Kaiyo: Maybe. He also walked with a weird limp. Anyway, I asked if he needed help and he just laughed at me and then said “Surviving is worse than dying.”
Keiko: What does that mean?
* * *
Keiko: ???
* * *
Keiko: Hey?
Keiko: You there?
I was eager to find out more. I scanned ahead, hoping they’d pick up the conversation again.
Miki yawned and stretched. “Anything revolutionary?”
“That weird guy Kaiyo met outside the restaurant said, ‘Surviving is worse than dying.’”
She lowered the paper, her eyes darting to mine. “You think he’s talking about the apprenticeship?”
“Could be. I mean, my life hasn’t been all roses, but does that mean it could’ve been worse? Are there others who survived and ended up worse off than me?”
“Sounds like it. What else?”
“The chat ends there, and they never pick it up again.”
Just then Miki glanced toward the restrooms. “Keiko’s been in there awhile. I’m going to check on her.”
I nodded and went back to reading.
A moment later, Miki hurried back, breath quick. “She’s gone!”
17
“Dammit, I should’ve gone in with her.” Miki scanned the coffee shop, hands on her hips.
“We both should’ve. But why run if she came here to help? She left her chat transcripts.”
“Because nothing Keiko does makes sense. I don’t care how helpful she looks, she’s got an agenda.”
Miki kept searching like she might still spot her.
“Sit down. She’s long gone. Let’s just focus on the transcripts.”
“There’s so much of it. I mean, who messages their brother this much?”
“I know, right? Look for mentions of Reina, if that helps.”
Miki sat, browsing. Most of it was Kaiyo rehashing his day in real time. I had no idea how he managed not to get caught. Some of the chats happened during meals with all of us crammed around the same table.
Just then I wished Jiro were with me, helping to read. Both of us had survived the apprenticeship, so I knew he’d look at the chats through the same lens and spot tells I might miss. Unlike Miki: She only perked up when something dramatic jumped out.
An hour crawled by. Miki yawned and stretched.
My neck ached from sitting hunched over. “Let’s go back to my place,” I said. “I’ll cook. We’ll be more comfortable there.”
I was in the kitchen fixing us a quick lunch when I heard Miki shouting.
