Nibiiro no Hana: Chapter 7

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The day after Carter’s call, once the afternoon work had reached a natural pause, Tokawa summoned Tsurutani to the president’s office. Though they occasionally passed each other in the company hallways, it had been a while since Tokawa had seen his face properly.

His graying hair looked noticeably better today—perhaps he’d changed the way he styled it. It suited him, even verging on what might be called “romantic silver.” The suit he wore hugged his frame with elegant precision. Just from a glance, Tokawa could tell it had been tailored by a skilled artisan. He used to wear poorly made, off-the-rack mass-produced suits, which had given the impression he wasn’t interested in personal appearance. Tokawa wondered when he’d started paying attention to the details.

A thin, small-framed man with clearly visible white hair—those traits hadn’t changed. But where he once seemed as ephemeral as a dragonfly, he now carried a more defined human presence.

“Was there something you needed?”

The words were accompanied by an anxious upward glance and a quiet voice.

“Sorry to call you in so suddenly… That suit suits you very well,” Tokawa said.

“Ah—thank you,” Tsurutani stammered, fidgeting with the sleeve cuff in flustered surprise before bowing his head.

“It was a gift, but it’s incredibly comfortable to wear.”

A man so favored he was being considered for relocation to New York. For a senior executive at Eric & Ronald, gifting ten or twenty luxury suits would be a trivial act.

“Was it a gift from Mr. Carter?”

Their eyes met—and Tsurutani quickly apologized.

“I should have reported it properly, since anything given to me personally could be seen as given to the company.”

“There’s no need to report personal gifts. …How’s your work going?”

Placing a hand over his chest, Tsurutani replied with a gentle smile, “It’s going smoothly. The next edition of the company bulletin will be done soon.”

The internal newsletter was a weekly email magazine compiling employee voices, distributed to all staff. It had originally been created by Tokawa’s father, the former president, who hoped it would foster understanding among employees across departments. Back then, it had been a monthly booklet.

Since his father was particularly fond of it, Tokawa had continued it in a digital format, though in truth, aside from a few older employees, hardly anyone read it anymore. When the employee who had long handled editing retired, the task had been reassigned to Tsurutani—who had transferred to the secretarial role but had no clear duties.

Of course, what Tokawa really wanted to ask about wasn’t the newsletter—it was the matter of the “sexual arrangements.” But it seemed Tsurutani hadn’t realized that yet.

"Is your relationship with Mr. Carter good?"

It seemed that Tsurutani had finally realized what this meeting was about. His lips parted slightly, and he cast his eyes downward.

"I don’t believe there’s been any particular change."

A vague answer—difficult to interpret.

"Would you say there are differences between Mr. Carter and Mr. Adams?"

Tokawa deliberately mentioned the other man—Huey Adams, the blond one who had also been a recipient of the “arrangements.” If Carter was now expressing interest in Tsurutani as a partner, perhaps there was a difference in how the two men treated him. It would serve as indirect confirmation of Carter’s intentions.

The room was comfortably cool with air conditioning, yet Tsurutani wiped his forehead with his palm, hesitating as he began.

"Their preferences… differ."

"So Carter is the one who calls you overseas more often?"

"Yes. About eighty percent of my travel requests come from him."

Though Tsurutani submitted travel expenses, they’d never required him to document who the visits were for. Tokawa hadn't realized the degree to which Carter had favored him.

Tokawa hardened his expression deliberately and fixed his eyes on the older employee across from him.

"You've been instructed by Mr. Carter to leak company information, haven’t you?"

It was a bluff—but Tsurutani’s face immediately drained of color.

"N-no! He’s never asked anything like that! In fact, Dan avoids work-related topics entirely when we’re alone."

Like a frightened rabbit, Tsurutani trembled and clasped his hands together in front of his chest, pleading.

"President, please believe me. I’ve never leaked any internal data. I don’t even know where the sensitive information is stored."

His face was so pale it looked like he might collapse at any moment. Convinced that he was telling the truth, Tokawa softened his tone.

Just in case, he thought, they could have Tsurutani sign a confidentiality agreement upon his resignation, affirming that he wouldn’t take any internal information with him. That would be enough.

"I apologize for testing you like that. But as president, I have to protect this company and its people. Even the slightest risk of harm has to be addressed."

Tsurutani’s eyes darted uneasily from side to side, clearly confused by what this was leading up to.

"Yesterday, Mr. Carter contacted me. He asked if we would be willing to let you go."

The gray-haired man looked stunned. He clutched his head in despair.

"D-did I… offend him somehow?"

"No, quite the opposite. Mr. Carter is very fond of you. He wants you to leave the company and come live in New York. If you want to keep working, he’s prepared to arrange a position at Eric & Ronald."

Tokawa had expected him to accept without hesitation once the situation was explained—but Tsurutani looked dazed.

"I… I see. And… what would I be expected to do in New York?"

"I believe Mr. Carter hopes to build a closer personal relationship with you."

A deep furrow appeared between Tsurutani’s brows.

"Would quitting and moving to New York… be a company order?"

At first, Tokawa didn’t understand what he meant. But then it hit him—this was a man who had continued to engage in coerced “sexual reception” duties because he believed it was expected of him. With that in mind, it wasn’t strange that he might interpret this as another unspoken command.

"The company is not involved. This is a private matter between you and Mr. Carter."

Tsurutani visibly relaxed, a slight smile breaking through.

"I'm relieved to hear that. I’m not good at English, and there’s just no way I could live in New York. I really wonder why Dan would bring up something so sudden and out of nowhere…”

He murmured this to himself, pressing a finger to his chin. Then he looked up at Tokawa with wide eyes—as if something had just occurred to him.

“Maybe Dan just didn’t want to share me with Huey anymore,” Tsurutani said. “He’s a very possessive man. I think he wanted to keep his favorite toy close by.”

He referred to himself as a toy, while Carter had called him a partner. There was a striking disconnect between how Carter described his intentions and how Tsurutani perceived them.

“Starting around last year, Dan began calling me to New York more frequently. Most of the time, I was only seeing him. I even asked once if Huey would be joining us, but Dan got upset, so I stopped bringing it up.”

Tsurutani gave a light shrug and spread his hands in an exaggerated gesture that didn’t quite suit his appearance—perhaps a habit picked up from frequent overseas travel.

“At first I thought the two of them had a falling out, but Huey said that wasn’t the case. I kept wondering what was going on. Huey only wants to sleep with me, but Dan buys me things—shoes, clothes, accessories—even when I haven’t asked for them. I tried to decline, but he got angry and said, ‘I don’t want to be seen with someone dressed in cheap things.’ So I accepted, thinking of it as just another part of the job…”

“Even when I’m in Japan, Dan often calls me over video and asks me to… perform obscene acts on camera. A lot of times it involves him giving very specific instructions about positions or things he wants me to do.”

Each secretary had their own private room, soundproofed for confidentiality. Technically, it was possible for such interactions to take place without any other employees noticing. But since no reports had been filed, Tokawa hadn’t known it was happening.

He’d once ordered Tsurutani to sexually service the two executives inside the president’s office, so clearly Tsurutani had no strong resistance to such conduct on company grounds. In fact, the man had once asked Tokawa—just once—to penetrate him. Although Tsurutani had no prior experience with men, Tokawa had found it fascinating to observe a person being overtaken by desire. He had suggested that Tsurutani instead leave that sort of act to professionals, and to submit receipts if he ever used adult services, which would be processed as business expenses.

To date, no such receipts had ever been submitted.

Whatever Tsurutani’s private circumstances, Tokawa hadn’t yet thought through what he’d do if Carter’s proposal was declined.

“Why don’t you have a seat?” he offered.

“Oh, yes… excuse me,” the gray-haired man replied awkwardly, shifting side to side as he moved to the guest sofa and sat down stiffly.

“First, I’d like to confirm your intentions. Am I correct in understanding that you have no intention of accepting Mr. Carter’s request to move to New York?”

Tsurutani nodded. His voice was small, but firm.

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll inform him accordingly.”

Tsurutani’s face immediately tightened with concern.

“Will that be… all right?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, if I turn him down, will that cause problems for the company?”

Carter’s tone had been so confident, so certain that Tsurutani would say yes. What would happen when he found out otherwise?

“I don’t know,” Tokawa replied.

Still, it was a private matter, and the company couldn’t bind Tsurutani’s personal decisions outside of work.

“I just… I’d feel terrible if my decision ended up causing trouble for the company…”

Tsurutani bowed deeply, the gray of his hair catching the light.

It was true—if he had agreed to go, the matter would’ve been settled cleanly.

“It’s all well and good to be liked by the client, and I suppose it’s your skill that made him so taken with you, but… I do wish you’d shown a bit more restraint to keep things from becoming too involved.”

Tsurutani quickly shook his head. “No, that’s not it at all. I’m not capable of that kind of seduction. I was only doing as Dan asked—nothing more.”

He had no background in such liaisons. Americans tended to be assertive, and someone as quiet and passive as Tsurutani was probably rare. Perhaps Carter had been drawn to that obedience.

In the end, Tsurutani had declined the deepening of the relationship and the move to New York—but how were they supposed to break that news to Carter? He would almost certainly be disappointed, maybe even furious. If that fury bled into their professional relationship and led to the termination of their technology agreement, it would be disastrous. That outcome had to be avoided at all costs.

“President… how do you plan to tell Dan?”

Tokawa had been thinking about it, but hadn’t yet come up with a good answer.

“I’m afraid he’ll be angry once he finds out I’ve turned him down. He usually holds himself back at work, but he has a short temper.”

From his blunt demeanor alone, it was easy to imagine he wasn’t the most gentle of personalities.

“He’ll need a reason he can accept. Honestly, if you told him I’d died, that might make him give up more cleanly.”

Tsurutani looked at Tokawa steadily. It had been a careless remark. Death shouldn’t be used even in jest.

“My apologies. That was in poor taste.”

“No… with Carter, that might actually be for the best. If the reason sounds vague, I can imagine him flying here to see for himself.”

The thought was jarring—but perhaps not unthinkable. If Carter had become emotionally attached enough to want to “keep him,” a surprise visit wasn’t outside the realm of possibility.

“Even if we said you’d died, if he started digging—like hiring a private investigator—it would get messy.”

And if the lie were discovered, Carter’s fury would be twice as dangerous.

“He’d probably demand to see my grave. Dan’s the type who can’t rest until he verifies something with his own eyes. But he’s not unreasonable—if given a legitimate explanation, I think he’d back off. But if it comes down to my feelings, I think he’ll become obsessed with changing my mind.”

Technically, Tsurutani was the submissive party in their “arrangement,” but now that Carter was asking to make him a life partner, the balance had tipped. Tsurutani, despite being older, physically unimpressive, and earning far less than Carter, now held psychological power. To Tokawa, it felt strangely off that someone like Tsurutani—whose only leverage was emotional—could take such a superior tone.

“What should I do?” Tsurutani murmured, running a hand through his gray hair and loosening his tie as if to relieve a growing pressure around his neck.

The more Tokawa looked at him, the more utterly average he seemed. Even back when Carter had first requested him as a partner, Tokawa hadn’t understood what he saw in him.

To him, Tsurutani had always been a reliable but unambitious man—someone who, if not for the unusual sexual reception duties, would have likely been let go during restructuring.

Tokawa reined in his wandering thoughts.

If Carter truly might come to Japan, then perhaps all they needed was to ensure that, even if he did, it would be difficult for him to actually see Tsurutani. That might finally get him to give up.

“Mr. Tsurutani, where are you from originally?”

“Yamaguchi.”

“Are your parents still alive?”

“No, both have passed away. Only the house remains. After my mother died, it’s been vacant. I’ve asked someone to check on it and keep up the maintenance, though.”

“I see,” Tokawa said, interlacing his fingers.

“How about this: we say your parents are unwell and you’re leaving the company to return home and care for them. You’ll actually resign, but there’s a Rabbit Food affiliate in Yamaguchi, so we can guarantee reemployment. And after things settle down, you’re welcome to return to headquarters. If we all agree to say we don’t know where your actual family home is, it would be difficult for him to find you.”

It sounded like the best option, but Tsurutani’s face was clouded with hesitation.

“Once, we talked about our hometowns, and during that conversation, I told Dan where my family home was. He even looked it up on a map, said he wanted to visit. He has a good memory… there’s a chance he’ll find it.”

Tokawa hadn’t expected they’d exchanged personal information like that.

“If I do resign, I think it would be better not to return home right away. Dan also knows my current address here in Tokyo… I might have to lay low somewhere else for a while.”

That could work—but then, how would they know when Carter had finally given up? What would be the sign? What would define he’s let go?

A careless lie could come back to choke them. It might be better to consider a different option. Tokawa glanced at the gray-haired man slumped before him. If Tsurutani simply agreed to go to New York, the problem would be solved in a second… but that couldn’t be helped.

Honestly, things would’ve been far simpler if Carter had just wanted a physical relationship. But instead, he had the audacity to develop romantic feelings for this scrawny man, and that’s what had complicated everything. Tokawa’s personal belief was that romance was nothing but a waste of time.

Tokawa had dated a few women in the past, but found every aspect of it, including the physical side, exhausting. The drawn-out, pointless conversations, the time spent on dates… all of it felt disproportionately burdensome for the simple act of relieving desire. He wasn’t suited to dating, and once he realized he had no interest in marriage, he’d politely deflected the women who approached him and focused on his work. He was happiest now—his work was fulfilling. The company didn’t need to be inherited by a blood relative; whether it went to his niece or a stranger, as long as they were capable, that was enough.

“What if I said I’ve fallen in love with someone?”

Tsurutani’s suggestion came so unexpectedly, it felt almost anticlimactic.

“If he realizes I have no feelings for him, I don’t think Dan will push it any further.”

Tokawa wasn’t sure such a simple story would work—but coming from the person who knew Carter best, it was a proposal worth trusting.

“If you believe that’s the best course, I’ll present that explanation to Mr. Carter.”

Tsurutani bowed deeply. “Please… I’d appreciate your help. But if I simply say I’m seeing someone, I doubt Dan will believe it. I was thinking of asking someone to play the role of a partner—preferably a woman, and ideally someone around my age.”

Since Tsurutani had been married, claiming to be interested in women wouldn’t seem unnatural. And the added hurdle of a heterosexual relationship might be enough to make Carter give up.

“Do you have anyone in mind who might agree to help?”

Tsurutani placed a hand to his forehead. “I know a few people well enough, but... considering the nature of the situation, I don’t know how I’d even begin to explain it.”

He couldn’t exactly ask someone to pretend to be his lover because a man he'd pleased through sex had become too attached and needed to be convinced to let go.

“I understand. I’ll find someone suitable on my end,” the president replied calmly.

The plan was at least clear now. All that was left was to find a discreet middle-aged woman who could be trusted to keep her mouth shut.

“I’ll be in touch once everything is arranged. We’ll respond to Carter after that. So let’s proceed that way.”

The conversation was over. Tokawa stood up, signaling that Tsurutani was free to leave—but he remained seated, hesitant.

“Is there something else on your mind?”

Tokawa picked up on the hesitation and asked gently.

“There’s a chance Dan might try to meet the woman on his own. So I think it would be better if we decide in advance how I met her, how long we’ve been dating—just basic details to share with the woman playing the role.”

He had a point. Their stories needed to match.

“Can you put together that backstory by the end of the day?”

“I’ll try,” Tsurutani said, and then quickly left the president’s office.

Tokawa walked toward the window. He’d assumed this whole thing would end with Tsurutani saying I’ll go to New York—but instead, things had grown unexpectedly complicated.

He had offered to find someone to play the part, but truthfully, he didn’t have anyone in mind. He couldn’t ask one of the secretaries—this wasn’t a favor you handed out lightly. A hired escort service might be the only option, but if Dan started investigating and found out she was a professional, things could spiral.

Now that he thought about it—how old was Tsurutani again? He was somewhere around fifty, but Tokawa wasn’t sure of the exact number. He checked the company database and found that Tsurutani had been born in June. He’d turned fifty two months ago.

Suddenly, Tokawa thought of his older sister.

He had two older sisters. Both had married early and left home. The eldest had divorced fifteen years ago. Her children were now grown, and she lived freely—teaching piano part-time, traveling abroad with friends, and staying busy.

Could she play the role of Tsurutani’s girlfriend?

She was fifty-three, nearly the same age as Tsurutani, and unmarried. Even if Carter looked into her background, it wouldn’t cause a problem. For the sake of their late father’s company, perhaps she’d be willing to play along with this ridiculous charade.

She was a bit eccentric. Back in school, she’d dated women, and never hesitated to introduce her girlfriend to her younger brother. She was confident and had a personal moral compass that she trusted absolutely.

As for Tokawa, he’d neither hated nor been particularly interested in same-sex relationships. Later, his sister had broken up with the woman, married a man, and had children.

That history—and her flexible way of thinking—made Tokawa confident: he could tell her everything about Tsurutani’s situation, and she would understand.

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