__Part 7__
to Part 6; to Tobajan Mahjong 5; to Part 8
Taeko: Not bad... But I'd watch out, if I were you.
Taeko: Damn... Well, I'm not going to overlook this easily.
Taeko: I can't believe I lost... Damn, this is frustrating!
''Ugh...''
''...Are you all right?''
''Dammit...''
''If you can still say that then I guess you're okay.''
''...Humph, can't be helped. I lost.''
''You lost with pretty good grace.''
''Of course. Even if you didn't realize it, I am the boss of this place.''
''I want to find out about something...''
''...This isn't a good place to talk. Why don't we go to a cafe? My treat.''
Taeko took us to a cafe on Showa Dori.
''Have a seat.''
We sit down on the chairs.
I knew this place.
I always come here whenever I need to talk business with my clients.
Needless to say, the person who requests the investigation always pays the bill.
That reminds me...when was the last time that I actually paid here...? Hmm...I think I've never paid any of the bills here.
The Shikigami sisters are sitting on each side of me, and since there is only enough space for just two people, they're squeezing me.
I look like a sandwich.
Squish!!
''T- Tight fit.....''
''.....................................................''
''.....................................................''
''It's not necessary for both of you to squeeze in here. Don't you see that empty seat? One of you sit there!''
I point to the seat next to Taeko.
''But...''
''But...''
''This place is fine. I say it's okay so it's okay.''
''Me too. I can feel your warmth sitting here, Master. Your warmth makes me feel calm and relaxed.''
''..................................................''
Taeko is sitting directly across from me, and silently observing us.
''Well, let's order something first. What would you like?''
Taeko handed us the menu as she said that.
''You can order whatever you want.''
''I have plenty of money.''
''Master, that's something you want be able to say someday, even if it's just once, right?''
''You didn't have to mention that.''
Waitress: ''Can I take your order?''
''Iced Oolong tea.''
''Blended coffee for me, please.''
''I would like...this set of cakes with green tea, this sandwich set, an a egg and tuna salad, and a shrimp al gratin, please.''
''I'll take...spaghetti with meat sauce, a soda float, and a chocolate parfait...''
They're ordering as if this is the only chance that they'll ever get to eat expensive foods...It's making me look like I don't feed them well and let them go hungry everyday.
And it's really sad, since I can't deny it...
''Okay...Let's start with self introductions.''
''Because I was taught that you should never be too relaxed with someone you don't know.''
''That's very true.''
''If I tell you about myself, you'll do the same, right?''
''Sure...''
''My name is Taeko Kamiyama. I'm a second-year student at Shiratsubaki Junior College. I can't say that I'm a good student, though. Hahaha.''
''Shiratsubaki Junior College...? The famous...?''
''Yep. That famous school for princesses whose families are fabulously rich.''
''Come on, no need to be that surprised.''
Taeko is laughing with an amused look.
''Well...''
''Have you heard of Kamiyama Heavy Industries...?''
''Yeah. The company that sprang up after the war.''
''I'm the youngest daughter of the company president.''
''...................................................''
''I'm a bad daughter who's rebelling against parents who overlook their children in favor of their social and business lives.''
''It's such a common story that you must be bored to tears with it by now. It's not good enough to just give money to your kids.''
''It's much better to have money than to not have it...''
''Yes, there is that.''
''Oh well, I'm the only bad daughter in the family, so I guess they're not that sad.''
''One of the children may be bad, but they'll be satisfied if the others are good.''
''I wouldn't know, because I don't have any...''
''......You don't need to take it that seriously, it's okay.''
''...Okay, it's your turn now. Who are you? And why do you want information from me?''
''Oh, and don't worry, I can keep a secret.''
Koukaku whispers in my ear.
''She's not lying, Jango.''
I introduce myself to Taeko and tell her everything.
''Hmmmm...''
Taeko stares at my face.
''You don't look it, but you've had a hard and dark past.''
''You didn't need to say that I don't look it.''
Suddenly, a silly sounding voice that seems somewhat out of place here fills the silent cafeteria.
''Maaassstteeerr....Oh Maasstteerrr....''
I've heard this voice before...
''It's...!!''
''Hey! It's that Hitokata...''
''What?''
Taeko continues to laugh and laugh at the expressions on our faces.
''Ah, I finally found you, Masterrrrrr.''
Rakushi came towards us joyfully, but stopped when she saw us.
''Huh!?''
Taeko is cracking up at our surprised reactions.
Rakushi has an embarrassed expression, and her eyes are darting between us and Taeko.
She looks like she doesn't know what to do.
''Er, um...''
''Someone you know, Kumi?''
''Not exactly someone I know, but...she's the Hitokata that challenged Master last time, then she lost and ran away.''
''Wahhhh....I thought so, you still remember, don't you?''
''It's impossible to forget you that easily!''
''Ohhh...so you challenged someone to a game, and ran away when you lost...you've got a lot of nerve, don't you?''
''Wahhhh...but that's because...please don't be mean to me.''
''Hahahaha.''
''Master, please stop laughing and help me.''
''Eh!?, Master....!? Then you are.....''
''Yes. I'm a Shikigami Master as well. Nice to meet you.''
''But, why did the daughter of a rich family become a Shikigami Master?''
''Is it that unexpected?''
''Yeah....''
''My parents only became rich recently, so they're still thinking like the common people. I got the skills of a Shikigami Master due to their special education.''
''The ability to 'Command' someone is a required skill for leaders...or so they thought. But that's ridiculous, don't you think?''
''And Rakushi is my Shikigami. It's hard to say that she's a good Shikigami...however, her faults are also the part of her charm. It's fun to pick on her.''
''That's so mean, Master.''
''See? Fun, isn't it?''
''.................................................''
''I ordered her to beat you, but she lost in no time at all. What a useless Shikigami.''
''Wahhhh, I'm sorry.....''
''You're a Shikigami Master, then why didn't you fight us using Shikigami?''
''I ordered this stupid Shikigami to run an errand for me, and she didn't come back.''
''But, but I did come back, Master.''
After Rakushi said that, she gave Taeko a paper bag that she was holding.
''It's too late now!''
''I'm sorry.....''
''And what the hell is this! This isn't what I asked you to get!''
''But it was cheap, and...''
''Idiot!''
''Wahhhh...''
''Well, the ability to draw out the power of Shikigami is one of the skills of a Shikigami Master. So maybe I'm still green. I'm partially to blame.''
''Master...''
''....................................................''
''I've fought with many people, but this is the first time that I lost so completely.''
''Really? Then I'll take that as a compliment.''
''I AM complementing you!''
''....................................................''
''Mr. Jango!''
When I turn toward the voice, I saw Mika was standing by the table.
''Mika...Why are you here?''
''I was on my way to Mr. Jango's office...and I happened to see you while I was walking by this cafe...''
''Why don't you have a seat?''
''Ah, t- thank you.''
Mika brought a chair over from a nearby table and sat down.
''...So, who's she?''
''She is Mika Koizumi. She is the client that I mentioned a few minutes ago.''
''Ah...then she is the person who is looking for her father.....''
''Hmm...to be so determined to find him...he must have been an great father.''
''I don't remember all that well because I was very little...but I do remember that my father was very kind...''
''That must be nice. I don't remember my father ever spending time with me. He does give me plenty of money, though.''
The two of them should stop complaining! I don't even have memories of my parents...
''......Say, how should I call you?''
''I don't care. Call me what you want...''
''Then, can I call you by your name...Jango?''
''Yes.''
''Heh, heh.''
''I understand the situation now. The only thing left is...to decide what I should do about it.''
''...........................................''
''...........................................''
''...Okay, I'll help you.''
''Thank you very much!''
''Haha. Even though I said that I'll help...the only thing I can do is get you information.''
''What are you talking about! The most important thing is information.''
''...........................................''
''......Say, Jango.''
''What?''
''My Shikigami, Rakushi...I'll give her to you.''
''What?''
''Master?''
''Well, she's not that great of a Shikigami, but she's still better than nothing. She can help in her own way.''
''But...''
I look at Rakushi. She appears close to tears.
''It's because I failed too much...that's it, isn't it? That's why you don't want me anymore, Master, right?''
''Don't say such stupid things, Rakushi. Do you really think I'm that kind of person?''
''Er...no...but...''
''No. I know, I do treat you harshly sometimes, and maybe play jokes on you, and get angry at you a lot...but I do care about you. That's why I'm putting you into Jango's hands.''
''Master.....''
''I am still unskilled and short on power...and I don't think that I can bring out your full potential, so..''
''But can I really do that?''
''Do you understand, Rakushi?''
''Yes...Master.''
''You should be saying that to Jango now, not to me.''
''I understand...Miss Taeko. I'll do my best!''
The next morning...my peaceful sleep was disturbed by a loud voice.
''Ah! You idiot!''
''Wahhhh, I'm sorry.''
I think I smell something burning...?
I see three Shikigami making a loud ruckus in the kitchen.
I think they're trying to make breakfast, but...
''Hey, why are you making so much noise so early in the morning?''
''Oh, good morning, Master.''
''Good morning, Master''
Crash!!
''Idiot! Who bows while holding a plate full of food!?''
''All the food fell onto the floor!''
''Kyaa! I'm sorry. Please forgive me.''
Rakushi looks panicky with the empty plate left in her hand.
''Oh no! I'd better clean it up quickly.''
''Oh my god! Oh my god!''
While Kumi is cleaning up the mess, Rakushi still looks upset with the empty plate in her hands.
''If you're not going to help her, at least stop bothering her.''
''Er...I don't mean...Wahhhh!''
''You're so stupid! You burn the food while cooking...break the dishes that you wash...and drop the food you're carrying...You're a totally useless Shikigami.''
''I'm sorry...''
''Now, now, everybody has weaknesses...''
''Is this Shikigami good at anything?''
''Wahhhh......''
''Hey, hey, stop arguing. Let's eat. We still have to go out after breakfast.''
''Jango!''
Suddenly, someone tapped me on the shoulder from behind.
''Good morning.''
Taeko is looking at me with a smile.
''Good mor...hold it, don't you have to go to your college classes today?''
''Ha! How could I go to school when I have something important to do? I only go to that place when I have nothing else to do.''
''Don't worry about me. My school is a junior college, so we can automatically go to four-year college. And for a small donation, they'll ignore the number of absences.''
Taeko smiled and made a peace sign.
''I'll be gathering information today. If I find something, I'll let you know. Let's meet back at that cafe we met at yesterday.''
''Miss Taeko...good luck.''
''Yes, you too! So see you later.''
Taeko leaves right after that.
As usual, the uproar from passing people and the loud music blasting out of the stores make this place extremely noisy.
''The neon lights are beautiful...just like flowers...''
''...By the way, about those wings...Rakushi, are you the spirit of some kind of bug?''
''I don't know...do you know anything about it?''
''...'Do I know anything about it!?'...How would I know anything about it!''
''That's true...''
Rakushi scratched her head after she said that.
''When I gained consciousness, I was already floating in the wind, high in the air...I don't remember anything before that...''
''She might be a wind spirit...''
''I think she's a bug spirit. She likes flowers and lights, just like bugs.''
''...............................................''
''Come on, let's not make Miss Taeko do all the work. Let's ask around as well.''
''All I need to do is ask if anyone knows the man in this picture, right?''
''Yes. Easy, isn't it?''
...........................
.......................................................
.................................................................................
''Master! I did it! I asked someone!''
''And how did it go?''
''There was a person who knows him.''
''What!? Really?''
''Yes.''
''........................................''
''And?''
''Er...and there was a person who knows him.''
''Don't tell me...you only asked whether or not the person recognizes the man in the picture, and that's all, right?''
''Yes.''
''Idiot! If you find a person who knows the man in picture, then there are obviously other things you can ask!!''
''Wahhhh, I'm sorry.''
''Now, now. Let's just try again.''
''And this time, don't come back with just a 'there was a person who knows him', got it?''
''Yes...''
..............................................
.....................................................................
.................................................................................................................
''Everyone says that they don't know him...''
''If you had only caught that person...Sigh...''
''....................................................''
''Oh well, let's go back to the office...''
Everything looks the same in the office.
''Master, would you like to rest a little? I can serve you some tea if you like...''
''Oh, then I'll...''
''Oh, no you don't. We don't need you to throw hot water all over the place.''
''But I...''
''Now, now. Please let me be in charge of making the tea. Okay?''
''Then I be in charge of the eating part.''
''.................................................''
''Then, I'll be in charge of the teacups...''
''To break teacups?''
''Wahhhh...''
''......Let's go, already.''
There are many people waiting for other people here in the Central Square....
''There are so many people here...''
''It's rough to wait for someone in this cold!''
''Have you heard the story about the peacock statue? There was a peacock that came here everyday to wait for its owner. One day he died, but the peacock kept waiting until it died of hunger.''
''What?''
''I mean that the statue is the loyal peacock...''
''That's just a sculpture for decoration. Aren't you getting it mixed up with the Hachikou dog of Shibuya?''
''It can't be...because Miss Taeko told me this story herself...''
''She lied. She was just playing a joke on you...''
''.............................................''
''Miss Taeko...I trusted you...how could you...?''
''Now, now. Cheer up and let's go ask around.''
Man: ''Er...Do I know this man? Hmm...''
Man: ''I think this face is too normal...I don't know...''
Man: ''If he has three eyes or two noses, it would be easy to recognize, but......''
''Let's go to another place.''
We're back at the bad area of town again.
It looks like a ghost town no matter how often we come here. There's no one around.
''Master...I'm afraid of this place...''
Rakushi looks close to tears.
''What are you afraid of? There's nothing here.''
''It's because...this place looks like...a scene taken from after the end of the world...''
''Don't worry, don't worry. Humans are just like cockroaches. It's not that easy to wipe them out.''
''Really?''
''Still, there's no one here, Master.''
''I want to go somewhere else.''
We arrive at the cafe where we met with Taeko yesterday.
''It seems that Miss Taeko is not here yet.''
''She's probably still out gathering information.''
''Miss Taeko has a great intelligence network.''
''That's reassuring.''
Waitress: ''Welcome, how many are in your party?''
''No...we're just looking for someone. We're not customers.''
Waitress: ''I see...''
''Master, I hope we can come here as customers next time.''
''............................................''
''Oh, I forgot to ask...''
................................................
Waitress: ''This man? Well...I don't think he ever came here.''
Old man: ''Hmmm...the place in this picture is near here...''
''But I've never seen him before...sorry that I couldn't help.''
''There are no more customers...''
''Well, can't be helped. Let's go.''
We go into the game center.
Bustling lights and sounds are whirling around the room.
''I've been to this place many times with Miss Taeko, so I feel very relaxed here.''
''How could you feel relaxed in such a noisy place?''
Koukaku grimaces to herself.
''This is good place because of the noise. The noise fills the head with sound, which makes the brain unable to think, and thus makes you feel good.''
''I- Isn't that dangerous...?''
''Not at all. There aren't any known side effects either.''
''T- That's not what I meant...''
''It doesn't matter, just start asking around.''
''Excuse me, do you know this person...?''
Girl: ''Eh? You're Taeko's Shikigami.''
''Um...''
Girl: ''Oh, I see. Taeko gave you to that guy, so you're not Taeko's Shikigami any more.''
Girl: ''Hmm......''
The girl looks at me curiously.
Girl: ''Hey, Taeko seems very interested in you. She even gave you her Shikigami... Shikigami Masters normally don't do that, right?''
''Yes...that's true.''
Girl: ''Taeko is very dependable...but she has always been...how do I say this...a bit distant...''
''She has this unapproachable air around her...that's why it's rare to see her confide in other people.''
''...............................................''
Girl: ''Maybe she's in love with you. Hahahaha...''
''...Let's get out of here.''
''Mr. Jango!''
As I turn to leave, someone calls out my name behind me.
Mika is looking at me with a bashful smile.
''Just in time...I was just about to go and look for you.''
''Look for me?''
''Yes. I saw Miss Taeko a few minutes ago...and she asked me to tell you that she's waiting in cafe if I see you.''
''She must have gotten some information. Let's hurry, Master.''
''Okay. Let's go.''
''Is this information about my father?''
''I think so.''
We hurry to the cafe where Taeko is waiting.
''Hey, Jango! I'm over here!''
Taeko looks happy to see us.
''You got here faster than I thought.''
''I ran into Mr. Jango soon after you told me to look for him.''
''That was lucky.''
''Jango, you should carry a beeper. It's hard to catch up to you, you know.''
''...Well, it's not that simple...''
''Oh! That reminds me. I'll give you my beeper number.''
''My parents made me carry it, because I'm never at home, and they worry about me.''
''So please don't give the number to the anyone else. Okay?''
''Okay. No problem.''
''I won't give this number to anyone.''
''Page me at this number if you need to get in touch with me in a hurry.''
''Okay...you called us because you got some information, right?''
''Ah, yes. You're absolutely right...however...''
Taeko's expression suddenly becomes clouded.
Taeko is looking at Mika's face with a gloomy expression.
''...............................................''
''Mika...you want to see your father no matter what, right?''
''Er...Yes.''
''...No matter what you hear next, I need you to stay calm, okay?''
''................................?''
''...Um, what do you mean?''
''I mean exactly what I said.''
''If your real father is different from the father in your imagination, do you still want to see him?''
''...............................''
''You're the one that must decide.''
''...I...I'll do my best to stay calm...so please tell me what you know.''
''Okay. I understand.''
''Listen up. The person in this picture is Yujiro Koizumi.''
''...The president of Hachibishi Trading Company. They have some branches here in Tokyo.''
''The Hachibishi trading company...?''
''It's rumored that Hachibishi Trading Company deals in many illegal activities.''
''That's not surprising...because Hachibishi is one of the fronts of the Organization...''
''Do you mean the Organization that you ran away from, Master?''
''Yes. But the Organization also owns many other companies...''
Bitter memories are brought back from their burial places, and they seep painfully into my heart.
I didn't expect to run into the Organization again in this manner...this is very unexpected...
What should I do...?
''It is said that ten years ago, a person named Yujiro Koizumi suddenly appeared and became the president of Hachibishi, after the former president died of an accident.''
''They said that he was a distant relative of the former president...but those two never had any contact with each other before the accident.''
''Ten years ago...that's when my father disappeared!!''
''...I couldn't find anything good about Hachibishi and its president...are you sure that you still want to meet him?''
It's not possible to find any good things about them because they're related to the Organization.
''...Y- Yes.''
''Well, now the problem is how to see him. A direct approach like asking for an appointment probably won't work.''
''You're probably right.''
''..........................................''
''There are many branches of Hachibishi in Tokyo. But I haven't managed to find out where Yujiro usually goes yet. I need to do some more investigating.''
''Mr. Jango? Are you all right?''
''...Yes.''
''Are you sure? You don't look too good...''
To tell the truth, I was hesitating.
I was trying to decide if I should continue with this case, or if I should give up and run away...
''Master...maybe we should go back to the office and get some rest...''
''Yeah...thanks.''
We decide to go back to the office.
I'll drink some hot tea that Kumi makes first before I think about what I should do...
As we pass by the square...
Dohh!
''Ouch!''
A girl collided with me, hard.
''Ah...''
Eyes full of fear, the girl who collided against me clinged to me like a lifeline.
''H- Help me!''
''!?''
Before I can figure out what's going on, a sinister looking man shows up, slightly out of breath.
''No! Help!''
''Damm...you're giving me a lot of trouble!''
The scared girl clings to me desperately, her nails painfully digging into my back. It's unusual how terrified she seems to be...
''Come with me now!''
''No, no, no, no!''
I can't see the man's face because of his sunglasses.
Because the girl isn't moving, the man turns his attention to me.
''Give me the girl!''
''Who are you anyway? This girl obviously doesn't want to go with you.''
''I'm sorry, but it has nothing to do with you!''
''...You just said the words that I hate the most.''
''You just can't understand until you get hurt, can you?''
''I don't think so. I accept your challenge.''
__Part 7__
to Part 6; to Tobajan Mahjong 5; to Part 8