Chapter 4

Friday morning, Emiko was sitting at her desk waiting for Chieko and Ayako to arrive. She had learned to keep an eye on Akiki because she wasn’t very good at hiding what she was thinking. She was usually a good barometer of what was going to happen that day. Akiki was restless and fidgeting. Ut oh, I hope today isn’t going to be a bad one...

She turned to the side and sent a hurried text to Yoshi. Akiki saw but pretended like she didn’t.

I think something is going to happen today. Please have your network watch me closely. Love E.

About 8:15 Chieko and Ayako arrived together, and Emiko turned on her phone to start recording. Chieko must have been sleepy because she didn’t speak but nodded towards the front door of the classroom. That probably meant for everyone to go to the restroom. When Emiko saw Akiki and Ayako rise, she did also and followed them to the restroom. Nothing changed, just the routine specimen collection and sampling.

Once in the classroom, Chieko stood and said, “Okay baby girl, today is collection day. You’d better go ask your sponsor for some cash with your panties in hand.”

Emiko worked her panties down as she sat at her desk. When she had collected them and balled them up in her hand, she meekly walked to Chiko’s desk. She bowed deeply and asked, “Chiko-san, I have a fresh pair of my panties for you. Would you please be so kind as to sponsor me and buy my warm panties for ¥4,000? I would be most appreciative and grateful.”

She bowed her head and held out the garment to him.

Chiko fidgeted in his seat and stammered, “W-w-well ... I-I-I can’t. Emiko. M-my mom found out and took away all m-my m-money. So, I can’t s-sponsor you.”

Chieko watched with an evil grin as she watched Emiko’s world crumble.

Stunned, Emiko crumpled to the floor and broke out sobbing, gripping her panties tightly in her lap. A boy from the front of the class named Akito said, “Let her go, Chieko. Don’t you think you’ve tormented her enough?”

In a rage, Chieko pulled a knife from her jacket pocket and pushed her way through the aisle and thrust the knife in Akito’s face, and spat, “You want to be a hero, do you? Well, either you give the little cunt ¥4,000 and take her panties or shut the fuck up if you know what’s good for you. Everyone! Eyes front!”

Everyone silently and quickly obeyed. Chieko stepped to Emiko, kicked her in the butt, and said, “Get up and get back in your seat.”

Emiko slowly rose and walked to the back of the class and pulled her panties back on, then sat at her desk with her head down. She felt as though someone had kicked her in the chest and all breath and confidence bled away and her mind began to slowly flood with thoughts of terror.

There was total silence in the room for several minutes. Chieko turned and poked Emiko in the forehead and spat out, “Look at me baby girl, you need ¥4,000 by the end of the day. You need to think of a way to earn it on your own. You know you can’t ask someone outside this class for it. That would draw too much suspicion.”

Emiko felt defeated and sinking into depression. She didn’t really react to Chieko’s finger poking. She heard the words, but they seemed spoken from another time zone. A voice in her head started out as a whisper, but slowly became audible...

You knew this day would come. Today is the day of reckoning. You need to pull yourself together and make your stand. You need to trust that Yoshi will come through for you. Don’t give up. Compose yourself and wait for things to unfold. Maintain your composure, take things one at a time as they arise, and deal with them rationally. If you lose control mentally, you may not come out of this in one piece...

She was now glad that she had sent Yoshi that text. At the time, she didn’t know how true those words were. That’s right. Yoshi will save me. I need to believe in him. God, please be with me today!

At that moment. Mr. Hasagawa walked into the room to take attendance. He seemed oblivious of the mood in the room or his surroundings. It was as if he was simply doing things by rote. The rest of the teachers that came that day certainly noticed the tense, somber mood, but didn’t comment. Emiko had since calmed herself and was now thinking rationally. Since it was lunchtime and Chieko had quietly left for the cafeteria with Ayako and Akiki, Emiko was now certain that whatever was going to happen would happen at the end of the day. She sent Yoshi a text:

All quiet. Think whatever will happen will happen at the end of the day. Please be watchful. Love E.

Yoshi shot back Will do. Love you

At the last bell and as everyone was clearing out, Chieko stood, motioned for her two lackeys, and tapped Emiko’s desk saying, “Come on girls, it’s time to put this baby girl to bed.”

Emiko quickly turned on the recorder on her phone as she slipped it into her skirt pocket then stood, grabbed her book bag and jacket, and fell in line between after Akiki with Ayako bringing up the rear. When they started up the stairs, Emiko thought they might be going to the roof and threaten to throw her off but took a left on the third floor. They stopped momentarily in front of the music theory classroom before going into the empty room.

Ayako gave Emiko a push as they went through the door. Chieko stopped about five feet inside and Emiko was directed to stand about five feet in front of Chieko. Akiki stood in front of and to the left of Emiko and Ayako stood slightly behind her.

Chieko took a deep breath and said, “Well baby girl, it’s time to pay up. Did you manage to get the ¥4,000 at lunchtime?”

“No Mama, I couldn’t.”

“Well, you need to pay somehow and with something. What do you have to pay your dues with?”

“Nothing. I have nothing I can give you to pay you the money.”

“Oh, I think you do. You’ve got that pretty face and long flowing black hair along with that tiny, little girl prepubescent body. You can sure sell that for a hefty price.”

“I’m sorry, Mama, but I won’t do anything sexual.”

“Then take your clothes off and we’ll take some photos. They will bring a pretty penny on a Lolita porn site.”

“I won’t take any nude photos either, Mama. There has to be another way that I can earn the money. I’ll do homework for all three of you. How’s that?”

“Let me give you a lesson in life, baby girl. Everyone: you, me, your parents ... we all have someone we have to pay for something. It could be rent, phone bill, or whatever, but all of us owe somebody. When it’s due, it’s due, and if it’s late, then there are extra late fees. Got it?”

“Now, you owe me money. Four thousand yen to be exact. It is due today. I need that money to pay someone else. If I don’t pay, then I suffer and let me tell you something. I WILL NOT suffer for you. Got it?

“If you want to leave this room on your own two feet and not a stretcher, then I suggest you start taking that school uniform off and we’ll start with some topless shots of you in your panties. If you want to play hardball, then I will have you stripped naked and then we’ll go from there. Do you hear me loud and clear, baby girl?”

“I’m sorry, Mama, but I will not take any nude photos.”

Chieko gave a long-drawn-out sigh then looked her right in the eye and said through clenched teeth, “I’m not fucking around with you. I will kill you if necessary. I’ve done it before, so don’t try my patience; it’s getting late and I have an appointment.”

“You should have guessed by now that you were a specific target for a specific reason. The Yakuza makes millions of yen off kiddy porn. They need fresh faces and you’ve been selected to star in future postings. Now, for the last time, starting stripping.”

“No, I won’t do it.”

“Alright you two, strip her naked NOW!”

Ayako quickly laced her arms around the front of Emiko’s biceps and pulled her arms behind her back, locking Emiko’s arms, arching her back, and thrusting her chest out. Akiki reached for the button on Emiko’s skirt and managed to get the button undone before Emiko leaned back placing her weight against Ayako’s chest, doing a leg lift, and kicking Akiki in the chest. Akiki went flying backwards about twelve feet, crashing into a line of folding chairs, getting entangled in the chairs, and falling to the floor. Emiko then pulled her head forward and swung her head backward, hitting Ayako directly in the face, smashing her nose. As her eyes immediately teared and the pain spread across her face, Ayako instinctively let go of Emiko, grabbing her face. As soon as her arms were free, Emiko stepped forward as Chieko, who had pulled a knife and started towards her. Using her right hand, which now held her cell phone in it, swung a roundhouse with her right hand, hitting Chieko directly in the temple with the butt of the phone. Chieko dropped to her knees, dazed, but not unconscious.

Emiko didn’t waste a second. She bolted for the door, but Akiki was now up and lunged for her, grabbing her shirt. As Emiko sped past her, she ripped the buttons off Emiko’s shirt as she passed through the doorway. Emiko decided to turn left towards to closest stairway. It led to the rear entrance of the building to the activity field between the two buildings. As she turned, her unbuttoned skirt slid down her legs and wrapped around her ankles tripping her. Emiko quickly rose to her feet kicking off the skirt. She bolted to the stairs and turned the corner. She took a long leap and laned in the middle of the stairway about halfway down on her right foot, then onto the middle landing on her left. She turned and took the second set of stairs the same way. She gained distance between her and her attackers by taking the stairs in this fashion while Akiki, Ayako, and Chieko followed trying to descend one or two steps at a time. Ayako had blood streaming down and over her mouth from her broken nose. An eleventh grader saw Emiko blow by her in a flash, with her shirt open and flapping in the breeze, wearing only panties and tennis shoes and socks.

She hurriedly texted Yoshi saying that Emiko was in dire trouble being chased by three girls down the rear stairway leading to the activity field. Yoshi in turn sent a group text asking everyone to converge on the activity field.

Chiko was sitting on a bench texting a friend when Emiko burst through the door and out onto the walkway to the activity field. He saw her in only her panties and her shirt open. He quickly turned his camera on, hoping to get a shot of Emiko’s breasts when he saw Ayako followed by Akiki and Chieko chasing her as fast as they could.

A few seconds after Emiko exited the south building, Yoshi, Shino, and another of Shino’s friends exited the east building. He immediately saw Emiko running diagonally across the field with three girls gaining quickly on her. All three took off running in a path to cut them off in the center of the field. By now, a huge crowd was developing and following the girls. Chiko kept filming. He was running parallel to Emiko and Filmed her and panned backward to get Ayako, Akiki, and Chieko in the frame.

Yoshi, being 6’2” he had long legs and bridged the distance between him and Emiko quickly. He was about fifty feet from her when Ayako caught up and grabbed the collar of Emiko’s shirt. She yanked the collar, jerking Emiko nearly to a complete stop, but Emiko thought I’d rather lose my shirt than have her get her hands on me...

Emiko pulled her shoulders back and swung her arms behind her and the shirt slid off down her arms. The sleeve caught on her left wrist and twisted her around as Emiko struggled to maintain her balance, remain on her feet, and keep moving forward. She jerked her hand free of the shirt, she turned and fell forward. She landed hard, flat on her chest, and slid about five feet on her chest on the hard clay surface before coming to a stop. Ayako caught up quickly and started to kick Emiko in the stomach. Yoshi caught her by the ponytail and yanked her backward so hard it lifted her off her feet and she fell flat on her butt.

Yoshi yelled to Shino “Grab the other girl!”

Chieko saw that Ayako was down and Akiki was just being grabbed, and her capture was imminent, so she spun on her heels and headed towards the front gate. With the crowd forming a circle around Emiko, Yoshi’s friends lost sight of Chieko and she bolted out the gate and turned right towards the local bazaar. She called her dad and yelled, “Mayday, mayday. Subject down and rescued on activity field. The other two were captured. Pick me up at the bazaar immediately.”

All eyes were on Emiko as she lay face down on the ground. All the boys ― including Chiko, who continued filming, were waiting for the nearly naked girl to get up so they could see some flesh. Yoshi handed Ayako off to his friend and fell to his knees cradling Emiko’s head in his arms whispering in her ear. “Emiko, sweetie, you’re safe now. I’ve got you and I’ll never let you go. We’ve got two of the girls, but one got away. The police are on their way now.”

Being mid-December, the weather was in the mid-fifties. Aimi was kneeling on the other side of Emiko and asked her, “Emiko, where’s your skirt?”

“In the music room on the third floor, I think. I’m not sure. I got tangled up in it and kicked it off.”

“Yoshi was feeling her limbs to make sure nothing was broken and asked her, “Are you okay? Do you hurt anywhere?”

“My chest. I slid on the ground and I think I’m pretty scraped up. Help me, Yoshi, don’t let anyone see my chest, please?”

“I know, baby, just hold tight for a minute.”

Just coming from the gym, All Yoshi had on was a pair of gym shorts and a T-shirt. Yoshi took off his T-shirt and pulled it over her head. He then asked Shino for his windbreaker. It took him a minute to get the jacket off and hang on to Akiki. Yoshi leaned down and said in Emiko’s ear, “I’m going to lift you up and pull you to me. Wrap your arms around my chest and I’ll lift you to your feet. Don’t worry. You’ve got panties on, so no one sees any more than if you had a swimsuit on. We’ll get this T-shirt on you in stages, so no one sees your chest, okay?”

Emiko nodded.

“Do you trust me?”

“Even if I were naked, I’d still trust you with my life. I have already, haven’t I?”

“Okay, here we go.”

With the windbreaker around Emiko’s shoulders, it would cover the sides of her chest as Yoshie lifted her up. She could then put her hands in the T-shirt and pull it down without anyone seeing anything.

“On three, okay?”

“Uh-huh.”

“One, two, three!”

Yoshi picked her up and pulled her to him. Emiko immediately wrapped her arms around Yoshi’s chest and clung to him. Emiko exhaled a loud gasp, and Yoshi asked her, “Are you okay?”

Emiko nodded into his chest and whispered, “My breasts are touching your bare chest.”

“I know, but you know I love you and I’m not having improper thoughts. All I can think about is your safety.”

“I know. It feels nice though. I love you, Yoshi.”

“I love you too Emiko. I’m never letting you go.”

A girl in the crowd of kids encircling them yelled out, “Hey they just confessed to each other!”

Emiko carefully put her arms into the T-shirt and wiggled it down.

Another girl moaned, “Yoshi Suzuki confessed?”

Yoshi yelled out, “Yeah I did. This is Emiko Tanaka. She’s my girlfriend.”

One of the boys in the crowd yelled, “Well, if she’s your girlfriend. Kiss her!”

Emiko looked up at him with a smile on her face and Yoshi smiled back then gave her a long, tender kiss.

Aimi was now making her way through the crowd while everyone was cheering. She saw the two love birds in a tender kiss and sighed. She said, “I hate to spoil the moment, but I’ve got your skirt, Emiko.”

The two broke the kiss and Emiko turned and thanked Aimi for the garment. She turned around and stepped into it and rebuttoned it in place. Aimi said, “I also have your book bag and jacket.”

By now, the school principal and other school personnel, and the police were on sight. There were several police cars and maybe a dozen police, thinking there might be a riot. The police spread out and started taking statements from witnesses. Chiko quickly snuck home. He wanted to see what he’d captured on video. He had to feed his obsession for Emiko.

They took Ayako and Akiki into custody in handcuffs. Akiki left in a squad car, Ayako left in an ambulance to treat her broken nose. They obtained Chieko’s home address and personal information and sent a squad car to her home to pick her up.

Yoshi called his dad and told him he was accompanying Emiko to the hospital and that they would be there within thirty minutes. Shino said that he and Aimi would take a cab to the hospital and meet them there. Once in the ambulance, Emiko felt something on her hip. She felt and mysteriously, her phone was in the pocket, still on record. She must have subconsciously put it in her pocket when she took off running out of the music room door. She called her parents at the restaurant and explained what had happened and that she was on her way to the hospital.