Chapter 3

“For a self-avowed herbivore, you sure do stare at women quite often,” Yoshino remarked as we walked between classes.

There was no disapproval in her voice, making the statement sound like a detached observation, but I knew better. It had been two and a half weeks since we met, and I had learned a lot about her through observation. Although she would never admit it, she was jealous.

I had also observed that, despite her bad personality, she had a strong sense of right and wrong. Even if her pride prevented her from apologizing when she’d wronged someone, she always found a way to make it right, and then some. Honestly, I found her incredibly cute in that way.

As I learned more about her, I realized that I didn’t want to allow her to fall victim to whatever Ibuki was planning, but nor did I want to give the goshujin caste ammunition to go after Ibuki and her family. I hoped to stick close to both Yoshino and Ibuki and intervene without being noticed or, more importantly, caught in the middle.

“I’m not staring at them” I defended myself, “I’m observing what they wear. Aside from my school uniforms, I’ve never really worn anything girly, so I was thinking I might change up my style.”

“I forbid it,” Yoshino snapped. “Not that I believe you anyway. You were clearly lusting after that woman right now.”

“That would be pointless when I’m with you,” I said. “After all, their beauty can’t begin to compare to yours.”

I expected Yoshino to point out that I was just flattering her, like she always did whenever Ibuki or I paid her a compliment. It never ceased to amuse me how, despite her protestations, our compliments always made her happy.

This time, however, Yoshino reacted differently. Perhaps she realized she was becoming too predictable.

“Once again, my dazzling beauty causes problems,” she sighed. “Perhaps I could encourage your licentious behavior towards other commoners. If you become too enamored with me, it may drive you mad.”

“You’re going to need to explain that one to me,” I said.

“Even though I’m right next to you, you can’t have me. Honestly, I don’t know how you handle it. I’d be all over me.”

“It helps that your beauty is as intimidating as it is captivating,” I tried again.

“You’re really giving Ibuki-san a run for your money today,” Yoshino said, hiding her face behind her fan.

It was now late October, and with the weather getting colder, the fan was becoming ridiculous. I would soon learn that she would carry it around with her even in the dead of winter.

“By the way,” she added, “my father says he wishes to speak with you.”

“The finance minister wants to talk to me?” I gulped.

“Frightening, I know,” Yoshino agreed. “I’ve been doing my best to push back against him, but he might try something behind my back, so be careful.”

“Be careful of what?”

“He may send some goons to collect you,” Yoshino said. “I don’t think he’ll risk an incident on campus, but be wary around strangers, OK?”

Two days later, her father caused an incident on campus.

It was Saturday morning, and I was taking advantage of my free day to sleep in. I was awoken at 9 AM by a loud banging on my bedroom door. Before I could answer, the door swung open and Yoshino’s maid swept into my room.

“Please pardon the intrusion,” she said, lifting me from the bed and slinging me over her shoulder. “Mr. Lexington wishes to meet with you.”

“Wait,” I said, struggling to free myself. “At least let me get dressed first.”

“No time,” the maid replied. “There are clothes for you in the car. If you wish to preserve your modesty, I suggest you press your chest against my back.” We had exited the apartment and were heading towards the stairs. “Rest assured, you are completely safe in my hands.”

She descended the stairs quickly, kicked open the door, and ran across the lawn towards her waiting car. Although she did her best to minimize my exposure, plenty of students saw me getting hauled across campus in nothing but a pair of unisex boxers.

In the back seat of the car, I found a change of clothes, as promised, but I had only begun to put the bra on when the car peeled out.

“Fuck,” I swore. “Are you one of those combat maids? I thought they all went extinct.”

“Not entirely,” the maid said, “but we have more important things to discuss, and not much time. Why did you not heed my advice?”

“I’m doing my best,” I said, picking up the shirt.

“Your best is causing Yoshino to become obsessed with you. You need to either forcefully reject her or accept her advances. Because you reject her sometimes and flirt with her others, she thinks you’re playing hard to get, and that only intrigues her.”

“I’m just trying to survive,” I said. “When I compliment her, she goes easier on me, but I have no intention of pursuing a relationship with her.”

“I understand how difficult this must be for you,” the maid said, “but at the rate you’re going, this will last longer than a single semester.”

“I might be OK with that,” I admitted. “Sure, Yoshino can be really difficult to handle sometimes, but I like having my own room.”

“You’re naive if you think you can handle her. Everything a goshujin gives you comes with a hidden price. I’m the living embodiment of that.”

“She’s going to make me pay off my debt by working as a maid?”

“No, I don’t think so. That would be a waste of your education. But she’ll find a way to profit off of you, and you likely won’t find it pleasant. If you’re not careful, Mr. Lexington will do the same thing. Your best bet is to go along with everything he says, and talk as little as possible, but don’t accept any deals.”

Upon arriving at a nondescript office building, I was hurried into an ornate office where the finance minister sat at an intimidatingly fancy desk. Although we weren’t far from the National Diet Building, this was obviously not a governmental office. In the old days, the goshujin wouldn’t have batted an eyelash at conducting personal business in their government offices. This office was a sign that things were finally starting to change.

“Ms. Pierre, thank you for coming,” Mamoru Lexintgon said without looking up from his work. “I’m a busy man, so I’ll make this quick. I don’t care what you and my daughter are doing in private, so long as no harm comes to her. Keep her out of the tabloids, and if it looks like a scandal is brewing, you take the fall. Do as I say, and you’ll be rewarded, but fail, and your entire family will suffer. If you understand, you can leave.”

“You kidnapped and drove me halfway across the city just for that?” I scoffed.

“It was an effective demonstration of my power over you, and I find threats work better in person,” he said, still not looking up from his desk.

“If you want to threaten me, then threaten me,” I told him. “Expecting me to imagine the worst from your vague statements won’t work. I won’t threaten myself for you.”

“Your parents both work for my companies,” he said, still disinterested in me. “For starters, I’ll have them fired, and I’ll ensure nobody will hire them again.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, “I believe I misheard you. Could you please speak up?”

“I said, your parents both work for my companies—”

“Louder,” I interrupted. “I could have sworn I heard you say, ‘my companies,’ but we both know you sold all your shares three years ago. As a politician, by law, you’re only allowed to invest in broad index funds that include only domestic stocks and bonds. If you still have companies you control, I’m sure the Diet would love to know about them.”

That was enough to get his attention. He looked up at me with a smirk on his face, but I could tell he was displeased. Yoshino made that same face whenever I called her out on her bullshit.

“If you think it’s smart to threaten me—”

“I think it was necessary to get your actual attention,” I said loudly.

He blinked, confused. Then I could see recognition dawn on his face. I had taken control of the conversation and steered it where I wanted through sheer force.

“Dammit, did Yoshino teach you that?” he asked.

“No, she didn’t,” I smiled, “but given how she acts, I surmised she was able to get away with it at home. She walks all over you, just like she does me. Now, if you’re willing, let’s negotiate. You want to keep her out of the public’s eye. I’m not opposed to helping with that, but I respond better to the carrot than the stick.”

“If that’s all, I can write you a check right now and we can be done with each other,” he said. “How much?”

“Not money,” I said. “I want a summer internship—a good one. Not one where I spend the entire time running menial errands or one where I don’t have anything to do. I want to learn, and I want to make connections. Most of all, I want a lucrative career waiting for me when I graduate.”

“But as you pointed out, I no longer have any companies.”

“You still have connections. What I’m asking for will cost you favors and social capital, but I’m smart and I’m a hard worker. By the end of summer, they’ll be thanking you for sending me to them.”

“You have an awfully high opinion of yourself,” he remarked, “but I don’t know you well enough to trust you on that. I’m going to add a condition. I need you to protect her from the Carter girl.”

“If you insist,” I shrugged. “I don’t think Yoshino gets along with her anyway, and Ibuki seems to only care about seducing women.”

“No,” he insisted. “She’s planning something. I don’t know what, but if you can get me proof, I’ll fast-track you to an executive position. I don’t care what you have to do, just make sure to keep her away from Yoshino, got it?”

“We have a deal,” I said.

“You’re a bigger fool than I thought,” the maid said once we were back in the car. “Did you listen to a single thing I told you?”

“I listened,” I said, “and I appreciated the advice, but I have reasons for doing what I’m doing.”

“You’re in love with Yoshino,” the maid accused. “You know that Ibuki is next on Yoshino’s list. You’re both Yoshino’s type, and you don’t want Ibuki to take her from you.”

“I’m not in love with her,” I defended myself. “How could I be? But you’re right. I don’t want to see her fall into Ibuki’s hands. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”

“She’s not anyone,” the maid insisted, “she’s a goshujin. Normal logic doesn’t apply to her. You owe her nothing, and you’ll only end up hurting yourself. If—”

She was interrupted as she noticed a car pulling up beside us. Yoshino stepped out of its passenger seat and opened the door to our car, taking a seat next to me.

“Good morning, commoner,” she said, holding a hand out to me. “What did my father have to say? Did he tell you to stay away from me?”

“No,” I said, giving her knuckle a quick kiss. “Quite the opposite. It was creepy, actually. He told me to stay by your side. I think he’s got the wrong idea about us.”

“He did?” Yoshino asked. “Really?”

“I managed to impress him,” I said.

“You must tell me all about it,” Yoshino said, “in private.”

We arrived back at the dorms without incident. The maid, who had been so animated and insistent in speaking to me, became quiet and inscrutable as soon as Yoshino showed up.

Opening the door from the hallway into the common area, I called out, “I’m back,” but no reply came.

“Looks like she’s out,” Yoshino observed, checking Ibuki’s room. “Now tell me, exactly what did my father say to you?”

“I don’t care what you and my daughter are doing in private,”I said, doing my best impression of her father, “just keep it out of the tabloids.”

“He really said that?” Yoshino asked, not bothering to hide her shock behind her fan. “He wasn’t so understanding the last time we spoke.”

“Maybe he’s planning on disinheriting you,” I teased.

“He wouldn’t dare. Besides, he has no one else.”

Then maybe he doesn’t expect to have anything left when that time comes, I thought to myself.

“So, did you tell him we aren’t like that?” Yoshino asked, sitting down in an oversized chair in the corner of the room. It was one of many pieces of furniture she’d had delivered to the dorm, primarily for her benefit.

“I didn’t tell him anything,” I said, “and he didn’t ask. I figured it was better not to push my luck.”

“All’s well that ends well,” Yoshino said, “for me, that is. I bet you’ll be talk of campus for weeks. At least a dozen people caught it on video. I’ve never seen you in that kind of underwear.”

“You’ve never seen me in any kind of underwear,” I replied.

“We change together almost every day,” Yoshino pointed out, “at the gym.”

“You’re checking out my underwear in the locker room?” I asked.

“I’m checking you out in the locker room,” she clarified, “and don’t act all bashful about it. I know you’ve been checking me out too.”

“I wasn’t,” I lied. “I was just trying to make sure no one else was taking photos of you.”

“It’s just the two of us right now,” Yoshino said, standing up and walking towards me. “We don’t have to put on an act for anyone. Just admit you find me attractive.”

“You first,” I challenged her.

“OK,” she said. “I find you very attractive.”

She placed a hand on my cheek and drew me into a kiss. Her lips were as soft as they looked, and they were more delicious than anything I had ever tasted. I wrapped my arms around her, not wanting to allow her to pull away, but she placed her hand between our lips.

“Your turn,” she whispered.

“My turn?” I asked, confused, before I remembered the conversation.

“I’ve never felt this way about anyone,” I admitted. “I’ve never been attracted to anyone more than you, but it’s purely physical. I don’t love you.”

“I don’t love you either,” she said, “but that doesn’t matter. Right now, we’re just two people alone together. We can do whatever we want, and nobody but us will ever know.”

“I want to kiss you again,” I said. “Can I?”

As soon as Yoshino retracted her hand, I pulled her into another embrace, only this time I didn’t hold back. It had been nearly eight months since I had been intimate with anyone, and I was starving for it. My hands caressed and groped her all over her body, eliciting small squeals of pleasure from her, each reverberating throughout my entire body. But it wasn’t enough for me.

Yoshino grabbed me by the collar and pulled me backwards. She leaned her back against the wall, and I pressed my body against hers, pushing my left thigh between her legs. She moaned so loudly that it would have been audible from the hallway if not stifled by our kiss.

When she recovered, I felt her fingers undo the buttons on my shirt. She snaked her hands under my bra and slid them over my chest. Now it was my turn to moan. A deep, guttural moan.

Breaking our kiss, I pushed her hands to her side, grabbed the straps of her dress and pulled down hard, exposing her bra. Now it was my turn to rub my hands all over the breasts that had been tempting me for weeks.

That is, it would have been, had we not been interrupted. We both heard it at the same time, a key sliding into the lock.

Ibuki was home, and she was about to find us half-naked together.