Revealed – Chapter 28

Jiro’s date with Sanaa is going well so far. She’s not afraid of his katana, and she even wants one of her own. They speak easily of the history of his sword, and what she would do if she ever held one herself. He feels comfortable for the first time in days, being near her and in a safe place.

Asa is pissed off, though. She shoots crippling looks at both Jiro and Sanaa, especially when the two are intimately close. It was a mistake to bring Sanaa here, but there’s no leaving now what with a table full of hot food in front of them.

“Jiro, how is it someone like you was so unattached by the time I came around?”

Jiro pauses for a moment at Sanaa’s question. She has the right to delve into his life, but he wonders how truthful and open he should be. He lifts his gaze from the top of their table, the saké cups between the two of them, to her awaiting and searching eyes. He should be totally honest with her. He could see spending the rest of his life with her, and she would find out everything eventually.

“No time for dating. I’m too busy training, going to meetings, handling correspondence…” He places his hand on hers, still amazed he has the opportunity to touch her outside of the dōjō. “I won’t lie to you, Sanaa. I’ve had my fair share of girls before now but none like you. None.”

Her cheeks blush so hard she needs to look away from him. He inhales sharply to keep the blood flowing to all parts of his body, not just to his dick. See, Usagi? It’s not going to fall off anytime soon, he thinks.

“I should even tell you I… I proposed to my last girlfriend. I thought I wanted to marry her, but she was definitely the wrong choice for me.”

The effect this statement has on her is crushing. Her face falls, her cheeks lose their pink, and her shoulders slump. Jiro regrets every single bad decision he’s ever made. “Oh. You must have really loved her.”

“I thought I did, but…” He picks up her hand and kisses the palm, pausing for a moment to savor the warmth of her skin. “It’s not even close to how I feel about you.”

It’s true, every last word. When he dated Melanie, he could never picture them together married. But with Sanaa, he can close his eyes and picture her laughing with his family, playing games, pregnant or nursing a baby. He sees her handling the family much like his own mother does. But most of all, he sees her in his bed or at his side, companions until old age and death takes them both.

“I… I want to be honest with you. How do I even explain this? I’ve, uh, had two boyfriends.” She pulls her hand from his and covers up her eyes. His stomach shrinks to a tiny ball. “There was Joshua. He was the first person I ever had sex with. But he was a bit crazy?” She removes her hand from her eyes. “He was brilliant, incredibly smart, but mean.”

“Mean?” Jiro remembers everything Miko told him, but hearing it from Sanaa is disheartening.

“Our relationship didn’t last long because he… well, he found me unattractive, I think.”

If only he could read minds as well as he can read bodies. Because right now, Sanaa’s body language is telling him she’s ashamed of herself. Her downcast eyes, hands in a knot, and lips turned in a frown.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

She sighs, trying to right her posture. “It’s a long story. I mean, I knew he wasn’t into me when we were together, but then we broke up, and he started calling me…” She covers her face again. “Straight-Up-And-Down Sanaa to his new girlfriend. She spread it all over work. I was so enraged and embarrassed, I had him transferred.”

Jiro clenches his fist in his lap. This is a piece of the story Miko left out, and rightly so. Jiro will kill this guy Joshua if he ever comes across him.

“I used my connections to have him placed somewhere else. I couldn’t even be in the same building with him anymore. My friend, Chad, felt bad for me, and we started dating. But it was more like sex once a month. He wasn’t into me either.”

Sanaa’s voice cracks and a tear splashes on the seat between them. She can’t even make eye contact with him, and his heart breaks into a million pieces. The story was bad enough when it came from Miko. It’s a hundred times worse hearing it from Sanaa because she trusts him enough to spill all the details. Most girls would cover up what she’s so boldly telling him.

“I like Chad as a friend, and we always got along. And look at me, Jiro?” She finally makes eye contact with him, wiping the tears from her cheeks. “I’m built like a boy. I figured his attention was all I could ever hope for. Gods, I’m so fucking embarrassed,” she blurts out, and he tries not to show his surprise. He’s never heard her swear, and it’s adorable. “Sorry, I try not to swear, even in my head.”

“You can swear around me all you like. It is killing me to hear this from you.” He leans in and kisses her lips, wet with tears. He never wants to see her like this again, alone and vulnerable, hurting because of what other people have done to her. When he pulls away, she wipes up her face, her leg bouncing under the table.

“I’m okay with myself now, really, but it doesn’t erase the doubts.”

“I’ve never given you any reason to doubt me, have I?” he asks, and she shakes her head. “You think you’re built like a boy, but I see a sweet, petite, gorgeous girl with a smile that captured me from across the room. But best of all, you’re strong and confident. I’m completely baffled by this all. I don’t ever see you as being insecure.”

She’s embarrassed by his attention and from spilling her guts, but he needs to let her know he can be trusted. Trust, he’s learned over the last few months, is something she values.

“Look at me, Sanaa.” She lifts her gaze to his. “All that matters is you and me. Just you and me. No one and nothing else, okay?” He nods and she nods back, relief evident her relaxed posture. “Let’s eat.”

They eat in a comfortable easy way, chatting about the tempura and the rest of the food, and Sanaa hums and smiles over everything on the table. Jiro watches her out of the corner of his eye, noting, cataloging, and filing away the little things she does when she’s normal and happy. She shakes her head from side to side while she thinks, chewing on her lip, or scrunching up the space between her eyebrows. She hums, like Jiro does, when she likes something. Her body is active all the time, feet tapping, fingers moving. He’s seen her sit still before, so this must be something she does when her guard is down because otherwise she’s buttoned up and respectful in front of other people.

“So, I’ve been thinking about what happened last night… what we overheard with Minamoto and Matsuda. I’ve heard the word ‘kiku’ a lot in the past few years though I’ve never known what they’re all talking about. Is it a person? A thing?” He quiets in thought again, staring at his tablet across the table. “I should do a search.”

“Minamoto said something like, ‘The kiku line was not destroyed.’ I thought he referring to a family line.”

“I think you’re right, and I think it has something to do with you. I heard the word kiku mentioned several times in conversation, and two days later, you were in my dōjō, and I had to teach you sword fighting. Admittedly, one of the scariest tasks of my life until I was sure you could do it.”

She reaches for Jiro’s hands and looks him straight in the eyes. “I want no secrets between us. I’m sick of secrets.”

“I want the same.”

Jiro’s head prickles with dread. What is she worried about?

“Mark has often told me I should have grown up in Ku 6. That it was wrong to keep me from there, from my people. It’s the way he says ‘my people’ that bothers me the most. He says I grew up removed from my culture, and it’s not something my mother would have wanted.”

“How does he know what your mother would have wanted?”

“I can only imagine she told him, and I wish I had proof instead of just his word. They are all hiding a lot from me. I’m not sure what to believe.”

Her hands begin to shake so he squeezes them tighter.

“This morning, Mark said I’m in danger here in Ku 6, and with Matsuda following me, he must be right. But why? Why does Matsuda even care about me?”

“I understand little about what makes Matsuda tick. This is probably why Sakai has made such a big deal about the sword fighting lessons. He eventually wants you to be armed and able to protect yourself, and he has asked that I’m to protect you as well.”

“I’ve been kept away from Ku 6 my whole life. But if it’s not what my mother would have wanted, then why did her only sister go against her wishes?”

“They’ve kept you away for a purpose. But why?” He shakes his head. “I’m not sure, and it’s worrying.”

A confrontation is looming, and Jiro suspects everything is about to change.

—-

The Sakai building is a hive of activity when Jiro returns from dropping Sanaa off in Ku 9. The entire lobby is filled with boxes being loaded onto a truck outside, and people have crammed furniture into the freight elevator.

“Who’s moving at almost close to midnight?” Jiro asks one of the security staff at the front desk. A dolly rolls by piled high with boxes, and Jiro flattens himself against the desk to stay out of the way.

“The Watanabes, on your floor. They’ve lived through renovations for the last week, and they’re ready to go.” The security guard waves at the couches in the waiting area, and the Watanabe family sits and supervises their belongings while their daughter sleeps on her mother’s lap.

“Renovations?”

The guard laughs. “You haven’t been around much during the day. Oyama’s getting a nice big kitchen. He’s pretty happy.”

Jiro shuts his mouth and keeps a groan to himself. No need to show everyone here how ignorant he is. With all of his work combined with dōjō training time and now dates with Sanaa, he’s been at home a maximum of six hours every night to sleep. If that.

Climbing the stairs to the second floor, Jiro stops at the landing to survey the chaos. Workers are packing up paint cans, tarps, and heavy equipment in Oyama’s apartment down the hall. New security guards are moving into the Watanabe’s old apartment across the hall from Beni and Risa. On the other side of Jiro’s apartment, Usagi stands in his doorway, his arms crossed talking to his brother, Oyama.

Jiro is about to approach them to chat when Beni and Risa’s door opens and they both exit to the hallway.

“It’s been so noisy out here all evening. Are they going to pack up soon? I have stuff to do tomorrow morning.” Risa leans against the doorframe, dressed in expensive pajamas. “Oh, hi, Jiro. Haven’t seen you around lately.”

“I’ve been busy,” he says, clipping his words short.

Beni reaches past Risa to grab his arm. “Hey, who’s the new apartment for? Any chance it’s available?” Beni pleads with her eyes, and Risa scoffs.

“If anyone is getting a new place, it’s me. I’ve lived here longer.”

She marches off down the hall to the apartment across from Jiro’s. Until two weeks ago, a young couple lived there, and he hasn’t seen them since. He follows Risa to the door, but he’s careful to stand far enough away from her so she doesn’t try to claim any attention from him.

“Look at it. New appliances, new furniture, and I love the light fixtures, too.” Risa smiles and nods her head, satisfied with the way the apartment has been renovated.

“It looks like the bathroom is new too.” Beni stands on her tip-toes and cranes her head over Risa’s shoulder to peek inside.

“It’s perfect, and I want it.” Risa’s voice irritates Jiro so much, he grinds his teeth. She sounds like a spoiled brat. “Tell Sakai I’ll be ready to move in tomorrow.”

“Absolutely not.” Jiro closes the door and glances at the palm scanner, dark and non-functional — no occupants yet. “I’m sure he has his reasons for renovating this apartment. If it was meant for you, you’d know by now.”

“Come on, Jiro.” She cocks her head, batting her eyes and playing with the hem of her pajamas. She probably thinks she’s demure and attractive, but Jiro just wants to vomit. “Do me a favor?”

Beni rolls her eyes and heads back to her apartment.

“No. Go to bed,” he says, between clenched teeth.

She turns away and walks towards her door, sashaying her hips. “I’ll save you room. Come by later!”

“I’d rather die.”

Usagi and Oyama laugh from down the hall, and Jiro sighs as he joins them. “That girl does not get the hint.”

“That was more than a hint; it was an anvil. She’s missing a brain,” Usagi says, as Jiro clasps hands with him and Oyama. “So, who is moving in there? Any thoughts?”

“None.” Jiro crosses his arms and leans against the wall. “But I hear you’ve got a new kitchen,” he says, jerking his chin at Oyama.

“I do indeed. They just finished an hour ago, and I’ve been cleaning up ever since. I hope to go to bed soon.” He yawns, and the yawn moves to Usagi and then Jiro.

“Me too. I have so much work to do tomorrow, it isn’t even funny.”

“Add to that breaking up a possible cat fight over the new apartment,” Usagi says, heading towards his apartment.

“I’m sure that will be my problem to fix too.” Jiro touches his palm scanner, and according to the read-out, Yoichi is not home yet. Good. He’ll have the place to himself for a bit. He waves to Usagi before pointing at the empty apartment across the hall. “Whoever ends up there will probably pay a heavy price for it what with all the new stuff. I hope they love it, whoever they are.”