“He’ll bring her back, as usual, Keiko. Would you stop worrying?” Said Rin. Keiko didn’t answer. She knew he had never hurt them and had always brought them back, so far, but she couldn’t believe that this was all there was to it. She couldn’t believe that all he wanted to do was feed them, bathe them and change their clothes. HE HAD to want something else. He had to, otherwise… well otherwise they were never leaving this place.

At that moment she heard him open the door to the next room. She heard all the noises that had become familiar to her. He was putting Shigeko on the bed, went out closing the door. He opened the door again, moves about, probably leaving the pitched of water and the purple plastic cup, no, it would be green for Shigeko. He went out the door and now she had to wait for Shigeko to wake up.

Rin was right. It was pointless to worry but she couldn’t help it. She worried about them all and especially for Shigeko. They had been each other’s rock since he’d brought her, who knows how long ago. Sometimes it seemed years.

“You think she’s ok?” Keiko heard Takara ask.

“For god’s sake! We are always fine aren’t we? She’ll wake up, just like we all wake up every single time.” Rin’s answer was rough as always, but Keiko knew that she was worried, that she always worried, just like the rest of them.

“Sorry.” said Takara.

“That’s fine.” Said Rin and took a deep breath. “Just go to bed, the lights will be out anytime now.”

Keiko heard all of this but said nothing. She sat on the bed and waited for Shigeko to wake up.

Sometime after the lights went out and Keiko heard Shigeko moan a little. She kept quiet and let her drink some water.

 

“Are you awake?” Shigeko asked unnecessarily. She knew Keiko rarely slept until she knew the girl taken was really ok.

“Yes. How are you?”

“My head pounds like hell, I’m in the same god damned dress and… Oh, hey, my hairdo seems to be different.” She couldn’t be sure because they didn’t have mirrors in the room, not even in the bathroom.

“So you know, I’m great! Peachy!... Ugh I’m starting to sound like Rin, aren’t I?” She heard Keiko laugh.

“A little” she said and sobered up “You’re right you know. He is humming. He was humming when he took you and when he cleaned the room and he was also humming when he brought you back.”

“And he was humming before he brought Takara”

“And before he brought you. Rin says she doesn’t remember if he hummed before he brought me, but you know how she is.”

“So he’s bringing someone new. How many more do you think he’ll bring?”

“I don’t know”

“I think he only has 5 rooms, unless there is another floor of rooms. I mean all the rooms are connected and my room is only connected to your room. But that’s not what worries me."

"Then, what worries you?

Shigeko was silent for a moment. Then she got on her knees and crawled to the hole that connected hers to Keiko’s room. She made a sort of sound on the wall that indicated Keiko to come to the hole too. Shigeko waited until she could see Keiko’s eyes and then said in a very soft whisper, so that the other women couldn’t hear.

“What will happen when his collection, because that’s what we are, is complete? Will he keep us here forever? And what if he gets bored with just dressing and washing us?

 

---

 

Akane was sitting on the park bench next to Yamaa, just as she’d been doing for the past week. He’d been going to the office every day, which was rare. The other employees said that it happened every now and then and Akane was happy it was happening now. They had gotten to know each other in that short period of time. They would take lunch together on the park bench and talk. They would also talk on the way back to the office, though he only did that twice in the last week. He said he had things to do and he came back to the office later or not at all.

Anyway, Akane really liked Yamaa. And not because of how he looked, he was actually funny and kind and they talked about anything. Not that Akane thought anything about it. She knew the reason Yamaa went every day to the park wasn’t their conversation or wasn’t entirely their conversation. Even though he never ignored her or made her feel bad or uncomfortable, Akane knew that part of his attention was on the girl with the guitar. Akane knew he liked her, and she had realized Yamaa was shy even though he hid it. And she had to admit, even with a bit… well, a lot of jealousy, that they would look really cute together.

Akane looked at him and sure enough he was looking at the girl.

“You should at least try to talk to her, you know?”

Yamaa looked at her surprised. “W-what?”

Akane wanted to smack her forehead. She had the tendency to blurt out stuff around him.

“Sorry, it’s just that it’s obvious you like her and I think you should talk to her”

“No, it’s not like that. I…” he stopped and looked down.

“I doubt she would say no if you ask her out and…”

“No” he interrupted her, “it’s not like that. She has a beautiful voice and she is pretty but I don’t like her like that. It’s not… I mean… I don’t see myself talking to her like I talk to you or going out. Really.”

“Sorry, again. I didn’t mean anything by it; I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable… again. I’ll try not to blurt out things like that anymore.”

“It’s fine, I kinda like that about you, even if it’s a little uncomfortable”

Akane laughed with him. “So, any plans for the weekend?” he asked changing the subject.

“Not really, you?”

“Not really.” He looked away and then looked at the girl, who was starting to sing a ballad. “I do have a project, but nothing really interesting. I might not be coming to the office next week.”

When she heard the last part, Akane was surprised at just how disappointed she was, but tried to hide it

“Oh, well” she said “next week is my last week so…”

“I forgot!” he said and Akane was surprise that he seemed disappointed himself.

They stayed in silence for a while listening to the music.

“Well, I have to get going. Are you coming back to the office?” Akane asked.

Yamaa hesitated and then said:

“No, I have to get started on that project. It’s important, at least to me.”

“That’s ok” said Akane, again feeling disappointed and hiding it. “I hope I see you next week”

“Yeah, I’ll try”

They said goodbye and went their own ways as usual.

Akane walked back to the office alone. Now she was 95% that Yamaa was, in fact gay. He had been so uncomfortable when she talked about the musician in the park. And the whole thing about her being pretty and all but not seeing himself dating her. It didn’t matter to her, she hadn’t had any angle, she hadn’t been trying to seduce him or anything. She honestly liked his company. Probably that was over now.

She went into the office and Makoto was waiting for her. And sure enough, the questioning drill began:

“So, you had lunch with him today too?”

“Yes.”

“And?”

“And what?”

“Are you two dating? Is HE dating YOU? I mean, he is actually dating YOU?”

“Hey! What is that supposed to mean?”

“No. I didn’t mean anything bad. It’s just that you never showed much interest. And you don’t seem like his type”

Oh, and you know what his type is? Thought Akane. She knew Makoto wasn’t a bad person but she could be so self centered that she ended up being insulting. Not that she blamed her. Akane wasn’t the type a guy like that would be attracted to, but Makoto didn’t need to point it out.

“Look,” she said patiently. “we are not dating. There is nothing between us. We just sit in the park and talk while we are having lunch. That’s all.”

“Did he admit he’s gay? I mean he has to be. He never even looked my way, no matter how short my skirt is or how low I wear my cleavage.”

Ok, now Akane was really irritated. “No, he didn’t say anything.” She answered and then walked away. She really wasn’t in the mood. She just wanted to go home and work on her designs and forget about everything. It was just a bad day. It had nothing to do with the fact that she probably would never have a conversation with Yamaa again. Really, it didn’t.