Resuscitation

Something in Shuhei’s glare felt dangerous. It didn’t seem to be coming from him personally, but as Kaho stood there trying to answer his question, her focus remained on the near terror in his expression. She had braced for embarrassment, smug denial, aloof deflection, and even quiet acknowledgment, but whatever this emotion was, she was lost.

His focus never left her. It felt like he was blocking the door from being opened, but it wasn’t to keep her in there, it was to keep everyone else out.

He smelled different.

She was as beautiful as ever.

His eyes were more expressive when they weren’t hidden by his unkempt hair.

Even though she was still as pale as parchment, color had returned to her skin.

Tenses of muscles caused his throat to pull upwards as he tried to clear his throat.

She seemed overwhelmed and almost lost.

It was him.

It was really her.

Kaho’s mind finally steadied and she finally answered.

“I wanted to ask you the same thing. You’re a host?” Kaho typed.

He inhaled through his nose as he read.

“Yes.”

“A very popular one?”

He nodded once more.

“Some would say the most popular.”

Without noticing, they had already moved closer to one another. Emotion overtook concern and Shuhei’s shoulders relaxed slightly. His features turned from afraid to aching. Hers remained overwhelmed and opaque.

“But why are you here? This place isn’t safe,” he typed.

There was nothing left to hide for Kaho, so she answered truthfully.

“I saw you on the billboard. And it made me miss you. So much. I thought I didn’t miss you after all these weeks, but then I saw your face. And I just wanted to know you were okay. That you made it back to the real world.”

Once more, the burn of tears cut along her eyelids as she tried to face him.

He read her response and his chin raised as he looked away from her to formulate his response. Kaho braced for his order to be sent away.

But then a faint contact registered on the skin on her hand.

When she looked down, his index and middle finger were very tenderly resting on hers. Light from the phone screen casted shadows along his brow while drawing out the hints of color in his irises. When she looked into them, they softened further. Heavy lips parted for the briefest of moments before clasping shut again.

“I missed you too, so badly,” he typed.

Warm confusion fluttered into her cheeks as she read his words. His thumbs moved along the glowing screen as he typed, tapping away at letters without pause as his little finger held the edge like a brace.

“We made it out of Nikko. Both of us. We’re still here. It’s so good to see you. You look so wonderful. But you shouldn’t be here. This isn’t a good place,” he added.

All of this was too much. Now she felt even more confused. But he was there.

His mind was racing. She smelled of flowers still. Her hearing aid was visible. He’d thought he’d never see her again. In so many ways he’d hoped that he wouldn’t see her again. Yet in that instant, his body was alive with full awareness at the mere glimpse of her.

His words concerned Kaho, and now she was replaying every moment they’d ever shared, trying to discern if he was not the gentle spirit he’d seemed in those months.

“But you work here. And you’re good,” she replied.

He shook his head as his smile faded. He typed a response.

“I am nothing good. Maybe I was to you, but not to everyone else.”

But then he stopped himself and deleted the message before she could read it. A slow inhale moved through his nose as he gathered his thoughts. If everything was controlled, and the other hosts knew she was important to him, no one would take advantage of her. She was with a bunch of younger hosts who were too inexperienced and inconsequential to dare try and undermine him. Whatever he told them to do, they would. Most importantly, Reiji wasn’t there tonight.

It all depended on what Kaho wanted.

“I can’t leave yet. I have to stay with a client. But I want to see you again. Do you want to stay here and wait for me? Or do you wish to leave? You don’t owe any money or anything, you can simply walk out. I’ll explain it to the boys.”

Kaho read and debated. Being near him had calmed her nervous system, but the scents of the club and the strange lights were still too much. She didn’t enjoy the attention of the hosts at first exposure, but a lingering feeling in her mind was pulling at her curiosity.

“In this club, do women pay you to like them?” Kaho asked.

Shuhei hesitated.

“In some ways, yes. But many know what this really is. It’s just escapism. Efficient. Illusional. Transactional.”

Doubt returned to Kaho’s heart. Maybe Shuhei had never actually liked her. Maybe he was just really good at his job. So good, even, that it carried over from Tokyo to Nikko. Somber defeat hung over her shoulders like a soaked coat. He noticed.

“I think I’d like to leave,” she typed.

Fingers met once again as the phone changed hands. He didn’t want to part like this. Not after stumbling back into one another’s lives.

“Can I meet you afterwards? Wherever you’d like,” he asked.

More warmth moved through Kaho’s face. The tired wolf may have been stalking her. Maybe he was secretly selling her a dream just like what he sold to customers. Maybe it was all a lie. But she didn’t think it was. Those quiet moments by the fire felt too sincere, and he had seemingly assumed they’d never cross paths again.

She dared to respond.

“I’d like that. Can I have your info? I’ll message you where I decide.”

Shuhei smiled his tired smile as he entered his number into her phone.

“If you change your mind, I’ll understand. I’m grateful to have gotten to see you again even one more time,” he replied.

“Me too. But I’d like at least one more. Alone. Not here,” Kaho replied.

“Okay.”

A devious smirk drifted across Kaho’s red lips.

“You’re paying.”

Though she couldn’t hear it, she saw that he audibly laughed. It caused his eyes to close. She wondered what it sounded like.

Moments later, Shuhei himself escorted Kaho out of the club. Her four hosts gave her exaggerated, pining goodbyes before the crowds of women greeted her with more screams. Of course the screams were for Shuhei, but Kaho could still feels their sheer force as nearly one hundred women roared in ecstasy in her direction.

Cameras flashed. Phones captured video of the mythical creature that was Shuhei. Some fell to their knees. Kaho sensed him tense ever so slightly. Shuhei sensed her flinch and recede. He stayed at the top of the stairs as Kaho descended back to reality.

She drifted through dozens of rapturous bodies as her heart rate accelerated. For a moment she thought she was going to be sick. But then she realized her veins were being flooded with something similar to adrenaline. For once, it wasn’t from cutting.

Women around her continued to film her face and ask her questions she was unaware of. All she could think of was where she wanted to go. Wherever that was, she hoped Shuhei would actually be there with her in a few hours.

Inside, Shuhei made his way back to the stairwell that led him to the private rooms upstairs, new bottle in hand. Returning to his shrouded table revealed his client was still there, patiently waiting for his attention to return.

“I brought your favorite,” he said in a husky voice.

Manicured nails slid along his jaw and the beautiful young professional leaned forward with a smile.

“You’re so kind, my dear. Who was she?” the woman asked in a neutral tone.

Shuhei knew she wasn’t jealous. To her full credit, she was as clever as he was, infinitely smarter, and way too confident to be envious. Her visits with her were simply to give her the illusion of romance and connection that being an executive in a startup didn’t allow. He was as close to a relationship as she needed.

His gaze slightly turned to the exit, where Kaho had just left from.

“She’s a beautiful person I met at a very strange point in both of our lives,” he replied.