-From Satoru's point of view-
„Enough for today," I rang in the well-deserved end of work for today.
The new jujuzist didn't need to be told twice and fell exhausted to the gym floor, just like the objects I had used for training with my curse technique.
The training was supposed to be about releasing her hidden curse power from her clutches, but even today I felt nothing. For four months now, I had the pleasure of unleashing this girl's curse powers and curse energy, but still to no avail. I felt nothing. Not even a hint of what I was longingly looking for in her.
„Thank God," she finished with a sigh and puffed the air out loudly with her head hanging down, her lilac-colored bangs falling into her face and individual strands falling out of her braided ponytail.
What was I doing wrong? So far, I had almost always succeeded in getting my students to her and my set goal. But not with her. All my attempts and ideas had no effect. She could use curse tools and curse objects, even see the curses in them, but it didn't help to get anything out of her. And this petite girl also lacked the physical strength to stand up to them - at least without weapons. Not to mention the lack of courage to simply punch these creatures in the mouth.
It was starting to give me a headache, but it wasn't the Jujuzist norm and giving up was out of the question.
„Go and rest," I ordered her more sternly than intended and immediately softened my tone, „I've thought up a special training session for you tomorrow."
It would be a laugh if I couldn't manage that...
However, that wasn't really what she wanted to hear and promptly looked up at me in horror and shock. She looked at me with wide open ultraviolet eyes, as if she wanted to tear me to pieces at any moment.
I was immediately struck by the idea of being irritated.
„Seriously?! Are you trying to kill me? Have I done something to you?" she desperately tried to escape her already determined fate.
Someone was so tired of being tortured by me. But I had to remain firm and steadfast.
„Seriously. And no, you haven't done anything to me, although I would have been happy if you'd finally come out of your shell and attack me with the power to curse."
I crouched down in front of her, looked over my sunglasses into her deep violet eyes and brushed a soft strand of hair back behind her ear that had come loose from her braid.
„I want to finally get to know your cursing power and technique."
She tilted her head and smiled forcedly, „That won't work, Satoru. For four months. Day in, day out. And I have nothing other than the ability to just see these stupid creatures."
„Yes, but without any aids, Mayu. That, in turn, means that you are also able to exorcize them."
Discouraged, she spoke along with the words I uttered in the middle of my sentence.
„I know you've been telling me that since we started training, but then something would have happened by now. But there's nothing. I don't feel weird, powerful or curse-casting."
„That's why we're starting a new and different attempt tomorrow. We'll leave tomorrow after breakfast."
„How are we going?!" she repeated in surprise, „aren't we meeting back here in the gym?"
I shook my head, „No. I've thought of something else for tomorrow. You'll get the details in the morning."
I stood up again and held out my hand to help her to her feet.
„Come on, let's go back to the dorm."
Without further ado, she placed her small and warm hand in mine and helped her up.
„This doesn't bode well..." she grumbled in agony and grimaced, „is Megumi or Kento coming with us?"
„No. Just the two of us alone," I revealed.
No more dry training in the gym. We needed action.
„What are you planning to do with me?" she asked, clearly more horrified.
„You'll find out tomorrow," I repeated, amused, and pulled her along behind me to the exit of the gym.
„Oh no. How mean of you. Now I can expect anything and think about it endlessly."
„Have fun with that," I gloated insolently to her in the back and left our unsuccessful training ground today.
If I had told her even one detail, she would surely have disappeared overnight without a trace. I knew my scaredy-cat too well from the very first second. Together with Megumi, we had saved her from the 2nd rank curse spirit. Huddled together in a dark alcove, she had sought protection from this monstrosity and hoped not to be found. It was pure coincidence that we were walking past this place. She would have become just another unnecessary and cherished victim.
When I arrived in my room, I dropped blindly onto my bed, took off my sunglasses and painstakingly stroked my face before staring at the ceiling. I reviewed the training we had just completed. Once again, I felt nothing today. Absolutely nothing. Not even a spark of curse power flowed through her.
She dodged my attacks more in a panic than strategically and was more concerned with finally getting the whole thing over with.
She could see curses, even handle them if they were smaller curse spirits that resembled a small animal, but she certainly couldn't exorcize them. Unless it was one of the 4th rank. She could take it down with a rubber mallet, but that was no mean feat either. You didn't need a lot of cursing energy for that either. But at least a small spark. A non-Jujuzist, on the other hand, was not able to drive it away. So there must have been something there! I felt the same when I unleashed a 4th rank curse spirit on them the few times during training.
I let out a heavy sigh.
Was it me? Was I too strict? Had I followed the wrong plan? Did Mayu really have no cursing energy in her and it was all for nothing? That couldn't have been true. Then where did it come from that she was able to see them? There must have been someone in her family who had passed it on to her. But asking her about it proved to be inappropriate for my taste. At least not yet.
Megumi had also reported the same thing from time to time. There was no wonder with every mission. And he didn't feel any energy to curse either. Neither did Kento, who had taken her with him on his missions two or three times. At least he was able to give her some clarity about residuals, which, strangely enough, she could also see.
„How exhausting," I complained, massaging my temples.
How could anyone have been such a puzzle? It annoyed me immensely, but on the other hand, it was incredibly fun. It challenged me on all levels and that spurred me on and on. I also got to spend a lot of time with Mayu, which I had quietly and secretly enjoyed.
I bit my lower lip.
She fascinated me. In a certain way that I couldn't describe. She was extremely friendly and almost always in a good mood. Even though the training I had given her was anything but easy. Sure, she grumbled a lot about it, but she didn't let it get to her for more than two minutes at most and she went back to her task with her head held high.
If I was looking for a smile, all I had to do was look at her pretty face and she brightened my mood and my spirit. I lost myself far too often in her radiant violet eyes, which were an unspeakable contrast to her lilac hair.
Perhaps I should have simply admitted to myself that she had taken me over a little. More than I would have liked.
She had always treated others with respect. However, she had a special bond with Megumi. Even though he was over ten years younger than her, she behaved more inexperienced towards Megumi when it came to jujutsu. But on the other hand, she was like a big sister to him and always seemed to have an open ear for him.
I had also noticed that she was very tidy. You could tell that from her appearance and her room. And cooking. Oh yes, when she cooked, the three of us would queue up at her place and I had to be careful not to drool at the thought of it.
However, my desire for my favorite sushi was growing and who better to accompany me today than Mayu? She certainly wouldn't say no and an evening like this for two outside the academy would certainly bring us both a little closer.
But before that, I was longing for a hot bath. I wanted to put this headache about another unsuccessful training day behind me quickly. Without further ado, I left my relaxation spot, rummaged for fresh clothes from the large closet and left my retreat behind me. When I got to the bathroom, I noticed that light was shining through under the door. So someone was in the bathroom.
Did I take a chance and bump into one of the other boys or was I perhaps even lucky and catch Mayu? Grinning nastily, I put my hand on the handle, yanked the door open with gusto and was immediately greeted by a hot, steaming, fruity-smelling mist. Including a sharp cry.
„Satoru!" my desired person screeched venomously and immediately sank deeper into the roundish tub.
Direct hit! My joy soared and the headache I'd just had vanished into thin air. How wonderful! And I didn't have to run another bath either, as Mayu was already sitting in the middle of a huge mountain of foam. It was unfortunate, because I didn't get to see much of her, but the fact that I was now brazenly sitting in the bath with her was enough for me.
„As you can see, the bathroom is occupied!", she said sharply.
„Hello!", I greeted her exuberantly and pulled the door shut behind me, locked it and put my clothes on the shelf.
If she had locked the door earlier, this scenario wouldn't have happened in the first place. But even so, I thought an explanation was unnecessary and grabbed the hem of my white T-shirt, watching in disbelief as this item of clothing found its way to the floor.
Apparently the phrase 'he doesn't really do that' had just found its way onto her face, because the incredulous look turned into a horrified look.
„Satoru!! You didn't mean to-" „Yes, I did," I interrupted her quickly to correct her and moved my hands to my belt buckle.
In a matter of seconds, she put her hands to her face, sucked in a sharp breath and finally turned her back to me.
„You're crazy," she giggled suspiciously, „are you really coming into the bathtub with me now?"
„Oh yes," I predicted, got rid of the rest of my clothes and got into the bath.
„Oh, how wonderful," I enthused as I made myself comfortable in the hot water.
It was worth it that we had a large, round bathtub with enough space for two people.
„I can't believe it," she laughed, „are you really in the bath now? Behind me?"
„Yep. Feel free to turn around again."
„You're really crazy," she replied, casting a cautious glance over her shoulder at me and making sure she couldn't look away from me before she turned around to face me completely.
But what was she looking at? With my eyebrows furrowed, I caught sight of a dark blue spot on her shoulder peeking through her pastel-colored hair. Puzzled, I leaned forward and gently brushed her half-wet hair to the side. I ignored her startled and bright red gaze.
„What have you done there?"
„M-me?" she asked, startled, and also looked at her shoulder, „oh that? That's from our training."
That was the last thing I wanted. I tenderly placed my hand on her upper arm and gently stroked the bruised area of skin with my thumb. I certainly couldn't remember how I had inflicted it on her. I had had to be much more careful.
„I didn't mean to do that."
„Oh, please," she smiled at me soothingly, „you couldn't have avoided it either. It'll pass again. Besides, that's not the only one. I have so many others, some of which I can only see in the mirror."
„Seriously?" What had I done to her, please? That startled me, „I'm sorry. Do you have any more injuries?"
„Satoru," she reprimanded me sweetly, „no. Just a few bruises. Otherwise I'm fine."
I looked intently into her soul mirrors to catch any fibs, but she spoke the truth.
„Besides," she began again, „I'll return the favor soon enough. Also for the fact that you're just here in the bathroom with me now!"
With this promise, she leaned back again and stretched her legs out next to me. Too bad, though, that she hadn't sat up a little higher. I would have been able to see a little more instead of just her wet shoulders. And if she had really wanted me not to sit in here with her, her refusal would certainly have been different.
„And how?" I asked curiously, raising an eyebrow as I placed my hand on her shin under the water. I noticed that her skin was just as smooth and soft as her upper arm.
„Maybe the training will pay off one day and I'll develop cursing powers after all and then I'll pay you back."
I grinned mischievously, „and when will that be? When we're in the ground?" I let a little bit of my frustration seep through.
„Then at the very latest, yes. Then I'll throw earth at you imaginarily, like with my ignited curse power or something," she promised me ironically, to which we both laughed.
„I'm asking for it. Then I will have achieved my goal after all."
„To be honest, I still don't believe it," she looked discouragedly to the side and out of the large window next to us, which provided an orange glow from the setting sun.
Her wet skin shone softly in the warm sunlight. Even though it hadn't been right between us, I couldn't help but stare at her.
„You have to believe it yourself, Mayu. Just because your curse power hasn't shown itself yet doesn't mean you don't have it."
„Nonsense," she exhaled dejectedly and propped her elbow on the edge of the tub, as well as her chin in her hand, „this is just wasted time. Do you really want to go through with this?"
„Of course I do. It's not just that I want to awaken your power to curse, but also to prepare you for everything that has to be taken into account. Cursing power alone does not make a strong Jujuzist. That's why it's important to me that you also get in touch with the others."
„Yes, I'm already doing that, but if I don't have the basis, I can't really do anything with the things around it. I don't have any curse energy and I don't even need to start with a technique."
She continued to gaze at the sun's rays, which enveloped her like a shallow veil. Somehow it reassured me that she shared the same frustration with me, because even if I hated to admit it, it was gradually driving me to helplessness. Should I have thought about the fact that she was one of the few who didn't actually have the power to curse? But that turned out to be wrong.
„Don't hang your head. I still have a few ideas in store."
„I appreciate your optimism. I hope you're right."
„Of course I'm right," I remarked and grabbed my shower sponge. I spread a good portion of my shower gel on it and held the light blue ball out to Mayu. Perplexed, she looked at my hand, but still held out her hand questioningly and hesitantly and took the sponge from me.
„Could you soap my back?"
„Uh-yes, of course!" she shot out like a pistol, making me laugh.
„Admit it, you were just thinking about adult scenes. I've already noticed that you get lost in your head very quickly."
She sucked in her breath in horror as her cheeks turned the color of a juicy cherry, confirming that I was absolutely right.
„Am I that easy to see through?"
„Judging by your red cheeks, yes."
Would it be immoral to wish I was playing the leading role in her head movie right now? But it was too bad that it was only going to be what I had asked her for. So now it was me who turned my back on her.
„I'll do something with you," she said, embarrassed, and felt her put the sponge on my shoulder blade and start soaping my back.
„Lots of exciting events and thoughts," I allowed myself the fun and teased her further.
„Very funny," she grumbled, although I could have sworn she rolled her eyes.
I, on the other hand, closed mine and enjoyed the tenderness she put into her actions. Until the moment she carelessly dropped the sponge into the water, knelt down and began to stroke my shoulders with her palms.
„Aren't you in pain with these tensions?" she asked in horror, a worried undertone creeping in, „you can even feel them through the sponge."
„It's not tension," I dismissed and got goose bumps.
I hadn't had a touch like that for a long time...
First, she stroked my shoulders simultaneously and forcefully, exerting even pressure on her palms, which glided generously over my very tense body parts.
„No way", my beginning masseuse contradicted me and continued to apply plenty of pressure, „I'll massage that away now."
Well, that sounded like music to my ears.
Her sensitive stroking was immediately replaced by a gentle pressure massage, whereby she intensified the movements of her thumbs at certain points. The hairs on the back of my neck immediately stood up, while a shiver ran down my spine. That alone felt incredibly good and pressed my lips together.
She exerted even more force and now concentrated more on her fine work with her thumbs, which took care of my tensions. Just so that it slipped past the pain threshold, because admittedly I had gathered a lot of tension in the meantime. And by God, she was good at it.
She massaged powerfully over my shoulder blades up to my collarbone and back again at the same time. I was allowed to enjoy this pleasure a few times before she immediately moved both hands to my left shoulder to pounce on it completely.
She massaged and stroked my skin, almost kneading it, and took care of my muscle, which was in desperate need of this kind of tender loving care.
I struggled to hold back a suppressed groan, but I would have loved to show how much I liked it.
„Does it hurt?" she wanted to make sure - apparently I did let out a deep breath.
„N-no," I murmured contentedly, „that's perfect."
Encouraged by her good deed, she continued her kneading, which literally took my breath away. I tilted my head to the side, which prompted her to take even more tension into her orbits.
Was it five minutes or even more that she had spent on one side? I don't know, but she had just switched sides and started to gently stroke my skin with her warm palms again. The goose bumps she gave me had no intention of disappearing; on the contrary, they became much stronger.
Here, too, I put my head to one side right from the start and enjoyed the heavenly pampering she gave me to the full.
When this side also seemed to have warmed up enough, her sensitive stroking turned back into the massage that had just been on the other side. Exerting force and pressure, still careful not to hurt me, she increased her intensity from time to time and got to grips with my tensions.
Every now and then, a contented sigh escaped me, which I no longer tried to suppress. It simply wasn't possible.
After countless minutes, she took both shoulders again at the same time and ran her hands up the back of my neck, which was probably her next target. The next wave of goose bumps and shivers hit me in the blink of an eye, and I assumed that it couldn't get any worse.
Starting with her thumbs, she stroked my neck from bottom to top and traced the same line from top to bottom. She repeated this a few times before putting more force into her slow movement. Anyone who thought they had ever enjoyed a good massage had never been massaged by Mayu.
I had assumed that this could not be surpassed, but I had just had the pleasure of being massaged with the balls of her hands. I took a deep breath, paused briefly and then breathed more loudly through my nose. Jesus, that felt divine. I could have enjoyed it all night long.
Through the sweet pain, I could clearly feel that the hardening had gradually softened and my shoulders and neck felt lighter. I could have kissed her hands for that.
„There," she heralded my feared end, „you should notice an improvement by now."
She stroked my neck with her palms one last time before wrapping her arms around me from behind and pressing her upper body against the part of my body she had just massaged. My goose bumps and countless shivers were joined by an immense heat that spread from the center of my chest.
I couldn't help but think about the fact that she was pressing her breasts against my back.
„Now you need to keep your shoulders and neck warm."
Exactly. And that's what they did with her breasts! That's the way I would have done it...
Concentrate on something else...
I looked down at her arms, which she had fully wrapped around me, and turned my focus to her face, which was right next to mine.
„What have I done to deserve this?"
„Who says you have to earn it?"
Wow. Are they soft and warm... Shit, don't think about her breasts! Man, why do they have to be so soft?
„But you're so tense, Satoru, that it won't go away all at once. I'll massage you more often now, if that's okay with you."
„What a question," I replied happily. Did I always get to feel her breasts then?
I had to distract myself!
„Did you learn that?", the question of all questions that had just been burning me up...
„No, I haven't. I massage the way I think it might feel good."
With all my effort, I concentrated on her sweet voice. On the answer that had nothing to do with her femininity. So I kept trying. But I didn't really succeed. What I wouldn't have given to turn around and massage her soft bust. As a kind of revenge for what I had just been allowed to enjoy. I could have simply freed myself from her clutches, but I didn't really want to. So I had no choice but to continue torturing myself.
Well, it wasn't torture, but I was tormented by not being allowed to do anything with them.
However, I was immediately given a reluctant remedy. She gave me a very gentle kiss on the shoulder before tentatively pulling away from me and releasing me from the warm and heartfelt embrace. Too bad, though, now the extremely soft and cuddly pillows were gone...
„What have you thought about doing with me tomorrow?" Her question snapped me out of my thoughts.
To do with her? If that had been related to the current situation, I could have thought of some naughty things, but unfortunately that wasn't the question. In the meantime, she had sat down again and folded her arms protectively in front of her, as the foam was gradually allowing a few more glimpses than before. And out of respect for her, I no longer had my back to her.
„You'll find out tomorrow."
„Oh please, Satoru, otherwise I won't be able to sleep! I won't be able to think about anything else."
Pah. Had she even thought about my night for a moment after getting so close to me?
„Just think about me."
„You hero," she grinned dismissively, „that's what I have to do indirectly anyway. At least tell me where you're taking me."
Preferably to my bed - I would have loved to answer, but I had to turn my thoughts to tomorrow.
„I'm not kidnapping you. I just want to throw you in at the deep end, so I won't tell you anything."
„Oh man. You stubborn ass. I can't figure you out either."
„Yes, I will. Tomorrow at the latest. Have you eaten anything yet? I'll invite you to dinner straight away."
And with these words, I put a definitive end to my dirty thoughts, sat up a little to make it clear that I wanted to get out of the bath. She understood in an instant and turned her back to me again.
„Are you sure? I can just cook us something if you like."
Yes, I would love to! But no, I was secretly looking forward to my sushi.
„I'll take you up on that offer another time. I'll meet you outside the dormitory in half an hour."