Vicissitude Yang Side

by Destine Williams

  "Just…" She pauses, tiny feet tapping the carpet. Then she turns around to her computer. "I don't know. Irritated I guess."

  "Irritated?" I echo, sitting in my own chair.

  "It's not my fault if Regi gets pecked, is it?" Megumi swings around to face me. She folds her arms.

  My finger hovers over the power button. “No. Not unless you knew the chick would do that to him.”

  She huffs. “Of course I didn’t. So I don’t know why he got so mad at me. Do you know?”

  My stomach tightens. I don’t want to be roped into this. It’s treading a fence line: fall on one side of the fence and piranhas eat your face, fall on the other side and you burn in acid. “No. But you two never seem happy to be in the same room.”

  The room goes quiet with the exception of me clacking my password on the keyboard.

  Then Megumi finally says. “I really don’t like him, Jun.”

  My heart thuds against my ribcage. That’s not surprising, but it doesn't stop the trembling in my fingertips. I suck a breath in through my nose and keep my voice even. “How come?”

  “He just rubs me the wrong way whenever he’s here. He’s always so loud and in your face about everything. I’m glad you like him, but…”

  I swivel around to face her, waiting for her to finish.

  She doesn’t. Megumi is staring into her lap, fingers lacing together absently. She puffs her cheeks up. Then they deflate. In a quieter voice, she says, “I don’t think we’re meant to get along.”

  “Not meant to?”

  “You know, like instinct.”

  I raise an eyebrow and turn back to my computer. “Instinct, huh?”

  I feel Megumi’s gaze, needling into me. “You don’t believe me?” Her words are more of a scoffed statement than a question.

  “Megumi…” I lean forward, resting my chin in my palm. I hit Enter. My computer goes to my desktop screen.“What am I supposed to think when you say something like that? ‘Oh I can’t help it, my body made me do it’.”

  “Well, that’s the only way I can explain it. It’s not like I don’t try to leave him alone. And anyway, have you ever tried asking him why he hates me?”

  I rub my forehead. “Megumi, please not this. I don’t want to talk about Regi anymore.”

  “You’re taking his side.”

  “I’m not taking his side. He overreacted too. And if we keep talking about this, then we’re going to be the ones arguing and I don’t want that.”

  Megumi sighs again. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. I just…I don’t know. I’ll shut up now.”

  She’s true to her word; Megumi doesn’t say another word to me for the rest of the night.

  1-10 'Ah'

  The next morning an epiphany comes right in the middle of breakfast.

  One minute I’m microwaving leftover kalbi and rice in the kitchen and then boom— the next move for the puzzle box comes to my mind like a sunken treasure dredged up from sea. I race upstairs to my desk where I left the box and sit down in front of it. Key in hand, I slide the bottom most step of purification area just next to the river.

  The stair above it pops open, revealing a key slot.

  I insert it and twist.

  There’s a loud click. But nothing in the model seems to change.

  I rest my cheek in my palm. Damn, there’s more? Hmmm…I pull at the shrine. It doesn’t budge. That’s not the key for the shrine. I slump in my chair. Thought I had it that time. This stupid puzzle box is like a striptease. Keeps only giving you a little bit to dupe you into staying for the whole show.

  I open up my laptop. Before I can get on the internet, the yellow bird icon of my iTalk app jumps from my task bar. Then a window pops up covering the screen.

  Incoming video call: Kyo Akiyama. Accept?

  My heart skips. I haven’t heard from my older brother in weeks!

  >>>Yes

  My brother and his brawny Pua Moana roommates appear on screen, grinning and waving their hands at me. They chorus, “Hiiiii, Meimei-chaaaaaaan!”

  My ears burn at the greeting. “Why did you teach them my nickname, you boob?”

  His roommates howl in laughter. Kyo rubs the back of his neck. “C’mon, Meimei-chan. We’re all family here in Pua’alowhe. Shalave ohanassase laleve ohanassashi silesse.”

  I roll my eyes. I don’t understand Pua Velu, but I do know that phrase: My family is your family. Dad used to sputter it through his thick bristly mustache when guests came over. “You sound just like Dad.”

  He beams a smile full of braces at me and folds his arms behind his head. “Hehe. Think I sound like a local? The language program here at uni is really good. I’m thinking I might stay out here for grad school.”

  My heart sinks like a stone at sea. “Permanently?”

  “Yeah. It’s really nice out here, mele. You should come and visit,” Kyo says. “You’d love it.”

  I fold my arms over my chest. Love it? What’s there to love? I wouldn’t fit there either. I’m too dark to be here in Tokaido, but judging by the looks of Kyo’s friends, I’m too light to be considered real Pua Moana. Not that I want to be real Pua Moana. They’re a “Gotta-Touch-You-And-Smile-All-Time” kind of people. Two things I’m not. And besides, that’s not pleasant. I need my dark and scary brooding space. “It’s nice here too.”

  Kyo’s face scrunches into a narrow-eyed frown. “Ehh, too expensive. And you know how the people are out there…about people like us.”

  Can’t really argue with that. “And there it’s better?”

  “Much better,” Kyo says. “Everyone is so kind, Meimei-chan. Just the other day I went to the store and I was short a few mon. The guys behind me offered to pay the difference. That would never happen in Tokaido.”

  “Well yeah, but be realistic. No one should be banking on other people to foot the bill.”

  Kyo snorts. “‘Course I know that. But…I found myself out here, Meimei-chan!”

  Find yourself? Didn’t realize a person could “lose” themselves in the first place. “What do you mean?”

  “You know…” He shrugs. “Be who I want to be.”

  “And you weren’t doing that before?”

  “Not without people looking at me funny.”

  An awkward silence stretches between us both.

  I clear my throat. “Is that what you called to tell me?”

  “No. Actually I called to tell you that I might come to town in the next few weeks,” Kyo says.

  I put a hand to my mouth. “Really? What day?”

  “Not sure yet,” Kyo says. “I’m scheduling my flight and stuff tomorrow. My buddy is gonna set me up with a reservation so I’ll have a place to stay. All that Devil’s Disease stuff isn’t in your area right?”

  “Kyo that’s in Yamamura. And how are you getting here? The news was talking about some kind of ban on flights.”

  “I have to fly from Pua’alowhe to Shanghai and then to Tokaido. I’m not a citizen from Pua’alowhe so they won’t keep me I think.”

  “Yeah, but you’re darker than me. They’re bound to say something at the airport,” I say. “Why are you even staying in a hotel? We’d make space.”

  “It’s not exactly a hotel, but I’m kinda had my heart set on it already and besides…” Kyo pulls at his ear. “I love Aunt Tammy to pieces and all, but about company she’s kinda—Erm, you know.”

  Ahh…That I understand. Even when we were kids, Tammy didn’t let us have much company when we visited her house. I mean sure, Jin and Megumi can have their company. But with Kyo and me it’s a different story. It took forever to convince her to let Regi in the house. And she still doesn’t even like that. “It’s okay. I get it.”

  Kyo waves a hand, his grin returning. “Hehe, get ready because I’m gonna kick your ass in video games, Meimei-chan.”

  In this universe? Don’t think so. “Well, it’s nice to know you still have a good sense of humor, Kyo. I’d stick around longer, but I have a party to get ready for.”<
br />
  “Alright, Meimei-chan. But Grandma keeps asking me when you’re coming to visit. She’s never seen her only granddaughter.”

  I exhale through my nose. “One of these days, Kyo.”

  “She’s starting to think that you won’t ever come.”

  My hands tremble, then clench to a fist. Why do I need to be the one to go? Do people over there think that people can jump up and leave at any time?“If she wants to see me that badly, then she can just video call or something. I’m busy here.”

  "What about Christmas? I know you're not working then, are you?"

  I look away to check Megumi’s desk. 11:25. The coop is gone from Megumi’s desk. I guess Heaven must’ve come by for Mura Masah and Masah Mune already. “Kyo you're holding me up."

  "Alright, alright. Yeesh… See you when I get there.”

  I close my laptop up and get up. Time to start getting stuff ready for the party. I really don’t want to go to that party now.

  Megumi enters the room with King at her heels. “Hey, hey.”

  Out of habit, I move to close the window, but it’s already closed. Good. “No more little chicks?”

  “Nope. They were getting a little too big for the cage anyway.” She plops down in her chair, fingering the red cardinals on her pajama bottoms. “Still, it’s not the same you know? I miss having pet birds.”

  “Too bad Tammy won’t let you have your cockatiels here.” I scratch King behind the ears as he passes and gets up. “You stuck here for the day?”

  “Nope. Hiro, Ash, and me are going to the expo,” Megumi says. She bats her eyelashes at me. “And you’re going to miss out on all the team selfies and all the booths and all the goodies.”

  I wince. “I wish I could go, but I can’t get out of this party. People will hunt me down if I don’t go.” Literally. Showguns engagements aren’t optional unless you have a godlike excuse. “And besides, I had to use my money for some traffic tickets.”

  “Some traffic tickets?”

  “Don’t judge me.”

  “Totally not judging.” Megumi smirks, amber eyes warm. “But the next time I have to get in a car with you…”

  “Shush you. You promised to help me with my kimono.”

  “Oh ho ho…Of course, Jun.” She steeples her hands together with a grin in suspicious fortune-teller fashion. All she’s missing is a shady cloak over her head, a crystal ball, and a creepy cat. “I’ll make sure you look gaaaaawjiss.”

  Click! Camera light flashes in my face.

  I squint, holding up a hand to shield my face. “Are all these pictures necessary, Megumi?”

  She lowers her camera, looking wounded. “Of course they are!” She holds up the camera again. “It looks great on you.”

  “Does it?” I turn to look in closet mirror.

  A sharp tug at my waist stops me. “It does, but don’t get excited yet,” Tammy grunts from behind me. “I’m not done with your obi yet, kitty-cat.”

  I sigh and shift from one leg to another, watching the desk clock. It’s still only 2:30. Not too bad for time, but I want to be out of here at least by five. The party doesn’t start until 6, but the traffic has probably started by now and I need some gas. “When is Hiro picking you up?”

  “He said he was on his way,” Megumi says. “He should be here in a little bit.”

  Tammy tugs again at my waist. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you both about something.”

  Megumi puts her camera away into her backpack, checks her phone idly, then plops into her chair. “Bout what?”

  “Next Sunday I’m going to have to fly out of the country for work,” Tammy says. “I’ll be gone for three weeks.”

  My heart slows. “Three weeks?”

  “Yes. And I need someone to make sure Jin is okay.”

  “Well, that’s not too bad,” Megumi says. “We babysit him already.”

  Not like we have a choice in the matter. Three weeks of Jin and his identity crisis and pubescent mood swings? Just thinking it makes my head start to hurt. “I guess I could drop him off before work. He’s almost out of school right?”

  Tammy raises an eyebrow at me. “It’s his finals week this week. You wouldn’t be taking him anywhere by the time I’m gone.” Tammy gives a final tug. “There. All done, kitty-cat.”

  I step down from the step ladder. “What about food and stuff?”

  “We can talk about all of the details when you’re back from your little party.” Tammy ushers me into the bathroom. “Have a look, kitty-cat.”

  Pink-tinged apple blossoms pepper the black silk of my kimono in a flurry of petals. I twist around. A large white butterfly knot rests above my rear. Tammy did a good job of tying it. “It’s really nice.”

  “Good.” Tammy puts her hands on her hips. “I haven’t tied an obi since your mother was still around. You look a bit like her when she was your age.”

  Ache throbs in my chest like a freshly ripped cut. Has it really been ten years since she died? And eight since Dad died? All this time and absolutely nothing from police about the man who killed her. Nothing from Showguns either. And I think the statute of limitations on my mom’s case is up soon. Showguns already “found” my Dad’s killer. But if they don’t find who killed my mom by then, I could look into it myself. Well, actually, I would be able to look into it myself if the Geisha wasn’t busy blackmailing me. Looking in my mom’s case would be hard enough with Showguns’s help. Without their help, it’s going to be near impossible because what if I do find the killer? Who is going to take care of my Data Erasure stuff then? Where am I going to get a weapon?

  And yet here I am, quitting.

  1-11 'Ah'

  The sky goes from brassy to a smoky gray with the sunlight making a wedge of orange-red on the horizon. Crimson rims the blackened clouds. The black-silhouetted Tower of Dao towers in the distance: a sole monolith spearing the sky. It’s all I really have to look at in this stop-and-go traffic. And now that I’m staring at it, the hugeness of it seems cloying, stalkerish. Anywhere you go in the city, you can see the tower. Anywhere you go, the tower’s eye can see you. Everywhere, every prefecture, PoleControl can see you.

  The tower’s jewel-like eye switches from glowing green to blue, signaling that it’s moving from Yin power to Yang power. The chi poles standing on the freeway walls and the car lanes pulse blue too.

  I flick a small switch on the dashboard to change my car to Yang power too, then put on my blinkers and check behind me to get over to the tree-flanked off-ramp that leads into Yamamura.

  Lines of trees rain star-shaped leaves on the clean asphalt. Houses of wood, curled-eave roofs, stone fencing, and white rice paper windows nestle along the lanes with their lights burning gold in the shadows. chi poles light the way like magic wands. I could see myself moving to a place like this when I’m old: rustic-looking, traditional kind of place. Of course, not now. Maybe once they clean up this whole Devil’s Disease mess.

  In the distance, the PoleControl's ten-tiered steel pagoda rises from the leaf canopy. Ten minutes of cruising and its iron-barred moon gate stretch out before me.

  I pull next to the white card reader and swipe my ShowGuns ID card. Blue lights flash on the reader before it beeps.

  “It’s a pleasure to have you back at PoleControl, Ms. Akiyama!”

  A smile pulls at my lips. I'm going to miss hearing that. This might be the last time I ever do.

  The iron gates groan their way open. I drive down a wisteria-tree tunnel. Droopy white and lavender petaled-branches arch overhead like wispy veils and sweeten the air. Down the road, wires of paper lanterns illuminate the throng of people entering under a banner that reads “Bushido” in calligraphy. I park at the party’s edge.

  Kimono-clad women and men in pleated hakama push in around me and disperse into the party. Some flock to white-gloved servers offering slices of green apple, melon, and late summer peaches skewered on tooth pics. Others crowd around a band of taiko drummers striking their drums upon a light
-rinsed platform.

  “Jun!” a masculine voice calls.

  I look over my shoulder.

  A swarthy-skinned young man pushes toward me. Hair gelled up in a ducktail, and bright eyes like polished onyx, he flashes me a smile. “There you are! Finally another guest of honor arrives!”

  “There was some traffic on the freeway, Ken,” I say. “I didn’t miss anything important, did I?”

  “No, but you know how my father is. Always wants to cross every t and dot every i,” Ken says. He offers me an arm. “Allow me to be your escort for tonight.”

  “Did your father tell you to do that to?”

  “No, but my friends are obsessed with trying to hook me up with a girl tonight. I figure if I look like I have one already, then they’ll leave me alone. Besides…” His grin widens. “When was the last time we talked anyway?”

  I link my arm through his. “Oh, come on. The girls here can’t be that bad, Ken.”

  Ken laughs, leading me to a table where bottles of sake and shot glasses ring around a tiger ice sculpture. He pours himself a glassful of cloudy liquid. “Honestly, Jun I don’t think that there is a girl here for me.”

  I click my tongue. “Oh, don’t say that. There’s always one. There’s gotta be someone out there who likes what you like.”

  “But one that likes horimono?” His cheeks redden in the glow of the lantern light. He shakes his head. “Most people are scared of those, Jun. Like piss your pants scared.”

  True enough. Horimono are infamous. People only need to glimpse the full-body tattoo on you, and they’ll clear the room. A horimono is our pride—the sum of who we are, but I could understand where Ken is coming from. He’s got a horimono himself. Even though Ken isn’t involved with the questionable Showguns activities, even though he’s a total sweetheart, one look at the horimono and he’ll be lucky to get within talking distance. “I still want one from you, you know.”