Vol 3 Chapter 5.1 (2/2)
”It was my best attempt,” s.h.i.+on protested feebly.
”Well, you'd make a horrible politician or writer, seeing how you can't even conceive a realistic lie.”
”Was it that bad?”
”Atrocious. But this is what p.i.s.ses me off the most, s.h.i.+on―”
”Yeah?”
”That you must've figured I was some brat who couldn't tell one kind of kiss from the other. What good-night kiss, huh? Bulls.h.i.+t.”
Nezumi knelt in front of s.h.i.+on, and gripped his collar tightly.
”You hear me? Never give me a farewell kiss again. Ever.”
”I'm sorry.”
”And never lie to me again.”
”I won't.”
”Swear it.”
”I swear.”
The hand released him. Nezumi settled into a sitting position, and looked up at the heavens.
”I've heard there are strange things happening inside No. 6.”
”Strange?”
”I don't know the details, but Inukas.h.i.+ is gathering information for me. If we do it well, maybe we can use old man Rikiga and get some information through his customers, too. And it looks like stuff is going on in the Correctional Facility as well. There's commotion happening both inside and outside of No. 6 at the same time. A little weird, don't you think?”
”Correctional Facility? Nezumi, are you saying―”
”Your important friend, or whatever ― you called her your best friend, right? ― I've known about her for a while.”
He handed Karan's memo to s.h.i.+on. s.h.i.+on's fingers began to tremble after he had read the note.
”Your Mama is safe for now. I'm not so sure about your bestie. But don't panic. Right now, we have to gather all the information we can and set down a plan. Inukas.h.i.+ says he'll help. This is all preparation so that we can infiltrate the Correctional Facility as soon as possible. Understand? We're not going in there to get killed. We're going in there to save her. Be calm.”
s.h.i.+on nodded.
”So I've finally dragged you into the mess, too.”
”It's not your fault. Inukas.h.i.+ says he smells something, and frankly, I have my own suspicions too. Why would they need to imprison a precious member of their elite? There's a chance that it might have to do with the wasp incidents.”
”The parasite wasps, huh... but they're not active this time of year.”
”That's why something must've happened, something unexpected. And if it has, then it might be worth risking the danger. Whatever the case, whenever Inukas.h.i.+ gets into contact with me is when we make our next move. Until then, we have to gather our own information and start making preparations.”
Nezumi stood up, and spoke in a beautiful voice that rang out crystalline.
”Cheer up. Things will work out. We'll make them work out.”
”Thanks. You've saved me again.”
”Things are just getting started.”
s.h.i.+on stood up as well, and called the name of the boy who stood beside him.
”Nezumi.”
”Hm?”
”Mind if I―”
”Huh? What?”
As Nezumi turned to peer inquisitively at him, s.h.i.+on slapped him across the face as hard as he could. Nezumi, of course, didn't so much as stagger ― but he was certainly startled. After drawing a breath, he yelled,
”―the h.e.l.l was that for?”
”It's punishment.”
”Punishment?”
”You hid things from me. You didn't even mention a word to me about this memo.”
”What would telling you do, anyway? I couldn't have you wandering off by yourself like you did tonight. I did you a favour and looked out for you. Or what, are you saying I don't have the right to be worried about ― wait, I've heard this line somewhere before.”
”Worrying about me and hiding things from me are two completely different issues. It's not like I want to be sheltered by you. I don't want to coast along living the easy life, always being protected by you. I want―”
s.h.i.+on softly clenched his fingers around his palm, on which he could still feel the sensation of Nezumi's cheek.
”I want to be equals with you.”
Nezumi hunched his shoulders, and lifted his right hand in a pledge.
”I admit my mistake. I won't do it again.”
”Do you swear it?”
”I swear herewith upon my battered cheek.”
In the distance, a c.o.c.k was crowing. Even in this darkness, it could sense the coming of dawn, and heralded it loudly and shrilly. In moments, the eastern skies would lighten, and the light of the sun would wipe the darkness away. The first day of their battle was about to begin.
Safu was trying to wake up. She could feel her consciousness gradually beginning to return. But her physical sensations were still murky.
Where am I?
What am I doing here?
Am I dreaming?
I have to remember.
Remember what?
My very precious person.
Precious person.
”Safu.”
She could hear a voice very closeby, a man's voice.
No.
It's not this voice.
The voice I'm waiting for
isn't this voice.
”How are you feeling? I daresay you must be feeling a little different from what you're used to? But you'll get used to it in no time. I hope you like this special suite. It's the best you could ask for, and it's especially for you, Safu.”
I don't like this voice.
Don't call my name.
Don't call my name
with that voice.
”Safu, you are quite beautiful. Even more than I imagined. Beautiful, indeed. I'm very satisfied.”
I don't like this voice, and
I don't like this smell.
It smells like ― blood.
The smell of blood.
”I'm rather busy today. I'll come again, Safu. You should relax and rest a little as well.”
The footsteps faded away, and so did the stench of blood. She was relieved.
But why
Why is everything so
hazy?
But I
From the margins of her consciousness, which was not completely recovered yet, a flash of a figure emerged vividly.
Those eyes, those nails, that mouth, the faraway gaze, the energetic smile, or that clouded expression, the long fingers ― and oh, she could hear his voice.
”I always thought of you as a friend.”
He was always such a child. He had never even realized her feelings for him. But there he was, desperately searching and yearning for someone else. She had loved that childish, but intent soul of his. She had loved him like she could love no other. Even now―
She was fading out of consciousness. The darkness gently draped over her.
I'll never see you again....
s.h.i.+on.
s.h.i.+on spent the majority of the day taking care of the dogs. There had been no sign of Inukas.h.i.+ in the morning, so s.h.i.+on had had to prepare food for and groom ten some-odd dogs all by himself. He had barely any time to rest, but he didn't feel the labour to be onerous. On the contrary, he was actually grateful for it. Immersed in his work, he could forget his agitation, even for a short while.
Don't rush, and wait patiently. Act calmly.
Nezumi's words were certainly persuasive, and he had no choice but to nod his head, but still he couldn't help his agitation. He could not remain calm.
Even while I'm going about this now, Safu is...
Every time the thought crossed his mind, his emotions would be thrown into disarray, he would panic, and he would bite his lip until it bled.
A dog whined forlornly. It was one from a litter of puppies that had been born at the start of fall. s.h.i.+on realized he had been staring off into s.p.a.ce in the middle of making their meal.
”Oh, sorry.”
He hastily scooped the stewed leftovers into their food bowls. The puppies fiercely wagged their identical tails as they dipped their faces into the food. In the kind of circ.u.mstances where even humans starved to death, Inukas.h.i.+ managed to provide for his dogs with enough so that they did not starve.
The leftover food was s.h.i.+pped into the ruins in the middle of the night, and was sorted into food for humans, which would be s.h.i.+pped to the market, and the rest, which was used for dog feed. s.h.i.+on finally knew where it came from now. Inukas.h.i.+ was probably tracing this route. Nezumi, too, had disappeared in an early part of the morning.
What could he do?
The more he thought about it, the more he came face-to-face with his own powerlessness. It agitated him. He could not stay calm. And he would bite his lip again, and try to endure.
There was a warm sensation on the back of his hand. He looked down to see a puppy intently licking his hand. Cravat poked his head out from the breast-pocket of his sweater, and ducked back inside again.
He wanted to show Safu this puppy, and this little mouse. He wanted to let her touch them, and let her feel the warmth of their little tongues and bodies.
Safu was dear to him. She was precious to him. But it was different from the amorous sense ― it was more serene, more deeply connected. He loved her like family, like a close friend. Whatever kind of love it was made no change to the fact that he cared about her.
He closed his eyes. He called her name.
Safu.
Notes
McCullough, Helen C., trans. Genji & Heike: Selections from The Tale of Genji and the Tale of the Heike. Stanford, California: Stanford UP, 1994. 269. (back)
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