Mind Set

"I've never had any form of relationship with anyone, I may seem like a loner but one day I will prove to you that I can be a great business woman, even greater than you." - Anika Swan to Her Mother.

Of all times my mother could have cared about anything I did she chooses now to care. I'm moving out, which is what she wanted ever since I turned 18. She let me live here while I went to college, which was right down the street. I just graduated from NYU and she's not the least bit proud of me. She loves my sister Jennifer more anyway, but she'll never be half the woman I am. I will be greater than my mother one day, Maybe then she'll care for me like she does for my sister.
    What does it matter, I don't like my family one bit. My mother is one of the greatest business women in the United States. My father stays at home all day gloating about not having to do anything because my mother is rich. My sister is so mischievous. She leaves the house late at night to go drinking with her friends. She always comes home early in the morning begging me not to tell mom. I find it annoying that she asks me all the time, I mean what is there to say to a busy woman who would never believe me in the first place?
    I am so glad that this is the last time I will be seeing my family.
    "Oh my darling Anika, you can't leave me now, you just became eligible. Please stay here, you could be a great business woman, with my help of course," my mother smiled as she followed me to my car. I placed the last box of my belongings in the passenger seat then turned around to face my mother.
    "Lydia..." I sighed then looked her in the eyes. Her face became alert, her eyes widened as she clenched her teeth. She was angry. Probably at the fact that this was the first time I have ever addressed her by any name that was correct. I have never called her mother nor mom or anything of the sort. She was never around when I was a child and when she was I always called her auntie, my cousins always did so I got in the habit of it. Plus the fact that I hated her my whole life. Calling her by her first name must be frustrating for her, that makes me happy. She lifted her hand as if she was about to slap me. I grabbed bother her hands and held them tightly together. "Lydia," I continued. "I don't need nor did I ever want your help in anything. Jennifer is the heir, like you promised her, and I am nothing, just like you promised me. Do you remember the incident when I was eight? I bet you do because thats when you made these promises," I hesitated for a moment. "I gave a old homeless man your credit card, and I'm glad I did. If I hadn't of done that, I wouldn't be changing my life right now."
    "Anika, that man was my ex-husband! He bought out my rival business with MY money, making me go slowly in debt. It took me years to get back on top! How could I have not hated you for that?" Lydia yelled. I looked down at the ground and walked forward, pushing her back. I kicked the car door shut then let go of her hands and walked swiftly to the other side of the car.
    "Well, I can finally say that I love you, Lydia," I opened the drivers side door then smiled. "You made me make my choice. Ever since I was eight I had this plan, to move to Japan. I am more prepared than anyone would ever be."
    "Its not safe to move to a foreign country alone," Lydia claimed walking closer to the car. I locked the doors then looked her in the eyes.
    "Don't for one second think that I am not ready to leave this place. This isn't a home. This place is like hell. You don't really care for me at all, you never have," I said then raised my eyebrows. She opened her mouth to speak again but I interrupted. "Have you ever once paid any attention to my classes at NYU? I studied all the Asian countries, I've studied Japan since I was eight. I know Japanese, Korean, Taiwanese, Chinese and Laos. And what languages can you speak?" I asked then raised my hand. "Italian, English and German," I counted on my fingers. "I'm proud of myself. I raised myself because I never once thought of you as a mother." I got in my mustang and closed the door. I rolled down the passenger window just a small portion then Lydia leaned over and looked at me.
    "What else do you have to say to me, you ungrateful rotten child?" When she asked that I couldn't help but burst out laughing.
    "Just tell dad goodbye for me, and tell my alcoholic sister, good luck. Also, you can think of me as a rival from now on. Sayonara, Lydia!" I looked for an opening in the traffic beside me then rushed off without looking at Lydia again.
    I'm glad I have almost one hundred thousand dollars saved up from all my odd jobs. This gives me my own plane and a chance to bring my car with me.

It was a long plane ride. They played a couple movies that I didn't care to watch. Instead I was on my laptop looking up businesses in Japan. I applied online to three different places then looked for a place to live. All I could find that was reasonable at the time was a run down tiny apartment. I sent the owner an email and just before I landed I got an email back from them. They told me to come by as soon as I get here. This made me happy that I didn't have to live in a hotel for a couple weeks.
    Once I was in my car again I drove off to find that place. It was a little on the out skirts of town but it was fine for now. Rent was 300 dollars a month, I found that very nice. Especially since its a very small apartment and its only me living here.
    My first night in Japan, I'll sleep it off.

The next morning I checked my laptop, at the moment I was glad I had free wifi. I had gotten three emails from the businesses that I applied for, two of them asked for interviews and the other told me they didn't have any jobs available at the time. One suggested that the interview be today so I gladly got up and got dressed in a very nice outfit. I grabbed my purse which wasn't that useful since all I ever had in it was my make-up. I keep my money in my pocket where its safe.
    I left the apartment and drove my mustang all the way to my interview. It was hard to find a parking spot but eventually I found one, a block away.
    Well, I'm not going to go into detail with the interview, I don't really think they liked me anyway. I must've been too nervous but they said they'd give me a call. I'm not really counting on that though.
    Since its still early I'll go check out the town.
    I walked on foot down a really busy street. I just walked with the crowd, it'd be too frustrating to find my own way through the crowd. I stopped at a candy and sweets store to buy some pocky. I love pocky, its great. I got some Hello Panda also.
    I decided I'll go eat out tonight and buy food tomorrow so I went to Daikokuya. It seems like an interesting place, its like a buffet, all you can eat but you only have two hours to do that. Two hours seems fair enough. They have these cute little restaurants every where in Japan. Daikokuya is on the forth floor of the Naka-Dai Building. I remember where it is from my studies.
    As I got close to the building I noticed an old man stumbling along the side of the road. He was wearing a nice suit but it was ripped up as if he'd been beaten up or something. Does no one else see this man? They keep walking by him like he's not there. Well, what will it hurt if I help him? I walked up to this man and grabbed his arm to help him stand right.
    "Excuse me, Are you ok sir?" I asked then he clutched his hands onto my arm and looked at me with hopeful eyes. "Do you want to get something to eat with me?" I asked, now supporting his weight.
    "That would be great," he said with a slight bow. "Thank you."
    He walked along my side very slowly as we entered the Naka-Dai Building. We went up to the fourth floor and got a table and I helped him sit down.
    "What would you like sir? I'll get it for you," I asked very nicely.
    "Anything is fine for me," he said. I guess since I'm paying it shouldn't matter. I went up to the buffet tables and got two plates of food and brought them back to our table. Once I sat down across from him he put his hands together and whispered something. I couldn't hear him but he was probably praying. He then looked up at me and smiled. "Its nice to meet you, What is your name?"
    "Nice to meet you, I'm Swan Anika, what is your name?" I asked with a smile.
    "I'm Kawano Katsu, please treat me kindly," He smiled then started to eat. As if I wasn't already treating him kindly. I wonder if I can ask him what happened. "I'm ok now," he said suddenly.
    "Eh?" I was startled.
    "You asked me if I was ok earlier," he continued eating.
    "Ah, yes, that's good," I started to eat now. "May I ask what happened to you?"
    "Yes, I owe alot of money to a large company who associates with the Yakuza. Its not a good idea to get in bad terms with them. The Yakuza told me to leave my house and give the deed to someone else. If they see me there I will be killed. This leaves me without a home though."
    I'm not sure if it'd be a good idea to get involved with this man but maybe it couldn't hurt to bad. "Why would they tell you to give away your house?" I asked.
    "They don't want my house and they also won't allow me to sell it to pay them off. So you see I can only give it away."
    "Would the person taking this house from you have to deal with the Yakuza at all?" I asked trying to deliberate on weather I should ask for his house or not.
    "I doubt it, they are after me not said person."
    "So why would they take your house if there's no profit in it for them?" I suddenly became interested in his story.
    "They claim its a good way of motivation. They want me to give up my house to a stranger so that I have no way of moving back in when I do pay them off." He stoped talking for a while and I didn't know what else to say so I just sat quietly and ate.
    "Kawano san?" I interrupted as he placed a envelope on the table.
    "I want you to have my house, you helped me and I am truly grateful," he smiled.
    "Kawano san, do you have somewhere to go tonight?" I asked a little worried as I grabbed the envelope off the table.
    "I'll be fine, Thank you for treating me to dinner. The address and keys are in the envelope," he said as he stood up. "It was nice meeting you Swan san," he smiled then I opened the envelope and took out a piece of paper that had the address on it. It was way closer to the city than my apartment is. I looked up to where he was standing but he was gone. Could he have stumbled away that quickly? I looked around but didn't see him anywhere. I folded up the envelope and put it in my pocket then finished eating. Well, I'm glad I didn't unpack yet. I finished eating then reached to the floor where I had placed my purse but it wasn't there now. I shrugged it off, who ever has my purse now is going to be beautiful. I laughed at that thought then got up and left. I wondered if I'd ever see Kawano san again. I sighed. Not like it matters, he was a nice encounter for today.
    I walked swiftly with the crowd and eventually got back to my car and drove back to the apartment. It was only seven in the afternoon so after I informed the apartment owner of my new house and offered her one hundred dollars anyway for two days rent I went to my apartment and got on my laptop to look for more jobs.
    There was a design company. It sounded nice, they designed stores and such. I think I would be good at that. I applied there online. Another one was of a clothing company, much like my mothers. I applied there too just for the hell of it.
    After a while I just decided to pack up my things and put them back in my car. I left my laptop with me by my futon then went to bed.

I woke up to a beeping noise from my laptop. It was six in the morning and I had two new emails. Considering the fact that I had no phone, they had to email me.
    One interview was on the day after today and the other two were for three days after today.
    This is a good thing, I can move today and get settled in. Even go shopping.
    I folded up the futon that came with the room and left it in the corner then grabbed my laptop and any other belongings I had in the room and left for my car.

Author's Note

The quote at the top never happens in the story. lol. I just put it there cause I felt like it. xD Enjoy and don't forget to tell me what you think! :)

Reviews

[Silvario]

in interesting first chapter. it introduces us to the main character and her situation that propels her to where the story will take place (as im guessing). it sets us up nicely for what is to come.

only thing i felt was that it all seemed a tad rushed in the writing, but not bad at all. *shrugs* just my humble opinion tho.

all in all, very nicely done indeed :)

[Gretchen Clarke]

Wow, this is a good start for a book! I can't wait to read more of it!
I've always wondered what Japan is like...
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