Vol 8 Chapter 3.2 (1/2)
This is a continuation of PART A.
”Don't tell me the whole building is going to collapse.” The excitement faded from Rikiga's voice, and uncertainty crept in.
”All's good and well if it collapses,” Inukas.h.i.+ replied. ”Once this place becomes a mountain of rubble, I'll be the first to plant a memorial tree.” I'll plant one for Getsuyaku, my black dog, and the countless people who were murdered here. A tree that'll grow huge and bloom with pure white flowers.
”You sounded so happy the other day wis.h.i.+ng this place would come falling down, old man,” he added.
”That was a form of expression. I don't mind the Correctional Facility falling down, but I have a bit of a problem with this building becoming a pile of rubble.”
”Why?”
”Inukas.h.i.+, think really hard about it. If this building collapses completely, the gold bullion underground will be buried along with it. It's going to be a h.e.l.l of a lot of work digging it back up.”
Inukas.h.i.+ stared at Rikiga. The man's face was earnest.
”Old man... did you really believe that?”
”What?”
”The story about the gold bullion. Do you actually believe it's down there?”
Rikiga's eyes wandered. His throat contracted.
”Inukas.h.i.+, what are you joking about now? Of course it's there. My information sources are trustworthy. There's no room for doubt.”
”Okay, if you say so,” Inukas.h.i.+ said indifferently. ”Who was your source again? Ann or Oon or something like that, right?”
”Sulu, the redheaded beauty. She heard it directly from a high official of No. 6, in bed. No doubt about it. This tip isn't a dud.”
”Is that how it goes?”
”Yeah. You might not know, since you're still a snot-nosed kid and all you deal with are dogs. The thing about men is that they can't lie to women after the deed. Wives are a different story, but men don't lie to women they buy. They don't need to.”
”That's why they accidentally spill the beans about confidential stuff they'd never talk about.”
”That's right. So you do understand.”
”And can you trust this Sulu woman?”
”I sure can. I pressed her over and over about whether this story was true. Sulu said she definitely heard it. She's sure of it, and so am I.”
”Are you two together, old man?”
”None of your business, kid. Inappropriate subject matter for children. As a well-meaning adult, I refuse to answer. No comment.”
”Anything that comes out of your mouth is inappropriate, old man,” Inukas.h.i.+ retorted. ”Any well-meaning intentions of yours are probably dissolved in alcohol by now. You're as inappropriate as adults get. I would never want my baby around you.”
”Back to the topic,” Rikiga said impatiently. ”How does my relations.h.i.+p with Sulu have anything to do with what we're talking about?”
”To get straight to the point, I'll just say that between you and Nezumi, Nezumi would get girls a lot more easily. Yeah, I think ninety-nine out of a hundred... no, all hundred girls would rather sleep with Nezumi than you. Of course. And I don't think Sulu is an exception.”
Rikiga's brows furrowed theatrically.
”Inukas.h.i.+, what are you trying to say? Stop trying to beat around the bush. Do me a favour and be clearer about it.”
”Clearer, huh. Well, there's not much to say, anyway. Say I'm Sulu, and I love to watch plays, and I get totally hooked onto this good-looking actor called Eve. If he whispered into my ear with that sultry voice of his, what would I do? I think I'd be pretty eager to feed false information to a certain beer-bellied old man, no matter if he was my ex-boyfriend or not. Just a thought,” Inukas.h.i.+ said offhandedly.
Rikiga swallowed hard. He opened his mouth and started panting like a dog in scorching heat.
”How―no, how―why would Eve ask Sulu to do that? Th―there's no plausible reason―”
”To manipulate you, old man. Actually, maybe I was part of the plan, too. He wanted to draw us in by hinting to us about some gold bullion. It's the easiest and most effective way. Doesn't it sound like something he'd think of? He's unbeatable when it comes to being wily. He's astonis.h.i.+ngly smart. I'm actually really impressed.”
Rikiga stood still and speechless for a good while.
”Inukas.h.i.+... when did you realize that?”
”When? I dunno. I think from the moment I heard you got the tip from a pretty girl, Nezumi was in the back of my mind. Hah, I guess that means I know a little bit more than you about Nezumi's true ident.i.ty, huh? Not much to brag about, though.”
”If you knew, why did you still come? Why are you putting your life in danger to do this?”
”Because there's gold bullion.”
”Huh?”
”I actually don't know why I'm not curled up quietly in my nest right now. I really don't know. It's just―something I thought would never break is breaking. Something I thought would never change is gonna be turned upside down. It's almost as amazing as a mountain of gold. And G.o.d's not making that miracle―humans are. An airheaded boy and the fraud of the century. Doesn't it give you a thrill? It gave me a thrill. That's why I decided to act on my own. I wasn't gonna wait 'til someone changed things. I'm gonna go ahead and do it. I wanna think that I have a role in changing the world. Nezumi and s.h.i.+on threw that opportunity down right in front of me. They said, 'How long do you plan on curling up there and pretending you don't notice?' and tossed the bait in front of me. Bait that's bigger than gold.”
”And you latched onto it knowing you were being tricked.”
”I guess you can say that.”
”I see... so you got in on it and tricked me, too. What a shameful day for Almighty Mr. Rikiga. I've been strung along by a couple of brats. I've grown old. I think it's really hitting home now that my life is entering its retirement stage.”
”Hey man, don't be so down about it. It's just my guess. I think it's about ninety-percent right, though. There's always the possibility that Sulu seriously had the hots for you, and she gave you the gift of juicy information.”
”Serious about me, huh... impossible.” Rikiga gave a great sigh, and slumped his shoulders. True to his word, he suddenly looked like he had aged by many years. ”So what do you plan to do now?” he looked up at Inukas.h.i.+, and exhaled again.
”Me? I'm gonna wait.”
”For Eve and s.h.i.+on?”
”Yeah. Nezumi told me to wait here. What other choice do I have?”
”Like a loyal dog waiting for its master.”
”More like a cunning fox preying on a field mouse.”
”Where are they coming back from? From that half-open door?”
”Who knows? I can't read that far into it. I don't think even Nezumi would know. They're gambling for all or nothing―there's no way they can foresee that far. Climaxes are best left in the dark, anyway. So what are you gonna do, old man?”
Rikiga sighed yet another time. His back was hunched and his posture was truly that of an old man, though Inukas.h.i.+ wasn't sure if he was doing it on purpose.
”I'll wait,” he replied. ”Feeling like a loyal dog.”
”Even if the gold bullion was a lie?” Inukas.h.i.+ was a little surprised. He had been almost certain that Rikiga would beeline right out of this room as soon as he found out that the gold bullion was an illusion.
Here, you don't know what's gonna happen next. There's no way of guessing what kind of danger is coming, and when it'll come.
Anyone with some smarts would get the h.e.l.l outta here and go back home. And Rikiga's not stupid. He might be p.r.o.ne to wandering off, blinded by greed, but he's got the smarts it takes to survive. If not, he wouldn't be able to h.o.a.rd money in a place like the West Block.
Rikiga only got involved in things that benefited him. Emotions and sense of duty were not in his criteria for taking action―only potential wealth was. This was Rikiga's philosophy of life, and Inukas.h.i.+ agreed with it. That was why he was taken by surprise.
”Why're you gonna wait, old man?” he questioned sincerely. He was truly curious.
”Because I can't move.”
”Can't move? Doesn't look like you're hurt to me.”
”I'm out of breath, and my heart is palpitating. My legs and back are shot. I have no choice but to rest here. Besides, there's nothing to prove that you're a hundred percent right. Sulu's tip might be a good one after all.”
”You're saying Mr. Gold Bullion is just sitting on his a.s.s under our feet.”
”Yeah. I've come this far believing in it. There's no way I'm going to leave with nothing. If it comes to this, I'll clean out the Correctional Facility of anything that's worth money. And I'll get you and Eve to help. For free. I'm not taking complaints.”
Inukas.h.i.+ shrugged, and turned aside. He wasn't convinced that Rikiga was telling the truth. What was he waiting for? What was he staying behind for? Inukas.h.i.+ was sure even Rikiga himself did not know the answer. He knew at least that it was probably not because of his palpitating heart, his shortness of breath, or the gold bullion, which was nothing but an illusion.
So whaddaya know, the old man actually believes that they're coming back. Inukas.h.i.+ meant to sneer, but ended up compressing his lips.
Changes are happening inside the Correctional Facility. It's almost time. They're almost coming back.
In the dark, Inukas.h.i.+ quietly balled his hand into a fist.
* * *
”It's delicious,” Renka sighed. ”I didn't know hot tea could taste so nice.”
”More sugar? They say sweet tea soothes you when you're tired.” Karan placed the pot of sugar in front of Renka. It was something she had bought to celebrate the opening of her store. It was a small and cheap pot, but it was Karan's favourite.
Renka pinched her tear ducts.
”Karan―thank you. I'm so glad you're here. Thank you.”
”Oh, Renka, don't cry.” Karan placed a hand on Renka's knee, and added strength to her tone. ”You have Lili. Don't cry. Be strong.”
Lili, who had been looking up at her mother with concern, gripped the cup in her hands tightly. Karan knew how harsh it was to reprimand Renka and tell her to be strong when she was so overwhelmed with uncertainty and exhaustion. ”Be strong”; ”smarten up”; ”try your hardest”―at times, words of encouragement from others hurt the soul much more brutally than insults.
I'm at my limit. What am I supposed to try harder at?
Karan herself had come close to screaming so. How ruthless, how shallow, how crude they were―such superficial words of encouragement or reproach. I know. But I have to say them.
”Renka, you have Lili and the baby in your womb. You're a mother―you have to be strong. You could cry any other time. But now isn't the time to let your feelings go, is it? You have to pull yourself together.”
Renka blinked, and swallowed her breath. Then, she straightened her back.
”Yes, senpai.[1]”
”As long as you understand. Be careful next time.”
”Of course.”
Lili's gaze darted between her mother and Karan.
”Ma'am, you're Mommy's senpai?”
Renka gently drew her daughter's shoulder close. ”Yes, she is. My senpai in life. I'd want her to teach me a lot more things in the future.”
”Ma'am, you must be really old.”
Karan and Renka looked at each other, and burst out laughing almost simultaneously.
”How mean of you, Lili,” Karan exclaimed. ”That's not true. Your mommy and I are only―oh, we're eight years apart. I guess I am pretty old.”
”Oh, Karan!” Renka laughed, and softly brushed the tears from her eyes. ”No, Karan, I really am thankful. Who knows what would have happened if I was alone. I would probably be bawling from anxiety.”
”You're not that weak,” Karan said firmly. ”You would have gotten your strength back as a mother without me telling you to. And―you know, Renka, this might seem like a temporary fix, but why don't we wait a little longer for Getsuyaku-san? I feel like it's too soon to give up hope.”