Stranded in the Future

Chapter Sixteen: Meeting Mrs. Konno

Dear Mother and Father,

I know you wanted me to follow in your footsteps as a tea merchant, but I have no choice. Kumiko works from dawn to dusk as a guide for travelers from abroad, and I must support her in any way possible.

As of now, this means posing as a spiritual medium and using my so-called charm to secure prospective clients. I hope the two of you can forgive me for this transgression.

Your desperate and ashamed son, Ichiro

******

"Must I really do this?" Ichiro uttered as he stood with his back to the door of apartment one, regarding Futoshi with uncertainty. "You told me that-"

"She has a hunger for young men?" Futoshi repeated his words from the previous day. "I'm sure that won't be a problem. You said you could handle it."

Ichiro blinked, trying to recall exactly what he had said during the interview before the old man nudged his shoulder and steered him around so that he faced the door again.

"Now, get in and show Mrs. Konno what you're made of. I'm sure she'll appreciate it very much."

All it took was a shove to drive Ichiro into a panic. He raised his fist and knocked, then realized too late what he had done. His heart raced as hurried footsteps sounded behind the door, and it opened with a click.

"What's this about young men?" A raspy but unmistakably female voice crooned, drawing Ichiro's attention to a face decked in gaudy makeup. He swallowed while watching the woman's catlike eyes flash with recognition. "Oh, I remember you! You came by last week!"

"I beg your pardon?" Ichiro wondered if his memory was deceiving him. He glanced at Futoshi, hoping for some answer, only for the old man to step forth and take command of the situation.

"My apologies, Mrs. Konno. This is my new tenant Ichiro. He wanted to introduce himself the other day, but I think you scared him so much that he forgot about the encounter."

"Oh, is that so?" Mrs. Konno curled her thin plum-colored lips into a smile. "I suppose that makes you an innocent little angel, after all..."

Ichiro forced a smile in response. "Angel? What's that?"

She did not answer his question and addressed Futoshi instead. "So, what happened to that worker? Did he get deported at the last minute?"

"Oh no, he's still coming. Ichiro here is moving into room five with Kumiko."

Mrs. Konno's smile faltered for a fraction of a second. "Well, that sounds lovely. Are the two of you together?"

Ichiro realized that he was being spoken to again and replied with haste. "Why, yes. She's my wife."

"Wife?" Mrs. Konno's face became frighteningly stiff as she stepped back. "I'm sorry. You'll have to excuse me..."

She grabbed the door and pushed it shut, leaving Ichiro to come to terms with what had happened. He turned to Futoshi to voice his discomfort.

"Is it really so wrong for me to be married? I am a grown man, after all..."

Futoshi sighed and put a hand on Ichiro's shoulder. "That's not the problem. Kumiko never mentioned you by name until last week, and as far as we were concerned, she was a single woman."

Ichiro swallowed. He could understand why Kumiko would refrain from speaking about her past, but it still hurt him to know that she had kept his existence to herself. He wanted the whole world to acknowledge that they were a couple, no matter how many hearts ended up broken.