know we received another death threat letter addressed to Sato-san. I translated it for you.”
Before Cain could respond, Umiko appeared in the doorway. She softly knocked, even though they both saw her.
“Hi, Umiko,” Cain said with a smile.
“Good morning, Cain-san. How was your Sunday?”
“Great. Got out yesterday and saw some of Japan.”
“What did you think about what you saw?”
“I’m loving this place more every day.”
Tanaka said something in Japanese, which prompted her to giggle and converse back and forth with him.
“Um, okay, guys. You know it’s rude to talk about me in Japanese while I’m standing right here.” Cain smiled.
“I have the solution,” Umiko said.
“Yeah? What’s that?”
“Tanaka-san should teach you Japanese.”
“Well, I’m going to need a lot of help,” Cain said. “Maybe I’ll need two teachers.” He held up two fingers and then pointed to both Tanaka and Umiko.
Umiko blushed and changed the subject. “Sato-san has asked for you, Tanaka-san, and Morita-san to come to his office. He would like to thank you for protecting him last week.”
“That’s very thoughtful of him, and I appreciate it. But I was just doing my job. His appreciation and support are thanks enough.”
“Japanese business, just like kendo, is very ceremonial,” Umiko explained. “And I also would like for you to be there. You saved my life, too.”
“Those thugs wouldn’t have had a chance against you if they were brave enough to meet you in the dojo,” Cain said.
“Especially if I had a katana instead of a shinai,” Umiko said.
“I agree,” Cain said as he nodded. “Okay. You’ve convinced me. Plus, I have a gift for both Sato-san and Morita-san. Tanaka and I will be honored to go.”
“The honor is ours. I will escort you to Sato-san’s office.”
“Merci,” Cain said.
“It’s time for you to start practicing your Japanese,” Umiko playfully suggested.
“Arigato,” Cain said, and bowed.
Umiko clapped. “Very good. Soon you will speak perfect Japanese.”
“Especially with a sensei like you.” Cain smiled. “You see what I did there? I’m already piecing together Japanese words.”
Tanaka cracked open his briefcase and pulled out a tie. He tossed it around his neck and started tying it.
“Is it a black-tie affair?” Cain asked. He pointed to his boots. “Had I known, I would have worn my gators instead of my cowhides.”
They walked across the parking lot and Cain noticed a brand-new 2012 Nissan Fuga.
“Is this our new car for Sato-san?”
“Hai,” Umiko said. “Do you like it?”
“It’s gorgeous. Is it armored?”
“Hai,” Umiko replied. “And it has three hundred and twenty-nine horsepower. Morita-san will be able to go even faster now.”
Cain laughed out loud. “If he goes any faster, his passengers will have to clean their seats when they get out.”
Umiko looked confused.
“Bad joke, I guess.” Cain smiled and followed Umiko into the building.
Mr. Sato’s bandage was gone and replaced by a tan Band-Aid. “Your neck has healed very well,” Cain said.
“Yes, it has. Thank you again.”
“I’m sorry about your briefcase.” Cain presented Mr. Sato with a new leather briefcase. “I bought this for you yesterday while I was at the navy base. It’s American made. I thought you’d like it.”
Sato inspected it. “It’s fantastic. Thank you.”
Cain then turned to Morita-san. “I also picked these up for you at the base.”
Morita-san smiled as he saw his gift, a pair of black fingerless motorcycle gloves.
“No more white gloves for you,” Cain said, and winked. “These are more your style.”
Morita-san smiled wide but looked a little embarrassed by all the attention.
“Let us begin,” Sato said, and presided over the celebration in his massive office.
“I am alive today because of the actions of Morita-san, Tanaka-san, Umiko-san, and Cain-san. The company would like to present each of you with a certificate to demonstrate its appreciation for your courage and dedication to duty.” Mr. Sato presented each employee with an elaborate twenty-by-fifteen-inch frame, each of which contained a thick-bonded certificate written in Japanese calligraphy. Sato then turned to Tanaka.
“Tanaka-san, you have shown great wisdom in helping Cain-san. If it were not for your expertise in showing him our protocols and procedures here in Japan, I would not be alive today. The future of this company would be in great peril without strong leadership. As a token of my personal appreciation, I am giving you and Cain-san my table for a night at Hakugei.”
“Arigato gozaimashita,” Tanaka said several times, bowing a full ninety degrees not once but twice. Tanaka then walked backward, which prompted Cain to follow his lead.
“Mr. Sato is giving us his private table at Hakugei,” Tanaka whispered to Cain. “This is very cool. It’s