I wake calmly, the sound of rain resonating through the summer house.
I'm so glad I woke up before Hanako, it gave me just enough time to sneak back to my bed. Last night was an absolute fantasy for me, but why am I still worried?
Did I force my feelings onto him? What if he doesn't really feel that way, he just acquiesced me out of pity? Oh Hisao, I love you but I'm still so scared. You said you weren't going to leave me, I truly hope you meant that.
I hear Hanako stagger out of bed, yawning and, presumably, rubbing her eyes. As she brushes her teeth, a pang of guilt blindsides me.
I had promised her that I would back off Hisao and, let's face it, I did completely the opposite. If she's accepted my offer and finds out that I slept with him, she's going to hate me. Hanako, I didn't mean to pull you into this. I just couldn't stand the thought of losing someone else. I wasn't strong enough to hide my feelings, and now I might hurt two of the people I love most in this world.
Hanako groggily walks out the door and into the living room. After a few seconds I follow reluctantly, dreading what may happen when Hanako finds out Hisao and I confessed.
A light conversation seizes my attention. It appears Hisao choked on his pills when Hanako entered the room. Hisao......at least you're taking your pills.
"Hi Lilly" Hisao greets me warmly.
"Good morning....Hisao" I reply a little tensely. Oh god, I need to talk to him alone. Hanako's going to know something is up.
"Um, I'll....start making breakfast." Hisao says as he begins walking away.
Jesus Hisao, are you a mind reader? "I'll help, Hanako, could you set the table?".
She accepts her task while Hisao and I walk to the kitchen. After a few moments of tense silence Hisao whispers, "Are you ok, Lilly? After last night..."
He's worried about me? It was an amazing time, but I still feel like I may have forced him into it. I nod slowly, contemplating my next words.
"I'm sorry Hisao. I wasn't thinking straight yesterday. I wasn't considering you or Hanako, and I even went as far as..."
I feel him gently bump me, "You don't have to apologize. I said I liked you as well, after all."
"But, I," I can feel tears on the edge of my voice. Remembering last night, how tense I am now, how embarrassed I feel. It's becoming too much.
He wordlessly pulls me into an embrace. I sink into his arms, pulling back from the sobs. I feel his head snap up, noticing something.
Hanako
She must have seen us
===================================
Dinner passes in complete silence. I want to start something, to begin explaining, but my tongue feels caught in my throat.
"Lilly..." Hisao asks, forcing me to respond.
"This might seem abrupt," I begin, "But I've confessed to Hisao."
"Did you accept," She asks inquisitively. I can't read her response at all.
"I did," Hisao admits.
"Then I'm happy, I'm really really happy," Her words are so earnest, so bright that I feel myself believing them entirely. Her reaction stuns me. It was the best response I could imagine, so I never expected it.
"I'm sorry for not telling you anything about it before," I apologize, "Things have been..."
"To be honest, I began to think you might like each other a while ago. At first I didn't know what to think about it...but I..., I decided in the end that if my friends were happy, then I'm happy." She continues "I was really glad to have another friend when we met Hisao, so you finding love through him is even better, right?"
Her words do not crash onto me like the waves of an ocean, they settle on the skin and melt into me. I feel completely relaxed and relieved.
"Thank you Hanako. I really appreciate you being so understanding." Though her explanation of her feelings moved me, I still feel guilty.
"Hisao," I hear her say "do you mind if me and Lilly go outside a bit?"
"Ah, no. Feel free."
"Hanako?" I question as she grabs my hand and drags me outside.
Once we're out of earshot, Hanako speaks up.
"Lilly, you did the right thing, you did the BEST thing." I've never heard her speak with this conviction before, "But, most importantly, you did what was right for yourself and not someone else."
"Hanako, what do you mean?"
"You do so much for me, you're always charging in on your white horse to take care of me. You giving up Hisao for me would have been too much. I may like him, but you love him, I can see that."
"Charge in on my white horse?" I ask.
She responds "Our friendship has been one sided for a while now, you do so much for me and I feel so....useless. I have never seen you do something only for yourself before. You confessing to Hisao showed me that you thought of me as a friend, not some waste of space that needs to be tiptoed around and catered to."
"Hanako I just did what I have to do. I had so many feelings about Hisao. I never thought you were useless and didn't mean to make you feel that way. I just thought you needed help, and I always help those that I feel need it" I'm rambling now.
Her embrace stops me, "Lilly, I don't not appreciate what you do for me. I just want this to be a turning point, where you stop being my mother and start being my friend."
I feel her pull back and excitedly say, "This trip made me feel like I had a family again. Hisao's my brother and you're my sister and...oh, wait. T-that wouldn't w-work." It takes me a second to understand, and I begin laughing.
"My, my, someone's a bit cheeky today," She laughs as I laugh. As we sit in this field laughing together, I know my life has changed today for the better.
==========================================================
We spent the rest of today alternating between lounging around the house and exploring the outside of Hokkaido. It's not the most exciting way to end the trip, but I feel we all needed a bit of serene-ness to finish out the day.
As I lie here on my bed I begin to think about my parents' summons.
I still don't know how to respond. I couldn't tell Hisao now, he'd just end this relationship and leave me. If I wait to tell him then he'll be angry that I kept it secret. Finally, if I refuse the summons I'll be out of favor with my parents and separated from Akira for a man who, though I do love, I have very new feelings for.
I'm just going to have to wait, an answer has to pop up sometime.
As I hear the sound of Hisao's bath running, I realize that I need him right now.
Walking over to the bathroom door, I knock and wonder what the hell I'm doing.
"May I...come in?" I tentatively ask.
"I'm still in the bath, I'll be out in a sec."
Oh Hisao, you silly goose, that's the point. "...I know" I respond.
"S-sure, come in," Now he sounds like Hanako, please don't sound like Hanako. Stop thinking about Hanako when you're in the bathroom with your naked boyfriend Lilly!
"Ah...H-hey...Lilly," I need to ask this quickly, before I lose my nerve to be with Hanako...Hisao, HISAO! Not Hanako, Hisao!
"Do you mind if I take a bath with you?" I sputter out quickly. I feel very awkward about this but I want to be near him. The touch of his hands, the smoothness of his skin, his.....they're all I can think about.
"I don't mind, go ahead," Thank god that damn stutter is gone. As I undress I hear his voice "I could do that for you, if you'd like."
Blushing furiously, I respond "Refused."
"Why?" He asks.
"..." because I'm already extremely embarrassed and I want to be near you and oh god I feel awkward and...
Damn it Lilly, just stop thinking, you're gonna hurt yourself.
As I fully undress, I swear, I can FEEL his eyes.
"Hisao"
"Hmm?'
"You're thinking perverted thoughts, aren't you?" I'm only teasing him, but to make it convincing I pout.
"Give me a break, you're undressing in front of me."
I pretend to think for a second, "I guess this would be somewhat more erotic for you than me."
"Why...Ah." He says slightly downcast.
I chuckle a bit, you're too easy Hisao.
"If this is too much for you Hisao I can come back later."
"No no this is fine. You're really beautiful you know."
My light shade of red must turn even darker now. "Hisao," I mutter.
"In any case, may I come in" I ask.
He accepts and I climb into the tub with him. I sit in his lap and I can feel him tensing up. It's so cute, he doesn't know how to respond.
Feeling his movements against mine sends light pulses of pleasure throughout my body. I love being close to him, feeling his body, just being with him.
"You run your baths quite hot don't you"
"A bit. Do you want me to run some cold water and cool it off a bit?"
Ever the gentleman Hisao. I decline his offer and begin to enjoy him.
After a long silence even I feel a bit tense. "Maybe this was a bit too..." I begin to admit.
"Don't worry, he says, it's ok." He pauses for a bit, "You know compared to Akira, you look more foreign."
"I took after my mother's side genetically. Akira took after my father's more."
"I guess that makes sense. How on earth did a native Scot and a Japanese businessman meet anyway?" He asks curiously.
Really Hisao. Your girlfriend's in the tub with you and you want to talk about my parents? Well alright, "My mother was a journalist. She met my father while at a conference in Inverness."
"Ah I see. Taking after your Scottish side would explain your height." He sighs as I nod, then he says "It really is too much isn't it?"
I laugh, enjoying the feeling of his body a bit more, "You're enjoying it though, aren't you?"
"In some ways yes, I guess things turned out ok in the end. Hanako's taken our relationship well and we'll be going back to school tomorrow."
"Indeed," I agree, "It's a shame to go back so soon, but we'll still have our memories of this place.
"Memories, huh?" He responds, "We'll have to see how everything goes when we get back. But for now.. I'm just glad you like me. I've been winding myself up for weeks, I'm thankful things turned out like this."
"Hey Lilly, how was it last night?"
I smile, blushing instinctively. I relax into his body, feeling it envelop me. "Hisao, your heart's beating...." My response is cut short as he places a hand on my thigh. My my, even he's starting to get frisky.
I lean into him as he kisses my neck and begins to massage my thighs.
"Hisao, please," I have to resist a little bit, can't let him think I'm that easy.
I grab his hand and move it to my breast.
Well, maybe I am that easy.
Every touch of his hands sends shock through my body. I don't remember his reactions being as intense as mine when I was feeling him last night.
I continue to protest weakly, but the protestations come less and less as I feel myself letting go. Allowing my pleasure to take over and succumb to him. I can't stop my body from squirming and I'm barely holding back a moan.
"Lilly..." he withdraws his hands, and motions for me to stand.
We both gingerly stand, get out of the tub, and sit down right next to it. I give him a kiss and hear him gasp as I lower myself onto him.
Just from his massages and fondling he has pushed me close to climax. I hold his head and kiss him while rocking my hips up and down.
"Hisao...," I plead, "Hisao..." tightening my grip on him, I feel the wave of pleasure coming.
His breathing quickens as his comes too, and, as he thrusts in deep for the last time, I dig my nails into his shoulders as we both climax.
Thoroughly spent, I slump forward onto him.
"That was...good," he responds between ragged gasps.
"Mm..," 'and that was one hell of an understatement Hisao', I think as I kiss him.
============================================
After taking a second bath, rushing through the station, nearly missing the train, and me almost falling onto the tracks, we all collapse into our seats. Hanako is asleep before she sits down.
My eyes are beginning to close as I hear Hisao groan, "So tired."
"And whose fault is that Hisao?" I can't resist making a jab at him. He was so forward in that tub, I liked it a lot.
"Yeah, yeah it was mine." He admits. "Still, getting into a bath with a guy is a dangerous thing to do."
"Evidently." I feign ignorance.
"Sorry. I guess I kind of took advantage of the situation back there."
I don't want him to think that. I let out, "Well...I didn't exactly hate it." I grin as my mind goes...elsewhere.
"Say it," he says smugly. He must have seen my smile.
"I...knew the possibility of it happening...was there." I admit far too easily. My my, this man.
"I knew it," I can almost feel his smile, "You're just as dirty minded as I am."
I definitely can't deny that it's true. Still, I'm a lady, "That's a rather crude way of putting it."
"Oh?" he replies amused, "and you would suggest?".
"I merely have a healthy adolescent sex drive." I reply cheekily.
"So, in other words, dirty minded." He persists.
I'm about to respond as Hanako mumbles and grips me tighter. For all her talk of wanting only a friend, she still cuddles with me like I'm her mother. At least in her sleep.
"You really love Hanako, don't you?"
I love her, I know I do. And I also love Hisao. if Akira were here then I would have everyone I love in one little room. I'd have everyone I need.
"It's a pity to return to school. She seemed to relax so much while we were all away."
"I wouldn't worry," He reassures me, "Hanako's been gaining confidence thanks to you, at least as long as I've known you."
More like in spite of me if I take into account what she told me.
I sigh, "I think I merely provided her with company and support. Since she came to know you she opened up more, even to me."
Because you treated her like a true friend, not someone that needs to be taken care of. You gave her enough self worth for her to tell me how she really felt. It's going to be hard to stop being the mother, but for her I will absolutely learn.
"On the bright side, it won't take long for the summer holidays to arrive after our exams are finished. We could come back here during the summer holidays if you want."
On this note, the guilt of my decision almost incapacitates me. He doesn't know, he wants to plan for the future. I can't tell him yet, I can't even tell him soon.
"That would be....good. I think."
It would be good, if it could happen. Oh Hisao, I know I can love you that much, I just hope you return my feelings.
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