殺人者
SATSUJINSHA
by 江島ひとみ

Chapter Twenty Seven
Surmise

The sound of jazz piano and soft laughter filled the gaming lounge with music as Takeshi took a sip from the glass of whisky in his hand. In front of him was the uniformed dealer shuffling their cards for a game of poker on a late Tuesday evening.

“What am I doing here again?” Hiroshi muttered under his breath beside him. “I hate poker.”

“We always have poker with the boss,” Takeshi smirked as Ryuuzaki Group of Companies CEO Sawamura Nobuhiro chuckled with Kawakami, company Chief Financial Officer, and Maeda, Chief Marketing Officer, at the other side of the table.

“And I always lose,” Hiroshi grumbled.

“Well,” Takeshi leaned back to his seat and crossed his legs. “Take this as an opportunity to improve your skills.”

“Right,” The man snorted, gulping his whisky half-empty.

“Ah, thank you boys again for coming,” Sawamura heartily laughed. “If we all weren’t so busy we should have poker night every week.”

“That would be great,” Hiroshi beamed.

“Kawakami-kun, Maeda-kun,” Sawamura said between the two men. “I’m glad you’ve joined us tonight.”

“Of course, Sawamura-san,” Kawakami smiled beside him. “It’s been a while since I’ve last played poker.”

“Alright, let’s begin,” Sawamura rubbed his hands in earnest as the dealer began giving them their cards. “Sky’s the limit, boys.”

“Let’s start with twenty-five then,” Kawakami said, placing two blue chips and one yellow chip in front of him.

“Make that fifty,” Sawamura placed five blue chips before him. The rest did the same. The dealer began distributing two cards to each player face down. Takeshi looked at his cards. He had a three and a seven of hearts.

All five of them called. The dealer placed three cards face up at the center of the table. A King of Spades, a five of diamonds, and a nine of hearts.

Kawakami called, placing another five chips in front of him.

“Oh dear,” Sawamura sighed, dropping his cards with a chuckle. “I’m out of this one, boys. Fold.”

Maeda did the same. Takeshi added five chips in front of him.

“Call,” he drawled. Hiroshi did the same.

The fourth card was dealt. It was a King of Hearts. Kawakami called.

“Raise,” Takeshi said, placing ten chips before him. Hiroshi raised as well.

“My,” Sawamura chuckled, taking a sip from his glass in amusement.

A smirk couldn’t help but form on the blonde’s lips. And his cousin often complained about losing in poker.

The fifth card was dealt. It was the King of Clubs.

“Fold,” Kawakami smiled, quietly facing his cards down on the table.

The cousins exchanged glances.

“Check,” Takeshi said.

Hiroshi smirked at him. “Bet.”

Takeshi placed his cards on the table. It was a four of a kind. Hiroshi’s was a King of Diamonds and a nine of clubs. A full house.

“Well I’ll be damned,” Hiroshi laughed.

Takeshi leaned back to his seat and raised his glass of whisky with a smile. “To a monumental win.”

“Oh, congratulations, boy,” Sawamura laughed as Hiroshi collected his chips with a big smile. “Feeling lucky tonight, aren’t we?”

“I wouldn’t want to push it,” Hiroshi grinned.

“You’ll never know, your father’s luck might finally be rubbing off on you,” Sawamura chuckled. “He was good at poker.”

“Yes, but he was bad at other things,” Hiroshi smirked. “He was a heavy gambler. My mother often complained.”

“Ah yes, I remember your father,” Kawakami said, easing into his chair and folding his hands on his lap as the dealer began shuffling their cards again. “He was a good man. One of the most hardworking men I knew.”

Hiroshi briefly nodded at him. “Thank you, sir.”

“But he was a man of convention, I believe?” Kawakami asked, raising his glass of brandy. “Though operations were always smooth under his direction.”

“They do say the old days were the good days,” Maeda quietly laughed beside Takeshi.

“Yes, yes,” Sawamura nodded. “Hideo and Yoshihiko were like fire and ice in their philosophies, but look at where our company is now.”

“In this day and age I can hardly keep up with such advancements,” Kawakami laughed, shaking his head. “But when it comes to practical things, what I know from experience never fails me.”

“Yes, tried and tested things,” Maeda nodded in agreement. “They do exist for a reason.”

Takeshi took the pack of cigarettes from the inner pocket of his coat and lit a stick.

“Us old men, we are men of tradition,” Kawakami softly chuckled as the dealer began distributing their cards once more. “Time and experience have been good to us.”

“Cheers to that,” Hiroshi raised his glass and took another drink.

“Make us proud, boys,” Sawamura laughed. “Continue our legacy.”

“We’ll teach you,” Kawakami smiled at Takeshi. “You have so much more to learn.”

Takeshi nodded with a smile as he exhaled the smoke through his lips. He looked at his cards.

The game began again.

xoxoxo

“Ne, Akemi-san, I hear Hanasaki-san’s back.”

Akemi raised her eyebrows at her ebony-haired companion as she took out her books from her locker the following Wednesday afternoon in school.

“Oh?” She closed her locker door shut. “That’s good then.”

Chiharu dubiously looked at her. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“What?” Akemi innocently looked at her as they began walking down the corridor on their way to their classroom. “What do you want me to say?”

“You aren’t mad at her?” The girl creased her forehead. “She got you suspended and everything and that’s all you say?”

“Hey, she got caught and got suspended herself,” Akemi shrugged with a grin. “I’m happy with that.”

“I guess so,” Chiharu giggled.

Akemi had only exchanged laughs with the girl when she suddenly felt someone bump her left shoulder. She turned and saw none other than Sayaka herself, accompanied by her two trusty companions. The smile on Chiharu’s face immediately wilted when the blonde girl fixed her cold gaze on Akemi.

“Hey Sayaka,” Akemi smiled. “Glad to see you back. How’s the arm doing?”

Sayaka flashed her a perfect, fake smile. “Wonderful. I’ve completely healed.”

“That’s great,” Akemi said almost sincerely. From the corner of her eye she could see some of the students stopping to look at them.

“How’s Kusanagi-sensei?” she asked with a wry smile.

Akemi creased her forehead. “How should I know?”

“You’re good friends with him, aren’t you?” Sayaka looked at her almost accusingly. “Or was he just nice enough to clear your name to the principal?”

Akemi began to hear whispers. She didn’t like where this conversation was going.

“Everyone knows I paid the doctor,” Sayaka shrugged with a pout. “What did you give Sensei?”

Akemi’s gaze flickered to the students around her. Some of them were now skeptically looking at her.

“I can’t believe this,” Akemi dryly laughed.

“What?” The blonde daintily smiled at her. “Can’t believe you got caught too?”

Akemi turned on her heel and shook her head. “Whatever, Sayaka.”

Sayaka raised her voice louder. It echoed down the entire corridor. “You really did it with a teacher, didn’t you?”

“Oh God,” Akemi muttered under her breath. Chiharu hastily caught up with her when the hallway broke out in murmurs.

“Akemi-san, what is she talking about??” The girl stared at her.

“Her way of getting back, apparently,” Akemi gritted her teeth as they arrived at their classroom several seconds later.

“But what does Kusanagi-sensei have to do with it?” Chiharu asked in confusion. Akemi dropped her books to her desk in irritation.

“Kusanagi-sensei was the one who got Sayaka caught,” She slumped to her chair with a sigh. “He was the one who found out the school doctor got paid to fake her medical documents.”

“He was?” Chiharu stared at her in surprise. “Well that’s awfully nice of him, but why would he do that?”

Akemi couldn’t help but avoid the girl’s gaze. She stared at the window and put a hand to her forehead.

“It’s a long story,” She shook her hand and wearily closed her eyes. Her friend fell silent and said nothing more. Akemi suddenly felt like shrinking into her seat.

She might need to have a word with her Russian History teacher about this.

xoxoxo

The traffic light turned green as Takeshi shifted gears and moved his car forward. It was later that evening and he was leaving one of Tokyo’s main roads to enter the highway.

He put a hand to the back of his neck and gently rubbed it as he maneuvered the steering wheel with one hand. It had been a long day and he just wanted to get home. He checked the clock on the radio. It was half-past ten. He wondered if Akemi was still awake.

He had only continued on his way when he saw a black SUV appear behind him from his left side mirror. He ignored it as he began to enter the main highway.

Takeshi glanced at his side mirror again. It had been a few minutes’ drive already, but the black car remained behind him. It was trailing from a distance, but he was almost certain it was following him.

Takeshi placed both hands on the steering wheel and lightly sighed. He looked at his rear-view mirror. The car’s headlights were too strong. He could hardly make out its model and plate number. All he could see was its black hood.

He shifted his gaze to the road before him again and decided to observe. He had passed by four exits so far, but the car never left his sight. He was five kilometers away from his exit on his way home. It did not surprise him that the car followed him even at the tollgate.

From Chiba city, Takeshi would make his way uphill where his house was situated. The land was private because it was part of a small mountain which his grandfather bought a long time ago. Trees would line the dirt road on the way up, and would require headlights at night.

Takeshi smirked when the car took a right turn just when he was about to go uphill. Of course, it would’ve been absurdly obvious to follow a car on a narrow dirt road on a private land.

There was nothing but darkness behind him when he looked at his side mirror again. He took his cellphone from the pocket of his coat placed on the passenger seat. He began to see the gates of the mansion several meters away.

He dialed a number and brought it to his ear. He slowed down the car as the gates began to open at his arrival.

“Hey,” he said when the other line picked up. “I’m being followed. I need you to run something for me.”

“Ooh, scary,” His cousin chuckled. “What do you want me to do?”

He nodded to the guard at the gate and proceeded his car down the curved road to the main entrance. “Check on these names for me, will you?”

“Got it,” The man said by the time Takeshi parked the car in front of the fountain facing the main doors. The valet bowed at him when he stepped out of the car.

“Alright,” he said, placing a hand inside his pocket. The butler opened the door for him and bowed at his arrival. “Thanks. I’ll contact you in the morning.”

Takeshi ended the call without another word and faced the man by the door.

“Where’s Akemi?” he asked.

“She is now resting in your chambers, Master.”

“Alright,” he smiled. “Good night, Mitsuoka.”

“Good night, Master.”

Takeshi returned his cellphone in his pocket as he wordlessly made his way up the grand spiral staircase on his way to his room.

xoxoxo

“Hey, Mom,” Akemi smiled when she opened the door to her mother’s designated room the following morning.

“Hi honey,” The woman smiled. She was paler than ever with her head wrapped in a small bun, but her smile made her face lively. Her father looked up from the book he was reading on his wife’s bedside and smiled at his daughter’s presence.

“Good morning, dear,” The man said, creasing his forehead. “Don’t you have class?”

“I do. I won’t be staying long,” Akemi said, planting a light kiss on her mother’s cheek. “I just came by to check up on you guys. How are you feeling, Mom?”

“I’m still feeling a bit weak,” she said. “But I’m fine.”

“The doctor says her first session had good results,” Her father smiled.

“So I’ve heard,” Akemi laughed in delight.

“How are things?” Her mother asked. “How is school?”

“Oh,” The smile faintly decreased from her lips. “It’s fine.”

“Is there something wrong?” Her father frowned.

“No,” Akemi quickly laughed. “Just a lot of schoolwork, I guess.”

“Well you study hard then,” Her mother firmly advised. “But don’t stress yourself too much.”

“I’ll say the same to you,” The girl grinned, briefly hugging her mother. “I wish I could stay, but I’ll be late for school. I’ll come right after class.”

“It’s okay, dear,” The woman softly laughed. “We’ll be fine.”

“Where’s Neesan, by the way?” The girl asked, looking around the room. “Has she left for school too?”

“Yes,” Her father said. “You’ll see each other later, don’t worry.”

“Okay,” Akemi smiled, moving to her father’s side and briefly kissing him as well. “I’ll see you guys later then.”

“Take care, dear,” Her mother smiled.

Akemi smiled at her parents one last time on her way to the door. She left without another word and began walking down the corridor with a sigh.

She hoped it wouldn’t be another troublesome day today.

xoxoxo

“Despite last quarter’s 3.5% decrease in corporate investments, we aim to bounce back with a projected 4.3% increase next quarter with our improved premium bond fund service...” Chief Financial Officer and Ryuuzaki Investment Group director Kawakami Kunio pointed at the chart projected before the eighty-foot long table in the Board of Directors room at the Ryuuzaki Corporate Tower later that afternoon. “This will assure our corporate investors government securities for higher investment returns...”

Playing with the fountain pen in his fingers, Takeshi idly tilted in his seat at the other end of the table, not bothering to look at the man presenting up front.

“Thank you, Kawakami-san,” CEO Sawamura said at the end of the man’s presentation several minutes later. “I just have a few concerns, if I may ask.”

Kawakami stood up straighter. “Yes, please do.”

Sawamura looked at the report in his hand through his eyeglasses. “Last quarter’s decline in corporate investments isn’t at an alarming rate, but,” He averted his gaze to the man up front. “It is surely an indication that fewer companies have been investing with us.”

“Rates may have been fluctuating over the previous quarters,” Sawamura leaned back to his seat in Kawakami’s silence. “But it means we have not been steadily progressive with our clients.”

“Yes, Sawamura-san,” The man nodded. “But as we all know, this year the economy has begun to enter into deflation. It is one of the factors we have considered for the decrease in last quarter’s performance.”

Sawamura flipped through the pages in his hand. “And yet it says here that Serizawa Trust Holdings has managed to be ahead of us at 5.1%.”

“The Serizawa group has mostly focused on smaller companies,” Kawakami gingerly replied. “We remain to target the larger corporations. With our service improvements lined up and taking effect by next week, we expect a swift recovery from last quarter’s losses.”

“I do hope so. I hope this is no more than a marketing concern,” Sawamura sternly frowned as he returned the report on the table. “Thank you, Kawakami-san.”

“Yes, sir,” Kawakami nodded. He began to return to his seat as Nogami, Chief Operations Officer, rose from his seat for the following report.

“Ryuuzaki-kun,” Sawamura asked with creased eyebrows as Kawakami sat down and Nogami began to prepare for his presentation up front. “You are Marketing vice president of our navigations company, aren’t you? What is your opinion on this?”

Takeshi looked back at the older man. The rest of the Board’s eyes fell on him.

The young man carefully folded his hands on the table. “I do agree that it is no more than a marketing concern. The Serizawa group advertises heavily on television to target the masses.”

“We are also a high-profile investment group,” Kawakami delicately quipped at the other end of the table. “We place higher priorities over personal banking services.”

“I believe because the Serizawa group projects itself as a more approachable bank to individuals, it is only natural that smaller companies would invest in them as well,” Takeshi answered with a light shrug. “That’s why we consider small companies as our competitors because they could still pose threats to larger corporations such as ours.”

“If other corporations notice a change or a pattern in smaller companies, such as investing in the Serizawa group, for example,” Takeshi slowly continued in the thick silence of the room. “These corporations may be inclined to do the same, especially if they compare Serizawa’s services with ours and find them say, more amenable. That would no longer be a small concern to us.”

Sawamura stroked his chin in thought. “You have a point there, Ryuuzaki-kun.”

“Maybe you should review with your Marketing department, Kawakami-san,” Sawamura said after several seconds of silence. “See what the Serizawa group is doing.”

The man quietly nodded. “Yes, sir.”

Kawakami gave a long, hard glance at the blonde-haired man. Takeshi merely returned the gaze with a small smile.

xoxoxo

“That will be all for today, class. You may go.”

Kusanagi wordlessly arranged the papers on his desk as the students rose from their seats and began fixing their things to leave. At the other end of the room, Akemi surreptitiously glanced at the teacher up front from her seat as she began fixing her things as well.

“Ne, Akemi-san, you have plans after class?” Chiharu asked beside her. “There’s a nice patisserie that’s opened downtown. You wanna check it out?”

“Oh,” Akemi blinked and looked at her friend with an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, I can’t go today. Maybe tomorrow?”

“Okay,” The girl shrugged and slung her bag over her shoulder. “Shall we go then?”

“Yeah, can you wait here for a while?” Akemi placed her bag on the table. Chiharu nodded as the brown-haired lass began to walk to the teacher’s desk.

“Um, Sensei,” Akemi said before Kusanagi picked up his things to leave. “Can I have a word with you today in your office?”

The red-haired teacher creased his forehead. “Is there anything wrong, Morisato-san?”

Akemi briefly looked around her and already saw several stares from her classmates. “Yes, apparently there is. I’d like to talk with you about it later, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course,” Kusanagi sternly frowned. Akemi merely nodded and began to head back to her desk.

“What was that?” Chiharu asked when Akemi returned to her seat. The teacher quietly left the room.

Akemi began returning her books inside her backpack. “Oh, I just asked him to clarify something from his lecture earlier.”

“Oh,” The girl slowly blinked. “I see.”

“Let’s go,” Akemi smiled as she slung her bag over her shoulder. Her companion nodded as the both of them began heading to the door.

“Listen, you go ahead,” Akemi said when Chiharu turned right down the corridor. “I need to drop by the library for a while.”

“Oh,” The girl creased her forehead, but her expression cleared with a small smile. “Alright then, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“You too,” Akemi smiled. When her friend turned to leave, she headed down the opposite direction and began making her way to the teachers’ lounge on the third floor.

Upon ascending the flight of stairs, Akemi slowly walked down the hallway. Just minutes after dismissal, the floor was still crowded with students, and it had taken her some time before she could arrive at the door. She walked into the reception area and looked around the lounge. There were still many teachers in the room.

She finally spotted the red-haired man by his desk at the far end of the room. He saw her looking at him as he momentarily placed the stack of papers to the side of his desk.

“What is it, Morisato-san?” he asked as he walked to her. “What did you want to talk about?”

“Listen, um, Sensei,” she uneasily said in a low voice as she looked around the crowded lounge. “I’m not quite sure if this is the best place to talk, but this is about Sayaka.”

Kusanagi creased his forehead. “What about her?”

Akemi had no choice but to move closer to him. The man brought his hands to his sides and lowered his head to offer his ear.

“I think she’s spreading rumors about us,” she whispered.

Kusanagi slowly stood up straighter and swept his careful, copper gaze across the room. Despite the bustle in the lounge, several teachers and students in the hallway outside were already looking at the both of them.

Kusanagi took a step back. “I understand. I’ll follow you to the car with Yamazaki-san. Let’s discuss this later.”

The two of them exchanged nods as Akemi turned on her heel without another word and left, ignoring the eyes of the other students on her as she clutched her backpack tighter to herself. Word sure travels fast.

xoxoxo

Her Russian History teacher was already in her car up front with Yamazaki when she stepped inside her ride home.

“What is troubling you, Ojousama?” The man said in front of her.

Akemi could hardly see his face as she uneasily settled her bag on her side. “Um, Sensei, see, I think—”

“No need to call me that when we are outside school premises, Ojousama,” He gently interrupted as the car went past the main school gates.

“Right,” she winced. “Um, Kusanagi-san, I think Sayaka’s spreading rumors about us. She confronted me this morning.”

“What did she say?”

“That, uh,” She uneasily scratched her head. “Since you were the one who got her busted, she thinks I’m doing favors for you or something...”

“Do you mean she thinks we are having an illicit relationship, Ojousama?”

“Er, yes,” She closed one eye.

There was silence in the car for several seconds.

“I believe speaking with her will only aggravate the situation,” Kusanagi delicately said. “Her accusation clearly has no merit and she can do no more than irritate you if you let her get to you, Ojousama.”

“So you’re saying we just leave her alone?” She stared at the back of his seat. “I’ve been getting looks and the other students have been talking behind my back. I can’t just ignore it.”

“Rumors are rumors, Ojousama,” The man said. “If you let them affect you, people will have more reason to believe it is true.”

Akemi sank to her seat with a miserable frown. Her teacher said no more for the rest of the ride.

xoxoxo

Lying on her stomach with her legs idly swinging on the bed, Akemi had only flipped to the next page of her textbook when the doors opened. She looked up to find Takeshi entering their chambers, tossing his car keys to the nearby glass table as he smiled at his wife.

“Tadaima,” he said, sitting on the edge of the bed to plant a light kiss on her lips. Her greeting was cut short to an incomprehensible murmur when he parted lips with hers.

“You’re studying?” he asked as he looked at the book on the silk sheets. “It’s already late.”

“Yeah well I have a quiz tomorrow,” she shrugged as she sat up and crossed her legs. He looked at her and saw the almost petulant frown on her lips.

He creased his forehead. “What’s wrong, darling?”

“Remember that girl Sayaka?” she heavily sighed. “She’s just gotten back from her suspension and now she’s spreading rumors about me to make things even.”

Takeshi idly raised an eyebrow. “What kinds of rumors?”

Akemi let out a small laugh. “She’s sharper than you think. She actually thinks Kusanagi-san and I are having a relationship just because he was the one who got her caught.”

A smile formed on his lips. “Thinks out of the box, I like that.”

“It’s crazy,” she half-laughed, half-sighed. “Now everyone’s talking behind my back. I told Kusanagi-san about it, but he told me I shouldn’t let the rumors get to me or it’ll get worse.”

Takeshi pursed his lips in thought. “He does have a point.”

“I know, but it’s just so hard to ignore,” she groaned. “I hate her!”

“Don’t give her the satisfaction of aggravating you,” he said. “Unless you’re guilty of her accusation?”

Akemi stared at him. The smile on his lips curved wider.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she laughed. “Are you accusing me of having an affair with my bodyguard-slash-teacher too??”

“You told me you found him cute,” he shrugged. His playful gaze fell on her lips. She fell silent under his heavy gaze and slowly began to move back to the headboard.

“I guess that is quite interesting,” she smiled as he began to crawl closer to her in return. “A classic teacher-student relationship, now why didn’t I think of that?”

“You forgot the bodyguard part,” he smirked as her head hit the pillows. “It’s almost tempting, isn’t it?”

“Almost,” she whispered as he brought his mouth upon hers for a long kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he settled above her, slowly trailing his lips down her neck.

“You haven’t been a very good girl,” he smiled, lifting her loose white shirt to kiss the creamy skin of her stomach. “Causing this kind of trouble for your poor bodyguard...”

She lightly gasped at the feel of his lips on her waist. She brushed her fingers through his hair, tousling it as his hands began tugging her shorts undone.

Only the sound of Akemi’s laughter filled their chambers that evening before Takeshi pressed his lips to hers and began their lovemaking.

to be continued