Cursed Taiki, Detective Murasawa Pt. 2, and Only Good Things Happen When You Eat Takoyaki
To say he was afraid to leave his body was an understatement. All day long while Shuichi was stationed at his bedside Taiki would sit on the ground, wrapped around the blond’s leg. His head would rest against the knee, he’d hug the calf, and he wouldn’t let go until visiting hours were up and Shuichi relocated to the waiting room. He was scared to leave but couldn’t bring himself to even look at his body...
“Is it true you’re cursed?” Taiki started, glancing over at the little girl squatting near the entrance.
“I am sorry?” She made a face, clearly annoyed at having to repeat herself. Dressed in a cotton kimono and carrying a black-haired doll, she couldn’t have been more than seven or eight. So young and already dead...
“I said, are you cursed? They told me you were but sometimes they lie.” He sat up a little straighter as she stared him down, her brown eyes not even blinking.
“C...ursed? Who said that?” Taiki frowned at the thought...Who in the world would curse him? But, oddly enough, the idea fit. He shouldn’t be outside his body, not matter what had happened back at the party...Additionally whatever had attacked him should not have been able to exist long enough to come to Japan; things like that required a great deal of energy and often consumed themselves before able to do much harm.
“It’s all over! One of the old guys said so but I don’t really know where he heard it from. So then they told me not to come. But you don’t seem so bad.” She readjusted, sitting back on the ground with her legs stretched out in front of her...but she didn’t move any closer. Though what she said explained things: no spirit had returned since the chaos last night.
At about noon his boss slipped inside the curtain, glancing around nervously and fidgeting with a book. Shuichi had dozed off nearly an hour ago, his chin resting against his chest and arms folded across his stomach. Not moving from his spot, Taiki watched Murasawa open the thick volume and adjust a loose sheet of paper over one page, the man’s eyes darting over every inch of the room.
...He was looking for him, Taiki realized. But there was nothing he could do to help...He just sat at Shuichi’s leg, studying his employer’s every movement while the man set to work.
The piece of paper was folded twice and slipped beneath the pillow on the bed. Out of a pocket came a pendant and the chain was carefully looped around his wrist. Limp fingers were curled over an orange stone and his arm hidden under the blanket...Taiki almost smiled. He closed his eyes as Murasawa whispered a few words, shuffling back from the bed and a moment later leaving.
Nakatsu Kanoko balked when she returned to the small waiting room, that night’s hospital cafeteria dinner in hand. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing...Her husband and son had sent her out just twenty minutes ago and now she returns to her boy curled up on the floor. No child of hers slept on the ground! They weren’t homeless hobos who just sprawled out anywhere! But as she moved to wake Shuichi she was intercepted by her husband...
“Let him sleep, he’s fine.” Kanoko opened and closed her mouth, staring down at her snoring son. “Oh! Takoyaki!” She glanced up incredulously as her delighted husband looked over their dinner. “Come and eat, they’re only good while they’re warm, you know.” He gestured to the seat next to him, rearranging the food and offering it to his wife.
It was just after eight and the couple had barely started in on their meal when the door to the room opened. Kanoko looked to her husband anxiously...The three were the only ones in the waiting room on this level tonight. But the nurse smiled, glancing down at the blond on the floor, before bowing and apologizing. The small woman told them she’d tried the telephone number she’d been given, but had not received an answer...And then another nurse had told her that the family was staying the evening here...
“Get on with it!” Shuichi’s mother snapped, brushing her hair away from her face. The way children these days went on and on...Really it was absurd. Especially in these situations!
“Very sorry,” Another bow. “Kayashima Taiki-san has given permission for Nakatsu Shuichi-san to visit and after-hours guests have been approved by the Head Doctor...On the understanding that Kayashima-san needs his rest and guests will comply with the instructions of nurses and doctors at all times.”
“Is it true you’re cursed?” Taiki started, glancing over at the little girl squatting near the entrance.
“I am sorry?” She made a face, clearly annoyed at having to repeat herself. Dressed in a cotton kimono and carrying a black-haired doll, she couldn’t have been more than seven or eight. So young and already dead...
“I said, are you cursed? They told me you were but sometimes they lie.” He sat up a little straighter as she stared him down, her brown eyes not even blinking.
“C...ursed? Who said that?” Taiki frowned at the thought...Who in the world would curse him? But, oddly enough, the idea fit. He shouldn’t be outside his body, not matter what had happened back at the party...Additionally whatever had attacked him should not have been able to exist long enough to come to Japan; things like that required a great deal of energy and often consumed themselves before able to do much harm.
“It’s all over! One of the old guys said so but I don’t really know where he heard it from. So then they told me not to come. But you don’t seem so bad.” She readjusted, sitting back on the ground with her legs stretched out in front of her...but she didn’t move any closer. Though what she said explained things: no spirit had returned since the chaos last night.
At about noon his boss slipped inside the curtain, glancing around nervously and fidgeting with a book. Shuichi had dozed off nearly an hour ago, his chin resting against his chest and arms folded across his stomach. Not moving from his spot, Taiki watched Murasawa open the thick volume and adjust a loose sheet of paper over one page, the man’s eyes darting over every inch of the room.
...He was looking for him, Taiki realized. But there was nothing he could do to help...He just sat at Shuichi’s leg, studying his employer’s every movement while the man set to work.
The piece of paper was folded twice and slipped beneath the pillow on the bed. Out of a pocket came a pendant and the chain was carefully looped around his wrist. Limp fingers were curled over an orange stone and his arm hidden under the blanket...Taiki almost smiled. He closed his eyes as Murasawa whispered a few words, shuffling back from the bed and a moment later leaving.
Nakatsu Kanoko balked when she returned to the small waiting room, that night’s hospital cafeteria dinner in hand. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing...Her husband and son had sent her out just twenty minutes ago and now she returns to her boy curled up on the floor. No child of hers slept on the ground! They weren’t homeless hobos who just sprawled out anywhere! But as she moved to wake Shuichi she was intercepted by her husband...
“Let him sleep, he’s fine.” Kanoko opened and closed her mouth, staring down at her snoring son. “Oh! Takoyaki!” She glanced up incredulously as her delighted husband looked over their dinner. “Come and eat, they’re only good while they’re warm, you know.” He gestured to the seat next to him, rearranging the food and offering it to his wife.
It was just after eight and the couple had barely started in on their meal when the door to the room opened. Kanoko looked to her husband anxiously...The three were the only ones in the waiting room on this level tonight. But the nurse smiled, glancing down at the blond on the floor, before bowing and apologizing. The small woman told them she’d tried the telephone number she’d been given, but had not received an answer...And then another nurse had told her that the family was staying the evening here...
“Get on with it!” Shuichi’s mother snapped, brushing her hair away from her face. The way children these days went on and on...Really it was absurd. Especially in these situations!
“Very sorry,” Another bow. “Kayashima Taiki-san has given permission for Nakatsu Shuichi-san to visit and after-hours guests have been approved by the Head Doctor...On the understanding that Kayashima-san needs his rest and guests will comply with the instructions of nurses and doctors at all times.”