NieA Under 7 Fan Fiction ❯ Bath Encounters ❯ Chapter 1

Bath Encounters

 

Disclaimer: Pioneer and someone else own this.

 

A Niea_7 fic by A-Z

-

 

Life as a cram school student is hard enough without all these complications, thought Mayuko Chigasaki as she walked toward the Enohana crater and the rival bathhouse therein. Glancing up and to her side, she studied her childhood friend, Genzo Someya, who had been drawn into the fray as well. “Um, I'm sorry to get you mixed up in this, Genzo,” she said softly.

 

The tall, dread-locked young man glanced away from her, the better to hide his blush, as he answered her. “It's fine Chigasaki,” he assured her. “I was kind of bored anyway,” he added almost hastily. Mayuko offered him a small smile.

 

“Well, thanks, Genzo,” she said quietly.

 

“Your other friend is going, too,” he replied self-consciously. Mayuko looked ahead, where her other friend, Chiaki Komatsu was nearly vibrating with excitement, her laptop open as she frantically typed in an entry to her UFO-freak personal webpage. Well, I guess Chiaki is going, too, but…! Mayuko thought to herself, silently sweat-dropping.

 

“I think it might have been impossible to keep her from going,” the dark-haired girl said uneasily.

 

“She is a little unusual, isn't she?” agreed Genzo. Mayuko glanced at his dread-locks, noting his height and build, thinking he had little room to talk. “Still, she seems to be having a good time,” he noted calmly.

 

“Yeah, I guess,” Mayuko offered. “Oh, and thanks for the rice, Genzo,” she remembered. Without him, I would probably starve! she thought, smiling a little.

 

“Next time, bring some gourmet food, too,” interjected the shortest of the group, a blonde little alien known as Niea. Mayuko scowled at her `roommate'.

 

“Shut up, Niea!” she snarled. “A freeloader like you has no right to make requests!” she added hotly.

 

“Discriminatory language!” fired back Niea, doing a masterful job at outraged insult in her tone.

 

“I'll show you discriminatory,” muttered Mayuko darkly, her fist clenched.

 

“My poor, damaged alien pride can only be soothed by a huge plate of fatty tuna sushi and a jumbo fruit parfait,” Niea went on, oblivious to Mayuko's dark aura; she was used to it, after all.

 

“You are unbelievable,” grumped Mayuko. Niea was, in fact, an alien, but with so many aliens living in and around Tokyo and its suburbs like Enohana, there was nothing special or different about having a freeloading alien bumming off her. Right? “Why don't you go bum some curry off your friend Chada?” she suggested. Niea made a face.

 

“No thanks,” she said disdainfully. “Those meetings are a chore, and don't have anything to do with me. Besides, Karna and I don't get along,” she said blandly. Mayuko vaguely recalled the alien girl who had come to the bathhouse to wash the curry off after the last `Enohana Alien Meeting' had ended in a massive curry bath for all involved.

 

“She is the one with the big antenna shaped like a lollypop, right?” Mayuko asked Niea. The short blonde snickered.

 

“Yep! She's the super sucker head!” the antenna-less alien chortled. Mayuko frowned. She showed up at my part-time job and made a scene with Chie, too, she remembered. The young daughter of the owner of the restaurant where she worked part-time as a waitress had certainly put the alien girl in her place, but the snobby alien's comments had stung the elementary student's pride.

 

“We're here! We're here!” came Chiaki's voice, jumping up and down. “Come on! Let's investigate the mysterious alien bath house, guys!” she tittered.

 

“Calm down, Chiaki,” Mayuko urged her friend. “We're supposed to investigate them, remember? Try to act like a normal bather,” she reminded the other girl.

 

“I got it, I got it,” Chiaki waved off the reminder, absently adjusting her half-frame glasses. “I've got to commemorate the moment!” she squealed, whipping out her digital camera and taking a few shots. Mayuko shook her head slightly, seeing Chiaki's antics. She had attended high school with Chiaki, though she couldn't clearly recall any specific memories of the girl, since her attention had been on other things.

 

Ever since that day at the cram school when Chiaki had come up to her out of the blue, the alien-freak girl had been one of her most constant companions, showing up regularly and often partaking in Mayuko's weird life. Living in a small room above the bath house her family used to own and operate, Mayuko had to deal with Niea and her junk UFOs, the costs of school and living expenses, bath house projects, school, work, and the general grind of life in the depressed economy of Post-Encounter Tokyo. Mayuko was often times both glad for and somewhat overwhelmed by Chiaki's energetic personality.

 

“Ok! I am now going to investigate the alien bath!” announced the girl, her laptop in one hand, her bath basket in the other. Marching down the steps, she moved toward the goal of the group: the newly-opened Space King Bath House. As Kotomi Hiyama - current owner and operator of the Enohana Bath House - had said so passionately not two hours before: `there isn't enough customer base to support two bath houses! We must crush this upstart competitor!' So, here they were.

 

With bath house employees likely to be identified, Kotomi had hit upon the idea of pressing Mayuko's friends into service. Chiaki had been planning to go anyway due to her obsession with aliens, and had practically begged to be included in the party. Mister Yoshioka, the pyromaniac boiler man for the bath house, had suggested Genzo for the men's side of the baths, giving them complete interior coverage in their quest to figure out what they were dealing with in their rival.

 

Which left them where they were: descending into the crater to check out the bath house. Mayuko and Niea were to snoop around outside the structure, looking for anything of interest that might tip off the established bath house as to the nature and possible weaknesses of the upstart challenger while Chiaki and Genzo investigated the inside of the bath house. Looking at the gaudy, yet vaguely-familiar in nature building, Mayuko wondered just who would be ballsy enough to actually make a business that looked like the Space King Bath House.

 

“Ok! Let's go take a bath!” exclaimed Niea, taking a step toward the entrance. Mayuko grabbed the smaller blond by the head.

 

“No,” she gritted out angrily, “Chiaki and Genzo are going to go take a bath, while we look around out here,” she reminded the girl.

 

“But Mayu…!” whined Niea, only to be cut off by the dark-haired native girl.

 

“No buts!” snarled Mayuko, pulling Niea with her by her grip on the alien's head. “Chiaki, Genzo, take your time and check it out thoroughly, ok?” she said over her shoulder. “Niea and I will take a look around out here then head back to Enohana. Meet up with us there when you have learned what you can,” she directed, disappearing around the curved wall of the bathhouse, dragging a protesting alien with her.

 

“Well! Let's get going!” Chiaki urged, moving forward into the bath house. Genzo blinked, looking to where Mayuko and Niea had vanished, then to the entrance to the weird structure where Chiaki had vanished.

 

“Might as well,” he said softly, moving forward.

 

Entering the structure, he found that it looked a lot like Enohana's entrance. There was a reception counter, and a male and female side. “One adult earthling is three hundred yen,” came a voice from his side. Turning to look at the reception counter, he saw two alien men. One looked like a foreign film reject, and the other looked uncommonly like a pig with an antenna.

 

“Um, is this place…?” he asked slowly.

 

“Is something wrong?” interrupted the one wearing a Hawaiian shirt.

 

“No,” Genzo changed his mind, dropping coins on the counter.

 

“Thank you. Enjoy your bath,” said the fat one as Genzo moved into the men's side. Looking around, he spotted a bank of fairly cheap lockers, and selected one. After stripping off his shorts and tee shirt, he grabbed a towel from the neatly-folded stack, taking a moment to make a slow circuit of the room. Don't see any signs of other customers, he thought, noticing that his was the only locker that was in use. Picking up his bath basket, he moved into the bathing area.

 

“Wow!” came a familiar voice from his left. Looking over, he spotted Chiaki standing not far from him, the door behind her marked `women'. The room was thick with steam or smoke or some combination thereof. It had a strange smell to it, the large bath faintly bubbling, the bubbles releasing the steam or smoke or whatever it was. Chiaki pulled off her fogged-over glasses, allowing her to see again. “Hey,” she said, surprised to see Genzo standing near to her, “I guess it is mixed bathing,” she said.

 

“Um, yeah, looks like it,” he said. Chiaki shrugged.

 

“It's fine with me, if it's fine with you,” said the girl. She had a towel wrapped around her from just above her breasts to barely below her groin. Glancing at Genzo, she saw that he had his towel wrapped around his waist. She also noticed that he was more muscular than she had thought at first.

 

Slowly, the two moved to the wash area, Chiaki unconcernedly removing her towel and beginning to wash off in preparation for a soak in the large tub. A few nozzles away from her, Genzo hesitated slightly before likewise removing his towel and beginning to scrub himself clean. Mixed bathing was not uncommon, after all. As the two scrubbed and rinsed, they began to feel more relaxed and comfortable. It was a full half hour before they crossed to the tub and eased into the almost-too-hot water.

 

“This is pretty nice,” said Chiaki. Neither had taken their towels with them. Genzo, sitting next to Chiaki, nodded.

 

“Yes. It is,” he agreed languidly. Chiaki giggled as she looked over at the large man.

 

“So, you are Genzo, Mayuko's childhood friend,” stated the girl. “I don't think we have been properly introduced. I am Chiaki Komatsu. I went to high school with Mayuko. We were in the same class the whole time, and now, we are in the same class at the cram school, too. Neat, huh?” she grinned easily.

 

“Genzo Someya. I grew up with Mayu in the country, after her family moved there from Enohana. When she went to high school in the city, I thought I wouldn't see her again, but just a few months ago, my dad expanded our family business into the outskirts of Tokyo. He heard that Mayu was living in the bath house, and suggested that I take some rice to her; since she and I were childhood friends and all,” he added. Chiaki studied him.

 

“He did, did he?” she asked, her tone suspicious. She shifted to look at him squarely. “Strange how he is keeping track of your childhood friend, hmm?” insinuated the short-haired girl. “And how would he know she needed rice?”

 

“Well, uh, our families lived next to each other in the country,” began Genzo. Chiaki snickered.

 

“Which as nothing to do with knowing about Mayu's situation,” she dismissed his attempt at rationalizing. “Don't worry, Genzo,” she waved off the inquisition, “I think it's cute,” she smirked. Genzo wasn't sure what to say, so he said nothing.

 

Minutes later, Chiaki spoke again. “What was she like? When she was younger, I mean.”

 

“She was nice,” Genzo said. “I got picked on a lot, because I was so different from the other kids, but Mayu would stick up for me, and she told me stories to cheer me up,” related the young man. “Mayu could always be counted on to help others.”

 

“Huh. In school, she was always polite, but distant. She was never in any clubs that I knew of, and a lot of the other girls wondered about her, because she always looked tired, but never placed lower than fourth in the yearly grade exams. There was an industry of rumors devoted to her,” remembered the girl idly.

 

“Rumors?” wondered Genzo. He stretched his arms out comfortably on the lip of the semi-sunken tub, one of them falling behind Chiaki's shoulders. The girl leaned her head back against his arm, staring at the ceiling.

 

“Yeah,” Chiaki confirmed, “there were all sorts of rumors. Some mused about why she always looked so tired. Others wondered why she didn't socialize with the rest of the class and school. A smaller group wondered about her source of support,” explained the girl. “A really popular rumor was that she was working in a men's club to pay her living expenses,” related Chiaki.

 

“What?” gasped Genzo. Chiaki patted his thigh under the water.

 

“Don't worry; it's probably not true,” she said. Not the sort of thing I can see Mayu doing, anyway, she silently amended.

 

“Probably?” muttered Genzo, frowning. Chiaki apparently didn't notice the remark, as she went on.

 

“Another one was that she had a child, and was trying to support the kid and stay in school all by herself because her family disowned her and the father left her,” continued Chiaki. Genzo flinched. “Also not true,” soothed Chiaki, smiling at him. “I don't think that Mayu has ever had a boyfriend,” she frowned. Maybe I should see about getting her in a go-con with my friends, she made a mental note.

 

“And there were the ones by the vicious little harpies about her getting good grades from the teachers in exchange for sex.” Chiaki recalled. Under her palm, she felt his powerful thigh muscles twitch. “Down boy,” she said, her tone mirthful, “no one really believed those rumors.”

 

“Still,” he complained. Chiaki giggled.

 

“I think you can hold your own against any suitors she might acquire,” appraised the girl. “You're handsome enough,” she considered. Her eyes drifted down his lean, strong chest, across his washboard abs, and toward his hips. Through the slightly-opaque water, she could make out some details. “And certainly large enough,” she breathed, inhaling at the sight.

 

Chiaki's hand moved from his thigh to his groin, closing around his semi-erect shaft. Wow, she thought, slightly stunned by how large it was. She had seen dicks before, and felt a few, but never one like his. Her hand explored his hardening dick, her tongue unconsciously wetting her lips. Genzo was breathing a little fast, his eyes on her naked form.

 

“Um, you're kind of large, too,” he managed. “In the chest, I mean!” he hastily amended the earlier statement, realizing in a dim sort of way how it might be taken by the girl. Chiaki smiled.

 

“I guess,” she shrugged, deliberately causing her breasts to jiggle more than necessary. I'm not a cow, by any means, but I do have more than Mayu, she thought with a bit of selfish pride. In her hand, his dick grew harder. Leaning into his side, she rubbed her tits against his chest. “You ever felt a girl's breasts before?” she breathed in his ear. Mutely, he shook his head.

 

Chiaki didn't usually act this way. Sure, she had had boyfriends before. She had petted and done other things, but never come on to a guy like she was with Genzo. Far back in her awareness, she realized that something was messing with her normal self-control, but it seemed unimportant and irrelevant. Pushing aside the niggling thought, she leaned into Genzo, pushing her chest against his as her lips closed on his.

 

Normally, Genzo would have been fumbling, awkward and hesitant. But not now. Maybe it was the bath. Maybe it was the odd sense of ease he felt with Chiaki. It didn't matter what it was; only that the calm feeling allowed him to act on his instincts. Wrapping his arms around Chiaki's bare form, he kissed her back eagerly, if clumsily. Genzo had never kissed a girl, after all. But what did that matter? A cute girl was coming on to him, and he instinctively reacted.

 

Breaking the kiss, Genzo pulled Chiaki onto his lap, face-to-face with him. This necessitated her removing her hand from his shaft, but she was ok with that, since his unexpected move left her straddling his hips, her tingly groin trapping that wonderfully hard length between them. Genzo bent forward as he firmly pulled her head back, inhaling a hard nipple as she arched her back, thrusting her firm breasts up toward his face. “Ah!” she gasped, biting her lip as she felt him suckle on her hard tip. Her hands buried themselves in his dreadlocks, her hips beginning to grind against his hard length.

 

A soft growl escaped his throat as he tightened his grip on her upper body, his lips switching tits. Hearing that growl, Chiaki shivered in arousal. Impatiently, she tried to grind her pussy against his trapped member, but couldn't manage to scratch her itch. “Genzo,” she whined. Pulling his lips back from her nipple while maintaining his suction, the large man looked up at her as her nipple finally popped free of his mouth, a strand of drool connecting them for a moment.

 

Genzo stared at Chiaki for a moment. In his eyes, she saw raw lust, her heart skipping a beat as her own hormones answered the unspoken dominance in his gaze. Panting, she gazed back at him, her eyes silently communicating both her desires and her submission. Surprising her, Genzo stood, easily lifting her with him. With the water just above his knees, he held her firmly, shifting until his strong hands cupped her ass, holding her securely. Lifting her hips as if she didn't weigh a thing, Genzo freed his aching tool from between them.

 

A groan escaped Chiaki's lips as she felt the thick, wide tip run across her protruding clit and down her slit, leaving a long smear of pre-cum behind it. Once the hard shaft was standing proudly beneath her like a pike ready to impale her, Genzo lowered her toward the waiting flesh spear. Feeling her slick entrance against the tip of his dick, Genzo gave Chiaki another growl. Squirming slightly to make sure he was lined up, Chiaki looped her hands around his neck, passively waiting for him to do to her what they both wanted done. Genzo relaxed his arms, Chiaki sinking onto his dick.

 

“Ouch!” hissed Chiaki, though she didn't attempt to stop him or halt the proceedings. Her pussy was being forced to accept the thick, hard object that sought entrance, her own weight forcing it deeper and deeper. “Ugh!” she rasped out, feeling like her sex was going to tear at any second. When the entire tip had entered her, she mewed in mixed pain and pleasure. Genzo was panting as well.

 

Using her butt cheeks, he lifted her slightly, only to bring her back down, driving his manhood deeper into her incredibly tight passage. He repeated this process, the cycle gaining speed, until he was buried in her as deeply as he could go. Chiaki was drooling, her eyes half-closed, her body limp in his arms as he began to stroke in her, using his strong arms to lift and drop her hips. Before he knew it, he felt his balls tighten. Staggering back, he managed to sit on the edge of the tub, Chiaki impaled deeply on his shaft as he emptied himself into her.

 

Weakly, the large man lay back, absently pulling Chiaki down with him to rest on his chest. Just a little break to catch my breath, he thought. Closing his eyes, he felt his breathing return to normal. When he awoke later, he felt sort of refreshed, if still unusually fuzzy-minded. Chiaki was still semi-conscious on his chest. With some effort, he managed to sit up, his softened dick slipping out of her swollen sex, a surprisingly large glob of semen dripping out as the tip cleared her. “Hey, Chiaki?” he said, gently prodding her.

 

“Huh?” came the dazed reply from the girl. She managed to focus on Genzo. “Hey, Genzo-kun,” she cooed at him before giggling. Her groin throbbed, but it felt incredibly good to her. “What time is it?” she wondered, standing on rubbery legs with his help.

 

“Don't know,” he shrugged. “But I'm really hungry,” he noted. Together, the two managed to make their way to the faucets, once more scrubbing themselves clean.

 

“I feel a little dizzy,” Chiaki said when they were done. Genzo nodded.

 

“Me, too,” he said. Unspoken agreement between them led him to helping her dress before she accompanied him to the men's dressing room so he could dress. Looking at her computer's display, Chiaki stifled another silly giggle.

 

“Look how late it is,” she said, showing him the display.

 

“We should get back,” he suggested, snickering for no apparent reason.

 

“Sure, Genzo-kun,” she agreed, slinging her laptop computer bag over her shoulder so she could wrap an arm around his waist, the better to steady herself. Genzo wrapped an arm around her shoulders, the two making their way out of the men's changing room.

 

Behind the small reception desk, the two aliens were snoring. Laughing together, the two staggered out of the bath house, heading back to the Enohana Bath House to give the others their report.

 

-

 

Mayuko grunted as she dragged Chiaki into her room. Her friend was out cold, which Mayuko had decided was a good thing, considering that she wasn't sure that the strange bathhouse hadn't broken Genzo's mind as well as making Chiaki even more nuts than she was before. What was up with her calling me `Mayu-babe'? It has to be something that Chada's freakish bathhouse did to them, but what?! she wondered, getting Chiaki settled on her futon.

 

Sighing, Mayuko knelt and began to get her friend ready for the night. Setting aside the laptop in its bag, she carefully removed her friend's glasses before setting them aside as well. Surveying the slumbering girl, she debated for a moment before working the skirt and top off Chiaki. “Tomorrow is a school day, after all, and I doubt that she will have time to go back to her place before classes,” mumbled Mayuko, carefully folding the garments on top of the laptop bag. Looking at Chiaki, she saw that the girl was wearing a fairly snug bra.

 

Unable to sleep comfortably in a bra, Mayuko unfastened the girl's bra and pulled it off Chiaki, pausing to look at the bra. Niea's remarks in the bath came back, making her grimace. Chiaki's not that much bigger than me, she told herself, holding the bra against her own chest for a moment, scowling when she realized that though the chest strap would fit nicely, she couldn't hope to fill the cups. Damn, she thought sourly, swiftly folding the garment and setting it atop the other clothes. Pulling her blanket over the soundly-sleeping girl, Mayuko moved out to see what she could do about Genzo.

 

As she made her way back downstairs, she saw that her large childhood friend was right where he had collapsed with Chiaki. Glancing around, she saw that mister Yoshioka and Kotomi were pouring over a book in the kitchen, and Niea - as usual when there was work to be done - had vanished again. Grimacing, Mayuko pushed thoughts of the little blonde free-loader from her mind as she grappled with Genzo; literally.

 

“Ugh!” the girl grunted, trying to find a way to move Genzo's bulk. She couldn't lift him. She couldn't drag him. Annoyed, Mayuko realized that she would have to have help to get him out of the entrance way. With a lingering look at the recumbent form of her childhood friend, Mayuko went in search of help. “Mister Yoshioka?” she said, entering the kitchen.

 

“But, that's…!” blurted out Kotomi, mouth agape. After a moment of shocked silence, the owner and manager of the bathhouse that Mayuko's family used to own began to cackle insanely, a look of sadistic glee lighting her countenance. “Victory! she intoned darkly, her evil delight making her boiler man ease back from her. “The enemy has made a fatal miscalculation,” purred Kotomi. “They were an unexpected challenge to the sovereign dominance of the Enohana bath house, but in the end, their own stupidity was their death,” pronounced the woman wisely as she moved toward the phone near the front desk of the bathhouse.

 

“Um, mister Yoshioka?” Mayuko repeated, hearing her boss and landlord still talking to herself in a disturbingly psychotic way. The man blinked a time or two before turning to Mayuko.

 

“Y…yes, Mayu?” he replied. Mayuko could have been mistaken, but she thought that he shivered at Kotomi's disturbing manner of gloating.

 

“I was wondering if you could help me with Genzo,” explained Mayuko. “He could catch cold if I left him there, and I can't move him by myself.”

 

“Oh. Sure,” the older man agreed. Between the two of them, they managed to lug the young man up the stairs and to Mayuko's room. Once Genzo was in the room, Mayuko thanked the man. Yoshioka paused, debating saying something about Mayuko having a man in her room, but decided against saying anything; after all, Genzo was Mayuko's childhood friend, not her boyfriend. And in any event, he thought, you aren't her father, and Niea and Chiaki are in there too, so it isn't like they are doing anything inappropriate.

 

Closing the door as the other bathhouse employee departed, Mayuko turned her attention to Genzo. She managed to roll and pull him over to the edge of the futon that Chiaki was sleeping on, and found that there was just enough blanket to cover him and Chiaki both. “Not any for me, but I have to study, anyway,” murmured the girl, kneeling by Genzo.

 

Genzo wore a tee shirt and loose, baggy shorts. The dark-haired cram-school flunky debated trying to get the shirt off him at least. Five minutes later, she was panting a little, the shirt in her hands, and Genzo lying bare-chested before her. Her eyes were drawn to the man's chest. Wow, Mayuko thought absently, Genzo really grew up big!

 

It wasn't that he was exactly muscular or anything. Her childhood friend was broad-chested and moderately muscular, showing the source of the strength she had seen in his carrying large sacks of rice as if they were nothing. For some unknown reason, Mayuko was drawn to his physique. Gently stroking his chest with her palm, she smiled softly. “He's really handsome,” she breathed, her cheeks beginning to color a little. Seeing his sleeping face, she had started to lean toward him before she knew what was happening.

 

Jerking herself upright again, she sucked in an unsteady breath. Oh, god! What was I…? Shaking her head vigorously, she carefully settled her blanket over her two friends before turning toward her small, low table. “Gotta study,” she breathed forcefully, hastily grabbing her books and opening them. Five minutes later, she realized that she wasn't getting anything done. “Maybe some barely tea,” she muttered, fishing out a cup and her small bottle of tea. Sipping the tea, she tried to focus on her homework. Forty minutes later, she was asleep at the table, having not managed to study at all, though strangely enough she was smiling as she slept.

 

-

 

“Mayuko!” called out Chiaki, hurrying after the taller girl. Mayuko stopped and waited, the shorter Chiaki catching up to her near the entrance to their cram school. Together, the two fell into step with each other on the way to the train station. “Off to work?” guessed Chiaki. Mayuko nodded.

 

“Yes,” she said. “Gotta eat, you know?” shrugged the girl. Chiaki nodded.

 

“Yeah, I know,” she agreed. “My allowance is almost gone - again!” she said deprecatingly. “Say, do you mind if I tag along?” she asked Mayuko.

 

“No, not at all,” agreed the other girl. “Maybe you can beat Chie at her video games,” suggested Mayuko. Chiaki hummed. During the train and bus ride to Enohana district, the two chatted of lighter matters. As they were nearing the restaurant that Mayuko worked at, Chiaki broached the topic she had had in mind for a while.

 

“Say, Mayu,” she said, “do you have any plans for next Sunday?” asked the girl. Mayuko frowned.

 

“I don't think so,” she said after a moment. “Why?”

 

“Want to go on a go-con?” asked Chiaki casually. Mayuko flinched.

 

“A g…go-con?” stuttered Mayuko. Chiaki glanced up and over at her friend.

 

“Yeah,” confirmed the shorter girl. “Some girls from the school are going, and we have some guys from the college meeting us for karaoke, dinner, maybe some drinks. You in?” asked Chiaki.

 

“I don't know, Chiaki,” Mayuko began, feeling a small bubble of panic rising in her chest. “I don't really know any of the people going except you…” the girl went on.

 

“So ask Genzo,” interjected Chiaki helpfully, smothering a smile.

 

“Genzo?” parroted Mayuko.

 

“Sure!” chirped Chiaki. “I'll do it for you, in fact,” she hurried on, grabbing her cell phone and dialing.

 

“Chiaki!” squealed Mayuko, dismayed. It was too late. Chiaki was already telling the man of the go-con. Bare moments later, she ended the call.

 

“Genzo-kun is in,” she announced happily, grinning at Mayuko. “So, you going?” asked the shorter girl insolently. Mayuko sighed, pushing aside the small bump of uneasiness in her stomach.

 

“Yes, Chiaki, I'm going,” she groaned.

 

“Great!” Chiaki gloated, opening the door to the restaurant.

 

“Welcome to Karuchie European…oh, hi, Mayu!” came Chie's voice. “And you are her friend, right? Chiaki?” the girl added.

 

“Right,” confirmed Chiaki. Looking around, she saw that the restaurant was empty. It's been empty every time I have come in here, she thought absently.

 

“Evening, Mayuko,” said Chie's father, working at the small stove. “Sorry to catch you right off, but there's a delivery order up,” he said apologetically.

 

“It's no problem,” Mayuko assured him hastily. “Let me put my stuff down and grab an apron,” she added, slipping into the small back area. Chiaki sat down at a stool at the shallow bar.

 

“That smells good,” she said. “How about a bowl of that?” she asked.

 

“Sure thing!” the man said, putting the take-out order in the box for Mayuko before tossing fresh ingredients into the pan. “Be ready in a few minutes,” he said. Chie put a glass of ice coffee in front of Chiaki.

 

“Thanks, Chie,” Chiaki nodded, sipping the coffee. Mayuko reappeared from the back, tying an apron across her hips, making sure that the stitched logo of the restaurant was visible. Seeing Chiaki at the bar, she took the box with the food and headed out for the bike that she used for deliveries.

 

“Be back in a bit, Chiaki,” she called over her shoulder.

 

“No problem,” Chiaki said, waving a hand. “I'm having dinner here,” she added. Chie moved out and climbed up onto the stool next to Chiaki, watching her dad cook. “So, how are things going here?” asked Chiaki of the young girl.

 

“Same as always,” shrugged Chie. “We're holding on,” she said. Chiaki hummed. “I really wish…” began Chie, only to be interrupted by the door opening. Both girls turned to see a group of young men entering the shop. “Welcome to Karuchie European Restaurant,” Chie said, slipping off the stool. “What can we get for you?” she asked.

 

“We were doing some work in town, and are starving,” said the young man in front. “Man, that smells great!” he interrupted himself, sniffing the air. “We'll have whatever that is,” he said, moving into the restaurant, more men behind him. Chie blinked, seeing that the restaurant would be overflowing from the group. Her father noticed the same thing.

 

“Chie, I don't think we can handle a crowd this big without Mayuko,” he whispered to her.

 

“But we need the business!” hissed back the girl, loading a tray with glasses in preparation to serve the group.

 

“Tell you what,” said Chiaki, “if it's ok with you, I can help out,” she said. Mister Karita lit up.

 

“You can?! Thanks!” he said, relieved. Chiaki smiled at Chie as she began to help her out. With the father busy at the grill, the two girls had to do the serving and service. Chiaki had never waitressed in her life, but it wasn't like she was in a China Millers or anything, so she figured it couldn't be that hard.

 

By the time that Mayuko was back, she was re-evaluating that notion. Mayuko swiftly joined the fray, and by the time that the group had settled their bills and left, all four of the workers were exhausted. As they caught their breath, mister Karita slid a bowl in front of Chiaki. “In the rush, I forgot to give you your meal,” he said. “It's on the house, of course!” he added hastily. “We really owe you one!”

 

“It's nothing,” Chiaki waved it off, grabbing the offered chopsticks from Chie and digging in.

 

“No, really,” insisted the father of Chie, “if there is anything we can do, please let us know!” he insisted. Chiaki sucked down some noodles.

 

“Well, tell you what,” she said, “Mayu and I have a go-con Sunday, so…” she smiled as she closed off an escape avenue for Mayuko.

 

-

 

Mayuko wondered where Niea was when she needed her most. The alien had been missing in action since the bathhouse incident, leaving Mayuko feeling conflicted over the absence of chaos in her life. Looking at her outfit, she really wished that Niea would show up. Either she could take out her frustrations and stress on the blonde freeloader, or she could blame the alien for having to break the go-con date. But then, what would Genzo do? her conscience pricked her.

 

Sighing, she grabbed her stuff and moved out of her room. She had to meet up with Chiaki at the station near the school, and the two of them would then go to meet the others at the karaoke place. Thinking of how most of the girls at the cram school dressed, she looked once more at her knee-length skirt, conservative top and plain flats, she grimaced. “Guess we know who will be the most out of place,” she muttered.

 

As she exited the bathhouse, she saw Chie and her father approaching the door. “Mayu!” called Chie, waving. Mayuko smiled, waving back. “Have fun on your go-con!” the girl called, pausing just outside the door flap to the bathhouse.

 

“I'll try, Chie,” Mayuko managed, waving back as the girl ducked inside. Shaking her head, she moved toward the bus station, which would take her to the train, which would take her to Chiaki's little get-together. Riding toward the city, she wondered for the millionth time if this wasn't a mistake. And like all the times before, she decided that she couldn't leave Genzo alone with strangers.

 

Her preoccupation with Genzo distracted her so that when Chiaki touched her arm, she flinched. “Something wrong, Mayuko?” wondered the alien-freak girl, noticing the flinch.

 

“Sorry,” replied Mayu contritely, “spaced out, I guess,” she explained. Chiaki shrugged it off.

 

“Well! Ready for a good time on the town?” she asked, grinning up at Mayuko as she led her onto another train by the arm.

 

“Y…yeah,” Mayu said. Boarding the train from the other side was a familiar form.

 

“Mayuko,” said Genzo in his quiet, deep voice. Mayuko inexplicably felt a little better.

 

“Hey, Genzo,” replied Mayu, managing a genuine smile.

 

“Genzo-kun,” grinned Chiaki.

 

“Chiaki,” Genzo replied, nodding his head, a bit of color on his cheeks. Mayuko wondered what was up with that. But then, Genzo has always been shy… she dismissed the faint blush. As the train pulled out, she found herself leaning against Genzo. This isn't so bad, thought the girl, allowing herself to relax a little.

 

Most of the evening was a blur to her, surrounded by strangers and generally feeling conspicuous. The other girls Chiaki had invited were far more like her friend than like Mayuko. They wore trendy clothes, were tanned and had bleached or colored hair. Chiaki was the bridge between the city girls and Mayuko, her hair uncolored or bleached, her skin un-tanned, but other than that, she was like them. She could talk about what they talked about, and used the same slang. Mayuko didn't fit into that group.

 

The guys were not her type, either. College boys, they were rowdy, boisterous, and drank like they were executive salarymen on a bender. They were also very free with their hands, though the girls didn't seem to mind at all. With the boys paying the way, Mayuko could sort of see how that would work. She was just glad that Genzo was with her. He was like her: out of place, and feeling uncomfortable.

 

As the evening wore on, Mayuko noticed that the other girls were eyeing Genzo in a manner she found strangely irritating. Fortunately, his size and dreadlocks kept them at a distance. Chiaki wasn't so circumspect, though. She sat on the opposite side of Genzo from Mayu and seemed to have no intention of leaving that spot. Mayuko attributed it to Chiaki knowing Genzo better than any of the other men there. After all, they experienced that strange bathhouse together, so it makes sense that she would be comfortable with him, she thought, sipping her drink.

 

She had tried to beg off from drinking with the group, but found a drink being pressed into her hand. With no way to decline, she had sipped at it. The boys were buying, and they were buying alcoholic drinks. It wasn't that she wasn't legal - she was - it was just that she had never really done any drinking, and therefore had little taste for it. Chiaki and the other girls were clearly used to drinking. In fact, some of the girls were knocking back the drinks as fast as the boys could get them.

 

Genzo wasn't the only one garnering attention. Mayuko didn't notice that several of the boys were eyeing her. Though she was the most conservatively-dressed girl in the bunch, her height and quiet demeanor drew the eyes of the boys. None of them really made a move on her, though, because they were frankly scared of the huge guy sitting close to her. Easily the biggest guy the first-year college boys had seen, Genzo's odd hair and muscular chest and legs undermined the confidence of the other boys. With easier prey close to hand, they subconsciously avoided making any runs at Mayuko.

 

As the night wore on, the group gradually began to break up. As pairs and trios broke away, the group dwindled until it was just Chiaki, Genzo and Mayuko making their way out of the small stand where the last of the group had stopped for a snack and one last drink. Genzo was feeling pretty good, the amount of alcohol he had drunk not enough to plaster him, but it was mellowing him out some. Chiaki was drunk, though not enough to need help walking, her speech still clear, though her dialog tended to wander a little. Mayuko was worse off than the other two.

 

Genzo steadied her, since she was prone to staggering and weaving when she tried to walk on her own. Her voice was slurred and she was prone to giggling fits and slurred monologs about incomprehensible things. Together, the three boarded the train for the ride to the station nearest the bus station that served the Enohana suburb. Genzo settled on a seat in the lightly-populated train car, all but holding Mayuko on his lap. Chiaki collapsed next to him, her head slumping over to rest on his powerful shoulder. Genzo blinked at the smaller girl.

 

“Shouldn't you be on a different train?” he wondered. I'm sure that she lives over on the east side somewhere, and this is the west loop, he thought, a bit uncertain if he recalled correctly or not.

 

“Don't worry about it, Genzo-kun,” grinned Chiaki, smiling up at him. “I'll help you get Mayu-chan home, and sleep over at her place,” she giggled. “Guess you are, too?” she asked archly. Genzo blinked.

 

“Uh, I guess,” he mumbled, recalling that he lived to the south of Enohana proper. “I just want to make sure that Chigasaki gets home safely,” he added. Well, it's true; sort of, he justified.

 

“No point getting her home, then taking the bus back to your place,” Chiaki suggested, never lifting her head from his shoulder. Absently, she brushed some hair off Mayuko's cheek. The taller girl was slumped against Genzo's chest, a smile on her lips, her arms loosely covering the arm that her childhood friend had looped around her waist to steady her. “Mayu-chan's really cute, isn't she?” asked Chiaki of the large man.

 

“Uh, yeah,” Genzo said, color rising on his cheeks. Chiaki giggled at that.

 

“You're really lucky, Genzo-kun,” purred the shorter girl. “Sitting here with two gorgeous girls…bet the other men in this car would kill to be in your place about now,” she breathed in his ear. Genzo frowned slightly. Looking around at the men on the train, he noticed that several of them were watching him with jealous looks. A couple had nasty gleams in their eyes as they visually molested Chiaki and Mayuko. Instinctively hugging Mayuko closer to him, he dropped his other arm around Chiaki's shoulder as he scowled darkly at the few men leering at the girls. Those men swiftly found something else to look at.

 

When they arrived at their stop, Genzo helped Mayuko up, Chiaki grabbing her friend's purse along with her laptop bag and following the pair off the train and toward the bus station a block from the train station. As they got closer, Genzo frowned. “They're turning off the lights,” he observed. Chiaki checked her watch.

 

“Oh, no!” she cried. “We have two minutes to catch the last bus to Enohana!” she yelled, dashing toward the station. Genzo could hear a diesel engine rumbling. Realizing that Mayuko couldn't move fast enough on her own at the moment, he grabbed her up in his arms and dashed after Chiaki, who was frantically waving her arms to try and hold the bus.

 

Panting, the three just barely made the bus, finding that they were fully half the people going to the sleepy suburb at that time of night. Flopping into seats, they caught their breath. During the ride to the small town, Mayuko fell asleep in Genzo's arms. Without complaint, the large man held her the whole way. When they arrived at the bus stop in Enohana, they still had a ten minute walk to the bathhouse.

 

During the walk, Mayuko woke up, finding that she was begin carried piggy-back by Genzo, Chiaki by the man's side. Genzo had his hands on her upper thighs, under her knee-length skirt, but instead of being upset, Mayuko found that she liked the feeling of his slightly-rough hands on her thighs. “Genzo-kun,” she slurred, rubbing her chin against his shoulder, next to his neck.

 

“Yeah, Mayu-chan?”

 

“Nothin',” mumbled Mayuko, giggling briefly. She managed to wrap her arms around his neck clumsily. “Mm,” hummed the girl happily.

 

“Aw, you're such a stud!” chortled Chiaki. Genzo blushed.

 

“She's just drunk,” he insisted. Chiaki shrugged.

 

“Doesn't mean her affection is any less real,” she countered. “I'm kind of surprised that you didn't notice before,” the alien-freak shared. Genzo frowned.

 

“Notice what?” he wondered.

 

“How she feels about you,” came the brutally-direct answer from the shorter girl. “It's as obvious to me as how you feel about her,” she added unnecessarily. Genzo drew breath to deny it, but stopped, seeing Chiaki's smirking, knowing look. “Don't worry, big guy,” Chiaki soothed him, “you're doing pretty well,” she stated mysteriously.

 

Eventually, the two reached the bathhouse, which was closed, of course. Chiaki led Genzo around to the side, through the back door, and up to Mayuko's room. Reaching the room, she set aside her burden, seeing Genzo easing Mayuko down. The dark-haired girl blinked, coming more aware as she felt Genzo easing her off his back. Mayuko focused on the closet, which was open; and empty. “Niea's still gone,” she muttered. Drawing in a breath, she made a face. “Need a bath,” she said, smelling cigarette smoke on her clothes and hair.

 

“Now that you mention it,” agreed Chiaki, sniffing at her own clothes. “I'm sure that they have drained the bath by now, but we can at least wash off,” she suggested, seeing Mayuko already struggling to remove her clothes. Glancing at Genzo, she saw him staring at Mayuko, wide-eyed. Looking lower, she inhaled sharply, seeing his shorts begin to bulge. Quickly grabbing her own top, she tugged it off.

 

Genzo stared, stunned, as Mayuko managed to get her top off, followed by her bra, then her skirt, and finally, the dark-haired girl thrust her thumbs into the waistband of her panties, shoving them down her thighs - and almost losing her balance in the process. Genzo caught her before she could fall. A breathy giggle and a smile were his reward. Genzo was nearly panting now, his dick throbbing in his shorts.

 

“Hurry up and get undressed, Genzo-kun,” came a coo from beside the two. Looking over he saw a naked Chiaki. “You need a bath, too,” she pointed out.

 

“But…!” he protested. Chiaki shook her head, gently taking Mayuko off his hands.

 

“No `buts', Genzo,” she said firmly. Smiling at him, she started guiding the naked girl toward the door. “We'll go see if there is any water left in the bath,” she added. “Bring us some towels when you come, ok?” she called back, navigating the hallway toward the stairs.

 

Chiaki recalled that there was an old woman that lived in the lower apartment of the bathhouse, but didn't consider that an issue, since it was late, and the apartment that Mayu had was at the opposite end of the bathhouse, with a separate entrance to the baths. Other than that, the place was deserted. Wonder where Niea is? she thought absently, before pushing that thought aside.

 

Reaching the baths, she found a note on the women's side door. Peering at the note, she saw that the owner - Kotomi - had left the tub full, with a note that Mayu was welcome to it as long as she drained it before bed. Smiling, Chiaki entered the bath area, settling Mayuko at a stool and turning on the rinsing faucet. “Chiaki? Mayu?” came the soft rumble of Genzo's voice.

 

“In here,” Chiaki called back, keeping her voice barely above speaking volume. No point being loud, she thought. Genzo entered the bath a moment later, a bath basket in hand, and a stack of towels in his hands. Seeing the two, he swallowed. “Um, I brought Mayu's bath basket,” offered the young man, his hard length pointing at the two. Chiaki licked her lips.

 

“Yeah, I can see that,” she replied, her pussy tingling as she recalled the last time she had taken a bath with Genzo. “Give me a hand here?” she suggested, motioning to Mayuko.

 

“Genzo!” exclaimed Mayu happily, throwing open her arms. Stiffly, Genzo made his way to the two, kneeling next to Mayuko. Chiaki selected her weapons from the basket, and handed Genzo the shampoo.

 

“Start up there, and we'll meet in the middle,” she smiled, spraying Mayuko from head to foot before beginning to scrub the girl's feet, working north. Genzo, swallowing roughly, poured some shampoo on her hair and began to work it in. Before he knew it, he and Chiaki were working together on Mayuko's waist. “Now for a rinse and a soak,” muttered Chiaki, running the spray head over Mayuko, getting all the shampoo and soap suds off her.

 

“Uh, shouldn't we wash off as well?” Genzo opinioned. Chiaki grinned.

 

“Why, thank you, Genzo-kun,” she smiled. Extending her hand, she offered him the soap and washcloth. “Here,” she said, taking Mayuko's shoulders in her hands, steadying the wobbly girl. “You wash me, and I will hold Mayu up, then I will wash you while you hold Mayu,” she explained.

 

“O…ok,” he replied, his voice a little hoarse. Chiaki shifted so she was closer to him. Genzo soaked the smaller girl with the sprayer head then began to wash her, finding that Chiaki's nipples were hard. Reaching her groin, he paused, debating.

 

“No slacking off,” came a breathy voice. Looking at Chiaki, he saw her breathing fast, her face flushed. Gulping down a breath, he carefully cupped her sex with the sudsy washcloth. Hearing a gasp, he jerked his hand back.

 

“Sorry!” he blurted out. Chiaki shook her head.

 

“Nothing to be sorry about,” she disagreed. Looking at him, she saw he was staring at her naked form. Below that, his wonderful tool was drooling pre-cum. Chiaki knew that her clit was already peeking out from beneath its hood, and her juice was already seeping out of her pussy. Oh, this is taking too long! she thought impatiently. “Here, hold her and watch how I do it,” she suggested, taking the cloth from him.

 

Genzo dutifully did as instructed, and Chiaki turned to face him squarely before spreading her legs wide and slowly showing him how she washed herself. With that done, she rinsed the cloth, re-applied some soap, and handed it to him. “Got that? Good. Now clean Mayu-chan,” she said, smiling inside with anticipation and glee.

 

“Y…yeah,” he gulped, seeing Chiaki carefully turn Mayu so the taller girl was leaning against her chest, legs spread wide toward Genzo. The drunken girl giggled and smiled at him in a manner that melted his bones and turned his dick to diamond.

 

“Genzo-kun,” cooed Mayuko, spreading her arms inviting; and also displaying her breasts. Hastily, Genzo leaned forward toward Mayuko, washcloth extended. Chiaki, watching from under Mayuko's arm, gave him pointers and reminders as he washed his crush's groin. In her arms, Chiaki felt Mayuko tremble, her body growing warm. Peeking to the side, she saw that the dark nipples were hard and erect.

 

“That's good, Genzo,” directed Chiaki, picking up the washer head. Swiftly washing Mayu clean again, she leaned over to whisper in Mayuko's ear. “Mayu-chan, we need to clean Genzo off,”

 

Mayuko nodded, her hand absently rubbing her soaked pussy. Chiaki wanted to do that as well, but she had other things to do first. Guiding Mayuko's hands to Genzo's hard length, she held her breath. After a moment, Mayuko began to stroke it, and Chiaki sighed in relief. “Like that,” she praised Mayuko, reaching for the washcloth and soap. “You're doing very well,” she went on, swiftly getting to work on the rest of Genzo's body.

 

Kneeling behind the large man, she pressed herself to his back as she washed his chest and thighs. To her pleasant surprise, he turned his head and kissed her. Nearly panting with desire, she forgot about the washcloth as he pushed his tongue into her mouth, feeling a strong, large hand wrap around the back of her head, holding her in place. Not that I have any plans of moving! thought the girl happily. Eagerly, she began to rub her tits against his back as she enjoyed the kiss with her eyes closed.

 

With a groan, Genzo broke the kiss, but kept his fingers knotted in her hair. Opening her eyes, she saw the same look of lust in his eyes that he had had in the Space King bathhouse. It brought a smile to her lips. A huff of petulant annoyance brought her attention back to Mayuko, who was pouting even as she continued to stroke the length of hard man-meat in her hands. Chiaki saw that Genzo's pre-cum had covered her hands completely and was dripping from her fingers in ropy strands as she stroked him.

 

“Genzo!” whined Mayu. Turning to look at the taller girl, Genzo guided Chiaki to the side before using both hands to pull Mayu to him, settling her on his lap, her legs spread around his hips.

 

“Mayuko,” he growled, his tip smearing her opening with his lubricant. Chiaki watched, her hand stealing down to rub her own itchy sex. She knew what was coming, and was looking forward to getting some as well.

 

Taking the slim, yet curvy hips of his childhood friend in his large hands, Genzo wiggled her around for a moment before feeling her hot, slick opening with the tip of his dick. Aligned, he pulled her down onto his waiting tool, Chiaki gasping softly as she saw how wide the thick organ stretched Mayuko's sex. Is that how it looked when he took me? she wondered, awed. I could swear that it would tear her like a paper bag, but…!

 

A short, high-pitch squeal from Mayu told her that her friend was no longer a virgin. Licking her lips, she saw a bit of red begin to tinge the mixed fluid seeping out of the tight joint of their joined sexes. Genzo didn't pause at the cry, steadily pushing deeper into the slim girl. The pained expression on Mayuko's face swiftly faded as Genzo drove deeper and deeper into her.

 

Chiaki pushed a finger into her pussy as her other hand rubbed and tugged on her hard nipples, watching as her friend was thoroughly fucked by her crush. Mayuko, drunk or not, was reacting to the aggressive love-making with fervor. Her arms had closed around Genzo's neck, and the girl was sloppily kissing her friend as he hammered her hips up and down on his long pleasure pole. A second finger found its way into her pussy before Chiaki saw the signs that Genzo was about to fill Mayu with his cum. Stroking herself more vigorously, she leaned closer as Genzo frantically pumped into Mayuko for a moment longer before holding her down on his rod, grunting through their kiss.

 

Held fast, Mayuko trembled hard before going slack in his arms. Her head lolled forward, her arms going slack as they slipped from his shoulders to hang limp at her sides. Chiaki heard a possessive growl come from Genzo as he rubbed Mayuko's back. “Mine, Mayu-chan,” he purred. Hearing that, Chiaki climaxed herself.

 

When she recovered her wits, she saw that Mayuko had been carefully laid out on the bathhouse floor on a towel, a thick glob of pinkish goo slowly oozing from her swollen, reddened sex. Genzo was gently stroking her body, his dick still nearly completely hard. Swallowing a mouthful of drool, Chiaki picked herself up and moved closer to Genzo. “Genzo?” she breathed, feeling a hot, slick wetness on her thighs and knowing that it was her girl-juice.

 

When Genzo turned to look at her, she saw that his eyes still had that dominate, lustful gaze. Mutely spreading her arms and legs, she silently offered herself to him. Genzo glanced once more at Mayuko - the girl clearly asleep from the soft sounds coming from her throat - before reaching out and pulling Chiaki to him, his lips crushing against her lips. Chiaki moaned into the kiss as she felt a hand take her left breast, cupping and kneading it. Chiaki lost track of time for a moment, and next thing she knew, she was kneeling with Genzo behind her.

 

The shorter girl barely had time to inhale before she felt the slick, hot tip of Genzo's dick push into her sex. “Ugh!” she grunted, feeling herself stretch once more. Glancing to the side, she saw Mayuko was resting peacefully, a smile on her lips. Pushing thoughts of the other girl from her mind, she closed her eyes, concentrating on the feeling of being taken from behind by the large man.

 

Genzo settled into a fast, hard pace, driving his member full-length into Chiaki, once more making her feel faint with pleasure as his blunt tip pushed hard against her cervix, as if he sought to penetrate her womb with his generous tool. That thought alone triggered another orgasm in her, and when she had recovered from that enough to be aware of anything, she found that Genzo had grabbed her breasts, cradling them as he neared release. “Chiaki,” he snarled, his breath hot on the back of her neck, “gonna cum!” he said.

 

“O…k!” panted Chiaki.

 

“Inside,” panted Genzo harshly, “fill you! Mine!” he pronounced, Chiaki feeling his teeth bite her shoulder firmly an instant before he slammed deeply into her and held still. In her tightly-filled ecstatic sex, she felt a burning-hot spurting sensation.

 

“Yes! Again! More!” she slurred, feeling another orgasm crash over her.

 

“Mine,” came the breathed demand from Genzo. “Both mine,” he whispered as the last of his orgasm passed into her.

 

“Yours,” mumbled Chiaki, her trembling arms having failed her. “We're yours,” she surrendered herself and Mayuko before succumbing to sleep.

 

-

 

“Chiaki!” called a familiar voice. Turning, Chiaki saw Mayuko waving at her from the corner of the street. Chiaki waved back and moved toward Mayuko. When she reached the other girl, she stopped, sharing a smile with Mayuko. “So? What did they say?” wondered Mayuko.

 

“Yep,” nodded Chiaki. Mayuko exhaled a breath she didn't know she was holding.

 

“So?” she asked, leadingly.

 

“So, what? What did you find out?” Chiaki replied instead, grinning up at the taller girl. Mayuko grinned back.

 

“The papers were signed this morning,” said Mayuko as the two moved toward the bathhouse. “It's going to be tough, you know,” she said to Chiaki. The shorter girl shrugged.

 

“Little late to be worried about that, isn't it?” she observed. “Besides, it's a bit late for regrets, isn't it?” she asked. Mayuko shrugged.

 

“I'd say yes, if I had any, but…” she once more shrugged. “Um, what did your parents say?” she wondered. Chiaki pursed her lips.

 

“They're…still deciding,” she side-stepped. Mayuko reached over and took Chiaki's hand in her own.

 

“I'm sorry,” she said contritely.

 

“Hmm? Why would you be sorry?” wondered Chiaki. “I made the decisions, you know, so if anyone can say `sorry', it has to be me,” pointed out the shorter girl. In silence the two moved toward the bathhouse.

 

“What about school?” asked Mayuko a few moments later. Chiaki shrugged.

 

“Like you,” she said indifferently. “I really didn't have any idea what I wanted to be anyway,” she laughed. “And it isn't like I had the grades to go to a good college anyway. Besides,” she winked at Mayuko, “there isn't a single college that has a bathhouse co-owner degree.”

 

Mayuko laughed. “No, I suppose not,” she admitted.

 

“And in any event, the perks are very nice,” purred Chiaki. Mayuko blushed.

 

“Um, yeah, really nice!” she agreed. In silence, the two reached the bathhouse and made their way toward the side entrance. “Mister Yoshioka,” nodded Mayuko.

 

“Oh! Hey, you two!” the man called back. “Everything ok, Chiaki?” he asked her. She nodded.

 

“Just fine! And how is Kotomi?” grinned the shorter of the pair. The boiler man scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

 

“She's…adjusting,” he said carefully.

 

“Have you two set a date?” wondered Mayuko. The man gulped.

 

“Not really, but within the month,” he said, coloring. Mayuko could understand that.

 

“Yeah, I suppose that makes sense,” she said, mostly to herself. “Oh! Have they said when the funeral will be?” asked the taller girl, recalling what had prompted the early morning trip to town hall. Mister Yoshioka's face fell a little.

 

“Tomorrow morning,” he said quietly. “Genzo has been helping get her stuff packed up, though I don't recall her having any relatives to claim anything,” he said.

 

“Really? That's sad,” sighed Mayuko.

 

“Makes sense, though, seeing as how she left us her share of the bathhouse,” chimed in Chiaki. Mayuko nodded.

 

“Speaking of Genzo,” said Mayuko, recalling what they had been talking about earlier, “we should go see if he needs any help,” she suggested, tugging on Chiaki's hand. Waving at Yoshioka, the two moved into the bathhouse. Seeing a shirtless Genzo packing up a few last boxes, the pair paused to enjoy the view.

 

“Oh. Welcome back,” came the quiet voice of the man, along with a smile. “Everything ok?” he asked the pair. Both nodded.

 

“Need any help?” asked Mayuko, crossing to the man and kissing him, Chiaki following her lead.

 

“No, this is the last of it,” said Genzo, motioning to the small pile of carefully-packed boxes. “I'm just going to put them in storage until someone claims them,” he shrugged. Mayuko considered what she had heard.

 

“That…could be a long time, Genzo,” she said quietly. Genzo nodded.

 

“I heard,” he agreed. “Have you told your mother yet?” he thought to ask. Mayuko nodded.

 

“She was surprised, but not as much as I thought she would be,” Mayuko replied, moving to the kitchen and getting three glasses of water for the group. “Almost like she expected this,” frowned the girl.

 

“Bet she wasn't expecting me, though, right?” grinned Chiaki. Mayuko blushed a little.

 

“I…didn't really mention you in that conversation,” she admitted. Chiaki shrugged.

 

“Worry about it when it comes to that,” she said easily. From overhead, they heard some pounding, then a crash, then some cursing.

 

“Oh, right, Niea is back,” Genzo shared. Mayuko sighed.

 

“I can hear that,” she said, though she made no move to go upstairs to the room she had called home until recently.

 

“You aren't going to chase her?” wondered Chiaki, grinning at Mayuko. The taller girl shook her head.

 

“She can have that room; besides…” she trailed off, one hand absently touching her stomach. Chiaki nodded.

 

“Yeah, I understand,” she said, her hand mirroring Mayuko's. “Must be something in the water around here,” she said, a small, arch smile on her lips.

 

“Really!” Mayuko agreed. “Even Kotomi!”

 

“Well, she did say that a bathhouse was a place for social encounters.”

 

END