"Ever heard of a split tongue?" "What's that?" "Like when it's forked?" "Yeah, like a snake or a lizard." "People can have that done too, y'know." "Wow." "Want to try "body modification"?" "Mind if I come?" "Hey." "I meant on my stomach." "Sorry... my timing was off." "If you can't do it right, use a condom." "Hey there..." "Ama, long time no see." "This is Shiba-san." "It's his store." "My girlfriend..." "Oh, yeah?" "You scored a cute one." "We want to get her tongue pierced." "Do bimbo's do that?" "I'm not a bimbo." "She even mentioned having it split." "Stick your tongue out." "Quite thin." "Shouldn't hurt too much." "But at Korean restaurants tongue's as tough as tripe." "Is it okay to make holes in something that hard?" "Good question, sister." "It's worse than doing your ears." "Think about it..." "Making a big hole, it'll hurt." "Shiba-san, please don't scare her." "Lui, don't worry." "I went through it okay." "What are you talking about?" "You practically fainted." "Whatever..." "Come on back." "Classic irezumi tattoos..." "Maybe I'll get one." "Sit down." "Rinse your mouth." "Thanks." "Further out..." "Hold it there." "Where do you want it?" "Here we go." "Show me." "Good job." "It's in straight." "Perfect position." "Right." "Great?" "Lui-chan, is it?" "You're good with pain." "They say women bear this stuff best." "When it's the tongue... the genitals... soft membranes..." "some people faint, y'know." "Shiba-san, what do you think of split tongues?" "Split tongues?" "Not like piercings and tattoos..." "it's changing body shape." "An interesting idea but nothing I want to try." "Modifying our form is a right reserved for god alone." "If you were god, what kind of people would you create?" "I wouldn't change our shape." "I'd just create idiot people." "As stupid as chickens." "So they'd never figure out the existence of god." "Would you show me your tattoo designs sometime?" "Sure." "Call me if you like." "About piercing or whatever." "Whenever you want." "I owe you for my tongue." "Forget it." "Looking at you brings out the sadist in me." "I'm a masochist so I must emit that vibe." "I want to push needles in here." "Isn't that verging on "savage"?" "I guess it is." "You know the English word, "savage"?" "When it comes to cruelty I got a wide vocabulary." "Hey, hands off another man's girl." "I'm just checking her skin." "For when it takes the needle." "There's something twisted about this guy's smile." "No way." "Oh my god..." "It looks really painful." "What's got into you?" "Why a tongue stud?" "It's not as if you like rock or the Harajuku look." "But I got to know this punk the other day." "Maybe he influenced me or something..." "What kind of guy?" "He's punk-looking but inside he's kind of new-age." "Doesn't make sense." "What do you think of irezumi?" "You mean a tattoo?" "They're okay." "Butterflies, roses... cute." "No." "More like, dragons, ukiyoe..." "the not-so-cute stuff." "What's up with you?" "The punk told you to get it done?" "You going out with him?" "Lui, don't tell me he brainwashed you." "Brainwashed..." "Maybe that's it." "I want to follow through and discover why I'm so turned on by this so my mind's fixated on getting my tongue split." "Hey Maki, want to meet him?" "Here he is." "Are you joking?" "The red-headed monkey." "I'm terrified..." "Hello." "Sorry, I look so scary." "No worries." "Maybe a little." "This is Ama." "I'm Ama." "Nice to meet you." "This is Maki." "You're the new-age guy she told me about." "Walking with you, everyone gets out of the way." "You're right." "No-one hits on us." "No tissue-pack flyers, either." "So I come in handy?" "A really useful guy." "Here we go." "It's really cool." "So you pierce your tongue, then gradually enlarge the hole... then thread it with string until it splits..." "Lui, you're going to do that?" "Yeah, we're gonna be a pair." "Lui, do your eyebrow and lip so we'll be identical." "No way." "I just want a split tongue and irezumi, that's all." "Please don't turn her into too much of a punk." "She and I pledged a lifelong bimbo alliance." "I didn't." "And I'm not a bimbo." "You are a bimbo." "Stop it." "Maki, you can take your drink." "Not really." "How come I had to pay?" "It was fun anyhow..." "To celebrate our new acquaintance." "'Cause we're worth it, right?" "Why are you on our turf?" "What's with the piercings?" "Where you going, honey?" "Is that your boyfriend?" "I doubt it." "Mind him, he's got VD." "Best to wait 'til he's cured." "Hang with us." "Ama, stop it!" "I'm sorry." "Forgive me." "I'm really sorry." "Maki, get out of here, quick!" "I'll see you around." "That's enough... for chrissakes." "The cops are coming." "What've you done, you jerk." "I got revenge for you." "Why would I want that?" "It's proof of my love." "That's not proof." "Not in this country, anyway." "Sorry?" "I can't control myself." "I think I'm the gentle type but... once I get my blood up" "I got to see it through until the guy's dead." "Ama, you're an adult now." "Kill someone and you go to jail." "You know that?" "Actually, I'm still a minor." "Don't be stupid." "It's true." "When we met you said you were 24." "'Cause I figured that's how old you were." "I didn't want you thinking I was a kid." "In which case, how old are you?" "I'm still underage." "No way!" "For real?" "Honest?" "That makes me so happy." "We both look old for our age." "Ama, what's your real name?" "Amano?" "Suama?" ""Suama"?" "There's no such name." "Ama is short for Amadeus." "First name is Deus and last Ama." "Like Zeus." "Cool?" "If you don't want to tell me, that's okay." "It's the truth." "What about you?" "Me?" "I bet you think it's Louis XIVth, right?" "Actually, it's "Louis Vuitton"." "Really?" "A woman of expensive tastes." " Time for my feed." " Get lost." "Choosing a dragon?" "I guess so." "Is this the one Ama got?" "Yeah." "Same design but a little different." "He doesn't know, right?" "That you're here." "No, he doesn't." "Don't tell him I gave you my cell number." "Hey, is Ama..." "You want to know about him?" "Forget it." "Maybe I don't want to know." "Yeah?" "What?" "What is it?" "Closing shop for an important client." "Y'know, in truth, I'm really torn." "A tattoo is for life, right?" "If I do it, I want the best design there is." "Basically, there's no going back." "In my case though, if I grow my hair, it's hidden." "That's not your only one, right?" "Want to see?" "Inoshikacho..." "I like traditional card designs." "What's this?" "A kylin." "This one is my favorite of them all." "It's a sacred creature." "It neither tramples on nor consumes other living things." "Like it's a god amid the animal world." "That's what I want." "This was done by a top-class tattooist." "He burned himself to death clutching this design." "Make use of the sacred kylin lightly, you may end up cursed." "It's what I want." "Shiba-san, please." "Design it for me, at least." "Alright, then..." "Great." "Thank you, Shiba-san." "I'll sketch out a design first." "Any requests for the background?" "This..." "I want you to combine it with Ama's dragon." "Something about that size done on my back." "How much will that cost?" "One fuck." "That'll be enough?" "Strip off." "You're skinny." "Put on weight later, skin stretches and it'll look crap." "Don't worry." "I've been this weight for years." "Nice... that pained look on your face." "It gets me so hard." "What kind of sex do you have with Ama?" "Normal, I guess..." "Doesn't leave you frustrated?" "Not really." "I get off okay like that." "What?" "You're implying I can't get off normally?" "Can you?" "No, I can't." "'Cause you're a crazy sadist, yeah?" "I get off with guys, too." "I reckon I'm quite eclectic in the ways I get off." "Are you wet?" "That taste gross?" "Can't breathe?" "Please, put it in me." "Shut up." "More tears." "I'm coming." "When the design's ready will you call?" "Sure." "Come with Ama." "You can both take a look at it." "Call in the daytime when Ama's at work." "Yeah, yeah, I know." "I'm a descendant of god, maybe." "Descendant of god?" "Sounds like a band." "Whoever gave life to man has got to be a sadist." "Does that make the Virgin Mary a masochist?" "Definitely." "Hey, want to grab a bite?" "Ama will be home soon." "I see." "See ya'." "You okay?" "I hate existing in this world." "I want to burn out in the realm of darkness." "Our next news item... on 11th at 1:00am, in Tokyo's Shibuya ward a man, bleeding from the head was found by passersby." "Although taken to hospital he died 2 hours later." "The deceased was a 25 year old member of the Toryu yakuza group." "Cerebral contusion following skull fracture was the cause of death." "The fugitive suspect was described as male in his mid 20's of medium height, slight build with red hair and dressed in dark clothing." "The Shibuya precinct police are searching for this suspect..." "Good evening." "Ama, get up." "What's up?" "Come here." "What?" "Quickly." "What's going on?" "Nothing's going on." "Sit down." "We're dying your hair." "I've never liked that ugly red hair." "For starters, red looks scruffy on you." "You've got no sense of taste." "You're so good to me." "I'll try to have good taste." "You'll help me, right?" "Of course." "I'm grateful, y'know." "I'd shave my head if you wanted." "Dress up smart and fancy like you." "Bleach my skin if you told me." "Give me a break." "Ama..." "From tomorrow, my orders are that you wear long sleeves." "Why?" "Listen." "The constant tank tops make you look like a thug." "Yes, Ma'am." "Do you understand?" "I do." "You promise?" "I promise." "Anything for you, honey." "Quit it." "That's creepy." "Care for some more, sir?" "Thank you." "What a shock..." "A tongue stud, of all things..." "Some guy's involved, right?" "Kinda." "I fell for the tongue rather than the guy himself." "Hello?" "Lui, where are you?" "What you doing?" "Sorry." "I got a call for a companion gig." "What?" "I didn't know you worked." "What kind of "companion"?" "For chrissakes, it's above board." "Nothing shady." "Anyways, I'll call you later." "Bye." "Sorry." "So he keeps you on a tight leash?" "He's like a big kid." "Sometimes he doesn't get it." "That can be cute." "If only that were all he is..." "There you are!" "You mustn't goof off." "Sorry, sir." "Your hair looks better like this." "Really?" "Looks cool." "You reckon?" "You look good, too." "I know." "You do?" "Look... a split tongue." "Oh, yeah." "Split tongue." "Everything's okay." "He's laughing and happy." "His hair's no longer red." "We've nothing to worry about." "It's all fine." "I'm going to buy cigarettes." "Hello." "It's me." "The design's ready." "A dragon and a kylin." "It was tough to get it right." "Really." "I want to show it to you." "Okay." "See ya', then." "See ya'." "Who was that?" "Maki." "She said we should party." "Right, let's party..." "That's amazing." "It's good?" "Do this on me." "Okay." "Isn't that great?" "No drinking alcohol tomorrow." "And get a good sleep." "You'll need your strength." "Don't worry." "I'll look after her." "Walking with you, everyone stares." "You stand out more." "What do you mean?" "You're both scary-looking." "If you think about it, we're a strange combination." "I want a beer." "Let's go eat." "It changes when I breathe deep." "It looks so cool." "Sorry." "I love this butterfly." "It's good?" "In the perfect place." "I'm going to the toilet." "No complaints about the design?" "Of course not." "I'll make it so beautiful." "In your hands, it's a piece of cake, right?" "My divine hands..." "But what if I want to kill you in the middle of it?" "If that's what happens, so be it." "I've never wanted to kill anyone so badly before." "The toilet was covered in puke." "Made me feel sick." "You threw up too, right?" "No, I didn't." "Yeah, I bet you did." "What are you talking about?" "Time for a toast." "Cheers." "Wow, it's so good." "Shiba-san, this is tasty, too." "Amadeus, who beat a man to death for me and the Descendant of God who desperately wants to do me in." "I wonder if one day one of them will kill me." "Can I go with you tomorrow?" "What are you talking about?" "You've got work." "It's not that I don't trust Shiba-san..." "But I'm worried." "It'll just be you two, right?" "It'll be fine." "He's a total pro." "He wouldn't do anything like that." "Okay." "But be careful... really." "Sometimes I don't understand what goes through his mind." "Not everyone's as easy to understand as you." "This time tomorrow, there'll be a dragon here." "And a kylin, too." "Your skin's so perfectly white, it's almost a shame." "But with a tattoo, you'll be even sexier." "You had a proper sleep?" "Ama put me to bed by 8pm." "Today we just do the outline." "But it locks in the design so tell me if you want any changes." "Just one request." "I don't want you to do their eyes." "You mean the actual pupil?" "Yeah, the eyeball itself." "Why not?" "The old story of the priest painting the dragon." "He finished the eye then it flew away." "Okay, I see." "I won't do their eyes then." "But to keep their expressions balanced" "I'll do a vague outline, if that's okay?" "Thank you, Shiba-san." "Such a demanding woman." "How's that?" "Look." "I used a gauge 10." "That's coming along nicely." "But don't overdo it." "Unlike an earlobe, an infected tongue's a real nuisance." "Okay." "It hurt, right?" "Okay, I'm ready to begin." "Here I go." "Tell me if it hurts." "You really don't mind the pain, do you?" "First-timers usually bug me with their whining." "I guess I must be frigid." "Hardly." "You got off fine the other day." "You're sweet." "The first drag's the best." "No way." "It's the second one." "So, did you feel like killing me?" "Yes." "So I kept my mind on the job." "If you ever want to die let me do the killing." "Can I screw your corpse?" "After I'm dead, what do I care." "Without your look of pain I probably couldn't get it up." "Lui..." "I'm here." "We just finished." "What about your job?" "Left early." "Said I was constipated." "Your job lets you do that?" "The store manager was mad but so what..." "Fantastic..." "Shiba-san, thank you." "But you didn't try anything weird with her, did you?" "Don't worry." "I have no desire for skinny women." "Hang on..." "You didn't do their eyes." "That's what I asked for." "Not to complete the eyes." "Why?" "They might fly away after the finishing touch." "I see." "But my dragon's got eyes and he's still here." " You keep quiet." " Ouch." "Don't hurt me..." "Don't have a bath for a while." "It'll scab for about a week." "You mustn't scratch it." "When the swelling's gone we do the next session." "In any case, call me when the scabs come off." "Shiba-san, want to go eat?" "Not at this time of day." "Come over here." "Why are you in a dress?" "You were just wearing your panties." "I figured something loose would be easier afterwards." "Am I being pathetic?" "Kind of." "You hate pathetic guys?" "Kind of." "I'm so sorry." "I guess you know already but, I do love you." "Let's go." "Then I went and got leglessly drunk." "Ama was so happy to take care of me." "It's a month after that "incident" and Ama's still by my side." "Each time I make it bigger it hurts so bad, I don't want to go on." "I vent my frustrations on Ama." "On these days, I just feel like I want everyone to die." "Thoughts, values, all forgotten." "No better than a beast." "When the irezumi and the split tongue are done how am I going to feel, I wonder?" "I've lived life not owning much, worrying little, caring less." "No meaning anywhere." "Not in the future, the tattoo or this tongue." "Maybe I'll quit being a tattooist." "Like Ama, try sticking with one woman." "What's that got to do with quitting?" "The "making a new start" thing." "I created my best ever kylin." "So I'd have no regrets." "The beasts dancing on my back will never leave me." "We are locked together, unable to betray or be betrayed." "And without eyes, they can't escape." "Maybe because the tattoo is done, I'm sapped of all energy." "I spend each day wishing time faster." " You mustn't drink." " Get lost." "Ama worries about me and my constant drinking and I want to respond to him but defeated by self-loathing I just turn back to the booze." "Anyway, my life is devoid of light." "Inside my head, my life, my future nothing but total darkness." "The only time I really feel alive is when I'm in pain." "Ever feel like you want to die?" "All the time." "I won't stand for anyone taking your life." "Not even you yourself." "If you're going to kill yourself, let me be the one to do it." "I couldn't bear it... the thought of anyone but me having control over your life." "When the need to die possesses me who will I ask to kill me?" "Who would make the best job of it?" "It's me." "Can you talk?" "Yeah." "Is something up?" "Well, it's about Ama." "What?" "Back in September, did he get into some kind of trouble?" "I have no idea." "Why?" "The police just came, had me show my client list." "Wanted to know about a dragon tattoo." "I don't think it's Ama but..." "It can't be him." "He was always with me." "That's what I thought." "They mentioned red hair." "Remember, it used to be red?" "So I was a bit worried." "I just thought I'd call to check." "Coming over, today?" "Oh... thanks." "Not today." "But next time." "Won't you please come?" "I need to talk to you." "Okay... if I get in the mood." "Good afternoon." "You're being formal." "Are you tired?" "I'm not joking... something's wrong." "What is?" "When did we last meet?" "Maybe 2 weeks ago?" "How much weight did you lose?" "No idea." "Ama doesn't have scales." "It's creepy how skinny you got." "You're really pale." "You stink of booze." "Isn't Ama feeding you properly?" "He's always nagging me to eat." "All I need is alcohol though." "You'll starve before you get to commit suicide." "I won't commit suicide." "I'm going to buy something." "What do you want?" "A beer, then." "Beer's in the fridge." "Anything else?" "Shiba-san, ever killed someone?" "Yeah, I have..." "How did you feel?" "I felt great." "Yeah?" "Take off your clothes." "Not going shopping?" "Seeing you cry made me hard." "Will you marry me?" "That's why you wanted to talk?" "I guess." "Ama's too much for you to handle." "And you're too much for him." "You're not a good match for each other." "So I have to marry you?" "That's nothing to do with it." "I just felt like getting married." "In any case I made a ring." "You made this?" "It's a hobby of mine." "Probably not your style at all..." "It's amazing." "But kind of grim-looking." "Thank you." "I'm going shopping." "The number you called may not be in the service area or may be turned off." "Your call cannot be completed." "Excuse me." "Can a non-relative report a missing person?" "Yeah, they can." "Want to?" "I do." "Their name?" "I don't know his real name." "Not knowing his name, I can't even file a missing person report." "What's Ama's real name?" "Why, all of a sudden?" "He didn't come home." "I want to report him missing." "What?" "You don't know his name?" "No, I don't." "You're living together, right?" "Yes, of course..." "Stop crying." "Look at his mailbox or at his letters." "He didn't put his name on it." "And it's stuffed full of flyers." "We never even opened it." "He went to work as usual yesterday, right?" "So he didn't come back last night?" "Right." "He didn't come home since leaving for work." "Why lose your head over 1 day?" "Nothing to worry about." "Don't get in a panic about a single day." "He's not a child." "Since living together, he's never once stayed away from home." "He's the kind of guy who calls if he's 30 minutes late." "So what..." "He might've killed someone." "That gangster the police mentioned?" "It was my fault." "If I'd ignored that guy he wouldn't have punched him." "I never thought anyone would die." "Even on the news, I never thought it was the same guy." "I figured it was someone else for sure." "Nothing to do with Ama..." "If you file a report, he might be arrested." "If he's on the run 'cause of the fight and we just play dumb, he might be able to make it." "But I'm worried about him." "It kills me not to know where he is." "He wouldn't try to run away by himself." "He'd talk to me, for sure." "I'm sure he'd ask me to go with him." "I understand." "Let's go." "So you had a picture of him?" "We got carried away when I did the tattoo." "Mr. Kazunori Amada, right?" "Not Amadeus, at all..." "Are you okay?" "Where the hell are you?" "Why did you leave me?" "How come you disappeared?" "You said you cared for me." "Then why'd you leave me behind?" "Why... why?" "What are you doing?" "Show me your tongue." "That's a 0 gauge, right?" "Yesterday you only had a 4..." "Stop it." "Take it out." "I said don't overdo it, right?" "When I'm at 00, I'm cutting it." "Okay, I get it." "Calm down." "Ama..." "What would he say if he saw it?" ""Wow, that's amazing"" "and he'd laugh..." ""Nearly there"..." "That's what he'd say..." "I know it..." "He'd be happy for me." "The number you called may not be in the service area or may be turned off." "Your call cannot be completed." "You know where Ama works?" "Don't you know?" "No, I don't." "We don't know much about each other." "A vintage clothing store." "You really don't know anything." "So you didn't call them yet?" "It's me." "I'm calling about Ama." "Skipped work?" "What about yesterday?" "I'll call if I find out anything." "They say he turned up for work as usual, yesterday." "Today, he skipped work." "They were angry he hadn't called." "He works at my friend's store." "I had to beg them to employ him." "Has Ama got any family?" "I don't know." "I think he might have one parent." "He mentioned a father once, I think." "Jesus." "Nothing but booze." "Phone's ringing." "Yes, I understand." "They found a body in the suburbs." "They don't know if it's him but there's a dragon on the body." "They want us at the morgue to identify it." "Ama is dead." "Asphyxiation by strangulation." "His body covered in cigarette burns." "All his nails cleanly plucked off." "Something like an incense stick stuck in his penis." "It's like they had their fill of sport before killing him." "The body I regarded as my own possession, trifled with and killed..." "I'm off then, Lui." "The last time we spoke I practically ignored him as I thought about going to see Shiba-san." "See you later." "When will you find the killer?" "We're making a full investigation." "You think I'm out of line?" "At the funeral but you didn't catch the guy, how come?" "You think I'm a pain-in-the-ass?" "You've no authority anyway." "So what?" "Is it pushy of me to demand that you catch him?" "You're not trying 'cause Ama killed someone, right?" "You all fuck off and die." "That'd be a big help." "Behave, Lui." "You're just ranting." "Fuck off." "You jerks can all die." "Let's just hang out in the store." "The doctor said take it easy, right?" "After moving out of Ama's place and living with Shiba-san he tried so many times to make love to me, but he couldn't... because I didn't make that look of pain even when he throttled me." "Shiba-san..." "Won't you stop putting -san on my name?" "My name is Kizuki Shibata." "Sounds like a woman's name, right?" "Don't know why but everyone calls me, Shiba." "What should I call you?" "Kizuki will do." "What?" "It's full... no space for more." "Just cram them in." "Lui, can I ask your name?" "You want to know?" "I'm asking 'cause I want to know." "Lui, as in "Louis Vuitton"..." "Your real name." "Lui Nakazawa." "So Lui is your real name..." "Lui, you got family... parents?" "People think I'm an orphan but my parents are around." "In the suburbs somewhere, I guess." "Not what I expected." "I should go introduce myself." "Ama and I never got to talk like this." "Wish I'd had normal conversations with him." "About family... about names and ages..." "I first heard he was 18 at the funeral." "For the first time in my life dating a guy younger than me... then only finding out after he died." "The sort of thing we should've talked about when we met." "The cigarettes stubbed on his body were all "Marlboro Menthol"." "Saliva analysis is still underway." "The incense inserted into his privates." ""Extasy" brand imported from America, Musk scented..." "Incense is sold everywhere." "Well, yes." "Mainly the Eastern regions..." "Also, there's one thing we'd like to ask you, Ms. Nakazawa." "Was there any indication of Mr. Amada being bisexual?" "You're saying he was raped as well?" "It was discovered at the autopsy." "There was no sign of that." "I swear." "He wasn't that way inclined." "Is that right?" "Zero progress." "Really..." "Take a rest." "Where did you go?" "I was worried." "I bought some incense." "I hate musk." "I got coconut." "What's the problem?" "Nothing." "Hey, Kizuki." "Why not grow your hair?" "I love long hair." "Maybe." "It's worth trying some time." "The proof of Ama's love dissolves and becomes part of me." "Kizuki, I've got a favor to ask." "What?" "You're sure it's okay?" "Here we go." "Now I can be sure that the tattoo finally means something." "I had the eyes drawn so that I myself might have life." "Will they fly away?" "They just might do that." "Everything's fine." "Even if Shiba-san was the one who killed Ama." "Even if he was the one who raped Ama." "It's fine." "Is this really what I was after?" "Was this ugly, gaping hole really what I was chasing?" "What are you doing?" "There's a river inside me." "I just had the strangest dream." "What about?" "I was supposed to hang out with a bunch of old friends." "But I turned up really late." "They showed their anger by singing at me." "Me, surrounded by 5 or 6 of them as they sang... a song of anger." "When I put in the 00 gauge will the river flow full flood?"