He opened his eyes and stared into dead silence of the night. Only the sounds of raindrops splashing against the window could be heard. He slowly turned his eyes towards the sounds, it was a terrible wash. Maybe a storm was coming, he thought to himself. Turning his eyes to the night stand on his right side, the alarm clock read 3am. It was this late into the night and yet he was woken up by the harsh blowing of the wind. Believing that there would be no way he could go back to sleep now, he pushed his heavy body off the bed and dragged his long legs towards the office. Sitting down on his cozy armchair, he glanced around the room, trying to find anything to do at this moment.

It was impossible that there would be any left for him to do since he had already finished his proposal a day earlier, all the projects that need his attention were also signed and proceeded to the next step, even his house was completely spotless, there was no work for him to do. Such a perfectionist he was. He wondered what was really missing here; why he felt so uninterested and unentertained...more like...he was feeling very ... lonely. That was the word: LONELY; since when that his life was this empty? Last time he checked, he was the art director of his department, his apartment located at the 40th floor of an elite apartment complex on Aoyama street, he had a loving family with both parents and three brothers, with the addition of his nieces and nephews; he had everything that any 26-year-old would like to possess, then what exactly was this empty feeling?

He tapped his fingers lightly on the wooden desk, trying to think of an answer for his question, the mystery was not leaving him and he would have to try to figure that out soon. This had been bothering him since his youngest brother's wedding. His youngest brother, who had just turned 20 a few months ago, just had his lovely wedding with his two-year lover by the beach a week ago. That left him the only male in the family that is still single; something was definitely off.

Heaving out a long sigh, he turned to the clock on the wall, the hour hand pointed at number 4, he had been up for more than an hour already. He should head back to sleep, maybe when he would figure some answer when he was up; the rain had messed up his brain, he decided so. Lifting himself off the armchair, he made his way back to his dark bedroom; hoping the sound of raindrops would sooth him back to sleep.

Morning had come sooner than he had expected, before he knew it, his normal routine had once again started and in progress.

The elevator made the ding sound as everyone rushed out of the metal lift and hurried to their cubicles, some made their way to the coffee room for their first cup of caffeine of the day; 8am timetable was not very enjoyable for most people. He waited as everyone emptied out of the elevator and the metallic doors closed tightly and the lift started its next destination. He leisurely leaned back on the metal wall, watching the number jumping to his floor. When the double metal doors opened again, he put on a smile as he exited the lift and greeted his secretary.

“Morning, Arisa,”

“Morning, Kamenashi-san,” the girl greeted back warmly, following him instantly as she flipped through his schedule for today. “The meeting with the representative from America firm is at 2pm, and that is the only important meeting of today, sir,” the girl informed with a smile.

“Thank you, Arisa,” he turned and gave her his best smile.

“Ah, and your mother wants me to give this to you,” Arisa quickly handed him the magazine she had been holding in her hands, he frowned upon the cover of the magazine.

“I’m sorry about that,” he apologized with a chuckle.

“It’s not a bother, sir,” the girl smiled amusingly.

“Please don’t tell everyone about this, mom always manages to embarrass me whenever she finds fit,” he pleaded to her as she just shook her head understanding.

“I know it’s inappropriate for me to say this but I have to agree with your mother this time, sir,” the girl chuckled at him rolling his eyes.

“Are you speaking as my friend or as my secretary?” he managed to look at her with a helpless smile.

“As a friend, I do believe you need to look at that magazine; if it has to come to it, I would gladly to help you set up a few blind dates, I have quite a few lookers on my contact list you know,” the girl said with mischievous grin, “As your secretary, I’m tired to get your call at 4am in the morning just to listen to you being emotional and questioning your life, I’m not your therapist,” the girl laughed at his pout.

“Can’t help it if I can’t sleep and talking to you is relaxing,” he replied with a beam.

“Again, I’m not your therapist, and definitely not your lover; I believe you need to get laid, so you will have a peaceful and exhausted sleep every night,” the girl grinned.

“You ert,” he laughed and shook his head.

“Just your best advisor,” the girl grinned, “anyway, I need to get back to my job; and don’t forget to look at the magazine, you will learn something out of it,” the girl said as left him standing alone in his office. He only rolled his eyes and turned his gaze to the magazine, this was the third one of this month.

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Another Part of the City

Stretching his arms up into the thin air, he made a low groan as turning his body to the side, enjoying the warm comfy bed that he had missed for four months. There was no better place than being at home, how much he missed his puffy pillows and soft mattress; it felt so much like heaven. He loved it! Smiling to himself, he decided today would be his day off from work, hell to paperwork, they could wait another 24 hours, his sleep was much more important than life itself.

“I’m counting to 10 and if you are not out of your pigsty, I’ll tell mom!”

Came the annoying voice of his loving little brother, he hated that voice so damn much; he believed that kid was born to torture him, he was so damn sure of it.

“Shut the up!”

Shouting back, he didn’t bother to open his eyes, why would he let his evil brother ruining his sleep? He could deal with his mom later. He knew a way to the woman’s heart, sweet talks always work! Grinning on that thought, he immediately went back to sleep.

“Mom! Jin is going to skip work, AGAIN!”

Aish! That annoying brother of his, can a man have his sleep after four months of living in nature?

“JIN!”

Great, the thunderous scream was coming. He snapped his eyes open within a blink of an eye and rushed to the bathroom without a halt, he passed by his grinning little brother, if look could kill, he would have burn the little devil by now with his glare, too bad laser glare only exists in batman.

It didn’t take long for him to finish, knowing that his mother hate to wait on people, even if that person is family: she does not like tardy.

“Morning mom,” he beamed brightly at the seemingly middle-age woman and quickly gave her a peck on the cheek when she was in his proximity.

“Morning, lazy-,” his mother replied with a chuckle.

“Ouch! That hurts mom,” he pouted at the woman’s name-calling.

“You’ll live,” the woman replied shortly and ruffled his hair; he grinned at her as put a piece of food into his mouth.

“Geez, I’m the youngest one here,” his brother’s voice again, he shot the other his best dangerous smile.

“Morning, devil child,” he gritted at his brother, who only shrugged at his name-calling.

“Morning, pig,” his brother said with the same monotone; this was how they usually greet each other daily any way, nothing special.

“Stop your bickering, hurry and finish your breakfast, there are works waiting for you,” the woman announced the schedule of the day to her two sons as she watched them finishing their food.

“Leo,” she called out the youngest name as the other perked up from his food, “meeting at 2pm with the Advertising company, we need to make sure that they understand our concept, no more mistakes like last time,” she warned with a hard tone, the young man just nodded understanding.

“Jin,” she turned over to her oldest, who only nodded as a sign that she having his full attention, “I know you just got back from your long four-month project in the forest, but I don’t trust anyone with this important project, you’re the only photographer that would understand our concept well, so you’re being put up for this,” she said in one breath, receiving disagreeing grunt from the other, she knew it was unfair, but it had to be done. “Don’t try to protest and you will meet up with their art director tomorrow to discuss about the illusionary for this concept,” her deadpanned tone had successfully halted any of his objections.

“No choice, right?” he only stared at her with defeated look, he knew he couldn’t fight his own mother, especially when the woman put the success of the company on top of family. The woman nodded and he waved his hand as saying that he understood.

“One question,” he handed her the plate and continued, “Am I needed for today?”

“The meeting at 2pm,” the woman pondered on the schedule of her sons, “it would be a good idea if you are there too, but it’s not required,” she informed and he nodded.

“I would like to hear their proposal,” he said and left to his room to change into his working attire.

“Good,” the woman nodded in approval, “I’ll see you two at the company then,” she concluded, turning to put all the dirtied plates into the sink for the maids to wash.

Once he had finished with putting on appropriated clothing, he made a quick check on his image. He scoffed at the stuck up suit that he was having on. He just wished that the meeting will not taking too long, he couldn’t wait to get out of his suit; jeans and shirt sounded so much comfortable to him than this expensive tailor suit.

“Smile for the sake of life,” he sighed to himself as he put on his goofy smile and left his room. He greeted the maids as he passed by them, who in turn bowed to him with respect. His driver was already waiting for him at the entrance but he just waved the young chauffeur, letting the other know that he would take his car for a ride today.

As his car speedily left the mansion, he constantly checked the rearview mirror to see the mansion’s shadow quickly disappear from his sight. He breathed out a sigh of relief; he didn’t know he had been holding on it for so long. Driving his car down the lone road, he pondered to himself, why he felt so empty. He didn’t know when this uneasy feeling started; he just came to realize it a few years back. He had thought he had everything that any 28-year-old male would kill for: the infamous last name, the castle mansion, the life of no financial worries, and a career of his dream; despite the devil of a little brother and an uncaring mother, deep down he knows for a fact that they both love him as much as he loves them. However, what is really missing here. He just couldn’t figure out. He tried to reflect back on his life, running a quick flashback in his mind. This uneasy feeling began when his friend, YamaPi married two years ago, leaving him to be the last bachelor of his circle of friends. This felt really odd, very odd.

When his car entered the highway, he brushed the thoughts to the side. Focusing on driving is the priority at this moment. He decided that it was due to lack of sleep; after all he only came back like 12am last night and only had what? 6 hours of sleep, thanks to the hectic schedule made by his mom. Even a photographer has a secretary, can anyone imagine this? He had heard of assistant but not secretary, but whatever, if that something his mom enjoyed, he would not be one to decline her offer.