A Missing Piece (1)

In the blink of an eye, Seito Shouichi and Akiyama Suzuki arrived in front of her apartment door. It was an adequate studio-style apartment with multiple floors. Adequate in this context meant enough for a person or two. It wasn't too glamorous but not too shabby either since it was modern and new. Her room number read "205", implying it was located on the second floor, room 5 counting from left to right.

"Sorry for the mess, I haven't planned on this." Suzuki appeared embarrassed while she was tapping on the door with a key card. To be brutally honest, Shouichi wouldn't want to be here at all; he would've just died passively from starvation. Apparently, he couldn't do that anymore since she somehow broke into his house and sabotaged his plan. Therefore, he actually couldn't care less about how her room looked.

Shouichi recounted the recent argument he had with her. He couldn't comprehend how she would just blatantly offer to accommodate him like he was a lost child of sorts. After a few banters back and forth, he figured it was a futile and fruitless argument from the get-go. She always resorted to using her adult trump card, and here he was — standing like a lump at her place.

To his surprise, her place was not quite as messy as she claimed. There was a bookshelf on the left and a small bathroom with a tub-shower head combo. On the right-hand side was a TV and kitchen with a small table with only one chair. Further behind was the single bedroom with a double-size bed and a large closet. Overall, it was perfect for a person living alone.

"I forgot to tell you that my room only has one bed… so you don't mind sharing it with me, right?" She spoke with the realisation. As it became clear that she was not planning for this when she offered — no, when she forced him here after all.

"I actually don't mind that, but do you?" Shouichi replied without a care in the world. It was so abrupt he couldn't grab anything. So he was led here empty-handed. Not even his smartphone was with him, just him and the apparel he's currently wearing.

"Of course not. Since I proposed the idea to you, I guess I'll have to deal with it. Maybe I'll get a spare futon later?" Suzuki spoke to herself, almost like a mumble. Shouichi just realised that it's a habit of hers.

"Can I go to bed?" Shouichi was exhausted from all the things; he hadn't interacted with any soul in a week. Socialisation was draining him dry. Without hearing her response, he walked toward Suzuki's bed.

"Wait! Shouichi-kun," She grabbed his wrist. "You need to eat first…"

"I'm not hungry. Please do not waste it on me."

"Humpt! Then I won't let you!" She insisted, her face turning into a cute pout. "Ugh? Who does she think she is? My mom?" Shouichi retorted in his mind, rolling his eyes.

"Okay…"

"Then you have to take a bath too. Because it doesn't seem like you were doing any self-care recently." Suzuki commanded with her usual authoritative tone without being too direct. "Oh… So she just subtly said I am too stinky… That's kinda fair. I haven't touched water in the past 3 days." As his internal monologue continued, Shouichi began to be aware of himself bit by bit.

"It's not that I'm condemning you about your scent or anything!" Suzuki quickly rephrased it, judging from the reaction on his face.

About 10 minutes later, Suzuki placed a bowl of congee with eggs and pork mince. It looked divine and delish. She smiled gleefully at him like a little girl for some unknown reason. Shouichi was still confused about how she went the extra mile for him. He didn't want to come off as ungrateful for his literal saviour, two times in a row since then. Even if he was in the severe stage of depression, he refused to lose his ways and drag people down with him. That would be against his virtue and the values that he stood for. Shouichi did take pride in it and was ready to die on that hill, literally.

"Please eat it slowly. I figure it'd be your perfect food in your current condition. I don't think your stomach could handle anything too solid." Suzuki began to clarify since she didn't have another chair. She just stood there waiting for Shouichi to mingle in her home-made delicacy.

"You put a lot of thought even just for a meal." Shouichi clapped his hands out of respect before lifting a spoon.

"Thanks for the food." The spoon fell out of his trembling hand. The boy desperately struggled a couple of times to lift it up with both hands but failed miserably, his limping fingers wouldn't act according to his command.

"Umm… Here! Open your mouth." The beautiful lady scooped a small bite off the bowl and hovered over his mouth, her face was red like a tomato.

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't say anything. Just eat!" She insisted. Then she began to gracefully spoon-feed the boy like he was a 5-year-old. In his mind, he felt beyond humiliated, but she acted like it was not a big deal. It felt both soothing and relieving for him.

With that, the final issue remained. Shouichi hopelessly needed a bath. It was almost 10 PM when he just sat there in the cosy living room with the TV turned on. His mind wandered somewhere else while Suzuki was messing around in the kitchen next to him. Shouichi didn't realise what she was doing until she came and sat by his side.

"Umm… About your bath…" Her voice trailed off as she appeared in slight distress.

"Huh? It's fine, I'll take it as you suggest…"

"I mean… Do you need a hand?" Suzuki asked, blushing.

"Wah?! I'll manage, I'll manage it myself!" Her words actually woke him up from his slumber. Shouichi opened and closed his hands repeatedly to show her that he was rejuvenated from the food.

"What was I thinking?! So indecent!" Suzuki mumbled to herself, turning her face away from him.

"Thanks for offering anyway." Shouichi put out a weak smile at her, it felt fake, but he genuinely tried to do it.

"Let me grab a few things for you. A change of clothes and a towel." She sprung on her feet.

"What were you doing in the kitchen earlier?" He eventually asked, becoming a bit curious about his surroundings.

"Oh, I was gonna tell you. I just prepared you meals for tomorrow since I'll be at work," She continued, "So I better see you eat them, okay?" Again, using her adult and authoritative tone. It never failed to command Shouichi to follow like a good boy.

"Yes, Suzu~... I mean Akiyama-san." He slipped but quickly rephrased his words.

"Just call me whatever you like; I'd love you to call me Suzuki too!" She permitted it with a sweet smile, her canine teeth glinting adoringly.

"It's not actually my fault. Your first name sounded like a last name. Who named their child Suzuki in the first place?" He whined in his mind.

At midnight, Shouichi couldn't sleep despite his initial claim that he was exhausted. He was just lying on the bed, resting his left hand on his forehead. The double-size bed that he shared with a mature lady was cramped when there was a large gap between the two.

Officer Akiyama Suzuki's scent was refreshing and clean. Shouichi couldn't help but take a quick glance at her. The lady was turning her back on him, sleeping near the edge of the bed while he sided and touched the wall. Even with the light turned off, he could discern her alluring features. Namely, her hourglass figure, her voluptuous glutes, and her rears. "It doesn't look comfy for her." He thought caringly.

"Suzuki-san…" The boy whispered. A slight jolt indicated that she was still awake.

"Please move in closer, otherwise you might fall off the bed." He told her.

"Oh… Is~is that okay?" She shuffled around and turned his way, her face was red hot. "It's kinda hot today, right?" She commented. Contrarily, it was not hot at all tonight.

"It's the first time, I'm sleeping with a man! Give me a break!" Suzuki's internal turmoil was real. On top of that, it was with someone who she'd always fantasised about. She could barely contain her composure.

"No."

"Eh? I'm sorry. I'll move in closer." Suzuki spoke in a higher pitch than usual as she scrambled closer until her face was inches away from him.

"That's more like it, it's free real estate after all." Shouichi quipped over the earlier unoccupied space.

"I'll sleep now. So… good night, Suzuki-san," the boy told her and closed his eyes, beginning to doze off in the realm of dreams.