Alice-Miranda in Japan 9 (7 page)

 

Kiko listened at the top of the basement stairs. She had stayed in the laundry as long as she dared. At least the clothes were clean and, as far as she could tell in the poor light, not pink. She'd hung everything on the taut cables that spanned the room, hoping that was how the laundry was normally dried. She didn't mind having to do the jobs at all – in fact, she was quite enjoying doing something for others instead of studying from dawn to dusk. But she had to uncover a way out and ask for help to find the house she was seeking. She couldn't stay with Obaasan and her squirrels forever.

Kiko pulled her cap lower and went to tuck her hair back inside. She felt for her plait but of course it was no longer there. It was hidden inside her t-shirt. She had thought it would be more difficult – her hair had always been long – but in a couple of sharp chops it was done. She'd tidied it up as best she could and wondered what she looked like now. It was strange; she felt so much lighter.

The house was silent. Kiko tiptoed along the hallway to her room. Once inside, she found her backpack, opened the zip and stuffed the plait in. She wondered if she might be able to sell it. Surely there were wigmakers who would pay for good quality hair. Kiko pulled out her jacket. She dug her hand into the pocket and froze. Her fingers searched every corner – then the other pocket too. But nothing.

She up-ended the bag, wondering if it had fallen out when she'd put her jacket inside the previous evening. The diary fell to the floor and her plait tumbled on top of it but nothing else. She unzipped the front pouch. It was empty too. Kiko shook the futon, hoping desperately that her necklace had slipped out and fallen among the bedding.

‘Are you in there, boy?' Obaasan called from somewhere down the hall.

Kiko hurriedly fixed her bed and stuffed her jacket and hair inside the backpack. She placed the diary carefully down the side and zipped the bag up. Her heart beat even faster than when she'd been caught at the turnstile in the subway. She gasped for breath.

That boy – Taro – he must have been snooping in her room. He could have taken it, or his father, Tatsu. Kiko had felt the necklace in her pocket before she'd dozed off outside the door last night. It was right there and now it was gone. What if it had fallen out while she was sleeping on the doorstep? Kiko couldn't think.

She wanted to get out of the house. Her head was spinning. She ran to the hallway and looked towards the back door – but the padlocks were still in place.

‘Yoshi, you come here now,' Obaasan yelled.

Kiko turned and saw the old woman shuffling towards her. She felt as if she might throw up.

‘What are you staring at the door for? Never mind those locks. They are to keep the old people in. I can't have them wandering off. Are you hungry, boy?'

Kiko's stomach was in knots. Food was the last thing she felt like.

‘I called you for lunch but you were still doing the laundry. Did you do the ironing too?' Obaasan asked. ‘If that's the case, I will keep you forever.'

The clothes weren't even dry and Kiko hadn't the first clue about ironing.

‘Well, I have left you some noodles and chicken and rice,' Obaasan said. ‘You did a good job with the sorting. Better than fat boy. He is my grandson and the stupidest boy I have ever known. Maybe I will get rid of him and keep you instead.'

‘Does Taro do other jobs?' Kiko asked quietly. She was hoping he had some chores outside the house.

‘What did you say, boy? Speak up! My hearing is not as good since my last birthday. Eighty-two and suddenly you are on the downhill slide, though I am still a baby compared with that lot in there.' Obaasan pointed her thumb over her shoulder towards the sitting room.

‘I could go to the market for you,' Kiko said a little louder. Kiko had seen grocery bags in the kitchen the day before and wondered who was responsible for the shopping.

‘Mmm. Taro is always messing up my order. If you like, you can go to the market tomorrow. I have a very looooong list.'

‘Do you need me to go today?' Kiko asked. She was desperate to get outside and search the alley for her necklace.

Obaasan shook her head. ‘No.'

The old woman shuffled past Kiko into the bedroom.

She reached under the covers and pulled out Kiko's backpack.

‘I will look after this for you.'

Kiko's heart froze. ‘Why?' she whispered.

‘This is my insurance. I don't want you to take my shopping money and run off, boy.' Obaasan grinned. Flecks of noodles sat between her yellow teeth. ‘Whatever is in this bag must be important to you. I'm sure you would have run away last night if it hadn't been sitting under my foot. I will give it back once I am sure I can trust you.' The old woman unzipped the top and pulled out the change of clothes Kiko had brought with her. ‘But you can keep these. I don't want you to smell bad.' Obaasan held them out. She squinted through her glasses. ‘Mmm . . . maybe you are not so good at washing – have you turned your own underpants pink?'

Kiko quickly snatched the underpants and white t-shirt. She felt sick. Her necklace was already gone. There was no way she could lose her mother's diary too.

 

Hatsuko stared at the screen. A bald man beside her was fiddling with a piece of electronic equipment on the desk. Her two black-suited assistants stood watching too. A map of Tokyo appeared and within a few seconds the image zoomed in on a red blip. It was moving along a street in the area called Asakusa.

‘Aha!' Hatsuko exclaimed. ‘Am I not a genius?' The woman leaned closer to the screen. ‘But what is she doing there?'

Yuki and Yamato shrugged.

Hatsuko turned to the technician. ‘How quickly will the car be ready?'

‘It will take another day,' he replied, his eyes downcast.

‘Work faster. I need her to be in the safe house as soon as possible,' Hatsuko hissed.

‘I could take another car,' Yuki suggested. ‘And Yamato could guide me from here.'

Hatsuko thought for a moment then shook her head. ‘You cannot take her off the street in broad daylight. Anyway, I'm sure it is just a coincidence she is in that part of the city. She won't find what she's looking for.'

‘But isn't it dangerous for her to be outside? What if someone realises?' said Yamato.

‘Perhaps you should have thought of that before you lost her! She has run away, numbskull. She doesn't want to be found. She will be lying low and realising just how hard life can be. But I'm certain that the last thing she wants is to come back here,' Hatsuko said, arching an eyebrow.

The men nodded.

‘So, today you will track her every movement on this screen and make note of the places that she goes,' said Hatsuko. ‘And I don't need to remind you what will happen if you fail a second time.'

They gulped and chorused, ‘No.'

Hatsuko stood and stalked out of the room. She climbed the narrow stairwell to the ground floor and locked the small door behind her. A man's voice startled her. ‘Good morning, Hatsuko. What are you doing down here?'

Hatsuko swivelled around and bowed at Kenzo. Her mind raced. She'd never run into him here before. ‘Exercise,' she replied. ‘It is good to walk the long way around some days. And you?'

‘My intentions are far less noble. I've come to see if there is any
daifuku
for my morning tea.'

‘There is a telephone to the kitchen,' she said, ‘and plenty of eager young women to bring the cake to you.'

‘Of course, but if I at least have to walk here, I don't feel quite so guilty about my greedy belly.'

Hatsuko nodded curtly and bowed. ‘I must go.' She turned to walk away.

‘I think there will be good news today,' Kenzo said.

Hatsuko stopped in her tracks. ‘What good news?' A tingle of excitement surged through her body. She hoped it was the news she had been waiting for.

‘Please walk with me and I will explain.' Kenzo and Hatsuko headed down the long passageway. ‘Tomorrow the motion that will ensure the family's future will go before the parliament,' he said, glancing over at her.

A smile crept onto Hatsuko's face.

‘I see you are pleased.'

‘Oh yes, this is perfect,' she said, nodding. ‘It has been a long time coming.'

‘I am so glad that you approve.' Kenzo smiled.

‘This will change everything.'

‘It will be a blessing for us all,' said Kenzo. ‘Kiko should know that her position is secure, but perhaps don't mention anything to her just yet. Is she feeling better?'

Hatsuko flinched at the mention of the child. ‘No, she is still poorly. And I must go check on her.'

Kenzo bowed and Hatsuko hurried along, her heart fit to burst. Soon. She had waited so long and now it seemed that her patience would finally be rewarded.

 

After a delicious lunch, Hugh and the girls were set to meet Cecelia and Ambrosia in an area called Harajuku, which was famous for attracting young people who loved fashion and manga cartoons. Ambrosia had been interviewing several of the young fashionistas there and one of the designers had offered to take the children on a tour to see the young men and women dressed in their outrageous costumes. When Ambrosia had called earlier to say she couldn't make lunch, she'd arranged with Hugh to bring the girls over to meet her and Cecelia. The Meiji Shrine was also close by and Hugh thought they might have time to visit there too.

‘I think we'll pop back to the
ryokan
and you girls can drop off your shopping first,' Hugh said as the girls tripped along beside him. ‘Then I'll order a car.'

‘Really, Daddy? A car? That's not very adventurous,' said Alice-Miranda.

‘What do you suggest?' Jacinta asked her. ‘A flying saucer?'

Alice-Miranda smiled. ‘Ha ha. I was thinking that we should try the subway.'

‘Oh, I'm not sure about that,' said Hugh, flinching. ‘I've never used it before and none of us speak Japanese.'

‘It can't be that hard, Daddy. I've been on the subway in New York and the three of us have been on the Paris Metro, and it's a great way to get around,' Alice-Miranda said. ‘It helps you see the real city – and you said that's why we were staying in the
ryokan
and not a hotel.'

‘I'm up for it,' said Millie.

‘Me too,' Jacinta agreed.

‘Looks like I'm outvoted. But I'm going to get some directions from Aki first.' Hugh pushed open the door to the inn and the girls walked into the front foyer, where they quickly exchanged their shoes for slippers.

Aki was standing behind the reception desk.

‘Konnichiwa,'
she said, bowing.

‘Konnichiwa,'
the girls chorused back.

‘Why don't you run along upstairs and put your things away, girls. I'll see if Aki can help me with a map,' Hugh suggested.

The girls waved to the young woman and scurried away down the hall.

 

The train pulled into the station and Alice-Miranda's group alighted. Hugh consulted the map Aki had marked up for him and led the children towards one of the exits. He was looking for Takeshita Street, where they were to meet Cecelia and Ambrosia and their guide.

‘Isn't the station lovely?' Alice-Miranda turned and pointed at the gabled roof and the little turret on top. A large clock sat above the entrance.

‘It looks like something from Tudor times,' Millie said. ‘Mixed in with modern day.'

Groups of teenagers dressed like life-sized dolls and superheroes stood in groups talking and posing for photographs around the station entrance. Alice-Miranda stopped to say hello to two girls in rainbow dresses with matching pink hair and sparkling eye make-up. Millie asked if she could take a photograph and the girls nodded enthusiastically. Hugh offered to take the picture, so the girls could get in together. Alice-Miranda, Millie and Jacinta stood between the Japanese girls, who held their fingers out in ‘V' peace signs.

‘Smile,' Hugh said as he pressed the button.

‘
Arigatou,'
Alice-Miranda called, as the older girls bowed and walked away. She turned to her friends. ‘They look amazing, don't they? Oh, look, there's Mummy!' She'd spotted her mother and Ambrosia in the crowd ahead.

Hugh led the girls up the busy street. Ambrosia introduced them to a young woman called Michiko, who was wearing long pink socks and a short dress that looked like a cross between Cinderella's gown and a school uniform.

‘I've never seen so much pink,' Millie whispered. ‘Do you think Barbie lives around here somewhere?'

Alice-Miranda grinned. It certainly looked that way. She half-expected to see a pink campervan drive around the corner at any minute.

Michiko explained how the neighbourhood's association with inventive clothing started. ‘Japanese teenagers are mad for manga. Some began dressing like their favourite characters and it grew from there. Now Harajuku is famous all over the world for the weird and wacky fashions we wear.'

‘Does it take long to get ready in the morning?' Millie asked. She couldn't think of anything worse than spending hours at a time working out what to wear.

‘Quite a long time. Is anyone hungry?' Michiko asked.

Millie and Jacinta nodded.

‘That's good, because we have a great crepe restaurant just along here. I thought we would have a snack before I take you to the store.'

‘Crepes? In Japan?' Millie said. ‘I loved the crepes in Paris. I wonder if these are the same – they don't have any strange sea creatures in them, do they?'

‘No.' Michiko shook her head and smiled. ‘No sea creatures at all. Just chocolate.'

Millie rubbed her tummy. ‘That sounds good to me!'