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Without further ado, here's chapter 36.
CHAPTER 36
There was so much agitation in the crowded streets of Tokyo at that specific time of the year. Whether it was groups of friends chatting enthusiastically among themselves while enjoying an afternoon of shopping, or couples holding hands and wandering in the animated streets, taking time and pleasure in admiring the beautiful illuminations lightning up the districts of Tokyo. One thing was for sure: Japan’s capital was anything but calm and peaceful around Christmas, the hustle and bustle of the big city matching the restlessness of Jurina’s own beating heart.
Since the four friends had left their hotel fifteen minutes ago in search of a nice restaurant to settle in for the evening, Jurina’s heart had stubbornly refused to quiet down, beating wildly and uncontrollably, her insides jangling with inexplicable excitement. Jurina was all the more conscious that there was solely one person responsible for triggering such strong emotional and physical reactions: Rena Matsui, the 29-year-old girl currently walking by her side.
From the moment Jurina had recognized Rena’s voice and watched her in stupefaction appearing in the hotel hallway with Airi, not one minute had passed without her rethinking about their unexpected meeting. What were the odds that they would be crossing path by accident in Tokyo and under such unbelievable circumstances - a manga and anime convention – precisely the kind of events she usually never attended?
These last three months, Jurina had been so swamped with work with the shooting of her new drama that she barely had a minute for herself. Not only it was her first serious job since her graduation from SKE, it also happened to be the leading role alongside a famous and critically-acclaimed male Japanese actor – the 54-year-old Hiroshi Abe - putting even greater pressure on her shoulders.
The circumstances required of her nothing more than hard work, great concentration and impeccable professionalism at all times.
Jurina wanted to convince herself that the sole reason why she hadn’t contacted Rena again was because of her own awfully busy agenda, yet she couldn’t ignore another truth from emerging each time their last conversation at Rena’s apartment replayed in her head. In reality, Jurina was still having difficulty coping with everything that had been shared and revealed on that rainy evening of September.
The more Jurina reflected upon the situation, the more she realized this new job offer had in fact arrived at the right time. It enabled her to clear her head and focus her mind on other things for a little while, as well as put some good, necessary distance with Nagoya. If there was one thing Jurina discovered when she had finally reached her own apartment after leaving Rena’s place, it was that all these shocking revelations had left her completely stunned.
She needed space to commune with herself; time to put her thoughts in order and fully process the implications of what had been exchanged. Only briefly, she had broached the subject with Akane, as two days after that evening she had been required to take the train to debut her shooting in Tokyo.
Far away from Nagoya, and with limited contact with Akane, Jurina had one evening taken the advantage that the shooting ended a little earlier than usual to jump into a taxi and pay a visit to a certain 26-year-old girl, her best friend Mayu Watanabe who hadn’t hesitated to invite her for dinner and welcome her inside her apartment. That evening, a quick look around the place had been enough for Jurina to tell that Yuki was absent, Mayu informing her that her girlfriend was currently away in Osaka for her 2020’ tour.
“Can you imagine it?” Jurina hadn’t waited long to pour her heart to her trusted best friend, revealing everything Rena - but also her mother – confessed to her that evening. “Three years ago, she made me think she didn’t love me anymore! Rena lied to me!” Jurina couldn’t restrain herself from venting out her frustration, the shock and incredulity resurfacing as the conversation remained fresh in her head.
At last, when Jurina managed to calm down a little and, after picking up and taking a few sips of the glass of ice tea that Mayu had placed on the table to her attention, she took a deep, steadying breath and looked up, the pain still flickering there as she stared back at her friend in waiting support. All along, Mayu had listened to her calmly and attentively, never interrupting her once.
“You’re upset and feeling betrayed,” Mayu said comprehensively. “But I don’t understand why you’re so worked up by this. Aren’t you the one who told me not so long ago that you solely invited Rena to your graduation concert for the sake of SKE, and assured me it had nothing to do with the fact that you missed her and wanted to see her again?”
“B-Because it was true,” Jurina answered, a little taken aback. “She was my WCenter for almost ten years. She deserved to be on that stage. It had nothing… It had nothing to do with my feel… I did it for SKE. I did it for the fans.”
“You know what I think?” Mayu said with a heavy sigh. “I think you need to figure out what you want and what you’re going to do with all this new information. I’m not saying what Rena did three years ago was right. Of course not. But she finally explained herself and you know what motivated her actions. Now what? Do you want her back in your life? Would you give her another chance?”
“What are you… What are you talking about?” Jurina asked, stupefied. “It’s been three years. She probably has someone else in her life by now. It’s obvious that she does. She’s moved on.”
“Because you have?” Mayu exclaimed challengingly. “Look me in the face and tell me that you don’t feel anything, anything at all for her anymore.”
“Of course, I still care about her,” Jurina agreed tremulously, feeling greatly destabilized by the unexpected direction this conversation was taking. After a slight pause to recollect herself, she added almost tentatively. “And maybe… Maybe after a little while, we could become frien-”
“Oh come on,” Mayu chuckled slightly. “We both know you don’t want Rena’s friendship. It has never been enough from the start and it will never be. Not after everything you went through together. Not after the relationship you two had.”
Mayu’s baffling assurance left Jurina so speechless, that she miserably failed to come back at her with a clever retort.It was the very last they spoke about the subject.
That evening, when Jurina had left the set and taken the direction of Mayu’s apartment, it was not merely to spend some quality time with her precious best friend, but also in the hope that Mayu would somehow manage to make sense of this unpredictable turn of events and bring her answers to the countless questions placating her. Unfortunately, their conversation had done the exact opposite, leaving Jurina quite shaken and even more confused than when she first arrived.
During the length of the shooting, Jurina had desperately attempted to put at the back of her head the doubts and insecurities her conversation with Mayu had managed to provoke, trying to convince herself that Mayu was completely in the wrong. She didn’t see Rena in that way anymore; what she felt was simply natural and legitimate affection for the person with whom she had shared the stage and spotlights for almost half her life, before entering a more private sphere when Rena had returned her feelings.
Meeting her former partner again on this cold evening of December had been enough to put into question her deepest convictions.
The evident surprise, but also secret joy that had blossomed within her at the thought of being reunited with Rena after three, long months apart.
The great nervousness, yet almost overwhelming anticipation at the mere idea of being able to exchange a few words with Rena and spend the evening in her presence.
And to top it all, her own heartbeat that ridiculously refused to slow down despite her best attempts to get a grip of herself, even though she and Rena were doing nothing more than simply wandering in the streets of Tokyo. At that précised moment, Jurina was admittedly feeling slightly annoyed by her own behavior, wondering why she was acting like a silly, skittish teenager on a first date.
This absolutely wasn’t a date, but an innocent gathering between friends who hadn’t met and socialized in a seriously long time.
In front of her, Airi and Akane were engaged in an impassioned talk about some new Square Enix video game that was supposed to be available for demonstration during the weekend convention but Jurina hardly paid attention to it. While trying to ignore the unpleasant sensation of the cold wind as it once again blew past her face and through her hair - now deeply regretting not bringing a warmer jacket for the occasion - she wished nothing more but to come up with a way to break the ice with Rena.
“You’re going to catch a cold.” Jurina snapped out of her daze when she felt a hand closing around her arm. “Wear this.”
Jurina abruptly paused in her steps, caught off guard when she saw Rena reducing the distance between them to come and stand in front of her. “Didn’t you check the weather before leaving?” Rena inquired worriedly, untying the thick, woolen white scarf she was wearing and wrapping it around Jurina’s neck slowly and carefully. “They warned the weekend would be chillier than usual.”
“You don’t need…” Jurina nervously swallowed a lump as she felt the blush creeping up her neck and face. “You really don’t need to do this.” She attempted a protest, before beginning to clumsily remove the scarf from around her neck. “If you do that, then you’re the one who’s going to get sick.”
Jurina was halfway through the process when Rena placed her hand atop hers and clutched her fingers determinedly. “Stop it. I’m already warmly dressed.” She motioned with her free hand the long, black winter coat she was wearing, along with her stand-up collar, woolen pullover. “I can do without it, so please. Wear it. You’re shivering.”
“I’m not…” Jurina opened her mouth to interject before realizing that Rena was indeed right, and her body had unconsciously betrayed her.
Jurina had barely the opportunity to witness a small, reassuring smile falling upon Rena’s lips, before the other girl withdrew her hand and turned away. Jurina’s eyes bored into Rena’s retreating back intently as the older girl drew away, somehow beginning to wonder if the weather was truly the unique responsible for the shudder that had passed through her.
Jurina forced her legs to move forward, catching up with the group, before falling into step beside Rena in silence. Burying her nose in the white scarf, she found herself relishing more than she wished the pleasurable feeling of Rena’s scarf caressing her skin, softly warming her up against the biting cold of December. Soon enough, a knowing smile inadvertently graced her lips as her nostrils took in Rena’s familiar scent, mingled with the smell of the older girl’s sweet perfume, a touch of orange, jasmine and rose.
She had shamefully and foolishly let herself get carried away.
There was no other way to explain what had happened, Rena couldn’t help chastising herself as she nibbled on her lower lip, embarrassed by the way she had inappropriately behaved with Jurina. What could she say? When she had noticed Jurina so lightly dressed, a switch had flipped inside her, instantly making her feel deeply concerned about her health. Before she even knew what she was doing, she had hastily removed her scarf and placed it around Jurina’s neck without hesitation, solely finding herself fully satisfied once she was positively sure the younger girl wouldn’t remove it.
Nevermind how hard Rena tried to contain herself, it appeared she was visibly incapable of controlling her impulses in Jurina’s presence very long. As they were now walking side by side again, Rena slanted a nervous glance, fearing to have gone too far. Was she in her right to act with such familiarity when Jurina was concerned? Earlier on, when Rena had left her hotel room, she promised herself not to do anything to put Jurina ill-at-ease.
And she might have just crossed a line.
Rena was completely aware that it wasn’t the first time. Already, during Jurina’s graduation concert, she had allowed herself way too many affectionate gestures. Much as she wanted to believe that those were purely altruistic actions, an innocent way of comforting and reassuring Jurina when she needed it the most during such a crucial, turning point of her life and career as an idol, she knew it was only partly the truth.
Those interactions held in fact much more significance and concealed more selfish desires: the desperate need to be close to Jurina again, even for just a fleeting moment.
“Thank you…” Rena was taken by surprise when she felt a hand holding hers without warning, taking in Jurina’s small, shy look directed at her. “You’re right, I didn’t pay attention to the weather. I mean, I know it has been cold lately, but I didn’t expect such a drop of temperature tonight. You think I’m reckless, right?”
Rena didn’t immediately respond but, as she felt Jurina’s fingers slowly withdrawing, she knew she didn’t want this unexpected contact between them to end. Not yet. “Just a little.” A smile ruffled Rena’s mouth as she held firmly on Jurina’s fingers, preventing them from escaping her grasp. “But I’m not worried anymore,” she continued as she observed attentively the white scarf now protecting Jurina’s neck, until her eyes shot up to meet hers. “I know it will keep you warm enough.”
For a long moment, they stared at each other.
“It will, thank you…” Jurina gave her fingers a gentle, light squeeze. “I will return it to you once we get back to the hotel.”
“What about this yakiniku?” Akane’s questioning voice broke the air, Rena instantly missing the loss of contact when Jurina let go of her hand to approach the two other friends, checking in curiosity the restaurant they had stopped in front.
“I’m not sure…” Jurina’s voice trailed away in hesitation as she turned the pages of the menu. “Rena needs to have something to eat too.”
At the base of her throat, a pulse beat and swelled as though her heart had risen from its usual place, Rena feeling incredibly touched by Jurina’s thoughtfulness. “Don’t worry about it,” she intervened and stepped forward. “We can go wherever you want, I don’t mind,” her attention briefly falling on Akane in agreement, before returning her gaze to Jurina. By the latter’s troubled look, Rena knew she would need a little more convincing. “Besides, there’s always plenty of vegetables. This restaurant is perfectly fine for me.”
“Are you sure?” Airi chimed in, equally voicing her concern. “We can look for another restaurant if you prefer.”
“No need,” Rena answered assuredly, nodding her head in the direction of the restaurant. “Let’s eat here.”
Akane placed a slice of
harami on the grill in front of her, while listening distractedly to the conversation going on at the table. After Airi had suggested to have dinner the four of them together, Akane hadn’t been shy to confess her reserve about the prospect to Jurina in private, fearing her friend would feel uncomfortable in Rena’s presence. Much to her surprise, the younger girl sitting by her side wasn’t behaving at all as she anticipated.
Akane could literally feel the shyness emanating from Jurina every time she addressed the older Matsui eating opposite her, but their verbal exchanges weren’t as awkward as she would have believed. In fact, if Akane had to be perfectly honest, this dinner between the four of them was going far better than she predicted, the atmosphere quite light and even relaxing. Akane couldn’t recall the last time they had spent such a casual evening the four of them together.
Given the circumstances, it was extremely odd, to say the least.
“How was it shooting with Hiroshi Abe?” Airi’s innocent question brought Akane back to reality and she paid more attention to the conversation, noting the way Airi et Rena were now both gazing at Jurina in interest. “I heard he’s very impressive.”
“Oh, he is.” On her right, Jurina let out a small, amused laugh. “At first, I was a little intimidated by the idea of working with him but he was really nice and incredibly humble. I learned a lot by simply looking at him. He has also a great sense of humor, one you definitely wouldn’t suspect.”
“He does?” Airi exclaimed in amazement. “He always looks so quiet and serious.”
“I know, right? Trust me, he is nothing like the image he projects.” Jurina went on enthusiastically. “In episode 3, we shot together a very funny scene: we couldn’t stop laughing and joking about it long after the cameras stopped rolling. You should check the drama when you have a moment. I think it’s a really, really good show: plenty of unexpected twists and turns.”
“Yes, it looked like you had a great time working together,” Rena spoke up, placing some carrots and
moyashi in her bowl and, as she directed her attention towards the
shiitake plate, gave Jurina a grateful smile when she pushed it within her reach. “The plot is truly interesting and you both have a great chemistry and dynamic on screen. It’s not a surprise that the show is so popular and has great ratings.”
Jurina, who was now retrieving a cooked slice of
butabara from the grill, immediately looked up.“Y-You watched it?”
“I’ve been quite busy lately with work, so I have only been able to watch the first five episodes,” Rena admitted truthfully. “But yes, I’m following the show. I recorded the other episodes I missed, so I’m planning on watching the rest as soon as I have a little free time.”
Rena’s statement was followed by a prolonged silence, and a quick side glance at Jurina was enough for Akane to notice her stupefaction. But it wasn’t the single thing that Akane noticed as she discreetly observed her from aside as Jurina resumed eating her food in silence. By the easy smile playing at the corner of her lips, Akane could tell that Rena’s words had somewhat affected her.
Akane’s mouth went tight and she shifted uneasily in her seat, trying not to look too much into Jurina’s peculiar reactions. However, she was beginning to feel quite unsettled by the unpredictable direction this whole evening was taking. Since they had stumbled upon Rena and Airi in the hotel hallway, Jurina hadn’t stopped acting strangely, starting with the fact that she had promptly and so easily agreed to Airi’s dinner idea.
And, what about this brief, moment of intimacy Akane had witnessed between Jurina and Rena at their arrival at the restaurant? When she had discovered them holding hands, she had to blink twice to make sure she hadn’t imagined the whole scene. The more Akane kept thinking about it, the more she was convinced none of it made sense yet as the evening progressed, she was seriously starting to wonder if she wasn’t missing something vital.
The dinner was nearing its end when the male waiter arrived with their order and placed their desserts on the table. Akane listened in amusement as Jurina manifested her enthusiasm at the view of her tiramisu, before diverting her attention to the dessert she had chosen for herself. This fruit parfait looked positively delicious, and she was more than impatient to have a taste of it.
The table fell quiet as everyone began enjoying their dessert, Airi’s voice unexpectedly breaking the silence as Akane was about to take a spoonful of hers. “Churi, can you come with me to the bathroom for a minute?”
Akane lowered her spoon and blinked in perplexity, noting Airi’s way-too-innocent, strange little smile. “Why… Why do you…?”
She didn’t have the opportunity to finish her sentence that Airi had already raised from her seat, standing by her side of the table the next moment. “Sorry, I promise we won’t be long,” Airi said, shooting a small apologetic look in the direction of the two other, equally astonished, occupants of the table, before glancing back at Akane in expectation. “Please? It will only take a few minutes.”
Given Airi’s unusual insistence, Akane complied and left her dessert aside, wondering what on earth was happening with her friend today as she stood up and followed her. Jurina was far from being the only one behaving weirdly today; Airi had also been taking strange initiatives. The dinner suggestion that came out of nowhere. Airi’s request to hang out with her all the way to the restaurant. And now this.
In fact, Akane was starting to feel slightly worried about her: this person looked nothing like the shy and introvert Airi she had always known.
As soon as the bathroom door closed behind them, Akane didn’t wait to pepper her with questions. “Airin, are you alright? You haven’t stopped acting weird all evening. What is happening?”
“After dinner, I think we should go our separates ways,” Airi stated without further detour.
Akane gaped at Airi and regarded her uncomprehendingly. “I don’t get it,” she admitted after a slight wondering pause. “If you think this dinner was a bad idea, then why did you suggest it in the first place?”
“No, that’s not what I meant,” Airi quickly corrected. “I meant we should you and I go our separate ways and let Jurina and Rena spend the rest of the evening together.”
“What are you…” Akane stared back at her speechlessly, until her expression darkened when realization dawned on her. Now, everything made complete sense. This dinner: it was a set up. How could she have been so stupid? “What are you trying to accomplish, Airin? Please tell me you’re not thinking what I believe. I can’t let you do this. I refuse to let you do this. I’m going back to the table now.”
Akane span on her heels to leave but didn’t have the chance to pass the door that Airi had quickly grabbed her arm. “What is happening with you, Churi? Don’t you want them to reconnect? To catch up with lost time?”
Airi’s incredulous look was enough for Akane to tell that they were obviously not on the same page. “I want Jurina to be happy. That’s why I’m afraid Rena’s presence will only serve to reopen old wounds. We both know that Rena doesn’t love her anymore, at least not in that way. So what is the point of all this? Tell me. What are you hoping for? That they can become friends?”
“Wait. You think that Rena sees Jurina as a friend now? Is that it?” Airi asked flabbergasted. “Is that why you don’t want them to spend time together?”
“Are you implying that Rena doesn’t?” Akane shot back, crossing her arms over her chest in disbelief. “That after breaking Jurina’s heart in such a cruel way and three years without seeing each other, she still has what… feelings for Jurina?”
There was a long pause as they looked at each other, Airi’s eyes confronting her quietly, almost as if she was trying to read her mind.
“What if she did?” Airi’s voice was carefully neutral. “Would you accept to step aside and give them a chance? A chance to find happiness again?”
Akane looked away abruptly: nevermind how persuasive Airi was trying to sound, a part of her stubbornly refused to believe that she could be right. “N-No, you’re being partial and delusional!”
Akane was caught off guard when she heard herself trembling; she backed away from Airi uncertainly and leaned against the sink, childishly refusing to meet Airi’s gaze as she let her friend’s last words sink in. After the couple’s separation, her unique purpose had been to bring Jurina’s comfort and protect her at all costs, not wishing to see her reliving such a painful experience. The news of Rena’s unexpected visit to the hospital, when Jurina had felt unwell and fainted during a handshake session, only to crush Jurina’s hopes of reconciliation, had outraged her to no end.
Could she, like Airi was implying, have been blinded by her resentment towards the person who had caused so much suffering to Jurina that she had failed to interpret correctly Rena’s motivations and actions? If there was even a part of truth in what her friend was affirming with such conviction, then it would call into question everything she had always believed in. It would mean that she had failed to see what was truly happening right under her nose.
Airi was the first, eventually, to break the silence between them.
“I know that you were for a long time furious with Rena for what happened between them and you have no idea… you have no idea how much I wished I could have told you the truth,” Airi confessed with considerable regret, “but I couldn’t possibly betray Rena’s confidence and come back on the promise I had made to her.”
Airi’s voice was low and strained as she continued.
“As much as you were there for Jurina, to support her and be a loyal friend to her during those difficult times, I was by Rena’s side. I watched her everyday as she suffered and remained haunted by the memory of what she had done to the person she loved the most in this world. Rena was devastated, her heart shattered into pieces after losing her. Some dark days, it was almost like gazing at an empty shell; the light had left her eyes as if she was slowly fading away.”
Airi swallowed the despair in her throat and, regaining discipline over her voice, persevered as she spoke with confidence.
“But if there’s one thing I realized all this time, it’s that Rena never stopped thinking, caring and worrying about Jurina. Rena truly loves her, Churi. She loves her with all her heart. There’s nothing I’ve been more certain of in my entire life. And I think there might be a chance that Jurina still loves her too. That’s why I need you to have faith in me. Please help me, Churi. I can’t do this without you.”
So many conflicted thoughts and feelings twirled in Akane’s head as she finally dared to meet Airi’s gaze, struck by her pleading tone and the sense of urgency reflected in her eyes. Nevermind how attentively and patiently she had listened to her, not interrupting her once as Airi told her side of the story, it still remained a lot to process. Maybe a little too much for her right now, if she had to admit.
Would you accept to step aside and give them a chance? A chance to find happiness again? Airi’s words resonated within her vibrantly and she contemplated for a fleeting - maybe foolish moment - the possibility of a future reconciliation between the two former lovers. Despite her undisputable, points of disagreements with Rena in the past, Akane knew there was only one correct answer to those questions.
“It looks like they really wanted to watch that movie together…”
Rena jolted out of her musing at Jurina’s murmur and glanced in her direction, noticing her pensive expression. They were now heading back towards the hotel the two of them, having split ways with Akane and Airi right after dinner. Indeed, when the two other girls had returned from the bathroom, Rena couldn’t help but notice her best friend’s strange, small satisfied look, making her wonder what had happened between them in that bathroom during those few minutes of absence.
She didn’t have to wait long to get some answers.
Rena was halfway through her fruit parfait when Airi had spoken up, announcing that she and Akane wished to go to the movies tonight and watch the latest Production I.G animated movie. But she didn’t want to bother them with it, she had quickly added, advancing the fact that she was conscious that Jurina was never a fan of those kinds of movies in the first place, and that Rena had already watched it the previous week.
At the news, Rena couldn’t help thinking that Airi’s choice of movie was oddly convenient but kept quiet about it. As of Jurina, she had instantly protested, stating that she absolutely didn’t mind coming to the movies with them. To Rena’s greatest surprise, it was Akane who stepped in, assuring her - quite convincingly if she had to admit - that she was sure she wouldn’t enjoy it. Following that, Jurina had relented and not insisted, even though her confusion at the unexpected turn of events hadn’t escaped Rena’s attention.
Jurina might have visibly fallen for the cinema excuse, Rena was convinced it was just another one of Airi’s ploys. The one thing she had difficulty grasping, it was the reason behind Akane’s extraordinary compliance. From their first encounter at the hotel, she had made it more than obvious to her eyes that she was troubled by her presence and clearly wasn’t fond of the idea of her getting too close to Jurina.
So where was Akane’s sudden change of heart coming from?
“I could have come with them. I really didn’t mind,” Jurina mumbled.
“It’s a really good movie, but a bit slow-paced and contemplative,” Rena admitted in all-honesty. “I think they were just afraid you would get bored and maybe fall asleep.”
Jurina grabbed her arm, making her halt in her steps. “T-That was a long time ago,” she protested vehemently. “I don’t… I don’t do that anymore!”
“Oh, you don’t?” Rena smiled amusingly, finding Jurina’s desperate attempt to defend herself too adorable not to tease her. “All those times you fell asleep on my shoulder, you’re telling me this is… over for good?”
“How many times are you going to remind me of this?” Jurina pouted and mumbled in disapproval. “It only happened once or twice.”
“Once or twice?!” Rena couldn’t take it anymore and laughed. “It’s alright, Jurina,” she smiled tolerantly, observing the younger girl as she raised her hands and joined them together, blowing onto them to warm them up. “Did I ever once get mad at you?” Rena reached forward, cupping Jurina’s hands with her gloves and gently rubbing them against the cold. “I don’t believe so.”
The gesture seemed to have taken Jurina by surprise but Rena pretended not to notice, refusing to stop until she had brought some necessary heat to Jurina’s fingers. As they quietly faced each other, Rena found herself easily falling once or twice into the depth of Jurina’s brown eyes, not caring in the least if they were now impeding the passage and standing right in the middle of the street.
The visual exchange was eventually broken when the younger girl averted her gaze, her lips parting slightly in awe as she looked over Rena’s shoulder. “Rena, it’s… it’s snowing.”
Rena blinked and looked up immediately, slowly letting go of Jurina's hands. Her features contorted in astonishment when she realized that Jurina was right, feeling Jurina getting closer and sliding her hand inside hers as they both watched and contemplated the delicate, small snowflakes falling above their heads from the white sky of Tokyo.
TO BE CONTINUED