CHAPTER 7
Yoshida stood angrily telling Tomoko about her ex-friends and the insults that had led up to the violence. Tomoko had heard the story before but she was still interested in hearing it again with odd slivers of previously unknown background revealed. Yoshida, however, had to attend the principal's office so cut the story short and stormed off still angry. Tomoko leaned against a window ledge with her head lowered in a pensive mood.
It was at this fortuitous moment that Imae Megumi appeared on the scene. She had assumed from Tomoko's body language and Yoshida's angry departure that Tomoko was crying and in distress. "What is the problem Tomoko?" she said.
Tomoko was immediately alive to Imae's assumptions and said, "It's OK. There's no problem".
"Are you sure?" asked Imae.
By now Tomoko's brain had caught up with the situation. Here before her, looking solicitous, was that fine senpai Imae Megumi. Her mind flashed back to previous encounters where Tomoko had taken the opportunity to have a good hug, squeeze and feel of Imae when she offered help out of the kindness of her heart. She had never come out of an encounter with Imae feeling worse than when she went in, and mostly had come out walking on air after stealing a mild sensual thrill. There had never been a negative outcome from that. Imae Megumi was such a kind person, and she also possessed a fine body, sleek shiny thick black hair, and a good looking face!
Thoughts of Yoshida's problems disappeared from Tomoko's mind immediately and she began to stutter in a downhearted way, "w..w..well….there is a problem but I don't think you can help me Imae senpai".
"I'm sure I can", said Imae.
Tomoko began to snivel and said, "I wish I had never been born. I have no friends except Yoshida and she is very angry now". That was almost true, but led Imae astray as to the real situation.
"I'm sure she will calm down and you will be friends again; and you must have other friends too".
"I have no friends and everybody hates me", Tomoko said as she wiped at her eye sockets trying to generate a teary face.
"Come along to my room and tell me all about it", said Imae, "you will feel better then".
Tomoko, with her head bowed, obediently and willingly followed Imae into her office room. Imae closed the door and asked again, "Tell me what the real problem is Tomoko".
Tomoko had an almost endless store of bad things that had happened to her after she entered high school. She began to unload them one after the other onto Imae. Imae listened patiently and with empathy. As the stories became more painful to Tomoko some genuine tears emerged and streaked down her face. Imae put an arm around Tomoko's shoulders to comfort her. Tomoko bent inwards to position herself with her head angled down over Imae Megumi's chest. She put an arm loosely around Imae's back. The stories grew more harrowing: someone had thrown Tomoko's bento into the toilet pan out of malice; a bunch of girls had pushed Tomoko down a muddy bank and had stood laughing at her as she struggled up the slimy bank; some spiteful person had put chewing gum in her hair. And so the stories grew – some of them true, most elaborated upon, and some downright false and made up on the spot. The tears were now really flowing and Imae had both arms around Tomoko, holding the seemingly broken girl close to her.
Tomoko had found that the weight of her awful stories had not only convinced Imae but had depressed herself a little. On the other hand, she had to hide her pleasure at being held so tightly and lovingly by the delightful Imae Megumi. Little by little Tomoko's arm had completely encircled Imae's back and the hand of the other arm rested above Imae's waist, a little below her breast. Her hair was no doubt caressing Imae's neck and chin and her cheek was pressed against Imae's chest. 'Where do I go from here?' thought Tomoko.
"Do you want me to take you home?" asked Imae.
"No – not yet!" said Tomoko and looked up beseechingly at Imae. "I'm all teary and messed up. It will be too embarrassing for me"! As Tomoko said this she raised her free hand up to sit fully on Imae's breast, as if to emphasize not wanting to go home just now. 'Ah…lovely!' thought Tomoko 'let's stay like this for a while so that I can sneak a squeeze or two into the conversational stream'.
"You are the only one who helps me all the time", said Tomoko. "I really appreciate the help that you've given me since I arrived here". And with this last statement she gave a gentle squeeze to Imae's breast. It felt great! Imae was concentrating on what Tomoko was saying and the sensation of the squeeze was a lesser background occurrence. "I will be really sad when you leave at the end of the year. I won't know where to turn for help". Another little squeeze.
"I'm sure you will find the new student president willing to help you", said Imae.
"Will you come back and visit us sometime Imae sensei?" said Tomoko looking up imploringly into Imae's eyes. She gave Imae a gentle rub over the nipple and pressure round the waist. Imae started to get a slight flush to her cheeks.
"Of course I will", said Imae. "I hope to go to a local university so I should find it easy to visit you Tomoko", and so saying she gave Tomoko a nice hug. They had been holding together for quite a long time now and the bodies of both girls were getting warmer.
Finally Imae had to tell Tomoko that it was time for her to be brave and face the cruel world alone at this moment. She removed Tomoko's hand from her breast and manoeuvred to allow some space between their bodies.
Tomoko began heavy sobbing again and clung to Imae saying, "I told you no one loves me. No one cares about me! I'm all alone in the world! I can't bear it!"
Imae, too, was upset to see Tomoko in this extremely distressed state. She put both of her arms around Tomoko again to comfort her and even replaced Tomoko's hand back on her breast. Tomoko was incredulous! 'This girl must be loopy!' she thought. 'What an amazing act!'
Tomoko did not take full advantage of that act of kindness and after a couple of minutes she stopped her sobbing and, looking up into Imae's face, said in a pseudo-brave way, "I will try to do my best and get over things, Imae-senpai. I promise you". She gave Imae's breast one last squeeze and kissed her on the neck.
"You have been so kind to me Imae-senpai. It has been the worst time for me but you haven't let me down. I'll remember your kindness all my life". And with that statement Tomoko said goodbye and left the office.
Imae was touched by Tomoko's apparently genuine appreciation of her acts of kindness. She felt good to have done something so useful.
A little while later Imae was sitting at her desk and her mind reflected on the day. 'How sad it was to see a student so friendless and lonely as Tomoko'. She paused for several minutes and then wondered 'how did I get so warm and flushed? That girl Tomoko seems to have an inner power'. Imae's experience of life, and her attitude to it, prevented her from seeing the matter in a similar way to Tomoko, who at this precise moment was almost skipping down the road and thinking, 'Wow! 'Wow!''
(continued in chapter 8)
