A pair of deep purple eyes gazed at me, slightly upturned with a faint flush across the surface of her cheeks—the wine already having sunk deep into her veins. Her skin was tanned with defined muscles that flexed when she reached out for me, and elegant long brown hair swayed softly about her shoulders. The silver earrings dangling from her ears were shimmering in the candlelight.
As she held out her hand for me to take, her velvet-purple eyes drifted over to take in my features as if enjoying the sight of me. "You really are quite cute." She murmured, giving me a deliberately-glamorized smile.
The receptionist observed from beside me, slightly bemused by my flustered expression.
Pulling myself together, I stared down at her proffered hand with hesitation—surprised by her bold behavior. Her lavender irises blinked slowly; as she patiently waited for me to take her hand. Without being invited, her other hand pushed the couch's armrest to propel herself off the seat towards me, all while maintaining her sultry smirk.
My half-stretched palm was engulfed by a soft yet strangely firm grip as she pulled me towards her. A silent yelp slipped past my lips at the sudden unexpected contact—her fingers gave mine a hard squeeze before quickly releasing it.
With a coy smirk still spread across her face, Kureha whispered, "You are quite bad at being a boyfriend, aren't you? New to this line of work, I can tell." Her gaze wandered up to my face again.
Before I could muster up a reply, she let out an amused laugh and returned to her seat on the couch, crossing her legs as she sat down with an air of nonchalance. She tilted her head to the side, lips curling into a smile—smirking at me.
"I-I am... Sorry for my inexperience..." I stammered out, red-faced. My eyes fell to the ground as I was met with her sparkling purple gaze.
Taking a deep breath and casting my gaze upwards once more, I managed a small, embarrassed smile. "It's nice to meet you too. I'm sorry if I kept you waiting. Fujiwa—Kureha-san," I spoke her name slowly, carefully considering not to make the same mistake I did last time.
"So Hiroshi-kun is your name?" she asked with a twinkle in her eye; that made it seem as though I had successfully earned her praise for my efforts.
"Yes, my name is Hirano Hiroshi," I replied with a frown as I shuffled uneasily. Rich girls are so scary... I thought to myself.
"...Well, I'm Kureha Fujiwara," she declared proudly. "What should I call you...?" There was a smirk on her face—an amused look directed at me as though to say, 'What kind of name would you like me to call you?'. Her fingers were toying with a strand of hair by her ear. She seemed pretty relaxed, given that we met for the first time only moments ago.
"Ah, um—Hiroshi works just fine..." I managed a quick reply. "I mean... You can call me whatever you want." I was the one getting paid here for being 'her boyfriend' after all.
"Mm-hmm," she hummed with a gentle smile. Her elegant features remained calm and composed, unlike my sweaty palms. She crossed her legs with a delicate click of her shoes. Her silk stockings rubbed against each other as she reclined against the couch, displaying her long legs.
Shifting her gaze towards the receptionist, who visibly stiffened at first—she caught sight of Kureha's eyes and relaxed her body language. "Are you ready to order your dinner, Miss Fujiwara? Any preference?" she asked in a sweet tone; her demeanor was transformed into something more formal and subdued. Kureha's expression changed from playful to coldly professional, her eyes focused on the receptionist with all the warmth of a glacier.
"We'll have two bottles of wine—a Chateau Margaux Bordeaux from 1961 and a Cote de Nuits Burgundy from 1996." She ordered without hesitation, speaking in a clear voice that was somehow intimidating despite being so quiet. "Then we will have the filet mignon steak with bordelaise sauce and pommes frites for the main course." Her request was concise and direct, leaving no room for error. The receptionist bowed her head respectfully before disappearing through the door.
So...fancy, I thought to myself when she mentioned...I-I can't even pronounce some of those words... But the thoughts I had were interrupted by Kureha, who now spoke while looking at me—her face relaxing into a sly smile. "Don't just stand there...come sit next to me..." Kureha motioned with her hands. Her fingers squeezed the air lightly between us, beckoning me to the couch.
Hiding my awkwardness behind a smile, I hesitantly took her suggestion. My foot dragged slowly across the wooden floor as I walked towards her seat—taking care not to stumble on the edge of the rug.
With my nervousness slightly subsided, I was able to look her over properly. She had a charmingly tight blouse with black frills at its waistline and collar. A pair of thin golden-brown cardigan straps crossed at the shoulders, concealed underneath the red leather belt that held her skirt in place. An elegant necklace decorated with large diamonds dangled between her collarbones, the center of which matched her earrings—a single diamond pendant; hanging from each of her ears.
Keeping a respectable distance, I sat next to Kureha on the couch. Folding my hands in my lap and locking my eyes firmly forward, I maintained a neutral expression as we waited for our order to arrive. As expected, my cheeks were burning. What am I even supposed to talk about with her?
The wine? Yes, I remember the video clip—lots of random stuff there too. Something about how the Burgundy wine from a specific vineyard was a 'hostess gift' while the Bordeaux wine was a 'valentines' present. I can't remember much more, but that's not important right now... The main thing is that I remembered something at all.
"So Kureha-san, you like Chateau Margaux Bordeaux and Cote de Nuits Burgundy then?" I spoke their names without stumbling, trying to sound as eloquent as I could—but my face was still flushed. "Is it true that Chateau Margaux from 1961 is one of the greatest wines of all time? It has also won at the annual Bordeaux Wine Festival ten times, which is called 'The Decennial,' is that correct?"
I gave a pat of approval to myself for remembering what I read earlier.
A faint smirk appeared on Kureha's lips as she raised an eyebrow at me. "...Oh yes—you've done your research," she said with a grin. Her eyes were shining as she looked at me—like she found me amusing. "So you're interested in wine too?"
Of course not. I've never tried drinking wine before. This is all new to me! I wanted to scream internally. Instead, I forced a smile onto my face and nodded. "A little bit...I enjoy reading about wine."
"...And you know about the Decennial?" She leaned closer to me with interest. "I've never met a boy who knows so much about wine." She teased. "Are you familiar with any other wines you'd like to share with me?" She pressed, beaming with curiosity and anticipation.
What am I supposed to tell her? ...Cabernet—I think. It's the most popular red wine in the world—or maybe it's Chardonnay, but it really doesn't matter. All that matters is that I don't stutter.
My voice shook as I spoke. "Cabernet from Napa Valley..." I started speaking slowly. "I have read some reviews that say this particular bottle had the most exceptional flavor... The notes included 'balanced tannins;' 'soft fruit;' and a lingering finish with a hint of 'tar'!"
Kureha's face scrunched up in delight. "...That sounds wonderful—I have never tried wine from that region." She licked her lips as she drew closer to me. "You really are an excellent date tonight, Hiroshi-kun," she complimented with a sigh. A pleased grin appeared on her lips while her eyes were fixed on my flushed cheeks.
"...I'm glad you are enjoying my company today," I replied nervously—but with a strong sense of accomplishment.
Our little exchange was interrupted when the receptionist returned with our order—two bottles of wine on ice as well as two plates, one with the steak and pommes frites and another with grilled vegetables.
"Sorry for the wait...Miss Fujiwara, here is your Chateau Margaux Bordeaux from 1961 and Cote de Nuits Burgundy from 1996. Your order was also customized with beef tenderloin accompanied by caramelized onions and freshly baked artichokes marinated with garlic oil." Her pleasant voice dripped with professionalism. "Enjoy your meal!" The receptionist bowed before leaving the room again.
"I'll pour you some wine," Kureha offered politely; as she uncorked her bottle.
"I-I'm not very good at drinking—I usually only drink at home..." I clumsily replied. "I'll stick to water today..."
"...A shame. This wine is made from grapes grown near the Italian Alps, which make for an excellent match with food. It also pairs beautifully with filet mignon." She put her nose directly up to the glass and inhaled deeply, then smirked. "Maybe we can drink something else when you become more experienced...like a Kirin wine from the Ginza district or a wine from the Roppongi Hills."
"Y-Yeah! Of course, Kureha-san! Thank you!" I replied enthusiastically, but there was no way I would be willing to go on another date with her—ever. There's only so much you could bluff your way through before it became obvious you were just faking it.
Surprisingly, we both ate our meals quietly. Kureha-sam seems to be savoring the flavors while sipping her wine. A habit of hers, I guess...or maybe it's something wealthy people do to look good in front of their peers.
"That's the stuff," she said as she wiped her lips with a napkin, looking straight into my eyes. "How was the steak? Did you enjoy the artichokes?"
"Yes, they were delicious—especially the sauce," I answered with a timid smile. "A lovely dinner, Kureha-san." I nervously brushed my hair back with my hand.
There were still thirty minutes left of our date before she would finally send me home. Having just finished eating, we started by relaxing over tea as we sat next to each other on the sofa, commenting on the food that was served before.
"You know, I really lucked out today," She laughed. "I wasn't expecting any more than a dolled-up young boy who could only act cute and try to overplay his innocence for my entertainment—and instead, you are a pleasant surprise! The conversation was pleasant too. I've never met someone like you before." She turned her gaze towards me with sparkling eyes.
"...It's nice talking to you too, Kureha-san." I swallowed dryly as I looked away. There was also a small amount of satisfaction that came from hearing those words fall from her lips. All the cards and videos I studied paid off. It turns out—they weren't completely useless after all.
Her smile disappeared as she picked up her cup of tea. "I'd love to spend more time with you...but it seems I have one more commitment this evening." Kureha looked away, feeling embarrassed. "That is the reason why you were only hired for two hours tonight."
My face froze as I looked into her purple eyes, for once relieved by her excuse. "Oh—I see... Yes, that does make sense," I agreed, trying to disguise my relief behind a half-hearted smile.
"But before I leave..." She put down her teacup and leaned closer to me, which made me freeze again. "May I take your hands? Just for a moment?"
She didn't wait for a response. Her silky hair brushed across my arms as she cradled my right hand gently between hers. My breath caught when I felt the tips of her soft fingertips brush against my wrist. Gently, so smoothly, she slowly traced each of my fingers with her cold fingertips, careful not to allow me to tense up and ruin her touch.
Each finger was carefully inspected—like they were being handled by a pervert in a dark alleyway. Watching me with her violet eyes, she said nothing. In fact, she seemed to be savoring the sweet bliss of having complete control over the situation. It was only when our eyes met that she spoke.
"Such a shame it's just for one night," She whispered with a contemplative gaze. "I would love to make you mine entirely... To imprint my scent upon your skin... To watch you writhe beneath my control..." She gazed deeply into my eyes—her expression animalistic, carnal, hungry.
My eyes widened, and my mouth opened to speak, but no words came out.
"Too bad," she continued after a moment. Her voice had gone flat and cold once more, but there was an unmistakable glint in her eyes as she released my hand.
As I breathed out shakily, she got up from the sofa to put on her coat. "Goodnight Hiroshi-kun, and thank you very much for today! You were a perfect date." Her voice was teasing, with a hint of sultry flirtation. My body still hadn't fully recovered from her last statement—let alone my mind.
"...You know, I really should have hired you as a maid instead, just so I could grope and fondle you all day, every day!" She flashed me a wicked smirk before quickly exiting the room.