Hastily I shut the door close and head straight to a lamp by the corner. In my hand is a much awaited envelope addressed from Ito Shizuoka. Placing the letter on the table I unbutton the top most part of my uniform and then hunkered beside the low table to inspect the letter. I rip the edge off and peeled the sides away, revealing two pieces of paper. Grinning slightly I pull one out and realize it is my daughter. Short as usual but yes good enough. I fold the letter neatly and took out the other one, no doubt this one is from Hide, I thought to myself. My breathing starts to even out after that long walk from the Precinct, I’m finally able to relax as my eyes glide down the letters… My eyes soften for a moment remembering an old memory. Standing up I reach into my pocket for a cigarette. It’s time to compose my thoughts, time to do as I promised and write to my daughter… And maybe a short note to Hide, something that is not unabashed…
While smoking towards the window, I realize a soft rumbling in my stomach. I chuckle remembering that I haven’t eaten at all. It’s too bad the soba that Hide made last weekend did not last more than half a day on Monday. She still cooks well but of course, I’ll never tell her that. Looking at the letter on the table, I decide to go out for some street food. Yakisoba and some yakitori… Maybe some beer as well…
April 23, 1885 – Thursday Night – Tokyo
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“Fujita-san… I didn’t know you’d taken to light spirits now.”
A voice comes from behind and the hair in my neck stands up. Making no motion to address her presence I continue with my assault on the yakisoba and the beer but the insistant nuisance decides to sit across from my table -uninvited-.
“You haven’t visited us in the Yookosoya in quite a while. I’m starting to get worried.”
“I do not have any money for such activities.”
She smiles and places her hand on my arm. “Fujita-san… You know that money was never an issue, even if I had sucked you dry… and everything else out of you.”
I look away. How horrid this things that comes to haunt myself.
“Can you at least have some decency and stop with that kind of talk?” I tell her and place the chopsticks down on top of the bowl. I just lost my appetite it seems.
“Decency?” She laughs an almost vulgar one and I can feel other people’s eyes smoldering their gaze at us. “We all know how you like your women to talk dirty to you Fujita-san. And how you like to have your way with them, with me. I always did like a man in uniform and yes I will always scream for you.”
Standing up, she takes a finger and traces it from the lining of muscles from my arm up to my chest, playing there for a moment. I inhale deeply, unable to move nor say anything. A flash flood of indecision and emotions running through me just about ready to burst and scatter my brain into pieces.
“Visit me in Yoshiwara.. I’m lonely and the Yakuza isn’t much of a company..” She whispers and lightly brushes her tongue at the skin at the back of my ear, “You wouldn’t want them to know you’re a cop do you?”
With that she left. I throw a few bills on the table, stopped by the counter to order a bottle of sake to take back the the Machiya. No doubt, it will taste bitter. It will go well with the tobacco just like coffee.