Robin became thoughtful. “Well that puts a new spin on the use of gospel music … ”
Y spoke. “What about Never Would Have Made It, by Marvin Sapp?”
Robin’s head snapped to him. Everyone else just looked confused but Y continued to speak to Robin.
“Maybe you could sing it as if you’re singing it to Akita. There are so many of us that would not have made it without him. I’m one of those people. Akita’s kindness spread to touch people that many will never know about and that suited Akita just find. Akita …” he sighed. “Akita saved me. So, if it’s not disrespectful to sing it to Akita then it might be a good choice.”
“Someone pull it up on the computer,” James instructed.
“Do you know it?” Y asked Robin, tuning everyone else out.
“I know it,” she said, still in awe of his suggestion.
Y walked into the recording area where there was a piano set up. He began to play and Robin blinked her eyes in amazement that he was such a beautifully accomplished pianist. Robin joined him and ignoring the microphone she began to sing. Soon the song began to take life in Robin and as often happened with her, she began to forget her surroundings as the song and lyrics began to move her. She sang as if she was speaking to Akita, thanking him for what he’d done for the many people who love and respected him.
When she finished and looked up everyone was busily moving about on the opposite side of the large glass window. James pressed a button and she could hear them talking.
“We got all of your voice recorded and it’s perfect,” the man said in excitement. “Yagano can always re-record the opening piano but it was beautiful, Robin, love! Simply beautiful! You must perform it for tomorrow’s wake.”
She smiled shyly and nodded, but then turned to look at Y who was watching her closely. His eyes shifted away and the shadow of a smile tugged at his lips before he finally turned to look at her again.
“It was perfect, Robin. But I don’t think there is anything that you wouldn’t be able to sing perfectly—even their selection of funeral songs.”
Robin walked over to stand beside Y. “It doesn’t matter to me. As long as it brings honor to Akita’s memory. But how in the world do you know enough about gospel music to play it on the piano? You sound as good as Old Miss Rushmore playing the organ back at my old church!”
“Well, I love music, specifically American soul and blues. It was a dream come true to work for Akita Tom and to be around so many different musical influences.”
Before she could ask him more questions, James asked her if she would be interested in adding her voice to a few more tunes. She told him that she couldn’t stay too much longer because of tonight’s party. She wanted to get changed and rest up but that she would be happy to sing him a few more songs.
Jason and the others had already returned to the house and as Y and Robin drove back home, Y answered the question that she had asked earlier.
“Do you know what sokaiya is?” he asked.
“Uh … is it something we ate in Tokyo?”
He grinned. “No.” Y hesitated. “I met Akita about seven years ago. He was just becoming popular and his music had already been featured in several anime cartoons.
“I had graduated from college and it was time for me to be given a job with the Yakuza. Once again, I tried to join as a full member, but my father’s son prevented it.”
“Your brother?”
“No.” Y said flatly. “We may be associated by blood ties but my father’s son is no brother to me.”
“I see.”
“If you are on the outside of the family, as I am, then you are relegated to the dirtier jobs or you become an accountant or some other such worker for the family. I fully expected to be assigned duties that would see me imprisoned by now.
“But my uncle, who has always protected me, was able to secure one huge favor on my behalf. He allowed me to offer sokaiya to Akita Tom. Sokaiya is a very sophisticated form of blackmail.”
Robin gave Y a look of shock. “You blackmailed Akita Tom?!”
“I told you this is a complex story. There really wasn’t much to dig up on him. He smoked pot, dropped a bit of acid but he wasn’t out of control or anything. He had a girlfriend who was involved with another man—but leaking that information would have probably been more in his favor. So I offered him protection for the record shop that he’d just purchased--Genius Records.
Her eyes were bugging out now. “Oh my God, you strong armed Akita Tom!”
He gave her a sharp look. “Shall I continue?”
“Okay, okay, please continue.”
“Akita knew that I was interested in what he did musically. And he knew about sokaiya. So to avoid all of that he gave me stock in the company in which to funnel through to the family. It was purchased with Yakuza money … so I’m not truly a shareholder—the Yakuza is, through me. When Akita gifted me a portion of his share, that then really belongs to me.”
“You and Akita became friends even after you tried to blackmail him?”
“Akita understood the Yakuza. It’s like a game of chess where all the players know their roles. Sokaiya is not even a big secret in Japan. Probably ninety percent of big business in Japan pays some form of sokaiya. It’s all very polite. As I had no dirt on Akita we were able to move past that.
“One day he said to James, ‘Take Y with you to London and show him what we do.’ When I returned I knew that I would do whatever it took to remain in the music business. Akita kept me around when he could have just paid the money and been done with it. He then took me under his wing and allowed me behind the scenes of the music industry and in return I offered him my allegiance.”
“Wow,” Robin said. “And what about James? You’re not particularly fond of him, are you?”
Y frowned. “Let’s just say that James isn’t the best representative for Akita. Akita probably knew that, but he was kind and wouldn’t set someone out on his ass.
“If he had set me out on my ass I’d be smuggling drugs or in jail by now.”
Robin found herself staring at the amazing man that was an unlikely combination of good and bad.
“Y, I don’t understand why you want to be a part of a crime family so badly. You’re talented and you’re smart. What is the appeal?”
His lip twisted into a half smile. “Thank you Robin. But the Yakuza isn’t a crime family. They are a family. They are made up of many of the people in society that have been turned out by others, due to their class or their station in life. We’re considered the ‘Robinhoods’ of society.”
“So you steal from the rich and give to the poor?”
“No, we keep it for ourselves. But we use our money to help the community. Robin, who do you think was front in center during the 2011 tsunami?”
“The Yakuza?” Robin asked.
“That’s right! And when an earthquake hit Kobe the Yakuza used scooters, boats, and a helicopter to deliver supplies when they couldn’t get through the clogged streets. I’m not going to try to say that we’re all good, but we’re not all bad, either.”
“It doesn’t seem as if you’re doing anything illegal. Why so reluctant to talk about it?”
“I never said that’s the extent of my duties for the Yakuza, or that Akita was my only client. But that’s off topic. We’re talking about my friendship with Akita.”
“Well, what does Amberly think of all this?”
“Amberly knew this story before we married. She also knows that I’ll always be connected to the Yakuza. We’re kind of a packaged deal.”
Robin didn’t understand it but she dropped the subject. She liked Y but she still didn’t know him well enough to try to change his mind on the subject. But one thing she remained curious about was how quickly the relationship between Y and Amberly developed. They met for the first time in January and were married two months later.
“You and Amberly … that developed pretty fast.” She was intensely curious about their relati
onship but didn’t dare ask the real question—which was what in the hell did he see in her?
“Do you think so? If I have my facts straight you and Jason met in the fall and had fallen in love and broken up before the end of winter. Amberly and I met and when it was time for her to return to the states I realized that I didn’t want to be without her so I joined her and we got married soon after.”
Robin sighed. The difference between them is that she and Jason had thought themselves to be one thing but had learned the hard way that they still had a lot to learn about the other.
Chapter Twelve
When Robin and Y returned to the house there was a small shrine set up in the main living space in preparation for tomorrow’s funeral. The house was quiet although it was just after six pm.
Y went directly to the shrine, which showed a picture of Akita Tom’s smiling face. A small incense stick was burning and Y fanned some of the fragrant smoke in his direction.
Robin stood back, watching but not sure if it was an invasion of his privacy to do so. However she was intrigued and so didn’t retreat.
Y clasped his hands together and then bowed. He remained that way for a full minute before he straightened and turned to where Robin was standing. He ushered her forward.
“Do as I did. Take a moment to think about what Akita means to you.”
Robin fanned the smoke of the incense in her direction the way Y had done.
“The smoke is to bring you good luck. It will rise to the heavens.” Y said softly.
Robin clasped her hands before her and bowed. She prayed that Akita would rest in peace. When she straightened Y was watching her intently. He smiled and then inclined his head.
“I’m going to go check on Amberly. Talk to you later?”
“Yeah. Thanks for going with me and for sharing … you know.”
“Thank you for listening.”
Robin went upstairs to her and Jason’s bedroom while Y went around the corner to his.
Jason was napping—more like in a sleep coma. He had removed his leg braces and was just in boxer shorts and a shirt.
Robin couldn’t help but to climb into the bed next to him and prop herself up on one elbow and watch him.
She knew she should probably let him sleep because he would likely be partying into the wee hours of the night but he was so cute. She used her thumb to lightly trace his eyebrows. Jason’s brow gathered before relaxing again.
Damn he slept hard.
She kissed him, and his mouth against hers didn’t budge. Robin’s tongue moved lightly along his lips and she heard Jason’s intake of breath. Without moving his lips closed around her tongue, capturing it for a moment before he leaned upward slightly to return her kiss.
“Mmm, you taste good,” he murmured. “How did it go at the studio?”
She pulled back and rested her hand against his body. “They recorded me singing.”
Jason rubbed his eyes. “They did? Why?”
She shrugged. “I sang a few gospel songs and James was very excited.” She told him about meeting the producer of the Bushido Code and his offer for her to call him.
“Wow Robin, that’s huge! Do you know how many musicians want to get their music played on anime shows? Hell, on any show!”
She nodded while wearing a wide grin. “I know. No matter where I go with the music I’d like to do the anime show. That’s kind of bad-ass.”
Jason sat up. “Not kind of. It is bad-ass.”
He kissed her again and Robin ran her hands down his body allowing one to settle against his crotch. Just as she predicted, Jason was already hardening.
“I’m so horny,” she crooned. “This whole music business is making me hot …”
“Oh damn,” he said while pulling her shirt up over her head. She took care of removing her bra and Jason’s eyes roamed her breasts before moving back up to her face.
“Lay down. Me on top this time.”
The intimate party that Hidalgo had planned for those involved in the Akita Tom tribute album morphed into a full fledge pre-funeral bash. Friends, artists, producers and others in the music industry convened at Hidalgo’s condo.
By the time Jason and his crew, including J, arrived the party was fully under way with plenty of music, food, liquor and drugs.
Hidalgo wore leather pants and a silk shirt that was tucked in but completely unbuttoned. A multi-colored silk scarf was wound loosely around his thin neck and another scarf was wrapped haphazardly around his hair. Robin thought he made a striking resemblance to Johnny Depp from Pirates of the Caribbean.
No sooner had Belinda’s feet hit the floor did she have a drink in each hand. She quickly downed one and then held onto the other.
Hidalgo took Peter and Jason off to meet some of the key performers on the album and James tagged along with them. Y went to the dance floor with his wife leaving Robin and Belinda.
“Let’s go find some food,” Belinda said. Robin followed her but they were stopped several times as people recognized them and even called them out by their nick names as if they were the famous ones.
“This is tripping me out,” Robin said while taking a bottle of beer. “We’re like celebrities.”
Belinda gave her a high five and then fist pumped the air. “I want a joint and to dance. In that order.”
She easily found pot and got her wish, sharing a joint with Robin as they danced among the partygoers.
“Good God!” Belinda choked on a lungful of smoke. “This is some strong shit! What in the hell is it, hashish?”
Robin didn’t know but she was buzzing after only one hit.
“We’re going to have to go easy with this or we’ll be flat on our assess.” Robin looked around, making sure that Jason wasn’t watching her. Amberly joined them a few moments later. She plucked the joint from Robin’s fingers but instead of putting it out or flushing it down the toilet Amberly actually took a puff.
For some reason it cracked Robin up. She had no idea that Amberly smoked pot. But then the poor girl began to choke and Y had to thump her on the back. He took the joint out of her hand and dropped it into a half empty glass of champagne.
“Dude!” Belinda yelled. But he ignored her. Belinda fished it out of the wine and then placed it in her pocket. “I’ll dry that out later …” Belinda looked at Robin, her eyes already red and glassy. “We’ll smoke this tomorrow after the funeral.”
Robin pantomimed a shhh motion and then really got into the party the way she used to after performing with her band when they finished their set.
When Jason looked around at the people involved on the tribute album, he felt right at home. He’d seen most of these guys on YouTube just the same way they had seen him and Peter. They were able to talk knowledgeably about creating the different types of beats, the samples, and the preferred studio equipment.
Jason wished he had a pen and pad of paper to take notes. He was surprised to hear that many of them still used their basic beat making gear, including a Yamaha and midi pad controller. But they all agreed that post production had to be state of the art.
Peter and Jason looked at each other, knowing that they were pretty lucky to have their own personal studio when these guys were still sending their work out to producers. Thanks to Akita’s record deal, it afforded them what they thought of as the necessities to do it all themselves.
They got down to talking about the album. But James had the idea that they do the tribute album but also complete the albums that Akita had left unfinished with Hidalgo and Wheels of Steel. They could release it under Akita’s label—four new albums all linked to the first.
“I don’t think we have enough material for four albums,” Peter stated. “We have about an hour of us jamming out together.”
“Plus, it’s not cohesive. We kept changing styles and experimenting,” Jason said. “We could make some nice cuts but four albums-“
“The beauty of it,” J interrupted, “Is that it’s not just Akita Tom but it’s
you. You add the Wheels of Steel sound. It’s a fusion of you and Akita.”
Peter and Jason silently shared the same thoughts on the matter--they didn’t want to muck up Akita’s final performance by mixing the shit out of it. The music needed to be released as it had been made, naturally, organically. The music was genius in that way. The sheer ingenuity to just perform it in one take was most of the appeal. Both knew that they had the means and talent to cut it up and spread it out, but to Peter and Jason, that would be a crime.
“Let’s focus on the tribute album.” Hidalgo said. “We’ll allow it to be released under Akita’s label. It’s just the best fit for that project. Now beyond that I’m not willing to speculate. My head’s buried too deeply in the funeral and the accident.” Hidalgo tossed back the last of his bottle of beer. “Fuck, I just want to jam out for my friend.”
Everyone toasted to that, including James who finally dropped the subject of the other songs.
The DJ was playing eighties rap and Robin and Belinda were pretending to be Salt N Pepper. They had created an impromptu dance routine—fueled by copious amounts of beer and marijuana. The latter obtained by Belinda in the same mysterious manner that she had obtained the first joint.
Y stopped Amberly from smoking any more of it, and although he didn’t try to stop Robin and Belinda, he kept a close eye on them. At times they had him blushing at their antics and more than one man tried to dance with one or the other too intimately for Y’s liking and he put a halt to it.
As Robin danced and let loose with her friends she felt that she hadn’t been happier. She was back with Jason, she was no longer putting out negative energy towards Amberly and her friendship with Belinda was stronger than ever—not to mention the fact that she was being pursued by a record label.
In that moment, if Hideo or James had presented her with a contract she would have signed it. This lifestyle, these sounds and this vibe were like fuel to her fire. She loved it! This was the life she wanted to live!