Will there be a next time?

TOH

A few hours later at his apartment.

It felt like he was going insane without her. But, after what happened earlier could anybody blame him? 

Toh loses control of how many showers he takes in the hours before she arrives. All he could recall was being in the middle of designing, or paperwork and his thoughts would drift onto Sumire and before he knew it he was in the shower again. 

Sumire wasn't perfect, of course he knew that. The first time they met, the girl was running away after finishing a dangerous job. A job that would have landed her in jail, and caused a sensation in the news had she been caught. Sometimes he wonders what would have happened if she did get caught. Would he have met her as a criminal behind bars? If so, would he have still fallen for her?

Something tells him he would have. The police would contact him saying they have a difficult case and only he could handle it. He would have visited her everyday due to his work, and during those few stolen moments he would have fallen for her. 

She was cautious, and rather aggressive. While he understood why she behaved that way. He was a stranger, and any sane person wouldn't follow a stranger to their homes. However, her circumstances didn't allow her to make sane choices. Had she stayed in that condition, the police would have caught her or more of that guy's men would have chased after her. Either way, she had no other choice but to go with him. Not that he would have left her defenceless had she chosen to refuse. He would simply have pretended to leave and watched over her. Had she run into any trouble he would have gotten her out of there.

When he exited the shower, he heard the sound of rustling in his room. Toh could vaguely make out a silhouette changing behind the divider. A new item to his room, because Sumire insists on having her privacy. But she also likes sleeping on his bed, and staying in his room.

Toh paused at the door handle. He could just walk out in this condition. However, by now Sumire must have returned to normal. He doubts whatever strange state she was in earlier would last this long. So, if he walks out in this state. No doubt she would hit him. He sighed, picked up a towel and dries himself off, before he slipped on a bathrobe.

Sumire isn't the first girl who has been bothered by his nudity. He has dated other women who have modest and traditional values. However, Sumire is the very first girl whose opinions actually mattered to him. 

He exited the bathroom, and found the girl peering over at his designs scattered on the table and the different material on the bed. 

"I've never seen anything like this before." Sumire picked up one of the sparkling starry fabric. "If I asked him to make me clothes from this, will he?"

Toh's lips curved to a smile as he walked over. She was so focused that she didn't hear him approach. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and brushed his lips against her neck, inhaling her scent.

Sumire tilted her head to look back at him. "I'm home."

"Welcome back beautiful, so you like this?" He points to the starry fabric. 

"Mm, would you make me a dress? Also some casual clothes with this?"

Toh nodded. "I'd love to say leave it to me. But I think you have your own ideas. So, perhaps we can work on it together?"

"That sounds like a plan." 

"Would you like a shower? A bath? Or maybe some food."

Sumire shakes her head. "I'm tired, all I want to do is sleep."

Toh nodded and let her go. He watched Sumire walk over to the bed and rearrange the pillows and bed sheets. Instead of laying down, she picked up a book from the nightstand and started reading. During that time, Toh simply watched her. 

She isn't the prettiest person he has been with. There are many others who are prettier. However, that's simply because his idea of beauty is different. Others have different tastes, what one finds pretty, another may have a different opinion. That's just how life works. 

Ever since he met Sumire however, his idea of what is beautiful has changed. Sumire has a different type of beauty he has never seen before. Something natural and more refined. 

Toh walked over to her.

"So, about what happened earlier." Toh decided to approach the topic, knowing that it would be difficult for her.

Sure enough, the moment he said those words. Her face reddened, and she immediately put the book away.

"Ah-I--"

"Don't apologize. I told you before, and we talked about doing it outside. I just, had a better idea in mind than a dirty tunnel."

"I--I really, didn't mean to." Sumire stammered.

"Can I sit next to you?" Toh asked. She slowly nodded and he took a seat beside her. 

The bed never felt as large as it did today. Even though they were sitting side by side, it felt like there was a huge wall between them. Even without looking at her expression, Toh knew how tense she was.

"I didnt mind. Oddly enough." 

From the moment they met, he always thought she was a strange person. But he isn't any different than her is he? A normal person would have been horrified about what happened earlier. A normal person would have stopped her. But instead he is okay with this, and wouldn't even mind it happening again.

"Will there be a next time?" Toh asked. 

Another nod, no words.

"On your terms?"

Sumire paused and shook her head. "On your terms this time."

"Oh?" Toh raised his eyebrow. 

"I was uh." Sumire laughed nervously. "A bit bold earlier."

She calls that a bit? He wants to ask her for more details, ask her if she truly wanted to do that. Or did something compel her to do so? As a psychologist he has seen all types of people doing things, they didn't mean too due to some traumatic event. He knows Sumire, at least he believes he does. She isn't the type of woman who would do this. 

Or is she?

Sometimes he wonders if he truly knows her. There is a voice in the back of his mind that whispers in his dreams every night saying that he doesn't know her. Those voices overlap with the words of the men who were chasing Sumire down when they first met.

Words that shouldn't linger in his mind but they do.

'That woman is the Queen of the underworld. She will slit your throat if you sleep with her.'

Queen, not Princess.

He never questioned those words despite remembering them. But now that he is thinking about it. Why did they call her Queen?

His thoughts break off when Sumire caresses his cheek. "Shall we go to sleep Toh?"

"Yeah."