His eyes were fixed on my cleavage. “Wow! Is that you Erin? Or is it someone who looks a lot like you but is a woman.”
“Very funny, Kenzo. You said to dress girlie.” I curtsied, giving him an even better view of my cleavage. “Is this girlie enough for you?”
“Well, actually, the skirt could be a whole lot shorter, but it is definitely an improvement over your school uniform.”
“Thanks for the backhanded compliment. Are we going to get something to eat soon? I’m starving.”
“Let’s go to Shimokitazawa. There are some great restaurants there. “
“No problem, if you can handle my stomach doing most of the talking on the way.”
He smiled and grabbed my hand, sending a slight tingle up my arm. Chemistry with the chocolate cop? My stomach let out an enormous growl, breaking the mood.
Kenzo laughed. “I guess we better get some food for that talkative stomach of yours.”
We got off the train at Shimokitazawa’s main station and Kenzo led me to a cute little place that served French food. I had to laugh at the mini Eiffel tower lights hanging from the ceiling.
Kenzo pushed the menu aside. “Do you mind if I order? I have a favorite meal I think you might like.”
Part of me thought how cute and old fashioned for him to order for me. The other part thought, what if he likes live octopus and snails? I put on my best beauty pageant smile. “Great. I can’t wait to see what we’re having.”
Kenzo chatted away about how the chef studied in Paris and was well known. He explained how he had been to Paris when he was a little kid and again as a graduation present from his parents, and that it was one of his favorite cities in the world. I stared into his eyes searching for the secrets I knew were hidden there. Kenzo knew so much about other countries it was as if he did nothing but travel his whole life. I wondered what other languages he spoke besides English?
Before I could ask him my burning question, our mystery meals arrived. My apprehension continued as I noticed our plates were covered by beautifully engraved silver lids.
Kenzo saw the look on my face. “Don’t be scared. Everything is fantastic.”
The waiter took off the covers with a big flourish. “Voila!”
The plate looked like an abstract painting. What the heck was I about to eat? My first bite turned out to be some kind of pureed root vegetable. Picturing my mother lecturing me on the benefits of vegetables, I managed to eat half my portion. Thankfully, the distinct flavor of parsnips was masked by one of those notoriously rich French cream sauces. Kenzo took his food seriously and chose not to talk while eating. I pushed away the thought he might actually be shoveling down his food because he wanted the date to be over.
Next, the entrée arrived. I cut into the sauce-camouflaged lump to discover it was actually a very tasty piece of grilled chicken breast that had been breaded and flattened.
“Yum, this is delicious.”
Kenzo gave me a knowing smile and continued his silent meal. For dessert my favorite—chocolate mousse. It seemed Kenzo was a chocoholic too.
I couldn’t take the silent food worship any longer. “Thank you so much for a great dinner. I especially loved the mousse. Total heaven.”
Kenzo finished his last bite of sinful dark chocolate. “I knew I made the right choice. You practically made love to it.”
“Oh, and I suppose you’re going to deny you nearly molested yours.” Kenzo laughed. “Please don’t turn me in.”
“I guess I can make an exception this time.” Kenzo paid the bill and we were off to the club. The place turned out to be a bit of a jaunt and after about five minutes, I wished I had my hiking boots on instead of a high-heeled version. Kenzo didn’t seem to mind I was about three inches taller than he was.
We came to a cool-looking blue glass building shaped like a wedge. We stepped into the elevator and he pushed the button for the fifth floor. “I guess I should give you a heads up. My brother is the lead singer of my favorite band.
I could barely contain my excitement. The harem was always a buzz talking about whether Kenzo or Ryo was the cutest. I couldn’t imagine any guy could beat Kenzo—even his brother. I couldn’t wait to find out.
The doors opened to reveal a very exclusive club guarded by a huge pair of bouncers. Kenzo flashed his membership card, and they let us in. We grabbed a plush couch up front and ordered some drinks. A scotch on the rocks for Kenzo, and because I was under age, a virgin Bloody Mary for me.
Large cobalt blue letters over the stage read Blue Velvet. The owner must be a fan of the David Lynch movie. Not only did he name the club after it, but the place also had the same ambiance as the club in the film. Smoke drifted across the room, softening the lights. But instead of a beautiful lounge singer like in the movie, Kenzo’s brother and his band climbed on to the platform.
Kenzo grabbed my hand and pulled me up onto the stage. He pointed to the cutest guy in the band. “This is my brother Ryo.”
My hand trembled as I reached out and shook his hand. The girls in the harem that voted for Ryo were right. Not that Kenzo wasn’t great to look at. “Hi, I’m Erin. I can’t wait to hear you play.”
Kenzo laughed. “Ryo doesn’t speak English. He was a bad boy and dropped out of school to become a famous ‘rock star.’ He’s still working on it.”
I tried not to laugh at his expense. Ryo stood at least three inches taller than Kenzo and that was subtracting his five-inch platforms. He had a long shaggy haircut à la the 70s and he looked completely different than Kenzo. He had high cheekbones and a strong jawline that resembled a Japanese version of Liam Helmsworth.
I took a seat while the band began tuning their instruments. I reached into my bag and grabbed my box of Little Pocky’s. Even after the yummy chocolate mousse, I still needed a sugar fix. I couldn’t believe I was finally out on a date with Kenzo!
I could tell these guys practiced as soon as Ryo began to sing. He was everything Kenzo said and more. Ryo rocked.
He sang a heart-wrenching ballad well, at least that’s what it sounded like. The band played a rousing encore that had a group of girls practically climbing the stage.
Ryo had an even larger fan club than Kenzo. Fifty girls rushed towards the band, trying to get a piece of Ryo. I had to laugh as he fled while the other members of the band used their instruments as a blockade.
Kenzo reached over and stroked my hand as he laughed at the ensuing drama. “The same thing happens every performance. At least this time he made it off the stage with his clothes on.”
I tried to picture Ryo without clothes. The fact he was a toothpick kept me from getting too excited. “I’m so glad I don’t have to knock all Japanese bands to my friends.”
“I told you they rocked. I know it must have been hard to believe after seeing Monkey Breast.”
“Well, your brother’s band couldn’t be bad with a name like Hot Shit. I bet you picked it.”
Kenzo smiled devilishly as he put on his black leather coat. “I’m busted. I told them it was a really cool name in English.”
“There is no denying that. I hate to bug you, because the evening has been great, but my host sister told me not to miss the last train. We better get going, it’s almost eleven.”
He shrugged his shoulders. “Sorry. I wasn’t paying attention to the time. I haven’t had a curfew in decades.”
I chuckled at his joke. Kenzo had to be 21 at most. Biting my lip, I felt the time slip away as Kenzo walked casually towards the station. His normal pace would put any speed walker to shame, but why did he have to pick tonight to take his time? We made it to Shinjuku Station just as the clock struck. Kenzo grabbed my hand and we ran together to platform five.
He let go of my hand and gave me a big hug. He looked down at my cleavage. “You should dress like a woman more often.”
I gave him a wink. “You should see what I wear when I’m really trying.” The train whooshed up the tracks and came to a stop. I hopped on and then waved good
-bye. As the train sped off, my mind raced with the possibilities of dating Kenzo. I could taste the sense of victory as I crossed number one off the list. Hey, wait a second. Why hadn’t he tried to kiss me?
After the second stop, I realized I was going the wrong way, so I got off and took the next train going the opposite direction. Normally this wasn’t a big deal, but I didn’t want to miss the last train. Platform five, huh? Thanks a lot, Kenzo. Did he tell me the wrong track on purpose? Nah. Our date went really well. Or did it?
I made it back to Shinjuku Station and thought I should call the Moris and tell them I would be late. I didn’t need any drama with Okasan.
Hiroshi answered the phone. “Erin, where you?”
“I’m in Shinjuku. Oh! Got to go. The train’s here.” I decided to be safe and ask the conductor which train went to the end of the line. He, of course, didn’t speak English but he recognized the stop and said, “Nai,” which means none.
You’ve got to be kidding? Now what? I stood around dreaming of wringing Kenzo’s neck. A college student came over to try to help me. Unfortunately, his English was terrible. Then an old man who was standing nearby came over. “Can I help you?”
Finally, the Japanese language gods were on my side. “I wanted to catch the last train to Takao, but I missed it. What train can I take now?”
The old man sighed. “You can only go halfway. You will still need to go another fifty miles to get home.”
Great. Okasan is going to kill me.
The old man looked concerned. “Can I phone someone for you?” He dug his cell phone out of his pocket.
What a good idea. Maybe I wouldn’t get screamed at if some nice old man talked to Okasan. I gave him the number. His conversation with Okasan seemed to go on forever.
He finally clicked off his cell. “I will put you on the train to Mitaka. When you get there, call home. By the way, your host mother said to tell you she has a big punishment for you.”
Kenzo was dead meat. To top off my offences, Hiroshi would have to drive for an hour to pick me up and it was almost one in the morning.
The old man offered to be my escort, so we hopped on the train and he quickly began telling me his life story. I barely heard him through the loud chatter of the crowded train, but smiled politely. All I could think about was what else Okasan could do to me when I got home.
Once we arrived in Mitaka, the old man pointed to a small stand. “You need to stay there until your brother picks you up.”
The stand had a blue sign above the door that said in huge white neon letters, POLICE. Great, now what did I do? Hiroshi wouldn’t get here for at least a half an hour.
The old man waved good-bye as he hurried out of the station. I never even got to thank him for helping me.
The police saw me loitering in front of the box and motioned for me to come inside. The box was barely larger than a kiosk. One corner had a small desk and two chairs. On the other side a small cot rested against the wall. The short officer with a big nose could speak a little broken English. The other, a Bruce Lee look-a-like, couldn’t speak a word. Bruce Lee offered me some tea and sembe crackers. I sat down on one of the chairs. Actually, now that I looked around, somehow, they had made their little box kind of homey. They had a cute lacquered table for their tea and snacks and a hotplate. The cot had a nice brightly patterned futon cover. All the box needed was a pair of lace curtains.
The police officers were chatting away when Hiroshi finally arrived about twenty minutes late. He came inside the box and thanked the officers. They had a long conversation punctuated by Hiroshi pointing at me and rolling his eyes.
Finally, he came up for air. “Let’s go before they change mind.”
I wondered what terrible things Hiroshi told them about me. Knowing him they probably thought I was a prostitute. For insurance, I bowed deeply to each of the officers before I waved good-bye.
Hiroshi speedwalked to the car. “Y’all in trouble. Okasan bery mad. Y’all not go out again.”
I could understand her being furious, as it was past two in the morning and we weren’t even home yet. Hiroshi sat next to me beaming.
I socked him in the arm. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
Hiroshi’s grin grew even larger. He stayed that way the rest of the ride home.
I tried to enter the house quietly, but was quickly foiled by Hiroshi throwing his shoes on the floor. Okasan probably was wide-awake, seething in her bed. I crossed my fingers and hoped she wouldn’t come charging down to greet me.
I tiptoed up the stairs as quietly as I could, but Hiroshi’s sabotage had worked.
When I hit the top of the stairs, Okasan blocked my path. She handed me a piece of paper.
Erin’s Punishment for Two Weeks
1. You will wash both morning and dinner dishes.
2. You will vacuum the entire house twice a week.
3. You will clean the bathroom and the urinal twice a week.
4. You will wash all the family bedding every Wednesday.
5. You are expected home at 6 and are not allowed to leave the house at night.
And I thought my parents were strict when I broke the rules. I sulked into my room and put on my pajamas. Normally the soft silk felt like a hug. Tonight, nothing seemed to calm me down.
Going out with Kenzo again didn’t seem likely. I was beyond ticked at him but maybe missing the train really wasn’t his fault. Fighting the impulse to wake him and find out for sure, I sat down and finished my letter to Tori. Writing her always cheered me up. Plus, I finally had a new funny story to tell. I rifled through my purse looking for my box of Little Pockys. I felt compelled to finish the box after such a series of dating disasters. When I flipped open the container, there was a note.
Erin,
I must confess I find myself attracted to you. The view down your top tonight revealed a side of you I had never seen before.
Kenzo
Chapter 11
The Doghouse
November 1, 11:30 AM
I stared at my nemesis as he laughed and enjoyed himself with his harem. It made my stomach churn. I still didn’t want to believe Kenzo was responsible for the mix up with the platform numbers, but I was living with the consequences. Two weeks of doghouse hell.
He turned and waved to get my attention. “Hey, Erin. I can tell you’re still mad, but you don’t have to ignore me.”
“You wouldn’t believe what I’ve had to live with because of that night. I have to wash the breakfast and dinner dishes as well as vacuum the whole house twice a week. The worst part is I have to scrub out the urinal twice a week. Just shoot me now.”
“I’m sorry, I screwed up. I had no idea they had changed platform numbers for the Chuo Western Line.”
But I certainly can’t be responsible for your strict host mother. I was going to ask you if you wanted to see my brother’s band play on Friday night, but I guess that’s not going to happen.”
I let out a sigh. “I’d like to go out and have some fun, but I think I’m an indentured servant for at least a couple more weeks.”
“Well, let me know if you come up with an escape plan. I’ll give you a pass to the show.”
I shrugged my shoulders, having little faith I could break out of my doghouse.
“Thanks. I have all week. Maybe I can figure something out.”
Kenzo gave me one of his charming smiles. “Remember, Erin, you may come to Japan only once in your life, so make the most of it. Don’t let your square host mother cramp your style.”
I gave him a thumbs-up. “Thanks for the pep talk.”
He was right. Plotting my escape to see Kenzo’s brother’s gig on Friday should get me out of my funk. I hoped my positive attitude would last more than ten minutes.
Gina came bounding through the door of the lounge. “Hey, how’s living in the doghouse coming along?”
“Arff, Arff.” I wagged a pretend tail.
As usual, Setsuko looked less than sympathe
tic. “You just can’t stay out of trouble.”
Like clockwork, Gina came to my rescue. “So, what’s new? Anybody have some good gossip?”
We had fallen into a rhythm that seemed to work. Maybe we’d broken the third-wheel curse. It wasn’t a perfect relationship, but I considered them both friends. I figured now was as good a time as any to let them know. “I do have some news. My birthday is next week.”
Gina clapped her hands. “Wow! Really? What is it, your twelfth?”
I sighed. “Why thank you for the compliment.”
Setsuko jumped up and down. “I’ll be your planner.”
“I can’t throw a party. I have no place to have it unless we can all squeeze into the doghouse together.”
Gina decided to back Setsuko. “Why don’t you ask your host family? Maybe they will lighten up when they know you’re celebrating your birthday.”
If only Gina was right. I doubted Okasan’s restrictions would be lifted for a birthday party. Still, I might ask Aki if she could help me convince her mother otherwise.
The clock tower struck noon as we continued the discussion at the vending machines. Japanese machines put the Servomation selections in the States to shame. The brightly colored packaging looked almost as appetizing as the food. No machine back home made fresh-steamed rice.
Setsuko stood in front of a machine fiddling with the buttons. “Let’s make a list of people to invite. What about a theme?”
“What? I’m really not turning twelve, you know. I don’t need a theme like mermaids or princesses.”
Gina cruised the machines looking for lunch. “I’d like to invite Adam.” Setsuko and I looked at each other.
I glared at Gina. “Oh, so you and Adam are a hot item and you didn’t tell us. I’m wounded beyond words.”
“Are you two getting serious?” Setsuko sounded concerned.
Gina rolled her eyes. “We’ve been hanging out a lot, but only because we enjoy each other’s company, as corny as that sounds.”
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