~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~19~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Yes, the good deed paid off!" Yamada cheered as he noticed me walking into his bar. It was empty of people, but crammed full of simple wooden tables and chairs. Antique barrels and pitchers sat on the ground. The walls were hidden by framed pictures and shelves full of empty liquor bottles, some dusty and old, some more recently placed. Yamada stood near the bar counter removing his jacket. "Sure is a hot one today," he muttered, grabbing a napkin from behind the bar. He swooped back his black hair and dabbed his forehead. After a quick pause, he clarified, "The weather, I mean. Though once we get you cleaned up I'm sure you'll give it some competition."

I walked further in towards the counter. "I won't be long. Could you direct me to where I might, um, clean up?"

"Sure thing. But first," Yamada reached out and brushed his hand through my hair, "Mind telling me your name now that you know mine?"

"Ah, right..." A name. Think of a name. "Rika." Not that name! "My name is Rika."

"Sure it is!" Yamada smiled. "And the sky is green."

"Um, it- it is my name." This man was so chipper. Why was he so chipper while calling my bluff?

He pat my head. "Don't worry. I don't care, Rika," he said, putting extra enunciation on the name. "You can keep your little secrets. I've always been a sucker for blondes."

"Er, thank... thank you," I looked back to the door, wondering if it would be safer to leave and find another way to get food and a bath.

"Sorry, sorry," Yamada chuckled, holding his hands up. "Follow me. I live up above. I'll show you where the bathroom is." After seeing me hesitate, he explained, "The bathroom has a lock! I'll stay down here. And the bar isn't open for another couple hours, so there's no chance of a random customer finding their way up there."

We made our way up a flight of stairs. Yamada opened the door to a small single bedroom flat. He directed me to the bathroom and after taking out some clean towels, left me alone with my bag. I locked the door and waited until I heard him walk away and close the door near the stairs.

"Hahhhhh," I groaned. I scooped some soap suds into my hands. I closed my eyes. I sank into the steaming water. It felt like years since I took a hot bath and now this was my third one today. I had to drain the first two to wash the earth off of my skin and hair. Yamada had, so far, kept his word. He hadn't so much as walked near the door.

I did enjoy how much he talked. The chatter helped distract me from my reality. I was on the run from four vampires. I had no money, no clothes, no family, no resources. I had no clue where I was and even if I did, I had nowhere to go. I couldn't go back to the church or my home. I was utterly alone now. I wondered if my mother had been in my same situation before Karlheinz had found her.

I dried off and redressed in the new blue dress and scarf. I avoided the bathroom mirror and stuffed my ruined dress into the shop bag.

I opened the door, half expecting Yamada to be standing nearby, but the flat was empty. On a small table in the kitchen there sat a tupperware container with a scrap of paper on top. I placed the bag on the floor near the trashcan and picked up the paper. 'For my mystery girl' it read. I grimaced. Yamada's insistent teasing reminded me too much of my stay with the brothers. I would have to leave as soon as I felt stronger.

I sat at the table. The tupperware had lukewarm ziti and a few florets of broccoli. He must have heated it up while I was in the bathroom, though I hadn't heard him come back through the door. Was he in the flat the whole time? A plastic fork sat next to the food. I hadn't realized how starving I was until the first bite. After that, the ziti was gone in a second. I was finally feeling alive again. Although I was still bruised and scratched and I had to take the bandages off of my arm for the bath, I was at least clean and full. All I needed now was sleep and then I could leave.

"On second thought, I should have chosen a less messy meal. I don't know how I'd forgive you if you got sauce on my new pretty dress." Yamada appeared behind me, startling me.

"Do you make it a habit of sneaking up on people?" I asked. And then before he could answer, "I'm so sorry!" I stood from my chair and bowed slightly, "Thank you very much for everything, Yamada."

Yamada's eyes widened. "The merchant was spot on." He lifted my chin with just a finger. "I'm feeling pretty swoony, Rika."

"U- um," I stuttered.

Yamada gave a warm smile. "I knew it'd be worth it the second I saw you. Hey, if you really want to thank me, can I have a kiss?"

"What?" I pulled away, "That's, um, not something I can so easily do... with a stranger."

"Right!" He grinned. "Then let's get to know each other better. There's no better way to do that than a drink! Or at least that's what I tell my customers when I need some extra dough."

"I've never had alcohol." The words came out before I could filter them. I was not used to lying. I was not good at lying.

"You'll love it!" Yamada cheered. He pointed to a couch on the other end of the room. "Have a seat."

I complied. The couch was soft. My body sank into it immediately. It was also warm. There were two fluffed pillows on each end and a knitted blanket hanging over the back. If Yamada wasn't chattering about alcohol I could have easily fallen asleep as soon as I sat down.

"Do you think you'd like beer?" He scratched his head. "Nah, probably not. Uhhh, something sweet. Something sweet." He rummaged through his fridge, then his cabinets. He plopped some ice in a glass. First he poured a clear liquor, then just a few drops of something, then a thick syrup into the glass.

"I call it Lady Luck! Named after the forces that brought me to 'ya," Yamada beamed, handing it to me. In his other hand was an open bottle of beer for himself. He sat on the other end of the couch. I was suddenly very aware that there was no other chair in the room.

I took a small sip. It was very sweet. I thought of cloyingly sweet tea that left a person numb. I shook the thought out of my head.

"Don't like it?" Yamada asked, leaning in.

After the initial sweetness it was a little sour and then there was a warmth in my chest and a small sting in the back of my throat. I took another sip. This time, the sting was stronger. "It's interesting," I answered.

"Interesting," Yamada repeated. "Hm, okay. Yeah. I'll take interesting as a compliment. Interesting can definitely be good." He took a sip of his beer. "For example, this cute girl who lies about her name is very very interesting."

I looked down at my glass as I wobbled it around, clinking the ice. "It's not my fault if you don't believe me," I mumbled.

He took another sip. "Well, Rika, you've got me there. But the problem is, I've got questions I wanna ask you. And if you won't even tell me your name," Yamada placed the beer down on the table in front of us and started fumbling with his shoes, "How am I supposed to get an honest answer to anything else?"

I thought for a second. I could not tell the truth to Yamada, but I did feel guilty. He hadn't done anything wrong. In fact, it wouldn't be far off to say he rescued me. I was safe for the time being because of him. I took a gulp of my drink. The burning started to feel nice. It stayed longer now, keeping my chest warm and my head felt just a little fuzzy. "I think sometimes mysteries are safer than the truth. Sometimes it's best not to have all the answers." I wasn't sure if I honestly believed that. But the truth hadn't helped me.

"Of course you'd say that, Rika. You're the one with all the mysteries," Yamada chuckled. He tugged one shoe off and tossed it to the side. "Me, on the other hand, I'm an open book." He tugged the other shoe off, tossing it to its companion. "Try it. Ask me something, Rika." Every time he said my name, it was traced with amusement.

"Um," I tried to think of a good question. "What, umm," I took another small sip. The glass was half empty. "What was your last 'good deed of the day'?" I asked, remembering his puzzling remark when he decided to buy the dress.

Yamada fidgeted with the corner of the sticker on his bottle. "That's a good one," he said. "Yeah. Let me think on that." We sat in silence for a moment. His nail scratched under the sticker. I took another small sip and could feel myself sinking further and further into the plush couch.

"Okay. Here's the truth," Yamada finally answered. "It's been a while. But a couple months ago, this girl was making some questionable decisions with a dangerous guy. And she came to me for advice. And I think I really helped her."

"Very vague," I critiqued.

Yamada laughed. "Yeah? I guess. Well. You know that huge castle up on the hill a good couple miles up north?"

I dropped my glass.

"Oh, shit! Are you alright?"

The cup thumped against the carpet and what was left of it spilled across the floor. Flashes of a broken teacup crossed my mind. Spilled tea mixed with blood.

A hand cupped my cheek. My eyes focused on Yamada. He leaned over the couch. His face was close to mine. I flinched. "I'm, I'm so sorry," I stuttered out of habit, "S- sorry. I'm, um, sorry."

"Just checking if you're alright, Rika," Yamada murmured. "I thought maybe I made the drink too strong." He leaned back. "Though you are pretty small. I guess you're more of a lightweight than I thought."

"A lightweight?" Everything happened very slowly while also happening very quickly. My head felt fuzzier. The warmth in my chest made its way down to my stomach. I could feel memories trying to bubble up. What had Yamada said earlier? Something about a hill.

"Hmm, yeah." Yamada stood and picked up the glass, bringing it to the sink. "Miss Rika doesn't know how to handle her liquor," he chuckled.

He came back with a different cup. "It's water," he clarified. "And you've been downgraded to plastic," he teased.

I took the cup. "I'm sorr-"

"No more of that," he snapped. He knelt in front of me and dabbed the carpet with paper towels. "Instead of sorry, just say thank you. That means more to a person." After cleaning the spill, Yamada looked up at me, beaming. "See? All good!"

I leaned forward and kissed him. "Thank you," I whispered. And I took a sip of the water.

Yamada's face flushed red. "Rika," he began. "That was pretty bold. Are you drunk? Not that I'm complaining."

Was I? I looked around the room. "What does drunk feel like, Yamada?" I placed my cup down.

"Feels real good. Almost as good as a kiss from Rika," he answered. He sat back down on the couch, but this time closer. He turned to face me with his one arm across the back of the couch. Yamada tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, letting his fingers linger against my ear. He leaned in as if he was about to kiss me, but then his eyes shifted behind me to focus on a clock on the wall.

Yamada leaned back and sighed. "I have to open the bar soon. Will Miss Rika keep me company?"

"Rika," I repeated. I had never said my mother's name before meeting Yamada. It felt comforting. Yamada too, felt comforting. But maybe it was the drink. "Miss Rika will keep Yamada company. As a thank you."

Yamada smiled, "I'll take as many thank you's as you're willing to give. One was definitely not enough." He stood and held out his hand. "C'mon, maybe I'll put you to work. I'll teach you how to work the soda gun." I took his hand.