Reality Strikes Read online

  He laughed. “I’m glad to see you still have your sense of humor.”

  We walked to a bustling coffee shop just down the street. The waitresses wore miniskirts but were otherwise completely clothed. Sitting down in a tiny booth, I ordered a hot chocolate and Kenzo ordered a Coke.

  He tapped out a beat on the table as if it could help him figure out what to do. “I’d ask you to my apartment, but my brother is crashing there with Brena tonight. I was going to sleep at my friend Shiro’s. He has a roku jo heya, you know, a six-mat apartment, so there really isn’t any room for me, let alone you.”

  I knew what he meant. Otosan had a small alcove that was a six-mat room and dinky wouldn’t even begin to describe it. A tatami mat was roughly six feet by three feet. Putting six of them together gave you just enough room for a small futon mattress and a couple of accessories like a tiny TV and a stereo. I knew lots of Japanese people lived in six mat rooms. They made my walk-in closet of a bedroom look luxurious.

  Kenzo’s tapping on the table suddenly stopped. “Look, Erin, you actually had a good idea before. Why don’t we just stay in a Love Hotel? I’d rather sleep there than at Shiro’s. He’s cool, but he snores, and I really don’t want to be that close to him. Hey, do you snore?”

  “I’m a lady, and ladies never snore.”

  He smiled and stroked my hand. “Look. I’ll be honest with you. You’re fun to hang out with, but someone like Gal Gadot is more my type.”

  Ouch. Okay so Gal was drop dead gorgeous and played Wonder Woman, but what was so wrong with me? I had the girl next door looks most guys love. I weighed my options. I could try and sleep on a bench in the train station, get stinking drunk and have Kenzo throw me into a sleeping capsule, or stay in a nice deluxe room at a Love Hotel. Didn’t need to flip a coin.

  “All right. Let’s go to the nice Spa Love Hotel and have a platonic sleepover. I get first dibs on the tanning booth. Nothing like a good tan to make you sleep.”

  “I think you’re crazy, but whatever works for you.”

  “Can I have first dibs on the Jacuzzi, too?”

  He started to open the door for me then suddenly let go. “Hey, now you’re going too far. You know how we Japanese love our baths.”

  The door almost tagged me before he opened it again.

  “No problem. You can go first even though I’m the guest.”

  Kenzo gave me a look. “I hope you don’t mind if we split the hotel bill. I hadn’t planned on a sleepover.”

  Hmm…Somehow, I didn’t believe him. “No problem. I’m all for equal rights.”

  The Saturday night crowds had thinned out, so we quickly arrived at the Spa Love Hotel. We approached the display glowing so brightly I was afraid the woman in the orange kimono had returned. Then I remembered when the rooms were lit up it meant they were occupied. Luckily, two rooms were still available.

  “Well, we can either get the most expensive room or the cheapest. Which one do you want?”

  This might be my first and last chance to stay at a Love Hotel, so why not live it up? I reached over and pushed the button for the deluxe room. What’s another fifty bucks?

  Kenzo gasped. “Boy, I’m glad we’re splitting. The room is fifteen thousand three hundred yen. That’s like one hundred fifty dollars.”

  I shrugged my shoulders. “So, the price is a little steep. You only go around once.”

  Suddenly a row of lights in the floor began flashing and an arrow lit up pointing down the hall. We followed the blinking lights to the elevator. Kenzo pushed the illuminated number three button and in seconds the elevator door opened, and we followed the lights to the fourth door on the right.

  I stood amazed. My head filled with second thoughts. The room looked like a high-end luxury hotel room in New York. Not that I’d ever stayed in one, but I had admired them in magazines. Yet there was something decidedly un-sexy and sterile about the place. There was no denying the room screamed luxury. Beautiful exotic wood and leather furniture formed a seating area to one side of the room. The walls were a soothing sage green. The focal point of the room, a king-sized bed with a leather headboard, stood proudly against one wall.

  Kenzo closed the door and took off his shoes. He put on a pair of cute slippers with a picture of a man in a tuxedo on the front and motioned for me to put on the pair with the bride. I threw off my boots and shoved on the slippers. “Are we in the honeymoon suite?”

  He laughed. “No, it’s just the hotel’s way of making you feel special.” Kenzo motioned to the back of the room. “Let’s check out the bathroom. They’re usually the best part.”

  Light bounced off the gleaming black marble tile, making the room look even bigger. By Japanese standards, the bathroom’s sheer size would rate a ten. A two-person Jacuzzi tub took up the entire back wall. In an alcove, next to the bathroom, stood a huge sauna and tanning booth. I was officially in heaven.

  Kenzo ran his fingers along the edge of the tub. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to take a soak. Been a bit of a hard day. You sure you don’t want to join me?”

  I grabbed the doorknob. “We’re just friends, so what would be the point?”

  Kenzo clutched his chest like I’d just shot him. “Ouch, that hurt.”

  “As you so kindly pointed out, I’m no Gal Gadot.” I slammed the door behind me.

  Still ticked off, I plopped down in front of the TV in need of a distraction. Then I realized there was a much bigger diversion happening right behind me in the reflection of the TV. The large mirror on the wall by the bathroom was actually a two-way mirror.

  The hotel had thought of everyone—including voyeurs. Unfortunately, I made my discovery a bit too late. All I caught was Kenzo’s butt as he stepped into the tub with the jets going full blast. After that I couldn’t see a thing.

  Cursing my luck, I grabbed the remote and frantically pushed buttons until something happened. The strangest image appeared on the screen. Two girls dressed in schoolgirl uniforms dance around with a human sized pink bunny. I knew people had all kinds of fetishes, but despite every newsstand being flooded with manga comic books dominated by school girls, I could never grasp why guys loved them so much.

  I shut off the TV and decided to go exploring. Wow, another tanning booth stood just behind the seating area. Staring down at the controls I chose the eeney-meeney-miney-moe selection method. After a couple of tries, the booth clicked on.

  Not knowing how high the settings would go, I kept my clothes on for protection. Putting on a pair of goggles, I pushed up my sleeves and lay down on the bed. The heat felt so relaxing, my eyelids became heavy. I fought to stay awake, as I didn’t want to turn into a lobster. Despite my best efforts, I dozed off.

  A sudden rattle woke me up. Kenzo opened the door and stared down at me. “What the hell are you doing in the booth with your clothes on?”

  I threw my legs over the side of the booth. “I’m not going to give you a free show.”

  He shrugged his shoulders. “You could have kept your underwear on.”

  “According to you, there’s not much to see.”

  “Whatever.” Kenzo walked away. “Do you want to use the Jacuzzi?”

  I actually couldn’t think of anything I’d rather do. “That’s a great idea. My legs are killing me.”

  He grabbed the remote and relaxed on the large sectional sofa. “I might be asleep when you get out.”

  Not if my plan worked, he wouldn’t. I’d show him I was no Gal Gadot—I was better. Turning the lights up, I positioned myself in front of the two-way mirror. Although Kenzo was watching TV, I knew he could see my reflection.

  With varoom music playing in my head, and my hands shaking like crazy, I started an elaborate striptease. I threw off my clothes one by one until I was down to my bra and panties just like I’d seen in the movies. I got goosebumps all over as I slowly took the bra straps off my shoulders and did a fake pole dancing routine. My grand finale had me completely naked and practically standing on my head.
/>   Watching through the two-way mirror, I waited for a reaction from Kenzo. He sat transfixed by the TV, watching a Sumo tournament. He had to be kidding? After my elaborate dance, he was still watching that?

  I dimmed the lights way down feeling disgusted. Guess he really wasn’t into me like Setsuko said. She would be the only person happy to hear the news.

  Heading straight for the tub, I stretched out and played with the knobs until the jets kicked in. The water swirled around my body. Heaven. Even as my muscles relaxed, I couldn’t deny I felt disappointed.

  Resting my head back, I closed my eyes letting my disappointment dissolve into the hot water.

  A loud squeaking sound broke my mood. I must have been in the bath for longer than I thought because my fingers felt all crinkly. The door slid open and Kenzo stuck his head inside. “Hey, just wanted to make sure you hadn’t drowned.” He tossed me a fluffy bathrobe. “Think you forgot this.”

  “Thanks. You verified I’m alive, now you can go back to your Sumo match.”

  He closed the door and I heard his footsteps recede. So, this was what unrequited love felt like. It sucked!

  The snuggly bathrobe felt like a warm hug as I tied it around my waist. I could hear Kenzo cheering in the other room and knew I wouldn’t be getting one from him.

  Sucking in a breath, I went over and sat next to him on the sofa. “So, is your guy winning?”

  He laughed. “No, but it’s fun to see him get his butt kicked by someone much smaller.”

  Men and sports. I never could understand the allure. Dad and my brother watched football like crazed maniacs every season. My twin sisters and I just rolled our eyes.

  “So, you are a masochistic fan.”

  He gave me a smile. “You know Erin, you really should think about doing stand up.”

  Ugh. I never thought Kenzo and Setsuko would have something in common. “Nah., I like to give my best material to my friends. It’s like a gift.”

  He laughed again. “It is. I don’t meet too many girls that have such a keen sense of humor.”

  “I’ll take that compliment and run with it.” I threw myself toward the leather headboard. “I take dibs on the bed.”

  He nodded. “No problem. I was going to sleep on the couch regardless. A gentleman always gives the lady the better accommodation.”

  I swear sometimes Kenzo sounded like he was born in another century.

  “As it should be.” I said stuffing back a yawn as I pulled back the covers. “I’m worn out from your crazy underbelly tour. I’m going to need to crash soon.”

  “Glad you enjoyed the tour. Can I ask you a question?”

  I snuggled under the covers making sure my robe stayed closed. “Sure, shoot.”

  “What exactly did you see on the display in room ten?”

  So Kenzo knew I saw something. Nothing seemed to slip by him. “I’ll tell you, but you have to promise not to laugh.”

  He crossed his heart. “Promise.”

  “Okay. Well, I saw a woman with long flowing hair in an old-style orange kimono. She was wearing a gold kind of crown. Rays of light seemed to radiate from behind her.”

  “And why did you ask about a levitation device?”

  “Because she was floating about three feet off the floor.”

  He nodded, then his face turned serious. “I need to tell you something.”

  The pained look on his face had me a bit scared. “Okay.”

  “First, I need to know that you can keep a secret. Because what I am about to tell you is information that is strictly forbidden.”

  What the heck did I see?

  Chapter 6

  The Big Reveal

  November 17-1:00 AM

  I looked at Kenzo, feeling a bit offended. “Of course, I can keep a secret. I was a Girl Scout.”

  Kenzo didn’t laugh. “Good. Because what I’m about to tell you could get me in serious trouble.”

  “Wow, could you lay it on any thicker?”

  Kenzo took my hand and held it gently in his. “My tour guide gig at Seda is a cover. I actually work for the PSIA. Kind of like your FBI.”

  I nudged him and laughed. “No way.”

  He got up and began pacing the floor. “Erin, I wasn’t going to tell you, but you are beginning to have too many sightings to ignore. I work for a special division of the PSIA called the Chojo Genso. Kind of like what’s depicted in the TV show the X-Files.”

  My mind raced so fast it was hard to concentrate. “You look for evidence of aliens?”

  He laughed. “No, we follow the paranormal world.”

  Had I just been tossed into a TV show or something? Was there a camera hidden in the room? When was a TV host going to jump out and tell me I’d been punked? I’d seen enough crazy stuff on Japanese TV to believe it could happen.

  “So, you are telling me your true job because of the ghost talking to me?”

  He nodded. “That and now you have seen Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun. Her sighting is far more important than your ghost.”

  Goosebumps formed on my arms. “A Japanese goddess revealed herself to an American girl? Why?”

  Kenzo stopped pacing and sat down. “I don’t know. Something happened in August around the time you and the other international students arrived. We had a huge spike in paranormal energy. Over the last year it had grown gradually higher, but in August it went through the roof.”

  I swallowed hard. “You think our arrival triggered something?”

  “Yes—but not just your class. Other international students have been affected too—like Brena. She is at the international school at Titoro.”

  My ego took another hit. Not only had Kenzo made it clear he had no interest in me romantically, he also made it clear he was only confiding in me about his real job because of my ability to sense the Japanese paranormal world. “So, your tour guide gig is to scope out the students for info.”

  He reached over and took my hand again. “Erin, I don’t want you to think I’m seeing you just because of my job. I truly do like you. If the situation were different, I’d date you for sure. In fact, the more time I spend with you, the more I want to protect you—keep you safe.”

  That explained him showing up at the camera store. I guess I should be flattered, but I wasn’t. Despite everything, I still had a major crush on him. Telling me about his undercover agent job only made him hotter. “Okay. I get the picture. What do you want me to do?”

  “I need you to be very aware of the ghost’s presence. Try to get it to speak more with you. We need to figure out what it is warning you about. Also keep an open mind to any other activity you might see or hear. Please document everything for me. Right now, all the messages and sightings we have been documenting appear totally random. But I’m certain they will reveal more information soon. It’s very important you let me know if you see or hear anything else.”

  I sighed. Another assignment for my ever-growing to-do list. “Fine. I’ll help you. I have to admit I’m kind of curious what they want myself. It’s kind of like I’ll be a member of the Men of Letters in Supernatural.”

  He laughed. “I should have known you were a fan. You seem pretty at ease with paranormal activity that has happened to you. Some of the other students totally freaked out. Four have already gone back to their home countries.”

  I gave him a crooked smile. “Well, I have watched all the seasons.”

  He laughed. “And you want to tell me it’s not because of Sam and Dean?”

  “I won’t lie, they are super hot. But I love a good mystery. You can count on me.”

  He let out a deep sigh. “Great.”

  I looked at the digital clock glowing green on the nightstand. It was past two. Fighting back a yawn I asked, “Does anyone else at Seda Academy know about your real job?”

  “No. You are the only student at Seda that has been contacted. Well, except the Headmaster. He had to be told, of course”

  “You don’t have to worry. I will keep yo
ur secret. Besides, no one would believe me anyway.”

  November 19-11:30 AM

  Kawanasan

  Normally I hated being back in my bedroom at the Moris’—not this morning. After staying up half the night with Kenzo the day before, it felt good to wake up after a full night’s sleep. My mind was still blown by what Kenzo told me. Yet, somehow knowing his secret made me special. So, did the fact that I could not only hear ghosts, but see full-fledged Japanese gods! I stood in front of the Golden Phoenix painting shining in the sun. What other mysteries would I uncover? Part of me couldn’t wait for the next contact with the ghost; the other wished I could be just a simple exchange student. Be careful what you wish for, I told myself. How many times when I binged on Supernatural did I want to be just like Dean and Sam.

  I jumped out of bed and faced Tori’s to-do list. Now that I had to help Kenzo too, I better get more of Tori’s list checked off. The ghost might show up or something else extraordinary might happen and I’d never get her list done. I pulled it out of its hiding place taped under the desk.

  Erin’s Japan to-do list

  1. Get a fantastic rock star boyfriend. (This one may never happen. Even if I change it to PSIA agent boyfriend Kenzo made it clear his job comes first.)

  2. Make some great new friends. Find a new Tori. (I would totally cross this off, but I’m still not sure about Setsuko. At least she’ll be thrilled Kenzo is out of the picture. Maybe that will finally win her over.)

  3. Chronicle all your adventures. Even bathroom visits. (Since I bought the camera, I’ve been sending Tori pictures. My favorite, a close-up of the Moris’ urinal. Still haven’t filled up the journal yet. May take me even longer now I have to be a paranormal spy. Too bad I can’t tell Tori.)

  4. Study under a famous artist. (Okay, I’ll admit I’m beyond intimidated at the thought of painting next to Kawanasan. But I’m bumping this one up today!)

  5. Eat something adventurous. (Hooray, thanks to Kenzo I can cross this off the list!)