Масахико Симада - Death by Choice

There in the bathhouse with the morning sun streaming in, he made a bet with Shinobu on the question of whether those businessmen who sold her off would come up with the ransom money by the allotted time.

Kita put fifty thousand yen on them doing so, and Shinobu bet the same amount that they wouldn’t.

“If they haven’t paid those three thousand Yukichi Fukuzawas by noon, it means you’ll get killed, you know.”

“But I’ll get fifty thousand yen, won’t I? And if they do pay up on time, I may lose fifty thousand but I’ll be thirty million the richer, after all. I don’t stand to lose whichever way the dice rolls.”

“So you plan to pocket your own ransom money, eh?”

“Let’s split it. You’ll be able to live in clover for a while.”

“I’m going to die on Friday, remember.”

“Postpone it a while.”

“No way. Look, let me tell you something, honey. I’m not going to get myself caught by the police. I wouldn’t be able to kill myself on Friday if I did.”

“That’s sly. And I’ve just fallen for you, too.”

“That’s great to hear, but this is something I’ve made up my mind about.”

“I swear you’ll change your mind if you stay with me.”

“Hmm, I wonder.”

“Jesus won’t let you do it.”

“I’m a Buddhist, so I don’t care. I’m not saying I don’t like Jesus, mind.”

Shinobu sighed, and sank into the hot water.

After they’d eaten breakfast back in their room, Kita telephoned the boss again.

“Have you got those Yukichi Fukuzawas together?”

“Not yet. I don’t have a hope of making it by noon. Where are you right now, Fukuzawa?”

“I’m at the Showa Base in the South Pole.”

“Don’t get smart with me. I’m assuming Shinobu’s safe?”

“I’ve popped her in the hot water and she’s boiling nicely.”

“Stop the kidding. Put her on the phone.”

“Sure. And in return, you put on the detective who’s listening in through his headphones there beside you.”

“I haven’t told the cops.”

“Oh yeah? So who’s the guy there in your room frowning and holding his breath, hey? I can see him all the way from the South Pole. Quick, put him on.”

Another man took the receiver, mumbling something. “Is that the police?” asked Kita.

“No,” the other replied in a trembling voice.

“So who are you?”

The other guy seemed in agony. “No one,” he said.

“Well then, go top yourself.”

Kita put down the receiver. Over at the hotel shop, Shinobu was busy buying up fancy horse oil, pickled plums, and sweet rice cakes.

“I didn’t get quite enough sleep,” Kita announced. “Let’s go sleep some more.”

He urged her back to the room with him, where he flung himself down on the matting.

“It’s great weather. Let’s head out for a picnic in a while,” said Shinobu, twining her fingers through his hair. Outside the window, the leaves on the mountainside were playing softly in the sunlight. From where they gazed at the scene, it looked as if a huge green fish was swimming through the air. Through the open window wafted a scent of mineral waters from the hot springs mixed with the aroma of plants, which ruffled the opening of Shinobu’s bathrobe over her breasts, and tickled Kita’s neck.

“Wouldn’t it be nice if the next world was as good as this,” Kita muttered with a yawn.

“All you have to do is stay here like this, you know,” said Shinobu.

“I’d love to. But hey, everyone heaves themselves to their feet when the time comes, you know. Hey ho, they think, back to boring old everyday reality, eh? This is the best experience I’ve ever had, being here like this with you. I really believe that. And that’s because I’ve decided to kill myself on Friday, see. I don’t have to go back to boring old reality. It feels just great.”

“I’m so happy for you,” murmured Shinobu, sitting beside him gazing out at the landscape through half-closed eyes.

“Eh?” said Kita, surprised.

“I really envy you, going to die the day after tomorrow. Aren’t you scared of dying?”

“Nope.”

“Do you feel hopeless?”

“Nope.”

“So why are you going to kill yourself?”

“I’ve come to the end of my life.”

“And who says so?”

“I dunno. God, I guess.”

“How do you know?”

“I don’t. Why did I get the urge to die?”

“I read the Bible to you, didn’t I?”

“Yeah, and thanks to you I’m not scared to die any more.”

“It’s cowardly to kill yourself. You’re running away.”

“You’re right.”

“You make me want to die too, Kita. I’m scared.”

“There’s nothing to be scared of if you die with me.”

“No.” Shinobu spoke firmly, and peered into Kita’s relaxed face, her brow furrowed. Kita smiled benignly at her, with the air of having already severed all ties with this world. She felt she’d seen this expression somewhere before. Yes that was it – it was just like the face of the dead Yutaka Ozaki.

She got abruptly to her feet, and heaved a deep sigh. This was worrying, really worrying. She really did feel the urge to die with him. What would happen if instead of convincing him not to kill himself, she was lured into the trap herself?

Just past noon, Kita and Shinobu called a cab and left the hotel for the nearest town. They left their bags in the relatively deserted restaurant of the little hot springs town, and Kita made his fourth threatening phone call from the telephone box outside. It was not the boss but some other man who came on the line this time.

“Have you got those three thousand Yukichi Fukuzawas ready now?”

“Thirty million’s a big ask. We’ve got seventeen million. Wouldn’t this do?”

“You’re tryin’ to talk me down?”

“We’re just a small business. This is all we can manage. Shinobu’s a precious star, she supports our office. Send her back unharmed, we beg you. Her mother’s in hospital from the shock. We want to set her mind at rest as soon as possible. Come on, let’s compromise. Make it seventeen million.”

“Shinobu’d be pretty sad if she knew you guys were tryin’ to beat down her price. If that’s what you want, I have a plan.”

“Don’t hurt her please. Her fans all over Japan would be devastated.”

“I’m loath to kill her myself. There’s heaps of others I’d rather kill than her. No, I was anticipating that you mightn’t come up with the ransom money, see, so I’ve got another plan. Shinobu’s had some experience providing ‘comfort’ to some pretty famous politicians and high level bureaucrats. I’ll get her to tell the story in public. Here, listen to what she’s got to say.”

Kita beckoned Shinobu to the telephone box, and handed her the receiver. Watching Kita’s face, she began to talk in an unhappy voice.

“Help me please! I don’t want to die yet! Don’t make him angry.”

“Shinobu, have you spilled the beans about your relationship with those Congressmen?”

“I had to. He had a knife to my face, and he ordered me to tell everything, so I talked about it all. He’s got it on tape, and he’s going to send it to the television stations!”

“Shinobu, where are you right now?”

“He’ll cut my ears off if I tell you.”

“Goddamn the guy for causing all this trouble! Put him back on.”

The man on the other end of the line clicked his tongue in vexation, then his voice turned intimidating as he said to Kita, “I’m onto you, buster. You’re the guy who paid a hundred thousand to have a drink with Shinobu that night. I recognize your goddamn stupid voice. You’ve made a big mistake, you bastard. I hope you know what you’ve let yourself in for.”