Chapter 6
The suite was located on the first floor of a large condominium facing Waseda-dori, close to Okubo. The glass door was adorned with gold lettering that read Ostrocia Trading Company, the same name as the one on Kanesaki’s business card. Once inside, the suite looked like any other office. There were numerous office desks, a fax machine, and computers. A few workers were still in front of their computer monitors.
Kanesaki led the way as he walked toward the back of the office. Kisaragi followed silently behind him.
A part of the wooden panel was pressed open to reveal a spacious reception room for visitors. Kanesaki picked up a bottle of vodka from the sideboard, poured it straight into a glass, and came back toward Kisaragi.
“What were you doing at a place like that, doctor? It’s not a place for a big-shot physician like you, working at such a big hospital.”
Kisaragi took the proffered glass from him and smiled darkly. “It’s perfectly suitable for me.”
Kanesaki drained his glass in one draught and took off his suit jacket. He hooked a finger into the loop of his tie.
“You won’t mind doing it here?” he said.
Kisaragi looked around, thinking it was ten times better than the second floor of Guys.
“As long as you don’t moan so the neighbors hear,” he replied.
“Oh?” Kanesaki’s mouth twitched into a grin for the first time. “You’re a strange one.”
“I don’t know about that,” said Kisaragi as he stared back at the man with steely eyes. Kanesaki loosened the belt on his pants.
“You weren’t scared at all when you left that place. Neither are you now. Why is that?”
“Other things scare me more.”
“I can’t imagine,” Kanesaki said as he pushed Kisaragi by the shoulders. “Lie down here.”
Kisaragi shook his head. “Not until you put on a condom.”
“Scared of catching something?” said Kanesaki in a joking way, to which Kisaragi could not help but retort.
“No, I’m not. But I’m a doctor. If I become an HIV carrier, I’ll end up causing trouble for everyone else.”
“I see. Said like a true professional. I like that.” Kanesaki detached himself and reached for his jacket. He took out his cell phone.
“It’s me. Get me some condoms.”
Moments later, the driver came in with a bag from Matsumoto Kiyoshi drug store. He offered it ceremoniously to Kanesaki. Kanesaki opened the box, took out one condom and broke the seal.
“One for me, too, please.” Kisaragi held out his hand.
“Why?” asked Kanesaki, furrowing his brow. “There’s no way you’d be carrying anything. You don’t have to worry about me.”
“I don’t want to get my clothes dirty.”
Kanesaki looked surprised. “You were going to leave everything on but your pants?”
“That’s how I always do it.”
Kanesaki stopped mid-motion. “So that means I don’t need to take off my clothes, either?”
When Kisaragi nodded in assent, Kanesaki began buttoning up his shirt again. “That helps. I’d like to avoid the twenty-one questions if I could.”
Kisaragi remembered the scars on the back of the man’s hands. He figured the man would have a fair share of scars from fights and knife wounds and such, being someone with a yakuza background.
Kanesaki took one more condom out of the box and tossed it into Kisaragi’s lap.
“You’re a strange one,” he said again.
The man regarded Kisaragi steadily as he moved on top of him. Kisaragi felt like his eyes harbored some unfathomable darkness. He also felt like the man saw the same thing in his own eyes. Even during the moment of climax, the man’s eyes did not close. For a fleeting second, Kisaragi felt like he saw a barren field reflected in the man’s eyes. The moment Kisaragi realized that he, too, was seeing the same sight, he felt himself go over the edge.
Kanesaki moved off of him and removed his condom.
“Give me that.”
“What?” Kisaragi asked.
Kanesaki burst into loud laughter. “You are strange. I meant your condom. What else?”
“Oh.” Kisaragi propped himself up on the sofa. He peeled the condom off and handed it to Kanesaki, who tossed both condoms into the garbage. He tightened his belt as he headed back toward Kisaragi and peered into his face.
“I like what sex is like with you.”
“What do you mean?”
“How both of us do it purely to relieve ourselves and nothing else.”
The man had read his thoughts. Kisaragi averted his gaze.
“I don’t see what’s wrong with it,” Kanesaki continued. “It works for me.” He snatched the bottle of vodka and poured Kisaragi a liberal glass. “So, where have you been relieving yourself until now?”
Kisaragi took the glass and sipped a mouthful. The liquid left a burning sensation along with the bitter taste in his mouth.
“A club on Shinjuku Ni-Chome. With whomever I encountered that night.”
“Like in Looking for Mr. Goodbar.
“Yeah.”
Kanesaki drained his glass and poured himself another. “Then switch to me from now on.”
It wasn’t a bad idea, Kisaragi thought.