Chapter 272 - What A Nightmare

Meanwhile, back in the Philippines, Koji was stunned and speechless. He couldn't believe what he just heard. He doesn't know if he would accept or not on what Ashley was saying.

However, he decided to just go with the flow and not let his disappointment show on his face that Ashley already has a boyfriend.

He respectfully accepts the hand that Arthur offered and shakes hands. "Nice to meet you! I'm Koji Hanada, you can call me Koji." That's all he said.

After the handshake, he turned around, went back towards Mr. Gusman's side, and sat casually. Once seated, he began speaking with the older man with respect.

A moment later, while they were busy conversing, Ariel told everyone that the food was ready. Every one of them stands up and goes to the dining room. 

Ashley and Fely were the last ones to get up, she held Ashley's arms and let others go first. Once everyone was gone, Mrs. Gusman pinched her daughter.

"You! I want you to know that what you had done was not good. Why do you need to lie to him? He's not even courting you." 

"Mother, I'm not the one behind this idea! It's brother Arman, all right? Don't worry, I'll tell him the truth someday. However, not right now." She quickly gives her mother a hug to make her feel better.

Once Ashley hugged her mother, she was a goner and couldn't do anything but give her a pat on her head like a little girl.

"Okay! Okay! It's already done, what else can we do. What's important right now is to contact Tanaga's grandma to find out what happened in Japan. 

"Right after we finished eating, call her right away. Do you hear me? "Mrs. Gusman reminded her with a glimpse of sadness in her eyes.

"Yes, mother, I was already planning on calling her after we eat. Let go, they might be waiting for us to eat." Ashley ushers her mother toward the dining room. 

When the two arrived, everyone was already seated and only waiting for them. Ashley helped her mother sit beside her husband, Mr. Gusman, in the head table. 

She then sits beside Arthur so that Koji won't have any suspicion about their relationship.

They let Koji sit at the other end of the head table while Arman is on his left, and Ariel is on the other side. They decided that seating so that Koji won't feel uneasy.

Arnel and Arnold are seating in the middle in front of Arthur and Ashley. While Inday, Gemma, and Linda are serving them. 

All dishes are already in the table and were going to pray by the lead Jessie when he saw that butler Ruffy and Tiny were not there. He suddenly stopped, and his eyebrows rosed up. 

All were shocked when Mr. Gusman suddenly shouted for no apparent reason. He's eyes as wide a saucer and everyone was trying to find out why?

"Ruffy! Tiny! Where are you? What are you waiting for?! The food will get cold!" 

Tiny and butler Ruffy was just about to sit in the kitchen table when they heard Mr. Gusman's loud voice. 

They suddenly stopped sitting down and quickly went out of the kitchen while their faces were visibly confused. 

"What are you two waiting for? Sit down!" Tatay Jessie said while seriously saying it. 

Tiny was scratching his head and hesitating to sit down. 

While butler Ruffy smiled before answering, "Hey, I think it's not appropriate to sit with you. Mostly you have a guest, it's kinda embarrassing." 

"What embarrassing? We're a family, and you're not new to us; come and sit before changing my mind." Mr. Gusman said in a scolding tone to scare butler Ruffy and sit. 

"But…" Tiny said while looking where Koji is seated and just watching at the scene. 

When Koji noticed that Tiny was looking at him. He decided to join the conversation. "Tiny, why don't you sit? Don't mind me cause I'm just a guest. Hahaha!" He laughed loudly just to encourage Tiny to sit down. 

When Tiny and Butler Ruffy heard what Koji said, they don't bother to give a second thought and sit down to start praying. 

"Dear Lord, thank you very much for this food that we're about to eat. And thank you so much that our daughter is here with us. Please bless the people here with us right now, and thank you so much for my loving family. Amen!" Mr. Gusman said. 

"Amen!" Everybody followed Mr. Gusman in unison, before doing the sign of the cross.

After that, everybody was happy and started to eat.

Arman and Ariel are putting many dishes to Koji's plate, while Koji was just saying thank you. Koji enjoyed how Arman and Ariel were giving him food.

He temporarily forgot about the lady who's the way he is here, which is three-seat far from him beside her boyfriend. A/N: [At least that was Koji thinks] 

They are all so happy that you can't ever think that they have any problem. They didn't notice that Ashley almost can't eat properly, just a few, and her mouth can't accept anymore.

So when they all finished eating and they decided to go out and do clubbing. Ashley quickly told Koji that she has something important to do. 

Then she left speedily and entered her room to call Grandma Hanada. 

Unluckily, grandma Hanada is in the airplane traveling to America. Ashley was so disappointed and decided to rest. 

Because of tiredness, it just her few moments, and she fell asleep. 

That night, Ashley dreamed about her husband in a faraway place, and she can't reach him. She keeps on running after him, but she can't catch him. 

In the end, Tanaga was gone in her sight like a bubble that suddenly popped. Ashley shouted, calling for her husband. 

"Tanaga! Tanaga! Where are you? Come back, please!!" 

Ashley's voice was so loud that it reached her parents, who were still in the living room. 

They quickly got up and checked on her, thus waking Ashley up from her nightmare...