Revealed

Book 5: The Nogiku Series

by SJ Pajonas

Synopsis

Come back to the Nogiku world with Jiro Itō and Mark Sakai as they live the events of Removed from their perspective.

Secrets, lies, and cover-ups are all in a day's work for Jiro and Mark, but when Sanaa Griffin enters their world, truths emerge, plans fall by the wayside, and enemies come out of the shadows. How does Mark veer so far off course while training Sanaa? And how does Jiro win back his family's loyalty after losing their trust?

If you loved the Nogiku Series, Revealed will uncover the details behind all the action and reveal the future life of Sanaa and Jiro on Yūsei. Don't miss this companion novel to the four books of The Nogiku Series!

**Because of potential spoilers, please read Removed, Released, Reunited, and Reclaimed before reading this novel.

Release date: November 18, 2015

Publisher: Onigiri Press

Print pages: 234

Sample

“I’d love to see your other drawings. I mean, if you wanted to show them to me. You don’t have to, of course.” Her soft stammering voice nearly broke him the other day and even though he said, “We’ll see,” he’s sure he would have grabbed his tablet right that moment and shown her everything if he hadn’t been so worried about Sakai.

Jiro kicks off his shoes inside the door, grabs a bottle of sake from the fridge, and sits down on the couch. Hmmm. Which sketch should he send her first? He opens the folders from the last three years worth of sketches and immediately eliminates the portraits. He’s never drawn anyone he knows, never his mother, father, brother, family, or friends. But sometimes, when he’s out in the ward alone, he’ll sit and draw other people, men, women, and children. Sanaa wouldn’t know any of them, so best not to arouse her suspicion the portrait is of someone he was fond of. A still life would be perfect for her.

About two years ago, Jiro attended a big music event at the main theater with Kentaro. It was mid-winter and the fans were on high that night because so many people were gathered in one spot. While he waited out front for Kentaro to show up, Jiro stood on the steps and watched the paper lanterns sway in the cool winter drafts, their silk cords twirling underneath.

“Hello, brother.” Kentaro called him brother when they were out together alone. He’s an only child and always wanted a sibling like Jiro has Yoichi.

Jiro sighs and stares out into space. Why did Kentaro have to come between him and Melanie? Why?

Forget her. Forget him. Concentrate on Sanaa now. Despite the memory the sketch brings up, the lanterns are perfect for her. They’re very Japanese but singular and special, like her. She may have grown up in Ku 5, but her heart is Japanese at its core. She just needs the right person to show her the things she’s been missing.

He attaches the sketch’s file to a mail message, addresses it to Sanaa, and only writes, “Lanterns for you.” Send. This is the first mail message he’s ever sent her. How is it that they’ve seen each other every day for the past five or six weeks and this is the first time he’s crossed this boundary? Somehow sending her mail her feels extremely personal though he exchanges mail with people all the time.

He pours himself a drink, slams the sake back, and sets his cup down to stretch out his shoulders. Not working out in the dōjō today was a good idea. He hasn’t observed a day of rest from exercise in a long time. His mailbox pings and thinking it might be a reply from Sanaa, he pounces on his tablet.

But no…