by Guy Willard
“You look so happy, Fumi-chan. Do you have another date with Shima-chan tonight?”
Fumio looked up. “Why do you say that?”
“Well, apparently you two spent the night together at a hotel last time.”
Fumio felt his face grow hot.
Yuji smiled. “I’m sorry. You know homos—they just can’t keep a secret. They’re the worst blabbermouths in the world. Especially the ones in here.”
Trying to recover his dignity, Fumio muttered, “We had a few drinks together after we left here, and then one thing led to another, that’s all.”
Yuji gazed at him apologetically. “You should be aware that there are no secrets here in Prince.”
“Apparently not.”
“All the regulars know about everyone else’s sex lives. Many of them have slept with one another at some point in the past, if only out of curiosity, and occasionally joke about it in an almost nostalgic manner. The only exceptions are Shoji and Saburo who have been steady lovers for the past eight years now.”
“I envy them.”
“Why don’t you and Shima-chan go steady, then? I think you two would make a nice couple.”
“I don’t know…. I mean, he’s a very decent person and everything, and I’d probably go out with him again, but I’m not sure if I want to have a permanent relationship yet.”
“I understand. Now that you’ve lost your cherry, you want to explore the wide world of gay sex and see what’s out there, right? And who can blame you? You’re young and virile….”
“He even talked about that?”
“Let’s just say you’re going to find yourself very popular with all the regulars in Prince from now on.”
“What about you, Yuji? Why aren’t they after you? You’re so much better-looking than me.”
“I’m nonke, and they all know it. Plus I have a steady girlfriend. I just work here because the pay is good and I live nearby.” He picked up the cloth to wipe a glass, but then paused. “Maybe I really shouldn’t be telling you this, but….”
“But what?”
“I think it’s a waste.”
“What’s a waste?”
“For you to spend so much time in an out-of-the-way bar like this. Now that you’re sexually experienced, you should realize that sleeping with older men for free is like throwing away good money.”
“What do you mean?”
“Let’s put it like this: if it’s older men you fancy, you can have all the sex you like—and get paid for it at the same time.”
“It’s not that I fancy older men. Things just turned out that way, that’s all.”
“Well it’s certainly clear that they fancy you.”
Fumio took a long drink. “Are you saying that even a boy like me can work in the sex industry?”
Yuji sighed and picked up the copy of Barazoku that Fumio had been reading. Turning to the advertisements in the back, he laid the magazine open on the counter before Fumio. “Look carefully. What do all these ads have in common?”
Fumio glanced over several of them and shook his head. “I don’t know….”
“Here.” Yuji pointed out a line in one of them—and then another, and yet another. All of the sex services, without exception, were also advertising for workers. “You see? They’re all desperate for young boys.”
“Are you suggesting that I apply?”
“Sure.”
“But with my looks, I’m hardly the type that a man would want to pay money for.”
“On the contrary, your looks are an advantage. There are plenty of men out there who are interested in exactly what you are: a normal-looking boy from the provinces. You remind them of their youthful days back home. They don’t want a fashionably-dressed boy who looks like a model.”
“I never thought it would be an advantage to be a country hick.”
“In this world it is. That, plus your youth will take you a long way. A lot of boys in the industry have been around so long that they’ve lost the innocent charm that a newcomer like you has. And the less homosexual you look, the better. What most of these customers really want is a nonke. Their fantasies are for straight boys. That’s why even boys who are out-and-out queers often play at being nonke in order to increase their desirability. As for you, you can certainly pass as one.”
“Until recently, I was just as innocent as a real nonke, that’s for sure.”
“Listen. I have a friend who’s completely nonke, but he works at a gay massage parlor. And he makes up to five hundred thousand yen a month at it. Sometimes he doesn’t even have to sleep with his customers, either. When they find out he’s nonke, they’re happy just to give him a blow job, or stroke him off, or even just masturbate together with him. Apparently there are all kinds of gay men, and not all of them want sexual intercourse. In fact, some of them are actually disgusted by the idea of anal sex.”
“So your friend is technically a virgin as far as gay sex is concerned?”
“Actually, I suspect he has slept with certain customers he’s fond of.”
“Isn’t he worried that he’ll start to like it so much that he might actually turn queer?”
“He says he can separate the two in his mind: work and real life. I suppose that must be necessary in that kind of business because according to him, some of the guys who work there are even married, though their wives don’t know what their husbands do for a living.”
“That’s amazing. So you’re saying the pay is that good?”
“It can be. The customers who go to those places are usually successful men who have no trouble paying for their pleasures: doctors, high-ranking businessmen, entertainers, you name it. Either they lack the confidence and social skills to pick up boys in a bar, or they prefer to pay for one from a reliable place so they’ll feel safe about not catching any diseases. And if a customer likes you enough, he’ll ask for you again and again. With luck, one of them might try to lure you out of the business so he can become your ‘papa.’”
“What’s a ‘papa’?”
“A patron—an older man who’ll look after you, set you up in an apartment, give you enough money for your daily needs, plus some extra as an allowance.”
“In return for which…?”
“You let him sleep with you about once or twice a week, or maybe even less, depending on his sexual needs or his work schedule. Remember, he’ll most likely be married, so he has to spend some time with his family as well, leaving you with lots of free time. I know boys who were made for life just from meeting a nice older man. And believe me, there are plenty of rich men out there looking for a young companion. You’d be surprised.”
“You make it sound so tempting.” Fumio had never dreamed he could be seen as sexually desirable, but since his experience with Shima-chan last week, he now had a lot more confidence in himself.
Yuji was gazing at him with a serious expression. “That’s why I said you’re wasting your time in places like Prince. The men here are decent, of course, but not rich enough to look after you the way a papa can. Listen, I’m a poor student just like you, so I know what your life must be like.”
“Have you ever thought about working in the sex industry yourself?”
“Yes. Just between you and me, I tried sleeping with a man once—not a customer here at Prince—and it didn’t work out. I just couldn’t go through with it, physically. But if I’d been able to, who knows?”
Fumio mused for a moment. “Listen, can I borrow a pen and a piece of paper?”
“Sure.”
He flipped through the advertisements in Barazoku and chanced upon one for a boy delivery service called Genji which had apparently been in operation for over twenty years now. The last line in the ad read: “Visitors from the provinces are very welcome.”
Fumio wrote down Genji’s telephone number, and then for good measure, those of several other places. Handing the pen back, he said, “Please don’t tell anyone I came here today.”
“Sure thing,”
said Yuji, grinning. “And good luck!”
“Thanks. Though I’m not quite sure if this will really work out.”
“You never can tell….”
Fumio left Prince and began walking in the direction of the station. But then, suddenly worried about being spotted by someone heading for Prince, he turned into an alley and continued walking until he reached the intersection. The tobacco shop at the corner had a payphone on its counter. Picking up the phone, Fumio loaded it with a handful of ten-yen coins and dialed the number for Genji.
“Hello?” a young man’s voice answered.
“Hello. Is this the right number for Genji?”
“Yes, sir. Are you looking for a boy?”
“Actually, I was calling about a job….”
“Oh. Please hold on a moment.” After a while an older man’s voice came on the line: “May I help you?”
“Yes, sir. I think I’d like to work there, if it’s possible.”
“It certainly is. We always welcome new part-timers. Have you ever done this sort of work before?”
“Never. This is my first time.”
“That’s no problem. Are you aware of what’s involved in this job?”
“I think I have some idea. But I’m pretty sure I can learn whatever is necessary.”
“Are you at least eighteen years old?” the man asked somewhat worriedly.
“Yes. I’m twenty-one.”
“A college student?”
“Yes.”
“Good. When can you come by for an interview?”
“Will tomorrow afternoon be all right?”
“Tomorrow afternoon will be fine. Can you find your way here?”
“I think so.”
“Don’t worry. As soon as you get to Shinjuku station, give us a call. I’ll send someone to pick you up and show you the way. About what time will you be there?”
“Does three o’clock sound good?”
“Certainly. I’ll be looking forward to seeing you. What’s your name, by the way? Only your first name will be necessary.”
“Fumio.”
“My name is Yoshioka. I’ll see you tomorrow then, Fumio-kun. Good-bye.”
As Fumio hung up, he felt a thrill go through him. He’d never realized it would be so easy to find a job like this. And the man had sounded eager to meet him.
When he got to Hachioji Station, he went to the platform for the Tokyo-bound trains. As he was waiting for his train, he suddenly noticed a man standing on the platform across the tracks, a short, fat, bald man in his forties. His eyes were fixed on Fumio. When Fumio returned his gaze and the other didn’t look away, Fumio knew for sure he was a homo.
As casually as he could, he thrust both his hands into his pockets and slowly turned away, all the while feeling the other’s gaze upon him. For the first time in his life, Fumio felt sexy.
His train arrived just then. As he got on, he positioned himself at the opposite door where the man on the platform could see him. The other’s eyes were still on him. Yuji had been right: there really were men out there who were sexually attracted to boys just like Fumio. Feeling very daring, he kept staring back at the man as the train slowly pulled away from the station. The other continued to gaze after him until they were no longer visible to each other.
Fumio smiled to himself. If he’d wanted to, he could have easily picked up that man. But would he have had the guts to go through with it? And how much would the other have paid him to have sex? Fumio’s penis grew erect at the thought.
10
The next afternoon Fumio was met at Shinjuku Station by a very attractive boy named Jun who showed him the way to Genji. After walking for about five minutes, they came to an intersection where Jun said, “Beyond this street lies 2-chome.”
Fumio felt a real excitement at setting foot for the first time into the storied hub of Japanese gay life. Perhaps because it was still mid-afternoon, there was nothing to distinguish it from the rest of Shinjuku.
Genji was located in a six-story building honeycombed with restaurants, bars and game centers. The two boys took the elevator up to the second floor where there was a short hallway with a door at the end. The name “Genji” was written upon it in English, and beneath it in Japanese: “Members’ club.” Jun opened the door and let Fumio enter first.
The inside appeared to be an ordinary bar, with a counter on the right and two booths facing it. At the far end was a curtained doorway. There were no customers in the place yet, but a somewhat chubby transvestite was behind the counter wiping glasses. He smiled at Fumio.
“Welcome. I’m O-Tama.”
“How do you do. I’m Fumio.”
“Oh, so you’re the new boy who’s going to be working for us.”
“Yes…that is, if I’m accepted.”
“You’ll be accepted, don’t worry.” O-Tama smiled at him in a friendly manner. “Now you just wait right here. I’ll get Yoshioka-san right away.” He disappeared into the curtained doorway and returned shortly with a man who seemed to be the manager of the place, a normal-looking man in his mid-forties who, Fumio guessed, probably wasn’t homosexual at all.
“Hello, Fumio-kun,” he said. “Could you come this way, please?”
The office behind the curtained doorway was a cramped room with a desk, a telephone, and a small safe. Yoshioka sat down at the desk.
“You say this is your first time working in a place like this?” he said.
“Yes.”
“May I see your student ID? I just want to verify that you’re at least eighteen years old.”
“Yes, sir.” Fumio handed it over, and after a brief glance at it, Yoshioka handed it back.
“I’m afraid I have to ask you this, Fumio-kun, but have you had any sexually transmitted diseases recently, or do you have one now?”
“No, never. I—I’m not very experienced at all.” Fumio felt apologetic.
“Don’t worry. That’s actually an advantage. Most of our clients like to meet boys who are new to this world. Now, I’d like you to write your name, address, and telephone number in this notebook, and then Jun will explain to you how our business works. Do you have any questions before you start?”
“What should I wear to work?”
Yoshioka glanced at Fumio’s clothes. “What you’re wearing right now is fine. Our clients like our boys to look as natural as possible. Do you have a rucksack, like the kind a lot of college kids carry their things in?”
“Yes.”
“Bring it with you next time. You’ll need it.” He got up and called out, “Jun, would you please show Fumio-kun around?”
“Yes, sir.”
Fumio joined the other boy outside and they sat down at the counter where O-Tama was still cleaning up. Jun turned to Fumio and said:
“Our clients, on their first visit, will come here to this bar where O-Tama makes them feel at home. You see, many of them are usually very nervous, especially those who are visiting Tokyo from the provinces. You’d be surprised at how many of them have never even been with a boy before. Anyway, they pay the price for a drink…and for the privilege of looking at our menu book.”
As if on cue, O-Tama handed him what appeared to be a large photo album. Jun opened it up before Fumio. Inside were photographs of all the boys who worked in Genji, with their names and personal information. Each boy had two pages devoted to him, with four photographs and an information sheet. The first photo was a close-up of his face, while all the others showed him completely naked. Unlike the photos in Barazoku, these pictures were not censored in any way. One shot showed the boy lying back on a black leather sofa stroking his own erection; then he was seen standing sideways, showing his body in profile and the angle of his erection. In the last photo he was turned away from the camera looking back over his shoulder with both hands framing his buttocks.
A square piece of paper contained handwritten information about the boy—his name, age, height, weight, and penis size. In addition, there was a list of vario
us acts: kissing, oral sex/active, oral sex/passive, anal sex/active, anal sex/passive, three-way sex, SM (soft), and overnight stay. Next to each item was a circle, a triangle, or an X, a circle indicating that the boy was capable of the act, a triangle meaning that he might be able to do it, depending on his condition or mood that day, and an X indicating that it was out of the question. Some boys had put double circles at the acts at which they were especially adept.
“The clients choose their boy from this menu and tell O-Tama, who then puts in a phone call to the waiting room where all the boys are. Then the client can either go to one of our playrooms, or to a hotel of his own choice.” He handed the menu back to O-Tama and turned to Fumio. “Follow me. I’ll show you the waiting room and the playrooms.”
They left the store and walked up the street, around the corner to an ordinary eight-floor condominium. From the outside it appeared to be a perfectly normal residential building (and in fact, Fumio later learned that most of the rooms were lived in by club hostesses or girlfriends of the yakuza.) Taking the elevator up to the third floor, they got off and went to room 303, where Jun rang the doorbell before opening the door.
As Fumio followed him inside, he saw that it was an ordinary one-room apartment, unadorned except for a pair of sofas, a television, and a coffee table piled high with manga books. Six young men greeted them in cheerful voices. Cigarette smoke hung in the air and snack foods were scattered all over the place. Apparently this was where the unengaged boys stayed until they were called for. A telephone sat on the floor under the coffee table.
As Jun introduced Fumio to the group, they each told him their names, for all the world like members of an extracurricular sports club. Upon being presented to them, Fumio tried to make his demeanor as polite and unassuming as possible, wondering if there was any rivalry among these boys. They were all so good-looking that he felt sure he could never compete. The boys fell into two basic types: the sportsman type with rugged builds and well-tanned bodies, and the boy-idol type with cute faces and pale, slender physiques.