slowly, being careful to stay out of sight, they reached a lovely area in one of the suburbs of Kyoto, a residential community reserved for the rich and famous. Every mansion they passed was more extravagant, surrounded by high walls and heavy iron doors.
“Those rich really know how to live,” John repeated to himself. He couldn’t help but wonder what lay beyond those walls and thick gates.
After passing a few homes, Yuuka’s car parked in front of one. She exited her car and went inside the beautiful house.
Now that he had some idea of where he might find Hitari, John asked Takishi to head back to the hotel. As he passed by the wealthy homes, looking at the high walls, he hoped again that Yuuka would be sure to give her father the information he’d told her . If she doesn’t, he reasoned, I’m going to have to find a way to climb those walls and get in there myself, trespassing or not. He was ready to risk everything for a chance to meet Yaturo, but deep inside his mind, he really felt Yuuka was an honest person who would do what she promised. It’s only a matter of time, and I’ll meet Yaturo face to face, he thought with all the enthusiasm of a child on Christmas Eve.
Chapter 3
Just when John was slowly waking up, he heard a few knocks on his door. A quick look at his watch revealed that it was seven fifteen a.m. When he checked in, he had asked the front office that he not be disturbed before eight a.m., and they had obeyed his wishes, so there was something amiss about the strange early-morning visitor. He quickly put on his robe and opened the door. To his astonishment, there was Yaturo, the man he had traveled from both sides of the world to find.
He seemed older than his latest photos on the Web. His face had more wrinkles, and his hair was much thinner. In fact, he looked older than his actual years. He was wearing a long black coat over his dark gray suit and a faint red tie. His cologne was so strong that it awoke all of John’s senses; it was even more effective than a strong cup of coffee. That, coupled with the intensity of the moment, of meeting the man he’d been searching for, was too much for John to bear. His heart was beating so rapidly that he had to place his hand on it to calm it down.
With a slight smile and in a low voice, Yaturo simply said, “John, I would like to come in, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course, Mr. Hitari,” John replied in a trembling voice.
“Please call me Yaturo. I know you would prefer to address me that way,” replied Hitari as he took his coat off and sat down on the small seat next to the mirror.
John sat on the bed gazing at his unexpected guest for a moment. After offering him some tea, John asked Yaturo to give him ten minutes to take a quick shower and put on something decent. Truth be told, John needed a few minutes to regain his composure; it was as if he had been in a boxing match and had taken one punch after another. He couldn’t seem to see clearly, and he was wobbly on his feet.
Feeling more relaxed after a hot shower, John put on his suit and lit on a cigarette. He stood near the window and was about to speak to his visitor, but Yaturo started the conversation by asking several questions about what he had found, where he had found it, and what he needed to know. John played the copy of the DVD he had brought. He took some notice of the happiness on Yaturo’s face at the sight of it, and then he went into the details about what had led him to the cliff in the first place. He explained what he had found and how difficult it was for him to understand what he had seen. He also told Yaturo about his trips to Mexico and Dorking and his meetings with Jim and Lisa. “It was rather difficult for me to find you,” John said, “until I made my way here, to Kyoto.”
Yaturo listened carefully. He seemed impressed with John’s tale, and he felt some remorse about all of John’s troubles over the
“Those rich really know how to live,” John repeated to himself. He couldn’t help but wonder what lay beyond those walls and thick gates.
After passing a few homes, Yuuka’s car parked in front of one. She exited her car and went inside the beautiful house.
Now that he had some idea of where he might find Hitari, John asked Takishi to head back to the hotel. As he passed by the wealthy homes, looking at the high walls, he hoped again that Yuuka would be sure to give her father the information he’d told her . If she doesn’t, he reasoned, I’m going to have to find a way to climb those walls and get in there myself, trespassing or not. He was ready to risk everything for a chance to meet Yaturo, but deep inside his mind, he really felt Yuuka was an honest person who would do what she promised. It’s only a matter of time, and I’ll meet Yaturo face to face, he thought with all the enthusiasm of a child on Christmas Eve.
Chapter 3
Just when John was slowly waking up, he heard a few knocks on his door. A quick look at his watch revealed that it was seven fifteen a.m. When he checked in, he had asked the front office that he not be disturbed before eight a.m., and they had obeyed his wishes, so there was something amiss about the strange early-morning visitor. He quickly put on his robe and opened the door. To his astonishment, there was Yaturo, the man he had traveled from both sides of the world to find.
He seemed older than his latest photos on the Web. His face had more wrinkles, and his hair was much thinner. In fact, he looked older than his actual years. He was wearing a long black coat over his dark gray suit and a faint red tie. His cologne was so strong that it awoke all of John’s senses; it was even more effective than a strong cup of coffee. That, coupled with the intensity of the moment, of meeting the man he’d been searching for, was too much for John to bear. His heart was beating so rapidly that he had to place his hand on it to calm it down.
With a slight smile and in a low voice, Yaturo simply said, “John, I would like to come in, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course, Mr. Hitari,” John replied in a trembling voice.
“Please call me Yaturo. I know you would prefer to address me that way,” replied Hitari as he took his coat off and sat down on the small seat next to the mirror.
John sat on the bed gazing at his unexpected guest for a moment. After offering him some tea, John asked Yaturo to give him ten minutes to take a quick shower and put on something decent. Truth be told, John needed a few minutes to regain his composure; it was as if he had been in a boxing match and had taken one punch after another. He couldn’t seem to see clearly, and he was wobbly on his feet.
Feeling more relaxed after a hot shower, John put on his suit and lit on a cigarette. He stood near the window and was about to speak to his visitor, but Yaturo started the conversation by asking several questions about what he had found, where he had found it, and what he needed to know. John played the copy of the DVD he had brought. He took some notice of the happiness on Yaturo’s face at the sight of it, and then he went into the details about what had led him to the cliff in the first place. He explained what he had found and how difficult it was for him to understand what he had seen. He also told Yaturo about his trips to Mexico and Dorking and his meetings with Jim and Lisa. “It was rather difficult for me to find you,” John said, “until I made my way here, to Kyoto.”
Yaturo listened carefully. He seemed impressed with John’s tale, and he felt some remorse about all of John’s troubles over the
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