Maid & Tea Bliss by Tomako Momo II

"..." The dark sky filled with a strange red sun, hovering in the distance. Shouichi found himself lying in the shallow black water, simmering the dark crimson glow on its surface. He looked around in panic, he could barely make out anything but darkness from his surroundings. 

"What the?" The man thought puzzledly. 

The thunder could be heard in the distance followed by the flash of lightning. It temporarily blinded him. He instinctively covered his brown eyes with one of his palms.

"Where am I?... Am I dead?" He thought, swallowing a big gulp of saliva and started walking aimlessly. There was no horizon, no path, nothing. 

"..." A lightning flashed across the black sky once again. This time a silhouette of a man was standing in front of him. 

"Leave…, Leave…, Leave…," He kept repeating himself. Shouichi reluctantly stepped closer to make out who he was. 

"Sir! What is this place? Where am I?" Shouichi got closer and closer but he still couldn't see the man's face. His heart kept pounding with increasing anxiety between each step. Shouichi reached out to grab the man's shoulder.

"WE'RE CURSED!" The man's thunderous scream in Shouichi's eyes, his father's face emerging from the shadows with hollow, darkened eye sockets.

"ARRRRRHHHHHHHHH!" Shouichi jumped up with a horrified scream. It startled Momo who was right next to him. Shouichi was sweating heavily. 

"Shouichi-kun! Are you okay? What happened?" Momo asked with a concerned expression. The girl was still in her maid costume. 

"Um, I think I just had a terrible nightmare. It's awfully scary… Auck!~My stomach hurts, so bad." Shouichi explained, wiping sweat off his face with his hand.

"Where am I, Tomako-chan?" Shouichi probed, disorientedly looking around, it was an unfamiliar environment. The room appeared like a girl's bedroom filled with pink and pastel decorations.

"Umm… you fainted… so we brought you to my place since it's the closest. Shinji-kun did all the lifting though." Momo explained, softening her tone.

"Oh, so this is Tomako-chan's room, right?" Shouichi asked and noted internally, "She's really the sweet girl type, it does match her personality."

"Yes." She nodded.

"Where is Shinji?" 

"Your stomach is bruised because the man had a knocker duster on. So Shinji is out to get some medical supplies. He said you need a cold pack." Momo explained.

"Umm, for now, I'll need to keep the ice on your wound. Please take off your shirt, Shouichi-kun!" Momo instructed softly and put the ice into a fabric sag. 

"It's alright, I think I'll be fine…" Shouichi kindly refused, wearing a weak smile. "I don't wanna strip in front of girls anymore. Damn you, Ayane-chan!" He reminisced about that day in a male locker room. 

"Please, don't resist! You helped me, so I have to repay you somehow. It's the least I can do," Momo said, her voice trembling though her resolve remained firm. Tears welled up in her eyes, making it seem as if she might cry again.

"Please stop blaming yourself, Tomako-chan. It's not your fault… Fine, I'll take it off." Shouichi consoled her with his gentle smile. He stripped his shirt off. It showed a dark red bruise on his pack. 

"You were really cool when you clutched a 1-v-3..." Momo admired him as she drew her eyes on his naked torso. In response, Shouichi smiled dryly and thought. "I haven't really used my brain then. It's lucky, I got out alive at all." 

"Ummm…. Shouichi-kun, your abdominal muscles kinda…" Momo's face turned red. She shook her face intensely and focused on applying the ice bags to the wound. 

"How does it feel?" Momo leaned in and kept the pouch in contact with his belly. She was awfully close to the point that her blonde hair gently brushed against his skin. Shouichi could smell the sweet candy aroma of her body. 

"I don't mind if you call my first name, Shouichi-kun." She told him softly almost whispering. 

"Shouichi-kun?… Are you listening?" Momo spoke softly and erotically while maintaining eye contact with him, her amber pupils sparkled beautifully. Her seductive mole beneath her right eye was drawn to him. The girl leaned in closer and closer. Her plum and pink lips were slightly parted and were a hair's breadth away from his lips. Shouichi felt the hot air from her breath.

"I'm back!" Shinji announced as he opened the door, a plastic bag in hand. His knuckles were wrapped in fabric, hinting at recent use. His sudden entrance startled both of them, causing Momo to jerk back almost instantly, her face flushed a deep red as if she were on fire.

"Damn you, Shinji! You cuck master," Shouichi thought in frustration.

"Eh? What happened here?" Shinji asked cluelessly.

"Nnn~Nothing!" Momo snapped.

"Here're some cold packs and pain relievers." Shinji picked out the supplies and explained them one by one.

"You are quite knowledgeable about this thing." Shouichi complimented him.

"Duh? I asked 'AI' for that." Shinji let out a smug and showed the AI chatbot on his smartphone.

"Right, I'll help put cold packs on." Momo eagerly opened the package meticulously with her small fingers. Shouichi noticed she had cute black nails. Momo then applied the cold pack sticker gently on his abdomen. 

"This is for your pain reliever. Please drink the water afterwards." Momo gently put a pill in his mouth and brought the water bottle for him to drink. "Why did she treat me like a little kid? I could do all that by myself." Shouichi pondered but compiled.

"Shouichi, where's your cloth, man?" Shinji suddenly asked him, causing him to almost spill his water from his mouth. Shouichi quickly forced it down his throat.

"Well, I didn't want to get my shirt wet while Momo-chan was applying the ice packs earlier." Shouichi defended firmly.

"Yeah, yeah. In the fight, you gotta be more careful, man… " Shinji warned Shouichi out of pure concern.

"But that's soooooo rad though! We beat the crap of outta 'em! Like one of those anime shows, Tokyo Revenger or something." Shinji continued to yap proudly, imitating by punching the air.

"Hahaha… you guys were so cool. Thank you so much, I'm truly in your dept." Momo spoke and bowed her head in appreciation. 

"Don't mention it, Momo-chan. That's what heroes do." Shinji replied, and he beamed with satisfaction, showing his white perfect teeth. "Again with his smartass remarks." Shouichi thought. They all giggled after.

"Alright. I needa go now, bro. My parents don't want me to come home late." Shinji spoke up after checking his phone. 

"Hey, what about me?" Shouichi tried to get up but his pain persisted. 

"I dunno, Momo can take care of you for a bit or something…" Shinji brushed off all responsibility from this point. "This guy just left me alone in a girl's bedroom, damn your pole head!" Shouichi whined in his mind. 

"Don't worry, Shouichi-kun. You are more welcome to rest here until you feel better. The pain reliever should take effect in less than an hour." Momo reassured with her soft and gentle voice. Shinji made a thump-up before hurriedly leaving.

The room fell quiet all of a sudden. 

"Umm, I'm so sorry about earlier, Shouichi-kun. I didn't know what I was thinking." Momo eventually broke the silence, covering her rosy red cheeks with her palms.

"It's alright. It's alright. Haha," Shouichi replied and waved his hand. "Why would she apologise?" Shouichi wondered. Soon realisation hit him like a truck. "Did she just imply that I'm dating Ayane? Are Ayane and I hanging out way too much? Is that what people really think of us? If Momo-chan kissed me, it'd be considered cheating, right? Damn you, Ayane-chan! Even your ghost continues to haunt me to these days!" Shouichi was lost in his train of thought. 

"Are you living alone? Momo-chan." Shouichi asked, changing the subject. 

"No, I'm living with my big sister but she works night shifts in the hospital these days." 

"Oh… She's a nurse or something?" He asked attentively. 

"No, she's just a helper… there. Ugh…" she replied, suddenly appearing to be in discomfort.

"What's wrong, Momo-chan? You look distressed. Are you hurt anywhere?" Shouichi asked with concern.

"I'm sorry, Shouichi-kun. I'm wearing a corset and it started to bug me a lot. Would you mind turning away briefly? I'll be quick." She said shamefully. Her pleading voice was cute and somewhat alluring.

"Ah, okay… I'm not looking." Shouichi complied obediently.

"I'm doing it now, so please don't look," Momo said as she began stripping off her maid uniform, carefully hanging it up in an organised manner.

Curiosity got the better of Shouichi, and he sneaked a quick peek. "I couldn't help it! God forgive me, for I have sinned." he thought to himself.

His eyes caught a glimpse of her fair, pristine skin and the exposed nape of her neck as she removed her wig and placed it gently on the stand. It was a mesmerising sight.

"Eh? It stuck!" Momo whispered to herself, surprised, it looked like the zipper on her corset wouldn't come off, and she couldn't reach it properly with her own short limbs.

"Um, Shouichi-kun. Would you mind helping me with something?" She begged shamefully.

"It's the zipper." She told him with pinkish cheeks. 

"Of course not, I… um, don't mind at all," Shouichi replied, determination flickering in his brown eyes, even as his heart raced.

Now, she looked much more like the original Momo — his classmate with the bob hairstyle. However, her carefully applied makeup remained intact, presenting an even more captivating version of her.

"Thank you! I thought it'd be stuck forever." Momo said after Shouichi managed to unstick the zipper by forcefully pulling it up and down a few times. Her porcelain back was exposed to him, and Shouichi could feel a hot sensation. He couldn't help but swallow his saliva, calming his nerves. "Momo-chan is so freaking hot! I have to hold it in. Endure!" His perverted mind eventually acted up, causing him to blow air out of his nose. 

"Are you not gonna turn back? Do you want to see them, Shouichi-kun?" Momo whispered in a soft but erotic voice, teasing him. 

"Ah? Sorry, sorry. I'm turning back now." Shouichi spoke nervously and averted his shy eyes away. He never had this type of experience before. "Man… Damn me! I'm such a chicken! A coward!" He condemned himself.

"But she's my friend! I should never disrespect her like that! Have some decency, Shouichi!" A battle broke up in his mind.

After a while, Momo completed her transformation back into his usual classmate, now wearing her familiar round glasses. Shouichi, feeling more composed, noticed the heat that had overtaken his body earlier had subsided — it had truly been just a fleeting moment.

He let out a deep sigh of relief, realising that, in his heart, he regarded Momo as one of his friends.

"I'm feeling much better now. Hahaha." Momo told him and giggled gleefully. 

"Haha. Now, you look like Momo-chan in my class." Shouichi jested lightheartedly. They both chuckled in unison. 

"So, in the end, you didn't get to open the shop today?" He asked, his voice tinged with empathy.

"Yes… Shinji was so angry, he didn't get his sugar intake."

"Nah, don't feel sorry for him, I bet he has fancy desserts at home. Maybe even an ice cream machine. Who knows." Shouichi speculated. 

"He does have it in his manor," Momo revealed and laughed, covering her mouth.

"Really? Have you been to his house?" Shouichi probed with a surprised look. 

"Yeah… I've been there a few times." Momo replied, tapping her glasses.

"Shinji only told me that you were his former classmate in middle school. I didn't know you guys were close." Shouichi continued to probe attentively.

"He's more than that actually… It was Shinji-kun who helped my sister with Maid & Tea Bliss. The shop was originally run by her. Long before she got a job at the hospital." Momo explained firmly.

"Oh really? I thought you were just working there as an employee. Apparently, you are the shop owner?"

"Partially. So the location is really expensive. Shinji asked his parents to rent it out for us at no cost." Momo continued her story. Shouichi noticed she was a cheerful girl when you got to know her: A new side of her that Shouichi never thought he would see. 

"Shinji is a great guy, isn't he?" 

"Indeed. Shouichi-kun, I wasn't always pure and innocent, you know? You are also being so nice to a girl like me, I feel like you should know something about my past. But I'm not sure if you wanna hear it though…" Momo said with uncertainty in her expression, her eyes bouncing around nervously. 

"Please feel free to dump it on me. Momo-chan." Shouichi said in participation, reaching out to grasp her delicate hand. He squeezed her tenderly, letting her know that he truly sympathised with her.

"Ye~yes… Here, I go…" Momo cleared her throat and began to tell him about her past.

"My parents… they were in an accident while leaving Kurohashi via the bridge. It was raining heavily that day, and the car skidded and plunged into the water below. Their bodies were never recovered because our town didn't have the proper equipment, and hiring help from outside was far too expensive.

My sister was in high school at the time, and we both had to figure out a way to make ends meet. She tirelessly worked two jobs while attending school every day. I felt so useless, like a burden. I wanted to help…

Then one day, a man approached me with a job offer, as a karaoke hostess. With the help of a senior there, I learned how to disguise myself with makeup, wigs, and so on. It had only been a week before Shinji found out…"

Momo paused, her gaze distant as she reminisced. After a moment, she took a long gulp of water, her hands trembling slightly.

"How did he find out at all?" Shouichi probed attentively.

"Well… the customers groped me one night, and I was so terrified, didn't know what to do. So I came running out of the store. That's when I bumped into Shinji. I think he saw my pink eyes, he asked what happened." Momo continued, and her big, beautiful eyes started to glitter. 

"Oh..." Her lore left Shouichi speechless. 

"I told him everything. So he offered to help us open a shop. I asked why would he care about me at all. He said it was because he wanted to have green tea with big pearls every day. What a rich spoiled kid, right? How could a kid like that be so kind and gentle… When I'm a dirty one, a tainted girl." As narrated, Momo's tears ran down her face, her voice was shaking uncontrollably. 

"I feel you, Momo-chan. Let them all out… That doesn't change anything for me. You are still my friend, Momo-chan that I know. I don't regret jumping in to protect you… You know what If that happened, I'd do it again a hundred times, a thousand times." Shouichi consoled her softly. He didn't need to think about those words at all, they just came from his heart. 

"Thank you so much. Shoui~" Suddenly, Momo's words were interrupted when Shouichi pulled her into his arms around and tenderly pat her hair. They were embracing one another for a good while.

"Thank you. I feel so much better." Momo spoke while wiping her damp face. 

"No worries," Shouichi said with a warm smile. He soon didn't harbour any romantic feelings for Momo; what he felt was the essence of pure friendship. Tomako Momo was someone he genuinely cared for.

***

An hour later, Shouichi was picked up by his beloved and caring mother, Yamamoto Yoko. He told her the whole thing, about the fight, and Momo's past. 

"Poor girl…" Yoko was tearing up a little after hearing Momo's story.

She was driving a car in the middle of the night. It was late and the street was as serene as the first day he arrived in this town. 

"I'm sorry, Mom. I didn't mean to worry you like that." 

"My, I'm so glad you grew up to be a very different man than your father. But you need to be more careful next time okay? I don't want you getting hurt!" Yoko warned, her voice firmed yet caring.

"Yes, Ma'am," Shouichi replied playfully.

"So, so..." Yoko's eyes glittered with a mischievous smile.

"Shou-kun, are you dating Ayane-chan or Momo-chan? You can't have both. As a man, you have to choose one only." Yoko probed, teasing the boy. 

"Haaaaaaa?! What are you saying, Yoko-san? I'm not dating either of them! We're just friends!" The question caught him off guard, causing a blush to spread across his face as he quickly responded.

"Ohhhh… That means Shou-kun is still mine! I couldn't be happier!" Yoko proclaimed with joy as she turned to look at him and smiled gently. 

"Hahaha, you could say that, Mom." Shouichi chuckled, partially agreeing with her, and he remarked internally, "As usual, Yoko-san is still an overly attached mother."