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He opened the door。 〃You must e up to Misawa one day and see Tenchi herself。 You've earned the right。〃
* * *
Nicholas found Justine on the fiftieth floor； near the pool where Miss Yoshida had been killed。 She had not been told of Nicholas' arrival。
He stopped still when he saw her tan face； his heart fluttering。 And he thought； Yukio belongs to my past。 Here is my future。 〃You look well。〃
〃Nick！〃 She whirled。 〃My God； I didn't hear you e in！〃
He laughed。 〃You should be used to that by now。〃 He came toward her； his face sobering。 〃Listen； Justine； there's something I have to tell you。〃
But she put the flat of her hand against his lips。 〃No； Nick； please。 I've e thirteen thousand miles to tell you I love you。 I acted like a spoiled little girl。 I took out on you an anger that I felt at myself。 That wasn't fair； and I'm sorry。 I know I hurt you； and just because I was hurt myself that was no good excuse。〃
He took her hand away； held it。 〃Justine…〃
〃Whatever you have to tell me doesn't matter anymore。 Don't you see； there's nothing you could possibly say that could change the way I feel for you。 Nothing could diminish my love。 So why say it？〃
He saw that she was right； after all。 He had wanted to tell her about Akiko； about Yukio。 He recalled vividly her phone call to him just after Sato's marriage。 How wrapped up in his past he had been then！ How impossible it had been for him to connect with her。 He was sorry for that as well； but he thought that she already knew it。
He drew her into his arms； and she became aware of his maimed right hand。
〃What have you been doing？〃 she said； taking it in both of hers。
He tried to joke。 〃Made a grab for another woman。 She was a black belt in karate。〃
She looked up at him。 〃Really；〃 she breathed。
〃I stuck my nose in something and got someone mad。 Really。〃
〃Will you ever tell me all of it？〃
〃Justine；〃 he said softly； his face in her hair。 〃It's not so very important。〃
She was weeping。 〃It caused you pain。 It's important to me。〃
He stroked her hair； his eyes closed。 〃There's no pain now。 It's all over。〃
Together their lips opened； their tongues met； tasting。 They felt the heat； passion rising； a cloud of heavy emotion enveloping them。
〃Oh； Nick；〃 she murmured。 〃I'm so happy。〃 She was thinking of the couple on the crest of Haleakala crater。 Now I have what they have； she thought； contentedly。
Slowly； gently； they began to reexplore each other； both physically and emotionally； two blind people who had suddenly regained their sight。 They kissed as teenagers often do； as if this intimacy was the ultimate one； full of emotional plexities and tiny pleasures evolving into a shimmering network of eroticism。 The kiss was representative of more than mere lust。 Justine had always felt that one gave one's heart in a kiss。 The same could not be said for the sex act itself。 It was quite possible to penetrate and be penetrated without kissing at all。
Love was waiting on his lips； in the flick of his hot tongue against the inside of her mouth。 How long had she waited for this moment？ She would never know for certain but she suspected that it had been all her life。 She felt alive and free at the same time。 The bination was an entirely new sensation for her。
She luxuriated in this pureness； but still there was so much about her that had changed； and she wanted to share it with him。
〃Have you been successful so far？〃 she asked。
〃How do you mean？〃
〃With Tomkin Industries； of course。〃
He seemed skeptical。 〃You mean you really care one way or the other？〃
〃It's my father's pany； isn't it？ My future husband's running it； isn't he？ I think I have a bit of a stake in its success or failure！〃
He smiled； surprised at how enormously pleased he was。 〃Nangi has just agreed to the merger of Sphynx Silicon and Sato's Nippon Memory Chip kobun。 But there's much more。 I think that within eighteen months； two years at the outside； more than just the two divisions will be merged。〃
〃Nick！〃 she exclaimed。 〃That's fantastic！〃 She hugged him。 〃My father would have been so proud of you。〃
〃I see that's changed； too；〃 he said； grinning。
She nodded。 〃I've done a lot of thinking about him since the funeral。。。 About me。 All the hate's gone。 I think I'm able to see him more objectively now； as he really was。 I can see the bad and the good。 I'm just sorry that it took his death to allow me to understand all of it。 I'd dearly like to tell him all about it； to see his face when I told him。〃
He stroked her arm。 〃Your father was an exceedingly strong personality； Justine。 He was too much for many adults。 It's not particularly surprising that he should have overpowered his children。 The important thing is that you realize that he did not dominate you and Gelda deliberately。 He didn't know any other way to live。〃
She nodded and held on to him。 〃That's another reason I love you so； Nick。 You understand me。 You understood him。〃
They kissed again； sliding into it as if they could never get enough of one another。 Nicholas； because it was his way； probed inside her with haragei。 He found to his utter astonishment the flame of wa…perfect harmony…ablaze inside her where before had only been darkness and chaos。
He sighed into her mouth and Justine groaned； melting against him。 This state was what he perhaps had seen a spark of when first they had met； running into each other on the beach at West Bay Bridge。 For both of us now； he thought； the long journey's ended。 And it's just begun。
〃Dinner tonight；〃 he said softly； after a long time in her arms。
Justine's eyes were hazy with mingled love and lust。 〃And until then？〃
〃Go shopping；〃 he said。 〃Buy a Matsuda dress。 Spend a fortune on tonight。〃
〃Yeah？ What's the occasion？〃
〃Can't tell you；〃 he laughed。 〃It's a surprise。〃
〃Oh； e on； Nick。〃 She had caught his mood； was laughing too。 〃Tell me。〃
〃Oh； no；〃 he said。 〃All I can say is that while you're out making yourself even more beautiful； I'll be working out with a friend。 It seems he's anxious to learn aikido and I've promised to go with him。 There's a dojo I've been to quite near the Okura； where we're all staying。 I sent him there this afternoon to make an appointment。 We'll meet you back at the hotel at about seven。〃
〃Wait a minute。 You mean this friend's the surprise？〃
Nicholas shrugged； laughing still。 〃Don't know。 Could be。〃
〃Oh； who is he； Nick？ This isn't fair！〃
〃I'll give you a hint。 He's an American。 Someone you haven't seen in a long time。 Someone you thought you'd never see again。〃
Justine screwed up her face。 〃I can't think of who it could be。〃
〃You'll meet him soon enough。〃
〃Oh； no！〃 she cried。 〃That's all I'll be thinking about all afternoon。 I won't be able to concentrate on anything； shopping included。〃
Nicholas decided to tell her。 His face was alight。 〃Justine； Lew Croaker's alive and well and staying right here in Tokyo！〃
〃What？ You're kidding！〃 She watched his face。 〃But the paper。。。〃
〃The news story was wrong。 It's a long involved story； but the gist of it is someone tried to kill him and missed。 Lew stayed 'dead' in order to do what he had to。〃
〃Oh； my God！〃 She gripped him。 〃B