“It’s in Sugatani-machi. On foot it takes twenty minutes to reach.”
The name didn’t mean anything to Sedge. “Why don’t you bring him to my class? I don’t mind teaching a teenager. It might even be interesting for him.”
“He has no interest in foreign languages, unfortunately. And I don’t think Takahashi and Yuki would approve of it. Also, he has things he likes to do at home and hates having his routine disrupted, if you know what I mean.”
She gave another short, embarrassed laugh as her colleague returned with Sedge’s beer and ice cream.
“Good luck with your English class,” she said, exiting his room with the other woman. “People here are eager to learn from you.”
He wanted to continue their conversation, but he knew he couldn’t while she was working. He turned back to the trees outside his window and began eating the meal she’d brought him. He hurried to finish it before his ice cream melted.
The next evening before his first class, Mariko again wheeled his dinner to his door, this time by herself. As she entered his room Takahashi came in behind her. He was carrying another bottle of sake.
“It’s nothing to thank me for,” he said. “I’ve never figured out why, but guests sometimes leave behind unopened bottles of sake. If later they decline our offer to ship them, I give them to the staff. I only take for myself what’s too good to give away.” He handed Sedge the unopened bottle. “Don’t worry, this isn’t bad at all.”
“I’m sure your staff are more deserving of it.”
“You’re about to teach your first English class here. I’d say you deserve it more than anyone.”
“But I have to teach in two and a half hours.”
“A little will loosen you up. Besides, if I say it’s okay, there’s nothing to worry about.”
Mariko shuttled between her cart outside and the table where Sedge and Takahashi sat talking. She made no sound except for the whispering of her tabi socks as she shuffled across the floors and kneeled at the table to serve Sedge. Takahashi turned his gaze to her. He watched her attentively, stroking his chin. Sedge waited for him to acknowledge the strangeness of her being in his room, both of them victims of the same infidelity. But Takahashi, his gaze turned unashamedly indelicate, never did. His rather lewd attention to her embarrassed him.
Nozomi had told Sedge about Takahashi’s past philandering. Apparently, Yuki knew nothing about it, which was surprising since his trysts had always involved their staff, none of whom remained working for them. For a while he convinced Nozomi that he’d changed. But a year ago he’d admitted two new affairs. When Sedge suggested he risked a lot with his entanglements she said, “I’d take in a heartbeat how my brother is now over how reckless he used to be. Besides, his affairs are infrequent, and he’s discreet about them.” Sedge was staggered that she was so forgiving. Or cared so little about what Takahashi did.
Takahashi had come to check Sedge’s lesson plan, but he only glanced at it. “I’m sure it will go well,” he said, handing it back.
“At least have a drink with me,” Sedge said.
They had nothing to drink out of, which prompted Takahashi to produce sake cups from his kimono again.
When Mariko reached the genkan, Takahashi called out to her. “Is that everything?”
“Yes, sir.”
“In that case, you can go home now. Thank you for filling in for Tsubata-san again.”
She bowed, her eyes on their cups, before shutting the door behind her. Sedge was sorry to learn she wouldn’t come to his class after all.
Takahashi leaned back and gave a contented sigh. “I’ve had to ask her to stay late for a few nights because another staff member is ill. I don’t think Mariko was happy about it, but she’s not one to put up a fuss.”
“How long has she been working here?”
“She’s been with us a long time. She’s one of our better employees, one of our more reliable ones. Since getting married, though, she’s had a hard time. Yuki and I have been doing what we can to help her.”
“A hard time because of her husband?”
Takahashi half-sneered. “He’s what people here call warui me—a bad sprout. She now raises his son, who seems to have inherited his disposition. Some people say the boy is worse, though he’s young enough he may turn out okay. He’s lucky Mariko’s so devoted to him.”
This was the first time Sedge had been told of the man’s character.
“What else did her husband do besides run off with other women?”
“Yuki follows these things more than me. I only know he went with a lot of women, and once nearly gambled away all they had. He sometimes created excitement in town with the trouble he got into. What Nozomi saw in him is beyond me. Yuki disliked him personally, but she said his ruggedness pleased many women. Combined with his artistic ability, which he was fully confident of, she thought he stood out from other men.”
It was hard to imagine Nozomi running off with such a man, but he was surprised that Mariko had been with him for much longer, such was the gentleness and kindness he saw in her. Hearing that he’d gambled away most of his and Mariko’s savings, Sedge nearly gave up on the possibility that he’d see his own money again.
“His exploits were so well known you might almost call him a local celebrity. From a distance people found him entertaining, I guess. I admit that, when he wanted to be, he could be charming.”
“But that’s not the sort of person Nozomi was drawn to. If anything, just the opposite.”
“He wasn’t showy or bigmouthed. He was quiet, like Nozomi. Introspective and philosophical, too, apparently. But he had his moments. It was how he won over Mariko.” Takahashi finished his cup and stood up. “You know, you’re a celebrity around here, too. But that’s probably not surprising considering the circumstances.”
Sedge asked Takahashi what he and Yuki had told their staff about his circumstances.
“I haven’t said a word. As for Yuki, you’d need to ask her. She’s closer to the female staff than I am. You should realize, though, that people know Mariko’s husband left her again. And not because she told them, but because Yamanaka Onsen is small and you can’t keep people from knowing certain things.”
When Takahashi stepped down into the genkan Sedge said, “Do they know it was Nozomi who ran off with Mariko’s husband?”
“Not that I’m aware of.” Takahashi opened the door and looked back into the room. “But you’ve stayed here several times with her. Some staff may put two and two together now that you’re here alone.”
Twelve staff members attended Sedge’s first class. Although their knowledge of English varied, none possessed more than a basic command of the language. They were shy about using what they knew. Most of the time they insisted on using Japanese to answer anything he asked them in English. At one point, Takahashi and Yuki came to observe the lesson from the back of the room. After a few minutes Takahashi left, and Yuki soon followed him, giving Sedge a thumbs-up on her way out.
