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ramen—which he stated was much better than the stuff sold in little cellophane packets in the United States for half a dollar.
    Robin wanted to say that she liked the stuff sold in the cellophane packs but decided that it might make her seem defensive.
    Robin was wary of Mr. Edelson. While she didn’t dislike him, she would not soon forget that he had been okay with offering cocaine at a party with the underage members of Wheels of Steel. It was at that party that Jason had gotten so drunk that he had ended up swimming naked in a pool and making out with Amberly. There had been more than one catalyst for their break up but when she had found out about that little event it had been the end for her.
    She supposed that she equated that painful period with Mr. Edelson and the fact that he was a man that would provide illegal drugs to an underage person suffering neurological disabilities.
    They stayed at the restaurant only long enough to use the facilities and to purchase a carton of fresh ramen to go. While they drove the long route to Akita’s home the men talked about the industry and musicians that she had never heard of as if they were legends, Robin stared at the sights. Every once in a while Mr. Edelson would point out a sight or Jason would grip her hand and tell her some story that he remembered about his first trip to Japan. But mostly Robin silently marveled at the strange and familiar sights before her. And then they were in Karuizawa.
     

Chapter Five
     
    After nearly two hours they finally pulled to a stop in front of a modest house. Robin had expected that Akita would live in a mansion because he was a successful artist. But she was surprised to see that while the house was beautiful, it was not a mansion.
    Karuizawa was a mountain town located in Negano. Robin knew that Japan’s population meant that it would be busy and congested but, as they grew further and further away from the big city, Robin was struck by the spaciousness and the amount of luscious greenery in the lovely small town.
    The house was surrounded by beautifully landscaped grounds, which consisted of sculpted trees and bushes. Although the structure was tall it was not anything like the huge house that Peter and Jason had purchased. It looked like a bungalow and would have fit well in any American forest, but it also had a traditional Japanese feel with its wide curved roof.
    A cobblestone walkway led up to the house, curving through gardens of pretty wild flowers, rose bushes and small bonsai trees. A metal ramp was the only thing that appeared out of place and Robin knew that it had been added to accommodate Jason and Peter.
    The door swung open and Belinda came bounding out followed by Peter who sped rapidly down the ramp. Robin saw that Belinda’s short hair was now a mixture of soft pink and then a vibrant fuschia at the roots. Amberly and Yagano followed behind them and Robin’s eyes locked onto the slender girl that she had recently sent out of Jason’s home—and now she and Jason were coming into her home.
    That was irony for sure.
    While Amberly’s face stayed impassive, Yagano—who liked being called Y held a welcoming smile on his face.
    In the brief moment before being tackled by Belinda, Robin’s eyes scanned the image of the handsome Asian man. Yagano Kurahara was neither tall nor short, he had an average build but Robin could see that his arms were roped with muscles and that beneath a grey t-shirt that sported the image of an Asian musical group, he was athletically toned.
    Y’s face was smooth and hairless but his sideburns were longer than usual. His sleek black hair was short and neat despite the presence of layers of thick waves and curls. Although his lids were distinctly slanted, they were wide and revealed eyes that looked like drops of dark chocolate. One arm was covered in tattoos that ran from his wrist to disappear beneath the short sleeve of his shirt, yet the other arm was naked of everything but a