CHAPTER II: Shadows
Kobe: December 25, 1968
No one was in the mood to celebrate at the Manpyo family dinner. Assortments of delicacies and other fine dining was laid out on the table, but few seemed to be enjoying the food. At the head of table, partly in shadow from the rays of light emanating from the dining room window, Daisuke Manpyo ate in stoic silence. Ginpei Manpyo, Daisuke's son, sat on the right side of the table. He had rummaged through his dinner, eaten half of it, and had begun refilling his wine glass. Daisuke's wife, Yasuko Manpyo, was seated to his left and occasionally took small bites from her plate out of sheer decorum. Her two daughters, Ichigo and Tsugiko, also sat on the left side of the table, and while Ichigo seemed to be following her mother's example, Tsugiko could not even bring herself to eat at all. Tsugiko would, however, occasionally glare in the direction of the woman who sat across from her mother.
Sitting at Daisuke's right hand was the woman named Aiko Takasu, who happened to be both Daisuke's assistant and his mistress. Dressed in a woven grey skirt suit and an ebony blouse beneath, Aiko's beautiful form was accentuated by her skilled tailors. She alone seemed unaffected by the plague of indigestion that affected Daisuke's family, deftly using Western utensils to raise bite-sized portions of food to her ruby lips. Lifting her eyes, she met Tsugiko's withering gaze and cleared her throat, announcing her intention to speak.
"I believe I have an important matter to settle, Daisuke," Aiko began after dabbing her mouth with a napkin, "regarding Tsukigo's wedding ceremony. There are details that need to be arranged, especially in respect to scheduling. Shall we settle for a summer wedding? Or maybe push it up to this spring?" With a wry smile, Aiko raised her glass in Tsugiko's direction.
Tsugiko's face hardened, and the meaning behind her glaring eyes carried over to her words.
"So that I can be unhappy like Makiko? Do you want me to miss holiday meals too?" Tusgiko glanced sideways at Ginpei, who didn't so much as flinch at the mention of his wife's name while he refilled his glass of wine. "How many more people will we drive away because of father's ambitions? This… is not what a family should be like!"
Aiko's smiled faded, and a hard light shone in her eyes. Yasuko opened her mouth as if to intercede, but seconds passed and she remained silent.
"Watch your tongue, Tsugiko!"
Aiko's authoritative tone succeeded in silencing Tsugiko. Throughout her speech, Tsugiko had been holding her silverware in her hands, but as silence once more blanketed the room, she remained frozen in place and ate nothing. Instead, she turned to look crestfallen at the empty seats where Sanae and Teppei used to sit. Pain was etched on her face as she gingerly bit her lip.
"Tsugiko-san," Aiko said after a slight pause, "part of your father's ambitions is to consider your wellbeing. Don't you see that Teppei-san was impeding your future with his foolish ideals? It would have been a disgrace for you marry a common worker in a steel factory. As Kazuya-san's wife, you will forge a connection with the prime minister of this nation and have even more prestige than any other woman at this table. You will also be helping the Manpyo family instead of indulging in your selfish desires."
The sound of clattering silverware interrupted the conversation. Aiko looked up, finding that Tsugiko had leapt to her feet.
"The only reason I agreed to that marriage was because I wanted to help Teppei keep his company. Now that Hanshin Steel has been taken away from him and sold off, I see no reason why I should continue this pretense of an engagement. Why should I care about prestige if I am unhappy? Marriage should be for love. If Teppei were-"
"Do not mention that name again," Daisuke declared, breaking his silence and glaring directly at Tsugiko with piercing eyes.
"But-"
"Tsugiko, be silent!"
This time it was Daisuke who rose with repressed fury from his seat, a warning flashing across his face.
"Do you- do you really hate Teppei that much?" Tsugiko quietly asked in disbelief, dismayed by the animosity she saw in her father's eyes. She received no answer in reply, but his meaning was quite clear. Ignoring his daughter, Daisuke took his seat again with the cold composure of a statue.
Tsugiko stood crestfallen as the rest of the room settled into a painful silence. Neither Ichigo nor Yasuko could bring themselves to speak up in Tsugiko's defense, despite her despairing looks in their direction. Tsugiko turned lastly to Ginpei, who had reached the bottom of his wine glass and was staring off somewhere into oblivion. A spark of resentment lingered in Tsugiko's face as she looked down on her brother, then she turned abruptly and fled from the room.
Yasuko put down her silverware and stopped eating, her pleasant and graceful face marred with a look of helpless, uncomfortable resignation for her daughter's predicament. Meanwhile, Ichigo looked at Aiko in disgust and Ginpei set down his empty goblet with a brusque thud.
"Aiko," Daisuke said, composing himself again, "let us talk no more of Tsugiko's marriage."
Aiko tossed her head and huffed in displeasure, but relented.
Just as the members of the Manpyo family were attempting to salvage the evening's dinner, the house maid entered the room.
"Excuse me for interrupting," she said nervously, "Sanae-sama is here."
Daisuke's eyebrows rose in shock and everyone at the table gave an expression of surprise.
"Sanae-san? What on earth is she doing disrupting us at this hour with no prior warning?" Aiko exclaimed, her brows arched in disapproval.
"Let her in." Daisuke said. Ichigo stole a glance at Aiko, who was trying to conceal her disapproval as she held her tongue to avoid contradicting Daisuke. Yasuko was the first to rise from her chair to greet her daughter-in-law, no doubt anxious for word about Teppei. Behind her, Ichigo and the rest of the family dispersed into the adjoining living room as Sanae arrived in the hallway's entrance.
"Sanae-san!" Yasuko said with genuine concern.
It was Ichigo who was the first to inquire directly for the reason for her trip.
"What could have brought you so far, Sanae-san? On a holiday too, no less!"
"I came to see if Teppei was in Kobe. I thought I would come by and ask in person."
"You could have called, Sanae-san." Aiko said disapprovingly.
"Yes," Sanae replied in a graceful, yet firm voice, "I could have called. But as I was in Kobe for other matters, I thought I would come in person and ask you all something important."
Yasuko and Ichigo both looked surprised, while the rest of the party watched Sanae curiously.
"Ask us what, Sanae-san?"
"I wanted to ask," Sanae began hesitantly, "whether Teppei has told any one of you where he has gone."
"Sanae-san," a look of fear passed over Yasuko's face, "do you not know where Teppei is?"
Sanae looked hesitantly at the faces staring at her before she shook her head.
"Do you think is the matter with Teppei?"
"I don't know if there is anything wrong with him, exactly. Only he has been very distant lately and when he called earlier… I don't think he planned to come back for Christmas."
Yasuko raised her hand to mouth in surprise.
"Not coming back for Christmas?" she repeated questioningly, echoing Sanae's concern.
"I wanted to ask if anyone here has seen or heard from him recently."
"I saw Teppei yesterday." Daisuke interjected unexpectedly.
Apparently, this was news to everyone else in the room as well.
"Teppei… met with you?" Sanae asked cautiously.
"Yes. He wanted to speak with me."
"If I may ask," Sanae continued, "how was Teppei when you last saw him?"
Daisuke said nothing. He seemed fixated on something on the floor. For a moment, Sanae wondered in disbelief if she was seeing tears forming in Daisuke's eyes. Then he said in a detached voice, "I did not notice anything wrong with Teppei. In fact, he told me he was planning to return to Tokyo later that day. It wouldn't surprise me if he is there right now, wondering why his wife is not at home."
With that, Daisuke rose from his chair and brushed past Sanae, who still remained in the doorway.
It was clear that Daisuke wanted no more of this conversation to continue, and the rest of the family said nothing.
"Do you need anything Sanae-san?"
"No, that's alright. I have lodging at the Kobe Central Hotel."
Teppei's mother reached out with both hands and she clasped them around Sanae's. As if finally finding the voice that had been stifled within her, Yasuko said earnestly, "When you find Teppe, please let me know… that he is safe!"
Almost as soon as she had finished speaking, Yasuko released Sanae and turned to hurry from the room, her hands pressed against her lips.
Ichigo had insisted that Sanae remain for a few minutes while she prepared some food for Sanae to take with her. Sanae was sitting outside on the terrace, overlooking the immaculate grassy hill, where she could see water from the koi pond gleaming. But her thoughts were turned to the revelation she had just received a few moments earlier.
Teppei had dared to see Daisuke face to face. Sanae closed her eyes and tried not to imagine the scene. The thought of the cruel hostility with which Daisuke must have received Teppei made her feel sick to her stomach. Daisuke had said that Teppei was returning to Tokyo, but why had Teppei not told her so himself? She did not to believe that Daisuke was capable of lying so maliciously about a family matter. Teppei had been his fierce rival in business and public affairs, but surely Daisuke was not so inhumane as to try and sabotage Teppei's personal life as Aiko had tried to do.
Before she could remonstrate further, she heard the door to the house opening behind her, and turned to see Ginpei sauntering in her direction with an ornamental sake glass in his hand.
"If you have a minute, Sanae-san, I have something to say." He said, his voice slightly affected as is customary of someone who had consumed too much alcohol. Sympathetic, but pained, Sanae acknowledged Ginpei politely as he approached.
"What is it, Ginpei?" Sanae asked.
"Yesterday, I also saw Teppei. It was more than just seeing him, really. We had a drink together." Ginpei's voice trailed off and a strange transformation took hold of his countenance. He addressed her in a sober manner and his tone lacked its usual cynicism.
"If Teppei is not with you, Sanae-san, then he will be at Tamba-Sasayama. There is no other place in the world that he would rather be."
"I knew that Teppei enjoyed hunting and the mountains," Sanae said, "but after the accident with Daisuke, he no longer speaks of Tamba-Sasayama."
"He may not speak of it, but there is almost nothing in the world that could mar his love of that place. Tanba in particular is his favorite. He used to go up there so often with-"
Ginpei stopped himself. Sanae realized he had almost mentioned Keisuke. The veil of jaded indifference fell over his eyes again. He sipped more sake.
"When you saw him, did Teppei seem fine? Was he bothered by something?" Sanae asked.
"He was good old Teppei. A bit tired, but aren't we all? He's probably just taking time to unwind after this pathetic mess." He said as if apathetic, starting to drink heavily again as he avoided looking in Sanae's direction. His lips were hard set as if trying to suppress some deep feeling from surfacing. But he couldn't help himself and began to speak again.
"It's strange, Sanae-san. As father's favorite, I thought that I was the fortunate one. But the truth is that I've always envied Teppei. What would it be like to dream like he does, to build up where others tear down? But in the end, how was that any better than living like a dog? All of his efforts ended in failure, and his dreams-", Ginpei paused, heaving a sigh, "his dreams were not just for him alone, but for all of us. Tsukigo, Ichigo, mother, myself – and even father. He thought he could save our family through Hanshin Steel's success. His wonderful, stupid dreams..." Ginpei paused, raising his glass to his mouth and tilting it back as he took another drink.
"Ah, what does it matter now?" He said, agitated again. "Fate was against us all from the very start."
"No," Sanae said, her hands turning white as she clutched her handbag, "We will come back from this. You must still believe we can."
"And you? Are you truly certain of that?"
Sanae could only lower her head in silence. Her optimism seemed more and more like foolishness with each passing day. Teppei had loved her for it - but did that make him a fool too?
Ginpei reached the bottom of his glass, and swallowed with a grimace.
"I thought so. No one has hope for this family anymore… not Teppei or his wife."
With that, Ginpei sidled around Sanae and began to walk away, his shoulders drooping and his feet kicking at stones in his path. Before he could get far, Sanae called out,
"Ginpei! If you believe that Teppei is at Mount Tanba, why didn't you tell Daisuke?"
"It would make no difference. Father won't allow a search for him until after the deal for his merger is complete."
"But have you thought about looking for him yourself?"
"No. Why would I? Teppei will be fine. You know him, Sanae-san… he would never leave you and Tarou-chan."
Then why did he say goodbye? Sanae grasped the railing beneath her fingers, her lips setting in a hard line as she watched Ginpei walk drunkenly through the manicured trees and greenery. In the distance, the low-hanging golden sun signaled the end to yet another day. Soon it would be morning and Sanae would begin the work of locating Teppei's former acquaintances from the steel factory. She would go wherever she had to if it meant that Teppei would come home. Even there.
Tamba-Sasayama.
Yasuko, dressed in her traditional kimono, walked delicately down the long, dark hallway. Though she was entering the years of old age, she was still in good health. But as she made her way with her usual graceful composure, Yasuko stopped and reached out her hand to steady herself. Her fingers brushed a frame and nearly tore off the wall, where she leaned a good portion of her body weight in order to stay upright. A deep reservoir of feeling finally overwhelmed her, as she closed her eyes and began to weep.
Though she hadn't been able to show it, Yasuko was touched by Sanae's determination to find Teppei and had been greatly distressed to think that something could have happened to him. Terrible, repressed memories swirled in her mind together with an aching fear of what lied in store for her son and the rest of her children. Moreover, Yasuko knew what was waiting for her just a few doors down. One more night of degrading humiliation, sharing her husband's room with his mistress. Somehow, she had managed to meet this trial with an inhuman measure of grace and poise – but most of all, silence.
Straightening herself, she let her hand drop from the wall and pressed it into her chest. She took a breath and continued towards her room.
As she approached, she heard Aiko mention Teppei's name. She hesitated with her hand on the doorknob and then carefully, she pressed her ear closer to the crack between the double doors and listened.
"…If Teppei-san's absence were to become known, it might be problematic for the announcement of the merger. Considering his recent lawsuit against you, some may blow this situation out of proportion. They might even try to implicate you, Daisuke. We cannot risk any negative publicity at this time, much less a scandal of that magnitude. Add to that is the fact that Sanae-san is stirring up trouble by spreading the word about Teppei-san's disappearance. She is a becoming a liability just like her late father. The Ookawa family has been nothing but deadweight for the Manpyo family and now is your chance to sever your family from that deadweight once and for all. I will draw up the divorce papers myself."
Yasuko raised a hand to her lips as she gasped in astonishment, taken aback by even this new level of Aiko's ruthless cruelty. Daisuke spoke next.
"As I recall, you suggested this before and Teppei did not cooperate. He has insisted repeatedly that he would never divorce Sanae. It seems they are actually in love."
"I don't intend to convince Teppei. That would be a futile undertaking. But if Sanae-san is the one asking for the divorce, then Teppei will not be able to say no."
"And how do you plan to accomplish that?" Daisuke's tone was slightly skeptical.
"I have warned her before, but it's time that Sanae-san understands the reality of her situation. She will have to decide whether the Ookawa family's status is more precious than her marriage with Teppei."
"And if she chooses Teppei?"
"Then life will become very difficult for Sanae-san and her relatives."
Yasuko could listen to no more. Not endowed with the kind of artfulness that could conceal her horror at hearing such things, Yasuko fled from the door, the air rushing through the folds of her kimono. She did not look back, lest she see their faces staring disdainfully at her from the shadows of the room. Should she warn Sanae? To what purpose? Yasuko of all people knew that Aiko was not to be contradicted by anyone except Daisuke himself. All she could do was escape this humiliation for at least a moment before her life became misery again.
"She heard us." Aiko observed to Daisuke, halfway between the bedroom door and the grand bed where Daisuke lay.
"She won't say anything," Daisuke said, his face stern and cold, "Being the daughter of an aristocrat does not come with many valuable traits these days, but if there is one thing Yasuko understands, it is the importance of discretion."
Aiko smiled, and returned to Daisuke's side.
"So, shall I bring up the matter with Sanae-san tomorrow? I know where she is staying."
Usually, Daisuke reveled in Aiko's bold and tactful schemes, but even though there was great enmity between him and Teppei, he felt a twinge of distaste at the coolness with which Aiko plotted to rob Teppei of his beloved family after losing everything else.
It doesn't matter to me what happens to Teppei, he reminded himself, he is not my son. He is someone who should never have been born.
"Alright. However, I do not wish this issue to be get out of hand. End it cleanly, Aiko."
"Of course, Daisuke… tomorrow it shall be done."