<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“You need <em>sexy</em> underwear.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko could see herself blushing in the mirror, as Kazumi emerged from the bath towelling her hair and offering her opinion.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I mean, at least they match, but don’t you have anything more, I don’t know, lacy? Smaller?â€ Kazumi continued.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I suppose you’d just not wear any,â€ Akiko retorted, desperate for something to say, but Kazumi shook her head vigorously.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Oh no. Teasing is very important. Sexy underwear, definitely.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“It’s just a dinner date, Kazumi.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Right.â€ The younger girl held Akiko’s gaze in the mirror, her face deeply sceptical. Akiko knew she was blushing again, and she looked away, concentrating on her make-up. Kazumi sighed.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“OK, do it your way,â€ she said. “At least it won’t positively embarrass you.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;"><em>It might not, but you are,</em> Akiko thought, as Kazumi pulled her underwear on.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“That’s hardly sexy,â€ she commented, realising how stupid the comment was as soon as it was out of her mouth.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“<em>I’m</em> not going on a date,â€ Kazumi retorted. “I don’t think Tamao’s very interested in my underwear.â€ She started pulling her vestments on. “Although maybe we should ask Yoshiko what the traditional underwear really is.â€ She frowned for a moment. “I should have paid attention when we came out of the kami forest.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Kazumi! Please leave me alone to get dressed!â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Laughing, Kazumi left the room, leaving Akiko alone with her reflection and her nerves.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">She looked at herself critically. Should she put sexier underwear on? She didn’t want to look too forward. <em>If</em> anything like that happened. Which it might not. It was just a dinner date. That was all. She glanced at the clock. <em>And if I don’t hurry, I’m going to be late!</em></p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">She was dressed before Akira arrived, waiting in the hall of the shrine house, telling herself she was being silly. She’d been on dates with him before. There was nothing to worry about. Well, apart from that stupid grin on Kazumi’s face as she watched her pace back and forth.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Oh! Here he comes! Quick, run away!â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko glared at Kazumi, and took a deep breath, fighting down the urge to do as she suggested.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Um. Good evening, Akiko.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Good evening, Akira.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“You look, ah, very nice.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Thank you. You look good as well.â€ It was true. He was wearing a suit, and it made him look more mature and serious. “Er, have you decided where we’re going?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Oh. Oh yes. I managed to make reservations. Um. Shall we go?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Is it all right?â€ Akiko turned back to the office. Kazumi was openly watching them and grinning, while Shiraishi was apparently absorbed in some papers.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Yes, have fun,â€ the priest said, without looking up.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“You need to be back in time for the morning ceremonies!â€ Kazumi added, making Akiko, and, she noticed, Akira blush.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Kazumi, go and get the o-fuda supplies,â€ Shiraishi said, a little sharply. Kazumi pulled a face and ran off, waving to them.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko was quiet in the car, as was Akira. The restaurant was very nice, Japanese-style with a private room, and the kimono-clad waitress brought the dishes in sequence.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I went to have a look around the area this morning,â€ Akiko said at last, breaking the silence.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Oh? Did you feel it too?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Yes. And I saw it. There was hardly any kegare.â€ Akiko described what she had seen, becoming a bit more animated as she did so, Akira nodding, and making all the right noises.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“That sounds good. So the festival worked, then?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“It seems so. It’s really a relief; we were running out of ideas for dealing with it.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Akiko, what happened?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">The question was very sudden, and it took a few moments for Akiko to work out exactly what Akira meant.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“You mean to me?â€ she asked, checking. Akira nodded. “I…â€ She suddenly realised how much there was to explain. “It’s a long story.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I’ve got all evening, and I can’t think of a better way to spend it,â€ Akira said, smiling now, and Akiko smiled back. It was true, she could tell him about it.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Explaining the kami forest and the purification took quite a while, with lots of questions from Akira. They both went bright red when Akiko explained that you had to be naked to get in, but apart from that it was easier than Akiko had expected. Akira was very willing to believe her, and that helped a lot.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“But what caused the pollution in the first place?â€ he asked when she had finished.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I don’t know,â€ she replied, suddenly feeling worried again. “Maybe just Tamao’s weakness? The attack on the shrine?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“The attack? Oh, the fire. Yes, yes, I suppose that could be it.â€ Akira looked thoughtful, and took a bit to eat. Akiko waited for him to continue.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Talking of this fire, did you hear about Wakabayashi?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Wakabayashi? No.â€ With a shock, Akiko realised that she’d almost forgotten about it. How on earth could she have done that?</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“His company is being investigated for fraud. Nothing is public yet; I’ve just heard through the industry grapevine. Some people say it’s tax evasion, or padding his invoices to the government. A few people claim he’s been skimping on the earthquake precautions for his buildings, although the company has officially denied those rumours. The police are saying nothing yet, though. There are a few people saying he’s just gone bankrupt, and that the investigation will find nothing apart from a few messy contracts.â€ Akira frowned slightly. “Those are the people most closely associated with him.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“So they’re biased,â€ Akiko said, and Akira nodded.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“But also the best informed,â€ he pointed out.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“What about Mr Wakabayashi himself?â€ Akiko asked.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“He’s apparently been keeping a very low profile. Staying away from the company as much as possible, so that he can’t be accused of interfering with the evidence, but cooperating with the police when they ask.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“So that’s why he seemed to disappear.â€ Akiko thought about it for a few moments, and then shrugged. “Well, in any case, it seems to have saved us from having to deal with him. We should be grateful for that.â€ She shook her head. “Can’t we talk about something more cheerful?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akira looked slightly hurt for a moment, but then smiled.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“You’re right. Far too serious. We should enjoy the date.â€ He blushed as he said that, and Akiko felt her face heating up in response.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">She nodded, nevertheless.</p>