Tokyo Espionage

Chapter 5, Chapter 6

Chapter 5

I was opening windows in the living room when Lily walked through wearing her PJ’s. She saw me, and thought about retreating.

“Good morning.”

“Morning,” she said with an impish grin.

“Good night with Ronin?”

Her eyes darted in every which way save for in my direction. I had my back to the window, and looked at her in front of the breakfast bar. “You looked pretty close all night, and came in the next morning still wearing the same clothes. You were with him weren’t you?”

“Don’t be mad,” she took a step towards me, “but yes.”

“I’m not mad Lily. I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”

She looked up, smiled, and hugged me.

“Thank you,” she said.

“For what?”

“For being so understanding. I’m 17, he’s 32.”

“You’re both important to me, and honestly I trust your judgment better than I do my own.” I pulled her back to get a good look at her. She managed a smile.

“I know there are so many reasons not to: our age, different cultures, his job. My God!” She grew a little animated, “Knowing what he does with all those women. I make the appointments.” She looked sad. “My head says this can’t work, but I can’t help the way I feel. I want to be with him. Friday night, I was so happy.”

I could see that she had thought about this from every angle, turning it over in her head again and again.

“You’ll be fine; you’re a bright girl. And remember, I’m always here to help.”

We just parted from a hug when my phone lit up, a wechat message from Meisa, who wanted to meet. The address was in the mountains.

Lily glanced at the screen over my shoulder.

“I don’t like you going there alone.”

“Hey, I never brow beat you about Ronin.”

She held her hands up, and disappeared into the kitchen.

I looked in the rearview mirror at the city lights fading behind me; I was several miles away from Tokyo now. I followed the highway for a few hours, then took a right, and headed onto a narrow road that led me up the mountain. I followed it for another hour before turning onto a dirt road. The path through the woods was only another 5 minutes. Kicking up dust in my tracks, I came to a house. It was new; but adhered to traditional nihon kenchiku.

Meisa appeared at the doorway. Under my headlights she was pale, something seemed off with her. I got out, and smiled. She didn’t move dressed in her traditional garb, so I approached and gave her a hug. It seemed to restore her a little to herself.

“Please take your shoes off,” she said.

Inside was an empty space; there were no chairs, or tables, but the carpentry was adroit. Meisa slid open one shoji after another. The apartments were spacious, and numerous. In all the rooms the design was minimalist, but it didn’t detract from the decadence of the retreat. We passed through a few more rooms until Meisa stopped, and asked, “Have you eaten?”

“I grabbed something before I left.”

Meisa motioned for me to take a seat. She left me alone for a moment, before returning with a bottle of wine. She set it down on a small wooden table. I popped the cork, and filled the glasses. There was a sombre mood.