‘You’ll see tomorrow.’ Ohashi smiled.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small torch.
‘This way.’ He flicked on the torch and motioned towards the bathroom exit.
‘Heavens above! Where are we?’
‘It looks like a sento to me. Is that a bath, Ohashi?’
‘It’s an old capsule hotel.’
‘Wow! You’ve been living in a hotel all along! You’re like a king, Ohashi-sama!’ Taka’s voice was one of awed respect rather than jealousy.
‘Hey! Why didn’t you tell us about this place?’ Hori’s voice was raised in excitement. ‘Do the baths still work? I’d love a dip.’
Ohashi flicked the light in Hori’s direction, who blinked and squinted.
‘Oi! Watch where you’re shining that thing!’
‘Oh, sorry!’ Ohashi shone the torch around the bathhouse, illuminating the old grey tiles and the far wall with its mosaic depiction of an old crumbling Mount Fuji surrounded by forests, lakes and clouds. The tiles had fallen off in parts, leaving an unfinished jigsaw puzzle of a mountain.
‘There’s no running water here,’ said Ohashi. ‘So I’m afraid we can’t use the baths. Follow me.’
The three of them made their way through the capsule hotel. It took longer than usual, having to stop for Hori and Taka’s gasping at all the ghostly and interesting aspects of the abandoned hotel – the locker doors ripped off their hinges, the wallpaper peeling off the walls, the thick black layer of dust and dirt covering the floors of the hallways – all of which Ohashi now took for granted.
Once they reached the capsule room, Ohashi pointed out which one was his. Hori and Taka nodded respectfully before taking a capsule on either side. They both left one spare capsule’s distance. They wanted to be close, but everyone needed a little privacy.
‘Now, would you gentlemen like some supper?’
‘Ooh, yes please! How very charitable of you.’
‘I’d murder some grub!’
The three of them sat down to a simple dinner of onigiri and wheat tea, which Ohashi took from his personal supply and divided up fairly. As they sat in dim light, each man’s face slowly became creased with deep pensive lines.
‘So.’ It was Ohashi who broke the silence. ‘What’s the plan?’
‘Perhaps we should go to the church?’
‘I feel like it might be a bit risky at this time,’ said Hori.
‘The Lord will provide for us—’
‘I’m sorry, Taka-san. But I agree with Hori.’ Ohashi spoke solemnly. ‘We don’t know whether we’d be safe at the church.
Perhaps they are co-operating with the police now. Who knows?’
‘But where will we get our food?’ Taka looked at the ceiling. ‘I can get some,’ said Ohashi.
‘Enough for the three of us?’ asked Hori.
‘I think so.’
‘Man cannot live by bread alone,’ quoted Taka.
‘But what does the Bible say about onigiri?’ asked Hori. ‘Imagine Jesus trying to open one of those.’
Even Taka allowed himself to laugh at this.
Ohashi made his excuses early that night. It had been a stressful day. They said goodnight to one another, and each man went to his own respective capsule of solitude. Alone with their thoughts, they eased slowly off to sleep, sharp lullabies of worry and fret tugging relentlessly at sweaty dreams.
Small pools of light leaked through the hotel’s high windows in the mornings. On a cloudy day, it was not much light at all, but on a day when the sun was out in full, the capsules were bathed in a warm glow. On these days, the cat would seek out patches of sunshine, spreading its belly across the floor.
Ohashi woke early and went to greet his furry companion, lying down on the floor so the cat could jump onto his stomach. The calico cat wobbled as it pressed its paws onto Ohashi’s soft flab. He scratched it gently under the chin, and stroked its arched back with his other hand. The cat gave off purrs of pleasure, like a car engine idling at a red light. He studied the cat’s face with its slightly red chin, drool collecting in the corner of its mouth. Those beautiful green eyes, what had they seen? As he often did, Ohashi thought of his father. His father had been obsessed with cats and had any number of them prowling around his writing study at any time. One of Ohashi’s favourite things as a child had been to curl up with a rakugo collection in the corner of his father’s study, stroke a cat, and keep quiet.
What had these green eyes seen? Where was this cat from? Imagine all the secrets and lies it had been privy to, the things that humans get up to when they think no one is looking.
‘Is that your friend?’
The cat turned its head towards Hori, who was climbing out of his capsule. Ohashi felt the animal’s claws dig in slightly, weighing up the situation. Should it flee from this toothy man, or was he a bringer of tuna, like his purple-headed friend?
‘Don’t be afraid. This is Hori-san. Say hello to Hori-san.’
‘Clever little puss.’ Hori scratched the cat between its ears, and Ohashi felt the claws retract. ‘What a handsome little cat. Look at the lovely colourings on its back – the shape of it looks so familiar. Is it a boy, or a—’
A crashing sound came from the direction of the main entrance, followed by the mumble of two male voices coming down the corridor towards them. He never used that corridor. A great bulk pushed its way into the room, and Ohashi felt a heaviness in his stomach. Keita. Taka followed behind.
‘You scoundrels. You’ve been hiding out here all along! Like rats in a hole!’
‘Ohashi-san!’ Taka was smiling uncomfortably. ‘The Lord truly blessed us with a fortuitous meeting this morning!’
‘Please, gentlemen,’ said Ohashi, standing up and setting the cat down, ‘in future, don’t use the main entrance. Use the window, like I showed you.’
‘All right, keep your pants on.’ Keita swung himself into an empty capsule and lay down, making himself at home.
‘I’m sorry, Ohashi-san,’ whispered Taka. ‘I did ask him to follow me to the back alley, but he just burst in through the front door.’
‘It’s all right.’ Ohashi spoke quietly.
‘What are you lot whispering about?’ Keita bellowed from inside the capsule.
Ohashi brought his palm to his face.
‘Any grub? I’m starving,’ asked Keita, sticking his head out. He nodded at the cat. ‘Whose mangy mog is that?’
Ohashi went and fished out food from his diminishing supply. He divided it between them all equally, and fed the cat. He would need to get more food from Makoto soon.
That evening, Ohashi came home to a scene.
He knew something was wrong as he climbed in through the window. He could hear talking and laughing, even from outside the hotel. It grew louder and louder as he made his way towards them.
Someone had lit a small fire in the middle of the room, and a large group of men were standing around the sputtering flames. He could make out Keita, glugging from a big bottle of shochu, and then there were people Ohashi had never seen before. They were all standing around the fire talking loudly in excited voices. Taka and Hori were there too, laughing. When they looked up and saw Ohashi their wide smiles faded into awkward sheepishness.