In Deep Kimchi (20 page)

“I’m starved,” Takumijo said. “Are you hungry?”

“I’m starved,” Satoshi answered. “Come on, let’s go get something to eat.”

Yori made an attempt to leave with them. “Damn, I left my wallet in the room. You guys go ahead. I’ll meet you out front.”

The other three waved good-bye and left.

* * * *

Shaundra’s head sprang up
. Is that Yori’s voice I hear
? The masseuse pushed her head back down and continued to massage the back of her neck and down her spine. Shaundra relaxed.
Ooh, he has magical fingers
. Still, she thought she heard Yori. Was he there about to get a massage too?

She pictured him lying on his stomach with just a thin sheet across his waist. With her eyes closed, she could plainly see the taut muscles in his back, the bulging biceps of his arms and his tight buttocks. Ooh, it was enough to give her a hot flash.

Fingertips dug into the small of her back just above the rise of her behind.
Yori’s touch would be like this,
she decided and the man massaged her waist.

The masseuse raised the sheet just as he got near her behind. Drat. Yori would not have stopped. A buzzer went off in the room, ending her dream and calling an end to the massage. A half hour had gone by so quickly. The masseuse left the room to give her time to dress. The door opened and closed. She knew she should get up and dress, but she was too comfortable. The door opened and closed again. Shaundra tried to get up by using her elbows.

“Don’t move,” a deep voice said.

Shaundra froze. “Yori?” She slid back down.
What is he doing here
?

A warm hand landed on her back and slid down to where the sheet landed.

Shaundra tried to turn over as his fingers moved under the sheet and kneaded one of her cheeks.

“Don’t. Just allow me this one weak moment.”

“But the masseuse?”

“Won’t be back. I’ve already taken care of that.” He snatched the sheet away, exposing her bottom. “So lovely. I knew it would be.” He ran his hand over both cheeks. “I can’t stop thinking of you and, even though I know my best friend is in love with you, I can’t stop myself.”

“But I…”

“No, let me finish, Shaundra. If things were different, I’d fight tooth and nail to have you. But I have to be honest with you. I have been engaged to a young woman named Amaya since I was four years old. It was one of those arranged marriages between our parents. The reason I’m telling you this now is because she and her family are on their way here to Tokyo. I didn’t want you to find out any other way.”

“Amaya?”

“Yes. I would say you’d like her, but that would be a lie.”

“Are you in love with her?”

“No,” Yori answered honestly. “I thought I was until I met you.”

Shaundra sighed. “Don’t use me as an excuse, Yori.”

“I’m not. But both you and I have responsibilities. And as leader of Aomori, I have to put my feelings for you aside for the better of my group. I must stay with Amaya because the fan girls know of my relationship with her.” He allowed his finger to dip between her cheeks until he touched her private area. “Your skin is so soft.”

Shaundra melted as the finger entered her. “Don’t. Oh.”

Yori continued to finger her. He gently pried her legs apart to get at her better. It didn’t take long to bring her to climax.

Shaundra’s back arched and she drenched his fingers with her juices. “Why?”

She felt Yori straighten up. “Just to show how much I want you.” He stepped away and Shaundra sat up, covering herself with the sheet. “It has been a pleasure, Ms. Morrison.”

Shaundra sat there, dumbfounded, after Yori left the room. “Damn him,” she mumbled as her heart settled down. She slid from the table and sniffed the air. His cologne still clung to the room, mixing with the scent of her orgasm. Why had he done that to her? Didn’t he know how it would affect her? Did he care? She found her clothes and dressed. She was going to give him such a piece of her mind if she found him in the waiting room when she exited.

Shaundra slipped on her shoes and opened the door. Drat, everyone was there in the waiting room except Yori.

Had they seen him leave? She wondered. She looked them in the eye as she approached. She couldn’t find a sign that they had.

“I hope you’re hungry,” Harper said as he rose.

“Starved,” Shaundra replied quickly. Damn that Yori. Her body still tingled. “Do you think you can find us some American food in this big mall? I can use a hamburger and lots of fries.”

“I can do fries,” Riley agreed. “And a steak. Japanese food is good, but it’s not filling. I need beef.”

They left the spa and re-entered the mall. There were a lot more people around than when they first entered. Harper led them past some clothing stores, a game arcade and snack bars.

Shaundra kept looking back over her shoulder, expecting to find Yori standing amongst the crowd. Two more days until the concert and then the grand opening of KiNii. A week later, she would be on her way back to the United States and putting a lot of distance between her and Aomori.

* * * *

“Yori!” Amaya screamed at her boyfriend when she saw him waiting in the lobby of the hotel when they arrived. Her father was busy at the desk getting the keys to her room and that would buy her some time alone with him. He was dressed surprisingly neat in a dark blue suit cut to fit his tall, thin frame, and he had a haircut. She threw her arms around him. He’d lost some weight, but not too much. He usually did during rehearsal time. He returned the hug, but it lacked emotion. He quickly released her when her parents approached.

Yori bowed to her parents. “How was your trip?”

At least he had sense not to show what he was feeling in front of her parents.

“Most enjoyable,” Dai Saitama said as he shook Yori’s hand. “No turbulence.”

Yori turned to her mother, took her hand and kissed it. “Always a pleasure, Mrs. Saitama.”

“You look good, Yori,” Kaori Saitama said. “I told Amaya that suits were made for your frame.”

Amaya smirked. Her mother was putting on the charm real thick. Just the other day she had been blessing Yori out for leaving Osaka and not calling often.

“How long will you be in town?”

“Just a couple of days,” Dai answered. “We’re here on business and to see your concert.”

“And don’t forget shopping,” Amaya added as she inched her way toward Yori.

“No, let’s not forget shopping,” her father replied. “I promised her a new telephone.”

“What’s wrong with her old phone?” Yori asked.

“Outdated,” Amaya answered for herself. “All my friends have the latest.”

Dai rolled his eyes at the ceiling in mock horror.

Amaya smirked again. Her father was a comedian. “Where are the rest of your friends?”

“Asleep in their room,” Yori answered.

“At this time of the day? What a bunch of slackers.” Deep inside, she was glad to have some alone time with Yori.

“Have you eaten?”

“No, not yet,” Dai answered.

“Good, then I’d like to take you all to breakfast after you bring your things up to your rooms.” He signaled for a bell boy who came and began putting their luggage on a rack.

“Mrs. Saitama and I won’t be able to join you for breakfast because we have a meeting with one of our suppliers in an hour. But you and Amaya can go and enjoy yourselves,” Dai replied.

Yori followed them on the elevator and up to their rooms. He pulled Amaya aside after her parents went inside. “Meet me in the lobby in fifteen minutes, and please don’t be late. Then, he walked away.

Amaya watched him leave. “He’s sure acting strange. What is he hiding?”

* * * *

Yori ran into Satoshi as he tried to get back to his own room. Satoshi was dressed in warm-up gear, which meant he was on his way for his morning workout. There was a time Satoshi used to go out jogging, but he was too popular now to do it without being mobbed. Fans would line the street just to get a look at him and some even joined him as he jogged and tried to talk to him. Satoshi gave up his favorite activity as soon as it began to cause traffic jams. Of course, Satoshi was the last person he expected to see, or wanted to see at the moment. He didn’t feel like answering any questions.

“What’s with the suit?” Satoshi asked once he neared.

“The Saitamas have arrived.”

“Oh. See you later.” He walked off.

Huh? Yori hadn’t thought that would happen. He used the key card, entered his room, and listened while the door closed behind him. Then, he just stood there. He had planned to call Shaundra to let her know that Amaya had arrived. Now he didn’t think that was a good idea. Eventually, she would see her with him. Why cause any unnecessary friction? He used the toilet to kill some time and then left the room and went down to the lobby, hoping to get Amaya into the restaurant without running into anyone else he knew. Hopefully, the authors were sleeping late or had already left the building.

He found Amaya waiting in the lobby.

“The restaurant is down on this floor,” he told her.

“Where are your guards?”

“Sleeping probably,” Yori answered. “I didn’t bother calling them. I know how uncomfortable they make you.”

“But what if someone recognizes you?”

“Then I’ll sign an autograph and send them off. But I hope that won’t happen.”

Amaya followed him through the lobby and down a couple of aisles until they reached the restaurant. He held the door open for her to step inside. He found the place teeming with life. A lot of families were there eating breakfast along with businessmen in suits. A waitress arrived quickly and escorted them to table in a spot where they could see what was happening around the entire room. She handed them menus.

“What do you recommend?” Amaya asked her once she opened the menu.

“That depends on what you like. We serve an American breakfast, as well as a traditional Japanese breakfast.”

“Japanese,” they both said together.

“And a side order of Tamagoyahi,” Yori told the waitress.

Moments later, the waitress returned with rice, grilled fish, omelets, pickled vegetables, and pieces of nori to pinch up bits of rice with.

“Tamagoyahi?” Amaya asked.

“Eggs infused with maple syrup,” Yori explained.

Amaya turned up her nose.
                                 

“You have to try it. It’s delicious.”

They discussed life back in Osaka. They were midway through their breakfast when he heard two familiar voices. Yori looked up. Ichiro had arrived dressed in a linen suit, accompanied by Shaundra, also dressed fancy in a green suit. Ichiro’s hair was pulled back, exposing his forehead, which caught Yori’s attention because he could not recall the last time he’d seen Ichiro without bangs. The two of them made a striking couple and cause several heads to turn in their direction as the waitress seated them. Unfortunately for him, they were placed close to him and Amaya with only a couple of tables separating them.

Amaya turned around in her chair to see what had his attention and then she quickly turned around again. “Is that Ichiro?”