Hello!
Not much about Yakenonokarasu here. Just another day in Akihito's life. :D
Grammar issues as usual. Enjoy at your own risk!
Disclaimer: VF belongs to YA
Chapter 13. The Uninvited Guests
"What do you mean you are outside!?" I yelled at my own phone although it was not its fault that I was in this situation now.
Mana-chan's cheerful voice could be heard coming from the device that I held at least 10 cm away from my ear, "We are here, at the gate of your house, but there're security guys and they said there's no Takaba living here."
I could even imagine her making air quotes around 'no Takaba living here' because she changed her voice to mimic the guard's accent. I squeezed my eyes shut and hit my phone against my forehead. Think, Akihito, think.
It's Saturday morning. The twins were spending the weekend at Tao's place and Mizuki was having a slumber party until tomorrow afternoon. Asami was still sleeping. He crawled into our bed at 5.30 AM in the morning, so most likely, he would continue sleeping until early afternoon. Perhaps, with some luck, I could just show my friends around and quickly usher them away before he even woke up.
"Oh my god, Takaba. You are living in a landed house in Tokyo with bloody security guards and you have never invited us! Are you freaking kidding me?" Another voice shouted.
Mana-chan squealed louder, "We come all the way to Tokyo to meet your girlfriend! You promised! I brought her an Omiyage*!"
"Uhhh, how did you get my address, by the way?" I asked instead, trying to buy myself a little time.
There was a shuffling noise and muffled squeaks before Kou's voice came, "They threatened to post my embarrassing photos from high school, Aki! Please don't get angry! I was blackmailed!"
Jovial laughs accompanied his half-hearted defence. I sighed. So my best friend had told them my address but didn't dare to explain that I had changed my name. None of the household staffs here would recognise my old name. Any letters addressed to Takaba Akihito would go into my studio office. Yeah, my life was complicated like that.
Having no other options, I pressed the intercom button that would link me to the guard house. I recognised the young man who appeared in the small monitor. He'd been working for Asami for years now, right after he was graduated from high school.
"Good morning, Asami-san," he greeted me respectfully. I could hear the ruckus my friends created on the background.
"There're people outside the gate, aren't there, Ueno-san?"
He looked apologetic. "Yes, they seem to go to the wrong house. My apologies, Asami-san, does their noise bother you? I can scare them away."
Oh, how I wished that I could say 'yes, could you please send them back to whatever hell they came from quickly, call the police if needed!' so that I didn't have to face this mess. But, it would be rude and it just wasn't in my bone to do that to my old friends.
"Let them in," I finally said in defeat.
He hesitated. "Kirishima-san didn't mention any plan for guests today, Asami-san."
I could understand his uncertainty. Asami wasn't a forgiving boss and he had made it clear that his family privacy was the most important duty to those working inside his households. If his boss — which is Asami, not me, mind you — was unhappy with these unexpected guests, Ueno-san would be lucky to get away with all his body parts intact.
"They are my friends," I explained to him.
It clearly didn't convince Ueno-san because the man just stood there, looking like I had just asked him to sacrifice his first-born. I massaged my throbbing temple.
"Listen, I will take responsibility for this," I told him. "If anything, you can just tell your asshole boss that I forced you, ok?"
That seemed to be a good enough argument for him. With a quick nod, he said, "Understood. I will bring them in, Asami-san."
"Awwwww! Look at the swimming pool! If it isn't this cold, I'd have jump in!"
"Wait, is that a guest bungalow? You have a bungalow beside your house?"
"God, how much does this place cost? Billions?"
My friends shouted their amazements as they roamed around the house, not caring that I had asked them to keep their voice down. Apparently, Mana-chan and the other two ladies were having a 'girl-only' holiday and they decided to stop by at my place. Uninvited, of course. Kou could only send me an apologetic grin.
Mayu, Mana-chan's best friend, was sitting on the leather sofa that Kirishima had ordered specifically from Italy. She was a slender lady with a face that reminded me of a classic Japanese princess in historical drama. It's too bad that her fashion taste was such a sharp contrast from her elegant physique. Today, she was smelling like a cheap perfume and wearing a very revealing red dress that made her look like…well, like the opposite of a classic Japanese princess.
"Aki, does your rich girlfriend have a single brother? I am also single, you know that, right?"Mayu asked.
Wait a minute. I tried to jog my memory. "Ummm, didn't I attend your second wedding—owwww! What the hell?!"
A violent slap from Kou to the back of my head and a surprisingly painful pinch from Mana on my back stopped me mid-sentence.
"Divorced again," they both whispered at the same time. "Last summer. Don't ask."
The warning came a little too late, because Mayu's eyes watered and within seconds, she started sobbing. I was flooded with panic. Comforting a crying girl had never been my forte.
"Is it my fate to be alone forever?" Mayu cried with enough theatric to rival an opera singer. "Why did he break my heart?!"
"Oh, Mayu, don't cry for that jerk again," Akiko, the third lady in the group, quickly tried to console her. "He is a lazy asshole who is leeching from you. You yourself said that he has never made you happy. You deserve better and I am sure the right man is just waiting around the corner for you."
"Yes, Akiko is right," Mana-chan quipped in. "That's why we are having this trip, no? We are going to meet as many men as possible and one of them will surely fall for you! This time, it will be forever!"
I am not sure there was such guarantee in love, but Mana-chan was sending me a deadly glare, so I cheerfully joined the chorus, "Yups! Let me and Kou bringing you around Tokyo's best clubs! We'll find a new man for you!"
"A hot one," Kou added loudly. "Handsome, with a six-pack abs, tall."
"Kind and romantic," Mayu squealed. "Someone who will buy you a bouquet of flowers for every anniversary!"
"And, most importantly, rich!" Mana-chan promised.
That was such a long list of requirement, in my humble opinion, but obediently, I nodded my agreement. Either she shared my disbelief that such a perfect guy was too good to be true or my nod was not enough for the broken hearted, because instead of calming down, Mayu wailed like a banshee.
"No one will ever love meeeee," she bawled, tears and snot all over her beautiful face, while everyone tried to hug and shush and cheer her up, all at the same time. "I will be aloooneee foreeeeveerrrrr!"
And it was during that chaos when a deep baritone voice cracked through the high-pitched wail, awkward consolation, and forced cheerfulness.
"What the hell is happening here?" Asami asked from the top of the stairs, making an imposing figure despite clearly just being woken up and wearing only a loose silk pants.
There was a few seconds of awkward silent before my arguable survival instinct kicked in and I quickly announced to my friends, "Everyone, this is my landlord, Asami-san. Asami-san, these are my high school friends."
Kou managed to turn his laughter into a very bad cough, although I didn't think it was very convincing. Asami clearly didn't look impressed. At my introduction, obviously, not at Kou's non-existent acting skill. He opened his mouth, most likely to object to his status as my landlord, but my silent puppy-eyes expression and the loud gasps behind me stopped him from saying anything. If this was a cartoon, I was sure I could hear the jaws of the three ladies behind me dropping onto the floor.
"Oh. my. god. Aki!" Mayu attempted to whisper although I was quite sure that Asami could hear her loud and clear from his position a few metres away from us. She squeezed my forearm in her excitement. "Please tell me he is single!"
Mana-chan sounded puzzled as she asked, "Landlord? I thought you are living with your girlfriend?"
And Kou was still fake-coughing, obviously enjoying the soap-opera he had put me — who should be his best friend — in.
I turned around toward my friends, plastered a big smile that I hoped wouldn't look too fake, and explained, "Asami-san is my girlfriend's…distant, uhh, cousin. He is the owner of this house. My girlfriend is…uh, away, at the moment."
Mana-chan didn't look convinced. "When is she going to be back?"
"Ummm," I was looking around, hoping to find some inspiration from all the expensive furnitures around me to answer the innocent question. "Uhhhhh…"
Before I could dig my own grave deeper, Asami's cool voice saved me. "Sunday. She is visiting a relative," he lied smoothly.
I didn't realise that he had walked down the stairs, moreover moved to such a close distance from me. I could smell his aftershave, a masculine blend of musk and sandalwood. The scent alone triggered a burning desire deep within me.
Clearly, it had affected all the ladies too, because they all gaped at Asami's half naked body. I wouldn't even be surprised if they started drooling over him. As he matured, Asami was still a sight to behold. It wasn't only about his body, barely covered by his silk pants hanging from his hips, emphasising his impressive abs and the silhouette of his bulging package, his chest covered with solid muscle, his broad shoulders offering a promise of strength.
Yes, those physical traits increased his sex appeal. But, his strongest charm originated from his character, the way he carried himself. He had this unapologetic confidence that attracted people, despite their gender. It wasn't the arrogance that many powerful men used to mask their own insecurities. This was a man that had nothing to prove. And there was nothing sexier than a man who knew his own worth and was perfectly comfortable in his own skin.
Our loud voices had to have awoken him from sleep. I glanced at the clock and noticed it wasn't even 10 AM yet. The man had only slept for less than 5 hours and I felt a pang of guilt. Asami had been working like a mad man in a sacred mission these past week. It seemed that although the Takamiyas had calmed down, the threat from Yakenonokarasu had increased. It became often that he would get a call in the witching hour; he'd cursed, gotten dressed silently, and been ready to go despite the lack of sleep.
"You didn't tell me that you were expecting guests today, Akihito," he told me accusingly, but there wasn't any anger in it. In fact, he sounded more playful than annoyed. The man had a glint in his golden eyes, one that by now, after years of living together, I was unfortunately too familiar with. He had just found a new entertainment for himself. Me, with my pathetic attempt to lie to my friends. Well, technically, I was trying to cover a lie with another lie. Not that it made a difference.
His comment prompted Mana-chan to bow and respond politely, "Our apologies for intruding, Asami-san. My name is Ito Mana, but please, just call me Mana-chan. Everyone does. These are Sugiyama Mayu and Masuda Akiko. We are Akihito's high school friends and we come here to give our gratitude to Aki's girlfriend, err…"
She was looking at me, silently asking for the name of my imaginary girlfriend. Like a deer caught in the headlights, I merely stared back at her, eyes wide. How would I know the name of a girl that didn't even exist?
I hadn't missed Asami's amused smirk when the man offered calmly, "…Sakurako?"
"Yes! Sakurako-san!" Mana-chan agreed triumphantly, not realising that she had taken Asami's bait. "Akihito had told us a lot about her, it seems like we know her personally! Good things, of course!"
A raised brow accompanied Asami's loaded comment, "Did he?"
"Oh yes," Mayu added, hoping to score some points from the handsome distant cousin. "Akihito is head over heels for her. He kept telling us about his beautiful and graceful Sakurako-san and how lucky he is to get her."
Asami gave her his infamous smile, one that could make me stop breathing, "He is very lucky, indeed." Mayu literally fanned her face with her hand, as if she was going to melt into liquid.
With an evil glint in his amber eyes, Asami continued, "Do you know that it's love on a first sight? Hmm, remind me, Akihito, you met her at…"
And purposely, he turned his gaze towards my fidgeting self, challenging me to conclude the fake love story. Even I knew that him helping me with this little lie was a trap. That asshole knew that I was a terrible liar!
"Uhhh…," was all I managed to utter. Everyone was looking at me, waiting for my answer. And for some unknown reasons, the only thing that crossed my mind was, "…laundromat?"
Maybe because I had planned to do the laundry today before Mana-chan and her friends disturbed my day. Kou's cough had escalated to the point where I was tempted to bring him to the emergency room. Traitor.
"Laundromat?" Akiko asked with a confused expression. "Why did a lady living in a place like this needs to go to the laundromat?"
The others nodded their uncertainty too. I was speechless. My brain had betrayed me. It went on strike and decided to close its operation. No cover story came up to my mind.
Taking pity on me, or perhaps he was just taking his time to toy with his victim like a shark smelling blood, Asami casually replied, "Ah yes, our family's laundromat! She was there just to check on stuffs when he was doing his laundry. They bumped into each other and, right then and there, just like that, they know that the other is their soulmate. Isn't that romantic?"
I thought it sounded more like a bullshit. It was such a shitty lie that I was sure anyone could smell it from across the ocean. But apparently my friends had thought that it was so sweet they started to ooh and aah.
"I brought an Omiyage for Sakurako-san, actually. She had helped us a lot in the past. Without her, we would have spent the night in jail," Mana-chan quipped in. "It's unfortunate she is not at home."
Asami looked like the cat that ate the canary when he graciously offered, "Why don't you guys stay over for the night? You are on a holiday, right? I can send someone to get your stuffs from your hotel. We have a lot of empty rooms and I am sure Sakurako will be very happy to meet Akihito's old friends if she come back tomorrow."
All three of my friends look at each other, amazed at how fortunate they were to get such an opportunity. When they gave a happy squeal as an answer, I glared at Asami.
The man, of course, was simply looking back at me, a sadistic sneer hanging on his face. That's how I knew that there would be a high price to pay for making him the accomplice in my little lie.
A very, very high price.
"So, how was Akihito in high school?" Asami asked casually once the waiter took our order.
He had brought us to one of his favourite restaurant, Joel Robuchon. It was located right in the neighbourhood of Yebisu, in the form of a french 'Chateau' that was apparently rebuilt stone by stone in homage to Moulinsart. Asami didn't own the restaurant. But he seemed to know the people who manage the place, because they were ready at the entrance to greet him by name every time we visited.
Out of solidarity, Mana-chan sent an uncertain glance at me. She had been the only female student whom I could consider a close friend back in high school. So, she had to feel a certain loyalty before telling my secrets to this person she wasn't so familiar with.
Mayu, however, had no qualm to sell my secrets to her most prospective new husband. "Oh, he was always the delinquent. Skipping classes or fighting with other students. It's a surprise that he turns out alright." She laughed as if it was funny.
Asami looked unconvinced, "Fighting with other students? Really, Akihito?"
"They were the ones picking a fight. Everyone knows that," Kou came to my defence. "Nakano and his group has always been assholes."
Mana-chan bit his lower lips before she said softly, "And it's also because they were bullying other students. Akihito were only trying to defend them."
She had been one of those students who were being bullied by Nakano and his dumb friends. Thankfully, I had stopped it before it went as bad as what the others had gone through, but she had experienced first-hand what a jerk Nakano could be when he thought that it could get him what he wanted. That had been the start of my peculiar friendship with one of the most popular girl in high school.
"Nakano?" Asami tilted his head slightly, thinking. "Why does the name sound familiar?"
I grumbled. "Well, you have met him before. At your hospital."
It took him a while before recognition filled his expression with distaste. "The rude man who bully the receptionist when you were having stomach flu?"
I nodded grimly.
"Oh. My. God. You also have a hospital?" Mayu asked with a brand new excitement. Of course, from all those information, she would only catch the only detail that had nothing to do with the topic of our conversation. Annoyance grew inside me. Although, to be fair, it might not because of her ability to grasp an idea, or lack thereof. I didn't really appreciate how close she was sitting next to Asami by now. Any closer and she would be literally sitting on his lap. But Asami didn't seem to mind.
"I do," Asami answered in a matter-of-fact tone. The man didn't like to brag. He believed that bragging was only for the insecure. It was beneath him to brag. But he also didn't like to underplay his own achievement. Modesty was not a word in Asami's dictionary.
Akiko smiled coyly, "You seem like a very accomplished man, Asami-san. I can't help but wonder why there's no 'Mrs. Asami' yet."
I could recognise a joint-force when I saw one. Akiko was trying to figure out if Asami already had someone. I had to admire her strategy: by supporting her friend to get a new rich husband, she could also get benefits from it.
"Well," Asami sighed dramatically. "The person I wish to be with doesn't want to be seen with me. I am not even allowed to introduce myself as their lover to their friends."
I choked on my tea, coughing loudly to clear my breathing pipe.
Mayu's gasp which follow that statement perfectly described her disgust without a single word even said. I could only imagine her thought process: The audacity of this unknown woman! What kind of a woman refuse to be with a man like Asami-san, moreover to be embarrassed to be seen with him? Any woman would be proud to have this man by their side.
Or something along those lines, I was sure.
Kou's faked cough had also return with a vengeance.
"An unrequited love!" Akiko exclaimed. "Who can guess that a man like you also experience such thing, Asami-san."
The small resigned smile on Asami's face softened his usually stoic expression, giving him a look of a man who was trying to hide his broken heart behind a mask of calmness. I knew it was all acting. He wasn't the type who would casually share his emotions if it didn't give him any benefit. But he was so good at manipulating his expression when he needed to, it looked very real. Honestly, if he ever lost his business to his enemies, he should just become an actor, because I would love to meet the person who wouldn't fall for his acting. By now, my friends were already emotionally-invested with his sad love story.
"We met while we were at work. I was there on a business meeting while this person worked at the same area as a photographer," he started his tale.
Business meeting, my ass, I thought bitterly.
"A photographer!" Mana-chan yelled. She turned towards me, "Do you know her, Akihito? Don't tell me she is your colleague!"
"Uhhhh," was the smartest response I could say.
Asami nodded solemnly. "Please, don't push Akihito, Mana-chan. He is just being considerate of my feelings. But yes, Akihito knows this person." The evil glint in his eyes went unnoticed by me.
Bloody yes, I knew this person! Because this person was clearly me! Asami just wanted to say bad things about me with me unable to do anything about it.
"What happened next?" Akiko asked, disturbing my internal debate on stabbing my own husband with the fork. It would surely give him a slow painful death and my inner devil cheered on the thought.
Asami let out a longing sigh, as if the memory itself brought him happiness. "I saw this person for the first time and I fell for them. Oh yes, I fell hard," he chuckled. "They didn't like me at all in the beginning. Hated me with every fibre in their body, I'd say."
And now, I got caught in his tale down the memory line too. Yes, I had hated him in the beginning. I hadn't trust him at all. But then, Asami had proven over and over again how much he'd like to protect me. He didn't mention it in so many words, but his actions described his love louder than any love declaration could do. I just forgot about it at times.
"But, we grew closer over the years. We have…an understanding, I guess, of what our role is in each other's life," he continued. "It still doesn't change the fact that they are ashamed about me, though."
Perhaps, his manipulation skill was just too great, but even I was moved by the thin bitterness in his voice. He did sound genuinely sad and dejected. And suddenly, I couldn't take it anymore.
"I don't think they are ashamed about you, Asami-san," I said quickly, without thinking.
Everyone turned their attention to my direction. Pressured by the silent expectation to elaborate further, I managed to let out, "I know them. They…they have nothing to be ashamed of. Uhh, I mean, about you. Of course."
Mayu wasn't happy that I made a statement which could sabotage her plan to get a new husband, so she chipped in, "Well, she clearly doesn't feel proud of him either! If she does, why don't she introduce him to her friends?"
Ugh, that comment hit a little too close to home. Not that I am not proud of Asami. But seriously, how could I explain the complicated relationship I had with him to outsiders?
She continued, "You deserve better than her, Asami-san. This woman must think too highly of herself! Who does she think she is? Is she so great that she thinks you are not enough for her? Tell me, Asami-san, is she famous? Wealthy? Heavenly beautiful? A perfect wife potential?"
I could help to answer her with a simple "No. No. No. And hell, no." but I was too speechless to respond.
Asami's voice, however, sounded surprisingly tender when he answered with calm certainty, "Perhaps not to other people. But to me, this person is my everything. I live and die for them. Hell, I'd kill for them."
And that had shut Mayu up way faster than an outright rejection.
To be fair, it had shut me up too.
Mayu kept a more polite distance after that, although it didn't really stop her from trying to find her way into Asami's heart. I overheard her and Akiko agreeing that as long as there was no ring around Asami's finger, all was fair in love. Well, she could try. After Asami's simple but mind-blowing statement, her attempt didn't bother me as much anymore. The man was mine as much as I was his. This knowledge alone had put a smile on my face and a spring to my steps.
Asami needed to go to his office after lunch so we decided to split ways. Kirishima would go with him, while Soga would drive us around. My friends and I went to every tourism spots that anyone would go in Tokyo, followed with dinner, and then, of course, club-hopping.
I brought them to some of Asami's best club and Mayu was eager to meet 'plenty of fishes in the sea'. The moment she stepped into the crowd, she had forgotten about trying to find her way into Asami's heart. She swapped numbers with quite a number of men and even danced with some of them. She seemed happy and hopeful again. So, I guessed, overall, it was mission accomplished.
By the time we dropped Kou at his flat and drove back to my house, it was way past midnight. I showed them their rooms at the guest house. One of Asami's staffs had brought their luggages from the hotel.
"This place is even more luxurious that the hotel we were in!" Mana-chan told me before I was engulfed in her bear-hug. "Thank you, Aki! Our last night in Tokyo is truly unforgettable because of you!"
I patted her shoulder gently. "Anytime, Mana-chan. You know that."
I bid them good night and walked the short distance to the main house. As I entered the main living area, I found Asami sitting on his usual chair, reading from his tablet. A glass of his favourite whiskey was on the side table. He looked tired, as he had always been these days.
"Hey," I greeted him softly.
He looked up and smiled. Something in him seemed to brighten, as if I had solved all his problems simply by entering the room. It might be invisible to others, but very obvious to me. Almost 2 decades of living together would do that. And I didn't realise how much I had taken his affection for granted up until now.
He is my everything, too. I live and die for him. Hell, I'd kill for him.
"How's your friends?" he asked.
I shrugged, "They are super happy at the moment. We managed to find a few candidates for Mayu's new husband, so you are safe for now."
He laughed. For a while, the tired lines on his face softened and he looked relax. "She is really something, isn't she?"
"That, she is," I agreed. "Thank you for being so kind to them. I know you don't have to."
He put down his tablet on the side table as I climbed onto his lap. His arms surrounded me like a protective barrier, providing another layer between me and the outside world. His legs beneath me felt as solid as granite, grounding me. He smelled good, like pines in the cold winter air, the scent of his fancy soap.
"As long as you are happy, Akihito."
For a few peaceful minutes, we just sat there, cuddling, enjoying each other company.
"Ryu?"
His murmur was barely audible as he nuzzled my hair, "Hmm?"
"Who is Sakurako?"
He stilled. It was only for a millisecond, but I could feel him stop moving against my skin. Then, "Just a random name that popped into my head. Why?"
His instinctive reaction made his answer suspicious, but I decided to let it go. For now. The day had been too good to be soured by my curiosity. "Nothing, just curious. I thought you will use Haruka or Mizuki. You know, names that are more familiar to us. At least, that's what I almost did."
He feigned a surprise, "Seriously, Akihito? You will use our teenage daughter's name for your imaginary girlfriend? Do you have a confession you want to tell me? Do I need to report you to the police?"
"Bastard," I playfully punched his hard stomach. "If anyone is going to go to the police to report someone, it should be me! Your list of crime could perhaps make them busy for the next year or so. I might even get an imperial medal for helping them catching you!"
"After I helped you lie to you friends? That's how you are going to pay me, huh?"
I blushed. "How would you like me to thank you then?"
He said simply, "How about by serving me dinner? I am hungry. I was too busy, I haven't ate."
Sounds simple enough.
I should have known better.
Asami had known that it would eventually be worth it to postpone his dinner that night. He wasn't in a hurry when he took the high-end take-away container full with fresh sushi and sashimi out of the had gone to the other side of the city that evening just to buy it. Sushi and sashimi were always Akihito's favourite, something that his husband would get whenever they would like to celebrate the little wins in life.
With the container box in one hand and a glass of cold beer in the other, he went back to the dining table where Akihito was waiting for him.
"Sushi and beer," he said with a grin. "Your favourite, Akihito."
Of course, the reply that he received was only a grumble.
It was time like this that made Asami feel grateful he had insisted to have a western-style house instead. Akihito had wanted a traditional Japanese house, where the entire family could sit on the tatami around the dining table. But now, staring at the naked body of his husband sprawling across the sturdy wooden table, silk ropes tying Akihito's wrists and ankles securely to the four table legs, he was sure that it was indeed a good decision to go with furnitures that could function as bondage equipment as well.
"I hope you are comfortable, because it will take some time to finish all this food."
With a gag ball inside his mouth, Akihito wouldn't be able to answer him. Not with words, at least. But his husband managed to make a guttural noise accompanied with a deadly glare. It seemed more like a complain than an appreciation for Asami's effort to get his favourite food. But a quick look at Akihito's right hand assured Asami that this was all-bark-and-no-bite situation.
Earlier, he had folded his tie and slipped it into Akihito's right palm, with a clear instruction for Akihito to drop it whenever he wanted to stop. After all, this was supposed to be a fun time for the both of them, not a torture. And a trip to the ER because of a bondage-gone-wrong situation was the last thing he wanted to do tonight. Imagine explaining that to the ER doctor.
Asami opened the container and the familiar smell of fresh sushi and vinegar made his stomach growled. It was way past dinner time and he was truly hungry. But, he could wait a little bit more.
Akihito watched in horror as Asami took the first sushi, using the chopstick to drag the piece of food slowly against Akihito's porcelain skin before leaving it right on top Akihito's belly button. That was when realisation dawned on Akihito's face.
Oh yes, Akihito. Tonight, you are going to serve me dinner, on your naked body.
He didn't rush as he arrange all the remaining sushis and sashimi on Akihito's skin. His husband instinctive pulled against the ropes every time Asami touched a ticklish part of his body. Lower stomach. Nipples. Inner thighs. After more than a decade of marriage, Asami could map Akihito's body with his eyes closed. He knew all the spots that would make Akihito giggling like a little boy as much as the ones that would send Akihito into arousal within second.
"You will drop my dinner if you don't stop moving too much," Asami warned him cooly. "And you won't like the punishment I had in mind if that really happens."
The final result was spectacular. The food arrangement on Akihito's lean naked body looked like a masterpiece, if he could say so himself. He had placed the sashimi along Akihito's curvy erection. Some sushis circling both nipples, like flowers with stalks that led to the belly button, before continuing down towards the array of sashimi down there.
He poured the sauce onto Akihito's nipples and the sudden cold made Akihito shook. The pink buds looked ripe enough to be plucked and Asami leaned in to get a taste. A little salty from the sauces, yet so hard and tight against his tongue. Akihito shivered, struggling to stay still so that he wouldn't drop the food from his body. He looked so beautiful, being at Asami's mercy like this. They should have done this more often.
Asami took his chopsticks. "Itadakimasu," he said with a sly leer before starting to escalate the level of the sensual torture his husband would need to endure. He alternated between eating and playing with Akihito's body. The younger man could only watch in frustration as Asami decided to switch between pain and pleasure. Pinching, stroking, pulling, caressing, scratching. Lips, necks, armpits, chest, stomachs, penis, balls, inner thigh, feet. Over and over again.
When Asami circled his erection with the tip of the metal chopsticks, Akihito couldn't stay still any longer. The younger man arched his back into a tight bow, trying to escape the maddening sensation. The ropes made his effort to avoid Asami's assault impossible. The helpless man let out a sob that gave away his frustration. And judging by the condition of his cock, Akihito would have shot his load if it wasn't because of the cock ring Asami put in place, stopping him from ever reaching orgasm.
Slowly, Asami dipped his fingers into that tight hole peeking between Akihito's legs. One finger, and then two, scissoring the younger man open from the inside. It earned him a desperate moan. Three fingers. The hips started to move in sync with his movement. When he suddenly thrusted all five fingers together, Akihito's body jumped, throwing the leftover on his body all over the table, and a sharp, sensual groan unexpectedly came out. It was a nice surprise, Asami had to admit.
"You like it, don't you?" he laughed at the reaction.
Akihito shook his head vigorously, refusing to admit defeat. It was fine for Asami. The more Akihito fought, the more he itched to make his husband submit. There was nothing more pleasing that the knowledge that he could turn his prude husband into writhing sensual creature begging for Asami's cock.
"No?" he faked a disappointed tone before using the chopsticks to pull and twist Akihito's right nipple. The agonising scream that came from Akihito's gagged mouth was a mixture of pain and pleasure.
"Shhh," he said. "You wouldn't want to wake your friends, would you? The guest house isn't as far as you might think and the night is quiet enough for the wind to easily cary your voice. What would they think, finding you tied on this table, using your naked body as my dinner plate like a slave?"
Akihito panted, clearly trying to control his reaction. Saliva streamed down from the edge of his forcefully opened lips, tears leaking from his hazel eyes. Akihito was still rock hard. And all along, the younger man had hold the folded tie tight inside his right hand.
His husband was a willing victim for his darkest desire. It was perfect.
"That's it. Good boy. Stay quiet."
He slowly moved the chopsticks to the other nipple to give it the same treatment, enjoying the way Akihito's hazel eyes followed his movement with anticipation. Sometimes, the waiting could be as torturous as the pain itself. And when Asami finally pinched the lonely pink bud between the two sticks, Akihito thrusted his hips, his cock dripping with precum. A barely concealed yell escaped his mouth.
Asami untied and took out the ball gag. Akihito moaned as Asami gently massaged the sore muscles around his husband's jaw.
"You must be thirsty," Asami commented calmly.
He drunk his beer, kept some inside his mouth, and passed it to Akihito using a deep vicious kiss. Their tongue fought each other and the bitter taste of the beer heightened the sensation.
"Ryu," Akihito cried. "Please. I need you inside me."
Akihito's body trembled as if his husband could no longer control his body reaction. The erect cock had turned red from the pressure of the cock ring.
"But I haven't had dessert, Akihito," he playfully complained before taking the cock in front of him into his mouth.
Asami didn't do head often. Truth to be told, he didn't like it very much. But when he did, he performed it with the expertise of a trained whore. Akihito's moan was frantic, stirring the insatiable urge deep inside Asami to bury his own cock inside his husband's warm body.
"God, Ryu! Ahhhhhhh! Please, please! Let me come!"
He ignored it, focusing his attention on servicing Akihito's cock instead.
"Ryu, please!" The crying become desperate. Loud. Akihito didn't care anymore about his surrounding. "Oh my god, please! I need you!"
Asami needed him too.
As they were both driven with desire, it took some time to untie Akihito so that the younger man could sit at the edge of the table, straddling him. Their bodies were burnt hot with needs. His heartbeat felt loud inside his chest. The urgency to enter his husband body was as instinctive as the need for air. Pulling Akihito's legs over his shoulders, he pushed his cock inside in a single deep thrust.
His husband screamed, but the sharp pain soon turned into pleasure and Akihito started to moan.
Asami loved Akihito's moans.
And that's when he noticed a figure standing behind the full glass door that separated the dining area and the patio outside.
It was Mana-chan, eyes wide, hands covering her open mouth.
Mana couldn't sleep. It was nothing bad. She had always had a hard time sleeping in an unfamiliar bed. So she took her phone and started browsing mindlessly as she waited for sleep to come.
That's when she started to hear a scream. It scared her, but it came from the main house and suddenly she was worried for Akihito. Bracing the cold night, she took her jacket and walked out to cross the short distance to the long glass door that would lead her to the living area.
The closer she was, the clearer the muffled scream became. As if someone was trying to get help with their mouth covered with cloth. Quickly, she run towards the door.
The first thing she noticed was movements. The entire living area was an open space, where there was no wall dividing the kitchen, the dining room, and the rest of the space. She could see a silhouette on top of the table, moving, slowly sitting. She moved closer towards the door to get better lighting.
She nearly shouted when she realised that it was Akihito, completely naked, his back towards her, sitting at one edge of the dining table. Asami-san stood tall in front of her friend, facing her, mostly clothed, but there was no way she could mistaken their position. Especially not after Asami-san pulled Akihito's legs over his broad shoulders.
Asami-san closed his eyes, thrusted in a single move, and Akihito arched like a bow, screaming. Her first thought was 'rape' and she was about to move to help, when the scream quickly dissolved into moans. Asami-san opened his eyes, his satisfied expression belonged to one who knew fully well that the person they embraced was his and his alone, before starting to move faster. She covered her mouth to stop herself from shrieking her shock.
And that's when they locked eyes.
Asami-san didn't even bother to stop. In fact, his rhythm picked up. Keeping Akihito's head in place with one hand so that he didn't see her, Asami-san stared back right at her, sneered, and very slowly, raised his free forefinger in front of his lips. His message behind the universal gesture was clear.
Stay quiet.
She couldn't move. She might fall if she moved because she could feel her legs turn into jelly. Leaning against door knob, she tried to keep herself upright. Later in the morning, she would question herself why she hadn't looked away. But at that moment, she just couldn't. Perhaps, it was shock. Or maybe curiosity. Whatever the reason was, her gaze was pinned at the scene unfolding in front of her.
Any other person would have stopped and confronted her for intruding. Any other person would feel embarrassed at getting caught in such an intimate moment. But clearly, Asami-san wasn't like any other person.
The man didn't seem perturbed by her presence. If anything, it looked like he enjoyed the opportunity to display her dominance over Akihito. His movement became more aggressive and the thrusts got sharper, as if he wanted to say "Mine!" with every jab of his hips. The muscles on his body ripped as he braced most of Akihito's weight against him, practicing a sensual position that Mana had thought was only a myth before.
I am not even allowed to introduce myself as their lover to their friends, Asami-san had told them during lunch.
The shout Akihito let out was growing desperate, "More, Ryu! Deeper!" The two men grunted as Asami picked up the pace.
We have…an understanding, I guess, of what our role is in each other's life.
Asami-san threw his head back, his face looked like he was enjoying a treat from heaven, eyes shut and lips slightly opened. Mana-chan wondered whether he had made a sound, because she couldn't hear any other voice than Akihito's.
Suddenly, Akihito's body shook as he yelled Asami-san's given name.
And then, silent.
Asami-san kept a straight face when Mana entered the dining room that morning. Akihito greeted her with a loud, "Morning, Mana-chan! Did you sleep well last night?"
No, she couldn't sleep at all. The scene on the dining table had been repeating itself inside her mind like a broken recording. But she plastered a smile and answered, "Morning, Aki. Yups, I slept like the dead last night. Nothing could have woken me."
She might have heard Asami-san snorted at her answer, but she couldn't be sure.
"That's great!" Akihito continued innocently. "Shall I get you breakfast?"
He had prepared a japanese-style breakfast. Mayu and Akiko were already eating at the dining table. But the memory of what had happened on that same table just a few hours before had killed her appetite.
"Honestly, I am not so hungry," she said instead. "Would you mind if I just get a glass of milk, if you have any?"
"Sure," Akihito replied with a puzzled frown. Then, as he stood up to get it for her, he winced, grabbing the back of his hips as if his backside was still sore from the physical activity last night. Upon closer look, she could even notice purple marks around his wrists. The realisation scared her a little.
What kind of a relationship Akihito had with this man?
She quickly stopped him, "I can find it on my own," and went into the kitchen right away to buy herself a little time to calm down.
Opening the fridge, she found the box of milk. She was about to pour it into a glass when she heard footsteps behind her. She turned. It was the devil himself, Asami-san. Still looking as handsome and impressive as the day before. Yet, today, she had trouble looking at him in the eyes.
"Good morning," Asami-san said casually, as if she hadn't witnessed him fucking her friend the night before. Her male friend. Who has a girlfriend!
She could only murmur an unintelligible reply. He strode past her towards the sink, not caring at all that she had glared at his back as he walked, before she found the courage to ask quietly so that the others wouldn't hear her, "Does Sakurako-san know?"
Asami-san stilled for a brief second. Then, bursted into quiet laughter.
And that's how Mana knew. "There has never been a girlfriend, am I right?" she whispered softly as her mind finally caught up with all the missing pieces. "The person who got us out of jail. Akihito's rich and powerful lover. It was you all along."
Still chuckling, Asami-san merely said, "Bingo, Sherlock."
And just like that, the man continued towards the sink. He put his dirty plate down and walked back towards the living area. No explanation. No excuses. No apologies.
Wouldn't people feel awkward at times like this? Wouldn't they feel shame in front of someone who had caught them doing private activity that should have been done behind closed door? Wouldn't they at least apologise for causing inconvenience for their guests?
But Asami-san didn't seem to even care. It's obvious that the man felt he had nothing to hide. He didn't care what she thought about him or his relationship. Why would he? Unlike most people Mana-chan knew, Asami-san clearly didn't have the instinctive need to please anyone else. Something that she had never seen before in her life. And she wondered how freeing that would be, waking up in the morning not having to worry about how your colleagues would judge your performance or how your friends would think about your choice of words.
For that, she envied him.
Over the kitchen island, she could see Akihito smiling brightly as he saw Asami-san walking back towards the dining table. And when the older man passed by, his hand secretly caressed Akihito's back. Asami-san's golden eyes declared his silent devotion towards the other man. She didn't know how she could have missed it before.
She stood there, watching over the couple. To her surprise, she felt happy for her friend. After everything Akihito had done for other people, for her, her friend deserved to be with a person who loved and cared for him. Someone who would kill for him. Just like Akihito had done for her, many decades ago.
Asami-san's voice was still fresh inside her mind.
To me, this person is my everything.
Mana-chan smiled as she took her glass of milk and walked back to join her friends around the dining table.