Old Life
Shi no Nakama
"Airi... Airi... Airi..."
Something was murmuring in the background. Maybe she should-
Her chair shook as her friend behind her kicked it and she jolted upright, crying out in alarm and quickly looking around. And the rest of the room laughed.
Oh great.
"Are you back with us Hisakawa-san?" asked the teacher, Miyata.
"Uh... y-yes Miyata-sensei," Airi managed while habitually reaching up and brushing aside the bangs that hung just over her eyebrows.
"Good, now you can recite the passage from the top of page 415." Her cheeks burning somewhat, Hisakawa Airi stood and turned to the correct page in the unorthodox textbook.
"So you think that money is the root of all evil? Have you asked what is the root of money? Money is a tool of exchange, which can't exist unless there are gods-" No, wait! She coughed and hurriedly resumed. "-unless there are goods produced and men able to produce them. Money is the material principle shape that men can take and give, value for value. Money is not the tool of moo-" What the heck is this word? "Moochers, who claim goods by tears. Nor is money the tool of looters, who take goods by force. Money is made possible only by men who produce. Is this what you consider evil?"
"Good," said Miyata-sensei, nodding as she sat down. "You missed a few words, but you were able to keep it mostly comprehensive." She could've read it better if sensei picked out less complicated passages, Airi thought to herself, running her fingers through her neck-length hair. The class should consider themselves thankful, as Miyata-sensei was not their homeroom teacher. He wasn't a bad teacher, but his English lessons tended to veer into the philosophical.
Speaking of which.
"This week we've been discussing western schools of moral thought. Among these are the concepts of good and evil, original sin," (Which makes no sense, how can someone born today be cursed from their earliest ancestors?) "and redemption. Now then, the previous passage is different. How is it different?" A male student near the windows raised a hand. "Yes?"
"The passage was focused on money."
"Correct. This passage directly questions the statement: 'Money is the root of all evil,' which is derived from, once again, the Bible. The first book of Timothy, I think. Anyway, anyone willing to guess where the passage was first written?"
"From America isn't it?" asked another male student in the front row. Other students quickly concurred, and even Miyata-sensei nodded a few times.
"Yes, yes, if there ever is a philosopher who would morally defend capitalism, it would have to be an American. Well... you're half right. The author who wrote this passage was an American, but she was born in Russia." This surprised much of the classroom. Airi actually checked the passage in her textbook and noted the author and date.
Alisa Rosenbaum, circa 1957.
Airi's friend in front of her raised her hand.
"Hasegawa-san."
"Sensei," started Hasegawa Naoko, after briefly adjusting her glasses, "this passage is from Showa 32, when Russia was Soviet. Why would a Soviet support capitalism?"
"A good point. It just so happens, Alisa Rosenbaun was not a supporter of socialism. Quite the opposite. Having grown up under communism, she decided it was not the way to live and made it her duty to confront those who claimed otherwise. Now then," Miyata-sensei wrote the English words "looters" and "moochers" on the board. "What do these words mean?" Hands raised and sensei pointed to a girl in the back. "Yes?"
"Looter means 'ryakudatsu-sha.'"
"Correct," said sensei, writing the kanji ‘略奪者’ next to the English word. "And what about: moocher?"
Moochers, who claim goods by tears, Airi recalled. So... someone who receives goods by crying for them, instead of paying for them. That gave her the mental image of a bratty toddler whining for some sweets. Miyata-sensei pointed over her head.
"Yes... Maekawa-san." Maekawa Akane, Airi's friend with short hair who gave her chair a helpful kick earlier, answered simply.
"Kusogaki?" Airi quickly covered her mouth and others snickered. Sensei just sighed.
"Well, you are not wrong. But no." And he proceeded to write 乞丐. “The author, by this statement, argues that a society where people exchange money for goods and services is preferable. Otherwise we would be living in a society where everyone either steals what they want. This is further reinforced by a simple and visceral question. Which would people prefer: blood, whips, guns or dollars?"
Airi's interest wavered once again and she lost track of what sensei was saying. What was she thinking about, before sensei had her read that passage? What was it?
A Westminster chime sounded.
"Alright, that's it for today," Miyata-sensei said, gathering his notebooks. "Finish up chapter twelve before our next class." He then left the room. The students soon left after him, as gym was the last period for that day.
"You really need to stop daydreaming," said a concerned voice. That was Airi's third friend, Kaneko Takara. Takara was tall, as in 170 centimeters tall, with a near-perfect stature and long flowing hair that cascaded past her shoulders toward the middle of her back.
"It wasn't on purpose," Airi insisted, blushing fervently.
"What were you even thinking about?"
"Well..." she put a finger to her chin as the four of them continued to the gym. "When sensei was going over 'The narrow road and the wide gate.' I thought: why would anyone take either path? Since the wide path leads to certain misfortune and the narrow path is hard, why not take a different path? That's when I thought: what if it's a test of character? But that made me wonder what values the test was looking for? Also, wouldn't someone on the wide road eventually notice what's up ahead and turn around? If that's the case, then wouldn't the test be negated?"
"Uh, Airi?"
"And I eventually wondered if it was possible to maybe build a bridge, or maybe even widen the narrow path once everyone realizes what's at the end."
"Airi, that 'narrow road wide gate' passage was from the very beginning of class." It was?
"It was?" Naoko and Akane both nodded in confirmation.
"Good grief," Takara shook her head, smiling ruefully, "good to know you let mind wander for almost a full period."
"It wasn't on purpose!"
In gym class, Airi slumped against the gymnasium wall, almost heaving. The rest of the students were split between playing volleyball or resting on the sidelines.
Airi didn't mind volleyball, or any other intensive sport for that matter. The problem she had was completely a physical issue.
"Are you okay?" Naoko asked, sitting next to Airi with her knees pulled up to her chest. Her thin-frame glasses barely hiding thin circles under her eyes.
"Yeah...” Airi managed, tugging on her shirt a little to give her chest some air, “pity I can't be better."
"You're pretty good already. Akane and Takara have us both beat, but you lasted much longer than I ever could. I don't see how you can be any better."
"Well... maybe if I weighed less."
"You?" Naoko inquired incredulously. "You're not overweight."
"No, but I could be thinner."
"Thinner?" Naoko's apparent astonishment rose and a cheer rose from the guy's side of the gym. "We had measurements last week. You’re only 1 kilogram heavier than me. And both of us have the same height and waist-size." Airi rolled her eyes.
"That's not what I meant." Nevermind that anyone could easily indicate where that 1 kilogram was on her being. In front of them, an athletic girl spiked the ball. The ball would've struck ground if Akane hadn't slid beneath it, hitting it up with her forearms. The ball soared up and back. Another student on Akane's side set it forward and Akane leapt up to spike it down on the other side. Only for Takara to effortlessly hop up and smack it back down.
"Oh come on!" Akane smarted as on-lookers, notably some of the guys, cheered Takara on.
"What?"
"Stop using your height! You barely have to jump!"
"Oh," Takara smirked, crossing her arms, "do you want me to play on my knees?"
"No, not that! That'd be too easy!"
"Make up your mind already," pressed a girl on Akane's side. Airi and Naoko couldn't help but laugh quietly. While Akane and Takara often seemed at odds with each other, especially during gym or school events, they were actually very good friends.
Akane's was Airi's neighbor for the last four years, ever since her family moved from Fukuoka. Akane was actually quite shy back then, but Airi was able to coax her out of her shell. When they met Takara and Naoko in junior high, it took the smaller Akane and the taller and elegant Takara all of eight minutes to exchange words, insult each other, viciously argue, and then quickly make up after the realization that their argument was ridiculous. Of course, everyone watching enjoyed the spectacle and a few even began calling the pair "Tom and Jerry," after the American cartoon. In the following years, Akane became the most outgoing of the four of them, often with Airi or Takara reigning her in.
As one more Westminster chime harkened the end of the school day, the four of them changed out of their gym clothes and went to change out their shoes.
"Finally," Akane announced, still brimming with energy, "I was waiting for this Saturday!"
"Were you?" Naoto wondered. "Is someone visiting?"
"Nope, it's the beginning of a new weekend!"
"I wish I had your optimism," Takara commented as she changed out her uwabaki for her Moonstar Jaguar sneakers. "Every weekend sounds like an adventure, the way you say things."
"What's wrong with that?" Akane asked, hopping a little as she pulled on her violet Mizuno Inspire running shoes.
"Nothing, I'm genuinely impressed. I’m just glad I was able to finish my work for the student council yesterday. Now I can go home and relax."
"What about you Naoko?" Airi inquired, tying on her pair of CDG Converse sneakers.
"Me?"
"Yes, you. Are you looking forward to this weekend?"
"Well," Naoko shifted from one foot to the other as she collected her shoes, "nothing really different to look forward to."
"Oh I don't know about that," Akane spoke up, pulling some paper from her pocket. "Jaan! Who wants to visit hedgehogs at Harajuku?" Airi and Takara both leaned in to scrutinize the coupon, and were more than satisfied by the fine print.
"Wow, that's not a bad deal."
"Yeah, that's almost half off. How did you get those?" Akane gave the two of them a large grin and a victory sign.
"I got a lucky number from one of o-nēsan's magizines."
"Nice," Takara complemented.
"How about it Naoko?" asked Airi. "Want to go tomorrow?"
"Sorry," she replied apologetically, "I got some cramming to do."
"Still?" Takara tilted her head as Airi tapped the front of her shoes against the ground. "Exams are done, we got nothing to worry about for a while. Besides, you've been cramming for the last three weeks. Surely you can take a break."
"No, I can't," Naoko said with a sigh, "not now at least."
"Are you alright?" Airi asked.
"Wha- oh yes, I'm fine!" Naoko quickly responded, waving dismissively. "Really, I'm okay. Really. I just can't make it this weekend."
"You sure?" Akane asked, her voice actually adopting a motherly-like tone and taking the others aback.
"Eh... yes, I'm sure."
"We can help you study you know."
"Thank you, but no. I'm fine."
"Aw..." Akane's normal tenor returned. "I really wanted to treat everyone."
"There there," Takara patted her friend's head, "maybe next weekend."
"Gaah!" Akane reacted, her vigor returning as she flurried her hands about, trying to swat away Takara's hand. Airi smiled at the usual "Aka-ara manzai.” These little moments made the monotony of school bearable. In all honesty, Airi could care less about all the lectures and the homework and the exams she had to go through almost every day, every year, for almost as long as she can remember. These little moments with Akane and Takara and Naoko were the only real reason that got Airi out of bed and into Heikin Highschool.
Naoko’s cellphone chirped and she quickly pulled it out of her bag and checked it.
“Sorry, I need to get going.”
“Are you getting summoned by the cram school?” Airi asked.
“No no, I need to get something from the store before going to the cram school. I’ll see you Monday?”
“Of course, see you.”
The others chimed in their weekend goodbyes as Naoko inclined her head before moving toward the front doors. As she stepped through the doors into the front courtyard, Naoko passed by a small group including that one girl; Mahoshi Keiko. Mahoshi, in an almost comical contradiction to her actual name, was a troublesome gyaru. Hiking up the skirt of her uniform past her knees, dying thin streaks of deep crimson into one side of her hair, and often starting arguments with members of the student council (including Takara); one can only wonder why Mahoshi never got expelled. Admittedly, Airi had rolled the waistband of her skirt on two or three occasions. But, in all honesty, the only benefit Airi found to showing more of her legs would be how the gaze of some boys would temporarily shift away from her chest.
“What do you think?” Takara asked suddenly, disturbing Airi’s train of thought.
“About what?”
“About Naoko.”
“You mean how she’s still cramming?”
“And how she’s never refused the chance to interact with something small and furry.”
“I know, right?” Akane concurred. “That’s partly why I got these,” she further explained, waving one of the coupons.
“You… think she’s lying?”
“I don’t know,” Takara admitted. “But whatever it is, it’s definitely weighing on her. What friends would we be if we don’t help her out?”
“You know,” Airi pondered, adjusting the strap on her book bag, “it could be extra cramming. Her parents are little strict.”
“Either way, I want to know.”
“Okay… So,” Akane said with a tilt of her head, “instead of visiting hedgehogs, we meet outside Naoko’s house?”
“No. Actually, I was thinking about meeting up at TJ Café.”
“Why there?” Airi asked.
“It’s across the street from the Gaman Kenmei Center.”
“That’s her cram school?”
“That’s what she told me before exams.”
“Alright then, I guess that’s a plan.”
“Aah…” bemoaned Akane, “sorry hedgehogs. Looks like these coupons are going to waste.”
In a dimly lit office in Shibuya, a young man was seated behind a desk; shuffling and reshuffling a Deck of Thoth.
"You seriously read those things?" inquired a friendly voice above his head.
"Not as much as I used to. Relying on this almost killed me at one point."
"But you still use them?"
"What can I say? It's a habit." He drew four cards, face down, and leisurely flipped them over.
The Magus: willpower and resourcefulness among other possible meanings.
The Empress: fruitfulness, action and initiative, but also probable doubt or difficulty.
Lust (or "Strength" according to other tarot): courage, energy and benevolence.
And the last card-
There was a quick knock at the door before it opened and an underling poked his head in.
"Ishii-sama, we have twenty on the list this week." The young man behind the desk threw up his hands.
"Even when we tell debtors everything that can and will happen if they miss a payment, in plain and simple language, they still fall behind." He sighed. "And the other list?"
"Five."
"Thank you." The underling bowed and left.
"So now you have to crack some heads," surmised the voice above him. "Business as usual."
"We have to crack some heads," he corrected.
"I wish!" the one above him snapped back. "I can't go out unless night falls!" True, he keeps forgetting about his friend's extraordinary circumstance.
"Well, sucks to be you."
"Shut up!"
Ishii chuckled and turned over the last card.
The Hanged Man. Normally this would indicate wisdom, caution, insight and even trials and tribulations. But unfortunately, in this case, the Hanged Man was upside-down, reversed. That could mean only one thing.
“A selfish little sheep,” Ishii observed to himself.
The next day, Airi sat down at a small table with Takara and Akane beside the window of the Tanoshi Jikan Café. She was now wearing an orange t-shirt under a bright green Muji-brand shirt and aizome-blue jeans. Taking a sip of a uji matcha latte, Airi looked past her reflection in the window to the street and a sleek steel-and-glass footbridge over said street. And, on the other side of the street, an office building with numerous teenagers in uniform walking about.
“So that’s her cram school,” Akane observed, frowning at the building across the street while wearing a red t-shirt and a pair of white shorts. She briefly stopped to take a sip of honey peach iced tea. “Kind of makes me think of a black company.”
“All companies are black companies,” Takara said, stirring sugar into her Earl Grey tea. She was wearing a cream-colored blouse and a flared black skirt with simple black sandals. “You go to work, they give you work, you work until you return home. That’s how it is, regardless of what your job is.”
“You know,” Airi wondered, “maybe she is studying. Her parents are a little strict. Maybe they’re putting extra pressure on her.”
“I doubt it. I know her parents. Yes, they’re strict, but they’re not unreasonable. Naoko’s grades can easily get her into Todai or Kyodai.”
“And her parents know this?”
“Absolutely. Her father bought a new kimono for her after the first quarter tests.”
“Lucky.”
“And now we just sit and wait for Naoko to show up?” Akane asked.
“Hai,” Takara confirmed.
Time passed. The café remained mostly empty; with two other customers other than the two employees behind the counter. Around eleven o’clock, after looking across the street again, Airi attached earphones to her cell phone and held out one end toward Akane.
“Akane, lend me your ear.” Akane slid her chair over to leaned in, allowing Airi to put the earbud in her ear. Airi selected a new song and let it play for a few seconds. Akane then squealed excitedly, drawing the irritated gaze of the other two customers.
“KK! This is KK, isn’t it?”
“Hai. It’s her new album.”
“Ah! I knew I forgot about something!” Akane said, pressing a hand against her ear, keeping the earbud in place. “Oh, I love her!”
“Careful,” Takara warned, taking another sip of Earl Grey, “for all you know, she could be an otokonoko.”
“Stop saying that! Just because she doesn’t preform live doesn’t mean she’s a guy.”
“You’ll keep fooling me if you keep swooning like that.” That made Akane’s cheeks turn a shade of pink.
“I like her music. I could care less who she is or what she looks like. And avoiding live performances gives her a mysterious side.”
“Like a mysterious dark prince from an otome?”
“Shut up!”
More time passed. At one point, Airi spotted the troublesome Mahoshi Keiko, walking past with her other gyaru friends and found herself grimacing at Mahoshi’s outfit. A cropped jacket and shirt, fully showing her stomach, and a skirt that only covered the top-half of her thighs. Does she not realize a gentle breeze could easily flip it?
It was now around noon and there were more customers now. Five salary men who proceeded to order small snacks and drinks before sitting alone.
“How about a few rounds of janken?” Akane asked.
“I’ll pass,” said Takara. “You always start with ‘paa’.”
“Not always!”
“So I’m imagining the time you went jan-ken-paa instead of jan-ken-pon?”
“That was one time!”
Airi used her phone to check the time. 12:27
“Are you sure this is her cram school?” she asked.
“As far as I know,” said Takara.
“Because it’s lunch time now and we haven’t seen her at all.”
Akane leaned forward to better look through the window. “Yeah, I see a bunch of students coming out. But no one wearing our school’s uniform.”
An uneasy feeling was beginning to gnaw at Airi’s stomach. “I’ll be right back.” She got up and quickly left the café. Striding down the sidewalk and stepping onto the footbridge, she approached one of the students. “Excuse me. Do you know a girl, Hasegawa Naoko?”
“Hasegawa? Which school is she from?”
“Heikin High.”
“No, I don’t. Sorry.” Next was a pair of female students.
“Excuse me. Do you know anyone named Hasegawa? Hasegawa Naoko?”
“I don’t,” answered one.
“Sounds familiar,” answered the other, “but I can’t be sure. I’m sorry.”
“Who are you asking for?” inquired a fourth cram student on the bridge.
“Hasegawa Naoko from Heikin.”
The boy perked up. “I know Hasegawa-san. We shared the class before lunch.”
“Was she there today?”
“No, why would she be here? Didn’t Heikin finish exams last week?”
Airi rushed back into the café. Takara and Akane both stood up from their seats.
“Airi? What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know. One of the students shared a class with Naoko, and he says she wasn’t there all week.”
“All week?” Takara repeated.
“He says she stopped coming when our school’s exams finished.”
“What?” Akane and Takara exclaimed at once, drawing some stares.
“The student you spoke to,” Takara inquired, “did he say anything else?”
“No.”
“Well, that’s just great,” Akane said as Takara reached into her handbag. “What is she doing if she isn’t cramming or at home?” Takara pulled her phone out of her bag and dialed Naoko’s cell. Airi looked on, reaching across her torso and grasping her left elbow with her right hand as the seconds ticked by.
“Come on Naoko,” Takara uttered. “You’re not the kind of girl who jokes like this.”
“Try her home,” Akane suggested. Takara did so. After six seconds, Takara’s expression showed relief.
“Hello, Hasegawa-san, this is Kaneko-san.… Hai, you too. Is Naoko there?” Then Takara’s eyes widened. “No. She told us yesterday that she was still cramming.… I’m with Airi and Akane in Shibuya.” Airi shared a worried glance with Akane as Takara continued to talk to Naoko’s mother. “Okay… Okay… Hai, we’ll be sure to do that.… Okay. You too, thank you. Talk to you later.” Takara hung up.
“So her parents didn’t know either?” Airi asked. Takara shook her head.
“No. Her mother was almost hysterical when she realized Naoko is… well… not where she thought she was."
Now what?
