Page 31 of Sixty Meters Under

“I hope it’ll be. I’m starting on Monday. What about you?”

“I got a position in the Cinema. Starting tomorrow.”

“Oh! That sounds cool!”

They both threw glances at Aki’s crush a little too often, and it seemed the young man caught them staring. The women noticed him walking in their direction and looked at each other.

“Shit! He’s coming over!” Aki panicked.

“Relax. It doesn’t mean he’s coming here. Who knows where he’s heading,” Ayame muttered under her breath looking anywhere but at the man. She was convinced he would simply walk past them.

“Hello, beautiful ladies!” From the sound of footsteps, it seemed that he was indeed behind them.

Ayame turned to look up, then spoke with noticeable hesitation, “Hello.” Aki also turned but gave him only a shy smile.

“Are you having a good time?” The man had his hands on his hips and confidently stood his ground.

Ayame’s face flushed, and she tried to avoid looking straight at him. “Yes, we’re having a good time.” She soon realized she had to be the one to reply, since Aki looked too anxious to utter a word.

The guy pulled one of the lounge chairs to sit beside them. “Where do you come from?”

“We’re both from Japan. What about you?”

“Japanese beauties, eh? I’m from here. Gothenburg.”

“Cool.” Ayame hated that she was nervous; she didn’t usually act like this in front of anyone. She was always confident to start casual conversation and didn’t know why she was so unnerved.

“By the way, my name is Björn. What’s your name?”

“Ayame.”

“And I’m Aki,” the girl quickly added.

Björn grinned revealing his pearly white teeth, “You have very cute names.”

“Thank you.” Ayame returned a smile and bit the inside of her cheek.

“Are you sisters?”

“No. Just friends,” Ayame hurriedly added.

“Interesting.”

Aki side eyed her but said nothing.

“And what about you? Who did you come to the bunker with?” Ayame didn’t want to let him lead the whole conversation.

“Me?” He laughed. “I’m here with my whole fucking family.”

Ayame raised an eyebrow. “Oh… does that mean that you’re not very happy being here?”

Björn shrugged. “It’s not like that. This bunker is huge. It would be worse if we had to share a room.”

“Hmm, I see.”

“And who did you two come with? Don’t tell me that you came here alone.”

“Each of us came with our own family.”