CHAPTER 4 - Morning Star

CHAPTER 4 –  Morning Star

Saturday. Today marks the first day of Yuji as my business partner. I had been tired for the whole week and thinking about our conversation yesterday makes my head ached. Anyway, it already happened and nothing will change anymore. I just have to deal with it.

It’s 10 AM in the morning when I went out of the house. I am going to the nearest mall for grocery shopping. Upon arriving, I opened the notes on my phone and look for the list of the things I must buy.

I am planning to have a simple broccoli pasta salad for lunch. I got a rotini pasta, broccoli, tomato paste, and other condiments. I also look for other food and things on my list. Since I am running out of stock of detergent powder, I got some too.

After I pay my grocery, I immediately went out of the supermarket. I stopped by one of my favorite shops and look for some art materials. I needed new paintbrushes since the ones I am using were all worn out. I also bought a new set of acrylic paints.

Painting has been my way of escape for a very long time already. My mind is at peace whenever I hold paintbrushes. When things are messy, I just sit in front of my canvas and my hand will start to move on its own.

In a restaurant in front of this art store, I saw someone familiar. Though it was his just side profile I am seeing, I knew for sure that it was Yuji. He wasn’t alone. I supposed it was his parents whom he is talking to.

I was about to ignore them when Yuji suddenly got up from the chair. Even though I can’t really hear them, it appeared to me that they are quarreling. Both Yuji and his parents wore angry expressions on their faces.

Yuji walked out of the restaurant and went outside of the mall. I followed him.

“Yuji!” I called his attention which made him turn around me.

“Mia? What are you doing here?”

“Uh. I was out for grocery shopping,” I said then raised my hand holding eco-bags.

“-then I saw you with your parents at the restaurant,” I continued.

“Oh. So, you must have seen us argue?”

“Yes. But I couldn’t hear what you are talking about.”

“Alright. See you at school.” He was about to leave when I suddenly grabbed his arm.

“Wait!” I immediately let him go when he faced me.

“How about you have lunch at my place?” I offered. I also have something to talk about with him so this is a good opportunity.

“Lunch?” he questioned, puzzled.

I nodded. “I noticed that you haven’t finished what you are eating a while ago at the restaurant. I also have something to discuss regarding our business.”

--

It was 11:30 AM when we arrived at my apartment. I guided him through the living room as I prepared for our lunch. On the corner of the kitchen, I can see him looking at the painting hanging on the wall of the living room.

Ah, that one. It was an abstract painting of a lady. It was messy… and beautiful.

“Did you paint this one?” He asked. He may have seen the initials below the painting.

“Hmm. When I was in the 9^th grade,” I answered as I heat the pasta.

“Do you have a name for this?”

“Yes. ‘The Morning Star.”

“So, if I’m not mistaken, the lady on this painting is Venus—the Goddess of love and beauty.”

“You figured it out that fast. I’m impressed.” As expected from Yuji Villareal. He seemed to know everything.

--

It was almost 1 PM when I finished preparing our lunch. We sat at the dining table facing each other. We started to dig in.

“What I wanted to tell you is that… we must set a schedule.”

He paused on eating and looked at me. “What do you mean by setting a schedule?”

“You see, since we are both running Ringo Dingo, it’s important that we must keep each other updated. I’ll suggest that we must meet every Friday, probably in a nearby café, to give updates.”

“Updates? Like the total money we earn every week?”

“That’s included. We’ll also talk about if there are problems or other related things. We can also have future plans about the business.”

“I’m good with that. In that way, we can track down all the events in our business.”

I smiled. Alright. One step closer to Yuji being under my control, I hope.

--

Yuji went home as soon as we finished our lunch. Meanwhile, I just clean my whole apartment since it’s the weekend. I couldn’t really focus when things are out of order.

I pulled out the art materials I bought earlier and placed them in the corner of my bedroom. This is where I make my paintings and other art stuff. There is a blank canvas on a stand, a dirty palette on top of a table, and below it is different kinds of paints. I love this spot the most.

I was distracted when my phone rang. It was my personal phone. Samantha is calling me.

“Hello?”

“Ysabella! Are you insane?!” Whoa. That was loud.

“Wait, Samantha. What’s the matter?” Why would she yell at me like that? What’s the matter with her?

“Why would you let Yuji run the business with you?! Are you really out of your mind?!” she exclaimed. Ah, right. I haven’t informed her yet since she wasn’t able to attend the meeting last week. It was probably Eunice who told her.

“Okay. Samantha, calm down first. I’ve carefully thought of this. I badly needed Yuji at the moment. You probably heard from the others why.”

“I got your point, but why does it have to be Yuji Villareal?” I can trace the concern in her voice.

“What’s wrong with Yuji?”

“I’ve heard lots of bad things about him from our section. Didn’t Eunice tell you? Some of my classmates used to hang with him.”

“And what?”

“They told me that he used to… he used to…”

“He used to what?!” I don’t know where this conversation is going.

“Yuji used to beat them for unknown reasons… and he extorted money from them as well.”

“What?!” I was utterly shocked and… scared.

D-did Yuji really did those things?

To be continued...