el.the miko-第16部分

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ndows　behind　him；　he　had　had　enough。　He　swiveled　around；　his　fingertip　stabbing　at　the　inter。　He　told　his　secretary　to　cancel　all　his　uping　appointments　for　the　rest　of　the　day。　He　told　her　where　he　could　be　found　if　an　unforeseen　emergency　required　Sato　to　get　in　touch　with　him。
　Then　he　got　up。　Tokyo　looked　bleak　and　steel　gray；　all　the　gaiety　of　hanami　that　prevailed　throughout　the　city　for　the　past　several　days　dissipated　by　the　weather。　But　the　cherry　blossom　viewing　had　provided　no　happiness　for　Kagami　this　year。
　His　face　was　a　bleak　mask　as　he　walked　out　of　his　office。　The　soft　lights；　the　beautiful　ukiyo…e　prints　did　not　soothe　his　mind。　He　came　to　the　iron…clad　door　and　pushed　through。　Inside；　in　the　locker　room；　he　began　to　disrobe。
　Everything　would　be　fine；　Kagami　told　himself；　were　it　not　for　his　brother；　Toshiro。　Brother…in…law；　really；　if　the　truth　be　told；　he　thought　sourly。　But　Kagami's　wife　was　hera…mochi；　currently　enjoying　meting　out　the　ordeals　she　had　had　to　endure　from　Kagami's　mother。　She　held　the　pursestrings。　Several　notches　too　tightly；　he　thought；　as　he　padded　naked　along　the　wooden　slats；　into　the　baths。
　While　a　young　woman；　her　bland；　flat　face　beaded　in　sweat　from　the　heat　and　the　exertion；　cleansed　him；　Kagami　thought　about　his　wife。　It　was　not　that　she　begrudged　him　his　geisha。　Did　not　the　monthly　bills　e　to　her　and　did　she　not　pay　them　without　a　word　of　protest　precisely　on　the　fifteenth　of　every　month？　She　did　all　that　a　wife　should。　And　yet　the　manner　in　which　she　doled　out　tiny　portions　of　the　salary；　the　oseibo　and　ochugen…the　year…end　and　midyear　gifts　from　those　in　his　department　currying　favor　and　promotion…left　a　bad　taste　in　his　mouth　and；　more　often　than　not；　sent　him　scurrying　to　Anmitsu；　where　all　his　favorite　women　resided。
　Yet　it　was　Toshiro　even　more　than　his　wife　who　got　under　his　skin；　Kagami　reflected　as　he　transferred　to　the　second　bath。
　Alone；　Kagami　inhaled　the　steam　rising　off　the　surface　of　the　water。　It　was　so　hot　that　when　he　moved　his　limbs；　even　a　little；　they　began　to　burn。
　Toshiro　was　a　farmer　and；　as　such；　he　was　far　wealthier　than　Kagami　himself　was。　Of　course　he　did　not　have　the　plethora　of　benefits　that　Sato　Petrochemicals　provided　its　family　of　employees。　But　still。　At　year's　end　Toshiro's　bank　account　swelled　to　unnatural　proportions。　And　it　irked　Kagami　no　end　that；　at　least　in　part；　he　was　subsidizing　his　brother…in…law。
　Kagami　thought　of　the　idiocy　of　it。　Japan　was　no　more　than　30　percent　rural　and　dropping　fast。　Yet　the　farmers　still　held　as　much　political　power　as　they　did　just　after　World　War　II　when　the　country　was　70　percent　rural。　That　was　because　there　had　been　no　electoral　redistribution　and　the　Liberal　Democratic　Party；　which　had　held　power　almost　constantly　since　then；　did　all　they　could　to　keep　the　farm　vote　loyal。　That　meant　subsidizing　the　inefficient　farmers。
　Kagami　had　read　in　Time　magazine　that　the　average　American　farm　was　450　acres。　By　parison；　the　average　Japanese　farm　was　2。9　acres。　How　was　that　for　efficiency？　Kagami　had　to　snort　in　derision。
　And　as　if　that　weren't　enough；　there　was　the　rice　problem。　Japanese　farmers　produced　much　more　per　year　than　the　country　could　possibly　consume。　Since　this　short…grained　variety　was　not　favored　worldwide　and　because　to　export　it　would　require　a　second　subsidy　to　bring　down　the　price　that　the　first　government　subsidy　raised；　the　excess　went　totally　to　waste。
　Kagami　knew　that　the　government　spent　over　twenty　billion　dollars　per　year　on　such　subsidies。　Much　of　that　money　came　from　selling　imported　wheat　to　Japanese　millers　at　exorbitant　prices。　But　even　that　wasn't　enough。　Tax　money　as　well　was　used；　shortchanging　housing　and　much…needed　roadwork　throughout　the　country。
　And　now；　the　greatest　insult　of　all　was　that　Toshiro　had　e；　hat　in　hand；　for　a　loan　of　money。　Kagami　knew　that　Toshiro　was　a　profligate。　He　spent　whatever　he　made　and　more。　It　was　often　said　that　the　Japanese　were　good　savers。　One　could　certainly　not　judge　that　by　Toshiro's　behavior。　Women…he　was　a　widower…　and　gambling　had　bee　his　passions。　He　had　hired　others　to　run　his　farms　and　they　had　been　derelict　in　their　duty。
　At　least　that　was　how　Toshiro　had　put　it。　Kagami　snorted　again。　More　likely；　Toshiro　had　been　remiss　in　his　hiring。　It　served　him　right；　and　Kagami　would　have　derived　much　clandestine　pleasure　from　his　brother…in…law's　plight　had　it　not　been　for　the　request　for　the　loan。
　Of　course；　there　was　no　question　about　giving　it　to　him。　Ka…gami's　wife　had　been　quite　clear　about　that。　〃You　have　no　choice；〃　she　had　stated　flatly　after　Toshiro　had　left　last　night。　〃He　is　your　brother。　There　are　family　ties　to　think　of。　Duty。〃　Her　eyes　flashed。　〃I　shouldn't　have　to　remind　you　of　such　basic　matters。〃
　It　was　no　good　telling　her　that　had　the　situation　been　reversed　they　would　not　have　seen　one　sen　from　Toshiro；　who　cared　for　no　one　but　himself。　After　all；　had　he　ever　sent　a　gift　for　Ken's　graduation　or　Tamiko's　thirteenth　birthday？　Oh；　the　children　never　knew。　Presents　arrived　for　them　on　the　appropriate　days；　ostensibly　from　Toshiro。　But　Kagami　knew　that　his　wife　secretly　traveled　to　Daimaru　to　purchase　them　herself…with　his　money。
　Kagami　closed　his　eyes；　felt　the　heavy　pulse　of　his　blood　through　his　veins。　It　was　really　too　much。　It　strained　the　boundaries　of　duty。
　Sighing；　he　rose　and　walked；　dripping；　across　the　room；　down　the　short　hall　and　into　the　steam　room。　He　wanted　to　be　quite　relaxed　before　his　massage。
　As　Kagami　sat　down　on　the　tiled　bench　and　put　his　head　back；　against　the　moisture…streaked　wall；　he　thought　about　a　massage　he　had　once　gotten　in　Korea。　Business　had　dictated　he　travel　there　in　his　younger　years；　but　nothing　could　get　him　back　now。　He　shuddered　inwardly　at　the　recollection　of　their　form　of　massage。　Torture；　more　like　it。　He　should　have　known　better。　The　Koreans　were　barbarians　in　everything　they　tried　to　do。　The　Tokugawa　Shogun　had　called　them　〃garlic…eaters。〃　That　was　in　1605；　and　they　had　progressed　not　at　all　since　then。　Except　that　they　had　learned　how　to　take　graft　from　the　Americans。　Dirty　people　without　a　sense　of　honor。
　Kagami　shook　his　head；　wanting　to　clear　his　mind　of　Koreans　and　Toshiro　and　all　other　negative　influences。　This　had　begun　as　an　evil　day；　but　he　was　determined　that　it　should　end　otherwise。
　The　steam　pipe　to　his　left　hissed　and　coughed；　new　mist　began　to　form　in　the　room。　The　heat　rose　and　Kagami　began　to　sweat。　He　had　forgotten　to　cool　off　in　the　shower　before　ing　in　here。　He　had　Toshiro　to　thank　for　that　as　well。
　It　was　just　as　well。　He　put　his　hands　on　his　belly。　Too　much　fat　there　these　days。　Maybe　his　extra　sweating　would　do　him　some　good。　His　eyes　closed。　He　was　pletely　relaxed。
　The　door　opened。　Kagami　did　not　open　his　eyes　but　he　was　aware　of　a　brief　lessening　of　the　intense　heat；　a　momentary　thinning　of　the　humid　atmosphere。　Then　the　swirling　clouds　of　steam　enveloped　him　once　more。
　He　did　not　wonder　who　had　e　in。　Members　of　the　upper…echelon　management　team　were　in　and　out　of　this　section　of　the　floor　all　through　the　day　and　even　on　into　the　night　after　the　rest　of　the　building　was　closed　and　dark。　The　men　rarely　spoke　to　one　another　here；　understanding　implicitly　the　nature　of　the　renewing　process　that　ultimately　led　to　a　more　productive　workday　for　all　of　them。
　Kagami　felt　a　presence；　no　more　than　a　shadow　perhaps。　As　it　passed；　something　caused　him　to　open　his　eyes。　He　could　not　immediately　say　what　it　was；　a　premonition　perhaps　or　a　subtle　change　in　the　environment。
　He　saw　a　figure　across　the　room；　made　indistinct　by　the　steam。　Mist　seemed　to　flow　around　the　form；　changing　its　shape　even　as　Kagami　looked。
　The　figure　was　standing　and　now　it　came　forward　in　an　odd；　gliding　gait　that　seemed　all　liquid；　as　if　the　being　before　him　had　no　bones　or　hard　muscle。　Kagami　wiped　the　sweat　from　his　eyes。　He　felt　the　absurd　urge　to　pinch　himself　to　make　certain　he　had　not　somehow　fallen　asleep；　lulled　by　the　heat　and　the　peacefulness。
　For　now　he　could　discern　much　of　the　figure；　and　it　appeared　to　him　as　if　it　might　be　female。　But　surely　not！　he　admonished　himself。　Even　the　blind　Taiwanese　girls　were　forbidden　in　the　steam　room。
　Kagami's　mouth　dropped　open　and　he　gasped。　Appearing　out　of　the　layers　of　mist　was　the　unmistakable　patch　of　female　pubic　hair；　dark　as　night；　beads　of　water　clinging　in　its　curls　like　pearls　on　the　bed　of　the　sea。　This　is　monstrous；　he　thought　indignantly。　What　gross　breach　of　protocol。　I　must　lodge　a　protest　with　Sato…san。
　The　naked　hips　swung　back　and　forth　minutely　as　the　woman　came　toward　him　and　Kagami　felt　the　first　faint　stirrings　in　his　lower　belly。　There　was　something　so　intensely　sexual；　made　all　the　more　powerful　because　there　was　an　absence　of　flaunting。　The　sexuality　seemed　to　have　an　existence　all　its　own；　lacing　the　steamy　atmosphere　so　that；　despite　himself；　Kagami　felt　the　blood　pooling　in　his　loins；　the　telltale　thickening　of　his　penis。
　And　all　the　while　his　mind　was　outraged；　for　with　the　excitement　came　the　unmistakable…yet　totally　unfamiliar…sensation　of　being　goaded　into　desire　against　his　will。
　Now　he　could　see　more　of　the　torso；　the　high　cone…shaped　breasts；　the　dark　nipples　hard　and　distended；　the　flat；　slightly　curved　stomach。
　He　could　no　longer　hide　his　erection　and　he　put　his　hands　down　between　his　thighs；　trying　to　cover　his　embarrassment。　That　was　when　he　first　sensed　the　danger。　She　stopped　in　front　of　him　and；　standing　straight…backed；　thrust　her　legs　out。　Jeweled　water　dripped　from　the　fringe　of　tight　curls　onto　her　firm　columns　of　flesh。　Kagami　found　himself　straining　forward　to　see　the　central　vertical　ribbon；　nature's　most　beautiful　route。
　He　gasped　and　began　to　choke　on　his　own　saliva。　Bile　came　rushing　up　from　his　grinding　stomach　and　his　mind；　stunned；　blanked　out。　All　he　could　do　was　stare　at　the　inner　flesh　of　her　thighs；　slack…jawed；　while　his　erection　withered　on　the　vine。
　Then；　stupefaction　still　dominant　on　his　face；　he　raised　his　gaze　upward　to　the　woman's　head；　saw　only　a　pair　of　dark　enigmatic　eyes　behind　a　spread　fan　of　gilt；　red　and　jet。
　〃Who…〃　he　began；　abruptly　finding　his　voice。
　But　now　the　fan　was　moving；　ing　away；　reve