7: Yoha (Aftermath)
Shion gazed in terror at the room before her. This was unmistakably a torture chamber. A plethora of sharp tools hung on the walls—including things that looked like scythes, cleavers, meat-beaters, knives, and saw-edged blades—and several cruel multi-tongued whips were slung over a rack. In one corner there were tools for working with a fireplace—tongs, prods, sharp sticks. In another corner was a low shelf, and on it were nails, hammers, and an assortment of needles. Chains hung here and there from the roof. Near the center of the room was a rough wooden structure like a table with two branches near the top, as if for arms, and two at the bottom, as if for legs. Each branch, as well as the place where a person's neck would be, was equipped with metal restraints.
If all of this was not alarming enough, there was something even more disturbing about this secret torture chamber. Against the right hand wall was a raised dais with seats—a place for people to sit on floor pillows and observe. Four of those seats were occupied by Sonozaki Ouryo, her daughter Akane, son-in-law Ando, and old man Kimiyoshi. The latter two appeared somber and ominous in mien. However, compared to Ouryo, they looked almost angelic. The heinous old woman, head of the Sonozaki house, looked like a mad dog ready to bite. She may as well have had pointed teeth for all she looked like a beast.
"Whore!" Oryou shouted at Shion just as Mion shut the door closed behind her. "Idiot! What have you done? I wondered what brought you back, but how could it be the accursed traitor brat of the Houjou family?!"
As the old woman spoke, Tatsuyoshi and his agents took their seats on the observation platform. Mion remained standing next to Ouryo, her arms crossed, her bearing cold.
Again Shion's impulsiveness manifested. No matter how scared she was, she decided, she would take this chance to stand up to her evil grandmother. So she said, "Whatever the parents did, it has nothing to do with Satoshi-kun."
"Shut up!" yelled Oryou in her cracked voice. "Everyone in the Houjou family has the same blood of the traitor!"
"Oni-baba," Shion spat. (It meant "demon hag.") "What the hell are you talking about?"
"Watch your mouth," the old woman warned, standing up from her pillow, "or—"
"Shut up!" It was Shion's turn to return the harsh phrase to her grandmother. "What do you know about Satoshi-kun? You treat him like a pest and you don't even know him! Are you really that displeased that a Sonozaki is together with a Houjou?" She moved closer to her grandmother, fists clenched, green eyes flaming. "If so, that's idiotic! What the hell era do you think we're living in?! It's absurd!" She stomped her feet, letting all her anger out. "Ridiculous!"
"I know he's a coward who would break the rule of living out his days in the village," Oryou said, eyes narrowed dangerously. It was an ancient rule to never let outsiders into the village, or let insiders out of the village.
The old woman knew that Satoshi had tried to run away once before. "I see," Shion realized. "Mion must have told you. Perhaps she doesn't approve of me liking Satoshi-kun. Just as Oni-baba suspects, he is a bit of a dangerous boy. But I don't care." Here Shion gave a hearty laugh. It was forced and sounded out of place. But she had to do it to keep up her bravado, and to set the stage for what she would do next.
"Honestly," the girl began, smiling, one hand on her hip in a relaxed manner, "the fact that he's a Houjou and I'm a Sonozaki doesn't interest me at all. The fact that you think our making love was dishonorable? I don't care about that either. I have no interest in how the Sonozaki Group is viewed by the public eye. Yes, I'll admit it!" She looked her grandmother right in the eye. "I love Houjou Satoshi! I love him! Is that such an evil thing? Do people need a reason to love each other?"
The people sitting on the dais shook their heads or looked otherwise disappointed, and Mion coughed politely to get Shion's attention. "That's enough, Shion." She walked up to her sister till they were so close their faces almost touched. "I can see you're incredibly determined. But with what you've said, nobody can cover for you anymore. Not even me. Now, you must take responsibility. You must distinguish yourself."
Since she knew just enough about yakuza to recognize that "responsibility" and "distinguish" really meant punishment, Shion felt her fear returning. Plus, Mion was no longer on her side. "Why?" the younger sister asked, trying to keep the tremor out of her voice. "Why should I take 'responsibility'?"
"Because this is reality." Mion's tone was merciless. "This is Hinamizawa, and you are a Sonozaki. You are one of the members of the Three Great Families, and the shadow leaders of Hinamizawa. You're the twin sister of the next family head, Sonozaki Mion."
"That again?" Shion shook her head and gave her sister a derisive smile to cover her fear. "We've disagreed about this for some time now. I noticed in your letters how you changed. But I haven't. Hinamizawa? The Sonozaki Group? So what?! I don't care about those things."
In a commanding tone, Mion ordered, "Listen! Do you know what your sins are? I'll tell you. Running away from St. Lucia's Academy. Deceiving the main family while living in Okinomiya. Seeking employment with your traitorous uncle Yoshiro. Shaming the name of your sister with acts of violence at school. Staining the honor of the Sonozaki House by taking up with a Houjou. Spitting in all our faces and dishonoring your own body by sexual intercourse with that Houjou. And finally, showing such brazen disrespect today to your grandmother. Your seven sins are yours alone, in the end, but you had help in committing them. Think of who has helped you."
At once, Shion thought of Kasai. He had betrayed the main family by helping her. Uncle Yoshiro tried not to become involved, but Shion continually visited his establishment to petition for his help regardless. And of course, Satoshi had "helped" in committing her "sins." Cold sweat broke out on Shion's brow.
"Tatsuyoshi Kasai and Uncle Yoshiro are confined in the room next room." Mion indicated the door which apparently must lead to some kind of underground prison. "Shion, apologize to grandma, and agree to take responsibility. If you do so, this talk ends with you. If you deny responsibility, you will never see Kasai or our troublesome uncle again."
"But—but Mion!" exclaimed her sister in a sudden panic. "Did I say something that was really that bad? Do you really think my actions are evil? Besides—besides—you helped me, too, Onee! Why are you not being threatened?"
"I have already agreed to take responsibility in my own way." Mion took a few steps closer to the double doors behind which Kasai and Yoshiro were restrained. "My own act of distinction is not your concern." For a just a second, Mion looked at her sister and seemed like her old self; there was a warning in her eyes. "Grandmother may decide to punish Satoshi-kun as well, at this rate."
Those words broke Shion. "Wait, Onee!" she cried, running to her sister and taking her arm.
Mion shoved her away. "What is it, Shion?"
Their eyes met, and Shion's were full of tears. "Go-gomenasai," she sobbed. Then she fell to her knees and bowed her head to the ground, clinging to the ends of the hakama Mion wore. "I was wrong! I was mistaken. Please forgive me, master!"
The thought of her grandmother hurting Kasai and Satoshi was too much to bear. Shion gave in. On the platform, Oryou gave a half-satisfied grunt and returned to sitting down on her knees. Mion saw that, and spoke in a grim tone.
"Very well then, Shion. You will be forgiven if you take responsibility. How will you accomplish this?"
Shion had no idea. She was at a loss for words. She knew that this, too, was planned. The people here had already decided on her punishment. As the younger twin struggled to find something to say, Mion left her side, went to the shelf, and returned carrying in one hand a pair of steel wrist shackles with a chain attached. In her other hand was a fearsome whip. It was a "snake whip" of reinforced black nylon cord, about four feet long, and an inch and a half in diameter at the sturdy handle. The two-tailed lash was at least six inches in length. Shion could no longer hide her trembling.
"Come here." Mion guided her sister to the center of the room where a chain hung down from the roof. "You'll be shackled here." The older sister put Shion's hands in the cuffs, shut them tight, and joined the chain on the cuffs to the one from the ceiling, attaching them with a padlock. "Get down on your knees. Don't face the platform."
Whimpering softly, Shion obeyed. She tried to stop herself from crying. In a moment, she heard the clipping noise of scissors, and felt her shirt slipping off. Mion was cutting it off her body. She pulled the rest off, leaving only Shion's bra over her back, and stood up with whip at the ready. Though they were twins, the elder sister was about an inch taller and two or three pounds muscly pounds heavier; she was strong enough to deliver sound blows.
"For your seven sins," Mion said grimly, "you will accept seven lashes."
Honestly, Shion thought she was prepared. She swallowed the humiliation of being shirtless, thankful that her back was to the platform so the observers could not see her face well. This was the only way to save Satoshi. It would be painful, Shion knew, and she steeled herself. However, no amount of acceptance could prepare her for the pain of real lashes on her bare back. At the first crack of the whip, she screamed, feeling like her back was on fire. It seemed like time had frozen, or at least slowed down. Sobbing, Shion suffered through two more lashes without saying anything. She felt blood trickling down her back from the broken skin.
"Onee-chan!" she shouted after the third lash, unable to bear anymore. "Onee, you know, isn't this enough?" Her own voice sounded foreign, and incredibly shrill. "Onee, this really hurts. I mean it really, really hurts."
"Are you giving up?" asked Mion.
"N-no." Saving Kasai and Satoshi was more important.
The whip cracked again, and it felt like being struck with lightning. Shion tried to stop herself, but she broke down completely, wailing like a child. "I can't take any more! Stop!"
For a moment, the lashing did stop. Mion herself had come to tears. In truth, her grandmother had ordered her to deliver her sister's punishment, so that it would serve as punishment for both of them. Putting her own twin through such pain was unbearable. It was the worst penance possible.
Shion was unaware of what was happening because all she was aware of was the pain. But if she had been able to look behind her, she would have seen Mion throw down the whip in defeat, only to be pushed aside by her father Sonozaki Ando. He took the whip in hand and finished the job, over the screaming and crying of both his daughters.
By the time he was done, the seven lashes of the two-tongued weapon had left fourteen swollen red lines on Shion's back. Most of them broke the skin, causing numerous little rivulets of blood. There would be scars for years—perhaps for the girl's whole life. The pain was so intense that Shion passed out not long after the seventh and final crack of the whip.
Sonozaki Ando was the outsider who had married Akane and taken her surname; consequently, he was the father of the twins. He and Tatsuyoshi led the group of yakuza men that formed the more militant faction of the Sonozaki Group. That evening, he sat on his knees on a floor pillow with his wife next to him. In front of them, facing them, were Sonozaki Oryou and Kimiyoshi Kiichirou. They had been speaking for some time and finally arrived at a conclusion.
Akane sighed. "Surely there must be a way besides... vigilante justice." She was going to say "murder," but under Oryou's fierce gaze, she chose her words carefully.
"It's not the first time we've done something like this," Ando reminded her. "Killing him will not be a problem. I shall undertake the task myself. However, is this the will of young Rika-sama, voice of our guardian God?"
"Furude Rika does not need to be involved in our every decision," Oryou spat. "Sonozaki honor has nothing to do with the other families. Remember your older, greater duty. It is not to Furude, nor even to Oyashiro-sama, but to the current head of Sonozaki House. Your duty is to me. Houjou Satoshi shall die for staining the honor of a daughter of the Sonozaki house."
"And the body?" Ando asked.
Oryou's smile might actually have been more frightening than her previous grimace. "Why," she said, "that's what Onigafuchi swamp is for, of course. You can dump the corpse there during the festivities tomorrow night, when no one is around the bog to see."
Shion's father bowed. "Justice shall be served as you wish, my lady."
Hinamizawa had only bar, and it could hardly be called that. It was actually the village's only restaurant, and it was smaller and less frequented than most of the restaurants and cafés in Okinomiya (including Angel Morte). Villagers only came to the restaurant regularly at night after work. There they would relax and let loose with quality country-made sake.
Takano Miyo was surprised to see Dr. Irie there at the restaurant on the night after Watagashi. He rarely drank as a rule. However, today he was sipping on some expensive western whiskey, which already had him flushed and looking unwell. He was clearly stressed over something. Takano joined him where he sat on one of the high chairs up against the ordering counter.
"I'll have a shot of warmed sake, please," the lady said to the man behind the counter. Then she turned to face Irie. "It's rare to see you here, Sensei. Is something on your mind?"
Irie started at the sound of her voice, but quickly calmed down. "Takano-san, nice to see you," he said after taking a deep breath to steady himself. "Yes, something's on my mind, you could say. You heard that little Satoko's aunt died, right?"
"Indeed." Takano spoke casually and easily as ever, despite discussing death. "I wasn't working when they brought her body into the clinic yesterday, though. So I didn't see it. I heard the report of course. Death due to dehydration. Sudden and excessive loss of fluids in such a way seems to suggest poison."
"So you think so too." Irie pushed his glasses up from where they had slid down his prominent nose. "It can't be anything but poisoning. I did a simple toxicity test, but none of the big names, so to speak, showed up in her blood. If I had the right equipment, I might be able to identify the poison… but that's not what concerns me most." He looked seriously at Takano. "Who would poison her? That's what I want to know."
"I would," said Takano.
Irie almost dropped his glass. "I beg your pardon?"
"I said I would poison her. If, that is, she was abusing me. Or perhaps abusing my precious little sister. I mean to say that if you're looking for suspects, you needn't look far. It had to be one of the relatives living with her. You said yourself the abuse had gotten pretty bad, right?"
"But—that's—neither of them would—it's unthinkable that…" the young doctor trailed off, unable to collect his jumbled thoughts. He finished his whiskey in one long gulp, sighed, and tried again. "Between the two of us, Takano-san, poisoning is something that Satoko-chan might be capable of. I hate to admit it."
"I'm sure you do." Takano thanked the barkeep for her sake and took a dainty sip. "You're right, though. I remember the suspicious circumstances surrounding her parents' deadly fall. She's a dangerous little thing, that Satoko."
Shaking his head vehemently, Irie argued, "It can't be her. Not this time. Because if she were planning to kill Tamae, then Satoko would have showed signs of Hinamizawa Syndrome. But she's hardly showing symptoms at all now, thanks to the daily injections."
"Then perhaps it was her brother," suggested Takano nonchalantly. "Or perhaps it was someone else close to Satoko who couldn't stand to see her getting hurt. For instance, Rika-chama. I wonder if the Voice of Oyashiro has an alibi for that day." She downed the rest of the little cup's contents. "But it doesn't matter, does it sensei?"
"Of course it matters." Irie felt constantly annoyed at his female colleague.
"Does it matter enough to tell Detective Ooishi? He doesn't have any leads right now. If you don't suggest that Satoko or Rika did it, he will never suspect them. More likely, he will blame the brother, who conveniently disappeared. So, Irie-sensei, what will it be? Will you go to the police and cast suspicion on your precious Satoko and her little friend Furude?"
He hated her for being right. "No," he grunted. "I won't say a word. And neither should you."
Takano chuckled. "You have my word, sir. I would never do anything that could condemn my favorite test subjects in the eyes of the law. Satoko and Rika-chama are precious to me, too."
