"Fine, fine. I forgot you're eating for two. Can't let my Yuna and her mini-Yuna get hungry, can I?" Makoto took a bite of the remaining scallop, holding the other half between his teeth. He leaned across the small space between them, bringing his face close to Yuna.
Yuna's eyes widened as she realized what he was doing. The angry bird routine vanished instantly, replaced by a sudden, intense fluster. Her aggressive "Aahh" turned into a startled, muffled "Mmph?!"
But she didn't pull away. She leaned forward, her hands gripping the edge of the table until her knuckles turned white. Her eyes fluttered shut as their lips met. The kiss tasted of seared scallop, rich butter, and desperate tsundere affection. She took the bite from him, her tongue brushing against his clumsily and eagerly, savoring the connection more than the food itself.
When Makoto finally pulled back, Yuna was chewing slowly, her face now a bright, happy pink. She looked down at her lap, suddenly finding the geometric pattern of her yukata incredibly fascinating. "Hmph," she mumbled, swallowing hard. "It was acceptable. But only because I was starving. And because… well, sharing food is hygienic for couples."
"Wait a minute!" Ayane sat bolt upright. "Does that count as an indirect kiss?! Or a direct one?! Oh my god, that was lewd! You two are lewd! IN FRONT OF MY SALAD!" She turned to Mika, her eyes pleading. "Mika! Mika, do something! They're flirting! He's picking favorites!"
Mika calmly finished her wagyu, dabbing her lips with a napkin. She looked at Makoto, her gaze cool and unbothered, though a sharp glint in her eyes suggested otherwise. "I am not concerned. He is simply giving food to the squeakiest baby bird."
Then, Mika picked up a small dish containing a perfectly ripe strawberry. She held it out towards him, not with her chopsticks, but with her slender fingers. "Open, darling," she commanded softly.
Makoto obeyed and opened his mouth to bite down on the juicy strawberry. But he didn't stop there. He deliberately bit gently into the tips of her fingers, licking the sweet red juice from her skin. "Very sweet," he said, his voice dropping as he licked his lips, maintaining eye contact. "Must be Hakone's famous organic strawberries."
Mika didn't flinch as Makoto licked the juice from her fingers. Instead, her eyes darkened, the pupils dilating slightly. She watched his tongue with fascination. "Organic…" she repeated, her voice dropping to a husky purr. She didn't pull her hand back immediately, letting him finish. "Yes. Very sweet."
Then Mika finally withdrew her hand, slowly bringing her glistening fingers to her own mouth. She licked the exact spot where Makoto's tongue had been, maintaining intense eye contact. The gesture was so intimate, so possessive, that the air in the room seemed to thicken.
"And now," she whispered, "I've tasted you too."
"OKAY, THAT'S IT!" Ayane threw her hands up, abandoning all pretense of eating. "That was basically finger sex! I can't take this anymore! I'm horny and frustrated! I'm the only one not getting any action, boss!"
She glared at Makoto, then at her own plate of unfinished food. "I demand retribution! I demand… I demand…" Her eyes lit up with a chaotic idea. "I demand we play a drinking game, with juice! Every time someone says something lewd, they have to strip a piece of clothing! Starting now!"
Yuna choked on her tea. "Are you insane?! We're in a ryokan! And we're pregnant! We can't just drink and strip!"
"Speak for yourself!" Ayane declared, standing up and ripping off her sash. "You just said 'strip', that's something lewd just now! Take it off! Who's next?"
Mafuyu covered her eyes, though she peeked through her fingers. "Ayane-chan, please, the food will get cold…"
Mika sighed and picked up her teacup. "Ignore her. She's just seeking attention." She glanced at Makoto with a smirk. Then she stood up, walked over to Ayane, and leaned down to whisper something into the gamer girl's ear.
Whatever Mika said, it made Ayane's eyes widen. A wicked grin spread across her face, replacing the manic frustration. She nodded vigorously, picking up her sash and tying it back on, albeit loosely.
"Ahem, Mika's right. I recommend we don't do anything that gets us kicked out of this ryokan," Makoto interjected, drinking his tea to shake off the unsettling feeling that a conspiracy was forming against him.
"Ooh, I like that idea," Ayane murmured, glancing at Makoto with a dangerous glint in her eyes. "Okay, fine. No stripping for now." She sat back down, picking up her chopsticks with renewed enthusiasm. "Let's eat! Gotta fuel up for later activities."
The rest of the meal passed in relative peace, though the undercurrent of tension was hard to ignore.
Yuna kept stealing glances at Makoto, blushing every time he caught her. Mafuyu happily ate her meal, occasionally beaming at everyone like she was living in a dream. Ayane ate with gusto, occasionally winking at Makoto or whispering with Mika in voices too low to hear. And Mika just observed and ate with elegance.
As the meal wound down and the staff cleared the plates, Mika wiped her mouth and set her napkin down. "Excellent meal. Now it is 9:00 PM. The private onsen is available all night." She stood up, smoothing her yukata, and led the group back to their room.
"First, we have something to decide," Her voice turned crisp and commanding when she gestured to the corner of the room where the futons were usually laid out. "Since this is a family room, we will all be sleeping in here tonight. Together."
She paused for dramatic effect. "However… the standard arrangement is four single futons."
She looked at Makoto, her pink eyes gleaming. "We need to decide the sleeping arrangement. And since we are a democratic family, we will decide by a Rock, Paper, Scissors tournament. The winner gets to sleep next to Makoto. Losers take the outer edges."
"Wait!" Yuna jumped up. "That's not fair! I'm the Main Wife! I should get automatic rights!"
"Democracy, Yuna," Mika said calmly. "Unless you're afraid to lose?"
"I'm in!" Ayane shouted, jumping up. "I'm gonna win! I've been practicing my rock strategy!"
Mafuyu stood up slowly, looking nervous but excited. "I'll try my best!"
While the girls formed a circle, arguing about the rules of engagement, Makoto saw his chance. "Private onsen? Sounds good," he muttered to himself. Leaving the chattering girls to their fights, he slipped out of the room and followed the sign down the short hallway to the connected bath.
He slid the door open. The room was smaller than the communal bath they had used earlier, but more intimate. A wooden tub filled with steaming water sat beneath a large window that opened up to the cool mountain air and the starry sky.
"Not too bad…" Makoto sighed, untying his yukata and letting it drop. He stepped into the water, lowering himself until the heat enveloped him up to his chin. "Finally, some time for myself."
He closed his eyes, listening to the distant sounds of nature, completely unaware that his solitude was about to be very short-lived.