Chapter 1
"Megumi-san, may I speak with you please?" asked the assistant master of the Kamiya dojo, nervously twisting her slender hands, which were covered with rough calluses from sword training. How in the world did she get into this situation?
"You know that I'm open to any questions you might have, Kaoru-chan. What is it?" the woman doctor inquired, leaning out of the clinic doorway, "Is Ken-san ignoring you again? Because if he is, I can always tell you how to get his attention..." she said slyly, fox ears popping up. Kaoru blushed profusely at the simple question.
"You can?? I mean, well, no, not exactly...it's just that, umm..."
"Spit it out already, Tanuki." Kaoru's pink cheeks turned red at the silly nickname Megumi had given her.
"Well, you see...umm..." Kaoru sighed deeply. There was no getting out of it now.
"I'm sure you're well aware that Kenshin and I have been married for well over a year now," she started.
"Yes, I know that," Megumi replied, then added quietly, "You seemed to beat me to him this time."
"What was that?"
"Nothing, go on."
"But anyway, everything seemed to be just perfect. Kenshin is completely happy with me and I think that he's finally found a home. We love each other with all of our hearts. But lately, there's been some sort of... change and I came to you because I knew that you would understand it." Megumi nodded, then gasped and gripped Kaoru into a tight hug.
"Oh I knew this day would come!" she exclaimed, "Tanuki's going to be a mother! Kenshin, you never waste a minute getting down to business." Kaoru's eyes popped out of her head, from both being squeezed and from what Megumi just said.
"I am? I mean, no! I'm not pregnant, Megumi-san," she gasped, breaking away from her.
"Oh."
"It's worse than that, I'm afraid." Kaoru took careful time to stare at her feet, waves of embarrassment washing over her.
"I don't have all day, Kaoru-chan." Kaoru bit her lip and the words tumbled out.
"Something's wrong with Kenshin and I don't know what to do!" she said in one breath.
"What is it? Is he sick?"
"I-I wouldn't call it as being sick."
"Well, tell me what sort of symptoms he has and I'll see if I can diagnose his problem." Kaoru shut her eyes again, chewing on the inside of her cheek. As she started to explain her dilemma, memories of the prior night emerged into her mind.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Koishii, please don't," said Kenshin, trying yet again to hide from his wife. However, his attempts were futile as Kaoru slid her arms around his neck, kissing him passionately. But she pulled away when he didn't respond.
"Kenshin, why? Please, just let me..." Kaoru insisted gently, threading her fingers through his crimson hair. She searched his soft violet eyes for some sort of confirmation, but he dodged her gaze and looked away from her. She frowned and stroked his cheek, but he still would not acknowledge her at all.
"Just let me love you...Kenshin..."
"I-I do love you, but we can't..." He paused, searching for the words. "We can't do this, Kaoru."
"You don't understand! I need you tonight, more than you'll ever know!" Without another thought, she pulled at the white sash to his hamaka, tugging it down. Kenshin immediately grabbed her arms, but she wouldn't stop until--
"Oh my...!" she gasped, leaning backwards. She knew something was wrong, but she had not imagined this. Kenshin sighed heavily, releasing her wrists.
"Do you understand now, Kaoru?" he asked quietly. She bit her lip from embarrassment.
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't--"
"No, you didn't know. And there is no need to be sorry. I am the one that cannot give you what you need." He stood up and fixed his clothes, then walked out from the room. Kaoru held her breath, trying not to let her emotions overcome her. She had no idea...
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"I see. So what he has is not a sickness after all, just a difficulty with how his body reacts with certain things," deduced the lady doctor. Kaoru gave her a look of confusion.
"What do you mean, reactions to certain things?" she asked. Megumi gave a strange smirk, then chuckled slightly.
"Oh, Kaoru, sometimes I forget how young you are," she replied, closing her eyes.
"But tell me, Megumi, I need to know what's wrong with him. What can I do?" Kaoru pleaded. Megumi smiled, and pulled her closer.
"I'm so glad that you asked." Megumi pulled up a chair, then motioned for Kaoru to do the same. She looked her straight in the eye and started to explain. "You see, men and women are very different with their sexual desires and what arouses them." At this point, Kaoru's face turned promptly cherry red. The very thought of this was enough to make her eyes pop out.
"Don't look so surprised, Tanuki. You want to know what's going on, so I'm telling you. Now listen. Men respond to what they see, they are visual when it comes to sex. They see a beautiful woman and then 'pop'!" Megumi flicked one of her fingers up into the air. Kaoru gulped.
"Now, women," she continued, "are completely different. Sure, they see a handsome looking man and they blush and giggle. But in reality, they respond to touch. Tell me, when Ken-san kisses you, you can't really stop, can you?" Kaoru, face scarlet from discomfort, nodded meekly.
"That's perfectly normal, and that's what's supposed to happen. But it seems that you aren't exactly giving back what he had given you," explained Megumi, her tone becoming serious.
"Huh??"
"Don't you understand? Men have needs too, so don't be so selfish. Kenshin has been giving you all your needs, so now it's your turn to return the favor." Kaoru stared at her for a moment before the thought could sink in.
"Return the favor...?" she said outloud. Megumi nodded, then stood up.
"Let me tell you a little something about the art of seduction..."
"Megumi-san, may I speak with you please?" asked the assistant master of the Kamiya dojo, nervously twisting her slender hands, which were covered with rough calluses from sword training. How in the world did she get into this situation?
"You know that I'm open to any questions you might have, Kaoru-chan. What is it?" the woman doctor inquired, leaning out of the clinic doorway, "Is Ken-san ignoring you again? Because if he is, I can always tell you how to get his attention..." she said slyly, fox ears popping up. Kaoru blushed profusely at the simple question.
"You can?? I mean, well, no, not exactly...it's just that, umm..."
"Spit it out already, Tanuki." Kaoru's pink cheeks turned red at the silly nickname Megumi had given her.
"Well, you see...umm..." Kaoru sighed deeply. There was no getting out of it now.
"I'm sure you're well aware that Kenshin and I have been married for well over a year now," she started.
"Yes, I know that," Megumi replied, then added quietly, "You seemed to beat me to him this time."
"What was that?"
"Nothing, go on."
"But anyway, everything seemed to be just perfect. Kenshin is completely happy with me and I think that he's finally found a home. We love each other with all of our hearts. But lately, there's been some sort of... change and I came to you because I knew that you would understand it." Megumi nodded, then gasped and gripped Kaoru into a tight hug.
"Oh I knew this day would come!" she exclaimed, "Tanuki's going to be a mother! Kenshin, you never waste a minute getting down to business." Kaoru's eyes popped out of her head, from both being squeezed and from what Megumi just said.
"I am? I mean, no! I'm not pregnant, Megumi-san," she gasped, breaking away from her.
"Oh."
"It's worse than that, I'm afraid." Kaoru took careful time to stare at her feet, waves of embarrassment washing over her.
"I don't have all day, Kaoru-chan." Kaoru bit her lip and the words tumbled out.
"Something's wrong with Kenshin and I don't know what to do!" she said in one breath.
"What is it? Is he sick?"
"I-I wouldn't call it as being sick."
"Well, tell me what sort of symptoms he has and I'll see if I can diagnose his problem." Kaoru shut her eyes again, chewing on the inside of her cheek. As she started to explain her dilemma, memories of the prior night emerged into her mind.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Koishii, please don't," said Kenshin, trying yet again to hide from his wife. However, his attempts were futile as Kaoru slid her arms around his neck, kissing him passionately. But she pulled away when he didn't respond.
"Kenshin, why? Please, just let me..." Kaoru insisted gently, threading her fingers through his crimson hair. She searched his soft violet eyes for some sort of confirmation, but he dodged her gaze and looked away from her. She frowned and stroked his cheek, but he still would not acknowledge her at all.
"Just let me love you...Kenshin..."
"I-I do love you, but we can't..." He paused, searching for the words. "We can't do this, Kaoru."
"You don't understand! I need you tonight, more than you'll ever know!" Without another thought, she pulled at the white sash to his hamaka, tugging it down. Kenshin immediately grabbed her arms, but she wouldn't stop until--
"Oh my...!" she gasped, leaning backwards. She knew something was wrong, but she had not imagined this. Kenshin sighed heavily, releasing her wrists.
"Do you understand now, Kaoru?" he asked quietly. She bit her lip from embarrassment.
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't--"
"No, you didn't know. And there is no need to be sorry. I am the one that cannot give you what you need." He stood up and fixed his clothes, then walked out from the room. Kaoru held her breath, trying not to let her emotions overcome her. She had no idea...
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"I see. So what he has is not a sickness after all, just a difficulty with how his body reacts with certain things," deduced the lady doctor. Kaoru gave her a look of confusion.
"What do you mean, reactions to certain things?" she asked. Megumi gave a strange smirk, then chuckled slightly.
"Oh, Kaoru, sometimes I forget how young you are," she replied, closing her eyes.
"But tell me, Megumi, I need to know what's wrong with him. What can I do?" Kaoru pleaded. Megumi smiled, and pulled her closer.
"I'm so glad that you asked." Megumi pulled up a chair, then motioned for Kaoru to do the same. She looked her straight in the eye and started to explain. "You see, men and women are very different with their sexual desires and what arouses them." At this point, Kaoru's face turned promptly cherry red. The very thought of this was enough to make her eyes pop out.
"Don't look so surprised, Tanuki. You want to know what's going on, so I'm telling you. Now listen. Men respond to what they see, they are visual when it comes to sex. They see a beautiful woman and then 'pop'!" Megumi flicked one of her fingers up into the air. Kaoru gulped.
"Now, women," she continued, "are completely different. Sure, they see a handsome looking man and they blush and giggle. But in reality, they respond to touch. Tell me, when Ken-san kisses you, you can't really stop, can you?" Kaoru, face scarlet from discomfort, nodded meekly.
"That's perfectly normal, and that's what's supposed to happen. But it seems that you aren't exactly giving back what he had given you," explained Megumi, her tone becoming serious.
"Huh??"
"Don't you understand? Men have needs too, so don't be so selfish. Kenshin has been giving you all your needs, so now it's your turn to return the favor." Kaoru stared at her for a moment before the thought could sink in.
"Return the favor...?" she said outloud. Megumi nodded, then stood up.
"Let me tell you a little something about the art of seduction..."