Revealed – Chapter 3

“It’s almost unreal how quickly she spotted us. Did you know she’d be there?” Koichi leans into Sakai’s ear while Mariko, her brother Matsuo, and wife, Fumiko, talk on the other side of the room.

They had a good time at the casino, but as usual, the trip was mostly business and light on the celebration. They all had one drink, played blackjack with Maeda’s top crew, and left to come here to the okiya.

Sakai had thought about Sanaa the entire time, her oval face and wide eyes, her freckles and long straight hair, her seductive smile as it reached across the room and entrapped Jiro. He remembered the scene in slow motion over and over again, wondering if he could have changed events. It happened so fast. The contact was over in a heartbeat, but the damage was done.

“That’s what I was trying to tell you when we first arrived. I saw her there on Christmas Eve.”

“What? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“It’s not like I was keeping this from you. You know I’ve been watching her and preparing for her training, but I didn’t realize she was connected to the Tanakas until we walked into the izakaya. You and Mariko handled all of the matchmaking.”

Koichi nods and sits back in his spot before slamming down a cupful of saké. “So much for division of labor.”

They both sigh and lean forward to look at Koichi’s sons down the table. Yoichi is talking and laughing with his cousins, Mayumi and Makoto, sharing saké and eating while Jiro sits, staring out into space, not talking, not even eyeing the geisha, just drinking. Koichi closes his eyes and shakes his head before stroking the scar along his chin.

“That’s gonna be a problem. He’s so much like you — even has the same taste in women, though he prefers blondes over redheads.”

Sakai hadn’t thought of it that way, and Junko, Sanaa’s mother, had been Sakai’s obsession until the day she died. Would Sanaa ruin Jiro’s life the way Junko had ruined his? Maybe Sanaa was different…

He and Jiro had been at each other’s throats now for the past five years, ever since he came out of puberty completely headstrong and obsessive. There wasn’t a patient bone in that boy’s body. But after what happened with the last girlfriend, Jiro had cooled off quite a bit. Sakai was pleased to find Jiro in the dōjō everyday, concentrating on his sword work, lifting weights and running the stairs with his brother. He had sworn off girls but continued to go out. Yoichi said Jiro never brought anyone home anymore, a complete turn-around from a year ago.

But if Yoichi is going to court Miko, Jiro will have more opportunities to meet Sanaa at the izakaya. It’s not just a problem, it’s a disaster waiting to happen.

Sakai rolls his empty saké cup back and forth considering each part of Plan B and how he can change the situation based on this new information.

Sanaa and Jiro obviously had some very electric connection, even if it was from across the room. Perhaps Jiro will completely forget about her because Sanaa isn’t his type? Not likely the way Jiro is staring off into space and ignoring everyone. He only acts like this when he has girls on his mind. Or, Jiro is completely into her from one glance and will do his best to win her over because once he has his sights set on someone, he latches on and doesn’t let go. He won’t give up until he’s the victor, in everything, not just love.

“What are you thinking?” Koichi asks between sips.

“I’m thinking we have two choices. Either we keep Jiro busy with work so he can’t socialize…”

Koichi hisses, sucking in air through his teeth. “That’s gonna be hard. He’s independent. He’s not a kid. He has his friends and his hobbies, and you don’t want him getting involved with the kiku business until Sanaa knows everything so you can’t give him more work.”

Sakai nods. Controlling Jiro is like trying to stop a flood from a fire hydrant with just your hands. Impossible. And right now, the only work he can give Jiro is guard and surveillance duties until he’s put in charge of the kiku, but that’s a few months off at least and completely secret until then. Only Lucy, Koichi, Mariko, and Sakai know about it.

“I agree. I don’t think it’s possible. So…” Sakai reaches out to fill his cup of saké but Koichi does it for him. “Thank you, brother.” They click cups and drink. “I will double up Sanaa’s workload, obviously. I’ll keep her busy with so many secrets she won’t be able to do much else than be in Ku 1, where I can watch her and make sure she’s safe.”

Koichi rubs his chin again while humming. “I don’t mean to tell you your business, but do you really think that’s fair to her? She’s twenty and lived as an outsider since she was two. She has friends, and family, and a job. It’s not right to deny her a life either. So maybe we keep them apart, but can you imagine being so tied up at twenty?”

“Koichi…” Sakai starts, shaking his head.

“Don’t argue with me. At twenty, you spent every night out spying or drinking. At twenty-two, you were doing that and dating too. We’re only a year apart. It’s not like I’d forget it.”

“Koichi, love!” Mariko calls from across the room. “I can tell you two are talking business! Stop now and come over here.”

Mariko, definitely drunk and her cheeks bright red, beckons Koichi with a wave, and he belly laughs in response. Sakai tries to smile at Mariko and shrug his shoulders, but she narrows her eyes at him. He can’t play off his stern face to her; she’s known him too long.

“Coming!” Koichi leans into Sakai and whispers, “New Year’s Eve has always been her favorite holiday. Anyway, try to put yourself in these kids’ shoes for once instead of demanding everyone does it your way.”

No way. This is all too important to leave up to the hormones of kids looking to get laid. If Sanaa is anything like her mother, she can’t be trusted. He’ll need to work harder to control her, and since his feelings are different this time around, it shouldn’t be that difficult.

—-

Thank the gods, they finally moved on from the okiya.

“I never thought I’d say this but geisha are boring. They only flirt because they’re required to,” Jiro says, stumbling to his left and straight into Yoichi. Sakai, Koichi, and Mariko are all leading the way back to the transitway station ahead of them. The streets are packed with people, midnight having just come and gone. A new year started alone with his family, probably like every year from here on out. “It was good seeing our cousins, though.”

“How would you know? You barely talked to them.”

“Oh? Sorry. My mind was elsewhere.” It was thinking about the girl with the cute smile at the izakaya, wondering where Melanie was and what she was up to, on work to be done, sex, the girl with the cute smile, sex with the girl with the cute smile. Predictable mind-wandering from Jiro.

“I bet. Let’s send our parents and Sakai home and go back to the izakaya. Miko seemed sweet and outgoing, right? Maybe she can gather up people for us to meet.”

“Mmm hmmm, sweet and outgoing. She’s cute, too.”

Yoichi looks sideways at his younger brother. “Don’t even think about it. I will beat the living daylights out of you.”

“I wasn’t suggesting anything. Honest.” Jiro places his hand over his heart and nods. “Besides, I’m done with girls, remember?”

Yoichi grasps Jiro’s shoulder and stops them, looking towards their guardians who are still walking away. “Jiro,” he says, his voice lowered, “you know that’s all complete bullshit, right? I don’t care what Sakai says, he has no right to dictate your life.”

“Fuck you.” He shrugs off Yoichi’s arm and walks away. The reason he’s in this mess is because Yoichi refused to lead the family and put all the duties on him. What the hell does Yoichi think is going on here? Everyone is depending on him now.

Yoichi hurries to catch up to his brother. “Fuck you. Don’t get mad at me because you’re too weak to stand up to them.”

They walk on in silence for half a block before Yoichi starts in on him again. “You can have whatever you want. You just need to take it.”

If Jiro had any more to drink, he’d clock his own brother right now.

“Back off. Are you going to the izakaya or not?”

Jiro’s forehead and neck start to sweat from anger. He’s spent the whole evening with his family, bored out of his mind, no women, lots of alcohol, and now his brother is giving him shit about something Jiro can’t even fix. His mind wanders back to the cute girl at the izakaya who smiled at him. Maybe he’ll have a one-night stand, to show everyone he can be unattached. It doesn’t have to be a relationship. It can be just sex. One night. No big deal.

“Yeah… yeah, I’m going back. Are you coming?” Yoichi adjusts his kimono again, making sure the front overlaps perfectly.

“Yes, I’m coming.”

“Coming where?” Sakai asks. Jiro and Yoichi catch up to the older crowd outside the station. Damn Sakai and his pitch-perfect hearing.

“I’m going with Yoichi back to Izakaya Tanaka. Don’t wait up for me.”

“You’ll do no such thing,” Mariko says. “It’s Yoichi’s turn to meet someone. I’m sure he doesn’t want his little brother tagging along.”

“Since when?” Yoichi asks, and Jiro smirks at his mother. “We always go out together. Why stop now?”

Mariko starts to protest, but Sakai puts his hand on her arm. “I think Jiro is forgetting we have to go on to Minamoto’s restaurant tonight.”

“You go without me,” Jiro says, adjusting his own kimono and not making eye contact with Sakai.

“I promised you’d be there.”

“Why would you do that?” Jiro’s right hand involuntarily balls into a fist. Maybe it’s not his brother that will get a black eye tonight.

“Because you always go, and you’ve been friends with Kentaro since you were a baby.”

“Not anymore,” Jiro bites out between his clenched teeth. Everyone knows Kentaro stole Melanie from him. Everyone! Even the owner of the grocery store across the street from Sakai building asked him about it. Why would Jiro ever be seen in the same place as Kentaro again?

Koichi steps between Jiro and Sakai. “Compromise. You all go to the izakaya first and to the Minamoto’s after. They’re only a few blocks apart. I’m going home with my wife.” He takes Mariko’s hand and without any further discussion they walk off together. It’s a twenty minute walk home from here, a ten minute train ride to Ku 7 and the izakaya.

The station chimes ring down below them, the rumble of a train approaching vibrating up through their shoes, and people stream past the three men standing at the top of the stairs blocking traffic.

“Fine. Jiro, we’ll leave Yoichi and go on to Minamoto’s once he’s spoken with Miko.”

“But…” No. He wants to stay with his brother and take a girl home tonight. He said he wasn’t going to do it. He had sworn off women for months. But, when there’s a point to be proved, Jiro can be flexible.

“If you know what’s good for you, you won’t argue with me.” Sakai turns and heads straight down the steps without looking back.

“Asshole,” Yoichi says, under his breath. “If anyone needs to get laid, it’s him.”