Jack always wondered why the sushi shop on the corner never closed until 11 pm. \u00a0His apartment building overlooked the little shop, and he saw customers moving in and out until around 10, when the city hushed into an informal curfew. \u00a0But the lights in the sushi shop still flickered until an hour later, when they would finally go out, leaving a faint emptiness where the neon buzz had been before.<\/p>\n
One night, a project deadline kept him at the office past dinner, so by the time he got home around 10:30 his stomach was very angry. \u00a0Jack shrugged off his shoulderbag and went back out into the rainy night. \u00a0He flipped up his hood and dashed across the street, not even bothering to glance for cars.<\/p>\n
The shop bell jangled and the lone server – a slender, pretty girl of indiscernible Asian origin – glanced up from her stool. She gave him a smile and paused to grab two menus before crossing to the table he had chosen.<\/p>\n
“Party of one?” she asked in a soft accent. \u00a0Jack nodded and took the menus with a grunt of thanks.<\/p>\n
The first covered his expectations: sushi rolls, miso soup, some haphazard teriyaki offerings. \u00a0It was the second that caught his eye.<\/p>\n
Above the top of the flyer, the words “RAINBOW ROLL” were displayed in glittering golden letters. \u00a0Below the title was an image of a man reclining on pillows with beautiful, scantily clad women sprawled around him. \u00a0Jack frowned and glanced up, catching the server’s attention.<\/p>\n
“Can I try the rainbow roll?” he asked, tapping the second menu with two fingers. \u00a0The girl kept her gaze on his hand, then met his eyes and grinned.<\/p>\n
“Of course. \u00a0Follow me, please.” \u00a0She bowed slightly and waited for a confused Jack to stand and trail her to the back of the restaurant.<\/p>\n
They passed through a bead curtain into a smoky room lit by candles and smelling strongly of incense. \u00a0Jack turned the corner and froze, one hand on the wall.<\/p>\n
The menu had not lied. \u00a0Spread out across the length of the room, a veritable rainbow of naked women lounged: dusky black, creamy brown, soft gold, ivory white, and several in between. \u00a0They smiled with their teeth and blew him kisses as the waitress touched his elbow to move him closer.<\/p>\n
Jack turned to utter his thanks and surprise to the waitress, but he was unable to get the words out as his gaze raked up and down her thin body, her breasts and crotch outlined by a slim silver bikini. \u00a0She cupped her hand around his ear and stroked it down his stubble.<\/p>\n
“Enjoy your rainbow roll,” she said as the other women rose and surrounded him with eager hands and mouths, drawing him down onto the spread of pillows.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Jack always wondered why the sushi shop on the corner never closed until 11 pm. \u00a0His apartment building overlooked the little shop, and he saw customers moving in and out until around 10, when the city hushed into an informal curfew. \u00a0But the lights in the sushi shop still flickered until an hour later, when … <\/p>\n