Secret crush

“Hey come on! No one in this country likes your comedy Fujimoto! And definitely no one likes your weird sexy lips either! “Kinuthia said to the tall slim Japanese girl.

“Give me a break! Am trying my best but since you have some issues with yourself, you pour out your frustrations on me, “She replied almost in tears.

She was a struggling Japanese comedian in  Kenya. Not many people appreciated her comedy leave alone her yellow skin. I don’t mean Kenyans are racists. Her comedy was brilliant but lacked the confidence to aid her in gaining more fans, gigs and most importantly, a livelihood.

She was in real trouble. Her gigs which paid poorly and were far between couldn’t maintain life in the sunny city. She waited coffee at a village café back in to the Kenyan interior. She didn’t have too many choices not she that she have any choice at all.

Her only buddies were the Binus. They all weren’t her friends considering Kinuthia trashed her at the slightest chance regardless of the impact. Odhiambo, Talia and Mwanika just felt sorry for her more than they were her friends.

That day as the Binus sat for dinner, Fujimoto was present. Talia wasn’t expecting anything different from the other encounters between Kinuthia and Fujimoto even though she still invited her over. It wasn’t a dinner, rather a meal since no one was at the dinner table. They all ate in the sitting room binge watching.

“Hey Fujimoto haven’t you decided to go back to your country on the other stupid side of the world yet? I bet you still wouldn’t be a celebrity because your jokes suck! And most importantly you aren’t a real comedian despite your weird cute lips which I like though am still going to trash you. “Kinuthia said stuffing food into his mouth.

That day Talia wasn’t ready for the drama between them and she yapped at him, “if you so much like her lips, you would have a mind to appreciate her efforts. Otherwise you zip it! “

“Nope. Talia, let him talk. Maybe he will talk and hopefully realize that he makes a great gossiper like the ones in those noisy Nigerian films!“

The other two Binus hated exchanges and thus ate their dinner busy faking disinterest in the altercation.

The following month was not easy for Fujimoto. She was laid off at the café for not having a grasp on the local language. It was already bad for business to have a Japanese let alone one that couldn’t speak in Swahili her boss told her. Her stand up gigs were now almost extinct and any efforts led to no success. Most people around her regarded her with some curiosity and it was that curiosity that made most people think of her as a spoilt Japanese girl with no skills.

At times she slept on an empty stomach. As if that wasn’t enough bad luck already, her landlord never gave her any peace. Though Talia bailed her out so many times, she didn’t want to be a burden. She knew the four Binus were all adopted and imposing on them wasn’t anything like her Japanese roots could tolerate.

Her ex husband wasn’t an option either . She knew that without a doubt. She couldn’t go to him regardless of anything. He had insulted her trust enough already during their three year marriage. She was lucky she hadn’t come out of the marriage with kids. Her move to Kenya had been to start a new life. New job as a comedian and the rest would come along. She was struggling so bad but giving up wasn’t anything like what her mother taught her and so she wasn’t going to.

It was by sheer luck that she saw the auditions for a stand up gig in Kenya’s biggest stand up franchise. She groomed and to avoid discouragement from people especially Kinuthia, she told no one that she was going to audition.

In front of the five stern faced judges, she didn’t have an ounce of fear. She gave it her all. She really was funny and that day fate smiled at her. She made a mark on the judges and luckily got a chance to appear on the big screens for her first major gig.

The pool of comedians she was cast in was a tough crowd to adapt to. Though some of them thought of her as a hardworking Kenyan as any other, others thought of her as a outcast. A cute Japanese girl who was out to take their jobs and mostly the glory of being on the lips of Kenyans.

She didn’t make it to the big screens. In one way or another she got fired even before she was officially hired. She was cast out on charges of being a copy. You must know how much comedians hate their jokes copied and reused. She was just denied her one chance yet her jokes were merely funny weird Japanese stuff.

That took a toll on her, real bad. She got depressed. She just stayed in her house all day long doing nothing. Her health started having complications. Two weeks later she couldn’t get out of bed. Her body was all weak and even more yellowish than normal. The Binus never failed to come check on her though Kinuthia and his pride or so the rest thought never stepped in to her house.

With a little help, threats and sometime, she started to regain her self. Though it was a slow process and a forced one too, she managed to get back. She couldn’t go out to look for a job and thus she just called home for money but unfortunately no money came.

One day in her house, she was just watching some comedy show when Kinuthia showed up at her door. She was both alarmed and disgusted though she wasn’t going to show that to him.

“So, you have decided to come and gloat after all. I thought you might never come. “she said to him settling back in her seat.

“I hope I could do that but nah. We need to talk Fuji. “He said all serious

That shook her to the core. Kinuthia? Talk? And he wasn’t going to gloat? That was new. Kinuthia seemed at ease but he still wasn’t sure too why he was there. To apologize? Nope, he never did that, not to anyone ever.

“Can I take you out to lunch so we can talk about some things?

“Yeah, I don’t see why not now that I know you aren’t here to gloat. “

An hour later in a small restaurant, the two sat down for lunch. She was almost bursting from the curiosity while he just seemed normal though he was freaking out inside.

“You might want to talk now mister. “She prodded him softly unsure of what reaction he would exhibit.

“Yeah. Of course. Yes. I am going to talk. Well… before you get mad or disgusted by me please listen. You might have noticed that I haven’t come to see since your mishap at Churchill. I like you Fuji. That’s it. I like you a lot but I don’t know how to be cool around you. I love you so much. I know you can’t love me back for being a jerk to you but I…… am sorry. I love your comedy by the way. I said nasty stuff to motivate you. “He said taking her hand, his face destitute and sorry.

She wasn’t expecting that. Not in a million years. Though she had a thing for him too, this was like a bomb. Unexpected and huge. She bent down and continued eating for several moments to fight back her emotions. He stared at her as she ate wondering what insults she was gathering to hit him back with.

“Why Kinuthia? Why? Why now? “she asked after several minutes, her emotions in check.

“I don’t like you being sad and hopeless. I thought you knowing my feelings about you would change your attitude hopefully.”

“But I can’t do it! No one wants a Japanese comedian! “

“Yes they do. I do. And that’s why I got you a gig tonight at the small comedy club, the one with a weird logo. “

This last one just broke her down. She shed tears. Crying and laughing at the same time. “You might want to finish your food because we have a comedian to get to stage tonight, “he said smiling at her.

“Thanks Kinuthia. I….. Ooh no nope. No can do. I am not telling you that I love you too. “She said and looked up at him. As they smiled at each other, their meals getting cold, somewhere else people were busy buying tickets for a night comedy show.