By the time we sat down for dinner, things had eased up… at least a little.
The dining table was huge and covered in more food than twenty people could eat. Everyone fell into their usual roles.
Anna grilled Aaron about Tokyo's art scene. Alexander started talking about Asian market trends. Ben asked detailed questions about private jet security. Chris mentioned a recent medical study published in Japan.
And Aaron. He kept up. He joked with Anna, discussed markets with Alexander like it was nothing, answered Ben perfectly, and even corrected Chris on a small detail.
But every few minutes, he'd glance at me. Just a quick look. A silent check-in. You okay? I'd smile back. Yeah. You?
Our own quiet conversation in the middle of the noise.
At one point, Alexander pushed a little, his tone sharp while talking about hostile takeovers. Aaron calmly cut his turkey.
