Chaos in Kadoma Ward – Chapter 16

Yori Okamoto, CEO of Kiiroi Yama for fifteen years, is my newest obsession. The man smiles at me from the news feed on my tablet, shaking hands with Buichi Tamura, CEO of Aka Matsuba, over some deal they settled to make armor for Aka Matsuba’s spaceships and shuttles. I’m using all the searching skills I have, but I can’t find out much about Okamoto. On the surface, he’s a tall, well-built man that could pass for a Marine with his bulging biceps and high and tight haircut. He wears all black like his workforce. He doesn’t do social events or news conferences unless he has to. Where does he live? No clue. Is he married? Not sure. He’s elusive and secretive, and without a free press to search him out, he could stay that way forever.

But then again, he’s never met me. I’ll have to devise a stakeout or something.

I chew over this puzzle as I walk with Rin to K&G Noodles.

“You’re awfully quiet this morning,” Rin says, angling around people who walk while staring straight into space. I still find that creepy, but these people miss their tōsha when they’re not around them. It’s one of their only mind-vacations.

“I’m worried about getting to work and making a good impression on my first day. I don’t want Kotashi and Gina to regret this deal with you and Atsumi.” I’m much better at deflecting conversation than just admitting I have no idea what to think of anything. “I can’t help but think my life here could be pleasant” — my voice breaks, and I try to cover it by walking faster — “if I could stay out of Narumi’s sights and explore and understand your city for myself and the people back home. Assuming I ever return home.”

I wrap my new sweater around me tighter as we approach the block K&G is on. Mornings here on Hikari are chilly and humid, seeping into my body like a wet washcloth.

“It would be nice to be comfortable until your people show up. Kazuo seems to believe this is a foregone conclusion, and I’m inclined to agree with him. So let’s stick with the plan.”

It’s just before seven in the morning when we arrive at K&G Noodles. The front door is still closed, but the sign projection outside states they’ll be open in about thirty minutes. They open early. I wonder how many people eat noodles on their way into the office in the morning. The café Rin and I ate at yesterday morning is open all day and night.

We skirt around the building, through the alley I puked in, to the back door.

“Your chip should work here now,” Rin says, gesturing to the handle.

I grasp the handle, wait for the click, and open the door. Inside, the android, Kay, is chopping vegetables on one side of the kitchen. Her knife is a metronome of precision, chop, chop, chop. You could play an instrument to the rhythm. Kotashi is working the dough for hand-pulled noodles, holding both ends and swinging it up and down, before twirling the two ends together and starting over again.

Oh! I remember Germaine doing the same thing at home. My heart fills with joy at the memory of warm bowls of broth, brimming with noodles and fish cakes. I wonder if I could make something similar here.

“I’ve seen this done before,” I whisper to Rin as we approach the center of the kitchen. “I’m eager to learn the technique for myself.” I imagine taking video of Kotashi talking about how he learned noodle pulling and the history of his family going back several generations all the way to Earth. My mouth salivates predicting how footage like that would be regarded at home. Humanizing and understanding these people is my number one top priority now. Until I find Chiéko and other people from home, I have to continue with both my personal and private missions.

Rin smiles down at me, and I feel his approval like a crackling fire between us, warm and inviting.

“I’m sure you’ll pick it up in no time,” he replies, raising his head and voice to look at Kotashi. “How long have you been pulling this one?”

“About fifteen minutes,” Kotashi says, looking up from his noodle dough twirling. I smile at him, and he frowns, setting the dough down on the floured counter. “Rin, we need to have a talk about this.”

He approaches Rin and me, getting close and glancing over his shoulder to the quiet and closed restaurant. Who is he worried about overhearing?

“What’s the problem?” Rin asks, folding his arms over his chest.

“I’m not really sure. Two men came by yesterday afternoon, not long after I heard from you and Atsumi. They asked me about who was working here, if I was hiring…” He waves his hand in a circle. “They were chattier than normal customers. I was suspicious of them, so I looked up their profiles after they paid. People from Amagasaki.”

“Really?”

“What does that mean?” I interrupt. I haven’t seen Amagasaki on any of the maps.

“It’s a city in the south where Aoi Uma manufactures most of their androids.” Rin strokes his chin.

“See?” Kotashi says, pointing at me. “I told Atsumi I didn’t want a strange woman in my shop. How does she not know about Amagasaki? Or kids getting deported to the Southern Continent. Just where are you from?”

“Far, far from here,” is all I say.

“Well, you’re lucky Atsumi has spoken for you because I’d be turning you into Kiiroi Yama myself if not.”

Rin sighs, one of his weary sighs he keeps on hold for when life is particularly challenging.

“She just needs a job, and you owe Atsumi for all the times she’s helped you source new vendors or gotten rid of vagrants. Besides, Judge Saruma will check up on Yumi and make sure she’s here and working. He only cares that she’s a productive member of society. You remember what I went through, right? Same thing.”

Kotashi’s face hardens so thoroughly, I could bounce a noodle off it.

“I do remember. And we did that for you, but Gina and I feel that something is wrong here.” He steps closer to Rin and squeezes his shoulder with a floury hand. “It’s so unlike you to take someone into your household like this. You never wanted to proxy.”

“No. I didn’t. But times change.” Rin shrugs, and I nearly stand back and applaud his valiant efforts at acting. He wouldn’t have done this if I hadn’t run out on Aka Matsuba in the first place. That one event cascaded into a whole lot of trouble for both of us.

Kotashi sighs. “You know I don’t believe that for one moment.”

He turns Rin with a hand on his shoulder, and they walk across the room away from me. I’m tempted to follow, but my hearing is excellent, and I’m pretty good at reading lips too.

“I’m not stupid, and I know an… arrangement when I see one. Is this the path you want to go after Atsumi? You’re a handsome young man. I’m sure you can find someone… more attractive.”

I feel sick.

It’s not enough to be rich and powerful here. You have to meet a high standard of beauty as well. I can only imagine how the poor live in Shin-Osaka. Kotashi and Gina strike me as ordinary people, people I would see in my everyday life back home. Kotashi is handsome with a full head of hair and a refined way about him. Gina, on the other hand, is a little rounder and softer, but her face could’ve launched a thousand ships in her prime. I bet she had men falling all over her with offers of marriage.

I tuck my hair behind my small ears and run the tips of my fingers over my eyebrows to straighten them out. I had never been insecure about the way I look until people started pointing it out over and over. Back home, I fit in. I knew I wasn’t especially pretty, but I wasn’t ugly.

Sheesh. What a way to start out my day. I would tell all of these people to fuck off, but instead, I’ll wear the makeup I purchased yesterday and not be the squeaky wheel. I don’t want to stick out. I want to blend in. Blending in means fewer people will notice me as I eavesdrop on their conversations and observe them in their natural habitats.

“Just stick to the plan like we discussed. Teach her the recipes, how to use the ordering system, how to plan a menu. All of it. I want her fully versed in the business. Soon.”

Rin turns away from Kotashi and returns to me. “Yumi is a part of my life now, and she’s excited to start something new.” He squeezes both of my shoulders. “Show them just how determined you really are. I’m sure in a few hours, everything will be running smoothly, and you’ll be integrated with no issues.”

Time to be strong.

“Of course, Rin.” I raise my chin, and his chest puffs with pride. “It’ll be fabulous. I’ll see you at your place later.”

“Home,” he insists, trying to make me say it.

I flatten my lips, pressing them closed, and shake my head.

Not today. Not today.