Released – Chapter 9

At dinnertime, I decide I can sit in this apartment building no longer.

“Jiro, let’s go to Izakaya Tanaka for dinner and drinks. I want to get out.”

We’ve been sitting on the couch and reading for the past hour while listening to the sound of people in the hallways and stairs, moving Kentaro into the apartment above us. I wish he were in an apartment farther away. Now another person can listen to Jiro and me whenever he wants. Usagi and Oyama were fine. Kentaro? Not so much.

“Okay.”

“What? No objections?”

“No. We should definitely go out, and we should do it as often as we can. November’s going to come quickly.”

“Oh gods, you’re right. It’s only a matter of time before we’re cold and alone and sleeping for years.” I was looking forward to the trip to Yūsei for most of my life and now I don’t want hibernation to come. It’ll be the end of my life here, the end of so much I was beginning to get used to.

“No worries, Sanaa. We still have many months together before then. We’ll make them count. I’ll go and talk to Usagi and Oyama. Why don’t you get dressed?”

“Okay. We should invite Kentaro, right?”

Jiro stops at the door and heaves a sigh. “Yes, I suppose we should.”

We get changed, grab our swords, and meet up with Oyama and Usagi. I scan my hand at Kentaro’s door. The chimes ring inside, and a moment later Kentaro stands before us in Nishikyō grays. Yes, he is wiry. He’s got to be at least twelve or thirteen kilos lighter than Jiro but he’s taller. Maybe he’s one of those guys who eats and eats and never gains weight. He looks strong, though, ribbons of muscle winding up his arms. I bet he spends a lot of time working out and training like we do. I have to get him into the dōjō with us.

“What do you want?”

Kentaro does not seem pleased to see me, so I roll on a huge smile.

“He speaks!” He narrows his eyes at me, but yeah, sorry, Kentaro. Those looks of disdain will not intimidate me. “Get dressed. We’re going out for dinner.”

“No, thanks,” he says, trying to close the door.

“No. The correct answer is, ‘Yes, Miss Itami.’ You’re coming or shall we forget our bargain right now? I know how much this partnership means to your father.” I’m sure the two hours Kentaro had to pack were spent with his father going over all the specific information Minamoto wants to gather on me and Sakai clan.

“Fine.”

He tries again to shut the door on us, but I stick my boot out and stop it.

“Go on then.” I wave him away from the doorway. “Go get dressed. You have five minutes while we all wait for you.”

He walks away from us to the bedroom without responding, and I turn from the door but keep my foot wedged in the jamb so it doesn’t close.

“Evil, Sanaa. I swear.” Jiro lets out a chuckle, shaking his head.

We wait another minute, and Kentaro returns dressed in dark pants and a gray shirt with a faded print on the front that reads, “Baka na Boy,” in katakana. Idiot boy. Ironic.

I roll my eyes. “Let’s go.”

—-

Ugh, I think I made a big mistake by bringing Kentaro into the fold. Here we are having a fantastic time at Izakaya Tanaka, and Kentaro is playing silent but drinking a whole ton of saké. Idiot boy, indeed. I want to tear that shirt from him and tell him to get a better attitude.

And now I sound like his mother.

At this point, I’m afraid for him if he opens his mouth. He’s been eyeing Helena all night, and Usagi is showing a lot more affection to her than usual. They are now firmly a couple. Usagi came straight to Helena after the quake and professed his love to her. Who knew he was so romantic?

Jiro leans over with his arm around my waist and whispers, “I told you he likes blondes,” into my ear. I wonder if we’ll have to break up a fight tonight.

“Did I see you moving into our building today, Kentaro?” Miko asks. Oh, Miko, I love you, and I’m so grateful that you had the afternoon off.

Kentaro sits back and crosses his arms across his chest. Come on, Kentaro. Even you cannot be immune to Miko’s charm.

“I did. I’m now living one floor above Miss Itami and Jiro.”

Miko mouths, “Miss Itami?” at me and I roll my eyes. “Kentaro, you can call me Sanaa when we’re out like this. We’ve had enough saké for it, right?” I reach around and refill everyone’s cups. We all blazed through dinner so quickly I don’t even remember what I ordered. It was a blur of chopsticks and muttered conversation.

“So you’ll be working for Sanaa then?” Miko is doing her damnedest to get Kentaro to talk.

“Yes, it appears so. I’m not sure what she’ll have me do though.”

I glance sideways at Jiro, and he shrugs his shoulders a little.

“What would you like to do, Kentaro?” I ask him.

“Nothing.”

“Nothing? There’s not anything, not one thing, you’d like to do as an occupation, especially for me? What did you study in school?”

Kentaro slams back another cup of saké, and I don’t move to pour for him. He’s teetering on the edge of being sent home by Usagi.

“I didn’t specialize. I work for the family.” His arms are recrossed over his chest.

Wow, this guy is tough. He does not want to open up at all. I’m glad Jiro grew up with him, though, because I know a little more about him than he thinks I do.

“Jiro tells me that you can fight. What is your preferred weapon?”

Wait. A smile lightens the corner of his lips.

“Jiro told you?”

The two of them stare icily across the table at one another.

“So, weapon, which one?” I ask Kentaro again while placing my hand on Jiro’s under the table. His fingers are clenched into a ball and unwilling to relax.

“The staff, long or short,” Kentaro says.

“Good. You see, Jiro just bought me this fine shinobijō the other day, and I was thinking about finding someone to show me how to use it.”

Both Miko and Helena burst into laughter. I must seem completely different to them than six months ago.

“Gods, Sanaa,” Helena says with a sigh. “Another weapon? The sword wasn’t enough?”

“Shhh. You know how I love to try new things.” I turn from her to Kentaro but not before winking at her.

“How about you teach me? You can come to the dōjō a couple of times per week and train with us, then you could have the rest of the time to yourself.”

Kentaro sits and quietly analyzes me. “I don’t believe you can fight.”

He’s antagonistic, I’ll give him that.

“I can.” I put on the sweetest, most innocent girl face I have, batting my eyelashes at him. “Little ol’ me.”

Jiro laughs and points to me, finally relaxing. “Don’t let her deceive you.”

“Did you really buy her a shinobijō?”

“I did,” Jiro says, turning his smile on me. He’s proud, I can tell. “Brand new design from my cousin on the Suzuki side. It’s a super light and sturdy composite that has a bend to it. Collapses into two pieces and uses this conductive current charge to expel the weapons from each end. I was hesitant to buy it, but it practically screamed at me, ‘This is for Sanaa!’”

“You went and saw Masa?” Yoichi asks.

“Yeah, he’s got a whole range of long and short staffs he’s been working on. This one is his pride and joy. Sanaa is a lucky girl.”

Kentaro is warming up. His eyes sparkle with interest. Miko and Helena must think that we’re all crazy.

“I’ve heard of this design but haven’t seen one for myself. Still, I’m not sure I want to teach Sanaa anything.”

What a brat.

“Okay, Kentaro,” I say, leaning forward and pushing my cup aside. “I’ll give you this option. You play Rock Paper Scissors with me, best two out of three. I win, you train me. You win, you can hang out in your apartment all day, come to big meetings or not, or press your ear to the floor when you want some good gossip. I don’t care. It’ll be up to you.”

He narrows his eyes at me for a moment. He probably thinks I can’t possibly lure him into losing at Rock Paper Scissors. It’s a game of chance, right?

“Fine.” He pours his own saké and tips back the cup, throwing the alcohol straight down his throat.

Jiro leans into my ear. “Rock Paper Scissors? Are you serious?”

I lean back and whisper, “I am completely serious. Wait till you see what your mother taught me.”

“Okay, ready?” He nods. “One, two, three.”

I throw: paper. Kentaro: rock. Predictable. Men tend to always lead with rock.

“One for me.” I have another drink, and Yoichi and Jiro lean in a little. “One, two, three.”

I throw: scissors. Kentaro: rock. Again. A repeat. He won’t repeat again, though, because that will mean he’s too predictable.

“One for you. One, two, three.”

I throw: scissors. Kentaro: paper.

“I win.”

He was either going to throw paper or scissors. We could have tied, and I would have had to guess the next move, but I got lucky. I’m just one hell of a lucky girl.

Kentaro rubs his face with both his hands. He’s been silent and arrogant tonight, but I think he’s holding back a big personality. I enjoy winning over big personalities, Kentaro, and I will not stop until you love me.

Jiro’s hand makes his way around my waist as he and Yoichi smile at each other across the table.

“To my new sensei!” Everyone clicks cups and drinks. Even Kentaro.

He still hasn’t smiled yet but given time, I’m sure he’ll come around.