The Aftermath

Kazuya woke up in the afternoon, yawning and sleepy. It was Saturday, so he didn’t have to work… or so he thought until he opened his phone and saw two messages. One was from Chief Akechi Shinemori of the Paranormal Department, and the other from his half-dog-yōkai colleague, Inuko Takeda.

Kazuya felt goosebumps down his spine. The messages from his boss and his junior partner, with whom he stormed the fox yakuza den yesterday, didn’t forebode well. He opened Chief Shinemori’s message. It was brief and on-point, as always:

“Come to the office at 3 pm, brat! We have to talk.”

Sweat streamed down Kazuya’s brow. Chief Shinemori called him “brat” only when a scolding was underway. He could almost hear the Chief’s stern tone through his message.

He knows what Miss Takeda and I did. He guessed.

He opened Inuko’s message next. It contained lots of worried and teary emojis, and its contents confirmed Kazuya’s suspicion.

“Did Chief Shinemori message you, too, Hattori Senpai?” The letter read. “I think he knows we raided the Kagenashi Clan. He told me to get to the office at 3 pm, and to expect a scolding! What if he fires us? – I only just got into the Police Force. I don’t want to lose my job! And if my mom hears what I did with Senpai yesterday, she’ll bite my ears out with her reprimands! She warned me not to be reckless. Ohh, Senpai, what should we do?”

Despite his guilt for dragging Inuko into this mess and causing her trouble, Kazuya couldn’t help laughing at her emotional message. It seemed like Inuko was more scared of her dog yōkai mother than Chief Shinemori.

I’d give anything to have my mom scold me like that again, Miss Takeda. Kazuya thought ruefully, smiling at the phone. And your mother must be nigh immortal, as a yōkai. You’re lucky.

He looked at the time. It was 12 pm. He had only three hours. He wrote to Chief Shinemori that he’d be there. To Inuko, he wrote that “they should meet their fate”, and that he’d “stand up for her and take the blame, confronting both Chief Shinemori and Mrs Takeda if necessary”, along with some laughing emojis. Then, he put the phone away and got up from the bed.

Kazuya donned his police suit and did his toilette. When he was ready, he went to the dining room for breakfast. He guessed that his grandmother, Rin Hattori, should already be up, and he was right. But another entity was in the room with Grandma Rin – their 70-year-old neighbour, Ms Matsuri Kegawa. She moved in five years ago and became good friends with Rin Hattori, often gossiping about the other neighbours and teaching her new knitting patterns. As a half-spider-yōkai, Ms Matsuri Kegawa was a professional weaver and knitter, crafting extraordinary artworks. Now, too, she sat with Rin at the table, having a cup of coffee and knitting with her claws while Rin used her pins.

“Good afternoon, Grandma, Ms Kegawa!” Kazuya waved his hand at his grandmother and bowed to Matsuri.

“Oh, you’re finally up, Kazu!” Rin smiled at him, her dark brown eyes shimmering behind her big, rectangular glasses. “Good afternoon! I didn’t wake you up since you arrived late last night. You must’ve worked hard!”

“Hmph, you’re too indulgent, Rin!” Ms Kegawa sniffed, but good-naturedly. She tilted her head to Kazuya, her black spider eyes glimmering maliciously despite herself. She inherited the eyes from her jorōgumo mother, and those yōkai were evil as a rule. “Good afternoon, Hattori! Your grandma and I are busy now, so if you want breakfast, you’ll have to help yourself.”

“Oh, don’t be so strict, Matsuri!” Rin laughed. She turned to Kazuya, “The pancakes are in the kitchen. I’ll brew you some tea_”

“Don’t bother, Grandma!” Kazuya chuckled. “Ms Kegawa’s right. You, ladies, need your fun time! I’ll manage myself.”

He went to the kitchen, leaving the old women to their knitting and gossip. He brewed some green tea and took some chocolate pancakes on his plate. Then, he returned to the dining room and sat beside his grandmother, Rin.

“You’re dressed in your work attire, Kazu?” Rin adjusted her glasses and observed her grandson closely. “Isn’t it Saturday? It should be your time off!”

“Yes, but Boss called me in for 3 pm, unexpectedly,” Kazuya replied with a timid smile, scratching the back of his head. Not too unexpected, but I can’t tell Grandma about my skirmish with the yakuza yesterday. She worries enough about me.

“Oh, no! It must be about that tragedy from yesterday.” Rin covered her mouth with her hand. “You heard about it too, Matsuri, didn’t you?” She turned to her friend. “The Takahatas from two blocks away perished in fire last night. The police said it was a yōkai attack, but the monster left no trace. Just like…” She halted, trying to steady her trembling hands. Her voice turned tearful. “Just like with my son back then.”

Kazuya raised his eyebrows in the inner corners. He watched his teary-eyed grandmother with a sunken heart. He placed his hand on her shoulder.

“I… I came across the crime scene when I drove here last night,” he said. “You’re not wrong, Grandma. I observed the fire, and it was just like back then. The perpetrator must be the same yōkai.”

Rin threw her knitting pins and yarn aside and covered her face, giving in to her sobs. Kazuya sighed and embraced her, tearing up, too.

“Oh, Rin, darling… I’m so sorry!” Matsuri’s black spider eyes turned dark blue – the display of Jorōgumo’s sorrow. Her shoulders slumped, and her claws stopped knitting. “I… I heard about last night’s incident. But to think it’s the same beast! Some yōkai are so wretched…” She clutched her hands angrily and tore apart the web she’d strung with her claws. “They should be strangled!”

“Kazu, please, don’t take that case!” Rin clutched Kazuya in her hug. “Your father perished in his enemies’ hands. I can’t lose you, too!”

“Don’t worry, Grandma!” Kazuya kissed her cheek. “Chief Shinemori has called me for a different reason. It doesn’t concern last night’s incident.” He sighed. Although I’d love to investigate it… But I can’t tell Grandma that.

“Thank goodness!” Rin sniffled and wiped away her tears with her handkerchief. “Be careful, Kazu! If… If it’s the foxes your father hunted, they’re dangerous.”

“Hmph, foxes!” Matsuri sniffed, wrinkling her nose. “I hate them the most after cats!” She retook her knitting to calm her nerves. “So sneaky and self-absorbed… Confound them!”

Kazuya shared Ms Kegawa’s disdain. He remembered the kitsune yakuza clan’s heir, Yukihiro Kagenashi, and his affair with his older sister, Kasane. After his skirmish with the foxes yesterday, Kazuya made up with Kasane, but still couldn’t condone her relationship with Yukihiro.

Kasane often said Ms Kegawa was creepy, even though she’s a sweet old lady. He looked at his neighbour, who had resumed comforting his grandmother, Rin. Meanwhile, Kasane dates that crime lord fox! – Her tastes are weird.

After some more harmless gossip between the old ladies, Kazuya finished his breakfast. He went to the door and began putting on his shoes, about to leave. Rin and Matsuri followed him to see him off.

“Don’t forget we’re having dinner with the Kagurayamas today, Kazu!” Rin reminded him.

“Yeah, I told Ken I’d be there at six o’clock,” Kazuya answered. “That aside… I’m kind of worried about leaving the two of you here alone!” He eyed her and Ms Kegawa. “Ever since that fire last night, so close to our houses…”

“Don’t fret, boy!” Matsuri snorted. She raised her hands, demonstrating her long, venomous claws. “If any yōkai messes with us, I’ll teach them a lesson!”

Kazuya laughed. He figured that he needn’t fear for his grandmother with a friend like Ms Kegawa by her side. He bid them goodbye and left the house. He went to the underground parking lot, sat in his grey Honda Civic and drove away to work.

On the road, Kazuya’s thoughts returned to Chief Shinemori’s summons about his skirmish with the yakuza foxes.

I wonder how Chief Shinemori discovered that Miss Takeda and I stormed the Kagenashi Clan’s den. He thought, frowning. I hope the Kagenashi Clan didn’t contact him! – Because that would mean trouble for Miss Takeda and me… and it’ll be my fault.