Chapter 3: Back to Square One

13 May (Saturday) 10pm

A Budget Hotel in Tokyo

Finally, he exhaled, having combed through the narrow backstreets of Shibuya for the past half hour before arriving at a building with a gaudy neon sign. Pausing to catch his breath, he could not help but wonder if it had been worth sacrificing a weekend of tutoring to visit the most populous metropolis on the planet, just to watch Ichika's twenty minutes of screentime as a side character in her second cinematic premiere of the year.

That said, he genuinely appreciated her invitation, along with the free tickets and train ride, which were apparently only extended to him and no one else as he had come to learn. Cost constraints aside, he could understand why she had left out her siblings, the low budget romcom being somewhat niche and raunchy, with her acting as an imouto who had to watch her twin sisters tussle over a young man while she was haplessly stuck in a closet.

Nevertheless, he sat through the entire movie with her smirking by his side, feeding him popcorn during the awkward scene in their private box. Chuckling, she left as soon as the credits rolled to join the other cast members, but not before handing him his keys for the night, leading him to where he was, having eaten dinner alone at a fast-food joint following an impromptu stroll in the setting sun.

Inhaling deeply, he strode through the entrance and headed for room 13-01. Unlike Nino's favourite luxury hotel, the place that Ichika had booked for him was on a tighter budget, not that he was in any position to complain when it was clear that she had paid for it out of her own pocket instead of relying on her family's finances. Moreover, while he could not get used to the plastic décor of the lobby, he could not deny that there was a strange appeal in the contrast between the flashy colours and dim illumination, reminding him of a bar or a club, not that he knew much of either beyond popular depictions in the media.

Ignoring the faint whiff of cigarette smoke and alcohol in the elevator, he walked past the relatively clean corridor to reach the door and turned the knob to step inside. It was dark as expected, save for the city-lights filtering through the translucent windows and the filmy curtains. Locking up, he proceeded to search for the lamp, ready to take a shower and rest his tired legs as the sweet fragrance of newly washed linens emanated from the bed.

Pretty good hygiene and hospitality for a motel, he thought aloud as he flicked the switch, Ichika must've chosen the best–

His heart nearly flew to his throat as the bulge that he had assumed to be pillows wriggled as if it were alive. Moments later, a head popped out from under the sheets, startling him with a 'Boo!' to the face as he stumbled backwards, landing squarely on the carpeted floor in speechless surprise.

"Ichika," he grunted as she burst out in laughter. "What're you doing here in my room?"

"Sorry, I couldn't resist. And it's our place, silly."

"Huh?"

"Accommodation here is really expensive," she explained with a grin, "so I thought we could save some money bunking together for the night."

"On the same bed?"

"Why not?" she teased, pulling up the blanket to expose her feet, "Could it be that you'd be too shy to sleep?"

"Not if you don't mind," he replied, not that there was any other way than to book another room or take the midnight express back to Aichi, "I guess you can have one side while I take the other."

"Make me," she giggled, showing off more of her legs but not budging otherwise. Her shoulders were bare, and so were most of her thighs as she directed his eyes at the crumpled pile of clothes beside her bag, the same outfit that she had worn in the evening.

"I-I'll go take a shower," he deflected, heading for the bathroom, figuring that she would move by herself eventually.

"Don't take too long in there," she snickered, not one to be turned down. "Onee-san wouldn't mind helping you out. Unless you'd be embarrassed if Nino and Miku were to misunderstand?"

The last sentence came with a strained and sour edge, though he was careful not to draw any conclusions just yet.

"You're supposed to start with number one," she chided, wagging a finger at him as he remained composed, "I'm an actress, Fuutarou-kun, it's my job to play dress-up and mimic others. You could've just told me to wear some butterfly clips or hang a pair of earphones around my neck if those things turn you on."

"Ichika, you don't have to–"

"Hmm, which would it be?" she continued in a bitter tone, "You couldn't even tell that it was me disguised as my sister who had confessed to you back in April. For all you know, it could've been me all along, pretending to be Nino last weekend and Miku a few days back."

"If that was the case, you wouldn't be crying now, would you?" he cut her short, pausing to sit by the bed.

"Eh, I-I am?" she spluttered, wiping her cheeks with her hands.

"Yes, and you weren't acting. You're genuinely hurt, and I'm sorry for that."

"I-I don't want your apology," she sobbed, "you've done nothing wrong. If anything, I'm the one who's jealous and selfish. I've been a bad sibling, especially to Miku."

"I don't know the full story, but I can tell that you love and care for them, and they'd be happy to forgive. The fact that Miku was probably the one who told you shows that she trusts you, and you can't be worse than me. I'm the lowest of the low, the main cause of this rivalry, and yet I still can't stop myself from liking you equally."

"That just makes the two of us," she breathed, "Fuutarou-kun, would you do the same for me? Would you take responsibility?"

"Only if you're Ichika, not a fake Nino or Miku."

"Heh, I can be meaner or sweeter than either of them."

"As long as it's the real you."

"Go have a dip while I prepare myself," she smiled. "No peeking before I'm ready."

As much as he hated to admit it, the five-minute break only served to pique his interest, wondering what she had in store for him. Thankfully, the wait was soon over, and he would have his answer in the form of a toy, which she waved in his face, playfully slapping his cheeks before stuffing it in her mouth, moistening it with a trail of warm saliva.

"Your turn," she ordered, her voice firm and authoritative, leaving little room for objection. Slowly, he took a lick as she slid it between his lips, only for her to probe deeper, until it was wet and dripping all over.

"This must be something new eh," she remarked as he was unable to respond. "I can be more brutal than Nino, but I'll be kind for today."

With that, she extracted the stick and pushed him onto the bed, allowing him to have a good look at her black tube top and lace panties before straddling his chest. Handing him the toy, she pulled the fabric aside, revealing her perfectly waxed region ready for a beach shoot, her damp, pink folds glistening in the light.

"I accidentally broke myself when playing with that thing some time back," she sighed as he hesitated. "So don't worry, just entertain me."

Nodding, he obliged, and she leaned back as he inserted the rod between her lips, eliciting a groan which was accompanied by a shudder. Painted nails dug into the mattress as he picked up his pace, lubricated by her fluids, which only seemed to flow with each thrust, more so as he plunged the shaft to explore the depths of her thirsty, throbbing mouth, turning the softly ribbed edges to the tune of her unabashed quivers and growls.

"Mm, hah, Fuutarou-kun," she panted, putting a halt to his ministrations before she could lose herself to the tide. "Let me have some fun with you first."

Slipping off her underwear to tease a closeup view, she reached into her bag to retrieve a blindfold and covered his eyes, prematurely ending the show before he could get up in excitement. As he fumbled around in the darkness, she had gained control, and before he knew it, she had caught him between her legs, giving him a taste of her dripping wet core as she rubbed herself over his face.

Deprived of visual input, her moans seemed to grow louder in his ears, her damp secretions smeared carelessly over his nose and cheeks as she sought to resume where she had left off. Amidst the dizzying ecstasy and addictive euphoria, she ran her fingers through his hair, keeping his head in place, forbidding him from ever slowing down before she had her fill.

"I can stay here all night to punish you for not knowing how to count from one to three," she huffed, turning around to prod the bulge in his pants. "You should really be better after two tries, so why am I not feeling the improvement?"

Grunting, he promptly ramped up his efforts, and she squealed and yelped at the spike in activity, exhilaration surging through her spine as she nearly climaxed that very instant. No longer able to hold in her desire, she hastily unbuckled his belt and unzipped his trousers, sliding her tongue over his stick as her lips remained attached to his. For a good few minutes, he licked her, spurring her to do the same, if only to tempt him, stopping halfway to end the mutual exchange before riding solo to claim her reward.

"Oh, don't look at me like that," she purred as she undid the cloth, noting his confusion. "How did you like being left in the cold? Not so nice, amirite?"

He shook his head, his member still stiff with anticipation.

"I'll give you a choice," she suggested coyly, toying with the buttons on his shirt. "You can jerk yourself in the toilet or take me like a man. Strip me, bind me, make me suck you off or fuck me in the rear - I'm all yours tonight."

For a moment, he fell silent as she stared at him, waiting tensely for his decision. Seconds passed like years as he scratched his chin, appearing to consider his options. Meanwhile, the temperature in the room seemed to dip, and she could not help but shiver, the AC blowing ice on her bare skin.

Please don't chicken out. You can be rough with me - in fact I want you to be–

"How does it feel like to be kept in suspense?" he laughed as she nearly cried, both in relief and frustration at the emotional turmoil, "Got you back for that prank, didn't I?"

"Baka," she pouted, "you want me to step on you?"

"Your eyes don't lie, and I like it better that way," he patted her head comfortingly, ruffling her hair. "We often hide our true selves behind masks, but I hope you could be more earnest with me, and more honest with yourself. After all, we may be the main characters of our lives, but we're also the audience, and we're entitled to enjoy the movie as it plays, don't you think?"

"Fuutarou-kun–"

"Tell me, Ichika," he whispered beside her ear, picking up the blindfold that she had dropped. "What do you want?"

She answered him truthfully, and he granted her request, plunging her world into a pitch-black darkness. Before she could react, her top had been pulled off, warm hands caressing her tips and groping her mounds, each sensation amplified manyfold in the lack of light. Trembling in excitement, she could feel him leading her forward, her folds wetter than ever as he made her kneel by the bed, pushing his member into her mouth, which she eagerly took between her lips. Not able to see, she gagged out of reflex, but quickly found her rhythm, relishing in the shame and degradation which she had craved and sought.

Soon, she was turned the other way, bent over the edge of the mattress with her derriere completely uncovered. She blushed as she imagined him savouring her smooth posterior, and gingerly reached down to touch herself, only for him to grab her wrists before she could even think of letting off the pressure. At this point, her juices had started to trail unconsciously down her inner thighs, and as he spread her cheeks and stuffed her cavity, she moaned with all her breath, clawing away helplessly at the sheets.

"Relax, it's just your toy," he taunted as she flushed in humiliation and embarrassment. After all, despite being the same object, it was a whole new experience to receive it from behind without her conscious effort, something which she could never have done without a partner.

"I-I want the real thing," she begged, and he agreed to do so on the condition that she licked the artificial rod clean. A fair deal, she did as commanded, clearing her own fluids which he had been earlier made to indulge in. Satisfied, he held up his promise, his thighs pounding against her rear as the mixture of saliva and nectar aided in his thrusts, sending her spinning down an ocean of unadulterated pleasure with no barriers between flesh and skin.

"Fuutarou-kun," she muttered between gasps, shifting to let him enter a tighter place. She had cleansed and prepared herself for that very moment, having never tried the act, a first that she wanted to share with him and a memory that she would never want to forget.

Carefully, he slid into her while she groaned in pain and pleasure, the muscles in the yet-unexplored area wrapping against him, unused to the intrusion from the other end. Still, he persevered, and managed to push through, allowing her to take a break before exiting and returning for seconds. Despite the absence of filling, her mouth continued to drool as he remained slow and sensual with his motions, the tender love and care juxtaposing against the earlier rush to the beckoning peak. Somehow, this felt infinitely more fulfilling, and while it took a longer time to charge up to the sky, the clouds parted in the blinding light as they both let out a simultaneous groan, climaxing as two bodies conjoined as one.

"You actually came in me," she exhaled, sprawled over the bed, contented as he removed her blindfold to snuggle under the blanket. In the tranquil quiet, he wrapped his arms around her, embracing her for who she really was and not what the world wanted her to be, as she struggled to stay awake amidst the overwhelming fatigue, not wanting the precious night to end so early.

"Should we wash up?" he asked, yawning as she wiped herself and closed her eyes.

"Maybe tomorrow," she replied with a wry smile on her face. "I'll make sure you clean up the mess you've made."

A/N: Ichika with her dominant and masochistic side. As always, favs/follows/reviews highly appreciated! Don't be shy, I'd be glad to hear from my readers if I'm doing lemons right.

For those who already follow my works, I'll be updating The End of the World is Wrong as Expected (Oregairu AU) in the coming weeks. In the meantime, feel free to check out my earlier (completed) post-apocalyptic crossover Reality Offline (SAO x Oregairu AU), as well as the ongoing Blessings on This Floating Castle (Konosuba x SAO) and The Holy Grail War of Chiba (Oregairu x Fate/Stay Night).