Fateful Encounter!

“ Ouch!”

Two individuals bumped into each other from opposite sides. The girl bends down to pick up her phone which has fallen on the ground.

The guy was quite handsome with an imposing demeanor. The girl was a beauty from the eyes with her flying long hair due to the strong wind which made it impossible for any of them to see clearly what the other looked like. The girl, however, was able to catch a glimpse of the guy.

“ Watch where you’re going?” The guy goes past her, not even finding it important to apologize. The girl was extremely vexed by his rude behavior.

“ How rude!” He could at least apologize for bumping into me.” The girl uttered in anger.

“ Ayase, what are you doing on the ground?” A rather petite guy appeared before her. He’s her assistant and goes by the name Martin.

The girl on the ground goes by the name of Ayase Nakamura, a professional photographer with long black hair and brown eyes. Her assistant, Martin was quite the catch as well with his semi-length brown hair and purple eyes. They were going to a baby shower event and they were a couple of blocks away from it.

“ What?” Do you think I like the ground or something?” She glared at him and he froze. She was still on the ground though. The assistant looked on and thought of helping her back up.

“ Sorry! Don’t be upset!”

He offered her a helping hand and she gladly took it.

“ Thanks, Martin!” She slightly grinned at him. Holding her broken phone in her hand, her expression got sour just thinking of the cracked screen of her phone. The assistant thought of asking her how she ended up on the ground.

“ So, what happened that made you this upset?” He asked interrogatively. She looked at him as she remembered the incident with that man.

“ It’s that guy—---- He’s so full of himself.” He bumped into me without looking where he was going and he didn’t even apologize for dropping my phone. How rude!”

“ Let me ask you something!” He harbored a malicious grin all of a sudden.

“ What?” She glared at him.

“ That guy, the one who bumped into you, was he—-- how do I say this?” Was he handsome?” He hesitated before dropping the question at him. The girl looked at him in disbelief although she knew the significance of his question. She was just shocked by the question and didn’t understand why the question was asked to her in the first place.

“ What does that have to do with anything?” Her anger which had dissipated before had slightly come back as she showed the crows.

“ Just calm down and answer me!” He uttered very calmly at her as he tried to make her relax. She dropped the angry act which made her assistant relieved to some degree.

“ He wasn’t bad looking.” She answered him, looking very annoyed.

“ Then, that’s good!” The assistant grinned at her.

“ What’s with that smile?” she intriguingly asked.

“ Nothing!” He kept grinning mysteriously, then a thought crossed his mind just at that time.

(He could be the one to melt her icy heart.)

Ayase looked over her broken phone and thought about how much she had to spend just to buy it.

“ Don’t worry about it!” with today’s pay, you should be able to buy a new one in no time.” He said as he stared at her cracked phone.

“ No, that’s okay!” it’s not like it can’t be useful anymore just because it’s broken.” She said with a reassuring smile as she kept looking at the broken screen.

“ I cannot waste money at this time and besides, buying a new one will be too expensive for me to afford.” Her tone suddenly got a bit sad as she said the following words.

“ But—-” The assistant still wanted to persuade her to buy a new phone but he knew for a fact that when she had something in mind, making her change was an impossible mission.

“ Let’s just go!” The client must be waiting for us.”

The girl put the broken phone in her bag. Her assistant walked closer to her. As they walked for nearly ten minutes, they reached a venue.

Inside the venue, a pregnant lady was waiting for them.

“ Ayase! Martin!” Thanks for coming!” The pregnant lady waved at them with a bright smile. Ayase and Martin shared her enthusiasm.

“ We’re glad to be here, Ms. Alexa. Thanks for thinking of us and congratulations!” Both of them gave her a light hug that lasted for a few seconds.

The woman grinned and said: “ Thank you!”

Ms. Alexa is a woman with a beautiful physique. With her blond hair and green eyes, she had half the men mesmerized by her beauty alone. The fact that she was pregnant changed in no way her attractiveness. 

“ I’m expecting the pictures to be top-notch.” May I count on you?” She uttered, looking very poised and touching her belly. Looking at her, Ayase couldn’t help but think that she was even prettier when pregnant.

“ Always!” We won’t disappoint you.”

“ I know you won’t.” After all, you’re the best photographer in the entire world. Your reputation got to my ears and I had to check it for myself.”A maid approached them and took Ms. Alexa away. Ayase couldn’t help but look at her.

“ Look at her!” Isn’t she just beautiful?” Ayase remarked to her assistant.

“ Yeah, she is!” The pregnancy truly suits her.”

“ We should find somewhere to sit.” The baby shower is going to start shortly.” Martin whispered.

“ You’re right about that.” They went to find their seats.

Ten minutes after they were seated, a group of men entered the room where Ayase and her assistant were. They walked past them and Ayase happened to recognize one of them.

“ What’s that man doing here?” She thought aloud and her assistant happened to hear what she had just uttered as he was seated just beside her.

“ What man are you talking about?” He asked in an intriguing tone. Ayase kept gazing at the man even from that far away.

“ The one I bumped into earlier.”The assistant looked on but couldn’t see the man she was pointing to. The only thing he could see, however, was his back.

“ He must have business here just like you and me.” You should stop thinking about him so much.” He added maliciously.

“ I’m not thinking about him.” She let her voice out a little, forgetting for an instant she wasn’t the only one in the room.

“ If you say so.”

The group of men sat a couple of blocks away from Ayase. One of them spoke up.

“ Master, we can’t seem to find the young master anywhere.” His expression and tone were reckless.

“ He must be somewhere hiding as usual.” Search the place thoroughly.” The man who seemed to be the big boss of the men in black spoke with authority.

“ Yes, sir!” One of the men walked away running. Ayase couldn’t help but wonder what was going on. She seemed intrigued by something that had nothing to do with her.

Back to Ayase and her assistant—----------------

Ayase had a sudden urge to go to the bathroom. She stood up and looked at her assistant as she said, “ I’ll be right back.” 

“ Okay!”

Ayase walked away from her seat and as she was going to the bathroom, she saw something from outside.

“ What’s that?” she wondered.

As she walked over outside, she saw a little boy there by himself.

“ What are you doing here by yourself, little boy?” Are you lost?” She asked a little boy who was looking at the blue sky. He was very focused. His thoughts seemed to be lost somewhere.

He looked at Ayase and with an innocent smile, said, “ No, beautiful lady!” Ayase slightly blushed at the little boy’s compliment.

“ If you’re not lost, then, what are you doing here by yourself?”

“ I’m looking at the landscape.” Isn’t it pretty?”

“ Yes, it’s beautiful indeed.”

“ Instead of being inside, I’d rather stay here and look at this unique spectacle.”Ayase stayed with the little boy watching the landscape as she didn’t want to leave him by himself. A phone call interrupted all that, however.

“ I have to take this.”She took over the call and it was her assistant, Martin on the line.

“ Ayase, where are you?” The baby shower is about to start.”

“ I’ll be right there.”She hung up the phone and looked over at the boy and said, “ We’ve stayed here long enough. Why don’t we go inside?”

“ Alright!” I’ll follow you everywhere, beautiful lady.” He uttered with a comforting and gentle smile.

They head inside and as they walk, a man in black runs toward them and he looks exhausted as if he had run a marathon. 

“ There you are, young master!” Where were you all this time?” Ayase recognized the man as he was the one from the event hall where the baby shower was to take place.

(Young master?)

“ Nowhere!” The little boy who was suddenly addressed by the surname “ young master” was holding Ayase’s hands very firmly.

“ Now that I’ve found you, let’s go back to your father quickly.” The man in black extended his hand in his direction and the little boy let go of Ayase’s hand and grabbed onto the man in black.

“ Goodbye, beautiful lady!” He waved at her as he was leaving with the man. Ayase returned the hand wave and for some inexplicable reason, she felt some kind of warmth in her heart.

Ayase returned from the bathroom ten minutes later. Her assistant asked her monotonously,“ What took you this much time? What were you doing?” Did you bump into someone again?”

She sat back in her seat as she answered her assistant’s question, “ No! I ran into a kid outside on my way to the bathroom, that’s all.”

“ A kid?”

“ He’s a very nice kid; he even called me beautiful.” Can you believe it?” She was smiling from that without even realizing it. Her assistant was content seeing her smile genuinely for once.

Their conversation was interrupted by an announcement, marking the beginning of the event.

“ Let’s go, Ayase!”

“ Yes, Martin!”

Ayase and Martin walked over from their seats and walked to the front where they could have a good view with their numerical camera.

“ Congratulations on the pregnancy!” Here’s a little something for you.” Ladies one after the other approached Alexa to congratulate her on her pregnancy. The ladies each gave her a gift that they had brought for the occasion.

Seated for the baby shower, Alexa took the gifts and in return offered the most gracious smile no one had ever seen, “ Thank you!”

“ Congratulations!”

“ You look very pretty.” Very good wishes for the baby.”

“ Thanks!”

As the guests were giving gifts to the mom-to-be, Ayase and her assistant, Martin were filming everything with their numerical camera.

The event took two hours altogether. As they finished filming, the only thing left was taking pictures.

“ Ms. Alexa, over here!” Ayase turned Alexa’s attention over to her as she had to take pictures of her together with the gifts she had received.

“ Yes, that’s right!” Good job!” Ayase positioned her camera to the right angle and gave the countdown to Alexa to arrange herself properly, she started taking shots after shots. Alexa made various poses for the photos Unbeknown to her, the boss of the men in black was staring at her with great admiration. Even though he couldn’t see her face properly due to the camera hiding it, it didn’t matter.

His attention was solely on her, The men in black who were seated behind him were utterly surprised by their boss’s behavior. Even the little boy who was the boss’ son was surprised by this as the lady he was staring at was the same one he’d met not so long ago.

“ It’s perfect!” The pictures should be ready in a few days.” Said Ayase as she looked over the satisfying pictures she had taken.

“ Thanks for everything today. You’re the best!” Alexa came over to Ayase and hugged her joyfully.

“ You’re welcome, Ms. Alexa!”

Ayase and Alexa separated after a while. Alexa looked at Ayase even more brightly than before as she handed her a check.

“ Thanks!”

“ I should be the one thanking you for making this day memorable.” I’ll be requesting your services again.”

“ I’ll wait for your call.”

Alexa was helped by a maid. Ayase turned over to her assistant with the cheque in her hand.

“ We made quite a lot in just a night.” Let’s split the money when we get back to the studio.”Ayase and Martin left the venue. As they were heading towards their car, they witnessed a kidnapping happening right in front of them.

Having recognized the one who was about to be forced into a car, Ayase said in disbelief, “ It’s that boy from earlier and he’s getting kidnapped.”

“ What?” We have to do something. Let’s call the police!” Martin took out his phone and was just ready to make the call. Ayase had other plans, however.

“ It’ll be too late until the police get here.” Hold my bag for me!” She gave her bag to her assistant.

“ What are you going to do?”

“ Isn’t that obvious?” I’m going to stop those kidnappers from kidnapping that little boy.”

Ayase ran over to the car with the kidnappers and with one strike of her right foot, she knocked them unconscious.

“ Are you okay?” She held the little boy by the shoulders who was trembling in fear.

“ Thanks for saving me, beautiful lady!” He landed in her arms and he hugged her tightly. He started to cry momentarily.

“ What were you doing here by yourself again?”

“ I lost my dad and as I was searching for him, those men came over and—--------” He was so terrified that he was unable to finish his sentence.

“ It’s okay, it’s okay!” Don’t be afraid!”

“ I was so scared, so scared!” I thought I would be taken away and you came in just in the nick of time and saved me.” Thanks so much!”

Martin came over to them and suggested that they take the boy to his father before heading back to the studio.

“ Let’s take you to your father!”The boy’s tummy made a weird sound as they were about to move.

“ Let’s take care of your tummy first!” What do you say?” Ayase wiped off his tears. 

“ Yeah, let’s go eat!” The little boy slightly grinned, still shaken by what he had just experienced.

“ We should at least let someone know before we leave.”The boy’s tummy was making too much of a noise and they decided to tend to his hunger first before anything.

As the little boy was getting inside Martin’s car, one man in black saw the scene folding right in front of him and went to report.

“ Master, the young master has been kidnapped.” He uttered nearly out of breath.

“ I saw him get inside the car and leave with a lady.” He continued.

“ Call the police!” You guys, follow me!” The boss walked to his car with his men following him from behind.

“ Yes!”The man gets inside a car with three men in black behind him. The remaining one alerted the police.