Cat's Cradle 1

‘I thought you weren't interested in that girl.’

The keychain spoke.

“And I also thought you're gone for good,” I retorted.

This cat had been pestering me lately, especially after we found it lying at the foot of the Ferris wheel when we got off that fateful night. Now that it's been like this, I'm starting to think it's a different entity and simply not a figment of my imagination.

‘Woah! Someone's irritable.’

“Because you aren't being helpful. I needed to rest up. Dreams still take energy from the body for your information.”

‘How is that my problem?’

That snide remark struck a nerve. This little bastard might turn from being a confidant to a punching bag real quick.

Before I could get fully angry however—

‘Aren't you glad there's still energy to take from you?’

“…”

‘Ho-ho~Gotcha! Anyway, I still wish you succeed on whatever it is you plan to do. Just always bear in mind the strings you tug. Fate is fickle. It's in your best interest not to create unnecessary hairballs.’

***

“Honey? You're not touching the food Senna made. She doesn't cook often although it tastes good,” Kiyoko said during lunch.

Usually it's just us two, so it truly was a special treat to see Senna at the shop and with handmade food to top it off. Even Kiyoko who always seemed to know and expect everything was pleasantly surprised.

Senna also seemed worried.

I stared at the omelet rice as I thought. No, I bet this was something she'd never answer clearly. After all, she didn't even bother informing the closest and the most concerned individual.

What might Kiyoko be hiding regarding Senna's mother?

I wolfed down the food and took the album. It's supposed to be delivered later but I couldn't possibly investigate with Lady Yuugure and Shinosuke having useless conversation during the night.

“What might possibly be your plan taking that?” Kiyoko used a low voice I've never heard before. She really doesn't miss a beat.

“What, don't trust me?” I nonchalantly dismissed the remark. “Or is there something here that mustn't be delivered at any other time?”

Her copper eyes implied I'm not completely off the hook, but with Senna present, she relented. “Just… be careful with that, okay?”

I nodded and head to the door. Shortly after, something tugged at my sleeve.

“Be careful,” Senna said, pinching my sleeve as if she never planned on letting go.

When I finally got out, I was met by another surprise. Madam Asako stood in front of the shop wearing a black houmongi and a matching parasol. Exchanging looks, I bowed and went our separate ways.

***

At the train, I couldn't help but open the album. I mean, it's not forbidden to sneak a peek. As expected, it's full of beautiful women. Perhaps taken during the 90's, every page was filled with a medium shot and a short description of what they're like. For some reason it looked like a high-class brothel catalogue.

I reached the Fujiwara estate bringing questions. If I'm lucky, he'd be able to grant me vital pieces of the mystery. Taking a deep breath, I pressed the intercom.

“The master is out,” a maid replied when I stated my business.

Damn! If not today, maybe some other time might work… but Kiyoko already had her suspicions and might not let me do this again. Think, Akito. What else could I do…

Should I ask for his contact details? No, given his standing, the servants would be wary of me even if I mentioned Musubi Antiques. Guess being both rich and a chick magnet made him double the enemies. If Yuugure cursing people was a real thing then this might be the closest case. That aside, the problem at hand remained.

The next person of interest was Madam Asako. Too bad she's currently at the shop. Going all the way there won't guarantee I'd meet her anyway. She could've left already and by then, wasted all that precious time. I shouldn't return this album empty-handed.

As I racked my brain for any possible ways to contact Shinosuke, the doors of the gate opened. Out came a familiar and surprising face.

“Akito!?”

“Fuyumi?!”

We exclaimed at the same time.

***

I was taken to the garden-side room as usual. Being around this place was nerve-racking even when it's with a friend.

“I remember Senna discussing something serious with dad here a lot,” she said, pouring for us the green tea a servant brought in. From her actions, she seemed unaccustomed to her standing. “I'm just so afraid to make contact because dad said associating myself with her would spell trouble.”

“I can understand that. If I'm being perfectly honest, I never saw myself doing everything I did for the past months.”

“What drives you then? Ah, I didn't mean to pry.”

“No, it's alright,” I glanced at the souzu outside. “It kinda… just happened. There's nothing to share. Maybe it's safe to say I did it simply because I still had time.”

Fuyumi didn't laugh. It's not like I'm trying to kid either. “Your reasoning might be the purest of them all. Seeking and doing things because of whatever reason was a lie. Perhaps the true reason wasn't due to our determination to achieve and overcome, it's simply because we still have time in our hands… we're still alive.”

Donk! The souzu filled in the silence for us.

“Damn, this has turned into a rather depressing talk,” I said, trying to salvage the mood. “On the bright side, I get to experience having great people in my life. Maybe that's my raison d'etre now. To treasure the relationships I've managed to make in my boring time in this world.”

Just then, the doors slid open. Shinosuke was here, but in a far worse condition. During the time we went to the carnival, Fuyumi's story was a simple cold. This doesn't look like one no matter how I saw it.

He's pale and way worse than the last time we visited. Perhaps because it's during nighttime, or I'm just bored to death with the routine conversation that I haven't noticed.

Fuyumi helped him settle down on a zabuton. Even in his weakened state, Fujiwara Shinosuke remained a man way beyond my league. His mere presence still instilled fear; a lion remained one regardless of its age and state.

“You're way too early,” Shinosuke said.

“I was about to lose hope actually, until I saw Fuyu—Miss Fujiwara at the gates.”

He's uninterested at my story and eyed the item wrapped in white cloth. I handed it to him and said, “You seem to know something about that album, or the Hoshii.”

He gently unwrapped the album and flipped it with his bony fingers. He didn't speak a word. He just looked at the pictures with the same expression—an expression I couldn't describe.

On the other hand, Fuyumi inched closer and took a peek herself. She seemed conflicted for a second, then took the album without warning and flipped a couple more pages.

Looking at me with a confused frown, she said, “Aren't these pictures strange to you?”

“Uh, no.”

Shinosuke was quiet.

Fuyumi raised the album with the pages facing me. “Look closely at this page.”

I did as I’m told. “Fuyumi, I don't get it.”

“Sigh, typical men. In your eyes there's only just the beautiful and ugly,” She put it down and pointed at two pictures. “These two are the same person.”

“Huh? For real?”

“I'm ugly, Akito. I watch a lot of makeup videos. If there's something you could trust me with, it's this one.”

“Fuyumi,” Shinosuke finally spoke. “Isn't it about time you be on your way?”

“But dad—”

“You're about to in the first place. I'll take care of the guest. He's got business with me anyway.”

“…Understood,” She rose and politely left the room.

When left alone, he heaved a sigh and ran a hand over the open page. “So, you too have been roped in by her.”

“Were these really pictures of the same person?”

“Is Yuugure always Yuugure, that's what you're asking me. Of course not,” Then, he said a name I've never heard of anywhere. “Yukina.”

“Yukina…”

For some reason, I couldn't shake off the feeling of familiarity I had with that name. A person who, like Senna, could become an entirely new person with a simple dress change, this Yukina was able to compile an album of herself indistinguishable from each other.

I pressed on. “Have you met with this person?”

“I picked the women myself,” That's his routine response.

He gazed outside. It's still bright and the koi made lots of ripples in the pond. “At first, I was fooled. After all, being given a bunch of pictures and telling me to sort it according to my preferences didn't hold any meaning. Never have I realized that's the prelude to misfortune.”