“Where are we going?” I asked.

“My place.”

We got to the parking garage and stopped in front of a sleek, midnight black Lexus.

So that’s how he got to Goto’s apartment so fast, I thought.

I let Haruki take shotgun. Yamanaka’s car was very spacious. I have been in a couple of rich men’s vehicles, but I’m not sure if they were as clean as Yamanaka’s.

We mostly rode in the car in silence. I could see Haruki glancing at Yamanaka every now and then. I wondered if he still trusted him. I couldn’t say if I did myself.

We made our way into Shibuya, the place where I got my start as a host. It felt strange being there again. I didn’t think I’d come back for something like this.

Yamanaka’s place was a nice mix of traditional and modern. We slid our shoes off after Yamanaka. He opened his door and we got to see his flatscreen in his living room. His house was fairly bare and made me think how often he was here.

“Let’s go to my backyard,” he said, as we began looking at his wall art, more ukiyo-e prints, but these looked like originals. He was quick to lead us out of there.

I’ve seen nice shit before, I wanted to say.

We got to see a perfectly trimmed batch of grass as we walked off a terrace. We could see a large mat in the center of it, with a small table.

“Have either of you meditated before?” he asked.

Now you want to ask us this? I thought, but I just said, “Yeah, a little.”

Haruki nodded.

We walked on the path leading there and sat.

Yamanaka pulled out a jar of what looked like tea leaves.

“So now you want us to consume another suspicious thing you made?”

“I didn’t make this. Please. I don’t want to waste it.”

“But you own a Lexus.”

“That was a gift.”

Was Yamanaka secretly slinging ass and not telling anybody?

“Anyway, let’s begin.”

He had an electric teakettle connected to some kind of power source. He poured a jug of water into it and turned it, emitting a blue light. After a couple of minutes, the water boiled. He poured the water into the cups.

We dipped our tea infusers a few times before we set them aside.

“Take a drink,” Yamanaka said.

We all drank as he stared at us. I closed my eyes.

“Breathe. Slowly.”

We did this for what felt like half an hour. I could feel my body getting lighter.

“Keep your eyes closed,” a voice that didn’t belong to Yamanaka said.

I swallowed nervously.

“Open your eyes.” I heard Yamanaka again.

My eyes slowly opened and I saw a row of lights. We were now in a dark room. I realized I sat in a velvet loveseat chair. So was Haruki, sitting a few feet away from me. A confused look settled on his face.

I turned to Yamanaka and noticed.

“Did...we pass out?”

“No.” He took a seat in front of me. “We’re in the Dream World.”