Page 22 of The Awakening

“Maybe when I’m back, I can take you to Okutsukei Valley before dinner? It’ll be beautiful by then with all the fall colors—since you said you haven’t done any sightseeing. Or maybe Himeji Castle?”

I can almost hear the relief in his voice when he responds. “I’d like that a lot. It sounds fantastic. Sundays are my days off.”

“What do you usually do on Sundays?” I ask.

“Hm, I mostly catch up on household chores. I also play shogi at the local temple for fun.”

I pause, my eyebrow raised. “You play Japanese chess with old men for fun on your only day off?”

He laughs. “Well, they’re a kind lot. Very welcoming, and they like to bring me snacks and souvenirs any time they return after a holiday.”

“Alright, well, if you’ve got your eye on any of them, tell me now and I won’t intrude.”

Jae snorts. “I don’t!”

“If you’re into older men, I’m probably twice the age of anyone in there. I’ll bring you better snacks, too.”

Jae keeps laughing, and it’s a happy, open sound from his chest. It’s nice. I can feel the walls coming down just a little bit more.

October

Eleven

Jae

[I’m not walking. That’s not what I do.]

I smile. I’ve been smiling so much this past week that my cheeks are numb. I can’t remember the last time I felt this excited about something in my personal life. It’s like there are stars floating around inside me. Wonder. A child on Christmas Eve.

My fingers move swiftly across the screen before I hit send.

[You could model. Of course they want you to walk. Legs for days.]

The bubbles immediately pop up in our chat, and Junichi’s response soon follows.

[If you keep this up, I’ll get the wrong idea about your intentions.]

I laugh, feeling wicked as I type.

[Please get the wrong idea. Terrible, very bad, no-good ideas.]

[You’re a tease, Doctor Davies. Will you be shy when I get back home?]

[You’ll just have to see, won’t you? Good luck with your negotiation today.]

“Five minutes,” the elderly man at the front of the room calls out. Before I put my phone away, it buzzes once more.

[Thank you. Shall we talk later tonight?]

[Yes, absolutely.]

[Perfect. Enjoy the old men… but not too much.]

I shake my head and tuck my phone underneath my folded legs against the tatami and sit up straight.God.I cannot wait until Junichi gets back.

We’ve talked and texted every day for the past week. I’m learning so much about him: how he really likes classic jazz and it’s what he and Haruka instantly connected over. How he played kendo in high school and won a championship (at a prominent high school for vampires only, no less), and how he loves to travel but hates flying, because he says it’s like being trapped inside a human-stuffed can for hours and he can smelleverything, like, humans past and present… I know I’m human, but I wasn’t even offended by that because it honestly sounds like a nightmare. Just thinking about that perpetual fart smell mixed with dead skin cells and stale armpits is enough to make me gag with my meager senses.

Fart smells aside, Jun’s smooth, cool voice is becoming like an aphrodisiac. We talk late, and I’m such a slag because I keep wanting to say dirty things to him about my cock, orhiscock and what I’d like to do with it.