Dear Mother and Father,

I know you wanted me to follow in your footsteps as a tea merchant, but I have no choice. Kumiko works from dawn to dusk as a guide for travelers from abroad, and I must support her in any way possible.

As of now, this means posing as a spiritual medium and using my so-called charm to secure prospective clients. I hope the two of you can forgive me for this transgression.

Your desperate and ashamed son, Ichiro

******

"Must I really do this?" Ichiro uttered as he stood with his back to the door of apartment one, regarding Futoshi with uncertainty. "You told me that-"

"She has a hunger for young men?" Futoshi repeated his words from the previous day. "I'm sure that won't be a problem. You said you could handle it."

Ichiro blinked, trying to recall exactly what he had said during the interview before the old man nudged his shoulder and steered him around so that he faced the door again.

"Now, get in and show Mrs. Konno what you're made of. I'm sure she'll appreciate it very much."

All it took was a shove to drive Ichiro into a panic. He raised his fist and knocked, then realized too late what he had done. His heart raced as hurried footsteps sounded behind the door, and it opened with a click.

"What's this about young men?" A raspy but unmistakably female voice crooned, drawing Ichiro's attention to a face decked in gaudy makeup. He swallowed while watching the woman's catlike eyes flash with recognition. "Oh, I remember you! You came by last week!"

"I beg your pardon?" Ichiro wondered if his memory was deceiving him. He glanced at Futoshi, hoping for some answer, only for the old man to step forth and take command of the situation.

"My apologies, Mrs. Konno. This is my new tenant Ichiro. He wanted to introduce himself the other day, but I think you scared him so much that he forgot about the encounter."

"Oh, is that so?" Mrs. Konno curled her thin plum-colored lips into a smile. "I suppose that makes you an innocent little angel, after all..."

Ichiro forced a smile in response. "Angel? What's that?"

She did not answer his question and addressed Futoshi instead. "So, what happened to that worker? Did he get deported at the last minute?"

"Oh no, he's still coming. Ichiro here is moving into room five with Kumiko."

Mrs. Konno's smile faltered for a fraction of a second. "Well, that sounds lovely. Are the two of you together?"

Ichiro realized that he was being spoken to again and replied with haste. "Why, yes. She's my wife."

"Wife?" Mrs. Konno's face became frighteningly stiff as she stepped back. "I'm sorry. You'll have to excuse me..."

She grabbed the door and pushed it shut, leaving Ichiro to come to terms with what had happened. He turned to Futoshi to voice his discomfort.

"Is it really so wrong for me to be married? I am a grown man, after all..."

Futoshi sighed and put a hand on Ichiro's shoulder. "That's not the problem. Kumiko never mentioned you by name until last week, and as far as we were concerned, she was a single woman."

Ichiro swallowed. He could understand why Kumiko would refrain from speaking about her past, but it still hurt him to know that she had kept his existence to herself. He wanted the whole world to acknowledge that they were a couple, no matter how many hearts ended up broken.

"But I'm here now. Isn't that what matters?"

"No," Futoshi countered. "You can't just say you're married out of the blue. People these days will be expecting you to date first."

Ichiro ran a hand through his hair in confusion. "Date?"

"Courtship, you know? You'll need to do that before you let everyone know the truth."

"So, you're saying... that I have to woo Kumiko all over again?"

"Yes, but only in public. You can still act like a married couple at home."

"I see." Ichiro considered performing the early stages of a relationship for show. If it meant spending more time with Kumiko, he was quite willing to go through with the endeavor. "Perhaps that isn't such a bad thing, after all..."

"Glad to hear it," Futoshi replied with a grin before gesturing at the apartment door. "Now, you'll have to fix things with Mrs. Konno if we want her as a reference. Are you up for the challenge?"

Ichiro gazed ahead for a moment, then stretched out his arms while thinking of the wisest course of action. He knew he couldn't change the past, but there had to be a way to soften the blow. As he was still a young man, he could attribute his rashness to inexperience and an intense desire to be loved.

With a nod, he agreed to Futoshi's suggestion and knocked on the door again. He waited with bated breath for Mrs. Konno to return while stringing together the words he wanted to say inside his mind.

When she finally answered a minute later, he greeted her properly with a bow. "Good morning, Mrs. Konno. I must apologize for earlier."

"Oh, there's no need," Mrs. Konno said with a dismissive wave. "I have no control over how you live your life..."

It didn't take a wise man to realize that she was very much bitter about his marital status, so Ichiro made another attempt to appease her. "That is true, but you've misunderstood. I'm not married at all."

Mrs. Konno's frown only grew more severe. "Don't play games with me, young man. I heard you loud and clear."

"Yes, I'm aware. But there's another thing you should know about me. I've always considered myself impulsive, and whenever I meet a pretty woman, I can't help but imagine a future with her."

The corners of Mrs. Konno's mouth curled upwards just a little as she crossed both arms across her wide belly. "Is that really the truth?"

Ichiro allowed himself to swallow before nodding. Mrs. Konno's previously sullen expression melted away, and she smiled in admiration.

"So, you're a hopeless romantic. I love that in a man."

"You do?"

Mrs. Konno held out her hand to reveal a small but thick piece of paper between her index and middle fingers. Ichiro blinked while wondering where she had hidden it the whole time. He glanced at Futoshi, who gave him a thumbs up and nothing more.

"If you ever find yourself kicked to the curb or low on cash, give this place a try."

Ichiro could not decipher the sequence of characters printed on the card, so he had to pull Futoshi forward by the arm to read them out for him.

"Eros Host Club," the old man uttered in disbelief. "Live like a queen for the night."

Mrs. Konno grinned, flashing teeth that Ichiro thought were unusually white for someone her age. "Indeed. It's the perfect job for a young man such as yourself. I can guarantee that you'd be a big hit."

Ichiro stared down at the card and pondered whether to accept the offer. He had the advantage of being accomplished at tea ceremony, so perhaps serving wealthy clients would be a more suitable occupation than dealing with unhappy spirits.

Unfortunately, Futoshi spoke in his stead before he could ask any questions. "I appreciate your concern, Mrs. Konno, but we're here to discuss something completely different."

"And what would that be?"

"Ichiro is actually a budding spiritual medium, and I'm helping him look for clients. Do you know anyone who is having problems of the ghostly kind?"

Mrs. Konno's brow wrinkled, and her bottom lip quivered as if she wished to curse at them. Ichiro feared the worst until her face smoothed a few seconds later, and she replied to Futoshi's question with exaggerated delight.

"Why, of course! I have an old friend who lives in a haunted house and is at her wit's end!"

Ichiro also forced himself to feign joy by clapping his hands together. "That's wonderful. You don't know how long I've dreamed of an opportunity like this!"

"Don't get ahead of yourself, young man. I'll only introduce you to her on one condition."

Ichiro lowered his hands, feeling ashamed of himself for celebrating too early. "Oh. What is it?"

"You go drinking with us this Friday evening. And bring Kumiko along if you're really as close as you say."