Warning! (PG18)

This episode contains adult themes. Reader discretion recommended.

Takumi Junior

While working as a hostess, Rei had still been selling beaded jewelry and now also keyrings at the University gates. However, Takumi Junior mostly avoid her. He only talked to her briefly and always with his friends around him. Rei wondered if his father found out about her and told him to drop her. One afternoon she decided to make a move; she offered him a free key ring with his name on it and hid a message between the beads, inviting him the next evening to the roof of the same restaurant in Sakura Avenues they met at last time.

The restaurant in Sakura Avenues was quieter this time, the usual crowd thinned by midweek lethargy. Rei made it to the roof without getting held up by any robot waiters. She sat on the blanket she’d spread near the railing and adjusted the fit of her clothes; a deep pink A-line skirt, paired with a crop top. Just revealing enough to be sexy, without being outright vulgar. A picnic basket sat beside her, its contents carefully arranged: imported fruit, real chocolate, a bottle of sparkling cider she’d lifted from the club’s VIP stash.

Takumi arrived ten minutes late, his university blazer swapped for a casual black cardigan, his hair slightly unruly from the wind. He paused at the rooftop entrance, scanning the space until he spotted her. “You brought a picnic?” he said casually, approaching with long steps. His voice was lighter than usual, less performative. Rei patted the blanket, “You showed me the spot and bought dinner last time. It was the least I could do.” He sat down, keeping a careful distance, “Rei, my father would skin me alive if he knew I was here.”

“Then I guess we’ll have to keep it between us“, she poured cider into two plastic glasses, letting her fingers brush his, as she handed one over. Takumi’s throat worked as he swallowed. “Why’d you invite me?”, he enquired, studying her intently. Rei leaned back on her palms, the city lights painting her collarbones fluorescent, “Maybe I like rooftops. Maybe I like you”, she inclined her head, letting her eyes study his face, “Maybe I wanted to see if you’d actually show up after ghosting me for a weeks.”

His jaw tightened. “I had—”, he stopped himself, running a hand through his hair. “Standards? Your dad told you I was gutter trash right? “, she deliberated, plucked a grape from the basket, rolling it between her fingers, “Your guards been tailing me too. Not very subtle.” Takumi’s eyes flickered. For the first time, she saw real unease beneath the heir’s polish. “You noticed?”, he sighed apologetically. She popped the grape into her mouth, letting her lips curve around it, “They didn’t look like they were trying to hide it. Looked more like a scare tactic actually.” Takumi exhaled, shoulders slumping, “He’s convinced you’re some kind of corporate spy.” Rei laughed, bright and unexpected, “Me? Please. I couldn’t afford the wardrobe.” The unease loosened. Takumi grinned, reaching for the cider, “You’re really something, street mouse.” She shifted closer, her knee brushing his, “Be real with me, Takumi. Tell me why you invited me here in the first place? You started this.” The challenge hung between them. Takumi’s gaze dropped to her mouth.

Then—

His comms buzzed. A security alert flashed across his retinal display. He jerked back like he’d been burned, “Shit. They’re sweeping the block.” He stood abruptly, knocking over his glass, “I have to go.” Rei stayed seated, watching the cider seep into the blanket, “Run along then.”

Takumi took a few strides, then hesitated, “Thursday. Same time. I’ll lose the tail.” She smirked, “Bring better excuses.” He was already at the door, hand on the handle, when she called after him, “And Takumi?” He turned. Rei held up the grape stem, twirling it between her fingers, “Next time you bring the snacks!” For a heartbeat, she saw the boy beneath the heir, torn between duty and desire. Then the door slammed behind him. Alone again, Rei lay back on the blanket, staring at the smog-choked stars. The city hummed below, indifferent to her small victory. But Rei felt the thrill of the game, the razor’s edge between control and chaos. And she liked it.

Rooftop Gambit

The blanket had been hand-washed, though the cider stain had dried into a dark patch. Rei smoothed it out anyway, making sure the seating area looked effortless; like she hadn’t agonized over every detail. Tonight she’d kept her attire lighter; enough to tempt but not overwhelm. She wore white lace this time, softer, deceptively innocent, the neckline a shade lower than proper. She wanted him to notice the difference.

Takumi arrived late again. But this time, no blazer, no cardigan. No polished shoes. Just a black hoodie, jeans and sneakers. He carried takeaway bags containing skewers of grilled yakitori wrapped in pretty paper, a box of melon slices, and one bottle of delicate looking plum wine. “You ditched the leash?”, Rei said, not bothering to stand. Takumi sat down cross-legged on the blanket, closer than last, “Told them I had a cram session. They bought it.” Takumi smirked, “Mostly.” He poured the wine into two small plastic cups. “Mostly’s good enough”, Rei said softly. Their fingers touched, his touch lingered this time.

For a while, they ate, the city hum filling the silence. Rei let her laughter slip easy, she let her body lean toward him until her shoulder brushed his arm. Every move was deliberate. She remembered Karasu’s warning: Never lie to yourself. So she didn’t. She liked the way Takumi flushed when she leaned in. She liked the way he tried to look composed. “Do you often do this?”, she asked, licking a drop of plum wine from her thumb. Takumi blinked, “Do what?”

“Have picnics on roofs. Eat cheap food. Pretend the world isn’t waiting.”

He snorted, “Cheap food? These skewers cost more than my hoodie.”

“Okay, mister big-shot, I do appreciate you treating me to yummy food – but I’m asking if you’re bringing lots of girls up here dummy”, she narrowed her eyes, leaning closer, “So? Do you?” His mortified silence answered for him. Rei shifted closer, her thigh brushing his. His posture became firmer, but he didn’t move away. “Oh… so is this our little hideout?”, she whispered. His eyes flicked to her lips, then away, “You’re the one acting like you do this every Thursday.”

“I’m that good?”, her voice rose teasingly high, then dipped low, “Or that bad?”

He swallowed hard, “Both.”

Rei reached, fingers ghosting over his hand. He didn’t pull away. Encouraged, she leaned in, close enough to feel the heat of his breath, close enough that his composure cracked and his hand moved toward her side. Her heart kicked. She remembered her latest realization; my genuine arousal can be a weapon. She let herself feel it, the flutter in her stomach, the throbbing between her legs. She let it show in her breath, in the soft parting of her lips.

Takumi gave in first. His hand slid up to her side, tentative but ravenous. His lips brushed hers, assessing. Rei deepened the kiss, pushing just enough, pulling back just enough, to make him chase her. He did. His breath grew ragged. His other hand lifted, brushing the edge of her dress at her thigh. Rei broke the kiss, lips grazing his ear, “Slow down Takumi… let’s savor this”. Takumi shuddered, “Hmmm… If anyone—”

“No one’s watching”, she nipped the shell of his ear, delighted when he gasped. For the first time, she felt it: she was steering. She was the one in control. But just as Takumi’s hand slid higher on her thigh, a sharp buzz jolted him. His comm. His eyes widened. He froze, “Shit. My father.” Rei clenched her jaw as he scrambled to his feet, every ounce of softness gone, replaced by corporate panic. “I have to go”, he said, already backing away. She stayed on the blanket, her lips still damp, her pulse still racing, “You always run when it gets good.” Takumi hesitated, torn, then forced a grin that didn’t reach his eyes, “On Saturday. I’ll make it right.” The door slammed shut. Alone again, Rei touched her lips. He’d wanted her. Badly. And she’d been the one who pulled him there.

Saturday

The rooftop of the Sakura Avenues restaurant was deserted that Saturday night, the usual holographic cherry blossoms dimmed to a faint glow. Rei adjusted the strap of her dress; silk, pleaded, the same shade as Karasu’s favorite cigarettes. The picnic basket beside her held real strawberries and a bottle of chilled sake, the same brand she’d seen Karasu drink only on special occasions.

Takumi arrived right on time, his uniform replaced with a fitted black shirt that clung to his lean shoulders. He stopped short when he saw her, his grey eyes shining as he took in the scene, “You’re… different tonight.” Rei smiled, slow and knowing, and poured two glasses of sake, “I’ve been looking forward to this.” She patted the blanket beside her, watching as he sank down beside her. His knee brushed hers. She didn’t pull away.

“Even though you’ve been avoiding me lately… last time I sensed you missed me too,” she murmured, handing him a glass. Her fingers lingered against his, warm and deliberate. Takumi’s grip tightened around the drink, “Yeah, well…. my father—”. Rei edged closer, the scent of jasmine oil on her mingling with the night air, “He’s not up here.” Takumi exhaled, his shoulders softening as he took a sip. The sake burned a trail down his throat, his adam’s apple bobbing. Rei tracked the movement with her eyes before meeting his gaze again. “What are you looking at,” he said, voice rough. “You.” She reached out, touching his thigh with one fingertip. Takumi froze. Rei shifted closer, her thigh pressing against his. “What’s the matter,” she whispered against his ear, “aren’t you happy to see me?”

Takumi’s fingers clenched around his glass. For a moment, she thought he’d pull away. “I am…”, he admitted, so quiet she almost missed it, “But I can’t even relax now. I hate it… the expectations. The perfect son act.” His laugh was bitter, “Pathetic, right?” Rei’s lips curved against his throat, “No.” She pulled back just enough to see his face, “It’s human.”

Their eyes locked. The city hummed below, a distant pulse of radiance and noise. Then Takumi kissed her impulsively, nothing like Karasu’s controlled teasing. Rei let him, melting into his touch. His hands moved quickly, his caresses resolute. When she moaned against his throat, he pushed her down on the carpet but paused, studying her, “You’re so goddamn beautiful”, then he sighed and rose quickly to go look at the view, panting. She didn’t press him.

The rooftop became their quiet sanctuary, perched and forgotten by anyone else. The air was cooler, carrying the faded, sweet smell of cherry blossoms from the bio-engineered trees below, a stark contrast to the metallic tang of Chochin Row. Takumi Junior stood by the ledge, the city’s lights etching his elegant profile in silver and gold. Without his corporate slick attire, his grey eyes seeming softer, less like corporate calculating orbs and more like the hazy Mirage City sky. “They’ll find me soon,” he said, his voice laced with a familiar, weary resignation, “They always do.” Rei leaned against the ventilation unit, the rough metal a grounding sensation through her thin silk dress. The fabric felt delicate against her skin and highlighted the fire of her hair. “Then we should make the most of the time we have,” she replied, her tone a gentle invitation.

Takumi turned from the cityscape, his gaze finding hers. The usual nervous energy that crackled around him was still there, but it was muted, replaced by a raw intensity that made Rei’s carefully constructed composure flicker. The distance between them, a safe three feet, felt charged. “Every time I’m with you,” he began, stepping closer, “it feels like the only real thing. The rest… the meetings, the expectations, the… him… it’s all just noise.” Rei said nothing. She just watched him, her black eyes wide and seemingly guileless, a trick Yuri had taught her. Let them fill the silence with their own hopes. He took another step. Now she could see the faint pulse at his throat, smell the clean scent of his cologne mixed with night air. “Rei…” her name was a whisper in his voice, a plea, the first time he used her real name.

They stared at each other, seeing nothing else. The city pulsed below, but up here, the world had shrunk to the space between their bodies. Then he closed the final distance. His kiss was clumsy, fueled by bottled-up rebellion and longing. It was all instinct, no finesse. Rei let him. For a moment, she simply accepted the onslaught, feeling the frantic beat of his heart against her own. Then, she began to guide him. Her hands came up, not to push him away, but to gently place his on her waist. She arched into the contact, a subtle movement that made him gasp against her mouth. It was a signal, a permission he eagerly took.

His hands grew bolder, less hurried but wilder, sliding from her waist to the small of her back, pulling her flush against him. When she allowed a soft moan to escape against his lips, it was like throwing gasoline on a fire. He broke the kiss, his breath ragged, his grey eyes dark with desire. “God, Rei,” he breathed, and then he was guiding her down again, onto the worn carpet that formed their picnic island. The stars above were faint, smudged fingerprints of light through the perpetual smog.

Their kisses deepened, becoming less frantic, more exploratory. Rei’s fingers tangled in his perfectly styled hair, messing it up, then smoothing it over. She let her body soften beneath his, a surrender that was the most potent move. She could feel the friction in him, the battle between what he wanted and the clock ticking down on his freedom. As if on cue, a discreet chime sounded from the comm-unit in his pocket. He froze, his body already separating itself from hers. The spell shattered. He groaned, a sound of pure frustration, and dropped his forehead to her shoulder. “They’re circling the block,” he muttered, his voice thick with defeat.

He pushed himself up, offering a hand to pull her to her feet. His face was flushed, his expression a mixture of embarrassment and yearning. As he straightened his rumpled shirt, he fumbled in his pocket and produced a small, matte pink card. He pressed it into her hand, his fingers dawdling on hers. He was blushing fiercely, “It’s… a hotel. Discreet. No questions asked”, he couldn’t quite meet her eyes, “The Starlight Inn. Room 712. Next Saturday. I… I want to see you somewhere we won’t be interrupted.” Rei looked down at the card, then up at him. She allowed a slow, enigmatic smile to curve her lips; the same smile she’d practiced in the mirror, the one that promised everything and revealed nothing. She curled her fingers around the card. “I’ll be there,” she promised, her voice a low, intimate whisper.

A look of profound relief and excitement washed over his face. He squeezed her hand once more, then turned and practically fled toward the rooftop door, a prince escaping back to his castle. Alone, Rei stood in the quiet night. She brought the card to her nose, smelling the faint, strawberry scent on it. She looked out at the sprawling, glittering city, a chessboard of power and desire. She had played her part perfectly. She had him hooked.

But as she touched her lips, still warm from his clumsy, earnest kiss, a cold, unexpected sliver of doubt lodged itself in her heart. The game, she realized with a chilling clarity, was becoming precariously real.