A Warm Rainy Day in Tokyo Read online

  PRAISE FOR KANA WU

  “…Highly recommended for readers who are tired of the typical chick lit romance, and are ready for something light as air and just as refreshing.” — K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite, on No Romance Allowed

  “An agreeably warm story that bounces along effortlessly on the genuine chemistry of its lead characters, Rory and Peter, Wu takes the much-loved tropes of the genre and makes them her own.” — The BookViral Review, on No Romance Allowed

  “Readers who enjoy romance novels with a touch of suspense will appreciate this book.” — OnlineBookClub.org, 4 stars, on No Romance Allowed

  “Wu offers a relatable tale of a couple struggling to adapt to a long-distance relationship. Peppered with intriguing dynamics of co-workers who threaten fidelity, and judgmental family members sowing doubt, there is palpable tension sustained throughout this compact novel. The main characters are loveable and endearing, and Wu’s handling of past regrets and secrets withheld endow the couple with a blithe honesty and vulnerability that is sure to warm the hearts of readers of this engaging series.” — Self-Publishing Review, 4 stars, on No Secrets Allowed

  “Without saying much I would recommend this book if you want a sweet romance overcoming all the hardships. Definitely looking more from the author.” —Kriti, Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars, on No Secrets Allowed

  “I enjoyed this book even more than the first one. It had a bit of twist and turn with wonderful characters. It was a fantastic one-sitting read for me. Nothing is better than sitting with a book that pulls you out of the real world.” —Bookoholiccafe, Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars, on No Secrets Allowed

  “Verdict: It’s good!” — Popthebutterfly, Goodreads Reviewer, 4 stars, on No Romance Allowed.

  OTHER NOVELS BY KANA WU

  No Romance Allowed

  No Secrets Allowed

  Suddenly A Mom (Kindle Vella)

  Copyright © 2022 Kana Wu

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  Printed in the United States.

  Cover and book design by Asya Blue Design.

  Editing by Elise Hitchings

  Proofreading by Esther Reisberg

  All characters and events in this book, other than those clearly in the public domain, are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  ISBN 978-1-7357676-4-2 Paperback

  ISBN 978-1-7357676-5-9 Ebook

  For my mom and dad –

  BELLA

  “Bella, Bella,” The gorgeous stranger whispered.

  I let out a quiet sigh because I loved the way he called my name. His voice was gentle, like rustling leaves on a breezy night. With a smile, I tipped my head toward him. The moon hid behind a thin cloud, but its light was enough for me to see his chiseled jaw, long nose, and full, sexy lips.

  “I love your baby blue eyes, Bella Bell,” he whispered again, lowering his face to mine. “Do you love me?”

  “Yes,” I whispered back, my heart thundering in my chest as his hazel eyes looked straight at me. Oh my, he is going to kiss me? Yes … yes … Wait, maybe I have to be bolder. Swallowing, I placed my hands on his muscular hips.

  “Bella,” he said, caressing my red hair before his hand stopped on the back of my neck and pulled me closer.

  I closed my eyes, waiting for his warm kiss to touch mine, but nothing came. Clenching my jaw, I cupped his face with my hands and coaxed it toward me. Oddly, instead of kissing me, he called out, “Bella! Bella! Bella!” At the same moment, I heard loud sounds, like someone banging on the door. What the …

  As much as I wanted to ignore the annoying interruption, I opened my eyes to find that the handsome, chiseled-jaw guy had disappeared, and my hands clenched my pillow a few inches in front of my face. It wasn’t real … but who dared to disturb my dream? I couldn’t moan for too long because the banging became louder, followed by my mom’s irritated voice. “Bella, how many times do I have to wake you up?”

  Ugh, couldn’t Mom have woken me up a bit later, at least after I got my kiss? I groaned.

  Jumping out of my bed, I opened the door to see my mom glaring at me. She was wearing a blue blazer and pencil skirt, ready for work at a local library as the senior librarian. In her late fifties, she looked great. She had fair skin and no wrinkles, and was a bit heavy at almost five feet tall. Her new hairstyle, short with blonde highlights made her look younger. I could see a flicker of jealousy in my dad’s eyes whenever a man glanced at her in awe. How I wished I had inherited her fair skin and would look like her when I was older. However, my older sister got our mom’s looks and I looked more like our dad. But thanks to the height from my dad, I was three inches taller than my mom.

  A whiff of jasmine from her perfume hit my nose like the fresh air of spring. But my mom’s eyes and expression were far from gentle: They were more like a brewing storm.

  “Bellalina Elizabeth Bell.” Her voice was loud and high when she called my full name—which she did whenever she was super upset. “You aren’t a kid anymore. You are almost twenty-two, for God’s sake. Why can’t you wake up on your own? I can’t believe that I have to wake you up like this in the morning,” she scoffed, and turned her body toward the kitchen. “Wipe your drool and brush your hair before going out.”

  The corner of my mouth was damp as I wiped it with the back of my hand. As I followed my mom down to the kitchen, I tied my shoulder-length hair back with the hairband that was always around my wrist.

  “That’s your fault,” I grumbled, and sat on the tall chair at the kitchen island where she’d already put a half gallon of orange juice, a box of cereal, breakfast sausages, six boiled eggs, and a pile of toast, jam, and butter. “I found an effective way to wake up without your help, but you complain about that.”

  My mom almost rolled her bright blue eyes at me, but she restrained herself. “You set five different alarm clocks to wake you up every day. Five alarms, Bella. You refused to use your phone alarms and bought five metal twin-bell alarm clocks instead. And those are loud enough to wake up the whole neighborhood.”

  “But that’s effective,” I protested, helping myself to a glass of orange juice. “You know I’m not a morning person. Then when I found a way that works, you don’t like it.”

  “Those damn alarm clocks can wake up the whole neighborhood,” she said slowly as if I didn’t comprehend her words the first time. I widened my eyes, and my mom sighed.

  She opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by Mel’s entrance. Mel was willowy, five-ten with tan skin and freckles on her nose. She was tying up her long caramel brown hair into a messy topknot.

  “Good morning, Mrs. B. Good morning, Bella,” Mel chirped.

  “Good morning, Mel,” my mom and I said in unison.

  Mel’s full name was Melissa Clinton, and she was twenty-five years old, a first-year graduate student, and our renter. Although her last name was Clinton, she wasn’t related to the famous Clintons.

  Adele, my older sister by six years, had been Mel’s junior high mentor and had always brought Mel to our house. My parents didn’t mind, and felt sorry for Mel after learning her parents divorced when she was ten and she lived with her legally blind grandma after that. When her grandma passed away last year, and Adele married and moved to New York, my parents offered Mel my sister’s old bedroom, but she insisted on paying rent. Regardless of her position in our house, I always thought of Mel as a sister.

  “Another argument about the alarm clocks, I presume?” Mel gr
inned wider as she sat down next to me. Pouring cereal into an empty bowl, I smiled back at her while my mom finally rolled her eyes.

  “Tell her, Mel,” Mom said, feigning exhaustion as she picked up her purse and car keys. “She doesn’t listen to me.”

  “I’ve always listened to you,” I complained, my mouth full of cereal.

  “Swallow first, then talk,” she scoffed, shaking her head. “Okay, girls. I’m leaving now. See you in the evening.”

  “I’m going to cook for dinner tonight, Mrs. B,” said Mel as my mom tapped her shoulder gently and planted a quick kiss on my head.

  “No class today?” my mom asked. Her eyes widened as they shifted to Mel.

  “Only homework. I have time to cook.”

  “And what are you going to cook?” she asked with a curious expression. I looked at Mel too.

  “Burgers, steamed veggies, and green salad,” she answered with confidence, peeling a hard-boiled egg.

  I turned away to hide my grin while a smile spread on my mom’s lips as she gave an encouraging nod.

  Mel was the worst cook. No matter how hard she tried, everything she cooked turned out to be a disaster. The soup was always watery, the pizza was burned, or the grilled chicken was uncooked in the middle. The best meal she could cook was burgers, steamed veggies, and garden salad. No one knew how she never burned the burgers. So, whenever she offered to cook, we could guess her answer.

  “Sounds great,” my mom said excitedly. “Well, see you tonight, then.”

  “See ya, Mrs. B,” Mel said.

  “Bye, Mom,” I said as she walked across the living room to the front door. She waved again before closing the door behind her.

  “Will you be busy training today?” Mel asked after swallowing her egg. Her hand reached for a second egg and she finished it in three bites before helping herself to two pieces of toast and four breakfast sausages.

  Shaking my head, I said, “Not really, but I need to deliver training materials for our new café in San Clemente and introduce myself to the new owner.”

  “Another new franchise café?” she said, widening her eyes. “It’s good to know that Little Bear Café is expanding. Oh, how’s about the one in Japan? You mentioned that this summer your company is opening another café there. Is it still happening?”

  “Yes, it is. I think the deal should have been closed by now, but I’m not sure,” I answered. “We’re excited because this will be our second international franchise—after the one in Singapore.”

  “Ah, I remember when you went to Singapore for a week. So, how many cafes will be opened in Japan?”

  I tilted my head, recalling the information. “Bread Lounge – the Japanese company that holds our franchise—will open one in Tokyo, three in Osaka, and more in Kyoto because its headquarters is in the city. The total will be ten. This summer, I’m going to be busy preparing training materials for them. I’m so excited.”

  Mel nodded, and her green eyes gazed at me from behind her mug. “How about your school? Are you going to continue?”

  I groaned silently. When I graduated from high school, I began to work as a data entry clerk at Little Bear headquarters. Because I was a fast learner, my boss suggested to transfer me to the training and development division as an associate instructor to support the café instructors and ensure training sessions run smoothly.

  When I got my associate’s degree, I was promoted to a café instructor and my days at the office became busier. Then I decided to postpone getting a bachelor’s degree. My mom wasn’t happy with my decision because she wanted me to get a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree like Adele. I wasn’t fond of the way my mom always compared me to her, but for the sake of my dad—who was always on my side—I would transfer into the third year of a bachelor’s degree student in the fall of this year.

  Actually, my mom’s demands didn’t upset me because my dad understood my decision. For the time being, I was safe from my mom’s nagging. What bothered me the most was after Adele left the house, Mel—who used to be my partner in crime—turned into Adele 2.0.

  I clearly remembered the last mischievous thing we did. One morning, Mel and I waited for my mom to get her morning juice—we had mixed it with gelatin the night before. It was priceless to see her face when globs of juice dropped into her mug.

  But that sweet moment was gone, leaving me with a still-sweet-but-not-fun-anymore Mel.

  “Mom should’ve been happy because I already got my associate’s degree. Besides, school and I aren’t compatible.” I let out a chuckle at my own joke, but Mel didn’t smile. I rolled my eyes and continued. “Okay, I’m going to take online school this fall.”

  “It’s going to be tough juggling school and a full-time job,” she stated.

  “Well,” I stood from my seat slowly, unwilling to continue the discussion. “At the moment, my job makes me happy, and my dad seems to agree with me. If my mom doesn’t like it, so be it.”

  Mel watched in dismay as I collected my dirty bowl and glass and brought them to the sink. “Sorry, Bel, I don’t mean to make you upset.”

  Halfway, I stopped and turned to her. “I know you meant well, but don’t you know that you sound like Adele now?”

  As I spun on my heel, I caught her staring at me incredulously, but I ignored her and left the kitchen after I put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher.

  RYO

  His computer’s clock showed it was almost eleven in the morning, but Ryo Yamada felt as if he’d been in the office forever. Time seemed to run slowly. Was it because of the bad news he’d gotten last night?

  Taking a deep breath to release the tightness in his chest, Ryo gazed up at the bright yellow ribbon tied loosely on one of the AC grids waving like a flag. That ribbon reminded him of Akiko, his sister—older by eleven minutes—who loved ribbons and always wore them in her hair.

  If he could be honest, he was sick of looking at her with ribbons because there were so many other hair accessories in the world, but she only wore ribbons. However, Ryo had learned not to say anything to make her upset.

  His oneechan had a congenital heart defect. Their pediatrician had predicted that his sister wouldn’t live past three years old, but somehow she survived. When Ryo and Akiko turned seven, the doctor had said she wouldn’t live past ten. But his sister was a fighter and was able to live longer than the doctor’s predictions. At the age of fifteen, she got a heart transplant that improved her health. Still, her body didn’t grow well, and at the age of twenty-five she looked like a sixteen-year-old girl.

  Ryo let out a sigh and rolled his sleeves up, revealing his toned arms. He and Akiko were twins, but unlike his sister, he was born healthy. When he was young, each time he asked the question, people around him said he was stronger because he was a boy. He hadn’t liked the answer because boys and girls should be the same.

  Then one of his uncles explained it to him. Obviously, they shared the same space, but they had different placentas, and somehow there was an imbalance of blood and nutrients flow that favored him and not Akiko. As a result, Ryo grew bigger and stronger while Akiko didn’t.

  That explanation had haunted him ever since. He had felt responsible for Akiko’s condition and kept that thought deep in his mind. The only person who had sensed his guilt was Akiko.

  One night, when they were ten, his sister had called him to her room and invited him to sleep next to her. She shared the life and the dreams that she wished to have. Once she finished, she asked Ryo to swear to live the life that she couldn’t enjoy. Whatever he did, he would do for them both. Akiko would support him no matter what, even if it meant arguing with their parents.

  Ryo agreed and kept his promise as Akiko kept hers.

  When Ryo was accepted at UC Berkeley, Akiko was the one who argued with their parents to let him go because it had been her dream to study at that university. She also pushed Ryo to take a job at a prestigious healthcare company in Southern California. Ryo never forgot how brightly her eyes sh
one when she congratulated him on the new job during their FaceTime.

  He owed his oneechan for the life he had in the US.

  But all good things must end.

  Last night, his mom had called and urged him to return home because Akiko’s kidneys were functioning at less than ten percent—a side effect of the immunosuppressant drugs Akiko needed after her heart transplant. His parents thought his presence might give her some emotional support.

  The news struck him like lightning. For the hundredth time in his life, Ryo cursed God for only letting his sister live such a short life.

  That phone call also put him between a rock and a hard place. He’d gotten his promotion two months ago and wanted to establish his career in his current company. However, Akiko was an important, irreplaceable person in his life. Ryo had sacrificed his dreams for her and would do it again without hesitation. Unfortunately, no matter how much he wished to have the technology to beam him instantly to Tokyo, he couldn’t quit on the spot. He was the team leader of an ongoing project in his department, and it would take time to train his replacement. The fastest Ryo could go was next month.

  This morning, he submitted his resignation, but his boss refused it and offered him a three-month sabbatical, which was a rare opportunity. Unfortunately, Ryo couldn’t guarantee that everything would be back to normal in three months. If something happened to Akiko, it was Ryo’s duty to care for his parents, as the only son in the family, which wasn’t easy to understand for some people. Heartbroken, he turned down the offer.

  His boss was reluctant to let him go, and gave him her personal phone number so Ryo could contact her immediately if a miracle happened and he could return to the States.

  Ryo didn’t believe in miracles anymore because he’d prayed for years for his sister’s health, but still, nothing improved. Would God care enough to listen to his prayers this time?

  Letting out another heavy sigh, Ryo unrolled his sleeves and pulled his chair closer to his desk. Tonight, he had to contact Takeru Fujikawa, his best friend, who worked at his parents’ real estate company. Takeru could help him find a place to live. Although Ryo could stay in his parents’ house, he’d rather have a place for himself. His parents, especially his mom, had dedicated their lives to Akiko. His presence at home would be another burden for his mother. She would be busy cooking for him and wouldn’t listen even if he asked her to stop. Ryo preferred to draw a clear line between them. It sounded harsh, but it was for everyone’s sake.