(directly following Chapter 34)

  ??? : “When will we arrive?”

  Shark: “We should be there any moment.”

  ??? nods quietly and plays with her hair. She is close to tearing it out.

  Shark: “Are you nervous?”

  ??? : “Uh—n-no… I mean… maybe a little.”

  Shark has to hold back his laughter and raises his hand in front of his face.

  Shark: “You don’t have to be nervous. My family is a bit… unusual, but they’re nice. I think.”

  ??? : “Y-you think?”

  Shark: “Yeah, I think so. I mean, I haven’t seen them in a long time. Maybe they’ve changed.”

  ??? : “What about your children? What are they like?”

  Shark’s smile fades. He suddenly turns serious and looks up.

  Shark: “Well… they’re really well-behaved, and they love board games. One of them is lactose intolerant…”

  He looks to the side. His forehead is shiny from all the sweat.

  ??? : “You don’t really know your children.”

  Shark: “I’m so sorry.”

  Shark: “I was forced to have children at a young age to strengthen—or even create—relationships with other families. If I’m honest, I don’t even have a strong emotional bond with them.”

  ??? : “That sounds horrible. How do they see you?”

  Shark: “I think I’m more or less irrelevant to them. They know I’m their father, but that’s it. There are no beautiful memories or shared moments between us.”

  He looks down. The woman they picked up at the stop is lying with her head on his lap.

  ??? : “I didn’t want to depress you. Maybe things will change with your children. Maybe even during this visit.”

  Shark: “I don’t think so.”

  ??? : “Your pessimism isn’t helpful. Try thinking of some games or conversations you could have with them.”

  Shark nervously looks out the window. He already recognizes the familiar landscape. After a few minutes, the train stops. They wake the woman and leave the train with her.

  Shark: “What’s your name, actually?”

  Woman: “I’m not really sure… just call me Juna.”

  ??? : “How did you come up with that name?”

  Juna: “I heard someone on the train calling their daughter that, and I liked it so much that I thought I’d use it.”

  ??? : “But you were asleep the whole time. When did you—”

  Shark puts a finger to his lips, signaling her to drop it. Rolling her eyes, she stops asking and accepts the new name.

  Juna: “What’s that?”

  She points at a vending machine. She walks closer and admires it, touching all the buttons and pressing her face against the glass.

  ??? : “That’s a vending machine.”

  Juna: “V-vending machine? What’s that?”

  ??? : “It’s a machine that contains many different drinks. You use money to choose one and then you can drink it.”

  ??? and Shark exchange glances, deeply confused. Who doesn’t know vending machines nowadays?

  Shark: “Do you want something to drink?”

  He pulls a coin from his pocket. She admires the coin as well. He inserts it into the slot and asks her which drink she wants.

  Juna: “I don’t know any of them.”

  ??? : “Just pick one. Which color do you like the most?”

  Juna: “Uh… the blue one looks interesting.”

  Shark enters the code for the blue drink. It drops down, and he pulls it out, opens the bottle, and hands it to Juna. She holds it with both hands and examines it from every angle.

  Shark: “Just drink it.”

  Juna: “Okay.”

  She takes a sip, her eyes widening. She licks her lips and keeps drinking. Without commenting on the taste, she empties the bottle, lets it fall, and turns to the two of them.

  Juna: “Thank you!”

  People nearby look at the three of them annoyed.

  ??? : “Juna, you can’t do that.”

  ??? picks up the bottle and presses it into Juna’s hand.

  ??? : “You can’t just throw your trash on the ground. There are trash bins for that. And you shouldn’t speak so loudly in public. Use an appropriate tone.”

  Juna throws the bottle into the trash and tries again.

  Juna: “Thank you.”

  This time, in an appropriate tone. She’s happy to learn something new. They continue walking and leave the station.

  Shark: “We should take a taxi. From the entrance of the estate onward, we’ll have to walk. It’s mandatory.”

  They take a taxi as planned and drive off. No one says a word. Shark and ??? plan to take Juna to the estate first and then figure out where she should stay or go.

  They get out of the taxi. In front of them is the forest marking the entrance to the Sakiko estate. Shark grows nervous again, his hands beginning to tremble.

  ??? takes his hand.

  ??? : “Juna, take Shark’s other hand. The ‘child’ is scared.”

  Juna: “Shark, you don’t need to be afraid. It’s just a forest.”

  ??? : “Exactly. Juna is right. It’s just a forest, and they’re just people. Use this chance as best you can. And always remember: I love you.”

  Shark: “Thank you, guys.”

  They step inside together, holding hands the entire time. The estate is enormous and takes a long time to walk through. Still, they don’t rush. ??? doesn’t want to pressure Shark and takes it slow.

  They approach the main temple. Its spire is already visible, and voices can be heard.

  Shark: “Alright. We’re here.”

  ??? : “Wow… it’s beautiful.”

  Shark notices the admiration in ???’s eyes. She admires the temple, the flowers, the decorations—and even the woman standing at the temple entrance.

  Juna: “That’s a beautiful woman.”

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  ??? : “She looks so elegant and proper.”

  Shark releases both women’s hands and approaches the woman alone. His fear is visible, but he tries to hide it. He stands in front of her and hugs her tightly. She hugs him back gently and kisses his forehead.

  He turns toward the others, showing a faint smile.

  Shark: “Guys, this is my mother. Noiji Sakiko.”

  ??? : “Y-your mother?!”

  Startled, ??? fixes her hair and quickly checks whether she has bad breath or smells. She steps closer.

  ??? : “Hello, Mrs. Sakiko. I’m ???, and I’m your son’s girlfriend—Shark’s—uh, I mean Aihara’s.”

  Noiji: “Hello, my dear. You can call me Noiji. I’m happy to welcome you.”

  Juna isn’t listening. She kneels in the flower field and sniffs the blossoms.

  Juna: “Wow, what beautiful flowers.”

  Noiji: “And who is that?”

  Shark: “That’s a girl we picked up on the way here. I thought she could stay here for now until we know where she should go. Is that okay?”

  Noiji: “Of course. We have enough rooms. Come inside right away. I baked a cake today—you absolutely must try it.”

  Mother and son walk ahead. She clings to Shark’s arm. You can tell they are having an emotional conversation. ??? and Juna walk behind them.

  ??? : “I wonder what they’re talking about right now?”

  Juna: “Probably about the time they lost.”

  ??? : “Yeah, but what happened during all that time? Has Shark changed since back then?”

  Juna: “Don’t overthink it. It’ll be fine.”

  ??? accepts Juna’s comforting words and smiles to herself. She swallows her bad thoughts and puts on a confident expression.

  They enter the large living room. It is beautifully decorated and empty. Large windows let in plenty of light. They sit down. Noiji brings them cake and tea.

  Noiji: “This is an apple-cinnamon cake with chocolate and coconut pieces. Please tell me how it is.”

  Everyone takes a bite of the cake. They chew and give their opinions one after another.

  Shark: “The consistency and the taste are perfect, just like back then. What’s especially good is the combination of apple and cinnamon.”

  ??? : “It tastes very good and aromatic. Many flavors in one piece is a brilliant idea.”

  Juna: “The taste reminds me of a pleasant morning where you do nothing but relax and recover.”

  After all the evaluations, Noiji wants to announce a winner.

  Noiji: “The winner is… Juna!”

  She and Juna high-five and cheer loudly.

  Shark: “I didn’t even know there was going to be a winner.”

  Juna: “Well, now you do—and I’m the winner.”

  Noiji: “Oh, Aihara was always a sore loser. Whenever he lost or something didn’t go his way, he would completely freak out and sulk for hours.”

  Shark: “Mother, please don’t tell so many stories.”

  Noiji: “Alright, alright.”

  They chat for a while until someone enters the living room. It’s a tall man wearing a tight top and loose sweatpants. He’s sweating and out of breath. He walks up behind Shark and hugs him from behind.

  Man: “Where have you been?!”

  It turns out he is trying to choke Shark. The attempt is pointless, since Shark is much stronger than him.

  Noiji: “??? and Juna, this is Aihara’s brother and my other son—Ino Sakiko.”

  Ino: “Hello, ladies. I’m Aihara’s younger and amazing brother. Nice to meet you.”

  ??? : “Hello, Ino. I’m ???.”

  Juna: “I’m Juna. I kind of ended up here by accident.”

  Ino sits down and also eats some cake. He gives a good review as well, but Noiji still considers Juna’s evaluation the best. Ino talks about his day and his training.

  Ino: “I managed more laps today than last time. I can feel myself getting stronger.”

  Ino is interrupted by an annoyed cough from Aihara, telling him to stop talking about himself.

  Ino: “So what brings you here, anyway?”

  ??? : “Shark and I wanted to take the next step in our relationship, so I wanted to get to know his family first.”

  Ino: “Did he tell you about the—”

  ??? : “The children? Yes, he told me. Even though I wasn’t positively surprised, I’m looking forward to meeting them.”

  Ino laughs. He straightens up and stares directly at ???.

  Ino: “How are you supposed to really get to know the children when not even their father truly knows them?”

  Ino now looks at Shark.

  Shark: “What are you trying to say?”

  Ino: “I’m saying you don’t really know your children—and that’s not surprising when you just run away and leave them behind.”

  Shark: “They were with you. They were never alone.”

  Ino: “A child needs the closeness of their parents. No one else in the world can replace that.”

  Shark says nothing. He stares at the table, forcing himself not to rip his brother’s tongue out.

  Noiji: “Ino, stop it. Everyone has their limits and their flaws.”

  Ino: “Some people just have bigger ones.”

  Noiji: “I said that’s enough.”

  Their mother’s words put an end to the passive-aggressive discussion.

  Noiji: “Would you like some more—”

  Shark: “You blame me for his death, don’t you?”

  Noiji: “Aihara, we have guests. We don’t talk about things like that in front of guests. Please wait until we have more privacy.”

  Shark: “Answer me.”

  He looks at Ino and Noiji. Even though the question was directed at Ino, he also wants to know his mother’s opinion.

  Ino: “You can’t deny that you share some of the blame for his death. But leaving afterward only made it worse.”

  Noiji: “Ino, please stop. That’s an old story.”

  Ino: “How can you call the death of your husband an old story?”

  Noiji: “That’s not what I meant.”

  Ino stands up and walks to one of the large windows. He presses his hand against the glass and breathes onto it, then draws on the fogged surface with his finger. He draws a stick figure with cross-shaped eyes.

  Ino: “??? and Juna, this is my father. Or rather, Aihara’s and my father. He died some time ago. But it wasn’t a natural death.”

  He wipes away the stick figure and turns back to the guests.

  Ino: “You could say everyone is to blame for his death—but Aihara carries a bit more guilt than the others.”

  Noiji stands up. With quick steps, she approaches Ino and slaps him hard across the face. Juna covers her mouth, ???’s eyes widen, and Shark looks away, distressed.

  Noiji: “I told you to stop. Leave the living room and don’t come back until you’ve thought about what you did wrong.”

  Ino holds his cheek. He doesn’t seem surprised, angry, or sad. He reacts as if this were completely normal and leaves.

  Noiji: “Would you like another piece of cake or another cup of tea?”

  ??? and Juna decline.

  Shark: “Was that really necessary? Couldn’t you have reacted with words instead?”

  Noiji smiles at her son, clearly not taking his words seriously. She goes into the kitchen. Sounds suggest she’s preparing more tea.

  Shark stands up and also wants to leave the living room.

  ??? : “Where are you going?”

  Shark: “I’m going to check on Ino.”

  ??? : “Wait—are you going to leave your mother alone?”

  Shark: “You’re here, so she’s not alone. And my brother seems to need me right now.”

  ??? : “Yeah, but—”

  He leaves the living room before she can say anything more. The thought of being alone with her possibly future mother-in-law makes her very anxious.

  Noiji: “Alright, here’s more tea.”

  She sets the tray down.

  Noiji: “Where is my son?”

  ??? : “He went to talk to his brother.”

  Noiji: “Ah, I see. Both of them are very difficult children, but I still love them dearly. Once you and Aihara have children, you’ll see whether his annoying genes come through.”

  ??? turns red and hides her face. Juna looks at her confused.

  Juna: “Why are you blushing?”

  ??? : “She was talking about children—mine and Sh-Sh— I mean, Aihara’s. I’ve never really thought about having children.”

  Noiji and Juna try to suppress their laughter.

  Noiji: “I’m sorry for putting you in such an uncomfortable situation.”

  ??? : “It’s okay. The thought just makes me a bit nervous.”

  Noiji: “Positive or negative?”

  ??? : “What do you mean?”

  Noiji: “Is it a positive nervousness, where you’re excited and can’t wait? Or a negative one, where the thought of having my son’s children gives you stomach aches and panic attacks?”

  ??? : “It’s definitely positive. Absolutely positive.”

  Noiji: “That’s good, then.”

  ??? calms down, and her face returns to its normal color.

  Noiji: “That reminds me—someone would like to see you.”

  She asks the two women to follow her. They enter a small side room. It’s very dark; they can’t see anything.

  Juna: “Where are we?”

  Noiji: “This is a playroom.”

  Soft giggling can be heard. Three dark shapes rise from the floor and run in circles around ??? and Juna, speaking in a language they don’t understand.

  ??? : “Are we about to be sacrificed or something?”

  The mysterious voices start laughing.

  Noiji turns on the light and crosses her arms.

  Noiji: “I told you to clean up—and stop speaking that strange language.”

  She gathers the children. There are two boys and one girl. Noiji introduces them one by one, but ??? initially remembers them only as Boy Number One, Boy Number Two, and the little girl.

  Boy Number One: “That’s our secret language. Only the three of us understand it.”

  Boy Number Two: “The language is super cool and fun. It was really hard to learn, though.”

  Little Girl: “I designed the script. The system behind it was developed by all three of us together.”

  The three children talk at the same time. You can’t understand a word they’re saying. ??? notices from Noiji’s lips that these are Shark’s children.

  ??? : “These are Aihara’s children?”

  Noiji: “Yes. My grandchildren.”

  Noiji’s plan is for ??? to get to know the children beforehand. They play together. They play tag, board games, role-playing games, and video games. The children even talk a bit about their secret language.

  Noiji: “Alright, children, present your favorite toys to our guests.”

  ??? : “They’re supposed to present them?”

  Noiji: “Yes. This teaches them discipline and how not to be shy around new people. Go ahead.”

  The children step forward and present their favorite toys one by one.

  Boy Number One: “My favorite toy is this long tuning fork. I usually use it as a knight’s sword, and while doing so I create wonderful sounds that are very pleasant to the ear.”

  Boy Number Two: “My favorite toy is this small plastic whirlpool. It makes sounds like a real whirlpool, and you can store things inside it. If you pull this string, the disk spins, and you can stand on it and let yourself rotate.”

  Little Girl: “My favorite toy is this red ball. Its secret is that there’s another ball inside it. The inner ball is blue, and you first have to build the blue one and then place the red one around it. The ball feels like a real one, even though it’s made of small components.”

  ??? is impressed by how well the children can articulate themselves. After the presentation, everyone claps and cheers.

  After the applause, a man enters the room. ??? turns around and smiles with joy. It’s her boyfriend—and the father of these wonderful children.

  Shark: “I talked to Ino. Everything is alright again.”

  ??? : “I’m glad. Your children are amazing. Don’t you want to present something to your father?”

  The children hesitate briefly, but then give in and walk over to him. They gather around him and are about to begin their presentation when Juna suddenly lets out a scream.

  Shark: “What’s wrong?”

  Juna: “I cut myself on a knife.”

  Boy Number One: “We use that knife for our wall pictures.”

  With a strict look from Noiji, the children quickly put it away. Blood drips from Juna’s wound. Shark’s gaze fixes on it.

  Shark: “Let me treat the wound.”

  ??? : “Stay with your children. I’ll take care of Juna.”

  Shark sits back down and listens to his children’s presentation. His gaze briefly wanders to the door, and he sees his future wife smiling brightly at him.