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〃Three years； five months； six days。〃 She stared up at the night sky； and her voice was as dry as that of an economics professor。 The door was at last open。
〃Your parents know； don't they？〃
〃Yes。〃
That explained her mother's disengagement； her father's almost paranoid caution when it came to Koei's relationship with Nicholas。 Her mother was still in denial and her father's rage had not abated。
〃Who did it？〃
She rolled away from him； but he caught her in his arms； forced her back。 〃Koei。〃 He made her look at him。 〃This poison that's inside you must e out。 It's killing you； don't you see？ You're only happy when we're together； and then only sporadically。〃 He thought of the raped parts of Tokyo where she felt free to display her own terrible scar。 〃We've lanced the wound and the poison is oozing out； but we've got to get it all or the infection will go on and on until you'll lose all will to live。 I can't believe that's what you want。 Not now。〃
For a long time she gazed mutely into his eyes。 She opened her mouth to speak； then closed it abruptly。 He knew she wanted to cry； but it was too late for that He was witnessing the last barrier she had unconsciously erected to keep herself sane after the rape。 The split was not yet plete。
〃Who raped you？〃
〃Please don't make me do this。〃
〃It's for your own good。 You know it as well as I do。〃
〃He was。。。 a friend。 Yasuo Hideyuke。 My。。。 a boy from school。。。 a senior。〃 She put her head down； sobbing so inconsolably he could only hold her； rocking her back and forth。
After a time； there were no more tears； only her voice； thin and reedy as she regurgitated the horror that now had to be fully exorcised。 〃He was。。。 older than I。 I looked up to him。。。 for protection； you know； I trusted him。 I never suspected； but when he attacked me； it was very quick。 I was asleep； I didn't know at first what was happening。 I could smell the liquor on his breath； and then I felt his hardness pushing against me。 It was like a pole or a spear； I。。。 I didn't know what to do。 I was wild； I think； then my mind went numb。 I couldn't be there； this couldn't be happening； not to me。 So I shut down。 I remember my legs opening as his hands grabbed me。〃 Her fingers clutched Nicholas as if she were afraid of drowning in her memories。 〃The pain roused me。 I cried out； but this only seemed to spur him on； looming over me； pounding up and down on me。 In me。 There was something … I don't know … horribly aggressive； as if rage drove him； not lust。 And that's when I snapped I could have borne his lust； I suppose； because it would have been understandable in a way。 But rage？ How had my trust incited this in him？
〃I tried to fight him； and he hit me。 He seemed to like that； too； beating me while he was。。。 inside me； and he reared up over me and。。。 God！ No more。 No more！〃
The next morning； Nicholas went through classes like a zombie。 At his aikido dojo he barely heard his sensei's lesson； and when he was thrown to the tatami by a second…year student； he knew that he was in trouble。
In the end； he knew whom he had to see and it wasn't Koei。 It was the man who had cut her life in half before she had gotten to full flower。
He found Yasuo Hideyuke； who had graduated from school only to bee a fisherman。 He had taken over his father's boat and now ran it with the precision of a drill sergeant。 He was； as Koei had said； a big man； with the musculature of a weight lifter。 A surly； taciturn creature； perhaps he felt trapped in a business he didn't care for but that paid the rent for him and his widowed mother。
He did not like Nicholas's looks and made this plain without preamble。 He was a political radical； hating both the Americans and the munists with equal enthusiasm。
〃Whether or not I dated Koei is no business of yours；〃 he said with his spread…legged stance barring Nicholas from ing onto his boat。 〃This is my property； you're trespassing。〃
〃The past will not go away；〃 Nicholas said。 〃That isn't your property。〃
〃I have work to do；〃 Hideyuke said dismissively。 〃Leave me alone。〃
Nicholas began to step on board。 〃Not until I get some answers。〃
〃Here's the only answer you'll get out of me；〃 Hideyuke said； grabbing a curved fishhook and swinging it with precision toward Nicholas's face。
Nicholas reacted instinctively。 He stepped into the attack； rather than away from it。 He ducked； the fishhook flashed over his head； and he struck Hideyuke in the stomach with an atemi。
The big man grunted； sucked in his breath； and slammed the wooden handle of the fishhook down onto the back of Nicholas's neck。 Pain exploded in Nicholas's head and he went down across the space between the dock and the side of the boat。
Hideyuke kicked him into the crevasse； so that Nicholas was holding on to the gunwale of the boat with both hands while he dangled over the water。 The fishing boat； though tied up； jostled in the water； moving dangerously close to where he dangled。
〃How do you like this answer？〃 Hideyuke said as he brought the barbed end of the fishhook down onto Nicholas's left hand。 Nicholas let go with that hand； and the hook buried itself into the gunwale of the boat。
That gave him his moment； and he swung upward。 Hideyuke was caught between trying to punch him and letting go of his weapon。 He opted for the weapon； concentrating on freeing it。
His muscles bulging； he ripped it free； but by that time Nicholas had kicked out； slamming the sole of his shoe into the side of Hideyuke's knee。 The big man went down but； reaching out； took Nicholas with him。
They crashed onto the gunwale； and then； still struggling； tumbled over the side。 Nicholas； on the bottom； reached up； grabbing a hawser； slippery with seaweed。 Hideyuke； still clinging to his weapon； slid down； clutching Nicholas's left leg with his free hand。
Nicholas looked down； saw the big man swinging back his arm； readying another slash with the fishhook。 He did the only thing he could： he drew back his right leg； slammed his shoe onto the top of Hideyuke's head。
Hideyuke's attack aborted in midswing； and he lost his grip on Nicholas。 He went straight down； into the black water； churning with the movement of his boat as it jounced against the dock； bounced back out again。
The police held Nicholas three hours for questioning； but he was finally released。 Witnesses could not agree on how the fight started； but they all praised Nicholas's courage in plummeting into the water at considerable risk to himself in an attempt to rescue Hideyuke。 Besides； he was Col。 Denis Linnear's son。
〃There is something I need to tell you；〃 Nicholas said to Koei when they met at sunset at one of her bleak； scarred places in the city。 〃I saw Yasuo Hideyuke today。〃
Koei stood so still she might have ceased to breathe。 All the color drained from her face； and the look in her eyes he had only seen in prey at last treed by its hunter。
〃Did you speak with him？〃
〃He wouldn't answer my questions。〃
Some of the extreme tension that had gripped her dissipated； and he thought for a moment she would collapse in relief。 He held her in his arms。
〃Koei； he's dead。〃
〃Who's dead？〃 She had that bewildered look he had seen in her so lon