Chapter 41 - Kaidou's Harem

When Kaidou Shun told his mother that he was having friends over, Aoi thought that Shun meant the usual friend group, which consisted of Nendou-kun, Kuboyasu-kun and Saiki-kun.

It was the day prior to the last day of school.

Shun had come home early from school, looking a little creepily obsessed, like an awkward, eighth-grader who had just discovered the physical difference between a boy and a girl. He snickered a bit as he slithered to his room with his school bag and a large piece of construction paper. He told Aoi about his friends coming over. The notification usually meant that the said friends would be staying for a bit instead of the usual pop-in and pop-out.

In any case, Aoi was expecting the three boys who usually hung out with Shun.

Nendou Riki-kun and Kuboyasu Aren-kun were givens, since Shun had been friends with them for what felt like forever. Plus, Aoi was an acquaintance of their mothers Midori-san and Yoko-san. It was Aoi's duty to report back how their boys behaved in front of their friend's mom. And if any one of them misbehaved, Aoi was going to make sure that the message was passed on.

Responsible mothers made sure that hard lessons were learned early and at home, when the environment was well controlled and the repercussions little.

As for Kusuo-kun, Aoi was told by Kurumi that Kusuo-kun was seen leaving the house in the PK Academy uniform so it sounded like things were returning to normal. Getting the moms together to visit and cheer up Kurumi seemed to be working. Aoi was fully confident that once Kurumi was more on her feet, Kusuo, who was there at every visit, would be back to his studies again. Society did not need another young man to fall off the radar and become a delinquent, a shut-in, or a parasite man.

The news was good timing since Aoi suspected that Shun was feeling a little out of sorts from missing the pink-haired boy in the group. More than once did Aoi caught Shun looking somewhat nostalgic with his friends, and muttering about Saiki.

The four-friend group just wasn't the same without Kurumi's boy. Aoi had seen how Saiki-kun had so steadfastly cared for his mother, always unobtrusively watching. Aoi suspected that Saiki-kun played the look-after-everyone-lynch-pin role in the friend group. Strange, since Saiki-kun seemed like the aloof type who participated only because his friends had to drag him along. In any case, Kusuo-kun wasn't just a smart kid who liked snacks, manga, and video games. He was a good, caring young man. The fact that Kusuo-kun brought Shun back was evidence that Kurumi's boy knew right from wrong. Since most people's lifelong friends were made in high school, it'd be good for Aoi to make sure that Shun picked good friends.

All in all, things had turned out for the better. Aoi was originally so afraid of worldly influence like adult movies, pornography, violent video games, manga, and worse, bad friends who would lead Shun astray. But it seemed like Shun was maturing just fine, and made many dependable friends, much to Aoi's relief.

It did take her husband, Yoshimoru, pointing this out, for Aoi to change her perspective. Aoi would never admit that, though.

At any rate, Aoi triple the usual portions, just in case Shun's friend decided to stay for dinner. This was mostly due to Nendou-kun, since he was such a big boy. Aoi could never live it down at the neighborhood association meeting if she allowed her boy's friends to go home hungry. Midori-san might understand, but Yoko-san had a devilish streak and might never let Aoi live it down.

The crowd that came, though, was completely unexpected.

At the time, Aoi had just started placing the ingredients for dinner on the kitchen countertop when the gate bell rang and Aoi went over to the door.

The first person who came was a shoulder-length-auburn-haired girl whom Aoi had seen hanging around the boys in recent times. Shun had introduced the girl as someone he met at cram school, so Aoi deemed the girl marginally acceptable. Judging by how the girl sometimes got rather chubby, Aoi chalked it as the girl being so focused on studying that she did not waste time on 'looking fit and pretty;' the girl didn't seem like the type who constantly chase after boys. The auburn-haired girl was an acceptable cram-school mate for Shun-kun.

This same girl went past the gate door and knocked on the front door. She carried several clear plastic bags that contained what looked like color paper and magazines, along with her school bag. She looked like she just came from school, after a brief visit to a craft store.

"Well, hello," greeted Aoi cooly once she cracked the door open.

"Oh! It's...it's...Kaidou-kun's...mom," the girl stammered. She fumbled with her stuff and bowed the most respectful 90 degrees. "I'm...um...don't know...if you...um...remember..."

"Yes. I remember you," said Aoi with a deep, slightly witchy voice hastily. "You've come over a couple of times. Yumehara Chiyo, isn't it?"

At that, the girl smiled hesitantly, having a slight confidence boost. "Yes. Kaidou-san. I am Yumehara Chiyo. I'm so happy that you've remembered me. Is Kaidou-kun home?"

Right then and there, Aoi had the common dilemma of all mother of boys, which was letting a girl into the house and into the said boy's room.

By themselves.

Would Shun be as bold as to do the unmentionables with a girl, while his mother, his sister, and his little brother were home?

Shun had been more daring, ever since his little stunt and adjustment of Aoi's parenting approach. For example, Aoi even caught Shun drinking directly out of a milk carton yesterday. Granted that the carton was almost empty and Shun finished it so no hygiene rules were broken. Shun even rinsed it out and recycled the carton. Still, Aoi died a little on the inside when she saw those lips touch the carton.

Presently, Aoi had half a mind to tell this girl 'No. Kaidou-kun isn't home'

Shun, though, beat his mother to the punch. He had heard the doorbell and ran down the stairs, his feet and thumping loudly down the steps. He shamelessly snuck around Aoi and pushed the door nice and wide. "Yumehara!" He exclaimed. From Aoi's vantage point, she could tell that her boy's face lit up in a way that Aoi had never seen witnessed before. "Come in."

Aoi's expression blanched a little. Did Shun really forget to add a polite '-san' to the girl's name?

Wait a second, didn't Shun 'study with Yumehara' a lot recently? What if it was 'study Yumehara' instead?

As in, the birds and the bees?

Did Aoi's boy get a girlfriend!?

Without telling Aoi!?

Before Aoi could utter another word though, another girl came running to the door.

"Wait for me Chiyopipi," cried another girl who had turned the corner of Kaidou family home front gate, skidded to a stop, kicked the gate open, then sped straight to the house.

Aoi would've cringed as she heard the gate swing open loudly with a bang against the wall, but she was too distracted by the appearance of the new girl.

Thick, perfectly curled, and bleached greenish blonde hair tumbled about her shoulder. She had tanned skin and little red star sticker accents about her bright hazel eyes. Her nails were pink, long, and acrylic. Her lips were pink from liberal usage of lip gloss. She carried a black bag that smelled rather perfumey, like it came from a perfume shop.

What caught most of Aoi's attention though, were the breasts on this chick.

This chick was not a slim high school girl, but a full-bodied mature woman.

Were those breasts even real? They were too big to be real. The girl had even altered the standard PK Academy School uniform by not wearing the white undershirt. That fashion choice openly flaunted her womanly cleavage.

Aoi had known that cosmetic surgery was a common gift in some circles for graduating high school seniors. Some mothers even gift them to their daughters since a good husband is still a great meal ticket.

Was this hussy one of them? A gold digger?

Shun came from a good family. Aoi and her husband made good money and had what most considered as "upper middle class." Maybe this hussy trying to lure her boy into her overly long-nailed grasp with her body?

"Miko-chan! You made it!" cried Yumehara, running back out to get the girl.

The two girls hugged briefly.

"Hey Aiura-san," greeted Shun like the hussy was any one of his regular classmates. "I'm glad you can make it. Why don't you and Yumehara go up to the room? She knows where it's at."

"Of course Shun," said Aiura as she casually crossed the threshold of the door. "Here's the stuff," Aiura said as she handed Shun the black bag. "You got scissors to open the packaging?"

"Sure," said Shun. He took the bag and immediately looked in the bag.

Aoi's jaw dropped a little as she realized that, due to how Aiura was slightly taller than Shun, that Shun's line of sight was directly on Aiura's chest and could look into the top of her chest.

Shun did not even blush!

Then it hit Aoi that the plastic bag was black, completely obscuring the item in the plastic bag.

What if it was some sort of adult toy?

Two girls and one Shun alone in a bedroom?

Oh. God no!

"Oh hey, everyone," came a third, soft, voice. "Looks like I got here just in time."

It was glowy, showy, and pretty Teruhashi-san.

Teruhashi also smelled very good, like fresh vanilla, cinnamon, and fresh-from-the-oven cookies. She carried one of those pastry boxes with a logo that said 'Bamboo Cafe.'

"Offu..." uttered Shun for a brief second. Then he squinted his eyes shut, patted his cheeks, and shook his head as if clearing a fog in his head. "Teruhashi-san! Welcome. Thank you for coming."

Teruhashi smiled automatically at him. "Of course." She kept on beaming as she focused her attention on Aoi. "And this must be your beautiful mother, Kaidou-san."

Aoi felt the inevitable tug at the corner of her lips upward at the flattering adjective by this girl.

Like Yumehara, Teruhashi bowed. Unlike Yumehara, Teruhashi did not bow as deeply and knew to insert just the right amount of that appropriate demure lady-like hesitance. It was the type of behavior that made Aoi want to protect the girl.

"I'm sure we met at least once before but I don't think I've ever properly introduced myself. My name is Teruhashi Kokomi." Teruhashi took a moment to look up and flashed her most winsome, slightly shy smile, the one with a slight blush to her cheeks and a perking of her cute nose. "I'm in Kaidou-kun's class. It's a pleasure to meet you Kaidou-san. Please take good care of me."

Perfect and flawless.

Now. Aoi had met Teruhashi before, albeit it was a glancing-blow type of meeting since there was a large group of classmates, all dozen or so of them, had dropped by the house to get something from Shun's room before they ran off. This was the first formal meeting.

Aoi was so impressed that she had already begun imaging Shun marrying this girl.

The wedding would be at the newly constructed cathedral, the one next to the park. Shun would wear a black suit and a metallic blue tie, to complement Shun's and Kokomi-chan's coloring. The bride's maids would wear dark blue, too. Kokomi-chan was taller than Shun by a hair so maybe Aoi could get Shun some platform shoes? Or just make sure all photos were taken with the bride sitting down?

Aoi caught herself and mentally slapped her cheeks.

Oh. This. Girl. Was. Good.

"Oh, quit buttering up Shun's mom, Terukoko," groused Aiura from behind Aoi.

Teruhashi's eyebrow twitched in obvious irritation, her perfect girl persona falling by just a bit. "I'm being polite, Mikoto-chan," said Teruhashi. "Maybe you should learn some manners."

Aiura grinned wickedly, completely disregarding the fact that Aoi was still standing there. "Aren't you just practicing for Kusuo's mom?"

Like a switch, Teruhashi's perfect future-daughter-in-law persona fell for the two seconds that she screeched like a scorned baby mama. "I've already met her!"

Aoi had to remove her glasses and rub her eyes. Did she witness this angelic manifestation on earth flashed into a succubus and flashed right back? Was it an illusion? And Kusuo's mom? Did big-breasted hussy mean Kurumi?

"Why are you even here, anyway?" muttered Teruhashi under her breath.

"Chipmunk brains asked me," said Aiura, the grin still on her face. "I'm one of Kusuo's closest friends, you know."

Yumehara, who was somehow forgotten in the exchange, grabbed Teruhashi's hand and pulled her into the house. "Kokomi-chan," Yumehara said with her best positivity-filled voice. She grabbed onto Aiura's hand and forced the two to a handshake "Miko-chan. Don't fight." Her voice was sweet, almost cloyingly sweet, and held the promise of bodily harm if her two closest friends duked it out right then and there.

Teruhashi looked away from the handshake, looking a little less glowy. A couple of strands of blue-black air sticking out of her as if to emphasize her displeasure. "Fine."

Aiura grinned even wider, but did not say anything.

"Great!" said Yumehara, forcing the cheer to permeate the atmosphere. "Come on. Let's go to Kaidou-kun's room and get the party started."

At this point, Aoi was dragged back to the very fact that it was going to be three girls and Shun, alone in a room.

In all of Aoi's usual fretting over Shun's academic progress, friends, setting good examples for his younger siblings, Aoi had considered the possibility that Shun might end up doing the unmentionables with a girl before he even got out of high school. It was partially why she had been so strict, since it was so easy, these days, for these barely self-aware people to steal away to some unknown corner and make a mistake.

Oh, God. Had either she or Yoshimoru told Shun about protection? Shun wasn't a stupid boy but he could be so oblivious.

Aoi inspected Shun's room regularly and never found prono, lubricants, suspiciously used tissues, or condoms. By now, Aoi would have expected to see an adult video underneath the bed or something. The most Aoi had seen was Shun's many nonsense fantasy story writing for which Aoi did not make any commentary. Parenting books said that she should encourage any writing practice when she could. She was only lucky that writing was the one thing that Shun willing did.

"Wait, what about Chisato-chan?" asked Teruhashi. "I thought she said she was coming."

So it was going to be four girls!?

Aiura pulled out her phone tapped through her message application. "Nah. Chisapoyo said she's out working for a client. She said to save her a cookie."

Wait a second. Cookies? As in web app currency?

These girls did not seem to be interested in Shun in THAT manner, but were here more like they're on business.

Had Shun turned into a pimp!?

Just then, Toki, Aoi's youngest child, bounced heavily down the steps, toward the hallway to the door where Aoi, Shun, Yumehara, Aiura, and Teruhashi were chatting.

"Mum," Toki half sang, "I'm going to Hikaru's house." Toki stopped as he glanced at the three female PK Academy third-year students. "Oh. It's Nii-chan's girl friends."

Of course, Aoi heard that as "girlfriends."

Oblivious to his mother's very minor trembling and pink face, Toki looked critically at Shun's schoolmates. Toki immediately focused on Aiura, who was the biggest girl. "Wow! She's really fat in the chest! She's fatter in the chest than you, mama. Do you think it's because she drinks more black coffee than you, mama?"

The comment made Aiura squirm a little. Teruahshi's eyes turned into merry n-shaped beans as she suppressed a grin. Aoi's mouth dropped a little in shock.

Aiura was suddenly self-conscious. "Who's this pipsqueak?" bit out Aiura.

Toki answered that question proudly. "Oh, My name is Kaidou Toki! I'm 9-years old and I'm in third grade!" he looked to Aiura with wide hazel eyes. "What's your name, Oba-san?"

Aiura blinked. She felt a bubbling annoyance that demanded this kid to be throttled by the neck rising fast. "Oba-san...?" she said in a whisper.

"Yeah. Because all oba-san are fat right..." Toki trailed off as he saw a vein popped on Aiura's temple. At least Toki could read that was probably not the right thing to say. He had experienced this many times with his sister Sora. It was the quiet voice, a vein pop before Sora gives Toki a thrashing for being too loud. Toki looked to his older brother for support.

"Nii-chan. She's the Oba-san that Aren nii-chan kept on asking if you've "tapped that?" right?"

Shun, who had been mostly ignored in the exchange, suddenly looked like he wanted the earth to open up and swallow him.

Surprisingly, it was Yumehara to the rescue. She gently pushed the boy forward. "Okay, Toki. Off to Hikaru's you go."

"But...Yume Nee-chan..." protested Toki.

"No buts," said Yuemhara. "Yume Nee-chan and Nii-chan will take you out for ice cream later, okay? But only if you go to Hikaru's now."

"I'm already out the door!" declared Toki. He quickly slipped into his kid's sneakers, hopped for two seconds to tie the shoelaces, and sped out, slamming the front door close.

There was a moment of almost deathly silence.

Aoi was shocked still.

Aiura was red in the face.

Teruhashi was still gloating.

Yumehara had a slight scowl.

Shun looked like he did not fully comprehend what had happened.

It was Yumehara who brought everyone back to the present. She clapped her hands. "Okay. Let's all go to Kaidou-kun's room and get this started, shall we?"

Yumehara's suggestion, was in reality, a command. Teruahshi, Aiura, and Shun all started to shuffle toward the stairs.

Aoi, who was now snapped back to the very fact that there was going to be three girls and one Shun in a bedroom, yelled. "Stop right there, Shun!"

Poor Shun, he stopped in his tracks immediately. It had been a while since mom used that tone with him. "Yumehara-san, Teruhashi-san, Aiura-san, please go ahead. I'll be right up."

"Kay," sang Yumehara. "Come here way, Kokomi-chan, Miko-chan."

With that, Yuemhara, Teruhashi, and Aiura went up the stairs. They went into Shun's room and shut the door.

Back down the stairs, Aoi towered over Shun with her arms crossed. "Shun, if you think I'm going to allow you to be in your room with three other girls alone, you're sorely mistaken!" In a smaller voice, Aoi mused to herself. "Although, that Teruhashi girl seems alright." Back to reality, Aoi seemed ready to grab Shun by the ears. "And you'd better not be doing anything sex-related..."

"Wait. Wait. Mom. Hold on. Stop. You think we'll be doing what?"

Confronted with the question, Aoi's face was still pink.

When was a good time to talk to her almost adult child about human procreation? Did the schools even teach that? They must have! Did Shun understand the ramifications of teenage pregnancy and such? On his future? It was simply too mortifying of a subject to ever talk about easily.

But Shun would be eighteen this fall. Aoi knew that she could not forever treat him like a boy whom she needed to help make decisions.

"Sex," said Aoi finally. Now she felt like she wished the earth could come and swallow her up. Not even looking at Shun, Aoi said to the air space next to Shun. "I think you'll be having sex."

"Oh." The awkwardness just ramped up from zero to a hundred.

Well, might as well have the conversation now, since Aoi knew that she could not supervise Shun all the time.

"Shun, I know, you get...urges.." began Aoi.

"...Mom."

"And it's completely natural..." fumbled Aoi. God, this was so hard.

"Mom."

"And I know that when you see a girl..." Aoi kept on talking to the air next to Shun.

"Mom!" Shun grabbed hold of Aoi's shoulders. His face was steaming red. His expression wordlessly screamed that he'd rather be boiled alive at the moment than here. "Stop. I don't need you to tell me about sex."

"Oh. Good. So your father already talked to you," reasoned Aoi to herself, relieved.

At that, Shun shook his head vigorously. "Mom. Dad's traveling and working all the time. Even on vacation, he's working. He's never talked to me about this."

Well. Shoot. That completely did not assure Aoi. "What!? Well, then I should tell you that..."

"Mom," Shun cut her off. "Kids at school talk about it starting in elementary school."

Aoi's expression did a 90 degrees, from that uncomfortable place to a raging place.

What type of society did they live in if such a thing was already a topic of conversation in elementary school?

Oh, God. What about Toki!?

Shun, still red-faced, swallowed hard. If not for his recently found courage around his mother, he would've already bolted somewhere else and left his classmates wondering if he was an idiot or not.

"Look, Mom. Um..." Shun felt like he was in hell. A comfortably air-conditioned hell call the house, but hell nonetheless. "There is a thing called the internet and books and school. I know how babies are physically made." Shun's stomach was churning, either from embarrassment or stress. "I also know about having protection and diseases that could come from doing that," He made damn sure that he wasn't looking at his mother. His face was burning so much, he might faint. "You don't have to tell me why I shouldn't have sex and all that stuff. I get it. I know I shouldn't get a girl pregnant. So can we please stop talking about this?"

Aoi just stared at him.

Shun looked damn uncomfortable. He fidgeted greatly, his toes twitching and he looked down. He looked like he was ready to sink into the bowels of the earth and never come back up.

"Well, then why are you having all those girls in your room for?" demanded Aoi.

At that, Shun did look up at his mother's face. "Oh. We're planning Saiki Kusuo's birthday party." Shun's eyes glazed a bit as he recalled the details. "We all have different summer plans and his birthday is right in the middle of summer break. Since the last day of school is tomorrow, we want to plan this out now."

Aoi scrunched her nose. "Didn't he already have one back in May?"

"Wrong date," said Shun.

Aoi did a full-body shiver and a shake from surprise. "What?"

"My reactions, exactly," said Shun. "That bastard. He let me plan and hold it twice on the wrong date!"

"Oh." Aoi breathed out. Suddenly, the construction paper seemed to make sense. "Oh! You guys got together the last time too." Aoi pressed a hand over her chest, remembering the last planning session.

"Yeah. Mom. That's what we're doing. Hairo, Kuboyasu, and Nendou are coming cover too. They said something about making some sort of wooden banner thing and are at the hardware store buying some particle board." Shun pulled out a phone from his pocket. "Though, I am getting a little worried. They've been gone for a while. They aren't cutting down a tree, are they?"

Aoi's mental machinations were churning. "Wait. Are ALL of your friends staying for dinner?"

"Um...we haven't thought about it that far? So I guess? Oh. And I've also invited a couple of Kusuo's other friends. Toritsuka and Akechi, though they didn't say if they can make it."

Aoi looked forlorn. She had to adjust her cooking plans if she did not want to be embarrassed in the next neighborhood association meeting.

"Well. Thanks for telling me," said Aoi with a sigh. She might as order take out. Although feeding the children with all that overly fatty, salty, and sugary store-bought foods hurt her soul a bit.

Nevermind. She should have enough ingredients on the fridge to feed an army of teenagers. She might have to bug Sora to help out. "Well. I'm certain that Kusuo-kun would appreciate that. I don't think he's doing too well right now."

"Oh. Why is that?" asked Shun innocently.

Aoi casually said, "Didn't you hear? Kusuo-kun older brother just passed away."

Shun scrunched up his face and did a complete body shiver like his mother just did earlier. "Come again?"

While Aoi did not repeat her same statement, she thought to "Yes. I think it happened a few weeks ago. Kurumi-san and her husband are still completely heartbroken over it. It sounded like it was a combination of an accident and a congenital problem. Didn't Kusuo-kun tell you?"

Shun looked betrayed. "No. he didn't."

"Well, that's strange. I thought Kusuo-kun would've mentioned something to you, since you know his older brother."

Shun held his head, as he tried to think through the one time that he had met Kusuo's older brother. "Well, I did meet his older brother once. But Saiki always seemed so annoyed around him."

"Really?"

"Yes. Really," said Shun. "Why?"

"Well, Kurumi-san said that Kusuo-kun adored his older brother," said Aoi. "Kurumi-san said that she doesn't get why Kusuo-kun seemed so unaffected," Then, as if suddenly realizing that she had said more than she should, Aoi added. "Well, since Kusuo-kun hasn't told you, then you probably should keep it to yourself. Okay? Most people are pretty sensitive around personal stuff like that."

"Yeah," said Shun, still astonished.

There was some shuffling of footsteps from up the top of the steps.

"Kaidou-kun!" called Yumehara from the top of the stairs. "We need you up here."

The voice of the girl snapped Aoi back to reality. Her usual motherly suspicions and conspiracy machinations geared up again. "Now Shun. You sure you aren't..."

"No! Mom," Shun half-shouted. "For the last time. We're not doing that." Shun stumped up the stairs from there, displaying uncharacteristic irritation in front of his mother, muttering about the bad influences that Aoi must have from watching prime time TV and cable news networks.

Aoi could only sigh. She needed to talk to Kurumi again. Judging by the length of effort that Shun and his friends were going through for such an insignificant event as a birthday, it's obvious to Aoi that the friend group valued Kusuo's friendship and participation deeply. Aoi recalled how the group had almost canceled their Spring Break Trip to Oshimai because of Kusuo's schedule. Most friends would not do that.

Aoi made a mental note to let Kurumi know about the 'secret' birthday party thing and make sure that Kusuo-kun was around for it. It'd be good for everyone.

The damn doorbell rang again. This time, Aoi could hear the familiar loud chatter of a Nendou-kun and a Kuboyasu-kun from the other side of the door. It sounded like Hairo-kun was with them. There was some straining and grunting. Why did it sound like they're trying to move furniture?

Well, time to let them in, hopefully, with a lot less drama.