She got on the train when Ruri told her to and got off when Ruri told her to…at the Kinshicho Station. Why there, of all places? To Kana, it was as loathsome as having someone walk into her house wearing muddy shoes.
“My boyfriend has a store here. Follow me.”
Kana found some consolation in the fact that Ruri took her out the south exit from the station, not in the direction of the café. She never took that exit herself, as that part of Kinshicho was mostly nightclubs and bars. It wasn’t yet dark outside, but the alleys between the multi-tenant buildings had this uncomfortable aura of sleaze.
After a short walk, Ruri led Kana to the entrance of an apartment block.
“This isn’t a store…”
“Exclusive members-only venues don’t have store signs outside. Don’t you know anything? Anyway, follow me.”
She pressed a number on the intercom. They heard a male voice saying “Come in,” and the automatic door opened for them. The corridor was dimly lit. It looked like a tunnel leading somewhere bad. Kana moved her school bag from her back to her front and put her arms around it before stepping inside.
They got on an elevator which took them to the thirteenth floor, which was the last one. There was no sign with a business name, and there were only two doors on that floor—the entrance and the emergency exit—so it seemed the entire floor was occupied by a single tenant.
The entrance hall looked pretty normal, with slippers for guests. Kana took her shoes off and put a pair of slippers on.
Farther inside, the place was more like a restaurant, with a massive eat-in kitchen with a bigger counter than you’d see in a normal apartment. The equipment was more professional, too, with neatly lined cooking utensils and a restaurant-size fridge. A man wearing an apron was slicing vegetables in a very practiced manner.
“He’s just a waiter. Don’t worry about him. Act like he’s not there.”
The furniture looked expensive. A few large plush sofas were placed around the room. The most unusual feature, though, which also made the place seem bigger than it was, was that one entire wall was made of glass, with a sprawling roof balcony behind it. There were more sofas and tables on the balcony, with parasols over them. A man was sitting on one of the outside sofas, doing something on his phone. He was maybe twenty years old. When he noticed Ruri and Kana enter, he stood up and smiled warmly. He was quite tall, and it was obvious at a glance that he was a creature of the night in Kinshicho—his hair was dyed flamboyantly, so that it was half-blond and half-black. He was dressed simply in jeans and a rock band T-shirt, but Kana could somehow smell money on him. Maybe it was his watch, or the earrings in his ears, that hinted he had cash to throw around.
“That over there is my boyfriend.”
Kana went out onto the balcony when Ruri gestured that way.
“Nice to meet you, Kyouko Katashiki. I’m Kadowaki, Ruri’s acting boyfriend. I’ve heard a bit about you. Don’t be shy, take a seat.”
Kana was sure whatever he’d heard about her from Ruri wasn’t good, although she did wonder what Ruri would say about her to make him so strangely gentle toward her… Unnaturally gentle, as if she weren’t a person, but a kitten in a pet shop window.
The sofa was softer than any Kana had ever sat on before. She was sinking into it, which was nice except that it made her feel too hot in the summer weather.
“What…sort of place is this…? What…do you want me to do…?”
“Have a chat and some tea, help you girls get to know each other better. At night, this is a members-only bar, but this time of day, it’s more like a café for young girls.”
Kadowaki turned toward the dining room, raising his hand. Kana realized that what she took for a window was a one-way mirror, with a silver reflective surface on the outside. It opened and the waiter she saw in the kitchen earlier came out onto the balcony carrying a glass teapot and cups. He poured tea for them. It was some kind of herbal tea. Flowers and herbs Kana didn’t recognize floated inside the teapot.
“This tea is really expensive. It has a bit of an unusual taste. Go on, try it… I’m sure you’ll like it… Aah, tastes so good,” Ruri said as if she were the hostess, taking a sip of the tea with a delighted look on her face.
At first, Kana suspected the tea might have been laced with something, but Ruri drank it first without any concern.
The somber waiter returned to the kitchen without saying anything.
Was it really just normal tea? Kana still wasn’t convinced…
“Oh, sorry, Kyouko. You can leave your bag on the shelf over there.”
“No, I… I’d like to keep it here.”
Kana put her school bag down on the floor. She wanted to always keep it within reach. It was all she had for support.
Ruri and her boyfriend were waiting for her to try the tea, so she picked up a cup. The tea smelled strange, but then again, herbal teas often had unusual scents. Kana would have preferred coffee, and she almost said as much, but she caught herself just in time and pressed the teacup to her lips. She didn’t drink the tea, though. She didn’t want to eat or drink anything from Ruri. The thought of anything Ruri offered her becoming a part of her own body was too disgusting. Kana only pretended to take a sip.