Kenzo helped me to my feet, beaming. “I see you wore the bra I requested.”
He never missed a thing. “Of course, I did. It wouldn’t be a proper good-bye unless you could see it one last time.”
Kenzo put his hand to his chest. “Ouch, that hurt.”
I punched him in the arm. “Good.”
He rubbed his bicep. “You would pick to hit me right where the Tanuki bit me.”
Talk about feeling like a heel for not remembering his bloody shirt sleeve. “Sorry. I would have come to your rescue, but things were kind of crazy that night. So many demons and creatures blasting out of the forest my head spun.”
He stroked my cheek. “You handled yourself like a pro. Nothing seemed to faze you.”
Thank goodness he hadn’t regained his psychic abilities, or he would have known I was screaming inside. No Supernatural episode could prepare me for what happened. “So, what’s for dinner? I’m starving as usual.”
He laughed. “I thought it would be fitting to take you to the premier kaiseki restaurant in all of Tokyo. It’s your last night in Japan, might as well go out in style.”
“I would expect nothing less with you in charge.”
After leading me through a series of switchbacks and tiny side streets, Kenzo stopped in front of a jet-black storefront that had a strange resemblance to a stealth fighter jet. Two pillar-like black and white lanterns stood regally on either side of the door. “Why does it make me feel like we are entering a black hole?”
He gave me one of his irresistible smiles. “Because you are. The black hole in the culinary universe.”
Inside the restaurant the lights were kept so low it took awhile for my eyes to adjust to the cave-like atmosphere. Kenzo followed a white clad waiter to our discreet table in the back of the restaurant near a bamboo fountain. I sat down in the black cushioned white lacquer chair. Kenzo sat across from me. “Good thing the waiter and the chairs are bright white, or I would never be able to see where I was going. It’s like a cave in here.”
As if the waiter could understand me, he darted over and lit the candle sitting in the middle of the table. He bowed slightly and said in Japanese, “Tonight’s kaiseki selection is impeccable as always. It will highlight two proteins. Enjoy.”
The waiter turned on his expensive white lace-up shoes and strode off into the darkness. “Wow, this place is so fancy they don’t even give you a clue what you are going to be eating.” I glanced over at the table next to us and realized our meals would resemble artwork more than anything edible.
Kenzo placed his napkin in his lap and took on a serious tone. “Before we have our meal, I wanted to talk to you.”
Crap, now what? I swallowed hard. “I’m all ears.”
He gave me a weak smile. “I have one last secret I would like to tell you. One I had hoped you would have guessed by now. But I couldn’t let you leave without knowing about that part of me.”
Kenzo loved to amp up the drama. “Okay. I’ll bite.”
“I have another paranormal secret besides my psychic abilities. Something I’ve hidden for eons.”
There he goes sounding old school again. “But you’re only a few years older than me.”
He reached over and took my hand in his. “I’m immortal.”
I burst out laughing. “Is that your parting joke?”
The wounded look on his face told me how wrong I’d been. “I’m serious, Erin. My date of birth was over nine hundred years ago. Almost as long as Kyubi.” He gave me a mischievous smile. “Of course, I don’t have the nine tails to prove it.”
His attempt at mythological humor made me smile. Somehow gazing into his youthful face, I knew he wasn’t lying. “No wonder you treated me like a kid sometimes.”
He squeezed my hand. “You are far wiser than your years.”
“I can’t imagine all the things you have lived through. Just thinking about it gives me a headache.”
“That’s why I occasionally dropped the old-fashioned language when we were together in hopes you would figure out my secret on your own. Then you would understand why I am actually far different from the person you think I am.”
My mouth went dry. Of course, he would never be interested in me. To him I must seem like a toddler—no, a one celled organism. “Thank you for telling me. It means a lot that you would trust me with such a big secret.”
The waiter arrived with our meals. At least that's what I thought they were. He placed them before us with a flourish like a conductor. Several abstract constructions took up the center of the jet-black plate. The display looked amazing, yet I had no idea what I was about to eat. “Wow, impressive. Truly a work of art.”
Kenzo beamed. “I knew you would appreciate the artistry.”
“I do. But I feel a bit guilty because I’m starving, so I’m going to rip it apart.”
He smiled as he watched me inhale my dinner, which turned out to be several kinds of raw fish, an interesting combination of pickled vegetables, and a scallop cut into the shape of a mushroom.
Kenzo gazed at my empty plate. “It seems you liked the meal.”
I used my napkin to wipe off the remains of a persimmon sauce on my lips. “I did. Please thank the PSIA for me.”
He frowned and pulled out a blue credit card. “It is my pleasure to treat you to a fine meal.”
I wanted to slap myself for being so rude. Instead, I kicked myself under the table. “I’m sorry, Kenzo. It was just a joke—and a bad one.”
I couldn’t tell by his face if he believed me. The waiter whisked our dishes away and another white clad waiter placed our desserts on the table. I let out a gasp. “That is the most beautiful dessert I’ve ever seen. It looks exactly like a real miniature bonsai tree.”
His smile returned. “I’m glad you approve. I ordered it special.”
Like a typical rude American, I whipped out my phone and took a picture. “I’m sorry, but I just had to take a shot. The dessert is gorgeous.”
Kenzo took his hashi and ripped a limb off the tree. “Try it.”
It felt like sacrilege, but I followed his lead. The tree branches were made of crispy pastry that melted in my mouth. The bark tasted a little bit like a croissant. The green leaves turned out to be a mix of matcha tea power and crumbled pistachio nuts. I devoured the tree in two minutes flat.
Kenzo gave the waiter his card and I didn’t even want to guess how much the meal cost—probably several hundred dollars. I knew the odds were slim I would ever eat such an expensive meal again. Well, unless some millionaire whisked me off my feet like in Setsuko’s romance novels. “Thank you so much for the amazing meal. I will never forget it.”
He took my hand and led me out of the restaurant. “I won’t forget it either.” He leaned over and kissed me on the lips and my heart melted. Our lips lingered for a moment and then his phone rang. I prayed he wouldn’t pick it up, but he did. He talked in rapid fire Japanese so I could barely understand what he was saying. Something about having an emergency meeting at the office. He clicked off his phone and took my hand. “I feel like a louse, but I’m not going to be able to take you to the airport.”
“I know. My Japanese is good enough to catch that much.”
He looked deep into my eyes. “Erin, in another place and time we could have been wonderful together. But…”
I held my fingers up to his lips. “You don’t have to say anything else. I understand.”
He lifted my hand and kissed it. “My lady you are truly one of a kind. Until we meet again.”
The Redeye
Midnight
Just like the commercial I watched on the JumboTron, the plane took off and I settled into my seat and gazed out the window. Tears drifted down my cheeks turning the bright lights of Tokyo into a watercolor painting. I truly missed my art and looked forward to returning home and finishing the portrait series of my friends and family. But my future paintings would feature a different cast of characters—my battle companions. Ren, Y
uki, Shiro, Brena, Kyubi, Amaterasu, and of course, my rocker tour guide and immortal, Kenzo.
A stab of loneliness hit me, and I reached into my pocket and clutched the dwarf squirrel charm the Sun Goddess gave me. I couldn’t help but smile. Yuki always had that effect on me. The spark of happiness faded quickly when I gazed at the empty seat next to me. A living symbol of the emptiness I felt inside leaving Japan.
Goosebumps formed on my arms as the temperature in the airplane cabin dropped twenty degrees. I knew it wasn’t from someone cranking the air vent. A huge smile crossed my face as I watched the passengers in the seats across from me scurry to don their jackets.
My loneliness fled as quickly as my tears. It turned out I wouldn’t be going home alone after all. A special piece of Japan chose to come with me—and I couldn’t be more pleased.
THE END
Thank You from the Author
Thank you for reading Tokyo Academy-The Final Showdown Book Three the final book in the series. I appreciate you taking time out of your day to read my book. I love writing fantasies and paranormal romances and it’s because of people like you that I have my dream job. I’m eternally grateful.
I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you did, I would greatly appreciate a short review. Even just a line or two can make a huge difference. Reviews help readers discover new authors. I appreciate your support it means a lot!
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About the Author
Karin De Havin writes action-packed fantasy, and paranormal romances with kick-ass heroines who love showing villains who’s boss. Writing is Karin's dream job.
Karin De Havin is known for her unique books that explore celestial fantasy worlds, time traveling genies, a girl shifter, her artist vampire boyfriend, and their crazy life filled with witches and wizards.
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Final Showdown Page 16
