In a corner office in Shinjuku Park Tower in Tokyo, a man reached for his ringing cellphone. He smiled slightly as he read the caller ID.

“What now?” he murmured, leaned back in his chair, and answered the phone.

The conversation was brief, just a sentence or two, but it packed quite a punch. And the caller knew it. That’s why she called him as soon as she was notified of a specific name appearing in the border control database.

“Thanks, Saeko,” he said softly and disconnected the call.

He swiveled his chair around, stood, and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. Leaning his right forearm on the cold glass, he stared broodingly at the city he used to love. A city that hasn’t been the same for the past seven years.

He sighed and leaned his head onto his forearm, closing his eyes, contemplating the news.

Makimura Kaori was back in Japan.