Love Hina Fan Fiction ❯ Spoils of War ❯ Spoils of War ( Chapter 1 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Hina is the property of Ken Akamatsu and TokyoPop. This is a not-for-profit fanfic and earns me no money. Please don’t bother suing me, you’d have better luck getting blood from a stone…

Lemon Content Warning: This fic contains depictions of sex and is unsuitable for readers under the age of 18. So parents, don’t let your kids catch you reading this…

“*” Spoken words

‘*’ Thoughts

By: Hawker_748

Love Hina:

Spoils of War


Naru Narusegawa let out a satisfied breath and leaned her head back, placing a folded cloth on her forehead, and enjoying the warmth of the outdoor bath. As far as she was concerned, there was nothing on earth more relaxing, more carefree, or more invigorating than a nice peaceful soak in the hot springs.

“Wow Naru, your boobs are even bigger now!”

…Unfortunately, one Mitsune Konno never seemed to grasp the concept of ‘quiet time…’

“Kyahhh!” Naru cried out. “Lemme go! Why do you have to grab everyone when you come into the bath?”

“I’m just checking to make sure that these babies,” she cupped her own significant endowment to make her point, “haven’t slipped into second place…”

“You could always ask!” Naru snapped at her friend.

“Yes, but that’s nowhere near as accurate as a ‘squeeze check,’” Kitsune replied with an unabashed grin, her hands in front of her making glomping movements.

“So grab someone else!”

“She did,” Motoko Aoyama interjected darkly, casting a baleful look at the fox-eyed girl. “She groped me when I was getting undressed.” Closing her eyes the kendo-ka discretely covered her chest, lowering her voice as she mumbled, “Seems like she enjoys it a bit too much, if you ask me…”

“If I DID swing that way, it‘d be Naru I‘d go after, but you‘d be a close second,” Kitsune replied with wink.

Naru snorted derisively, before she glanced over at Shinobu Maehara. The resident blue-haired chef’s face was the color of a ripe strawberry. “Knock it off you two,” she admonished. “Shinobu looks like she’s about to pass out…”

Ignoring her friends warning, Kitsune continued her needling of Motoko. She was rather bored, and found that tweaking her fellow tenants was a source of great amusement. “C’mon Motoko, you wouldn’t be so upset if someone else gave you a boobie check, say, a certain landlord?”

Naru saw the resident kendo-ka somehow manage to blush and go pale at the same time. From the corner of her eye, she saw Shinobu swoon into a faint, slumping back against Koalla Su, who kept her from slipping under the water. For a few seconds, embarrassment and fury waged war for dominance on Motoko’s graceful features, before she stood up indignantly, her cheeks tinted with a faint blush. In a voice that was a study in coldness, she loudly declared, “As if I would wish to be…soiled…by Urashima!” as she turned for the exit.

“Yes Motoko, did…you…call…me…?” Keitaro Urashima’s voice trailed off, the bucket and mop he’d been carrying falling to the floor with a soft clatter, his eyes going wide as he realized what he’d done. Almost of their own accord, his eyes ran over the residents in the tub, absorbing every small detail as the deafening silence reigned.

For a few shocked seconds, no one moved, but then Motoko’s left eye twitched dangerously, a murderous scowl coming over her face, and her sword materialized in her right hand, despite Keitaro’s noticing that she hadn’t been carrying it. “Urashima!” she bellowed. “You bastard! You still come in here? I’ll kill you!” She launched a ki-wave at Keitaro, who’d been jolted out of his stupor, and was bolting for the exit.

He let out a cry of pain when a bar of soap, from a perfect throw by Naru, struck him on the back of the head. He didn’t let that slow him down as he launched himself through the open door into the changing area, Motoko’s ki-projectile missing him by scant inches. Scrambling back to his feet, he ran out as fast as he could, silently offering up thanks that Motoko would stop to put on a robe first, allowing him to make good his escape.

Taking the stairs three at a time, Keitaro ran as fast as he could to the relative safety of his room. Motoko and Naru might be screaming for his blood right about now, but they’d never invade the sanctity of his room to get it. Darting inside, and locking the door behind him, Keitaro slumped to the floor, trying to get his wind back, and wondering how he could have been so stupid to once again enter the girls bath when he heard his name.

As his strength slowly returned, the image of an enraged Motoko and Naru was replaced by the decidedly more pleasant image of how they’d looked. Keitaro swallowed hard and tried to clear his head, but the images of the residents, naked, with wet hair, a few stray drops of water slowly running down their bodies, wouldn’t leave him alone. His breathing was getting deeper for an entirely different reason.

Keitaro tried to concentrate on what he’d studied recently, but the enchanting vision wouldn’t go away, and he felt himself start to stir. He considered taking care of the problem in his room, but he realized that with all the unintentional stimulation he’d received in the past two weeks or so, it would only be a stop-gap measure.

Taking a few deep breaths to gain some control and try to rein in his hormones, Keitaro stood up and walked over to his cell phone, punched in a number he’d long since burned into his memory, and listened as the ringing started.

***

On the other side of Hinata, in a small but tastefully decorated apartment, a woman wearing rather baggy sweats lounged on her sofa as she watched her soap opera, sipping tea and eating ice cream directly from the carton. When the phone on the end table started ringing, she glanced over at it, a faint smile twisting up her lips when she saw the name displayed on the caller ID. Setting down her tea and ice cream and muting the television, she cleared her throat and picked up the phone, once again falling into the agreed upon routine. “Mach Speed noodle house, how can I help you?”

“Yes, I’d like to order some takeout please…” (Can I see you now?)

“I’m sorry sir, but we don’t start delivery service for another hour.” (In an hour will be fine.)

“I see… I’ll try again later…” (I’ll be there.)

“Have a good day sir!” (I’ll be ready.)

The woman set her phone down and looked at the clock. ‘One hour… I’ll need about ten minutes to tidy up around here, and about thirty to get ready… Plenty of time.’ She turned up the sound on her program. “I can even catch the end of my show…” she told herself, picking up her tea and ice cream, lounging back on the sofa, letting herself get swept away by the television melodrama.

***

Keitaro disconnected the call and put down his phone, nodding to himself. ‘An hour… I can handle that…’ He walked over to his desk and opened the drawer where he kept the lock box with all the rent money. He’d collected from everyone over the last few days, and he’d sealed it in an envelope with a deposit slip, all the better to drop it off at the bank. He made a notation in his register and slipped the envelope into his pocket before relocking the box and returning it to its place.

Closing the drawer, he walked over to his dresser and pulled open his pants drawer, moving a few pairs aside to reveal a second lock box, one that no one else, not the residents or even Haruka, knew about. This box had no register with it and it was filled only with empty envelopes and loose bills.

Counting out a specific amount, Keitaro placed the cash in another envelope, closed it without sealing it, and slipped it into another pocket of his pants. Closing the box and concealing it back under his clothes, he closed the drawer and stood up, straightening his hair in the mirror and making sure that he looked composed. Moving to his door, he listened to make sure that neither Motoko or Naru were laying in wait to ambush him, then he opened it and slipped into the hall, making his way to the front door.

“Where you sneakin’ off to Keitaro?”

Keitaro nearly jumped out of his skin at Kitsune’s inquiry. Striking himself on the chest to get his heart beating again, he turned to face the resident trickster. “G-going to the bank, got some business there…”

“Why not just do it on-line?”

“You can’t fax cash Kitsune,” Keitaro replied. “Besides,” he glanced around nervously. “It might be better if I lay low for a while,” he added quietly.

“They weren’t any madder than usual,” Kitsune waved dismissively. “They’ve had time to cool off, you’re probably safe…”

“Maybe,” Keitaro admitted. “But I gotta do this anyway. Might as well kill two birds…”

“Your call…”

“Tell Shinobu I should be back for dinner, but not to worry if I’m a little late…”

“I will. Happy banking Keitaro. Say hello to all that money for me!”

Keitaro chuckled. “I will. See you later…” He pulled on his shoes and slipped on a windbreaker and left, strolling down the stairs to the trolley stop.

Getting on the trolley, Keitaro let his mind wander until he reached his destination, and he walked out, idly dropping the sealed envelope in the banks deposit chute. Still walking, Keitaro covered several blocks, the familiar butterflies in his stomach making him feel a little jumpy, and he bounced on the balls of his feet when he had to wait at an intersection. Finally reaching his destination, he glanced at his watch and frowned when he discovered that he was twenty minutes early.

Pursing his lips, he walked into a coffee shop and ordered a small tea, settling in a booth and rapidly flicking his eyes to the clock. He sat in the booth for nearly twenty minutes, not even taking a single sip of his beverage, finally walking out when the time was up. Entering the foyer of the apartment building, Keitaro followed someone else in, managing to bypass the entry system, getting into the elevator and getting out on the ninth floor.

Walking through the hall, Keitaro stopped in front of number 903 and knocked gently, and a voice called out from inside. “Just a minute!” Moments later the door opened a few inches, and the tenant gave him a quick look before closing the door, removing the bolt and opening it up. “You’re right on time Keitaro,” she told him with a warm smile.

“Hello Mayumi,” Keitaro replied, entering the apartment and letting her close and lock the door behind him. He took off his jacket and hung it on a hook, and let Mayumi give him a quick embrace and a peck on the cheek. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the unsealed envelope, handing it over to Mayumi, who accepted it wordlessly and slipped it into a pocket of her black silk robe.

“Make yourself at home Keitaro,” she told him as she headed for the kitchen. “Can I get you anything?”

“S-Scotch on the rocks,” Keitaro replied, settling into a leather armchair. “Make it a double…”

“Coming right up… A double, huh? You been having one of those days?” The sound of ice striking glass and the gurgling of a tumbler being filled was faintly audible.

Keitaro gave Mayumi a haggard look when she returned, a drink in each hand, her robe open, allowing a tantalizing glimpse of the white silk bra and panties she was wearing underneath. “It’s been one of those weeks,” he answered weakly, gratefully accepting the drink and taking a sip, feeling satisfaction at the warmth the whiskey provided.

Mayumi smiled in understanding. “Been walking in on the outdoor baths again?”

Keitaro nodded sheepishly. “Yeah,” he admitted. “I can’t seem to keep from going in when I hear my name… Maybe Pavlov got it wrong…”

“Are you as tense as you look?”

“Probably more…”

Mayumi flashed a dazzling smile. “You should relax a little. Lean forward…” She walked behind the chair Keitaro was sitting in, allowing her robe to whisper off of her as she passed, before laying her hands on his shoulders, the brief flinch he gave at her initial touch familiar to her. “Wow… You’re all knotted up,” she told him as she began to knead and squeeze.

Keitaro knocked back the rest of his drink and closed his eyes, letting Mayumi’s strong, talented hands work out weeks worth of tension and frustration. In the silence of the room, he heard the faint ‘click’ as she paused in the massage to undo the clasp of her bra and let it fall to the floor. Mayumi then placed her hands back on his shoulders, resuming the wonderful ministrations, and kissing him softly behind his left ear. Keitaro hummed contentedly as she ran her tongue along his earlobe, Mayumi’s right hand slowly sliding along his torso and coming to rest on the bulge in his pants. “Motoko…” he breathed softly.

Mayumi didn’t even bat an eyelash. Keitaro always used another woman’s name when he was with her, and honestly, it didn’t matter what he called her. If he’d called her ‘mommy,’ it wouldn’t make any difference, though she might look at him a little differently from that point. His money was as good as the next man’s, and she was used to being part of someone’s fantasy. She continued to rub his erection through his pants for a few moments, before she slid her hand up a little and eased her fingers underneath the waistband of his boxer shorts.

Keitaro groaned at the gentle touch, his eyes closed, and visions of the beautiful kendo-ka standing naked in the outdoor bath running through his mind as his higher reasoning went into standby mode, allowing him to be carried away by the heat of the moment.

***

Keitaro would have never imagined that he’d ever use the services of an escort, never mind becoming one of her regular clients. In high school, guys had taunted him, saying that he couldn’t get laid in a Bangkok whorehouse with a duffel bag full of US currency, but he’d never considered testing that. Even with all that he’d seen as the manager of Hinata House, and the inherent frustration that the job entailed, he’d never planned on seeking the services of a professional. Even the day he’d first met Mayumi, he’d had no idea of what was eventually going to become of it.

All he’d wanted to do was collect the rent…

Keitaro had gone through all of the residents, collecting the money for the month, purposely saving Kitsune for last, knowing that she’d be the most difficult to collect from. He’d knocked on her door and waited, shifting his weight from one foot to the other until she finally opened the door. “Hello Keitaro!” she called out cheerfully. “It’s nice to see you! Would you like to come in for a drink?”

Keitaro had already been flustered a few times before by the fox-eyed girls amiable charm, and he was determined to stay focused this time. “I-it’s rent day Kitsune,” he stammered unnecessarily.

“Rent day…? Already?” she asked in feigned surprise, not fooling Keitaro at all.

“Yes, rent day. I told you about it at breakfast. And last night at dinner. And yesterday at lunch. And at breakfast…” Keitaro reminded her. “I even slipped notes under your door everyday this week…”

“Is THAT what those were?” Kitsune pouted. “I thought you were trying to tell me that you wanted to elope with me. I got all excited for nothing…”

“May I please have the rent…?” Keitaro asked her, trying to stay on topic.

“I even bought some lingerie for our wedding night… Wanna see?” She started undoing the buttons on her shirt.

“NO!” Keitaro blurted out. “Please Kitsune, I-I have some bills to pay, and the bank closes soon…”

“I know,” Kitsune relented. “I was just kidding…”

“I figured as much…”

“…I’m not actually wearing underwear…”

Keitaro went beet-red as a sudden mental image appeared. Shaking his head to chase away that very pleasant thought, Keitaro tried to keep his composure. “Ki-Kitsune…”

“I like how it sounds when you say my name…” Kitsune leaned forward, placing her lips next to his ear. “You want to hear me scream yours?” she whispered, her warm breath making him gasp.

Closing his eyes and desperately trying to remember what he’d come for, Keitaro stammered, “I-I have to pay this bill, they-they’ll cut off our power…”

Kitsune let out a sigh. “You’re no fun when you’re all serious…” She stepped away from him, walking to her desk and picked up a stack of bills, handing them to Keitaro, who accepted them with a trembling hand.

“T-thank you…” Keitaro counted the money, nodded, and handed Kitsune a receipt, and she slipped it into her pocket. He turned to leave when she embraced him from behind, and he could feel her breasts pushing against his back, and he knew that she’d been truthful about being braless.

“If I became your wife, would I still have to pay rent?” she cooed into his ear. “I’d make you the happiest landlord in Japan…”

“…I have to go…” Keitaro croaked hoarsely.

“Have fun…” she breathed into his ear, before she retreated back into her room.

For a few moments, Keitaro just stood there, trying to control his breathing and feeling constrained in his pants. Walking stiffly, Keitaro made his way to the front door, only a fraction of his mind occupied with getting to the bank, the rest of it fantasizing about taking Kitsune up on her offer, even though he knew it had been made in jest. He pulled on his shoes and jacket on autopilot, slowly walking away from Hinata House, trying to clear the erotic images from his mind.

Keitaro shambled onto a trolley, scarcely aware of his surroundings, nearly missing his stop, trudging off the bus and making his way to the bank. He frowned when he discovered that he was too late and that the bank was closed, but he would still be able to use the ATM. He gave himself a small congratulations on lying to Kitsune that the bills were due that day, as he knew that it would probably be enough to convince her to pay her share.

But at that moment, all Keitaro was aware of was intense arousal and teeth gnashing frustration. Spotting a lounge down the street, he made an impulse decision to have a drink, telling himself that he’d use Kitsune’s share to pay for it. Keitaro walked down the block to the lounge, stepping inside and waiting a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dim light. He walked to the bar, feeling a little self-conscious that he was underdressed for the establishment, as most of the male patrons were in suits, but he took a seat at the bar and ordered a Scotch. The bartender gave him an unusual look, but accepted Keitaro’s money as quickly as any other patron.

Sitting at his stool and staring straight ahead at the bottles lined up like soldiers behind the bar, Keitaro nursed his Scotch for about ten minutes before ordering a second. He was so focused on trying to clear his mind that he didn’t notice someone taking a seat next to him until she spoke up. “Buy a girl a drink?”

Keitaro glanced to his right, planning on just waving her off, but he couldn’t keep himself from staring at the woman on the stool next to his. She was absolutely gorgeous; long red hair that reached to the small of her back and piercing, brilliant blue eyes that glittered like sapphires. Her smile revealed bright white teeth, made all the brighter by the crimson lipstick on her full, pouty lips, her eyes accented by a hint of eye shadow. The tight, low cut, black cocktail dress she wore showed more cleavage than Kitsune could have ever dreamed of having, and it hinted at a body usually only found on the silver screen. If he had to guess at her age, Keitaro would have speculated that she was about twenty-five or so, if maybe a little older.

Keitaro could have stared at her all day without becoming bored, but courtesy, as well as a history of being pounded for gawking, made him focus on her eyes as he managed to force out, “S-sure…”

“Great!” she replied cheerfully. “I’ll have what you’re having…”

“Okay…” Keitaro finished off his drink, showed two fingers to the bartender and nodded. The bartender gave the woman an odd look before he nodded in reply, bringing over two fresh Scotches.

The woman extended a well manicured hand, a gold bracelet circling her slender wrist. “My name’s Mayumi…”

“Keitaro.”

“Nice to meet you. So… What are you doing here?”

Keitaro let out a sigh. “Just thinking. You?”

“I was waiting for someone, but they’re late.” She glanced at her watch and frowned. “Over thirty minutes late, and he hasn’t called either. I’m a little annoyed at him…”

Thinking back for a moment, Keitaro vaguely recalled seeing her at a table in the corner of the lounge, but he hadn’t been close enough to see how beautiful she was. He blurted out the first thing that came to his mind. “What a moron…”

“Excuse me?”

Keitaro flushed, realizing that the alcohol had loosened his tongue a bit. Shrugging, he decided to be honest. “Keeping you waiting. He’s a moron.”

Mayumi smiled at that. “You say the sweetest things… So, what were you thinking about?”

‘Guess it won’t hurt to tell her…’ “Mostly work.”

“What do you do?”

“I’m a landlord.”

“Aren’t you a little young for that?”

“My grandma gave me the job.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad…”

“It’s a girls dormitory…”

“Beg your pardon?”

“A girls dorm.”

“Lucky you.”

Keitaro snorted. “Yeah… Right…”

“You live with a bunch of women,” Mayumi pointed out. “Isn’t that a dream job?”

“Not usually,” Keitaro replied. “They weren’t thrilled when I first got the job, and they tried to drive me out. Or they think I’m peeping on them, or we accidentally walk in on each other in the outdoor bath, and I get hit for that.” He took another pull from his glass and continued, frustration forcing the words out. “I was once fixing the roof and fell into the bath with them and even though I didn’t mean to see them I did and they pounded me for it. Or there’s one girl who rubs up against me and asks for free rent, or that crazy foreigner who always jumps on my shoulders, or the kendo-ka with the beautiful hair and a one millisecond fuse…”

Keitaro realized he was ranting and shut his mouth. ‘Okay, maybe talking about this wasn’t such a good idea… She must think I’m crazy now…’

Mayumi looked at Keitaro closely for a few moments, before she grinned widely. “Sounds like you have a lot of stress…” she commented.

Keitaro couldn’t keep from chuckling at that. “Ya think?”

Mayumi let out a chuckle of her own, a thoughtful look coming over her face, before she leaned closer to Keitaro, the dewy, floral scent of her perfume wafting into his nose. “Perhaps I could… help you with that,” she told him quietly.

“Huh?” Keitaro replied uncomprehendingly.

Leaning closer to Keitaro and keeping her voice low, Mayumi continued. “I provide a…service… to men who are under that kind of stress.” she explained. “I allow them to release their stress… And frankly, you look like you’re about to explode…”

Keitaro stared at Mayumi with a blank look on his face, until it suddenly dawned on him what she meant. His eyes went wide at the realization and he almost blurted out his deduction, but his self-control held him in check.

Mayumi nodded at his unspoken declaration. “Yes,” she acknowledged. “That’s what I am… Though I prefer to call myself an escort. I find the other terms… distasteful…”

Keitaro took another drink, shaking his head at his luck. “Figures… Only woman who’s shown any real interest in me, and I’d have to pay her for her trouble… Who did I piss off in a previous life…?”

“Is it really such a bad thing?” she asked. “I understand that men have needs, and that sometimes they can’t be met in other ways…”

An image of Kitsune appeared in Keitaro’s mind unbidden. “Believe me, I know all about needs…” he muttered darkly.

“So why not meet them now? With me?”

Keitaro shook his head ruefully. “Probably couldn’t afford it…”

Mayumi whispered a figure in his ear.

Keitaro would always wonder whether it was fate, karma, or just random chance that he’d encountered Mayumi when he did. Fifteen minutes earlier, and the booze wouldn’t have taken the slightest edge off his thinking. Fifteen minutes later, and he probably would have left without having talked to her. And he met her on one of the few occasions when he was flush with cash, the tenants rent money a sizable wad in his pocket.

He had more than enough money on him to afford what she’d quoted. A small analytical portion of his mind determined that he could afford it, and still have more than enough to meet his obligations. His thinking was further jolted when Mayumi placed her hand over his and gave a gentle squeeze. Through all the turmoil in his mind, Keitaro was able to hear himself murmur, “Okay…”

Mayumi gave him a winning smile. She slipped a ticket into his hand. “Go get my coat for me, I’ll settle up here. I’ll meet you at the door in just a moment.”

Nodding stiffly, Keitaro walked towards the coat check, his heart thumping like a bass drum, clearly audible in his ears.

***

Mayumi watched the young man make his way towards the door for a few seconds, before she turned to the bartender. “See you around Ichigo…” she told him, setting a few bills on the bar. The swarthy man barely acknowledged her as he slipped the money into his pocket and took away the glasses. The pay-off she had to give him to meet clients in his establishment was simply the cost of doing business to Mayumi, and she preferred it this way. If he’d ever asked her for anything else as payment, she’d have found another place, but since Ichigo’s boyfriend was the jealous, possessive type, it was unlikely that he’d ever do that.

Mayumi walked over to the coat check, giving Keitaro a smile and turning to allow him to help her put on her coat, his trembling hands resulting in it taking two tries to get her arms into the sleeves. Taking the crook of his arm, Mayumi lead the flustered young man out to the street, hailing a cab, and giving him another smile when he opened the door for her. She gave the driver the destination and held Keitaro’s hand the entire ride, giving him the occasional squeeze, which he tentatively returned. She was sure that she could hear his heart racing, feel his hand getting clammy, and he occasionally wiped his free hand against the side of his jeans to dry it.

When they arrived at her apartment complex, Mayumi lead a very nervous Keitaro inside, keeping a firm hold on his arm, both to try and calm him down and to keep him from bolting like a scared rabbit. The elevator ride was deathly quiet, enhanced by the presence of another couple, and Mayumi could feel the tension coming off of Keitaro when they reached her floor and exited. When they were inside her apartment, Keitaro let out a shuddering sigh and sagged in relief, slumping against the wall as Mayumi hung up her coat. “Are you all right?” she asked.

“J-just nervous, that’s all…” Keitaro replied weakly.

Mayumi pursed her lips. This was always the most difficult part… “Before we begin Keitaro, there’s something we have to take care of first…”

Keitaro nodded in comprehension. “I understand…” He reached for the envelope in his pocket.

“Would you like another drink?” Mayumi asked as she left Keitaro to his task, heading for the kitchen.

“P-please… Another Scotch, if you’ve got it…”

“Just a moment,” she called out, gathering the sundries for two drinks. When she was finished pouring the two Scotches, she brought them out to Keitaro, who was randomly pacing around the living room, the money in a pile on the coffee table. She handed him the drink and scooped up the bills, taking a moment to count them, before she slipped them into her purse. Nodding, she took a seat on the sofa and patted the cushion next to her, motioning for the young man to sit down, which he did, sitting farther away from her than any of her other clients might have. “No need to be frightened Keitaro, I don’t bite…”

Keitaro opened and closed his fists, wishing that he wasn’t shaking like a palsy victim. “S-sorry… I-I can’t seem to relax,” he apologized.

“You’ve never done this before, have you?”

Keitaro couldn’t meet her gaze, looking down at his lap as he whispered, “No…”

Mayumi gave him a gentle smile. “That’s nothing to be ashamed of Keitaro, I don’t mind…” Truthfully, she didn’t, since he’d probably have fewer bad habits to unlearn. Taking a sip from her own drink, she set it down on the table and carefully explained to Keitaro all of what she would and wouldn’t do with him, starting with the mandatory use of protection and ending with her no kissing policy. Keitaro looked a little disappointed at that last rule, but he nodded slowly in understanding. Mayumi then told him to sit back as she slid across the distance between them, her hands reaching for the zipper on Keitaro’s jeans.

About three quarters of an hour later, Mayumi was laying next to Keitaro on her bed, listening to him talk about what life was like as the landlord of a girls dormitory. He hadn’t been a very skillful lover, his endurance was what she’d expected from a virgin his age, but he had at least made an honest and determined effort to please her. Though he hadn’t been all that effective, he never would have known. Still, too many of her clients didn’t even worry about how she felt, and she appreciated his willingness to try. She hadn’t objected to his murmuring ‘Kitsune’ when he’d finished, as she knew that she was sometimes used to attempt to live out a fantasy, and since he’d paid for the time, who cared who he imagined her as?

She’d also learned that he was a talker, opening up to her after they were done. At first she’d listened with only feigned interest, a skill she’d developed after having to endure CEO’s complaining about their professional life. But as Keitaro told her more and more, she’d found herself genuinely interested in the young man’s past. “If it’s such a headache being the landlord, why do you put up with it?” she wondered.

Keitaro sighed. “It’s not all bad, I like the residents, and I get along well enough with them -most of the time- there are just some mistakes from time to time… Besides, since I left home, it’s not like I have another place to go…” He glanced at the clock. “I-I should probably get cleaned up, right? Time’s nearly up…”

“Shower’s at the end of the hall Keitaro,” Mayumi told him. “Plenty of soap and towels, use what you need, I’ll tidy up here…”

“O-okay…” Keitaro made his way out of the bedroom, and within two minutes Mayumi heard him turn on the shower as she put on her robe and gathered up the bed linen, placing them in the hamper. When she’d finished changing the sheets, Keitaro walked back in, his hair a little damp, but otherwise clean and redressed. “C-can I help you with that?”

Mayumi shook her head. “Thanks, but I’m done.” She made her way to the kitchen, putting on some water for tea. “Would you like a cup?”

“I-I should be going,” he told her, “but thanks for the offer…”

Mayumi flashed him a smile. “You’re welcome.” She noticed Keitaro was looking at the door, but he seemed to want to say something, as he opened his mouth as if to speak before closing it again. She heard him murmur a farewell and slowly trudge towards the door, his reluctance to leave obvious. On a spur of an impulse she called out to him, causing him to stop and look back at her.

“Is something wrong?”

“No,” she reassured him, wondering why the thought had come to her. She took out a pen and wrote down her number on a sticky note and handed it to Keitaro. “Keitaro… If you ever find yourself… like you were today, why don’t you give me a call?”

Keitaro looked at the paper for a moment before replying. “Just-just like today?”

Mayumi pursed her lips for a moment before answering. She debated telling Keitaro that she’d charged him far less than her normal rate, angry at being stood up by a soon to be ex-regular, and her curiosity piqued by the young man at the bar who hadn’t ogled her. But the vaguely hopeful look that he gave her meant she couldn’t find it in herself to be truthful. “Yes Keitaro, just like today…”

“I-I’d like that…” Keitaro replied softly.

“Just call me, and we’ll take it from there…” she told him. “One thing… Have the money in an unsealed envelope, that’s all…”

“I-I understand…”

“Have a good day then Keitaro. Will I see you again?”

Keitaro thought back to all the accidental peeping he’d done in the past. “I-I think so… Maybe… Maybe a few weeks?”

“That’s fine.” Mayumi nodded and smiled at him, and Keitaro took that as his cue to leave, smiling back at her and exiting the apartment. Mayumi shook her head in amusement and locked the door, heading for the shower and thinking about the young man who’d just left.

***

Mayumi had never planned on going into her current line of work; it wasn’t as if this had ever come up on career day when she’d gone to school. She hadn’t chosen it to pay for an illegal addiction and no one had forced her, she’d simply made what she considered to be a rational decision based on her circumstances.

The deciding factor had been, of all things, a boss with grabby hands…

Six years earlier, Mayumi had been an office lady, just another drone in one of Japan’s huge zaibatsu. The job itself wasn’t a problem, but the head of her department was constantly attempting to feel her up whenever she was near, openly trying to look up her skirt or down her blouse. It was galling, but the last woman who’d launched a complaint against him had been fired for ‘personality clashes,’ and since Mayumi needed the pay-check, she’d bottled up her resentment, trying to ignore his off-color remarks and fondling.

Then one day, Mayumi had been in a foul humor when her boss told her to bring a file to his office. She doubted if that was the real reason, as his computer had copies of all relevant files, but she’d shoved down her anger and done what she’d been asked. She dropped the file on his desk, trying not to see his leer, and turned to leave when he grabbed her ass.

Mayumi snapped. Whirling around, she slapped her boss’s hand away and yanked him out of his chair by the lapels of his suit, snarling and glaring at him. She delighted in seeing surprise on his face, if not outright fear, and she made a snap decision to see how he’d look ashamed. The first thing that popped into her head was, “You think you could handle me?” she scoffed. “You wanna try? It’ll cost you…”

“C-cost?” her boss squeaked out.

“Yeah… It‘ll ‘C-cost’ you…” Mayumi paused for a second, came up with an outrageous amount, and told it to him, eager to see the shame on his face at the prospect.

“O-okay… I can accept that…”

Mayumi blinked in surprise, not expecting that response. Still angry, she put up a defiant façade. “It’s not going to be THAT easy… Dinner too, say, the Four Seasons?”

He shrugged. “That’s not a problem…”

Astonished how different things had gone than she’d expected, Mayumi tried a different tack. “Saturday at seven… Half the money up front now, the rest then.” The man was notoriously cheap, even making his employees pay for the coffee supplies. “If you don’t show, your loss…”

“Fine… just a second…” He extracted himself from her now numb fingers and went over to the safe he had in his office, pulling out a sizable wad of bills, before pausing with a thoughtful look and then pulling out some more. “Here, buy a black cocktail dress,” he told her. “Don’t bother with underwear.” He handed her the money, which she accepted wordlessly.

Mayumi looked at the stack of money she was holding. It was easily more than she made in a month, and it was only HALF of what was coming to her. She looked up as her boss handed her a large envelope. “What’s this?”

“Put the money in that,” he suggested. “Unless you want your co-workers to see you with that…”

Mayumi silently placed the money in the manila envelope, noticing how it strained to hold it all. “Saturday at seven…?” she murmured under her breath.

He nodded. “I’ll send my car to pick you up at six-thirty,” he told her. “I’ll see you then. If you’ll excuse me, I have work to do…”

Mayumi left his office in a daze, wondering how in the HELL things had turned out that way. A brief spike of rage went through her when she realized that her boss was essentially getting what he’d wanted in the first place. She was in a fog for the rest of the day, accomplishing virtually nothing but carrying the envelope, not letting go of it till she returned home. Opening it with shaking hands, she stared at the money for who knew how long, wondering if she should feel tainted having it near her. “H-he can’t be serious… Why would he pay this much? It’s gotta be a joke… So I’ll play along, let him think I’m serious too…” The clinical part of her mind recalled that she already had a black cocktail dress in her closet, so she could keep that money at least…

Saturday arrived in the blink of an eye and Mayumi’s trepidation slowly rose all day. When the car arrived to pick her up, she was astonished that her boss was still willing to go through with it. During the ride she decided to goad him into calling it off, and she was purposely distant with him, looked for the most expensive items on the menu and ordered them, whether or not she liked them, trying to provoke him. His resolve never wavered though, and as she followed him into the room he’d rented for the night, Mayumi felt the world spinning.

She told him in no uncertain terms what she would and wouldn’t do, ignoring his offer of more money to go bareback, and told him that she’d bite off his tongue if he tried to kiss her. He grudgingly accepted her limits, and the two of them started after he paid her the balance of the money owing. Three hours later, she was back in her boss’s car on the way home to her apartment, her boss sleeping peacefully back at the hotel, another large payment in her purse. It hadn’t been a wonderful experience, but it wasn’t anywhere near as horrible as she’d dreaded. Frankly, the first time she’d had sex had been more unpleasant than tonight had been.

When her boss had asked her when it was over about seeing her the following Saturday, Mayumi had found herself agreeing to do it. She’d earned better than two months pay for a few tedious hours; filing paperwork was more mind-numbing than being with her boss had been, and far less lucrative. Mayumi quit her job the next Monday, reasoning that if her boss was going to be a client, then there’d be no point working for him as well. She’d seen him weekly for a month when he broached the subject of other men wanting to see her as well.

Her boss had apparently been boasting of his exploits, not that Mayumi figured he had done anything worth bragging about, and some of his colleagues had expressed interest in meeting her. After some thought, she agreed that she’d meet some of them, but that if her boss hooked her up with someone who was trouble, she’d let his wife know that he hadn’t been meeting clients the last couple of Saturdays. He quailed, as his marriage had been how he’d gained his current position, and promised that only gentlemen would be seeing her.

That had been almost six years earlier.

Mayumi had a small collection of regular clients whom she saw a few times a month or so. She didn’t advertise, and she certainly didn’t walk the street; all of her clients were word of mouth referrals, and this helped make certain of the character of the men she saw. With her care in choosing clients and her absolute commitment to safe sex, Mayumi was confident that she’d done everything that she could to protect herself. She didn’t smoke, drank only a little, and went to the gym regularly to keep in shape. Her new occupation meant that she earned far more than she ever had as an office lady and she ‘worked’ only ten to fifteen hours a week at the maximum, the rest of it was free time.

She lived far below her means, keeping the same lifestyle she’d had as an office lady for the most part, investing as much of her income as she could, having decided to make as much money as she could in the time she’d given herself before getting out of it. She valued her clients discretion and they extended her the same courtesy. All in all, Mayumi figured that while it was an unorthodox way to earn a living, the earnings brought in for the amount of time she invested couldn’t compare with any other career, so she approached her job with a brisk, business-like manner, and simply tried to do the best she could at her chosen profession.

***

Mayumi lathered up her long red hair in the shower, and found herself thinking of the young landlord who’d become one of her regular clients three months earlier, and had left twenty minutes ago. Keitaro was kind of an enigma to her, the biggest question being why he needed to use her services in the first place. She had a small group of regular clients, but he was completely unlike any of the other men that she saw.

One of her other regulars had once asked her if she thought of him as her favorite client. She’d laughed good naturedly and told him that her favorite was whomever she was with, and he accepted that. Truthfully, she wouldn’t allow herself to ‘rank’ her clients, as she felt this would be rather inappropriate, and it might affect the relationship, such as it was, she had with them. But even so, Keitaro stood out in Mayumi’s mind.

It wasn’t for reasons that might be obviously apparent; he wasn’t what Mayumi would have considered to be handsome, though his nervous demeanor could be quite disarming. Several of her other regulars were far better looking, with hand tailored suits, and faces that looked far younger than they should, plastic surgery holding back the effects of time.

He certainly wasn’t the best lover she’d ever had; the first time with Keitaro had been completely unsatisfying, but he had at least made an honest and sincere effort, which was more than she could say about some of her other clients. Through some subtle coaching and instruction, Mayumi had taught him well enough that she was usually able to climax at least once when she was with him, but he would never have been confused with Casanova in bed.

Keitaro was unfailingly polite and courteous with her, never engaging in any of the rough or semi-degrading sex that she tolerated only because of the stiff surcharge that she levied for things like that. But even this wasn’t unique, as about a third of Mayumi’s clients were consummate gentlemen, a fact she was secretly grateful for, as she could relax a little during their sessions.

It certainly wasn’t Keitaro’s money that intrigued her, since he didn’t have all that much to begin with. He may have been the landlord and owner of a dormitory, but the majority of her other regulars were far wealthier, men who didn’t blink at the hourly rate Mayumi asked of them. Where they got the money, Mayumi didn’t know or care; personal wealth, embezzled company funds, or even raiding their children’s piggybanks, the source of the funds she received was irrelevant. If her other clients knew how much of a discount she was giving Keitaro, they’d have hit the ceiling, but they didn’t know, and since she worked alone, without some cancerous pimp leeching off her income, she was free to charge what she damn well pleased.

From the outside, the most obvious reason that Keitaro would stand out in Mayumi’s mind was his youth. He was barely in his twenties, while all of her other clients were in their forties or fifties, with two of them well into their sixties. They were old enough to be her father, in a few cases her grandfather, while Keitaro was almost six years her junior. He lacked the wisdom and maturity of the older men, but he had a youthful vigorousness to him that she found refreshing, and he was in pretty good physical condition too. Mayumi would admit to herself that she sometimes liked being able to look into a face that wasn’t lined with wrinkles.

But the two main reasons that Mayumi thought of Keitaro with some warmth were known only to her. First of all, he’d always respected the limits she set; she’d only had to tell him once what she would and wouldn’t do and he’d never failed to follow her guidelines. Virtually all of her other regulars had at one point tried pushing her boundaries, usually trying to kiss her, or requesting something she’d categorically refused to do, such as anal. Mayumi had permanently stopped seeing one of her regulars when he tried for the umpteenth time to kiss her, trying to slide his tongue between her lips until she’d bitten it to the point she drew blood. But Keitaro always played by her rules, and Mayumi was thankful to have at least one client she didn’t have to keep an eye on to make sure he kept in line.

However, if Mayumi had been asked, she would have said what she ‘liked’ about Keitaro, was that he never talked about rescuing or saving her.

Every other client had, without exception, at some point had offered to take her away from what she was doing. She always politely refused, but she found it galling that they would even make such an offer; apparently it was a bad thing to do what she did, but they saw nothing wrong with coming to her and paying for her services. When her former boss had offered to leave his wife and take her away from her ‘existence’ was the word he’d used, Mayumi’d barely been able to hold back the venomous retort. If it hadn’t been for him, she wouldn’t have started doing this, and she’d probably still be trying to deal with him groping her for far less money.

Mayumi had nothing but contempt for the men who offered to leave their wives to be with her. Hadn’t they promised to stay faithful when they’d been married? ‘If I accepted their offers, how long till they strayed again?’ she asked herself as she rinsed the conditioner out of her hair and reached for the scented body wash.

Keitaro had never made any such offer, and Mayumi could accept that she liked that about him. She wasn’t sure why he hadn’t, but the last trace of the romantic she’d once been liked to think that he wasn’t judgmental about what she did. Mayumi found herself considering the young landlord as she finished her shower and stepped out of the stall, taking a towel and starting to dry her hair. To help put him at ease when he called her, they’d agreed that when his number came up on her caller ID, she’d answer as ‘Mach Speed noodle house,’ and with a few coded phrases, they’d be able to set up a time. It was a little cloak and dagger, but discretion was a big part of her job. She glanced at the clock. Mayumi was meeting another client in just over ninety minutes for an overnight ‘date.’ She still had plenty of time to get ready.

‘Why does Keitaro even need to see me anyway?’ she asked herself as she dried off. From what she knew of him, he seemed like a nice guy; polite, courteous, friendly, albeit a little on the clumsy side. From what he’d told her about his life at Hinata House, Mayumi was sure that a few of the girls were attracted to him, but it seemed like they couldn’t bring themselves to admit it. She’d even given him some advice on how to talk to a woman he liked, but from the continuance of his visits to her, Mayumi figured that it hadn’t worked.

Mayumi couldn’t understand why Keitaro couldn’t just tell Naru how he felt about her. He’d never actually told Mayumi that he loved Naru, but it was her name that Keitaro used the most often, including during today’s session. Wiping the mirror with her hand, Mayumi pulled out her hair dryer and used the warm air to finish drying her scarlet locks. She sent out a silent wish for Keitaro to have some better luck with the object of his affection, before she focused on getting ready for her next appointment.

The man was the Chief Financial Officer of an insurance company, and Mayumi rolled her eyes and grimaced as she imagined the topic of conversation at dinner and pillow talk. ‘Maybe I’ll be lucky and he’ll fall asleep afterwards,’ she thought wryly. While she considered what she did to be easy money, clients like the next one made her feel that she’d earned every dollar.

***

Naru, Motoko, and Shinobu were sipping tea in the kitchen when Kitsune walked in and sat down, placing her head on the table with a depressed sigh. “What’s wrong?” Naru asked her old friend.

“I’m getting too old…” Kitsune lamented.

Naru frowned. “You’re barely two years older than I am, you haven’t even reached twenty-five, never mind thirty, you’re NOT old…”

“I’m losing my looks,” Kitsune mumbled, her forehead still resting on the table top.

“Despite your slothful lifestyle and woeful drinking habits, you’re still attractive,” Motoko told her. “How you haven’t developed a beer gut is a mystery, but for whatever reason, you look fine…”

Kitsune lifted her head. “I have to be. These-” she cupped her breasts through her tank top, “must be starting to sag! That’s the only reason I can think of…”

“Reason?” Naru wondered. “What reason?”

“I can’t tease Keitaro anymore…” Kitsune pouted.

Motoko took a look at the fox-eyed girl, noting the tank top and short shorts she was wearing. “Somehow, I doubt that,” she deadpanned.

“Oh, I TRY to tease him, sure, but it doesn’t work…”

“Doesn’t … work…?” Shinobu spoke up for the first time.

“He barely reacts to me anymore,” Kitsune moaned. “I’m too old for him now…” She took a look at Shinobu, and then laid her hands on the young girl’s shoulders. “It’s up to you now, kid. I’ll give you my lingerie and revealing clothes. You must take my place…”

“Kitsune!” Naru admonished, while Shinobu looked like the hold Kitsune had on her shoulders was the only thing keeping her from falling back in a faint. As was normal in dealing with her friend, Naru took a deep breath and counted silently to ten before speaking. “What are you rambling about? You’re not making sense…”

“I can barely fluster Keitaro anymore…”

“What, you’ve been keeping score?”

“No, but-but it used to be if I wanted a favor from him, all I had to do was wear something revealing and smile at him and he’d be too rattled to argue. Now it’s like he’s in some kinda zone…”

One of Naru’s eyebrows arched in curiosity. “Maybe he’s just learning some self control.”

“That makes sense,” Motoko added. “With your constant, shameless displays, maybe he finally built up some resistance…”

“That’s what I thought too, at first,” Kitsune agreed. “I figured I just needed to raise the stakes a little…”

“R-raise the stakes…?” Shinobu squeaked, her cheeks warm enough to toast marshmallows.

Naru removed her glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger. “I’m probably going to hate myself for asking, but what do you mean?”

“I decided to be a little more blatant…”

“Ahh, and we all know you’ve been a paragon of subtlety up to now,” Motoko replied, rolling her eyes.

“Hey, all’s fair in rent and chores,” Kitsune told her. “Anyway, I called him into my room, then I asked him if he could tell me which bra and panties looked better on me, before trying to get out of the rent that month…”

The three other girls went pale, stunned into silence, until Naru at last found her voice. “Kitsune! Do you have ANY shame at all?”

“I wasn’t really going to show him anything,” Kitsune said defensively. “Well, not much,” she amended. “I figured he’d be so shaken he’d forget about the rent, but instead…”

“Instead what?” asked Motoko.

“He politely refused, said that one of you would be a better choice and calmly walked out, reminding me that the rent was due at the end of that week.”

“Really?” Naru asked in surprise. “That’s all he did?”

“Yeah, that’s all,” Kitsune confirmed. “He shoulda gotten a nosebleed, or flailed around all over the place, but he barely reacted…”

“That… That does sound a little different,” Motoko allowed.

“I’ll say,” Kitsune agreed. “It’s like when he was cramming for the exams, and was unflappable, only he isn’t studying like that now, right?”

“No, we aren’t,” Naru replied.

“He’s been like this for-” Kitsune stopped and started counting on her fingers. “-just over six months, I think. I’m actually a little impressed,” she admitted. “He barely reacted when I walked in on him in his bath…”

Motoko spat out the tea she was drinking and Shinobu fell out of her chair with a ‘CLUNK!’ while Naru felt herself go red. “What the HELL were you THINKING?!”

“I was a little short that month, and I didn’t want to cut into my beer money, so I tried to get him to let me slide a little… Don’t look at me like that, I was wearing clothes, and he was in his bath, no one saw anything…”

“You were dressed?”

“Well… I was wearing a bikini, but I wasn’t naked,” Kitsune insisted.

“Did it work?” Motoko asked numbly.

Kitsune sighed. “No, he said he couldn’t… To top it off, he even asked if I could pay the rent early, said something urgent had just come up… Like I said, I’m losing my looks. If I can’t faze Keitaro, I must be turning into an old maid.”

Naru felt her nostrils start to flare. “I… I… I can’t believe you Kitsune, that you’d pull something like that… It… It’s…” She was having trouble staying calm enough to form coherent sentences.

“No need to get worked up Naru,” Kitsune told her demurely.

“Whaddya mean there’s no reason to-”

“I’m not going to stand in your way…”

Naru stared at her friend, her mouth open, unable to think of a reply. She stayed like that until Kitsune pointed out that flies would get into her mouth if she kept it open like that. Wishing profusely that she didn’t feel warmth on her cheeks, Naru managed to force out, “W-what do you mean…?”

Kitsune smiled wryly. “Hey, Keitaro’s a nice guy, but I’m not interested in him like that. I’m just trying to con my way out of the rent. I know that I don’t see him as anything else,” she added, glancing at the other people at the table.

Naru found her eyes flicking over to Motoko and Shinobu before locking on the table top. “I-I guess he’s a nice guy, and… and… He could be…” Naru didn’t bother finishing her half hearted denial. If she didn’t believe it, why would anyone else?

“I’m off, I’ll see you later…” Kitsune declared as she stood up to leave.

“You aren’t going to lay naked in Keitaro’s bed and wait for him, are you?” Naru asked quietly.

A thoughtful look came over Kitsune’s face. “Why didn’t I think of that? Relax, I’m kidding.” She chuckled when she saw the horrified looks on the faces of the others.

“Where is Keitaro anyway?” Motoko wondered.

“Stepped out a while ago,” Kitsune replied. “Guess he was hungry…”

“S-sempai was hungry?” Shinobu asked, looking a little hurt.

“I don’t know, I just thought I overheard him trying to order some take-out…”

***

“Hello Keitaro,” Mayumi greeted, giving him a quick hug. “It’s been a little while, I figured I’d see you last week…”

“I had some things I had to deal with,” he explained, handing over the envelope. “Some repairs, and we needed a new TV. You know, little things…”

“Drink?”

“Just a coke.”

“One moment, I just need to finish something, I’m a little behind today.” She gave him a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, we’re not on the clock yet…”

“No rush,” Keitaro told her.

Mayumi sashayed into her room and opened her closet, pausing to consider her outfit. She’d once asked Keitaro if he had any preferences in clothing; school-girl, cat-girl, nurse, nun, Mayumi had them all, but Keitaro had told her anything was fine with him. With a sly smile, Mayumi made her choice and pulled it out, taking a minute to slip into it.

She walked out of the bedroom and saw Keitaro glance up at her, his eyes going wide when he got a look at what she was wearing. ‘Red’ was the best way to describe Mayumi’s outfit, though ‘revealing’ and ‘slinky’ were tied for second. She was wearing a pair of red, high cut bikini panties and a shirt that clung to her arms and shoulders, but only had one button in the front to hold it closed, displaying her impressive cleavage and leaving her stomach bare.

A former client had given Mayumi the outfit to wear during their next session, but there had never been one. She’d eventually heard second hand that he’d been caught in the act with his secretary on his desk at work. His wife, who had arranged with her father for him to get his job after marrying him, had unleashed the divorce lawyers and the ‘Burn-It-Down-And-Salt-The-Earth’ prenuptial agreement he’d had to sign. Consequently, he no longer had the financial ability to afford Mayumi, and she doubted that he’d ever be able to see the outfit he’d had custom made for her.

Mayumi had tried it on once in private, but she’d never worn it in front of anyone before, and she felt pleased at the reaction it was prompting in Keitaro. “You like?” she asked unnecessarily.

“Yeah…” Keitaro rasped in reply.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, have a seat and I’ll get your drink…” Mayumi clicked into the kitchen, the matching red stiletto heels making her move carefully. Pouring Keitaro’s drink and an identical one for herself, she re-entered the living room and went over to Keitaro, who was sitting on the chaise lounge. Mayumi handed him his drink, the two of them tapped glasses in a toast, drank, and then Keitaro set his glass on the table, making sure that he used a coaster.

Setting her own drink down, Mayumi moved until she was standing in front of Keitaro and rested her hands on his shoulders, his customary flinch at the first touch comfortably familiar to her. She leaned forward and Keitaro nestled his head on her breasts, his hands going to her legs, touching her calves and then slowly sliding them up along the back of her legs, coming to rest on her rear. Giving it a gentle squeeze, Keitaro began placing gentle kisses on the exposed valley between Mayumi’s breasts.

Mayumi closed her eyes and hummed contentedly, her long red hair cascading along Keitaro’s head. She’d let him know early on that that being gentle was the better way to go, and he’d taken her advice to heart, lightly kissing and running his tongue along the exposed skin. She rubbed his back through his shirt, sliding her hands down to it’s edge, taking hold of it and slowly pulling it up, forcing Keitaro to lean back and break contact momentarily as she eased it off of his arms. Once the shirt was gone, Keitaro slipped his hands under her shirt and Mayumi let him pull her back against him, running her hands through his hair as he continued to nuzzle her.

After a few moments of feeling her skin against his face, Mayumi released Keitaro’s head and undid the solitary button that held her top closed. Letting it open silently, she slipped it off of her arms and let it whisper down to the floor. Keitaro rubbed her bare back and carefully extended his tongue, softly brushing its tip against her left nipple, prompting a pleased hum from Mayumi as it hardened at his touch. Mayumi looked down at him and cradled Keitaro’s head as he hungrily, but delicately, suckled her.

As Keitaro held her nipple between his lips and trilled on it with his tongue, Mayumi slipped her hands down Keitaro’s exposed back, softly running her fingertips along his warm skin, reaching around in front of him and resting her right hand on the prominent bulge in his pants. She massaged it through his clothing, making him moan at her touch, and he began to move his hips to push back against her. Mayumi smiled when she felt Keitaro ease his hands down her back to her waist, caressing her skin, and bringing his right hand to rest against the front of her panties.

Keitaro used the heel of his hand to gently rub through the thin fabric, making her squirm a little in response, as he released her nipple from between his lips and kissed his way to the other one. Mayumi let out a groan as Keitaro’s hand rubbed up against her, the feel of the sodden fabric sliding over her lips and clitoris sending delicious sparks up her spine. She continued to stroke Keitaro through his pants as he massaged the heel of his hand against her sensitive sex. After minutes of this mutual stimulation, Keitaro hooked his thumbs under the band of her panties before he slowly and sensually eased the garment down her legs, allowing his fingers to brush against her creamy skin the entire way down.

When her panties were around her ankles, Mayumi stepped out of them and eased her head back and groaned when Keitaro detached himself from her breast and slowly began to kiss his way down her stomach, taking time to kiss the small mole she had over her navel. She took a step forward, forcing Keitaro to lean back, and lifted her right leg, placing it on the chaise next to Keitaro, giving him a clear view of her shaven sex, just inches from his face. Keitaro lifted his head and placed a gentle kiss on her lower lips, repeating it twice, before he stuck out his tongue and carefully ran the tip of it along her glistening slit.

Letting out a languid moan, Mayumi reached up and placed her hands behind Keitaro’s head, pulling her face up against her and she ground herself against his head, wanting him to increase his efforts. She let out a soft cry as he slipped his tongue between her lips, probing inside of her as far as he could reach, lapping as if he was drinking from a stream. Mayumi closed her eyes and grit her teeth when Keitaro withdrew his tongue from inside her and took her labia between his lips, suckling it gently. She could feel her breathing start to quicken as Keitaro continued to coax her towards climax. “Unnnhhh…d-don’t stop…” she murmured.

Keitaro didn’t reply, he simply released her left lip and replaced it with the right one, giving it the same attention. After a minute, he released it and trilled his tongue along her clit, making Mayumi cry out at his efforts. She could feel the world start to slip away as Keitaro continued his oral assault, and when he suddenly removed his head from between her dripping sex, she let out a frustrated groan. Looking down, Mayumi could see that Keitaro’s face and chin were covered with her fluids and his own saliva, and the hungry, almost desperate look in his eyes.

Almost reluctantly, Mayumi moved her leg off of the lounge, reaching down and undoing Keitaro’s jeans, pulling down his zipper and then tugging off his pants and boxers, Keitaro lifting himself up to allow them to be removed. Easing them all the way down, Mayumi pulled them clear of his legs, pausing to remove his socks, before regarding Keitaro’s erection. It was fully engorged, throbbing in time with his heartbeat, and a few drops of pre-cum had moistened the tip. Mayumi knelt down, and without looking reached for the table and snagged a foil covered packet. Deftly opening the package, Mayumi placed the condom between her lips and moved her head to Keitaro’s prick.

Taking hold of his erection with her right hand, Mayumi brought the head of it to her lips, guiding the tip into the condom before she took it into her mouth, her lips wrapped tightly around his shaft, unrolling the condom until it completely covered him. Pulling her head back, Mayumi returned to her feet and straddled the lounge, placing her hands on Keitaro’s shoulders and lowering herself until the head of his prick was brushing against her inner thigh. She saw Keitaro take hold of himself and reposition his cock so that it nestled against her lips, and with a nod from him, Mayumi sank herself down onto it.

Keitaro let out a cry as Mayumi enveloped him and then sat still, leaving him completely inside her. She saw him close his eyes and bite his lower lip, reveling in the warmth and tightness. Mayumi moaned and shifted her weight, feeling Keitaro throbbing inside her warm passage, a welcome intrusion after he’d broken off using his mouth. She made sure she was secure on her footing, placed her hands on his shoulders and she then lifted herself up until Keitaro almost slipped out of her before she thrust herself back down, a heavy exhalation punctuating her movement. Mayumi felt Keitaro’s hands on her waist as he took hold of her and began to buck his hips up to meet her downward thrusts.

As usual, Keitaro kept his eyes closed, and Mayumi knew that he was probably imagining himself with one of his tenants, just as he always had. She didn’t mind, as it was a surprisingly common trait in her clients; it struck her as a little odd, the married men being with someone else, but pretending it was yet another person. Keitaro was starting to breathe hard, beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead, as he slowly sped up, trying to push the both of them to orgasm. Mayumi could feel herself starting to pant, Keitaro’s mouth having done a more than adequate job of getting her hot. ‘So… Keitaro…’ she thought. ‘Who am I today…? Naru again? Or Kitsune? Or the kendo-ka who-’

“M-Mayumi…” Keitaro whispered.

Mayumi froze. She sat there, Keitaro’s manhood inside her, eyes wide and a warm bloom on her face. She stared at Keitaro in surprise, seeing him open his eyes, obviously wondering what was wrong. ‘H-he’s never used my name before…’ she told herself. She saw Keitaro looking at her closely, curiosity writ large on his face, when his eyes went wide, as he belatedly realized what he’d murmured.

‘He-he could have imagined any of them… B-but he was thinking of… ME…?’ A feeling Mayumi hadn’t had in many, many years welled up inside of her, and she could feel her blush intensify. For a few moments, there was no sound or movement, save for their breathing, as they stared at each other, almost as if seeing each other for the first time. After what seemed like an eternity to Mayumi, she pushed herself back up, seeing the panicked look on Keitaro’s face, his mouth opening as if to apologize…

…before she impaled herself back down as hard as she could, driving as far onto Keitaro’s prick as she would fit.

“Mayumi!” Keitaro gasped out. “Wh-wha-?” he was unable to finish as she lifted herself back up and drove down with even more force, making him cry out.

Mayumi leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Keitaro’s shoulders, crushing her breasts against his chest, their heads next to each other, mouths next to each others ears. Mayumi was moving faster now, with a frantic haste she couldn’t remember having in many years, Keitaro’s cries and gasps in her ear pressing her onward, picking up the pace again when she heard him whisper her name. “Kei-Keitaro…” she breathed into his ear as she nibbled on his earlobe.

Moving back a bit so she could look at Keitaro’s face, Mayumi saw him looking at her, meeting her gaze, the first time she’d seen him with his eyes open during one of their sessions. He was breathing frantically, a strained look twisting his features, but he still wouldn’t break eye contact. Mayumi saw him sweating from the force of his exertions, and she could feel beads of perspiration running down her own face, her back, and between her breasts. They were both slick, and sweat was pooling in the notch of her clavicle.

Feeling herself on the very brink, Mayumi used the last reserves of her strength and sank down with one last savage thrust, crying out as she felt herself climax, shuddering involuntarily. A muffled groan and stiffening of Keitaro told her that he’d reached orgasm as well. Her strength spent, Mayumi slumped forward against Keitaro, holding on to him weakly, feeling him grasp and hold her tenderly as they both tried to get their wind back. There was only the sound of their ragged panting as they held each other, neither wanting to ruin the moment by speaking. A few minutes passed, Keitaro being uncharacteristically quiet, as he usually started chatting within moments of completion.

After five sweaty, intimate minutes, Mayumi pushed herself back, idly brushed some of her matted hair from her forehead and looked at Keitaro, seeing the uncertainty in his eyes. After a seconds contemplation, she leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the lips, the first time she’d EVER kissed a client. That kiss was followed a moment later by another, and then a deeper one, her arms going around Keitaro’s neck as he responded to the kiss, at first hesitatingly, but then with more vigor, wrapping his arms around her back.

The kissing became more passionate, Mayumi easing her tongue between Keitaro’s lips and brushing up against his, when Keitaro suddenly opened his eyes and struggled to break it off. “What’s-what’s the-”

“It’s slipping off!”

“It’s-” Then it dawned on Mayumi what Keitaro meant, and she instantly let him go and reached down, grabbing for the condom and pulling back carefully, trying to insure that it didn’t slide off with her. Protection was an iron-clad necessity for her and she wasn’t about to take chances, even now. To her immense relief it stayed in place, and she reached for some tissues to help Keitaro clean himself. “You okay now?” she inquired after he finished wiping himself off.

“Yes…”

“Good…” With that, Mayumi sat down in Keitaro’s lap, threw her arms back around his shoulders and resumed kissing him, moaning into his mouth when he resumed rubbing her sweat slicked back. The kissing continued unabated for several minutes, their lips parting only briefly for air, and Mayumi felt Keitaro start to stir as she drew his tongue into her mouth and sucked on it. She broke off the kissing and touched her forehead to Keitaro’s, her breathing a little heavier, and noticing how warm he was. “Can-can you stay…?” she whispered.

Keitaro let out an anguished sigh. “No, I-I can’t… I have to get back… I-I’m sorry…”

“It’s okay…” Mayumi replied, giving him one last kiss before standing up. Keitaro let out another sigh and stood up, heading for the shower, while Mayumi put on her robe and straightened up a few things. She sat down on the sofa and thought about what had happened, astonished at how quickly she’d been swept up in the moment. She was so lost in thought that she didn’t notice when Keitaro had returned until he cleared his throat. “Hmmm?”

“Is something wrong Mayumi?” Keitaro asked.

“No… Just thinking…” She saw Keitaro nod at that and start for the door. “Keitaro, wait…”

“Yes…”
“Would-would you like to meet next Sunday?”

“Sunday?” Keitaro repeated, his brow furrowing. “I-I thought you didn’t see anyone on Sunday…”

“…I don’t…”

Keitaro’s eyes widened a little when he realized the significance of her answer. “I… I-I’d like that…”

Mayumi gave him a soft smile. “So would I…”

“W-where would you like to go?” Keitaro stammered.

“You’ve got no ideas?”

Keitaro swallowed. “Want to meet for ice cream first?”

“That’d be nice…”

Keitaro gave the address of an ice cream shop he recalled for some reason, and they agreed to meet at two o’clock. Keitaro then glanced at the clock on the wall and frowned. “I’ve got to go…”

Mayumi stood up and walked him to the door, helping him put on his jacket. “I’ll see you on Sunday Keitaro,” she breathed in his ear before giving him a last kiss, and closing the door. As she headed for the shower, Mayumi could tell that she was still smiling.

***

“Pass the soy sauce please,” Naru asked at the dinner table on Saturday night. She nodded in thanks when Kitsune handed it to her and she poured some onto her food. She took another bite and smiled in appreciation of Shinobu’s cooking before continuing to eat. While chewing, she cast her eyes over the other people eating, paying particular attention to Shinobu, Motoko, and Keitaro. Motoko was her usual stoic self, eating calmly and doing her best to ignore some of the teasing Kitsune was fond of while she ate, but Naru noticed her on occasion casting surreptitious glances over at the landlord. Shinobu was doing the same, but she wasn’t as subtle as Motoko, and she had a tendency to blush when she looked away.

As usual, Keitaro was completely oblivious to the looks he was getting; Naru noted that he seemed to be more out of it than usual, eating with an oddly contemplative look on his face. She thought back to what Kitsune had told her earlier that week, about not standing in her way. Naru had realized that the only person who was standing between Keitaro and herself was herself. If she didn’t try to do something to change that, to get closer to him, there would be at least two other people who might be willing to try.

Naru watched Keitaro eat in silence, mentally considering what she should do; she had a few thoughts, but she wasn’t sure if she was ready to just ask him out in front of everyone else. ‘But if we all go out, maybe I can get a few moments alone with him, and then…’ Nodding to herself as she came to a decision, Naru put down her chopsticks and waited for Keitaro to swallow his food before speaking. “Keitaro?”

He looked up at her. “Yes?”

Concentrating to keep her voice steady and not fidget like Shinobu, she asked, “Would you like to go on a picnic with us?” Naru pointedly ignored the puzzled looks of the other residents.

“That might be nice… Yeah, I-I’d like that…”

“Great! Shinobu, you can make a picnic lunch, and we can all enjoy it together,” she replied, giving Shinobu a pleading look.

“S-sure, I can do that,” she responded, yet anther blush appearing.

“Perfect, then we can have it tomorrow…” Naru announced.

Keitaro looked up again. “T-tomorrow…? I-I can’t do that tomorrow…”

“You got something to do Keitaro?” Kitsune asked. “If you were going to make some repairs, we don’t mind if you put them off…” The other residents all nodded in agreement with that.

A pained look came over Keitaro. “It-it’s not that, I-I made other plans…”

“You’re meeting Haitani and Shirai? What time? We can always work around that…” Naru reassured him.

“No, I-I’m meeting someone tomorrow…”

Keitaro’s declaration hung over the dinner table like smoke, as the residents looked at him in silent surprise. Kitsune was the first to regain her voice. “You-you’re going on a date?”

“Yeah, I am…” Keitaro admitted after a moment of hesitation.

“Who is she?” Motoko asked, beating everyone else to the question.

“Her name’s Mayumi…”

“Mayumi what?” Naru pressed.

Keitaro froze for a second, as it dawned on him that he didn’t know Mayumi’s last name, despite that they’d been meeting regularly for over six months. “Why does that matter?” he answered after a moment, trying to deflect the question.

Naru opened her mouth to reply, but she realized that she had no real answer to give. At least, none that would have been reasonable.

“When did you meet her?” Kitsune wondered.

“About six months ago, in a bar…” Keitaro hesitated, making sure that he chose his next words with great care. “W-we talked, and we happened to meet up on occasion… But she didn’t ask me out until earlier this week…”

“And you accepted?”

Keitaro turned to look at Kitsune. “I shouldn’t have? Why not? I-I like her…”

“But sempai, you… you…” Shinobu couldn’t bring herself to say what she wanted to say.

Keitaro set down his chopsticks and wiped at his mouth with a napkin. “Thank you for dinner Shinobu, it was delicious as always.” He stood up. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to take care of some repairs…” He walked out of the kitchen, leaving a stunned silence in his wake, as he headed off to the boiler room. He knew he was brushing off the others, but he didn’t want to talk about Mayumi with them, and he was worried about saying something he shouldn’t. ‘I don’t wanna argue with them, I just wanna see Mayumi tomorrow… Why is that such a big deal? They aren’t that interested in me anyway…’

***

Keitaro glanced at his watch for the third time in a minute, but time hadn’t sped up, despite his fervent wishes. He’d left Hinata House early, both out of a desire to not keep Mayumi waiting, and because he’d wanted to escape the awful tension which had gripped the residence after he’d announced that he had a date. He’d left the dinner table and stolen away to an isolated area to work rather than face them, and this morning he’d seen the accusing looks of the others. When he’d tried to talk to them, he’d been brushed off, so he’d quit trying and spent most of the morning getting ready, and when he couldn’t stand waiting in his room anymore, he’d left.

He was over forty minutes early, and he’d gone from pacing restlessly in his room to fidgeting in public, and he found himself coming up with reasons why Mayumi might not show. ‘She’s reconsidered, she’s meeting someone else, she got into an accident… What am I thinking, expecting her to show, I’m just a loser, what could I offer her, and ohmigod, I forgot to pick up some flowers! I’m an idiot! I’m not even dressed well enough,’ he thought in a panic. ‘I should be wearing a suit, or taking her someplace classy, not ice cream, god, what am I thinking?! M-maybe if I call her and reschedule, I can-’

“Hello Keitaro, been waiting long?”

Keitaro nearly had a heart attack hearing Mayumi’s voice behind him. Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, Keitaro turned around and he couldn’t stop himself from staring at Mayumi. The first time they’d met, she’d looked absolutely stunning, like she’d just stepped out of a fashion magazine. The following meetings she’d usually be wearing lingerie under a silk robe, but her hair and make up were always just so. Now, she looked cute, wearing simple jeans and a sleeveless top, ordinary running shoes, and her long hair in a simple ponytail, with virtually no make up, save a hint of eye shadow and lipstick. Her appearance was completely unlike any Keitaro had seen for Mayumi, but as he found himself unable to stop staring, he realized that he liked the look. A lot… “Wow…” he breathed softly.

“It’s nice to see you too Keitaro,” Mayumi told him with a smile. “Sorry if I’m a little early, didn’t want to miss you…”

Keitaro’s eyes flicked over to a clock and he saw that it was about ten to two. “It’s alright, I was a little early myself. Haven’t been waiting long…”

“I’m happy to hear that.” Mayumi walked up to him and gave him a hug and a quick peck on the lips. “I was worried you might not show…”

“Don’t worry, I’d have shown up…” He would have dragged himself by his eyelids if he’d had to. When Mayumi let go of him he extended his hand. “Hi, my name’s Keitaro Urashima.”

Smiling, Mayumi used her delicate hand to grasp his. “Mayumi. Mayumi Mizuno. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Urashima…”

“Call me Keitaro.”

“Only if you call me Mayumi…”

“I will, Mayumi…” Keitaro reassured her.

“So, Keitaro, shall we?” She offered him her elbow, and Keitaro slipped his arm under it, leading him to the ice-cream parlor.

It wouldn’t occur to Keitaro until much later that this was the same place he’d once taken Naru.

Sitting at a table, both of them nibbling at the parfaits they’d ordered, the two of them looked each other over, Keitaro still trying to believe just how different Mayumi looked, and finding the change quite flattering. Mayumi watched the young man try to make small talk and keep from simply ogling her, finding his attempts at being a gentlemen endearing. They kept their conversation mundane, a silent agreement between them to not talk about Mayumi’s past, unless it didn’t involve work, and since Keitaro had already told her everything about life at Hinata House.

They did the usual things couples did while eating ice cream, Mayumi having Keitaro close his eyes and say “Ahhh!” before putting the spoonful of ice cream into her own mouth. The two of them reached over and fed each other, smiling and generally enjoying the time together. Keitaro did have a few moments when he tensed up, believing that he saw one of the Hinata House residents out of the corner of his eye, but after the third false alarm, he decided to stop caring about it. If one or more of them had decided to follow him, something he couldn’t dismiss out of hand, so be it. As far as he was concerned, he was doing nothing wrong, he was just spending an afternoon with a woman he liked, and since he wasn’t actively involved with one of the residents, it wasn’t their business anyway.

When they’d finished off the ice cream and returned the empty dishes, they walked arm in arm down the sidewalk, Mayumi resting her head on Keitaro’s shoulder, allowing the clean, pleasant scent of her shampoo to waft into his nose. “Where to now Keitaro?” she asked.

“I-I was thinking, maybe the aquarium, and maybe a movie?”

“Aquarium? There’s an aquarium in the city?”

“Yes…”

“I didn’t know that,” Mayumi admitted. “Maybe I should get out more… You’ve been there before?”

“Just once.”

“That sounds nice… Let’s go.” The two of them made their way to the aquarium, Keitaro buying the tickets and they were soon walking down one of the Plexiglas tunnels, aquatic life surrounding them on all sides. Mayumi let go of Keitaro and pressed her face against the Lexan. “So pretty…”

Keitaro let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “I was hoping you’d like it here,” he told her.

“I do Keitaro…” She watched a school of fish swimming close to the tube for a few minutes before speaking again. “What do you suppose the fish are thinking?”

“Excuse me?”

“You suppose the boy-fish bring girl-fish to the man-quarium to watch the people?”

“I-I never thought of it like that,” Keitaro replied truthfully.

“You see those two fish there?” she pointed. “They’re awfully close together, maybe they’re on a date too…” When she looked back at Keitaro, the amused twinkle in Mayumi’s blue eyes was obvious.

“Then I hope he’s enjoying himself as much as I am…”

Mayumi returned to Keitaro’s side and resumed holding his arm as they continued to walk through the tunnels, stopping occasionally to gaze in silent wonder at the variety of sea life. Keitaro found himself humming “Beyond the Sea,” and he was surprised when Mayumi began whistling in accompaniment. The two of them shared a chuckle, and for the next hour or so continued to stroll through the aquarium until they sat on a bench in front of a tank that held a collection of sharks.

“You said you were here before once?” Mayumi asked softly, her head on Keitaro’s shoulder.

“Yes…”

“W-were you with someone then?”

“…yes…” he acknowledged.

“Did you enjoy being with her?”

Keitaro swallowed once before answering. “Yes… B-but not as much as I’m enjoying being with you Mayumi…” he told her, turning his head and lifting her chin so he could look in her eyes. In the dim light, she appeared to be almost glowing.

Mayumi looked up into Keitaro’s eyes, seeing the sincerity in them, and she lifted her left hand and placed it behind his head, pulling it down until their lips met. The kiss was passionate, but languid, as the two of them allowed their tongues to brush up against the others, kissing for several minutes, and if anyone had been there to object to the public display of affection, neither would have cared. When they finally parted for air, both of them were flushed, and Keitaro noticed that their breathing was a little heavier.

“Keitaro…”

“Yes Mayumi?”

“You-you said something about seeing a movie… Would you mind if we… skipped that…?”

“I-I won’t mind…”

The two of them stood up, smoothed out their clothes and took a moment to compose themselves, before they linked arms and started walking towards the exit. Once outside, Mayumi hailed a cab and told him to drive to her apartment, promising a tip if he made the trip in under ten minutes. The driver took her to heart, laying down rubber as he pulled away, the acceleration forcing Mayumi and Keitaro back in their seat. Mayumi rested her head on Keitaro’s shoulder and held his hand during the surprisingly quick trip back to the apartment. Upon arrival, they exited the cab, Keitaro tossing a handful of bills at the driver, following Mayumi through the front door and into the elevator.

To Keitaro the elevator ride was unbearably slow, made all the more so by the presence of several other passengers. When it finally reached Mayumi’s floor, the two of them got out with another couple and they walked down the hallway until they were in front of her door, Mayumi pulling out her keys and opening it. As soon as they were inside and with the door closed and locked behind them, they were in each others arm, Mayumi throwing her arms around Keitaro’s neck, while he gripped her tightly by the waist, sliding one of his arms up her back until he was holding the back of her head. “Mayumi…” Keitaro murmured.

Mayumi pulled Keitaro tightly against her, moving her head to the side as Keitaro began to kiss the side of her neck, moaning when she felt him brush the tip of his tongue just under her jaw line. With effort, she extracted herself from his arms, grabbing his hand and all but dragging him to her bedroom, kicking off her shoes as she walked. Practically kicking the door open, Mayumi lead Keitaro inside and hurriedly opened the buttons of his shirt, placing kisses on the side of his neck as she did. When she got it undone she threw it open and slid it off of his arms, bending down to suckle his nipples, making Keitaro cry out in surprise, even as she undid the zipper of her own top.

After Mayumi eased her top off, Keitaro carefully brought up his hands and began to knead and squeeze her breasts, the rising firmness of her nipples pressing through the fabric of her bra against his palms. Slowly sliding his hand under Mayumi’s arms, Keitaro reached behind her and undid the clasp that held the bra closed and Mayumi let it whisper down to the floor. He then pulled back a bit as Mayumi detached herself from his chest and he attached himself to hers, greedily but gently suckling her breasts, listening to her hum contentedly and run her fingers through his hair.

Mayumi leaned her head back, her mouth open in a smile and her eyes unfocused as a blush came over her cheeks. She could hear herself cooing softly as Keitaro all but worshiped her, treating her as tenderly as he always had, his tongue softly flicking over her sensitive nipples. She felt him let go of her and move his hands downward, and she looked down, expecting him to be trying to undo his pants, but her breath caught in her throat and her eyes widened when she realized what he was doing.

Keitaro was pulling his wallet out of his pocket.

Keitaro heard Mayumi’s sharp inhalation and he looked up, saw her staring down at him and he followed her gaze down, going ashen when he realized what he was holding. He stood up abruptly, looking at Mayumi and his eyes flicking back to his billfold in his right hand, feeling suddenly sick and ashamed, the habitual behavior returning to bite him. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out as he saw the flash of hurt on Mayumi’s face, and a sudden urge to run out of the apartment gripped him.

Mayumi let out a slight sigh and a half smile replaced the pained look. She took a step towards the trembling Keitaro and grasped his right hand. Her fingers pried the wallet out of his hand and it dropped to the floor, landing with a faint thud. Mayumi then intertwined her fingers with Keitaro’s and stepped closer to him, reaching behind his head and pulling his lips toward hers.

But as Keitaro’s face moved towards hers, he noticed a hint of warning on her features before their lips met, and he understood that if he ever did that again, it was all over. Making a firm mental note, Keitaro let himself slip back into Mayumi’s arms, thankful that she’d been in a forgiving mood. When he felt her breasts press up against his bare chest, Keitaro let himself stop thinking about anything else besides Mayumi. He allowed himself to be walked towards her bed, sitting down when his leg came up against it, embracing Mayumi when she pushed him onto his back and lay on top of him.

Mayumi continued to explore the inside of Keitaro’s mouth with her tongue, her hair falling forward against his face, and she could feel the bulge of his erection through both of their clothes as she straddled him. She began to rub herself against Keitaro’s hardness, feeling him moan into her mouth in response and push back with his hips, clearly wanting her. Mayumi could tell that her own panties were damp, and she too wanted Keitaro in a way she hadn’t wanted someone in longer than she could recall. Lifting herself onto her knees, Mayumi reached down and laid her hand on Keitaro’s hardness, giving it a brief rub through his pants before she undid the button and pulled down the zipper.

Keitaro broke off the kiss momentarily and reached down to his pants, lifting himself up and pushing his pants and boxers down, allowing his erection to spring free. He watched transfixed as Mayumi dismounted him and helped pull his clothes the rest of the way off, taking a moment to yank off his socks, before she rolled onto her back and quickly removed her own jeans. As soon as she’d gotten them clear of her ankles, Mayumi tossed them to the floor, disposing of her own socks before she hooked her thumbs under her panties and removed them, kicking them away casually.

Mayumi then reached with her right hand to slowly stoke Keitaro’s manhood as she stretched her left arm to the night table and took hold of one of the condoms she kept in a bowl. She released Keitaro’s erection and deftly opened the package, placing the prophylactic on the tip and skillfully rolling it down until he was covered. Mayumi then straddled Keitaro once again and leaned forward to kiss him hungrily, purring as she felt the head of his prick brush up against her labia, clearly desperate to be inside her. Placing a hand on his shoulders, Mayumi pushed herself up and reached down between her legs and took hold of Keitaro with her other hand, guiding him to the correct position, and without hesitation sank down onto him.

Keitaro let out a cry as Mayumi made him slip more and more of himself inside her, until they made skin-to-skin contact with each other. He placed his hands on her waist, taking hold of her and trying to pull her even tighter against him, the sensation of her warmth surrounding him making him gasp. “M-Mayumi…”

She leaned down and kissed him frantically, sucking his lips between her own, biting them, but not hard enough to break skin. “My name, Keitaro,” Mayumi whispered huskily. “Please, keep saying my name…” She punctuated her request by pushing herself back up Keitaro’s member before savagely thrusting herself back down.

“Oh God… May-Mayumi!” Keitaro managed to rasp out, tightening his hold on Mayumi’s waist and pushing himself up to meet her plunging. He grit his teeth and locked his eyes on Mayumi, watching her face as she rode him without any delicacy or gentleness, but despite the raw, animalistic nature of the encounter, her eyes were still tender. He craned his head a little and she leaned down and kissed him again, feeling her breathe quickly through her nose as they continued to writhe together.

“K-Keitaro… f-faster, please… Ohhh…. That’s so good… Keitaro…” Mayumi murmured almost deliriously.

“Mayumi…” Keitaro whined, trying desperately to hold himself off despite the frantic pace they were setting.

For several minutes the young couple continued to thrust against the other in a half crazed effort to push themselves and the other over the edge. Then Mayumi pushed herself back up on her hands, gripping Keitaro’s shoulders tightly as she plunged herself up and down his erection as fast as she could, her face contorted, her eyes unfocused and wild, and breathing in shallow pants. With one violent, almost brutal thrust, Mayumi threw her head back and let out a shrill cry as she came, gripping Keitaro spasmodically as the waves of orgasm washed over her. “Kei-ta-ro…!” she cried out hoarsely.

“Mayumi!” Keitaro clenched his eyes and teeth shut, his head moving to the side, thrusting up with enough force that it lifted the both of them off of the mattress. His eyes rolled back into his head as he fired off three jets of his seed into the condom, feeling his warm essence run down the side of his covered shaft, a shudder passing over him before he collapsed into himself, Mayumi slumping against him moments later. He held her tightly for a few moments while they both tried to catch their breath, before Mayumi managed to push herself up, sweat covering her face, leaning down to give him a kiss even as she held his deflating shaft by the base and eased herself off of it.

Mayumi let herself collapse back against Keitaro’s chest and she laid there, his arms wrapped around her, listening to his breathing slowing down and looking up at his own sweat streaked face. They stayed like that for a few minutes, then Keitaro sat up and pulled the condom off of himself, tossing it into the garbage. He wiped himself off with some tissues and then laid back down and held Mayumi again, looking into her eyes as he stroked her face with the back of the fingers of his right hand. Mayumi mirrored his actions, caressing his face with her hand, and finding that she liked the way Keitaro was looking at her. Neither spoke, the wonderful intimacy of the moment too precious to squander with mere words.

And then the phone began to ring.

Mayumi looked at the phone, then Keitaro, and back again, silently cursing the unwanted intrusion before she gave him an apologetic look and picked up the receiver, sitting up and turning away from him as she spoke. “Hello? Oh, hello Ishida, how are you? I’m fine, thanks… No, just resting a while. Wednesday?” She quickly looked back at Keitaro. “Y-yes… I-I’m available then… See you… Bye…” Mayumi disconnected the call, and with a heavy heart turned back to look at Keitaro, not quite able to meet his eyes. His expression was oddly blank, and Mayumi wasn’t sure if that was better than an accusing look, or worse. "So, umm, you... I guess you know I won't be able to see you on Wednesday..." she whispered.

A twinge of disappointment showed on Keitaro’s face before he pushed it away “I-I know… It-it‘s what you do…” Not knowing what to say, or even if there were any appropriate words, Keitaro simply took hold of Mayumi and pulled her back into an embrace, stroking her red hair with his right hand.

Not wanting to say anything, but knowing that she had to, Mayumi hesitantly asked, “S-so y-you’re okay with all this…?”

For several tense seconds Keitaro didn’t answer, but he let out a sigh before replying. “I-I can’t say I’m happy… But I knew about this when you asked me out…” He looked into Mayumi’s eyes as he resumed caressing her cheek.

“I-if it bothers you, we-we could always go back the way it was… or-or stop seeing each other… if you want…”

“I don’t want that…” Keitaro murmured. “I-I like seeing you… like today. I enjoyed the day with you, and… and I’d like to do it again…”

“You want to keep seeing me?”

“Yes Mayumi… I do…” Keitaro’s face twisted quizzically. “Is something wrong?”

Mayumi absently brushed at her eyes. “No, I’m fine…”

“When-when could I see you again?”

Mayumi just smiled. “Give me a call, and we’ll plan a time, just like any couple, when we’re both free…” She leaned down and kissed Keitaro gently on the lips. “But Sundays… Sundays will ALWAYS be free… I’ll see you as often as I can, but Sundays will be the day I leave for you, Keitaro…” She paused, a funny look coming over her. “Did that sound corny?”

Keitaro smirked. “Maybe a little,” he admitted. “But I liked it…” He then pulled Mayumi down and kissed her gently, but found that she was raising the intensity a little, sliding one hand down his chest until she gently gripped his flaccid member, which stirred a little.

“Keitaro… What time did you say you’d be going home?” Mayumi gave him a gentle squeeze and smiled when she felt him start to harden.

Keitaro thought back a moment before answering. “I think I said about suppertime… Why do you ask?”

Mayumi stroked him once and leaned down to kiss Keitaro again, exploring his mouth with her tongue for a few moments before pulling back, and with a huskiness that sent shivers up Keitaro’s spine, whispered, “You’re going to be late…”

***

It was about a quarter to eleven when Keitaro began to make his way slowly up the steps toward Hinata House. Mayumi had been right, he was later than he’d expected, but he hadn’t wanted to call, and when he considered it, why would he have to? They’d spent most of the afternoon and evening in bed, either talking or engaging in other activities, getting out only to eat the take-out that they’d had delivered around dinner time. Keitaro had been struck by the irony that there actually WAS a place called Mach Speed noodles near Mayumi’s apartment. During one of their talks, they’d come to the decision that they simply wouldn’t talk about Mayumi’s occupation, and that it was better for the both of them that way.

‘It’s hard sometimes though,’ Keitaro considered as he continued to climb the steps. Mayumi had called a cab for him, but he’d asked the driver to let him out a few blocks early, hoping that the walk would clear his head a little. ‘But really, it’s not like I was the only person she…saw… before we started dating… Dating… I’m dating an escort… Who woulda thought?’

Keitaro knew that most others wouldn’t use that term, choosing a far harsher word to describe Mayumi. Glancing up at Hinata House, Keitaro suspected that some would use that term to describe Mayumi even before they knew what she did for a living. He found that he had to make himself keep walking up, and he had a sinking feeling that the hard part of the day was just about to start. ‘Will they all be waiting up for me?’ Keitaro wondered.

Walking uneasily into the residence, Keitaro called out, “I’m home,” as he took off his shoes and put on his slippers. He was actually a little surprised when no one responded. Now that he noticed, the residence seemed oddly quiet, though he could still hear some activity inside it. Trying to decide whether or not this was a good thing, Keitaro headed for the stairs when a voice from the darkened living room called out to him.

“You’re late Keitaro,” Kitsune’s Kansai drawl accused him.

“Sorry,” he replied quietly. “Went longer than I thought…”

Kitsune walked out of the gloom towards Keitaro, studying him with an openness and intensity that made him uneasy. After nearly a minute of inspection, during which Keitaro felt like a germ under a microscope, Kitsune finally spoke. “Is that… lipstick… on your collar?”

Keitaro looked down at his collar for a moment. “I guess…”

Kitsune’s eyes opened in surprise, but she recovered quickly, leaning in and sniffing at him. “Am I smelling PERFUME…?”

“I suppose,” Keitaro replied tiredly.

Kitsune stared at him for a few minutes before speaking again. “You didn’t… Don’t tell me you…?”

“Why not Kitsune?” Keitaro sighed. “We’re both adults…”

Kitsune recoiled as if she’d been slapped. “B-but… you… and…and-”

“I’m human, Kitsune. I’m only human…”

“C-couldn’t you have waited? Let her figure out-”

“And do what? Not let myself like anyone until then?” There was a trace of bitterness in Keitaro’s voice. “Pretend that I don’t like someone I meet?”

“B-but there are others here who-” Kitsune cut herself off before she said too much.

Keitaro was too tired to be tactful. “I can only care for the people here? Is that the problem? If-if I was seeing you, would Motoko be having this conversation?”

Kitsune found that she had no way to reply. She opened her mouth several times but closed it, not knowing what, if anything, she could say.

“I like Mayumi, and being with her,” Keitaro told her. “I didn’t meet her knowing this would happen, but it did, and-and I’m not going to walk away from her… I-I don’t want to hurt anyone, but that includes ME too.” Keitaro let out a deep sigh. “I’m tired Kitsune, I’m going to bed. I’m sure we’ll talk about this later…”

“But what-what happens now?”

“I don’t know… But I’m seeing Mayumi again next Sunday.” With that, Keitaro headed upstairs to his room, locking the door and slipping out of his clothes and laying on his futon. He stared up at the ceiling, at the hole to Naru’s room. ‘I-I’m sorry Naru… I wish things could have gone differently… I really do…’

Shaking his head to clear away unpleasant thoughts, Keitaro thought about Mayumi, the way she’d looked when he’d held her earlier. With this image in his mind’s eye, Keitaro was smiling when he finally fell asleep, his slumber untroubled.

***

Keitaro was actually surprised when the topic of him and Mayumi never came up the next day. He’d told Kitsune that they’d certainly talk about this later, but nothing came of it. Breakfast had been a subdued affair, no one really talking, and while it was awkward having no one maintain eye contact with him for more than a second, Keitaro was able to get through it. When he thought about it later, he realized that Shinobu had looked especially hurt, even when he’d complimented her cooking after he’d finished eating.

Keitaro went off to take care of some repairs that needed to be done, working through lunch, and when he came back for dinner, the atmosphere was much lighter. Everyone was chatting again, but there was a forced nature to it that Keitaro couldn’t help but notice, and he could feel the residents watching him while he was eating. Over dinner, they talked about almost everything, but they avoided talking about the day before and about possible plans for the coming week.

Naru made no attempt to reschedule the picnic that she’d discussed only the day before.

The state of denial continued for the entire week, right up to the moment he walked out the door the next Sunday afternoon to meet Mayumi. Again, he came home late in the evening, and this time no one was waiting up for him when he returned. The next day there wasn’t even a token attempt to pretend things hadn’t changed, and a dark pall hung over the dinner table, and Keitaro actually felt hurt that some of the residents seemed to believe that by seeing someone outside of the Sou he’d done something wrong. While he’d admit that he felt bad about how Naru was feeling, he’d known her long enough to know when she wasn’t happy, he also knew that they hadn’t been able to make things work between them.

Keitaro had decided that he wasn’t going to feel guilty about finding someone he cared about, and while he was hurting at the way things were now, he wasn’t forcing anyone to act the way they were. He continued his duties as a landlord, letting the residents decide how distant they wanted to be and simply giving them what they wanted.

For a while, Keitaro became more like a regular landlord, simply keeping up the maintenance of Hinata House and collecting rent, going on like this for a few months. There were still a few normal occurrences of him walking in at the wrong time, but even their reactions were different, usually shouting at him to be gone instead of sending him skyward. He also politely turned down an opportunity to go to the United States with Seta, since he didn’t want to spend the time away from Mayumi.

Keitaro finally started attending classes at Todai, and while he and Naru sometimes rode the same trolley, and even had a class together, they were merely civil, exchanging pleasantries but not much more. His first year as a student passed in a blink of an eye, an endless cycle of classes and studying, contrasted by time with Mayumi, as they saw each other every Sunday without fail, and at other times as often as their schedules allowed.

Mayumi even started calling Keitaro at Hinata House, he’d given her his number when he realized that she’d never called him, and the first time she had, Shinobu had given him the phone, silently envying the woman who could make sempai’s eyes light up the way they did just by calling him. None of the residents ever really met her, but Naru had once gotten a look at Mayumi when she’d met Keitaro after his final class one Friday afternoon. Naru happen to see them meet, and she was taken aback by her, wondering how Keitaro had managed to find a woman that gorgeous, never mind work up the nerve to talk to her. From the number of heads the woman turned, and the incredulous looks that followed the couple as they walked away holding hands, she wasn’t the only one who thought that.

Keitaro managed to get through his first year at Tokyo University, he’d learned enough studying with Naru to remember how to pass his courses, and when the second year started, he continued to score grades that while not spectacular, were better than average. There had also been some improvement in the interaction between himself and the residents, as the frostiness had thawed with time. Though he suspected, (correctly as it turned out) that things would never go back to the way they’d been before, he was relieved when they started to talk to him more like a friend than a landlord.

The residents, especially Naru, Motoko and Shinobu, had come to terms with the reality that Keitaro belonged to someone else. The quickness with which it had happened had surprised them; one day he’d said he was meeting someone, the next day he’d come home reeking of perfume, (or so Kitsune had told them.) They’d been blind-sided, losing a battle that they hadn’t even known they were fighting. While they were upset, they learned something from the experience, and without exception each vowed that they’d never leave someone they liked in the dark about their feelings ever again.

Keitaro completed his second year at Todai, relieved that he was halfway through the experience, having nearly worked to death to get by with good grades, and more than once wondering why he’d worked so hard to get in in the first place. The workload meant he couldn’t spend as much time with Mayumi as he liked, but he always would make time for Sunday. He’d once even worked all night before a deadline rather than give up the time with her, which he valued far more than any grade.

One day, between semesters, Keitaro was relaxing on the sofa, nursing a beer, something he’d acquired a taste for at university, though he favored foreign beer as opposed to what Kitsune drank. Channel surfing to pass the time, and bemoaning the poor quality of early Thursday evening television, he looked up when the phone rang. Shinobu was closer and she picked it up, listening for a second before calling out to Keitaro. “It’s for you, it’s Mayumi…” Shinobu had accepted it enough that she no longer got upset when the woman called Keitaro.

Setting down his bottle, Keitaro walked over and took the phone from Shinobu with a murmured thanks. The resident chef was still aiming for Tokyo University, and he was giving her all the support he could. “Hello Mayumi… No, nothing at the moment…” He frowned. “Is something wrong? No, I can make it… Gimme half an hour, see you then. Love you… Bye.” Keitaro hung up the phone, a puzzled look furrowing his brow.

“Is something wrong sempai?”

“Don’t think so, she… she just said I needed to come over…” He let out a breath and headed for the door. “I’ll see you later Shinobu,” Keitaro told her as he slipped on his shoes and headed out the door.

Shinobu watched him go, before looking at the phone. “You’d better not hurt him…” she growled to herself, blushing as soon as the words left her mouth.

***

About twenty-five minutes later, Keitaro was approaching Mayumi’s building, and was a little surprised to see her waiting for him outside. “What’s going on Mayumi?” he asked after kissing her in greeting.

“I want to show you something.”

“What is it?”

“You’ll see…” With that, she took his hand and lead him down the sidewalk, Keitaro following without hesitation. The two of them walked for seven blocks in silence, Keitaro’s curiosity growing with every step, but willing to be patient until Mayumi was ready to explain. But when they crossed the next intersection, she stopped, letting go of his hand and pulling something out of her purse. “Put this on…”

Keitaro looked at the strip of black fabric. “Is that a… blindfold…?”

“Yes…”

“ What is this?”

“Please Keitaro, just trust me?”

“Always…” He took the band and used it to cover his eyes, letting Mayumi take his hand and lead him. “It isn’t far, is it? This is weird, walking like this…”

“Just a little further Keitaro,” Mayumi reassured him. After another two minutes or so, she had him stop, then turned him to face something. “You can take it of now…”

Keitaro undid the blindfold, blinking as his eyes readjusted to the light, trying to see what Mayumi was showing him. He was in front of what looked like a restaurant, but nothing seemed to stand out, until the sign in the window caught his eye.

“‘Mayumi’s?’ What’s this?” Keitaro asked.

“My new job…”

Keitaro turned his head to look at her. “D-did you say…?”

Mayumi nodded. “Yes Keitaro… My new job. I’ve… retired.”

Keitaro felt an urge to cheer, but he settled for a grin. “That-that’s… great…”

“Would you like to see inside?”

“Please…”

Mayumi pulled out a key and opened the main door, allowing Keitaro to enter before following him in and locking it behind him. “What do you think?” she asked after she switched on the light.

Keitaro turned in a slow circle, taking in his surroundings. He realized that it wasn’t a restaurant but a tea house, and a rather nice looking one at that. While it was deserted at the moment, it was in immaculate condition, with twenty tables and a serving counter against the wall. “It’s really nice Mayumi,” Keitaro told her. “But where did this come from?”

“I’ve been coming here for about ten years, it used to be called Fujiko’s.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“No one did Keitaro,” Mayumi admitted. “This was kind of a secret of mine. I liked coming here for tea, and talking with the owner. About five years ago, Fujiko told me she was thinking on eventually selling this place.”

“Oh? Why?”

“She said she was getting too old, she’s in her late sixties, and wanted to retire. This place always does a good business, and her customers are loyal, so I asked her.” Mayumi affectionately ran her hand along the countertop before continuing. “We’ve always been friendly, so she gave me a price. We agreed that I’d buy it when I’d saved up enough. And as of last week, I had…”

“So you own it now?”

“Yes Keitaro. I’ve just ordered a new sign for outside, but Fujiko asked her customers to keep coming here, and they’ve agreed. She’s a sweet lady Keitaro, I’m sure you’d like her. I’m just having the apartment upstairs painted, and this week I’ll-”

“Wait,” Keitaro interrupted. “Apartment? What apartment?”

“I forgot to tell you, there’s a residence upstairs, and I’ll be moving in this week after it’s painted. Want to see?” Mayumi asked, using her head to point out the stairs.

“After you.” Keitaro followed Mayumi up the stairs, stepping through the opening and taking a look around. He let out an appreciative whistle; the apartment was big, much bigger than her old one, far bigger than the rooms at Hinata House. There was no furniture, save for a bedroll on the floor, but it had beautiful hardwood floors, an impressive kitchen, and a large window that gave a nice view of the street. “VERY nice…”

“I’m glad you like it. Would you like a cup of tea?”

“Yes.”

“Come back down, there’s no cups or chairs up here yet anyway,” Mayumi told him. The two of them went back down and Keitaro took a seat behind the counter while Mayumi started the tea. When the water was being heated, she sat next to Keitaro, having set the cups out, waiting for the water to boil. “Do-do you really like this place?”

Keitaro nodded. “Yeah, I do. I didn’t know you were interested in a place like this…”

“It’s been my goal for a long time,” Mayumi admitted. “It’s what I… worked for, being able to buy this place.” She got up and filled the cups when the water boiled, handing a steaming cup to Keitaro and sitting back down. “I finally got what I wanted. I won’t be seeing anyone anymore, I’m finished with that…”

“I’m happy for you,” Keitaro told her. “Really, I am. I’m glad you got what you wanted.”

“I’m going to be busy for a while though,” she sighed. “Moving out, moving in, and actually working here… It’s not going to be that easy… Oh, that’s right.” Mayumi reached into her pocket and pulled out a card and handed it to Keitaro. “This is my new number.”

“New number?”

“I’m getting a new phone number,” she explained. “I… I don’t want to have to talk to some people again…”

Keitaro didn’t comment on that, he simply placed the card in his pocket. “You’re moving in next Friday?”

“Yes. Take a week or so to get settled in, then it’s open for business…”

“Need a hand with moving?”

Mayumi smiled. “I’ve already hired movers, but I’d like it if you’d help me unpack…”

“I will…”

“Thanks.”

“Don’ ;t mention it, that’s a big apartment. You’ll need some help.”

Mayumi looked at Keitaro for a moment as she sipped her tea, before setting it down and taking a breath before speaking. “Yes, it-it’s a big apartment, especially for one person. B-but it wouldn’t seem so big if… if there were two people living in it…”

Keitaro froze, the cup an inch from his lips, slowly turning his head to look at Mayumi and lowering the cup to the counter. He saw her fidget nervously as he replayed what she’d said, wanting to be sure that he hadn’t simply heard wrong. “Y-you’re asking m-me? T-to move in? With you?”

“I-I-I am,” Mayumi stammered. “Oh god, I can’t believe I said that… That-that’s too forward, and you already have a place to live and a job there too…”

“M-Mayumi…”

“I& #8217;m being selfish, possessive… Wanting to have you there when I wake up, wanting to live with you, to be a simple housewife… If I want to see more of you, I-I could always find another way, why am I even thinking of this? Asking you to be with me, even after what I used to be…?”

Keitaro swallowed before speaking. “That… That almost sounded like a proposal…”

Mayumi went beet-red and dropped her eyes to the floor. “I should have kept my mouth shut…” she murmured. “What was I thinking? I’m a washed up whore. Me, asking a Tokyo University student to marry her? What kind of stupid shit is this? After what I did to earn this place? I shouldn’t even be bringing you here, it’s dirty-”

“Mayumi…”

She looked up, and there was real shame and regret marring her features. “What…?” she asked despondently.

“I will…”

“Will what?”

“I’ll do it…”

“What exactly?”

“Be with you.”

There was a long silence before Mayumi spoke again. “What do you mean?”

“If-if you want me to simply move in with you, I will. But if you were asking for more… I-I’d like that too…”

“I-I’m just a whore…”

“You’re Mayumi. MY Mayumi, teahouse owner. And I love you…” Keitaro saw a hint of moisture in her eyes before she all but jumped over and hugged him, holding on to him tightly as she cried onto his shoulder, and he rubbed her back as her shoulders shook.

After a few minutes of crying, Mayumi regained her composure, wiped away tear tracks and leaned back, her red rimmed sapphire eyes staring into Keitaro’s. “I love you Keitaro…” She gave him a kiss and rested her head on his shoulder and they sat in a comfortable silence for a while. “You-you wouldn’t mind giving me a hand running this place occasionally?”

Keitaro took on a thoughtful look. “I’m not sure, what’s the hourly wage? Do you offer medical coverage? And what about a pension? I have to think about my future-OW!”

Mayumi interrupted his speech with a smack to the back of his head. “I’m serious!” she told him, but there was a glint of humor in her eyes.

Keitaro sighed, willing his face to stay serious. “An abusive boss… I should probably try to unionize this establishment- Hey! Stop that!” Mayumi had started tickling him under his shirt. “This-this is pure intimidation!” he managed to gasp out between giggles.

“Does that mean you will?” Mayumi asked, continuing to tickle him mercilessly.

Instead of answering, Keitaro simply began to tickle Mayumi in response, letting his fingers dance along her skin, making her start to giggle. The two of them kept this up, tickling while trying vainly to block the other, until they were both winded, identical goofy grins on their faces. Mayumi then leaned forward and kissed Keitaro heavily, forcing her tongue between his lips and pressing herself against him.

“Is-isn’t this- Ohhh! se-sexual h-harassment?” Keitaro managed to gasp out as Mayumi started to kiss him hungrily along his neck.

“Do you want me to stop?” she asked.

“No.”

“Then it isn’t…” Mayumi then crushed her lips back against Keitaro’s, moaning softly into his mouth when she felt him ease his tongue into hers. She felt him move his arms to her lower back, slipping his right hand under her shirt and trace his fingertips across her skin, until they were resting on her stomach. When he moved them up so his fingers were brushing against the lower half of her bra-clad chest, Mayumi broke off the kiss, leaned back and deftly reached behind her back to undo the clasp.

Keitaro eased his hand under the now loose fabric and gently palmed Mayumi’s left breast, her nipple rising up to press into his hand. He pulled Mayumi back against him and laid kisses along the right side of her neck, trailing them towards her ear, and suckling her right earlobe. Mayumi cooed at this, reached down and laid her hand over the bulge in his pants, giving it a squeeze through the fabric. Keitaro found himself pushing back against her, and he removed his lips from Mayumi’s ear and lifted her shirt awkwardly, pushing her bra out of the way and bending down to take her left nipple between his lips, greedily sucking on it.

Mayumi’s eyes were unfocused with a blush on her face as she struggled to stand up without making Keitaro stop. Getting to her feet she stepped closer to him, his head now at eye level with her breasts and continued to stroke his erection through his pants. She managed to undo the button and with her slender fingers slowly pulled down the zipper, Keitaro’s boxers becoming visible, straining to contain his hard on. Somewhat reluctantly, Mayumi pulled back from Keitaro, her nipple escaping from his mouth, even as he leaned forward to try to keep suckling it. With her other hand, Mayumi lifted his chin so she could kiss him again, letting him slip his tongue into her for a minute before she broke it off and knelt down in front of him.

“May-Mayumi… Y-you don’t-”

“Just sit back Keitaro…” she told him, looking up into his eyes, flashing him a lascivious smile. “I want this.” Without giving him a chance to rebut her, Mayumi pulled down his boxer shorts, allowing his prick to spring up unencumbered, holding it in her right hand as she stuck out her tongue and ran it along the underside of the head, trailing it to the very tip. She heard Keitaro groan in response, and after making sure that he was looking down at her, Mayumi eased the tip into her mouth and wrapped her lips around it, her tongue swirling over it like it was a lollipop.

“M-Mayumi…” Keitaro panted, his face twisting as he looked down to see her watching him watch her as she slowly sucked his cock, her head bobbing a little as she took him into her mouth shallowly, concentrating on stimulating the head. He reached down with his right hand and gently ran his fingers through her hair; it felt like strands of crimson silk, and Keitaro loved the feel of it against his skin. He couldn’t take his eyes off of Mayumi, though he clenched his eyes shut spasmodically when she eased her head forward and took more of him into her mouth.

Mayumi smiled on the inside when Keitaro cried out as her lips reached the base of his shaft, wrapping tightly around it before moving her head back, her cheeks drawn inward as she sucked deeply. Using her left hand, Mayumi gently played with Keitaro’s balls, caressing the warm orbs as she took him back into her mouth, deep throating him as she continued to look up into his eyes. From the look in them, Mayumi could tell that he wasn’t far from finishing, and she slowed down a little, wanting to prolong the experience.

Keitaro whimpered as he felt Mayumi slow her pace, torn between wanting the experience to go on forever and getting the release his body craved. Despite the slower rhythm, Keitaro could feel himself building to a climax, the simple act of looking into Mayumi’s eyes almost as stimulating as the feel of her lips and tongue. Clenching his teeth tightly and breathing quickly through his nose, Keitaro felt himself relentlessly approaching the edge, all the while continuing to softly stroke Mayumi’s hair. “Mayumi… please…” he begged.

Mayumi briefly considered making him wait a little longer, but she decided that she couldn’t be that mean to Keitaro. Continuing to knead his testicles with her left hand, she bobbed her head, now focusing the first third of his prick, knowing that was the most sensitive part.. She watched his face contort as if in pain, torn between holding himself off and letting go. With a loud cry, Keitaro finally climaxed, letting out a stentorian groan as he fired one, then two more jets of his seed into her mouth, his eyes breaking contact with hers as they rolled back into his head. Mayumi continued to slide her lips along his now deflating erection, swallowing his essence and cleaning him off, seeing the tired exhilaration in Keitaro’s eyes as he regained his control.

Feeling the sweat break out all over his body, Keitaro panted to catch his breath, letting go of Mayumi’s hair and helping her to her feet. She sat in his lap and smiled at him, taking a sip of her tea before leaning forward to kiss him, Keitaro responding as much as the post orgasmic weariness would allow. After a few minutes the fatigue passed, and Keitaro began to kiss Mayumi more hungrily, using his arms to hold her tightly to him.

Deciding that he’d been a spectator for too long, Keitaro shifted his arms so that he could pick Mayumi up, and he placed her on the counter in front of him, kissing her all the while, before he reached down and slid his hands up her long legs, hiking up her skirt until her panties were visible. Keitaro then reached up and hooked a finger under the waistband and pulled them down as quickly and sensually as he could, before leaning forward and moving his head towards the junction of her legs.

“K-Keitaro! We-we should go upstairs, this isn’t hygienic, I have to serve drinks here, and-” Mayumi had her concerns cut off abruptly as Keitaro ran the tip of his tongue along her labia, making her hiss in response. “The counter will get- Ohhh! …d-dirty, w-we should go upstai- Ahhh!”

Keitaro briefly lifted his head from between Mayumi’s legs and looked at up her. “When are you opening?”

“…a week from Sunday…”

Keitaro smiled. “Plenty of time for me to help you clean up…” He lowered his head back to Mayumi’s sex and eased the tip of his tongue between her lips.

“It’s still w-wrong- Ohhh! Oh, who cares..?” Mayumi let herself rest on her elbows as Keitaro began to probe deeper inside her damp passage, lapping up at the moisture that had been collecting since they’d started kissing. She wanted to simply lay back and luxuriate in the feelings Keitaro’s tongue induced in her, but she found that the idea of watching him was arousing, probably the same way Keitaro had enjoyed watching her. Sure enough, she saw him gazing at her, even as he began to suckle on one of her labia, and he grinned at her with his eyes. “Keitaro… Unnhhh… That feels so-ooo good…”

Keitaro was entranced at the expression on Mayumi’s face as he lapped inside of her. He’d done this before, but he never got tired of the look on her face when he did, and knowing that it was because of him made it more exciting. He forced his tongue even deeper into her warm channel, loving the moan Mayumi let out, her head lolling back, and her hair spilling over the edge of the counter. He eased his tongue out of her, making her groan in frustration before he wrapped his lips around her clitoris, sawing his teeth along it and making her cry out. His cheeks and chin were covered by Mayumi’s wetness, but he continued to lick her frantically.

Mayumi shifted so she was resting on her left elbow, reaching down with her right hand, gripping Keitaro’s hair and pulling him tightly against her. She was breathing in shallow pants as Keitaro lapped at her, driving her to a climax of her own, Mayumi was writhing on the countertop, concerns about getting it dirty long since forgotten, now wanting nothing more than to finish. She laid on her back, her left hand moving to her chest, lifting her blouse out of the way and squeezing and pinching her nipples, the twin stimulations driving her crazy. Craning her head she saw Keitaro still watching her, his head moving slightly as he trilled his tongue along her clit. “Kei-Keitaro… Close… so close… hurry… hurry… Unnhh… Ahhh!” Mayumi arched her back and let out a shrill cry, pushing up against Keitaro’s face as she pulled him against her sex, her climax making the world go grey around the edges.

Keitaro felt a rush of wetness against his face as Mayumi began to shudder, undeniably sexy cries coming from her mouth. He continued to keep up his efforts until she went still, breathing hard and staring wide eyed at the ceiling. Wiping his face against Mayumi’s thighs, Keitaro stood up, his now sweat soaked shirt sticking to him, making him itchy, so he pulled it over his head before leaning down to crush his lips to Mayumi’s, his tongue dueling with hers as she wrapped her arms around him. He broke the kiss and rested his head on her chest, listening to her heartbeat slowly return to normal.

Mayumi finally caught her breath and she wrapped her legs around Keitaro, pulling him against her, his prick now almost fully erect, nudging up against her thigh. She reached down and took hold of it, feeling it stiffen completely at her touch, and she pulled him closer, kissing him again and looking at him hungrily, stopping cold when she noticed the panicked look on his face. “Keitaro? W-what’s the matter?”

“I-I don’t have any protection… Without it, I can’t-”

“Why don’t we try it,” Mayumi interrupted. “Without, this time…”

“Mayumi?”

“I-I had my last check up. I’m fine. I want to feel you, only you…” Mayumi looked at Keitaro and he could clearly see the desperation tinged lust in her eyes. “I’m yours, only yours, and I’ve wanted to feel you for so long, so please, don’t stop, just- Uhhh!” Mayumi grunted as Keitaro effortlessly pushed into her, forcing himself as far as he could and stopping.

Keitaro let out a gasp; he’d been in Mayumi many, many times, but this was the first time he’d ever been unprotected. The rush of warmth he felt took his breath away, and he could have remained motionless had not Mayumi started squirming, clearly wanting him to keep going. Taking a moment to get a good grip on her thighs and ensure his footing, Keitaro then slowly eased himself back before thrusting forward as hard as he could, slipping himself as far as he could into her. The cry Mayumi let out spurred him to continue and he pulled back again and drove forward into her.

Mayumi heard herself gasping out as Keitaro continued to push into her; she hadn’t had unprotected sex in longer than she could remember, and never with anyone that she’d loved before. She was using the pill to insure against pregnancy, so she was free to give herself to Keitaro without worry. She felt him tighten his grip on her waist as he continued to thrust into her, his shaft creating delicious friction as it stretched her tight tunnel.

Keitaro felt sweat rolling down his back and chest as he tried to speed up his pace, Mayumi’s legs wrapped tightly around him, pulling him against her. “I love… you… Mayumi…” he gasped out, the faraway look in her eyes captivating him.

Mayumi took hold of Keitaro’s shoulders Pulling him down against her, using her right hand to move her blouse aside so she could feel his skin against her, kissing him fiercely. “Love you… love you… love you…” she murmured almost deliriously, kissing Keitaro along the side of his neck, pushing back in time with his thrusts. She hadn’t felt anything like this since… ever, she realized absently. She wasn’t sure if it was because of who she was with, or that he had agreed to be hers, but she felt herself get swept away by the moment. Meeting his lips again with her own, Mayumi thrust her tongue into Keitaro’s mouth, feeling sweat drip from his forehead onto hers, as she moaned passionately into his mouth, gripping his slick shoulders as tight as she could.

Keitaro desperately tried to think of something unpleasant, anything to hold off even for a few seconds longer. Breaking the kiss, he kept his face mere inches from Mayumi’s, looking deep into her blue eyes, seeing his face reflected in them and vaguely noticing that her frantic breathing matched his own. His pants were still on, pulled down only enough for him to stick out, and the sweat on his legs made them chafe. A detached part of his mind was now grateful that the teahouse had tinted windows as it meant that it was hard to see in from outside, but at that moment, he wouldn’t have cared if they were clear.

Mayumi looked up at Keitaro and saw him grimace, his teeth tightly clenched, strangled cries coming from his throat as he increased his pace even more, thrusting himself into her in an animalistic frenzy. She felt his breath on her face, and she was teetering on the brink, longing for the last push to send her over. Keitaro suddenly went rigid, arching his back and lifting his head away, a hoarse cry torn from his lips, and she felt a rush of liquid fire launched deep into her, splashing up against her cervix as he came. Mayumi cried out Keitaro’s name, clenching her legs around him, raking his back with her fingernails. She shuddered heavily as she climaxed, pulling him tight against her, feeling him slump bonelessly, his breathing ragged, his energy clearly spent.

Keitaro let himself rest against Mayumi, a little worried about being too heavy, but honestly lacking the energy to even brace himself with his hands. He felt Mayumi kiss the side of his head and stroke his hair, murmuring indistinctively in his ear, and he kissed her earlobes, the only part he could reach without moving. They stayed entwined for several minutes, to the point Keitaro wondered if Mayumi hadn’t simply fallen asleep, when he heard her whisper in his ear.

“Keitaro… Can you stay tonight? Please?”

“Yes…” After a few more minutes, Keitaro felt strong enough to push himself up, his now flaccid member slipping out of Mayumi, and he reached for a few napkins to try to clean himself, her, and the counter. They both wiped themselves and the countertop, Keitaro promising that he’d bleach it later. When he felt he’d cleaned up all he could, Keitaro picked up his shirt and flung it over his shoulder, before sweeping Mayumi up in his arms, and after making sure he wouldn’t drop her, started towards the stairs with her.

“Keitaro, I can walk…”

“I know, this is… practice.”

“What for?”

“Isn’t this what husbands are supposed to do?” he asked with a timid smile.

“You were… serious…?”

“Yes… Were you?”

“…yes…” Mayumi embraced Keitaro and let herself rest against him as he took her up the stairs and through the door, carrying her across the floor and gently setting her on the bedroll. She removed her now sweaty clothing and slipped under the covers, Keitaro joining her moments later. Resting her head on his chest and feeling his arms wrap around her, Mayumi closed her eyes and fell asleep, Keitaro snoring softly with her a few moments later.

***

A month later, they were resting in the now furnished bedroom, on a brand new bed and mattress, which Mayumi had insisted on buying, the centerpiece of it. On the floor were the discarded remnants of the suit Keitaro had worn, and Mayumi’s simple white gown. Keitaro was on his back, naked and sweaty, a similarly harried Mayumi breathing hard in his arms, and staring in contented wonderment at the gold band on his left ring finger, and the matching ring on Mayumi’s.

Going back to Hinata House the morning after he and Mayumi had gotten engaged had been the second hardest thing Keitaro had ever done; telling the residents that he was getting married, and leaving his post as landlord had been the hardest. As expected, the residents had been taken by surprise, and he didn’t blame them for questioning his sanity. Had he been in someone else’s shoes, he might have felt the same way.

The hurt looks that the residents had worn made him feel even guiltier about his choice, but he’d known that it was going to be like that. If he’d been able to do it without hurting anyone he would have, but that would have meant putting it off indefinitely, and he wasn’t going to do that to Mayumi. Or himself.

The wedding had been a low-key affair. While he would have been willing to put on a royal pageant if Mayumi had wanted it, she’d preferred the quiet ceremony. All the Hinata residents had been there, though Keitaro suspected that a few of them had needed to be coaxed; Motoko hadn’t even made eye contact with Mayumi, never mind talking to her. The rest of the Hinata residents, save Haruka, had been polite, but only as much as was required. Haruka had been the only one to really open up with Mayumi, and even tried to give her some advice about running a teahouse.

Keitaro let out a sigh; thinking about hurt feelings depressed him, even in his new bride’s arms. Shaking his head to clear the melancholy, he smiled when Mayumi snuggled tighter against him.

“Something wrong?” she asked him.

Keitaro shook his head and smiled. “No. just… thinking about something…”

“Oh? What?”

He leaned his head down and kissed Mayumi’s sweaty forehead. “Nothing really. Just… where I came from…”


End of Spoils of War

This was pre-read by Rx7.

Thanks again buddy!

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