Saturday is here. I dreaded the thought of even going outside today, and I feared I might start envisioning Yuka everywhere, but then I remembered I had promised Giulia that I would go to the pet shop with her today. I just didn't even feel comfortable going with Giulia, last I needed was another chick confessing of being a murderer or some demon or something. I got up though, grabbed some breakfast, and headed to the gym to relieve some stress before it was time to meet with Giulia.
After finishing my workout, and going back to my hotel to shower and change, it was time to go to the coffee shop to leave with Giulia. She had a car, so she was driving us to the shop after her early shift. I arrived and Giulia instantly greeted me and hugged me.
" Hey, it's good to see you; glad you came!" Giulia exclaimed with much excitement & appreciation.
" Yeah, glad to be here to help and support you," I responded. She smiled and directed me to her car. She had a fancy Nissan, with the driver's wheel being on what would be the passenger side in America. I was surprised she had such a nice ride being a college student and working at a cafe. We got in and started to make our way to the shop. The car ride started to get a little silent, as I already just had a terrible breakdown yesterday but I decided to break the silence.
" So are we looking for another cat, maybe a dog or something else maybe?" I asked.
" I'm thinking of another cat, but to be honest just something to try and fill the pet void," she said with a sad tone.
" I really am sorry about your pet Giulia." I declared to Giulia.
" It's not your fault; it's not super uncommon for pets to go missing around here, it's just happening a lot frequently, not to mention all the mysterious "deaths," she said; boy if she only knew. I then took a moment to digest what she just said. She said "deaths" in the plural. I knew of the two Japanese boys but I didn't think there were more.
" Deaths, so there were multiple ?" I questioned Giulia.
" Yes, those boys were just the two that hit the major Tokyo News Outlet, but over the last five months there have been multiple deaths of men & women; especially the male count. Not to mention, the missing report statistics are at the record high for males in the city of Tokyo; I couldn't imagine the number of heartbroken families that have found their sons, husbands, brothers, cousins, friends mutilated or simply no answers. " she explained to me.
I couldn't believe the news I was hearing. This means Yuka was literally on a spree targeting young males, pets, and other innocent people. Just hearing this angered, saddened, and scared me and I so desperately wanted to tell Giulia what I know, but I decided to wait a little longer as I was afraid if I reveal too much I might just put her in danger. We finally got to the pet store. We searched for about an hour and we found a little brown puppy that was adorable. Giulia looked so happy holding him, it was a male puppy. Seeing her happy made me happy, and smile for the first time in the last three days. Unfortunately, she couldn't take him home today, as the shop wanted to groom the pet some more and have her pick it up tomorrow. It was only about six in the evening so I had suggested we go and get ice cream and sit at the park.
" Wow so since we're having ice cream this is a date now right ?" Giulia says jokingly, although I could sense there was some true intent in that statement as well.
" I..mean.... I guess" I stuttered back. We both laughed and then went and ordered ice cream from the truck. She got s'mores flavored and I got strawberry. We ate our ice cream, cracked jokes, talked about some of our fondest memories, and I revealed to her that I was leaving back to America in another two weeks. She got kind of sad when I revealed this to her.
" Aww well I am gonna miss you but I definitely understand," she responds.
" Yeah, same here I have really enjoyed myself with you tonight" I responded. It got silent between the two of us as we stared into each other's eyes as the sun started to set. Before I knew it; Giulia leaned in to kiss me on the cheek. I started blushing and so did she.
" Sorry I wasn't trying to make things awkward," Giulia exclaimed nervously.
" It's fine; I liked it." I flirtatiously responded. We both laughed again, finished our ice cream, talked a little more, and went back to the car as she said she would drop me off at my hotel. As we got in the car, I couldn't help myself any longer. I actually liked Giulia, and I had to get everything off my chest.
" Giulia....there's something I have to tell you."
" I had a feeling something was up because you seemed kinda off early in the day, but what's up?" she questioned with a joking, but concerned tone.
" I know who's been committing the murders around Tokyo, and I casually dated them for a while. " I revealed to Giulia.
" Dude cut the jokes, you're scaring me!" she exclaimed. She could read in my face that I unfortunately wasn't joking at all.
" Woah!, this is a lot to take in. So why, how, when ?" Giulia asks.
" That's not the worst of it, I saw the bodies when I went to her house three days ago of those two boys on the news," I explain to Giulia, who has a dumbfounded look on her face.
" I also think...better yet know that this person isn't actually human. She had a long neck and razor-sharp teeth. I think she's a rokurokubi." As I explained, Giulia doesn't say anything.
" I understand, I know it sounds unbelievable, I...." but before I can finish Giulia interrupts me.
" No believe it or not I believe you. My grandmother and a lot of the older folks believe that all this chaos was caused by a yokai, a supernatural figure in Japanese urban legends; which is what a rokurokubi is. " Giulia explains to me. I was surprised she just believed everything I just said.
" A rokurokubi is a female yokai that was born human but was cursed for something. They look normal during the day, and do everything a normal human does by day but become the rokurokubi at night, where they attack things and are attracted to lamp oils." Giulia reveals in detail to me. I couldn't believe she was so knowledgeable about this, but then again I am sure as a kid she probably heard these urban legends a lot.
" She seemed like a normal girl at first glance; we dated for weeks then everything just changed that night," I revealed to Giulia.
" That's how it is, and how did you meet her?" Giulia asks me.
" Well initially we met at the train, that's where our eyes first met; then when I went to that lounge with my friends that night that's when we really interacted" I revealed.
" Jeez, okay well we definitely can't go to the cops with this..at least not right now," she says.
" I agree but what do I do?" I asked Giulia.
" Well first things first, does she know where you are staying?."
" No"
" Does she have your phone number?" she asks.
" I blocked and deleted her," I responded.
" Does she know anything else that might get her close to you?" she asked me.
" She does know where I work, she sent a creepy letter and chocolates to my office yesterday" I revealed.
" Oh no, she's definitely obsessed with you; you also saw way too much," she explains to me as if I already didn't know that myself.
" Best thing you can do is just lay low, do not go back to that lounge, switch hotels just in case if you can, and probably try to leave early next week if you can, there's no doubt in my mind she's after you."
I can't deny she was right, and it honestly was pointless for me to stay in Japan any longer besides work, which at this point it didn't even matter anymore.
" You should tell your friends all this too, and tell them to stay alert and not to go back to that bar either. " Giulia then hugs me before I know it.
" I know it seems hard, but it's going to be alright. You're not alone and I'm here for you." Giulia exclaims. I lean in to hug her back, and we ride off back to my hotel. She parks in front of the door. As I prepare to exit the car she grabs my hand tightly.
" If you want to come to stay with me you can, you don't have to stay in this hotel," Giulia says to me. I could tell she was afraid for me, and as much as I wanted to take the offer I didn't want to involve her any more than I already have. I already felt like I said too much. I turned down her offer and promised to stay in contact through the rest of the weekend and into the week. I hugged her and told her goodnight. She drove off slowly and I went back to my hotel room. I had even more mixed emotions now. I was still nervous, afraid, confused but I felt like a weight was somewhat lifted off my shoulders, and I felt like I was no longer alone in this; which was both good and bad in a way. I did feel some hope though again, maybe. As much as I wanted to stay up and continue thinking about it, I was tired after the day I spent with Giulia, and I couldn't hold my eyes up any longer. I have two weeks left in Japan, and I don't know what the week has in store. It feels like the situation can't get any worse than it already is. I go to set my alarm for the next morning, and as I am looking at my phone I noticed that Johnny has called me five times today. I was tempted to call back but I was so mentally and physically exhausted that I didn't have the energy capacity for it. I slowly drifted off to sleep as I shut the screen on my phone off; pondering what Johnny was calling me for, but I would talk tomorrow to start a new day, and hopefully Monday I could talk to my boss about leaving early. They say sometimes hope only leads to more despair.... seems like I was about to learn that the hard way.....