The Force of Gravity ✅

Chapter Six

October 30th, 2021

When Miori had met up with Junichiro after school to celebrate his 18th birthday, she hadn't expected to be spirited away to Hakone of all places. The trip to the town had taken a little over an hour by train but it had been exhilarating. Miori had been concerned about possible lockdown restriction, but they arrived at the inn in the early evening and were welcomed warmly. The temperature really 20 degrees and very pleasant. Everything was perfect.

It was after midnight, the start of Junichiro's birthday. They lay together in bed, bodies curled around each other and hands stroking sweat-glistened skin. Miori nuzzled his face, tears stinging behind her closed eyelids. She had never felt so happy in her life. But she knew she had to say it. "I'm sorry."

Junichiro pressed his mouth against hers. "Why are you sorry, Miori?"

Her eyes opened partially, and she met his gaze in the darkness of the room. "It's your birthday, and I wanted to give you something special, but you were the one who paid for this trip. I should have done more for you, Junichiro."

Junichiro smiled, and smoothed the hair away from her face. "It's nothing, Miori. I love you, and I wanted to sneak away with you. I was happy to spend the money to spend a moment alone with you."

Miori smiled, and she snuggled closer to him. "I love you, too."

Junichiro sighed with contentment, moving onto his back with Miori curled at his side. "I want the night to last forever," he murmured. "Can morning never come?"

"Oh, don't say that," she said teasingly. "Tomorrow is Halloween. Don't you want to walk around Shibuya in costume?"

"Of course I do," Junichiro laughed. "I didn't spend 41,000 yen on a Goryō costume for it to go to waste!"

Miori laughed loudly. "That sounds so fitting of a Goryō!"

Junichiro laughed as well. "And you will look perfect by my side dressed as a shinobi."

"I'd better, since I spent more time on my costume than doing schoolwork."

Junichiro laughed again, but quickly sobered and pulled her closer. "But I want the night to last forever, because I don't want to leave. I want to stay here with you."

"I am with you," Miori reassured him. She kissed his him. "I'm not going anywhere, Junichiro Arachi. I'm yours, forever."

Junichiro sighed, as though in relief, and kissed her again. "And I am yours, Miori Sone."

As their kiss deepened, one of the cell phones buzzed on the side table. Miori leaned up to check their phones and she saw that it was Junichiro's phone that was lit up, displaying a text message. Junichiro caught her arm and rolled her underneath him. He didn't glance towards his phone. "Leave it. Let's have tonight, please."

"Okay," Miori said, forcing a smile. "Happy Birthday, Junichiro."

"Thank you, Miori." He bent his head down over her breasts, and the delightful sensations flooded her body once more. But as she arched her head back and moaned softly, a knot of discomfort hummed briefly in her core. It dissipated quickly under Junichiro's caresses, but she sensed it in her mind. Junichiro had not seen the text he had received, but Miori had seen it. It had been a text from Junichiro's father, and it felt...foreboding to her.

'You had better not be with that girl.'

~*~

May 21st, 2027

"Miori."

She was startled awake by the touch on her nape and she sat straight up. "Y-Yes, Bando-san!"