前のエピソード――第14話 August 1984 --Chapter 14--

　　　It still was dim and quiet inside the show-restaurant in the Pistang Pilipino.

　　　Melba's story was not over yet. "Mr. Takano resumed his daily routine to come to Sakura almost every evening exactly like before, according to mama Lisa. And as far as his daily visit to Sakura is concerned, I'm at ease, of course. I'm even grateful not to have lost an important friend of mine. However, Mr. Takano is... He is, in fact, no longer exactly like before.

　　　"Mr. Takano always asked for me as his hostess whenever I was available. He still does even after that incident between us. And that's why I see it. ..The difference. He doesn't appear enjoying himself at Sakura these days as much as he used to be. So looks he.

　　　"Well, he insists he is fully enjoying himself by chatting and singing with me and other girls. But make no mistake, his eyes are telling a different story. In truth, he isn't enjoying too much. He is only pretending to be, or forcing himself into believing that he is very happy spending his time with us."

　　　I was intently inclining my ears to Melba's story, again recalling the deep shadow of solitude I had seen in Takano-san's eyes the previous night.

　　　　　　　　　　-----

　　　"Mr. Takano is very kind to me even now. No question about that." Melba said. "Very gentle. ..And compassionate." She abruptly paused there.

　　　In no time, I recalled that she had used the word 'compassion' when she had talked of the relationship between her mother and her boyfriend who had later become Melba's stepfather: 'I haven't yet figured out how compassion works between a man and a woman...'

　　　Melba went on. "Well, the fact is, he is very kind from the beginning not only to me but also to all people who work at Sakura. So, in return, they accept him very intimately as if he were one of their family members. However, I think... He is a little too kind"

　　　"Too kind?"

　　　"Yes, 'Ate'." Melba answered. "He really is. ..How? For example, he invites a birthday girl to a decent restaurant together with some of her closest friends to celebrate her birthday, or gives her some birthday present. He also takes those girls who were bullied by their customers one night before to a bowling alley or disco so that they forget about such unpleasant incidents as soon as they can. ..He has been doing things like those, one after another.

　　　"I don't know any other person in the world who is that kind. Do you, 'Ate'? But don't you think he is a little too kind? Don't you think that what he does for us is beyond the ordinary relationship between a karaoke saloon customer and his hostesses?"

　　　"Maybe..." I replied.

　　　"So I asked myself, 'Ate', why Mr. Takano is so kind, why he came to offer me that kind of help, to begin with, and why he gave me that big amount of money.

　　　"As I kept myself guessing why, I gradually came to believe that Mr. Takano couldn't help but be kind to somebody, whoever the person was. He just wanted to be kind to anybody who he thought needed his kindness. ..And among his 'candidates', perhaps, I happened to be the person whom he thought he could be kindest to, because I was youngest and newest among Sakura girls. Besides, I had a story that attracted his serious attention: 'I really, really wanted to go to college.'"

　　　　　　　　　-----

　　　"Anyway," said Melba, "now everybody working at Sakura knows how kind Mr. Takano is. And I think he himself already knows they deem him that way. ..And I believe that must be the reason why he became unable to fully enjoy himself at Sakura any more. Well, 'Ate', what else can he do after proving himself very kind to everyone?

　　　"No doubt. Mr. Takano has come to a point where he can't be satisfied any more with just being very kind to the people around. He must be feeling as if he had a huge hole somewhere in his mind after showing me that amount of his kindness.

　　　"So I believe this, 'Ate': Mr. Takano now needs a person who is very kind or caring to him, in return. He now needs a woman who is truly yasashii (kind, gentle, sweet or caring..) to him. ..And I found last night that it must be you, 'Ate' Trina, who could be most caring to him."

　　　"Wait a second, Melba." I was totally bewildered. "You don't know me well enough yet, so you..."

　　　Melba interrupted me. "Mr. Takano really needs a yasashii woman like you, 'Ate', right now. I know that very well, because I love him very much."