The fragrance of musk and fresh sea breeze

by Emilio Vega

Tala just graduated, but can't find a job. When his nemesis Johnny McGregor brags about his invitation to a job interview at Hiwatari Enterprise, he decides to apply as well, although this jeopardizes his relationship with his mother who despises the Hiwatari family and their businesses.

Depressing, I thought. My whole life had been a constant struggle to be accepted and valued. The hardships, that constantly got in my way, I somehow had been able to overcome each of them to finally be stopped by the simple task of finding a job. Despite becoming the number one student in my major, computer science, my job applications got constantly rejected. I knew that it would be difficult. Hence, I started to look for one early. I worked on my thesis during the day and searched for jobs in the evening. When I submitted my thesis six weeks ago, I had already applied for the vast majority of active job advertisements. I still had faith at that time. But not anymore.

Yesterday, at the graduation ceremony, I talked to my professor about my difficulties, but he couldn't help. I had the feeling that he wasn't interested in me anymore, now that I graduated. I didn't push further and knew that I was truly alone.

Most of my fellow students were starting their new jobs soon. My nemesis, Johnny McGregor, showed off with his invitation to a job interview at Hiwatari Enterprise. I envied them and their simple lives. I wanted to be like them, but it wasn't possible. I was the way I was and this couldn't be changed.

I had not applied for the job advertisement at Hiwatari Enterprise yet. There was no point in doing so, I thought. Although Johnny was only second best to me, I was certain he would be preferred, since he had one big advantage: he could see. Born blind I was at a huge disadvantage, not only for this job.

But to be honest, this was only the second reason why I had not applied yet. The first one was my mother. She got mad every time she heard the name Hiwatari. My father had worked as a researcher in one of Hiwatari's laboratories. Long story short: one day he was dismissed without prior notice. At that time my mother was pregnant with me and my dad tried everything to find a new job, but he couldn't. In the end he killed himself shortly before I was born.

All this had happened under the old Hiwatari. Voltaire Hiwatari had been a despot according to the media. Two years ago, the man died of cancer and since than his grandson, Kai, was the manager of Hiwatari Enterprise. Kai Hiwatari was not a despot, at least he wasn't portrayed as one by the media. Instead, he had the outright image of a womanizer. Of course, my mother despised the junior even more.

Deep in thought, my mobile phone jingled. Absently I took it in my hand and insert a command to read the new message aloud.

"Message from Johnny McGregor. Hey redhead, I found the perfect job for you. They are looking for toilet attendants at the central station…"

Angrily I stopped the message. This dimwit. Even after our graduation he couldn't stop teasing me. Still angry I covered the two steps to my small desk where my old notebook was. I booted it, googled the job advertisements of Hiwatari Enterprise, thankfully the one for software engineering was still the newest, and started to fill out the online job application form. I would have the last laugh, McGregor, although I didn't know how.

I used a special voice program, the same one I had on my phone, that I got at the start of my university life and was part of my scholarship. Thankfully I could still use it, even after the scholarship ended. Without it, I would have never been able to study at all and especially not at the small private university I just graduated from. The scholarship had provided me with everything a blind person needed and, of course, it had paid all the tuition fees plus a little bit for other needs like food. Which also meant, my mother and I desperately needed a new income, or else we wouldn't be able to pay the rent. Our little savings would be exhausted in about two months.

"Do you have any disabilities? Yes? No?" The program read the next question. I was about to say yes, which would lead to the next question about what kind of disability I have, I was certain. Instead, I gave the system a command to skip this one.

I finished the questionnaire and uploaded my résumé as well as a short cover letter and hit the send-button. Surprisingly it went through without a notification that I didn't answer all the questions. It seemed that the disability question had not been mandatory.

For a moment I just that there at the desk. My phone jingled. It was an automated message from Hiwatari Enterprise. They thanked me for my application and would get back to me soon. I was ready to leave my room, having nothing more to do, when another jingle announced a new message. To my surprise it was another message from Hiwatari Enterprise.

"Dear Mr. Ivanov, thanks for your application for the software engineer position at Hiwatari Enterprise. We're excited to invite you to an in-person interview, where we want to get to know you and your qualities a little better. Please, be at the Hiwatari Headquarters on March 20th at 14:00. Best regards. Message end."

What?! I couldn't believe my ears and listened to the message again. It was true. I was invited to an in-person interview at Hiwatari Enterprise. But how should I tell my mother? While going through all the possibilities in my head, I heard my mother going upstairs. I heard a gentle knock on the door before she entered my room.

"Tala. What are you doing? It's almost noon and you haven't eaten anything yet."

"Mom. I …" I gathered my courage. "I got an invitation to a job interview."

"That's great, my son! I knew your hard work would pay off one day. Why aren't you happy, my dear?"

I swallowed. "It's Hiwatari Enterprise." My words were met with cold silence. I could feel that she was more than just unhappy. "Look, Mom. There is no chance for me to make it, isn't that so? It's just an opportunity to gain a little experience for future job interviews. They will never choose me. A blind person."

"What do you mean? They invited you, so they are clearly interested." There was no happiness left in her voice.

"Well. They don't know. I left this detail out of my application." I explained, feeling guilty, although it hadn't been a mandatory question.

"It can't be changed." She finally answered and warmth returned to her voice. "I've prepared a little snack for you, so please, come downstairs."

"Thank you, Mom. You are the best." I really meant it.

The day of the interview approached fast. I wore my best suit, which, at the same time, was my only one, and arrived at the headquarters of Hiwatari Enterprise thirty minutes early. The bus drive had been an almost two-hour-long-adventure, since the corporation was located on the outskirts of the city, but on the exact opposite of my home.

With the help of my white cane, I made it to the entrance. I felt lost. I could feel the eyes of several people on me when I stepped inside the building. After a short moment I heard the light clicking of heels coming towards me. I smelled the faint fragrance of summer flowers when a pleasant voice asked me who I was and if I needed help.

"My name is Tala Ivanov and I'm here for a job interview."

"Mr. Ivanov, nice to meet you. My name is Hilary Tachibana. I'm the front receptionist. Please, let me guide you to the interview room."

"Thank you, Ms. Tachibana. That would be really kind." I was surprised by her friendliness. Somehow, through the tales of my mother, my subconscious had made every Hiwatari employee into an evil monster and now I was genuinely amazed by her kindness. She gently took my arm and walked me to an elevator. It was a short ride. We exited the lift and walked about half a minute without taking any turns.

The building was astronomically large. During my preparation for the interview, I researched anything that was connected to Hiwatari Enterprise, therefor I knew that this building was the largest in the country. Walking through it felt like being in another universe.

Finally, Ms. Tachibana opened a door and the comfortable atmosphere of being in her presence changed abruptly. In this room I sensed fear. The smell of sweat was almost overwhelming. People were whispering quietly and I could make out the faint sound of someone crying. Like sheep to slaughter, I thought while Ms. Tachibana guided me to a free chair.

"Good luck, Mr. Ivanov." She said and the clicking of her heels got fainter. I felt alone suddenly. I couldn't even thank her. She was gone.

"Now, who do we have here? Isn't that the new toilet attendant?"

I almost choked hearing McGregor's voice approaching. The mood in the room changed and I heard faint laughter, but before I could answer, another door opened and a crying girl entered the room. Without words she stomped through the room and left.

"Johnny McGregor." A firm voice called out.

"Your luck it's my turn, redhead." McGregor said end entered the interview room.

I audibly breathed out, relaxing a little. After a few minutes the whispers in the room increased steadily. "Wow, he's already in there for over ten minutes." Someone said. "He'll get the job for sure." Another one mumbled. This continued until the door opened again and everyone, including me, held his breath.

The next person was called, but the general focus was still on McGregor. Apparently, the average job interview lasted for five minutes and McGregor's had been more than three times as long. I could hear him talking triumphantly to the other candidates.

At least he doesn't bother me, I thought, but of course this didn't continue for long.

"What do you think you are doing here, Ivanov?" McGregor's presence towered above me. "Don't tell me you really believe Mr. Hiwatari would hire someone like you?"

"Did Mr. Hiwatari talk to you during the interview?" A girl's voice asked McGregor before I could answer. It was the voice of the girl that was sobbing when I entered the room with Ms. Tachibana.

McGregor cleared his throat. "No, but he was studying my application intently."

Before anyone could say more the door opened again. It had barely been five minutes.

"Next, Mr. Ivanov." The voice called.

I got up, but my legs felt shaky like jelly. I grasped my white cane in my shaking hands, unsure if I should use the stick.

"Mr. Ivanov!" The voice called again.

On wobbly legs I made my way to the door and entered the interview room hiding the white cane behind my back. With a loud thud the door closed behind me. I stayed where I was, frozen in fear, feeling the burn of unrelenting eyes on me.

"Three steps ahead of you is a stool." A smooth voice I knew from television said after a short moment. The voice belonged to no other than Kai Hiwatari.

Although my mother despised the Hiwatari family she watched every news, information or talk show about them. For literally all my life. Kai Hiwatari had only been on the media since he became the manager after Voltaire's death, but during these last two years there was not once a week without news to his love life. I would recognize his voice among a thousand others.

I sat down.

"Mr. Ivanov." The voice sounded old and angry. A chill ran down my spine. "Looking through your application, you have graduated as number one in computer science at your university this year, which is impressive, but I can't find the information about your obvious disability in this worthless piece of paper." The last words were spat out ireful. "You can leave now. No need to waste our time further."

I was shocked. Of course, not once had I thought I would make it, but this harsh dismissal was too much. I, at least, wanted to justify myself. "I." I started to say, but the angry old man interrupted me before I could say more.

"Go."

I stood up. Feeling like a beaten-up puppy. I left the room with my head down, leaving behind Johnny McGregor who started laughing after me, when I exited the waiting room. I wished Ms. Tachibana would be by my side. The time she guided me through the building felt like an eternity away, although it had barely been twenty minutes. The way back wasn't hard to navigate though, and this time I had no reservations to use my white cane.

I fled the building, feeling defeated. Although I had expected this outcome, the reality was brutal. There was no place in society for a person like me.

My mother had to comfort me for the rest of the day. Telling me about all the bad things that came with being involved with the Hiwatari family and their businesses. The happenings of that day only contributed to her negative views and it gave her reason to despise Kai Hiwatari even more. But all her rants didn't make me feel any better.

The night was terrible. I went through the happenings of the day again and again and in the end, I came to three conclusions. Firstly, I was at fault for not stating my disability in my application although it had not been mandatory. Secondly, I deceived myself by secretly thinking I had a chance to get the job after being invited to the interview. Lastly, the dismissal hurt, but it wasn't the end of the world. I had to move on.

The last thing was easier said than done. Even on the next morning I mused about my next steps, when a jingle indicated a new message. It was from McGregor. I stopped it after the first few words. I had no mind for his mocking now. Unfortunately, McGregor had no intentions to stop and after the tenth message I was ready to mute my phone. Yet another jingle stopped me and I gave the command to read it out loud, ready to stop the message after the name Johnny McGregor was said, but to my surprise the voice announced another name.

Message from Hiwatari Enterprise. Dear Mr. Ivanov, thank you for your application. I would like to invite you to a trial work day next Monday. Please, be at the HQ at 10:00 if you are still interested in working for me. Best regards, Kai Hiwatari. Message end.

I was shocked. This had to be a dream. I listened to the message again and nothing changed. I really was invited to a trial work and the invitation was signed by Mr. Hiwatari personally. I wanted to go downstairs and tell my mother immediately, but I hesitated. She wouldn't be happy, although we desperately needed a steady income and Hiwatari Enterprise paid above average.

Well, Ivanov, it's just a trial day. This doesn't mean I got the job, I told my a bit too enthusiastic self.

In the end I kept the invitation a secret from my mother. Monday came fast and at 9:50 I arrived at the headquarters of Hiwatari Enterprise. Once again Ms. Tachibana welcomed me and guided me to the workplace. She sounded genuinely happy to see me again and I felt her warmth giving me courage.

"Bryan Kuznetsov is your supervisor and you will work with him today. At first, he always seems to be the bad boy." She chuckled. "But when you get to know him better, he's a nice guy. I'm sure you'll get along."

We stopped walking. "Thank you, Ms. Tachibana. You are really a kind person." I truly meant it.

"Thank you." She opened a door and guided me inside. "Bryan, this is Tala Ivanov."

"Hi, Tala." A firm voice said.

I reached out my hand for the other to shake it. "Hello, Mr. Kuznetsov. Nice to meet you, Sir."

"Cut the formalities. I'm Bryan." The other said, shaking my hand. "Thank you, Hilary. See you soon."

Ms. Tachibana left the room and I instantly felt a little forlorn. I felt a gust in my face. Mr. Kuznetsov, or Bryan, waved his hand in front of my face.

"Wow. You really can't see anything."

"I've been born blind."

"So, how did you manage to study computer science?" He asked, sounding genuinely interested.

I had anticipated this question and brought my notebook with me for demonstration. Bryan was amazed. I could hear it in his voice.

"So, you just need this program on your PC and a keyboard with braille? That's fantastic." I heard him tipping something on a keyboard and after five minutes he guided me to sit on a nearby stool. "The program is currently installed on this PC. For security reasons it's not allowed to connect your personal devices with work equipment."

"Wait. Did you just buy a license?"

"Yes, Mr. Hiwatari gave his permission to buy anything you might need. I assumed you need a braille keyboard and hope the one in front of you is sufficient."

I felt for the keyboard and nodded. "It's perfect." I also felt a headset on the table and put it on. We were in an open space office, and the constant voice transfer would disturb my colleagues. The installation was completed and asked if I already had an account. I asked Bryan if I could connect it with my personal one, so that all my individual settings would be carried over. He made a short phone call and gave me the go ahead.

For the next four hours Bryan had all kinds of tasks for me. First, they were really easy. Even a first-grader could do them. The last one had been the most difficult one. There was an error in the coding of an existing program. I had to detect it and rewrite the program, so that it would function normally.

"Wow. Even some of our long-term employees would sit half a day on this task." Bryan was impressed. "But one advice: we have a lunch break at 13:00 and now it's already 14:30. If you start working here, and I have no objections about this, take your break or else I get mad." He patted my shoulder. After this he guided me to the cafeteria. The food there was delicious and the best part: it was free for all employees. Bryan invited me and we ate together. He told me more about the daily work that would await me.

"Can I safely assume, that I get the confirmation?" I asked him at the end. I still couldn't believe it.

He didn't answer immediately. I got nervous. "Look. Although Mr. Hiwatari asked me for my assessment, I have no say in this. I know." He added in a low voice. "The board members want another candidate. You should now him, since you studied together."

"Johnny McGregor." I breathed out.

"Yes, but Mr. Hiwatari, as the manager, has a big say in this and he wants to hire you."

"Oh. Why?"

"I can only assume, but he likes people who are strong. And with a disability like yours … he might be impressed by your skills. He values such strengths."

I thanked Bryan for his honesty and for everything he did today. He brought me back to the entrance and we said goodbye.

I wasn't looking forward to meeting my mother at home. I knew I had to tell her about today and the possibility to start working at Hiwatari Enterprise, but she would be mad. For sure. I decided to postpone the talk to the time after the confirmation. If I got the job, I would tell her.

Mr. Hiwatari seemed to work overtime, because the confirmation was sent later that evening, together with an employment agreement. The agreement sounded too good to be true and I signed it immediately and send it back. I would be an employee at Hiwatari Enterprise from April 1st onwards. I couldn't believe it. My mother would be extremely unhappy.

And she was more than just unhappy. We didn't talk the entirety of three days. On the 1st of April she sent me off with a "have fun" like she always did during my university time, but I could hear that she didn't mean it. I hoped the first paycheck at the end of the month would change her opinion on my work and employer.

The first two days were full of instructions regarding my new work and the company's work ethic. I met most of my new colleagues and everyone seemed nice. We were a bunch of computer nerds and no one was bothered about my blindness. On the third day a routine settled in and I wasn't as dependent on Bryan anymore. I worked on my tasks independently and it felt great to contribute in general.

Unfortunately, I wouldn't be the only new employee. Johnny McGregor would join the team on the 16th and honestly, I was not looking forward to this at all. Bryan's guess was, that the board members wanted McGregor, because they still didn't trust me to do the job properly and since there were enough commissions for two new employees, I would, whether I liked it or not, have to work with him.

I wish I could have seen McGregor's face on the 16th when he saw me working at my special workspace, but his surprised "Ivanov" gave me a good impression and a little triumphant feeling spread in my gut. Although I despised him as a person, I could understand why he was chosen, since McGregor was a damn good software engineer and after two weeks some kind of truce encompassed us.

Overall, I was happy. Even at home, my mother slowly concluded that it was just a workplace like any other. A workplace that not only paid our bills and rent, but also left enough money to reduce our debt. Working hours were from 9:00 to 17:00 and I've not experienced any overtime yet, so it came as a surprise when one Friday in early June Bryan asked us to stay a little longer to finish an urgent assignment. Of course, McGregor had an excuse to still leave at the usual time, but I texted my mother that I would be late today.

In the end, it was only Bryan, two colleagues and myself who stayed longer and finished the task. When we said our goodbyes, I wanted to text my mother again to tell her that I was on my way, but unfortunately the battery was empty. I sighed and went to the bus stop. I didn't know what time it was, but I hoped the bus would arrive soon.

Of course, while I waited it started to rain. I had no umbrella with me and within seconds I was soaked. My mood went downhill. And, of course, no bus came. The constant plopping of the waterdrops lulled me. I was startled when the drops were caught by an umbrella that someone held over me. A faint fragrance of musk and a fresh sea breeze caught in my nose. The most pleasing scent that I ever smelled.

"Are you waiting for the bus?" A familiar voice asked.

"Mr. Hiwatari." I said in surprise. "Yes, it should arrive any minute."

"I doubt so. There is a digital notification that all busses for tonight are cancelled."

"What!" I cried out. "How am I supposed to get home now. I can't even call my mother, because my battery died." A thousand thoughts were running through my mind, one of them a mental image of me sleeping on a park bench.

Mr. Hiwatari cleared his throat and brought me back into the present. "First, we go back inside and then we figure something out." He said it in a voice that allowed no back talk. I followed him back to the building, finally feeling the chill on my skin. If I had stayed outside in the rain any longer, I would likely be ill tomorrow. I shivered.

"Come with me. You'll need to get out of those wet clothes." Again, the voice didn't allow any back talk and I let myself be guided by Mr. Hiwatari. We took the elevator up. The drive was a lot longer than the one to my office's floor and my boss' scent surrounded me the whole ride. I felt his eyes on me, but neither of us said anything, which made me feel a little tense.

"Tala Ivanov." I almost jumped at hearing my name spoken by this smooth voice. A pling indicated that we arrived at our destination. I heard the elevator's door open and was happy to escape the small space where Mr. Hiwatari's fragrance was too overwhelming.

"Mr. Hiwatari … Sir, thank you for your help, but I don't want to cause any inconvenience to you, Sir." I finally managed to say, while the other guided me around to wherever we were going.

"No need to worry. Here, take this." He put a soft towel in my hands. I immediately started to dry my hair, that must dripping water droplets all around me. When my hair was somewhat dry, I noticed the absence of my boss. Before I could decide if that was a relief or if I should be worried, I heard him walking towards me.

"I only have a company-issued tracksuit, but it's at least dry and clean." He put the clothes in my hand, after taking the towel from me. For a moment I just stood there, unsure what to do. I sensed Mr. Hiwatari's eyes on me and had the feeling that he examined me.

"Is there a bathroom where I can change?" I asked. A little warmth spreading on my cheeks, but relief took over when the smooth voice answered, that the bathroom was five steps to my left. I went into the room and closed the door, but didn't bother to lock it. I couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched, but I didn't want to appear like a frightened little puppy. Yet, being alone with Mr. Hiwatari caused exactly that.

Three minutes later I exited the bathroom. I heard the clicking of a keyboard. "There is a bag for your wet clothes to your right." He said and the typing stopped. I found the bag and put my clothes in it. Somehow, now that I was wrapped in something dry, I felt a lot more relaxed. Even when Mr. Hiwatari walked up to me, I didn't feel startled.

"Thank you for the clothes, Sir." I said earnestly.

"Don't mention it. You are living on the other side of the city, right? Quite a commute with the bus."

"Yes, about two hours one way, but it's okay, Sir."

"It's late. I'll drive you." Although there was this undertone in his voice that allowed no talk back, this time I disagreed.

"No, if you could drop me off at the bus terminal, Sir. That would be enough."

He made an indistinguishable sound and we went back to the elevator. The faint fragrance of musk and fresh sea breeze filled the air around me. It amazed me again how unbelievable pleasant his scent was.

I could sense, that Mr. Hiwatari wanted to ask something, but he didn't say anything until we were in his car. He opened the door for me and made sure that I didn't hit my head when sitting down. It was an expensive car. I smelled the leather and the exhaust roared when we took off, the sound intensified in the underground carpark.

"Tala, can I call you by your first name?" He finally broke the silence, but didn't pause for a response. "Do you have a girlfriend?"

I choked. Unsure if I heard the question correctly. "Pardon?"

"I was wondering how you notice someone is attractive since you can't see." He explained. "I mean, for me, if she is pleasing to the eye…" I coughed and he asked if I was alright. I said yes and we were silent for a few minutes, until he returned to the previous talk. "So, about my question?"

I thought back to the moment I noticed my attraction to Mathilda, my former girlfriend of four years. "I guess, when it just matches. Like spending time together makes you feel happy and so on."

"Hm. I mean, for example, you are in a room full of ladies. Who would you feel most attracted to?"

"Ah." I felt a little stupid for misinterpreting his question. "I would feel attracted to no one. I think. Or, maybe, the one with the most pleasant scent. I have a pretty good nose and I trust it."

"Instead of your eyes you rely on your nose. Interesting. It's not that different, then." He sounded pleased with my answer, although I didn't know why or what purpose his question had. "Do you have everything you need at work?" The topic change caught me off guard, but I appreciated it nonetheless. It was a much safer ground. We continued to talk about work until I noticed that we should have arrived at the bus terminal long ago.

"Where are we?" I asked, a small knot of panic building in my stomach.

"Almost at your home." Before I could respond, he added. "It's still raining and cold. And you are only in a tracksuit."

He was right. It was better this way. "Thank you, Mr. Hiwatari. You aren't as bad as the media says."

"Hm. I wouldn't be so sure about the last part, though." His voice was husky and a shiver ran down my spine.

A moment later the car stopped. I really hoped that my mother wouldn't notice Mr. Hiwatari's car while I thanked him once more and said goodbye. I hurried to the front door, unlocked it, stepped inside, and locked it again while trying to be as silent as possible.

"Tala!" My mother called. "Are you there?"

"Yes, Mom!" I called back. I heard her footsteps on the old wooden floor.

"My boy. I hope Mr. Hiwatari pays for this overtime well. To make you work for such long hours. What are you wearing?"

"I got wet while waiting for the bus. A colleague gave me his spare clothes and drove me home." I kept as close to the truth as possible.

"I hope you thanked your colleague, then." Something in her voice made me feel uneasy. Had she possibly seen Mr. Hiwatari? I was wary and told her that I wanted to take a shower and go to bed. We said goodnight and I went upstairs while she went back to the small living room on the first floor.

The weekend was uneventful until Sunday evening. We were in the living room. My mother watched TV and I listened to an audiobook, when she tapped on my shoulder to get my attention. I paused the reading to listen to her.

"It seems that Mr. Hiwatari has a new girlfriend yet again." She said and turned the volume up.

"Mr. Hiwatari. Is this lady by your side finally Ms. Right?" A reporter asked and a woman laughed out loud, before she answered. "I doubt, but I won't complain either way."

"She reminds me of you." My mother suddenly said. "Although her hair color is fake, it's almost the same red as yours."

"Mom. That's ridiculous." I felt the same uneasiness like two days ago when I got home.

"I don't believe in coincidences."

"Mom, I haven't met Mr. Hiwatari once since the job interview." I felt a pain in my heart, lying so openly.

"So, who was this colleague that drove you home on Friday, because he looked a lot like Mr. Hiwatari?" She sounded more disappointed than mad, which made me feel even worse. "Since when have we become like this, my son. We could tell each other everything before."

"Mom, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have lied to you. But I knew you would be mad. Mr. Hiwatari isn't as bad…" I tried to explain, but she just scoffed. I stopped and decided it would be best to go back to my room. I didn't want any confrontation with my mother, but she was clearly not in the mood to let my mistake slide.

I woke up in the middle of the night from a dazzling dream. A fleeting memory was all that was left; a faint fragrance of musk and a fresh sea breeze.

Although the dream evoked mixed feelings in me, I went about my day as usual until lunch break. I excused myself when everyone went to the cafeteria to eat. Instead, I took the elevator up to the highest floor. I wanted to give back the tracksuit Mr. Hiwatari had lent me on Friday. I exited the elevator and was instantly hit with the uneasy feeling of being scrutinized. I stopped walking.

"Mister." A male voice said firmly. "What are you doing here?"

I turned in the direction of the voice, the bag with the clothes clutched with both my hands like a shield.

"I'm Tala Ivanov and I work here as a software engineer. I wanted to talk to Mr. Hiwatari." I explained a little unsure.

"And what on earth makes you believe Mr. Hiwatari has time for you?" The voice got angrier.

"I just want to give him back his clothes." I said defensively and held the bag higher.

The man scoffed. "Sure. And I'm Santa Claus."

"It's true. You can ask him if you don't believe me."

"Mr. Hiwatari isn't here. He is overseas until Thursday."

"Oh." I exhaled and before the man could say more, I turned around and went back to the elevator that was thankfully still on this floor. If the man thought I wouldn't come back, he was wrong.

I was back in the elevator going to the top floor on Friday lunch break. Not knowing what time Mr. Hiwatari returned on Thursday, I opted my best bet would be to go meet him on Friday. I exited the elevator, but this time the atmosphere was more relaxed.

"Mr. Ivanov." A known voice said. It was the man from Monday. "I'm sorry, but Mr. Hiwatari's business trip got prolonged. You can leave the bag of clothes with me." Although the man's voice wasn't angry, it had a snarky undertone to it.

For a moment I was dumbstruck, debating within myself if I should leave again, but in the end, I handed the bag over and thanked the man. It was crystal clear that the man had talked to Mr. Hiwatari about my visit and it was most likely his wish to leave the clothes with this man, which was totally fine for me, I told myself. Except for the small sting I felt. If I was true to myself, I had been looking forward to meeting Mr. Hiwatari again.

After this occurrence my life went in its usual way. Summer came and was gone without any significant events. At work, McGregor and I slowly got along better. I guess, we both finally accepted that we weren't competitors. We weren't friends, but we didn't get into arguments over nothing anymore.

I still had this dream from time to time and every time I woke up, all I knew was the faint fragrance of musk and fresh sea breeze and a feeling of longing. I told myself that it was no more than a little crush on my boss and I kept my emotions under control.

My mother, on the other hand, had still not forgiven me. Although our lives had improved with my income and she was clearly happy over it, she was still mad and swore at the Hiwatari family and their business every chance she got. Which was essential every week, since Mr. Hiwatari was either in the media because of his business or because of his womanizing or both.

I spent most of my time at work anyway and on the weekends, I kept to myself. Sometimes I would meet Bryan, since a small friendship had developed between us.

All in all, I couldn't complain.

It was a Friday in late September that changed the routine. Quitting time was close and the weekend called, when for the first time Mr. Hiwatari came into our office. Even Bryan was surprised about his visit. There had been a fatal error in one of the commissions and the customer demanded an improvement until Sunday. It hadn't been our mistake, another division had worked on that assignment, but he asked if we could fix it. It was decided that we would for once work on Saturday.

Although it was a Saturday, the mood was great. Mr. Hiwatari had ordered lunch for everyone, since the cafeteria was closed, but he didn't come to our office. Bryan assigned the tasks and everyone concentrated on his or her work. We were almost finished, when Mr. Hiwatari surprisingly showed up and I was even more surprised when he wanted to talk to me after a brief talk with Bryan.

Being so close to him suddenly, made me feel uneasy. Musk and fresh sea breeze invaded my nose and I couldn't stop myself from inhaling deeply. I almost chocked when the meaning of his words finally registered in my brain.

"… error in the original data. You have to do it again. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry, Sir. I'll do it again, then." I managed to say with as much enthusiasm I could muster, which was essential none.

"Thank you, Mr. Ivanov." Mr. Hiwatari's voice was neutral. I couldn't detect any emotions in it. After he left the office, the others offered to help, but I knew that each of them had other plans for the evening. I told them I was fine. So, it happened, that an hour later I was alone. I called my mother and told her that she shouldn't wait for me with dinner. In the end, it took me another four hours to finish.

Exhausted and tired I send the data to Mr. Hiwatari. I thought he was long gone, but he answered in an instant and told me to wait by the elevators. I had to admit, that I felt a little excited. When an elevator door opened, he told me to step inside. We were going downstairs, to the underground parking.

In the small enclosed space, the familiar scent was even more prominent. I wanted to sniff as much as possible and took in deep breathes through my nose. I was so concentrated on breathing, that I didn't notice our arrival at the bottom.

Mr. Hiwatari coughed lightly to bring me back into reality.

A bit perplexed, we hadn't talked at all during the ride, I said out of nowhere. "Sir, you don't need to drive me, I can take the bus!" The moment the words left my mouth I felt embarrassed. I didn't even know if that was Mr. Hiwatari's intention.

"Only, if you want to stay here until tomorrow. It's Saturday, the last bus just passed."

"What?!" I was shocked. I asked my phone about the time and he was right. I missed the last bus.

"Don't worry. It's the least I can do after your commitment today."

The way he stressed the word commitment, evoked an impression inside me, that had nothing to do with today's work. The thought made me blush slightly and I hoped that Mr. Hiwatari wouldn't notice.

He guided me to his car. It was not the same car as last time. This one was bigger. I put my bag on the passenger's seat and wanted to sit down, when Mr. Hiwatari cursed quietly. "I forgot something in my office. Do you want to stay here or go back with me?"

I thought about my options. I could wait in the car, but I didn't feel comfortable being alone in places that I didn't know well. There was nothing against another elevator ride or two at the side of Mr. Hiwatari. By the thought about standing close to him again, breathing in his scent, I felt my cheeks blush once again. "I would like to go with you, Sir."

Surprisingly, we didn't go back the way we just came. Noticing my confusion, he explained. "There's another elevator. A faster one, that only stops at the top floor."

That's why no one has ever met Mr. Hiwatari in the elevators, I thought absently, until Mr. Hiwatari pushed me lightly forward. "Stop daydreaming, Tala." He said huskily. His mouth close to my ear. "Unless it's about me."

My cheeks burned. I started a response, but only managed a stutter. I felt caught in the act. No, I got caught in the act and Mr. Hiwatari knew it. Suddenly the small elevator didn't feel like a good idea. But it was too late. The common sensation I felt when an elevator took off kicked in.

I was trapped. I could feel Mr. Hiwatari behind me. We didn't touch, but I knew we were close, probably only centimeters apart. The elevator was fast, we should arrive at the top floor any second and, thankfully, it really stopped. But Mr. Hiwatari didn't move at all. I couldn't even hear the doors open. My already galloping heartbeat accelerated even more. I felt nausea rising in my stomach.

"Why aren't we leaving?" I asked cautiously.

"Are you scared of me?" Mr. Hiwatari asked back instead of an answer. His voice was calm.

I thought about the question for a long moment. Was I scared? Yes. Was I scared of Mr. Hiwatari? No. If I was honest with myself, it was me who I feared. Me and my desires. I knew it from the moment these dreams started. I despised the ladies, who spent time with Mr. Hiwatari and bragged about it afterwards. And I envied them.

"No." I finally answered and I meant it. "It's the feelings you evoke, Sir." Maybe honesty would help.

"Those feelings?" I felt his fingers ghosting over my crotch, leaving behind a light bulge.

"Yes." I felt ashamed. My cheeks burned like fire, but the fingers didn't stop. Instead, the caress became more obvious while remaining soft. The gentleness was a stark contrast to the hard bulge I felt against my butt. It rubbed against me, or was I the one rubbing against it. I couldn't tell. I was out of my mind. The feeling was overwhelming. A moan escaped my mouth. Another one followed, and another one.

"This is so wrong." Mr. Hiwatari whispered into my ear. "Tell me to stop."

"No, don't stop." I said when the fingers indeed stopped moving. "No, I want … more." I moaned the last word, as a response to the fingers which moved again. The caress intensified and slowly my trousers became too tight. I opened the button and pulled the zipper down, allowing the hand more access.

I smelled my own scent, a mix of sweat and desire, and I heard Mr. Hiwatari taking a deep breath himself, inhaling my odor.

"Tasty." He commented breathlessly and my heart was about to explode.

"Sir…"

"You can call me Kai, you know." With his free hand he turned my head around and captured my mouth in a demanding kiss. My knees suddenly became weak and I would have collapsed if Kai hadn't hold me. His tongue explored my mouth freely, while his hand cupped my erection and pumped it through the fabric of my boxer brief. And there was the sensation of his erection pressing and rubbing against my asscheeks. The triple was too much, I could feel my orgasm building inside. It had been too long since someone had touched me like this. No, never had anyone touched me like this.

I pushed back onto the erection in my back. My body acted on its own. Wanting more friction. Kai had to interrupt the kissing, an animalistic groan on his tongue, he pulled my trousers and boxers down to my knees.

With my own hands I tried to mimic the action. My hands fumbled behind my back until I finally opened his trousers. I couldn't think straight, his hand already on my dick, pumping the whole length, while our kisses swallowed the sounds we made.

He had to help me with his other hand, but with combined strength we pulled his trousers down enough to free a massive erection. A split second later said erection rubbed against my balls, along my own length. Kai's hand, albeit not small, wasn't big enough to fit both our dicks. After a few strokes he withdrew the hand and changed its position so that he could now fondle the sensitive skin around my asshole.

Unfortunately, he had to stop his rubbing to do so and I was about to protest, when I felt one finger slowly pushing beneath the ring of muscles of my ass. I hissed, but relaxed as soon as soothing words were softly spoken into my ear. I couldn't understand what was being said, but the voice was enough to make me feel comfortable, until a second finger intruded the tight space. Pain shot through me, but it only lasted a few seconds, before it was replaced by incredible pleasure.

I felt my orgasm built back up again. The fingers pushed and rubbed against my sensitive walls, preparing my ass for what was to come. My mouth watered by the thought of Kai's dick, I desperately needed it right now. I didn't know if I had said this out loud, but a moment later the fingers were gone. Something bigger knocked against the entrance and I was more than willing to let it in. Yet it was painful.

I felt tears in the corner of my eyes. Kai nibbled my right earlobe, distracting me from the pain while his hands preventing me from collapsing again, holding me up and in the right position for him to enter deep. And he did exactly that. With a final push he buried himself until his glans hit my prostate. I groaned. For a moment the time stopped. Then another push and a wave of pleasure ran through me.

The pace was steady but slow at the beginning. Too slow for both of us. I wanted more and I knew Kai agreed.

"Faster." I said in between low groans and my wish was instantly granted. The waves of pleasure became indistinguishable, coalesced into one big tsunami. Amplified by the hand that started to pump my own erection again, I felt like I was in a daze. The daze lifted suddenly, when I came with a cry, that was silenced by another demanding kiss. A few more strokes and I felt Kai's liquid spurting inside me. His movements became sloppy while he rode out his orgasm, never stopping the kisses for more than a second to let both of us get some oxygen. Eventually, we had to part. I felt Kai's soft dick slipping out of my wet hole, while we both breathed heavily.

I leant against the elevator's side, turning around slightly to face Kai. I used my hands to locate his mouth, pressed a shy kiss on them, when the elevator suddenly started to move again. Seconds later the door opened and Kai more or less carried me into his office. He sat me down on his desk and I flinched lightly when the hard wood made contact with my ass.

"I'm sorry." Kai said, kissing me softly on the forehead. "I should have been more careful."

"No, wouldn't have wanted it any other way." I assured him, which earned me another kiss. This time on my mouth. One kiss turned into two and then into three, four, five, until I couldn't count them anymore. I felt my lower body slowly regaining its consciousness. And I wasn't the only one noticing this.

This time the sex was more tender. Kai made sure I enjoyed every second of it, without causing any pain. The pleasure rose and fell like high and low tide: every time I was sure my orgasm would overpower me, Kai prevented it, and brought me back to the edge moments later. My brain couldn't take it anymore. I didn't remember much after.

I woke up on a cool leather couch embraced by strong arms. A woolen blanket was tightly wrapped around us and for a moment I felt endlessly happy, until a thought about my mother crossed my mind.

"What time is it?" I said in a sudden panic.

Kai moved around. "It's shortly after one." He answered calmly.

My brain registered the words, but it took me a moment to comprehend them. "My mother is going to kill me."

"Don't worry. I'll prevent her from doing it."

"Kai! You don't know my mother. I have to …!"

"Shhh." He put his finger on my lips. "I know. I'll drive you."

"Thank you." I kissed his finger.

I was silent during the ride, thinking about any excuse I could tell my mother and Kai let me indulge in my thoughts. When the car stopped and the engine went silent, I wasn't any wiser.

I thanked him for the drive and kissed him goodbye. When our lips parted I felt loneliness seeping into my bones. Before I opened the door, I turned around for one final kiss. The kiss lasted almost a minute. When we broke apart, I felt Kai turning stiff.

Suddenly my door opened without my help.

"Tala Ivanov. Go inside. Now." My mother was furious. I hurried to follow her command, but I could still hear her talking to Kai. "And you, Mr. Hiwatari, will not lay hands upon my son, ever again." I couldn't hear Kai's response, but my mother shut the door and went back inside the house after me. Before she closed the front door, I heard the engine roaring to life and Kai drove away.

"We will talk in the morning." The angry voice left no space for back talk. I went upstairs into my room, but it took hours until I finally fell asleep. Too much had happened.

I woke up late and had no desire to go downstairs to talk to my mother. I had a message from Kai on my phone, asking if I was alright. The message brought a small smile to my face. I texted him, that I was okay.

Eventually, I had to talk to my mother. I got up and went downstairs. She was at the kitchen table, preparing lunch, but stopped when I sat down.

"Mom, I'm sorry." I tried.

"No, you aren't. Stop lying." She was serious, but she didn't sound as mad as in the night.

"No, I'm not. It was incredible. I've …"

"Stop!" She interrupted me. "I don't want to hear this. You and a man. It's disgusting. And of course it has to be Hiwatari." I wanted to say something, but my mother continued. "Don't you understand, that he is only playing with you? Now that he got what he wanted, he will discard you like a rotten apple. Do you really believe someone like him wants a relationship with someone like you?"

"No, that's not true." I talked back, tears gathering in the corner of my eyes. Her words hurting me.

"I tried to protect you from this kind of people, but you don't listen to your mother. Soon you will know what I mean. This man only wants sex and when he has enough of you, you will be nothing more than dirt under his shoes. Like all the women he sleeps with every week."

I got up. Tears flowed down my cheeks. I had to get away from my mother. I went back to my room and didn't leave until the next morning when I had to leave for work.

At work I felt better. I tried my best to be the same as always, but butterflies fluttered about my stomach, since Kai had texted me this morning. He asked if I could come to his office at noon. He told Bryan, that he needed me for a special assignment.

Needless to say, Johnny pestered me all morning to find out what kind of special assignment this was. I told him, that I didn't knew either. Although I had the hunch that it had nothing to do with work. And I was right. We only had about thirty minutes, until Kai had to participate in an online meeting, but every second was pure bliss.

The little time caused even more pleasure for me and I didn't know how I should be able to work after this as though nothing had happened. Kai made sure I looked alright before I left his office, with the promise of meeting tomorrow, since his afternoon was scheduled with one meeting after the other.

I managed to dodge Johnny's questions by telling him, that we only talked about a computer program for blind people. "Mr. Hiwatari sees a market niche." I explained.

The following days were like Monday. We met shorty, usually around noon, had incredible sex and went separate ways. Until Friday. Kai had to go on some business trips. He wouldn't be back at the HQ for about two weeks.

I was sad, but as the manager of a global company this was simply part of his life.

At home my mother and I still avoided each other. Because of this it surprised me, that she came to my room on Sunday evening and said, that she needed me to listen to something. I followed her down to the living room. The TV was on and a woman was talking about the best night of her life. I didn't know why my mother wanted me to listen to this, until a second woman started to chip in the talk and added some details about their sexual adventure. I still didn't get it, but then one of the women said. "I didn't know that sex could be this pleasurable. Mr. Hiwatari is truly a benefit for all women." I chocked.

"They are talking about last night." My mother added. "It seems, that your Mr. Hiwatari replaced you already, now that you aren't available to him."

"No, it's …" I was speechless.

"Tala, I really don't want to harm you. It's just … you are an easy victim for him. And at the same time, you are exotic, due to your disability. He only plays with you." When I didn't say anything, she continued. "Ask him, when he felt attracted to you. I bet it was during the job interview. You only have this job, because he wanted to sleep with you."

This was harsh. I violently shook my head as if this could stop the meaning of the words, that my mother sent my way.

"No, you are wrong." I finally managed to say on the verge of tears. "I'll ask him, when he is back. But you are wrong."

The next one and a half week were like hell. I went to work like nothing happened, but the more I thought about my mother's words, the more I got the impression she could be right. I thought about every interaction I ever had with Kai, and there was nothing, that indicated he wanted a relationship with me. I had to ask him.

It was Wednesday morning when I got a message from Kai. He hadn't contacted me during his overseas stay at all, but now that he was back, he wanted to meet me. I agreed to the time, but wasn't looking forward to the appointment.

Kai immediately asked me what was wrong when I entered his office five minutes later than the agreed time. I walked up to his desk, but didn't really know what to do, so in the end I just stood there, asking my question.

"Did you only hire me, because you wanted to fuck me?" My voice sounded firmer than I felt.

"Why do you say this?" He sounded irritated, but I couldn't tell if it was because I finally saw through him.

"Just answer my question, please, Kai."

"No, I hired you because of your programming skills." I felt relief.

"So, when did you feel attracted to me?" Please, don't confirm my mother's suspicion, I begged silently. When he didn't answer, I specified my question. "Was it during the job interview?"

"Yes." One word and my hopes shattered.

"And you say you hired me because of my programming skills?" I had to ask again.

"Tala, damn, yes. I had ulterior motives when I hired you. What do you want me to say now?"

I swallowed. My mother had been right from the start. Suddenly another thought came to my mind. "Did you purposefully give me false data that one Saturday? To make me stay longer?"

He sighed. "Yes, I did it on purpose."

"The elevator ride back up to your office because you forgot something?"

"I lied. I wanted …"

I finished the sentence for him monotonously. "… to seduce me."

"Yes."

I turned around and left. I had to get out of this office. Out of this building. As far away from this man as possible. I stumbled towards the elevator.

"Mr. Ivanov, are you alright?" Kai's secretary, Ian Papov, asked startled, but I was already inside the elevator. The door closed and I took a deep breath. Although I wanted to get away as fast and far as possible, I couldn't just leave my work. Me and my mother needed the money. Our debt shrunk significantly over the last months, but getting myself fired was no option.

Instead of exiting on the ground level, I drove back up to the floor I worked on. Another deep breath and I entered our open space office.

"Hey, you are back early!" Johnny said, before I even closed the door.

"Yes, the project ended." I retorted irritated. I didn't want to talk to anyone now.

"Wow. No need to be so pissed."

"Leave him." Bryan said and thankfully Johnny listened to his superior.

When I got home this evening I went straight to my room, but of course my mother couldn't leave me alone. She patted my arm and delivered her I-told-you-so-speech. I was happy when she left. I wanted to cry, but funnily enough I couldn't.

I was finally drifting off to sleep, when my mobile phone ringed and a computer voice announced a call from Kai Hiwatari. I didn't answer. Instead of calling again, he sent a message next. I didn't listen to it and blocked his number.

It was over and I had to live with it. Half a year prior I had been depressed, because I couldn't find a job. Then I got a job, but this job now made me feel depressed. It felt like I turned around in a circle 24/7.

This feeling intensified over the next weeks. Kai never tried to contact me again and according to the media he continued his life like nothing happened. It made me feel worse, because as much as I tried to hate him, I missed the time we spent together. I doubted I would ever feel the same with another person. He had paid so much attention to my body. Each caress … I didn't want to think about it.

Of course, my depression didn't go unnoticed by Bryan and Johnny. It really surprised me when one day Johnny asked if I wanted to join him at a pre-Christmas-party in one of the hot clubs in downtown. I didn't, but he and Bryan, who would also come along, pestered me every day until I finally said yes.

It was a done deal. Even my mother sounded genuinely happy that I would go out. I didn't feel the same happiness, but it did cheer me up, that everyone around me seemed happy that I came along.

So, it came that I, at the age of 23, visited a discotheque for the first time. And probably last time. It was loud and a foul smell of sweat hung in the air. The prices of the drinks were astronomically. I sipped my drink slowly, while Johnny and Bryan downed one drink after the other. I declined every of their offers to buy me more, since they both knew about the financial problems me and my mother had. In truth, I didn't feel like drinking and I wanted to get away from this place as soon as possible. I had the constant feeling that someone watched me.

I didn't know how much time passed, maybe an hour, when a female voice asked if she could sit down next to me. Johnny was somewhere on the dancefloor, after he gave himself enough liquid courage, and Bryan went to the toilet.

I said yes, since I didn't know if all the other seats were occupied.

"What's your name?" The girl asked close to my ear, so she didn't need to scream.

"I'm Tala." I said loudly.

"Hi, Tala. I'm Julia. Nice to meet you." I didn't know what to say. I felt uncomfortable. When I kept silent, she continued. "Tala, do you wanna dance?"

I chuckled. "No."

"No." She repeated and sounded a bit hurt.

I felt sorry so I added. "Thank you for your offer, but I can't dance."

"Why. Everyone can dance." She was stubborn.

"Julia, I'm blind, if you haven't noticed."

"Oh." I could feel her eyes on me, scrutinizing my face. "Sorry, I really didn't notice." After a moment she continued. "But this isn't a hindrance. I can lead you."

"No. I can't." She was really stubborn.

"You can. Come on, it will be fun."

I didn't know what came over me, but eventually I said yes. She pulled me to the dancefloor and hugged me closely. We swayed to the music together, thankfully the current song was a slow one, and I had to admit that it was fun. We danced to two more songs before we went back to our seats.

Bryan was back and asked who that lovely looking lady was. I introduced them to each other and we talked. It was fun. For the first time in weeks, I had fun again. After hours of talking, I felt too tired to form adequate sentences and suggested it was time to go. Bryan called a taxi and Julia came with us.

We went outside and the cool air made me feel fresh again. The taxi arrived five minutes later and Julia opened the door for me. "Isn't this usually the man's part?" I jokingly said.

"Maybe hundred years ago." She answered and went to the other side of the car to sit behind the driver. Bryan claimed the passenger's seat. Before I could close my door, an all too familiar voice called if we had a seat left for him.

"Good Lord! This is Kai Hiwatari!" Julia said and tugged at my sleeve. "Tala, you can sit in the middle, right? Then Mr. Hiwatari can have your seat."

Thankfully everyone was so fixated on Kai that no one seemed to noticed my horror. Reluctantly I made space.

"Thank you. I'll like to pay for your ride as a return favor."

"Wow. My friends won't believe me, when I tell them I shared a taxi with the infamous Kai Hiwatari. At his charge." Julia said excitedly.

I waited for Bryan's reaction, since it was his boss as well, but he kept quiet after giving the driver his address. The drive to Bryan was short and I tried to not focus on the touch of my and Kai's leg. Instead, I tried to concentrate on Julia. She chatted happily, although no one reacted to her.

When Bryan got out of the car and said his goodbyes, I hoped that Kai would change to sit on the now free passenger's seat, but he stayed where he was. Julia told her address to the driver and we were on the road again.

It would be a fifteen-minute ride to Julia's apartment. Fifteen minutes I had to sit next to Kai, inhaling his unique scent of musk and fresh sea breeze, feeling his touch on my leg, his body warmth. With my left hand I looked for Julia's. When I found it, I squeezed it lightly. She leaned against me for the rest of the drive. I could sense Kai's eyes on us, but he didn't say anything.

We arrived at Julia's place. She opened the door and got out. I wanted to go after her, but Kai grabbed my arm and stopped me. "Tala, let's talk. Please, come with me to my place."

I shook off his hand and followed Julia. If she had seen our interaction, she didn't mention it. Instead, she asked if I wanted to go inside with her. I could hear the hope in her voice, but I had to decline. She gave me a peck on the lips and put something in my hand. A piece of paper. I put it into my jacket pocket.

The taxi driver got impatient and asked if I wanted to continue the drive. I said goodbye to Julia and went back to the car. I sat down behind the driver and before Kai could say anything I gave the man my address. He swore, because I lived in the opposite direction and we had to drive through the whole city again.

Even at night without the usual traffic, the drive took forty minutes. The driver was constantly swearing, because heavy snowfall started. Apparently, he was working overtime because of us and Kai had to shut him up by promising him to pay extra. I kept silent until we arrived at my home.

I got out, thanked the driver, and went straight to the front door. Once inside the house I breathed freely for the first time, since the taxi had been full of Kai's scent. As silent as possible, to not wake my mother, I went upstairs and into my room. The room was warm and stuffy. I opened the window to let some fresh air inside and for a moment I listened to the nightly sounds.

The jingle of my phone interrupted the peacefulness. I had a feeling what it was. For a second, I wanted to ignore it, but another jingle made me reconsider. I gave the command to play the messages. It was an email from Kai send to my work address, since I blocked all other forms of communication.

"Tala. Please, hear me out. Let me explain."

"Tala. I know you are still up. Let me in. It's freezing. Please."

I felt a knot in my stomach. It couldn't be, I thought. I ran downstairs and opened the front door.

"Thank you, Tala." Kai said relieved. "I thought I would freeze to death."

I let him inside. Coldness was radiating off him. I touched him to feel how bad it was and was surprised. "Why are you only in a shirt?"

"Forgot my jacket at the club."

"And the taxi?"

"The driver didn't want to wait any longer. I gave him the money and he left."

"You are …" I wanted to punch him. Instead, I grabbed his shirt to shake him and ended up in a tight hug. Kai's skin was so cold, and yet a warmth spread inside me.

"Tala, please, don't lock me out of your heart." He begged. The almighty Kai Hiwatari begged me. He wanted to be with me. My heart started to race.

"I don't know, Kai." I was insecure and didn't know what to do. I heard a rumbling upstairs and froze. "My mother might wake up any moment. Please, follow me upstairs."

I let him into my room, that was cold. Shit. I had forgotten to close the window. First, I needed Kai to get warmer, so I guided him to my bed. We laid down and I put the blanket around us as best as I could. We laid close to each other and I rubbed his arms to get more heat into him. Kai's specific scent filled the space around us. It was overwhelming and, unfortunately, my body was not as firm as my mind. The fragrance and the body contact had its effect on me.

"Don't misunderstand this." I said, knowing full well that I didn't have any good arguments to explain my reaction.

Kai kept silent and took my hand and kissed my knuckles. When I didn't oppose, he placed another soft kiss on my forehead. Slowly his mouth wandered down, leaving traces of feathery kisses on its trail, until he reached my lips. He kissed me gently. I wanted to oppose, to say he needs to stop, but I couldn't. Over the last weeks I had missed this so much. The feeling of being wanted. I knew it was a mistake, but I kissed him back. I opened my mouth, allowing his tongue admission.

We kissed. For minutes. Until my lips felt numb from too many kisses. Kai seemed to notice. He pulled my shirt over my head and started to trail kisses down to my collarbone and from there further down to my belly button. There he opened my belt, the button of my jeans and zipper. All while placing a thousand kisses on my stomach.

Suddenly cold hit my groin. Kai had freed my erection by pulling down my jeans to my knees, before he continued the trail of kisses. All the way down to my dick. A load groan left my mouth and I had to reprehend myself for being too noisy, when Kai started to suck me.

First, he only concentrated on the tip, but slowly he took in more and more of my hard member. I had to bite my lips to prevent the moaning and groaning. The heat from Kai's mouth, the licking and sucking in turns, drove me crazy. I wanted to scream. I felt blood seeping out of my lip where I had bitten down to hard.

Kai quickened his movements and brought me over the edge within a few minutes. The orgasm hit me like a truck, my whole body shook while I came deep down his throat. But he didn't pull away. He swallowed every drop of cum until my shaking stopped and my dick went soft.

With a swift movement Kai got back up and gave me another kiss on my bleeding lips. I could taste myself on him, mixed with the blood seeping out of my injured lip.

"I still don't know how this could work out." I said after a while.

"Nor me. We have to figure it out as we go, I guess." Kai sounded determined.

"For now." I said mischievously. "I have to figure out what I should do with his." I gave Kai's dick a hard squeeze through the fabric of his trousers. He hissed. My hand moved under the hem, messaging the hot flesh. I felt precum leaking from the tip.

A guttural groan left Kai's mouth. He stifled it by nibbling on my earlobe. "I want to fuck you." He whispered and the words resurrected my own dick. I moaned while my fist slid up and down his hard meat, spreading the precum to make it slick.

I had to get rid of Kai's trousers. I grabbed the hem with both my hands and yanked everything down. A low protest erupted out of the other for abandoning his dick, but in the end, Kai helped by lifting his hips and kicking off his trousers. I did the same with my jeans and used the new freedom of my legs to straddle Kai.

I grabbed his dick once again to steady it and let myself sink onto the hard shaft. It hurt at first and I waited a moment for my ass to adjust, before I lifted myself up again to slam back down within a second. I set a slow pace at first, but soon my own body wanted more. The rhythm got faster and harder, but it wasn't enough. I wanted to scream in frustration, but had to keep quiet to not wake my mother.

Kai seemed to notice my desperation and with a swift switch of our positions I suddenly found myself lying under him. In this position he would have better access to my ass and could go even deeper. I bit into the cushion when he exactly did what I imagined. He lifted my butt up and slammed his dick down my hole. Again, and again, and again.

I couldn't keep up with this rhythm. My body was on fire. Another orgasm hit me, but Kai didn't slow down. He kept slamming into me so hard. I thought I would black out. The pleasure became unbearable. Kai swore and with a final stroke he came deep inside me. He slumped down on top of me.

I was exhausted and couldn't move. Everything felt like a dream. The best dream I ever had. Kai rolled over to the side and hugged me close. He kissed me on the temple and whispered oaths of love until I fell asleep.

When I woke up, I felt pain. My whole body ached. I silently groaned with pain.

"You okay?" Kai asked and sat up.

"I feel like a train overrun me. I need a shower."

"Mind if I join you? I don't want to face your mother like this."

My mother. She would be mad, but we absolutely had to talk to her.

After the shower I felt fresh and human. I was ready to confront my mother. After a short discussion, we decided it would be best for me to talk to her alone.

I found her in the kitchen. She stowed away the groceries according to the sounds she made. I waited until she was done and sat down at the kitchen table. After a moment she sat down as well. Silence expanded around us, until my mother cleared her throat.

"You know Tala, you don't have to hide him in your room." I didn't say anything, so she continued. "The walls in this house are thin. The whole neighborhood probably knows what you did."

I blushed and started to stutter, that we had tried to be silent, but no coherent word left my mouth. The door to the kitchen opened and I could sense Kai entering. I stopped my stuttering and smiled.

"Mr. Hiwatari." My mother said.

"Mrs. Ivanova." Kai said in return. He stood behind me and put a hand on my shoulder.

My mother took a deep breath. "Do you want to eat something? You two must be hungry."

I couldn't believe my ears. My mother invited Kai to eat.

"Why the change?" I finally managed to speak.

"The worst for a mother is when the child is unhappy. You were miserable the last weeks. If Mr. Hiwatari makes you happy, then that's how it should be."