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Usually, weird side effects from an Unidentified Lifeform were immediate and obvious. Generally, they involved smoke, fire, or acid in some form or other. Ichijou believed he was prepared for anything. After all, he had seen Godai die. Nothing could be worse than that. Absolutely nothing.
Creature having fled, Godai knelt in the center of the destruction. He was clearly breathing but not moving. Ichijou ran toward him, slowing when Godai gave him his usual smile and thumbs-up.
Out of habit, Ichijou clapped Godai on the shoulder and asked the pro forma question. “Are you alright?”
“No.”
Ichijou stared at Godai, whose eyes were wide and shocked.
Godai started to say something else, then literally put his hand over his mouth and stood. Without removing his hand, he turned and walked quickly away, leaving a baffled Ichijou.
He gave Godai a day before he called the café with trepidation. It took 10 minutes to get past Uncle’s rambling to ask about Godai’s whereabouts. After sorting through what was said, it appeared Godai had slept for a long time and then taken off with a smile and no words spoken.
Finally getting off the phone, he called Ms. Sawatari.
“Hi, how are you?” she said brightly.
“I’m well. I’m calling about Godai.”
“Is he alright?”
Ichijou sighed. “I’m not certain. Has he contacted you in the last two days? Any visits through the windows?”
“Nope, no sign of him but that’s not unusual. What happened?”
Ichijou described everything he could recall of the battle and Godai’s odd behavior.
“He…said he wasn’t okay?” She sounded stunned.
“He seemed as surprised as I was.”
“Hmm. Whatever happened, it was strong. I don’t recall him ever admitting to anything less than being fine and I remember when he had appendicitis.” She sighed. “Have you talked to Minori?”
“She is my next call.”
“Well, I’ll search the text I’ve translated so far if I can think of any keywords.”
“Thank you.” Ichijou hung up and frowned at the phone before calling Godai Minori. He didn’t like to bother her at work but this was becoming alarming.
She wasn’t sure, but suggested a few places Godai might be, like parks he enjoyed.
Ichijou decided this counted as a work task and set off in search of Godai. He found him in the fourth place he’d looked, marching right up to him and crossing his arms in annoyance.
“Godai Yuusuke, tell me why you’re avoiding me.” Ichijou couldn’t believe he’d said it but now that the words were out, he would stand by them. Even if Godai looked stricken and was clearly fighting internally.
“I have to tell the truth,” Godai said suddenly. Then he clapped his hand over his mouth.
“That…” Ichijou trailed off. “The Unidentified Lifeform.”
Godai nodded, hand still over his mouth.
“How did that…” This time he cut off the irrelevant question. “Never mind. So if asked a question you are compelled to tell the truth. The entire truth.”
Godai nodded again.
“I…see.” And he did. As an intensely private person, the idea of anyone being able to elicit information just by asking was very disturbing. Deeply so. And yet…and yet he needed to know. “I would like to ask just one thing.” He knew it was a lot to ask and he could only hope that the months of trust they had built up were enough. And that Godai would forgive him afterward.
Godai looked at him for a long moment. Finally, he removed the hand from his mouth and smiled at Ichijou.
“What do you mean when you say you’re fine?”
For an instant, Godai’s eyes widened. “I’m not fine. I’m terrified and usually in pain.” At that point, he clamped his lips shut.
“I’m sorry,” Ichijou said. “Please forgive me.” He bowed. “I won’t ask any further questions.”
Godai nodded, not opening his mouth.
And then the radio blared out, announcing the return of the Unidentified Lifeform. Godai’s expression hardened and he took a breath, visibly preparing himself.
Ichijou put the car in drive, activated the siren, and peeled out of the parking space.
Ichijou felt terrible and guilty. He couldn’t focus on anything and finally found himself wandering into Dr. Enokida’s office. As usual, she had her head down over some scientific equipment he couldn’t identify, but she looked ready enough for a break when she saw him. Rolling her neck to stretch it, she waved him at a chair.
“Coffee?” she asked, taking a gulp from her own cup.
“No, thank you.” He sat, unsure why he was there.
“I assume there isn’t a crisis, so how can I help you?” She frowned, looking at him more closely. “Is something wrong with Godai?”
“No…” He stopped to think about it further. “Not exactly.”
She raised an eyebrow and waited.
“It’s not medical,” he said, looking down at his hands.
“Okay? That’s good. Right?”
“He has to tell the truth.” The words burst out and he looked up at her.
Her face showed only confusion. “Is he prone to lying? What you need him to tell the truth about?”
Ichijou shook his head. “I mean that whatever the Unidentified Lifeform did, it makes Godai tell the truth.”
Dr. Enokida paused, her mug halfway to her mouth. She blinked several times before carefully putting the mug back on her desk. “I won’t ask how that works because I’m sure you don’t know.”
He inclined his head.
“Presumably he told you something he wouldn’t have under…other circumstances.”
“He said he was afraid.”
“Oh.”
“I…” He looked down again. “I asked what it meant when he said he was fine.”
“Oh. Oh dear. That was before or after you knew what had happened to him?”
He winced. “After.”
“I see.”
Ichijou looked up. Dr. Enokida looked sympathetic. “I know it was wrong.”
“I’m sure you do. I would have done the same, so I’m not inclined to scold you.”
They lapsed into silence and Ichijou stared blankly at the papers on her desk.
“He’s not angry at you.” It wasn’t a question.
Ichijou looked at her.
“I don’t know Godai as well as you do, but I doubt he’s even capable of being angry at you for anything less than murder.” She paused, looking at him sharply. “Disappointed, yes.”
“Mmm.” That was it, that was the word he’d been looking for. “Yes, I suppose he is. I will apologize.”
“Of course. I would advise my son at this point that a good apology includes an acknowledgement of what you did wrong and an assertion you will do better.”
He couldn’t help a small chuckle. “Thank you, that’s excellent advice.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Should I approach him before he has defeated the Unidentified Lifeform?”
“Huh.” She drank a bit more coffee. “Yes. To show you can avoid forcing him into any further truths. You can, can’t you?”
“Yes. Yes, of course. I wouldn’t…I just worry.”
She nodded.
They sat quietly for a few more minutes before she stood, smoothing her lab coat. “Okay, off with you. I have work to do.”
“Thank you.” He bowed and she waved him away.
Of course, the problem remained of how to find him. Ichijou went to his uncle’s café and found, to his surprise, that Godai was actually there. “He’s upstairs,” Uncle said. “Seems to be a bit under the weather. Which remi—”
“I’ll go up and check on him,” Ichijou said quickly, almost running to the steps. When he’d reached the top of the steps, he slowed. There was one room with a closed door, so he assumed that was the one.
Forcing himself to walk forward, he took careful steps until he stood in front of the door. But he couldn’t bring himself to knock. Breathing in and out, he managed to raise his hand, but the door opened before he could do anything further.
Godai smiled at him, he expression no different than usual. “Come in.”
“Thank you.” They stood awkwardly in front of the door after Godai closed it. “Er, I’m not here to ask any other questions. I wanted to apologize. But you don’t have to reply to what I say,” he said quickly, having just realized that complication.
Godai nodded and smiled.
“I apologize for knowingly invading your privacy. I will endeavor to not do so again.”
“Why did you ask?”
Ichijou sighed. “In that moment…it seemed like the right thing to do. I am sorry.”
Godai grinned at him. “I forgive you.”
Ichijou stared in shock. “Are you, no, sorry.” He closed his mouth firmly.
“The spell is still in effect, yes. I wanted you to know I forgive you.”
“I…that…thank you.” Ichijou bowed deeply. “I should leave now before I inadvertently ask a question.”
Godai grinned again, giving him a thumbs-up.
With a small chuckle, Ichijou returned the gesture. “Goodbye.”
“Goodbye, Mr. Ichijou. I will see you soon. And everything will be okay in the end.”
Unsurprisingly, it had the ring of truth. Ichijou bowed again and went back down the stairs. As he waved goodbye and exited the cafe, it occurred to him that he didn’t know how Godai would define ‘okay’ under these circumstances.
Pausing outside the building, he looked up at the windows. Godai waved from one and Ichijou waved back.
Well, right now he supposed he should head back to the station and go over the most recent reports again.
And try to forget how scared Godai was, every single time. All he could do was what he was already doing. The future…well, it would take care of itself. He was sure that’s what Godai would say, at least.
—end—