The Pleasure Palace

by Jiani Yu

  "Why are you here?" he asked, "this is not the kind of place you should come too."

  Deanna looked into this eyes, "I missed you and I wanted to see you." she said.

  "I understand." he signed, "things are complicated. I had to be sure about you and I."

  "complicated?"

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  "I have to be sure of something, all I ask is that you be patient." Deanna lets out a deep sigh. And wondered just how long she had to wait.

  Akira pulled her closer and whisper into her ear, "You must promise me that you will not come down here again. I have nothing to hide from you, I just don't want you to be hurt by what you might see or hear."

  "Akira, I won't be." she said.

  He smiled at her and took her by the hand, "Come, I'll get a cab for you."

  As they exited the ally way, some of the male host that were outside soliciting business saw them.

  "Koch/boss, who's this? Hey isn't she the one that had a party here?"

  They teased.

  "Ash, Akira. Don't hide you're pretty lady friend."

  Akira smiled and shooed them away, "Get back to work before I dock your pay."

  He flagged down a cab as it came down the street. Akira opened the door for Deanna to get in.

  "I'll call you." he said.

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  Akira watched as the cab drive away when his cell ranged.

  "Hello."

  "Hello, it's nice to hear your voice."

  "Who is this?

  "Has it been that long that you have forgotten me?"

  "Look, I'm about to hang up. Who is this?" he demanded.

  "It's me Akira. It's Coco."

  There was a long pause, Akira was about to hang up.

  "Akira, please don't hang up. I really need to talk to you."

  "You can tell me over the phone."

  "No Akira it's very important. Something like this, you don't talk about over the phone."

  "OK, you still live at the same place? I'll be over in about an hour."

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  How the fuck did this even happened. Coco was back, and he didn't want any parts of her. But when she called, there was something in the sound of her voice that made him rethink about how met her.

  Akira rode the subway out to Coco's apartment. Although it was just a 30

  minute ride, it felt like an eternity. He prayed that it was not a ploy to get him back. When he rang the bell, she met with open arms.

  "Hey baby, it's been a long time." Greeting him with a smile.

  Coco threw her arms around his neck, he pulled her arms away. The smell of alcohol hung heavy in the air.

  "So what was so urgent that you wanted to see me about" as he walked into the living room.

  "Wow, talk about getting right to the point." She responded, "would you like a drink?"

  "No, look Coco, I didn't come here to reminisce with you. You said that you had something to tell me and that it was important. What is it." he demanded.

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  Chapter 4

  Akira got on the subway for home, his mind was running wild. Filled with questions, to which he had no answers. Akira didn't know what stop he got off at he just wandered the streets until he came upon a small Saki bar.

  He wasn't aware of the time or how long he had been there. He was there until the place closed and when the owner asked if he needed help to get home. He couldn't even tell the owner where he lived.

  The next morning he woke up on a Tanami mat. For a moment, he thought he was back at his grandfather's. And he would be calling him to come eat. Lying there, his mind racing, where was he and how did he get there. He was sure of one thing, his head felt like it was going to split open.

  From another room, Akira could hear the faint sound of a man humming an old Japanese folk song, like the one his grandfather would hum. He managed to push himself up on his elbows and looked around at his surroundings.

  Getting up from the mat slowly, he folded it and placed it to one side. Whose ever house this was, it was had taken the liberty of took his clothes and folded them up. He was dressed in a cotton Yucatan.

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  Akira walked towards the humming in the next room. And found a gray haired man in his late sixties standing over a pot of boiling water with two eggs.

  "Good morning. I am happy to see that you are no longer sick." the old man said without turning around, "I take it that you slept well?"

  "Good morning and thank you mister......?" as he bowed.

  "The name is Kichida, Ken Kichida. Sit, breakfast is almost ready."

  Out of respect Akira bowed again,

  "Domo-Arigato Kichida San."

  The old man put hot rice into two bowls, with some cooked vegetables and placed a poached egg on each.

  Ken handed Akira the bowl of rice along with a pair of chopsticks. Akira took a seat at the small table and waited for Ken to sit. After they had eaten, Ken brought two cups to the table.

  "Would you prefer coffee or tea?"

  "Coffee would be fine."

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  Ken poured the coffee for himself and for Akira. Ken sat down and took a sip.

  "I find that whatever is troubling me, I always come up here to clear my mind."

  "It is quiet, just where are we?"

  "You're in Gotemba."

  "Gotemba! How did I get here."

  Ken chuckled and took another sip of coffee.

  "Let's see, last night you came into my Saki bar in Tokyo, got drunk, ranted about your life being over. And how were you going to tell Deanna."

  "Did I do anything stupid, beside getting drunk? Did I call anyone?"

  "Not that I know of. I do know that whatever is troubling you has you between a rock and a hard place."

  Akira put his face in his hands to hide the tears. He wiped the tears from his eyes but keep his head down.

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  "Whatever is troubling you, I'm sure that it will be alright."

  "I...I.... I don't remember."

  "That is why I brought you here, to think. Hoping that you will remember. Stay as long as you like. Just be sure to do the right thing."

  Ken took the last sip of coffee, got up from the table and placed the cup into the sink.

  "Why are you being so kind to me? You should have just called the police to pick me up."

  Ken patted him on the shoulder, "I had a son once and I wish someone had helped him."

  "I have to run out for awhile, so you have the whole place to yourself.

  You'll find everything you might need where you slept."

  After Ken left to run his errands, Akira had the house to himself. After washing up the breakfast dishes. He took a hot shower hoping that it would stimulate his memory about last night. When it did start to come to him, Akira sat down in the shower. It can't be true, it had to be one of her sick games to bring them together again. But what if it's not. He had to find out the truth without drawing attention to himself. And if it was 42 | P a g e

  so, he had to let Deanna go. He pulled his knees up to his chest and cried.

  He wasn't sure of how long he had been in the shower, but the hot water had run cold. Drying himself off, he got dressed and set off to explore the house. The house didn't have a lot of things just the basics necessities. On the side, of the house was a flower garden with a Nishikigoi - Koi pond.

  A stone bench sat near the pond, and in the far distance, you could see Mt Fuji. Akira sat on the bench, watching the fish swimming. As he sat there, his thoughts went back to his conversation with Coco.

  ‘Coco looked at him and gave a little laugh, as she poured a glass of Hennessy.

  "Lighten up, life's short enough as it is. So how long has it been?" she asked as she plopped down on the couch next to Akira.

  "It hasn't been long enough." Akira replied.

  "A year and a half. Yeah, it's been about that long."

  Coco placed a hand on Akira's thigh
and rubbed it. She was hoping to quench a fire that had suddenly developed between her legs when she let him in.

  "Sorry to hear about Tony." his eyes glanced around the room. "So where is the baby?"

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  She stopped rubbing his thigh, seeing that this was not going to be easy to arouse him.

  "Well if you must know, there was no baby." downing her drink and setting the glass on a nearby table. "It was a lie I told to get Tony to marry me and to make you mad."

  Akira looked closer at Coco, she had lost some weight, she looked as if the fast life had finally caught up with her. Coco got up and poured herself another drink.

  "Don't you think you should lay off drinking? You’ve had too already."

  Coco picked up the glass and started to throw the liquor in Akira's face.

  Instead, she downed it in one gulp. And laughed as she re-filled the glass a third time.

  "Why should I throw good liquor on you? When I can drink it."

  "How long are you here in Tokyo for? "

  Akira asking by hoping that she wouldn't try to re-kindle the old flames.

  She had put him through hell. And he wasn't about to let her come between him and Deanna.

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  "Why you want to get back with me?" as she got down on her knees between Akira's legs and rubbed his crouch. "It would be just like the good old' times, you loved it when I sucked you dry."

  "You must be outside your mind. All that bull shit you put me through!

  Bitch you're crazy!" Akira jump up from the couch and headed towards the door.

  Coco laughed and blocked his way. "You don't really think she's going to have anything to do with you when she finds out."

  "What are you talking about?” he replied hoping to throw Coco off, if she knew about Deanna.

  “Oh yeah, I know that you’ve been seeing someone.”

  “Find out what, about you and I? That's in the past. You and I have nothing in common."

  Akira pushed her out of the way to open the door, but Coco pushed it closed.

  "We have a lot more in common than you think. It's funny how your past can come back to haunt you."

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  "You're right about the past, you just had to come back." he said angrily, opening the door only to have it once again pushed closed.

  Coco begin to laugh uncontrollably, while trying to speak.

  "You don't get it, do you? Our past has brought us together again. Do you really know why Tony committed Suicide?"

  "To get away from you and your bull-shit!" he answered in a snide way.

  Coco giggled, letting out a snort.

  "No, he committed suicide because he didn't want to live with knowing he was HIV positive!"

  Akira dropped his hand from the door handle, and he walked back into the living room. When he turned around, there was Coco standing there with this stupid fucked up grin on her face.

  He walked up to her and was about to slap her but instead grabbed her and pushed her to the floor. She got up laughing and poured two glasses of Hennessy.

  "Here, you look like you need it more than I do." she said with a laugh.

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  Akira reached for the glass but sat it down on the coffee table. He wanted to be sure that he was level head. He sat back on the couch shaking his head in disbelief. Coco picked up his glass and drank it

  "Well if you don't want it, why let it go to waste."

  "How long had Tony known?"

  "He didn't know until I got sick. It was when they ran some test on me.

  And who knows when and how long I've been infected." As she snuggled up to him on the couch, "so you see, this is why our past has brought us together once again."

  Suddenly the smell of the alcohol, along with the stuffiness of the room was nauseating. It felt like the room was closing in, sweat run down his face as if someone had thrown a bucket of water on him. Akira pushed Coco off of him as he stood up. He could feel the room slowly spinning, he felt sick.

  He had just made it to the bathroom in time, when he threw up. When he was finished, Akira threw water on his face and braced himself to keep from falling. His mind was racing, he didn't know what to think or to do.

  "You alright?" Coco asked as she handed him a towel.

  Akira took the towel to wipe his face. He turned to see Coco standing in 47 | P a g e

  the hallway, she looked as if she didn't have a care in the world. Akira pushed pass her, he knew he had to get out of there before he do something stupid, like kill her.

  *******

  Coco was a regular customer. She started coming in once a week then twice a week. She called herself, Coco because she loved chocolate. She stood about 5'5", short hair cut that made her look like she was still in grade school.

  She worked for her family that owned a large computer software company. Word on the street was that the family business was a cover-up and that her family was connected with the Yazuka. And most of all, she was lonely, and she had money to burn.

  Coco had been coming for about four months to the lounge. She only came to spend time with Akira and Tony. Sometimes she would bring a couple of friends with her, but she usually came only. "More for her" she would say. She was a party girl and loved living in the fast lane.

  "My birthday is next month, and I want to rent all the guys." Coco said pulling up the pink lace tong.

  Akira was too busy trying to get dressed that he wasn't actually paying 48 | P a g e

  attention.

  "Akira, did you hear me?"

  "Umm no. sorry, what did you say."

  Picking up the pillow, she hit Akira in the back of his head. "I said, my birthday is next month and I want to rent all the guys from the lounge for the evening."

  "Umm how old will you be? "

  "25th birthday " she replied with a pout, "will you close the lounge for me. My dad will pay."

  Akira rolled his eyes in the back of his head, he couldn't stand it when girls whined and pouted.

  "Let me talk run it pass my manager to make sure we have an opening."

  He headed towards the front door with Coco following behind him. The last thing he heard as the door closed was she would call him later.

  Coco’s father came to see Akira a week before her birthday and paid Akira triple his lounge nightly intake. He wanted Akira to make it a party 49 | P a g e

  to remember, and money was no problem. Akira supplied the men, the music and Coco supplied everything else. The party was in full swing, the music, the drinks and the drugs. The party was a success. Coco and her parents were pleased.

  Her parent’s brought her an elegant two bedroom condo and furniture it on the outskirts of the city.

  Akira met up with Coco back at her apartment to have their own private party. When he walked in and found her already partying with best friend Gigi and her chemist boyfriend Tony. They were sniffing coke from a mirror on the coffee table.

  "Hey baby, we couldn't wait until you got here, so we got started." she giggled, why don't you take a shower and I'll be in the room where we can have our own private party."

  Akira walked over to the mirror and snorted two lines.

  The sensation was quick, it was like nothing he had ever had before. He felt as though he had a brain freeze, his nose was numb and his eyes teared up.

  "What the fuck is in that shit?" Akira asked.

  From the smirks on Coco and her friends faces it was not your everyday coke.

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  "Easy man...., you don't want.... to go sniff this stuff....this isn't .... cheap street stuff. " Tony said.

  Akira frowned at Tony, either his speech was slurred or he was fucked up that fast.

  "Baby, you OK? " Coco asked, "you gotta be careful with this stuff."

  Akira shook his head hoping it was going to bring him back to normalcy.

  His face had a slight tingle.

  "Yeah, I'm fine now. What's it called and wha
t's in that shit?"

  "Mainly coke and a little this and a little of that." Tony replied and took another hit, dunked two fingers in a small bowl of water and sniffed the water into his nose. He then offered the bowl to Akira.

  "Here, you might want to sniff some water, if the inside of your nose is burning. I call it, 'Super C'. "

  Akira took the bowl, did as Tony did and put the bowl on the table.

  "Well I'm getting into the shower. Will you coming with me? He asked Coco.

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  "I've taken mine. I'll be waiting for you in bed when you come out."

  "Well don't get too plastered." he said as he went to shower.

  Akira walked into the bedroom and saw that Coco already had the bed turned back and her toys on the night table.

  He got into the shower and at one point the warm water made it feel like his skin was melting off his body and the cold like pins.

  If you had too much of that crap, you might do something terribly stupid.

  He also knew that this was not the drug for him.

  When he came out of the bathroom with only a towel around his waist, he found Coco already in bed waiting for him.

  "You didn't think that I was going to let you get away without giving me my gift."

  "Why no baby, I've been saving the best gift for last."

  He grabbed Coco by her ankles as he pulled her to the edge of the bed.

  Coco let out giggle, "Mmm this is going to be good."

  "Happy birthday" he said.

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  Some months later Coco told Akira that she was pregnant. He was excited. Coco had some wild ways and wanted to make an honest woman out of her. But Akira begin to suspect things between he and Coco weren't right.

  Coco would pick fights and then go off for days without telling anyone where she was at. She was messing around, he just didn't know who it was. Until one night, he went by Coco's apartment unannounced and caught them in bed. He couldn't believe it, he was heart breaking. How could they, it was someone he came to trust, and her best friends boyfriend - Tony, the chemist.