Kamakura was a resort town on Japan's Pacific coast. It had a small, rather mediocre, University and there was also a research facility on a nearby island that employed some of the locals. For most of the year it was a sleepy little place. During the summer though it expanded and bustled as individuals and families from all over Japan flocked here to enjoy its beaches and cooling ocean breezes. The Maple Inn was just one of a great many hotels that existed to cash in on these visitors. It had only 9 rooms and so was not particularly large, but for the small number of people who staffed it there was always plenty of cleaning and laundry that needed to be done.

Kahlua had booked up all the remaining available rooms, but there had already been plenty of reservations for the rest of the summer in place. Most of the rooms would stay empty, but there would be a few guests coming and going for the rest of the season.

Lucy was out in the main hall way standing on a chair dusting the wooden ledges. She was dressed up in the same ridiculous outfit she had showed up in and was even using the feather duster Kahlua had given her. Kouta was also helping out and was in the laundry room cleaning sheets and linens.

She found the current situation frustrating for a number of reasons.

She had no objection to the work itself. She was being paid for it by Kouta's relatives and liked the fact she was helping them. For her work was work and there was nothing demeaning or negative about it. She actually preferred being able to keep busy if she wasn't going to be with Kouta.

That was her first and largest issue with the current situation; she wasn't with Kouta. Though making his family think well of her and saving a bit of money were both good the real reason she'd agreed to this was so she could stay near him. Yet she'd gotten to see surprisingly little of him as they always seemed to be doing different tasks. She normally only got to spend time with him when they were both done with their tasks. While he was working around the Inn he was usually in the company of his cousin.

That was another problem. Yuka was constantly underfoot and doing everything she could to monopolize Kouta's time. Lucy was learning to really not like that girl. She was not as ditzy or annoying as Kahlua, but the fact she was intelligent and capable of self restraint only made her more of a threat. She'd seen the way Yuka looked at her cousin, the way she walked close to him, and how her eyes always followed him when he was in the room. Though nowhere near as experience and knowledgeable in romance as she wished Lucy (unlike Kouta) could see the obvious.

She never ever forgot what she was. She always went out of her way to try and make Kouta see her as nothing but an ordinary girl because it had been burned into her psyche that she was anything but. She felt herself at a very distinct disadvantage when competing with a girl who really was just a regular human. In Japan there was no stigma against marrying a cousin, and she could see how in many ways Yuka might be a better choice for him.

Though the whiney brunette would never love him the way she did.

Done with another little section she stepped down and moved the chair a few feet down the hall so she could dust some more. Using her vectors she wouldn't have needed to use a chair at all. They had a much longer reach and were much faster than her flesh and blood arms. She didn't dare use them though, not where they could be seen. It was early afternoon and people were coming and going. She had to do everything the old fashioned way, she wasn't allowed to take advantage of being a diclonius. This was another problem but not one that annoyed her too much.

As she was standing on the chair stretched out to dust Mr. Fukayama came strolling down the hall for the seventhtime since she'd begun cleaning it. He was a middle aged business man from Nagamo who was here alone for a short holiday. He was single and had greedy eyes that liked to go up and down her body without any sort of pretense that he was doing anything but ogling a young girl. Despite making it clear she was only 15 he had invited her out to have dinner with him several times already. He had even tried to subtly proposition her by asking if she could come to his room and provide any 'special services' for him.

So far as she was concerned he was evidence that certain people deserved to be torn limb from limb.

"Still working hard I see," he spoke in a smooth and oily tone. He bent his neck as he walked ever so slowly down the hall. It gave him the best angle to look up her skirt. "You know I could use a hard worker like you. How would you like to move to Nagamo and work for me as a secretary?"

I think I would sooner choke to death on my own vomit. "That is very kind of you Fukayama-san," she said struggling to sound polite. "However I am still in High School."

He gave her a conceited grin. "I'll keep open a position for you. Come see me when you graduate and you'll have a job waiting. Though naturally I'll expect you to be properly grateful." He stretched out a hand to stroke her leg.

"Waaah!" Without warning he suddenly fell on his face with a loud thud.

"Oh dear, are you all right Fukayama-san?" She tried to sound concerned as she withdrew her vector. She made no move to step down and help him up. "You really should keep your eyes on where you're going. Looking in other places made you trip you over your own feet."

His face red with embarrassment he got back. "I didn't trip over my own feet! Something grabbed me and pulled me down!" He was looking all around for what it might have been.

"Really sir? It's a bare wood floor there's nothing there. Perhaps you slid."

Frowning he gave a slight nod, he was clearly convinced he's been tripped but there was nothing to pin the blame on. "I suppose that was it."

"Or perhaps it was karma punishing you for trying to put your hand on a 15 year old girl in a public place," she said sweetly with a cruel smirk that made him take a sudden step back away from her. "Perhaps you should actually go outside and enjoy Kamakura instead of trolling up and down this hallway."

"Ye… yes, maybe I will." He left quickly suddenly not so interested in her.

XXX

Kouta came to the front desk after finally getting done with the hotel's laundry. His uncle looked up at him at his approach.

"Where's Yuka? I thought she was helping you."

"She got a call from one of her friends and took off."

His uncle shook his head. "That girl," he muttered. "Anyway Kouta you've done enough for the day. Relax and enjoy yourself."

Kouta nodded and stretched. "Say uncle, are all the guests out right now?"

"All of them except for Kahlua."

"In that case I thought I might try and use the onsen while it's empty."

The Maple Inn boasted a genuine indoor hot spring bath. It was mixed, which meant both men and women were free to use it. Kouta and his family had used the onsen here all the time back when they'd come here on vacation. There was nothing as relaxing or pleasant as just soaking your whole body in some nice hot water.

Kouta had a modest nature and so hadn't used it yet. It was most often used in the evening though, and with all the guests out it was going to be empty for the next few hours. He didn't worry about Kahlua disturbing him. She'd already eaten and the bath was literally the last place she would go given her vampiric nature. He could go and relax in safety for awhile.

XXX

Lucy finished her tasks and returned to Kahlua's room. She was still sleeping at the vacation home but used her hotel room to change in and out of her clothes. Kahlua was there and Lucy decided to unburden herself as she unzipped and took off the tight fitting maid outfit.

"I really hate wearing his thing you know, it makes me feel like I'm on display."

"But you look so cute," Kahlua sang out. She eyed the girl knowingly. "Kouta likes it."

Lucy couldn't keep her face from darkening slightly. As much as she loathed Fukayama-san panting after her the memory of the way Kouta had stared at her so, hungrily had convinced her to keep wearing it.

"Does he? I hadn't noticed."

"Liar liar pants on fire!" Kahlua cried and pointed at her.

"Oh shut up, you're worse than a five year old." Lucy pulled off her black panties and snapped off her bra.

Kahlua eyed her up and down appreciatively. Lucy might have been 15 but she already had a woman's body with nice full breasts, curving hips, and slim thighs.

"You've got a nice body, even nicer than Antoinette's. I don't suppose…"

"I already told you that I don't do chicks," Lucy said. Her clothes off she stretched and rubbed her shoulders a bit to loosen them. "I really wish I could just work like this instead of wearing that outfit, I'd be a lot more comfortable."

"You'd rather be nude than dressed up?" For once Kahlua sounded surprised.

"Before I came to Youkai I used to be naked all the time," she told her. "It doesn't bother me at all, it just feels natural. Whereas that thing," she nodded to the clothes on the floor. "Makes me feel like I'm trying to draw attention."

"You're weird," Kahlua declared.

Lucy stared at her for a second. Then she mimed picking up a phone and holding it to her ear. "Hello kettle? This is pot. You're black."

"Huh?" Kahlua looked at her blankly.

"Never mind." Lucy went into Kahlua's private bath and came out dressed in a robe.

"Whatcha doin'?"

"The onsen is going to be empty right now, I figure I'll go and loosen up my shoulders." She sent the blonde a nasty smile. "Want to join me? I'll hold you under the water and see if I can drown you."

"Uh, uh!" Kahlua shuddered at the thought of so much pure water. She wouldn't go near the hot springs.

"Suit yourself," Lucy replied happily. She headed for the onsen sure Kahlua wouldn't bother her.

XXX

Kouta was lying naked in the hot water his eyes closed and relaxing. His body was just starting to get nice and warm when he heard the door to the onsen open and close.

His eyes popped open and he saw Lucy enter dressed in one of the white cloth robes the Inn provided to its guests. He was so startled he just sat there a moment unsure of what to say. So he just watched as Lucy nonchalantly slipped off the robe and was suddenly naked in front of him.

"Whoa!"

Hearing him Lucy's head snapped around and she saw him just sitting there in the large tub looking back at her.

Their eyes met in mutual surprise and consternation. Kouta was sure she would scream, grab the robe, and run out.

She did no such thing though. Instead she calmly nodded. "Hello Kouta I didn't know you were in here. Do you mind if I join you?"

He couldn't help it. His eyes dropped to stare first at her breasts and then at a triangular patch of bright red hair below her navel. Under the water where she couldn't see a certain part of his anatomy had a sudden reaction that expressed approval at the idea.

"No," he said faintly. "I wouldn't mind."