Fuwa put the cell phone down on the table and gracefully crossed his arms as he stood at the window with his back towards Ren.
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“He appears childlike and he is biddable and pure. He has never sulked or given any indication that he was upset since we kidnapped him.”
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“No, he hasn’t.”
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Kazutaka simply believed that he would be released when the time came and remained patient. He never suspected that anything was wrong. Kazutaka was very agreeable and made people feel relaxed and comfortable.
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“There have been a few cases in the past when we got civilians involved, but we released them in the matter of an hour or so. Those people were never as calm and cheerful as Kazutaka-san. They normally got mad or cursed at us. They threatened to take matters to court. That’s why we never showed ourselves or took their blindfolds off.”
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“That’s right.”
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“But this guy was calm. The minute he was brought into the R.V., he let me talk. When I told him that we wouldn’t harm him, he immediately became submissive and quiet.”
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Ren had to agree with Yuri. Although Kazutaka had protested loudly when Ren tried to open his fly in the bathroom, it wasn’t Kazutaka’s fault. Ren had been too hasty and acted without warning.
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“I meet all kinds of people because of what I do, but I’ve never met anyone so obedient.”
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Fuwa’s regular job was as a hotel concierge. He was used to the unreasonable demands people made.
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“What are you trying to say, Yuri?”
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“I think you and Kazutaka-san could become friends.”
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“You think so?”
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Ren didn’t argue because Fuwa was almost always right. “Since the Teardrop of the Nile was a replica, the deal’s off this time, right? What is Bud planning to do now?”
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“He would like to give it another shot.” Fuwa turned around and inclined his head slightly, smiling weakly. “That’s what Bud said when I called him. I told him to find someone else for the next job. That's when Bud got really mad.”
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“Why?”
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“He said, ‘I thought we understood each other. I thought you were taking part because it was for a good cause. Why can’t you stay with me until the end?’ That was his argument. I understand our cause and all, but I have my own plans, too. So, I told him that we should end it.”
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“End it? What do you mean, Yuri?”
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“What else can it mean? We're breaking up.”
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Fuwa approached Ren with a gentle smile.
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“That’s that. I’ll see you later.”
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When Fuwa said “That’s that,” Ren didn’t quite know what Fuwa meant but nodded.
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Ren forgot about the sewing for a while after Fuwa left the room. Ren walked to the window where Fuwa had been standing and looked outside. Ren saw the sunset, the ocean and the sky, nothing else.
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What had Fuwa been thinking as he stared out the window? Fuwa had decided to break up with his boyfriend, all because Bud wouldn’t stop this crazy and risky business. Yet, Ren didn’t come out and say, “I’m right here for you.” He couldn't bring himself to say that.
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Yuri probably knows why, Ren guessed.
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Ren turned back to Kazutaka, who was still sleeping quietly on the bed. Ren started thinking about the possibility. Not the possibility of resuming a relationship with an ideal lover like Yuri Fuwa, but the possibility for starting a new relationship with Kazutaka Yui.
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It wouldn’t be the same as with Fuwa. We won’t be sharing a sweetly mellow relationship. But it could be enjoyable in its own right.
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Ren decided to strike up a conversation when Kazutaka woke up.
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Ren was not good at talking and couldn’t possibly lead the conversation. Kazutaka was a school teacher so surely he must be used to talking.
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I’d love to hear him yell, “That section will be on the exam!” one more time, Ren thought hopefully. He sat down on the edge of the bed and stroked Kazutaka’s head softly.
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Kazutaka’s hair was soft and silky, like a child’s hair. It felt nice and smooth to the touch.
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Ren completed his final task just as they were about to reach port. Ren tied the attaché case closed with a strong elastic belt. He added a handle so that it’d be easier for Kazutaka to carry around. Previously, the attaché case was kept connected to the carrier’s left hand only by the handcuffs, but the chain was rather short and there was no other handle. The carrier had to hold the case to his chest, supporting the top with his left hand and the bottom with his right. It was very inconvenient.
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There was, however, a reason for this design. It was designed with the premise that the courier might be attacked by a gunman. The courier was forced to hold the case over his chest so that it would protect him from bullets. In other words, the case was for carrying goods of extreme importance and value. If it had been made in Japan, the design would have been different. The chain would have been at least 12 inches long and there would have been a handle for the handcuffed hand to hold.
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“Are you ready? We’re moving back to our R.V.”
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On Fuwa’s cue, the four of them started walking through the hallway.
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“Ren, can you drive?”
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“Yeah.”
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Ren got into the driver seat while the other three men climbed into the back. They waited for the ferry to reach the dock.
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At 1:30 pm. Wednesday, the ferry arrived at northern Kyushu. They drove off the ferry as directed by an attendant. Then they drove for about ten minutes to reach the hotel where they were to meet up with Bud West and Toshi. The six of them would then be divided into three pairs. Two pairs were going back home, and one pair was planning a three-day trip.
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But their plans were changed within five minutes of check-in at the hotel. Bud wasn’t there. Toshi explained the situation.
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“Yesterday afternoon, there was a post on the message board on the Internet jewelry site. It said that the Teardrop of the Nile was currently being transported somewhere in Japan. Bud suspected that there might be multiple theft rings looking for it. Bud also suspected that it was Shīno who wrote the post, because Shīno went out in casual attire shortly after the post was uploaded. He was headed for Hong Kong, so Bud flew out to Hong Kong on the first flight this morning. If Shīno has the real Teardrop of the Nile, Bud can figure out where it was sold. Once Bud uploads the news of this transaction over the Internet, everyone would know that the one inside Japan was merely a replica.”