TO be called cute was flattering, but sure enough, I wasn’t cut out to be a hostess. Instead, I patrolled the club in my job-hunting suit, greeting nekomata as they came into work. Periodically, I checked in with nekomata who were accompanying guests elsewhere, as well as rode taxis with them to and from the club. Since Yoru had been stationed at the nursery, they were protected on all fronts.
Eventually, we received an escort request from a hostess meeting a client at a hot pot restaurant. As I hopped into the front passenger seat of the taxi, I discovered that the nekomata I was chaperoning was the mother of the kitten Yoru had saved. Dressed in a chic suit, her hair in elegant waves, she winked at me from the back seat.
Later that evening, I spied her at the club again as she chatted with a wealthy-looking executive. After leading him to his seat, she excused herself to touch up her hair and makeup in the back.
She flashed a genuine smile at me as the beautician set her hair. “Thank you for taking care of my kitten yesterday, sweetie.”
When picking up her daughter earlier that morning, she’d been dressed like a normal mother. At night, however, she was the perfect hostess. Beautiful calico ears nestled amid her glamorous curls.
“Is your daughter okay now?” I asked.
“Oh, she’s fine!” the cat replied. “The attack startled her a bit, of course, but when she heard Yoru would be at the nursery tonight, she was practically bouncing off the walls. He’s her personal hero now.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“Now then, time to make up for last night by working my tail off.” The nekomata squared her narrow shoulders, donned her best smile, and returned to the hall. She looked quite dignified, sashaying over to a customer in her shiny dress and high heels. A lovely Swarovski crystal accessory hung from the end of her hooked tail.
Come to think of it, cats from Nagasaki have bent tails like that. Could she be from there originally?
“Kaede,” Shinozaki said as I watched her leave. “Anything to report from outside?”
I shook my head. “Not yet. But there have been previous instances of the miko attacking nekomata on their way home, so I need to stay alert.”
“I’m counting on you.” He clapped me on the shoulder before stepping back into the hall as well.
One particular guest, an octopus ayakashi, broke into a smile at the sight of him. “Well, if it isn’t the Lost Fox of Tenjin,” the octopus said, wriggling happily. “How long has it been since we ran into each other?”
Shinozaki didn’t work at the club, of course, but knew many of the executives and ayakashi who frequented it. A celebrity of sorts, he was obligated to greet everyone, and he spoke to the octopus, who appeared to be a company executive; an ayakashi in samurai garb; and a group of humans on his umpteenth round of hellos.
Meanwhile, I observed the proceedings from the shadows. A wide variety of beings visited the nekomata’s mansion. Some patrons dispelled their human appearance upon entering, choosing to interact with the hostesses as ayakashi. Others were human executives who knew about ayakashi. At the very least, everyone shared a common knowledge of the supernatural.
I glanced at Shinozaki one last time before wandering back to the employee area. He seemed wholly at home exchanging pleasantries with the multitude.
“…That looks rough,” I muttered under my breath. Yet I also found his efforts dashing. He worked so hard to bring together ayakashi who wouldn’t otherwise have a community. And he’d saved me as well.
“Kaede!” crowed Akino, hugging me from behind.
I squealed. “Whoa!”
Her ample bosom pressed against my back. Even as a fellow woman, I couldn’t help the blush warming my cheeks. Her intoxicating scent was causing my mind to go blank. “Wh-What’s going on?!”
She giggled. “How adorable. You’ve been watching Shino…Shinozaki this whole time, haven’t you?”
My heart skipped a beat.
Akino eyed him, her sensuous lips—beauty mark and all—curling into a smirk. “Quite a catch, isn’t he? You like him, don’t you?”
“Yes. He’s a great boss.”
“What do you think about him as a woman? You can barely take your eyes off him.”
“Well, um…”
“You might not be too late, you know?”
Before I realized I was moving, Akino had driven me against a wall. She slapped her hand against it and leaned into me. Her beautiful face, deep cleavage, and heady scent overwhelmed me. Feverish heat radiated from her body where our skin touched—like that of a cat, maybe.
Wow. She could have anyone in the palm of her hand.
“A-A-Akino, u-umm…”
“You have the scent of Shinozaki’s bite on you,” she breathed. “Your spiritual energy smells delightful, but no ayakashi in Fukuoka would dare lay a hand on his mistress. He cares for you deeply, no?”
“H-He treats me very well for an ordinary employee… That’s all.”
“An ordinary employee? Are you sure about that?” She caressed my jaw, her captivating gaze causing sweat to drip down my back. “Could you be the one Shinozaki has been wai—”
“That’s enough,” he said in an exasperated tone, walking over to us. “Stop teasing her, Akino.”
Immediately, her smirk melted into an innocent smile. “Come now,” she replied, backing away from me and shrugging. “I was only joking. How could I resist when she’s so cute? Besides, it’s not every day you hire a new employee. And a human girl at that.”
“It’s a matter of public safety. What would happen to the domain of Lord Tenjin if she walked around like that?”
Akino snickered. “Good point. Honestly, I’m impressed that a tasty treat like her has survived so long. She might as well be covered in barbequed Saga beef.”
“Saga beef?!” I yelped.
And with that, she retreated to the hall.
I heaved a sigh, utterly exhausted. “Thank you so much. I thought I was about to be cat foo—”
Looking up at Shinozaki, I found myself speechless. His golden eyes pinned me down, not a trace of emotion on his face. Did his ears and tail look somewhat taut, or was that my imagination? Is he angry?
“Um, Shinozaki?”
Suddenly, he was the one backing me into the wall.