The Collector | 18+

【25】The Tip of the Iceberg

A disbelieving grin was on my face as I fetched my phone and sent Gigi a text. My sexy lingerie? Really? You are the worst sponsor in the history of sponsors, I sent her. Shaking my head, I went back to finish unpacking. I hadn't done much more when my phone buzzed.

I put it there before you asked for your favor

Bad Gigi! Bad!

Three knocks on the door resonated in the room, startling me. "Come in," I said while throwing my phone on the bed, thinking it was Yuko who might have more questions for me.

The door opened, and when I looked away from my pile of sweaters, a shiver ran up my spine as I realized it wasn't Yuko, but him. Hurriedly, I closed the suitcase. So he wouldn't see the lace and sheer garments, imagining things that weren't true.

He was holding a red and yellow bag of chips in his hand, triggering my curiosity. "Flamin' hot, was it?" he asked as he stepped into the room, bringing the bag forward so I could see it.

My jaw dropped half an inch as I stared at the bag of Cheetos™ he must have brought back from his trip to the U.S. The very flavor I'd jokingly asked him to get for me. Completely lost and confused, I looked up to meet his eyes, unsure of what to even say.

Did he have a split personality, one that was kind and considerate, and the other rude and cruel? Maybe he was part of a twin set, with a good one and an evil one. Those were the only ways I could explain why he'd be so dry to me on Saturday evening, but then bring me smuggled snacks from across the Atlantic Sea.

"Did I misremember? Is it not the right one?" he asked after I'd failed to reply for several seconds, looking at the bag with a frown.

"No, no—It is. I just... I didn't expect you to actually bring it back."

He didn't say a thing, letting the bag down onto the bedding instead. We both stared at it for a moment, and while I wasn't sure what was running in his head, mine was filled with questions, trying to understand the duality of this man.

"I take it you can't find those in the U.K.?" he eventually wondered.

"No, they are banned in the U.K. and part of Europe. A food coloring agent in it isn't right for this side of the world."

Mild amusement appeared on his neutral expression. "You had me smuggle you forbidden goods?"

"I didn't think you'd actually bother." That made his slight smile disappear fast.

Another awkward moment of nothing passed, and I wondered if we'd ever go back to that easy dynamic we had in the beginning.

"I have a rather odd request to make," he said after a moment, seemingly uneasy. "She might not look like it, but Yuko is currently battling medical issues. She has for the past two years. I've tried everything I could to get her to stop working so she can rest, but she claims she prefers to keep busy, as it helps with her mental health."

I could hear just how affected he was by all this, and it made me wonder how long he'd known her for. Clearly, he was very attached to her, in a capacity that went beyond their professional relationship. She mattered to him a lot.

He averted his eyes, cringing. "I've done all I could to leave her as little work as possible, so she still gets as much rest as possible. It's embarrassing to ask this, but would you mind tidying after yourself so her workload might remain as light as possible?"

"Yes, of course," I instantly agreed. "I would have regardless, but I will absolutely do my best. I'm sorry to hear she isn't well. She looked so...lively, I would never have guessed."