Queen of Love

Mari nodded as if she had any idea what their mother was talking about. “You’re not married yet so you don’t get it, little sis. When it’s love, you don’t go down with the ship. You try to avoid the iceberg!”

“Neither of you is making any sense.”

“Because you’ve never been married before!”

Aya slapped both hands on her face. Rika got up to fetch the rice and the rest of their family dinner. Aya had about five seconds before Mari’s kids flooded the table. “I’m not getting married to anyone anytime soon. It’s against the law.”

“Excuses!” Rika called from the kitchen.

“I thought you hated that I was gay!”

“You’re forty! At least give me something! No mother wants to die knowing her youngest child isn’t taken care of!”

“I can take care of myself!”

“Ha!” Mari laughed.

“With what, money?” Rika asked. “I don’t care about that! I care about you having somebody! Also, that woman’s rich. Come on. You think I don’t support that?”

“The truth comes out,” Mari said with another laugh. “Mom likes rich lesbians.”

“Including those that have starred in their own home movies?” Aya asked.

Although Rika didn’t have the chance to respond, the result was Aya’s desired outcome. It meant some burnt rice in her bowl, but she still went out winning that petty argument.

“Could be worse,” Mr. Ishida said as he and Aya rode up the elevator to a one-bedroom penthouse in Shinjuku, “they could have sent Okada with us.”

Kenji kept to his corner of the elevator, head bent in both respect and a desire to not look Aya in the eye. I can’t tell if he’s seen my nudes or not. He would have been the least offensive coworker to behold Aya’s bathroom selfie. Granted, I can’t find it on the internet anymore. Genevieve’s team had truly scrubbed the internet. Yet aside from an update the night before that things were “okay” in Singapore, Aya didn’t know much about what was happening with her girlfriend. As if they were still girlfriends.

“Oi,” Ishida said as the elevator doors dinged open. “This is your chance to learn from the masters. Don’t squander the opportunity, Kenji-kun.”

“Yes, sir.” He held the door open for Aya and Ishida to step through. I hope I was never like this. As much as she liked some recognition from her juniors, Kenji could be over the top.

They arrived at the property before the client, a name Aya had instantly recognized when it crossed her desk. Takatani was the one who personally delivered it, along with a, “she specifically requested you. Don’t screw it up.” Still, Aya didn’t know what to make of it. Why in the world was Wendy Ahn buying property in Tokyo? She didn’t seem the type to spend her time in Japan very long. The heydays of Shibuya and Harajuku posturing were behind them.

“To be honest, I’m looking at this from a possible investment perspective,” Wendy said after the tour was over. “I don’t spend a lot of time in Japan. I’ve got other places I’d rather be.” She fanned herself with her clutch, which hadn’t left her side since she entered in a sleek pink bodycon dress and her hair up in a messy bun. Even when she looked like this, she was still more put together than Aya ever hoped to be. “So, I was in Tokyo for some other reason,” she then muttered when Kenji and Ishida went into the other room. “I decided to help you and Genevieve out. Because what are dear friends for?”

Aya was instantly suspicious. “Help us with what?”

“Your image, silly.” Wendy fanned with the fury of a foreigner experiencing her first Japanese rainy season. She’s from Singapore, though. She knows how to deal with humidity. “Even if I don’t buy – and I probably won’t – I’ve got to get your name back out there. You think I don’t know you’ve been dungeoned by your company? Hmph. I’m helping you and Genevieve save some face. You could thank me, you know.”

Ah, there was the Wendy Aya had expected. “How helpful of you, indeed, Ms. Ahn.”

“Hmph! I know what it’s like to have your business spread across the tabloids. When Lisa and I were exposed, it was all over the Chinese press. Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the freakin’ Mainland… aiya. I thought we wouldn’t survive. I took us to LA in the hopes that would make it easier, but I had forgotten how Chinese gossip permeates the City of Angels, too.” Finally, the fanning stopped. “There were videos with us, too, you know. Nothing quite as salacious as the boiling water you found yourselves in, but Lisa almost broke up with me. Not sure what she thought she was going to do. Cat was out of the bag, you know?”

Aya knew she wouldn’t avoid this conversation once she saw Wendy’s name on the client list, but could they at least have waited until the tour was over? Both Ishida and Kenji spoke English, so it wasn’t like they were having an incognito conversation here in the bedroom. “Are you telling me you came all the way from Singapore to give me advice?”

“Oh, hell no. If it was advice, I’d have phoned you.” Wendy ran her finger along the bedroom windowsill and inspected it for dust. After a sniff, she said, “Come on, I’m helping you guys save some face here. Maybe you don’t think I am, but I’m a big name, sweetheart. Someone has to show up here and give you guys business. Not to mention, requesting you by name signals to your company that they should keep you around. I’ve been slyly suggesting to some of my Singaporean and Malay associates that they invest in Tokyo real estate and use your agency. It’s a lot harder now, considering how conservative people around there are! Mark my words, though, you’ll be grateful I did this.”

“So I owe you now?”

“Did I say that? Is there something wrong with my English, lah? Are we having issues communicating? I know for a fact you Japanese consider your face, too. Even if you don’t call it that, your culture isn’t that different from mine and Genevieve’s. You need friends like me.”

“What if we’re breaking up?”

Wendy’s eye widened. “You’re thinking of breaking up with Genevieve?” she hissed.

“Who said she hasn’t dumped me?”