Yukiho didn’t answer. Wordlessly, she undid the cords on her gown. The silvery fabric dropped to the ground, revealing her white, naked body.
Before Mika could say anything, Yukiho crawled under the covers with her. Mika tried to escape, but Yukiho pressed her down. She was far stronger than she looked.
On top of the bed, she pushed Mika’s legs apart and pressed down on her. Her large breasts swayed over Mika’s chest.
‘Stop,’ Mika croaked.
‘Did he do this to you?’ Yukiho asked. ‘Did he push down on you like this?’
Mika looked away. She felt Yukiho’s fingers pressing into her cheeks, twisting her head back.
‘Don’t look away. Look here, into my face.’
Her mind screaming with fear, Mika looked at Yukiho. The large eyes staring down at her. The face was so close she could feel the warmth of her breath.
‘You remember what he did when you try to sleep, don’t you.’ Yukiho said. ‘You’re scared to close your eyes, scared to dream. Aren’t you.’
Mika nodded.
‘I want you to look at my face. If you ever feel like you might remember the man, I want you to think of me instead. I want you to remember me doing this.’ Yukiho straddled Mika’s body, pressing her shoulders down into the bed until Mika couldn’t budge an inch. ‘Or would you rather see his face than mine?’
Mika shook her head.
Yukiho smiled. ‘I thought not. It’s OK. You’ll be fine before you know it. I’ll protect you.’ Yukiho cupped her hands around Mika’s cheeks. She moved her palms, rubbing, as if she enjoyed the feel of her skin. ‘It happened to me too, you know. Only worse.’
Mika was so surprised she almost shouted. Yukiho put a finger to her lips. ‘I was younger than you are now. Still just a child. But sometimes, demons come for children too. Many, many demons.’
‘No…’ Mika whispered.
‘When I look at you now, I see me then.’ Yukiho lowered herself until she was lying on top of Mika, her warmth pressed against her, her hands cradling Mika’s head. ‘And it’s sad. So sad.’
Then, Mika felt something twitch deep inside her, as though a nerve that had lain severed until now had suddenly been reconnected. Through that nerve, sadness came welling up from her heart like a flood. She began to cry like a baby in Yukiho’s embrace.
It was on a Sunday midway through December when Sasagaki got in a car with Kazunari to pay a visit to his cousin Yasuharu. Sasagaki had come back up to Tokyo from Osaka for the occasion.
‘Are you sure he’ll see us?’ Sasagaki asked in the car.
‘I don’t think he’ll kick us out on the street, if that’s what you’re asking.’
‘If he’s even home.’
‘No worries on that count. I get good intel from my informant.’
‘Your informant?’
‘The maid.’
It was a little after two in the afternoon when Kazunari’s Mercedes pulled into the parking spot to the side of the guest gate.
‘It’s hard to tell exactly how big the house is from the outside of these places,’ Sasagaki said, peering over the gate. Beyond the high walls, all he could see were trees.
Kazunari pressed the intercom button next to the gate. The answer came immediately.
‘Hello, Kazunari. Good to see you,’ said the voice of a middle-aged woman. She must be looking at them over a security camera.
‘Hello, Taeko. Is Yasuharu in?’
‘He’s here. Just a moment.’
A couple of minutes later, her voice crackled over the speaker again. ‘He says go around to the garden.’
‘Right.’
There was a clicking sound from the gate as the lock opened.
Sasagaki followed Kazunari through. The long approach to the house was lined with cobblestones. Sasagaki felt as though he had stepped into an old Hollywood movie.
Two women were just walking out of the front of the house. Sasagaki knew who they were without Kazunari having to tell him: Yasuharu Shinozuka’s daughter, Mika, and next to her, Yukiho.
‘How do you want to play this?’ Kazunari asked quietly.
‘Just tell them anything you need to about me,’ Sasagaki said.
They walked up the path slowly. The four of them stopped where they met on the path halfway to the house. Yukiho smiled and nodded to them.
‘Hello,’ Kazunari spoke first.
‘Long time no see, Kazunari. How have you been?’ Yukiho asked.
‘Can’t complain. You look well.’
She smiled and nodded again.
‘Your shop in Osaka’s opening soon, right? How’s that going?’
‘Not very well, but these things never do. I only wish there were a few more of me to go around. I’m heading to a meeting about that right now, in fact.’
‘Well, I wish you the best of luck,’ Kazunari said, turning to the girl. ‘How have you been, Mika?’
The girl smiled and nodded. She seemed a bit withdrawn to Sasagaki. He’d heard from Kazunari that she didn’t get along with Yukiho, but from what he could see there was no sign of that here.
‘And I thought it might be a good chance to pick up something for Mika for Christmas,’ Yukiho said.
‘An excellent idea,’ Kazunari agreed.
‘Is this your friend?’ Yukiho asked, her eyes turning to Sasagaki.
‘Oh, sorry, this is Mr Sasaki. He’s been helping us at the company for years,’ Kazunari said without hesitation.
Sasagaki bowed and said, ‘Hello.’ When he looked back up, his eyes met with Yukiho’s.
Sasagaki had seen her as an adult several times, but never face-to-face like this, not since that run-down apartment in Osaka. He could still see that little girl in the woman before him. She had the same eyes.
Remember me, Yukiho Nishimoto? I’ve been following you for nineteen years, so much that I see you in my dreams. But I doubt you remember an old man like me. Just another one of your many, many fools.
Yukiho smiled. ‘Are you from Osaka?’
‘Indeed,’ he said, a little flustered.
‘I thought so. My new shop is opening in Shinsaibashi. You have to come visit.’
She pulled a postcard out of her bag, an invitation to the opening.
‘Oh, thanks,’ Sasagaki said. ‘I’ll make sure one of my relatives down there gets this.’
‘It was your accent,’ Yukiho explained, looking the old detective in the eyes. ‘It’s funny how little things can bring back so many memories.’ Her lips parted in a smile. ‘If you’re looking for Yasuharu, he’s in the garden,’ she said to Kazunari. ‘He wasn’t satisfied with his scores on the course today, so practise, practise.’
‘We’ll try not to take up too much of his time.’
‘Please make yourself at home,’ Yukiho said, and with a nod to Mika the two set off. Sasagaki and Kazunari stood off to the side of the path until they had passed. Sasagaki watched her go, thinking maybe she did remember him after all.
They found Yasuharu in the garden hitting golf balls. When Kazunari walked over he put down his club and smiled – no trace of any guilt on his face over having sent his cousin to languish at a subsidiary.
But when Kazunari introduced Sasagaki, a wary look came into Yasuharu’s eyes. ‘A former detective from Osaka? OK,’ he said, staring at the new arrival.
‘He has something I need you to hear,’ Kazunari said.
The smile faded entirely from Yasuharu’s face. ‘Let’s talk inside.’
‘No, here is fine. It’s warm today, and we’ll be leaving soon.’
‘Really?’ Yasuharu looked between their faces. ‘Fine. I’ll have Taeko bring us something.’
A white table with four chairs was in the garden, a place for the family to enjoy afternoon tea in the British style on the warmer days. The maid brought milk tea, and they sat to drink.
The mood couldn’t have been farther from a pleasant afternoon tea. As soon as Kazunari started talking, Yasuharu’s mouth twisted into a scowl where it stayed while he, together with Sasagaki, began telling the story of Yukiho Nishimoto. They told it all, every little event they had managed to piece together. Ryo’s name came up several times.