Before we stepped out from behind the curtain again, Handa called out, “Thank you, Oba-san,” like he’d completed an everyday transaction in a regular shop, and he even included a deep bow.
Madame Budu didn’t respond.
“I don’t know what you’re thanking her for,” I said, when we were outside again, each lighting a cigarette. “She didn’t help at all.”
Handa slipped into his sunglasses. “Well, she didn’t charge us, and she did give us her time. Plus, I think I really scared her.”
Her fear had been genuine, and if I’d charged in ranting about how my friend was becoming a kyuuketsuki, she might have been less helpful, but I still felt like we’d wasted our time.
Meanwhile, the sun climbed, and the bright light made my head pound worse than ever. It was too early for me to think about calling it quits.
“Are you going home now, Handa?” I asked. “You promised.”
“I only promised to go home if my idea was a dud, and it wasn’t.”
I frowned down at him. “How do you figure?”
“We got some good advice.” He tapped a finger to the obsidian stone now riding his forehead. “Not to mention, a new accessory.”
As expected, he’d found a way to back out of his promise, but it didn’t matter. I couldn’t think of anywhere to go, and I wound up staring out at the city, small and powerless.
Maybe he felt the same way, because he sighed and said, “Let’s get breakfast; then I’ll go home.”
“You mean that?”
Without a word, he held up his car keys.
The Subaru, which he took better care of than he did himself, was by rule off limits to me, so I waited an extra moment to see if he’d change his mind before I took them.
“I still don’t believe the chief will drop everything to help me,” he said. “But it doesn’t make sense for us to chase long shots all over town.”
I headed for the driver’s side.
He added, “You should do what you want, though. Talk to Chief, join the team. I’ll be okay.”
I wasn’t sure about that, and it made me rethink my priorities. Taking him home was the only responsible thing to do. I should be glad he’d agreed to go without complaining. And yet, his safety remained my primary concern. Other men could search for answers, but I was the only one who’d go out of my way to look after Handa. Keeping him with me might be the only way to fulfill my own promises.
The choice bothered me so much, I didn’t think I could eat a bite, but Handa chose an upscale restaurant I wouldn’t go to for anything short of my anniversary.
Due to the early hour, the place was mostly empty, and gentle music played along with the polite chinking of dishes as the servers made preparations for lunch. In black velvet vests with red bow ties, even they looked much better put together than the employees at the places I was used to.
“You sure have expensive tastes.” I ran my hand along the soft tablecloth.
He’d settled back into his unshakeable composure. Brightly, he said, “If it’s too pricey, I can cover you. I know being married is expensive.”
“No. Having kids is what’s expensive.”
“Well, that’s next, right? Gotta save up.”
“I hope not. The last thing I need is more people to worry myself sick over.” At least Koza’s wayward nature would delay fatherhood for a while. She wanted kids–someday, probably–but right now, she was twenty-one and loving every second of it. “One pricey breakfast won’t break me.”
“I bet they make good money here,” he decided, through a breath of smoke. “This is the kind of job I need. Profiting off good looks and social skills.”
“I can’t picture you waiting on anyone, Ouji-sama. It’s a wonder you can be a decent public servant.”
“Not like you,” he teased. “Do you ever think of yourself?”
“Sure. I think things like, shit, Handa is driving me crazy; why can’t Handa give me a break from how crazy he’s making me? Handa is really going to be sorry when they have to cart me away to the psyche ward, and who the hell will look out for him then?”
Warmly, he laughed, but it was short-lived before his expression turned somber. “This…situation I’m in. It doesn’t have a lot to do with you.”
I glared up at him. “I was kidding. And it has everything to do with me.”
I had to accept that Handa had followed me down that alley because he wanted to back me up, and if he hadn’t, it would have been me who’d gotten bit. I’d be dead right now.
“It affects you, sure, but maybe you’re taking it too personally. You do that sometimes.”
“It is personal, Handa.”
“I know, but…” He lowered his voice. “I also know how you get when you make a promise you can’t keep.”
In such an unpredictable life, making any promises was stupid. I rarely did. But at least this one time, I had to ignore my pessimism and believe I’d be able to save him.
“It’s day one,” I reminded him. “Hitting a wall this early on doesn’t make it hopeless.”
He flicked his ear, the first indication he’d given that he might notice how his body was changing. “Listen. You’re not my boss yet, okay?”
“No shit. And you don’t listen to me enough to make me feel like I am.”
“I’m just saying.” He studied the centerpiece of white flowers between us and mumbled, “You don’t have an obligation to me.”
“Fuck.” I lit a cigarette. I may as well use the expensive looking ashtray. “Nobody is making me help you.”
“Oh, I know,” he agreed, obligingly. “It’s something to think about though, isn’t it?” With that, he slipped the diadem off his head to rotate it between his hands. “So, Chi Master, do you think this thing works?”
I suppressed a sigh. He’d gotten out everything he’d like to say and then changed the subject before I could give my honest reply, either not caring what it might be or else oblivious to the fact that it would upset me to know he thought he could talk me out of helping him.
Focusing on the diadem was probably easier for both of us.
“Normally, I’d say it’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard, but Budu was right.” I pointed my cigarette at the circlet. “This kind of thing isn’t that different from using chi. It probably has to do with energy. Either it draws out a person’s natural, good energy, or it’s endowed with some of its own.”
“In that case, it’s weird she gave it to me for free. Maybe she just wanted us to leave.”
Budu had definitely wanted that, but even if the diadem was merely a placebo, I could live with that. Anything to give him a little hope or comfort. “Protective gemstones aren’t my area of expertise, but they are an old idea. There could be something to it.”
“It’s really not to my taste.”
Disbelievingly, I stared him down, tapping my cigarette against the ashtray a few times. “You’re the only person I know who’d worry about fashion in the middle of a life changing crisis.”
“Well, I am a libra.”
“Just wear it.” I rolled my eyes. “If it grants you one extra second of humanity, it’s worth looking stupid.”
“Easy for you to say.”
“It is. And that reminds me. We should stop by and see Yamada-sensei before we go back to your place.”
“If you want.” He put the diadem back on and set to fussing with his hair all over again. “I don’t see the point today. Nothing has changed since I saw him last night.”
“Except your ears and body temperature. The least you could do is listen to the doctor, Aibou.”
“Yeah.” He exhaled sharply and met my gaze with unexpected sincerity. “Ken, I’m just–”
A man jostled against our table, and I glared up at him, expecting the waiter and thinking I’d ask him to go away before Handa changed his mind about whatever confession he’d been about to make.
Lieutenant Kudo stood over us, grinning like an oversized schoolboy. “Hayo, kids.” Noisily, he dragged a chair away from the table nearest ours and sat down in backwards to fold his arms over the back, tapping one heavy boot against the floor to an unheard rhythm.
I was used to seeing him around the office, usually at his desk, wearing a suit. Finding him here, dressed in a leather jacket and jeans made him look almost like a different person, but he kept his shoulder-length hair in its signature ponytail, his dark eyes glinted with the usual mischief, and the scar on his cheek stood out against his tanned skin. He’d reportedly lived quite a violent life; I saw signs that his nose had been busted several times, and his grin revealed a missing tooth. He was unmistakable.
“Wh-what are you doing here?” Handa stammered, once he’d recovered from the surprise. Nose wrinkling, he looked over the lieutenant’s casual attire. “You’re not dressed for it.”
“Oh?” Kudo looked up just as the waiter hurried over to ask if he’d like something to drink. He requested a vodka and tonic, and then he smirked at Handa. “They don’t seem to mind. Anyway.” He eyed the diadem on my partner’s brow. “What the hell are you wearing?”
Bright pink coloring his face, Handa took his fingers out of his hair to practically slam his hands back into his lap, but Kudo laughed.
“I”m teasing, Handa-kun. It’s obsidian, isn’t it? To protect against evil? And, let me guess.” His expression turned sly. “You got it off some kind of witch.”
Immediately, my partner locked gazes with me. “You didn’t notice we were being tailed?”
“Neither did you,” I shot back.
“Yeah, but you were driving.”
“You weren’t. You should have noticed.”
“Both of you have a lot to learn,” Kudo announced. His drink came, and he slammed half of it down. “That’s why I’m here.”
“Chief told you to babysit us?” I asked, though I shouldn’t be surprised. Chief didn’t have the option to chaperone Handa himself, but he couldn’t completely ignore us either. It made sense for him to leave us in the hands of a man he trusted, so why not a superior we both saw on a daily basis?
“Oh, don’t think of it that way, Sugita-kun.”
“Then, how should we think of it?” Handa wanted to know.
“He asked me to help, of course.” He reached over to dig his fingers into Handa’s neck until my partner squirmed. “Little brother got himself bit by a kyuuketsuki. I–”
Automatically, I shushed him, and then, when he shot me a dirty look, I had to scramble. “I’m sorry, Lieutenant. I’m just worried about people overhearing–”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” He waved me off. “Even if you talk about yokai right under people’s noses, they don’t notice or care, let alone take it seriously.”
“You’re not talking about yokai,” I snapped. “You’re talking about my partner.”
“Ah.” He nodded. “In that case, I’ll try to be more careful. Now, what the hell was I saying?” He took another swift gulp of his drink, gazing across the room a moment. “I didn’t have to follow you long to notice the two of you have got nothing. You.” He jerked his chin at me. “You should try to get an energy drink endorsement deal–it’s always go, go, go with you, all the time. And yet, here it is, barely eight thirty on a weekday, and you’re out to breakfast. Durakura.” He pointed his nose at Handa next. “Is actually pretty clever, so he got the brilliant idea to visit Madame Budu’s fun house, since he drives by it every day, and came out with that nifty prize. Better than nothing. But he’s obviously intoxicated.”
Handa’s mouth turned into its upside down wicket of displeasure, and he exchanged another wary look with me.
“You’re drinking on the job,” I pointed out, impatiently.
Handa added, “At eight thirty on a weekday.”
“True enough.” Kudo swirled the last of his drink. “It doesn’t matter, though. Durakura won’t get in trouble right now unless he puts a bullet in a random civilian. But, correct me if I’m wrong, you’re hanging onto his standard issue, aren’t you?”
I fingered Handa’s pistol, on my left hip. “So what if I am?”
“So?” he sneered. “You two brats need my help. I’m not sure why you’re pretending to be so insulted and astonished that I showed up. I mean.” He spread his wide hands. “Did you really think Chief Kobayashi would just let Durakura wander around Tokyo like this? Unsupervised?”
“Would you stop calling me that, please?” Handa mashed his cigarette out, eyes barely concealing his irritation. “First of all, it’s Dracula. Secondly, Dracula is the prototypical vampire–an archetype–so it’s a shit allusion.”
Kudo laughed. “So, I’m wrong? You don’t need my help? I can go back to my own work?”
“It’s just surprising to see you, Senpai,” Handa drawled. “Chief didn’t say anything about sending you to help us.”
“Chief didn’t necessarily send me, Handa-kun. I chose to step in after it became so painfully obvious that you’re lost.”
“All right.” I threw my hands up. “You’re right, Lieutenant. We’ve got nothing. We were going to talk to the chief and try to find out what he has you doing, but since you’re here, maybe you can just fill us in.”
“Of course.” He swallowed the last of his vodka tonic. “First things first, though. I’d like to speak with you in private, Sugita-kun. Durakura.” He rose, pounding Handa so hard on the back that he gave a pained squeak. “Get yourself an appetizer. On me. I’ll bet they serve some fancy shit in a nice place like this. Treat yourself.” With that, he tromped off, blazing confidence and arrogance every step of the way.
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