Micah didn't think much when he entered the bathhouse past it's closing time. Pia and Sakuya allowed him to enter whenever he pleased.

"My daughters really like you." Shino had said to him a couple of days ago.

"Really?" Micah was surprised. He thought they were just being friendly...

"...I wonder who you will pick?" She had muttered.

Ever since then, Micah had wondered what she meant by that. She seemed...almost sad to picture the girls with him. Did she not approve of him? He sighed, and began taking his clothes off and settling into his robe. That's when he heard a gasp behind him. "Oh my!" The voice stuttered.

He turned around to see Shino entering the bath, a mop in hand. "Oh, hello Shino." Micah smiled.

She blushed. "I'm sorry, Micah. I didn't know you were in here..."

Micah didn't mind that Shino was looking at him in his robe, but she seemed to mind. "I don't know if Pia or Sakuya told you, but they gave me a VIP pass into the bath whenever I wanted."

Shino nodded. "Oh! I see. Well, Sakuya and Pia are at Shara's house for a sleepover, and I completely forgot to wash the bath-"

Micah laughed softly. "I don't mind. I can wait."

She smiled, a pink settling on her cheeks, and then she began to work. Micah was surprised to see Shino so bashful! He had always seen her as a confident and strong woman... They had small, idle chitchat as she began mopping in the steamy room. Micah was feeling hot, he couldn't imagine how Shino must've been feeling working and in her normal attire... He almost suggested that she take some of her clothes off, but then realized how inappropriate that sounded. But still, he wouldn't mind if she did...

"You must tell me something, Micah." Shino said suddenly, wiping the sweat from her brow.

"What would you like to know?"

"You always come to the bathhouse, more than the other places in the village... Who do you always come to see? I've noticed that you pay the same amount of attention between both of my daughters. Which one do you think of pursuing?"

He thought of both Pia and Sakuya as friends, and just that. But there was someone he was pursuing on his visits to the bath house... Should he be honest...?

It was a secret to everyone except himself. All these girls threw themselves at him, but he only wanted one woman, and he wasn't even sure if he could be with her. But why not try? Why hold back? He decided to just say what had always been on his mind, ever since he first stepped into the bathhouse...

"If I can be perfectly honest with you, it's...you who I come to see so much."

Shino froze in her place, then turned to face him from across the bath room. "You... What?"

"It's true. To be even more truthful, when I first met you, I thought you were Sakuya's older sister, not mother. I was going to make my pursuits obvious until you told me exactly who you were."

He could see her blush feverishly in the moon's light. "Oh my..." She seemed to fumble a bit, looking awkward and unsure. "I don't know what to say...are you implying...that I'm...?"

"Beautiful?" Micah finished her sentence for her. Micah couldn't believe he was being so blunt! He had always thought Shino was attractive, but never actually thought he would be so willing to tell her. Now he didn't want to stop telling her.

"You're not joking, are you?" She looked flustered. "I mean... What would people think? My daughters... I mean, they utterly adore you! I can't betray them..."

Micah found himself walking towards her. "What do you want, Shino?"

She stared at him, breathing fast. "I mean... I would be lying if I said I wasn't interested..."

He took her hand and kissed it. "Then don't you think you deserve to be happy? Haven't you sacrificed enough for your daughters?" He found himself whispering in her ear, and then his lips pressed against her neck.

"This is so sudden!" She breathed. "I'm too old to do these things...and the girls-"

"You are perfect." Micah insisted, his hand twitching at the buttons on her clothes. "You should relax, we're in the bath after all..."

Was this really happening?

Micah couldn't help it but press his lips to hers passionately.

This was really happening!

"Wait..."

Micah did exactly that.

"I want to, but I can't. I'm sorry."

"No need to be modest, Shino. I know you want this too."

"...I'm sorry." And then she ran out, leaving Micah alone with his thoughts.

To be continued...