Part III

Chapter 62

"So, how do you like your drink, Minamo?"

Eiko sat back down upon the couch, Minamo looking up at her after taking another few sips from her glass. "...it's nice. I like it."

"I was sure you would." She took a generous sample of her own drink, quickly experiencing its magic as a bout of lightheartedness came upon her. "Now, Minamo, let's forget all this troublesome business for now."

"...all of 'what'?"

She made a sweeping motion with an arm. "Everything we've just talked about of course. We'll leave it alone for now, and on the weekend, I'll talk to Yukari, and then everything will be settled. You just leave it to me, alright?"

Minamo didn't appear confident with her friend's words.

"Alright?"

"...ok." She managed a quaint smile. "...thank you."

Eiko grinned. "Of course! Now, though, we have some other important things to talk about, outside of your problems with Yukari."

Minamo crooked her head, the cats always instantly eyeing their guest's hair bangs with every slight movement of them. "...umm, such as...?"

"Well, for starters, we need to talk about how you're going to live your life from now on as an out-and-about gay woman."

It took a decent amount of time for Minamo to understand what her friend had just told her, her eyes flinching in surprise when she did. "...excuse me...?"

Eiko chuckled. "Let's be realistic here, Minamo. What are you going to do after this whole little fiasco is done and over with? Pretend to be perfectly straight again? As if nothing ever happened?"

"...w-well...why can't I? Yukari...you said Yukari won't tell anyone, so..."

"She won't. But, that's not the issue. The issue is that you've finally told yourself that you're gay. That's the most important thing here. You can finally break away from all those crazy nightmares of yours and be who you actually are for once. Doesn't that sound exciting?"

Minamo sighed, shaking her head. "No...no. I just want...things settled with Yukari, and then, for everything to go back to normal..."

Eiko laughed, a genuine, hearty one that perturbed both her guest and the cats. "Are you serious? Minamo, you're not stupid. Come on, dear. How on Earth are things going to return to 'normal' for you? You've finally admitted that you're into women, you tried to plant one on your old crush, of whom you also go to work with everyday. You've spilled your guts out to one of your former students...there's no way that you can just 'erase' all of that."

The woman didn't respond, sitting still upon the floor with the cats, her eyes lost for a moment.

"...sorry. My fault." Eiko shook her head. "I didn't mean to bring her up again. Forget about her for now. Let's instead think...about the future as a whole for you." She raised her glass up in a toast. "To you! May many pretty girls now come your way."

"...you're...teasing me..."

She belted out another strong laugh. "Alright, alright. Anyway, listen to me. Your real problem is that awful feeling you get whenever you think about your real self, or other women, or, whatever." She took a long taste of her drink, nearly finishing it off. "...so, what we have to do, then, is to have you overcome that. What we have to do is show you how much fun you'd have being yourself. Do you understand me?"

Minamo shook her head.

Another laugh, one that was louder than Eiko had intended, thanks to her liquor. "I'll make it simple for you, then: we're going to make you love being gay, Minamo."

"...what in the world are you talking about...?"

"You're never again going to deny just how much you dig the ladies."

Minamo didn't enjoy the particular phrasing that Eiko had just used, becoming quickly embarrassed by it. "...please stop making fun of me...and, be serious here..."

"I'm not making fun of you at all, dear! And, I'm quite serious. You've gone on pretending to be someone else for...at least half of your life, Minamo. And, I know you. You've bottled up everything all the while." Eiko spread her arms wide open, the cats noticing the gesture and coming to her. "So, here's your chance to finally get it all out. You can talk about whatever you want with me and I'll listen."

Her guest appeared frustrated. "...really, what are you talking about? Get 'what' out...?"

"Minamo, at some point in your life, you must have wished that you had the guts to talk to someone about all those repressed feelings of yours."

The woman didn't answer, of whom was now rubbing her arm nervously as she looked away.

"Come on, Minamo. This is what you need in order to fight that yucky feeling of yours. You'll feel so much better afterward. I promise."

Minamo continued to stare away, her eyes scanning the contents of one of the decorated walls of the apartment. She spent some time considering something then, Eiko waiting patiently all the while. "...what do you want me to say...?"

"I'm not making you say anything, Minamo. I'm just simply giving you a platform to say anything that you want about being a lesbian. So, really, talk about anything at all about your attraction to women. Just get it all off your chest. I mean, you must want to express something about it. Or, maybe you have questions or thoughts that you've always wanted to talk to someone about."

"...well...I..."

"We've got all night, so, take your time."

"...well...umm..."

"Have you ever imagined what it must be like to have sex with another woman?"

Minamo's cheeks were instantly crimson, a bright shade of red that practically lit up the room. "Wh-what?"

Oh, this is great.

"Where did that come from?"

Eiko smiled widely, her old friend's sudden antics quite enjoyable to watch. Minamo was now squirming where she sat, and was staring at her with an awkward, baffled look. "I'm just trying to help you get started."

"...that's...! Don't ask things like that just out of the blue!"

"Well, you haven't said 'no' to my question yet..."

Minamo was becoming more agitated by the second.

Eiko chuckled. Her friend always got so embarrassed in the most innocently delightful of ways, Minamo now running a finger through one of her bangs with a great nervousness. "We're both adults here, Minamo. Or, at least, one of us is." She laughed, swirling the burgundy in her glass around with amusement. "It's fine to talk about sex."

"...still...it's...it's a personal matter..."

Eiko placed an elbow on the end of the couch, propping her head upon her arm. A wild smile was still present on her face, and she began to gently scratch one of her cat's chins with a finger from the hand that she held her glass with. "So, you have wondered what it would be like?"

Minamo gave the slightest of shrugs after some time had passed, the soft music around her having filled in the silence.

"That's a 'yes' then?"

"...I might have...before. Sometimes...maybe..."

"There you go! Look at that amazing progress." Eiko set her drink down, and then gave the woman an enormous round of applause. "See? Don't you feel better already?"

Although she remained a nervous, abashed wreck overall, Eiko could still see that Minamo had lost some of the tension that had been gripping her. She did appear more relaxed now, more willing to talk. "...I don't know."

"Well, you certainly look better. You must feel better too, then. I mean, you've kept thoughts like this to yourself for so long that it must feel wonderful to finally let them out into the open. You're already well your way to overcoming that nauseous feeling of yours, dear!"

Minamo looked at the floor with some uncertainty then, another spell of silence coming coming between them.

I wonder how many times you've wanted to talk to someone about these things. Actually, I wonder how many times you've thought about talking to me about them...

Eventually, Minamo began to speak again. "...yes. I have thought about it before."

Eiko smiled as the conversation resumed. "About having sex with a woman?"

Her friend blushed once more, but was able to retain better control of her nerves now. "...not for a long time, but, I have. Just...you know...what it would feel like..."

"Well, then, would you like me to tell you?"

"...tell me what?"

"What it's like to have sex with women."

Her friend didn't appear to understand her words at all, as if Eiko had just spoken to her in another language. "...wh-what? Why would you tell me that...?"

Eiko, quite casually, put on that razor sharp, devilish grin of hers. "Well..."

It took some time then, more than it should have, before comprehension came about on Minamo's face, her eyes quickly widening. "Wait...wait...you...?"

Eiko tilted her head with amusement, the widening of her smile her answer to her friend's inquisitive stammering.

Oh, this was well worth the wait!

"...are you joking with me...?"

"Why would I do that?"

Minamo could only stare stupidly at her, completely caught off guard. She was leaning forward now, an inexorable mix of astonishment and intrigue now pouring out from her. "Be serious here! Don't...don't pull my leg about these things...you've never..."

"I am being serious."

Her friend's skin was becoming redder by the second. "...no. You...? No. No...you're...you've had sex with...?"

Eiko began to chuckle at her friend's shocked expression. "Yes, Minamo. That's what I'm telling you. I've had sex with women before."

"...b-but...why?"

"What do you mean why?"

Minamo was having trouble keeping her words together now, completely bewildered. "...I mean...you never...I know you've had a boyfriend before..."

"Well, I like the boys, and the ladies. Do you get it?"

There wasn't any follow up question or comment then, as Minamo had apparently reached her limit. She just sat there now, completely flushed and exhausted as she stared absently at Eiko. She did, however, eventually manage to spit out something. "...you're...messing with me..."

Eiko sighed, her hand now scratching one of her cat's heads. "I'm not, Minamo. I'm being completely honest with you. I've had relationships with men, and I've had relationships with women. And so, because of that, I can tell you what having sex with another woman is like. So, do you want me to tell you or not?"

Minamo appeared to be on the edge of fainting. "...wh-...you...you...I never knew! All this time, you...!"

"Come, now. Are you qualified to say things like that?"

"I didn't go around hiding who I was having sex with! That's...this is different!"

"I never hid it! You've just never asked me about any of my relationships, because you've always been so uncomfortable with the subject."

"...then...if you're being truthful, why are you only telling me now? You know...I told you about myself earlier today. So, why didn't you say anything then? You've known since this morning..."

Her wicked grin quickly returned to her face.

Minamo was completely deflated then, sinking back against the couch. "You...!" She put her hands over her face, shaking her head. "...what is going on...? Everything...is changing so fast..." She then suddenly grabbed her drink with both hands and immediately drained its contents within a few seconds.

Eiko spent the better part of a minute laughing at the act, her cats somehow also appearing amused, as if they understood what was going on.

Her guest wiped her lips with a forearm as she set the glass down. Even though it was a light drink, they both knew that it would still do the trick for her. She slumped back down onto the floor, staring absently into her lap. "...I can't believe this. You...oh, everything is a whirling around me...it's...like I'm in a completely different world now..."

"As long as it's a more fun world, then what does it matter?"

Her friend sighed. "...I just...I just don't know anything anymore. I don't know what to do anymore, and..." She slowly looked up. "...and now, I don't even know you..."

"Oh, of course you do. You just also now know that I bat for more than one team."

Minamo wasn't happy at all with the amused laughter that followed her friend's statement.

She got a few more chuckles out, noticing that her guest was appearing to feel upset again, and slowly calmed down. "...alright, alright. You've said so much about yourself today, Minamo. So, I suppose it's now my turn to tell some stories..."

"...more than twenty..?"

The hour was late now, nearing midnight. But, since Eiko's apartment was always somewhat dark to begin with, the night itself had been hardly noticeable. "Well, something like that. I'm sure that I'm forgetting a few." A refreshed drink touched her lips. "Not all of those encounters were memorable..."

Minamo was still sitting on the carpet, leaning back against the couch. She was a bit tipsy now, but not so much where she would lose her sense of self. She looked up at her friend then, Eiko relaxing with her cats upon her comfy furniture. "...how could you just...sleep with so many women like that? It's just...so unlikely..."

Eiko smiled, still feeling quite good from both her drink and the amount of fun her friend was providing her with. They had been talking about her sexual exploits with women for the past ten minutes, Minamo providing her with a host of shocked faces that Eiko had never seen before, yet quite enjoyed. However, there was also a genuine sense of interest in the woman's eyes now, an excitement, and Eiko was as equally glad to see that as it meant that Minamo was finally getting used to herself. "Are you saying that you're surprised with my numbers?"

"...I mean, I would think it's difficult for even a straight woman to get into so many relationships. But, if you were into women...then how many other women could you just...find like that?"

"Oh, you mean that you're surprised that there's more than one lesbian in town besides yourself?"

Minamo frowned. "...that's not what I meant..."

Eiko chuckled. "I'm just kidding. In any case, there's plenty of women out there who are either gay or somewhere in between, like myself. The problem is that you've never researched things like this, which has led to your current predicament. You've lived your life thinking that you were some bizarre anomaly."

"...maybe..."

"No 'maybe'. It's true."

"...but, still, that's...that's so many..."

"Well, not all of them were actually really into women, per say."

"What do you mean...?"

Eiko smiled. "Some were just curious as to what it's like to be with another woman. They wanted to try something different, you know? And myself having money made a difference, too. You know I've never been shy about spending money on people I like, so, my dates also benefit from that while I'm with them."

Minamo scratched her head, trying to understand this new world that was being presented to her. "...ok.."

"...and, let's see...some of them were just bored housewives. They're always interesting, you know, since they want an escape."

"...they were married?"

Eiko nodded.

Her guest frowned. "...that's...I don't know what to think of that. I want to call them affairs, but..."

"It's just throwing you off since there's no chance of someone getting pregnant." She laughed after a brief pause. "Of course, I'm sure that science will soon change that, though..."

Minamo was clearly confused now. "...um, ok. But, anyway, those women were still married! Didn't you...didn't you know that?"

She grinned.

Minamo's head sank down. "Eiko, that's...oh, this is all so much for me..."

"Like I said, you're always avoiding these sorts of topics. It's time that you grew up a little."

"I don't think someone who was really mature would just indulge themselves like that with married women..."

Eiko laughed. "Fair enough. I know you define 'maturity' much more differently than I do."

"...I guess I just never saw you in this light before."

She raised an eyebrow, and then tasted her drink once more. "Come on now, really? You of all people should know that I've always enjoyed having a good time whenever I can."

Minamo sighed, and then threw up her hands in frustration. "Yes, but...this is much different! This is your sexuality. I just...didn't know that you were into women too. I mean, you've actually had boyfriends. I can't ever recall you ever showing any...affection to any girls back in school."

"Well..." Eiko crossed one leg over the other as she thought to herself, an action that made her cats move elsewhere on the couch. "...I can remember admiring a few girls, but I never had any interest to act upon those feelings. I was only really into the boys at the time. But, that seemed to change around the end of university..." Eiko shrugged. "I can't really explain why my tastes changed. They just did."

"...do you still like men too, then?"

"Well, sure. But, not as much as I used to. I'm quite attracted to women now. I haven't been with a guy since college."

"...I know I'm probably being hypocritical, but...since you actually went out with women, then...why didn't you tell me?"

Eiko shrugged.

"...Eiko..."

She took a sip from her drink. "...if it makes you feel any better, I didn't tell anyone else about it either. I never tried to hide it, though. If people knew, then, they knew..."

"Alright. But, still, why?"

Another shrug.

Minamo studied her friend for a moment. "...is it because you sort of felt the same way I did?"

Eiko paused again, mulling over what her friend had said. "...do you mean some sort of fear of being found out? Of course not. I've never had a problem with other people knowing either." She smiled, tipping her drink towards the other woman. "By the way, if you'd like to tell anyone about me, well, then you have my permission to go nuts. And, if they're an attractive woman that would also like my number..."

Her friend stared at her with some disbelief, slightly in awe as well. "But, but, wait! You're...really well known, Eiko. Doesn't that...you know...doesn't your company care about...?"

Eiko chuckled, the cats licking their fur as their master continued to amuse herself.

"What's so funny?"

"What's there for them to care about?"

"...I mean, well, you go out with other women, and, um, apparently fool around a lot, too. They must know, right?"

"I'm sure they do."

"...but your bosses don't care...?"

She smiled. "Alright, let me correct myself a bit. They do care, but, I don't care. Ugh..." She rolled her eyes in disgust. "Don't get me started on those old geezers and their inane speeches about 'reputation'. It's always a waste of time as well, because I'm in too good of a position for them to do anything beyond that."

Minamo gave her a quizzical glance. "What 'place'...? What do you mean?"

"I'm too important to the company, so I can do whatever the hell I want."

"...ah...ok."

Eiko sighed, knowing that she had said her last line with a bit more anger than she had intended, Minamo having flinched when she uttered it. "...sorry. Don't mind me. I know you've always told me that I can be a bit of an angry drunk..."

"It's fine..."

"In any case..." Eiko set the glass aside. "Even if I wasn't so important to them, I still doubt that they'd take any real action against me, for three main reasons. First: " She shot a single finger up. "Even though they're old, brainless dinosaurs, they still understand that people's stances on certain issues have changed since their day. They're well aware of the possible backlash that would come from making a stink about one of their employee's sexuality." She grinned. "You know, bad PR and all that, and not just from our own country."

...well, that's-"

"Two." Another finger shot up. "I'm a woman that's going out with other women. They see that differently. If I was going out with a lot of guys, then a different set of stigmas would have been applied to me." She shrugged. "This might sound strange to you, but the men who know about my lifestyle see me as on their 'team' so to speak. They treat me completely differently than a straight woman, even if they think I'm attractive." She laughed, and then retrieved her glass, finishing off the contents in a single gulp before raising it up in triumph. "Which they all do!"

Minamo frowned. "I guess I get it..."

Oh, what a wonderful feeling...

"And, finally, three:" A third finger was now up. "Those grumps probably get a kick out of it. It's not a scandal. It's a turn on! You understand, dear?"

"...um, yes...?"

Eiko laughed again, standing up as she did. She then made her way into the kitchen, empty glass in hand. "I won't pretend my situation is the same as yours, though. I know you've got a lot more to worry about if people knew you were gay." After pouring out more burgundy, she headed back into the living room and resumed her place between her cats on the couch. "That stuffy old school is still staffed with morons."

"...please don't call them that."

"But they are morons, Minamo! You know that as well as I do." She set her drink upon the table after taking a taste. "All that old garbage about respectability and what not. Bah. What's so respectable about turning on one of your best teachers, just because she wants some tail? What's so admirable about that? You know that's what they'd do too, Minamo. So, you're right at least in being worried about that."

My...I really am speaking quite freely. I haven't gone to town like this in quite a while...

Eiko was expecting Minamo to further protect her peers, but was surprised when the woman actually smiled with some delight. "Oh, so you agree with me, then?"

Her friend gave a slight shake of the head, a laugh just barely discernable. "...well, it's just...I just felt as if I were back in school again."

"Whatever do you mean?"

"...I remember you arguing with the teachers all of the time, and you would tell me afterwards about how wrong they were about everything. Just like you did now."

"...ah."

"...and it sounds like you do the same thing at your job. You can just ignore what your bosses say...you've never been afraid of any sort of authority." Minamo rested her head upon her knees. "You still always just do as you please..."

"And there's something wrong with that?"

"...if you happened to be a student in my class, there would be."

Eiko chuckled. "I can see how you'd be a thorn in my side, sensei."

Minamo smiled, and then looked off to the side. "...and then, after you'd talk to me, I would tell you that you should always be careful. I know you've always been able to handle other people so well, but...there's always the chance where you might misjudge them, Eiko. And then they might do or say something that you can't deal with, like, if your bosses got really angry..."

"...I'm still not afraid of any of that ever happening. Besides, if you have something to say, then you should just say it, regardless of the recipient's position."

"So...is that how you also...get people to go out with you?"

"...I'm not sure what you mean?"

"Well, I remember that when you were going out with the boys, that you were always the one to ask them out, and not the other way around. You were never shy about it."

"Oh." Eiko let go a light yawn, the night growing older. "You think that's because I'm not afraid to just go for it?"

"Isn't it?"

"...well, you're right when you said that I'm always the one to start the conversation, so to speak. Would you like to know something, Minamo? I've never actually been asked out by anyone in my entire life. I'm always the one doing the 'asking', whether it's been a man or a woman. That sounds a little sad, doesn't it?"

"...in a way, I guess."

She chuckled again, and then waited a few moments before answering. "If you'll allow me to indulge myself for a moment, Minamo: I know that I'm attractive. I'm fully aware of that fact." She gave a sharp, gloating smile. "However, that can usually intimidate others too, as if I'm always completely out of their league. Which, of course, they always are." Another smile that was full of swagger dashed across her face. "And, of course, they can also be afraid of your success, or your intelligence."

Minamo gave a muted laugh. "...I can see how it would be hard to approach you, then."

Eiko picked up her glass and began to swish its contents around, a habit of hers whenever she was feeling delighted. "In any case, I've always had to initiate things. But, I don't really mind. I like having the reigns in my hand..."

"...that does sound like you." Minamo thought to herself for a second. "...what did you do when someone said 'no' to you, though?"

"Well, it's never happened, so..."

Her friend appeared genuinely amazed then, Minamo's eyes widening. "...you're kidding me! Even...but, there must have been some women who have..."

Eiko shook her head.

"...that's..."

She grinned wildly with pride. "I can get anyone I want, Minamo. Anyone I want at all."

"...come on, th-"

"I could even get you."

The subtle music that had been barely audible amongst their conversation had suddenly become ridiculously loud, the beats now pounding against the walls. There was a long period of silence that had ensued after Eiko's last words, one that she thoroughly enjoyed as she continued to work on her drink. Her cats, as well, continued to act in a casual manner, sitting like guards at her side.

Minamo simply sat there on the floor all the while, staring at her friend with nothing short of a completely baffled look. Slowly, though, the obvious fact that had eluded her for the past hour had appeared to finally crawl itself into her mind. As her skin reddened to a degree that it had never been able to reach before, Minamo began to finally understand her current situation: that she was in a room with another woman who also had an interest in women.

Ha, ha, ha...

Eiko delighted in the spectacle that sat on the other side of the table from her. Minamo was almost literally shrinking in size now, her arms tightly hugging her knees to her chest as she crumpled up into a ball. She was incredibly self-conscious now, realizing that her old friend might actually be seeing her as more than an old friend, and became completely rattled under Eiko's gaze.

"...th-...I...n-no...um..."

This is always my favorite part.

Eiko stood up then, glass in hand, and slowly made her way over to her now mouse-like friend. Her pets followed in her wake, her feline entourage sensing the gigantic amount of satisfaction that emanated from their master.

...and it always goes along so nicely with a good drink, too.

She was in front of Minamo now, and she looked down at her as she finished off her burgundy. Then, after a few moments, she slowly knelt down and sat upon her her toes, staring straight into her guest.

Minamo was trembling with nervousness, now cornered against the couch. She didn't dare move. She just simply looked away from Eiko, not tempting any glimpse of her face.

...oh, I didn't think that she would get this uncomfortable. Well, if that's the case, then I shouldn't play with her too long...

She brought up her free hand and gently caressed one of Minamo's cheeks, sliding a bang out of the way as she did. Her friend shivered at the touch, and Eiko took the opportunity to turn the woman's head in order to make her face her. It was an easy task, as there was no resistance left. "So, what do you say?"

The reaction she had hoped for came immediately. Upon looking at her, Minamo's eyes had glazed over as she apparently realized, for the first time in her life, just how truly gorgeous her old friend actually was.

...so worth the wait. So very, very worth the wait...

Her face came a little closer to hers, a finger gently brushing Minamo's quivering lip.

Just a little teas-

'...are you alright?'

Her actions stopped dead in their tracks, the deja vu from earlier coming back to rock her.

...what in the...?

Eiko's lips had been only a fraction away from her friend's when it happened. Within an instant, the blood had just suddenly drained from Minamo's face, and the morbid sight had taken Eiko by total surprise. Her friend was completely pale now, a sickly ghost, and appeared as if she were about to vomit.

She immediately took her hand back, and, for some reason, now felt slightly dizzy herself.

...I feel like...I've been here before...?

She shook her head to get the jitters out, and then focused again on Minamo. The woman was just staring blankly down at the floor now, no longer shaking. Instead, she sat as still as a rock, and appeared completely terrified.

...I must have overdone it.

"Minamo..." She faked a laugh. "...sorry, dear. I wasn't being serious. I was just having some fun with you."

Minamo didn't seem to hear her.

"...Minamo?"

The woman just continued to stare at the floor, as if she were in another zone, a dream, oblivious to her environment.

"...are you alright?"

Immediately, the deja vu took her again.

...ugh...

Eiko set her glass aside aside on the table, her pets sniffing it.

...did I drink more than I thought tonight? A few glasses shouldn't do this to me...I must have lost count...

After steadying herself, she placed a hand on Minamo's shoulder and gently shook her. "Minamo. Hey."

It took a few moments, but the gradual recognition of her surroundings flooded back into Minamo's eyes. Her skin began to recover some of its normal color. She then looked up at Eiko, and, upon seeing her, immediately went red again.

Eiko thoroughly studied her.

I must have really shocked her. That's what it was. I guess I underestimated how badly she does in these sort of intimate situations. I suppose this is what Kagura saw...

She backed off a bit then, allowing her friend some room. "Sorry again, Minamo." She gave her a wry, yet well-meaning smile. "I just wanted to give you a little taste of lesbian life, you know? You don't have to worry about anything, though. Don't take this the wrong way, but, you aren't quite my type. In any case, I didn't mean to frighten you..."

Minamo seemed more in control of herself now, Eiko's spell slowly wearing off. "...n-no...it's f-fine..." She fumbled with her hands, looking side to side now.

...she's scared of me?

"...I just...I guess...I felt a little sick..."

Eiko scrunched her brow. "Sick?"

Minamo stuttered a bit before she was able to string something comprehensible together. "...like...like I was telling you before. That warm..."

"Oh...I suppose I made you want to throw up?"

The woman quickly shook her head. "No! No...it's not you...I'm sorry. I meant...um...just..."

Eiko chuckled. "I'm just kidding. Relax. I went too far, and I apologize.

"...no, it's alright..." Minamo apprehensively rubbed her forearms. "...may I please go to bed? I want to lay down..."

"Oh, of course." Eiko stood up and offered a hand to her.

Minamo looked at it hesitantly, becoming abashed again, and was uncertain of what to do.

"...let me help you up. I'm not going to do anything."

Eventually, her friend took the assistance, but the grip was flimsy and weak, as Minamo was still perturbed by her. The woman looked away as she was helped up. "...g-good night."

"Ah, good night..."

Within another moment, Minamo had slipped into her room, closing the door, and Eiko was alone with her pets.

...well, that was certainly...interesting.

She took a long, hearty sigh then, feeling quite tired now.

I suppose I shouldn't have done that, given all she's been through lately. But, oh, it's just so hard to resist sometimes...

Eiko had genuinely meant what she had said earlier, when she informed Minamo that she had no real interest in her. She was just simply addicted to watching others lose their cool in front of her, when they realized that such an attractive woman might actually be thinking of them in a more lovely manner. And, of course, there was the extra, entertaining challenge of making it all work on an old friend.

I did scare her though. That was...new...

It was flashing before her eyes again, that ghostly-white face of Minamo's just a minute ago. She had looked nothing short of terrified, the emotion quickly dissipating soon afterward.

Eiko picked up her glass from the table and headed into the kitchen, her cats following her. She then quite absentmindedly poured the remaining contents into the sink, and then began to wash the glass and few other wares.

...and, it was a strange sort of embarrassment as well. As if...she were in a scandal...

She sighed.

And what was that feeling? It really was deja vu. Maybe I'm remembering a time with another woman...that must be it.

Her washing done, Eiko put everything away and then leaned back against the counter top. She stared into the dim interior of her apartment then, thinking to herself as another one of her favorite tracks began to play through the various speakers around her.

...I should have factored in her current state a little more. Poor thing. And now she's scared of me. I'll have to do something about that, and make her feel secure again...

A wry smile cross her faced.

...oh, but I had hoped for a little kiss at least. She really is quite beautiful. But, it's alright. I got what I had set out for, anyway. I got to see my little sister melt.

She launched herself away from the counter and headed to her own room, her hunger having been satisfied for tonight. Eiko's chief craving in life had always been to watch others become enthralled with her, to watch them totally lose themselves in her presence. It was the control that she loved about it, to completely own the emotions of another human being, to predict them, to make them so malleable before her killer looks. All she ever had to do was show the slightest bit of interest in someone, and then they would quickly collapse in on themselves.

Complete and utter control. To make someone helpless before her with just a few words, and then to hold their very thoughts in her hand. There was no better high for Eiko, nothing even close to it.

And, if it meant extracting the drug from someone that she felt was family to her, then, so be it.

She'll be fine. It will all work out.

Eiko smiled with delight as she entered her room, her cats having beat her to her own bed. She loved her little children dearly, as they exuded a host of her most favorite sorts of qualities: independence, stylish beauty, and, of course, the ability to kill and devour with ease.

...I can't wait.

She set aside her amusing thoughts as she got herself into bed. Tomorrow would be a busy day, and soon, she would also have to speak to Yukari, which would be battle that she was well prepared to face.

For now, though, she would rest, and simply continue to circle the waters.