Chapter 34

Ryo Satoshi entered without knocking. In front of him, old Nana looked at him with tearful eyes. Behind her, Shiromiya and Mamoru awaited him with intense apprehension.

" Thank you for coming " Aiko bowed before him, fragile.

Ryo then walked straight to Aiko, removing the letterhead of the Empire from him. He read the lines suddenly flushed with anger.

" When did you receive this missive?"

" In the morning " Mamoru bit his lower lip. " I don't mind going, but the girls need to work. And Shiromiya is still very small and fragile."

Shiromiya felt neither small nor fragile. He was already eighteen. He was a self-made man, willing to face whatever came.

"There were rumors that Kempeitai had been closing tea houses and bars since spring," Mamoru said. " Midori told me that some prostitutes were being sent to the factories, but when the rumors started to involve geishas, ​​I believed it was just a fool."

" You didn't believe it?"

" You can't blame me, can you? " persevered. " Geishas have always been treated with respect, and have always been pampered. Now they are being removed from their homes and sent to manual labor. Who would believe something like that?"

Ryo read the letter again.

"The orders are that everyone should go to the factories," he read. "Even Shiro and you," he said indignantly.

" Yes, by the way. Only Nana, being elderly, is off that list."

"Nobody sends Shiro anywhere," he murmured, putting the sheet of paper in his pocket. " I'm going to see Shin."

He turned towards the door but was held by Mamoru.

"Please," Mamoru intercepted him. " Save the girls too ..."

***

Shin Sakamoto looked up his friend for so many years. Ryo was flustered, breathing steadily, and his eyes looked angry, like a dog in front of a cat.

The sudden thought brought to mind a certain fat and tabby cat. His heart faltered for a few seconds at the memory, but for clearing his throat, he turned his attention back to the man he was arriving at.

" Some problem?" He asked.

A sheet of white paper was thrown in front of him. Staring at the missive, he wondered if Ryo's anger was due to a summons. He had removed Satoshi's name from the list a long time ago, using the excuse that he could never join the army, as he needed to manage the factories that provided food for the troops. Now, the Empire has always been satisfied with its help with supplies.

However, when he lifted the paper and read the first lines, Mamoru Aiko's name came up, just below the comforting text, calling him to work in one of the factories.

" Fix it " Ryo roared. " Get Shiromiya's name out of there! I pay! Tell me about the price."

Shiromiya? Continuing reading, after going through the names of some women, he read Kazue Shiromiya. He was amazed that he didn't even know that Mamoru had obtained documents for the boy. Only so that the government could discover the existence of that poor boy.

"It is an honor to work in the armaments factories," he commented nonchalantly.

" Damn an ​​honor! " Ryo stepped forward and Shin stood up, ready to defend himself if his friend's anger became physical. " Most factories will collapse! I don't want Shiro in any of them."

" Collapse?"

So, had Ryo seen the fall?

" Will we win in Saipan?" He asked seriously.

The trader's bottom lip trembled.

" I won't answer."

" Why?"

" I will not be a plaything in the hands of any government, because of this damned clairvoyance. The fact that I see the future does not mean that I am willing to intervene in what is to come."

Shin took two steps forward. Both faced each other, rivals in an opinion that could divide them forever if they were not so close.

"Answer me," Shin ordered. " I'm not asking, I'm ordering as a member of the Imperial Family."

Ryo faltered. One thing was his clear disinterest in the affairs of the Empire. Another was the loyalty he paid to the man in front of him.

"Seven of July," he said at last.

Shin's eyes widened, he went pale, balladed.

" In less than a month?"

Ryo nodded.

"Hitler ..." he began but stopped the words before he spoke too much.

" What about Hitler?"

Shin didn't seem willing to back down. So, Ryo just shrugged.

" I don't know " it was sincere. " I just saw a table, several men around it. There was one who came out to speak on the phone, I believe. Then everything exploded."

" Hitler will die?"

" Do not know..."

Shin did not know what to say, what to think, what to feel. It was an idol for which he now had an aversion. He imagined that the Japanese grand and error was to have sided with the Germans. They must have waged their war, without allying themselves with Nazi monsters. However, alone, they would not have much strength, and after the things that Jiro said, he no longer knew who was worse.

Staggering, returned to the table, and held the missive. He read it again, and then picked up the phone. In less than half an hour, both Shiromiya and Mamoru were free from work at the weapons factories.

***

" Shin released me? " Aiko stared at the Emperor's letterhead and sealed paper, dispensing it with services. " Did he worry about me? " Hope welled up in his eyes, firm, clear, sharp.

" I was surprised too " Ryo grunted. "I considered that he would only release Shiromiya."

Shiro stepped forward as soon as his name was spoken.

" But what about the girls?"

Midori and Rika were right behind them. The group, in the garden, could hardly breathe.

Realizing that he hadn't even mentioned the women's names, Ryo thought of a good excuse to give. In no way did he want to appear disinterested in his object of desire.

"I begged Shin," he said to Shiro. " I threw myself on the floor, promised money, made myself available to go in the place of women, but he didn't even hear me."

Everyone seemed to believe, even Nana, who heard everything in the distance, sitting on a bench.

"In the conversation with Shin, he assured me that even the geishas are going to the factories," he added. " That is, it is not a rumor. If geishas go, how do he dismiss your girls?"

Geishas were the symbol of the highest female status that could be expected from that society. They did not work, lived comfortably, had more money and rights than any other woman. However, the closing of teahouses also meant the secular death of those who, throughout their lives, served as a representation of a nation.

" If even geishas are going to the factories, what hope remains for us? " Midori added, whimpering.

Ryo considered her weak, until Aiko opened her mouth, leaving the reason for tears clear.

" I promise that your family will not go hungry, Midori " was firm.

"You can't keep sending them money, Aiko-san," she said. " You need to keep Ai. Also, how would I pay for it?"

" I can give you the money."

The words escaped from Ryo's mouth, surprising him. He never gave anyone anything for free. Until then, he had never been concerned if anyone was in need, or lived difficultly. However, suddenly, Shiromiya's sad eyes when seeing the woman's shock, made him react.

" Just give me the address where you send the money every month. I will make a deposit " he said. "You don't have to pay me, it's a gift," he concluded, before she told him what she had said to Aiko.

Midori was deeply grateful for the gesture. She approached Ryo and held his hands. Midori placed a chaste kiss on them and then left for the bedroom, looking for the address he kept under lock and key in his wardrobe.

Upon disappearing, Ryo turned his attention to Shiromiya. He saw the grateful smile and realized that it was the best gift he had received in years. It was the first time that he saw more than a simple smile on that boy. It was a clear expression of admiration and adoration. Suddenly, it was very clear what was the path to Shiro's acceptance, and he didn't pretend to be.

" Rika " turned to the other girl. " And you?"

"I'm fine," she shrugged. " I have savings."

Okay, not all women were falling for your staging. However, what did that matter? Shiro looked like a child in front of candy and that was all he was interested in at the moment.

" Aiko, with Ai closed, will you need help?"

Mamoru looked doubtful for a few minutes, as if unsure of what to say.

" Maybe, but not now. "

" Okay " Ryo did not insist, aware of his discomfort. "Just promise me that if you need to, you'll come to me," he asked.

The courtier nodded.

" Shiro, can I talk to you in private? " turned to the youngest.

After all that demonstration of the generosity, Shiromiya didn't even blink to move her head, in the affirmative.

***

Shiromiya followed Ryo Satoshi to the merchant's car, which was waiting to the right of Ai's gate. He waited to see servant Tadao but soon realized that Ryo was alone. Only then did he realize that he was not as dependent on employees as he supposed.

Shiro looked at him. Ryo looked more handsome than usual, and the young man guessed it was because, that morning, he had shown a side that he never imagined he had. Ryo had not been able to free the women from the system, but he had eased the situation.

"I just want you to know that I will never leave you at the mercy of anything," Ryo stated, causing Shiromiya to blush. " I will protect you, Shiro. Before, during, and after the war. This or any other. I will never allow anything to hurt you."

That gentle promise touched him and he almost embraced the man. However, Midori's arrival with a paper in his hands intercepted him.

" Thank you so much for your help, Ryo-san " Midori held out the paper.

Ryo smiled as he held it.

" Write a letter to your parents and siblings stating what happened and saying that the money will be sent quarterly. I'll have Tadao take care of that today."

The woman bowed.

Then Ryo left them, getting in the car and walking away quickly, without saying goodbye.

" He changed ... " Midori murmured, amazed. " Ryo Satoshi would never do that some time ago."

Shiromiya begged Kami-sama to be right.

***

The women left Ai the next day, after tears and a farewell. Nana prepared a snack for them, and Aiko took them to the bus that would send them somewhere between north and east Japan. That terrified him, he didn't even know the fate of his friends, but he was unable to face Kempeitai. Shin had given him a chance to stay at home, he should be grateful for that and demand nothing more.

Without women, Ai has closed, not only for customers but for itself. Aiko did not open the gate, even if they hit him. Nana spent all the hours sitting by the radio, waiting for news, and Shiromiya just took care of garden, sleep or talk to Ryo, who used to show up once or twice a week.

The days became an infinity of lonely tears and a respectful silence. The three remnants of the house of love knew that they would hardly see Midori and Rika again. The news was always the worst possible, and on July 7, crowning Ryo Satoshi's prophecy with praise, the radio finally announced that the Japanese troops had been defeated in Saipan.

After that, the spirit of surrender came to dominate the nation. In some insane way, it seemed better to die fighting than to live with the dishonor of defeat. Young people, children, women of all classes, started to enlist to help in the factories. The entire nation came to live to raise its beloved land again.

But it was not long before another strong stab subjected the Japanese.

On the twenty-first of July, Shin knocked on Ryo's door. Tadao received him and sent him to the boss's office. Saito accompanied him in silence and remained so for the first few minutes that he had access to the refined environment.

" I already heard the radio " Ryo anticipated when seeing the friend. " It seems that there was an attempt to go to Hitler, who almost died."

"Just as you predicted," Shin nodded. " But that's not why I'm here. Have you heard of Guam?"

The island of Guam had been occupied by the Empire in 1941. If taken, it would be another significant defeat.

" No. What happened?"

"The Americans just landed there," Jiro said, smiling.

" As?"

" By Oroe[43].

" Did you see that, Ryo? " Shin inquired. " Did you predict that?"

" Never! " the merchant came forward. " What would I gain by supporting Americans?" He asked. "But I believe it was kind of obvious that this would happen, right? What other places would be perfect for setting up a base? Even more after what happened in Saipan?"

" What do you see now? " Shin demanded, regardless of the reprimand.

" My ability doesn't work like that. He comes and goes without ..."

He was suddenly silent. The trance was immediately noticed by the two men who remained quiet, waiting.

When Ryo returned, the frightened eyes said more than any words.

" Is it that terrible?"

" We will not surrender, but we will be defeated " Ryo assumed, dejected.

" As well?"

" We will be so spread out that we will be just rats fleeing."

Shin Sakamoto flushed. He walked in circles around the huge room, until he stopped suddenly. He looked at his friend and said:

" There is no defeat as long as there are soldiers. We will only surrender when no more of us are left standing."

Ryo Satoshi knew that that was not true.