Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Seventeen
Kit
Kit had not spoken to Sabrina since she had arrived in Tokyo.
They’d tried to call each other but hadn’t connected.
Sabrina left comments and Likes on Instagram, and sometimes they’d have quick exchanges on WhatsApp just before Kit fell asleep.
The inadequacy she felt around Amy made her miss Sabrina all the more.
She longed for the familiarity of her old friendship, one that required little to no effort, where she knew exactly where she stood, always.
During her first week in Tokyo, Kit had woken up every night to check her phone.
Just going to my shift, I’ll try you later.
What did you eat today? Tell me.
Met any cute guys? It’s hot and boring here.
Kit walked down to the kitchen in a morose mood.
It had been two days now since her night out with Amy and Ryo.
When Ryo had collected her from Bar Zero Zero, and she left Amy to meet her date, Kit was disappointed to find him accompanied by his friends.
She found herself sitting two or more seats away from him for the remainder of the night.
There hadn’t been an opportunity to spend any time with Ryo.
Two weeks into her summer of self-discovery, Kit missed her best friend: for selfish and selfless reasons.
She missed Sabrina’s constant company. The way she provided solidarity with a mere look.
Sabrina gave her a boldness she realized she needed, at least to sustain that veneer when underneath she felt like she was unraveling.
Instead, here, she was exposed and had to find her own way.
When she was around Amy, Kit felt on edge, although she suspected that most of the time Amy didn’t know herself what she would do next.
It felt strange to Kit that Sabrina’s life was moving along and Kit had no idea where she was headed.
They had done everything together. She wanted to know what show Sabrina was watching, who she hated at the country club, what Lee Lee had ranted about lately.
Kit wanted to sit outside and talk about nothing and everything. She simply missed Sabrina.
She was interrupted by another message notification. “Honey, send us a picture. I’m with Grandma and we want to see your face.” She flicked away her mother’s text.
“Have a great day, Kit!” Yuriko called before the front door clicked shut, and she realized she was alone with Linda, the Filipino housekeeper who had made her breakfast and was in the utility room doing laundry.
Amy would be asleep for hours still, and she had heard Ryo leave the house with his father earlier that morning.
Kit refreshed her email and saw an email from Sabrina, almost as if she were thinking of Kit too. She smiled as she sat down to her breakfast to read it.
Hey Kitso,
Oh my god, I miss you girl. This has been a weird summer already without you. I thought I’d write an email, long form, because then I won’t forget all the things I wanna say. It’s better in one place.
How are you? I wanna hear all about what’s happening in Tokyo.
I ended up taking the job at the country club and started my internship. The woman I’m working for is totally badass. Her hair is like Edna Mode. Remember her daaaahling? She’s totally pottymouthed and does amazing things for the Asian community in Philly. Anyway, it’s cool working with her.
So at the club, I have to work with that Tommy Bryant.
You probably don’t remember him but he was in ninth grade Geography with us and we were always creeped out by him.
He is a creep, and he definitely has some weird Asian girl fetish.
There is another girl whose Mom runs the Chinese restaurant down in Mount Airy, do you remember her?
Connie Lau, she was in pre-K with us and then she ended up going to the charter school instead of staying at CHA.
Anyway, she started working the same shifts as him in the pool clubhouse so he’s creeping out on her. I think they might even be dating now.
What have you been doing with your days? What is it like there? Is it hot? And how about the food? Have you been eating sushi? Tell me more about this guy! Have you made other friends? Will you travel out of Tokyo?
It’s been kind of boring during the break. Maybe I should have made more effort to make friends at high school, lol, but I guess it’s too late now!
What do you think about going down the shore one last time when you’re back?
I know we only have like two weeks before college starts, but we could for a bit if your parents let us?
Isn’t it so great we don’t have to do any studying this summer?
My mom is telling me to get ahead for college, but I literally can’t.
So I’m reading a ton instead. For once, we have a clean slate.
Last year’s grades don’t matter, we don’t have any baggage with any teachers.
We’re starting afresh. I can’t believe it.
Did I tell you I’ve been thinking I might opt for this other college I had an offer for?
It’s so late now, and I have to try to get financial aid.
But Penn State said they would let me defer. I haven’t made up my mind yet.
I’ve heard rumors of some kind of party happening before we all go off to college. I can’t remember where. It would be kind of cool to go before everyone leaves Philly. I think you’re back by then. I don’t wanna go to something like that if you’re not there.
Did you hear from Dave? I know he is weird about you guys.
I could see you were upset, it must have been tough for you, and you never wanted to talk about it but anyway.
I think it’s this high school hierarchy that gets in the way of things that could happen, you know?
But it shouldn’t right? Anyway. I don’t know why, but I get this feeling that this new guy you mentioned could be something.
Maybe by the time you read this, you’re having a steamy romance with him.
Anyway, Xiao Pengyou. I’m missing you! Send news.
Lotsa love, Sabrina
Sabrina had always written in the exact same way that she spoke.
And now, 6,754 miles away, this long email made Kit smile.
She could hear Linda vacuuming upstairs in the bedrooms and the distant hum of cars and traffic a few streets away.
She went to the refrigerator to search for more food.
She found some string cheese with Japanese writing on the packaging and broke off a stick.
She looked down at her shorts and tucked her T-shirt into the waistline.
The reality of Sabrina not traveling to China crept up on Kit again.
She knew that Sabrina was stuck in Chestnut Hill all summer, but it was an idea and image rather than a reality that she pictured, her friend working at the country club, earning money for college.
Kit’s summer had been promptly arranged the moment she asked for it.
Her parents had flirted with the idea of Kit getting a part-time job, earning some money to go, but Kit had quickly extinguished this: I can’t take a job when I have so much studying to do before graduation, Mom.
Do you want me to flunk out? She knew that Sally and Terry wouldn’t sacrifice her grades for a lesson in principles.
Wasn’t it Sabrina’s harebrained idea at the beginning of the final semester to find out more about their own so-called roots?
Kit thought about calling Sabrina. But she rationalized that her friend sounded perfectly happy in her message.
It was easier for Kit to believe that Sabrina was fine with the way things had turned out.
It was the middle of the night back home, and Sabrina wouldn’t be able to call her back anyway.
She told herself to try later and forgot about it almost instantly.
···
After breakfast, Kit walked through the neighborhood around the embassy.
The summer heat hadn’t risen yet, and the morning was still in its dewy beginnings.
It was becoming her favorite time of day—it was still her own before anyone could claim part of it.
Kit headed past the underground sign and picked up her pace.
Tiny beads of sweat started to form on her upper lip.
She crossed the broad six lanes of traffic, followed a footpath, and watched as queues of cars snaked through the city, moving slowly around the moat of the Imperial Palace.
The path turned into a more wooded dirt track that went up into the park.
She could see the tips of the castle’s pavilion over the trees.
Ryo had said he walked their dog there sometimes, and Kit hoped to bump into him.
When she came to the clearing to find the vast rolling lawns that hugged the Imperial Palace’s periphery, she immediately recognized the Buchanans’ German shepherd, Genji, bounding and gnawing playfully with a corgi.
Genji saw her and ran up to her, jumping at her, and she scratched him behind the ears.
He then bored of her and ran back to his playmate who stood with legs splayed, waiting to be chased.
Kit remained crouched down and watched him as he jumped alongside an enthusiastic labradoodle.
She knew Ryo would be nearby but couldn’t bring herself to look for him.
“Hey, Kit.” It was Ryo’s voice, behind her.
She arranged her face before standing up and turning to him. She tried to appear surprised. He jogged to her over the wet grass, and she felt the flicker of dew on her ankles.
“You walk here?”
“Once before, yeah,” she lied. “I didn’t realize this is where you walked Genji.”