Character profile: Ana

In the interest of allowing you to get to know the characters of the story better, I’ve decided to share some of their character profiles with you ;-) What kind of stuff do you have in common with them?

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Name:  Maria Juana Madrigal

Nickname:  Ana

Birthday: 25 March 1977

Age: 32

Zodiac sign:  Aries

Height: 165 cm

Color:   Used to like blacks, browns, and navy blues, but now prefers a more colorful palette. For example, her latest acquisition is a pair of purple patent heels (see chapter 10) ;-)

Eyes and hair:  Chocolate brown. Hair used to really long (until the middle of her back and usually clubbed back in a ponytail), but now is jaw-length and has light brown streaks (Thanks to Taki---see Chapter 8).

Body type:  Athletic, lean, and rangy (but she hates doing any sort of physical activity)

Food:   Pork shogayaki, Indian food (the spicier the better), green mango shakes, taho and fishballs at UP, ebi sushi

Occupation:  Researcher (field: Physics, in particular Condensed Matter Theory and Correlated Quantum Matter); currently employed by a private research institute

Education: Undergrad at UP Diliman, MS at University of Texas in Austin, Phd. at the University of Tokyo

Interests: Has a secret addiction to romance novels and Pinoy teleseryes; loves Piolo Pascual!

Dislikes:  Natto (Japanese fermented beans), alcohol (she gets drunk easily), the smell of cigarettes

Family:                                   

Antonio and Lucia (parents); Jorge (older brother), married to Lynne (Ana’s college buddy---See chapter 1 and 15); and Miguel (younger brother), married to Felicia (a prominent Cebu socialite); 4 nephews (Antonio Jr. and Jacobo, Miguel and Felicia’s kids, Javier and Lucas, Tanya's younger brothers); 1 niece (Tanya, Jorge and Lynne’s daughter---see chapter 15); Family is based in Cebu and runs a shipping business

Inspiration behind Ana’s character:

Ana’s character was inspired by the impressed ramblings of D., a Pinoy physics scholar from Kyoto University. He attended a conference and one of the speakers was a Filipina physicist from the University of Texas. D was particularly impressed by how she handled herself in the panel presentation, according to him, pang-Ms.Universe ang mga sagot! He also told me about that not too many women are into his field, and that competition can get really tough at times.

Ana’s character is an intriguing blend of strength and vulnerability. As a typical Aries, she is used to getting her way. She’s tough yet compassionate—she hates being treated with kid gloves just because she’s a woman, but at the same time, she love babying the people around her. She can be amazingly single-minded at times too. For example, when she made her mind up to pursue the study of physics, she put all her energy behind it. She’s also a secret romantic, but this wars with her orderly, scientific mind so she does her best to keep it at bay. She can be outspoken about her research, but can also be shy and close-mouthed when it comes to things of a personal and romantic nature, of which she has hardly any experience.

Ana’s appearance is inspired by A., the daughter of a Pinoy musician to whom I am supposed to be (very) distantly related. Her curly locks and her pride in them is exactly the kind of image I was looking for. Ana isn't drop-dead gorgeous, she had a kind of comfortable, old-world beauty that one appreciates over time. Partly due to her single-minded devotion to her profession, Ana really wasn’t concerned with physical appearances. I try to develop that awareness throughout the book—the slow re-awakening of her womanhood (naks!).

Leave it up to Fate: Chapter Seventeen

New to the Japayuki Chronicles?

Start with the Overview or Chapter 1

It was seven o’clock on a Friday night. The cubicles at the institute were relatively deserted, as most researchers had already gone out for the weekly drinking party or nomikai. Ana sat at her workstation in the laboratory, hunched over a microscope as she jotted down notes on the new samples that she, Nakano, and Tanaka had been processing for the past week. Her assistants had left thirty minutes ago at her urging. Nakano had let slip that Fabio, the Brazilian post-doc she had been eyeing would be attending this week’s drinking party. Ana, who was not about to stand in the way of true love—or infatuation—had let her go.

Both Nakano and Tanaka had tried to convince her to come with them, but somehow Ana wasn’t in the mood for drinking tonight. It was probably because there was still work to do, she mused. No, it was because she was exhausted, she told herself.

For the nth time that evening, her gaze strayed to the mobile phone that lay on a small shelf in front of her. The display remained blank. Still nothing. For the nth time that evening, Ana told herself that she shouldn’t get worked up about not hearing anything from Ken.

But she was.

No, no, it wasn’t that she was bothered; it was just that they usually went out on Friday nights. And Ken usually sent her a message or something most days. But he had been on location somewhere most of the week and she hadn’t heard from him since Wednesday. It had just seemed so quiet without him this week. Ana sighed, she had had a tiring week and she wanted someone to complain to.

You miss him.

Ana almost fell off her chair at that thought. No, no, no. That was just plain impossible. She didn’t miss him. It was like missing a thorn in her side. It wasn’t as if their relationship was smooth sailing all the way; on the contrary, it was far from it. She and Ken were constantly bickering, although these days they usually laughed about it afterwards. And Ana was honest enough to admit that a perverse side of her enjoyed their match of wits. But just because she didn’t have him to spar with meant that she missed his company. That would be a mistake. Missing him would be akin to missing a wall to pound her head on.

But you do miss him.

I do not! It was unthinkable. It would be an utter disaster. Women like her did not fall in love with men like him. It was like something out of a cheesy teleserye. She mentally cringed as she imagined Kaye’s voice screaming at her, “Boba!!! Do not fall in love with him!”

“Ana, may I speak with you?”

Ana jumped when he heard someone behind her, she looked up and saw Dan standing slightly behind her. She smiled up at him, “Yes?”

Dan smiled warmly back at her. He stepped forward and leaned his hip on the table where she was working. He had taken his lab coat off, but it was slung casually over one shoulder.

Ana straightened up from her chair, “What’s up? Do you need those results already? I haven’t…” she broke off when he smiled and leaned down. She blinked as she gazed into his eyes. That’s funny, she thought, his eyes were as green as they used to be, but now they seemed more…normal.

It had been more than two months after her press debut, yet she was still surprised by how much her relationship with Dan had changed since she started going out with Ken. These days, Dan seemed to regard her more as a woman than as a colleague. He often asked her out to lunch or dinner and hung out at her cubicle, discussing things that he normally would have tackled during their weekly meetings. He had even taken to the habit of bringing her a mug of coffee in the mornings and two days ago he had even sent her a message on her mobile—something he never had done before.

“Are you having dinner with Nakamura tonight?” Dan asked her as he casually as he turned to study the figures she had jotted down.

“N-no,” she answered, puzzled.

“Great! Do you want to go get a bite to eat? I think the cafeteria is still open,” Dan invited, grabbing her hand and pulling her to her feet, “we can talk there.”

“Uh, sure,” Ana replied, a bit taken aback by his enthusiasm.

“Will Nakamura mind that you’ll be having dinner with me?” Dan asked at Ana’s hesitation.

“Oh no, it’s perfectly all right,” she said as she stashed the samples and turned off the light at the workstation. She grabbed her mobile phone and headed out the door with him. They headed for the cafeteria at the basement of the building.

Ana ordered an udon salad. She was in the mood for something cold and light and the cold udon noodles, with ham, vegetables, and light sesame sauce was just the thing. Dan opted for a heavier tonkatsudon set, pork chops simmered in beaten egg, topped with onions, and slid onto a large rice bowl. The cafeteria wasn’t crowded at all so they picked an intimate spot near the window at the end of the room.

Ana checked her mobile phone as she settled herself in. Her heart sank as she looked at the display: no signal. She had forgotten that the cafeteria was a dead zone for mobile phone networks.

“Are you expecting a call?” Dan asked as he selected a pair of chopsticks from the container on the table.

“Uh, no I’m not…,” Ana started guiltily, and hurriedly stashed her phone back into her pocket, “I, uh … so what did you want to talk to me about?” she asked as she got herself a pair of chopsticks.

Dan chewed on his tonkatsu for a bit as he considered his proposition. He had known Ana for over two years, yet the recent changes in her made it seem as if he didn’t know her at all. It was as if a veil had been lifted from his eyes, Dan mused. Over the past few weeks, he had discovered more about the real Ana; and it was a truly different image from what he had envisaged her to be. He had always regarded her in a professional manner; and that was one thing hadn’t changed—she was still one of the most efficient people he had ever worked with. But she wasn’t as serious as he had supposed. She had a playful sense of humor that she displayed towards those she was close to. The instances he had spied her giggling with her assistants always brought a smile to his face. He was surprised to realize that he wanted to laugh with her too. He wanted to make her laugh, if only to see that amazing smile break out on her face. In addition, he discovered that Ana wasn’t the ultra-obedient worker he had imagined; if she disagreed with one of his observations, she didn’t hesitate in letting him know. And although she was very strong-willed, she displayed great kindness towards the grad students who trained with them. She displayed patience as she explained difficult procedures and concepts to them—something not everyone in her position would have had done.

Dan didn’t know how to explain it, but she had become someone whom he wanted to spend more and more time with. She had slowly become integral to his existence—both professionally and personally. That is why he needed to tell her his news.

“Ana, I don’t really know how to tell you this,” he started, “but I’ve been offered a full research grant at the University of Texas.”

Ana froze at these words, “What do you mean? Are you leaving us?” she asked and waited for the feeling of icy dread creep into her heart at the thought of not being able to see Dan each day. Surprisingly, it didn’t come.

“Well, that depends,” Dan replied and he began to outline the scope of the grant, it allowed him to be free to do pure research and afforded him fully-equipped facilities at a separate building on the campus. There was also provision for housing for him and any staff he wanted to take along with him. “When I applied for the grant late last year, I planned on asking you to go with me Ana.” He paused for a minute, “You’re the best assistant I’ve ever had and … and I like working with you.”

“The university contacted me last week and they gave me two months to make my decision. Would you … would you consider coming with me?” he asked her, reaching for her hand, “If you agree, we can start with all the paperwork and be in Texas just in time for the fall semester.”
When Ana remained silent, he gave her hand a slight squeeze, “Ana? What do you think?”
“I-I don’t know what to say,” Ana said, feeling a little bit lost. Of all the things she had thought Dan would say to her, this was definitely not on the list, “I hadn’t planned on leaving Tokyo anytime soon,” she started to explain.

Dan cut her off as he let go of her hand, “Because of Nakamura?” he asked, his mouth twisted in a kind of grimace as he thought of the man he perceived as his rival.

“It’s not that …” Ana paused and considered what he said. What was the matter with her? This was a chance to embark on great research under one of the leaders in her field—and one whom she had always admired at that—and she was balking. This was so unlike her; she wasn’t thinking like a scientist at all. Why did it seem as if all her normal thought processes had shut down? A few months ago, she would have leapt at such an opportunity; now she hesitated at accepting a stable, permanent position in lieu of its exact opposite.

She took a deep breath and tried to rationally evaluate the possibilities. If she went to Texas, it would be a few more steps up in her career, it would also be a good change of environment, and the facilities Dan described were more than ideal. Moreover, being with Dan in Texas would allow their relationship to grow closer. This was what she had always wanted, wasn’t it—to get Dan to think of her in a romantic way. She gazed back at Dan and thought back to all the hours she had spent fantasizing about him. He had always seemed the perfect guy for her—not only was he kind and good-looking, he was also someone who understood her passion for her work.
But was that really enough? Why did it seem as if her priorities were shifting? Was Dan really who she wanted? Images of Ken flashed across her mind—she remembered the tender way he smiled at her, the way he rolled his eyes when Yoshi said something outrageous, the irritated frown when he lost an argument and the satisfied grin when he got the best of her. She wanted to stay with Ken. Ana almost blanched at the realization—amidst all the odds and signs that warned against it, she was falling in love with him.

Argh. If she were anywhere else at the moment, she would have willingly pounded her head on a wall. She was a full-fledged idiot.

It wasn’t as if her relationship with Ken was anything permanent, it was as Kaye had said—all scripted from the start. However, try as she might, it defied any sort of rational explanation: in the span of only a few months Ken had somehow surpassed her two-year infatuation with Dan.
Dan watched the conflicting emotions play upon her face. He knew that she was confused at the moment, but he hoped that her rational side would assert itself soon. It was the only intelligent choice to make; however devoted Nakamura may seem at the moment, Dan never put any stock into Ana’s relationship with him. People in the entertainment industry were of the same mold. Nakamura was an actor; inconstancy was almost a genetic imprint. Sooner or later, Ana would realize this. Or so he hoped.

“Ana,” he persisted, reaching for her hand once again, “you don’t have to make a decision right away, but I wanted you to know … I wanted you to know that I want you to come with me. I need you Ana. Together, we can embark on a fruitful career,” he finished earnestly. With that, he picked up his chopsticks and ate his tonkatsudon with renewed vigor as Ana listlessly picked at her meal.

Go to Chapter 18

Taym Pers: On writing

I’ve always entertained the idea of writing a novel, and when I first joined NanoWrimo in 2007, I thought it was the exact stimulus I needed to actually finish a story. Sadly, I didn’t even get to the halfway point of 25,000 words. Until 30 November 2007, I was still stuck at 17,508 words.

At first when I considered the goal, 50,000 words, I thought to myself, if I were able to write half of my 385-page dissertation (yes, it was supposed to take 6 months, but can you spell mega-procrastinator?) in a month, 50,000 words would be easy peasy. Ha! It wasn't as easy as that. About a third of a dissertation is usually composed of a review of literature, and this meant quoting a whole bunch of sources and using them to “frame” your story. Of the remaining two-thirds, a third is devoted to the background, (i.e., significance: anong kinalaman ng thesis mo sa love life ko?) and the remaining two-thirds is composed of the analysis and results (the data goes into the appendix, at least it did for me), which one usually had already done. So in effect, a dissertation is the result of years of careful study crammed into an ultra-lengthy report that your audience will be able to relate to. In short, you already have a story, and all you have to do is write about it.

Not so with a novel. Even if you approach it scientifically as I did, sketching out the identities of the main characters and plotting out scene sequences and all, there is always a chance that they will refuse to cooperate. Sometimes, especially when your characters seem to have taken on a life of their own, you find a scene not going the way you want it to, or find a scene erupting out of nowhere. Although most novels try to be as factual as possible, it deals mainly within the realm of our imagination. It allows us to weigh the possibilities and realities, and gives us a stage on which to test out ways to bend them to suit our story.

Having finished NaNoWrimo 2008 has given me an amazing feeling of satisfaction. I’m already dreaming up my plot for this year ;-)

Leave it up to Fate: Chapter Sixteen

New to the Japayuki Chronicles?

Start with the Overview or Chapter 1

“Hey Ana,” Kaye greeted her as Ana took off her shoes at the genkan. An aromatic smell was wafting from the kitchen where Tessa, Kaye, and Jon were congregated. Kaye was cooking pasta, Tessa was tossing a salad, and Jon was uncorking a bottle of wine.

“Hi guys!” Ana smiled as she realized she hadn’t seen them in ages. She had missed these people. The past few weeks had been like a whirlwind that she had hardly spent time with them. She went to her room to change into house clothes then padded out to the dining room, took a loaf, and began to make garlic bread.

Ken and Ana had increasingly spent a lot of time together over the past couple of weeks. They frequently lunched together at various cafés and restaurants in Shibuya, Daikenyama, and Omotesando. Some nights they had dinner or relaxed at one of the more upscale watering holes in Roppongi or Azabu. Sometimes they were photographed with Yoshi, who seemed to have a different girl on his arm each time Ana met him. The press avidly reported their attendance at a premiere screening of an American action film at Roppongi Hills, a concert at Suntory Hall, and at the launch of the new line of mobile phones Ken was endorsing. Tabloids were awash with statements from people who swore that they had seen Ken and Ana arguing over the selections while lining up for Krispy Kremes in Shinjuku, purchasing ties in Ginza, and shopping for groceries in Azabu-juban. It was if they had really become a couple—at least to the avid followers of the Japanese entertainment industry.

“To what do we owe the honor of your unexpected presence?” Jon asked as he leaned on the table beside Ana. He poured a small measure of wine into a glass and handed it to her.

She made a face at him as she took a sip, “Why? Can’t I hang out with you guys anymore?”

“Well, its just that we haven’t seen you in ages,” Tessa said as she put the salad bowl on the table.

“You guys saw me yesterday,” Ana protested.

“Asus, you know what we mean,” Kaye said as she tossed basil leaves into the sauce, “Tessa’s right, we haven’t been seeing much of our favorite half of the latest it couple—the famed Ana-Ken couple,” her eyes twinkled at Ana, waiting for a reaction. At Ana’s blank expression, she prompted, “Get it? Ana-Ken?”

“Dandandan-dan-dadan-dan-dadan…,” Jon hummed the theme from Star Wars for effect and Ana choked on the wine she was sipping. Jon handed her some tissues, “Mind you, Kaye coined that herself,” he said, rolling his eyes, “Ang corny no?”

Kaye lifted the wooden spoon she was using to mix the pasta sauce and turned to him. Jon wagged a finger at her and began backing away, “Don't you dare throw that spoon at me! This is a Brooks Brothers’ shirt!”

Tessa giggled, “You’re so smart Kaye, if you want Jon to behave, hold his clothes hostage.”

“It’s not funny,” Jon argued, “these shirts cost the earth.”

“But you capitalists buy them anyway,” Kaye retorted. She turned back to the sauce she was making, tasted it, and decided it needed something else. She rummaged in the cupboard and started dumping things in randomly.

Jon goggled at Kaye, “Did you just put ketchup into that sauce?” he asked disbelievingly.

“So what if I did?”

“Kaye, you can’t do that.”

“If you don’t like it, then don’t eat it.”

Ana and Tessa giggled as Jon sighed and resignedly poured himself another glass of wine. When they finally sat down to eat, Tessa once again remarked how much they had missed Ana these past few weeks. “We aren’t complaining though,” she informed Ana, “thanks to you, the three of us have become really popular!”

“What do you mean?” Ana asked.

“Well, as you can imagine,” Tessa started, “Marga let slip that she’s close friends with the girl that Nakamura is currently dating,” Ana started laughing and Tessa went on, “She also told everybody that I room with you, so everyone thinks I rub elbows with the stars too.”

“What was her reaction when you told her that we actually had dinner with two of them two weeks ago?” Jon asked, referring to their dinner at Barbacoa Grill a couple of weeks ago that Ken and Yoshi had ambushed. He was surprised when Ana turned up with them in tow, but it resulted in a fun evening for all. Jon was still amazed at how they were able to get extra seats when the restaurant had told him that they were booked through for the night. Ah, the fringe benefits of stardom.

Tessa giggled, “It was priceless! She tried to be nonchalant about it, but then she asked if she could tag along the next time we go out.”

“I hope you didn’t agree,” Kaye gave her a piercing stare.

Tessa avoided meeting her gaze, “My co-teachers have also asked if I’ve met any of Ken’s friends, particularly those from Johnny’s,” she added, referring to a company famous for managing male singing groups. She cocked her head to one side, “Actually there’s this guy I’ve been crushing on…the guy who plays Jiro on that new Fuji Terebi drama… I wonder if Ken knows him,” she wondered.

“Do you want Ana to pass him a note through Nakamura?” Jon teased, “What are you, twelve?” He ducked as Tessa made to throw the saltshaker at him.

“Personally, I feel as if I’m your agent or something,” Kaye told Ana, ignoring the antics of the other two.

“My agent?” Ana asked.

“Exactly,” Kaye agreed, waving a chunk of garlic bread for emphasis, “Some local Filipino groups have heard of your association with Nakamura and they’ve been bugging me to ask both of you to attend or guest in one of their events. Ha! As if!” she said as she broke of a chunk of bread and put it into her mouth. Kaye was very involved in a lot of events involving the local Filipino community and often liaised with people from the Philippine embassy as well as local NGOs.

“Aruu, admit it—you’ve been thinking of inviting them to that ballroom party you’re organizing,” Jon chided.

Kaye turned to him, “Well it’s for a good cause and it would certainly increase ticket sales,” she guiltily defended, “And when I mentioned it to Yoshi, he seemed interested.”

“Whoa! It seems that Ana is not the only one to get involved with a Japanese actor,” Tessa kidded. She couldn’t help but notice that Kaye and Yoshi had hit it off that time when they had dinner. She tried to eavesdrop, but she was completely lost when they had switched to Japanese. Tessa’s Japanese language skills were mainly confined to polite greetings. Although Kaye and Ana frequently pointed out that her skills drastically improved when she was shopping.

“You’re off the mark on that one,” Jon told her.

“What do you mean?” Tessa asked.

“Well, I think that Kaye and Yoshi are too much alike to be romantically involved. They’re both sharks,” he told her, “and it was evident from the first moment they met that they were thinking of ways to exploit their connection,” he turned to Kaye, “I couldn’t get all of what you were talking about, but it seemed geared towards unromantic things.” Although Jon studied Japanese at university in the Philippines, as an expat he hardly used it, and was only marginally better than Tessa.

Kaye shrugged, “Ok, ok, so I got him to introduce me to some potential sponsors for the ballroom party. An in return I helped find him a new personal assistant and housekeeper.”

Ana, Tessa, and Jon exchanged knowing looks at Kaye’s admission. It was so much like Kaye to insist on a fair tradeoff. But then they knew that although Kaye might be an opportunist at times, her heart was in the right place. The events she organized benefited several charities back in the Philippines.

“The news of you and Nakamura has reached the ni-chome community as well,” Jon told Ana, referring to an area in Shinjuku that housed some of the more popular watering holes for the discreet gender-challenged population of Tokyo, “But since I haven’t let slip that I am personally acquainted with you, no one’s asked me anything. But the most interesting stories have been going around,” he informed Ana as he wiggled his eyebrows.

“What sorts of stories?” Ana asked.

“Well, the most interesting point of debate I heard last weekend,” Jon announced, “Was if Nakamura wore briefs or boxers. I personally thought—briefs. I don’t suppose you’d care to enlighten me, hmm?”

Ana was surprised as three pairs of eyes suddenly impaled her with laser-like intensity.

“Of course I wouldn’t know!” she said heatedly.

“Just checking,” Jon said under his breath.

“Oh by the way,” Ana said, wanting to change the subject, “Ken asked me to ask if you guys would be free next Saturday.”

“What’s happening next Saturday?” Tessa asked excitedly.

“Well, if you’re not busy, Ken has some tickets to spare for an event over at the Tokyo Budokan in Kudanshita. Ken and Yoshi, as well as bunch of other people are supporting the Earth Day fundraiser concert,” she paused for effect, “And he asked me if you were interested in coming.” At the excited gleam in her friends’ eyes, Ana went on, “He got us prime tickets and we’re also invited to the uchiage party afterwards.” In Japan, uchiage parties were normally held to celebrate the completion of an event. Since this particular event involved a ton of people from the local entertainment industry, Ken had told her that it would be held at one of the bigger clubs in the Azabu area.

Ana covered her ears when Jon, Kaye, and Tessa started screeching in unison. Nakano and Tanaka had reacted in much the same fashion when Ana had told them earlier about the concert. Ana had been surprised when Ken called her this afternoon and asked her if she’d like some tickets for her friends and assistants. He had told her that he thought she might want to have someone with her in the audience since as one of the hosts he wouldn’t be able to sit with her. She had been truly touched by his thoughtfulness.

She looked at her friends; they all had the same glazed look in their eyes. Tessa was the most transparent, she was happily imagining meeting more stars. Jon was mentally putting together an ensemble. Kaye had a predatory look in her eyes as she wondered if she’d be able to promote her event there.

“Well, will you guys be free? What should I tell Ken?” Ana asked them mischievously.

“Yes!” the three of them bellowed at her.

Go to Chapter 17

Leave it up to Fate: Chapter Fifteen

New to the Japayuki Chronicles?

Start with the Overview or Chapter 1

Ana stared at the array of controls on the dashboard as she sat in Ken’s Porsche; it was one of the most luxurious cars she had ever been in. The engine was idling as she waited for him in front of his agency in Azabu where he was supposed to pick something up. Afterwards, Ken told her that he would take her to one of the best Indian places in Shibuya. Ana was a big fan of Indian food herself, and for the nth time she told herself that it was the reason why she was now sitting in his car.

Kaye’s warning from the night before rang in her head, “Careful that you don’t start believing in this fairy tale, proximity has a funny way of breeding familiarity,” she had said when Ana told her and Tessa that she was having lunch with Ken. Then she had started muttering that being a fairy godmother was hard work and that there ought to have just compensation schemes. Tessa started giggling as Ana stared at both of them in confusion.

It was just lunch, Ana told herself, as she fidgeted in the plush leather seats. It was just a simple lunch in a room full of people. Nothing more proper than that, Ana argued, people had lunch with each other everyday. Only people didn’t usually have lunch with handsome and charming companions who could steal your heart if you weren’t careful, a niggling voice inside her reminded her.

She was so caught up in her thoughts that she gave a start when her mobile began vibrating. She picked it up gingerly and peered at the word ‘call’ as it flashed on the screen. Ana sighed, it was another unidentified number. Over the past few days, she had been getting calls from a lot of local reporters and journalists, begging her for an interview. Even her private line at the institute had been inundated with calls. Resignedly, she decided to answer the call.

“Hello?” Ana answered warily. She hoped that answering in English might put the Japanese press off a bit.

“You forgot didn’t you?” a female voice whispered.

“Huh?” asked as she glanced around nervously, she wondered if she was being paranoid about the paparazzi, but she couldn’t seem to help herself.

“Tanya’s birthday,” her sister-in-law clarified.

Ana groaned, she couldn’t believe she had forgotten her godchild’s birthday. “Lynne, I’m so sorry. Is she mad at me?”

Her former best friend chuckled, “Don’t worry, I took care of it,” she answered, “But mind you, I expect her Christmas gift to be extra-special,” she warned.

“You can count on it,” Ana promised, “Is she there? I’d like to talk to her.”

“Alright, I’ll put you on speaker phone,” Lynne said.

Ana could hear Lynne call to her daughter in the background. The excited patter of feet heralded her godchild’s voice, “Ninang Ana!” Tanya bellowed into the mouthpiece.

Ana smiled, “Hi sweetheart!” She could hear Lynne admonishing Tanya to speak in a normal volume. “How are you sweetie?”

“I’m fine Ninang,” Tanya answered, “Thank you for the dollhouse! Judy loves it!”

“Judy?” Ana asked, wondering if Judy was a playmate, a nanny, or otherwise.

“Yes Ninang,” the child piped up, “Remember Judy, the doll you gave me last Christmas. So now you gave me a house for her. Remember?”

“Yes darling, I remember,” Ana answered as Ken opened the door and slid into the driver’s seat. He tossed a sheaf of papers onto the backseat and looked curiously at Ana. She held up a finger asking him to wait.

“Ninang?” Tanya called.

“Yes darling, what is it?” Ana asked, missing Ken’s reaction at her statement. His brows were doing impressive aerial gymnastics again.

“Ninang, will you come home soon? I miss you,” Tanya asked plaintively.

Ana’s heart melted, she so loved her godchild. “I’m sorry baby,” she apologized, “I miss you too, but I can’t come back anytime soon,” she answered.

The frown on Ken’s face was definite as he growled, “Are you talking to Sato?”

Ana shushed him, “No, I’m talking to my godchild,” she said exasperatedly as she activated her mobile’s speakerphone system.

“Ninang?” Tanya’s childish voice came through loud and clear, “who was that?”

“That’s just Ninang’s friend sweetie, say hello,” Ana turned to Ken, and motioned for him to answer when Tanya said hello.

“What’s your name?” Tanya demanded.

“I’m Ken, what’s yours?”

“I’m Tanya. I’m five and I’m going to a real school soon,” she proudly announced, “Ninang, is he your boyfriend?”

Before Ana could reply however, the sound of heels on marble indicated that someone was hurrying towards the phone. She groaned as she heard her mom’s voice, “Ana? Hija? Who was that?”

“Hello Mama,” Ana answered as she scrambled to turn off the speakerphone system. Ken chuckled and Ana glared at him, “Uh, that was a friend,” she told her mother.

“Is he really?” her mother sighed, “I wish you would go out more hija, you’re not getting any younger…”

“Actually, I’m on a date. Right now,” Ana answered, her temper getting the better of her. Even her family believed her to be hopeless!

Her mother giggled in satisfaction, “I knew it hija!” she trilled, “So who is he, hmm?”

“No one you know,” Ana answered in Cebuano, glaring at Ken’s amused expression, “Uh, Ma we’re having lunch so I’ll call you back later. Love you, bye!” Ana sighed as she hung up.

“What was that all about?” Ken asked as he started the engine and eased the car onto the street.

“Long story.”

“Ii yo. We have time.”

Ana looked at him in exasperation, he smiled innocently at her and she laughed. “To make a long story short, my mother was about to launch into her favorite topic,” at Ken’s inquisitive smile, she continued, “If you must know, its the ‘poor-lonely-Ana-should-find-someone-to-spend-the-rest-of-her-life-with-soon’ speech.” She glared at him when he started laughing, “Its not funny at all! My mother can go on for hours on the subject!”

“Are mothers really like that?”

“I think all mothers are pre-programmed to do that.”

“I guess if my mom were still alive she’d probably be pressuring me to marry too.”

Ana could have kicked herself. How insensitive could she be? How could have she forgotten about Ken’s parents? Keeping her tone light, she turned to him and said, “Consider yourself lucky then, it’s not a situation I’d wish on anyone.”

Ken laughed at that, “I think I am lucky,” he said as he smiled at her, “In any case, I don’t think either of my parents would approve of my lifestyle.” Although Ken’s parents had encouraged his acting career, they were simple people who would never have approved of the superficial relationships that abound in his profession. In fact, if his parents still lived, Ken doubted if acting would have been anything other than a hobby. His dad had actively encouraged Ken’s early interest in diplomatic service and had even put Ken’s early earnings into what he called a college fund.

At Ana’s inquisitive look, he continued, “My parents loved each other. It was a rarity in those times,” he smiled as they turned a corner, “I remember what my mom said when she was asked if dad was omiai,” he said in reference to the traditional Japanese marriage mart, “she said that it was ai.”

Ana smiled at that. Ai—the Japanese word for the ephemeral concept of love. In Japan, most people expressed their feelings with the word suki or ‘like.’ The term daisuki or ‘to like very much’ was one level up, and ai suru or ‘to love’ was rarely used.

She smiled at Ken, “Your parents must have been happy together.”

He smiled back, “They were.”

Ken thought of his parents as he navigated through the light traffic. It wasn’t the girls he had gone out with that they probably would have disapproved of, Ken mused. No, it was his lack of emotional commitment that would have worried them. He had never really thought about it before now, but he acknowledged that part of his reticence in forming emotional attachments was because he had witnessed how it had destroyed his father when his mother died.

In the months after his mother passed away, Ken had seen the despair eat away at his father. He drank and worked until he became a mere shell of the man he used to be. He had forgotten about his children, Ken and Yuki, who were also grieving. After his father died, Ken had enclosed himself into an impenetrable cocoon and focused all his energies on bringing up his sister.

Over the years, Ken had found it difficult to build emotional connections. Yoshi had said as much when Ken ended a two-year relationship with a popular model a few years ago. The girl had been a common friend and had gone crying to Yoshi when Ken broke up with her. It wasn’t as if he did it consciously, Ken thought, it was just that not letting anyone get too close had simply become a force of habit. It had been easy. Most of the girls he had gone out with had been fun, but they had been flighty and immature and it had been easy for him not to form emotional roots with them.

Distractedly, glanced at the girl sitting next to him. Ana looked cool and composed as she quietly stared out at the passing scenery. Ken idly pondered what his parents might have thought of Ana and impulsively decided that they would have liked her. He may not be involved with her on a romantic level, but he enjoyed her company and felt like they could eventually be good friends. However explosive their relationship may be, Ken thought that he was truly himself when he was with her.

She was unlike any girl he had even gone out with. And therein lay the problem.

Go to Chapter 16

Taym Pers: On the cover

New to the Japayuki Chronicles?

Start with the Overview or Chapter 1

Julie (who's collating all Pinoywrimo excerpts) and Tina (the ML for NaNoWriMo Philippines) sent out a last call to authors for book covers last February. I hadn't sent anything in when I submitted my excerpt, and I kind of felt bad about it, so my creative juices giddily started flowing when I learned of the extended deadline ;-)

Since the story is basically chick lit, I wanted something attractive, girly, and funky. I scanned several covers for inspiration. Finally, it was the cover for Petite Anglaise, a novel based on Catherine Sanderson's blog, that helped me come up with a cover of my own.

Copyright by Petite Anglaise

I was looking for something that would evoke the landscape of Tokyo, so the multitude of buildings in the background above was perfect. If you look closely below, you'll notice I got a bit OC withe the architectural elements. Some of buildings included in the composition were Philippe Stark's Asahi building (popularly known as the Golden Poo), Meiji-jingu shrine, Yokohama Landmark Tower, Tokyo Metropolitan Government building, and the Fuji Terebi building in Odaiba. I added the sakura (cherry blossoms) for effect since Ana and Ken's story starts in spring ;-)

Next, I worked on the outlines of Ana and Ken. Ana's went through several revisions, first she was wearing a blouse and cullotes, and was walking rather than leaning on the torii. It must have taken me 2 days to find the right pose for her. Ken was easier. Making his Asian-ness apparent in the outline was a major challenge, but in the end, I decided that it was all in the physique and hairstyle. Japanese men are usually lean and have Kouji Kabuto type hair. However, instead of sketching as I did with Ana, I simply traced a photo of one of my fave Japanese actors (Guess who!!!) on Adobe Illustrator ;-)

All throughout the design phase, I wanted to echo the effect of the Eiffel tower on the cover of Petite, so I imagined a ginormous torii (Japanese gate) dominating the center of the cover. I think I'll tweak it a bit more if I find time, because it isn't as obvious as I wanted it to be. Plus, the colors on the .jpg file are more muted than they ought to be. sigh. Onscreen, the colors of the torii and the suitcases really jump out at you, but when I converted them, they lost a lot of oomph. sad.

On the whole however, I'm glad with the way the cover has turned out and am already envisioning the covers for the next books ;-)

---

Thanks for your time! More chapters coming up soon ;-)

Leave it up to Fate: Chapter Fourteen

New to the Japayuki Chronicles?
Start with the Overview or Chapter 1
Or go to the previous chapter (Chapter 13)


Ana was understandably nervous about going to work on Monday. She feared a press barrage on the train, but thankfully, the Tokyo train system was such that it allowed space for people to ignore each other, even though they were squeezed into relatively small quarters. Ana suspected that if Ken donned shades and got on the train, no one would be the wiser, especially in the mornings, when people were packed like sardines. Luckily, she was able to snag a seat after a couple of stations. She got comfortable in her seat, but gave a start when she saw her own face smiling back at her in black and white on a tabloid that the man opposite her was reading. She almost chuckled; the glamorous girl on the paper bore no similarity to the simply clad and bespectacled woman who was squished along with the rest of humanity on this train.

On the whole, the press gave Ana and Ken’s relationship a favorable review in the papers. They published photographs of them being interviewed and of them dancing together. One paper even published one of Ana and Yoshi dancing and hinted that since Ana seemed to get along so well with Ken’s friends, maybe this relationship had been going on for some time.

The press will believe anything, Ana thought wryly as she fiddled with her card key and pushed the doors to the institute open. When she got into the office, she found Tanaka and Nakano poring over a couple of tabloids.

“Sugoi jan!” Nakano trilled, pointing to the full color picture emblazoned on the cover of one tabloid, “Ana-san is now a star!”

“You look very beautiful Ana-san!” Tanaka earnestly exclaimed.

“Thanks girls,” Ana smiled.

“Ne, did he kiss you?” Nakano asked.

“Nande?! Dame dayo!” Tanaka hushed her.

“I was just curious,” she mused, “I wonder if he kisses as well as he does onscreen.”

“Well, sorry to disappoint you Nakano, but kissing wasn’t part of the agenda last night.”

Nakano sighed, a bit disappointed. Nakano and Tanaka began to bombard Ana with questions about the event. They were as bad as Kaye and Tessa's interrogation two night ago; only more polite. Their conversation was interrupted when a delivery man with a giant bouquet of flowers. Ana was surprised when he told her that they were for her. Bemused, she signed for the flowers and opened the card that came with it. She giggled as she read the note Ken had scrawled.

She suddenly froze when Dan came into her office bearing two mugs of coffee. He offered one to Ana, “Monday-morning commotions are becoming a bit too regular in this office,” he mock-complained, “What’s it all about this time?”

Ana felt herself blush, “Thanks Dan…,” she said as she reached for the coffee.

“Sato-sensei, mitte kudasai!” Nakano said, shoving one of the papers at him.

He stared at it, then his gaze shot to Ana, “Is this you Ana? Isn’t this the guy…,”

As Ana stood rooted to the spot, Nakano visibly rolled her eyes and said, “Sensei, that is Nakamura Ken. He and Ana-san are going out, see?” she pointed out the caption that read: Nakamura Ken with girlfriend Ana

Ana snatched the tabloid, put it on her desk, and turned to Nakano and Tanaka, “Would you mind starting the preparations on the samples we’ll be working on today girls?” she asked politely.

“Hai, itte kimasu,” Tanaka said as she visibly dragged Nakano out of the office and into the lab.

Dan walked over to Ana’s desk and picked up another of the discarded tabloids that lay on Ana’s white lab coat. He opened it and studied the full-color photograph on the front page. Ana was wearing a red dress and was looking up at Nakamura who had an arm draped around her shoulders. They looked happy and glamorous. His gaze then shifted to the enormous arrangement of red roses on Ana’s desk, “Is that from Nakamura?” he asked.

“Yes, uh, it is.”

Dan considered this silently for a few minutes, then he turned to her, “This all seems so sudden Ana,” shoving his hands into his pockets, he walked over to where Ana was standing, trapping her between her desk, “Wherever did the two of you meet?”

“In LA,” she answered, “during the conference … he was shooting a movie down there …” she trailed off. Dan was so close to her that she could smell his aftershave. Her pulse suddenly sky-rocketed.

She was surprised when Dan looked at her with regret etched upon his face, “I knew it was wrong to have made you go alone,” he said with a wry smile, “So are you really going out with him?” he asked.

“Uh, yeah, but we’re not really... I mean, we’re still in the early stages… getting to know each other…”

“So you aren’t exclusive?” Dan clarified.

“Well, I guess we are but…”

Dan smiled slowly at her, “I think you’d better make sure Ana,” he said as chucked he under the chin before he exited the room.

Ana visibly sagged in relief when he left. She was glad that she had the desk for support. What the hell had that been about, she wondered. Was the plan really working? Dan behaved like he was jealous of Ken. If that were true, then it meant that he might be realizing his feelings for her. As the thought crossed her mind, Ana hugged herself and fought to control the sudden urge to start screaming in wild gleeful abandon.

She visibly started when the phone on her desk rang. She picked it up automatically, a smile in her voice as she answered, “Ohayo Gozaimasu, Madrigal desu,”

She heard Ken chuckling at the other end of the line, “Ohayo. You sound happy Ana,” he said, “Have you received any surprises this morning?” he asked.

She smiled, he really was very thoughtful, “Thank you for the roses,” she said, “They’re lovely.”

“Have you seen the papers?” Ken asked as he flicked through the channels on the TV. Most of the morning shows were featuring pictures and footage of Ana and Ken, and the reception was generally favorable. For a first-timer, Ana came across as charming and sincere on-screen.

“Yes, they’re everywhere,” she answered as she closed the door of her office and sat down, “Even people on the train were reading about it.”

“Lots of press is good press,” Ken quipped.

Ana laughed at that. Then, as if relaying gossip to a comrade, she told him what had happened with Dan in her office, “…Then he said I’d better make sure…whatever did he mean by that?”

Ken frowned at her dissertation. He didn’t know why he was affected by the giddiness he heard in her voice. There was a bite in his voice when he said, “I hope you’ll be discreet with Sato, I don’t want us to blow our cover so soon.”

Ana was confused, “Are you mad about something Ken?” she asked, a little confused. Among other things, the whole point of this scheme was to get her and Dan together, wasn’t it?

On the other end of the line, Ken fought to control his irrational temper as he answered her, “No, I’m sorry. I’m just tired,” he explained curtly, rubbing the back of his neck as he spoke. This was stupid. He was behaving like a possessive boyfriend on a jealous streak. The thought made pause for a few seconds. Then he shook his head. Ha! Him, jealous? Of Ana and Sato? No way.

“Are you alright?” Ana worriedly asked after he had been silent for a while.

“Don’t worry about me,” Ken assured her, touched by the note of sympathy he heard in her voice. He decided he was simply feeling stressed about his schedule this week. He almost sighed when he recalled the list Takashi had read to him this morning. He needed to do something relaxing, something fun.

“Do you want to have lunch sometime this week?” he asked Ana suddenly. He hadn’t planned on asking Ana out, but somehow the invitation had simply slipped out.

Ana was surprised too; she had expected them to meet only on weekends. But she found herself smiling and saying, “I’d like that.”

There was a smile in Ken’s voice as he hung up, “See you Ana.”

Suddenly, he was feeling much, much better.

Go to Chapter 15