by C. S. Elston
The mood stayed relatively upbeat but, Luke could tell that Rio was simply powering through because she thought that was what she was supposed to do. He understood, too. He felt a little discouraged by the three dead ends in a row and knew that it had to be a hundred times worse for Rio. Not only was finding Sota Tanaka her entire reason for coming to Japan but, she also didn’t have the experience walking in faith that Luke did. Not that, that experience made it easy but, it certainly helped.
They discussed the uncertainty of what to do next in the search for her father but were unable to come up with a satisfactory plan. So, they finally said goodnight and, for the first time, went their separate ways without a game plan for the following day. While Luke said a particularly long prayer about all of it before closing his eyes, he went to sleep feeling certain that God would guide them but without a clue as to where they were headed.
Rio went through her usual CYOI bedtime routine of showering and then reading the Bible on top of her bed. Having finished the Old Testament that day, she read the four gospels over the course of the night. By the time the wise men were offering gifts to the newborn King of Kings, her eyes were already welling up with tears. When Jesus said that He was the way, the truth, and the life, the tears began to fall. As Jesus’ disciple, Judas, betrayed him with a kiss for thirty pieces of silver and it led to his tortuous crucifixion on a cross, the tears became an uncontrollable sob. But, then the tears became joyous when women bearing myrrh found the tomb empty. And, by the time Jesus ascended into heaven, Rio was on her knees thanking God for his mercy and grace and telling Him that she knew He had a plan for her and that she trusted Him with her life.
Almost immediately, Rio felt overcome with anxiousness. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. It surprised her because, if anything, she would have expected to have been overcome with joy at this moment. But, joy was not what she felt brewing inside of her. This was more of an uneasiness. Rio felt restless and concerned but didn’t know what was causing it or why it was happening to her. She went for a swim to calm down but, it didn’t work.
What is going on? Rio wondered.
Swimming had always calmed her down. It had been a constant source of peace her entire life. But, it was clear that wasn’t going to cut it this time. So, she got ready for the day and found herself knocking on Luke’s door just before 5:30am. Luke answered, still looking half asleep.
“Rio. Everything okay?”
“No,” Rio answered abruptly.
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, something’s wrong but I don’t know what it is.”
“Am I dreaming?” Luke asked. “Because, this makes no sense.”
“You’re definitely not dreaming.”
“Then, tell me what happened. Just start at the beginning.”
“I prayed,” Rio answered but then found herself unsure of how to continue.
“That’s a good thing. Right?”
“Of course.”
“What did you pray about?”
“I told God I trusted Him and I wanted Him to take control of my life.”
“You mean, like the sinner’s prayer?”
“The what?”
“It sounds like you accepted Jesus.”
“I did. I do.”
“Well,” Luke started, still feeling confused, “that’s great. Right? I don’t understand what the problem is.”
“The problem is, we have to go.”
“Go where?”
“I don’t know.”
“Go . . . Why?”
“I don’t know. Something’s wrong.”
“I heard you say that but, what’s wrong?”
“I don’t know.”
“Do you feel like we’re in a comedy routine right now? This sort of feels like a ‘Who’s on first’ type of vicious cycle kind of thing. Just tell me what you think is wrong.”
“I can’t explain it but, it’s dangerous for us to be here right now. We have to leave CYOI and we can’t come back right away.”
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
Goodbye, CYOI
That morning, Luke got ready faster than he ever had before in his life. They were in the van, with their bags, the camping gear and food supplies loaded in the back, and cranking the engine, with no idea where they were headed, before 6:00am. Departing the parking lot, Luke continued with the line of questioning he had started while they were packing up.
“So, you’re sure no one here is in danger.”
“No,” Rio countered. “I’m not really sure about anything. But, I feel like you and I are in danger if we stay. It feels like it has specifically to do with us. Or, at least me. But, I think everyone else is okay. I don’t know. I can’t explain it. It’s a weird feeling. I just knew we needed to leave. That’s all.”
“It seems like I should be warning Isaac.”
“About what?”
“I don’t know . . . Great, now you’ve got me saying it.”
“I really don’t believe he’s in any danger.”
“I still think I’ll call him in a few hours when I know he’ll be in his office.”
“Go for it.”
“At least check on him to make sure he’s okay.”
“Sure.”
“Now what?”
“Do you really want me to say it again?” Rio asked with a curl of her lip.
“Right. You don’t know. How about breakfast? Or, at least a cup of tea.”
“Sounds good. But, let’s get down the road a bit first.”
“Fair enough.”
Luke didn’t have a specific place in mind and he knew Rio was right in not wanting to stop too soon. They should get a good distance away from CYOI in case her feeling about it being dangerous for her to be there proved to be correct. He still didn’t understand how that could be the case but, he had also learned that his understanding wasn’t necessarily required. She could still be right. And, without specific knowledge of what the danger was and when it would arrive, the old adage Rio had thrown out about him carrying around tents for two days that they never used, “better safe than sorry,” seemed more appropriate than ever and was now ringing in his brain.
So, he started off driving east but soon decided to head south. About an hour down the road, he found himself just inside the Osaka Prefecture in an area called Takatsuki. Luke pulled the van up to a tea house across the street from a train station.
“How does that look?” he asked Rio.
“Works for me,” she said as she opened her door.
They climbed out of the van and went inside. It was a quaint little café with flowery wallpaper and lots of dark wood – including the floors. Some of the tables had tablecloths but, not all of them, and none of them matched. The chairs were mostly the same but some of the cushions were red and some were white. Some of the chairs didn’t have cushions at all. Had they been focused on it, Rio and Luke may have considered the possibility that this establishment and the one in which they had the infamous tea of tendaiuyaku could have shared the same decorator.
The truth is, at that moment, Luke and Rio couldn’t have cared less. They were just happy to be there. Once they had agreed to find a bite to eat and some tea, the ride that brought them to the tea house had been a quiet one. Rio was reflective and did a little reading of the New Testament, beyond the gospels, to learn about the Holy Spirit coming at Pentecost, the severe persecution of the early Christian church, and Saul’s miraculous conversion in which his name was changed to Paul. When she read that section, Rio couldn’t help but think about her mother transforming her life and changing her name from Mei to Toki. She particularly enjoyed the book of James and Paul’s letter to the Galatians. The Bible seemed to be landing heavier with Rio this morning, as if it had previously been educational and informative but, starting last night, the effect had changed and the words were now being imprinted on her heart.
&nb
sp; Meanwhile, Luke was just plain tired. He had mostly driven in silence and let Rio read to herself. An hour was about all he could handle without fear of his eyes closing. So, being anywhere without a steering wheel in his hands was good as far as he was concerned. Seated inside of the tea house, the influx of caffeine from the green tea began to get Luke’s brain working and he finally re-launched the conversation just before the food arrived.
“I’m excited,” Luke said out of nowhere.
“You don’t seem excited,” Rio shot back with a grin on her face.
“I’m exhausted so, it’s not showing yet. But, I am. Your prayer last night is a big deal. It changes everything.”
“I know it does.”
They were interrupted by a warm and friendly man who delivered their grilled shishamo (a small saltwater fish,) steamed rice, miso soup, and small portions of tsukemono (pickled vegetables) and natto (fermented soy beans.) Luke started on the miso soup as soon as the man was gone. But, that didn’t stop him from asking a question that sent the conversation in a totally new direction.
“Any thoughts on where to go next?”
“A few,” Rio considered out loud as she nibbled on the natto. I was thinking, on our way here, that the last place we know of Sota spending some time was at the Kunōzan Tōshō-gū Shrine.”
“Right,” Luke agreed but with a tone in his voice that signaled he was waiting for more information.
“Maybe he left Kurama, went to the Kunōzan Tōshō-gū Shrine in Shizuoka, and then kept heading north.”
“Got it,” Luke said as he sucked down another mouthful of miso soup.
“I know that doesn’t narrow it down very much but, at least it’s a little bit of direction.”
“True,” Luke agreed but got hung up on the direction itself. “So, you’re saying that when I took us an hour south this morning, we were clearly on the exact same page.”
“No,” Rio said with a chuckle, “I’m glad you brought us back to Osaka. I think we should finally do what you’ve been wanting to do since you learned about the woman who prophesied to my mom about me.”
“You mean, we’re going to the bench?” Luke asked with an enthusiasm that hadn’t been seen yet that morning.
“I think it’s time,” Rio admitted.
“That’s awesome. That’s the right call. I don’t know what it is about that bench but, I swear it’s the right thing to do. Answers are coming . . . ”
“I hope you’re right.”
“Oh, I’m right. I’m definitely right about this. And, it’s probably only thirty or forty minutes away. This is awesome.”
Luke and Rio finished their breakfast, got back in the van, and headed deeper into Osaka where they would finally get some of the answers that they had been seeking.
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
The Bench & The Rumor Mill
The ride in the van after breakfast was much livelier. Both Luke and Rio were excited to find out what was waiting for them at the bench where Mei, long before she changed her name to Toki and escaped to Hilo, had met the mysterious elderly woman who prophesied that she would give birth to Rio and that Rio would be a gift, not just to her but, to everyone. Luke drove the van, on Route 43 which paralleled the Hanshin Namba Railway Line, across the Yodo River. He got off at Dempo Station and continued south until he reached Kōshin-dō Temple. He decided that, although they weren’t sure of the exact distance to the bench from there, that it was likely the best place in the area to park for free.
So, they walked along the Yodo River for what turned out to be a little over two miles. Along the way, they realized that they probably could have found a closer place to park. They passed a shipyard, an elementary school, two parks, countless shipping containers, a grocery store and a café before arriving at the Osaka North Port Marina which, as it turned out, had a free parking lot of its own. They quickly found out that it was also known as the Hokko Yacht Harbor as they stared at all the beautiful boats. Most were docked but there were several coming and going as well.
The setting was tranquil. They stood and just looked around in silence for a couple of minutes. But, then Rio noticed a nearby bench. Her gaze fixated on it and the smile on her face grew.
“There it is,” Rio said without moving.
Luke spun his head around to see what Rio was looking at. He glanced at Rio, then the bench, then back at Rio.
“How do you know?”
“That’s it,” she said calmly. “It’s exactly how Momma described it.”
Rio finally took a step forward. Then another. She approached it slowly, almost reverently. Luke watched as she stood next to it, then turned to look at the view of the Yodo River.
“This is where it all started,” Rio said as she turned back to look at Luke and he finally walked forward to join her.
“Maybe you should sit down,” he said as he stepped up to the back of the bench.
“Yeah,” Rio agreed before taking a seat in the exact spot where her mother had been sitting when the elderly woman had approached her twenty-five years earlier. She felt a peace wash over her like she was exactly where she was supposed to be at that moment.
The two of them were silent and still as the minutes passed. The sun warmed their skin and the view was magnificent. Finally, Rio broke the silence.
“Are you going to sit with me?”
“Maybe in a few minutes,” Luke answered. “I think I’m going to head back toward the café and the grocery store. See if I can’t find a pay phone and check in on Isaac.”
“Okay.”
With that, Luke did exactly as he said. And, just as he suspected, there was a pay phone outside of the grocery store. He picked up the receiver, put the money in, and dialed. Luke was relieved when Isaac picked up on the other end.
“Isaac,” Luke started right in, “as strange as it may sound, it’s good to hear your voice.”
“Not strange at all,” Isaac joked. “I get that all the time. I’ve been told I should have gone into radio. Of course, that may have been more of a commentary on my looks than anything else, but hey . . . ”
Luke laughed before trying to explain himself.
“Well, what I really meant was that, we got out of there in a hurry this morning because Rio had a feeling that she was suddenly in some kind of danger. So, I’m relieved that she was either wrong or, at the very least, she was right that it was a danger that doesn’t impact anyone else at CYOI. At least not yet.”
“Huh,” Isaac responded somewhat conspicuously. “She may have been on to something.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, I was greeted at the door this morning by two NPA agents.”
“National Police? What did they want?”
“First of all,” Isaac started, “they weren’t your typical, local police officers. These were information gatherers at the national level.”
“And, what kind of information were they gathering, Isaac?”
“They were asking about Rio. They just don’t know who it is they’re asking about, specifically. Believe me, they had more questions than answers. But, that doesn’t mean there isn’t cause for concern.”
“What, exactly, sparked their curiosity?”
“They said they were investigating an incident that happened up at the Kifune Shrine a couple of days ago. You know anything about that?”
“I do. But, how did they track that back to Rio?”
“They didn’t. Not precisely anyway. They said that they were told a young woman saved a boy’s life by controlling the water in a small river. People called it a miracle. Then someone told them they had heard about another miracle where a fisherman’s life was saved on Ise Bay several days earlier. I assume that fisherman is the camper’s father who called me the day before Rio saved Zee.”
“Fair assumption.”
“Anyway, apparently, most of the people at the Kifune Shrine were trying to credit a goddess named Tamayori-hime but, the person who knew about Ise Bay wa
s a friend of the fisherman who was saved. They said he was a Christian who said that the young woman who saved him was with a young man who works here at CYOI. The other witnesses at the Kifune Shrine confirmed the young woman was with a young man there, too. So, they came asking questions.”
“What did you tell them?”
“As little as possible without lying.”
“To protect Rio?”
“Of course. But, also to protect the ministry.”
“What do you mean?” Luke asked, concerned.
“We both know the Japanese government has never really wanted us here. They see Christianity as a potential disruption to the way of life in Japan. I don’t know how they could use this against us, exactly, but I know they would if they could. I just don’t want to give them an excuse to force us into closing our doors.”
“Got it. So, what exactly did you tell them?”
“The first thing I did was I tried to convince them that it sounded like little more than the rumor mill cranking out stories. They didn’t seem to buy into that theory though. Too many eye-witnesses.”
“What do they know?”
“Enough to move forward. Thankfully, they still don’t know her name but they do know a young woman has been staying here. Obviously, they can’t be sure she’s the one they’re looking for but, they’ll keep digging unless they somehow decide she’s not. They also know that you have been helping the young woman search for her long-lost father. They don’t know his name either. But, if they start asking questions at some of the places you’ve been, someone will remember who you two were looking for. So, it won’t be long and they’ll have that. You might want to either stop looking or make sure you find him before they do. Otherwise, they’ll be waiting for you when you get there. And, if they are, they may just kick us out of their country and take Rio.”
“I’d never see her again.”
“It’s a possibility.”
“I can’t let that happen.”
“I’ll be praying for you two.”
“Thanks, Isaac.”
“I told Rio her secret was safe with me and I meant it. But, I think that secret is about to get out anyway.”