Ichiro realized too late the dire mistake he had made. There was no guarantee that Hideo could be trusted, so by letting bitterness take over and casting Kumiko aside, he had only put himself in a more perilous situation than before.

The only thing that brought him comfort was his lack of knowledge of Yukari's whereabouts. It was immoral, but if he strung Hideo along with false hope, there would be a chance of delaying the unpleasant fate awaiting him in the Underworld.

After all, that was where people went when they died, and since Ichiro had been separated from his physical body, it only made sense for him to be taken there.

And so, he glanced fearfully at Hideo while knowing that his future lay in the balance. They passed one of the horseless metal carriages that sped around during the day, and he clenched his fists.

You have to stay calm, he tried to convince himself. You can still win this day...

Hideo suddenly stopped, which caused Ichiro to flinch. Pity returned to his companion's face, and he felt inclined to reject it until the unexpected reached his ears.

"I know you claim to be all right, but there's still something I think you should hear."

Ichiro frowned and crossed his arms. "What do you mean? You know nothing about my life-"

"Actually, I do," Hideo rebutted. "Have you already forgotten our earlier conversation?"

"I..." Ichiro could offer no argument, so he resigned himself to whatever the older man wished to say. "Never mind. Talk away..."

Hideo tugged at both sleeves as if preparing to undertake a laborious task. Then, he cleared his throat and began to speak. "I cannot claim to speak for your wife, nor do I know what's happened between you two, but I have been stricken by grief before."

Ichiro raised his head. "Really?"

"Yes," Hideo answered after giving a heavy sigh. "I lost my wife and son in the Kantō earthquake, then Yukari too, twelve years later. You could say that I went mad because I stopped caring for my own wellbeing, and each day, I welcomed the possibility that it would be my last."

Ichiro was shocked by this revelation. He'd been tempted to deceive Hideo earlier, but now he wasn't so sure. The man genuinely seemed to want to see Yukari again, just as he yearned to return to Kumiko's side and forget all about their past misfortune.

As a gesture of sympathy, Ichiro reached out to pat Hideo on the shoulder, only to have second thoughts when the older man spoke again. "But, I don't wish to bother you with too many details of my past. How do you plan to lead me to Yukari?"

"Uh..." Ichiro put on a sheepish smile and decided that he would stall for time instead of telling outright lies. "That's a good question. We last met at her house, and the strangest thing-"

Hideo frowned. "You have no idea, do you?"

Fear overcame Ichiro at being caught out so soon. He let out a nervous laugh, knowing it was better to find amusement in his situation. "What? Why would you think that?"

"I can see it in your face. Your eyes plead for help whenever I mention my daughter's name."

Ichiro felt his knees grow weak. He really was in trouble now, and the only thing left to do was beg. He threw himself at Hideo's feet as one might do with another of higher status. "I'm sorry! Whatever you do, please don't take me to the Underworld. This place is torture enough already!"

Hideo stared down at him like he was crazy. "What are you on about? I have no intention of doing that."

"You don't?" Ichiro abandoned his helpless act and raised his head, unsure whether to believe his ears.

"Of course not. I'm not heartless enough to take you away from the woman you love." Hideo stepped back to allow him more room. "You should get up. I can sense that she's looking for you."

"Huh?" 

"If you want to sort things out with her, now's your chance. We can focus on my daughter later."

"Truly? Do you mean that?"

"Yes. I may have supernatural senses and be handy with a sword, but I certainly won't take the risk of getting in your wife's way."

Ichiro chose not to think too hard about Hideo's words this time. He rose to his feet while Kumiko's tearful face entered his mind again. He'd never wanted to make her cry, but the fact that she had was a sign he was still as precious to her as ever. Unwilling to hold back his yearning any longer, he turned to Hideo to make a firm request.

"Show me to her. I'm ready to start anew."

"Gladly," Hideo acquiesced with a nod, then led him back along the dimly lit street until they were near the white building that was Kumiko's home. The sight of her standing outside in a long black garment caught Ichiro's eye, and he became restless.

Kumiko's attention fell on him before he could call her name. Her worried frown vanished and gave way to a smile as she took cautious steps toward him.

"Ichiro, you're back..." Her shaky voice rang out in his ears. "Who's that with you?"

"Uh..." Ichiro glanced at his distinguished-looking companion. "This is Hideo. He's-"

"A shinigami," Hideo finished for him, prompting a gasp from Kumiko.

"What? I thought they were just fiction..."

"And he needs help looking for his daughter," Ichiro added to steer the conversation back to himself. "It's a long story."

Kumiko sighed while slumping her shoulders. "Oh, boy. This night just keeps getting stranger..."

"That's not a bad thing, isn't it?"

"Not at all. I'm just exhausted..." She blinked, and Ichiro saw for the first time that there were bags beneath her dry eyes. "But, you've been the best thing so far..."

"Even if I just hurt you?"

Kumiko's smile faltered a little. "That was my fault. I brought you back with only my interests at heart, and then I told you one lie after another because I thought it would save your sanity." She took a deep breath. "You have every reason to be upset at what I've done."

Ichiro tried to focus only on her as words came together in his mind. "Well, I cannot deny that I am. This new world frightens me, and I don't know how anybody can stand to live in it."

"I see," Kumiko muttered, directing her gaze downwards. "If you don't want to stay, then-"

"Yet somehow they do," Ichiro continued while remembering the large numbers of people he had seen walking about during the day. "They eat, drink, and converse with each other all the same. Although, I cannot understand much of what they say."

"Ichiro..."

"I want to be with you, Kumiko," he finally admitted despite the embarrassment it brought him. "Maybe you can show me how this world works." He looked sideways at Hideo. "And even if I have second thoughts, I need only remind myself that the Underworld will be much worse..."

"I wouldn't go so far as to say that," Hideo exclaimed in alarm, prompting Kumiko to turn and stare. "It's given me opportunities, and the same could be true for you. After all, we shinigami are in short supply."

Kumiko narrowed her eyes. "What are you, some recruitment agent? Ichiro is staying with me, and I'm going to make things work, even if we can't touch each other..."

Ichiro couldn't help but give her an incredulous look. Would their relationship really last without something so vital? Fortunately, his worries were eased when Hideo proposed a solution.

"I find that sentiment sweet, but we should be realistic. If Ichiro stays without his body, there won't be much of a future for you both. So, I've figured that I should help get it back."

Worry flitted across Kumiko's face before she composed herself. "That sounds good, though I'm afraid there's a certain complication..."

Hideo raised his eyebrows. "Really? Do explain."

"A man named Tsutomu is occupying his body, and I don't think a compromise will be sufficient in this case."

"Ah." Hideo nodded in understanding. He placed his case on the ground, then unfastened it to reveal the contents. An assortment of books lay inside, but most surprising of all was the sheathed tantō laid across them. He plucked the weapon out with a grin that disturbed Ichiro and Kumiko. "Behold, my trusty short sword. With it, we should be able to solve most of our problems..."