Evil Seiji

Part 1  Part 2  Part 3

 

 

 

He had cancelled his classes, and left that morning, to the surprise of his family. He traveled by bullet train to Tokyo to look for his friends. He had their addresses, and hoped they were still accurate. First he thought he would try Shin’s apartment. He knew that Shin was a life long freeter, never able to hold down a singe job for very long. Instead he went from job to job, earning just enough to get by. His sister would send money as well so he never struggled to live. Seiji thought that it would be most likely that Shin would be home at this time of day. If he had plans to go out for lunch he surely wouldn’t leave for another couple of hours. The apartment building was old, but well kept and sat near the station. Seiji made his way slowly up the stairs to the sixth floor. All the doors faced the same direction so there was no way they could miss each other. He reached the door and hesitated for a moment, but knocked lightly. When there was no reply he knocked again a little stronger, but still nothing. He stepped to the side and looked through the small barred window next to the door. The curtains in the main room were open, and he could see a large fish tank along one wall. Seiji could see flakes of food slowly sinking in the water. Shin wasn’t there now, but it hadn’t been too long since he had left.

 

Knowing it would be awkward to stand by his door all day, Seiji decided to go see if Ryo were home. Ryo was a photographer like his father before him, a fine profession. It also allowed him the flexibility to maintain a good salary while still being able to take off and fight demons and other threats to humanity as needed. His apartment was across town from Shin’s and it took Seiji a good hour to reach it. He was afraid that it was now too late in the morning to catch him before lunch, but at the same time he didn’t want to wait, he had to know what he truly thought about their friendship. This building wasn’t as well kept as Shin’s and it was farther from the station. Ryo’s apartment was on the second floor, but again there was no answer from his knock. He knocked again, but nothing from inside that apartment. However, the next door down creaked open and a younger lady poked her head out, below her a small boy’s head followed.

 

“I apologize for bothering you, I was looking for a Sanada Ryo. Is this his apartment?”

 

“Yes, but he is not in at the moment. He left this morning.”

 

“Do you know when he was planning to return?”

 

“He mentioned going on another trip, usually he is gone for a week or two when he goes on trips.”

 

“I see. I was too late then. Thank you for your time,” Seiji bowed deeply to the woman who blushed and opened the door a bit more so that she could bow back. The little bow looked at his mother and then mimicked the bow before running back in. Seiji made his way back to the station, but stopped at the café for light lunch and drink.

The coffee sat on the table steaming, the muffin next to it untouched. Seiji sat with his arms crossed staring blankly out the window of the café.

 

“They are off having fun with each other. Maybe having lunch together,” He could hear the man’s voice ringing in his head.

 

“NO, Ryo is working, Shin might be out for lunch, but that is his right. It has nothing to do with me. I am the one that came down without any notice. I can’t expect them to always be home.” Seiji argued with the voice in his head.

 

“Well, then, shall we see what Kongo is up to? He works at home, if he is not there they will know where he is.”

 

“Ahh,” Seiji reached down and picked up the coffee taking a sip. Then stood and threw both the coffee and the untouched muffin away.

 

He knew that it would have been impossible to find Touma, technically he still lived with his parents, though that apartment was empty most of the time. Last he heard Touma spent most of his time between any of the other’s homes having stayed too late at one library or another doing research and missing the last train back to Osaka. So, Seiji took the express down to Shin-Yokohama station and slowly made his way into China Town. He had been to the Shu family restaurant a few times, and was familiar with his family. Though it had been quite a few years since his last visit he knew that Shu and Rin Fi ran the main restaurant while Yun and Mei Ryuu ran the two branches in Tokyo. As for Chun Faa, Shu’s youngest sibling, she was a bit of a free spirit and didn’t seem interested in the restaurant business like the rest of her family. Seiji wondered what kind of reception he would get upon entering the restaurant. In the past when he came with the others, there would be loud joyous greetings as they welcomed them.

 

“Ara, Seiji-san janai?” Seiji was deep in his own thoughts and didn’t hear his own name, “hontoyo! Seiji-san!” He heard his name the second time and turned toward the voice. It was an elderly lady, slightly heavy set but unmistakable.

 

“Ah, Mama, it has been some time.”

 

“Much, much too long,” She scolded him as she handed him a warm pork bun from the cart she was manning. Seiji had seen them do it before, lure tourist into the restaurant with a sampling of the food, “I keep telling Lei Fuan that he needs to go up to Sendai and drag you down here so we can see you. But he keeps making excuses saying how you have a hard time getting away from your classes and such. I know you're a busy man, but you must come down more often…”

 

“Is Shu, ah, I mean Lei Fuan around?” Seiji asked interrupting her.

 

“Ara? He left this morning, said he was going to Yamanashi. I assumed he was meeting you all there.”

 

“I… I see.” Seiji stared down at the pork bun in his hand, it smelled delicious but at the same time he had no appetite.

 

“Ryo-kun bought a new cabin in the mountains, did you know?”

 

“No, I was not informed.”

 

“Well then, it’s decided.”

 

“What is?” Seiji asked, but Mama had already turned her cart over to another of the workers and pulled him into the restaurant. She pulled him through the dinning room and through the kitchen doors into the back. Some of the older employees knew him and greeted him kindly, but he could see the surprise in their eyes.

 

“Lei Fuan left the directions here somewhere. Ryo-kun doesn’t have a phone hooked up yet and there is absolutely no reception. Ah, but I forgot you still don’t have a cell phone do you?”

 

“No, I have never seen the point in getting one,” Seiji replied as he was handed a bag to hold open. He listened to Mama explain where the cabin was and the best way of getting there, but he couldn’t help but over hear the other voices in the room.

 

“Who is that?” a young man asked as he handed over some ingredients to one of the cooks.

 

“Date Seiji, one of the boss’s friends. You’ve heard of him, the one that lives in Sendai.”

 

“Ah, the one that never leaves the dojo. Does nothing but teach Kendo and lives day and night as a samurai.”

 

“Yeah, that’s him. I wonder if something has happened? He’s never been here before without the others.”

 

“Not only that but it’s been over ten years since he was here last,” Another voice entered the conversation, another of the cooks, moving his wok to another burner so they could talk.

 

“Ten years?” The first exclaimed and was quickly hushed by the other two when they noticed Seiji’s eyes on them.

 

“There, I think that should be enough!” Seiji looked down at the loaded bag he now held. Mama had piled in a feast and more for him to take to Yamanashi to surprise the others with, “And don’t forget the map, you don’t want to get lost!”

 

“Ah, I… I don’t know, what if they aren’t there?”

 

“Then you can wait on them,” She smiled at him; it was a warm encouraging smile that he couldn’t help but reply in kind to. She walked him out of the restaurant and waved him back down the street toward the station.

 

“See, they made plans to have a party at Rekka’s new place and didn’t even bother to invite you,” The man laughed in his head, “I told you, they don’t want anything to do with you.”

 

“Your, wrong.”

 

“Am I? I’m sure you saw that old lady’s expression when you said you didn’t know about the meet up. She was just as surprised as you were. Even the cooks thought something must be wrong, why else would Date Seiji leave Sendai?”

 

“That is my own doing. I tell them I cannot come, that I have classes that I cannot cancel.”

 

“Anyone could see through those excuses. If they were really your friends, they would have went to Sendai and drug you away from your precious classes.”

 

“I’m sure there is an explanation.”

 

“Quit hiding and see the truth! They don’t want anything to do with you, go back to Sendai, and change it all. Get rid of the these fake friends and change your life for the better!”