Katawa Shoujo Forums

Another excellent piece. You managed to make me like Rin (No, I won't cease to thank you for that), and on this one, you managed to make me hate Lilly, that's an excellent work, you can be proud of yourself. Now, talking about this chapter in particular, I have a really bad feeling about what will happen with Lilly. You did an excellent job with playing with her character, you did an excellent job with the changes in her relationship with her sister, and to be honest, I kinda dread what will happen with her, especially in her personal side. That's the first time I said "What a fucking bitch" when it comes to her, and to be fair, since I never did that before, you really did a good job.

I don't know what will happen, I don't know if Akira will get along with Lilly like they were before. But, if something happens to Lilly in her personal side, because of how she acted with Akira, she would deserve it, even if I love Lilly as a general character. The only thing I hope is to see Akira being happy with Hisao. I don't know what you have planned for them, but she deserves happiness.

That was an excellent reading, as always. I can't wait to read the next chapters, and I already know they will be very good, because you're an excellent writer.

Well, your portrayal of Akira and Lilly's father certainly isn't winning any Father of the Year awards. I don't think I've read a more despicable version of him in any story on here. I have my doubts that this version of him will see the error of his ways by the end of the story. I can say the same about Lilly, unfortunately, though it would be nice if her relationship with Akira improves somehow.

Anyway, I am looking forward to the next installment! This story is based on a pairing that has always been a very hard sell for me, but I think you have done a great job with it so far.

Chapter 9

I’ve never been one to think about overseas prospects, nor the idea of flying to another country. Perhaps for some it would be an exciting experience, but I’m not one of those people, preferring to be rooted in a familiar land with people who speak the same language as me. The idea of waiting for someone at an airport’s arrival lounge, especially at this point in my life, seemed implausible.

And yet here I am. At an airport for the second time in two months, on a late Sunday night, no less. And I couldn’t be more excited.

There are other people here in the arrival area, a lot of them wearing suits. Some are holding up signs with names on them, others look eagerly at the flow of people pouring out the door, trying to spot the people they’re trying to meet up with. No different from me, I suppose.

I wonder if I should have worn something that makes me stand out more, though I suppose it makes little difference. As I tap my foot in anticipation of her arrival, I can’t help but feel amazed that this is happening so soon into our relationship. While I wasn’t expecting to wait years for the chance to see her again, only having to wait a month or so turned out to be a pleasant surprise.

And yet I still find myself impatient at her impending arrival. My eyes continue to scan the outpour of people until I finally manage to catch a glimpse of her.

Akira walks out of the gate wearing a thick black coat and long blue jeans, dragging a rather large luggage bag. She scans the area until her eyes meet mine, and proceeds to eagerly walk up to me with a smile on her face. It’s a smile I gladly reciprocate as I walk towards her, closing the distance even faster.

A few hours ago, we were thousands of kilometers away from each other. And now, we’re just a few meters apart. It made our dread about never seeing each other again, back before we became a couple, seem silly in hindsight.

“Hey there, big guy,” Akira says in a casual manner as she stops right in front of me. “I’m finally here…”

“Yeah, you really are.” I respond before hugging her, which she returns without any sort of hesitation. I was always able to hear her voice and see her face every day, thanks to the wonders of technology. But this...the warmth of her body, my arms around her...

I missed this feeling more than words can probably articulate, and judging by how tightly she’s holding me, she seems to feel the same way. As we continue embracing each other, I feel as if this vacation is already starting on a high note.

And that it’s going to get even better. I have no basis for that; it was simply an optimism that I choose to believe in.

“Thanks for the warm welcome, Hisao,” Akira says as she pulls away from me, and we begin walking side by side towards the exit. “Sure beats the hell out of seeing me through a shitty phone camera, huh?”

“Absolutely,” I reply, chuckling a little as I glance at the rather large bag. It’s almost as big as two regular sized ones. I hold out my hand towards her, which she grabs with her free hand. “Especially because I can do stuff like this.”

“We’ll be doing a lot of it, I’d imagine.” Akira squeezes my hand as she says that, a playful smirk on her face. “Though I hope you don’t just stop at holding hands and hugging. It’d be pretty disappointing to come all this way just for that, you know.”

We exit the airport, heading for a taxi stand to grab a cab home. After a few attempts, I’m finally able to get one. With some help from the driver, Akira puts her luggage bag into the trunk and we sit in the backseat, beginning the ride home.

“You sure you’re fine with staying at my apartment?” I ask as the taxi begins moving. “It’s not exactly spacious, and I wouldn’t really mind if you wanted to stay in a place with more amenities to offer.”

“I’m good. Not my first time living in a tight space,” Akira answers, yawning slightly before resting her head on my shoulder. I recall her doing the same on her last trip, making me guess at her intentions back then. There’s no such ambiguity this time; the affections in her actions are as clear as day. “Besides, my boyfriend is there. All the amenities I need...besides a couple cans of beer. Speaking of which...”

“A six pack is already in the fridge,” I answer before she can finish. “I was considering two, but it’s hard finding space these days.”

“Good man,” Akira says in approval, before kissing me on the cheek. “You know, it still feels weird that I’m coming here so soon. Like it was almost...too easy.”

“People giving you trouble back home?” I ask, and her response is to burrow her head even further into my shoulder, muttering all the while.

“Let’s not talk about that, at least not now,” she requests, the fatigue in her voice apparent now. “I had a long flight and the last two days haven’t been pretty, so it’d be nice not to talk about the stuff I came here to get away from.”

“Fair enough,” I respond, trying to think of what to say. How our days have been was usually the prevailing topic whenever we had our conversations, and miscellaneous facts about us took up the remaining time. “Well, any plans on what to do tomorrow?”

“Don’t worry, I definitely have something in mind,” Despite how tired she is, I can hear the excitement in her voice. “Not in the morning though. Was hoping we’d laze around until evening, since I’ve booked us a really nice place for dinner. It’s isn’t that long of a walk from your apartment either.”

“You reserved something like that all the way from Scotland?” I didn’t think she would plan things this far in advance and this meticulously.

“I told you this was something I’ve been looking forward to more than most things in my life. Why shouldn’t I go the extra mile? And dinner is only the tip of the iceberg,” Akira says, sounding rather proud of herself. “That reminds me, do you have anything fancy to wear?”

“Not really,” I answer, feeling a bit awkward. “Fanciest pieces of clothing I have are buttoned shirts and long black pants.”

“Guess we’ll be doing a little shopping tomorrow then,” Akira mutters, her voice getting softer. “You can probably get away with a buttoned shirt and long pants, but you’ll need a suit. Maybe some nice black shoes to go along with it.”

“The place is that fancy, huh?” I ask, feeling a little embarrassed at my lack of formal clothing. “Didn’t really think I’d need something like that.”

“Trust me, you’ll need one when you start going for job interviews. Might as well do it now and get some use out of it outside of that,” Akira replies, her voice now a whisper. “Besides, you’d probably look really nice in a suit. How long till we get to your place?”

“Another forty minutes, maybe a little longer,” I answer, feeling a little tired myself. I rest my head on top of hers, Akira letting out a sigh of approval. “Let me guess, you want a little nap until we get there?”

“Yeah,” Akira responds before yawning again. “We can continue talking once we get to your place. Wake me up when we’re there.”

As she goes to sleep beside me, I can’t help but feel a persistent smile on my face. The reality is slowly sinking in, she’s really here beside me and will continue to be so for an entire week. No work to get in the way, no family to bring things down, nothing but us spending time together as a genuine couple.

I almost feel guilty for being this optimistic, worrying that it’ll just set me up for failure later. But for now, all I can do is look at Akira sleeping peacefully beside me, my smile refusing to go away.

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“We’re here, Akira,” I say as the cab comes to a halt outside my apartment building. When she doesn’t wake up, I gently tap her head a few times until she murmurs in a grumpy voice that I can’t help but find cute.

“Urgh, forty minutes? Felt more like ten,” Akira complains as she gets out of the cab to grab her luggage. I pay the cab fare before getting out as well, and as the cab leaves I look at her face. She looks extremely tired, but there’s a hint of a smile on her face. “I wonder if I’ll pass out before getting a hot shower.”

We make our way to my apartment room, hearing several loud noises from other tenants as well as the nauseating scent of smoke. It seems to be getting worse these past couple of weeks, or I’ve grown more aware of it.

“These are the kinds of places my college friends stayed at,” Akira notes, a tired sway to her step as we walk up some stairs. “Never really hated it all that much, not even the smoke. They threw some nice parties, though they sometimes went overboard and I joined in because I was a dumb college chick.”

“I wouldn’t know,” I admit as we take a left turn into the hallway where my door is located. “Never thrown a party or been to one. Anything I should know?”

“I was going to say never drink more than three cups of alcohol, but you don’t drink so…” Akira seems to seriously think about this, as if I’ll ever be in those kinds of situations. I’ve grown more social as of late, but wild college parties seem a bit too chaotic and noisy for my taste.

“Make sure to go in and go out with friends, and definitely try not to focus on your sense of smell. If you’re in a relationship, turn down any girl that tries to make a move on you. Besides that, you’ll probably have a good time, if nothing else than the chance to see two girls make out or press into each other’s chest because of a dare.”

“I assume you speak from experience?” I ask, noting how she has a different tone regarding her last statement. A mix of embarrassment and...nostalgia?

“Yeah...once. Middle freshmen year,” Akira admits, chuckling at the memory. “I wasn’t quite as good with my drinks as I am now, and well...things got a bit handsy with a friend of mine. She had a boyfriend at the time, but he didn’t seem to mind and we joked about it a lot afterwards.”

The idea of Akira kissing another girl in a wild college party is definitely something I can believe, and one that has my face heating up imagining it. She seems to have enjoyed those days, though I’m sure there were bad experiences during them that she hasn’t told me.

“We’re here,” I announce as we reach my apartment, unlocking and opening the door. She immediately goes in and I close the door behind us. Despite the fact that she’s been here once before, it definitely feels as if I’m inviting her here for the first time.

“Home sweet home for the next week,” Akira notes, taking off her coat, which leaves her in a white shirt. She sits on the bed and starts to take off her shoes as well, giving me a playful smile. “Only one bed? Didn’t prepare a spare futon or anything?”

“I figured you wouldn’t need it,” I reply with a smile of my own. “But if you want, I can sleep on the floor.”

“Don’t tempt me,” Akira chuckles as she throws her shoes on the floor, turning her head to observe the room more. “Huh. Seems like it’s gotten smaller since the last time I came here.”

“It’s probably just all the extra stuff,” I say, glancing at everything I bought over the past month. A stove, some chairs, pillows, and most recently a portable bookshelf on the corner next to the balcony, where I store all my non-college related material. “Probably won’t buy much else, at least until I get a bigger place.”

“Good idea,” Akira nods as she opens her luggage, which has clothes and toiletries inside. She takes out a towel, a toothbrush, a toothpaste and a set of pajamas. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to take a hot shower. Otherwise this bed is going to drag me down to dreamland before I get the chance.”

She walks up to me and plants a kiss on my cheek before heading to the bathroom, closing the door behind her. With little to do until she’s done, I head for the balcony. The wind greets me the moment I open the door, gentle and cold. I lean on the railing and look out at the cityscape.

This situation again. Me looking at the thousands of faint lights, from cars, buildings and street lamps. Her in my bathroom, taking a shower. It almost feels like a recreation of the last time she was here, only this time it’s in a far happier context.

She isn’t going away. She’s staying here, if only for a while. The both of us are happier people compared to back then, thanks to each other. And tomorrow won’t be us regretfully parting ways, but the start of our week together. Perhaps it’s pointless to compare the two situations, but how we felt back then just makes what’s happening now feel all the more sweeter.

I stare out into the city for a little while longer until I hear the bathroom door open. Much like last time, I feel her hands wrap around me and her head press up against my back.

“You have a hair dryer now,” she notes. “Thanks for finally buying one. I hate to sleep with wet hair, you know.”

“Thought I’d make up for last time,” I reply, letting out a loud and contented sigh as she continues to hold me. “Feeling any déjà vu?”

“A bit,” she says jokingly, pressing against me tighter. “You were much gloomier back then.”

“I’ve gotten better,” I note, the statement simple yet completely genuine. “After all, I’ve got you now.”

“Nice line. Got that off a book or something?” Akira giggles as she lifts her head, seeing what’s beyond the balcony alongside me. “I’ve gotten better too, if only by a little bit. Things are still a mess back home, but at least I have you to talk to every day.”

“And now you have me in the flesh,” I respond, and we simply look out into the city for a little while, silently enjoying each other’s company. There’s still a lot I want to talk about, a lot I want to say. But that can wait until later; we have a whole week ahead of us, after all.

“Yeah, it’s nice to be able to hold you,” Akira says right before pulling away from me, letting out a loud yawn. I turn around to see that she’s wearing a set of black pajamas. They look nice on her, though I suppose a lot of things do. “What’s with the look? Expecting me in a nightgown?”

“Nothing, I just thought you look really nice,” I say as we head back into the room. “Black really is your color, you know.”

“So I’ve been told,” Akira replies before dropping down on the bed with a relaxed smile on her face. “Anyways, I think I’m about ready to hit the hay. All I need is something to keep me warm through the night.”

“There’s a blanket right there,” I tease before moving to my desk, where my medications are. She gives me a pout as I take them one by one, waiting for me to finally lay beside her. “Sorry, I need to take these before I sleep.”

“I want to ask you about that actually. Not the pills, but what they’re supposed to help you with,” she murmurs as I continue to take pill after pill, looking at my routine with a curious glance. “But that can wait. Right now, all I want is for you to get in the damn bed already.”

I roll my eyes before finishing the last of my medications, placing them back on the desk. I quickly turn off the lights before laying in bed beside Akira. She pulls the blanket up to cover us before scooting closer to me, looking oddly fragile as we face each other.

“Thanks, Hisao…” she says softly while looking straight into my eyes, wrapping an arm around me. “Heh, you have no idea how much I wanted this. To see your face just before I sleep.”

I look into her eyes. Her beautiful crimson eyes. “I think I have some idea. After all, I’ve been waiting just as long.”

We stare at each other for a little while, refusing to close our eyes and fall asleep. Eventually, she wraps her other arm around me and presses her body against mine. She finally seems ready to close her eyes, a smile on her face.

“I know I said I didn’t want to talk about it, but Christmas Eve and Christmas was...well, it certainly wasn’t a merry time,” she says softly, shifting her body to find the most comfortable position. “Family was...difficult to handle.”

“That’s in the past now,” I say in a comforting tone as she finally settles for resting her head beneath mine.

“I know, but I want you to know that before I sleep,” Her voice is barely a whisper now, without any sort of playfulness. This is Akira at her most honest. “I guess I’m really trying to say...I’m glad that I feel wanted here.”

She says nothing more, apparently ready to rest. I slowly wrap my arms around her in return, closing my eyes as well. This feeling...this feeling is nice. I recall last winter, how bitter I was during then. Those days were blurry to me, but I knew that I spent most of it holed up in my room, coming out only to eat.

Cold, resentful, alone. Those feelings were definitely prevalent during that time, and persisted in my mind until recently.

But this...this feeling is warm and satisfying. It does take a while for me to fall asleep, but when I do, it’s with a content smile on my face.

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The feeling of something moving next to me wakes me up. I slowly open my eyes to see that Akira is already up, sitting on the bed and looking down at me. The morning light illuminates her face, and it’s definitely a sight I can get used to seeing.

“Morning, sleepyhead,” Akira says with a smile. “You were pretty handsy last night. Not that I mind, it was pretty nice.”

“Speak for yourself,” I retort as I sit up, already enjoying this morning. “I could feel how tightly you were holding me last night…not that it wasn’t pleasant or anything.”

“Nothing wrong with a little cuddling. Especially during winter,” Akira shrugs before getting up from the bed. “Mind if I take a look in your fridge?”

I motion her to go ahead as I get out of bed as well, getting my morning routine started by taking my medications. As I take my pills, I hear her open the small fridge and say. “Let’s see here ...eggs...cheese...butter...how’s an omelette for breakfast sound? I prefer using cheese that isn’t sliced, but beggars can’t be choosers.”

“Sounds nice. Utensils are in the cupboard,” I respond before taking another pill. Once I’m done, I turn around to see her beating eggs with chopsticks. “Thanks for making breakfast.”

She told me that she’s cooked before, though her recent workload has given her little opportunity to try. So the sight of her making breakfast is a rather sweet gesture.

“Well, you’re giving me a place to stay and you have beer in the fridge for me to drink. It’s only fair that I return the favor,” she says in a playful tone before turning back to the frying pan, pouring the eggs onto it. “Besides, it’s nice to have something that isn’t takeout for once, and it’s nice to cook again. That’s a win-win in my books.”

“Remind me to cook something for you before this vacation ends.” I think about what to cook for a second before adding, “Though since you’re already making an omelette, I’ll probably need to learn how to make something else...hm, that’s going to be difficult.”

“Please, as long as it’s edible, I don’t care what you make,” Akira chuckles as she adds the cheese. After a few moments, it’s done, and she places the omelette on a plate before turning the stove off. “I suppose I should clarify, I don’t care what you make as long as it’s edible and it isn’t seafood. I don’t enjoy most seafood, unless it’s sushi or fish.”

“I doubt I’m qualified for seafood,” I note as she slices the omelette in half and places half of it on another plate, then she grabs some forks and knives. “Sure that’s enough?”

“I used double the ingredients in one go. It’s a nice way to make omelettes while you’re in a rush, or if you’re just lazy. It’s how I usually do it back in the day, though if I could I’d add in some ham.” She turns around with two plates in hand, and then gives me an annoyed look. “You really need a dining table.”

“Yeah, I probably should buy one, huh?” I say, feeling a little embarrassed at that oversight. “I usually eat on my desk.”

She gives me a look of mock annoyance before setting down the plates on my desk, sitting down on my usual chair. “I guess it’s fine, since you have an extra chair and all. Still, get a dining table for the sake of any other visitors you might have.”

“Got it.” I grab a chair and move it next to her, sitting down beside her as we both dig into our breakfast. The omelette tastes good, the butter and cheese giving it a rich flavour without being too overwhelming. “Man, this is pretty good. Guess you haven’t lost your touch, huh?”

“I wasn’t given much to work with, but thanks,” she responds in appreciation, her voice muffled thanks to having a mouthful of food. “Omelettes are one of my better dishes. I actually really like cooking Western food. Fries, steak, mashed potatoes, spaghetti. Not that I can’t cook a mean rice set either, but Western stuff is generally my preference.”

“Maybe you can teach me a thing or two?” I ask, feeling somewhat serious about the proposal. “It’d be nice to get better at cooking things.”

“Eh, probably not this trip. You only have a frying pan right now; not much to teach other than putting stuff on it and not letting it burn,” Akira notes, though she does sound interested in the idea. “Tell you what, if you get a better kitchen by the time I come back to Japan again, we can try cooking together. Seems like fun, assuming we don’t set the building on fire.”

We both laugh at the idea as we eat our breakfast, finishing it in a matter of minutes. I take her plate, offering to clean while she changes clothes, which she agrees to.

“No peeking. You’ll only see me naked when I want you to,” Akira teases as I move to the sink and start washing the plates. “Well, time to take off my shirt...and then my pants...probably need a change of underwear, too…”

“Subtle,” I note, recalling one of our video calls where she tried the same thing, teasing...or rather threatening to take off her clothes. Despite knowing that she’s just trying to taunt me, the thought of turning my head did cross my mind. “I’m sure folks from the other buildings are having quite the show.”

“Nice try. We both know no one can get a good view of me here. The window’s facing the sky,” she says as I finish cleaning the plates and utensils, and place them in the cupboard to dry. “Alright, you can turn around now.”

“Finally,” I complain in a sarcastic tone, turning around to see that she hasn’t completely changed yet. While she’s now wearing a yellow shirt with an English word sewn onto it, I can visibly see a set of red panties below them. I can’t help but blush at the sight...which is exactly the reaction she wants. “You know, I don’t know why I didn’t expect that.”

“What, don’t enjoy the view?” Akira teases even further before putting on a pair of long black pants, stretching her legs right in front of me to emphasize the action. “Or should I wear some stockings to really get you going? I hear guys are a sucker for those.”

“You have those?” I ask, trying to play it off as an innocent question. All I get is a shrug from her, which pretty much tells me that I’m not going to find out unless she wants me to. “Well, if you want my honest opinion, it was a nice surprise.”

“Good answer,” she says with a saucy smile before approaching me, giving me a quick kiss on the lips. “Now go get changed already. Not that I don’t mind lazing around here with you, but I’d like to get out and have some fun.”

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After changing into some new clothes and placing our dirty clothing into separate piles, we head out of the building and into the city proper. Akira’s wearing the black coat she wore yesterday over her shirt, while I settle for a brown winter jacket.

Much like the last time, we don’t really have a set destination in mind, though we gravitate towards the more densely populated parts of town. The next hour or so is just spent wandering hand in hand, looking at any shops that interest us and talking about mundane topics.

“So, know any stores that sell suits here?” I ask Akira as we continue walking down the street, passing by numerous people. Usually, I’d divert some of my attention to observing these passerbys, but now my full attention is on the two of us. “I’ll need one by the end of the day, if we’re going to go to this restaurant of yours.”

“We’ve got all day,” Akira responds in an offhand manner. “Let’s just hang out for a while and have some fun. After all, it’s technically our first date together.”

“Huh.” I think for a moment before realizing that this IS our first date as an actual couple. “I guess so. It’s so similar to our previous outings that I didn’t notice that distinction.”

“What, the fact that I flew all the way here to stay at your place not obvious enough for you?” she complains, giving me a look of mild annoyance before clinging on to my arm, wrapping her arm around it. “There, now it’s different.”

Her move catches me off guard, though the feeling of her arm on mine feels pleasant. It makes us feel more like an actual couple, which was probably her intention all along. We both want to further validate this relationship, either through words or action.

“Sorry, sorry,” I apologize when I realize she still looks annoyed. “But...I’m glad to see you like this, Akira. You seem more...affectionate, for lack of a better description. ”

“Hey, I ain’t all jokes, teasing, and bitter comments,” she responds, before moving her body even close to me, lowering her voice. “I like to be all lovey-dovey and crap sometimes, especially now that I CAN be.”

“I know, and I love that side of you,” I respond earnestly. “Well, I love pretty much any side of you. Your snarky side, your affectionate side…”

“My sexy side?” she interjects with a raised eyebrow, to which I nod in response. “Heh, you’re probably lying, but thanks anyway.”

“Why would I lie?” I ask, to which she gives me an amused look.

“You really like every part of me?” she asks in return, apparently unconvinced of my sincerity. “The part that likes to complain about everything wrong in my life? The part that just wants to drink beer all night and pass out afterwards? Can you really tell me you love that?”

“I do love some parts more than others, true,” I say in a diplomatic tone, only now noticing the looks we’re getting by people passing us by. I guess a couple this openly talking about stuff like this, as well as clinging onto each other like we are, is bound to get some attention.

“But I do love you, and that means all of you. Even the parts most people would find unappealing. And believe me when I say I have no problem with listening to your complaints. Perhaps it’s masochistic of me, but I rather enjoy listening to them, actually.”

“I swear you’re getting these lines from somewhere,” Akira says with a sigh, though her bright smile indicates she’s starting to believe me. “Have you been reading romantic novels or something?”

“One or two,” I casually admit, having picked up a few books for recreational reading, a few of them being romantic in nature. “But I promise you I did not use any lines from them.”

“I’ll believe you...for now,” Akira relents as we turn the corner into an even busier street, full of card shops, hobby shops, arcades and other similar businesses. “You know, I used to read manga back when I was a kid all the way until college.”

“You did?” I say as we stop right outside a store selling just that, manga. “I’ll admit, I wasn’t expecting that to be one of your hobbies.”

“I wasn’t a super big fan of it or anything, but between college, a part time job and having to look after Lilly, well…” She mentions Lilly very casually, though I can hear a difference in her voice when she says her name. “It didn’t take a lot of time to read through, and it was good for when I needed to take some stress off. Used to have a decent collection too, but it got lost somewhere along the line.”

“Shall we go in?” I suggest. “It could be a nice souvenir to take back to Scotland.”

Without saying anything, Akira breaks away from me and walks in. I follow her into the store, which turns out to be a general bookstore that just so happens to focus on manga. We take our time browsing the shelves, looking at the many genres that the store has to offer.

“I think I owned this one before,” Akira comments as she picks one out, the cover showing a kid wearing a detective’s outfit. “I guess it’s a little too young for you to know about, huh? At your age, it’ll be more about ninjas and other stuff like that.”

“I wasn’t into manga at all really, though some of my middle and high school friends talked about it sometimes. Mostly about spirits, action, and ninjas like you said,” I look at her and see that she’s staring at the cover rather intently. “That bringing up memories?”

“Yeah...I definitely read this when I was a kid,” she says with a wistful smile. “Well...middle school, anyways. I remember sneaking into this bookstore after school on the way home. They had a very small manga section, but you could read it without paying. I would make sure to get a few pages in whenever I could, since any second away from home is a second well spent.”

“Things were bad, even back then?” I ask in a serious tone. As distant as I am with my parents now, even I look back upon my middle school days with fondness. In particular, my mother picked me up to go home together, and we would sometimes stop to grab a treat on a particularly good day.

“Compared to nowadays, back then was pretty...alright,” she says, though her tone indicates that she doesn’t look back upon it with complete fondness. “My dad was still a hardass, but they were too busy dealing with Lilly to give me too much scrutiny. Not to mention grandpa was still around, so I had someone at home who didn’t have any expectations of me.”

“I remember you talking about him,” I note as she puts the manga back in its place, moving on to the next shelf. “Said he inspired you to take up acting as a hobby.”

“He did. Gramps was a cool guy,” she responds with a voice that makes no secret of her admiration of him. “Mom and Dad were usually too busy with maintaining their image to give me the time of day...or night, but grandpa was retired at that point. He's the family member I spent most of my childhood with. We’d watched movies together, he’d tell me stories about the awful old days, hell, he tucked me in at night once or twice. That’s more than I can say for Dad.”

“Sounds like a pretty nice guy,” I say, picking up a manga volume for myself. The cover of this one features what seemed to be a man in a suit carrying a girl bridal style. Probably not something either of us would particularly like.

“I heard he was pretty much like my Dad when he was running the company, a control freak and a total hardass,” she adds as a counterpoint, glancing at the manga I’m holding. “But I don’t personally know what he was like back in the day. I guess retirement made him a lot more jovial...”

“Well, I can’t imagine being that harsh for my entire life, especially if I’m retired with a lot of money.” As I try to put the manga back on the shelf, only to be stopped by Akira's hand grabbing it from me. She inspects it, looking at the back of the cover, probably for a plot synopsis.

“I guess that’s true. When I retire, I’ll probably be as lazy as possible to make up for all the extra shifts I had to do. Maybe get a maid to do all my chores and cooking,” she says humorously, turning to me with a questioning stare. “I’m considering getting this one. What do you think?”

“Doesn’t seem like your style,” I answer honestly, only for her to give me a raised eyebrow in response. “You said you prefer comedies, and that seems more like a straightforward romance manga than anything.”

“Nothing wrong with trying something different,” she says, giving me a smirk. “Especially since you’re paying for this.”

I try to put up an objection to that statement, only to realize that I have no ground to stand on. She’s paying for dinner, a new suit, not to mention a plane ticket and whatever other plans she has in store. It’s only fair if I buy something for her, though I remind myself to give her a gift of my own choosing next time.

I give her a slight nod, which only causes her to laugh as she picks up another manga to inspect. Despite her silence, she’s made her stance pretty clear. I’m not getting away with just buying a single piece for her.

Oh well, as long as it doesn’t break my savings, I can’t really say I mind. Whatever makes her happy is more than worth the price.

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We exit the store after an hour or so of looking at dozens of mangas, of which I bought several for Akira and about two for myself. Afterwards, we browse a couple more hobby stores until noon, stopping at a ramen place to grab some lunch.

“So...how’s the date going so far?” I ask out of the blue once we’ve given our orders, setting the plastic bag full of books beside me.

“Do you really need to ask?” she says, rolling her eyes in amusement. “Well, it’s not the best date I’ve ever had, technically speaking. But I’m definitely having a nice time.”

“That’s good,” I say, feeling a bit embarrassed. “Sorry for asking.”

“Feeling insecure?” she asks, looking right at me with a serious gaze.

“It’s just the first real date I’ve had in a long time,” I answer, feeling a bit nervous now that I’ve said it out loud. “And I don’t really have much experience when it comes to stuff like that.”

Our ramen comes in before she can answer, and she begins to eat without replying. Feeling like I’ve done something wrong, I decide to do the same. The ramen is hot and spicy, perfect for the cold winter. The only thing bringing it down is the slightly awkward silence, which I’m afraid is my fault.

“You said this is your first date in a long while? Well, that makes two of us,” Akira says, breaking the silence. Her tone isn’t exactly hostile, but it isn’t entirely friendly either. “Let’s turn this question around. In your opinion, how’s the date going so far?”

I think about how to answer before finally saying, “I’m having a really good time so far.”

“Exactly, that’s really all you need to care about,” Akira chides, giving me a rather piercing stare. “The best thing about being with you is that I can be myself, and that’s something I liked about you even before we decided to get together. That’s all I really need. Just because we’re on a date doesn’t mean I’m expecting something more from you, though I certainly don’t mind if you’re going to try.”

“Right…” I say, feeling a bit ashamed. “I guess I spoiled the mood, huh?”

“You didn’t spoil it. I just wanted to make things clear,” Her smile returns as she continues eating her ramen. “There’s no scoring system when it comes to dating. We act how we feel like and respond how we feel like.”

“So like how we usually are, huh?” I say, getting where she’s coming from. My answer seems to be a good one, as I see her smile widening.

“Precisely!” she exclaims, like it’s obvious, which it probably is. “No need to be any different, except for the obvious stuff that comes with being a couple. Kissing, holding hands…”

“Saying I love you?” I finish for her, smiling.

“Yeah…” she says, blushing. That coupled with her smile makes her look extremely charming. “I love you, Hisao. In case you wanted to hear that out loud.”

“I love you too, Akira” I respond, giving her a cheeky smile. “In case you wanted to hear that out loud.”

We leave the ramen place soon afterwards, continuing to wander the city with little rhyme or reason. I think about what she’d said, that there’s no scoring system to dating. In hindsight, it probably was silly of me to worry. All that matters is enjoying our time together, no need to do anything extraordinary.

As we walk towards another street, I sense something familiar about it. The buildings have a striking similarity to someplace I’ve been before, and not alone.

“Hey, wanna go play some arcade games?” I ask. “There’s an arcade not that far away from here, got a decent selection of games.”

“Arcade, huh?” Akira says, before nodding. “I’ve never been to many. More of a karaoke girl personally.”

“Really?” I ask in surprise, leading the way to a place that’s become more and more meaningful to me. “Considering you like to play darts, pool and bowling, I would have thought arcade games would be right up your alley.”

“You’re generalizing a little there, big guy,” Akira chides in a playful manner. “I’ve played video games a few times in my life, but they never hold my attention for long. Having to sink tokens every time I lose was a pain in the ass, and I never had the time to try video game consoles. Honestly, I’m surprised you go to them.”

“It’s a recent development,” I admit. “My friends go there from time to time, and that’s where I first hung out with them. We’ve been there a couple of times since, usually after we help each other with our physics assignments.”

“Friends, huh? Glad to know you’ve been hanging out with them,” Akira teases as we stop at a crossing, waiting for the traffic to stop. “They know you got a thing for older women?”

“They’re...unaware that I have a girlfriend,” I answer, trying to ignore her comment about liking older women. “I can introduce you to them, if you’d like.”

“...I’ll think about it,” Akira responds, after a bit of a silence. The traffic stops and we cross the street, entering the arcade not long after. It feels weird being here without my usual group of friends, though I probably shouldn’t let her know that.

I head to the counter and exchange some money for tokens. Heading back to Akira, I see that she’s looking at the arcade’s air hockey table, a competitive flicker in her eyes.

“I’m pretty good at air hockey,” I say with just a tiny bit of arrogance, trying to goad her. “Think it’s time I get revenge for getting trashed at darts and billiards.”

“Be careful what you wish for,” she responds with a confident smirk as we head over to the table. “Confident enough to bet on winning?”

“I don’t really think I can wager anything. We already answer each other’s questions all the time,” I think about it some more before an idea strikes me. A potentially awful idea, but one that I’m morbidly curious to try. “Unless you want to wager something more...explicit in nature?”

“Wow...didn’t expect you to pull out that card,” Akira says, her tone an odd mix of surprise and respect. She takes her place opposite me on the table, hand on the paddle. “Are you sure you want to go there? I’m willing to give you an out right now.”

A part of me feels like I should take the out while I still can, but another more reckless part of me says I should push my luck. I heed the latter part and nod my head. “I’m willing to go there. After all, you did the same back then.”

“Heh, fine. If that’s how you want to play it...” Akira’s eyes are deadly serious now, her voice sultry and excited. “If you win, then I guess I’ll have to show you a certain piece of clothing I brought with me in the near future. But…”

She lets the unsaid threat hang in the air for a bit before finishing. “But if I win, then you’ll never get to see it. On top of that, you’ll do whatever I tell you to do tonight, after dinner. No matter how humiliating. Maybe that’ll teach you to take an out when you get one.”

It doesn’t seem like a fair trade, but at this point I’ve talked too big a game to really back down. Besides, she doesn’t go to arcades much and I’ve been playing this in past weeks. I should have the advantage here...right?

“Agreed.” I say with a little less confidence than I thought coming into this.

“Then what are you waiting for? Time to put your money where your mouth is, Hisao,” she says, even beckoning me with a curl of her finger.

I insert the tokens in and the puck immediately shoots out into the field, sliding slowly into my side. I hit it so it bounces off a wall and toward her goal, but Akira deflects it before it can go in, sending the puck sliding back towards me once again.

I once again try to bounce the puck off the walls in order to get past her defense, but she manages to fend off my offense again and again, but it also means she can’t really mount a decent counterattack. I’m the one holding all the pressure, so the game remains a stalemate as the puck goes back and forth between our sides.

Honestly, I’m fine if it remains that way, as it still means I wouldn’t lose.

“Hey, Hisao,” Akira calls out, her voice sounding extremely urgent. “Time out. There’s something I should let you know. Something really important.”

“What is it?” I say looking up at her, the concern in her voice worrying me. “Is something wrong? Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I just have this really bad habit,” Akira says, her face instantly turning into a smirk. “When I can’t seem to win a game the normal way, I tend to…not play fair.”

The instant she finishes that sentence is when I realize that the puck is still on her side, and hits it extremely hard with her paddle, sending it flying towards my goal. I can’t react in time to effectively block the shot, only managing to hit its side, which only delays my defeat as it bounces off a wall before landing right in my goal.

“Not bad, huh? I’m a woman of many talents,” Akira says in what’s possibly the most sarcastic tone I’ve ever heard in my life, even giving me a wink. To hide my utter embarrassment, I simply hit the puck as it slides out of the machine again. There’s still time on the clock, and I’m determined not to let her distract me like that again.

As the timer goes down, I start to get more desperate. None of my shots were getting past Akira’s defense, and all she needs to do is wait things out to ensure my mortifying, if unfair, defeat. So as the puck slides back to my side, instead of immediately hitting it as I usually did, I stop the puck and think about how to approach this.

A straight shot isn’t going to work, and neither will a simple trick shot. She’s too prepared for either of those, so I need to do something different. I already know a victory is out of my grasp, but at the very least I need to force a draw. The idea of doing whatever she says if she wins, especially in the way that she wins it, is not something I look forward to.

There’s really only one option that I can think of, and I probably only have one attempt left. I’ve seen my friends pull it off a few times, and sometimes not even intentionally. A shot that bounces off the wall twice, something that requires a precise angle to achieve, and possibly the only thing that can throw her off guard...

As the game is about to end, I decide to just move by instinct. It’s something I’ve gotten better at these days, and with one last chance I swat the puck with my paddle. It first bounces off the left side of the board, and Akira moves her paddle to the right side, ready to deflect it.

However the puck hits the right side of the wall and bounces back to the left, slipping right by Akira’s defense and sliding right inside the goal soon after. The timer hits zero shortly after, and I breathe a sigh of relief as the game comes to a close.

“Nice move,” Akira says, sounding genuinely impressed. “You’re pretty good at this.”

“Considering my opponent was cheating, I’d say I did alright.” I say, letting a bit of my annoyance seep through.

“Hey, no rule saying you can’t distract your opponent. I’m a lawyer, loopholes are how I get paid,” Akira teases, setting the paddle down before approaching me. “You’re not that mad, are you? At least you didn’t lose.”

I try to feign anger, but judging by the look she’s giving me, it’s clear that she’s seeing through the facade. In the end, I let out a defeated sigh. “Well, at least it was a draw.”

“Really? I was actually gonna let you win, since I cheated and all,” Akira says before walking away towards some arcade cabinets. “Oh well, I guess it’s a draw. Let’s play something else.”

Despite it being a draw, I get the sinking feeling that I still lost somehow.

We continue to play a few arcade games: fighting games, racing games, shooters. In these areas I manage to win handily thanks to my greater experience, though sadly there weren’t any stakes involved besides being able to act just a little smug. Seeing her frustrated face when I trash her in Street Fighter is admittedly very amusing.

The only game we’ve yet to try is the dancing games, which is what she decides to spend our last tokens on. I opt to simply spectate this particular one, both because I don’t know how to dance in any way, and because I fear the physical strain might cause some rather...unfortunate complications to our date.

“Sure you don’t want to dance?” Akira asks, sounding rather disappointed. “I won’t laugh at you, if that’s what you’re worrying about.”

“Trust me, you laughing at me is the least of my worries,” I respond, handing her the remaining tokens before leaning on the wall next to the machine. “Let’s just say that if I try to hit the dance floor, my condition might make me hit another kind of floor entirely.”

More than ever before, I don’t want to give my heart any chance to pull the rug from under me. It’s already interfered in my romantic life once before, and I have no intention of repeating that experience.

“...Alright, I’ll give you that one. But you ARE going to tell me more about that condition before the night’s over, you know?” she says before stepping up to the machine, the look on her face telling me that she probably isn’t going to forget.

Well, we’ve been officially ‘dating’ for a month, and we don’t plan on stopping any time soon. If we plan on sticking it out together, I have to let her know about my arrhythmia. Still, revealing it isn’t something I’m looking forward to, as necessary as it is.

Akira inserts the last of the tokens before facing the screen, the timer counting down to zero shortly after. At first, she falls behind the pace of the game, her steps a second too slow. She seems to get her rhythm soon after however, as she begins to keep up with the game’s instructions, her feet a blur as she begins to dance to the rhythm of the beat.

Looking at her face, I can see that she’s into it, her face determined and passionate. The music, the movements of her body, the look on her face. They all feel...surprisingly right, as weird as that sounds. Like a long buried part of her is starting to resurface, influencing her to step after step after step. She doesn’t need to move her entire body to win, but she does so anyway out of commitment to dancing.

Dancing was one of her hobbies back then, before she abandoned it like all the others. At that moment, it feels as if I’m seeing Akira from back then. From back when she still believed she could achieve her dreams of becoming an actor, a dancer, whatever she wished to be.

After a few minutes, the game ends and Akira stops, panting and with a fierce smile on her face. I feel just a bit disappointed that it doesn’t last just a little longer.The score pops up; not perfect but still pretty high. It certainly is a better score than I could have ever gotten, condition or not. She walks up to me, still wearing that same passionate smile.

I can’t help but notice the sweat on her body, the red tint on her face. It’s definitely a very alluring look, though that probably wasn’t her intention.

“Whew, that was more of a workout than I thought,” she notes, her voice full of energy. “It’s been awhile since I’ve danced like that. Probably gotten rusty over the years.”

“You were really into it there,” I note, trying to convey my admiration. “Honestly...you looked amazing when you were dancing. I can definitely see why you picked it up as a hobby.”

“Ahhh, you’re flattering me. I don’t dance THAT well,” Akira denies, though it looks like she appreciates my compliment nonetheless. She motions to the entrance of the arcade, and together we head outside. “Thank you though, for saying that. It’s been ages since anyone’s ever complimented me for my dancing...or acting…or really anything from my childhood.”

“I mean it. You looked really natural out there,” I say as Akira walks ahead of me, wanting to lead the way. To where, she doesn’t say. “If I joined alongside you, I’d probably just stumble around like an idiot.”

“One of these days, I can teach you how to,” Akira offers as I catch up to her, taking hold of her hand again. “...A slow dance, in case you’re still worried about your condition. It’ll be nice to have someone to dance with again, especially now that I’ve shaken off a bit of the rust.”

“Not afraid of me stepping on your feet?” I quip, the idea of us dancing together sounding extremely appealing.

“I doubt it’ll be any more painful than being stepped on by high heels.” She cringes a little as she says that. “So… you interested?”

“I am,” I answer, squeezing her hand. She responds by squeezing mine in return, both of us enjoying the affectionate gesture. “Dancing, singing, reading, I want us to do a lot of things together. Probably not all of them during the week we have now, but there’s always next time.”

“Funny…a month ago we probably wouldn’t think that way, huh?” she notes, inching her body closer. “We probably would be all mopey and stuff, saying those things aren’t possible.”

“Yeah, but here we are,” I reply, feeling thoughtful. Sometimes I definitely feel like I’m a different person from back then, especially now that she’s here. The change from my former melancholy self to someone that’s more optimistic is sometimes jarring, even alien. But it’s a change that I’m starting to embrace as who I truly wish to be.

As I look at my watch, I realize that it's late afternoon. We spent more time in the arcade than I previously thought...or perhaps we had too much fun together to care.

“Almost time to go back and get changed for dinner,” Akira mentions, looking at my watch as well. “Just one thing left to take care of, and that’s getting you a nice set of clothes.”

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“Are you done yet?” Akira complains from outside the fitting room. “You know, how fast you can put on a suit can determine whether or not you’ll be late to work.”

“Give me a second,” I insist as I look at myself in the mirror, my winter jacket replaced by a grey suit and a red tie. Honestly, I feel like someone merely pretending to wear a suit rather than actually wearing one. “I don’t know...this one doesn’t look quite right.”

Still, it beats the light blue suit and tie I tried earlier, especially since this one isn’t two sizes too big. Akira almost hit the floor laughing when I emerged from the fitting room wearing that, much to my chagrin.

I open the door and walk out of the fitting room, Akira immediately giving me a scrutinizing look as she shakes her head. Walking up to me, she grabs my tie and tugs it, a disappointed look on her face. “You really need to learn how to tie a tie properly.”

“What’s wrong with my tie?” I ask nervously, noticing that the employees are staring at us, some even wearing amused looks on their face.

“It’s not straight and the back of it is sticking out. You’re lucky your internship didn’t require you to wear one or you’d be fired before the day was over.” Akira deftly unties it for me before retying it properly, an act that I would appreciate more if we’re in private, which we aren’t.

Still, I don’t dislike it, even with the embarrassment. She tugs on my tie before walking back, inspecting me again. When she motions me to turn around, I do so despite not really understanding the reasoning. If the front of the suit looks good or bad, why would the back of it make any difference?

“How do I look?” I ask as I turn back around.

“It’s...alright,” Akira says, though she doesn’t sound impressed. “Grey and the red is a classic combination for a reason, but...I don’t know. It feels a little dull on you.”

“Should I wear a gold suit then?” I respond sarcastically, glancing at a garrish looking yellow suit in the back corner of the store, shining as if it’s actually made of gold. Who would wear something like that?

“If I wanted you to be seen as a wannabe pimp, maybe,” Akira says, equally sarcastic. She thinks for a moment before going to get another suit. Eventually she comes back and hands me another blue suit, this time of slightly darker and muted shade. “Try this one with the red tie. I think this’ll be perfect.”

I grab the suit with a sigh, putting it on as carefully and as properly as I can. Judging by Akira’s confident smile, I immediately know that she has a better opinion of this particular one.

“Now THAT is a nice look. Not too flashy, not too boring,” Akira walks up to me and grabs my tie again, once again tugging on it. “But...your tie a little is too loose.”

“You’re really adamant about that, huh?” I note as she lets go.

“I know my suit and ties, in case you didn’t catch on,” she replies, stepping back to give my current suit one final look before fully approving of it. “It might be something forced upon me thanks to work. But as far as those go, it’s not one I particularly hate or anything. Though I wish I didn’t have to wear it every waking hour.”

“Anyways, this is probably the best we can do without taking the time for fittings and alterations,” Akira finishes with a nod, shooing me. “Now go change back so we can start hunting for some shoes.”

“Alright, alright.” I go to the fitting room to change back into my winter jacket, stepping out with suit and tie in hand. We dump off all the previous ones before making our way to the counter, where Akira pays for it.

Looking at the register gives me one final reminder of how much it costs, and that this is only one of several expenses she’s covering for my sake.

“...Thanks, for paying for this. All of this.” I say, trying to sound as grateful as I can. “I really can’t thank you enough.”

“Feeling insecure?” Akira teases as she grabs the garment bag containing the suit, to which I shake my head in response. Her smile fades a little as she seems to realize the look on my face. “Or are you worried that I’m breaking the bank doing this?

“Well, you’re buying me a suit and tie, some shoes, a fancy dinner,” I say as we walk out of the store. “Not to mention things you haven’t even told me yet. So...I guess it’s a bit of both.”

Akira simply chuckles, giving me a pat on the back. “You really think I’m that kind of girl? I thought you knew me better than that.”

“Sorry…” I mutter, looking down a little. Suddenly I feel her plant a quick kiss on my cheek, almost stopping me in place.

“Nah, it’s perfectly fine to worry about me,” she states, chuckling again. I turn to face her, and she’s giving me a rather smug look. “But if you really want to know, I’m not really making a big dent in my savings. I’m not the kind of gal to spend as much as I earn, and working as long as I have means that I’ve got a lot of money saved up. Money I don’t really use, so might as well use it for some fun with my boyfriend.

“As for feeling insecure, well...don’t. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to treat me to the same things once you get some of your own money, but for now just treat me to the little things. Whether it’s a fancy dinner or just a single piece of manga, all that matters is our intentions. And I’m doing all of this with the intention of having a great time with you, and only you.”

“Thanks…” I respond, feeling guilty that I’m questioning her like that for the second time today. “For putting up with me.”

“That’s supposed to be my line,” Akira responds, rolling her eyes. “Hey, I just want to make sure we’re on the same page.”

“About what?” I ask curiously.

“About our dinner.” She looks away from me for a moment before continuing. “We agreed to talk about some serious stuff once I got here, so I figured then would be a good time to start. What about you? Feel ready yet?”

I stay silent, thinking about it. This is what I was waiting for, the opportunity for us to truly open up to each other. We’ve danced around it a few times today, Akira reminiscing about her grandfather and me alluding to my condition. But they’ve only been little glimpses into our lives, whereas she’s asking for something far more substantial and far more personal.

Another step forward in our relationship. At least, I’d like to think so.

“I agreed to tell you more about my condition, didn’t I?” I mention, feeling oddly confident about the whole thing. More than anyone, I feel like Akira is someone I can confide in about who I am and what I think, and I know she feels the same way. “I’m looking forward to it. I think I’ve been from the moment you landed here.”

“That makes two of us, not that I hate how casual we’ve been doing things.” Akira responds, holding my hand again. “But yeah, fancy dinner, a little serious chat, then it’s back to your place and the end of our first day together.”

“Yeah...” I say, feeling sentimental all of a sudden. “Our first week together is off to a great start, wouldn’t you say?”

“Absolutely,” Akira responds as we finally reach a fancy looking shoe store, our last stop for the day. We stop just outside the entrance, still holding hands. “Trust me though, the best is yet to come. I get the feeling that this week is something both of us will remember for a long time.”

I fully enjoyed reading this so far. Akira and Hisao's dynamic is quite enjoyable. I had quite a few smiles reading the various chapters. The original characters are also very well realized with a style of their own. There was only one thing that stood out for me as something to critique. In that when Akira got to Hisao's apartment her entering and sitting on his bed, before removing her shoes at the entryway/foyer. For both of them that seems very odd considering he's lived in Japan all his life, and she's lived effectively a majority of her life in Japan.

I even liked your take on Mr. Satou, I always got the feeling that Lilly and Akira where on opposite sides of the fence regarding their parents in the VN, and I viewed Akira is firmly in the camp of "you abandoned us." Which is kinda why Lilly went back to Scotland in the first place. Lilly likely didn't view it that way likely because she was younger and more naive. I always viewed Akira as being a bit bitter about the whole thing, but she didn't say it outright. I think that split of Lilly/Akira feels very much in line for the VN and something I even considered about my own possible fan work regarding the sisters. Good story and I can't wait to read more.

You know this is easily the story I enjoy most out of all that are currently ongoing (and it ranks pretty up there among the older ones as well). Hisao x Akira really is a pairing that works a lot better if you have some time pass between tha VN and the start of the story. I'm glad I saved it for last when catching up on what I missed while being away.
I agree with Razoredge regarding the chase to the airport scene. It might be a bit too blatant a reference to the VN, but I did like it better than the VN version... Mostly because here it felt like Hisao had a legitimate reason not to let her go.

And now my random thoughts while reading:

You’ll be stuck eating instant noodles if you’re always calling a foreign number.”

Apparently they don't know about WhatsApp

Hisao seems confused about it. “I think I might have forgotten. Sorry, it’s been a while since I’ve had to think about Yamaku.”

Seriously? He forgot about his then-girlfriend's cousin?

I take another glass of wine and quickly down it, not caring what the people here think of me.

Tbh, I expected Akira to explode at this point...

“...Alright, I’ll give you that one. But you ARE going to tell me more about that condition before the night’s over, you know?”

She should have a pretty decent guess about that, given that she has seen his scar.

Not really a lot to say, huh? Maybe next time. Looking forward to the continuation!

Another good reading for me. The two complains I would have for this new chapter is Akira's arrival. I mean, for me, if Hisao was so excited to see her again, I think it would have been more than a hug. And also Akira taking off her shoes when she's sitting on Hisao's bed, while they're in Japan. But I'm just nitpicking. Hisao and Akira doing casual stuff in the city is a cute addition, their dynamic is really cute, and I can't wait to read the following chapters. I don't know why, but I expected Akira to talk about her sister in not a good way, and the way you did it is quite good, not too obvious, but not too hidden, the mix of both is great IMO. Your depiction of Akira makes her a really great character, an enjoyable one, it makes a character that deserves happiness, and I hope Hisao will makes her happy in the long run. I don't know what you planned for the rest of the story, I don't know if you will carry on that "Lilly is a bitch" thing on the long run (and still, congrats to make me hate this character in your story, given how much I love her), but so far, Hisao and Akira have a great dynamic together, they are cute, your writing is great, and I love your story.

Chapter 10

Leaning on the wall outside my apartment, I patiently wait for Akira to come out. The suit she just bought for me still feels a little awkward, though I’m starting to get used to wearing it. With nothing to do, I take out my phone and decide to while away the time by looking at some of my old messages.

About half of them are from Akira, the other half consisting of my new friends and Mr Tatsunagi. Pretty much everyone on my admittedly short contact list has either messaged or gotten a message from me recently.

Everyone except my parents, whose last call was at the end of last month, and even then it was only a brief conversation to see how I was doing.

I feel a little bitter that my parents remain as distant as ever, though I know that I shouldn’t hold it against them. They’re still providing for me with a considerable amount of money every month, a debt that I have every intention of repaying once I’ve graduated. They’ve worked hard for years, so it’s only fair that they get the opportunity to retire as soon as possible.

Still, the fact that they haven’t even considered visiting in so long stings a little. It’s a gripe I thought I’d buried long ago, but it seems to have resurfaced again.

“Are you done yet?” I ask through the door, still looking through my messages.

“Almost. This is why I don’t usually wear stuff like this, it takes too damn long,” Akira answers, along with a loud thud from inside. “...Uh, don’t mind that.”

“You okay?” I ask, feeling concerned for a bit before adding, “Did you break anything?”

“Ha ha,” she responds in a deadpan voice. Despite the door separating us, I can immediately picture her rolling her eyes as she says that. “Alright, I’m done. Ready to see how I look like when I’m actually trying?”

I decide not to answer, partially to see if she’ll get out any faster if I don’t, but mostly to tease her. Sure enough, the door opens and she slowly walks outside. Despite my initial attempt to play it cool, I can’t help but gawk at her once I actually see her.

She’s wearing a form fitting dress that’s red from top to bottom, with some black floral patterns woven on one side. To add to the asymmetry, one side runs down all the way to her knee while the other ends halfway along her thigh. There’s a sash tied around her waist, though that seems to be more for style than practicality. Finally, she’s holding what looks like a short fur coat on one of her arms, most likely to ward off the cold.

Overall, it’s definitely a different look than I’m used to, yet it still fits her. Another version of beauty, but beauty nonetheless.

Akira gives me an eye roll, no doubt because of the fact that I’m not even attempting to hide my stare. She’s wearing small golden earrings, and there seems to be a touch of makeup on her face, though apart from the bright red lipstick I can’t distinguish any of it.

“You like?” Akira asks in a sultry voice despite already knowing the answer. She spins around in front of me, the back of her dress showing quite a bit of skin. “I told you I owned some dresses. Just because I wear suits all the time doesn’t mean I can’t pull off a feminine look if I feel like it.”

“Wow, I honestly don’t know what to say,” I admit, struggling to find the right words to say. “You look amazing, Akira.”

“I appreciate the flattery, but it won’t earn you any extra points,” she says with a wink. “Just so we’re clear, I may be dressed like a girl, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to act any differently. So you shouldn’t either, you know.”

“Well, if you put it like that,” I say with a devious smile, looking down at her feet to see that she’s wearing a pair of black flat shoes. “Don’t feel like wearing heels? Feel like they would have been better than flats?”

“Not even on my best days, big guy. Wore them once, never again,” Akira groans at the memory, putting on the coat before motioning at the door. “So, ready to lock up and go?”

“Right,” I put my phone away and lock the door, the two of us making our way outside immediately afterwards. Despite what she said earlier, I can’t help but steal a few glances at Akira as we walk. “Walking out of a place like this with what you’re wearing definitely feels like a mismatch, huh?”

“Not really. I’ve been to a few college parties dressed like this. Always a pain in the ass to wash afterwards, though,” Akira notes, instantly refuting my statement. “Honestly, I like wearing stuff like this when I’m in the mood. People get the impression I’m this complete tomboy, so they’re always surprised when I say I’m wearing this because I want to.”

“But you don’t like the hassle of wearing it?” I ask.

“Mm, it’s part of the reason why,” Akira answers, an annoyed frown on her face. “It’s definitely a hassle to wear, but the bigger reason is because of reputation. Wearing a suit and tie gives off a much more imposing image than wearing a skirt, and I need all the help I can get if I want to be taken seriously. Since overtime might as well be regular work hours for me, it’s just more convenient to keep wearing a suit day in and day out.”

I think about the suit I’m currently wearing, still feeling foreign to me. “I guess I should start getting used to wearing one, huh? For when I get a job and all that.”

“Well, you’re definitely going to need one for the interviews,” Akira notes. “After that, though, well...it depends on what job you’re going to take. You’re taking physics, right? I doubt a researcher needs to wear a suit.”

“Yeah, they mostly wear lab coats…I think,” I say, despite not knowing if that statement was fact or not. I try to imagine myself as a researcher, and the vague image I can muster does include a lab coat. However, thinking about my future occupation suddenly got me thinking about other options. “What about teaching?”

“All the male high school teachers I knew wore suits, as far as I remember. Except this one guy who taught Maths, he wore suspenders,” Akira answers, giving me a curious look. “Thinking of becoming a teacher?”

“It’s an option,” I respond as we exit the apartment building. “I thought that being a researcher was definitely what I’m going to be, but I’m not so certain anymore. Teaching has its appeals, but it’s also not as prestigious.”

“Do you care about being prestigious?” Akira asks as she takes hold of my hand, the warmth a comfortable feeling on a cold evening like this.

“I’m not sure. I think what I want is a job that’ll have me remembered, I guess,” I explain, trying to articulate my reasons, despite the fact that I wasn’t entirely sure what those ‘reasons’ are. “I don’t want a job where I can easily be replaced and forgotten, like some cog in a machine that needs to be replaced. I want to be irreplaceable, as selfish as that might sound.”

“It isn’t selfish at all. Most people want to be remembered for something, to feel like they aren’t just another person out of several million,” Akira moves her body close to mind, shoulder to shoulder. She squeezes my hand as we pass by several people, some of them even staring at us. I suppose Akira does stand out a little, given her attire.

“But just because a job’s more prestigious doesn’t mean you’re irreplaceable, or that you’ll be remembered. My position is what a lot of people dream of having, but I’m not irreplaceable, and I doubt I’ll be remembered as anything but the boss’s daughter. If you’re a teacher though, and a good one, your students are going to remember you for a long, long time.”

“Do you remember any of your teachers?” I ask, her words fueling my curiosity. “Beyond vague details, I mean.”

“A few.” Akira has a nostalgic smile on her face. “Unlike most kids, I really liked going to school. Some kids saw it as a prison, but for me it was the exact opposite. Freedom from my parents for a few hours. If I had to single a particular teacher, it’d probably be my history teacher from high school. He was a really cool guy, always liked talking about this historical period or that one. He’d even come in class wearing a kabuto and a wooden katana strapped to his side.”

“Sounds like a really passionate person,” I note, glad that I’ve learned a bit more about her past. No matter what, any information about Akira is always something I’ll try to remember.

“What about you, Hisao?” she asks as we stop at a crossing, waiting for the light to turn green. “Any teacher that sticks out to you?”

I try to recall all of my past teachers, trying to see if I still have any lingering attachments to them. The ones from before Yamaku, I’ve forgotten completely. My relationship with them was strictly that of a teacher and a student, with neither fondness or camaraderie. Their faces are blank, with my only memories of them being their names and what knowledge they’ve taught me in classes.

When recalling Yamaku, only one name really comes to mind.

“My homeroom teacher, Mutou,” I answer, the memories slowly coming back to me. “He’s a pretty good teacher, and a part of the reason why I chose physics as my career. He’s the one who recognized my aptitude for the subject. We weren’t all that close, since I was only at Yamaku for a year, but he’s really the only teacher I can remember.”

It’s funny how I’ve been so adamantly against recalling anything from Yamaku, ignoring the fact that not everything that transpired there was awful. Some of the things that happened even shaped me for the better, despite being buried underneath all the bitterness.

Akira doesn’t say anything after that, the two of us silently crossing the street to our destination. We’ve talked a lot today, about a multitude of things. A brief moment of silence feels alright, a pleasant contrast to how chatty we’ve been. Despite the fact that I still want to converse with her, I don’t mind taking my time, and it seems she feels the same.

As we continue walking, I feel something cold touch the top of my head. White flakes of snow slowly start to fall out of the sky as the setting sun slowly changes the sky from orange to purple. I look to see Akira smiling, which along with everything else makes for a majestic sight.

“I love snow,” Akira says as she squeezes my hand once again, turning her head to face me. “Used to have a lot of snowball fights in middle school, and even once during college. Ever had a snowball fight before?”

“A few times, with some friends. They were pretty fun, except for the times where they all pelted me at once,” I say as we look at each other with a smile on our faces. Despite that fact, I can’t help but think about something less pleasant. “Nowadays though, snow reminds me of something I’d rather not remember.”

“Going to tell me?” Akira asks coyly, raising an eyebrow.

“When we get to the restaurant,” I respond, trying to give her a confident smile. “I’ll tell you everything you want to know there.”

“Promise?” she asks again, and I nod in response. Suddenly, she breaks away from me and chuckles. “Well, then, I’m glad I choose to wear flats tonight.”

Akira immediately rushes forward, leaving me behind. She isn’t breaking into a run, but she’s definitely walking fast enough to increase the distance between us, only turning her head around to give me a knowing smirk. Letting out an amused sigh, I decide to follow suit and go after her, trying to keep up with her.

After all, this definitely isn’t the first time I’ve chased after her. And if I had to do it again, I’d probably do it without much hesitation.

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The restaurant turns out to be the third floor of a building. As we enter, the first thing I immediately notice is that there’s music playing. I can hear someone playing the piano, alongside sounds from instruments I can’t recognize. Akira talks to the receptionist, who politely bows as a waiter guides us to our seats.

As we make our way there, I take a look at our surroundings. The place is dimly lit, with the only bright spots being the candles that some of the tables have. I turn to my right and see the source of the music, four people in white suits on a small wooden stage, playing a soft and smooth sounding song. I’m tempted to guess it’s jazz, though I could be completely wrong.

The decor in this place definitely makes it feel like a high class establishment, along with everything else. The floor is a glossy red marble, while anything metallic that I can see feels as if it’s been polished to perfection. The ceiling has several chandeliers hanging from it, providing the only source of light other than the candles.

All in all, it’s definitely a place where you wear a suit. Especially since every other customer here seems to be wearing something of the sort: from shiny suits to luxuriously looking dresses. If anything, I still feel a bit underdressed despite my current attire.

We sit at a table beside the window, the waiter handing us a couple of menus before leaving. I open mine and take a look at what they offer, Akira doing the same. The food is in both English and Japanese, and most of the food seems to be western cuisine. Unsurprisingly, they also offer a wide variety of alcoholic drinks.

“Any idea on what you want to get?” Akira asks as she closes her menu, an excited look on her face. I have a sinking suspicion that it’s not the food that she’s looking forward to

“I don’t really know,” I admit, browsing the menu further. I know all of these dishes will be of high quality, but it just makes deciding all the harder. “Any recommendations?”

“Well, if it helps you, I’m ordering a steak and some potatoes,” Akira says as she puts a hand on her cheek, eyes focused squarely on me. “I’m also ordering some wine, but I doubt that’ll help you out.”

“Maybe it will. Maybe I’ll actually drink some,” I say sarcastically, before closing the menu. “Well, since I can’t decide for myself, I might as well copy what you’re ordering. Alongside some water.”

“How original.” Akira jabs back, equally as sarcastic. She calls over the waiter and gives him our orders. Once the waiter leaves once again, she continues to silently stare at me with an expectant glint in her eye.

“You’re waiting for me to talk, aren’t you?” I ask, to which all she gives me in return is a roll of her eyes. Right, I’ve been the one wanting to talk about more serious topics, so it’s only fair that I be the one to start. “So...my condition. It’s called arrhythmia.”

“I’ve never heard of it before, but I guess it has something to do with your heart?” Akira responds, to which I nod. Her smile fades as she gives me a look of concern. “How bad is it?”

“It’s hard to say,” While the idea of downplaying my condition did tempt me for a moment, I know I couldn’t do it. With the lengths she’s gone through to just be here, she deserves nothing less than the truth, and to make her decisions based on that. “The doctors say that people with my condition are known to live a long life, though they weren’t specific about my expected lifespan.”

“Which is why you can’t take alcohol,” Akira realizes, her concern fading a little bit. “And I assume it isn’t just limited to that.”

“No alcohol, preferably no coffee, tea or anything else that stimulates or suppresses my heartbeat. Honestly, considering I had some alcohol in Yamaku alongside not adhering to my medication schedule, it’s a miracle I didn’t die,” I note with a sigh before realizing Akira has a guilty look on her face. “What’s wrong?”

“I gave you that alcohol...back then,” she says softly, her voice as guilty as her expression. It’s only then that I realize what she’s referring to. “I could have…”

“You didn’t know at the time,” I interject immediately, trying my best to reassure her. “Don’t blame yourself. If anything, the responsibility falls on me. I didn’t care much about my condition back then, or how to properly take care of myself.”

“Glad to know that’s changed,” Akira says, her worry fading and her confident side starting to return. “I don’t want us to have a short expiration date, you know.”

Before I can answer, the waiter arrives with our drinks. He pours a glass of wine for Akira before leaving the wine bottle on the table. She holds it for a few seconds before putting it down without drinking, a slight look of discomfort on her face. I can’t help but think our conversation is what put her off from indulging in some alcohol.

“Yeah, I’ve been following my medications very strictly,” I say confidently, once again trying to assuage her worries. “The only thing that I could be doing better is to exercise, but that carries some risks with it. Any major physical exertion has a risk of making my heart act up. The medications reduce that risk to a minimum, but it’s still not a chance I want to take.”

“I guess we really do have to slow dance, huh?” Akira jokes, though there’s a hint of seriousness in it. “So the scar on your chest is because of heart surgery.”

“Yeah, I found out about my condition the hard way.” I turn my head to look out the window. It’s still snowing outside, blanketing the streets below. For a split second, the sight before isn’t the busy street lit up by hundred of little artificial lights, but a forest the sun was shining down on.

“It was snowing that day. When she confessed to me, and I had that heart attack,” I say softly, with neither bitterness or regret. Years have passed, and the time to regret has long since passed. But... “Whenever I see snow, I can’t help but be reminded that it was the moment my old life ended.”

Akira says nothing, instead placing her hand on top of mine. Despite what I just said, I can’t help but smile at the gesture. The past is immutable, but at least the future is what I make of it, under the circumstances. While before I might have settled for simply being useful, nowadays I also want my future self to be happy.

“I’m glad I got to talk about it with you, in case you’re wondering,” I mention, trying to sound jovial. “If there’s one person that I want to reveal all this to, it’s you.”

“Thanks for trusting me, Hisao,” Akira says, finally picking up the wineglass and taking a sip from it. “I know it’s probably hard to talk about stuff like that.”

“It’s actually easier than I thought, at least with you,” I respond, taking a sip of my water as well. “So, is there anything else you want to know?”

“I’ll save those for later,” Akira answers, giving me a contented smile. “For now, I’m just fine enjoying this date. It’s been forever since I’ve felt this relaxed, not worrying about anything but what’s happening right in front of me.”

I hear the music stop for a few seconds, then the musicians start playing a louder and more upbeat song. Turning to look at them, I see a few extra people there with similar instruments. They all look so passionate while playing.

“You said you played a music instrument before,” I note, still observing them. “Which ones?”

“Piano, a little bit of cello, tried to play some brass but they took a lot out of my lungs,” Akira answers. When I turn back around to face her, I see her subtly moving her head to the tune of the music. “I was in the music club for a few months in high school. It was a fun time, playing in front of other people. I’ve probably forgotten all of my skills by now, though.”

“What genre did you like to play back then?” I ask, closing my eyes to focus on the music. It’s definitely an energetic song, and it almost makes me want to tap my feet.

“Try and guess, big guy,” I hear Akira say in a challenging manner. “Three guesses, and I might give you something if you manage to figure it out.”

“Jazz.” I answer immediately, my eyes still closed. When all I hear is silence, I conclude that I’m wrong. Two more guesses, and I lose.

I open my eyes and take a good look at her, to see if I can discern any hints. Akira takes another sip of wine and I’m unable to get any information from her expression. I’m pretty much blind when it comes to my guesses.

“Classical?” I answer hesitantly. It’s the genre people usually go to when instruments are concerned. Unfortunately, her smirk immediately tells me I’m wrong again.

“Wrong. You get one more guess,” Akira says, obviously taking pleasure in my inability to figure it out. “Maybe you won’t get that something after all.”

I try to think about it some more, wondering what genre she might like to play. Honestly, winning or losing didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. It’s a trivial game, with the prize equally trivial most likely. I don’t need to win, and yet feel as if I do.

And besides, even if I lose, at least Akira gets some enjoyment from me being wrong.

“Traditional Japanese,” I answer at last, not feeling confident at all. Akira simply shakes her head before pouring herself another glass of wine. Sighing, I decide I might as well accept defeat. “I guess I lose. What’s the answer?”

“Jazz, you were right the first time,” Akira says smugly. “I never said you were wrong the first time. I also played a bit of classical music, though I don’t like it all that much.”

I can’t help but feel a little cheated from Akira leading me on like that, but I suppose that’s part of the fun for her. I wonder if it’s because she likes being in control even if she loses, or she just likes to mess with me. Both are also a strong possibility.

“Guess I win then,” I say with an excited look on my face, to which she nods in response. “What are you going to give me?”

“Close your eyes and find out, big guy.” She utters in a soft and sultry voice, which causes my face to heat up. I do as she says, closing my eyes and waiting for Akira to make her move. For a few seconds I feel nothing but the music playing, it’s volume slowly increasing. I wonder what she’s waiting for until I feel her hand on my collar.

Just as the music swells to its highest point, I feel myself being pulled towards her slightly. Her lips meet mine and I instinctively reciprocate her kiss. Time feels to slow down as I feel how nice her lips are, our kiss far more passionate and sensual than anything we’ve done in a long time.

The feeling of bliss lingers even after we part. I slowly open my eyes to see that Akira’s face is blushing, and that she has a rather flushed look on her face. Not that I can fault her, considering I’m feeling equally as exhilarated.

“Well, that was…” I struggle to find the words to describe it, and can only really think of one word to describe what just happened. “Amazing.”

“I know,” Akira replies in a confident manner, giving me a wink. I don’t know why, but her face lit up by the dim lights, her smile, the look in her eyes—they all seem so perfect in this moment, as if I’m looking at a painting that’s without flaw. “Honestly, I wanted to kiss you for a little longer, but then people would start staring at us.”

“I suppose that would be unwelcome,” I acknowledge, looking around the restaurant. If there’s any indication that anyone’s paid attention to us, I can’t see it. “Thanks for that, Akira.”

“We got a little gloomy for a while, talking about your condition and all,” Akira says affectionately. “So I wanted to make it a little more fun. After all, that’s what dates are supposed to be at the end of the day.”

“I suppose so,” I respond, not knowing what else to say. Instead I mirror her earlier action and place my hand on top of hers. For a while, we silently look at each other, content with letting our expressions convey our emotions.

It doesn’t take long for the food to arrive. As expected, it’s probably the best thing I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating. The steak was cooked perfectly, the taste of it accentuated by the minimum of spices on top of it. I find myself eating slower than I usually do, to savor each and every bite of it.

Akira is the exact opposite, going through the steak like she was starving. While I’m only halfway done with my meal, she’s almost finished with hers. I continue to take my time as she finishes the last of her steak, before an idea strikes me.

“This steak is amazing,” I say innocuously, trying not to sound like I’m planning something. “My friends go to this steakhouse every once in a while, but it’s nothing compared to this place.”

“Hmm, I can think of one or two places in Scotland with comparable steaks, but nothing in this city will have anything that can compete with how the meat is cooked here. It has a long reservation list for a very good reason,” Akira responds, poking at her empty plate with her fork. “Man, I almost wish I didn’t finish mine so fast. Almost.”

“You can have some more, if you want to.” I suggest as I take a bite out of my potatoes.

“Nah, I don’t feel like I can finish another steak. It’ll just be wasting perfectly good foo—” She stops, most likely realizing what I’m suggesting. “Huh, funny that you would think about it first.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask, rolling my eyes as I cut a piece of steak and stab at it with a fork. “So, is that a yes? Or should I finish this before you can give me an answer.”

Akira lets out a chuckle before leaning her face in and opening her mouth. “Ahhh~”

I take the piece of steak and put it near her mouth and, just to mess with her, quickly put it in mine instead. Akira immediately closes her mouth, giving me a rather annoyed glare alongside a rather cute pout.

“Jerk,” she mutters, sounding slightly embarrassed. “I can’t believe I didn’t see that coming.”

“Sorry, couldn’t resist,” I say as I chew on my steak, cutting up another piece and placing it in front of her once again. As she looks at my fork with suspicion, I chuckle and add, “For real this time, I promise.”

She looks on in suspicion before finally leaning her head forward, biting the piece off of my fork. Akira has a satisfied look on her face, taking another sip of wine.

“Thanks,” she says, her face beginning to turn red, though I wasn’t sure if it’s because of me or from the wine. “I’d do the same, but, uh…”

“Next time,” I respond before continuing with my meal, trying to finish it. “Thanks for reserving this place for us. I really enjoyed myself here.”

“Good to hear. Guess booking a place in advance really paid off,” she says before pouring another glass of wine. Surprisingly, she hasn’t drunk all that much throughout the dinner. In fact, I think this is just her third glass. “So after we’re done here, do you want to head home immediately?”

“We could walk around aimlessly for a while,” I respond before finishing the last of my food. “After all, isn’t that what we do best?”

“Smartass,” Akira says before raising her glass. “To a great vacation.”

I take my glass and lightly tap it against hers. “To a great date.”

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The snow begins to stop as we exit the restaurant. We decide to walk around the area, neither of us really looking forward to heading home just yet. The night’s still young, and the two of us aren’t ready to let this date end. Hand in hand, we walk wherever our whims take us, looking at the sights we pass by and commenting about anything that comes to mind.

“So, still not going to tell me your remaining plans?” I ask out of the blue. “Or do you really want to keep me in suspense?”

“Hmm…” Akira seems to think it over before finally deciding on an answer. “Well, I don’t really have anything planned for the next few days. But near the end of the week, I was thinking we can take a train somewhere. To...Hokkaido.”

“Hokkaido, huh?” I say in a nonchalant manner, the name immediately making me think of my one visit there. “The summerhouse?”

“You forgot already? We sold that thing before I moved to Scotland. It’s someone else’s residence now,” Akira says, acting as casual as I am about the revelation. “Nah, I was thinking we’d stick to a hotel I know. Nice rooms, great breakfast, amazing view. Oh, and it has a private couple’s onsen.”

“Couple’s onsen, huh?” I note with a chuckle. I’ve actually never been in an onsen, and I didn’t think my first experience with one would be a couple’s experience. “Not that I’m against the
idea, but is that the only reason why you want to head there?”

“If I wanted an excuse to bathe with you, I could have just rented a hotel nearby,” she says with a chuckle as she leans into me. “Nah, it’s just a very nostalgic place for me. I have a lot of memories of that place over the years, so it’ll be nice to make some new ones there.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” I respond, squeezing her hand. “If it means so much to you, then I’ll happily go.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time you went there with a Satou, huh?” Akira teases. Perhaps it’s the casual atmosphere, but I don’t find the fact that she brings up Lilly jarring at all.

“No, it won’t. But this time the Satou that I’m accompanying is my girlfriend from the start,” I respond before adding. “Hey Akira, can we have a serious conversation when we get to Hokkaido? I’d like to know more about your past, and about what you think about our relationship. About where it’s heading.”

Akira goes silent for a bit before responding. “I was actually thinking the same thing. Guess we’re both on the same page, huh?”

“I wonder if there’s a time where we weren’t,” I respond in a half-serious tone. “Honestly, I’m still a little afraid if that happens.”

“Afraid, huh?” Akira says. Her tone indicates that she knows what I’m referring to, though she doesn’t want to say it outright.

“Our relationship’s been a lot of fun. It’s made me the happiest I’ve ever been in a long time,” I say with genuine gratitude, looking at her. “And I know you feel the same way. I’m just wondering how long that happiness will last, and when things will start getting less...”

“Do you think they will?” Akira asks once she realizes that I’m not going to finish my sentence, sounding neither offended or worried.

“I don’t know. I really hope not,” I say, my uncertainty slipping through. “I thought that I’d eliminated my doubts about all this ever since I decided to pursue you. But every once in a while my cynicism starts to guide my thoughts, telling me to think things through more carefully.”

“I guess I can see why,” Akira replies as she looks back at me. She isn’t smiling at me, but I can tell it is out of respect for the seriousness of what I’d said. “It’s not like I was completely behind our relationship when we started it. Up until we had our first call, I was seriously wondering whether or not I could do a long distance relationship.”

“It was the same for me. Guess we really are on the same page, huh?” I say, trying to lighten the mood a little. “But when we had our first conversation over the phone, I felt those doubts go away. Whenever they resurfaced, all I needed was to talk to you for those thoughts to cease.”

“But they never really truly go away, huh? The best you can do is keep them quiet, but they’re still at the very back of your mind,” Akira notes, and I nod in response. “Is that why you kept feeling guilty today, about me buying your suit or asking how the date’s going?”

“I wasn’t directly thinking about it at the time, but I suppose that’s possible,” I respond truthfully, feeling a bit of shame. The date’s going so well, and yet here I am talking about stuff like this. “Sorry, I guess it’s in my nature to second guess things.”

“Nothing wrong with that, as long as you don’t go too far with it,” Akira answers, and goes silent.

The two of us continue walking, neither of us wanting to speak up. Eventually the crowds around us start to thin, until there’s very few people passing by. Akira eventually motions to an empty bench. I brush the snow off the seat, and we sit down.

“My legs are getting sore,” Akira mentions casually, stretching her legs. “Walking all day will do that, even if it’s not in heels.”

“Do you want to take a cab or a bus home? I’m sure we can find one nearby,” I suggest, but Akira wraps her arm around me, clinging to me as she rests her head on my shoulder.

“Not yet, I wanna stay here for a little while longer,” Akira mumbles, though she doesn’t sound tired at all. “I don’t want to go home until we finish this conversation.”

“Fair enough,” I say, resting my head against hers. “I’m sorry, by the way. For always doubting.”

“Don’t be. I’d rather you be honest about it than to try and fake being certain,” Akira responds, nuzzling her head on my neck. “I know that there’s nothing I can say that’ll make you stop worrying, because only you can do that. All I’ll say is that I’m with you now, and that I want to be with you until the end of the line.”

Until the end of the line. A term that would usually sound morbid to me, considering what it implies. But I know the meaning behind her words. She isn’t promising to be with me forever, because that’s a promise that can’t be guaranteed. But she’ll try to live up to that promise, regardless of whether it’ll be true or not.

Much like the time we had our first conversation over the phone, I feel my worries slowly going away. I doubt they’re gone entirely, and that they’ll return in time. But for now, it’s enough for me to feel certain about our relationship, at least for the time being.

“I want to be with you too. Until the end,” I whisper in gratitude. “You say that I’m always putting up with you, but I feel the same a lot of the time. So thanks for putting up with me, Akira.”

“Guess we need to stop thinking that way, huh? Stop seeing ourselves as a burden to one another,” Akira mentions, her usual sarcastic tone returning. “Well, as far as first dates go, I’d say this is the best one I’ve ever had.”

“Really? After all that’s happened?” I question, wondering what metric she’s measuring by.

“Well, it’s not the most fun date I’ve ever had, even if it’s been pretty fun,” Akira says as she lets out a sigh, the night’s cold making her breath visible. “But we got to talk about some really personal stuff, and I feel as if I know you a lot more. All my other first dates tried to keep things exciting, but they weren’t really emotionally intimate or anything. I had fun back then, but that’s all I had. But this date was...something more than that.”

“Well, I’m glad that I manage to stand out, at the very least,” I respond as Akira breaks away from me, standing up and stretching. “Ready to go?”

“Yeah, let’s catch a cab or a bus or something.” She extends a hand towards me, giving me a wry smile. “Though this time, it’s to your place instead of mine.”

I grab her hand and the two of us leave the bench behind, heading for the nearest bus station. As we continue to walk, looking at the road for any cabs to hail, Akira says in a conversational tone. “You know, there’s also another thing that makes this date better than the rest. Your hand.”

“What about it?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. “I don’t see what’s so special about my hand.”

“Well, the fact that I get to hold it so often. I’m...kind of a sucker for that, actually,” Akira admits, sounding oddly shy as she squeezes my hand. I suppose we have been holding hands throughout the day, though I still don’t know why that’s so special. “My other boyfriends weren’t really into that kind of stuff. Probably has to do with how unfeminine I am most of the time, so we didn’t really hold hands for very long.”

“I don’t really think you’re unfeminine. Especially with how beautiful you look right now.” I say, trying to compliment her.

“Don’t expect me to look like this all the time. Like I said, it’s a pain putting this all together, so I only wear stuff like this when I’m in the mood,” Akira notes as a cab passes us by, too fast for us to hail it. “Do you prefer it if I look like this more often?”

“Is that a loaded question?” I ask, only to be answered with a smirk from Akira, who’s keeping quiet. “If you want me to be honest, I think you look nice no matter what you’re wearing. But as beautiful as you are in a dress, I definitely like seeing you in more casual clothes. It feels more natural when you’re wearing those, I guess.”

She seems surprised by my response, and plants a quick peck on my cheek. “You know, this is the first time I’ve actually believed an answer to that question. All the other guys just say I should wear whatever I want, despite the fact that I know exactly what kind of look they prefer.”

“Are you going to keep comparing me to your past relationships?” I question as we reach a bus station, my voice loaded with sarcasm.

“What? Don’t like getting your ego boosted?” she taunts, letting out a loud chuckle. “I thought guys like being favorably compared to other guys, especially if they happen to be ex-boyfriends of a girl they’re dating.”

“Is that really the case?” I say, rolling my eyes. “Did you do that with all your past relationships?”

“See? You’re getting into it,” Akira proclaims energetically, her smile widening as she inches her face closer to mine. “Admit it, big guy. You like when I say that you’re better than my exes.”

I keep silent to avoid playing into her game, though that doesn’t last very long. It’s hard to resist her when she’s like this, and I’d be lying if I say I don’t enjoy our verbal back and forths, win or lose. I suspect she knows it as well, which is why it’s so easy for her to lure me in.

“I wouldn’t know, Akira. You haven’t said it yet,” I retort, hoping that the bus doesn’t arrive for at least a few more minutes. “Sure, you’ve compared me to them, but I haven’t exactly gotten a decisive statement from you.”

“Not even going to pretend you’re not interested? Well, if that’s what you want,” Akira moves her face even closer to mine, our eyes locked in each other’s gaze. In a quieter voice, she says. “You’re the best relationship I’ve ever had, Hisao. There, I said it.”

I plant a quick kiss on her lips, which she seems to appreciate. I can end the conversation right here, but I decide to play along a little longer. She started this, but I feel like having the last word just this once.

“I feel the same way. You really are the best girlfriend I’ve ever had,” I add, trying to sound romantic. She seems content with my statement, before I add in a dismissive tone. “So far, anyways.”

Akira’s eyes immediately widen after hearing those last three words. As if on cue, the bus arrives and opens its doors to us. Before she can get a word in, I turn away from her and head in. “Well, time to head home, Akira.”

“Smartass,” I hear her whisper in an annoyed tone. “Can’t believe I fell for that.”

“Do you want to take back what you said?” I offer as we take our seats, dangerously trying to push my advantage.

“...Nah,” Akira mutters after a bit of contemplation. As the door closes, I see her smile returning. “You win this one, big guy. This is part of why I like you so much, even if I lose every once in a while.”

As the bus drops us off near my apartment building, I pull out my phone to check the time. It’s only 10, not nearly as late as I thought. I wonder if we could have walked around a little more before deciding to return, before remembering Akira’s complaints about her legs.

The moment we enter the building, the scent of cigarettes immediately fills my nostrils. In fact, it smells more pungent than usual. Either someone’s having a party with a lot of smokers, or a large portion of the residence here had a really bad day. As we head to the elevator, I can’t help but cough due to how noxious the smell is.

“You alright?” Akira asks, giving me a gentle pat on the back. From the looks of things, she seems to be faring much better than I am, though the discomfort was clear on her face. “Drink some water once we get back.”

“Yeah,” I say, letting out a few light coughs. “You’d think I’d be used to the smell by now.”

“Does it usually get this bad?” Akira asks as we finally head into the elevator. She immediately presses the button to my room floor and to close the elevator.

“No, thankfully. I can’t remember the last time it got this bad,” I comment, thankful for the relative comfort of stale elevator air. “Though sometimes I wonder if I’m the only one in this building who doesn’t smoke.”

“You sound like me during college. I didn’t mind the smoke, but I never did it myself. Wasn’t a fan of what might happen if I got too addicted to it,” Akira says as the elevator door opens. Thankfully the smell isn’t as intense on this floor, though that isn’t exactly hard to do. “Friends were all about it though. Smoking was the craze back when you could legally buy cigarettes. Some tried for a couple of months, some for a few weeks, and some never stopped.”

“Urgh, I’m glad my friends don’t do the same,” I mutter as we reach my door, opening it as quickly as I can. We head inside before I slam the door shut, turning on the lights so we can see. “I already have enough smoke to deal with, walking in and out of this place.”

“Hey, is it bad for you?” Akira asks as she walks towards the bed, sitting down on it and taking off her shoes. “I mean, inhaling smoke is always bad for you. But does it affect your heart?”

“A little,” I admit, taking off the suit. An entire night wearing it was enough for me to get used to it.Taking it off feels like an invisible burden is being lifted off my back. “Nothing major or life threatening at my age. As long as I take my medications, it’s a liveable environment.”

“Liveable doesn’t mean comfortable though,” Akira says, taking off her coat. “Did you know about the smoke when you rented this place?”

“I was aware of it, though not the severity. The other places on offer had too much empty space, so I turned them down,” I note, taking off my shoes before sitting beside her on the bed. “I’m actually thinking about finding a new place to live, probably after graduation.”

“Somewhere with less smoke than a forest fire, I hope,” Akira jokes.

“Definitely. Someplace a bit bigger, though not too big. A kitchen, maybe a small spare room to store some superfluous stuff. A living room which is about the size of this place,” I list all the things that I want out of a new place, before adding the one thing I want most of all. “Hopefully it’ll be enough space for the two of us.”

“When I move in with you, you mean.” Akira states, not even trying to question that implication.

“I know it won’t be for a while. There’s a fair chance that it’ll be long after I graduate,” I admit to the both of us, trying not to get my expectations too high. “Still, I want to be ready when it happens. Having you come back to this place every day...I know you wouldn’t mind, but I want a place where we live to be far nicer than this.”

Akira wraps her arms around me, giving me a warm hug. “I appreciate the thought, Hisao. And try not to think about how long until that day might arrive. It might just be closer than you think, depending on how we play our cards.”

I return the hug without saying anything, and we stay like that for a few seconds.

“Alright, I need to change. These clothes are really starting to make me feel like I’m being squeezed out,” Akira says urgently as she breaks off the hug, grabbing some clothes from her luggage. “Might as well take a shower while I’m at it. You on the other hand, need to get some water for that cough.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I agree with an exaggerated groan, earning a huff from Akira.

As she heads to the bathroom, I head over to my cupboard and take out a cup, pouring a glass of water for myself. While I’m at it, I head over to my desk to take out my medications, taking them one by one before gulping down the water.

With nothing to do after I wash the cup, I sit on the bed and close my eyes, trying to imagine living in a different apartment. The mental images I get are foggy and undetailed, making me seriously wonder about the idea of moving.

While I can’t say I have any emotional attachment this small area I call my home, especially with the environment it’s in, the idea of moving is more difficult to grasp than I would have otherwise thought. Moving is a big step, and it means completely finding a new location, uprooting and moving there, along with making all the necessary adjustments to my schedule and routing.

My reluctance is probably because upheaval is never something I’m fond of. Ever since I was born, I stayed in the same home for eighteen years, and had a life that would be considered entirely average. The first real change to that status quo was not a pleasant one, with the discovery of my condition and the traumatizing experience that ensued.

After that, my life was irrevocably changed. The bubble of normalcy that I had burst, and I was thrust into an unfamiliar world, the people I once knew out of my reach. Perhaps I could have done more to adapt, but my mood was too bitter and the circumstances were too extreme to make an effort to.

And when I returned to what was once my familiar life, I found that it too has changed. The people I used to know had moved on with their lives, leaving me adrift and with nothing to cling to. The only change to my life I accepted was the move from my parents’ place to here, and even that it was out of necessity.

I open my eyes, unable to find a conclusion to my thoughts. Regardless of my misgivings, I really do want to move, but there’s still time before that needs to happen. So for now, I push away the idea as something that can be addressed when graduation comes around.

Hearing the shower turn off, I turn to see Akira emerge from the bathroom wearing a casual orange shirt along with some shorts. She casually dumps her worn clothes onto the existing pile before sitting next to me.

“Alright, I showered and brushed my teeth, it’s your turn,” Akira says in a playfully commanding voice. “Oh, and give me your wallet before you go.”

“What for?” I ask, pulling out my wallet as I’m doing so. “If you’re trying to steal a few hundred yen from me, you could just ask.”

“Just curious about something.” Akira comments in a tone that indicates she isn’t going to specify what exactly she’s curious about. Deciding not to bother, I take some more comfortable clothes and head to the bathroom.

Closing the door, I take off my clothes, the cold quickly causing me to shiver. I turn on the water to remedy that, letting the hot water warm me up as I clean my body. Looking around, I notice the differences between how the bathroom usually looks and how it looks now. An extra towel hanging beside mine, a second set of toiletries near the sink. She’s only been here a day, and yet these changes makes it feel like she’s been here for longer.

I can’t help but wonder if it’ll be the same once we’ve properly moved in together. A bigger bathroom would definitely be needed to make it feel less cramped. Perhaps one with a bathtub, if that’s available. I can’t help but muse about the possibilities during my shower.

Once I’m satisfied, I turn the shower off and dry and dress myself before stepping back into the main room, old clothes in hand. As I walk out, I see that Akira is no longer holding my wallet. Instead, she’s holding a small square package, and my eyes immediately widen upon realizing what it is, and where it has been.

“Well, well, well,” Akira teases, playfully waving the package. “I had a hunch you might be carrying this, and I was right.”

Deciding to play it cool, I go and dump my dirty clothes into the pile and say, “I’ll probably need to head to a laundromat tomorrow to clean our clothes. This place doesn’t have a public washing machine.”

“No use changing the subject. Not as long as I’m awake,” she insists, her voice practically dripping with amusement. “When did you buy this? The second I told you I was coming here?”

“A week before you arrived,” I admit, seeing no point in lying to her. “I was passing a convenience store on the way home, and considering how much you joke about protection, I figured it was handy to at least have it on standby.”

“Well, I joke about it for a reason. It’s nice to be safe,” Akira says, sounding genuinely appreciative at my foresight. “So, just curious. When were you going to make your move?”

“I don’t know,” I say with a shrug before sitting beside her on the bed. Akira gives me a skeptical look, and I raise my hands in defense. “Honest. I’m not proficient at initiating this sort of thing.”

“Well, you either start by kissing me, then you put your hand on my body and see where things go,” Akira says, the advice she’s giving coming off as both sincere and a little bit like she’s making fun of me. “Or you could just ask me. ‘Do you want to sleep together?’ is how it usually goes, though you can obviously word it a little better.”

“Alright, alright, I get it,” I relent, laying down on the bed in defeat. “I’ll try to remember that.”

“That doesn’t answer my question, you know,” Akira sighs, sounding annoyed.

“What quest-?” I try to ask, but before I can finish that question Akira moves to pin me onto the bed, straddling my hips as she shakes her head in disbelief.

“This making it any more obvious?” Akira asks, leaning her face closer to mine as her hands grab my wrists. “Or do I really have to explain it to you?”

Oh. That’s what she meant.

“I mean…” I say, not adverse to the idea at all but trying to process what she’s saying. “This feels a bit sudden.”

“Really? After you took the effort to buy condoms a week before I even got here,” Akira mentions, a devious smirk on her face. “Honestly, you know how to tease, but when it comes to sealing the deal you need some serious work.”

“I’m sorry?” I say sheepishly, feeling a bit pathetic. Akira responds by lowering her head to kiss my neck, even nipping it a little. I’m caught off guard as the feeling of her soft lips and teeth cause me to moan.

She kisses me for a few more seconds before lifting her head up to face me. Strands of her hair are on my face, and I can’t help but notice how nice she smells. Akira lets out a giggle as she continues to pin me, unwilling to let me go until she’s satisfied.

“It’s fine. You know what to do when it counts, so I don’t mind taking the lead like this. Though I hopefully don’t have to do this every time,” Akira whispers, moving her face in seductively. Her lips are so close to mine, yet the fact that they aren’t touching fills me with disappointment. “The night’s almost over. Our date had its ups and downs, so how about we end it on a high note?”

I don’t bother with a verbal response, instead opting to close the miniscule distance between our lips by kissing her. Akira’s hands finally loosen their grip on mine, allowing them to move to touch her body as any previous thoughts give way to passionate instinct.

I feel her hands on the bottom of my shirt, moving them inside to feel my chest. We part lips, both to catch our breath and for her to properly take off my shirt, throwing it aside without a care. Akira wags her finger at me, and I don’t hesitate to return to favor, lifting up her shirt and throwing it aside as well.

Surprisingly, she’s still wearing a black lacy bra, not that I mind. My hands move to her chest, slipping inside and squeezing her breasts. Her wanton moans are something I haven’t heard in a long time, and hearing it again feels so sweet to my ears.

“Were you planning this from the beginning?” I ask nonchalantly as I continue to massage her chest, Akira returning the favor by placing her hands on mine, the delicate touch of her fingers making me shudder ever so slightly at her touch. “That’s why you checked my wallet for condoms, isn’t it?”

“Hey, I have my needs too. If I wasn’t so tired yesterday, I would have jumped you the moment we got out of the taxi,” Akira teases as one of her hands reaches my nipple, her finger pressing on it. The sudden sensation causes me to let out a short but loud yelp. “Ooh, sensitive here, huh? I’ll need to remember that for later.”

I retaliate by squeezing her breast a little harder, causing her to whimper in turn. Akira pulls one of her hands back, wrapping it around her back to unhook her bra. She wiggles her body, letting it fall down her chest and onto mine.

“You know, you could have not worn a bra if you were planning this all along,” I note in a playful voice, as one of my hands slides down the side of her body, squeezing her hip. “It would have been less trouble.”

“I like having them on. Taking off someone’s clothes is a part of the fun, gives both of us a good show before the action,” Akira says as she moves the lower part of her body, slowly grinding her groin on mine. I grind alongside her, feeling my pants getting tighter. “Hey, before we get too into this...your heart…”

I feel my excitement pause as Akira looks at me for approval, the two of us sitting up. She doesn’t seem worried, but it feels touching that she’s worried about my condition before proceeding.

“I should be fine,” I assure her. “I didn’t have a problem the last time we did something like this, and I haven’t been skipping my medications. Unless it’s extremely strenuous, I doubt there’ll be a problem.”

“Alright, but make sure to tell me the second something’s wrong. The last thing either of us need is a trip to the hospital,” Akira insists, her hand tracing the scar on my chest. I firmly nod in response, and her seductive side returns as she gives me a wide grin. “Good boy. Now it’s time for some real fun.”

She crawls down my body, planting several short kisses on my body as she does. Once she reaches my navel, Akira kisses it while her hands unfasten my pants, pulling them down. Every move of hers is slow and deliberate, drawing out the act to make it even more enticing for me. Each kiss and each touch makes me whimper in bliss, which only encourages her even more.

After a few more kisses to my navel she finally removes my pants, leaving me in my underwear. Crawling down even further, Akira kisses the area above my crotch before looking up at me, the dominant and lecherous look on her face heightening my anticipation at what’s going to happen.

“I’ve missed doing this,” she purrs, pulling down my underwear and leaving me completely exposed. Her eyes still gazing at me, she wraps a hand around my shaft and starts to slowly stroke it, her mouth extremely close to the tip. “I want to see you squirm.”

And squirm is what I do, as I feel myself shaking slightly at how delicate her hands are, especially when she’s touching such a sensitive area. Akira seems to have experience with this particular act of intimacy, as her strokes are nothing short of tantalizing. slow enough for me to feel it but never fast enough for it to completely lose myself in it.

I hear myself panting involuntarily, which seems to please her. She starts to kiss the head, as slow and as maddenly arousing as her strokes. Wanting some sort of agency, I place my hands on the back of her head, my fingers going through her silky hair as she continues to both torment and excite me.

“Try to hold out, big guy,” Akira purrs as she stops moving her hand, allowing me to breathe a little. The nickname she so often calls me feels much less casual in this setting, and yet just as enjoyable. “Don’t want to disappoint me by bailing out too early, do you?”

“N-No promises,” I mutter, feeling too heated to even sound sarcastic.

Akira brushes her hair back before opening her mouth, moving her head in. I feel it wrapping around me as she begins moving her head in a slow rhythmic motion, her eyes still gazing up towards my face. Arching my back a little, I feel a little overwhelmed at the sensation of her mouth around me, her tongue touching my tip.

I’m unable to say anything beyond guttural moans, and unable to do anything besides hold on to her hair. My perception of time seems to fade, as I can’t tell if it’s been a few seconds since Akira began, or a minute, or several. All I know is that this feels very different from that night at her hotel room, both physically and emotionally.

Akira feels unrestrained, as if she’s letting loose a part of herself that’s been hidden away. From how intently she’s looking at me, to how she’s teasing my body with her hands earlier and mouth now. It’s almost as if she’s using my body as an outlet for her lust.

If that’s the case, I’ll happily serve as that outlet. I just hope my heart doesn’t act up at the worst possible time...

Akira pulls her head back, panting just as much as I am. I feel my chest start to loosen up and my breath getting steadier, almost feeling relieved that it’s over. Almost.

“Aw, this a little too intense for you?” she taunts with a wide smile on her face. “Having trouble being my plaything?”

“Not at all,” I say, managing to smile in return. “That was...amazing, Akira.”

“Thanks. I haven’t done this in a while, so it feels nice to be able to use my mouth like this again,” Akira responds before planting a quick kiss on my thigh. “How much longer do you think you can last?”

“Honestly, not much longer,” I answer, taking in deep breaths as I do. “If you had continued for a few more seconds, I might have...you know.”

“Well, I’m glad I stopped then. As much as I like using my mouth, I’m not looking for that tonight,” Akira says as she rolls to the side, sliding off her pants and revealing the black panties beneath them. “Well, now it’s your turn, big guy.”

“Guess it’s time for me to return the favor, huh?” I respond, calming down a little.

“You gonna keep talking or do I have to do this myself?” Akira asks sarcastically, crooking her finger at me as she moves until her back is leaning on the wall. Deciding to comply with her request, I get off the bed for a split second before positioning myself so that my head’s right in front of her.

She lifts up her legs, allowing me to pull up her panties and take them off one of her legs, leaving them hanging by one of her feet. Once she spreads her legs open, I move my head closer to her thighs, feeling a bit nervous at the fact that I’m doing this for the first time.

“Um, I’ve never done this before,” I mention as I look up at her, letting my inexperience show.

Akira’s answer is to put her hand on my head, playfully brushing my hair. “Don’t worry about it, big guy. Learning is part of the fun, and I’ll help you out. Trust me, I think we’ll both enjoy what’s going to happen.”

With nothing else left to say, I begin by moving my face further in. Before actually proceeding, I plant a few kisses on her lower body, just like she does. Akira seems to appreciate it as I can hear her let out several pleasant whimpers in response to each one. After a few more kisses she impatiently pushes my head down.

Still feeling a bit nervous, I start by extending my tongue a little to touch her. The reaction I get from Akira is a little more than I was prepared for, as she lets out a very loud groan. The taste is unusual but nice, and I find myself wanting more.

I lick her again, and again, and again. Each one elicits a moan from Akira, which just encourages me to do it again. I inch my face in closer and start to press my face against her, inserting my tongue into her.

“That’s it…” Akira moans out, sounding out of breath as I feel her tugging on my hair. “Nice and slow.”

My sight is obscured by Akira’s body, so I decide to close my eyes and let my other senses guide me. I move my tongue inside her, encouraged by the fact that she’s pushing my head further in. My hands plant themselves on the outside of her thighs in an attempt to find something to hold, squeezing them as I continue this new and exciting experience.

At first, my movements don’t have much direction beyond trying to press my tongue in as deep as I can, but eventually I focus on the sounds Akira is making. The louder she gets, the more I know what to do. I also begin to use my head as well, moving it up and down slightly after some guidance from her hand pulling me up and pushing me down.

Eventually, I hear her moan so loudly it’s practically a scream.

“Right there, rightttt there,” Akira coos, sounding both surprised and extremely excited. I feel the sides of my head being pressed in by her legs. “Just focus on that spot a little longer.”

I oblige by trying to repeat what I’d just done, eventually hearing Akira’s loud moan again. At this point I can neither see nor speak, my head feels like it’s being squished and I’m barely able to think. And yet I keep going, my desire and Akira’s reactions overriding any possible discomfort I might have. All that matters to me in this present moment is our bodies and her pleasure.

“I-I’m close,” Akira says before letting out another moan. Despite my wish to continue, I reluctantly pull my head back just as she did. Panting heavily, I look up to see that Akira has a flustered look on her face. “Almost lost it for a second. Not bad for your first time, big guy.”

“Thanks,” I respond as I sit up, feeling just a bit proud upon hearing that compliment. Just a bit. “So...what now? Want to take a break before continuing?”

“Yeah, I need a moment to breathe,” Akira says in between deep breaths, looking around the bed until she finds the condom, picking it up again. “Still, might as well get you ready.”

She rips the package open and pulls it out, leaning down as I spread my legs. As she begins to put it on me, she mentions offhandedly. “I put one of these on with my mouth once, you know. It was pretty fun, but probably more trouble than it’s worth.”

“Out of curiosity, what would you have done if you didn’t find a condom in my wallet?” I ask as she finishes, scooting her body closer to mine.

“Mm, probably would have gone through with it, since I’ve got a couple in my wallet in case you forgot somehow. Glad to know that I didn’t have to,” Akira answers as wraps her arms around my neck. “Hard to believe it’s been over a month since then.”

“Yeah. Though I think I vastly prefer this night over that one,” I comment, smiling affectionately. “I love you, Akira.”

“Nice timing there,” Akira responds as she looks at me fondly, tenderness and sensuality in equal measure. “I love you too, Hisao. Now shut up and kiss me.”

Without saying a word, I move in to kiss her, immediately slipping my tongue in. No more words need to be said. Right now, all I want to do is to enjoy the feeling of her lips on mine, her hands on the back of my neck.

She lays back down on the bed while we’re still kissing, dragging me down on top of her. We part only for a second to catch our breath, our lips meeting again immediately afterward. I position myself better, my crotch just above hers. Akira wraps her legs around me as I press down into her, the two of us clinging onto each other’s body for support.

The next few minutes are a blur as the two of us move our bodies in sync with each other, gradually gaining speed as it goes along. I can feel my heart racing a little, but thankfully it doesn’t seem to act up. If there’s ever a time where I’m glad I followed my regimen of medications to the letter, it’s now.

The only time our lips part was to catch our breath, letting our moans out before kissing again, our tongues playing with one another. My hands grab onto the bed to balance myself as I try to pace myself as best I can.

I feel something building up inside me. Holding it in, I manage to pull back from our kissing to murmur out. “Akira...I’m going to…”

Akira’s legs wrap around me even tighter, locking me in place. She doesn’t say anything, but it’s clear from the look on her face that she’s feeling the same way. I thrust down one last time, hearing the two of us groan before my mind blanks for a few seconds.

Once I regain my senses, I realize that I’m no longer holding myself up, my entire body having fallen on top of Akira. She doesn’t seem to mind, though, as she nuzzles my neck, murmuring some pleasant sounding noises into my ear.

We stay like that for a while, still clinging to one another, both to recover and to savor the moment. I eventually get out of bed, taking the condom off me and throwing it in the trash, as well as turning off the lights. The exhaustion is starting to set in, and I don’t think I can stay awake much longer.

Turning back, I see Akira’s already prepared to sleep, letting out a yawn as she casually throws all our clothes off the bed. She crawls into the bedsheet, lifting a part of it up for me to join her, which I do.

“That was nice,” I say in a drastic understatement as I scoot my body closer to hers, downplaying how intense it was. “I’m glad we finally got to do it again.”

“That makes the two of us, big guy. Way better than the first time we did it, too” Akira mumbles, sounding more exhausted than I am. She plants a kiss on my lips before asking. “Just checking, but is everything alright?”

“Everything’s alright,” I assure her, admiring how beautiful she looks with only the moonlight shining down on her face. “No need to coddle me, you know. If my heart is acting up, I’ll let you know. Promise.”

“Alright. I’m just not used to this kind of thing, so I don’t really know when to bring it up,” Akira says apologetically, wrapping an arm around me and resting her head next to mine. “But I trust you to take care of yourself. Don’t want to disappoint your girlfriend if you didn’t, huh?”

“Yeah…” I respond, my answer more serious than perhaps Akira realizes. My relationship is just another reason to make sure my arrhythmia doesn’t ruin it, as it does some other aspects of my life. “Almost feels weird that it’s only been two days. Feels a lot longer than that.”

“Well that’s because you’re enjoying every second of it. I know I am,” Akira says with a giggle before closing her eyes, leaning her head to touch mine. “Best date ever.”

“Really?” I ask, closing my eyes as well. I feel her legs cross with mine and her body getting even closer. The two of us on this winter night, snug and warm and happy. I don’t think anything can rival how wonderful this feeling is.

“Good night, Hisao,” is all Akira says, and I doubt she’ll say anything more than that. With her getting the last word in, I decide to leave our conversation there and focus on sleeping, content with letting this amazing day end at last.

Regardless of whether or not she meant what she said, I definitely consider this a perfect end to a perfect date.

great update, love your work my fren

Sorry, I'm new. Could I just ask about the title? I'm guessing it means that this story picks up after Lily's neutral ending?
Thanks,
John

Looking forward to seeing more of this. There's not enough Akira-route content

Glad this is continuing. Great new chapter!

Finally got around to reading this one! Pretty enjoyable so far. I like the different setting from where most are set and the blunt and forward approach with the relationship feels appropriate and well done (even if I do miss the environment afforded by Yamaku, but it makes complete sense and that's just a personal thing). Hisao's new friend group is nice and they're a fun sort.

I'm also invested to see where Akira and Lilly's relationship goes. I agree with the other sentiment here that Lilly is really unlikable here, but for me it's more so in a pitiful fashion than anything else. She always seemed desperate for her family's approval, and since she already had Akira's it was logical that her next goal would be of that which were estranged. So it makes sense that she'd harbor some resentment for Akira's unwillingness to try and mend that relationship, which could lead to her blindingly seeking that approval. It doesn't help that their mother obviously has "picked a side" as well, so with more voices telling Lilly to act one way than not, and given that no-one has tried to stop her from listening to her father's wishes (neutral end), it's the logical outcome. Lilly isn't really making decisions for herself, and wants to "help" as many people as possible. It's unfortunate that through this logic she's ostracizing Akira, and I hope she has to face consequences for this action in due time, but that's the way it is. I pity her for allowing herself to be manipulated so harshly by her family into pushing the one person that actually loves her away, perhaps the last one she has. Their mother is complicit in their father's douchebagery, though at least that makes some sense since they're married.

Speaking of their father... what a manipulative asshole. That is all.

Interested in seeing where this goes! Will be here to read more going forward.

Chapter 11

Despite having had a hell of a night and wanting nothing more than to be a lazy sleeper, years of having to get up for work force my head out of dreamland and into the real world far too early. The world that used to be full of nothing but veiled insults and condescending attitudes, all capped off with the feeling that it’s never going to change.

But I open my eyes and see Hisao sleeping next to me, just the slightest smile on his face. Not that he isn’t good to look at normally, but he looks especially damn cute when he’s like that. I plant a gentle kiss on his forehead, which only causes him to mumble something I can’t understand. I’d laugh, but it’d wake him up.

Looking at that face, it reminds me that life ain’t all bad. And it can definitely change for the better.

But in order to do that, I need to be the one to change it. Which means I have to start planning on how to permanently get out of the cage I’m in. Of course, that’s easier said than done, considering the old man’s influence. Even if I resign, he can make sure I’ll never get a job in Japan that would even be remotely associated with him.

That is, unless there’s someone who’s willing to protect me from him. And I know just the person. It’s not exactly the change I want, but if it means I get to stay here, then it’s more than enough for me to take it.

I get out of bed, making sure not to disturb Hisao, which is harder than I thought since his hands are on me. Still, I manage to weasel my way out, causing him to mumble out loud and make several noises that almost get me to laugh. Something to tease him about later.

I find my clothes on the floor and put them on. Even though I can’t see it, I know my face is sporting a dumb smile from last night. It was almost like something out of a cheesy romance novel, the way we talked, how happy we were, how it ended in each other’s arms. I definitely want a repeat of that while I’m still here.

After getting dressed, I pull out my phone. I quickly go through my contacts lists, which apart from Hisao is full of nothing but coworkers, before realizing that I didn’t bother to keep the number I’m looking for when I moved to Scotland. I’ve got the house number, but not his private line. Considering what he thought of my move there, I didn’t really see the point in calling him again.

Still, his number should still be the same, given how he likes to rant about keeping ‘the number you were given’ or something similar. It’s just a matter of remembering it, and after a few minutes of digging through my memory, I manage to do so.

I look back at Hisao, who’s still sleeping like a baby. He’s probably sleeping soundly enough that I wouldn’t wake him, but just in case, I step into the hallway for some privacy. I don’t want to put any ideas into his head until I’m absolutely sure of what I’m doing.

The smell of smoke isn’t as bad today as it was last night, which I’m grateful for for Hisao’s sake rather than mine. I have no problem with the smoke, but Hisao…

It was last night that made me realize that I need to watch out for his condition if we’re going to be serious about this relationship. Obviously, he doesn’t want me to worry about it, but the fact that he can get a heart attack more easily than most people makes it hard not to. It’ll get even worse once I go back to Scotland, where I’ll be too far away to give him any kind of help and support, even if he desperately needs it.

I guess that’s just another reason why I should call now and get this over with, even if the person I’m calling is probably going to blow a gasket at me.

Punching in the numbers on my phone, I hesitate a bit before hitting the call button and lifting it to my ear, though not too near. The last thing I need is his voice ringing in my ears.

After a few seconds, he picks up. For a moment, I wonder if he’s changed even a little bit, up until I hear him speak.

“Who is this?” he demands angrily, and I now I’m wishing that I had placed the phone even further away from my ear. “How dare you call this number? Do you know who I am?”

“Yeah, that’s exactly why I called,” I say. One benefit my uncle has over my dad, no matter what you say to him, you’ll get the exact same reaction. Which also means I can speak however I want to him.Within reason, anyways. “Morning, Uncle Jigoro. Sorry it took so long for me to call you.”

The phone remains silent for a bit before he answers.

“How dare you refer to me as your uncle?” he says, practically shouting at the top of his lungs. If Hideaki is still living with the guy, I hope that doesn’t wake him up. “You insolent whelp! You are no niece of mine after what you did. I thought I could expect better after inviting you to my household, but it seems your father’s blood runs too thickly in your veins.”

That last comment actually gets to me, almost making me curse out loud. Maybe it’s because he mentions my dad, or because he’s not wrong that I decided to choose him over everything else. Regardless, I keep those things to myself. The last thing I need is a fight with the only person who can protect me from Dad.

“Listen, I’m sorry I didn’t say anything until the last minute,” I respond, sounding more regretful than I thought I’d be. “I’m giving you the chance to yell at me all you want right now. Tell me how stupid I am to bow down to him so easily.”

“Hmph! What do you want?” he spits, his voice lowering down a notch. “If there’s one thing my brother and I share, it’s our pride, despite how stupidly misplaced his pride is. He would sooner die than admit defeat, a trait I would begrudgingly find respectable if he wasn't the lowest a human being could be.”

“And your point is?” I say, preparing myself for a long conversation. There’s no such thing as a brief chat with him.

“Don’t interrupt me,” he shouts, his voice rising once again. “I already know what you want, it is painfully obvious. You wish to return to Japan, away from his tyrannical grasp. You want me to approve of your transfer here, to find you a position under my protection so that he wouldn’t dare attempt to harass you, lest he reignite his war with me.”

Well, guess there’s no need for subtlety anymore.

“Yes,” I said firmly. “That’s exactly what I want. I don’t care how long it’s going to take, or what I have to do, but I want to come back to Japan.”

“Spoken as if it were under your control.” Uncle Jigoro’s voice is lower, which could be either a bad or a good sign. It means he’s cutting the whole ‘shouting lunatic’ act and getting serious. Though I suppose he should, considering the circumstances. “It is within mine. I could easily request your transfer to one of my many offices, and you would be free of his influence. However, I fail to see why I should help you after you spat on my goodwill the last time.”

Once again, I can’t help but feel that what he’s saying is true. Despite telling him about my transfer to Scotland way later than I should have, he still offered me a chance to stay here. A new job, but I could have kept some of my old life.

In the end, I didn’t take his offer for several reasons. I didn’t see the need to stay in Japan, especially since turning my old man down would have been bad. The new job was technically a promotion, which meant better pay and more control, though only on paper. Most of all though, it was because I knew Lilly was set on going, and I didn’t want to leave her alone in Scotland with no support at all. Like how our parents had so easily abandoned us in Japan.

Even now, I still don’t want to abandon her, but I also want my own life beyond my family. I guess her having grown so distant from me makes it easier, even if it hurts.

“Well, I know that it’ll make my old man mad, since he can’t refuse,” I answer carefully, trying to play to their rivalry. They’ve been bitter enemies for a long time, and I think the fact that he’s treated me and Lilly so decently is to prove he’s better than Dad. “When I accept it, that’ll make it clear that I’m choosing you over him, which will make him even more pissed off. I bet you’d like to see the look on his face when that happens.”

“Trying to use my contempt for him to your own ends,” he notes, sounding disgusted. “I find that almost as contemptible. Almost. But even if accepting you would be the gravest of insults to him, I still see no reason why I should accept you.”

Damn, there goes my ace in the hole.

“I’ll do anything you want me to,” I say, trying to sound desperate. It’s a bit depressing how little acting that requires. He likes it when people kowtow to him, inflating his already large ego. “I really need to get out of Scotland, okay? A demotion, making me serve drinks, whatever. I’m willing to swallow my pride, if that’s what you want.”

“Hah! There’s nothing you can do that will sway my decision.” Uncle Jigoro sounds like he’s almost made up his mind, and that’s definitely not a good sign with how this conversation is going so far. I can feel my hope slowly slipping away.

“You had every chance to escape him back when you were under my protection, and yet only now do you want to do so. You would not change your mind without reason, so you’d best tell me that reason. If it is insufficient, or you attempt to manipulate my emotions again, consider this conversation over and your position in Scotland a permanent one!”

I flinch when he threatens me with that last one, the idea of not being able to leave Scotland sounding absolutely horrifying, especially now. No matter how much we love each other, I doubt Hisao and I can maintain a long-distance relationship for the rest of our lives. Sooner or later, one of us would want to call it quits.

Like it or not, Jigoro holds my future in his hands, so I need to do what he says.

“Alright, I’ll tell you the truth,” I say, clenching my fist as I prepare myself. My relationship with Hisao is something I had planned to keep a secret for a long time, at the very least until we were settled enough not to worry about anything like my old man. But it seems that life rarely does what I want it to.

“I’ve...met someone, back when I had a business meeting here. A guy. We met each other by accident, but one thing led to another, and we began seeing each other. Honestly, I thought it wouldn’t be that serious, just a way to have fun. But then, he said he wanted me to be happy, and that he wanted me in his life. And I realized that I wanted him too.”

“We talked for a bit before I left, and both of us agreed to keep seeing each other, even if we’re in different countries. I’m actually in Japan right now to see him, using all the vacation days I’d saved up. But I know we won’t be satisfied with just meeting each other like this, so...I want to come back here, for his sake and mine.”

Silence. Then more silence. I think this might be the longest I’ve ever heard him go quiet, which is shocking.

“Hmph! I’d find your honesty refreshing if the reasons you stated weren’t so idiotic,” he answers at last, in his usual condescending tone. “So you want to come back here for a man you barely know, when you rejected doing so for my sake. That makes your request to me all the more galling, girl. Do you realize that?”

“I know,” I sigh, slumping against the wall in frustration. He’s not wrong about that either. “I know it’s wrong for me to ask you to help me, but I’m asking anyway. After all, isn’t this just like you and-”

“Do not! You will not utter her name, you hear me?” Uncle interrupts me, his voice low and threatening. Right, I forgot not to open that wound. At the same time, it really wasn’t that different from my situation right now. “Make no mistake, if I agree to transfer you, I’ll make your life a living hell to make up for it.”

“I know,” I respond, not budging in the slightest. Even if my work environment is the same as Scotland, or even worse, it’ll still be worth getting away from my old man and being with Hisao. “I’m ready for it.”

“Bah! This conversation has only highlighted your audacity, your foolishness, and your stubbornness. You are more like your father than you know,” Uncle says, though I think he says it just to spite me. Not that I’m going to ask him for clarification. “...You will have your response soon enough. Do not expect or even hope for my approval, and do not bother me again!”

And with that, he hangs up the phone. Despite what he said, I did feel a little bit of hope that he’d agree. Being around him for years has taught me a thing or two about him, and it’s that if he thinks your idea is stupid, he’ll shut it down immediately. The fact that he’s willing to answer at a later time tells me that he’s actually going to consider it.

But it’s not going to be for a while, so I push that lingering question aside and head back in. It’s time to enjoy my day.

Opening the door, I see Hisao sitting on the bed, still naked and looking a bit sleepy, rubbing his eyes and yawning. Not exactly as cute as his sleeping face, but close enough. He looks up as I reenter the room.

“Morning, sleepyhead,” I say with a wink. “Last night really took a lot out of you, huh?”

“Morning, Akira,” he responds, sounding groggy as he lazily gets off the bed to find his clothes, grabbing them off the floor before putting them on. “Is it alright if I asked why you were outside?”

“Well, let’s just say I had some business to attend to,” I answer, walking to the fridge to grab a beer. A drink in the morning isn’t something I’ve made into a habit, but considering the situation, might as well. “It’s nothing you need to worry about for now.”

“For now?” Hisao asks as I close the fridge door.

“Yeah, until I think you should know about it,” I respond playfully, feeling a bit guilty that I’m enjoying keeping him in the dark. Just a bit. “It might be something you need to know, or it might not be. Until I’m sure, I’m going to keep this little tidbit to myself.”

“Alright, I’ll trust that you’ll tell me,” he says as I walk over to the bed, sitting beside him. Staring at the beer can in my hand, he adds, “Beer in the morning?”

I simply shrug, open the can, and take a sip. “I’ve drank in the morning before. It’s no big deal as long as you don’t drink more than a can. Some food along with it would be nice though.”

He takes my hint and gets out of bed “Not sure if you want eggs two days in a row. Cereal?”

“Sure,” I answer as I take another sip of beer. “Though hopefully you don’t have any of those pure oat or whole-grain cereals. I’d like something sweet to kickstart the day, thank you very much.”

“What? You’re telling me that an adult like you doesn’t like those things?” Hisao responds sarcastically as he opens the cupboard and takes out a box of cereal. From the packaging, which has a cartoon character on it, it seems like the kind I’d like.

“Kind of sick of being an adult these days,” I admit as he takes out two bowls and spoons, setting them down on the table next to the portable stove. Hisao pours a bunch of yellow star-shaped cereal into each one. “Besides, you’re technically an adult, so you’re not one to talk.”

“I suppose you’re right,” he admits, taking out a carton of milk from the fridge and pouring it onto the bowls. “Though in my defense, I’ve been eating this cereal ever since I was a kid. Used to be addicted to it.”

“Well, my dad always had a ‘proper’ breakfast, which took forever to finish. It was heavy stuff too, like bacon, eggs, toast, sausages, sometimes all at once,” I complain, which is odd considering how I liked eating those things. Then again, he always did make everything worse for me, even things I enjoy. “A proper Western breakfast, he said. Even though we were in Japan, and it was enough food to make me skip lunch. Hell, he doesn’t even finish sometimes, yet he insists I don’t waste any food.”

“Sounds rough,” Hisao says as he puts the milk back into the fridge, sounding like he doesn’t really have a good response to that.

“I guess that makes me sound like a spoiled rich kid, huh?” I respond as he walks over to me, bowls of cereal in hand. “Just realized that...sorry.”

“Hey, I’m not complaining,” Hisao says in an understanding tone as sits down next to me and hands me a bowl. “Just because we had two different upbringings, doesn’t mean your problems are any less valid than mine. And besides, I’m your boyfriend. Listening is what I should do.”

For that, I plant a kiss on his cheek before taking my bowl. Setting my beer can on the bedside table, I take a bite . It’s sweet and crunchy, and the milk is nice and cold.

“Thanks, big guy,” I say, flashing a grateful smile. “You’re the best.”

“I know. You told me last night, remember?” he responds with a smirk on his face. “Not that I wouldn’t mind hearing it again.”

“Oh, I’ll make sure you’re sick of hearing that by the end of the week,” I shoot back with a chuckle. “So, we’ve got a few days till Hokkaido and I did all I wanted to do yesterday. Anything you want to do today?”

Hisao eats some of his cereal as he thinks about it, before replying, “You up for lazing around here all day?”

“What? You weren’t satisfied with how last night ended?” I ask, giving him a raised eyebrow. If both my hands aren’t holding my breakfast right now, I’d put a hand on his leg just to try and mess with him. “Are you that eager for another round?”

“No, unless you happen to be offering,” he replies, causing the both of us to laugh. I’m not used to laughing in the morning. “Well, it’s nothing spectacular, but I was thinking about doing some chores. Trash is starting to pile up a little, there’s a laundromat and a grocery store nearby, and the fridge is getting a bit empty.”

“Kill three birds with one stone, huh?” I finish the last of my cereal, walking up to the basin to wash the bowl and spoon. “I guess that’ll kill time until noon. Besides, I might as well buy something to make you a nice meal or two.”

“That’d be lovely,” Hisao says as he walks up beside me. Without saying a word, I take his bowl and spoon to wash it myself. “Though I think the point of a vacation is to avoid doing things like washing or cooking.”

“Beats office work,” I respond as I finish washing them, putting them back in the cupboard to dry. “And besides, I don’t get to cook a lot back in Scotland. What, you’re telling me you don’t like having those things done for you?”

“No,” Hisao says with his hands raised, a goofy smile on his face. “Not at all.”

“Then don’t look a gift horse in the mouth,” I say as I plop back down on the bed. I pick up the beer can and drink the rest of it. “You’re going to miss having me around to do your cooking for you.”

“I think I’ll miss you regardless of that.” This time, he’s wearing a much more romantic smile, which makes him look pretty handsome. He pours himself a cup of water and moves to his desk, taking out several pills from their bottles and begins swallowing them one at a time.
“So what’s the plan after that? Unless you’re serious about lazing around, because I could really use an afternoon nap.”

“I suppose we can visit my friend’s bakery,” he suggests once he finishes his pills. “It’s in a pretty old part of the city, but his family makes some really nice bread.”

“Sounds like a plan,” I say, laying back in bed and letting out a sigh. Looks like another fun day. “Just let me relax for a little while. Then we can get a change of clothes and go.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A bell rings as we enter the laundromat, which is a very short walk from his place. The smell of washing liquids is a nice change, especially after I offered to dispose of the garbage for him. In hindsight, I probably should have let him go to that awful smelling dump, since he’s used to it.

Hisao goes to the vending machine, inserting a coin for some detergent. Meanwhile, I go to one of the empty washing machines and open it up, putting all our dirty clothes from our laundry bag into it. The only exceptions are my dress and Hisao’s suit. Can’t believe I had to explain why they need to be dry cleaned, and only dry cleaned.

He comes to the machine and pours the detergent in. With that done, I close the hatch and press the start button, letting it do its thing. The two of us sit down on a bench, and he hands me a magazine from a stack next to him.

“What about you?” I ask.

“I usually just stare at the machine until it’s done. Or bring some of my college notes to study,” Hisao responds with a shrug. “I guess I’m the kind of guy that doesn’t mind waiting.”

“That’s not what our phone calls say,” I tease as I open the magazine. It’s a fashion magazine containing all kinds of clothing and makeup brands. Not my cup of tea, but at least it’s something. I wonder if he chose it specifically for me, or just grabbed one at random.

“There’s always an exception to the rule,” Hisao replies in a dismissive tone. I glance at him, and see that he’s staring right at the machine, watching our clothes spin around and around. There’s a curious look on his face, which I find pretty surprising. What can be so interesting about a laundry machine?

“Something catching your eye?” I ask, bumping my shoulder with his. “You aren’t staring just because my underwear’s in there, right?”

“No...well, kind of,” Hisao says, and I immediately turn to look at him with a playful smirk. He turns to look at me and finally realizes what he says, his face turning red. “Not in the way you’re imagining it.”

“Oh? And what exactly are you imagining?” My voice gets quieter, trying to get him to squirm a little more.

“Not like that,” Hisao says immediately, making me chuckle at how defensive he’s being. “I guess it just feels a little bit weird. I usually do all of this on my own, so I guess I’m just noticing the difference.”

“That you’re not the one having your sense of smell killed trying to dump your garbage?” I respond as I flip the page of the magazine, the new page showcasing business attire. “If it wasn’t for the smoke, I’d say that should be your main reason to move. Smells worse than vomit after a night of drinking.”

“I’ll always thank you for your sacrifice,” Hisao has a playful smile, clearly enjoying the fact that I find it so repulsive. “But seriously, it just feels a little nicer than my usual run of chores. Not that I hate doing them, but I guess the extra company makes it a little more enjoyable.”

“Well, it beats lazing all day in your room, waiting for you to come home,” I remark as I flip a few more pages, smiling as I land on a page I can use to tease him with. “Hey, Hisao?”

“Hm?” His eyes are focused on the washing machine, though not for long.

“Which one of these do you think looks good on me?” I ask in an innocent tone, trying my best to lure him in. Hisao turns to look at me, and I show him the magazine page I’m on, which immediately causes his face to turn red.

Of course, any guy his age would probably have the same reaction if his girlfriend asks him to pick a skimpy swimsuit for her.

“Uh...I…” He looks as flustered and caught off guard as I’ve ever seen him, and I decide to press my advantage by leaning in closer to him. It’s a good thing this laundromat is empty, otherwise I probably couldn’t have as much fun.

“You’re not giving me an answer,” I respond, sounding like I’ve been genuinely offended. There’s times where I’d show him mercy from my jabs; this isn’t one of those times. “Do you think none of these would look good on me? You don’t think I’d look sexy in any of them?”

“Come on, that’s...not fair.” Hisao mutters, gaining some of his composure back.

“Life isn’t fair, and neither am I,” I say, planting a quick kiss on his lips before pulling away. “That’s another win for me.”

Hisao looks away, grumbling something I can’t hear while I continue to relish in my victory. Eventually though, he does say, in a completely embarrassed tone. “I think all of them would look good on you.”

“Well, tough luck. It’s winter and I don’t feel like going to the beach,” I reply, patting his back to cheer him up. “You’ll have to settle for the onsen when we get to Hokkaido.”

He doesn’t respond at first, though eventually he calms down a little. “The beach, huh? I haven’t been there in ages.”

“That makes the two of us,” I note, putting down the magazine. “I heard there’s a pretty beach at Inverness, but even during the summer I didn’t bother to go. Too much work, not enough people to really make the trip worth it. Going to beach alone is pretty boring.”

“Maybe we can go there together, one day,” Hisao suggests, and it takes me a few seconds to register what he’s implying.

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” I ask, already knowing what he means.

“Yeah. I mean, you took time to visit me here in Japan, it’s only fair that I return the favor,” Hisao answers, his tone serious. “I know you’ll want to move back to Japan eventually, but it’s likely that I’ll be working before that happens. If that’s the case, I can probably save enough money and time for a flight to Scotland.”


I’m tempted to tell him not to be so pessimistic, but I still have to wait for Jigoro’s answer. Still, it’s sweet of him to want to visit me. I put my hand on top of his, which he turns palm-up to lace his fingers in between mine.

“I appreciate you thinking about me, but are you sure?” I ask as I squeeze his hand. “You won’t be able to communicate all that well with anyone, since they use English. And that’s not even getting into the fact that I have tons of work, so you wouldn’t be able to hang out with me as much as you like. Not like this.”

“I can probably learn a bit of English. At least enough to be alright by myself...I think.” He doesn’t really sound confident, though I suppose it’s not hard to see. English is something you learn in school and usually forget for the rest of your life, unless you happen to have a mother from an English speaking country. “And hey, if I’m there, that means I can do your chores for you while you’re out working.”

“It’d be nice to have a butler. I’d probably ask you to clean every day, cook some dinner, rub my back,” I respond, sounding both playful and threatening. “My dad has plenty of servants, why shouldn’t I have one?”

“I guess that’ll be how I earn my keep then. And if it helps you relax when you get back, then it’ll be worth it,” Hisao replies. Gotta admit, that’s a smooth response.

“How sweet,” I say, feeling a bit more excited about the idea than I had been. It would be nice to come home to someone waiting for me. “I suppose we can go out Sunday, visit that beach I was talking about and see if it’s as good as people say. You might even get to see me in a swimsuit.”

We talk a little bit more as the clothes finish washing, the two of us taking them out and putting them into the dryer. Once they’re done drying, we put them back into our laundry bag and set out to the grocery store to buy some food, which is only a few blocks down.

The place itself isn’t big as far as grocery stores go, not that it matters. Since I’m the one holding the laundry bag, Hisao’s the one that’s picking up the grocery basket. It’s only fair.

“Hey,” I say as we enter the aisle full of canned foods, the trip to buy groceries suddenly reminded me of something. A memory of my past that wasn’t all that bad, especially compared to the rest. “So, this might sound awkward, but how are your parents?”

If Hisao is surprised when I ask him that, he certainly does a good job at hiding it, as his expression is the same as ever. He walks a few steps and picks up a can of tuna, probably trying to process my question.

“They’re fine, I guess,” he answers, inspecting the tuna can before dropping it into the basket he’s holding. “Working a lot like they’ve always have, and I doubt that’ll change even after I graduate from college and find a job. Honestly, I don’t know when they’ll even consider taking a break or retiring.”

“Married to the job, huh?” I try to sound sympathetic, knowing what it’s like to have parents that are barely in your lives to begin with. Though in my case, I suppose that’s more a blessing than a curse.

I want to ask more about them, but I also don’t want to feel like I’m prying too much into his life, especially given how distant he seems to feel about his parents. Hisao turns to me, a knowing look in his eyes. “You look like you want to ask me something. I assume it’s about my parents?”

“Damn, you know me too well,” I mutter, trying to play it off. “If it makes you feel uncomfortable, I’d rather just drop it.”

“It’s no big deal. I doubt talking about canned food is more interesting,” Hisao remarks, taking a few steps further away from me to grab a can of spam, showing it to me. “Unless you happen to have very strong opinions about spam, go ahead and ask.”

“Well, I think spam is pretty alright,” I respond, humoring him as I walk up to him. “I guess I was just wondering if you’re ever going to pay them a visit.”

Despite his trying to hide it, I can see the uncomfortable look flicker on his face. “I guess that’ll depend on them. If they wanted to visit me, I’m sure they could have made some time, especially since they make the effort of giving me money to spend every month.”

“Have you considered visiting them?” I ask bluntly, and his hand stops just as he’s grabbing another can of spam, only for him to continue grabbing it and placing it in the basket.

“I guess not. I’ve been a bit preoccupied with college and the internship and you coming over to visit.” Hisao turns to look at me, his expression a bit ashamed. “I guess those aren’t exactly good excuses, huh? I sound just like them.”

“Well, I’m not going to judge you for it,” I assure him, giving him a smile. “Sorry…”

“Don’t be. I know the situation with your parents is far worse,” he responds, walking down the aisle, with me following him. “Though I am curious, why bring it up all of a sudden?”

“Well, I guess the fact that you’re thinking about the future has something to do with it,” I hedge, dancing around what I really want to say.

“Oh?” He sounds mildly surprised. As we reach a stack of egg cartons, he picks up a pack of eight and puts it in the basket.

“Yeah.” Taking a deep breath, I tell him what I was thinking about. “I mean, we’re in this for the long haul, aren’t we? Doesn’t that mean I’ll have to meet them at some point?”

Hisao doesn’t react as much as I thought he would, simply giving me a look that tells me he’s thinking about what I said. The two of us awkwardly stand there for a moment, before I get an idea.

“Hey, let’s check out the meat section,” I suggest, moving there before he can even respond. “Maybe get some butter and garlic while I’m at it, since I’m thinking about cooking something nice for dinner. Any preference for meat?”

Hisao takes a few seconds before catching up to me, though I can see a little bit of his smile returning. “I thought I was supposed to cook the next meal for the both of us.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you’ll cook something for me eventually,” I respond, giving him a wink. “You wanted to be my servant, remember? I’ll keep that card close to my chest, until the time is right for me to use it.”

“Sounds like something I’ll need to worry about,” he responds with a sigh as we reach the section of the store selling frozen meat and fish covered in ice. “It’s been a while since I’ve eaten any pork, so I suppose I wouldn’t mind having some. Then again, we do have a can of spam with us.”

“There’s tons of different ways to cook pigs, and I happen to know a few of them,” I say, already heading for the section that’s selling cuts of pork. “If that’s what you want, I can probably whip up some pork chops or bacon.”

“Pork chops sound good, maybe with some vegetables,” Hisao responds, sounding like he’s looking forward to it. “It’s odd, I never really stay too long while grocery shopping. Most of the time I just pick up what I need and go.”

“Well, that’s because you never had anyone to do your shopping for you,” I tease as I look at several different types of pork chops, wrapped in plastic. “Even boring stuff can be a little more fun with someone to talk to.”

“That’s true.” He looks at me as I pick up some pork chops, looking at it to see if it’s good. “Speaking of talking, you still want to talk about my parents?”

The question catches me off guard a bit, and I turn to see that he’s still smiling, and not in a fake way. If he’s ready to talk about it, I guess I am too.

“Yeah,” I say as I put the pork chops back, picking out another package. “I mean, I’d like to introduce myself to them one of these days. Not immediately, of course, I’d like for us to be a little more steady before that happens. But it’d probably be bad if I’m distant from my boyfriend’s family on top of my own.”

“I suppose I should let them know eventually,” he replies, still sounding uncomfortable about the idea. “I really don’t mean to keep my parents out of the loop, it’s just that we barely talk ever since I went to college. Sometimes it feels like we’re completely separate people at this point, instead of a family that cares about each other.”

“I feel the same way about Lilly these days,” I admit, casually bringing up that old wound again. Hisao doesn’t seem to mind. “We barely said anything to each other during the Christmas party. It was honestly like we weren’t even sisters.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Hisao says, and I’m a little surprised that he actually sounds sincerely sorry. The two of us go silent for a little bit, letting our bad memories simmer. “I don’t know if it’ll cheer you up, but I think my parents would like to know I have a girlfriend like you.”

“Even though I’m six years older?” I respond with a raised eyebrow, suspecting him of flattering me.

“My mother’s two years older than my dad, so I don’t think they’ll mind too much,” he says, though that doesn’t exactly convince me. Two years and six years are pretty far apart. “Besides, I think they’d care more about the fact that you’ve been working most of your life than anything else. You’d fit in just fine.”

“Hey! I’m not a workaholic by choice!” I grumble as I drop the pork in his basket, feeling like it’s good enough. “Well, maybe a little by choice. Still, you really think talking about work would make them like me? If I move here, it’d probably mean I was fired or demoted, you know.”

“We can be selective about what we reveal,” he says as we walk to the freezer aisle to get some butter. “At first, anyways. I doubt we should tell them about how we fell in love.”

“What? That you slept with me the day after we met for the first time in years?” I chuckle at the thought of telling that to them, imagining the shocked looks on their faces. Of course, that will remain a thought and nothing more...I hope. It’s about as likely as Hisao chasing me to the airport asking me to stay, and yet here I am.

Deciding to be a little sadistic, I add. “It could be worse. You could tell them you knocked me up.”

Hisao makes the reaction I thought he would, recoiling in horror. “God, no. I don’t think I’d be able to face them if that were the case.”

“You saying you don’t want to knock me up?” I tease, which only gets him to cover his face as the thought gets put into his head. The rest of the grocery run is relatively silent as I revel in my victory while he tries not to say anything.

Grocery bag in his hand, laundry bag in mine, we begin to head home to rest for a bit before meeting Hisao’s friend. Since Hisao isn’t exactly willing to talk, I just wonder what he’s going to be like, and how he’ll react to me. I don’t look particularly older than Hisao, at least compared to when he was a highschooler, so maybe I can pass myself off as someone his age.

“A-Akira,” Hisao stutters out, and I turn to look at him. “About what you said earlier…”

“Don’t worry too much about it,” I reply, playfully brushing his hair to calm him down. “I just said it to mess you up, but it seems like it worked a little too well.”

“You think?” he blurts out, his face completely red as he looks at me with a frown. “Still, I suppose if our relationship lasts, that’s something we have to consider eventually. Having...kids, and all.”

I’m sure he wants me to take it seriously, but I can’t help but laugh at how flustered he’s being. Planting a quick kiss on his cheek, I shake my head at him.

“Let’s not think about crossing that line just yet,” I say, trying to suppress another chuckle. “We still have a lot of things to do before you can put a ring on my finger, let alone think about kids. Trust me, we’ll burn that bridge together if we ever get to it.”

Hisao’s answer is a quiet nod, and the subject is completely dropped as we head home.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After dropping off our stuff and doing a bit more cleaning, the two of us head out to that bakery Hisao had mentioned. We hop on a bus, which is absolutely packed with people, and wait until it reaches the stop we’re looking for.

As we head off, Hisao leads the way and I trail behind him, looking around the street we’re on. It definitely isn’t somewhere that I thought he’d go willingly, considering how ancient it looks, from the shops to the people. For every person my age, I see at least two or three more that are probably over two or even three times my age.

“It’s one of the oldest parts of the city,” he explains when he realizes that I’m focusing on my surroundings. “A lot of elderly people stay here, or at the very least come here to visit their friends. I heard they tried to renovate this area a few times, but it got so unpopular that they decided to leave it as it is.”

“Seems like you know this place a lot,” I note, seeing an old candy store, with a grandma holding a young child as they walk in. “Planning to retire here when you grow old?”

“I’ll burn that bridge when I get to it,” he responds, copying my words from earlier. “My friend’s bakery used to belong to his grandpa, but his dad has been running it ever since he died. He’s pretty adamant about being a baker too.”

“I can think of worse things to spend your whole life on,” I say, thinking back to how crappy my current job is. Despite being good at it, no matter what anyone says, I can’t say I enjoy it all that much. “Besides, it helps if you ever want to impress a girl. Just bake some sweets for them.”

“He already has a girlfriend,” Hisao mentions casually. “I think she’s staying at his place during the winter, since her family went to Okinawa on holiday.”

“Without her? Sounds like a shitty thing to do,” I note as we pass by an elderly couple and what I assume is their grandson, happily walking down the street. “Guess we have something in common.”

“They wanted her to spend more time with him,” he adds, trying to defend their actions. “They’ve known each other for a long time.”

“Well, you know them better than I do, so I’ll trust your opinion,” I respond.We walk for a few more minutes before Hisao stops in front of a building, a large sign saying ‘Ito Bakery’. “I assume this is the place?”

“Yeah,” Hisao answers, and the two of us enter the building. A masculine voice immediately shouts “Welcome!” at us, and I can smell the scent of both tea and freshly baked bread, a very nice combination.

“Hey, Hisao!” someone calls out, and I turn to see that it’s someone restocking the shelves with bread from a tray. “Glad to see you here.”

“Hey, Toshiro,” Hisao responds, a subdued friendliness in his tone. “How have things been? Sorry I’ve been under the radar these past few days.”

“No problem,” he says while placing the last few pieces of bread. “Not like you’re the only one. Apart from Sayumi, I haven’t seen the others all that much. Though in Daisuke’s case, that’s a blessing as far as I’m concerned.”

“I can imagine,” Hisao responds with a laugh, the first time I’ve heard him do so in front of someone that isn’t me. It feels oddly nice. “Speaking of Sayumi, is she around?”

“She’s out with my dad,” Toshiro looks at me, his expression pretty nonchalant, then goes back to looking at Hisao. “It’s been a slow day today, so go ahead and take a seat. I’ll be free to talk to you later, so you can properly introduce me to her.”

He nods, and turns to look at me, and I give Toshiro a quick bow before we go and find a seat. Considering how empty the bakery is, with only a few people occupying it, finding a comfortable seat near the corner is pretty easy.

“You seem a bit nervous,” Hisao says as we take a seat beside each other. I raise an eyebrow at him, which just makes him smile. “When Toshiro looked at you, your face looked a bit stiff.”

“Did it? Can’t really tell,” I respond with a bit of a scowl. “But no, I’m not nervous. Just feels a little surreal, meeting my boyfriend’s friends. Never really happened before.”

“Never?” He sounds shocked that I said that, though I suppose it’s not hard to see why. “Not even once?”

“Well, my relationships were pretty much in a vacuum, if you can call it that,” I explain, happy to tell him more about my past. “We just hung out with each other, and rarely anyone else besides that. I can’t really pin down a reason, though. Maybe it’s because they didn’t think it’d last, or maybe they wanted to keep me separated from their other social circles for whatever reason.”

“Sounds pretty dumb.” Hisao notes as he rests his elbows on the table.

“Well, a lot of things in life are. I wasn’t really all that sad about it,” I respond, trying not to sound defensive. “I had friends of my own during college, so it wasn’t really a big deal.”

Hisao’s friend walks up to our seats, carrying a tray of hot cocoa and some bread that looks fresh from the oven. He sets them down on our table before sitting at the seat opposite us, looking curiously at me.

“So, should I start asking or should you start talking?” he asks with a smile on his face.

“Right,” Hisao says, taking a cup of hot cocoa for himself before motioning to me. “This is Akira Satou. She’s my girlfriend.”

“Hi.” Is all I say before taking a cup and sipping on it, finding it nice and sweet.

“Girlfriend, huh? Guess it’s nice to know I’m not the only one in our group with one,” Toshiro says with a chuckle. “I’m Toshiro Ito, and it’s nice to meet you. Any friend of Hisao is a friend of mine, especially since I know how unapproachable he can be at times.”

“Hey, I’m not THAT bad,” Hisao insists, causing Toshiro to laugh a little more, and for me to smile a little. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one having fun teasing him. “I’m friends with you guys, after all.”

“After we took you out for a steak dinner,” Toshior responds, taking a piece of bread and shoving it in his mouth. Taking a good look at me, he asks. “So, how did you come to meet him? I know he wasn’t the one that approached you on his own.”

I take a moment to consider my answer before finally saying. “I met him in high school,” It’s an honest answer, just not a complete one. I still don’t know if he knows I’m older than him or not, so it’s best to just play it safe. “But then we stopped seeing each other because we lived far away, and then we just bumped into each other one day. The two of us hit it off, and now we’re here.”

Toshiro looks at Hisao, who just nods to reaffirm what I say, since he probably also doesn’t want to reveal too much about our relationship.

“And you still live far away from here?” He asks, politely but inquisitively.

“Yeah,” I respond, still trying to keep things vague. “I don’t get to see him all that often, though we talk on the phone almost every day. Since it’s winter, I figured I’d take a little vacation to come and see him. We’d both be pretty clueless on what to do otherwise.”

Toshiro turns to Hisao, and gives him a knowing smirk. “So this is who you skipped class to see those few months ago?”

“Pretty much,” he responds honestly, and I place my hand on top of his without thinking, thinking about the day that things seemed to change. The first time I took a chance in what felt like forever. “We were kind of in an awkward place, and I thought I wouldn’t be able to see her again. So I went after her to tell her how I felt before it was too late.”

“Must have been really romantic.” Toshiro responds, sounding both impressed and sarcastic at the same time. The kind of tone you use when talking to a friend.

“It was. Definitely caught me by surprise,” I answer with a smile, squeezing Hisao’s hand under the table. “But in a good way. We realized that we didn’t want to stop seeing each other, even if we live apart. So we decided to go out for real, and it’s been working out so far.”

“I’ll say,” Toshiro’s smile widens as he looks at the two of us together. “Never seen him quite as happy as the day after he went to see you. His face was practically frozen in place, smiling like an idiot.”

“Was it really that obvious?” Hisao responds, looking embarrassed. I’d probably poke fun at him for that, if it weren’t for the fact that I probably had the same expression he did. I recalled my co-workers giving me a weird look the day after I came back to work.

Well, weirder than normal anyways. I wonder how many of them have actually seen me smile before then.

“Very,” Toshiro says bluntly. “Anyways, I guess I should commemorate the fact that you brought your girlfriend here. Grab whatever bread you like to take home. It’s on the house along with everything that’s on this table.”

“You sure?” Hisao asks, to which he simply nods in response. He turns to me, giving me a slight smile. “Well, anything you’d like to have?”

“Hmm, I’m sure you know what I’ll like.” I answer in a casual manner, causing him to sigh as he gets up and leaves to grab us some more bread, leaving me alone with Toshiro.

For a while, there’s nothing but silence as we just look at each other, waiting for the other person to speak. After a while, I decide to be the one to break it, two particular words popping into my mind.

“Thank you.” I say, which seems to surprise him. “For opening up to him, I mean. I always felt a bit worried that he’d be lonely once we went our separate ways, even if we were in a relationship. But from the way he talks about you and his other friends, he’s definitely grateful that you guys decided to take him on as a friend.”

“Heh, we’re glad to have him,” Toshiro responds with a jovial laugh. “He’s a bit of a distant guy, but that’s hardly the most annoying thing to have in our little group, and it’s nice to have someone who’s got our backs when it comes to doing our assignments. He’s pretty strict about those kinds of things.”

“Oh, really?” I chuckle at that, picking up my hot cocoa and taking a sip. “Well, the semester’s over right now, so he seems just fine with kicking back and relaxing.”

“Good. Considering how hard he works, he deserves a break more than any of us.” He grabs a bread and takes a bite out of it, steam coming out of it. “Grab a meat bun. It’s perfect for a cold day like this one.”

I take one from the tray and bite into it, feeling the taste of warm bread, sauce and pork together in my mouth. It was almost hot enough to burn my tongue off, but falls just shy of it, making the heat pleasant rather than something that makes me want to spit it out.

“It’s really good,” I compliment, taking a larger bite this time and sipping some hot cocoa right afterwards. The two manage to warm my body up, making me feel a little cozy, almost like slipping into a heated kotatsu. “I can see why Hisao likes your bread so much.”

“Heh, well I intend to take over this bakery, so it’d better be good,” Toshiro sounds extremely proud of that fact, his chest puffing up. “Nothing more worthwhile than taking over the family business.”

“Taking over the family business, huh?” I respond quietly, feeling a bit aggravated at the thought of taking over my dad, disregarding the fact that he’d probably give the position to a janitor before me. I try not to let my bitterness show up on my face. After all, the two of us have wildly different experiences, so it makes sense that he’d look forward to it while I’d dread the idea.

“We’ll see about that,” a manly voice says from behind me, and I turn around to see Hisao along with two others. One was a pretty looking young woman wearing a thick parka, and the other was a big and elderly man with some hair on his face, though it wasn’t quite a beard.

“Sorry it took me so long. I ran into them while I was getting bread for us to take home.” Hisao explains as he puts a bag full of different breads on the table, about five or six by the looks of things. Guess we won’t need to worry about getting hungry out of nowhere. “I guess I should introduce you to them, huh?”

“Nah, I can do it,” I say, facing the two of them and giving them a casual smile. “I’m Akira Satou, and I’m here to visit my boyfriend, which just so happened to be the guy right in front of you. It’s a pleasure to meet you two.”

“Heh,” The large man gives me a wide smile, showing a full set of perfect white teeth. “I figured as much. Toshiro isn’t stupid enough to two-time Sayuri, and he certainly isn’t man enough to go for someone like you.”

“Dad…” Toshiro mutters, sounding like he’s dying from what his dad is saying. On that, the two of us have something in common, even if he is much less serious about it.

“I’m Sayumi Saito,” The woman says with a respectful bow, looking a bit nervous as her eyes meet mine. “I’m a classmate of Hisao, and uh...I’m Toshiro’s girlfriend.”

“Why the ‘uh’ before saying you’re my girlfriend?” Toshiro grumbles, causing his dad to laugh. “Anyways, care to take a seat so that we can talk? Preferably without making me feel like leaving?”

“I’ve got work to do, make sure all your bread isn’t poorly baked,” Toshiro’s dad bellows out with a laugh, causing his son to let out another groan. As he leaves, Sayumi goes and sits beside Toshiro, looking at me very curiously without saying anything.

“Glad to see more of Hisao’s friends around,” I note, trying to keep the conversation going. “So, you two been together long?”

It takes a few seconds before Sayumi answers, shaking her head. “Oh yeah, a long time. A long, long time. We’ve known each other since we’re kids.”

“That’s cool,” I respond, taking another bite out of my bread. “Me and Hisao have been a couple for about a month or so. Can’t say we’re really as close as you two, but I like to think we’re pretty close.”

“We are,” Hisao reaffirms with a roll of his eyes, grabbing a piece of bread to eat it. “By the way, do you guys have any plans tomorrow?”

“Actually, we were going to text you about it,” Sayumi says excitedly, quickly grabbing a piece of bread as well. “Daisuke found this really nice udon place, and he’s invited us all to go tomorrow night. According to him, it also has some really good sake. Like really, really good.”

“Honestly, I could have gone a little more time without seeing his face,” Toshiro says with a scowl. “But he IS paying, and it gets us all together, so it’s worth it. What do you say, Hisao? Of course, you’re invited too, Akira. Wouldn’t want to leave you hanging, and we need someone to fill the void since Kazuma can’t come.”

Hisao turns to look at me, silently asking what I think about the invitation. Of course, if I choose to refuse their offer, he’d probably feel bad about having to choose either me or his friends. Not to mention it’d be nice to see his other friends. Not that I’m sick of him, but having someone to talk to that isn’t just him would be a nice change of pace, just like it is now.

“Well, I can’t really say no to a good glass of sake,” I answer with a chuckle. “So yeah, why not? It’d be a good excuse for him to carry me back home.”

“Heh, I think they’ll get along with you just fine, Akira,” Toshiro states, Sayumi nodding in agreement. “I bet Daisuke would want to ask about some embarrassing stories involving Hisao.”

“He probably would,” Hisao responds, shaking his head.

“Well we haven’t been together long, but I’m sure I can think of something,” I note with a bit of excitement, causing Hisao to give me an annoyed look. “Thanks for inviting me.”

“No problem,” Sayumi exclaims before stuffing more bread into her mouth. “Any girlfriend of Hisao is a friend of ours.”

“Implying I’d have several,” Hisao notes sarcastically, causing us to laugh.

Time seems to fly by as minutes turn into hours, just sitting there and talking, ordering more things to drink when we run out. It’s surprisingly effortless, telling them about myself, all the little things that I didn’t think mattered to other people. It’s something that Hisao brought out of me, and those two are doing the same thing.

Eventually though, it’s time to leave, a bag full of bread in Hisao’s hand. The two of us walk back the way we came, staying silent for a little while. Considering how much we talked back there, it’s a nice time to catch our breath.

“So, looking forward to tomorrow?” Hisao asks, sounding curious and a little bit worried.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” I answer, giving him a smile. “Some nice food, nice sake, and meeting your friends. I’d say that’s a good waste of my time.”

“You call them my friends,” he notes, looking a bit embarrassed. “But I hope that they’ll be your friends too.”

My friends, huh? Like a lot of things, it wasn’t something I considered a few months ago. But I already have a boyfriend, so why not? If there’s one thing being back here has taught me, it’s the fact that I want more out of my life than I thought.

“I’d like that,” is all I respond with as I take his hand and squeeze it. Another day of our vacation is going to end soon, pulling me closer and closer to returning to Scotland. If I thought I could get away with it, I’d burn my plane ticket home and never look back. Of course, that’s not possible right now, but it won’t be forever. It’s just a matter of how long...

But if it meant more days like this, where I can just be happy, I’m perfectly fine with playing the long game.

It's nice, seeing you've been able to keep the conversational style the same since the last episode. I need to go back now and get properly caught up - it's been a while since I started reading this.

Also nice to see this seems to be the season for Jigoro to get some screen time; even if he does tend to chew the scenery, it's part of his charm. I suspect there's a lot under the surface that has hasn't been explored - one day, hopefully, he'll get a redemption arc (if he hasn't already - there's a lot of text out there I haven't explored .. yet.)

In all, thanks - and congratulations - for keeping your story alive!

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