Page 27 of Secrets & Sake

Hiro’s mouth goes slack in surprise, but he quickly composes himself. “Sure!”

“Noboru has said that you wish to do a photo book about the yakuza. Now more than ever, the public needs to see a side of our organization that the biased police and the media refuse to show. You would be allowed access to our organization that no outsiders are granted. Every photo you take will be heavily scrutinized. You will not publish any photos we deem unfit for public viewing. Is this clear?”

Hiro nods seriously. “Yes, absolutely.”

“Can you start tonight?”

My heart skips. Tonight? We’re meeting with the Takada-kai tonight. I don’t want Hiro anywhere near Takada.

“Boss—”

Namikawa’s sharp look silences me at once.

“Of course,” Hiro assures him. I gnash my teeth in frustration.

If anyone gives Hiro trouble, I will rip their throats out with my teeth.

“A bathhouse?” Hiro asks after he swallows a bite of his sashimi. “Why there?”

“It’s hard to hide a knife in a bathhouse,” I answer, polishing off the last of my rice bowl.

Hiro noticeably pales. “Does the other yakuza group know I’ll be there?”

I nod. “Namikawa would have passed the info along to Takada.”

“He’s a boss?”

“Yeah. Our groups have been rivals for years.”

Hiro pauses in chewing. “So why is Namikawa meeting with them?”

I bite my tongue before I can say another word. It’s scary how easy it is to talk to him. There’s an instinctual pull urging me to spill my secrets, but I swallow it all down. Our affairs are none of Hiro’s business. Knowing could mean his death.

“Namikawa thinks an alliance between our clans could be beneficial.” My stomach sours at the idea, but Namikawa doesn’t pay me for my opinion.

“Doesn’t sound like you think this is such a good idea.”

“I don’t.” The words come out a growl. “Our clans used to be one, but Takada was exiled, so he formed his own clan. We’ve been fighting over control for Taito ever since.”

“Ah. I’ve heard about that,” Hiro chimes in. “The gang wars are all over the news.”

Hard not to be. A few years back, one fight was so bad, an entire neighborhood got shut down. Residents had curfews at night for when the fighting got really bloody.

“Is this Takada guy bad news?”

“Could be.” He’s always been bad news to me. “I know him better than Namikawa ever could.” And how I wish I didn’t. “He won’t offer something for nothing in exchange.”

And I know just what, who, he’ll ask for when Namikawa asks him for a deal.

“So this meeting could be the end of the gang war between your clans.”

I nod stiffly. At what cost? Dinner with Hiro was just the distraction I needed, but there’s no hiding from the inevitable now. Nothing is predictable in this life.

I ask for the bill when the waitress stops by. She brings us the check and two complimentary glasses of hot green tea.

“Hey, you paid last time,” Hiro says, trying to take the check. “I have money, you know. I’m not a starving artist.”

I hold it out of reach. “I’ve got it.” I count out some bills and leave them on the table.

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