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ry out to Akutagawa…san but the acute loss of face involved not only for him but； even more importantly； for Kansatsu； his former sensei who had guided him here； made him bite his lip instead。
Through the fluttering of his heart he recalled Akutagawa…san's one bit of advice： to take a daydream and ride it home。 He sat down on the damp ground in the lotus position and closed his eyes。 He struggled to control his breathing； the intense pounding of his blood in his veins。 His hands lay open； palms up on his bent knees。
He opened his mind to the first image that swam to the surface。 Yukio。 Instinctively he clamped down on the image and he thought； No； it's still too painful； I don't want to think about her loss； try something else。
But nothing else would e。 Yukio was who he wanted to daydream about； and with a great effort he willed himself to relax and think about her。
Cascade of night…black hair； those heavy…lidded eyes so full of sexual promise。 He recalled their first meeting at the military dance； her firm； warm thigh pressed against his leg and then； astoundingly； the erotic feel of her mound rubbing against his crotch； her eyes sparkling with mischief as they danced amid the spinning couples。
He remembered the shower he had taken； the sinewy shadow appearing beyond the glass door； its abrupt opening and Yukio standing beside him； nude。 Droplets of water beading along her cool flank； the jut of one dark…nippled breast。 His startled sound as she moved against him。 The warm friction； the silken embrace； the peach taste of her mouth； the hot swipe of her tongue。 And the heated； liquid union； the long ecstatic slide； the engulfment while the silvery sheen of the water spattered their shoulders and necks in a cascade of。。。
Light！
His head came up and his eyes opened。 And abruptly he saw Akutagawa…san standing to the side of him； silent； observing。 Nicholas felt a peculiar heaviness in his chest； an oddly sexual feeling。 He felt as if he had descended into a depression from which he had the perfect vantage point on the world。 He was aware of more even while he saw less in the conventional sense。
He moved his head。 Was he actually seeing Akutagawa…san or sensing him？ He opened his mouth and voiced the question。
〃I have no answer to that； Nicholas； save to say that it does not matter。 Getsumei no michi is there and we use it。 But I will tell you this quite important aspect of it。 It is body sense rather than ego。 It is only your non…Oriental side that seeks an understanding。 Your Oriental side allowed you to let go of your ego； something no Westerner could ever do because he is too afraid。 He fears a letting go because in the primitive mind it is eternally linked to death。 Westerners； as we are aware； seek to understand death because they fear it so。 They cannot accept as we do； they have no concept of karma； nor can they see what is most apparent to us； that death is part of life。〃
Akutagawa…san began to move； and as he did so it was Nicholas' impression that his geta'd feet did not touch the earth。 〃Now that you have found the moonlit path； it is time to use the energy there to conjure up the first superficial stages of the Kuji…kiri。 This alone will take many months and at first it will be bad for you； for here we will manufacture pure terror and before you can inure yourself to its manifestations you must succumb。 Nightmares will haunt your sleep as they will your waking hours。 You will bee sunken…eyed and even at the lowest ebb may wish to mit seppuku。〃
〃You do not frighten me； sensei。〃
Akutagawa…san's grim visage did not lighten。 〃That is good。 Now remember well what you have said as we begin our descent into the maelstrom of hell。〃
The dawning of a dank； drizzly Monday brought everyone back to reality。 A smog alert was in effect； and immediately Nicholas stepped out of the hotel entrance he could see why。 The air above the slick streets was brownish gray and； as it rose upward； so solid seeming it pletely obscured any structure above the twelfth floor。 No hope of seeing the crest of Fuji…yama from Sato's office this day。
Tomkin； joining him in the limo for the stop…and…start trip across town to Shinjuku； seemed better； though he was still pale and drawn from his ordeal and he said the smog was giving him a pounding headache。
As they left the limo outside Sato's building； Totnkin caught him by the arm and said in a low； gritty voice； 〃Remember； Nick。 This week's our deadline。 You've got to make the merger happen now。〃 His eyes still contained a tinge of fever brightness and his breath was as foul as ever。
Miss Yoshida met them at the elevator's summit and ushered them into Sato's enormous office。 This high up the windows overlooked darkness； it could have been the middle of the night。 All the lights were on as if to dispel this cloud of gloom。
When they were all seated fortably…save for Ishii； who stood against the wall like a guard…Sato began。 〃Before we resume our negotiations； I would like to explain why I asked our respective counsels if they would step away for a moment。 No disrespect to Greydon…san was intended； but Nangi…san and I both thought it prudent to keep this part of our meeting just between us。〃
He cleared his throat while Nangi lit a cigarette with careful deliberation。 'Tomorrow afternoon's meetings will have to be rescheduled； I am afraid； because we must attend the funeral of our loyal friend； Kagami…san。〃 He paused for a moment as if unsure how to proceed。 〃It may seem a crass request to make at this time； but we quite naturally feel that some answers must be reached。〃 He leaned slightly forward so that he approached the area where Nicholas and Tomkin were seated side by side on the sofa。
〃Linnear…san； I must tell you that we are absolutely mystified by the manner of Kagami…san's death。 We know nothing of this Wu…Shing that you mentioned on Friday； nor can we think of a reason for murder being mitted here。
〃In light of all this I trust that you now； having had some small time to marshal your thoughts and surmises； may give us some insight into what happened to our poor colleague and friend。〃
It was an elegant speech and Nicholas admired it。 But he could not rightly say that his mind was fully focused on the murder of Kagami。 Truth to tell； since he had seen Akiko at the wedding his mind had been filled with nothing but the burning image of her face and the maddening thought； Is she Yukio？
He felt slightly ashamed now to have been so slavishly self…involved all weekend。 It was utterly unlike him and that； above all； worried him。
Now； as he hurriedly recalled the catalog of his observations in and around the blood…splattered steam room； he muscled his own doubts and fears aside。
He laced his fingers together； tapped the thumbs。 〃Over and above the bizarre appearance of the Wu…Shing tattoo on Kagami…san's cheek； there were a number of abnormalities that would； I think； preclude a simple explanation such as assault by a madman； that sort of thing。〃
〃It was premeditated；〃 Ishii broke in。 〃Is that what you're saying？〃
〃I am；〃 Nicholas said。 〃For one thing； the murderer left no discernable footprints outside the door； even though that area'