The Passengers on the Hankyu Line полностью

‘Actually,’ Mayumi piped up, ‘it’s better for Misa to block his calls from her phone. Nowadays nobody remembers what anyone’s actual number is, so if he were to call her, she might accidentally answer, without realizing it’s him.’

‘If anything like that were to happen, I’d be there right away. But if it makes you feel safer, Misa …’

Katsuya, rendered practically speechless, proceeded to delete Misa’s contact from his phone.

After they’d sent Katsuya on his way, Mayumi turned to Misa with a savage look. ‘How could you let things get to this point without saying anything?!’

‘I’m so sorry! I didn’t want you to worry, and you still live at home … I was afraid my parents might find out about it. And to ask you to come – well, it’s far away and so much trouble …’

‘It’s only Sayama! Anyway, it wouldn’t matter how far, I’d come from anywhere! And don’t forget that the giant demon god Daimajin lives in Osaka – you could’ve used him to ward off that jerk!’

‘Hey, are you calling your beloved older brother a giant demon god? That’s gonna cost you.’

Mayumi blew a raspberry at her brother as she covered her forehead and swivelled away from him. ‘Don’t overreact – does that really merit a forehead flick?’

‘It’s not as if my forehead flicks are lethal – get real!’

Misa was an only child and had always been jealous of their big brother–little sister fights. It had been a long time since she’d seen these two together, and the sight of them at it again made her well up with laughter.

And then with tears.

‘I really have to thank you both so much for today. This has been such a mess, I don’t know what I’d have done without your help.’

Mayumi put her arm around her friend’s shoulders. Her brother sipped his lukewarm tea with an uneasy expression.

Ever since then, Katsuya had abruptly stopped stalking Misa. That had been only a month ago.

Misa’s phone was on silent mode but she saw that she had a message. It was from Mayumi.

Kengo has been worrying about you lately and wants to know if you’re OK. Give him a call if you feel like it.

There was another text:

Don’t tell him I told you but last time he was home he said, Misa-chan’s got really pretty. He may be a Daimajin but he would never hit a woman, he’s the real deal. And all he ever does is karate so he doesn’t have a girlfriend, you could snatch him up.

I’ve got really pretty?

When Misa imagined Kengo saying those words, in the same calm and confident voice that he had used with Katsuya, her heart skipped a beat.

But Misa couldn’t bring herself to be the one to reach out, not having seen him for so long and then enlisting him to deal with the aftermath of her drama.

Then again – Kengo had got pretty cute himself.

He was a solid guy, relaxed and easy to talk to – nothing like that loser Katsuya.

Misa certainly wasn’t going to do as Mayumi suggested and throw herself shamelessly at Kengo, but she could probably get away with sending him a little present as a token of gratitude for his help. Then maybe they could get together for tea or something?

And she did have his mobile number – when all that business was happening, he’d given it to her ‘just in case’.

Before putting her phone away, Misa tapped out a response to Mayumi.

Thanks. I’ll call him soon. Don’t say anything to him though, it’s embarrassing.

‘That good-for-nothing. Have you thought about getting rid of him? For all he puts you through.’

—Yes, even breaking up with him put me through a lot. But I stayed true to myself and I’m glad I did it. Thank you, ma’am.

That’s what she’d say, if she ever crossed paths again with that nice old lady.

And if she were to see that geezer who had scolded her when she was in junior high, she might even thank him too.

Oh, and Et-chan’s gang as well, with their giddy girl-talk that she’d eavesdropped on. Even just thinking about them made Misa smile. She wondered how their studies for the entrance exams were coming along.

Misa made a wish that they’d all pass their exams with flying colours.

Thinking about these things made her forget all about those women with their designer handbags.

Mondo Yakujin Station

‘Unbelievable. You old ladies are the worst.’

These words were clearly aimed directly at her – well, at the group of women that she was part of – and the passenger who muttered them was the young woman beside her, she herself not a run-of-the-mill good girl but a rather fashionably dressed college type.

The kind of girl whose suitability she might question as a mother, if her son were to bring her home to meet the family.