皆様、御疲れ様です。私の note のプロフィールに、「英語で小説を書いてアメリカの小説投稿サイトに発表する作戦続行中」とあるように、作戦は無事、続行中です。

私が投稿しているInkittというアメリカの小説投稿サイトに、現在２２作が並びました。面白いことに、英語で小説を書く方法なんて知らなかった頃の拙い作品が、今でも一番読まれる。

文学ってそういうものなんだな。

上の小説が一番人気がある。初期の作品。この小説は地元のアート・ギャラリーで展示されたこともある。私の描いた下手糞な天使の絵と共に。人々って結構最後まで読んでくれるもんで、びっくりした。感想までもらえた。

この小説を読んだアメリカの大手小説投稿サイトの人が、うちにも書いてくれ、とうるさく言ってくる。あんまり巨大なサイトだから、出しても直ぐ埋もれてしまう、とネットに書いてある。日本で言えば「小説家になろう」みたいなサイト。まだ考え中。

色んな可能性がある。日本語を読める人は世界に少ない。迷わず一歩踏み出そう。英語で書こう。

言葉がいらない世界では日本人がちょっと頑張ると、直ぐNo.1になっちゃうんですよ。スポーツ選手とか、ファッション・デザイナーとか、最近は日本人のファッション・モデルが凄く増えた。パリコレで沢山歩いている。男性も多い。みんなカッコいい。

小説を英語で書くきっかけは、私が英語圏で小説創作教室に通ったこと。先生は７０才近いくらいの有名なSF作家の女性だった。彼女が言ってくれたのは、貴女の英語は文学作品を書くには十分。英語というものは勉強すれば勉強するだけ上達するもので、勉強して余計悪くなるということは絶対ないから、と。

その当時の私の英語は中二程度。私は中二の時、

ついうっかり太宰治を読んでから、

中二病にかかり、学校の勉強を拒否して小説ばっかり読んでたから、私の英語は中二止まりだった。でも先生は私の英語は小説を書くには十分だ、と。

ということは、殆どの人が今ある英語の能力で、ちゃんと英語で小説を書けるということ。

今や簡単に英訳してくれるAIが何処にでも闊歩する世の中になったけど、色んな考えがあっていいけど、私のモットーは兎に角「英語を自力で書く」。なんとか書く。涙を流しながら苦労して書く。翻訳機やAIは使わない。

言いたいことを全部書き切る。

書いたら英語の国から来た、生身の先生に直して頂く。毎回同じ様な間違いをしていつも身を縮めている私です。先生、いつもすみません。有難う御座います。

私の英語の小説の先生はアメリカ人で、いつも私の英語を（多分）面白がって読んでくれて直してくれる。素敵な詩を書いていらっしゃる、文学の素養のある方。いい先生に出会えてラッキーだった。もう一年以上になるかな。

ちなみに私は自分のYouTubeチャンネル「百年経っても読まれる小説の書き方」で、「英語で小説を書こう」というテーマで２２本の動画を撮っている。その中の一つがこれ。

どうすれば英語で小説が書けるのかな。具体的に方法を示しています。
２２本の動画が入った再生リスト

小説の書き方。野心を持とう。世界に出よう。

本日は、私の新作小説『Horseshoes on the Escalator』を御紹介する前に、私がどうやって英語で小説を書いているのか、というのをやってみます。なぜAIではなく、生身の先生が必要なのか、それを皆様にお知らせしたいです。

文学作品を書くための英語。

とは、英会話教室に通っても駄目だし、TOEICで百点取っても関係ない。テクニカルライティングも関係ない。自分で書いて習得する。英語の国から来た生身の先生に直してもらう。日本で育っちゃった人は、どんなに偉い大学教授でも、英語は書けない。特に文学作品は。どんなに上手く英語で小説が書けるようになっても、絶対一人で書かない。発表する前に必ず読んでもらう。それが大事。自信を持ったら終わり。

じゃあ、これから新作『Horseshoes on the Escalator』の冒頭を私がどう書いたか御見せします。そして私のアメリカ人の先生と、ChatGPT君の英語を比べて、何処がどう違うかやってみたいと思います。

私は最初から英語で書いているのですが、もし私が日本語で書いたらどう書くか、というのをやってみました。

私が書いた英語を、今回この記事を読んでくださる方の為に私が日本語に訳したもの。

私が書いた英語。

私が書いた英語⇒先生が直した英語。

私が書いた英語⇒ChatGPT君が直した英語。

ChatGPT君、頑張ってくれたんだけど、やっぱり先生の方がシンプルで流れがいい。ChatGPT君に、これは小説ですよ、文学作品ですよ、もっとシンプルに書いてください、とか色々コマンドを出してみたけど、あんまり変わらなかった。直訳っぽい英語かな。英語から英語に直してるだけだから英訳ではないけど、直訳っぽい。

先生の英語。これが今、現在世界で使われている自然な英語。単語の使い方も文学作品らしい、面白い単語が使われている。しかし、私の書いた英語、酷いでしょ。これくらい書けば先生に通じる。最初から英語で書く。日本語を英訳すると、その時点で文学ではなくなる。翻訳はしてはいけない。

私が書きたかったストーリーは、ルカちゃんは悪い子なんだよ。高校生の癖に露出狂で、登りのエスカレーターに超ミニスカートで乗って、後ろから誰かがスカートの中をビデオに撮っているのを知っていて、それが快感なんだよ、みたいな。

それでは、やっと小説です。ぜひ、最後まで読んでみてください。アメリカ人の生身の先生が私とコラボしてどんな作品になったでしょう？

The Horseshoes on the Escalators

©Yuki Sembommatsu, Edited by Louie, 2023

  
Chapter 1
 
Luka’s first step made an unexpectedly laud. The sharp metal sound was amplified on the whole escalator. A heavy curtain rolled up for her show. She was wearing a pair of new high heels. The bottom of the high heels was made with metals just like horseshoes. The heels were three inches high, covered with gorgeous strawberry colored enamel. She chose these shoes not for their look at all. She loved the golden metals that made the sounds like horseshoes. The sound was warning of her show had just started.
 
The historical station, Shibuya, was built in 1885. The station was renovated recently. They moved one of the four lines to five storis down. The brand new escalators were so long. The end of the escalators looked like going invisible in the clouds of Heaven. The busy people in Tokyo didn’t stand on the escalators, they ran up and down. They didn’t know where the escalators taken them to, another world, Heaven or Hell.
 
The first step on an escalator was a special moment for Luka each day. The escalator took her body higher and higher, the vibration of the escalator went harder and harder, and her breathe got faster and faster. She’d been waiting for these sensations that sneakily went through inside her ultra thin panties.
 
A man screamed laud, “Get down! “And the second man screamed lauder, “Don’t move!”
 
Luka looked back and saw three well build guys grabbed a fat middle-aged man and pushed him onto the platform. Luka had seen the fat guy before. He looked like a green worm that her brother found on weed in a park. Her brother was about six years old and excited to see a beautiful butterfly but he only saw an ugly bee like insect came out of the cocoon. He cried out laud. We found out this bee was a kind of a parasite that grew inside a worm, ate butterfly’s cocoons and killed them.
 
“Give me your phone!” One of those guys demanded. The one who looked like a wrestling champion, handcuffed the fat man. Luka was too curious to leave, the whole scene seemed like a movie. It was evening rush hour in Shibuya, one of the busiest train stations in the world. No one stopped to watch what happening, people were hurry going home. That made the scene looked more like a movie.
 
 
“Would you like to come with us?” A woman asked.
 
It didn’t sound real because her voice was so close to the back of Luka’s head. Her instinct was telling her that she was in a trouble.
 
“No, I wouldn’t!” Luka answered aggressively.
 
The woman was obviously a police officer. She sounded like asking Luka politely if she would like to come with her, but soon Luka realised that it was really a strong demand when Luka saw her in her eyes. Luka understood that she had no choice. Luka gave her a sharp look. Luka and the women looked at each other just like they were two wolves at their first encounter in a forest.
 
There was another woman. They took Luka away. One woman was in front of her, the other was behind. Luka was listening to her horseshoes on the platform making the sound of the warning to herself. She felt like she was taking to a place she’d ever even imagined.
 
Luka looked around to find a way to escape. There were uncountable platforms and uncountable people in this station. No one hit her in this crowd because they’d learned how to walk in Tokyo. In this city, people didn’t walk, they just ran.
 
Luka tried to dash into the crowd, the woman behind grabbed her arm and hit her in her back hard. Luka was upset. There was a room downstairs that didn’t have any sign. Luka saw police officers in the uniform. It must be a secret police station. Luka was caught a few times in her life by police because she was a runaway child from neglected parents. She’d been always seeking the way to runaway from somewhere or something that she didn’t even remember what from.
 
Luka was surprised to see there was such a big police station underground. The two women sat at the table facing Luka. The table was close to the door. A lot of people came in and out. Both women were ugly but one is much uglier than the other. The uglier one looked like the queen in ‘Alice's Adventures in Wonderland’ because she didn’t have a chin. The queen started to talk to Luka.
 
“Did you know that man was recording in your skirt?”
 
(My grandma said that keep silent if I’m in a trouble.)
 
“We’ve seen you in this station wearing a short skirt just like you’re wearing right now.”
 
(I like to show my pretty legs to full of the poor salary men in this station.)
 
“Why’re you not answering my question?”
 
(Because I don’t like how you two look. Why’re you waring such ugly black suits? Have you ever worn makeup in your life?)
 
Luka touched her long fake eyelashes to make sure they’re in the right places.
 
“We must take you to the Kasmigaseki police station.”
 
The police in Kasmigaseki was the top police in Japan, it’s called ‘National Police Agency’.
 
“Why should I go there?”
 
“Oh, I didn’t know you could talk.”
 
Luka thought that was rude, then she thought that she had to forgive her because of her sympathy on the women to be born that ugly. Two women were getting ready to go to the National Police Agency. Luka was left alone but there were many police people around her, there was no chance to escape.
 
The TVs were on. Three large LCD TVs were hung close to the ceiling, showing news on different channels. The TVs had set on mute but she could read the closed captions. A lady on TV had a nice looking, she was holding a microphone. Luka saw her pretty pink nails. Luka went to close to TV to find out what kind of ornaments she had on her nails. Her name was Andrea. She had long blond hair. Luka was wondering if her blond was real or not. Andrea was wearing a colorful Chanel suite with shiny gold buttons. Luka was surprised because Japanese news interviewer had never worn such a gorgeous outfit. Andrea was talking to someone in English but there was a closed captions in Japanese.
 
“Lieutenant, please tell us more about it.”
 
“Is my face really covered?”
 
“Don’t worry.”
 
The camera caught her beautiful smile. Luka went close to TV to find out what kind of fake eyelashes she was wearing. Andrea and the Lieutenant were talking about ‘tosatsu (盗撮)’.
 
The lieutenant explained, “This is a dark side of the Japanese culture. A criminal takes photos or videos of women’s body secretly, especially inside of the short skirts, typically when a woman on the escalator going up. ‘
 
Luka touched her bra to make sure her favorite large breasts sat on the right spot. She felt her nipples when she moved the decorative European lace bra. Some of the police officers looked Luka’s large young soft breast.
 
Two women came back to Luka. The queen looked like she was envious of Luka’s breasts.
 
“Don’t you know what have you been doing? It’s called a ‘seducing’.”
 
(I know, I understand Japanese.)
 
“You’re trying to seduce men with your short skirt and open chest.”
 
Less ugly woman but still ugly woman asked Luka to show her ID.
 
(Why should I carry my ID when I try to seduce tosatsu guys and make them to record videos of my panties. If you want to know about me, you can find me in the police documents.)
 
Luka thought the Lieutenant on TV was attractive, she liked his hands, long fingers like a pianist because of the elegant way he moved his hands. She stared at his hands when the camera got a closed up shot of his hands.
 
Those ugly women went to fill out something on paper and not watching Luka closely, Luka saw three remotes on the table. The first remote she picked was the right one. She set a mute off. This coincidence made her happy. The Lieutenant’s voice was young and sexy like a saxophone. He had a great passion about what he’d been doing to get tosatsu guys arrested.
 
“Oh, lieutenant Sasajima(笹島) is on TV!” One of the police officers recognised Sasajima ‘s voice.
 
The police officers surrounded the TV. Luka wanted to see the Lieutenant. She was peeking and jumping between the officers. Luka was tall for a Japanese woman but officers were taller.
 
The Lieutenant was talking about the mysterious tosatsu group.
 
“We’s been investigating a secret group of tosatsu men. We can’t identify then so far. They are hiding in their website with high security, just like Freemasonry in the sixteenth centuries. They exchange photos and videos and the information where and what time is good for tosatsu.”
 
 
 
Chapter 2
 
A police officer rushed to come in and left the door open. Luka sneakily went through the door. She heard the voice of the blond lady on TV from behind.
 
“Thank you for sharing, Lieutenant. Thank you for watching. CBC News Tokyo.”
 
Luka ran as fast as she could. She took off her pink enamel high heels. People in the station didn’t hit Luka even when she was running like crazy. They’d been naturally trained not bump into each other. If any foreigners saw this, they would think it’s a miracle. She felt a pain in her back of the foot but she continued running.
 
Luka jumped onto the Tokyo Metro. There was no empty seat. The time was close to end of the rush hour. She saw a small stream of blood on the bottom of her foot. It hurt but she worn her high heels. She had no choice.
 
Luka felt a guy spotted on her. The guy was as ugly as the fat green worm who had been arrested. When Luka heard the announcement, she realised that she was on the wrong direction. She didn’t know the green worm came to close to her. He started talking to her close to the back of her head just like the queen did.
 
“I know you, Lady X.” He whispered her with a bad rotted worm breathe.
 
Luka had never heard of ‘Lady X’. She was scared. The worm showed Luka his phone. There were Luka’s photos and videos on the escalators. She felt like she was pushing into the place she’s never imagined. He scrolled down the photos and show her the information page. There were big letters saying, ‘Lady X’, following the time and place where you could see Lady X. Those photos were not only her body but also her close up face.
 
The subway was approaching to the Mitsukoshi-mae station. When the subway door was opened, Luka ran out as fast as she could just like when she was running out from the police office underground. She climbed up to the escalator without her high heels, she saw guys on the escalator staring her short skirt fluttering. This is Ginza, hi-end fashion town.
 
Luka entered the most luxurious hotels in Ginza. She opened her strawberry purse which matched to her high heels to fix her hair and make up in the bathroom with a full of nice baby powder smell. Her dress got stains because she was running like stupid. She put some water in her palm to clean up the dress which was white like angel feathers before.
 
The front desk staff looked at her when she walked by. She pretended that she was one of the hotel guests. It’s not easy when she was wearing such an ultra mini skirt dress with open chest. She used to be really belonged to the hotel. She came here with her parents for dinner a few times. She looked up a gorgeous chandelier. That reminded her of her childhood. She was about six, spinning under the huge chandelier, it’s looked like a universe full of stars. Now the chandelier looked smaller and not as shiny as before.
 
A gentleman approached Luka. He looked like belonged to this one of the most expensive hotels in Tokyo. His had modern hair and a mustache.
 
“How much are you?”
 
That happened her many times so she was prepared how to answer.
 
“A billion yen,” she smiled and gave him a sharp look in his eyes.
 
He laughed meanly. Luka was sure he looked down on her. She thought she stopped feeling sad about those insults long time ago but it didn’t work tonight. She cried in the toilet. The baby powder smell made her calm down.
 
 
Chapter 3
 
Luka’s game was getting extreme. Her skirts were getting shorter and shorter. Her panties were getting tighter and thinner that hardly covered her body part anymore. Luka was proud of her erotic body. Luka waited guys approaching and made sure guys getting on escalators behind her. Guys inserted their phone to record under her skirt. She even shook her buttocks for them. Some guys tried to talk or touch her but she’d neve let them. When she saw a plat home full of depressed businessmen, she thought that to entertain them was her mission to be born for. She looked at each of them and wished they all came behind her on the escalator to give all men dirty fantasies.
 
One day, when Luka came on top of the escalator. A guy behind her showed Luka his phone. He got the newest high-resolution lenses. Her panties looked brighter and clearer.

The guy said, ‘Thank you, Lady X”.
 
Luka searched the word, Lady X on the web and found a lot of junks but after for a while she found out that’s a name of the rose. She obsessed with the rose, she saw all photos on the web. She wanted to see the real flower not pictures. She phoned some rose gardens in Tokyo area.
 
The Furukawa (古河) House was a historical mansion build in 1919 by baron Furukawa. The wind was strong, seemed like a typhoon was coming. Luka was glad to wear not that stupid short skirt today. The roses were dancing in the wind. Soon she found the rose. Unmistakable mauve color. It wasn’t easy to catch the Lady X in the blowing wind. Finally, she took the rose in her hands, it had a strong fragrant. She kissed at the top of the flower. She’d never seen anything so real. She believed that this world was real at the first time in her life.
 
She remembered what Sasajima said on TV with that pretty blond lady who had a set of very expensive custom-made fake eyelashes. There was a secret website hidden like Freemasonry. When Luka imagined dirty guys who recorded her body did a dirty thing in bed. That gave her strong ecstasies. She imagined dirty guys who watched her videos, held their phone on their left hand and toughed themselves on their right hand. Millions of guys were looking at her. Lady X was their fantasy. She was their dirty princes…touch me, rub me, splash your dirty liquid at me on your phone!
 
 
Chapter 4
 
“Hey, we’re gonna do that today!” Sasajima told his team with ten guys and one woman.

“Have you got an arrest warrant?” Sasajima’s team member asked.
 
Sasajima show them the arrest warrant. One of the team members asked, “What charges for?”
 
“Public indecency”
 
“But her pussy is still covered.”
 
One of the team members showed the team a picture of Luka’s panties. The woman police asked,” How did you get that photo?”
 
“I took it for investigation.”
 
Everyone laughed.
 
It was Friday. Sasajima knew Luka was coming to the long escalator at Shibuya station but unfortunately, she didn’t show up. They waited for her until 9 PM.
 
When everyone came back to the police station, there was someone surrounded by three well build policemen. The lieutenant wondered if the person male or female because the long hair covered the face. The lieutenant got closer. It’s a young guy, looked scared and shaking. Sasajima thought that this guy would burst into tears with his little touch.
 
One of the policemen took lieutenant away from the young guy and whispered, “We found him when he was doing tosatsu on the escalator at the subway station and he said he could do anything for not to get charged.”
 
The lieutenant laughed, “He could do anything?”
 
“Yes, that’s what he said. His name is Hayato. He’s just accepted for a prestigious university. He is desperate, doesn’t want to lose the opportunity.”
 
Sasajima approached Hayato and asked him, “What can you do for us?”
 
“I can do anything but I wanna get an official agreement that says I won’t get charged.” He said nervously. His voice was shaky.
 
“That’s depends on what you could give us.” The lieutenant said.
 
“I want my lawyer, and I want a plea bargain.”
 
“I said that’s depends on what you could give us!” the lieutenant yelled at the young man and banged on the desk hard.
 
Hayato was shocked, looked down and stay silent for about two minutes, the police officers in the room were staring at his girly face. He finally started talking.
 
“I couldn't help overhearing your conversations… I know who she is.”
 
“Who?” the l lieutenant asked.
 
“Lady X.”
 
“Who’re you talking about?”
 
“That girl you’re looking for tonight.”
 
“Is that her name, Lady X?”
 
Hayato nodded.
 
“What do you know about her?”
 
He was looking at lieutenant in his eyes with confusion and said, “I know everything about her.”
 
“Do you know how to find her?”
 
“I said I know everything about her!” He raised his voice. He asked to get his lawyer again.
 
 
Someone was knocking on the door very hard. When the door was open, a young man dashed into the room. He was tall, wearing wrinkled sweatshirt and pants. His hair was messy.
 
 
He ran to Hayato and asked, “Hayato, are you okay?”
 
Hayato’s face was blank. The messy hair guy looked around the room with full of the police officers and said, “Sorry, it was my first day off after three weeks working. I’m Hayato’s lawyer, Yoshida. Nice to meet you everyone!” He opened his briefcase.
 
The police and the Lawyer Yoshida made a deal. Hayato will help to arrest Lady X first because it’s the most urgent matter.
 
Sasajima asked Hayato, “Who is Lady X?”
 
Hayato replied nervously, “We go to a same school.”
 
“What school?”
 
“High school.”
 
The police was surprised when they found out Hayato was one of the members of the mysterious tosatsu cult. Hayato didn’t want to talk about the cult because they’re very dangerous but he gave the police some of the Lady X’s tosatsu photos including her face.
 
 
Chaper 5
 
The sun was going down waving her hand to everybody on the Earth. Sasajima and three muscular police officers were at the high school gate. The reason why they waited there was they didn’t want to arrest her in front of other students. They saw three girls came from the school building. They were wearing old fashioned sailor uniform with a pair of polished laced shoes.
 
When the three girls saw four police officers hiding behind the gate, one of the brave one started talking to them.
 
“Hello, police. Good luck to whatever you’re trying to do,” she giggled.
 
Sasajima was wondering how she found out they’re police. None of them were wearing police uniform. He looked around and realised that he got handcuffs shined on his waist. The four police talked about how they approach Lady X. They don’t know how she like. The high school students seemed more mature then the four thought.
 
Sasajima saw a gorgeous brand-new black Mercedes parked other side of the road. He was upset because that place was illegal to park. Sasajima had started his career as a traffic control officer on a large motor bike. He realised that he had a more important mission to do than the traffic control.
 
Sasajima couldn’t stop looking at the Mercedes. A man as gorgeous as his car came out from his car. He’s obviously half white, tall, wearing a perfect fitted black suit. Sasajima was wondering who and why they had to show themselves fancy like that. It looked like a scene from a movie or play.
 
The large group of students were just passing by. The police were busy looking for Lady x. Sasajima felt some instinct and look at the driver opened the door of the Mercedes. A student in sailor uniform went inside the car. Sasajima was sure that the girl was the one who they were waiting for.
 
Sasajima got on the police motor bike that one of his team rode to get here. He quickly turned the siren on. He ran thought the red light. All cars stopped for him. Japanese police bikes are called ‘White Bike (白バイ)’ because their bodies were white. Sasajima found the black Mercedes. The driver had noticed the white motor bike following them.
 
The car and bike were driving around in the busy rush hour traffic. The siren sounded crazy and the red lights on the white bike glowed bright. Sasajima saw the car turned into the narrow pathway. Sasajima quickly speeded up and turned at the corner to make a short cut. Finally, the black Mercedes and white motorbike were facing each other. The road was too narrow, the car had no way to escape.
 
The car’s back door opened. Sasajima saw a girl came out elegantly. Her face and legs glowed in the dark. Sasajima was surprised because she looked so different from what he was expected. She looked ten years younger than Lady X’s photos. She had an innocent look without makeup. Her hair was neatly tied on the back. Her secret part of the body was hiding quietly in her pleated uniform skirt. That was the reason why the four police officers missed the girl when they were at the school gate.
 
The Mercedes driver came out and stood between Sasajima and the girl. The girl said to the driver, “It’s okay, Alex.” She walked toward Sasajima and said, “I’m not gonna run away. If you need me, I’ll come with you.”
 
She sounded like a brave samurai’s daughter in movies who kept a knife in her chest in kimono, to cut her throat before she got caught by their enemies. A police car arrived. Sasajima and Lady X sat in the back seat.
 
Lady X’s left hand held Sasajima’s right hand. He was surprised of her behaviour. He couldn’t move his hand. He was just feeling her warm hand. He wondered maybe this was the famous Lady X’s technique of seducing but this girl looked so different from the photos. He was confused. He didn’t know who the girl was.
 
She said with looking at front without looking at him, “I’ve seen your hands and I’ve heard your voice.”
 
“Where? When?”
 
The police car’s driver asked, “Lieutenant Sasajima, are you going to National Police Agency?’
 
Lady X whispered mischievously, “I knew your name, lieutenant Sasajima.”
 
 
Chapter 6
 
Sasajima’s boss passed him a report of Lady X, “Lieutenant, Lady X’s real name is Luka Yamazaki. Guess who’s Lady X’s father?” The boss looked exciting and continued, “The famous movie director, Yoshiki Yamazaki.”
 
Sasajima asked, “Yamazaki was just in a trial, wasn’t he?”
 
“He won the case again. His movies always make big hits in France as you know, his funs and even the mayor of Paris sent a letter to the court said his movie is an art not a pornography,” his boss laughed and said, “The father and the daughter both are pervert, it must be genetic. “
 
 
It was Sasajima’s third visit to her. Because she was underage, she was not in the cage, she was in the hospital in the police facility. Luka finally told him where and when she saw his hands and heard his voice.
 
“Oh, that TV show! But how could you remember me? I was on not more than five minutes.”
 
She was smiling like a mysterious princess in the fairy tales. She held his both hands with her both hands. Sasajima wondered why she did this, because of her pureness or just she’s been trying to seduce him to manipulate him. Everyone knew she was a queen of seducing.
 
“Talk to me, I like your voice,” Luka asked him, looking at something in the air with dreamy eyes.
 
Luka always looked down at Sasajima’s hands and then looked up in his eyes. Somewhere in between, her eyes stopped in the air. He didn’t know what she was looking at. He felt like she had something she was looking for but she’s never found.
 
 
After visited Luka, Sasajima met a doctor. The doctor was middle-aged quiet man, he was wearing a pair of Christian Dior socks from the new collection. Sasajima had a strange socks fetish, he owed more than three hundred pairs. The socks that the doctor was wearing was the one he wanted to buy, but they’re too expensive for Sasajima, so his respect for the doctor was big.
 
The doctor talked about Luka quietly, “This is the medical examination report of Luka Yamazaki.”
 
The doctor stopped talking in the middle of the conversation. Sasajima’s curiosity got bigger.
 
After for a while, the doctor continued, “Luka has a bipolar disorder. It’ll not easy to sue her for public indecency. It’s the typical symptom to have abnormal sexual behaviors when they’re high.”
 
The doctor’s report gave Sasajima relieve. The doctor stopped talking again so Sasajima got a lot of time to think about Luka. He wondered why he was glad that she won’t be sued. He and his team had spent a lot of time and effort to arrest her.
 
Suddenly, the doctor started talking again, “Lieutenant Sasajima,“ and he stopped.
 
After a few minutes, the doctor started talking again, this time, for some reason, he lowered his voice and looked around even there wasn’t anybody close.
 
The doctor seemed finally decided to share a secret with Sasajima.
 
“Luka is a virgin.”

Sasajima wondered how a virgin could that. Luka’s been showing tosatsu guys her almost visible vagina that was barely covered with her small, tight and thin panties.
 
Luka’s school mate, Hayato, was still too scared to talk about the tosatsu cult.
 
Sasajima said to Hayato, “They have many photos of Lady X, and still passing around and shearing them. We must erase her photos.”
 
The deal between Hayato’s lawyer, Yoshida, and the police was completed, Sasajima couldn’t insist Hayato anymore.
 
Sasajima visited Luka again this morning. He decided to tell her about the cult but It’s hard.
 
He said with hesitation, “Luka, we’re sorry but we couldn’t erase your photos and videos on the tosatsu cult. Their security is very high.”
 
Lika didn’t say a word about the cult. She was busy tapped on his hand like playing a piano and said to him like singing with a child like smile, “I wish you’re mine.”
 
 
Sasajima went to see Luka’s doctor with a confusion, “Why Luka doesn’t care about her photos and videos are shared on the website?”
 
The doctor answered, “In her case…” the doctor stopped in the middle of the conversations as usual. Sasajima looked at his leg what kind of socks he was wearing today during this pose. Those shocks were made by Gucchi. He was sure they costed more than $300 US. After about thirty seconds, the doctor continued, “She must have an exhibitionism.”
 
One the way home, Sasajima sat in a café. He couldn’t stop thinking who could became a lucky man to get her first. He started surfing the web without thinking, he typed unconsciously ‘Lady X’. He saw many hits but mostly just junks, the cult was much more intelligent. He was surprised when he found Lady X was a name of the beautiful rose with interesting color. The blush of pink was fading into a pale blue as the flower was opening. He learned Lady X was bred in France in 1965 by Meilland, the famous rose breeder.
 
Sasajima was working toward a luxurious hotel. He knew there was a large flower shop inside. The flower shop’s owner was a talkative man. Sasajima thought he must be born to be a salesperson.
 
He explained, “All of our roses come from Holland. Using the latest technology, the breeders can design any roses they want, and they show the new roses just like a fashion show every year. Lady X is an old rose. I haven’t seen it in any of rose catalogs for a long time… but for some reason, this rose matches with the Japanese people’s mentality. The pink color fades quickly as the flower opens, this is not good in the western countries.”
 
Sasajima said, “I think that rose is beautiful because of the subtle color.”
 
The owner exclaimed, “That’s exactly the Japanese mentality, wabisabi, is all about! The most people in the rest of the world love clear, bright colors that never fade.”
 
The owner phoned around and found a greenhouse that grew Lady X were blooming.
 
Sasajima said, “This place is only about one hour drive from here.”
 
The owner was surprised and asked, “Are you going right now?”
 
Sasajima said, “Why not? I got a full tank of gas in my car.”
 
 
Chapter 7
 
When Sasajima arrived at the greenhouse, it was a minute before the sunset. He saw black solar panels on the roofs of the greenhouses. There’re so many of them, he couldn’t see the end. They glow like a space station, spread the Pegasus wings in the ice-cold space to catch the beam from the Sun. The flower shop owner said that the rose farmer didn’t mind his visit at night. Sasajima saw one of the greenhouse’s lights was on. The farmer was friendly and talked a lot just like the flower shop owner. He thought maybe flowers make people talk a lot. The farmer’s name was Ishiyama.
 
The inside of the green house was huge, looked more like a factory. There was no soil at all. The rose bushes were grown in the water. He could see the healthy roots growing under the water. Ishiyama said everting was controlled by computers, mostly temperature and light. When Sasajima saw the real Lady X, he felt like he finally met his lover who he’d been dreaming about.
 
Ishiyama cut handful roses and told him, “I’ll get some nice wrapping paper for you.”
 
Lady X smelled like Heaven. Of course, Sasajima had never been to Heaven but he felt like little angels with golden hallows busy flying around the flowers in circle.
 
He saw a small room inside the greenhouse. The door was slightly open. When he peeked inside, there were many computer monitors. He put his Lady X on the ground quietly.
 
Sasajima entered the room and looked at the monitors. Some of them showed inside and outside of greenhouses. It must be for the security. Then he found suspicious screens. He saw the familiar places. Sasajima had been working in the Shibuya station for years, he knew every corner. Someone had a hidden camera and walking around the station looking for something. Sasajima’s heart started pounding. He was hurried to get out of the computer room.
 
Luckily, Ishiyama didn’t see him inside the computer room. He wrapped the roses with pure white tissue and transparent plastic sheet, he put an oversized white bow around the bottom.
 
Sasajima was back in his car. His heart was still pounding. He tried to calm down. He stopped his car when he came far enough from the greenhouses. The fragrant of bouquet was still strong and the angels were still flying.
 
Luka, Lady X, rose, greenhouse, tosatsu cult, Ishiyama, monitors of the station. Everything connected in his head. Ishiyama had been controlling his cult members in the stations with hidden cameras, looking for girls going up on the escalators. The members walked in the hallways, turned at corners, climbed on the stairs, looked just like computer games. It’s not games. It’s real. He called National Police Agency to get the cyber-crime specialists. They would get all the evidences and destroy the tosatsu cult.
 
 
Capter 8
 
Sasajima was walking on the perfectly clean floor. His shoes made a sound like chatters of small birds. He saw a guy walking toward him. He was exhausted, his hair was messy, wearing clothes all wrinkled. Sasajima guessed what kind of man he was. This was his habit being police, but he had no idea who he was. The guy was very suspicious because he doesn’t seem to belong to anything or anybody.
 
The guy saw the bouquet of Lady X in Sasajima’s hands and said, “She is sleeping.”
 
Sasajima realised that he was the respectful pornographer who was the celebrity in France.
 
Sasajima had never seen Luka in bed. She’s always in a room with other patients to watch TV. He sat in a chair by her bed. The fragrant of the bouquet woke her up. That was a perfect princess story but he didn’t think he was suitable for a good prince. He was not romantic enough. He’d been in the reality too much, chasing after tosatsu criminals.
 
He said, “You don’t have to get up if you’re tired,” he tried to be a good prince but he didn’t know that was working or not.
 
The princess whispered to the prince, “Had dad gone? I didn’t want to see him…My doctor gave me medications because I’d been high.” She tried to get up but it was hard to keep her eyes open.
 
“I wanna stay awake when you’re here.”
 
She inserted her hand in the bouquet and grabbed the rose stems hard. When she opened her hand, there’re streams of blood came down. Sasajima didn’t know how to react. She moved close to him and inserted her bloody finger into his mouth. Her finger caressed his tongue for a while and left. He tasted the blood came from virgins in any mythology in the history of the world.
 
“Why do you like me?” His words came from his mouth without thinking.
 
“Why do you need a reason? I went to the rose garden and found Lady X but the wind was blowing, it’s hard to catch her, but I finally got her in my hands, I kissed her, her smell was so good. It was the first time I saw the real thing and the first time I felt I live in the real world. When I saw you on TV, I felt the same way, you’re alive in the real world, your voice and your hands. Your hands were moving so fast, it was not easy to catch your hands but I did. they’re so real. I can’t explain. Why do you need reasons?”

“Why did you do that on the escalators?” He asked.
 
“Why’re you looking for reasons!” She shouted.
 
“Luka, when I first met you, you looked so different from I was expected, so much different from the photos.”
 
 
 
I felt so guilty to look at you. I still feel guilty even think about you. I don’t wanna hurt you. You’re so young and innocent.”
 
She smiled and caressed his hand between his fingers. The princess was a genius for seducing.
 
“I wanted to know who I was, I wanted to proof myself I was alive, living in the real world. That’s what I wanted, I wanted a guy followed behind me and showed me he was interested in me. I had an ecstasy when I felt someone behind me on an escalator. When I imagined that he was watching my videos in his bed, that made me feel like I was alive.”
 
Sasajima had been fighting against the worst criminals and put himself in danger. He knew if someone lie to him with his experience.
 
Luka was looking at him with child like curiosity. He found Lady X’s eyes in Luka’s eyes. He thought that she’s not lying. She’d done everything because she’d never lie to herself. He searched inside him if there were any lies.
 
Sasajima thought, “Why is it so hard to decide what I want? Why don't I want to lie to myself or to anybody?”
 
 
 
The End
 

最後まで読んでくださって、ありがとうございました。
7/15/2023
 
 
 

アメリカの小説投稿サイトInkittに投稿した私の小説達、２２本。