One Sacred Treasure

Part Fifteen

Sakaguchi Misa was short and thin, with narrow hips and big, stiff breasts. Heavy black bags hung under her small, gel-lined eyes and her full were painted a glossy pink. Her long hair was dyed light-blonde, with the black roots showing. But today she looked different. She shivered when anyone spoke to her. She looked at the ground more often than my father. That evening, I pulled her aside and spoke to her.

"What's the matter? Did Dad say something?"

Chills seared my spine as Misa's eyes met mine. I'd never seen them so red-rimmed, so broken.

"Ryuji," she said, "I've discovered a secret about your father's company, one that I don't like."

"Wh-What's that?"

"They want to branch out into...weight loss."

"Yeah, so? It's a diabetes drug."

"This is serious, Ryuji."

She shook her head, eyes squeezing shut as tears oozed out.

"Please don't tell anyone-- not even that teacher friend of yours. You know how things spread around high schools."

"I won't. I promise."

"I...I confronted your father about it, that this will lead to abuse and people stealing the drug from those who need it. Besides, it's far beyond his expertise. I told him, 'Don't get involved in things you know nothing about, no matter how much money it'll make you.' He got quiet and glared at me, then walked away. He wants to meet me at a local castle and talk it over. But...I don't know if I should go. This sounds sketchy."

"I don't know, Misa. Dad is a good guy. He loves you."

Her eyes got big-- bright, quivering, unblinking.

"B-But I know something he doesn't."

"And what's that?"

"You know the Health Minister...that big guy with glasses? Oyanagi Hironobu. Anyway, he wants to buy him out-- by making the weight loss drugs illegal! I-I...you know cousin Shota's a reporter." She dug her fingers into her temples. "Oh, God, he's gonna find out sooner or later! And since we've the same last name, he's gonna blame me...!"

"Don't worry, Misa! Dad says that drug might take several years to perfect."

She locked eyes with me, pressing her lips together in a firm line. All the color drained from her once-rosy face-- a haunting, gray-white face that still makes my blood run cold.

"What future could be worth perfecting someone's pain?"

--from the memories of Ryuji Asanuma

Natsuhiko took a deep breath. The shiny golden mirror loomed over him like an ancient god, holding all the power to bless or curse him with a wave of the hand, a blink of the eye. Its sides curved and pressed into a sharp peak at the top. His blood went cold; he never liked the sharpness, especially not when the room was cold, and there was a presence in the glass.

"I don't want to do this," he told Ryuji, shaking his head, "Not again. Once was enough with a... demon, and I sure as hell don't want to jinx it. Suppose our plan backfires and we're the ones who get punished?"

Ryuji snorted and folded his arms across his chest.

"You can't leave now. You're in too deep. You were bold enough to mess with the Princess' head, force-feeding her like a pig for slaughter! I say if you back out now, you're a coward."