’s, too.”

Although my father still works like a dog, our relationship has gotten better with time. Stranger than fiction, I don’t hate working for him. It turns out we make a great team, staging listings with my brother and showcasing them. They even took my advice, and as of now, we also make fancy videos of the places we’re listing.

“Mine was pretty great, too,” he says as we board the Narita Express. “I ended up hanging out with Lily and Cameron yesterday. They both say hi.”

Bryce takes off his hoodie,giving me a glimpse of his rock-hard abs, but my focus goes directly to a tattoo that wasn’t there before. A pink door is inked on the inside of his right forearm. After pulling out a fresh set of clothes from his suitcase, Bryce looks at me. “Oh, man. Now I ruined your Christmas present.” He laughs nervously. “This was supposed to be a surprise.”

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