Peter Pan - 10
"On second thought, maybe Yukiko was just too much of an angel, and Mikoto's reaction is the normal one, right? Being a slave can't exactly feel great..."
No privacy, having to put on aegyo and act cute 24/7. The constant anxiety of not knowing when you'd get taken. "People can't always just do what they want. The Master didn't knock Mikoto over the head on the street and kidnap her, did he?"
"That's true."
"Mikoto wanted to use the Master's social influence, and to that end, she chose to become a slave to build a relationship with him. She has to take responsibility for that."
Yukiko's words were, as always, spot on.
"She didn't work honestly for what she wanted; she acted like a child, trying to have everything her heart desired without effort or accountability. A selfish woman who shirks both."
"You're right. But if I start picking it apart like that one by one, doesn't it make me question my own responsibility? My own effort? And when I think about it... nah, that doesn't hold up either."
"The Master is different."
"How could I not be? I'm just a guy who lucked out surviving the war, leaning on the power other men grabbed to live comfortably."
Yukiko couldn't accept that.
"That's why I don't want Mikoto to dodge responsibility for her mistakes either. Just my personal take, though..."
"I cannot tolerate her."
"I'm not planning to let it slide completely. Still, I think we should meet, talk it out to the end, and figure out right and wrong."
My first stop was Mikoto's cellphone. I wasn't expecting to find her with it—no location changes, no sounds—but I needed some kind of clue.
"Frankly, it's not ideal for the Master to handle this personally. Wouldn't it be better to hire a specialist agency?"
"I've thought about it, but from Mikoto's perspective, she's running from her master, and then his hired goons show up?"
"If she feels fear, that's just her reaping what she sowed."
The phone Mikoto had been carrying was inside some company building. When Yukiko and I went in, the atmosphere felt chaotic. I couldn't follow the Japanese properly, but it didn't sound friendly.
Soon, a woman in a suit came out, bowed, and asked our business. Yukiko explained our situation for me, and we were ushered into a small room.
"It's probably in here."
It was a blindingly bright yellow box. Carefully opening it revealed the cellphone Mikoto had been using.
"What do you plan to do with it?"
"I bought this phone for her too... I'll give it back when we meet. Let's hold onto it for now."
"And several people at this company knew Ms. Mikoto. Let's talk to them."
"Thanks. I should've learned Japanese... Don't push yourself too hard."
I sat at a nearby café first, staring blankly at the phone. It hit me—I'd never taken photos of Mikoto. I'm not in the habit of snapping pics usually, but now I regretted it.
A bit later, Yukiko returned with someone in tow.
"Ha, she says she speaks Korean, so talk to her yourself..."
The office worker looked a little scared, but that was a normal reaction.
"No worries. I'll buy it—want a coffee first?"
"Oh, no! Not much to say anyway, and I have to get back to the office soon..."
"If you're busy, can't be helped. Do you know anything about Mikoto?"
Too rushed—I cut straight to it. She looked flustered but answered right away.
"W-well, our company does animation, and Ms. Mikoto was a voice actress. Not exclusive, but she was really close with our president. Always bright, passionate about her work."
"A diligent, hardworking type, then."
The office worker shook her head.
"Not really. Our president too, but Mikoto was... like a pure kid? She loved acting so much, it didn't even feel like work to her."
"Then why'd she quit voice acting?"
"Lots of voice actresses become slaves. It's dropped off lately for some reason... but it's weird."
I held my breath, listening intently. Something didn't add up, just as I'd suspected.
"Unpopular ones becoming slaves is a life-changer, but Mikoto was popular. Those types get picked directly by men even if they go slave—they don't hit the slave market like she did."
"Quitting a job she loved that much to become a slave is pretty surprising."
"Right! Are you interested in Mikoto? She's probably in Korea by now... but if you hurry, maybe you can still buy her!"
I asked about Mikoto's closest contacts last. The office worker introduced a voice actress friend. I slipped her some bills as thanks and left the café.
The fellow voice actress, dragged out of her home, showed up at a small bar in casual clothes. "I only came 'cause you're buying drinks, but I won't tell you where Mikoto is now. Even if you threaten to kill me."
She was rough-around-the-edges in a white tank top and short jeans, chowing down on beer and skewers with gusto.
"You don't seem to grasp the situation. Ms. Mikoto has committed a crime. Begging the Master for mercy is the best way to help your friend right now, no?"
"And what'll you do if you find her?"
"That depends on the Master's will."
Yukiko and Mikoto's friend were already glaring daggers before the talk even started.
"I don't know what you think, but I've never done Mikoto harm. And I won't in the future."
She eyed me lazily.
"Well, she didn't say anything bad about you..."
"Mikoto talked about me?"
"Yeah, nice guy. Handsome. Didn't click when she said it, but seeing you... victimizer vibes. How'd it come to this, Mikoto..."
"Wait, how much do you know?"
"Huh? That she became your slave? Then badmouthed you and ran? All of it."
Yukiko couldn't hold back, glaring murderously.
"You knew that and still said what you did?"
"Yup. I know Mikoto was wrong, did you dirty, Mr. Master."
Mikoto's friend, foam all over her mouth from the beer, wiped it roughly with napkins.
"But watching her all this time, I don't get it. Voice acting is her life—telling her to quit is like telling her to die."
"She did say that. That she really loved voice acting..."
"Me? I do it for the cash and talent, so if you wanted to make me a slave, I'd drop pride and suck dick like a champ. But Mikoto's genuine about it."
I averted my eyes at the crude flood. Nothing special physically, but she had a decadent allure.
"What, turned on? Ha, too bad. I'd love to, but can't. Got a conscience..."
"Why?"
"Not a virgin."
She chugged her beer right after.
"Sorry. Had a lover?"
Even after the Great War thinned out men, it hadn't been a full decade—plenty of women had slept with guys before. But those craving men now didn't show jealousy toward them, mostly because their lovers were dead. One wrong word mocked the deceased, so it was a touchy subject.
"Nah, first time hurt like hell, but calling it a lover's doing? Never met a guy."
"Then..."
"There's this psycho bitch president in the biz. Want to voice act? Gotta let her pop your cherry with a massive dildo first."
"Why the hell?"
"Why? 'Cause so many switch from voice acting to slave gigs, she tanks their 'product value' upfront."
The unimaginable story left me speechless. Mulling it over blankly, a familiar chill hit.
'Bitch in power lapping up virgin blood...'
"Hold on—is that president Nemu by any chance?"
A name that slipped out in one of Mikoto's talks. The bugged convo that convinced me she hadn't lied to me.
"Huh? Yeah?"
Threads were connecting, bit by bit. It helped explain why Mikoto did it, even if not where she was.
"Don't go after Mikoto."
Her friend stared wistfully at her clear beer glass.
"Not hunting her down. But a farewell's in order. Gotta hear her apologize, and I... might have my own business."
"Fine then. I trust you. Meet President Nemu. She'll help you understand Mikoto. Mikoto probably hit up industry folks to change status—check there too."
"...Thanks. But isn't this betraying Mikoto's trust? Okay to help this much?"
"Mikoto never figured you'd go this far. She thought you'd chase half-heartedly, chalk it up to bad luck, and forget."
"Kinda pisses me off."
"Anyway, good luck. Shameless, but hope you're both happy."
I could only smile and say I would.