Temper: Deference: Book One of the TEMPER Saga

by Lila Mina

  An engraved family crest decorated the extremities of dark grey roof tiles on top of the wall, similar to the one Honda had worn on his formal kimono during the wedding. Behind the eastern side of the wall, she caught a glimpse of a middle-sized Shinto shrine. It was tucked among tall pine trees planted across the grounds that offered cool shade during summer.

  Crossing a small courtyard, Honda pushed aside the sliding doors of the house, and they stepped inside the genkan. They took off their shoes, to Lana’s great relief.

  “Yuki san, I am back. Are you here?” He grabbed a couple of hand towels hanging on a rack and gave her one. After scrubbing his face and legs, he removed the soaked upper layer of his clothes and walked up to the raised wooden floor of the house. In silence, he signaled to Lana to wait on the lower stone floor of the entrance.

  Too tired to remain on her feet, Lana stopped fighting gravity. She slumped onto the highest step before attempting to dry herself as best as she could. Inhaling the air made her smile despite her exhaustion. Everything looked and smelled like cedar, her favorite scent, with the unmistakable grassy aroma of tatami mingling with it. Daylight poured into the elegant hall from a series of small windows under the ceiling, adding to the warm and welcoming atmosphere of the house.

  “Oh, goshujin sama, finally! Welcome back!” called Yuki’s voice; the second after, she was in the hall with them. She wore simple jeans and a large white shirt under a green apron; a matching kerchief covered her head. She had been busy cleaning up, and soot smeared her brow. To Lana’s eyes, she was as composed and beautiful as in her memory. Lana didn’t even want to guess what she looked like herself, but her sweaty smell was an assault on her own nose.

  “Are you all right? Are you unhurt?” Yuki’s eyes roamed over her husband’s body, searching for injuries. Honda’s arms engulfed her to give her a brief hug; his lips brushed her hair for a quick peck. Such open display of tender affection coming from him took Lana aback.

  “I am tired, but I am fine, thank you. You seem well, too.”

  “Yes, I am, and everything is more or less in order here. Nothing significant broke—only bookshelves that were not properly fixed, and bottles and cups that crashed down. We are still checking all rooms and the roof for structural integrity though. When the worst is over, we will call in a specialist.”

  “I agree. Now, I wanted to tell you–” Honda fell silent when an older man showed up behind Yuki. The level of tension in the air jumped. Lana tried to make herself as small as possible.

  “Son. Here you are. How... unfortunate you weren’t home last night,” the newcomer said in a droning voice.

  Suddenly, Honda’s earlier trepidation and the rumors flying around the man in business circles made perfect sense to Lana. Almost bald and with deep-set eyes, Nakazawa Toshiro was rather short and well into his seventies. Still, he was intimidating as his natural authority and cunningness could not be denied despite his apparent physical frailty. His unforgiving stare probed at people’s weaknesses.

  Honda and Yuki kneeled on the floor to greet their elder, but he kept his head to the ground longer than usual. Lana did her best to keep a straight face. She could bet that there weren’t many people who got such humble deference from Honda, never mind ones who threw such poorly disguised accusations at him. She straightened her wet clothes and hair. Even if she smelled like one, there was no need to look like a stray dog.

  “Otoh sama,” Honda addressed his father-in-law with a level voice. “Good morning. I am relieved to see you in good health. There is no excuse for the concern I caused. I did my best to come home as soon as possible, but it still took me six hours to walk from Minato-ku area due to the road and weather conditions.”

  “And perhaps because you were not alone? Who is this?” Nakazawa asked with a snarl, suspicion marring his voice. Lana followed Honda’s example. She bowed her head to the floor and didn’t dare to raise it again.

  “This is Lana Martin san, otoh sama,” Honda replied, with unwavering poise. “She is one of my aikido students. I met her and offered her to come with me when she told me her apartment unit was destroyed in a fire.” How smartly put. No lie, but a careful edition of reality.

  “Oh no! My poor Lana san!” Yuki exclaimed, horrified. She ran to Lana, kneeled next to her and put a comforting arm around her shoulders. “So awful! You will of course stay here with us for as long as needed!”

  Lana glanced at Yuki, then at the two men. “I am so grateful, Honda sama,” she said with a bow, using the highest degree of formal register she knew. “But, I cannot accept your offer. It is too much of a bother and inconvenience for you. My company will provide me with a furnished apartment until my unit is repaired–”

  “Oh, nonsense! You will not end up in a gloomy 1K flat somewhere in Shinagawa. No, no, I insist, you will be our guest. We have plenty of room. I am sure you agree, goshujin sama?”

  Honda nodded once, his face unreadable. “This is acceptable.”

  “It is settled, then. Come with me; I’ll get you new clothes.”

  “Wait!” Nakazawa’s voice boomed in the narrow hall, freezing everyone in place. “Daughter, you know her as well?”

  “Yes, otoh sama, she is a friend of mine,” Yuki replied without batting an eye. “Also, I have told you about her last week. She was one of the two Italian ladies who helped us with the incident at our event, and who suggested that we check and increase the level of our information security.”

  “I see.” Nakazawa remained silent; everyone held their breath, waiting for the verdict. “Well, I guess both of you wish to clean up and get some rest. It must have been quite a trek, with this heat and now the rain.”

  “Thank you for your consideration, otoh sama,” Honda said with another respectful bow. “Yes, it was… harrowing. From what we could see, while there is damage all around town, it is not overly extensive. The timing was fortunate as well.”

  “Indeed. I have to leave to oversee our emergency response team from our headquarters. If I can, I will come back later tonight or tomorrow.”

  “Of course. Please be careful and let us know how we can be of assistance.”

  Nakazawa grunted and headed toward the door. Honda, Yuki, and Lana bowed until he was out of sight. A shaky hiss escaped Lana. Crisis averted.

  As soon as they were alone, Yuki sighed in relief and turned again to Lana. “I am so, so glad that you are here with us, sweetling. Losing your home, your belongings… this is devastating. But look at you! You got too much sun on your face, yet your lips are white. You must be run out. Are you injured?”

  “Nothing serious, Yuki sama. Only blisters, cuts, and wooden legs. Actually…” Lana chuckled. “I don’t think I can stand anymore. I’ll just lay down here and sleep for a while if you don’t mind.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” Yuki huffed and puffed. “Both of you need a hot bath for your cramped legs, and an invigorating meal afterward, before a long nap. I will prepare you a bath in the guest bathroom, cook a miso soup and rice, and set up a bedroom. Goshujin sama…?”

  “Yes, this sounds good.”

  To Lana’s relief, everyone seemed to agree on giving her time and space. “Ah, may I ask if you have any Wi-Fi access? I have to get back in touch with Gabriella, and check in with my colleagues and company, as per our SOP. Phone lines must still be overloaded, but social networks are working fine.”

  “Yes, we do, and I’ll give you the access codes later,” Yuki said. “All right, can you go to the kitchen over there? Give me ten minutes to run your bath.”

  Lana tried to get up but failed when her legs didn’t respond. “Woah! Ah… no, I can’t.” She laughed at herself, grimacing in pain at the same time.

  Honda was by her side in a blink. “Put your arms around my neck,” he instructed.

  Lana frowned. “But you are exhausted…”

  Honda didn’t bother with a reply and merely stared back at her with an arched eyebrow. She gulped down her pride, and he brought her to
a high chair in a spacious and surprisingly modern American-style kitchen. A counter bar ran on the other side of a central unit and a large wooden table with six designer chairs stood at the center. The window panels showed a beautiful garden outside.

  Lana grimaced at the pain shooting through her butt, but compared to the state of her legs, it was manageable. After bringing two glasses and a full pitcher of chilled barley tea, Honda sat opposite her and couldn’t hide his own wince. Exhaustion made her head spin. Drenched and covered with dirt, she felt out of place in this beautiful setting.

  Sipping her drink, trying to find something safe to say, she looked around her. “Your house is remarkable. How old is it?”

  “It has been in my family for more than two centuries, although the property itself used to be much larger. After we got married, it became mine. We did extensive renovation works to modernize it, reinforce it and insulate it while keeping the original spirit and intent intact. It has eight tatami rooms; two bathrooms, each with a rotenburo; one dojo and two different kinds of gardens outside: a Zen stone garden and another used for growing flowers and vegetables.”

  “Amazing,” Lana whispered, impressed. She loved traditional Japanese houses, and this one was the perfect blend of modernity and tradition.

  “What kind of home did you grow up in?”

  Lana hid a grimace. She fidgeted and emptied her glass before answering. “My parents are well off. On my mother’s side, it is old money. Her family owns houses all around Italy. I spent my childhood in one of them, in a coastal town by the Mediterranean Sea where we have our roots. It was… huge, with a swimming pool outside, overlooking the sea. I guess it was beautiful and breathtaking, but I never liked it. It was for showing off, not for living in. Anyway...” Lana gave him a wry smile. “It is far from here and happened a long time ago.”

  “You never go back there?” Honda blinked, and she understood his surprise. Turning your back on your hometown, where your ancestors were buried, was anathema in Japan.

  “No, I don’t,” she replied curtly.

  Yuki came back in the kitchen. “Your bath is almost ready. Let’s bring you to the bathroom, Lana san.”

  “Thank you so much. I’m so sorry for the inconvenience…”

  “Stop this nonsense. Come, I will help you out once you are there.”

  Honda picked her up again. It took Lana a lot not to bury her nose in his neck and smell the bare skin showing above his collar.

  The bath section opened on a miniature enclosed garden with an artificial stream and small pond. The water had yet to fill the rotenburo–a large tub in cedar similar to those found in hot spring resorts–but she had to clean up thoroughly before stepping in anyway. Honda helped her sit on a wooden stool and took his leave.

  “Take it slow,” Yuki said. “I’ll come back with a fresh yukata and a first aid kit once our lunch is on its way. I’ll also prepare the tatami room down this hall. It will be your bedroom.”

  “Thank you very much.” Lana didn’t waste time; she took off her dirty yukata and underwear and threw them on the floor of the powder room. She grabbed the shower head and turned on the water, choosing scalding hot. After a vigorous scrubbing that turned her skin red, she was clean enough to crawl into the tub. A sigh of relief escaped her; her head came to rest on her folded arms on the edge.

  “Lana, Lana san, please wake up!” Lana opened an eye and found Yuki hovering above her, worried. “You shouldn’t fall asleep in a tub! It’s dangerous!”

  “I’m sorry, I couldn’t help it,” Lana replied and groaned. “Ah, my body hurts everywhere.”

  “Your muscles are cramped, so you could use a massage,” Yuki said, roaming a critical eye over Lana. She was a mess of bruises and small cuts. Some had nothing to do with her trek. “The meal is ready, but maybe you need more time here.” She proceeded with removing her clothes and putting them away in the powder room. “Let me help you.”

  “Oh, you don’t need to! Perhaps goshujin sama needs to be attended…?”

  Yuki chuckled while cleaning herself up in the shower section of the bathroom. “He can take care of himself for now. I want to make you feel better after this taxing ordeal.”

  Lana’s thoughts evaporated when a naked and slender Yuki stepped into the tub, large enough for four adults. “Let me massage your legs first, and then your back.”

  Yuki’s voice carried a stern undertone. It reminded Lana of her talk with Honda the day before–it seemed like a lifetime ago. She had to come to a decision regarding her relationship with his wife, and fast. Not breaking eye contact, she extended her legs. Yuki’s touch was utterly professional and lacked any sexual innuendo. Her companion wanted to help her get better. A wave of emotions rocked her, and unshed tears burned her eyes.

  “Does it help? Is it your calves or thighs? Those blisters on your feet are ugly and must be so painful; you should put a lot of antiseptic cream on them. We have efficient lotions to help skin heal faster, don’t worry.”

  “Thank you,” Lana said, subdued. A part of her wished Yuki’s fingers would trail a bit further up, but she kept it to herself.

  Then Yuki moved against the tub’s wall. “Please sit in front of me and let me have a look at your shoulders and back.”

  Lana moved and caught Yuki’s hiss of surprise at the sight of her buttocks.

  “Hm… goshujin sama was… harsh yesterday.” It wasn’t a question, but a prudent statement of fact.

  Lana sighed, and her core tingled at the memory of the spanking. It had been one of many highlights of the previous evening. “Well, I deserved it and asked for it. Of course, I wasn’t expecting a six-hour trek a few hours later, and it didn’t help.” It was still odd to speak about this with his wife.

  “Let me put lotion there, too.” And even odder that said wife took it in stride.

  Except for the occasional hiss and moan of pain, both remained silent as Yuki dug her expert fingers into Lana’s knotted back.

  Maybe it was the peaceful setting, the feeling of relaxation, or simply because Lana was tired to the bone and didn’t want to struggle anymore. She broke the comfortable silence after a time, going with a delicate and submissive turn of phrase. “Oku sama, may I ask you a question? May I be direct, even blunt?”

  “Anything, sweetling.” Yuki’s voice was a low purr; Lana reacted at once. There was something liberating and soothing in putting herself in the other woman’s sensual care, similar to slipping under a fluffy and warm blanket on a cool autumn night.

  “Why do you submit to him? I don’t believe in your ‘traditions and customs’ argument. Besides, you prefer women, right? It seems you are like me, a dominant in your other relations. Why do you give him such power over you? I’m sure you could have come to another arrangement after your wedding. Other couples do.”

  Yuki stopped massaging and embraced her from behind, bringing Lana against her. She cupped a breast and fondled it tenderly, adding to the whirlpool of relaxing sensations.

  “Well… He is who he is. Whatever your personal orientation or tastes, there is no denying his natural authority. From the beginning, he made it clear that he would let me lead my intimate life as I wished, as long as I showed him the deference he was due as my husband. And from the first day, he has always shown me the most gracious respect and attention, even care. And should I describe in detail the whole range of his… talents?”

  Both chuckled in common appreciation and understanding, their bodies scooping against each other. “Yes, I love women, and until my marriage, my limited experience with men had been disappointing and frustrating at all levels. My wedding night showed me men could have merits in the bedroom, and perhaps outside as well. His practical and no-nonsense approach to our daily life convinced me it wouldn’t be hard to do what duty required of me.”

  Yuki sighed and grew silent for a short while. When she spoke again, her voice was low. “Ours is not a love story, sweetling. It’s a pact, the renewal of a long-standing yet fragil
e alliance between two clans with historical and established roots. Where tensions and rancor run deep. But against all odds, and more often than not the heads of our families, our… personal agreement works. Even with you stepping into the picture.”

  Yuki shifted her body to stare at Lana, and Lana was reminded of Nakazawa in the intensity of her glare and the natural confidence she projected. This was no ordinary housewife; she was as much of samurai stock as her husband.

  “But you, Lana san. You. Will you really accept him, his demands and his place in your life? And me? Do you wish to challenge my role in our dynamic?” There was no denying the steel behind the other woman’s words.

  Lana stared back, letting the jasmine perfume of Yuki’s hair register deep within her; Yuki’s soft curves brushing against her own; her kind yet piercing eyes. She acknowledged what shifted inside her and the longing it created. Tears blurring her sight, she realized she had lost, but to her surprise, it didn’t feel so bad. Quite the opposite. Relief bloomed inside her belly.

  “He gave me the right, you know?” Lana whispered, needing to come out clear. “Yesterday he told me he’d accept it if I challenged your position. But…” Lana frowned. “You’re the mistress of this house, oku sama. I will not come here, live under your roof, eat your food, serve your husband, and then challenge your place. He believes this is irrelevant and completely different, but I disagree. I… Hm…” She faltered and looked away. “It was and is still hard for me to concede the upper hand in a relationship and to let you lead ours. But I’ll work on it. On top of it, it’s so nice and relaxing to be in your care. So different from being with him, but also different compared with my everyday life and past relationships.”

  Yuki left a trail of kisses on her neck, from her shoulder up to her hairline. “Then, no challenge, neko chan?” she whispered in her companion’s ear, softly dipping two fingers into her pussy and turning Lana’s face toward hers. Lana closed her eyes and sighed. ‘‘Little cat’ would be her other pet name.