A Cup of Lust, Beauty and Affairs
Summary:Taichi, a photographer and artist fascinated by the beauty of the world, becomes captivated by the beauty of a customer at his parent's coffee shop. Innocent desires soon blaze into an unforgettable, insatiable affair. (Taito)
D-Angel: Two years it's taken me to get this done, and I am so sorry for making you wait. I went through a stage of not knowing where I wanted to take this story, so I left it for a little while and allowed ideas to blossom (better than just writing a load of nonsense me thinks!). However, now I know how I want things to go, so I hope not to make you guys wait so long again.
Your reviews are actually very motivational as well; they are what actually prevented me from leaving this story in the dark, smelly bin of forgotten stories –grins-
I apologize for any spelling/grammar mistakes and any cultural mistakes. I do try my best not to make them :P
I hope you enjoy this chapter anyways :)
Rating: T (Likely to rise)
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Chapter 3 Reasonable Doubt
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'Driving slow on Sunday morning, and I never want to leave'
Sunday came around surprisingly quick, and I found myself worrying as I attempted to tidy my apartment as best I could. I had decided to take the photographs in the living room since my studio room (slash bedroom) was littered with unfinished paintings and countless pieces of photography equipment. So I set up a camera and screen by the sofa, before I swung open the balcony doors, squinting my eyes a little as the morning sunlight beams directly shone in my face.
Leaning against the balcony railings I shut my eyes as the faint cool wind brushed through my brown hair, and my lips curled up into a small smile. The salty odour of the sea caught harmoniously in the air was strangely comforting to me, mainly because many of my summers when I was younger were spent fooling around on beaches with my family, friends, and of course boyfriends.
"The good old days," I reflected aloud as I listened to the echoing wails of a flock of passing seagulls. It was surprising how much life could change in the space of a few years.
The doorbell chimed and I jumped back from the railings. I went straight into panic mode when I realized it was likely that Yamato had turned up early. I rushed back into my flat and checked my appearance in the mirror by the front door before I turned away sharply and reminded myself that Yamato had not come round to take me out on a date. Still, my heart was fluttering against my chest like a canary trapped in a cage when I opened the door.
"Morning Yagami-san," Yamato cheerfully said. He looked amazing; there was no other way to actually describe it. The light blue jeans he wore hung freely of his hips but hugged his derrière perfectly, and sea blue shirt he was wearing was simple but matched the shade of his eyes (although his sunglasses concealed them). God I envied his shockingly good dress sense.
"Wow, your apartment is huge," Yamato gasped as he paced across the living room while his eyes darted around, focusing mainly on the paintings and photographs pinned on the walls. He then took off his sunglasses and gazed at my sofa, "I'm jealous."
"I got in quick, these apartments weren't too expensive at the time," I explained. Yamato ran a hand across the head of my sofa.
"I want this," he softly said.
There was something about my sofa friends and previous clients had never found alluring. It was the most expensive piece of furniture in the room, so I had just assumed the reason why it never received admiration was simply because my perception of beauty was different compared to most people.
Yamato could not keep his eyes off my sofa however, and to hear him say he actually wanted it made me feel oddly giddy.
I scooted into the kitchen and pulled opened the fridge door.
"Ishida-san? Do you want a drink?" I asked while I scanned the shelves, "I have fruit juices; apple and orange, oh I have wine too..."
"No worries, a water will do fine," he called from the other room. I grabbed two glasses from one of the wooden cabinets besides the fridge then did a small spin towards the sink. I was in high spirits, I often got that way when I was about to do a photograph shoot, although I rarely felt this exhilarated.
I quickly swallowed my glass of water before I gazed at a picture I had framed above the sink of a spectacular urban sunset, taken at Odaiba train station of all places. It was interesting how even the most industrial things, merged with something natural, could be made to look beautiful. I brushed my hair away from my brow as I set my empty glass besides the sink.
"Taichi?" Yamato said in a concerned tone. I hurried out off the kitchen to see him still standing by my sofa. He placed one hand on the arm of the sofa and peered back at me over his shoulder before he cheekily grinned at me.
"Do you want me here?"
His gentle voice sent a warm chill down my spine. I couldn't help but smile shyly. He slid onto the sofa then glanced in my direction as I approached the sofa. I handed him his glass of water as I sat down besides him.
"Thank you." He took a small sip then placed his glass down onto my coffee table then tapped his fingers against the table's polished surface. His nails were well manicured; it was very rare to find a guy that liked to keep himself well groomed to that degree. I never used to care too much about my own nails, until Mimi nagged at me one day to at least cut them regularly. I had listened of course, primarily because I was sick of her moaning about it.
I snapped out of my thoughts when Yamato started to sniff the air. His slim nose twitched like a curious rabbit as he eyed me. My heart jumped as he leant towards me to smell my neck before he looked directly into my eyes.
"Is that Armani?"
He chuckled softly when I nodded.
I then noticed that our lips were barely brushing together. One sudden movement forward from either of us would have resulted in the two of us kissing. I could feel his warm minty breath gently teasing my mouth causing excitement to tingle throughout my body, though I knew I had to fight my urges.
I moved back and smiled shyly before I whispered to him to stay in the exact position he was in. I grabbed the camera from its stand and started to photograph him as he turned to face the camera, while he ran his hands through strands of his blond hair. He was an excellent poser, and his facial expressions were attractively natural, which convinced me that he had done some sort of modelling work before.
I eventually glanced at the clock and was surprised to see that half an hour had rolled by. Yamato's shirt was now hanging loosely off his shoulders, flaunting his long elegant neck and the slender curves of his pale shoulders. I placed my camera onto the coffee table and ran an arm across my brow.
"I think we've got more than enough snaps there," I said in a flustered voice. Photography was never usually that tiring. Yamato smiled and kept his eyes on me as he started to button up his shirt.
"Water?" I offered as I shuffled over to the kitchen once I had grabbed his empty glass from the table.
"Yes please."
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Yamato and I ended up casually sitting side by side on my sofa.
"What do you do Ishida-san?" I asked while I took a small sip from my wine glass. Yamato had also opted for the wine, although I had only given him a small glass since he was driving.
"I work in a music store, near your parents' coffee shop," Yamato said as he flashed me his pearly white teeth.
"Oh, 'The Broken String?'"
"Yeah, that's right," he laughed before he tapped his hand against my thigh "and please, we're past formalities already. Call me Yamato."
I felt my face flush as Yamato stared me in the eyes for a few moments. I desperately wanted to figure him out, just what game was he playing with me?
"Music is my life. I'm in… well, I was in a band," Yamato explained as he started to fiddle with his engagement ring. "We've kind of split now though, it wasn't really heading anywhere."
Yamato looked more the sort to be in a boy band, but I knew he possessed a lot more talent than the wannabes that mimed and danced simultaneously to songs they didn't even write themselves. He had definitely been part of some band with real natural talent, I decided, else he wouldn't have announced so freely that he worked in a music store.
"Do you play any instruments then?" I questioned, just to prove if my theory was correct.
"Yeah, bass guitar," Yamato ran his fingers through his hair while I imagined him leaping around on stage with a shiny guitar, like a proper Rock God. "My dad influenced me, believe it or not. He was in a band when he was younger too."
I laughed inwardly at the thought of my dad painting a picture. He barely had the patience to wait for a cup of coffee to brew.
"I sing too," Yamato added while he stretched out his long legs. If I had heard that comment coming from anyone else, I would have lost immediate disinterest in them for being so boastful, but Yamato had a unique knack of not sounding like a pompous brat.
"Oh, I guess you write your own songs then," I said after swallowing another mouthful of wine, "I mean, I've seen you writing into that little notebook of yours before."
Yamato smirked and nodded as he looked over at my painting of the sunset view from my balcony. He continued to rave on. I had never heard him talk so much before. I was wrong for assuming he was the quiet and handsome type. I loved how passionate he was about music though; his blue eyes sparkled so intently when he spoke about his dreams of becoming a famous solo musician. He shortly apologized for yapping on for too long about himself.
"How long have you been into photography?"
I scratched the top of my head and almost spilt my wine as I tried to calculate the exact length of time.
"I'd say almost fourteen years now," I finally concluded. I shivered when Yamato's bare arm brushed against my own. I was certain we hadn't been sitting that close to each other to begin with.
"Really? You're truly amazing," Yamato breathed as he leaned closer towards me, "not just at photography, but your artwork is spectacular."
My heart was drumming not quite so discretely against my ribcage. It was very off-putting, I was certain even Yamato could hear it.
"I think you would get on well with Sora, she's quite the artist too."
I would not have exactly called a hairdresser an artist. Sure, it was a creative job, but from what I believed to be an artist is to be original and not do what your subject wants you to do.
"You should come round to mine," Yamato offered. He placed a hand on my knee, "I could introduce you to her."
A chance to see the woman he was engaged would be interesting I mused. It also gave me a reason to spend more time with him. I was quite starting to enjoy his company.
"I'd like that."
Yamato's eyes lit up.
"Great, how's tomorrow night?"
I usually went out drinking with friends or fellow work colleagues on Mondays, but I saw no harm in ditching my usual routine for something a little different.
"Perfect," I grinned.
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I was surprised when I met Yamato's fiancée the following day; she was nothing out of the ordinary. Sora Takenouchi was definitely pretty, but quite short, and was far from being the big breasted bimbo I had imagined. Yamato and Sora shared a very lovely house though; it was old and traditional, with sliding paper doors and old ukiyo-e art hung up all across the walls.
"This is Yagami Taichi, the photographer I told you about," Yamato introduced after she had kissed him on the cheek. I smiled as she bowed politely. She was clearly a hairdresser; I could tell from her stylish cropped and auburn coloured hair. Her dress sense was also interesting (black high waist trousers and a white blouse with ruffled sleeves).
Sora and Yamato led me into the dining room and we all sat down.
"Dinner is almost done," Sora informed as she gestured towards the kitchen with her hand, "I'll go check on it in a minute. I would love to see the photos you took of Yamato, Yagami-san."
I handed her the plastic bag they were in and she pulled them out carefully, trying not to scratch the print-outs with her orange nails.
"Yagami-san has a knack at making you look handsome," Sora laughed as she flicked through the photos.
"Yamato is really photogenic," I stated while Yamato looked at me and gave me a discrete wink. Sora looked at the pictures for another five minutes until she finally placed them back into the plastic bag.
"They're lovely Yagami-san, do you think Yamato and I can keep these copies?"
I grinned. "Of course you can."
Yamato was staring at the plastic bag with an expression of unease as Sora carried them out the room. When he noticed I was looking in his direction Yamato stood up quickly and said he was going to see if dinner was ready. Sora shortly passed back through the room and slipped into the kitchen, the bag of photos no longer in her hand.
I heard a few muttered voices coming from behind the sealed door, and then a distinctive groan escaping from Yamato's lips. A few minutes later Yamato strolled out the kitchen with Sora following, juggling three bowls in her hands.
"It's only miso soup with vegetables, nothing too spectacular," Sora sighed as she placed our bowls onto the table. It smelt lovely, reminding me a little of my mum's cooking. After a few mouthfuls it was safe to say that Sora was an excellent cook and that Yamato was lucky to have a woman like her.
While Sora was talking about her day at work, I caught sight of the diamond engagement ring on her finger. It was beautiful, yet as I compared it to Yamato's I realized that it didn't look as expensive. Still, when a wave of quietness hit the table I couldn't resist asking a question that had been plaguing my mind all afternoon.
"When's the wedding?"
I instantly regretted my curiosity when Sora gazed down awkwardly at her bowl, and Yamato winced as if someone had dropped a bowling ball on his foot.
"We're not too sure yet," Sora eventually said, and that was that. We spent the rest of the night eating our food in an awkward silence struggling to even make small talk. Once we were finished, Sora washed up while I discussed with Yamato in the living room about when his photographs would be published in FRUiTS magazine.
"My friend Mimi will sort it all out this week."
Yamato smiled warmly before he realized Sora was standing by his side. She placed a hand on his shoulder then kissed him on the forehead.
"I'm off to bed," Sora said with a yawn, she then bowed in my direction, "very nice to meet you, Yagami-san."
I stood up and bowed back. "You too, Takenouchi-san, thanks for dinner."
Once Sora had left the room, Yamato offered to see me out. He followed me closely as we walked out into the driveway although we did not speak. Just as we had reached my car Yamato pulled me into a hug. My chin ended up resting on his shoulder while his hands briefly ran up and down my hips. I wondered if he was aware of what he was doing, and if he knew his touch excited me so much. Perhaps Yamato was just a touchy feely kind of guy; after all I had never seen him interact with any of his other friends before.
"I want to see you again," Yamato said in almost a sigh.
The way he proposed it sounded quite like he was asking me out on a date. I was sure I reading it things too seriously, until he sort of kissed me, but not. It was more of an air kiss, our lips didn't quite touch. Yamato gently squeezed my hip then we parted from our embrace.
"I'll be in the coffee shop, as usual," I stated as I reached for my car door handle. My hand was shaking.
"No… I meant…" then he trailed off. His lips were still parted but his blue eyes were clouded with a pained look. He shoved a hand in his pocket; the hand with his engagement ring on.
"Never mind, I'll see you later," he said in a saddened tone as he spun around and walked back towards his house. I peered over my shoulder, but he didn't look back at me. Not even once. For some reason I felt nauseous and my entire body was trembling.
I clambered into my car and back to my apartment, unaware until I reached my destination that I had been crying.
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Song lyrics (At the beginning of the chapter)
Maroon 5– 'Sunday Morning'
D-Angel: Ah, well, a bit of angst there at the end. I really just wanted to capture the frustration of Yama and Tai in that final bit, since they both obviously like each other but their morals are causing them to repress their actual feelings (a bit of Japanese cultural stuff there). The beginning of the chapter was fun to write though, with the flirting and all. And, they almost kissed, twice… Grrrr! I wonder how things will be in the next chapter, hmm ;) (It will be up in less than two years, k :P).
Thanks for reading anyways, reviews are always welcome!
Until then, see ya next chapter!
D-Angel
28/08/08