La Vie En Rose: Chapter 1 - Part 1

The content warning is in the footnotes⁰.

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Beyond the window, snowflakes were drifting down in the narrow space between the buildings. It had been snowing non-stop since morning. Even with the heater blasting, the cold seeped through to his feet. It was a bone-chilling cold.

The office of the escort service "Punish Me♪ Emanuel Club," where Yasuo Momota worked as a manager, was located on the second floor of a mixed-use building just outside the busy streets of Ikebukuro. Originally one large floor, the space had been divided into several rooms. The reception area was small.

It was past 8 PM, and business was at its peak. The two desks and computers in the office, along with the phones for new customers and members, had been ringing non-stop. Shimazaki, a university student working part-time, was busy handling the member calls. As soon as Momota put down the phone for new customers, it started ringing again.

The expectation for answering the office phone was similar to a fast-food restaurant: be cheerful, energetic, and clear with the pricing. Momota geared up, putting on a smile for the unseen caller.

“Thank you for calling ‘Punish Me♪ Emanuel Club.’ How can I help you?”

“I saw your flyer by the station. What kind of services do you offer? Can you tell me?”

Judging by the voice, the caller was probably in his early fifties. Most older clients came in after seeing a flyer, while younger ones mainly used the internet.

“At our club, in addition to standard services like oral and ball licking, and anal play, we offer costume play and punishment play according to your preferences.”

There was a brief pause.

“Sounds pretty ordinary.”

“We can also accommodate requests for face-sitting, bubble dances, or scrubbing with a rough brush. We will go to great lengths to fulfill your wildest fantasies.”

“Interesting... So, what about full service?”

“I'm sorry, but we don’t offer full service here. Anal play on the ladies and off-site dates are also not allowed. However, you can enjoy the company of genuine amateur housewives ranging from their twenties to forties with complete peace of mind.”

The caller continued with detailed questions about the pricing system and the types of girls available, which Momota answered patiently.

“No full service, huh? But your place sounds interesting. Can I get in tonight?”

Momota clenched his right fist. He quickly glanced at the day shift schedule.

“Yes, we can accommodate you. Thank you, Mr. Mitani.”

“Alright, I’d like someone pretty, even if she’s small-breasted. Also, I’m not familiar with the area around Ikebukuro Station...”

“Understood. Once you exit the West Gate of Ikebukuro Station on the Yamanote Line, please give us a call again, and we’ll guide you from there.”

After hanging up the phone, Momota opened the door to the waiting room near the entrance. In the tatami-matted room, three girls in their twenties and thirties were on standby.

“Yoshie-chan, we’ve got a new customer. Get the flight attendant outfit ready and wait for him.”

“Okay, Momo-chan.”

Yoshie was 39, the oldest among them, but also the most beautiful. Since the client seemed to be older, she would likely satisfy him.

When Momota returned to answering the office phone, the part-timer Shimazaki was holding down the receiver and called out, “Momo-san,” in distress.

“It’s a member, but he’s really upset because he reserved Kaori-chan and wants to know what’s going on.”

Momota scratched the back of his head in frustration.

“I’ll take care of it. Shimazaki, handle the new customer ‘Mitani.’ He said he might get lost, so I told him to call once he reaches the station. Yoshie-chan is already on standby.”

“Got it.”

When Momota picked up the phone, the member, a man named Ogawa, was furious. Upon checking, he saw that Ogawa had reserved Kaori two days ago through the internet. Yesterday, Kaori had mentioned she wasn’t feeling well, so Momota had sent her to the hospital and decided to give her the day off, completely forgetting about the reservation.

“I’m terribly sorry. Actually, Kaori had a fever, so we sent her to the hospital. It was a sudden situation, and I sincerely apologize for the delay in contacting you. You’ve been a loyal customer, and Kaori was really looking forward to seeing you... I’m very sorry.”

Momota kept apologizing profusely, which gradually calmed Ogawa down, as he could tell from the tone of his voice.

“I truly apologize. As compensation, the next time you request Kaori, we’ll offer you the 80-minute special course for the price of the standard 70-minute course. Also, if you don’t have plans to visit another club tonight, we’ve just hired a new girl, Miina, who is just as mischievous as Kaori. For the first two days of her employment, we’re offering her services at a special price of 15,000 yen for 60 minutes. While she might be a bit green for someone as experienced as you, would you like to give her a try?”

The offer of a special course and the discount for the new girl seemed to work, and Ogawa decided to try Miina. After hanging up the phone, Momota headed towards the waiting room.

"Miina-chan, it’s a member customer. A guy named Ogawa. Get the race queen outfit ready. The location is Room 207 at S Hotel. He’s into M and likes lesbian play."

With long, clean black hair, Miina, who had just turned 30, rushed over to Momota.

"Um, I’m okay with the bullying part, but lesbian play..."

"Oh, don’t worry about it. Just touch him normally. Though, he just might be cross-dressing. I’ve already told him you’re new, so just think of it as practice."

When he flashed a grin, Miina nodded slightly, looking reassured. Returning to the reception, Shimazaki leaned over to Momota’s desk, saying, "Momo-san, that was impressive!"

"That guy, Ogawa, was really angry. How did you manage to calm him down with Miina?"

"Well, yeah… But it was our fault for forgetting the reservation. Plus, I mentioned discounts, so maybe that sweetened the deal."

"Even so, he was absolutely furious. Momo-san, you’re an expert at this reception work."

"When you’ve done it long enough, you start to get the hang of it. Oh, Miina-chan!"

He called out to Miina, who was about to leave. Taking an energy drink from the office fridge, he handed it to her.

"Give this to Mr. Ogawa and apologize, saying, 'Sorry that Kaori couldn’t make it today.'"

"Okay."

As soon as Miina left, another member called, and the last girl headed out to work. It was now 8:45 PM. Even if there were more calls, there were no girls available, and the reception would close in 15 minutes.

Still, there were many customers who would call at the last minute. During business hours, if you didn’t answer the phone, even when there was no one available, people would think, "This place isn't serious," or "It’s gone out of business," and you’d lose customers. Momota picked up the receivers for both the new customer line and the member line, letting out a sigh. After 9 PM, the automated system announcing, "Today’s business hours have ended," would take over, but until then, this was how he always managed.

"It was pretty intense today too."

Grumbling, Shimazaki stretched on his chair.

"At first, I thought working reception for an escort service would be easy, like reading manga or playing games during the slow times. But it’s actually really busy. You can almost see the desire burning through the phone."

Watching Shimazaki’s animated gestures, Momota chuckled and lit a cigarette from his desk.

"Well, customers are spending 20,000 or 30,000 yen to 'play,' so it’s natural for them to probe us with all kinds of questions. Shimazaki, you can head home now."

"Really? Thanks!" Shimazaki stood up.

"You let me go home early by 30 minutes the other day too... I’m really grateful."

"Just keep it a secret from the boss. Once the girls head out, there’s nothing much to do around here. Besides, Shimazaki, you’re always called in when I take a day off. Sorry about that."

"Nah, it’s just sometimes."

Shimazaki left eagerly. By the time Momota finished his cigarette, it was past 9 PM, so he switched the phone to the automatic announcement.

Over the years, he had hired various types of part-timers, but university students were pretty reliable. In the adult entertainment industry, where getting paid daily was the norm, they didn’t complain about getting their salary a month later, and they never ran off with the money. Compared to people who couldn’t live without daily cash, university students had more financial support from their parents, so they were more dependable.

Momota lightly cleaned the girls' waiting room and the reception. While doing so, the girls who had gone out for work started to return one by one. At 10:30 PM, Yoshie came back, marking the end of the night without any trouble.

"Two extensions, huh? The new customer seemed to really like you."

As Momota filled out the daily report, Yoshie sat down in Shimazaki’s chair, crossing her legs. Most girls left quickly after receiving their daily pay, so the only ones left in the office were Momota and Yoshie.

"It’s nice that he liked me, but the guy looked like he was close to seventy. He reeked of old-man smell."

Momota laughed, "Even if he smelled like old age, he was still... well, you know."

"Not at all! He was so flaccid it wouldn’t stand up, I thought my jaw was going to fall off."

With her lips that had a demure appearance, Yoshie sighed.

"Still, getting him going was thanks to your skills, Yoshie-chan. Good job."

He handed her the day’s pay. Yoshie accepted the cash with a "Thanks," and put it in her red wallet.

"Hey, Momo-chan. You’re done with work now, right?"

Leaning her chin on her hand, Yoshie tilted her head.

"Yeah, just finishing up."

Yoshie crossed her legs dramatically in her tight skirt.

"It was really cold outside. How about grabbing a quick drink before heading home?"

With a feline-like stretch, she gave him a sultry look.

"Don’t try to tempt me with that cute face, Yoshie-chan. You know I’m devoted to Ron-chan."

Yoshie crossed her legs again, revealing a glimpse of black lace panties. Even though he wasn’t interested, Momota felt a reflexive flutter in his heart.

"I know, but don’t you get tired of eating the same thing all the time? Maybe trying something different could be a tasty change."

Her body, brimming with feminine allure, moved closer. Momota, still seated, slowly inched back in his chair.

"Really, I’m sorry. I’m just not the type who can keep secrets. If I got caught cheating and Ron-chan dumped me, I seriously wouldn’t be able to go on living..."

A sharp wrinkle appeared in Yoshie’s beautiful brow, showing her irritation.

"Ugh, enough with the Ron-Ron talk. He’ll never find out if you don’t say anything."

True, he wouldn’t know if he kept quiet. And it’s not like he disliked a voluptuous body. Momota put his hands together and bowed his head in front of Yoshie.

"Really, I’m sorry. Yoshie-chan, you’re incredibly attractive, but..."

"Hey, hey, what are you two up to?"

When did he come into the office? The president of "Punish Me♪ Emanuel Club," Suzuhara, was standing at the entrance of the reception office. Suzuhara was seven years older than Momota, turning 43 this year, but he looked young. He could easily pass for someone in his mid-thirties. Even the suit he wore was plain, despite running this kind of business. Momota had heard the girls in the club say, "The president is so cool," more than once.

Momota was secretly relieved at the president’s appearance. Yoshie quickly stood up from her chair and pulled down the hem of her tight skirt with both hands.

"Yoshie, I believe I told you from the start that misconduct in the workplace is forbidden..."

Suzuhara said in a commanding tone. Yoshie bit her lip and looked down, clearly embarrassed. Stepping in for her, Momota moved forward.

"We were just messing around a little. Don’t be too hard on her, President. Yoshie-chan, you should hurry home before it gets too late."

Grateful for the lifeline Momota threw her, Yoshie hurried out. As Suzuhara watched her leave, without looking back at Momota, he asked, "Does that sort of thing happen often?"

"Sometimes the girls say things that push the limits. Since I’m always talking about Ron-chan, they seem to have a bet going on who can seduce me first."

Momota laughed.

"But really, no one ever seriously tries anything with me."

The president muttered quietly, "That’s what I thought at first too."

"No offense, but you’re not exactly what anyone would call handsome, and on top of that, you’re gay."

"That’s right."

Momota nodded vigorously.

"I’m gay, you know."

They stood facing each other in silence for a moment. Suzuhara took out a cigarette from his suit pocket and lit it.

"But you were with women at first, right?"

"When I was sixteen, I was with women, just like any other guy. Yeah, youth is all about momentum. I could even get it up for an old lady pushing sixty in some country soapland. I definitely couldn’t handle that now."

Suzuhara laughed out loud.

"I think I could still manage with a woman if I had to. I do like big breasts, after all."

Suzuhara crossed his arms and furrowed his brow.

"That doesn’t sound like you’re gay, but bi."

"Maybe I’m bi? But I’ve only been with Ron-chan for the past six years, never touched anyone else..."

The sound of an incoming message played. Momota hurriedly grabbed his phone and clenched his fists.

"What is it?"

"Ron-chan just texted, asking if he can come over tonight. It’s been ten days!"

Momota quickly finished calculating the remaining sales and handed the cash to Suzuhara.

"Alright, I’m off. Oh, and President, I might want to take the day off tomorrow..."

Suzuhara grinned, lifting the corner of his mouth.

"If you’re going to take the day off, let me know by nine. It’s cold tonight, so go and enjoy yourselves."

"Thanks."

Momota threw on the down jacket hanging on the wall and ran down the stairs, heading outside the building.

Everyone had been saying, "It’s cold, it’s cold," and it really was. Nothing like the daytime. The snow had stopped, and there was no wind, but his fingers and the tips of his ears were freezing.

Snow that hadn’t melted had formed clumps on the side of the road, glittering under the streetlights. As he tried to rush forward, his right foot slipped, and he stumbled, shouting, "Whoa!"

"Damn it, don’t get in my way."

Kicking at the gray puddle, he moved a little more cautiously but still quickly, passing through the glittering red-light district where the real 'fun' was about to begin, and headed towards the subway station.

◇:-:◆:-:◇

Even from a distance, Momota could see that the lights in his second-floor room and the kitchen facing the hallway were on. The moment he realized Ron-chan was there, he sprinted the last fifty meters.

"I'm home! Sorry I'm late."

He called out from the entrance, but there was no response. Still, the lights were on, and Ron-chan's shoes were there. After locking the door and neatly taking off his boots, he walked through the narrow kitchen, and peeked into the room in the back.

His beloved partner, whom he adored beyond words, was curled up like a cat, half-buried in the kotatsu, still wearing his coat, and sleeping on his side.

"Ron-chan?"

He leaned in to look at his face. His eyelashes were tightly closed, and he didn’t stir even when called by name.

"I'm back, Ron-chan. Did you eat?"

There was no answer. He was so exhausted that he didn’t wake up, even when called. Momota squatted down beside his sleeping boyfriend and gazed intently at his profile.

He seemed to have lost more weight. He also had a bit of stubble. Gently, Momota pinched a strand of Ron-chan's slightly longer, jet-black hair. Ron-chan's hair was much softer than it appeared. From his slightly parted, thin lips, a faint sound of breathing could be heard. When Momota leaned in and lightly licked his upper lip, Ron-chan gave a tiny sneeze, startling Momota and causing him to pull back.

Ron-chan rubbed under his nose with the back of his hand and continued sleeping in that position. After covering his sleeping lover with a blanket, Momota took a shower. When he came out, Ron-chan was still asleep.

He unfolded the futon he had stacked in the corner of the room and gently pulled Ron-chan, who was nearly 170 centimeters (5'5'') tall, out from the kotatsu and laid him down on it.

Starting with his black coat, then his sweater, and finally his jeans, Momota undressed him. The act of peeling away layers like ripened fruit aroused him, but he didn’t get an erection. He had already taken care of that twice in the bathroom. Otherwise, he might have ended up violating his sleeping lover.

He tucked his boyfriend, now in just his underwear, under the sheets and slipped in beside him. Wrapping his arms around Ron-chan from behind, he buried his face in the nape of his neck. The scent of Ron-chan... just that alone made him feel warm and content as he gently closed his eyes.

◇:-:◆:-:◇

"Momota."

It was a small voice, but Momota woke up. Even though his vision was still unfocused, he recognized the voice instantly.

"Good morning, Ron-chan."

He smiled at his lover who was gazing at him. A quick glance at the clock beside his pillow showed it was past eight… On a weekday morning like this, any decent salaryman would already be eagerly on their way to work.

Ron-chan lowered his eyes, looking a little apologetic.

"I don’t remember anything after I got here and crawled into the kotatsu."

"You were sleeping soundly."

"…Sorry."

"It’s okay, it’s okay. You must have been tired. You didn’t even wake up when I took your clothes off. You’ve worked hard."

He ruffled the soft hair with both hands, and Ron-chan squinted his eyes, looking like he was ticklish. Then, pulling the back of his head closer, he kissed him. Even though it was morning, and they had just woken up, what wasn’t meant to be a deep kiss gradually became more so as their tongues intertwined, and soon enough, he felt himself growing hard.

He shifted his position and leaned over Ron-chan, cradling his head and fiercely devouring his mouth.

He pulled up the T-shirt that Ron-chan was using as pajamas and pinched the small, pointed nipple, grasping the areola tightly. The pinned-down body shuddered with a jolt.

He massaged the nipple between his thumb and forefinger, lightly digging his nails in as it started to swell. He could feel Ron-chan’s breathing growing more and more rapid.

He could feel something hard against his thigh—it was Ron-chan’s crotch. Just from the kissing and nipple stimulation, Ron-chan’s penis had become hard. When he slipped his hand into Ron-chan’s briefs, he found it already half-erect.

“You’re super sensitive today, huh?”

When he whispered this into Ron-chan’s ear, Ron-chan’s face flushed bright red in an instant.

“…Your hands…”

“Hmm? What about my hands?”

"Your hand was... cold..."

Momo's cold hand had made Ron-chan feel even more sensitive.

"Sorry, sorry. So, can I warm you up here?"

Momo traced Ron-chan's lips with his index finger, and Ron-chan's thin lips slowly opened. When Momo inserted his finger into Ron-chan's mouth, Ron-chan's tongue wrapped around it, and he sucked on it with a "chup" sound.

Momo pulled out his finger, which had become slippery, and inserted it into Ron-chan's rear. He gently pressed against the tight entrance.

"Can I warm you up here too?"

Ron-chan looked away, embarrassed.

"Are you still not ready? We can do it later if you want"

"...I'm not saying no. But if you stimulate me there... I won't last..."

"It's okay, don't worry. You can come as many times as you want"

While kissing Ron-chan, Momo inserted his finger into his tight entrance, and Ron-chan gasped. Momo could feel Ron-chan's body tensing up.

"It's so warm... it feels good"

As Momo added more fingers and stirred them around, making a squelching sound, he felt Ron-chan's stomach getting wet. Even without stimulating his front, Ron-chan had ejaculated just from the anal stimulation.

"Did it feel good?"

Momo asked, knowing that it was obvious that Ron-chan had enjoyed it. He asked just to see Ron-chan's embarrassed face.

As expected, Ron-chan's face turned bright red, and he nodded, trembling.

"Now it's my turn to get warmed up"

Momo smiled and dove under the blankets, burying his face in Ron-chan's crotch. Ron-chan's penis was average-sized but a bit slender, so even when it was erect, Momo could easily take it in his mouth.

Although it was limp at first, it quickly regained its energy as soon as Momo sucked on it. He licked the underside, squeezed the base, and teased the tip with his tongue. He also massaged Ron-chan's testicles, and Ron-chan's thin body twisted and turned in ecstasy.

After making Ron-chan come in his mouth, Momo spat out the semen onto his palm. He spread Ron-chan's legs wide and applied the semen to the area he had warmed up earlier.

"Can I enter you?"

Momo whispered in Ron-chan's ear, his penis pressed against Ron-chan's anus.

"Can I come inside you? I'll make sure to clean up afterwards"

Ron-chan's face was bright red, but he didn't say no. He nodded slightly.

Momo lifted Ron-chan's limp legs and positioned his penis at the entrance.

◇:-:◆:-:◇

They spent the entire morning and afternoon entwined in the blankets, without even eating, and before they knew it, it was already 3 pm.

"Momo, it's almost..."

Ron-chan whispered, his waist swaying gently on Momo's lap. They were in a facing-each-other hug, and thirty minutes had already passed. Even after coming, Momo's penis was still inside, and he was passionately kissing Ron-chan's swollen nipples.

"Just a bit more... ten more minutes"

Momo held Ron-chan tightly, his penis still inside. The angle must have changed, because Ron-chan let out a faint "ahh" sound. The sweet, ear-piercing voice made Momo's penis, which had been resting, suddenly spring back to life.

Ron-chan seemed to notice Momo's change and frantically shook his hips.

"You're making cute noises, so I got turned on again... just ten more minutes"

Momo extended their time by twenty minutes, and as a finale, he poured all his energy into Ron-chan before pulling out his penis. Ron-chan's butt, which had been teased all morning, was slightly red.

They took a shower together in the small bathroom, washing their bodies. Momo used his fingers to clean out the semen he had poured into Ron-chan earlier. As he looked at Ron-chan's defenseless figure, with only his butt exposed, Momo felt his desire rising again. He tried to take care of himself, but Ron-chan took pity on him and finished him off with his mouth.

As Ron-chan stepped out of the bathroom, he was already exhausted. He looked too tired to walk, so Momota gave up on eating out and decided to cook dinner instead. Since he'd previously worked part-time at Chinese restaurants and diners, cooking was his specialty. In about twenty minutes, the fried rice and salad were ready. Ron-chan happily ate everything Momota had made.

Once his stomach was full, Ron-chan started to get sleepy. Sitting there, he began to blink rapidly. Momota slowly approached him and hugged him from behind. Ron-chan’s sleepy eyes gently closed, and Momota felt a light weight pressing against his chest. As he held him tightly, Ron-chan’s eyelids fluttered slightly before his eyes opened.

"Oh, sorry..."

"You can sleep."

On the TV, a young comedian’s variety show was playing. The laughter and voices drifted by like music. Ron-chan placed his hand over Momota’s as he embraced him.

"Speaking of which, Momo, what about work?"

"I took the day off today. Hehe."

Momota rubbed his nose against the smooth, sweet-smelling nape of Ron-chan's neck. Ron-chan squirmed, as if tickled.

"…Is the shop going to be okay?"

"It’s fine, it’s fine. I work nonstop without taking breaks so I can take time off whenever I want. The place is flexible like that. You have work tomorrow, right?"

Ron-chan nodded slightly.

"You can go ahead and sleep. We’ve been doing nothing but naughty things, so you must be tired."

Though Ron-chan said he was fine, he soon began to nod off. He kept swaying, fighting sleep, only to jerk awake.

"Momo…"

His long, narrow eyes turned to glance back.

"Aren’t you bored?"

Momota tilted his head.

"All I do here is sleep or have sex, and I don’t even have anything interesting to talk about."

"I’m not bored at all. Just holding you like this, knowing we’re together, makes me happy. Well, you probably already know this, but I’m crazy about you, Ron-chan."

Ron-chan tightly grasped the arms Momota had wrapped around his waist and smiled just a little.

◇:-:◆:-:◇

January, colder than usual, had passed, and February had begun. For the industry, it marked the start of the dreaded "Cursed February." In February and August, the sex industry sees a sharp decline in customers. Whether it's the extreme cold or heat that diminishes sexual desire, nobody knows, but customers noticeably stop coming.

During this period, businesses in the same industry launch discount campaigns, all vying for the few customers that are still around. Although the customer flow was sluggish at the escort service "Punish Me♪ Emanuel Club," where Momota worked, their sales didn’t drop drastically compared to the previous month. The reason they could weather the "Cursed February" without aggressive campaigns was their large number of repeat customers.

"Punish Me♪ Emanuel Club" targeted a specific clientele with niches like "amateurs," "housewives," and "M-specialists." While those who weren't interested would never even look their way, those curious about trying S&M, but not the hardcore stuff, always found their way in.

They also took care of managing the girls. Though they didn’t have many beauties, they hired moderately attractive, attentive, and kind-hearted girls. Many customers only visited once, but the repeat customers always gravitated towards the girls with good personalities.

At 2:00 PM, while Momota was manning the phone at the office, his cell phone rang. It was Mieko-chan, who was scheduled to work today, informing him that she’d suddenly gotten her period. Momota flipped through last month’s schedule.

"You're early this month. But, well, there’s nothing we can do about it. So, take this week off, and we’ll see you next week."

It was a slow time for customers, so one person taking time off wouldn’t be an issue. Momota crossed Mieko's name off the day shift and added it to the menstrual leave section.

"Momo-chan, I'm sooo bored!"

Yuri emerged from the girls' waiting room. She’d been on standby since noon, but since there were no appointments or new customers, she’d been waiting around all day.

"It's February, so yeah, fewer customers."

Even so, the other girls had gone out on jobs, leaving only Yuri behind. Despite being slim, busty, and at 27 one of the younger girls at the club, Yuri wasn’t popular. Momota thought her face wasn’t that bad—just a bit of an overbite—but still...

Yuri, holding a coffee mug, pulled up a chair to the desk next to Momota and sat down.

"The lack of customers during the day isn’t great, huh? Maybe I should switch to the later shift."

"But then, wouldn’t your husband come home at night? He’d get suspicious if you were out even once a week in the evening. I think your current shift is fine."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Punish Me♪ Emanuel Club" was open from noon until 9:00 PM. It wasn’t busy until after 4:00 PM, so Momota handled the phones alone until then, after which a part-timer would come in to help.

Sighing, Yuri took a sip of her coffee.

"Momo-chan, you seem down today."

"You noticed?"

"Yeah, I can tell. Your voice sounds gloomy."

Momota laughed and scratched his head.

"Things not going well with Ron-chan?"

Yuri leaned in, peering at his face.

"No, it’s not that. The other day, Ron-chan came over, and we spent the whole day together, doing, you know... all kinds of stuff, and I was so happy. But... you know how the happier you are, the lonelier you feel when you’re alone afterward?"

"I get that," Yuri nodded emphatically.

"For me, I’d like to see him every day. But Ron-chan’s so busy with work, sometimes the next time I can see him is ten days later, or worse, twenty days later. There was even a time when I didn’t hear from him for a whole month."

"Unbelievable," Yuri frowned.

"That’s like the ultimate ‘neglect play.’ Isn’t Ron-chan just treating you however he likes?"

"Ron-chan really is busy. It’s normal for him to only have two or three days off a month. And he uses all of that precious time off just for me. He’s doing so much for me, I can’t bring myself to say I want to see him more or that I’m lonely."

Yuri clasped her mug with both hands.

"But, Momo-chan, if you don’t say things like that, your feelings won’t get through to him. It’s okay to be selfish. You’re lovers, after all."

"But I’m afraid if I’m too persistent, he’ll think I’m annoying."

Yuri fell silent, deep in thought.

"My dream is to go on a trip with Ron-chan. Just once, I’d like to go to a hot spring with him."

Yuri leaned her elbows on the desk and rested her chin in her hands.

"You know, Momo-chan, you look rough around the edges, but you’re really sweet and devoted. If Ron-chan is so busy that he can’t even take time off, what kind of job does he do?"

For a moment, Momota’s gaze drifted upward.

"Ron-chan is, uh... a civil servant."

Yuri's eyes widened in surprise, her front teeth gleaming.

"And you’re sure that’s okay?"

"Okay, how?"

Yuri slapped her knees in frustration.

"I mean, is it okay for you, Momo-chan, to be working as a manager in the sex industry?"

"It’s fine. Working in the sex industry is a legitimate job. Besides, our boss runs a tight ship, so we don’t break any laws."

Yuri exclaimed in shock.

"I thought anything to do with the sex industry was illegal."

Momota shrugged.

"If it were, you wouldn’t see so many shops openly operating in entertainment districts. Plus, at our place, we have strict rules against any full-service activities. If we did that, the police would arrest us in no time."

"Wow, I didn’t know that."

Just then, the phone rang. It was a regular customer with no particular preferences, so Yuri went out on the job.

With all the girls out and no calls coming in, the office suddenly felt quiet.

There was a small TV in the office, and Momota could watch it when he had free time, but he wasn’t in the mood. Leaning back in his chair, which creaked ominously, he pulled out his cell phone to check his emails. As expected, there were no new messages from Ron-chan.

Momota made it a point to send Ron-chan an email once a day, always before bed. Considering how busy Ron-chan was, a reply every three days was good. He scrolled through the email history.

"I’m writing up documents that are due tomorrow."

"I haven’t slept in two days. I think I might get a quick nap soon."

"I’m eating dinner now. The udon is delicious."

Reading these made Momota chuckle. Ron-chan’s emails were devoid of any romance. He never wrote about wanting to see Momota or how much he loved him. But his sincerity came through, and it was just like Ron-chan, which made Momota smile.

Looking out the window, he noticed snow was gently falling.

"Snow again today, huh?"

It wasn’t unusual; it had been snowing a lot this year. Momota walked over to the window, cell phone in hand.

Between the buildings, tiny white flakes fell continuously from the narrow gray sky like dust.

It had been snowing like this the first time he met Ron-chan. At first, he’d thought, “Who is this weirdo?” But that very "weirdo" had ended up saving his life.

"Ron-chan, I miss you."

He was 36, too old to be saying such things. If anyone heard him, they’d probably laugh. But no matter how old he got, no matter how much people laughed at him for being pathetic, he couldn’t help feeling lonely.

Footnotes

0. Content warning: NSFW.

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