AFTER plenty of rest and the remainder of my paid leave, I began work with Shinozaki’s company, Fukuoka Ayakashi Career and Moving Services. I met him in Tenjin the Friday before my official start date; he’d offered to show me around the office prior to my first day. When I climbed into his car, he handed me a printed piece of paper.
“What’s this?” I asked.
“It’s a report concerning the area around your house,” he replied. “I investigated the source of your leaking spiritual energy but, as expected, couldn’t find anything.” He glanced at me before grumbling, “In any case, I’ll need to give you a bit of first aid before you enter the building today.”
“You can give first aid for this sort of thing?”
“If I don’t do something, it’s only a matter of time until an ayakashi devours you.”
“Yikes!”
Shinozaki drove down Watanabe Avenue, passing through the metropolitan area of Tenjin. We had to stop at each light due to the Friday pedestrian traffic. Each time the carefree melody of “Tōryanse” played from a traffic light, a crowd of people flooded the crosswalk.
“It feels like forever since I’ve been in Tenjin,” I said.
“Well then, Kaede, should we grab a bite to eat on the way back?” asked Shinozaki. “If you’re up for it.”
“Sounds great!” I glanced at him. His stature did not suit the driver’s seat of a Japanese car. All the leg room in the world couldn’t prevent his ears from squashing flat against the ceiling. Adorable, much?
Then I realized—
“Shinozaki.”
“Hm?”
“You just called me ‘Kaede,’ didn’t you?”
“I did indeed.”
“Why did you call me by my given name?” I asked.
“If your family name was Suzuki or Saruwatari, I would’ve used that instead. I just don’t like wells.”
Kikui was written using the kanji for chrysanthemum and water well. “You won’t use my family name because you hate wells?” I pressed. “I think you owe an apology to every Kikui in Japan.”
He ignored me. We traveled at a leisurely pace, enduring several traffic jams despite Shinozaki’s skill in navigating the narrow, winding streets.
“In that case, should I call you by a different name too?” I asked as we reached Imaizumi.
“No, Shinozaki is fine for now,” he said.
The Imaizumi area had a unique atmosphere, old manors and Buddhist temples intermingling with restaurants and boutiques. Pedestrians thronged the road, and two cars could barely squeeze past each other. Shinozaki’s ability to drive through the neighborhood without a single needless twitch of the steering wheel amazed me.
“I can’t believe you can drive in a place like this,” I marveled.
“You get used to it,” he replied. “It’s not that difficult once you understand the unspoken rules of right of way.”
“Okay, Mr. Modesty. I would’ve scraped every corner of the car by now.”
He laughed. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
Although I was raised in Kashii, I hardly ever came to Tenjin by car. Even taxis and buses tended to avoid it. Yet after turning down countless tight alleys, Shinozaki parked in the corner of a small lot. Once outside, he led me to a tree in another corner. A tiny shrine about one-third the size of a Stevenson screen stood beneath the tree. I wouldn’t have noticed it if I hadn’t been looking so carefully.
“You know the custom at Shinto shrines, right?” asked Shinozaki. “Bow twice, clap twice, and bow once more.”
“Got it.”
Shoulder to shoulder, we performed our obeisance. A moment later, my vision spun as if with vertigo.
“Wha—?!”
And a multitenant building materialized in front of me.
What… “What just happened…?”
“Only with our permission can someone enter the building,” Shinozaki said. “Our office is on the second floor.”
“Oh, um, okay.”
The first floor housed a retro café with amber-tinted windows. It could have been a time capsule of the Showa period. I followed Shinozaki up the stairs as he took them two at a time. Before long, he unlocked the door to a small, cozy office that could’ve been in any commercial building. Inside were three or four desks, houseplants, an air purifier, desktop computers, and a printer. File storage boxes neatly lined the shelves, and atop another sat a household shrine flanked by two potted sakaki.
“What a surprisingly normal office,” I said.
Shinozaki launched into a simple explanation of his company. I would serve as a point of contact for ayakashi seeking advice on moving and employment. I’d also be in charge of general office work, just as I had been at my previous job. And eventually, I would interview ayakashi myself and suggest solutions specific to their residence and workplace concerns.
After a brief tour of the office, Shinozaki paused, looking down at me. My heart skipped a beat as his golden eyes bored into me. “It’s about time for your first aid,” he said.
“Okay…”
“All right then, stay still for a moment.” He cupped my cheek in his hand, tilting it up to gaze into my eyes.
He’s so beautiful.
Then he kissed me.
“Huh?” I mumbled against his warm, slightly damp lips. An instant later, I felt something draining from me. Just our lips were touching, yet I felt as though a vacuum cleaner was sucking out my soul. No, as if a black hole had swallowed my very essence. No, like—
I lost consciousness for a moment. When I came to, I found myself in Shinozaki’s arms. “Ah…” I murmured.
Was I dreaming?
Shinozaki narrowed his eyes and licked his lips. His ears and tail sparkled faintly. “Thanks for the meal,” he said.
My mind blanked, and my cheeks burned. As my legs threatened to give out beneath me, he gripped me tighter and leaned in once more to bite me softly on the neck.
“Eek?!”
His teeth just barely grazed my skin, sending tingles through my entire body.
“U-U-Um,” I stammered breathlessly, my voice shrill. “What are you…?”
“Like I said, I’m administering first aid,” he replied. “I’ve absorbed a fair amount of your spiritual energy and marked you with my scent. No ayakashi will dare touch you for the time being.”
“Y-Your scent?”
“I could also absorb your spiritual energy by forming a contract with you. But unfortunately, I already belong to someone else.” He loosened his necktie and unfastened the top button of his shirt.
“W-Wait,” I pleaded, flustered, covering my face with my hands. “I-I’m still numb. If this gets any more intense, I’ll—”
Shinozaki rolled his eyes. “What the hell are you talking about?”
I could see his exposed left chest through my fingers. A faint sigil shone against his skin.
“This is proof of the contract my master and I formed a long time ago,” he said. “Our contract is almost identical to the bond between you and Yoru.”
“Really? Yoru has the same sign on his body?”
“Probably. Take a look at his ass, and you might find it.”
“I’m keeping my eyes off his butt, thank you very much!”
“Anyway…” said Shinozaki. “I’ve simply lowered your spiritual energy leakage from a thousand to a hundred. On top of that, I’ve marked you with my scent. No one but me should be able to lay a hand on you until your spiritual energy replenishes. And if someone does lay a hand on you, I’ll know.”
“I…see?” My befuddled mind could hardly keep up. So, okay, Yoru and I have a master-servant relationship. Conversely, Shinozaki is a shrike that’s impaled me on a twig to eat later. In other words, he’s marked me as his prey.
“Wanna head back soon?” he asked. “I’ll still take you out to eat.” He straightened his necktie and closed the sliding window, his uncanny aura gone. His elongated hair and excessively fluffy tail—byproducts of my spiritual energy—were returning to normal as well.
No, nothing is back to normal, I thought, standing up. I’m in a huge pickle now.
“Shinozaki,” I said. “We need to have a chat about something.”
“No problem,” he replied. “What is it?”
“Well, truth be told, I’m barely keeping my cool right now.”
“And why’s that?”
“Because that was my first kiss, you stupid jerk!” I shouted.
He blinked in surprise. “Come again?”
The dismissive flick of his tail all but said, “Oh, is that all?”
“You’ve never had a boyfriend?” he asked in an exasperated tone.
“Nope, not a single one! Does humiliating young ladies make you feel tough, big guy?!”
“Well then, in exchange for stealing your first kiss…” He trailed off, approaching me to cup my cheek again. As he tilted my face toward his a second time, I stiffened. “…I’ll give you something in return,” he finished. “What would you like?”
I considered his offer for three short seconds. “Cold, hard cash.”
“Pick something else. If I give you money, it’ll seem like I bought the kiss.”
“Yeah, something about that does feel wrong,” I conceded.
He nodded. “I’m glad you understand.”
“How about your floof then?”
“Say what?”
“Since you stole my first kiss, you need to repay me with your body as well,” I said. “It’s only fair. Let me touch your tail and ears whenever and however much I want. How about that?”
“That’s it? No problem.”
“Yes! Floof acquired!”
“Be gentle though,” he cautioned, holding his tail and stroking the fur with a smile. “My ‘floof’ is sensitive.”
His seductive gaze reminded me of our kiss, and I shuddered. If I gave in to his charm or beauty, I’d never gain the upper hand.
“By the way,” Shinozaki said, “I’ll have to absorb your spiritual energy regularly.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes, seriously. You produce near a limitless amount, like a geyser spewing water.”
“Wh-Wha…?”
He jingled his keys in front of the door, his tail whisking back and forth, “Ready to go?”
“Um, is there no way to absorb the energy without kissing me?”
“Nope. And who the hell would kiss you if there were another way?”
“Hey!” I cried. “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all!”
He shrugged. “In exchange for your spiritual energy, your protection will be my responsibility. At least until we can do something about that leakage.”
Despite his teasing, Shinozaki was really a kind, tenderhearted man, and my chest warmed with gratitude. His promise was all the reassurance I needed. I would do my utmost as his employee to repay the debt as soon as possible.
But that kiss. How do I even feel about it? Sure, the circumstances were pretty decent for a first kiss, but I’m so confused. After all, Shinozaki and I aren’t dating. He’s not even interested in me.
“Earth to Kaede,” he said. “You still with me?”
“Shinozaki.”
“Yeah?”
“You promised to take me out to dinner, right…?” I muttered.
He chuckled wryly, his eyes dancing with mirth. “Don’t expect branded beef.”
“I want to eat udon at Kawazoe’s food stall again…”
“Cute and cheap. I like it.”
And so I began working for the most outrageous boss imaginable—in spite of my efforts until then to live modestly, wanting nothing more than to preserve my normal peace.
🍁🍁🍁