My heart stopped. He hadn’t. He couldn’t. That information about my family was something I had confided in him during the most vulnerable moments of our relationship. Pillow talk. It wasn’t meant to be thrown back at me, especially not here. This was the one thing I wanted to keep a secret.
Jiro grinned, clearly relishing the attention. “He took pity on her. What a waste, taking the spot of someone more deserving. One of us could’ve lost our spot because of her.”
The mood around the table shifted. The smirks faded, replaced by sharp, judgmental stares. Even Kenji looked at me with unease. What if he thought the same? What if Jiro’s words planted doubt in his mind?
I couldn’t remain silent. If Jiro wanted to play dirty, so be it.
“My father had nothing to do with me being here. I don’t come from money or from a family dynasty, like you. I’m here because I earned my spot,” I snapped, meeting his gaze head-on. “Jiro, you’re just scared you’ll lose to me…again.”
The words hung in the air, and Jiro’s smirk faltered, his jaw tightening as he stabbed a piece of fish with his chopsticks. He shoved it into his mouth without another word, chewing slowly and deliberately. His ego was clearly still bruised from our breakup.
“Uh, do you two know each other?” Kenji asked, his voice cutting through the tension.
I sighed. The damage was done. There was no hiding it now. “It’s a long story,” I said, glancing at Kenji. “We’ll talk later, okay?”
Kenji nodded, but his eyes lingered on me, filled with questions I wasn’t ready to answer.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Kenji and I stood at the entrance to the shower area. One of the showerheads still dripped, the faintplink-plinkbreaking the silence. The rest of the apprentices had finished bathing. Kenji had made sure of that. The narrow entrance was no wider than a doorway, shielding most of the shower area from prying eyes.
“I recommend showering in the far corner,” Kenji said, his tone casual but his expression serious. “I’ll be right outside. Just holler if you need help scrubbing your back.”
I gave him a playful pat on the chest. “Oh, I’m sure you’re the best back-scrubber in the business, huh?”
He grinned and stepped back, leaving me alone.
Six weeks of this, Akiko. Better get used to it.
I quickly stripped off my clothes and stepped under the farthest showerhead, letting the hot water cascade over me.
Okay, this isn’t so bad. The pressure is good, and the water’s still hot. I can live with this.
The moment of calm didn’t last. A noise echoed faintly from beyond the shower area as I switched off the water. A door closing.
“Kenji?” I called out, my voice steady but quiet.
My towel and clothes were hanging on hooks by the entrance, inconveniently far from where I stood. I tiptoed toward the edge of the showers, straining to hear anything beyond the faint drip of a faucet. Nothing. Had Kenji left?
I grabbed my towel and wrapped it around myself, the air suddenly feeling colder. “Kenji?” I called again, softer this time. No answer.
I peeked out, scanning the sink area and the stalls beyond it. Kenji was nowhere to be seen. To the left, rows of sinks lined the wall. To the right were urinals and the bathroom entrance. I crouched, peering under the stalls for any sign of feet. Empty.
A chill ran up my spine. I returned to the shower area, where I dried off quickly before slipping into my uniform. Just as I fastened the belt around my waist, the faint squeak of a door froze me mid-movement. Someone was out there.
My heart raced as I pressed myself against the tiled wall, straining to listen. The air felt thick with tension. Kenji wouldn’t ignore me, which meant it must be one of the other apprentices.
Anger bubbled up, cutting through my fear. I could let them believe they could intimidate me, or I could stand my ground.
Screw this.
I inhaled sharply and stepped out of the shower area, moving quickly and slamming into someone. Kenji.
“Akiko!” he said, steadying me with his hands. “Are you okay?”
I looked away, a little embarrassed by my wild imagination getting the best of me. “Yeah, I’m fine. What happened out here?”
“I had to chase away two guys, but it’s nothing this shower guard can’t handle.”
