"Here's the lounge everyone!"
Saitou Risa-san twirled around as she reintroduced us to the impressive lounging area. Now that we're actually walking through it the number of things they have to do here is mind-boggling. There's a bar for people who want to laze around and drink high-class liquor all day. On the right, there's a gymnasium that has all kinds of equipment. Mae-chan's mother would have a field day there. But the source of entertainment that caught my attention first was the table tennis stands. There were at least six of them lined up from one end to the other and it brought me back to junior high. I was never much of a player but when I did have a game with friends I found it fun.
"Oh, would you like to play around against me Nakagawa-san?"
Saitou-san flexed her right arm as she squeezed her muscle with the other. She made it feel like this simple game was a test of strength with that pose. Honestly, she was quite confident it seemed in her abilities and I was a tad motivated by that to give it a try. Could it have been that old basketball competitive drive reaching its hand outside of the grave? I couldn't tell but the idea of a one on one with someone made my feet a tad light.
"Sure, if you want Saitou-san."
I shrugged trying to look mildly interested. What could go wrong with a table tennis game?
"Well, if the Onee-san's are playing together, Hana-chan how about we relax over there and I give you a palm reading!"
"A palm reading, Saya-san?!"
I turned back to Saya-san who already had my little sister's fingers wrapped around hers.
"Eh? S-Saya-san!"
I cried. Hana-chan nodded like the loyal soldier she is, ready to do whatever Saya-san suggested. That girl seriously needs a lesson on following strangers! Before I could stop them they walked away going to do who knows what kind of crazy occult-like stuff...
"Oh wow, look at this place, Mari!"
Mom and Mari-san finally entered the room. It seemed as though they were dragging behind the group, likely sightseeing as they made their way here.
"Ah, you're playing a game against Saitou-san, Madoka-san?"
Mari-san questioned.
"Yeah, she Saitou-san offered to challenge me."
The fox leered as she pulled up next to me. She took a hold of one of the paddles. She twirled it from side to side as if studying its quality like a true master of table tennis. I won't lie...with all the traits Mari-san possesses I wouldn't be surprised if she was secretly a genius at the sport.
"Well, I'll give you a tip then-"
Mari-san hastily put the paddle down and rushed over to me seemingly excited. I was eager to hear what she had to say but…
"Hey, Koda-san…I'm missing a document that was supposed to be due a few days back. It just came back to mind actually...now that you're here..."
"Eh?!"
Mari-san froze as she backed away. As if Saitou-san struck a stake in her heart she was hit with a fatal wound, causing her to attempt to escape.
"Well, you girls have fun! I'm going to make sure Ayumi doesn't drink herself to death! Bye-bye!"
Mari-san rushed away without giving me her tip. She was like a vampire afraid of sunlight. When work comes, she runs as fast as she can so she wouldn't be burned by the responsibilities of life. Once she met mom, they held hands as they made their way into the bar. That area wasn't accessible to people under the age of 20 so, there would be no way I could follow them inside. Just thinking about that made my stomach turn cold... They sat together at the bar making them clearly visible from the other room. But it felt as if another wall that separated Mari-san and me was put up right before my eyes...
"Do you still want to play, Madoka-san?"
"Huh?...Oh yes, of course!"
"Anyway, how about we make things a little interesting Madoka-san."
Now I turned to the boss lady clicking the plastic ball on the table. With her paddle in hand, she's already ready for the battle that's about to ensue.
"Interesting…how?"
"Hm…how about if I win you have to join me in the family sauna."
"Family sauna?"
The name family sauna gave me a cold chill that crept down my skin. Was there a difference between the family saunas and the public ones? If I had to take a guess...
"Ehh…?"
Maybe the family saunas referred to reserved of some kind. A place this big I'm sure they have a magnitude of saunas and even those for private use with a select number of people... So, I shook my head from side to side. Being stuck in a box along with this woman was dangerous!
"No! I refuse!"
How open she is when we're in public, I didn't want to imagine what she'd do to me if we were alone! So, I stood my ground and denied her challenge on those grounds.
"Oh, come on…you can have anything you want if you win a match against me, Madoka-san!"
Anything I'd want? But what would that be if I won against Saitou-san? Is there anything that would weigh on my life like this? This wasn't a simple win or lose and stop playing...If Saitou-san got me alone in a cage...
I closed my eyes and questioned now…what could be worth battling against this demon for? That's when it came to me...something that I've been contemplating all day but I had no answer on how to go about it yet...
"You…used to be my mom's boss, right Saitou-san?"
She perked up now as her eyes amplified its brightness. The glows of anticipation mirrored her determination now.
"Yes, I was…well, before she and Koda-san became a couple. Once that happened it's company rules that they wouldn't be able to share a department anymore and your mother transferred out."
"So…you knew everything that happened with her before she became a couple with Mari-san...right?"
That was my key to my problem. If mom wasn't going to talk with me about what happened…maybe…just maybe I could do something like this… I knew full well that if I confronted mom no matter the time of day she'd just look at me as her baby. She wouldn't give me any leeway on the subject of my coma or trauma. It's one major reason why I haven't attempted to ask her about it yet...
To put it bluntly...Mom can't trust me...and I can't trust her despite how much I love her. And for that reason, I don't know how she changed while I was away. But if Saitou Risa-san...mom's old direct boss could shed light on it...Maybe...I'll be able to find out how I can approach her and show her that I'm serious.
It's the only way I can stop my feelings from destroying the family she made while I was in my coma. I contemplated what I was truly going to ask her to do for me though. Wouldn't she get into trouble if mom found out she told me...about all the secrets she's trying so hard to hide? Would I be willing to put Saitou-san in that kind of position?
"Hey!"
I lifted my head to see the woman in question scolding me. Less playful than she usually acted around me her mannerisms changed to that of a boss. With a stern stare, it caused me to coward a little.
"Madoka-san...your frowning. Stop thinking so hard about this stuff and just go with the flow...have fun."
There it was again, rearing its ugly head when I didn't need to. My emotions were showing on my face and I needed to push that away and save face...grow stronger. Now with a newfound determination, I edged forward.
"You won't go back on your word, will you Saitou-san?"
"Of course not. That's rude if I do."
"Then I'll ask you after the match is over."
She giggled almost manically. It worried me a bit.
"Oh, okay! That sounds a little fun. Sure, sure...let's get started then, Madoka-san!"
She backed up slightly.
"Don't expect me to take it easy on you though. Is it a deal, Madoka-san?"
I bit my lip…there would be no going back from this point and it made my stomach tense. If this was for the answers I sought then so be it. I need to move forwards and learn what I don't know. Like how she fell in love with Mari-san…What happened in my past that led me to isolate myself from the world…And what changed to make the mom I know and love...the way she is now…
"It's a deal then, Saitou-san."
I concluded as I took hold of the small racket.
"The first one to 3 is the winner, Nakagawa-san. Best of 5. I would say good luck, but I want to win."
She tossed up the bright orange ball that would be the decider of my fate. It spun in the air as the boss lady watched it suspend.
"My serve!"
The beauty cried as her paddle snapped on the ball, torpedoing it my way. I rushed over and did the same as I hit it back to her.
"He!"
I haven't played table tennis since junior high. Since I woke up from my coma, I haven't played any sports that tested my reflects either so I was painfully slow to react. This wasn't like basketball either where I had more room to spread my legs. I was stuck in a confide space and forced to move in increments to win.
"Ha!"
The empress cried with a harsh tap of the ball. The smacking sound threw me off as it swayed from the left and did a sharp right on its way back. It hit the table and skewed off towards Hana-chan and that con artist, Saya-san. As it rolled on my side of the table the first loss was on me.
"Here you go, Onee-san! Good luck!"
Hana-chan cheered as she handed me the ball. That was 1 point for Saitou-san and 0 for me. This wasn't a good start and that play she made was…noteworthy. As if she had secrets up her sleeves...
"Hehe! I think it's your serve now, Madoka-san."
No doubt she was toying with her prey before eating it making me the prey in this scenario. But I couldn't let that get to me. Saitou-san was the key that would allow me to learn what I needed to in order to move forwards. So, I had to be stronger and press through.
"My serve!"
I shouted, hitting the orange ball back to her. It screamed as it whacked on the table. With a click, it popped up right into Saitou-san's paddle.
"He!"
She cried hitting it back to me. I raced over and caught it from going out with a swing of my own racket.
"Ya!"
Back and forth we went for a while now. At least four or five rotations of abusing the ball. It screamed as it bounced from one end to the other without mercy.
"Te!"
Saitou-san echoed as she hit the ball in another strange way. It undershot more than I anticipated as I was too far away from it to save my score. The ball rolled on the floor marking a 2-0, my loss.
"Dang it…"
I heard Hana-san moan from behind. I turned around only to catch both the little sisters watching their older sister's match. They sat peacefully at a distance like two cheerleaders rooting for their home team to win a game. That caused my blood pressure to rise a tad faster…Well, even that or I was so out of shape that this simple game was more labor-intensive than I could have ever imagined.
"Remember, it's best 5 Nakagawa-san. Meaning my next point I will be victorious!"
The devil reminded me. If she wins…I'll be trapped in a sauna with her. Who the hell knows what she'll do to me! This woman could go out of control!
"Focus Madoka!"
I cried as I knocked the side of my head. Saitou-san chuckled at my strange action, causing my cheeks to warm up in frustration.
"My serve!"
I cried as I pressed forwards. With a smack, the orange ball cried terribly as it swung and hit the edge of the table on her side. Saitou-san's surprised face was pure bliss in my eyes as the ball rolled on her side of the floor.
"Oh…I wasn't expecting that."
"2-1…"
It was a single 1 point but a point regardless. Now I had to keep up this rhythm as I make my way to victory.
"Well, it was fun playing with you Madoka-san…but…."
My opponent whistled in a way that sent a chill down my neck. The air around her became heavy as the smile on her angelic face...began to scare me.
"I refuse to lose by toying with you too much, Madoka-san."
"What?"
She juggled the ball on her paddle effortlessly while staring into my soul. That's when the sweat started to drip down my neck. I understood now what's been going on from the very beginning.
…I was being sharked by the boss lady known as Saitou Risa-san…
"Back in school I made it to nationals in table tennis…did I forget to tell you that, Madoka-san?"
That's why she was so confident…she knew she was going to win from the beginning. But no, I couldn't let that get to me. If I was going to go down I'll do it swinging! Suddenly, she hit the ball as she cried, "my serve!" Saitou-san tried to claim the victor instantaneously but I hit it back. She shot it back like a missile. This back and forth went way longer than before. The tension was high, and I wasn't even on the final round for my side yet.
"Ta!"
"Te"
We chimed these strange onomatopoeias as we painfully hit our passions to one another. That's when a chance appeared before me. It was mine for the taking as I spearheaded it towards the edge of the table on her side.
"Ahhh!"
Saitou-san cried as she attempted to catch it. As if a god touched her paddle and blessed it to curse me the ball flew in the air back to my side.
"There's no way she recovered from that!"
I cursed as the ball suspended in the air. It hit my side of the table and veered off to the side. I returned fire sending it back over the border. But like fire, she spiked it back. It blazed through the barrier on my side, clicking off the other side of my table too far away for me to recover from. Her little sister Saya-san rushed over and picked it up from the floor.
"That's my win!"
Saitou-san declared, pumping her fist.
"Risa Onee-san! You didn't have to go so hard on Madoka-san."
Saya-san shrugged, placing the ball back into her Onee-san's seemingly soft fingers.
"I didn't…I was actually holding back."
Hearing her say that brought a shiver down my spine. I'm sure if we got to a 2-2 tie, she'd go into demon mode like a final boss in a video game.
"Dang it..."
I whispered. The only chance I had to get anything out of anyone was literally stripped from me in an instant. Now as the victor, Saitou-san didn't waste any time as she took hold of my hand and walked up to the two cheerleaders.
"Saya, Hana-san, Madoka-san agreed to let me show her a few more places around the inn. Saya, do you mind watching over her little sister as we look around?"
"Eh? You promised that, Onee-san?!"
"...Sorry Hana-chan. I...didn't consider it all."
My heart sank. I didn't want to leave Hana-chan alone with Saya-san. The crude memory of Hana-chan being a sacrifice once again ran through my mind. But this time it was worse as my little flower screamed for mercy in my ears as Saya-san laughed like a villain in a shounen manga. Or even something from that A Lonely Howl in the Dark Night series she lent me. It had a bunch of ritualistic sacrifices now that I thought about it.
"Don't worry, Madoka-san! Hana-san and I get along quite well already. I'll teach her some card tricks until you get back."
Saya-san placed her arm on her heart and spread her legs aggressively. It was so awkward I didn't want to be seen around her anymore out of sheer humiliation. But instead of shying away…I warily approached the weirdo...
"N-Normal card tricks…right Saya-san?"
That's when she brought out a deck of strange-looking cards.
"Yep, with my tarot cards!"
"Let's go, Madoka-san! To our special spot!"
Saitou-san blissfully jeered as she tugged on my yukata. She tightened her grip with her other hand and proceeded to move out of the lounge.
My feet dangled along. I needed a way out of this. She was going to lock me away in a sauna for only two and there was nothing I could do about it! That's when I caught my eyes with Mari-san sitting at the bar. I attempted to hold out my hand in a last-ditch effort to be saved but all that black-haired troublemaker did was wave back to me with that…wonderful smile of hers...
No Madoka! Now wasn't the time to get all giddy over Mari-san's beauty! The person I was in love with didn't realize I was in danger! Don't you get it Mari-san?! Your beloved stepdaughter was being stolen under your nose and all you're doing is waving the goodbye flag to me?!
With a huff, I lowered my shoulders and allowed the boss lady to do as she will now. I was defeated...
"Saitou-san!"
To my surprise she called out, leaving my mom at the bar alone. Her cute feet tattered over as we were halfway out the door. Abruptly, she made a wall between us and tilted her young face to the side.
"Oh, what's wrong Koda-san?"
With her hand on her chest, Mari-san questioned in an authoritative tone.
"Where are you taking Madoka-san?"
The kidnapper held her stomach and laughed all the more. She was...surprisingly adorable that way despite how aggressive she was.
"I want to show her all the cool spots in the inn. That's about it, Koda-san. Is that wrong of me to do so?"
Mari-san lowered her shoulders and turned to me. That hint of freshness from the onsen still radiated off her still. It was a little magical how her scents always calmed my nerves.
"Is everything okay, Madoka-san? Saitou-san…isn't bullying you, is she? You know she's known to do that."
"How rude...Koda-san!"
Now they both stared at one another. Something told me this happened more often at work than it might have appeared at first glance.
"I don't know…I just feel as though I don't believe you. I mean…you've been acting a little clingy with my stepdaughter so I have to step in."
Mari-san tugged on my finger now as she gently pulled me to her.
"Now tell me, where are you taking my Madoka-san?"
Her…Madoka-san? I'm not sure why that left me with such an impression I found myself wanting Mari-san to label me as...hers more often.
"Fine…can't you see we're both sweaty?"
Mari-san looked at both of us before confirming that was true.
"I'm showing her to the sauna so we can relax for a minute and talk. Keep the sweat going for a little while longer you know?"
"Is that right..."
The fox questioned suspiciously.
"Wow, you're so overprotective of Madoka-san. I've never seen this side of you, Koda-san!"
She closed her eyes and turned back to me.
"Is that where she's taking you, Madoka-san?"
Mari-san…must have noticed my panic and came to my rescue. That's when it occurred to me that I...might be causing Mari-san trouble. This awkward situation right now was my fault, wasn't it? This sweet person who already has a difficult time talking to her boss outside of work came to make sure I was alright. She confronted her to...on my behalf. That...was enough to calm me down. My heart stopped racing as reason came into factor. More than likely...Saitou-san wasn't going to do anything obscene to me. This was probably just another tease of hers. With that, I nodded softly.
"…Yeah, I agreed to go to the sauna with her after our table tennis match. Sorry for not telling you and mom, Mari-san."
"Oh...I see. That's...fine then."
The tone in her voice was certainly full of worry. Mari-san was...mindful and it caused my heart to flutter more. So, to not cause the person I love any more trouble I smiled like the fool I was. Here at my time of stress Mari-san jumped in and made sure I was alright…like she always does. The woman I loved…protected me and that was enough to calm my heart.
With a shrug of her shoulders, the fox stepped to the side and removed herself from our pair. She rubbed the back of her head coyly. Certainly, she found it hard dealing with Saitou-san outside of work just as she said before.
"…Okay. Next time tell us where you're taking our daughters if you go off with them though, Saitou-san. And Madoka-san...keep your phone on you. Your mom would go ballistic if she couldn't reach you..."
Unlike her usual playful self, Mari-san was acting like a mother now. With that finished she wandered back to the bar and sat next to my mom. I could clearly see mom drinking like a fish and it was tiring in its own right. Her lover would have to stay by her side to make sure she gets back to her room okay. Once again...Mari-san stayed there for mom.
Saitou-san took a sigh of seeming relief as she turned to me. Our hands now entwined again as we made our way down the hall.
"That serious side of Mari-san is something else. That's why she's the top employee of my branch!"
"Really?"
"Yep, she's a force to be reckoned with. That's why I like her."
"Yeah...I like her a lot too, Saitou-san."