.

Poolside

Sakura pulled on the pool enclosure gate but it didn't open.

"It's not locked," came Nagatoro's voice. "Pull off the chain."

Sakura removed the open padlock, pulled away the chain, and stepped inside.

"Don't bother chaining it up again. I'm decent now."

Sakura scanned the scene. "Where's the painter?"

"Senpai will be back in a little while. He had to clean some brushes and get supplies." Nagatoro's legs dangled in the pool as water dripped from her hair onto her white cotton robe.

"I like the official nude model attire," Sakura said as she approached.

"How can you tell I don't have my swimsuit on under here?"

"Educated guess." Sakura kicked off her sandals and sat down next to her friend. "I can't believe how desolate the school grounds are on Sunday. And security is super lax. I'm surprised they lock up the pool."

"It's probably the only school facility anyone would want to use on a weekend." Nagatoro squinted at the blazing overhead sun. "Especially on a day like today." She patted her robe pocket. "Fortunately, I have the key."

"Because you're the one who usually closes the place. You have a reputation for being a late night swimmer. Though I have a feeling you don't always swim alone."

"Thanks a ton for being our lookout, Sakura-chan. I don't think you'll have much to do."

"I picked out my spot. Right by the front entrance under the canopy where it's nice and shady. I can see the entire field. If someone shows up, you'll have lots of notice." She pulled out a silver whistle. "This thing is ear-splitting loud. Want to hear?"

"I'm pretty familiar with how a whistle sounds. Let's not use it till we need it. The only other people around are some folks from the drama club. But they're on the other side of campus in the auditorium making props for a play."

"How long will it take for him to paint you?"

"With Senpai, it's a two step process. He gets the bulk of the work done in an hour. Then, for the next fifteen to thirty minutes, he touches up."

"You mean like shadows and background stuff?"

"Exactly. All the finishing touches. I don't necessarily need to stick around for that part, but it helps if I stay put."

"Yikes, ninety minutes. How does someone with your energy manage to stay put that long?"

"It's really easy when I put my mind to it," Nagatoro said. And Senpai ties me up, she didn't say.

"I remember when he did me."

"When he did you?" Nagatoro nudged her friend's arm. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"When he drew me. Senpai would never—" Sakura paused. "Actually, he's come a long way since that day we accosted him in the library. I mean, look at you." She smiled slyly. "Anyway, you know what I mean. I only stood there for ten or fifteen minutes at a time, but it felt like an eternity. Maybe being totally exposed to Senpai's watchful gaze made minutes stretch out. His gaze seems to have the opposite effect on you. You love getting naked for that painter, don't you?"

Nagatoro's cheeks reddened.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, I envy you. How did this nude modeling business get started?"

"At first, I used to get him to draw me fully dressed, but I always wondered how it would feel to pose nude. So I suggested it, as a semi-serious joke. As time went by, I escalated things." She laughed. "You should have seen his reaction the first time I just went and took off my skirt and blouse."

"You didn't."

"I had my swimsuit on underneath. Then one time we were talking on the phone while I was in the bathtub—"

Sakura giggled. "I've done that."

"—and I hit the video button."

"I've never done that."

"It was an accident."

"Right." Sakura elbowed her friend's ribs. "You're such a tease."

"Look who's talking."

"It takes one to know one. What did you show him?"

"He saw my breasts."

"I bet he had a heart attack."

"It was so funny. He fell off his chair. I was really embarrassed too, at first. But later, part of me wished I would have shown him more."

"So one day you worked up the courage, and you did."

"I never would have done it in a million years, but Yoshi's punch gave me the boost I needed."

Sakura's eyes widened. "No way. You mean that time you got drunk and Gamo and Yoshi left you on the couch to sleep it off?"

"I woke up to find the most beautiful painting on Senpai's easel."

"Ah. The one of you on your side in the classic pose? It's the only one where you're sleeping."

"You guessed it."

"Are you sure he didn't strip you while you were knocked out?"

"Are you kidding? You wouldn't believe the hoops I had to jump through to get him to paint me again. And deep down, it's what I wanted to do. It felt like such a relief to shed that burden."

"The burden of clothes?"

"I feel such a rush when he's painting me." Nagatoro lowered her voice. "Even when he's only painting me in his mind."

"Which is when?"

"Pretty much any time I'm naked with him."

"Did you two go all the way yet?"

"No!" Nagatoro's eyes bulged. "We haven't even kissed yet. But we started holding hands."

"Who initiates the hand holding?"

"I don't know. It feels natural, so we just sort of do it."

"Natural is dangerous, Toro-chan. Especially for a girl as uninhibited as you."

"Just around him. It's part of our professional artist-model relationship."

"Has he ever abused that relationship?"

"Not in any way I've minded."

"Are you hearing yourself?"

Nagatoro sighed. "Yeah, I know how it sounds."

"And you know the direction things are going."

"Do you think I should slow things down so we don't, you know, do something we'll regret?"

"Hell, no. Go full steam ahead if the feelings are mutual. But take precautions. Don't do anything that might require soul-crushing surgery or take eighteen years of your life to fix, if you catch my drift. If you two are at that place, enjoy each other. Turn up the volume. Have fun. And promise me you won't have another drop of alcohol while you're within one hundred miles of him."

"You've had boyfriends. Have you ever—?"

"I got dangerously close, and it scared the crap out of me."

"Did you—?"

Sakura held up her palm. "So, are you psyched for the art show?"

"Sort of. I don't know how you handle all this notoriety. It's nuts what people are saying about me."

"Mostly good, I'll bet."

"Yeah, crazy good, for the most part. But it's still nuts to think that all of Japan knows what I look like under this robe."

"You look really good with braided long hair," Sakura replied. "I agree with the comments that say you look like Pharaoh's daughter."

"You read that thread?"

"Of course. Haven't you read any of mine?"

"A few."

"Now's the time to enjoy this attention, because it won't last. I figure as long as you and I don't pick up any creepy stalkers, we can have a hell of a ride."

"Your avatar is ten times more popular than mine."

"True. But where I shine in numbers, you make up for in intensity. The guys that like you, really-really-really like you. That's why you're going to kick ass at your show. But don't let it get to your head. Neither one of us is 'all that.' Remember when we were in Yokohama? There were thousands of people shopping in the city that day, but only about fifty of them asked for pictures with me. And maybe half of those recognized you."

"Not that many. Maybe a third."

"Including that Toshi guy. There's a lot of those kinds of guys out there worshiping you because you've got an exotic look. That's what's going to make Senpai's show a huge success. Make sure the guys following that forum thread know about it."

"Really?"

"Absolutely. In the big picture, nobody really knows who we are. It's just a subset. First, you've got the subset of people who play games. Then a subset of those play Splatter Battle. And then a subset of those guys spice things up with mods."

"A game-play video of me in a micro slingshot bikini has over a hundred thousand views."

"But if you read the comments, those are all Americans. Plus, the Splatter Battle playlist has lots of vids with views in the millions."

"Any of you?"

"With views in the millions? Maybe one out of twenty."

Nagatoro took a deep breath and exhaled. "When you put it like that, it's not such a big deal. But I can't help but notice that a lot of guys at school are looking at me differently."

"I know. I get that too. And for that, I pull out my 'plausible deniability' shield. Only one guy in the school knows we actually posed nude for those avatars, and he's not talking. Well, he better not be."

"He's not. But they're going to know I modeled nude when they see the paintings."

"It's a long shot anyone from around here will even know there's a show. How many guys have confessed to you?"

"About… none."

"Thanks to me. I'm like the planet Jupiter. My massive gravitational field sucks in all the meteors destined to collide with Earth. Besides, everyone knows you're off the market." Sakura turned toward the pool. "So where are you going to pose?"

Nagatoro pointed at the stainless steel side ladder. "There."

"Perfect. The locker rooms will block the view from the school and I'll be able to see someone coming up the hill from a mile away."

The girls turned their heads toward the jiggling fence.

"There's your painter." Sakura rose, shook the water off her feet, and put on her sandals. "See you in a couple hours."

"The painting shouldn't take more than ninety minutes."

"I know." Sakura waved over her shoulder as she walked away. "Have fun!"

Author's Notes: I was going to say it was still Thursday on Baker Island, but that deadline passed at 8AM EST, ninety minutes ago. So close! Anyway, sorry for the delayed posting. M7, you're right about the nudity. I felt like I was skating on the edge. It's a lot easier to write this story at this point in their relationship with an 'M' rating—as you'll all see next week! — SK