Fung's luxurious apartment was a mere stone's throw from the neon-festooned streets of bustling Shijo Dori. As they exited the luxurious building, she informed Alice of their next destination: the Shijo, a popular haunt for the city's youth to shop and socialize.
Alice sat in the back of the taxi, her gaze lingering on each illuminated window like a comfort drug for her grief-stricken soul. Movie theaters, restaurants, department stores, cafes—the night brought a vibrancy that outshone its day counterpart. Fung spoke without cease into her new iPhone about wealthy men, her words a medley of English and local dialect that had been running like a tap for hours.
Finally free of the traffic jam, they arrived at their destination. The five-minute drive had stretched to an hour, and they were late for dinner. Fung handed the driver a 5,000 Yen bill and refused his returned change.
"You paid him way too much," Alice said softly. "It was barely 3,000."
"Girl, I'm rich," Fung replied as she dragged Alice out of the car, her stiletto heels clicking on the pavement. "Besides, I don't have time to waste on small change. Let's go—we're going to be late!"
Alice shuddered, feeling the odd cold wind whip through her hair. "Let me tell you," Fung began, her voice low and steady, "that driver was no regular person. Here in the Delta, many taxi drivers are what we call lost spirits. Most of them are too old to cause any trouble; they just hide their faces as ordinary people. But don't underestimate them for their harmless appearance. They can pick out the lonely or weak souls like nobody else."
Alice's eyes widened, her breath catching in her throat. "Why aren't you afraid of them?"
Fung chuckled, her ruby red lips curving into a confident smile. "They don't call me Mrs. Fung for nothing. I've known the spirit world since I was only two. I could see ghosts since then—they often came visit me when I was alone at night. Once, there was a full room of gigantic black spiders on my ceiling!" Her laughter rang like silver bells in the air. "Remember, those lost spirits are afraid of anyone meaner or stronger than them, and they usually attack in groups, rarely as single entities. If you ever encounter one of these things, whatever you do, never show your vulnerable side—or you'd be eaten alive."
"How can you tell the difference?" Alice asked.
"One way to identify their tribe was they all have sharp tooth. Watch out for it!" Fung explained.
Alice followed Fung through the labyrinth-like business district, her heart racing in her chest as she tried to process the information she had just been given. Eventually, they arrived at a modern high-end hotel. Fung used a V.I.P key to take a private elevator up to the top floor, where an upscale restaurant overlooked the glittering cityscape below.
The handsome young waiter welcomed them warmly, his crisp white shirt and black bowtie perfectly complementing his sharp features. He took their thin summer coats before leading them to a table in the center of the restaurant. Alice glanced around and realized that Fung had booked the entire place for their dinner—there were no other customers but herself and Fung's three friends who were stylishly dressed in matching colors of white.
"Hi sisters," Fung said with a grin as she motioned towards Alice. "Look who I brought with me!"
"You must be the girl we've been hearing so much about," one said.
The others giggled and swarmed around Alice like flies on honey. "You're so beautiful," one with bleached purple hair said. Alice stood still and hands held tight together as the girls checking her out up and down, inch by inch.
"Do you have a boyfriend?"
Alice stuttered nervously, her cheeks flushing pink under the warm glow of the chandeliers above, "N-no, I'm too young to have one. My parents wouldn't allow it."
Ling clapped excitedly, her perfectly manicured nails decorated with tiny gems catching the light. "That's perfect! We'll introduce you to so many cute guys; you'll be the talk of the town."
"OH! I am only here for few days; I must go back home!" Alice took her stand.
Fung and her friends cackled boisterously, their laughter filling the otherwise empty room. "No one comes to this city and leaves in a few days, young girl! Ha ha ha!"
Alice blushed, feeling more out of place by the second. Her plain black attire now felt drab compared to the vibrant ensembles of Fung and her friends. When asked why she had come to Japan, she meekly replied that it was because of her dog.
Yuki burst out mocking Alice, her sleek black hair swinging back and forth with each convulsion. "You're here because of a dog? Ha ha ha!"
As men in crisp suits poured drinks for the girls from gleaming bottles of champagne, Alice was left without one. The girls noticed and became instantly furious with the waiters.
"Is this how you treat our guest? Go get her a drink!" Yuki barked, her eyes flashing with indignation.
Alice tried to protest, her voice barely audible amid the clinking of glassware, but Ling overrode her objections. "Forget about this place; let's go to my house. I have to show you my new line of Hermes earrings."
"Absolutely! Let's go - I'm not letting this moment pass us by. I've got a surprise for you, Alice." Fung and her comrades snatched up their designer bags and hustled out of the restaurant, their heels clicking in unison on the polished floor.