Chapter 18
Kotaro jumps at the knock on the front door. “Answer it,” his father calls from his work room. Kotaro puts his book down, climbs off of the couch and opens the door. Haruko and Naoyuki are waiting behind it.
“What the – ?!” Kotaro exclaims. “What are you two doing here?! Especially you!!” he cries, pointing at Naoyuki.
“Who is it?” Kotaro’s father calls.
“It’s a couple friends from school!” Kotaro yells back. “Haruko and Naoyuki! Can they come in?” Kotaro waves his friends in and closes the door behind them. “You’re letting all the heat out,” he says. “Man, it’s cold out there. Why are you guys wandering around in this?”
Footsteps sound from down the hallway, and Kotaro’s father comes stomping to the door. “Oh, it’s you again,” he says to Haruko, then examines Naoyuki, who squirms under his stare. “And this is?”
“Naoyuki Kondo,” Kotaro replies, “our classmate.”
“Kondo?” his father asks.
Kotaro nods, looking up at his father questioningly. “You’ve heard the name before?” His interest piqued, Naoyuki steps out from behind Haruko and gives Kotaro’s father an inquisitive look.
“Look,” Kotaro’s father says, “there are leftovers in the fridge if you all are hungry. I have work, but if you need me, I’m in the office.” With that, he walks back down the hall and disappears into one of the back rooms.
“Sorry,” Kotaro apologizes. “My dad’s a real workaholic – Oh, nobody cares where you leave your coats, so just put ‘em anywhere.” He leads Haruko and Naoyuki into his kitchen. “So, you guys hungry at all?” He takes the leftovers out of the refrigerator and pops the container in the microwave. “I was just thinking of having lunch anyway, so go ahead and have a seat.”
“Thanks, Kotaro,” Haruko says as she sits down at the table, and Naoyuki follows her lead. “I don’t think I’ve ever been in this part of the house before. It’s nice.”
“You’re usually here before dinner time, and I always have snacks in my room, so...” The microwave beeps, and Kotaro opens it and removes the food. He grabs a couple plates and some silverware and sets the table for his friends. “Here you go,” he says, putting out the food. He sits down across from them. “So seriously, what are you guys doing in this part of town by yourselves? I mean, I didn’t see a car or anything. Did you walk all the way here in that mess outside?”
“Yeah, actually,” Haruko replies, “we did.”
“Why? Are you guys nuts?” Kotaro spits.
“Naoyuki’s looking for his folks. I wanted to help him,” Haruko answers.
Kotaro cocks his eyebrow at her and glances at Naoyuki. “Looking for your folks, huh? So where’s your caretaker?”
Naoyuki shakes his head in reply.
“I can see she’s not here,” Kotaro says. “What’s with that?”
“I guess for some reason, she can’t go with him,” Haruko tells him.
Kotaro looks pensive for a moment. “The way my dad reacted to your surname, I think he might know something,” he says. “Maybe one of his clients is one of your parents.”
“Kotaro, what does your dad do?” Haruko inquires.
“Finance and stuff,” Kotaro replies. “Mostly for houses.” He looks back at Naoyuki and asks, “So you know where you’re going, right? Wandering around aimlessly is just gonna get you sick in this weather.”
Naoyuki pulls his photo with the address and map out of his jacket pocket and puts them on the table near Kotaro. Kotaro takes them and examines the photo first, giving a laugh. “You look just like your mom,” he says. “Actually, Haruko kind of resembles her too. That’s funny. Do you like girls who look like your mom?” he teases. Naoyuki cries out in embarrassment. “All right, all right, I’ll stop!”
He’s right, Haruko thinks, remembering when she first met Naoyuki. Maybe that’s why Naoyuki reacted the way he did when he first saw me.
“Hey, this looks pretty far,” Kotaro comments, looking at the map. “You’re actually gonna walk all this way? It’s nearly four cities away from here.” Why would his folks leave him behind and move to a house this far away? he wonders.
“He’s right, Naoyuki,” Haruko says. “Maybe we should take a bus or ask for a ride.”
“Yeah, my dad might take you,” Kotaro says. “It’d be better than you guys walking all that way in the cold and snow.”
“Really? Could you ask?” Haruko begs.
Kotaro shrugs. “Sure, why not.” He motions for his friends to follow and walks toward the rear of the house. He knocks on the door of his father’s office and steps inside. “Dad, can we ask you for a favor?”
Kotaro’s father turns away from his paperwork to face them. “What’s wrong?” he asks.
“Nothing’s wrong,” Kotaro replies. “It’s just, these two are looking for Naoyuki’s folks. Their house is a long way from here, so could you give them a ride?”
Kotaro’s father frowns. “I wouldn’t recommend that you go there,” he says, his eyes trained on Naoyuki.
“So you do know Naoyuki’s folks,” Kotaro surmises.
“Listen, kid,” Kotaro’s father tells Naoyuki, “you’re better off as you are. Just turn around and go home now. Trust me on this; you won’t like what you find if you do go to see the Kondo couple.”
Naoyuki isn’t sure whether to believe him or not. Only one thing is sure: something was terribly wrong if both this stranger and his own relatives were trying to keep him away from his parents. Why? What in the world is going on here? Naoyuki wonders.
“I can take you home once I’m done with my current paperwork,” Kotaro’s father tells him. “But I won’t take you to the Kondos’.
Why? Naoyuki grips his map in his hands. Why?! His uncle’s angry outbursts replay in his head. “Nobody wants an imbecile who can’t do anything on his own and who throws tantrums when he doesn’t get his way! Why else would they not return home after three whole years and buy a new house nearly four cities away? THEY DON’T WANT HIM ANYMORE!” The map crinkles and crumples in Naoyuki’s trembling hands. Naoyuki tries to fight back the tears clouding up his vision and the lump building up in his throat. Why? He bites back a whimper, whirls around and bolts from the office.
“Naoyuki?!” Haruko cries. “What’s wrong?!” she calls as she runs out after him.
“Dad,” Kotaro inquires, “what’s this about?”
His father sighs. “The Kondos never told me that they already had a son.”
“What do you mean... ‘already’?”
In the living room, Haruko finds Naoyuki on the couch, sobbing, with his face buried in a pillow. “Naoyuki, what’s the matter? Are you okay?” Haruko asks. “Don’t worry, we’ll find a way to get there. I mean – you still want to go find your mom and dad, right?”
Naoyuki’s sobbing dies down to a sniffle, and he nods. He sits up and faces Haruko. “I want to go,” he says softly, blushing a little. “I want..to talk to them myself.”
“To talk to them?” Haruko asks, blinking at him questioningly. “I thought you wanted to stay with them – or better yet, bring them back. Isn’t that what you want?”
“Uh-huh,” Naoyuki replies. “But...”
“But what?” Haruko asks. “They’re your mom and dad. I’m sure they want to be with you! There must be a reason for all this!”
Naoyuki nods. “I want to know..why.”
“Then we’ll find your parents,” Haruko says. “I promise.”
Footsteps come padding from the office. Haruko and Naoyuki turn to see Kotaro coming back into the living room, looking bewildered. “What’s wrong?” Haruko asks. “Did you get your dad to say ‘yes’?”
Kotaro shakes his head. “He won’t take you guys to Naoyuki’s folks’ house.” He looks sympathetically at Naoyuki. “And..it might actually be for your own good, Naoyuki.”
Naoyuki shakes his head vehemently. Kotaro sighs. “Well if you want it that way, I’m coming with you to keep you out of trouble,” he says.
“What?!” Haruko cries. “Are you sure?”
Kotaro shrugs. Dad probably won’t even leave his office tonight, let alone notice I’m gone, he thinks. “So you guys wanna get going, right?” He throws on a coat and grabs his friends’. “Let’s get this over with. Naoyuki, I understand how you really want to see your folks. But I’m gonna warn you one more time. You’re not gonna be happy with what you find.”
Naoyuki nods hesitantly. Fed and rested, he and his classmates head out.
