Smile For Me

Case 2 - Advent

Yokohama, Japan

                Clouds hid themselves at the edges of the dark sky, allowing glimmering stars to shine down. Cold winds blew languidly, rustling trees as they pass. The nearby Ooka River slithered among the corners of the city to the harbor front at Minato Mirai Port. The bustling sounds of cranes and cargo echoed throughout the small region.

                Kannai is a port city one could say. The busiest port all year round, yet among the business and industrial norm of the region it has managed to capture the hearts of its many people. Kannai is home to a small China-town, often a popular tourist attraction and Yamashita park known for its arrays of cherry blossoms during this season. Annually the ships that park at the bay of Minato Mirai port will bellow their horns at the struck of midnight during New Years eve. No one remembered how it happened, but it has then been a culture of the region till today.  

                A tall white building stood facing the busy port. Below red lights flashed repeatedly and sirens could be heard. There were people rushing in and out of the building and a crowd beginning to form at the mouth of the entrance. Man and women in blue uniform were struggling to control the crowd. The Kanagawa Prefectural Police Headquarters had never seen such ruckus since the last earthquake on March 11, 2011. A blue police car drove into the station as the crowd made way following behind, like a swarm of ants following a trail of sugar. There were blinding flashes from cameras and reporters trying to peep in the tinted car window.

                The car made a halt at the front entrance as other police officers came rushing down the steps to clear the crowd. The car door opened and a young man stood out of it, covered in a winter overcoat. Police officers hurried and surrounded the boy, quickly entering the station whilst the crowd continued to throw questions and take photos.

                In a small room the boy sat in a cold steel chair with his arms on the wooden table. He was shivering and looked tired. He looked tensed, his head turning to every corner of the small room in fear. His stomach began to scream and instinctively clenched his abdomen in pain. He could hear the door open. A man in a suit came in with a plastic bag in this hands and a stack of files on the other.

                “Here you go Mr. Akiyama.” said the man as he pulled out a can of Coke and a packed chicken ham sandwich from the bag and placed it on the table. “I’m hungry too so excuse while I eat with you. Go ahead. Eat it before its cold. Don’t worry about the rule of no eating… I make the rules around here anyways.”

                “Umm…Thank you.” replied Daigo with a humble and quiet tone.

                The two quietly ate their meals while the man in suit flipped his file over as he chewed down his sandwich. Daigo kept his head low and slowly ate his food, as if he was guilty of eating. Daigo tried to steal glances of the file but it was too far away. The man in the suit had an elderly look. Facial hair covered most of his chin to his moustache with frowning eyebrows. On his dark navy colored suit were a police tag and a name which wrote Uemura.

                “Full? I’m still quite hungry and could go for a nice bowl of udon down the street, but that can wait.” said detective Uemura.

                “Yes sir.” Murmured Daigo. “How much was the meal sir?”

                “Put your wallet away boy. It’s on me. And don’t be scared boy… I’m not going to eat you or anything. Relax… I’ve notified your brother. He will be here soon to pick you up once we’re done. Understood?”