Building a Mystery

by DaughteroftheKosmos

Chapter 2: Part II

Something was missing from the tower Kirari was designing. She had been tinkering with the design for nearly six months at that point, but it still hadn’t felt complete enough to initiate a conversation about construction. She wasn’t too bothered by it, and yet she still couldn’t shake the feeling that she was running out of time somehow. Speaking off…

Kirari shifted her eyes from the aquarium in front of her to glance at the clock on the wall of the council room.

She’s late... How very unlike her.

Kirari couldn’t dwell too long on her secretary’s tardiness, however, as her attention was pulled toward the meeting table where a small commotion had erupted.

“Ooh, tell me my fortune, Yuriko!” Runa Yomozuki chirped. “It’ll be good practice for tomorrow, nya ha!”  

That’s right – it would soon be Valentine’s Day, along with the various festivities that accompanied it. Most of the school’s clubs had special love-themed games and prizes planned, and the Traditional Culture Research Club was no exception. The only reason Kirari was acutely aware of that particular club’s plans was because the newest councilmember, Yuriko Nishinotouin, had been heavily promoting her club’s Valentine offering both inside and outside the student council room: romantic tarot card readings.

Kirari returned her attention back to the aquarium, content with watching the fish make their rounds as Runa and Yuriko chattered behind her at the table. Valentine’s Day had never been much of a concern in her life. She had only bothered to send chocolates to extended family members out of polite tradition, though her sister and she made sure to exchange extra special treats each year. Kirari herself had been the recipient of countless boxes of chocolates in varying degrees of quality over the years, ranging from lackluster, obligatory chocolates from her cousins, to decadent, artisanal chocolates from the children of businesspeople and politicians attempting to curry favor with her and, by extension, the clan. A pity, perhaps, that even faced with the finest that money could buy, she just didn’t care for chocolate all that much.

Valentine’s Day, Kirari knew, was intended to be a day where one expressed their love and appreciation, especially when that love and appreciation was romantic. But was that really all romance was? Just chocolates, treats, and flowers packaged in pinks and reds? Chocolates became stale and flowers withered, and yet somehow they had become the default gifts to express love that so many hoped to be everlasting. Kirari couldn’t understand it, though she supposed she might not really understand romance at all considering how most of the bonds in the Devouring Families were marriages of convenience, first and foremost. 

What does Sayaka think of all this, I wonder.

As Kirari’s mind drifted to Sayaka, that curious warmth returned to her chest with a fluttering sensation. A small smile tugged at her lips.

As if on cue, the young secretary entered the council room, staggering under the weight of a large box piled high with boxes of chocolate and flower bouquets wrapped in sheets of cellophane and ribbon. Kirari turned toward the direction of the noise along with Runa and Yuriko.

“P-Please excuse my tardiness, President,” Sayaka mumbled despite the large cardboard box pressed against her cheek. “The council’s mailbox had much more to retrieve than usual today.”

Kirari arrived at the meeting table just as Sayaka deposited the box on the table with a loud thud. The younger girl sucked in a breath as her limbs relaxed after carrying such a heavy weight.

Kirari peered over the edge of the box at the array of gifts inside. It was as if several florists and chocolatiers had had their inventories dumped into the box. “My, what’s all this, then, Sayaka?”

Kirari watched as Sayaka adjusted her glasses while tensing and relaxing her jaw. “They’re Valentine’s Day gifts, President,” The secretary’s words came out a bit more clipped than usual. “I believe they’re all addressed to you–” The younger girl’s eyebrows furrowed for a moment. “–Though I did stop checking the labels after twenty gifts…”

Ah, there are just as many flatterers here as when I was back home at the estate, then. How boring… Though you seem vexed by this, Sayaka. Why is that?

Laughter pierced the air as Runa chimed in. “Sheesh, that’s being the president, for ya: admirers for days! Say–” Runa hopped down from her chair to skip over to the box, “–Anything good in there? If ya wanna share, that is, nya ha!”

“Y-Yomozuki! These are–”

Kirari held up a hand before Sayaka could continue her admonishment of Runa’s bold request. The secretary halted immediately, her mouth hanging open and eyebrows quirking upward like a confused puppy. That fluttering feeling in her chest surged at the sight.

You really are the cutest, Sayaka.

“Yes, of course, Runa. Everyone is welcome to help themselves to anything addressed to me,” Kirari waved her arm over the box. “I couldn’t possibly eat all these sweets.” 

Runa started digging around in the box as soon as permission had left Kirari’s lips. “You sure, Prez? Some of these are real fancy, like, unh–” Runa grunted as she extracted a golden container from deep in the box, “–These babies are all the way from France, y’know.”

“All yours,” Kirari shrugged.

“Well, merci beaucoup, Présidente,” Runa chuckled as she grasped the ribbon wrapped around the box. Before she could tear the lid off, her eyes scanned the name tag attached to the package. “Whoa, hey, these aren’t for you, President,” Runa plucked her lollipop from her mouth and pointed it at Sayaka, who flinched at the sudden movement. “These are for our very own Sayaka!”

Oh? What’s this?

Sayaka’s face flushed crimson and she stammered while waving her arms in front of her.

The pleasant fluttering in Kirari’s chest died instantly as stiffness invaded her neck and shoulders unbidden. She plucked the golden box from Runa’s grasp to check the tag for herself. Sure enough, written sloppily was Sayaka’s name, the only clue the sender left about their identity next to the “from” label being an equally sloppy, “Guess who, nerd.”

Who is this person who thinks they can refer to Sayaka so...brusquely?

Kirari pursed her lips and stopped herself from clenching her teeth too tightly together. She wasn’t sure what this curious new feeling was, but she didn’t like it. No, she did not like it at all.

She extended the box towards Sayaka, the younger girl looking at the gift the same way one might react to being offered a dead rat.

“Well, well, Sayaka,” Kirari tried to melt the iciness creeping into her voice against her permission. “It would appear you have a secret admirer.”

“I...Th-that’s not possible, President,” Sayaka fisted her hands in the long fabric of her skirt. “I don’t receive things like that for Valentine’s Day…” She averted her eyes for a moment to survey the large box of gifts before sheepishly returning her gaze back to Kirari. “...Unless it’s a prank, that is,” she finished with a murmur.

Now Kirari rather enjoyed playing pranks herself, and had successfully pulled off many during her young life. But hearing about her secretary being made the butt of a joke like this… It made the muscles tense in her neck in an entirely different way than just before, like something akin to anger, though she couldn’t exactly place why.

How do you inspire so many new sensations in me?

“Aw, c’mon, Sayaka! They’re fancy European chocolates–” Runa made grabbing motions towards the box and Kirari handed them off. “–That doesn’t seem like a prank to me. Look, I’ll even try one for ya…”

Sayaka sputtered, reaching futilely towards the shorter girl to stop her as Runa yanked off the lid, removed her lollipop, and tossed a bonbon dusted with chopped nuts into her mouth before dropping the gift box onto the table.

Runa chewed once.

“Shee? Theshe are jusht fine,” Runa mumbled through the chocolate.

She chewed again.

“Nothin’ to worry abou–” Runa’s eyes went ride with horror before she gagged, spitting the half-eaten chocolate into her free hand, the spit-laden clump resembling sewer sludge, except for the bit of bright green that peeked through.

“It’s a brussel sprout!” Runa howled, “It was a freakin’ chocolate-covered brussel sprout!” She thrusted her lollipop back in her mouth, sucking furiously in what Kirari assumed as an attempt to rid herself of the previous, unwanted flavor coating her tongue.

“Yomozuki! I’m so sorry!” Sayaka attempted to console her upperclassman while checking the nametag on the box. She sighed as she mumbled “Ikishima,”  under her breath. Kirari made a mental note of that name.

Runa desperately snatched another gift box from the pile, tearing open a package of fruity hard candies that she crammed into her mouth.

“Would you like me to have a word with this prankster, Sayaka?” Kirari offered coolly.

Sayaka started with a small squeak, her cheeks dusting pink. “Oh, President, please d-don’t trouble yourself with such silly things,” Sayaka’s breath hitched as Kirari slipped the box of tainted chocolates from Sayaka’s hands, her dark eyes looking up at her with awe. “I...I can handle it on my own.”

You’re more than capable, of this I’m sure. And yet I still felt compelled to offer…

“Very well,” Kirari relented. “Do you like receiving gifts like this on Valentine’s Day, Sayaka? Chocolates and flowers, that is.”

Sayaka’s blush deepened as she opened and closed her mouth wordlessly. It reminded Kirari of the koi in the pond back at the estate when they gathered along the edge for feeding time.

Cute!

“I-I don’t, um... You see th-that’s…” Sayaka sucked in a shaky breath while wringing her hands. “I haven’t, uh, received anything like that before, P-President, so I wouldn’t really know…” She averted her eyes from Kirari. “I don’t really eat candy, and cut flowers wilt so quickly, b-but! I think it’s...the thought that c-counts, right? Um…”

So you don’t understand gifting chocolates or flowers either, nor do you particularly like them, but you still want to receive them? Fascinating…

“I see,” Kirari hummed.

“Ah, pardon my interruption,” Yuriko called from her seat farther down the table, “But would you still like to finish your tarot card reading, Yomozuki-san? Or are you…” She trailed off as she took in the sight of Runa desperately sloshing candy around in her mouth, “...Preoccupied?”

“Yeah, gonna need a rain check on thith one, Yuriko,” Runa mumbled around the sweets in her mouth. “Thorry. But hey, maybe the prethident and Thayaka can help ya out with practithe for tomorrow! Whaddya thay, Prezth?”

Runa’s suggestion struck Kirari with an idea. “Do you offer readings for two people at once, Yuriko?”

“Of course, President. We expect to turn quite a profit on tarot card readings for couples tomorrow,” Yuriko replied with a gracious smile. “My club’s research indicates that students will pay a premium to know if they’ve found true love or not.”

Kirari’s mind swam with concepts she hadn’t considered much before, of couples and true love and happily ever afters.

Are such things even possible for someone like me? Someone conceived, born, and raised to be a devourer?

Kirari shrugged the unpleasant thought away and offered an outstretched hand to Sayaka, who stared at the appendage as if it were made entirely of diamonds. “Excellent. Shall we see what the cards have in store, Sayaka?”

“P-President! Wh–!?”

“We should hold hands,” Kirari explained, wiggling the fingers on the extended hand, “Otherwise, how will the cards know we’re supposed to be a couple that Yuriko is practicing on?” She finished with a playful wink.

“Oh...Um, that’s not really…” 

But Yuriko’s words didn’t reach Kirari; she was too busy witnessing Sayaka flush a deeper shade of red than Kirari had ever seen a person blush before. But what really drew her attention was the subtle yet poignant shift in Sayaka’s deep, dark eyes; particularly how they seemed to pull Kirari in like a strange vortex.

Like the black hole that appears after a collapsed star…

“Right! S-Sure! Of course!” Sayaka responded a bit too eagerly, her voice cracking from the strain, eyes still wide and wild. The secretary wiped her palm on the front of her skirt before grasping Kirari’s hand tightly with trembling fingers. 

The outburst broke whatever strange spell Sayaka’s eyes had briefly placed Kirari under. But the inside of her ribcage was tickled by the rush of warmth that filled Kirari’s chest at the feeling of Sayaka’s hand in hers, even if the younger girl’s palm was somewhat damp.

Kirari swallowed against the sudden dryness in her throat. “Well that settles it then,” She coaxed Sayaka down the table to sit in the chairs opposite a nervous-looking Nishinotouin. “Please reveal the cards’ wisdom, Yuriko.”

Yuriko gathered the cards abandoned from the previous reading and shuffled them back into the rest of the deck. “...Right. Of course, President…” 

Yuriko cleared her throat as she cut the deck and riffled the cards back together into a neat pile. “A reading for–” She briefly glanced at Kirari and Sayaka’s clasped hands resting on the table, “–couples... involves at least seven cards…

“The three cards dealt to each half of the couple represents something,” Yuriko continued as she dealt three cards, facedown, in a column in front of Kirari and another column of three in front of Sayaka. “The top card is what that person wants, the middle card is what that person needs, and the bottom card is how one person sees the other. But this card–” Yuriko placed a single card between the columns. “–This card illuminates some sort of catalyst in the relationship, and that catalyst can be beneficial or detrimental to it.”

Kirari felt Sayaka’s hand twitch in hers. Kirari gave a small, reassuring squeeze and delighted when she heard the secretary’s breath skip. Butterflies settled in Kirari’s stomach despite how silly the situation was. Frankly, she wasn’t sure if she believed in fate or not. There were certainly strange coincidences that seemed too interconnected to ignore, and yet, at the same time, she also felt that everyone and anyone should captain their own course through life. 

Perhaps, in that moment, with her palm pressed against Sayaka’s as they received a couple’s tarot card reading, she simply wanted to be a teenage girl reveling in the feeling of her body coming alive after lying cold and stoic for so long. No clan, no council, and no predeterminations about what either or both of those factors would have on her future. A moment where she could just...dream.

“Shall we get started?” Yuriko asked, waving her hands over the cards decorously. “What will the cards reveal, I wonder? Shall we start with you, President, as I believe you were the querent?”

Kirari nodded her assent and Yuriko began the reading. Kirari felt almost giddy about it.

Yuriko flipped over the top card in Kirari’s column revealing the ten of cups. “Ah, an upright Ten of Cups,” Yuriko confirmed with a small smile. “In this position, this card reveals what you hope for in a relationship, President: happiness, stability, and peace; something built to last. This card–” Yuriko tapped it lightly with her finger, “–Represents ‘wanting it all,’ one could say. It seems, President, you long for an end to hard times, a future where sorrow is left in your past.”

“My, how interesting…” Kirari crossed one leg over the other, an attempt to ground herself as she felt the warmth in her chest and the fluttering in her belly intensify somewhat. “I suppose anyone would hope for a bright future, though.”

Perhaps these pretty pieces of cardboard really do know something after all. But Yuriko doesn’t need to know that...

Yuriko swallowed thickly and her placid grin faltered for a moment. “Indeed, President, I imagine we all long for greener pastures. Now, turning to what Igarashi-san wants…” 

Kirari felt Sayaka squirm next to her as Yuriko flipped over the top card of Sayaka’s column. “An upright Nine of Cups,” She hummed. “This card speaks to your desire to seek contentment, gain recognition for great achievements, earn success, and, well,” Yuriko blushed ever so slightly, “Find pleasure in your relationship.” She cleared her throat. “It would appear, Igarashi-san, you want all your romantic wishes to be fulfilled.”

Sayaka’s palm grew significantly more damp with sweat, though Kirari didn’t mind; she found it amusing, truth be told.

“I-I...W-Well doesn’t everyone want their wishes to come true in any kind of r-r-relationship!?” Sayaka stole a glance at Kirari out of the corner of her eye before focusing back on Yuriko. “M-Maybe I just want to be the best s-secretary I can be for the president. It’s...It’s not l-like we...we’re…” Sayaka trailed off, a soft, high-pitched whine getting caught in her throat as she flushed deep red and sweat beaded up along her hairline.

What an entertaining reaction!

“Now, now, Sayaka,” Kirari placed her other hand on top of their clasped hands, prompting Sayaka to squeak. “This is all in good fun to help Yuriko practice. There’s no need to get so worked up.”

Despite saying so, Kirari’s body hummed with warmth and excitement. If she knew pretending to be a couple with Sayaka would be so delightful, she would’ve tried it far sooner. Though there was something about holding off on satisfying a craving, wasn’t there? How delaying fulfillment just makes the taste all the sweeter in the end.

“Yes, President, of course... My apologies,” Sayaka mumbled.

“It’s quite alright, Sayaka,” Kirari patted the back of their clasped hands before settling her free hand back in her lap. “Well then, what’s next, Yuriko?”

Yuriko nodded quickly, as she flipped over the second card in Kirari’s column. “...R-Right. Next is what you require in a relationship, President. You’ve drawn the Hierophant, but it’s in the reversed position, which changes the meaning quite significantly…” Yuriko tapped her chin thoughtfully. “It would appear that you perhaps feel restricted, bound by too many structures or rules...Maybe you even find certain traditions burdensome to uphold,” Yuriko paused here, as if mulling over her words. “You’ll need to break free, President; you’ll need to cast off your chains and take your own approach, rejecting what others might have to say in order to find true happiness.”

Kirari felt her eyes widen for a split second before she could school her expression back to placid amusement. She was unnerved, somewhat, that so far these cards seemed to be divining her circumstances with shocking accuracy. Her mind swirled with thoughts about the Hundred Devourers, her position at the apex of those families, and how, from birth, her life was mapped out to follow a certain path. 

Does the path of the head Devourer allow space for what I want? What do I really want?

Sayaka’s hand was warm in hers and it grounded her back to the moment. She hummed in response to Yuriko’s assessment. “Much to think about...Though I suppose all that isn’t surprising, is it? I think everyone in this room knows I follow the beat of my own drum,” she chuckled.

Yuriko nodded with a polite grin. “Indeed, President. Now, as for what Igarashi-san needs…” Sayaka squirmed once more as attention settled back onto her, “...Ah, you’ve gotten the Magician in the upright position, Igarashi-san. This card represents your willpower, and that you need to harness your full potential and act without hesitation,” Yuriko pounded the side of her fist into her palm as if to punctuate her statement. “You, Igarashi-san, will have to manifest what it is you want, creating opportunities and being proactive in your relationship to get it to where you want to be.”

Kirari felt little sparks of electricity tingle in her limbs at the thought of Sayaka being so domineering and powerful.

I wonder… How would you try to harness whatever this is that’s growing between us?

Kirari squeezed her thighs together a little and swallowed hard before turning to look at Sayaka. The secretary’s brows were furrowed as if that wonderful brain of hers was already setting to work on solving the new puzzle laid out before her. She drew a sharp intake of air, opened her mouth as if she were about to speak, and then closed it again. “I’m...not sure what that card wants me to do,” she admitted quietly. “I’ll keep thinking,” Sayaka finished with a tense sigh.

You’re taking this so seriously! Do you have any idea how fascinating you are?

Kirari resisted the urge to lift their joined hands and press a chaste kiss to the back of Sayaka’s knuckles. She settled instead for tucking a loose wisp of hair behind Sayaka’s ear, delighting in the sensation of the younger girl shuddering beneath her touch. 

“Well, I suppose the card wants you to do whatever you’d like,” Kirari offered. “What is it you want in a relationship, Sayaka?”

The secretary gawked up at Kirari with wide eyes that flicked quickly down to Kirari’s lips and then back up to meet Kirari’s eyes.

Oh!? You’ve tilted your hand, my dear!

“I-I’ll have to th-think it over, President,” she replied breathlessly. “I haven’t g-given it much thought before.”

Kirari hummed, briefly clenching her thighs again against the fluttering sensation that had invaded her entire torso and edged below her skirt. “I look forward to it, whatever it may be,” she replied with a slow wink.

Sayaka gasped and hurriedly looked down at the polished surface of the meeting table.

Yuriko cleared her throat a bit louder than Kirari felt was necessary. “Well, we’re nearly done! Just a few more cards to go, now. This card will reveal how you perceive Igarashi-san, President,” Yuriko flipped over the final card in Kirari’s column and Sayaka’s sweat-slicked grip tightened around her hand. “Ah, the Page of Swords in upright position,” Yuriko nodded. “It seems you view Igarashi-san as a curious person, a bright intellectual who never runs out of ideas. Her sharp discernment intrigues you and holds your attention – she provides so much stimulation that you never lose interest. Her energetic nature, however…” Yuriko eyebrows quirked up in the middle as she bowed her head slightly towards Sayaka as if in apology. “...Can come across as so nervous it seems neurotic.”

Kirari turned to look at Sayaka as she sucked her teeth, clearly annoyed at being told she was too high-strung. Kirari smiled fondly, running her thumb over the side of Sayaka’s and prompting the secretary to look at her.

“That all sounds true to me,” Kirari’s smile widened as Sayaka’s breath hitched. “I’ve told you before: I find you quite fascinating, Sayaka.” This time, Kirari didn’t resist lifting their clasped hands and pressing a feather-light kiss to Sayaka’s knuckles, so softly it didn’t even leave any lipstick behind.

A shame, really. I do wonder what this shade of blue would look like on your skin...

“P-President!” Sayaka squealed.

Yuriko gently clapped trembling hands together. “Y-Yes, well, let’s move right along, shall we? Next is how Igarashi-san perceives the president.”

Kirari took in the sight of Sayaka: The girl was as red as a tomato with perspiration settling in the grooves and valleys of her neck and face. Her breathing skipped all over and the secretary’s grip on her hand had tightened to the edge of unpleasantness. But Kirari didn’t mind, not even a little bit. This was her secretary, this was Sayaka, and she found every bit of her charming. She felt warm and wonderful all over.

But what do you really think of me? The cards have been very accurate so far...

Yuriko turned over the last card in Sayaka’s column and offered a gracious smile to Sayaka. “You’ve drawn the Knight of Cups in the upright position, Igarashi-san. You perceive the president as a charming and graceful idealist. She’s someone who you, well, ah…” Yuriko stole a glance at Kirari and she only raised an eyebrow in return. “...Someone who you find s-seductive and very flirtatious,” Yuriko swallowed thickly and a high-pitched squeak emitted from Sayaka’s throat. Kirari smirked. “With that being said, you ultimately find the president to be faithful to her heart, regardless of logic.”

Kirari turned to Sayaka to see she had revived her amusing impression of one of her koi fishes, mouth opening and closing futilely as squeaks and wheezes gathered in the back of her mouth. 

“Is that true, Sayaka? Do you find me to be charming and seductive? A wild hedonist unbound by reason?” Kirari teased, leering slyly at the younger girl as she slowly uncrossed and recrossed her legs. The fluttering sensation had definitely slipped down into her underwear at this point. Had she ever found herself feeling like this before?

I could get drunk off this feeling...

As for Sayaka, the poor girl looked like she might faint and tip out of her chair if Kirari pushed any further. “P-P-President, p-please don’t t-tease me…” Sayaka whimpered.

Kirari quietly halted her advances as Sayaka drew in several deep and shuddering breaths. 

“You’re very important to me, President!” Sayaka barked out suddenly. “Y-You’re an incredible leader and I’m honored to be by your side! I hope I can remain there for years to come!” The younger girl cried, her voice wavering as tears gathered in small pools at the corners of her eyes before she scrunched them shut.

From the foot of the table, Runa cheered her support. “Atta girl, Sayaka! Say it with yer chest!”

In that moment, for the first time, Kirari seriously considered Sayaka staying by her side beyond Hyakkaou. She glanced at Ten of Cups in her column of cards, remembering its promises of a kinder, sweeter life with pain left to rot in the past. 

Could it be you that I share that life with?

She slipped the thought away to consider later. The idea of a life different than the one she had been born for was as enticing as it was unsettlingly unknown. Indulgent as she may be, there are some things even she didn’t want to rush into without thinking. Kirari laid her free hand on top of their clasped hands and rubbed her thumb in circles to soothe her secretary.

Yuriko let out a tense breath before adjusting the collar of her kimono. “And finally,” she began, “We arrive at the catalyst between you two. This card reveals what will set the future of your relationship in motion.”

Sayaka blinked her eyes open, the surface of her eyes glistening with unshed tears as Yuriko reached for the final card that bridged the two columns of cards. When she flipped it over to reveal its face, Kirari’s mouth dropped open slightly and she sucked in a quick breath.

There, in all its glory, the driving force for her and Sayaka was a tower... The Tower.

Yuriko’s eyebrows raised and the corners of her mouth pulled downward into a slight frown. “Oh my…” She mumbled.

“What...What is it, Nishinotouin!?” Sayaka asked, anxiety flooding into her voice.

“An upright Tower is a very powerful card. It signifies massive upheaval and cataclysmic changes,” Yuriko nodded solemnly as Sayaka gasped. “It reveals that old habits and rules are no longer useful. That how things are right now cannot and will not last…” Yuriko briefly glanced up at Kirari. “This sudden change will result in a significant revelation that inspires the truth of your relationship to come to light, whatever that truth may be.”

Kirari’s pulse thrummed in her veins. She did her best to maintain her cool and calm exterior despite her heart fluttering and the warmth in her limbs coiling with excitement.

“May I?” Kirari asked as she reached for the Tower card. Yuriko quickly nodded and slid the card closer to her advancing hand.

Kirari carefully inspected the card, at the two lovers diving head first from the tower as lightning struck the spire, at the turmoil and chaos of the scene.

I know what I need to finish the tower… A tower that will act as a revelation… A tower that will confess the truth…

Kirari was pulled from staring at the card in her grasp as she heard Sayaka sniff wetly next to her. She looked up to see the younger girl quickly scrubbing tears from her eyes with her free hand. 

“Well, this silly card doesn’t matter,” Bitterness coated every word that left Sayaka’s mouth. “None of them matter. Nothing can predict the future, let alone some cards with pictures on them.” Sayaka’s bottom lip trembled despite her harsh rejection.

“That’s true,” Kirari hummed. “The future is whatever we want it to be...” She gave Sayaka’s hand a gentle squeeze. “...We need only build it.”

Later that evening, Kirari leaned back from her computer and settled against the back of her desk chair, surveying the zoomed-out architectural model on her screen. She had just finished adding five more doors along the exterior wall of the ground floor, and six doors on each floor all the way to the top, spacing each one around the tower’s perimeter at 60 degree intervals. They didn’t lead to any balconies, nor were there any railings to prevent a fall: each door opened to a sheer, unimpeded drop to the ground below. She sat forward and took hold of her mouse again, working now to add an indented, rectangular pattern along the edge of the roof’s parapet. She modeled it after the battlement-like structure depicted on the tarot’s Tower card.

An homage to the final bit of inspiration I needed.

The hand that moved the mouse as she connected vertices into shapes on the screen still harbored the phantom touch of Sayaka holding her hand at the council meeting table. The warmth that filled her body hadn’t fully extinguished, the flames from earlier only withering into still-glowing embers. Similarly, the butterflies that had filled her stomach and slipped under her skirt hadn’t gone dormant, had only flitted and fluttered slower. But as the tower in front of her neared completion, all those sensations began to escalate.

Kirari’s hips shifted and rocked in response, inadvertently pressing herself against the edge of her chair as that quivering heat returned between her legs. She could feel her pulse grow faster, her breathing going shallow as the feeling grew more intense. Her hips continued their rhythm, determined to keep time with the pulse droning in her ears and the throbbing at her core.

There was no longer any doubt about what truth this spinning spire and it’s many doors would reveal under the glow of moonlight. Perhaps she hadn’t been ready to admit it to herself as she sketched all through the night after that fateful day nearly half a year prior, but the sensations and heat that flooded her limbs now begged for attention. The giddiness that enveloped her that morning in the peach orchard had merely been the beginning; the way she felt when she thought of Sayaka had become nothing short of intoxicating.

What are you doing to me, Sayaka?

Her hips kept their cadence, forcing her right hand to slide off the mouse and her left to grip the edge of her desk to steady herself. She shivered upon realization that a damp spot had formed on the crotch of her underwear. But she couldn’t stop here, no. Not when thoughts of a future with the girl that inspired this tower invaded every corner of Kirari’s mind.

Her mouth felt dry and her eyes had slipped close as she chased this warm, light feeling that made her feel like electricity was coursing through her veins. She had spent so many days and nights of her life simply drifting through every minute and hour. But with Sayaka’s presence jumpstarting whatever had once failed to launch inside her, finally, for the first time, her body felt like it was truly coming alive.

How are you having this effect on me?

Just as her left hand tightened its grip on her desk so hard the joints in her fingers ached, the sound of her sister’s footsteps approaching her bedroom forced her to act quickly. Having regained most of her composure just as Ririka crossed the threshold, Kirari turned off her monitor and spun her chair to face her sister, crossing her legs to hide any evidence of her previous activities.

“Hey, Kirar—”

“Ririka! Perfect timing,” Kirari swallowed hard against the dryness of her throat. “Can you help me plant some things in Sayaka’s classroom early tomorrow for Valentine’s Day?”

Ririka cocked her head to the side. “Uh, sure… What kind of stuff?”

“Oh, you know, the usual fare: flowers, sweets, maybe a stuffed animal.” 

Ririka narrowed her eyes.

Damn… Am I being too obvious?

“...Okay. But why, though–”

“A prank, of course!” Kirari offered quickly. “You know how much I like flustering Sayaka. Tomorrow is just too good of an opportunity to pass up, you see...”

 

The next day when Sayaka entered the council room with her arms full of an enormous bouquet of Casablanca lilies and lavender roses, a box of perfect wagashi prepared the chef back at the Momobami estate, and a stuffed, pink giraffe with red hearts for its spots, Kirari could tell Sayaka was fighting to keep a wide smile off of her face.

“Well, well! Where did all this come from?” Kirari inquired with a coy smirk.

“These were on my desk when I got to class this morning,” Sayaka explained as she gingerly placed each gift down on the meeting table. “I don’t know who they came from, though: there wasn’t a note. I also don’t know how they knew that these lilies are one of my favorite flowers. Or that I enjoy wagashi. Or that I think giraffes are kind of cute...” 

“You don’t have any clues as to who it could’ve been? None at all?” Kirari teased.

“No, nothing…” Sayaka looked up at Kirari with doe-eyed confusion.

As puzzled as Sayaka was, Kirari could tell she was enjoying her gifts immensely. Kirari had picked up most of the clues about her secretary’s preferences over the better part of a year they had spent together. As for the lilies, those had been dumb luck; they were one of the only flowers that were still in stock at the florist given that most others were sold out for the holiday, and Kirari had chosen them over the others because of their symbolism. But now that she knew that they were one of Sayaka’s favorites…

I wonder how many Casablanca lilies it would take to fill up the rest of the clearing around the base of the tower. Spring is just around the corner, after all...

 

⁂

 

Kirari was perhaps more excited for Sayaka to enter Hyakkaou’s high school than the secretary was. She found the middle school’s uniforms to be something of an unfashionable eyesore, let alone the fact that it made its students appear so much younger than they actually were. Sayaka especially was a victim of this effect, with her slight frame and smaller stature. But, as always, her secretary didn’t disappoint when she arrived in the council room on the afternoon of her first day in her crisp, red blazer and perfectly-pressed skirt. In the two week break between the end of the last school year and the beginning of the new term, Sayaka had somehow transformed from a child into a young woman. Kirari was relieved and charmed that the side ponytail she had given her endured her transformation, but was curious and, admittedly, a bit dismayed to find that her secretary’s cute glasses hadn’t survived. Where had they gone? After days stretched into weeks without so much of a glimpse of Sayaka’s glasses, Kirari decided to ask.

“Oh!” Out of what Kirari presumed was habit, the secretary briefly touched her temple where the arm of her glasses would’ve been. “I started taking self-defense classes recently, President. I quickly discovered that glasses are impractical: they’d get broken quite easily. So I’ve switched to contacts.” 

Kirari tilted her head and stroked her chin. “Self defense classes, you say?”

Sayaka’s cheeks flushed the faintest bit pink. “Ah, yes. Judo, specifically,” Sayaka paused for Kirari’s reaction and seemed to grow flustered when Kirari only raised her eyebrow. “I...Well...I wanted to make sure I c-could protect you. N-Not that I don’t think you can’t protect yourself, President! Just...the house pets can be so unruly, and–”

Ah, so that was it. Sayaka wanted to protect her. As it so often did when she was around Sayaka, the warmth in Kirari’s chest bloomed wide and bright at the younger girl’s words.

“My…” Kirari reached out and ran her finger down the brass buttons that fastened Sayaka’s blazer shut. The secretary fidgeted and Kirari felt Sayaka’s stomach muscles twitch through her clothing. Kirari bit the inside of her cheek to ground herself. “Are you trying to be my knight in shining armor, Sayaka?

Kirari watched, enraptured, as several emotions flitted across Sayaka’s face: surprise, delight, nervousness, perhaps even a little smug satisfaction in the momentary lopsided smile that disappeared as quickly as it arrived.

“Oh, I don’t...I don’t know about that, President…” Sayaka mumbled. She looked away, stealing glances out of the corner of her eye at Kirari like she was a light that was too bright to look at directly.

“Do you practice with the judo club here, or…? Kirari probed.

“N-No, at the local university, actually,” Sayaka swallowed hard and fidgeted as Kirari toyed with the hem of her blazer. “Two nights a week, e-except for this week, it’s three: we have randori this evening. Oh! Actually–” Sayaka shifted back her sleeve to look at her watch. “–I should get going soon so I can go home and change. Unless...There’s anything you’d like me to stay for, President?”

Kirari’s mind had already leapt ahead, to researching the schedule of the local university, to seeing Sayaka in her gi, to picking out an outfit that would allow her to observe her secretary without her noticing her in the audience.

“No, no, you’re free to leave. I wouldn’t want to get in the way of your practice,” Kirari withdrew her arm and folded both across her chest. “I doubt you’ll need it, but best of luck tonight, Sayaka. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow.”

Sayaka cheeks reddened as she offered Kirari a sheepish smile. “Yes, of course, President. Thank you.”

A quick internet search had revealed that randori at the local university was at five o’clock that evening. That was all the information Kirari had been after: she just needed to know when she would get to see Sayaka in action. So, after rushing home shortly after Sayaka left the council room, Kirari found herself changing into casual clothes that Sayaka likely wouldn’t recognize her in: dark jeans, sneakers, and a hooded sweatshirt from an aquarium she had visited on a field trip the year prior. She had removed her lipstick and untied her braids, sweeping her hair back in a ponytail instead, and completing her disguise with a baseball cap and a pair of dark sunglasses.

After being dropped off by her chauffeur, Kirari climbed the stairs of the local university’s martial arts dojo and found an empty chair along the perimeter of the tatami mats where the participants were already sparring in clusters around the room. Kirari had spotted Sayaka quickly upon entering the dojo, and chose a seat that provided enough space between them to remain undetected, while still being close enough that she could see Sayaka’s movements and facial expressions clearly. Sayaka, always efficient, wasted no more time than necessary in showing Kirari what she had been longing to see.

Kirari watched closely as her secretary stretched her limbs carefully and thoroughly, each movement practiced and graceful. Sayaka used her brilliant mind for so much of Hyakkaou’s day-to-day demands that Kirari found herself fascinated by this physical side of her that she had never seen before. The way her tendons and muscles pulled taut and relaxed, the deliberate, controlled breaths… It was so new and Kirari couldn’t look away, beguiled by every movement Sayaka made.

It’s rather warm in here, isn’t it? I should’ve worn something lighter.

Kirari pushed up the sleeves of her sweatshirt to her elbows while she tracked the confident strides of another judoka making their way across the dojo’s tatami mats towards Sayaka. Excitement fizzled inside Kirari’s stomach at the prospect that she would finally get to witness her secretary unleash the strength she had apparently been cultivating in secret.

Kirari watched quietly as Sayaka noticed the supposed opponent that had just walked up to her. She saw something like annoyance flicker subtly across her secretary’s eyes.

Oh? Is this a rival of yours?

Kirari had learned how to read people from a young age, developing the skill alongside her sister as a means of survival among the cutthroat members of the Devouring Families. While she doubted many outsiders looking in on the interaction taking place in front of her could see the nuances, she certainly could. The tense jaws, the stiff fingers, the slightly narrowed eyes… She could see that Sayaka disliked this girl quite a bit, and she could also see that this stranger was determined to best her secretary at judo. After exchanging a few words, both Sayaka and the girl stood a few paces apart and bowed their heads towards the other. Once formalities were out of the way, they quickly closed the gap between them and butterflies fluttered gently in Kirari’s stomach. 

In the not so distant past, Kirari had only really felt her body respond like this during particularly risky gambles, one of the few activities that could most often break her out of near numbness and let her feel something. But being near Sayaka had become both the most reliable method of experiencing sensation and by far the most pleasant. Her muscles slowly grew tight while watching Sayaka and her sparring partner attempt their advances. She crossed one leg over the other at the knee as Sayaka and her opponent sprung towards each other, both sets of hands gaining purchase on the fabric of the other’s gi jacket.

Sayaka’s opponent grasped the fabric at her shoulder and the sleeve of her gi before twisting her side into the secretary’s body, attempting to shift Sayaka off her feet. Sayaka moved to throw the other off balance by hooking her foot around the other girl’s shin to pull it out from under her. But Sayaka standing on one foot had been enough of an opening for her opponent who took the opportunity to yank her fists — still gripping the cloth of Sayaka’s jacket — down towards the mats below their feet, taking Sayaka down onto her side with the movement. Sayaka released one hand to roll with the force of the throw, the other clung mercilessly to her opponent’s collar.

That position puts Sayaka at a clear disadvantage…

Kirari became aware of the fact that her breathing had become slightly uneven. Though she frowned a little as she quickly realized the other girl was in a near perfect position to put Sayaka in a submissive hold against the mat, which is just what she did. Sayaka’s opponent pushed forward, laying her body across Sayaka’s side and swinging a leg over so that Sayaka’s top half was pinned under her body, Sayaka’s captured arm pulled at an angle that bordered on unnatural. Kirari uncrossed and recrossed her legs as an odd flicker of discontentment wavered in her chest. Throws and submissions were simply a part of judo, this she knew very well. But why was it that she disliked watching Sayaka be captured like that?

What if she was writhing, sweaty, and panting against me instead?

Kirari was thankful she was wearing sunglasses as her eyelids fluttered a little at the sudden thought. She clenched and released her thighs against the warm sensation that had sunk down lower from its previous home in her stomach.

Oh…That’s...

The sound of Sayaka sucking in a sharp gasp as her opponent yanked harder on her trapped arm pulled Kirari’s focus from her thoughts, prompting her to study every detail of her secretary’s face. Sayaka’s eyes and teeth were clenched tight in a strained grimace as her opponent applied ample pressure to her elbow and shoulder. The vein at her temple bulged outward and sweat had started to bead up on her flushed forehead, the secretary’s breaths coming in sharp puffs and pants as she wriggled her body in her attempts to break free. But Sayaka was persistent; she twisted and bucked hard against her captor, finally managing to knock her off balance, and allowing Sayaka to pull her trapped arm loose. Sayaka clutched her newly-freed arm against her chest protectively, already pulling herself back up onto her feet and planning her next attack. Kirari sat up straighter as pride bloomed inside her chest.

That girl might be taller than you, but she’s no match for your tenacity, is she, Sayaka?

Sayaka winced as she shook out her arm, her intense, dark eyes locked on her opponent as they circled each either, both fighters taking a moment to breathe before the next scuffle. The other girl didn’t give Sayaka much time to recover before closing the gap and moving to grab Sayaka by her collar. Sayaka batted the hand away and side stepped out of reach. Kirari felt a small smile tug at the corner of her lips.

How will you handle her coming at you so aggressively, I wonder...

Both Sayaka and her opponent’s hands flew out to grasp at different parts of the jacket, a blurred flurry of movement where hands and arms recoiled before lashing back out like striking snakes. After both of them found purchase on the other’s lapel, Sayaka opted to grip her opponent’s intruding arm by her sleeve, and her opponent chose to capture the back of Sayaka’s collar, her fists clenched around fabric at the secretary’s chest and behind her neck. Excitement bubbled up in Kirari and she was suddenly very aware of her heart beating in her chest and the sweat that was gathering under her sweatshirt.

What will you do now, Sayaka?

Sayaka shifted her weight back and forth onto each leg, always moving in what Kirari could only assume was a tactic to keep her opponent guessing and a little off balance. Abruptly, Sayaka took two bold steps towards her sparring partner, twisting her body so that her back was facing the other girl’s front in the process. Her opponent’s eyes went wide with surprise as she quickly tried to sidestep, but the damage had been done and the trap Sayaka laid snapped closed and ensnared the taller girl.

In a shockingly fast and fluid movement, Sayaka bent forward at the hips, her fists still clenching her partner’s collar and sleeve as if her hands were made of iron. Her arms rocketed down towards the floor, lifting her shocked opponent up and off of her feet with the momentum and strength of her pull. The taller girl’s arms and legs windmilled through the air as Sayaka guided the girl’s body down against the tatami mats with so much speed and force her opponent’s back slapped against the mats with a deafening thwack that echoed around the dojo , the sound of air being knocked from her lungs following shortly after. Kirari’s body flinched at the noise before she slowly released a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

Sayaka’s partner laid there on the flat of her back, her body limp with dazed and unfocused eyes as Sayaka sprung to her feet and stood over her opponent, a foot planted on either side of the girl’s hips. Kirari swallowed thickly as she took in the sight of her triumphant secretary standing there in her thoroughly disheveled gi. The loose hairs that had fallen out of Sayaka’s ponytail clung to the sides of her face and neck, the skin flushed and slick with perspiration. The secretary’s chest heaved below her white undershirt as Sayaka gulped in air, her hands curled into fists as she hovered over her defeated opponent, the ferocity burning in those deep, dark eyes making a small shudder ripple up Kirari’s spine. Her secretary looked absolutely wild, and it made Kirari ache.

She’s beautiful...

She had seen what she came to see, and her body seemed determined to betray her in public. So Kirari stood to leave, the fluttering butterflies in her stomach from before having since turned into a swarm low in her belly that distracted her and made her head feel fuzzy. Her knees quivered with each step she took on her journey back down the stairs she had taken up to the university’s dojo. The early evening’s air should’ve been enough to cool her down, but the warmth coursing through her veins persisted, even after she had all but collapsed into the backseat of the private car that sat waiting for her. 

Every time Kirari closed her eyes to try and ground herself during the ride home, she only saw flashes of Sayaka’s dark eyes, the gleam of her sweaty skin, and the powerful movements of her limbs. Each memory only served to produce a second heartbeat that mirrored the one thumping against her ribcage, but the new one had settled between her legs in a maddening throb. Kirari fumbled for the switch that engaged the privacy glass partition in the car, effectively sealing her off from the rest of the outside world. As soon as the glass went opaque and obscured her chauffeur from view, she let her head fall back against the headrest while releasing a shaky sigh.

Kirari had been aroused before, and almost always by Sayaka, of course, though nothing like this. She tried clenching her thighs together and found it offered hardly any relief. She swallowed a groan of frustration and lolled her head to the side to watch the city whip by as the car sped down the highway. The blurred lights outside her window seemed to hypnotize her, the palm of the hand resting on her thigh sliding over to rest on top of the zipper of her jeans without even thinking about it.

Kirari couldn’t get the flashes of Sayaka out of her head, her mind playing a highlight reel of her bared white teeth, the slight curl in her secretary’s upper lip as she threw her opponent, the hair that clung to her glistening neck… Kirari’s hips rolled forward as if possessed while the heel of her palm pressed down through her clothes against the throbbing flesh trapped underneath. She gasped and bit the inside of her cheek so hard she was surprised she didn’t taste blood coating her tongue.

What would you look like underneath me, I wonder…

Kirari’s hips twitched hard against her hand and she let her eyes slip closed, the lights outside the car window casting blurred shadows on the inside of her eyelids as she slowly surrendered herself to her body’s demands. She found a lazy rhythm in the back seat, her hips straining against the seat belt and her body feeling trapped in her own clothes despite fitting her perfectly. Her breath shuddered as more visions of Sayaka danced behind her eyelids.

And what if I was the one under you instead?

The thought made Kirari’s breath catch in her chest, a fresh wave of arousal cascading over her entire body. Her hips involuntarily picked up their pace grinding against the heel of her palm. The idea of submitting to her secretary — no...Sayaka, just Sayaka — was strictly taboo: the leader of The Hundred Devourers was expected to never bend her knee for another. But Kirari couldn’t help the way she felt, or that she even felt at all because of this girl, and it was because of that that she knew she had to find a way to taste the forbidden fruit Sayaka had inadvertently dangled in front of her. Her pulse roared in her ears and her breathing became uneven.

I’m close...

Having never been in any sort of romantic or sexual relationship, Kirari’s knowledge of sex and sexuality were limited to what she could read or watch, but she knew what an orgasm was...or at least theoretically she did. She was about to have one in the backseat, wasn’t she? Should she stop? Would it be better if she tried to prolong this feeling? Before she could decide for herself, her phone buzzed in her pocket and interrupted her movements, the vibration from the phone forcing a high-pitched whine to slip out of her throat before she could stop it. Her eyes snapped open and she fumbled for her phone, suddenly very aware of how warm and tight her body felt now that she had been roughly yanked from her fantasies.

It was a text from Terano, of all people, demanding she reprimand the Obami family head about a pachinko scam that was drawing too much attention from the local press. Kirari drew in deep breaths to calm herself before sending back a quick text of acknowledgement. She slumped back against the seat and willed herself to relax. Her heart thumped hard against her sternum as its pace gradually slowed.

She lifted her phone once more, but instead of calling who Terano had told her to, she tapped the “call” button next to a different name instead. After several rings, the person on the other end finally picked up.

“Miss Momobami! To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Mr. Nishida, it’s been some time,” Kirari moved the receiver away briefly to draw in a slow breath as her body came down from its previous high. “I’m afraid I must be brief this evening. I’m calling to check on the tower, more specifically the elevator shaft. Is there any news you can share with me?”

“Ah, yes, let me take a look here...” Kirari let her eyes drift shut as she listened to the keys of a keyboard clack in the background. “Here we go! So, framing’s in: struts, pillars, all that good stuff. Rebar is a work in progress...But you’re calling about the elevator, right? That usually goes in towards the end, but we do have the pit planned for the shaft.”

The image of Sayaka, sweaty and panting, flashed behind Kirari’s eyelids. Her eyes snapped open before her fantasies could come rushing back.

I need to see her like that again…

“Thank you for the update. We’ll be scrapping the elevator, actually,” Kirari crossed one leg over the other and bit down on her lip when the movement drew attention to the ruined state of her underwear. “That central, static core will have a spiral staircase instead of an elevator shaft. I can send you a new schematic later tonight. I do apologize for the change during construction; I know it’s not ideal.”

“No elevator for a five-story tower?” Nishida gave a low whistle. “You’ll be out of breath when you reach the top, you know.”

That’s the idea, yes.

“An odd request, I know, but it better suits my purposes.”

“Miss Momobami — with all due respect — this whole tower is...not at all conventional.” Nishida cleared his throat. “Regardless, we’re happy to accommodate any changes you may have.”

“Thank you for your flexibility, Mr. Nishida. I’ll be in touch.”

 

The following day, Sayaka yelped while preparing tea, roughly dropping the full teapot back down against the tea cart with a loud clatter. Kirari heard her secretary suck in a sharp breath through her teeth as she slipped behind her, her front nearly pressing against the younger girl’s back.

“Did something happen to your elbow, Sayaka?” she hummed softly near her ear.

Sayaka gasped and immediately flushed pink.

I’ll never get bored of seeing that blush, I’m sure of it.

“P-President! It’s… Yes, it’s a bit sore. We were sparring at judo practice last night and I–” Kirari watched the muscles in Sayaka’s jaw tense, “–had an overzealous partner.”

Kirari chuckled softly and cradled the still-bent elbow in her palm. Sayaka’s grip on the handle of the teapot tightened.

“Overzealous, hm?”

Sayaka fidgeted, her back brushing against Kirari’s chest slightly. “Sh-she wasn’t following the rules of randori, President.”

“I see,” Kirari gently massaged the elbow in her hand, watching carefully for any sign that her touch could be causing pain. “And here you are suffering because of her selfishness.”

“I got her back,” Sayaka replied quickly, leftover annoyance at her sparring partner lingering under her words. “I executed a strong throw. She left me alone after that.”

Kirari suppressed a shiver. She moved closer so her lips only just brushed against the ridge of Sayaka’s ear. “I bet that was quite the sight,” she murmured softly.

“I-I...That’s...It’s…!” Sayaka stammered, her blush reaching the tips of her ears.

Kirari wanted to nip at that cute pink flesh with her teeth, to see if Sayaka’s blush had a taste. She settled for briefly basking in the warmth radiating off of the flushed skin near her lips.

Kirari released Sayaka’s elbow and fished the weighty device out of her pocket before holding it out in front of Sayaka. “This is for you.”

Sayaka’s breath skipped as she looked down at the item in Kirari’s hand. “Wh-what’s this for, President?”

“Well, I think that’s quite obvious,” Kirari chuckled. She noticed goosebumps erupt across the back of Sayaka’s neck as her breath blew over the younger girl’s ear. “While I have nothing but the utmost confidence in your judo skills, it’s never a bad idea to have an ace up your sleeve, is it?”

Just in case.

“A stun gun…” Sayaka muttered as she carefully lifted it out of Kirari’s hand. “I...Thank you, President! I’ll ensure no harm comes to you!”

I knew you wouldn’t accept this unless you thought it was solely to protect me. But it’s just as much to protect you, my dear Sayaka.

Kirari wanted to wrap her arms around Sayaka’s middle and pull her flush against her front. She wanted to bury her nose in the nape of Sayaka’s neck, and inhale deep, experiencing the unique scent that was her secretary’s hair, her skin, her sweat, her clothes, all concentrated in that one spot. But this was far from the time, and certainly not the place. Instead, she settled for placing her hand on the small of Sayaka’s back, smirking when Sayaka sucked in a sharp gasp.

“You’re very welcome,” Kirari purred. “Though do be careful, Sayaka. There’s no replacing you.”

Sayaka released a shuddering breath before murmuring, “Yes, President, of course.”

⁂

Kirari loved rainy days. She loved the earthy smell of petrichor, the sound of raindrops plopping and splashing, and how a rain shower seemed to smooth over the world’s sharp edges. She loved how fish would react to the diffused light passing through the clouds and swim closer to the water’s surface in their eagerness for more sunlight. She loved the sense of calm she felt when heavy clouds hung low in the sky.

Yes, Kirari held many memories of good things that happened on rainy days. Some of her favorite memories were of when she and her sister, in much younger days, would push their futons together and nap. They’d cuddle so close together their legs would tangle, Ririka’s hand would grasp hers, and their breaths would mingle together under their blankets as they huddled for warmth. Ririka confessed once that she sometimes pretended they were back in their mother’s womb when they were like that; just the two of them, safe and warm with the sounds of the outside world muffled and seemingly far away. They were a bit too old for that now, though Kirari knew if she curled up with a book near a window on a rainy day, Ririka would quietly join her on the couch and doze nearby. Rainy days brought fortune in Kirari’s life, and that spring day was no different.

Her tower was finally finished.

There was a brief pause in the rain that morning as she gazed upon the just-completed Tower of Doors. It stood tall and proud, with its five glorious stories and many doors that opened to dizzying falls, surrounded by a sea of freshly planted lilies, many of which were so new they had yet to bloom. The metallic, blue keycard that granted access to the tower and all its functions felt good in her hand, like it had always belonged there.

“You and your crew have really outdone yourselves, Mr. Nishida,” Kirari turned to the round-faced man standing next to her. “It’s just as I imagined. Please be sure to tell your boss that I am very pleased with your work.”

Nishida blew out a small sigh of relief, his entire body relaxing as he exhaled. He bowed forward and raindrops rolled off his yellow construction helmet. “It was our pleasure, Miss Momobami! It’s not often we get a project as interesting as this,” He stood upright once more. “Mr. Majima will be pleased to know that everything has met your standards.”

Kirari bowed her head in thanks and Nishida took his leave, exiting the clearing by following the repaved path that had once been claimed by nature. Kirari stayed back a little while longer, admiring the structure that had lingered in her mind for nearly two years at that point.

And now we wait for just the right moment...

As she pressed her palm to the cold, metal exterior of the tower, a raindrop fell on her nose. 

Another hit the top of her head.

She withdrew her hand and started down the path back to the campus’ main buildings, opening her umbrella and holding it aloft as more rain began to fall.

Kirari had taken her time strolling back to the council room, enjoying the downpour that drenched Hyakkaou’s grounds, safely shielded under her wide umbrella. There was no need to rush: she had arrived to tour the completed tower with Nishida at an egregiously early hour when the sun was still struggling to rise. She wouldn’t have to worry about any meetings or classes for a few more hours at least.

But when she arrived at the councilroom, what was waiting for her was a complete and utter surprise: the door of the room had been unlocked, and inside was her secretary, holding a tattered umbrella. The top half of her body was drenched, and she was shivering and dripping water all over the floor; she must’ve arrived just before Kirari did. When Sayaka turned to see her enter the room, their eyes met. Almost instantly, Sayaka’s bottom lip trembled and her eyes welled with tears. She sniffed wetly and averted her gaze to the floor.

“Sayaka? Is everything alright? What’s happened?” Kirari deposited her umbrella in the umbrella stand by the door, pressed the council door closed, and turned the deadbolt. She slowly approached the shivering girl.

“I’m f-f-fine, P-President, I j-just–” Sayaka grimaced as she scrunched her eyes tight, obviously fighting back tears and struggling not to stutter as she shivered. “–G-got caught in the r-r-rain. Please, don’t w-worry about m-m-me…”

Perhaps it was because Kirari was running on less sleep, or the fact that they were almost certainly the only two souls on campus that morning. Whatever the reason, Kirari couldn’t help herself.

“Maybe I want to worry about my secretary when she’s dripping wet and shivering,” Kirari was standing directly in front of the younger girl now. 

Sayaka continued looking down at the floor as if staring at tile grout was her life’s purpose. Her fists were clenched at her sides and she trembled where she stood.

You’re too embarrassed to look at me, aren’t you? But I can’t see your beautiful eyes like this…

Kirari tucked two fingers under Sayaka’s chin and frowned at how cold her secretary’s damp skin was. She tilted the younger girl’s head up to face her. Sayaka sniffed miserably and tears started to silently stream down her face despite her eyes still being clenched shut.

“Sayaka? Look at me,” Kirari's voice was soft, like she was speaking to a frightened animal.

Sayaka wrenched her eyes open. When her eyes met Kirari’s, her chin and bottom lip trembled harder before she hiccuped and heaved a small, shuddering sob. Kirari loved when Sayaka cried; she savored each and every emotion that writ itself large on her face. And while the sight of her sobbing, shivering secretary was new and still very much adorable, it was also heartbreaking.

“There’s nothing to be ashamed of, Sayaka” Kirari pushed the wet sheet of Sayaka’s bangs out of her eyes and cupped her secretary’s face in both of her hands.

Her skin is so, so cold!

“Everyone gets caught in the rain at some point. But we need to get you out of these wet clothes. Your skin is like ice, you know,” Kirari dropped her hands to the buttons of Sayaka’s blazer and started unfastening them.

“P-P-Presi–!”

Kirari knew Sayaka wouldn’t come quietly, so she made quick work of her task. Before Sayaka could even utter her title, she had undone her buttons, gripped her by the shoulders and spun her to face the other direction before clutching the blazer and peeling the soaked garment off of her frame. As soon as her arms were free from the sleeves, Sayaka quickly wrapped her arms around her body and shuddered. Her white blouse was soaked from the shoulders through most of her torso, revealing the white tank top layered underneath. Kirari took a moment to appreciate how the wet fabric had become sheer and clung to Sayaka’s skin. She swallowed and shook her head.

Now is not the time for that...

“The blouse too, please,” Kirari urged before draping the blazer over the back of a meeting chair to dry.

Sayaka was dazed for a moment before nodding her head slightly. “Y-Yes, President…”

The secretary removed her shirt with trembling fingers, hanging it over the back of a chair just as Kirari had done. She then immediately crossed her arms in front of her chest. When Sayaka shifted her weight from one foot to the other her shoes squelched with water. 

Kirari gently gripped Sayaka’s bare shoulders and turned her back to facing her, the feeling of her secretary’s skin pressed against her palms making her heartbeat skip. She drew in a quiet breath to steady herself before she sank down on her haunches in front of Sayaka.

A Momobami should never kneel to anyone, and yet…

“P-President! What’re you-!?”

Kirari ignored Sayaka’s panicked question as she grasped her ankle with one hand and the heel of her shoe with the other. 

“Hold onto the meeting table if you need to,” Kirari murmured, guiding Sayaka’s foot out of the waterlogged shoe and then peeling down her wet sock. 

“I-I…! President, th-this isn’t n-necessary, r-really–!”

Kirari was not an easily flustered person. In fact, she considered herself to have a rather impressive poker face. But here, crouched in front of Sayaka and reverently tending to her, Kirari could feel gentle warmth tickling the tips of her cheekbones and settling low in her belly. She needed to distract Sayaka while she regained control of herself.

“Why did you come in so early today, Sayaka?” She didn’t dare look up at her secretary. She didn’t trust herself to be able to handle it just then.

She listened to Sayaka sputter in a few false starts before finally answering. “I...I wanted to g-get a headstart on some paperwork. We d-don’t have long before the start of the next school year, and there’s still so m-much left to be done.”

“I see,” Kirari chanced the briefest of glances up at Sayaka through her eyelashes and immediately cursed herself as she returned her gaze down to the floor.

Why did I do that!?

The image of her secretary, half-undressed, trembling, flushed, and standing tall over her crouched position was far too much. The electricity that only Sayaka could spark in her veins flickered to life at the sight.

Kirari swallowed against the sudden dryness in her throat and steeled her nerves. She drew herself back up to her full height and placed the socks on a chair to dry alongside the blouse and blazer.

“I know you like to keep busy, Sayaka, but if the workload is–”

“It’s n-not too much, I p-promise, President,” Sayaka protested. “I don’t m-mind it, really!”

Her secretary’s face was streaked with tears and she was still shivering, but not nearly as much as before. Kirari offered a small smile and a nod. 

“Alright. If you say so. Here, come with me...”

Kirari looped her arm around Sayaka’s shoulders and guided her into the lounge connected to the council room, closing the door behind them. As early as it was, and with no one there but them, the room was dark except for the grey light filtering in through the windows and the cool, blue glow of the aquarium casting the water’s wispy shadows on the couch set in front of it.

“Do you know why fish seem so much more active on rainy days, Sayaka?” Kirari asked as she led Sayaka to stand in front of the couch.

Sayaka’s brows furrowed and she sniffed, her nose still running from her previously-shed tears. “Does it have s-something to do with the water d-droplets hitting the surface of the w-water, President?”

Kirari shook her head and grinned. “A very good guess, but that’s not why, I’m afraid. They’re not really more active, we can just see more of them when they swim closer to the surface to be closer to what little light there is when it rains.”

We all crave warmth and light, for one reason or another.

Kirari popped the buttons on her blazer and shrugged it off before holding it out in front of Sayaka. The secretary looked down at the blazer and then back at Kirari, her brows furrowed in confusion.

“P-President?”

“This is warm and dry. You’re still shivering, after all,” Kirari replied with a small shrug.

Sayaka shook her head. “Oh, n-no, President, I c-couldn’t–”

A Momobami should never beg, and yet…

“Please?” Kirari tilted her head. “I don’t like seeing you so cold, Sayaka.”

There was silence for a moment, save for the hum of the aquarium’s pump and the rain pelting against the windows. Even in the low light, Kirari could see Sayaka’s blush flare across her cheeks before she slowly stepped forward and turned her back to Kirari, sliding her arms into the sleeves of the offered blazer. Kirari carefully guided the lapels up and over the younger girl’s shoulders before slipping her arms around her waist to fasten the buttons. Kirari suppressed a content sigh as she felt Sayaka squeak in surprise and stiffen when Kirari’s front made contact with her back. 

After the buttons were fastened, Kirari let her arms linger around her middle before sliding her hands down to settle on Sayaka’s hips. Her eyes fluttered closed when she heard Sayaka’s breath hitch. It was a little loose on her, but Sayaka was still wearing her blazer, and that made Kirari’s mind race with possibilities. What would Sayaka look like in her other clothes? In her pajamas? In her bathrobe? Only wearing a towel, fresh from a bath? Kirari stopped herself before her thoughts affected her body too much and betrayed her. Then, before Sayaka could realize what was happening, Kirari took a quick step backward and sunk down onto the couch, pulling Sayaka with her to settle on her lap and yanking a startled squeal from the secretary.

“Presideeent!”

Sayaka squirmed in Kirari’s lap and it took all of her willpower to not kiss Sayaka’s neck and taste the secretary’s pulse against her tongue. She guided the secretary to sit sideways on her thighs, shifting so that the fingers of her hands were laced over one of Sayaka’s hip bones, holding her securely in place with Sayaka’s side nestled against her front. Sayaka, seemingly unsure of what to do with her body let alone her hands, chose to curl into herself somewhat and clench her hands against her own chest. Kirari spotted something that almost looked like a speck of nail polish on one of Sayaka’s cuticles, but... no, Sayaka didn’t wear nail polish. It was probably just some leftover paint from one of her artistic endeavors.

“I thought this might be more comfortable,” Kirari murmured against Sayaka’s head. “We can sit and watch the fish while your clothes dry.”

“R-Right!” Sayaka was breathless. “Yes, that seems like a g-great idea, President.”

Kirari hummed, too busy soaking up the incredible feeling of her sweet secretary curled up in her lap to form a proper response. She closed her eyes and basked in this moment: the unique mix of scents that made up Sayaka with the added notes of rainwater, the stillness around them in the empty school, and, of course, of the comfortable weight of Sayaka pressed against her. That weight was warm and welcome, like slipping into a hot bath after a long day. It was nothing at all like the burden of duty, obligation, and survival that pulled down on her every day.

Kirari frowned a little. She had been brought into this world and raised to be a hunter, a slaughterer, a devourer. Her life, from birth, had been one where she was forged and shaped into a deadly weapon that could cut through her opponents while defending and upholding the Momobami throne. Kirari, and her sister too, had been made for war. All of the children in the Devouring Families had been, to some degree, but it was nothing like what she and Ririka endured and sacrificed. Heavy was the head that wore the crown, and so too were the chains that bound them to centuries of tradition. Could they even–

Hmm?

Kirari felt Sayaka’s body slowly grow limp in her embrace. When Kirari shifted to look at her secretary’s face, Sayaka’s eyes had drooped closed, and her breathing was slow and deep. Kirari smiled and simply observed her secretary’s face. Her long, dark eyelashes, clumped together by the wetness of rain and her tears, the pale tear stains streaking her cheeks, the way her brow was finally relaxed and unbothered by the stresses of the day. Kirari risked pressing a gentle kiss to Sayaka’s forehead, equal parts relieved and disappointed when a mark wasn’t left behind.

Kirari may have known nothing but survival and war her whole life, but here — with rain pattering softly against the windows, bathed in the cool light of the aquarium, and Sayaka sleeping peacefully against her side — Kirari finally experienced peace. And it made her wonder...

Can I ever truly return to a life of war after tasting the sweetness of this peace?

Kirari hadn’t known something like this could exist before Sayaka came into her life. She had figured her life could only take so many paths, but this…the feeling in her chest, the way her body responded and came alive near this girl, the tower that she built for her! She understood now, that one cannot truly know what light is without dark, sweet without bitter, or peace without war.

Sayaka made a soft noise and nuzzled in closer to Kirari and her heart twinged. Kirari wanted to pull her so much closer but didn’t dare do something that could disturb her secretary’s hardfought rest. She settled instead for slowly and carefully running her fingers through the length of Sayaka’s partially-dried ponytail. Kirari let her eyes drift closed and continued to stroke her secretary’s hair, happy to let hours and days pass them by so long as they could stay like this.

Click.

Kirari’s eyes snapped open and shifted immediately to the door, her fingers stilling in Sayaka’s hair. There, with the light of the councilroom throwing her shadow long across the lounge’s floor, stood her sister, frozen stiff in the doorway. The knuckles on the hand tightly gripping the door handle were as white as the smooth plastic of her mask. 

Kirari had been caught, and she wasn’t sure what to do. She knew what this looked like. There was no plausible deniability here: her secretary’s clothes were flung over furniture in the councilroom, Sayaka was swaddled in her blazer, dozing against her chest, and Kirari was holding her, stroking her hair.

A Momobami should never love, lest it become a weakness to be exploited, and yet…

There was a long moment where no soul in the room moved except for the fish, oblivious to the standoff happening in front of them. Kirari’s heart had started beating so hard against her ribs she feared it would wake her secretary.

And then, without a single word or gesture, Ririka slipped back into the councilroom and the door closed softly behind her as if nothing had happened.

Kirari swallowed and released a shuddering breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

 

⁂

The rain was still pelting against the small window above the tub as Kirari eased herself into the hot bathwater late that evening. Few things were as pleasant as being enveloped in warmth when the weather was cold and dreary. 

What a day…

The morning had been something of an emotional rollercoaster, hadn’t it? The excitement of touring her finished tower, the worry upon finding a cold and shivering Sayaka, the deep sense of peace she felt with Sayaka in her arms, and then... well… She didn’t want to think about it. Her sister didn’t either, considering how Ririka seemed set on acting like she hadn’t seen a single thing despite Kirari offering explanations.

“She was cold, so I decided to warm her up and fluster her at the same time. I think it worked quite well on both fronts.”

“Oh, it was so dark in the lounge I didn’t even know you two were in there...”

Kirari sunk down so far into the tub that her chin touched the water. She was used to being a mystery to the rest of the world, but when had she started hiding things from her own twin? And while Kirari knew she was partly to blame for not being entirely forthcoming about her growing affection for Sayaka, her sister’s denial of what she saw stung a little. Of all people, Ririka should know that she isn’t the cold, unfeeling monster the rest of the world thought her to be.

Kirari sighed through her nose and let her eyes drift shut. She was soaking in the tub to relax, not to relive the stress of the day. She listened to the rain hitting the window and allowed her mind to drift back to that same sound that filled the lounge that morning. Her body responded quickly: warmth sparked in her chest and expanded, and butterflies settled low in her belly. She idly let her fingertip draw slow, lazy circles her stomach.

After Sayaka awoke that morning, embarrassed and sputtering about falling asleep in Kirari’s lap, she had returned Kirari’s blazer to her and redressed herself in her still partially damp clothes before attending her classes. Kirari, on the other hand, had spent the day wrapped in Sayaka’s scent lingering on her blazer. It made Kirari feel like she was Sayaka’s, that they shared a life together. And that thought, despite the warmth of the bath, made her shudder. Her hand drifted lower and she tilted her head back and sighed.

It was obvious that Sayaka was attracted to Kirari in a way that, as her sister had so aptly put it, was more than strictly academic or professional. Sayaka was absolutely terrible at hiding it, and Kirari was honestly grateful. She had more than enough people in her life that were kind to her face and cursed her behind her back. The fact that Sayaka’s affections were so incredibly genuine made her breath hitch.

As her hand slowly explored the ridge of her hip bone and down, down to the soft skin on the inside of her thigh, Kirari couldn’t stop her mind from replaying every moment where Sayaka just seemed so happy to see her. Her secretary would perk up instantly when Kirari walked into the room, her back straightening and her eyes sparkling. She prepared Kirari’s tea even better than when she made it herself, and always served it with a kind, genuine smile. Sayaka studied her like Kirari was her favorite subject, taking the time to get to know her, and all her eccentricities. 

Kirari couldn’t dance around it anymore, not with her body buzzing or her pulse growing louder in her ears or her breaths coming in uneven pants. Her fingers pressed against her and she marveled at how she could feel the difference between the bathwater and her own wetness.

Sayaka wants me… She truly does...

Her back arched and her shoulders pressed hard against the side of the tub in a way that was frankly a bit painful, but she didn’t care. If anything, the pain served to keep her grounded in her body, only providing a contrast that amplified the pleasure that flowed thick and warm and bright through every vein. She had been so close to release so many times only to be interrupted, and she was determined to not let this be another time. So many incompletions left her impatient and hungry and she wanted more, more than what her fingers or her thoughts alone were able to provide in that moment.

She scrambled out of the tub and snatched her blazer from the laundry hamper, the cool air outside of the water biting at her skin and only enhancing how much her core ached and burned. She dropped the blazer next to the tub before stepping back into the tub. Then she unhooked the detachable shower head near the bathtub before sinking back down into her previous position in the water. She held her breath as she shifted the shower head to a stronger setting and held it underwater, aimed at the inside of her thigh. Kirari then switched the sprayer on and gasped when the pressure of the stream hit the inside of her leg. She bit her lip and shifted the head over just slightly until…

Oh!!!

Her jaw clenched and she bit back a moan as her body became impossibly tense. She had to keep quiet, even if unspoken whines and moans burned hot in her chest, begging to come out.

Ririka walking in on me once today was more than enough.

She quickly shoved the thought from her mind and extracted an arm from the tub to feel around the floor on the outside, searching for her blazer. Once her fingers found the familiar fabric, she clutched the garment by the collar and, careful to drape it over the side of the tub so as not to pull it into the water, she held the blazer against her face and breathed in deep. Sayaka’s scent filled her nose and lungs. Her hips twitched and rolled up, seeking more pressure from the shower head and a soft whimper tumbled from her lips, the sound getting lost in the folds of red fabric.

How have you reduced me to such a wanting mess, Sayaka?

Her muscles strained and her back arched as if her muscles and bones were a bow and a phantom archer was pulling her taut. Kirari used her thumb to adjust the shower head to it’s strongest setting and somehow managed not to release the scream of ecstasy that very nearly escaped her mouth. Her eyes clamped shut and stars sparked behind her eyelids.

I could have this, the real thing, with Sayaka…

She no longer had control of her own hips; they strained and rolled and twitched of their own accord.

I could leave this war I was born into and forced to fight in…

Her breath came in sharp, quick gasps and her chest ached from the lack of air. But she pressed onward towards the edge she knew was coming, her lungs reassured by the presence of Sayaka’s scent.

I could one day hear Sayaka write the 40 strokes of my name with her tongue… Not president and secretary… But two equa– Ah!!!

Kirari’s climax took her by surprise. She whimpered, her body shivering and shaking. She sank her teeth into the red fabric of her blazer to muffle any more sounds that might try to break past her defences and escape.

She fumbled to turn off the shower head and let it drop to the bottom of the tub with a hollow thud , her body continuing to twitch and tremble as she slowly came down from her peak.

Her heart beat hard in her chest and her ears rang a little, but despite the bathwater having cooled significantly, she still felt incredibly warm. Her body hummed with life and feeling.

Kirari knew in her soul that she could have all the things she dreamt of with Sayaka. The future was hers to build, after all, and she had already built the beginning of that future in a clearing that had only harbored old, forgotten rot.

Until it was time to reveal the tower to Sayaka, to let her solve its mystery and learn the truth it held, Kirari could rest easy knowing that a gentler future awaited her, one where she traded the sharp fangs of a devourer for the sweet kisses of a lover.

Notes:

It's finished! Thank you for your patience as this took longer to get out than originally planned. Another thank you to the dumbasses I hang out in a server with for encouraging me, putting up with my insane fic word counts, and cheering me on across the finish line.

I wanted to get this out for Valentine's Day since this starts with a Valentine's Day segment, so I hope it was worth the wait in that regard. As always, I love getting comments and read every single one and try my best to answer all of them, so please let me know what you thought about this, if you feel so inclined.

Thank you for reading!

Notes:

Dedicated to the lovable weirdos I'm in a server with who were practically frothing at the mouth when they demanded a Kirari-centric sequel to The Hand That Feeds. Here you go, you beautiful disasters.

Huge thank you to RayDaug for letting me yell about this in DMs (while I kept it secret from everyone else) and being a great help when I was outlining and bouncing ideas around.

With that stuff out of the way, hope you enjoyed this!

This is part one of two, so if you feel like I left you dangling from a cliff, more is on the way. ;)

I'm terrible at replying to comments (and always trying to get better), but I do read every single one and love getting them, so please let me know your thoughts below. Thanks for reading!