Art Attack
By Lord Raa
Disclaim-me-do: The famous man looked at the red cup.
Chapter 1
Keitaro let out a long yawn as he lifted his glasses off his face and rubbed his eyes. He glanced at his watch and blinked repeatedly.
'It's nearly dinner time already? I guess that I'd better get washed up,' he thought with a smile.
As the former ronin stood up, he decided that a trip to the toilet was the most important thing in his life and quickly left his room, momentarily forgetting that he had left out his sketchpad.
During dinner, he received several demanding looks as the phone started to ring. Sighing, he stood up and answered it.
"Hinata Sou, Keitaro speaking, how can I help you?"
"¬I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm trying to reach Keitaro Urashima.¬"
"I'm Keitaro Urashima, how can I help you?" Keitaro responded cheerfully.
"¬I'm Takeshi Kawashima, from Saishoudoujin Publishing Company,¬" the voice explained.
"Oh yeah, I've done some freelance artwork for you in the past. What can I do for you today?"
"¬I'm terribly sorry to impose on you right now, Urashima-sensei, but we're rather desperate for some new work. Ideally, we'd like you to write some new stories and illustrate them,¬" Kawashima explained.
"I'm can't commit to a lengthy series, Kawashima-san. I'm currently studying archaeology at Toudai," Keitaro replied with a sigh.
Keitaro's grades had suffered on several occasions during his later years in high school and cram school, thanks to his obligations for Saishoudoujin. It was not something that he was desperate to repeat.
"¬I can appreciate that, Urashima-sensei. But we have some holes in our production schedule and we need to fill them.¬"
"I can't promise anything with regards to time scales, but I don't mind drawing anthology work, Kawashima-san. And I have to be careful – I don't want the people around me to know what I'm doing. They wouldn't approve," Keitaro smiled, turning to face the kitchen.
"¬I understand, Urashima-sensei. If it's alright with you, I'll send a representative out to you tomorrow morning. You'll be able to discuss the contract and the work.¬"
"Thank you, Kawashima-san."
Returning to the dining table, Keitaro prepared himself for the questioning looks from his tenants.
"So, who was that, Keitaro?" Kitsune asked, casting a questioning look at her landlord.
"It was a job offer, Kitsune."
"J-job offer? D-does that m-mean you're l-l-leaving us?" Shinobu asked, tears welling in her eyes.
Keitaro smiled reassuringly. "No it does not, Shinobu-chan. It was a job offer for some additional work that I can do here at the Inn. If I do take the job, it does mean that I'll need plenty of peace and quiet. Which means my room is now off-limits to everyone unless I'm in there with them."
"Now you've got our interest, Keitaro," Kitsune smiled. "What are you going to be doing?"
"I'd rather not say, but it's nothing that will bother any of you, provided you leave me alone," the former ronin said evasively. "I might not even take the job – it all depends on the pay and if I can fit it in with my studies."
Motoko, having remained silent throughout the exchange, cast a sceptical glance at Keitaro. She tried to see if she could gain any clues about what he was planning, but recalled her mother's oft repeated insistence that she allowed him his privacy.
Even if he had "accidentally" walked into the bath when the kendoist was changing that very morning.
Naru was also silent, but her thoughts were occupied by what she'd seen in Keitaro's room just before dinner.
The brunette had poked her head into Keitaro's room to remind him that dinner was nearly ready and she'd caught a glimpse of his sketchpad.
'Just where have I seen that art style before…?' she pondered.
Keitaro greeted his guest politely and poured her a cup of tea.
"Thank you, Urashima-sensei," Karin Sato smiled politely.
Karin Sato was wearing a charcoal grey jacket and skirt over a plain white blouse. She was a brunette with shoulder-length hair pulled back into a ponytail.
"Please, just call me 'Keitaro-san'," the bespectacled man insisted, his eyes darting around the room nervously. "I don't want anyone to find out what I've been doing."
"But you always used a pseudonym, Ura- Keitaro-san," the visitor countered, correcting herself.
"Yes, but still, I don't want the people who live here to think I'm a pervert." There was a pause as he recalled the light most of his tenants saw him in. "Well, an even bigger pervert."
Karin raised an eyebrow, but shrugged it off. She knew how strange creative types could be, having negotiated several deals with artists and writers before. And Keitaro Urashima's modesty was far from the worst thing she'd encountered.
'At least he's wearing clothes,' she mused. "Very well, Keitaro-san. We were looking for you to write and/or draw a few anthology chapters for us."
"What's the theme of the magazine?" the artist asked, sipping his tea.
"It's general adult content, Keitaro-san. It's in Ero-Ero Monthly."
Keitaro's face took on a sour look. "Ero-Ero Monthly?"
"Is there a problem with Ero-Ero Monthly?" Karin asked, her eyes narrowing. "You can't argue with sales figures."
"Miss Sato, I think you're confusing popularity with quality. I appreciate that you must balance commercial interests with that of artistic merit."
Keitaro set his cup down. "But let me be perfectly clear: I will not draw for the stories written in Ero-Ero Monthly."
"Oh, thank you for your time, Urashima-san," Karin bowed politely. She got up to leave.
"I said that I will not draw for Ero-Ero Monthly, not that I would not work for Saishoudoujin," the artist said, freezing the brunette in mid step. "I was struck by inspiration and I've got a few ideas for some short stories."
"Oh, I apologise unreservedly, Urashima-sensei," the visitor bowed respectfully. She took up her seat and sat ready to hear what Keitaro had to say to her.
"They're going to be illustrated novels, rather than just ero manga."
Later, at Saishoudoujin offices, Takeshi Kawashima was impressed with how well his co-workers plan had worked.
"He's a skilled artist, so I would have been happy to have him draw the covers," he admitted. "But to get some exclusive illustrated novels… I'm impressed Kenichi."
"When it comes to artistic types, you just need to know how to handle them," Kenichi Honda smiled. "I knew Urashima would never go for just being an artist on Ero-Ero Monthly, no matter what you offered him. He's got too much pride in his work for that.
"So by making an offer he sees as insulting, he counters with the chance to prove his artistic worth. Being an agent is all about handling egos, Takeshi, and if you're willing to keep your eyes and ears open, you'll learn a lot from me."
"I humbly await your wisdom, Sensei," Kawashima bowed theatrically.
Six months later, Keitaro was sorting through the mail. He smiled to himself when he saw the envelope addressed to him from Saishoudoujin. Slipping it into his pocket he continued sorting through the rest of the day's deliveries.
Turning around, he saw that Kitsune, Motoko and Naru were standing two metres from him.
"Here you go," Keitaro smiled, handing the letters to the appropriate recipient. "Is there something else?"
"Err…" Naru faltered. She nudged Motoko to take over.
"Well, there is…" the kendoist also found it difficult to talk about what was bothering her friends.
Kitsune sighed. She rolled her eyes and finally mentioned why they were standing in front of their landlord. "Keitaro, you've been a little… distant lately, and we're worried about you."
"I've been working at my other job, Kitsune," Keitaro replied with a shrug. "It's been a bit hectic, but you know what it's like when you're working to a deadline."
The ash-blonde rubbed the back of her head nervously, recalling that she hadn't written anything for a while.
"I'm sorry for being distant, but if you'd all like to go out, I'd be willing to treat you."
Kitsune's attitude changed completely. "Are you really going to pay for us all to have steak tonight?"
"If it will make my friends happy, then I'll make reservations at le Héraut Culinaire," Keitaro smiled.
"Where did you get that kind of money?" the voluptuous tenant asked. "Just what have you been doing for the last few months?"
"It's nothing illegal, Kitsune," the young man sighed. He paused to consider how much he should reveal to his friends. "If you really must know, I've been doing some writing."
"Hey, that's my gig! How would you like it if I muscled in on your turf and started to manage a dormitory?"
"It's a different kind of writing, Kitsune," Keitaro insisted, holding his hands up in an attempt to placate her. "Besides, I've been doing some drawing as well."
That quietened down the tenants and they turned their attention to their personal mail.
"Ah, Keitaro…" Kitsune said, suddenly fluttering her eyelashes at her landlord. "I don't suppose I could have an extension on my rent?"
Naru and Motoko face-palmed at their friend's shameless behaviour.
"P-l-e-a-s-e?" the sake-loving girl asked, having appeared at Keitaro's side. She started to trace circles on Keitaro's right arm.
Keitaro closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He was struck by a flash of inspiration. "Kitsune-chan, how much time do you need?"
"About two weeks…" she trailed off, well aware that she was taking a major liberty. She was already several weeks behind as it was.
"Mitsune-sempai, I…" Motoko was interrupted by Keitaro.
"Ok, Kitsune-chan, but that does mean we can't go to a fancy restaurant: it'll have to be karaoke and a beef bowl instead," the landlord said in a serious tone.
"That's fine," the ash-blonde beamed as she led her friends away.
Keitaro quickly made his way to his room to work on his latest idea.
It was obvious during the evening's karaoke that Keitaro was distracted by something.
"What's wrong with Sempai?" Shinobu asked when her crush had left to use the toilet. "He keeps getting the lyrics wrong and missing the cues."
"I'm not sure; do _you_ have any ideas, Mitsune-sempai?" Motoko asked, turning to her short-haired friend.
"Real subtle there, Motoko-chan. I asked Keitaro for an extension on my rent," Kitsune insisted. "He was fine with it so it's no big deal."
"But what if…" the chef trailed off, concerned for her friends.
"As much as it pains me to say this, Shinobu-chan," Naru sighed, "All Kitsune needs to do to distract Keitaro is engineer a situation where she 'forgets' to put the sign out and let Keitaro walk in on her."
"That only happened…" the ash-blonde trailed off to count on her fingers, "Four, no five times in the last two months."
"I think you're proving the point perfectly, Mitsune-sempai," Motoko sighed. "But you should be more responsible with your money."
"I'm getting better," Kitsune insisted. "It's not like I've gotten so irresponsible I've got to offer my body to Keitaro to keep him from kicking me out."
She smiled at everyone's blush until she looked up and saw Keitaro standing in the doorway. "Ah."
The former ronin was standing with his arms folded. "Indeed."
There was an uncomfortable silence as Keitaro walked to the table and finished his drink. "Well, I think it's time to call it an evening. We've eaten, we've had some fun and we've learned something. All in all, a success, wouldn't you agree?"
"Yeah, let's all go home," Naru nodded. She stood up and slipped on her jacket.
A few days later, Keitaro smiled as he slipped on his shoes.
"What's up with you?" Naru asked.
"I've completed my latest piece, Naru-chan. Ahead of schedule, too."
The brunette nodded, but had a troubled look on her face. "Keitaro…"
"What's up, Naru-chan?" the writer asked, looking up as he finished tying his shoelaces. He rose to his full height. "If there's something that I can help you with, please tell me."
"Well, it's…"
"Do you need some extra time to get the rent money?" Keitaro asked with a look of concern on his face. "It wouldn't be fair if I said no to you after I gave Kitsune-chan two weeks, would it?"
"Well…" Naru trailed off. 'Damn it, that's not it all, but how do I tell him this now?'
"I've got to get to post office, but if you need two weeks, you've got it. I'll be back later, ok?"
"Ok, Keitaro."
Kitsune lounged on the sofa in front of the TV, much to Motoko's annoyance.
"Do you have any idea what that posture is doing to your back?"
Naru shook her head, having long since learned to accept the fact that her sake-loving friend wasn't going to change her ways any time soon. She turned her attention to the ringing doorbell.
She rose to her feet and answered the door. "Hello, Mutsumi-chan."
"Hello, Naru-chan. Is Kei-kun in?" the Okinawan asked with a gentle smile.
"He's at the post office right now, but he should be back before too long if you'd like to wait for him."
"Is it alright if I wait in his room?" Mutsumi asked. "I wanted to talk to him about some coursework."
"Well…" Naru trailed off when she realised that she had a chance to find out what Keitaro was doing for his money. "I don't see why not, Mutsumi-chan."
As she was led into Keitaro's room, Mutsumi was surprised at her friend's request.
"You want me to go through Kei-kun's things?" she asked, clearly shocked to be asked such a thing.
"It's not like that, Mutsumi-chan," the brunette insisted. "It's just… Keitaro got a job, and he won't tell us all the details. We're just worried that someone's going to get hurt, that's all."
"But why can't you search through his things?" Mutsumi asked, chiding her friend.
"We all kinda promised not to," Naru trailed off.
The Okinawan sighed in disapproval. "That doesn't mean I should be going through his things, Naru-chan."
"I know, but…"
Mutsumi was torn between respecting one friend's privacy and ensuring the safety of another. She hesitated until she could come up with a suitable reason not to.
Eventually, it was Naru that found the solution.
"You only have to tell us if Keitaro's doing something illegal or anything that might be dangerous, otherwise you can keep his secret."
"Ok, Naru-chan."
Twenty minutes later, the front door opened.
"I'm back," Keitaro announced with his usual cheerful voice. He walked into the lounge to see Kitsune watching TV.
"Welcome back, Keitaro," the ash-blonde greeted, turning her upper body. "So, what's up at the post office?"
"It turns out that the queues move just as slowly on a Thursday as they do on a Monday," the writer smiled. "Did I miss anything here?"
"Mutsumi-chan is waiting for you in your room," the reclining girl answered.
"Oh, ok," Keitaro nodded, he quickly made his way to his room, hoping that curiosity hadn't gotten the better of Mutsumi.
Nearly taking his door of its hinges, he was greeted by the sight of one of his friends sitting at his desk looking through a sketchbook with a red face.
"M-Mutsumi-chan, is something wrong?"
"Kei-kun," Mutsumi said, "I… didn't realise that you were such a skilled artist."
"Wait, that's… I can explain," the bespectacled youth insisted. He closed the door behind him.
"You're good enough to be a professional, Kei-kun," the busty girl said as Keitaro sat at his table.
"That's for my job, Mutsumi-chan. I've been helping out with a series of illustrated novels."
Mutsumi nodded. "Who is 'Ivor Biggun'? It's his signature on the drawings."
Keitaro took a deep breath. "Mutsumi-chan, promise me you'll keep this a secret, ok?"
"I promise, Kei-kun."
"Mutsumi-chan, I've been writing a series of illustrated novels under the pen name 'Ivor Biggun' for the Saishoudoujin Publishing Company."
"But some of these drawings are…" the brunette's blush was enough for Keitaro to understand the incomplete sentence.
"Yes, I know. I've been drawing naughty pictures for the naughty stories I've been writing," Keitaro admitted. "The money's good, but I can't let the others know about it."
A small part of Keitaro had known all along that he wouldn't have been able to keep his part-time job a secret forever, but the six months had flown by.
"Kei-kun," Mutsumi interrupted her friend's thoughts. "I… would you mind… I mean, if it's possible could you… you know, draw a picture of me?"
"…"
The artist considered that request, and while there was a significant part of him that wanted to see Mutsumi naked, or at least in her underwear, he did recall that there were others at home and he could be interrupted at any moment.
"It'd be a pleasure to draw you, Mutsumi-chan."
The Okinawan smiled and removed her sweater. She was about to undo the buttons on her shirt underneath but was stopped by Keitaro.
"Wait, Mutsumi-chan, what if someone comes in? They'll get the wrong idea…"
Mutsumi nodded, having had seen the sort of misunderstanding that Keitaro was referring to on several occasions.
"Hold that pose," Keitaro instructed as he flipped through the sketchpad until he reached a blank page.
After reaching for his pencils, the artist started to work his magic, turning what seemed like harsh, random marks of graphite into a realistic depiction of Mutsumi Otohime's face and shoulders.
The whole process took five and a half minutes.
"There you go, Mutsumi-chan," Keitaro smiled as he removed the sheet from the pad.
"Thank you, Kei-kun," Mutsumi smiled as she looked at the picture Keitaro had made for her.
"I nearly forgot." The artist gestured for the portrait to be handed back to him. "'To Mutsumi Otohime, all the best, your friend, Ivor Biggun.' There you go, that should be worth something one day."
"You didn't need to do that, Kei-kun."
"Probably not," Keitaro shrugged, "but I wanted to do it for you."
"I mean, you should have signed it with your name," Mutsumi clarified. "There's nothing wrong with being who you are, Kei-kun."
The artist smiled. "Yeah, but I'd rather that everyone doesn't know who I am, Mutsumi-chan. You know what it was like when I first moved in here"
"But you should be proud of your skill, Kei-kun, you shouldn't have to hide behind a fake name."
Keitaro shook his head and handed a book to his friend. "Mutsumi-chan, here is something that I wrote a few months ago."
"'Miko-Miko Revolution, an illustrated novel by Ivor Biggun,'" the voluptuous girl read aloud. She turned it over to look at the blurb on the rear cover. "'Minako Kageyama is a shrine maiden living comfortably, if alone, at the Temple of Swords when a mysterious wandering ronin arrives to discuss business with the famous demon hunters of Jinneiryu Clan. Soon Minako's life is turned upside down and she must train in ways she never thought possible in order for her clan to survive.' Oh my."
"Yeah," the artist laughed nervously. "So you can see why I'd like to keep this a secret."
"Ok, Kei-kun, I'll keep this a secret on one condition."
"What's that, Mutsumi-chan?"
"That you write a story for me," Mutsumi blushed. "Something just for me."
"I-is there any genre in particular you'd like, Mutsumi-chan?" Keitaro asked, reaching for his sketchpad and flipping to blank page. "I mean, would you like something set in the Warring States period? Or perhaps you'd like something in modern times?"
"Just something with a happy ending, Kei-kun."
The artist took a deep breath and gave his subject a close examination, looking for details that could inspire him. He noticed that his scrutiny was causing Mutsumi to blush. 'Hmm, it's in danger of sounding pretentious, but I don't see why I can't try it…'
Keitaro started sketching the outline for his idea. He looked up. "What sort of story did you want, Mutsumi-chan? I mean, did you want a fully illustrated light novel or just something with words?"
"I… I don't mind, whatever you think is best, Kei-kun."
A short while later, Mutsumi blushed as she read the short story Keitaro had written for her.
"I… It's…"
Keitaro looked over it. "Yeah, it's not great, I'm sorry, I'll try something else for you, Mutsumi-chan."
"No, that's not what I meant, Kei-kun," the brunette insisted. "I meant that I didn't expect you to know what sort of thing… You know, the sort of thing I think I might like to do with the man I love.
"It's perfect and I'll treasure it forever."
Keitaro blinked in surprise at the sincerity of Mutsumi's words but shrugged. "I don't feel it's my best work, but if it makes you happy, Mutsumi-chan, than that's enough for me."
"How did you know what sort of thing that I might like?" the Okinawan asked, her cheeks colouring. "I've never told anyone about wanting to… you know…"
"I'm not sure, Mutsumi-chan," the artist shrugged. "I can't always, but sometimes I can just tell what sort of thing a girl likes when it comes to doing naughty stuff. I guess I could tell with you because you're an open and honest person."
"Do you think you could know about what Naru the others like?"
"Naru's too conflicted for me to get a proper reading, but I think that she wants someone decisive and take charge," Keitaro replied reflexively.
Mutsumi blinked. "H-how long have you known this?"
"Soon after I started working here," the artist answered. "Would you like me to tell you about the others?"
Mutsumi nodded.
"Motoko she wants someone manly, someone strong that she can rely on, but also someone kind and caring. Kitsune is more adventurous, but she's not nearly as experienced as the others think. Su likes the idea of hunting down her prey; she might also want to try food play. You know, whipped cream, bananas, that sort of thing."
"And Shinobu is desperate to be seen as mature, possibly because of her young age and would probably go along with so-called traditional techniques and methods. You know, missionary position with the lights out and under the sheets," Keitaro said, finishing his appraisal of his tenants.
Naru, Motoko and Kitsune had grown anxious waiting for Mutsumi to return with what she'd found out and crept towards Keitaro's room to listen in for any details.
What they heard was unexpected and it stirred up conflicting feelings in the girls.
Motoko felt that Keitaro seemed to know something incredibly personal about each of his tenants, something that could only have been gleaned from their personal journals. And she knew for certain that Keitaro had never read her diary.
Naru frowned as she mulled over the word conflicted in her head. 'Am I conflicted? I mean, sure if Keitaro was more decisive about what he wanted, then maybe I'd like him. But he's so wishy-washy…'
'Just how does he know about those sorts of personal details?' Kitsune wondered. She didn't keep a diary in case someone found out about her sexual fantasies and thought she was a slut.
The trio of eavesdroppers overheard Keitaro ask Mutsumi if she wanted something to drink and started to panic, each of them hindering the other two and preventing themselves from getting out of the way.
When the door opened, they fell over in a heap.
"What are you lot doing outside my room like that?" Keitaro asked. He looked further and saw that Motoko's head seemed to be pressed between Naru and Kitsune's breasts, while Naru's hand had lifted up her own skirt.
"Hehehe…" Kitsune chuckled nervously. "We can explain."
"It doesn't matter, but you might want to let Naru-chan sort her skirt out. The last time I saw her panties like that, she tried to punch me to Hokkaido."
The brunette blushed furiously and struggled to right her appearance.
In the kitchen, Keitaro found himself under intense scrutiny from the older residents.
"Well, Keitaro, are you going to tell us exactly what your job is?" Kitsune asked. It wasn't that big of a deal for her to know what Keitaro did, but she knew that her friends would still have some difficulty in asking the right questions.
"Are you sure you want to know?" Keitaro countered. "It's good, honest money that's allowed you to have an extension for your rent."
"Ah, about that…"
"Don't worry, I'm not going to come after you for the money," the artist smiled reassuringly.
The ash-blonde laughed nervously in response. "Thanks… But there is something that we want to know."
Keitaro sipped his drink. "Ok, what is it you want to know, Kitsune?"
"We heard what you said to Mutsumi-sempai," Motoko said, her cheeks colouring.
Naru nodded. "H-how did you learn about…?"
"About what?"
"What we want to know is how did you find out about our so-called likes when it comes to men, Keitaro," Kitsune asked.
"Well," Keitaro scratched the back of his head. "It comes from watching people."
"I knew you were a pervert, but to…" Naru's accusation was cut off by Kitsune.
"Naru if you send Keitaro flying, we won't find out about his job."
"But…"
"When I said watching people, I mean watching from a café and the like. You know, looking at their body language, seeing how they react to the things they see," the former ronin clarified. "I don't mean drilling holes in walls and staring at them when they're changing."
"No, you just have the unfortunate habit of walking in on them," Kitsune teased. "So you've managed to get a handle on our tastes in men. Or so you think…"
"Your private life is your own, Kitsune," Keitaro shrugged. "As long as you're not hurting anyone or breaking any rules, I don't really care what you do in your room."
"So you don't mind if one of us brings home a guy?" the ash-blonde asked.
"I do, but only because it's against the rules," the young man answered. After taking another sip of his drink, he added, "It's a dormitory, not a love hotel."
"So what were you working on that you needed to send to the post office so urgently, Keitaro?" Naru asked.
"It's my latest work; an illustrated short story."
"What's it called?" Kitsune asked. "And what's it going to be published in?"
"I…" Keitaro realised that if he wasn't careful, things were going to get out of hand. "I'd rather not say, it was a working title, after all."
"Oh, but where's it going to be published in? So we can be on the lookout for it."
"I used a pseudonym."
"You're not going to make us buy a load of different magazines just to keep this a secret, are you, Keitaro? That's so mean…" Kitsune teased.
"It's a specialist publication, Kitsune; it's only available via subscription," Keitaro said, looking increasingly unsettled. "And I think that you have to pay for a non-refundable subscription up front."
"Oh…" the ash-blonde replied. "Never mind then."
But just as Kitsune made a mental note to dig deeper for more information about Keitaro's work, Motoko realised something.
"Keitaro, what is the name you write under?" the kendoist asked. "Just in case we find your work reprinted in another publication."
"I…" 'Crap,' the artist thought. "If you must know, it's Biggun."
'Biggun? Why does that sound so familiar?' Naru pondered. "Well, I've still got some studying to do. I'll see you at dinner time."
Sitting at the desk in her room, Naru was trying to focus on her studies. Unfortunately, she was being distracted by Keitaro's revelation.
After three quarters of an hour of not getting anywhere with her work, the auburn haired girl finally decided to find out why something about Keitaro's work seemed so familiar. She got up from her desk and locked the door to her room.
Sure, there was that troublesome hole in the floor, but at least this way, people weren't going barge into her room while she searched her private archive.
The archive itself was a black box that was kept in the bottom of the closet.
'Not brought this out for a while,' Naru thought as she carried it over to her desk. She opened the box and placed the lid to one side. Reaching inside, she pulled out the nearest item: an illustrated light novel.
There was a good reason why this book, and the others in the box, had been kept secret from everyone at the Inn. The nature of its contents were more along the lines of something a single male might have, rather than a studious good girl like her.
Yes, Naru Narusegawa had a cache of erotic publications. Some were romantic manga, though none were shoujo-ai. There was one that had some shounen-ai content, but that was because the story in it was a love triangle.
Naru had read a yaoi doujin once before, but the characters involved hadn't shown any inclination for homosexuality. The characters in question were attractive, at least in the original series, but the situation that had brought them to the point where they were having sex with each other was far too contrived for her liking.
Besides that, the art had been questionable; unlike the artwork in this novella that she pulled out next.
Tales of Ribaldry was an anthology series written under the name Red Dragon. Naru didn't have many of the volumes of the series, as different volumes explored different themes.
The volume she had in her hands focused on the sort of life she fantasised about having with Seta when she was younger: a blend of swashbuckling adventure and steamy romance in exotic locations.
Looking down, the auburn-haired girl noticed a familiar looking name.
"Keitaro said his name was Biggun… he's not Ivor Biggun, is he?"
Flicking through the book in her hands, Naru scanned for the smallest hint that some of the artwork contained inside looked anything like Keitaro's drawings.
It was near the end of the book, in the last story where she saw the familiar art style.
Her cheeks turned scarlet as she looked at the detail on the illustration. A woman with short hair, in a similarly style to that of Haruka, was being carried out of a river, her shirt was open but clinging to her every curves, and her trousers were torn in strategic places that showed off what sort of underwear she had on.
It was quite arousing, given that the man who was carrying her had a broad, heavily muscled chest and matinee idol looks.
"Keitaro did draw this…"
To be continued…?
Pre-read by Chi Vayne and previewed on various intertubes.
Stalk me on Twitter LordRaa for dull, infrequent updates