Revealed – Chapter 31

Lying in bed with Sanaa, Jiro listens to her hum as she rubs her forehead against his side and sighs. These are her happy sounds. As he cradles her body to his, contentment washes over him for the first time in years. He never had these moments before, never the closeness of warm skin and soft breaths in the same bed with him. And though he’s not tired, he wonders what it would be like to sleep next to her, just drop off and be together, without worries or cares.

“Mmmm,” she says, lifting her head to look at the clock by her bed. “We should get up, but I don’t want to.”

He doesn’t want to get up either. He would rather lie around all day and spend time together. But they have some place to be this afternoon.

“I’ll go get our clothes from the other room.” Jiro peels himself out of the bed and reluctantly leaves the bedroom. The apartment is quiet and empty except for the sound of Sanaa in the other room. He’s not sure when they’ll get to do this again because it’s not like Jiro’s apartment is going to be free all the time. Miko is there several times a week so they’ll have to share the space together. They can’t go back to Sanaa’s place. Her aunts kind of get in the way.

Jiro stands in the doorway and watches Sanaa dress. She slides her little black underwear up her legs and snaps the elastic against her skin.

“I didn’t hurt you?” Jiro asks, his eyes falling to her wrists as she searches the floor for her undershirt. He never thought he’d ever see her like this. The smooth skin of her back disappears as she swipes her long hair over her shoulder and smiles at him.

“Well, you have inflicted a lot of damage on my body recently. But this? No, Jiro. You can pin me down anytime you want.” She raises her eyebrows at him as she pulls on her undershirt and steps into her pants. “It was… perfect.” They smile at each other, and Jiro sighs.

“I admit I want to undress you again and go for round three.” Jiro laughs at himself for being so aroused. It’s been a long time since he’s spent quality time with a woman. What he wouldn’t do to bury himself inside of her.

“Later. I promise.”

He’ll take her up on that as soon as possible.

Jiro dresses and spends some time looking around the room. Her keepsakes, knickknacks, and treasures are lined up on the shelves and on her desk. He’s not surprised to find a tiny little cat, just like the ones in Miko’s restaurant, amongst the photos and scrap pieces of paper. He coasts his fingers along the tops of all the items, wondering where each one came from.

Sigh. Someday soon he’ll know all these things about her. Not today.

He walks to the front door and slips into his boots. “Shall we go back to Ku 6?”

“Oh, plans have changed. Can you come with me down to the catacombs? It’s time I took stock of my family’s belongings.”

“Sure, love,” he says, not sure at all. What does she want to do?

“I like this new nickname you have for me.” She brushes her nose across his cheek with a smile, and his insides squirm with glee. “It’s fitting.”

“Let’s go before I change my mind about round three.” He opens the door and waves her through, reaching out to smack her on the ass. She squeals and giggles, cementing his feelings towards her. He’s definitely in love.

They ride the elevator down into the catacombs in silence. Her fingers play along his nervously, and he wonders whether they’re going to be long or not. They should be getting back to the dōjō and on with the day. So much was going on at Sakai building that he’s worried he’ll have way too much work later to spend time with her.

Sanaa opens the door to the family storage unit, and a cool gust of air, musty smelling and old, wafts out at them. She flicks on the lights and rows of boxes come into view. It’s been a long time since he was in his own family’s catacombs. They have everything stored down there from old documents to pottery to extra swords.

“What are we looking for?”

“Jiro, things came to a head this morning and my aunt confronted Mark.” Her voice quavers, fear and apprehension coating every syllable.

He stops her to face him. “What happened?”

“Well, they argued, I eavesdropped, and then I broke in on them. Mark took a bit of convincing, but, eventually, Aunt Kimie told him to tell me the truth about everything.” She peeks in several boxes along the way, not stopping to examine what’s in them, but putting the tops back on and moving along.

“Last night after I got home, I looked up what kiku means in the dictionary. It’s a flower — a chrysanthemum. The chrysanthemum is the symbol of Japan.”

Jiro had trouble falling asleep the night before what with all of the activity in the building, so he spent time on his tablet instead. What could the chrysanthemum have to do with her?

“I know. Help me down with this one?” She points to a large air-tight container stacked on top of two others. She grabs one side, and he grabs the other. It’s hefty, though, and comes crashing to the ground, the top jumping open with a pop.

Reaching into the container, she pulls out a royal kimono, lush, dark purple silk of the kind he’s only seen in photographs. Oh no. Does this mean… does this mean that? What? His mind is reeling with possibilities as his knees give way and he sits on the floor.

“Sanaa, do you know what this is?”

She nods her head, her face drained of color. “I do. These items belong to my family. I’m the last in the Kiku line. My great-great-great, I don’t know, great times thirty grandfather was the last ruling emperor of Japan.”

Jiro blinks his eyes a few times, trying to clear his head. Emperor? Imperial? She’s of imperial blood. Fuck. No wonder Sakai told him to stay away from her. He looks hard at her, really concentrating and trying to see if she’s any different now. But no. She’s the same girl he fell in love with before he knew anything. The same small, beautiful, strong young woman he’s admired since the first day they met.

She sits silently for a while, her head bowed and not making any eye contact, until she lifts her eyes to look straight at him.

“Is this what Sakai told you today?”

“There’s more…” Her voice trails off as she licks her lips and sighs.

“More what? More kimonos? I can see that.”

She bursts out laughing, a note of hysteria to her voice, as she doubles over and grabs her knees. Well, at least she has a good sense of humor about the whole thing.

He laughs and grasps her shoulders, righting her. “What? What else besides this?”

“Sanaa isn’t even my real name. The name was given to me when I was two to protect me from… being assassinated. Sanaa was my cousin’s name. She died in the same explosion that killed my parents. My real name is Hanako.”

“Hanako. Didn’t Matsuda call you that?” His heart doubles pace in his chest. “He knows that this is what you are?”

She nods and his stomach sinks. None of this is making any sense! Especially her name.

“Hanako. It doesn’t sound right.”

“It isn’t. Don’t call me Hanako. I like Sanaa better. Jiro, there’s even more to this story.”

“I bet there is.” This makes her smile.

“But the other big thing I have to tell you is, with this imperial business, I can never marry legally. Maybe marriage isn’t a big deal, but I know it means more to some people than others.”

Is she kidding? It means everything to him! He dreamed about marrying her, bringing her into the family, and running the business side-by-side.

But this? This changes everything. She’s going to be sought after, wooed, and if he’s being honest with himself, their enemies will try to kill her every chance they get.

He can’t tell her that right now, though. That’s something better saved for later.

“It’s okay. I knew the minute you pulled out these kimono. Not being able to marry legally is going to be the least of your worries, I’m sure. We’ll find a way around it anyway. Sanaa, you and I will walk a different path.”

“You and me? Together? This doesn’t make you want to run? I wouldn’t blame you. Honestly.”

“Yes, together,” he says, pulling her into a hug. “You’re the one for me. There’s no one better matched for me than you.”

Sakai and his father thought he was going to bolt when he found out the truth, he’s sure of it. They thought he’d freak out and run. But Sanaa and her bloodline are even more reasons to stay. He loves her regardless of this mess, and now he’s going to devote his life to her. His path is clear.

She pulls away from him, searching his face for emotion. He’s not afraid. He’s happy.

“So, you don’t think I’m some sort of freak of nature? I mean, I’m the last in this imperial line. Think of how completely random that is.”

“Well, I’m astounded and slightly confused. Yeah, there’s always been something about you, but a freak? No, this changes nothing about the way I feel about you. I love you.” She smiles and kisses him hard and fast. “This?” He gestures to the box of goods. “This is just… well, it just is.”

He’s sealed his fate, made his decision, and he won’t ever give her up.