__Part 4__
to Part 3; to Tobajan Mahjong 2; to Part 5




The next morning. I was enjoying my after meal tea after eating the breakfast that Kumi cooked.

To have a hot tea after eating a delicious meal is the best.

Kumi is looking at me with a smile.

Actually, Kumi doesn't have to eat anything because she get vital energy from me, but she always eats something with me.

She always says, ''Because a meal eaten with company is more delicious than a meal eaten alone.''

I also think it's true...that's why I don't mind even though I have to spend some more money for the extra meals.

''We're going to start the investigation today, Master.''

''You look very happy....''

''It's because this job is much more meaningful than checking up on someone's spouse, isn't it?''

''But we also have more responsibility because of that.''

''...Father...eh...''

''Master, what's wrong?''

''I was just thinking about something. Kumi, do the Hitokata...have families?''

''Well...I believe it depends on the Hitokata...Though we are called Hitokata in one word, there are countless kinds of us, so...''

''How about you?''

''Me?... It's not that I don't have family...but...''

''Hmm...so you do have a family...''

''Master...why the question all the sudden?''

''No, it's just that...I never knew what a family is, so...I don't know how it feels exactly.''

''I wonder about how it feels to want to see the father who disappeared ten years ago so badly...''

''...If I remember correctly, Master, you were an orphan and you had lived alone as a child, right?''

''I can't even describe the faces of my parents, or tell you where I was from.''

''I was abandoned when I was a baby, and I grew up in the orphanage after someone found me...''

''...................................''

''I guess it was when I was five or six years old. I ran away from the orphanage too...''

''After that, I was picked up by people from the Organization...no, maybe it's better to say that I was captured instead.''

''It's the Organization that's still chasing you now, Master.''

''From the Organization's point of view, I am a traitor, so...''

''I just wanted the freedom...but, from the Organization's point of view, it's the same as treason.''

''They taught you the skills to become a Shikigami Master while you were in the Organization, right, Master?''

''Yeah...there, along with the power of a Shikigami Master, I had a Shikigami that served me, and a good friend, who I could trust for the first time in my life.''

''Yes.''

''I was...an outsider to the human world. So...even if the Organization I worked for belonged to the dark side of the society...''

''Or if the jobs that they gave me were 'dirty', I didn't care...at that time...until the day I lost both my friend and my Shikigami simultaneously.''

''.....................................''

''I can still see that scene in my dreams...the Organization knew that it was very risky...but the mission was carried out anyway...we were used as sacrifices by them...''

Impulsively, I repeated to Kumi the story that I've told her so many times.

''For that...you were estranged from the Organization, right, Master?''

''Until I became your Shikigami, Master, you hadn't made a contract with any other Shikigami...''

''At that time...I didn't care about what happened. I thought that it didn't matter even if my destiny was to be killed.''

''I just wanted to run away from the Organization no matter what. That was the only thing on my mind...''

''Master...it's different now, right? Things like 'it doesn't matter if I got killed'...you don't think them anymore, right?''

''Yes...I've decided to have a more positive outlook on life these days.''

''That's good then. I...want to be with you forever and ever, Master.''

''That's why I would feel very sad if you think it doesn't matter if you live or die...''

''Kumi, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you sad...just...I'm still weak.''

I'm irritated at myself for not being able to forget the past even after such a long time, and I finish off my tea in a single drink.

''No, it's okay...my Master's tender words are enough for me.''

''Kumi......''

''Wait a minute...it seems that the conversation somehow digressed from the subject...''

''Ahem...you're right. We were talking about Mika's father.''

''Okay then... Let's start the investigation.''

''Yes!''



We arrive at Showa Dori.

This is the busiest area in Shinjuku.

Around here, there are mahjong parlors, game centers, restaurants, shops of questionable character, etc. It's very crowded in the street.

''It's always so crowded whenever we come here.''

''You look very happy.''

''Of course I'm happy, Master. I love open, lively places like this.''

''Isn't it better to say 'decadent' rather than 'lively'?'''

''That doesn't matter. It's full of energy here...''

''I like it.''

''Well...I don't hate this place, either.''

''Places like this are similar to the place where I grew up.''

''...The place where you grew up?''

''After I ran away from the orphanage...I lived around places like these until the people from Organization picked me up.''

''Sleeping under the railroad bridge with the noise of the train overhead...stealing in order to eat...there were many things...''

''These are the places in your stories...maybe that's why I'm so fascinated by them.'

''...Maybe.''

I smiled wryly, but I felt calmed by her simple words.

''Okay, then... Let's get started.''

Kumi took out the copy of Mika's newspaper clipping from her pocket.

''Should I start asking around? Master.''

''Yeah, please.''

............................
........................................................

......................................................................................

''...Nothing at all, Master.''

''Well...I didn't think it would be that easy, since our only clue is a picture.'

''...The only thing that we can do is to look for people who know about this picture, right?''

''Yes...Let's look patiently.''

We showed the picture to the pedestrians and asked them if they knew anything, but they only gave us unhelpful answers...



We arrive at the Central Square, between Studio Alta and the train station.

''There are so many people here, there must be someone who's seen Mika's father, right?''

''Well... I don't know.''

''I won't ask too many people. Just one person should be enough.''

''The problem is not asking too many people or not...''

''Because there are a lot of people in this place, the existence of each individual becomes less meaningful.''

''What do you mean?''

''We can't pay attention to every person in this crowd, can we?''

''Yes...that's true.''

''That applies to us too. Nobody cares about us here...but if we were in the country...''

''Shikigami Master and his Shikigami....... Everyone would look at us curiously.''

''It's harder to move around if we stand out too much.''

''That's right. That's why we're more suited to live in the city.''

''Okay, then, I'll start to ask around.''

Kumi takes out the picture, and looks for someone to ask.

''Excuse me, could you spare me a moment, please?''

Woman: ''....didn't come...''

''Eh?''

Woman: ''I have been waiting for two hours already, but...he still didn't come.''

''Are you waiting for someone?''

The woman suddenly grabbed Kumi's wrist, and stared into Kumi's eyes.

''W- What..?''

Woman: 'Today is our special day...but why isn't he here yet? Do you know why?''

''W- Well...I don't know the situation that well...''

Panicking, Kumi escaped from the woman's grasp and ran back to me.

''Wahhhh. That was scary.''

''You should be the one doing the asking, not the answering.''

''Wahhhh...There are strange people in Tokyo...''

..................................

....................................................

................................................................................

''Well, Master...nobody seems to have seen Mika's father...''

''It can't be helped. Let's go to the next place...''



This corner of town is called Okubo. It's like a slum.

It's like a ghost town around here, no sign of humans anywhere.

''Master...do you smell something sour?''

''This area is like a garbage dump.''

''And...it also smells like ammonia.''

''...That's because it is ammonia.''

''Did anyone get stung by a bee? If someone got stung by a bee he should use ammonia, right?''

''Bees in the middle of a big city like this?? Come on...''

But, if I correct her misunderstanding, it would turn our conversation in a disagreeable direction. So I decided not to correct it.

''Master...I want to clean up this street.''

''Now wait a minute.''

''If I sprinkle some detergent from the sky, brush, and rinse, don't you think that it would be cleaner?''

''Maybe it would feel refreshing...but it is totally unnecessary.''

''Really...?''

''Yes!''

''By the way, Master...even if we want to ask around, nobody is here.''

''It can't be helped. Let's go somewhere else.''

We left this place.




This is a game center in Kabukicho.

Bustling lights and sounds are whirling around the room.

''Wow...this is incredible, Master.''

Kumi is shouting with joy in the vortex of the lights and sounds.

''This place is somehow filled with a kind of incredible energy.''

''Isn't it electromagnetism?''

''Master, this looks interesting.''

Kumi is gazing at the monitor of a bright colored game.

''We didn't come here to play games today.''

''Try not to forget our objective.''

''I know. I was just looking.''

''Then please start and ask around.''

''Okay. I'll be back.''

..........................

..............................................

.......................................................................

''Wahhhhh, Master.''

''What's the matter?''

''I keep talking to people, and they keep shouting 'Don't bother my game!!' at me...sniff''

''They are trying to get everything they can out of that 100 yen...''

''Staying too long at a noisy place like this will damage the ears. Let's leave.''



As we exit the game center...

Crash!!

''Oh.''

''Ouch!''



We collided with a girl who suddenly came into the passage.

It's difficult to say who's at fault here, since I wasn't looking forward at the time and she just popped out of nowhere, but....

The girl is looking at me with a confrontational smile.

A fight can easily pop up if we don't handle this situation with care.

''Don't sleep here! Watch it!''

''It's partly your fault, too, since you came into the passage so suddenly...''

''What was that, kid!?''

''Kyahhh!''

''Don't pick on my Shikigami.''

''Shikigami...? Hmmm...''

''So...you're a Shikigami Master, huh?''

''Yes I am. So?''

''Hehehe...''

The girl laughed in a unpleasant manner.

''What are you laughing about?''

''Nothing in particular...''

''However, for a Shikigami, she is really ill-bred.''

''Don't talk about Kumi like she's a dog or cat.''

''Isn't she something similar?''

''How mean!''

''.................................''

''Heh, did you get angry? If you want to fight, then let's go.''

''I don't have time to waste my energy like this.''

''Humph.''

''By the way, have you seen the man in this picture?''

I show the girl my copy of the newspaper clipping.

''What's this about?''

''Just gathering some information. Don't worry about it.''

''So...have you seen him?''

''Not at all.''

''...You're a weird guy.''

''Leave me alone, would you?''

In the end, we didn't find anything here either.

''Anyway, we also have to deal with the who's at fault in the collision.''

''I apologize. Sorry about that.''

''...Humph.''



The girl glared at us, and went out of the building.

''What was that! What an unpleasant girl!''

''Let's hurry and leave this place, Master.''

''Yes, you're right.''



This is the hamburger shop.

''Master, it smells delicious.''

''Kumi, don't you prefer Japanese food?''

''Basically, yes, I do. But I want to eat something different at times as well.''

''Want to eat? ...But get the cheapest combo, okay?''

''Thank you very much.''

''Master, it's delicious.''

''Then work harder on asking for information in return for that, okay?''

''Yes, sir.''

After she ate the hamburger combo, she starts to ask around.

..........................

.................................................

.......................................................................

''How did it go?''

''Everyone says that they don't know...wahhhh!''

''Empty handed again...''

''This is harder than I thought.''

''Let's go back to our office.''




''Master, let's take a rest, shall we?''

''No, not yet. I just wanted to check for messages...''

''We'll be going out again soon.''

''I just remembered, Mika said she was going to come over when her university classes were over. To see how we were doing.''

''What time is that?''

I'd actually never attended a day or normal school in my life, let alone university. I didn't even know what time school ends in the day.

''Well, I guess about three o'clock, or four?''

''Hmmm... Well, we'll come back around then.''

''Okay, that'd be fine.''

''...I want to keep focused on finding that girl's father...''

''...............................................''

I don't know why...I just needed to find that girl's father, to help her.

I felt I had to help her, in any way that I could...

I, who had no father, somehow needed her to find hers again...

I wasn't sure if it was something Kumi could understand or not.

Kumi may have a family of some kind, but she wasn't human.

I sighed and looked at Kumi.

''Let's do our best, and help that girl, Master!''

''Yes...you're right.''

''So, were there any messages?''

I called out to Kumi, who was checking the answering machine.

''No, nothing at all.''

''Oh well...It's just as well, since we can't accept another job now anyway.''

''That's true.''

''Let's take the article and show it around some more.''

''Yes, maybe we'll get lucky this time...''

The two of us headed out again.


Just as we were passing by Showa Dori...

A shadow suddenly rushed out of nowhere and appeared in front of us.


''Please wait...no, that's not right.''

''I mean, stop!''


I look at the girl that appeared in front of us.

Long ears and wings on the back...though her body is the same size as a human, the figure is just too similar to the fairies that appear in children's stories...

No matter how I look at it, she can't be human.

Hitokata....

The girl who isn't human is looking at me nervously.

Showing her nervousness, she's clenching her fist so tightly that her the joints on her fingers are turning white.

''What can we do for you?''

''Stop!''

''Well, we stopped, didn't we?''

''........................................''

''........................................''


''Oh, right. I already said 'stop'.''

''......................................''

''Er...um...What was I suppose to say next?''

''Master...what's going on?''

''I'm not sure.''


''Err...''

''What?''

''Do you know what my next lines are?''

''How should I know!!''

''Wahhhh, stupid, stupid, I'm so stupid!!''

''I practiced them so many times, but I still forgot them.''

''My Master is going to scold me again...wahhh!''

''Master...this poor girl.''

''Don't sympathize with her!''

''Hmm...since you have a Master, that means you're Shikigami, aren't you?''

''Yes, that's right. My name is Rakushi.''


''I am pretty incompetent, but pleased to meet you.''

''Thank you for introducing yourself so politely. My name is Kumi. Pleased to meet you too.''

''Why are you colluding with her!?''

''Oh, what am I going to do?''

''I can't continue because I forgot my lines.''

''What's this about the lines?''

''It's my Master's orders. If I find you, say the lines, and then challenge you to battle... That's what my Master said, but...'

''...............................................''

''...I can image the meaning of those lines already.''

''R- Really?''

''That's my Master... He's so smart!''

''Oh give me a break...''

''If your Master said to 'challenge us at battle', then that means he's not giving us messages filled with praise and friendliness. Otherwise your Master would be a very weird person.''

''Since we can imagine them, it's okay without the lines.''


''Whew. For a while there I was worried about how to go on...''

''Is that all?''


''No. My Master told me that I must challenge and defeat you, so if I don't do it, my Master would scold me.''

Why me?

''Because of that, please play mahjong with me.''

''I have no choice but to play... Whenever I'm issued a challenge, I must accept it.''

We went to the back of the alley to avoid public notice, then I whipped out the mahjong set that I always carry with me from the holster.


__Part 4__
to Part 3; to Tobajan Mahjong 2; to Part 5