"Sorry about yesterday. Getting drunk like that and not being able to play the organ."
The morning light was streaming into the small kitchen. Song wore his usual serene smile. He handed Kuji a mug of coffee.
"That's all right. But promise you'll play at their wedding instead?"
Kuji nodded and sipped his black coffee. He stole a sidelong glance at Song. The man was quietly drinking his own coffee as he read the newspaper.
"Hey, I'm going to go check out that guy's place. Asylum Net." He at least wanted to make up for the previous evening somehow.
Song put the paper down on the table and looked at him gravely.
"I don't want you to take a risk that you can't handle."
Kuji tilted his head in perplexity. The man almost sounded like Nango. Did Song know that he was an S?
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"It's true that we're concerned about that organization. But we don't necessarily want to take risks to pry into it. You don't like interacting with people much in the first place, do you, Masatake? There's also the fact that their facilities are in the entertainment district. I think you'd be in trouble if you ran into your old friends."
Kuji finally understood what Song was trying to get at.
"That's fine. I've told them I'm a NEET. It's true - I don't do anything other than play the organ. Besides, I'm pretty interested in that place. Not to mention I get to use the Internet as much as I want for free."
"If you say so," said Song as he studied Kuji. Kuji sensed something in his gaze that was searching, and turned his face aside. He slurped his coffee loudly.
Kuji put his cell phone in the pocket of his jumper and went outside.
Nango had told him to report not only about people that Song met with directly, but also people in which he showed interest. He could have contacted Nango before he set off, but he found it too much of a hassle. Nango would often call him first when they met at scheduled intervals. Kuji decided to wait for his call.
He had heard that Morimoto owned a few shelters, but mainly stayed at the one in Okubo and used it as his headquarters. Kuji decided to take the Oedo subway line to Shinjuku.
Kuji traced the address to headquarters, which turned out to be an old building close to the station. The surrounding multiple-tenant buildings were occupied by massage parlors, Internet cafes, and arcades. It was a place where the young might congregate.
Morimoto welcomed Kuji enthusiastically and spoke eloquently about his activities.
Here in the urban center, where redevelopment was underway, offices were beginning to occupy more area. Many tenants were leaving older buildings because they didn't have adequate facilities. Owners, however, did not have the financial means to rebuild the buildings on their own. Nor could they hope to sell the building while its value remained low. That was why they waited for others to swoop in with a proposal for large-scale redevelopment, and rented the buildings out at discount rates for the limited period of time until the redevelopment was to begin.
"There are a lot of buildings like that. And a lot of them are in front of the station, too. That's because locations near the station have potential for redevelopment."
"Uh-huh," Kuji responded unenthusiastically. Morimoto laughed.
"I guess you wouldn't really care about this stuff," he said.
At the shelter, such office spaces had been furnished with bunk beds and coin-operated lockers. There were convenience stores nearby which provided easy access to meals and everyday necessities.
Although it was hardly comparable to a stay at a hotel or traditional Japanese inn, this environment was sufficient enough for Internet cafe refugees. The only necessities they required were a simple shower and a computer.
Several computers were set up on a counter, in a manner similar to an Internet cafe.
"It's a cable connection, so people can use as much as they want. You can use it, too," Morimoto said to him. "Feel free to look for employment on the Internet."
Kuji was then shown to the basement boiler room, which had previously been used to store the steam boilers to heat the building. In the room there were several large laundry machines which were commonly seen in American housing complexes.
"These are for people who can't afford to put their clothes out for dry cleaning. If you ever feel like doing something," Morimoto offered, "would you be able to come in for about two hours each day to run the machines? The residents all put their laundry in a bag and bring them here. We charge a set fee per bag. All you have to do is put that laundry in the machine and run it through the wash cycle. After that, just throw it in the dryer."
Kuji almost burst out laughing. It was exactly what he used to do in jail.
"I won't be able to come in every day, but sure."
"That's great. It'll be a great help," said Morimoto with a genuine-looking smile. Kuji wondered with apprehension what Song could be worried about.
"I went," Kuji told Song during dinner. Song had stewed the leftover meat from the previous night with kimchi. He ladled the juices generously over the meat and rice in the bowl and handed it to Kuji.
"Isn't there anything you want to hear about it?" Kuji asked.
"Eat first. You must be hungry."
Kuji spooned the food into his mouth as he threw glances over at Song, who was sitting across from him.
"I searched up Emmaus on the computer at Morimoto's place."
"Why?"
"You're part of it, right?"
"No. I'm not affiliated with them," Song said, "but I agree with the spirit of what they do."
"And that Pierre guy you were talking about - he slept with women, right?"
"Yes, he's openly admitted that. Being open is very much something he would do. It's an honest and fearless way of living."
"If you look up to him so much, then it should be okay for you to sleep with women, too."