Chapter 2

*****

“Good Morning.”

Aya greeted the class normally when she entered the classroom.

Aya started doing her greetings on Monday, and today is Friday. Her greetings have become something normal for these past five days. 

But when the other students saw Aya join our group naturally after putting her bag on her own desk, everyone looked confused and whispered to each other. They act like seeing an unexpected transfer student who appeared out of nowhere.

“Yahoo, Fuwa.”
“Yeah.”

Well, that’s a given since we will become the strongest combination in our class if we joined our hands together. It’s an unexpected change for our class’ power map since we’re entering the fall season. At this rate, the other powerful groups like Nishida Reina’s will take this change as a threat.

And like what I predicted, someone grabbed my hand when I left the class for the bathroom just before morning homeroom started.

The other party is...Ugh, it’s Shirahata Hinano.

She has long hair that dyed in blue-color, also, she has a worrying attendance since she rarely showed up in class. A true white gyaru.

She caught me in front of the bathroom and pulled me to a deserted corridor. Hii, I feel threatened.

For someone like me who did her best to have a fulfilling high-school life, how could it become like this...At least, I should put up a brave front so she won’t make light of me.

“Huh, so it’s you, Hinano. It’s rare for you to be here since morning.”
“I did a simple calculation for how many days I should attend the classes so they won’t hold me back a year, I would show up on the day where it’s necessary.”

She put out her hands into a peace sign.

Hinano and her hair stand out in a different meaning from Aya’s. In fact, it makes her look more like a delinquent. Even though her height is around 150 cm and judging from her stature she looks like a cute mascot, she’s the most intimidating person in our class.

“...”
“W-what is it?”

With empty eyes resembling a dead fish, she observes me from the top of my head to the tip of my toe. I’m cool with having her looking at me like this, but would you state your intention, please?

“Umm...I really need to use the bathroom, so.”
“I see. Well, it can’t be helped.”

Hinano calmly shrugs her shoulder. What does she want?

“If it’s look, Marika is pretty and I took an interest before, but you already became someone else’s, huh.”
“Eh!”

I opened my eyes widely, I don’t even have the time to get happy because she praised my looks. Basically, it’s impossible to stay calm in this situation.

“W-what do you mean? Why would you say something like that…”

Could it be that she knew about Aya...? Eh, am I really that easy to read…?

This is shocking…

Puff, puff, Hinano pat my shoulders lightly. What’s with those veteran-like expressions…

“If you get tired of Aya, just come to me wherever you want. I always have open position for sex friends, all year round, without break. But it’s limited only for the pretty ladies.”
“Ha...haaaaaa!?”

W-what did she say, this white gyaru! Something like sex friends!

“W-wait, that’s weird!”
“I get that a lot. But still, you should also be careful, Marika.”
“...Be careful of you? Is this something like a threat…?”

I hug my body by reflex. Hey, can you stop saying stuff like that! E-even I have a martial artist named Aya with me, you see!

“That’s not it, it’s just, I thought this since before. Marika is, how should I put it. You have an atmosphere that invites people.”

I heard this before. Aya said similar things just a few days ago. It was something like, "Marika has a certain pheromone to invite lesbians," I guess.

The heck is that. Somehow I’m getting tired.

“I don’t have something like that...Anyway, we’re both girls, right…”
“That excuse no longer has any meaning, deep down, Sakakibara Marika already understands it well..”
“Can you please stop pulling a disturbing monologue like that?”

But, if it’s something that attracts weirdos like Aya or Hinano, I think I might have something like that…

“Eh, wait, so you are playing on that side?”
“Well then, I wonder. Aah, but don’t worry. I will never lay my hand on someone who has a partner. It’s my principle.”
“Can I really trust someone who said sex friends lightly like that…”

I groaned. This farce is useless against the embodiment of gyaru like her. 

Hinano looked somewhere far away while resting her hand on her chin.

“From now on whether you choose to become an earnest one, or you choose to become a free-spirited bottom, it’s up on you.”
“The heck with those choices.”

Hinano’s eyes are sparkling.

“If you became the latter, just tell me. I’ll make sure to treat you gently.”
“I won’t, I won’t. Wait, I’m the receiving end!?”
“The reviews were pretty good, you see? Want to have a taste?”
“No thank you!”

Geez, this is not good.

But then, I noticed that Hinano has her bag on her back. So she hasn’t entered the class since morning.

“The bell will ring soon, don’t you need to hurry?”
“Yup, thanks. But knowing you’re already taken when I set an eye on you made me lose spirit so I’ll go home for now.”
“What about your calculations!?”

This school is really lax considering someone like her managed to get in.

***

Right now is after-school, the same day when I just discovered that Shirahata Hinano is a dangerous fellow.

I hold these complicated feelings inside my chest and walk towards a family restaurant two stations away from my house.

“Welcome!”

For my part-time job.

I started this job around the end of summer, so it’s been a month.

I’m starting to get better at controlling my nervousness when I’m working in the hall because I can smoothly greet the customers with a perfect smile now. It’s my third job since I entered high-school and I think I finally found a job that suits me well.

And that’s why, today the newbie waitress Marika will do her best. When the sign of the automatic door had opened appeared, I walked toward the entrance to greet the customer and put out a wonderful smile.

“Welcome, may I know how many people…? Wait.”
“One person.”

The one who showed up before me is Aya. It seems like she came here straight from the school. It’s been a short while, eh. For her to come here so suddenly like this, what a passionate fan.

“...Let me take you to your table.”

Even though this restaurant is placed right in front of the station, considering it’s just before dinner time, it is pretty quiet right now. So I led her to the table for two people and looked at her.

“...When you are ready to order, please ring this bell to call our staff.”

“It's okay, Afternoon tea set, please.”

It’s a set menu where the desert and the tea is different depending on the day, in short, it’s her [usual] order. 

“...I’ve received your order.”
“That uniform is cute.”
“You always said that every time.”

To be honest, this uniform is one of the factors why I choose this place.

It’s a light blue checkered apron with a skirt, and a plain white shirt. It gave off a sense of cleanliness. For someone who prefers short skirts, a long skirt below the knee is refreshing for me.

Aya rested her cheek on the table just like a cat who’s enjoying the sun while staring at me.

“Just bring them home next time.”
“...Pervert.”
“I simply thought of taking a few photos, though? What did you imagine?”
“I won’t get deceived by that. You won’t stop only at that level because you are Aya.”

To make sure that the other customers won’t complain later, I keep my smile perfectly plastered on my face. I can only let out a cold voice. Good grief.

I walked away and put her order in the kitchen while preparing the tea and also the gelato that was included in the set menu. And then, I bring the order to her table.

“I’m sorry to keep you waiting. Here is your order.”
“Thanks.”

Aya took a spoon and ate the gelato. Somehow seeing her eating something I prepared made me feel ticklish.

But still, she’s really suited to come here alone like this. Is she really a high-school girl? Not some sort of an office lady who’s just going back from office?

“Marika. No one sexually harassed you, right? Like the manager, or your co-workers.”
“You don’t have to worry, besides, the manager is a woman...Um, but gender has nothing to do with this, huh.”
“That’s right.”

Hearing it from someone who forcefully showed me a bunch of lesbian adult videos feels really convincing.

“But really, you don’t have to worry. Everyone treats me well.”

While looking at Aya, I decided to continue.

“Also, I made a friend. She’s one year older than me and started to work here around the same time as me, so we ended up getting along well. Whenever we had the same shift, we always went home together.”
“I see.”

When I hadn't decided what kind of part-time job I should take, Aya offered to just work at Karen-san’s bar, but it makes me look like choosing my job because of her so I rejected that offer.

She’s my lover, and I like her, but that doesn't mean we should do everything together, somehow it doesn’t sit well with me. This is something like my own policy anyway.

In the end, she let me do as I pleased but in exchange...she would come to this restaurant to make sure that everything is alright. She really is a worrywart.

She really treated me like a princess and it doesn’t feel so bad, but still...Huh wait, I sound like I’m bragging about her.

It’s natural for us to be together that I forgot that she’s really pretty just like a gorgeous piece of art. Whenever I was doing my job in the hall, the other customers would often say something like, “Uwaah, there’s a real beauty here.” And it stands as proof that Aya was here.

When I observed the customers, everyone, at least once, would turn their head and bewitched by her beauty. Forget that, there’s even a lot of people who came to looking for her.

I feel like rather than contributing as a waitress, I’ve done a greater deed to make Aya frequently come here and boost the sales....

Thinking that I date someone like her really gave me a sense of superiority, also, a sense of defeat. I get it, I’m cute but it’s the type of cute that you can easily find anywhere…

“Well then, have a good time.”
“Ah, wait, Marika.”
“Yes?”

Aya gestured to me to walk closer and I did as she said.

But I should admit that I’m also at fault here for letting down my guard when I bring my face closer to her…

“Nn.”
“!?”

For kissing me in my workplace like this, for real? I naturally widened my eyes.

“W-what was that, Aya!”
“It’s almost my shift so I will go back once I finish eating this. Do your best at your job, Marika.”
“Geez…”

I pushed my palm on my lips. I properly made sure that no one saw us, but I still worried if someone accidentally saw what just happened. It makes my heart beat faster than before.

Aya is, rather than doing her job as a bartender and using her shaker, she’s better at making my heart go haywire like this, doesn’t she?

After a while, she finished her cake and walked toward the cashier.

While pulling one thousand yen bill, she looked happy when she saw my face that still smeared in red because of her action earlier. How vexing.

“Marika, I think your tsundere has turned into tsundere-dere-dere-dere-dere as of lately.”
“...I really don’t understand what the dear customer implied, and so it’s 880 yen.”
“It’s about you’re always cute no matter the situation.”
“...Aya, you really spoiled me too much.”

I took her money and put it inside the register. If someone is treated as a spoiled princess every day like this, of course that person will turn into a completely useless person.

She looks like having fun when hearing my complaints.

“Thought so. I have an adorable girl as my girlfriend after all, of course I’ve got a bit carried away. I think I would calm down after a while, so just let me spoil you rotten until then. If I went overboard, you can just direct your anger at me.”

It’s not something that I should get angry over, though....

“...I’d never said that it was a bad thing, right? I just get worried that if you keep pampering me like this, I would slowly turn into a super selfish girlfriend.”
“I’m okay with that.”

While receiving her changes, she let out a charming smile.

“I like to see you resisting me anyway. But I’ll still make sure to punish you properly when I deemed you’re getting too selfish.”
“W-what was that…uh”

I can feel a slight pain, she pushed her nail lightly on my hand during receiving her changes.

Aya always made sure to keep her nails short, so this much won’t leave any mark, the pain was also very minor that it didn’t show on my face.

When I got what she meant, I felt a shiver inside my chest.

This is something that I’d never felt before. Just like a friend who pointed out my mistake on my instagram’s post, I think it’s somehow irritating, but at the same time it makes me happy because it shows that she’s properly looking at me. Something like that, and it gave me a sense of relief.

Also, there’s another feeling mixed, something weird. Is this like...getting pleased because she’s fussing over me...?

Nah, but still, something like [punishment] won’t make me happy. I’m not a pervert. This one is not good. Let’s pretend it never happened.

“S-stupid.”

Like covering my extensive heart beat, I quickly pick the receipt and hand it to her forcefully while biting back at her.

Just like this, Aya casually probes into my life and shows an expression like she’s the only one who’s able to teach me the parts of myself that I’d never discovered before. She keeps leaving her mark on me like that.

I even no longer able to remember the days I spent without her.

“See you tomorrow, Marika.”
“...Yeah, see you.”

Even though I know that we’ll meet tomorrow.

I feel a lump in my throat, I want her to embrace me and pour me with her feelings. I decided this myself, but why I didn’t pick the same job as her I wonder. I’ll regret my choice at this rate.

No, I can’t. I’m determined to do this by myself. This is something that the charismatic Sakakibara Marika set her heart on.

Aya loves every part of me, but I’ll still strive to become someone I want to be. 

I won’t keep running after her back. Yeah. I grasped my hand into a fist to encourage myself. After a while, other customers came from the door.

With a smile, a welcomed the customer while slowly bowing my head, “Welcome.”

“Oooh, it really is Sakakibara. Hehehe, we came to play!”

Huh, the one who came is someone I know. They are the rowdy bunch from my class.

“Did you do your job properly?”
“Oo, that uniform looks good on you!”
“Let’s take a picture, a picture!”

I put a stop to my business smile, in exchange I let out a sinister smile.

“So it’s for four people, I see. Right now, all of our tables are filled...This is regrettable but you should wait for another four hours for empty tables. Is this okay, dear customer?”
“No no no, it’s empty, though!?”
“We are proper customers!”

Hahaha, we laughed together and then I showed them their table. I already prepared a pose when they directed their cameras at me. I completely go back to my usual self.

I will make sure that I’m doing my best.

I don’t really want to think that love makes me weaker than before after all.

But, even though I already changed my gear, the sensation of her kiss and the slight pain won’t go away...Well, I’ll let it slide this time. Stupid Aya.

***

And with those things happening, my four hour shift of washing dishes and serving the customers has come to end for today. After saying my cheerful greetings to the kitchen staff, I go back to the staff room.

With this, I only need to change and go home. Since this place has a lot of women staff, we have something like a ladies changing room. Speaking of which, there are none for the males. It's unfair, I know.

To make sure that no one is changing inside, I lightly knock the door and then open it. There’s my comrade who helped me during my battle (exaggerated) earlier.

“Sae-chan, good work!”
“Oh my, Marika-chan too, good work for today.”

She’s the one I told Aya about, a girl one year above me, Enomoto Sae-chan. Today I have shift together with her.

She looks like she has a good upbringing and is very refined. It's a bit weird if I called her casually without any honorifics like, “Oi, Sae.” She’s the type that won’t appear in chaotic places like our high-school, a high-class beauty type.

She has straight long black hair with a neat and tidy feeling, I would aspire to become one at this rate.

There’s nothing like a menacing aura even though she’s older than me. Rather than that, she prefers to be treated as a simple friend who worked together. She’s the definition of The Good Girl.

“Haa, I’m so tired. I really want to go home and dip into a bath.”
“Fufufu, that’s true. Having a good time inside a warm water.”
“I prefer the hot one, somehow it’s very refreshing! Or something like that?”
“Marika-chan, are you someone who can endure well?”
“That’s not really true. How do I put this... It feels great when I should put up with it? Ah, like, I’m not really good with spicy foods, but I like to eat them anyway.”

I opened my locker and checked my smartphone’s notifications before changing my clothes. I feel like I want to slack off whenever I’m tired like this…

Ah, there’s a lot of messages. Or so I thought, it turned out that it came from the rowdy bunch’s group talk who came earlier. Let’s check it thoroughly later, but I’ll send a simple reply for now.

From Aya...there’s nothing. She’s really indifferent to stuff like this.

“So today, that afternoon lady came again, right?”
“Who’s that?”

I raised my face from my phone and looked at Sae-chan. While letting her long hair flow down, she’s looking at me with a smug smile.

“That one beauty who always ordered afternoon tea-set. Afternoon Lady. Everyone called her that.

So, it’s Fuwa Aya.

“Few customers who often came here gave her that nickname. She’s something like our store’s staple feature!”

Ignoring the turmoil inside my heart, I let out a smile. Well, if someone like her regularly came here, getting one or two nicknames isn’t really...Oi, you really stand out, Aya.

So everyone is looking at her like observing wild animals, I wonder if this is okay. I should tell her to stop kissing me out of nowhere inside the store…

Sae-chan who has no idea keeps breaching out the topic.

“Marika-chan and the Afternoon Lady went to the same school, so do you get along with her? She frequently came here after all.”
“Nah, maybe it’s because our store is close to her house?”

For now let’s mildly reject her speculation. Of course doing this makes me feel guilty, but for now, it’s just for now. I should do this carefully so our secret won’t get exposed. Getting teased by Yume and Chisaki is enough for me!

I should diverge the topic for now, I wonder what kind of topic I should bring up. When I’m desperately looking for a new subject, Sae’s half-naked figure is entering my vision. My mouth agape so naturally when looking at the scene in front of me.

“Sa-Sae-chan...so you are that big…?”
“Eh? Ah.”

Sae-chan’s fair skin turned red in jiffy. She quickly hid her huge breasts.

Darn it. I ended up saying something weird. Even though I should treat topics like body parts sensitively!

“Ah, sorry, for saying something weird!”
“N-no, it’s okay...I don’t really mind it! It’s just, there’s no one who said something like that right in front of my face before. So it was kind of surprising...ahaha.”

Uh. Of course that was the case. Sorry. It seems like I caught Aya’s insensitiveness…

If I keep the topic dying down, the mood will become awkward, so I choose to keep talking about the topic further.

Also, Sae-chan looks okay with this topic, it’s time to recover the situation.

“Nah, but, y’see, like...Having big breasts is, somehow, feels good...Like, there’s a lot of clothes that won’t fit but in exchange there’s also clothes that can be pulled off only by big breasts, right?”
“I-is it?”
“Yup. For example, those party dresses worn by celebrities that revealed their cleavage. Honestly, I’m really looking up to those things. But with a body like this, of course those won’t look good on me...”
“Indeed, it makes sense. Ah, no, I wasn’t talking about Marika-chan.”

I retorted back at her with a laugh, “Hey there!” Somehow, something like this isn’t really bad, I guess? But it looks like I’m getting too carried away.

“Hey, hey, is it okay if I touch them? It’s like a simulation for when I managed to get my ideal huge breasts!”
“Ee, eeeh!? W-well, I don’t really mind, if it’s Marika-chan...”

So she’s cool with this. I wonder if Sae-chan will be okay in the future. To get swayed up like this, she makes me worried.

“G-go ahead…?”

I slowly stretched out my hands to Sae-chan’s direction.

Pof pof, I slowly poke the upper part of her breast that came out of her bra. It feels like touching something like a rubber ball, it's bouncing around.

Waah...this is something completely different from mine. The softness is like something from another dimension. 

It’s a given that anyone would get engrossed by this sensation…

“What is this, amazing...Sae-chan, what size are you?”
“K-keep it as secret, okay? It’s...G…”
“Ha! So this is G...something that envied by every girl in the world...the G of Jealousy…!”
“Jealousy started with ‘J’ though.”

I know, I know it well. I’m just being silly. No, but these breasts are the real thing.

Anyway, this is really amazing, so this is the true breasts, I wonder how many times her breasts size is compared to mine.

Breasts are really wonderful things. Even though humans' height differed up around 50 cm, breasts can differ by two or times in terms of size…

It’s like one kind of mystery of life, breasts...Huh how many times I said breasts just now.

“U,umm...I think it’s time to…”

Ha!

For a moment I forgot anything other than breasts.

“S-sorry, Sae-chan! Go ahead go ahead, please take them back….”
“Okay…”

Haaa, I let out a huge sigh just like getting out of the bath, while Sae-chan fixed her underwear.

Her soft-looking cheek turned red.

Even though these kinds of things look like something that is often done in all-girls schools, in fact, we never did that...But I just went ahead and did it with a girl one year older than me without any consideration of our personal space. Doing this with my classmates is plainly impossible.

“Umm.”
“Yes?”

Sae-chan looked at me, hm, what is it? Could it be that she’s taking payment for earlier?

“Umm...I-is it okay if I touch yours, Marika-chan?”
“Uwee?”

She hadn’t touched them but I still let out a weird voice.

“M-mine? I don’t really mind but, it’s not that interesting, you know…?”
“But, I don’t really have the chance to feel others’ sensations...”

That’s...a given. Well, when you have the chance, of course you want to use it. Sae-chan is unexpectedly an aggressive person.

“Then, go ahead. As a thanks for leting me touch yours earlier.”

If I’m getting timid and embarrassed, it'll just make things more awkward, so let’s treat this lightly. And so, I puffed out my chest.

It’s not like I have something I can hide anyway. Heh, how futile.

“O-okay...well then, excuse me…”

But it seems like it’s pointless if I’m the only one who puts a brave front...Sae-chan looks nervous like a newbie on her first day, and she slowly moves closer.

If you are being that stiff, it’ll only make everything become awkward...Eh, wait! Did she just insert her hand under my bra!? It’s an unexpected direct groping!?

I feel like she’s being unfair right now, but it can’t be helped. I let her slender fingers that touched me directly.

“Uwaa...this is amazing...amazing…”

Ummm, I think it’s improper if you’re blushing that bad when you grope someone’s breasts...Wait, I might look like that earlier!

But this is...what was it again, I feel like in grave danger when I thought of Aya. No, this is okay. If it’s only something like groping each other's breasts inside a locker room after work, it won’t count as cheating. Yup, this is totally safe.

Somehow this situation is weird...We completely looked like a pair of high-school girls who joked around earlier, but right now, the mood became something that fits the title [Flower Garden Inside the Locker Room, a Secret Circumstances Between Us!]. Why does it become like this…

“U, umm…”
“W-what…?”

Sae-chan is slightly shorter than me. Seeing a beauty who’s looking at me from a lower angle with moist eyes triggered something inside me. Like, it makes me want to call her “O-onee-sama,” somehow it has an unique sense of lewdness.

“Marika-chan’s breasts are soft, and pretty…”
“Uhee? T-thanks…”

You don’t have to praise me like that. Just end this nonchalantly with a simple laugh or the mood will turn into something weirder!

“T-then, time’s up!”
“Ah.”

My guts is telling me that if we continue, it will turn into something dangerous so I forcefully pulled them from her hands.

If we keep doing this, I’ll completely feel something I should never do. That was dangerous. The moment I felt something, it’s one step before cheating range after all. Right now, it’s still in the body touch category. That was really close!

Something like this is pretty strange in my school, but could it be this is a perfectly normal thing to do? Really? For real? How shocking.

I turned my body and fixed my bra, and then followed by my school shirt.

“...Marika-chan.”
“Eh? W-what is it?”

Sae-chan spoke to me with an unusual tone.

“Ah, it’s just, something trivial, you see.”
“Trivial stuff! I see! Okay, let’s hear what you want to say!”
“Marika-chan is, umm… so you are the type who prefers women over men, right?”
“Eh!?”

Huh, isn’t the way she asked is a bit strange? Like she already concluded everything.

I don’t know what she’s thinking, but if right now she asked something like that, and I answer her honestly, it would put me in a risky situation, right?

Let’s escape. I just need to use all of my power to escape here.

“That isn't true at all! It can’t be, anyway! Girls dating each other...Ha! Uh, no, it doesn’t mean that I denied people’s sexuality, it’s just my personal preferences! You know, something like that…”

I almost said something really necessary back there. Looking at my panicked state, Sae-chan giggles at me. And then she lets out a lovely and refined smile.

“You are kind, Marika-chan.”
“N-no…”

I ended up lying. Ugh, I became overwhelmed by a sense of guilt.

I’m really sorry because actually, I’m dating a girl right now!

“F-for now, I’m done changing so I’ll wait for you outside! Let’s walk together until the station! Well then!”
“Yes.”

I hurriedly went outside the locker room, but then from behind, I heard her vague whispers.

“...Liar…”

 I feel like I heard something like that.

Nn…? But, that was very different from her usual graceful voice, I guess it came from the hall. So I pretend that it never happened.

The truth behind that day, I finally figured it out later.

***

After that, I walked toward the station together with Sae-chan and talked about trivial stuff that mainly came from me. When our trains arrived, we smoothly split up.

And then the next day.

Saturday when I just received my paycheck

I wore my brand new one-piece and headed to Shinjuku. Yesterday, Aya came to my workplace, so today is my turn to visit her.

There’s a lot of people here and it’s kinda hard to walk, but I can’t contain the excitement inside my chest and my steps feel very light since earlier. Once again, I make sure that I bring the important present inside my handbag.

At times like this, I always make sure that I won’t completely drown in my own feelings. Because I don’t want to get too engrossed in our relationship. Somehow, being in love while protecting my preferred personality is a difficult thing. But still, I should do my best.

I finally arrived at the alley that looked detached from the usual Shinjuku.

I opened the door with [Plante a feuillage] written in front of the store. Due to the store’s atmosphere, I feel like I’ve become an adult when I step inside.

I sat on my usual seat, at the corner of the bar counter when a petite short haired lady appeared in front of me. Today she also welcomed me with a lively smile, this store’s owner, Karen-san.

“Good evening, what do you want to do for today? Want to enjoy a solitary night by yourself, or looking for a suitable partner to spend your Saturday night together? If it’s the latter, want me to accompany you?”

Hearing her playful invitation, I let out a giggle.

“You can’t, or Aya will reprimand you later, right, Karen-san?” 

But Karen-san meekly shook her head.

“But, Marika-chan is cute so it can’t be helped. If only I was a bit younger, I’ll just ignore the consequences and try to make passes on you. But right now is a bit impossible though. There’s a lot of things I need to think about, like this store, or Aya-chan, or common sense…”
“Please think carefully even though you’ve become younger…”

Karen-san is a good adult and I believe her, but her way of life is like from another dimension so sometimes I perceive her as someone hopeless. I’m your employee’s lover, you know...?

Since this is Saturday night, the seats inside the store are almost filled with people. Even Karen-san who usually conversed with me in her spare time can’t really talk that long and walked around toward the customers’ seats.

Aya who wore her bartender uniform also in the middle of working and talking with a customer with a smile.

Even though usually she won’t move her face muscle even an inch. When I’m looking at her who worked earnestly, I honestly think that it’s remarkable.

“Aaah, geez, Aya-chan is really cute! You're so pretty just like a doll!”
"Hey, hey, how about spending a night with this lady? I’ll pay for the hotel! No, let me pay for it!”
“No thank you.”

Aya straightly rejected the lady’s invitation with a refreshing smile. 

When I come to this store, I can see Aya’s dashing appearance as a bartender, but it’s also annoying when I see her being popular among the customers…

It’s not amusing so I ordered an orange-pear cocktail to another bartender and played with my smartphone. After a while, someone sits right beside me.

“Hey, Marie. How do you do?”
“Ugh. Astalotte.”

It’s a blonde middle-schooler with a refreshing smile, someone who loves yuri that she came to Japan, Astalotte.

This girl is amazing. She’s just a middle-schooler but she has this weird overwhelming atmosphere due to her beauty.

On top of having a slender body and well-shaped face, she has gorgeous blue-eyes that give off different vibes from colored-contact. Anyone will be taken aback if they meet someone like her, a natural-born beauty.

Having her as a friend of course makes me want to brag about her existence to everyone, but well...the circumstances are a bit complicated to let me do that...She’s an eccentric girl who kissed me on our first meeting after all…

Besides, the last time we met we were in that kind of situation, so to be honest, this is awkward! ...But it seems like the one who felt like this is only me.

“So I heard you started going out with Aya? Congratulations!”

Because she suddenly applauded me. Huh? Ah, well, thank you.

“Hey, hey, since you date Aya, let’s have a sex with four of us next time.”
“No, thank you.”

I frankly rejected her suggestion. Hearing my response, Astalotte wailed loudly, “Eeeehh~~~~~”

Even though she has the appearance of a graceful lady, her character is very over the top in terms of lewdness.

Yeah, the me who thought that I would get along with her is an idiot. Let’s just stop. Rather, her name is too long, let’s just call her Asta.

Asta stretched her hands and rested them on the counter while pouting her mouth.

“Tch, Marie is unexpectedly an innocent little kitten, huh.”

I bet Karen-san taught her those Japanese.

“I won’t do something like that with anybody. A normal high-school girl won’t act lousily like that you know, normally.”
“Ah, that’s right, let’s just forget about that for now. Y’see, I’m getting engrossed in fortune-telling as of lately. I’ll do it for you so give me your hand. Hurry, hurry.”
“You sure have a peculiar way to change the topic!”

I lazily put out my hand. Sometimes it’s far easier to play along rather than resisting. At least for now.

Asta took my hand and started poking around my palm. She didn’t hold back at all, her movements resembled a pawnshop’s keeper who appraised the items.

I won’t put my expectations too high since it’s Asta’s fortune-telling, but I’m getting curious when she raises her head merrily.

Could it be that, my fortune is a great one?

“You see, before, Karen taught me that I can freely hold any girls’ hand as long as I said that fortune-telling is my hobby!”
“Are you a student on her first mixer!?”

I hurriedly pulled my hand. Karen-san who accidentally walked by joined the conversation while showing her disapproval. 

“Don’t put me on the same level as her. If it’s me, I can easily tell if someone is top or bottom just by their nails or their finger’s muscle condition, okay?”
“As expected from Karen!”

The heck with these people.

Asta learnt her lesson and once again stroked my hand and slowly rubbed my palm again. Indeed, this feels good. To hold hands with a beauty like this might be regarded as a reward for most people…

“Aah, Marie!!”
“Now what.”

Asta furrowed her eyebrow and let out a serious expression just like looking at complicated math’s problem.

“Marie, you will encounter some problem that involves another woman...And, this is, it might end up in a violence…”

She just went ahead and said something like that.

“I thought fortune-telling is something to ensure one’s happiness!? Why would it turn into something disturbing!?”

Asta grabbed my hand and held it powerfully.

“Be careful, Marie...I don’t want to come to your funeral, okay…?”
“Wait! Why are you being so serious right now!? Why are you crying!? Hey! Aren’t you being too confident with your fortune-telling results!?”

Asta started to sobbing out of nowhere.

“The death of a cute girl, that’s a big loss for this world…”
“Nah I won’t die though!?”
“But it’s getting stabbed, you know?”
“So it’s a certain thing that I would get stabbed!? Nah, that’s...just calm down...I’ll show you that destiny can be changed with effort...”

Whoever thought that Asta would cry like this over my probability of dying...She might be kinder than I thought…

I might look at her in a better light, just a little, but she’s the one who brought up something depressing like this in the first place! Uuhhh....

Getting involved in a brutal incident and dead...even though I just got a lover...I really don’t want something like that…

Asta picked her cute patterned handkerchief and wiped her tears.

“Hey, Marie...Before you die, how about spend a night with me…? By doing that, you will live forever inside my heart…”
“Stop it! Don’t use my death as a chance to make wonderful memories by yourself!”

***

When I told Aya everything, she ended up laughing at my story.

“What was that.”
“Don’t ask me…”
“Asta has an extreme personality. I think she’d never intended to, but she’s quite the troublemaker.”
“But, y’see…”

I made her cry after all, I can’t help but get worried…

I went through a lot to console her back then. We talked a bit and then she went home.

I drank the cocktail and then let out a long sigh.

“For this week only, I already had three people hitting on me and said, “You are a real bottom, the woman among women,” or something along those lines. What Asta said earlier is like the finishing blow…”
“Well, if you are free, it might end up like that.”
“Eehh…”
“But right now, you don’t really need to choose, right?”
“Well, that’s true…”
“Good girl, good girl.”
“Geez.”

Aya put up an expression filled with brimming confidence like she’s saying, "She’s mine, what of it?"

“But still, on top of having troubles with women, getting involved in something like a violence...Have you considered my feelings or getting worried at all?”

What I implied is something along, “Even though your cute girlfriend is getting this anxious, you don’t look worried at all huh?”

She gently pat my head. I feel like getting attacked by that smile.

“Don’t worry. I will protect you.”
“Eh……!?”

She launched a surprise attack.

“I won’t let other people hurt my lover, you know?”

What was that...knight’s oath…?

That line is undoubtedly, every girls’ favorite line…

Aya who wore her bartender uniform placed her finger on top of her lips. She looks so cool it’s boosted my mood.

“Feel better?”

Just like casting a spell, she winked at me.

Aaah, geez. What was that!? If you want to make me flustered like this, give me a warning before you do that, won’t you.

I should respond to her in a lovely manner...as if I can do that in this situation…!

I feel like I can’t properly look at her. I restlessly opened my mouth.

“Yeah...yeah, I am. I think I feel better...Thank you, Aya.”

I honestly think that I feel very safe with her by my side.

Even though we are classmates, I wonder why is she so dependable, is this because of our differences in life experiences? It’s a bit vexing, but most of all, I think that side of hers is very charming.

“Fufu, you’re welcome.”
“Also, sorry for suddenly saying something strange like that.”
“No, I’m happy when Marika wants to get pampered.”

Ugh, she said something like that again…

“And so, my work ends at 10, what are you going to do?”
“Aaah...I’ll wait. Um, only if you’re okay with that.”

She didn’t say anything, instead, she placed her hand on top of my head and caressed it.

I’d never say this, but this side of her…

...Is she this kind of doting character before? Since she’s wearing her bartender uniform, the impact feels greater.

Nah, that’s wrong. Even the usual Aya is attractive enough.

...I was being plainly honest just now.

Aaaaah, geez. Why am I only able to see her in a good light!? She’s a woman who did threesome with Karen-san and Asta before! Get a grip, Marika! At this rate you’ll become her fangirl! You can’t get completely engulfed by love!

I wrapped my head with my arms and cursed myself. The passing Karen-san walked closer and whispered in my ears.

“...Marika-chan, are you okay? Is it a period cramp? I have the medicine if you need them.”

...No, thank you for your concern……………..

***

I waited for Aya while tormented by this guilty feeling from squandering Karen-san’s kindness earlier. When the clock showed 10 p.m, Aya changed her clothes into her casual one and we went through the Shinjuku headed to the station.

“Want to go somewhere before going home?”
“Ah, sorry. I will worry my mother if I’m coming home too late.”
“I see. Well then, let’s go home.”

Aya smiled at me. I am completely used to holding hands with her in the middle of Shinjuku’s crowds like this. The feeling of being her special one among these people, I really like it.

I also smiled at her and pulled her hand.

I tried to convey that I also don’t want to be apart with you.

“But since we are here, let’s stop by at the New-South Entrance for a bit. It seems like they have something like illumination at this time.”
“Okay.”

We went past the Keio-Line platform and headed to the New-South Entrance. When we arrived, there’s a lot of couples who enjoyed the night view. 

Since we are near the end of September, the wind has an autumn feeling that it feels a bit chill. We stuck our bodies closer and sat on the empty bench.

In front of us, there are few objects that get shined up by lamps, it seems like some sort of art display that I don’t really understand. But sitting in front of it like this feels pretty romantic.

I stared at Aya from her side.

She’s very dignified, and beautiful at the same time. A very kind Aya.

“So it’s next week, our double date. But something like double date, somehow sounds a bit outdated. It sounds like youth though”
“Yeah, but I feel nervous.”
“Eh, really?”
“Because, my image doesn’t really match with something like an amusement park, right?”

It’s surprising. But well, that’s true. I can’t really imagine Aya frolicking around the park while wearing Mic◯ey’s ears and bringing a selfie stick everywhere.

“You don’t have to think about it too hard. Even though they said amusement park, we are only going to Tokyo Dome City anyway, it’s a normal date spot.”
“But I’d never gone there before.”
“It’s okay, it’s okay, you have me with you anyway. Leave everything to me!”

I laughed mischievously, but Aya unexpectedly bent her face down. Huh, is she really that worried? I think I just did something bad and misread the situation.

With a very low voice, Aya squeezed out her voice that I can barely hear.

“...Marika, I really like you.”

My face gradually became redder after she said that.

“W-w-what was that, so suddenly...”
“I don’t know.”

Like trying to sort out her feelings, Aya placed her hand on top of her mouth.

“I usually lead you around but then you suddenly said something cool like that, of course the bottom inside me will react.”

I don’t really understand her inside bottom or whatever, but I can somehow understand what she wanted to say...It is something like, maiden-side, right?

Come to think of it, she said ‘something cool’, but I only said, “Leave everything to me,” right? I’d never intended to make her flustered by that, though…

“So Aya has something like that, eh…”
“I also only discovered it just now.”

Heeh, somehow it puts me in a good mood. I entwined my arm with Aya’s and brought our body closer.

“So that means I just discovered Aya’s unexpected tendency. Okay, you can ask me to spoil you anytime, little kitten.”
“...Nyaan.”
“Come here come here.”
“...Nyaan.”

Aya rested her head on my shoulder, huh that’s cute.

I slowly patted her wavy and soft hair, untangled her hair strands.

Doing this, I feel like I slowly understand how it works when two girls date each other. It’s not a single-direction relationship of supporting and being supported. Our relationship is where we support each other, when we take turns in indulging each other...I wonder if it’s the correct answer.

But, I think that also works with a normal couple or between boys. Well, there’s a lot of people so they might have their own to define their relationship.

“You can also depend on me, okay?”

I tried to say it gently, filled with my feelings toward her.

Just like me who’s feeling safe whenever she treats me gently, she must yearn to get pampered even for once in a while.

“Because, Aya is also a girl.”
“...”

Aya didn’t say anything.

I took a peek and I found her ears are dyed in red.

Waa, somehow, something like this, is dangerous. So this is what she usually sees whenever she teased me.

That usually over-confident Aya is being this bashful over my words, it makes me excited. I feel like another door to another side of me has been opened. This feels compelling.

“A-ah, come to think of it. Aya, here.”

I flustered a bit and pulled an envelope from my bag.

I understand that I should indulge her more than this, but it seems like I need to strengthen my top power to do more than this.

“It’s the payment for the bag, 30,000 yen. Since I received my salary, I want to give this back to you.”

It’s the payment for the bag that triggered our relationship. I forcefully pushed the envelope to her hands.

“I don’t really care about it, though. Just treat it like a present from a lover or something.”
“No. If it’s like that, just give me something different next time. Ah, but expensive stuff is not good, okay?”

With a face like she really hates it, she received the envelope from me. I honestly thought that I should say it firmly.

“You already paid for our hot spring trip anyway.”
“Seeing your smile by paying a price for it feels exciting. I like it.”
“P-pervert…”

It’s been a while since I feel a bit repulsed by her behavior. I really wish she would stop making me play along with her weird fetishes.

Aah geez. She really makes it hard for me to do it. But we really need to go home soon! Ah whatever!

Once again, I pulled something from my bag. Actually, what I wanted to give her is this one. It’s a box decorated with a pink ribbon. I thrusted the box into Aya’s arms, my way of giving her is not cute at all.

“A-and this one, is something I bought with my first paycheck. A present for you!”
“Eh?”

Still looking taken aback, she received the box from me.

“Why?”
“S-something like an interest, for the bag?”
“An interest...so it’s an interest…”

Ah, she’s feeling down.

“N-no! Uhh...I always wanted to do this. Something like, giving a present with your first paycheck to your lover...I thought up a lot of reasons but nothing feels right, so this present has no specific meaning...It’s just something that I wanted to give, and it would make me happy if you accept it.”

Actually, it’s like a thanks for her who always treated me like her most precious thing, but if I said that, I know that she would say that it's the same for her…

That’s why, let’s say that I’m just being selfish right now.

I thought she would resist a bit more, but she simply smiled at me and said, “Thank you.”

“So you also discovered the excitement of buying a smile with money.”
“THAT’S NOT IT. Whatever, forget it. Give back my present.”
“Sorry, sorry, it was a joke. A joke.”

Aya tried to calm me who acted menacingly like a rabid dog. She then proceeded to open the present. This makes me nervous.

“An aroma set.”
“Yeah...I bought them from that store in Shibuya.”

That place during our ‘date’ when we had our [Contract].

“Did you tell them that this is a present for your lover?”

Uuh...she's really sharp at something like this.

She will never let go of any opportunity to make me embarrassed…

“When I bought that, I met the same lady during our date before and she asked, “Is this a present for your lover?” And then I told her the truth that the last time we came here we were playing pretend and she laughed. But I also told her that we started going out and she looked happy...It was very embarrassing...H-huh what happened!? Why are you covering your face, Aya!?”
“If only I was there to see the whole thing...You must look very cute...just like doing your first errand…”
“Whatever!”

I just flipped Aya’s weird switch. She’s still shaking for some reason.

“I choose them based on my own preferences. But just like what I said back then, aroma will be more enjoyable if it’s based on your own preference, so if there’s something you dislike, just told me. I’ll get rid of it.”

I gave her three types of aroma. Aya didn’t use them often so I chose the basic stuff. I picked lavender, rose with faint vanilla essence, and lastly grapefruit. 

There’s a lot of stuff inside, like candle, bath fragrance, nail oil, also fragrance paper that can be carried everywhere. She can use it based on her likings, so I hope that she will enjoy it.

Aya holds the box like a precious thing.

“Thank you, Marika. I’m very happy. From today I can sleep wrapped by you.”
“...Wordings.”

This girl is really hopeless.

Aya didn’t say anything, she only stared at the present from me and caressed it slowly. It’s like she’s treating a doll or baby. Somehow it scared me a bit.

“W-what is it?”
“Err...you see…”

Aya didn’t continue. I know that she’s trying to gather her thoughts so I let her without trying to hurry her.

“...I always act according to my own will, and I never reflected on them before. I always thought that it’s normal and whenever I’m getting into a relationship, I keep doing what I wanted to do and my relationship would grow dull, because it was comfortable for me.”
“Yeah.”

When she said, “Getting into a relationship,” I can feel a small twinge in my chest.

“But Marika is different from me, you always think about not only yourself but also do your best to give me something lovely like this. I’m happy, of course, but that’s why I can’t help but think if this burdened you.”

What was that? I swiftly shook my hands to deny her words. 

“It’s not a burden. Everything that I do is by my own accord. You might forget this, but we are basically rivals, right? Of course I don’t want to lose in terms of treating you better as a lover, it only gouges out my fighting spirit.”
“...Okay, but that’s why, you see…”

Aya’s eyes that move around look anxious.

“I just thought, am I allowed to be this happy even though I only do whatever I wanted to…”

I recalled the accident during her middle-school years, she got involved and then isolated from her surroundings. At that time, she chose to spend her days in solitude rather than pursuing her own happiness. 

Right now, she probably thinks a lot of complicated things and is troubled by her own.

Once again, I looked back at what I thought before, the shape of relationship between girls, umm, no, I think it’s better if I said the shape of relationship between me and Aya. The one when we support each other.

If right now is her turn to get anxious, then my role is to encourage her.

“Listen, Aya.”
“Un.”
“Let’s just save complicated stuff for later.”
“Uh-huh...huh?”

Looking at bewildered Aya, I tried to explain what I mean.

“If by any chance something did happen in the future, for example, when we get into a fight, that time I’ll just go to Karen-san again for advice and then we will make up. It’s okay. Whatever happens in the future, I would never come hate you, [that can’t be]".

I smiled a little and continued what I wanted to say.

“I will honestly tell you when you are being too much with your teasing, I’ll properly convey my displeasure and tell you to wait. If we are too afraid to take a step ahead, we will never discover what is waiting for us in the future. Isn’t that pretty boring?”

I act so carefree like a narrow-minded fool, but that’s okay, I’ll insist that this is what we need. I prefer to have fun rather than thinking complicated stuff after all, something hard like that, I’ll leave those to Aya.

Feeling antsy all the time is a natural thing, but I won’t show it when Aya is this anxious. Because right now, it’s my turn to support her.

Being too mindful of your surroundings is also not good, I tried to practice what Aya taught me. But it’s a fact that my priority for now is to having fun, that’s my own rule. 

We don’t need to change anything.

Because by being together with her, I already become this happy.

“Thank you, Marika.”

With moist eyes, she looked at me and smiled.

Her eyes that reflect radiant lights from the illumination make it look more beautiful just like a gem. Like bewitched, I can’t take my eyes off her.

“But I won’t understand if you simply said wait. We need to decide a proper word.”
“Eh?”

She said something strange again.

“It’s called 'safe word', it’s okay, we only need to decide on a word. It’s something that a normal couple do. I think it’s the time for us to decide for one.”
“That’s a lie! It’s something that’s usually used for SM play, right!? I read it in your manga before!”

She avoided my gaze.

She’s always like this! The moment I’m trying to be kind, she’ll get too cocky!

But this part of her is what defines Aya and I don’t hate it. I’ll forgive her for destroying the mood.

Good grief. You sure have it great for having a kind lover, Aya!

***

After that, we boarded the train and parted ways. The next time we meet will be at school, and we also have that double date at Tokyo Dome City for the next weekend.

I dipped into the bath, and dried my hair after that while enjoying the aroma I bought before. During that time, a message from Aya came, it said, [Don’t forget to properly decide the safe word].

So she won’t let me off from this one…

I opened the search engine and typed in “safe word”. Uu...its meaning is dirtier than what I thought…

To sum it up, safe word is a word that’s chosen by couples to act as a borderline in a certain play. For example, when Aya spanked me and I said “Noo!” Aya can’t be certain if I really meant it or not. That’s when the safe word plays its role.

Good grief. Do we really need something like this even though I’m not a masochist...I really can’t comprehend her train of thought.

Rather, by having safe words, it means as long as I’m not saying it, I’ll give my consent to whatever Aya did to me, or even enjoying them..?

Somehow it’s bugging me...Am I thinking too much..?

No, let’s think of it from another point of view. Just by having a safe word, I can stop Aya from her merciless teasing, right?

It’s an advantage for me then.

Okay, let’s decide on a safe word.

Without wasting any time, I typed my reply to her and sent it, [Then, I’ll decide on "this can’t be"]

That is very me if I say. 

Aya’s reply came quick, [Got it].

From now on I only need to spell out [This can’t be!] whenever she overstepped the boundaries.

...But still, for using something that usually came up with SM play in our relationship...I wonder how far she will pull me down…

Sakakibara Marika started to feel uneasy when she imagined her future... 

*****

Translator's Notes
The flag has been set, if this is starting to make you feel weird somehow, and you are bad at handling stuff like that, I advise you to stay away from this story from now on lol.

Personal rant but I should be honest that translating second volume (mainly third chapter and the epilogue) is pretty hard and that's why it took a lot of time...also, my laziness was on their peak performance these days so, yeah. Thanks for your understanding.

For more detailed info about the novel click here

Credit:
TL and everything else: Meatbun
Proofread: Yui

<< Chapter 1 || Chapter 3 (Part 1) >>