The Man in The Bullet Train

'Where the hell have you been?'

I frowned at Katsumi, genuinely pissed off at her tone.

'Oh! Didn't you actually mean to say .... 'Might l respectfully ask which aspect of Japanese culture have you been enjoying?'

Katsumi gave me 'The Look'. But marriage to Karen had let me build up quite some immunity and so she switched to Kei instead, the tone of her Japanese as ultra-sweet and no doubt, as poisonous as the one she used on the poor waitress in the ice-cream parlour in Kyoto station. Obligingly, Kei buckled and backed away, bowing like one of those mechanical cats that are everywhere in Japan and are supposed to bring you luck. When at a sufficiently safe distance, he turned tail and fled.

A wry smile appeared on Katsumi's face and she looked at me.

'That shouldn't give me as much pleasure as it does but ... '

I merely raised my eyebrows in response.

'Ok. Sorry.'

'What were you doing?'

'Kei got investigated by Nepalese culture and then investigated British culture if you must know!'

'Ugh! Waaaaaay more information than l needed!!'

'Don't ask so many questions then! And  why the damn hurry all of a sudden?' I was tempted to add Katsu-curry but thought it was neither the time nor ... .

'I've written Keiko a letter and I want our little gay elf, as you call him, personally to deliver it to Keiko and Keiko alone. He will understand how damaging it might be if it fell into the wrong hands so l know l can trust him. I can't go. It'd put too much pressure on her to just see me standing there after so long. And on me, if I'm honest.'

'Yeah, you've got a point there.'

'I don't want to just confront her with having to make a split second decision there and then. I've tried to keep it simple. It just says that I hope she's doing ok and that I'm in town and that if she wants to meet, where she can find me.'

'I see.'

'And that, while l hope she will come to meet me, I also understand if she decides not to.'

'Where have you suggested as a spot to meet?'

'The family business is a ryokan/ onsen, a bit further up from Wataru's father's one actually, on that pedestrianised street we walked down ... you called it 'Ryokan Alley' ... remember? It opened onto that road that runs along the bay. Along the front'

'Ah yes! I remember ... I said it would be nice to walk down on a warm summer evening ...'

'Yes, well, I said l would be waiting on a bench there at 8h30pm. Today and tomorrow.'

She started chewing her lip 'Oh my God! Ben-San. I'm so excited at maybe seeing her again. But I'm absolutely petrified she won't want to! Oh my God!'.

She actually started tottering on her heels, reaching out to grab my forearm to steady herself.

'But I have to know. HAVE to. 20 years' of regrets and 'what ifs' have killed me inside. Enough! I have to know. One way or another.'

I looked at this shaking wreck of a hitherto utterly composed, ruthless business woman and suddenly saw what awaited me if l stuck to my decision simply to walk away from Wataru. I instantly knew my decision was the wrong one and in that second, it morphed into an unshakeable conviction that I too had to know. One way or another.

'I think it's brilliant. Definitely the best way! DEFINITELY!'

She beamed at my endorsement.

'Honto? ['Really?'] 

The tottering ceased.

'Yup. Hunto! In fact, l'm going to do the same! I'm going to write to Wataru too! Now!'

'HONto! Not HUNto! It's not that hard!'

'Okay! Okay! Keep your breadcrumbs on Chicken-Katsu!'

'You will die horribly, you know that?!'

'Whatever! Now, just tell our sexy little elf to wait 'cos he's going to have two letters to deliver!'