Sunset

The square was packed with the usual office crowd making their way to and fro, intent on spending the weekend with their families. A few vendors sold cheap t-shirts and other knick knacks for passing tourists. One man was selling volumes of self-published manga. Kitsune made her way to the big clock in the centre where she’d arranged to meet her new client. She always used public places for first timers. She’d learned that lesson the hard way when she’d shown up at a new client’s apartment. Even from the doorway she could see five guys sitting behind the man who answered the door. She’d claimed to have the wrong apartment and ran off before anyone could say anything. The episode had frightened her so badly that she refused to take any dates for a month after. In the meantime, she’d gotten Motoko to teach her some basic self-defence. After that, only trusted clients got apartment visits.

Kitsune leaned against the big clock as she kept a trained eye out for her new boy. He’d described himself as short with glasses, and had told her that he’d be wearing jeans with a grey blazer. No sign so far.

“Um…” Kitsune turned at the sound to face a man standing just behind her on the other side of the clock. “Are you Kitsune?” he asked.

Kitsune looked him over. The man was short; shorter than her, in fact, by a couple inches. He scratched at the back of his neck as he looked up at her through thick lenses whose roundness accentuated his baby-faced expression. His hair was long in the back, reaching past his ears. His belly rounded just outwards, but not enough to be considered fat, nor enough to turn her off completely. Many of the men who had taken Kitsune out had some issue that they must have felt took them out of the running in the regular dating world; but if Kitsune ever felt anything about making money off of low male self-esteem, she wasn’t aware of it.

She gave him a warm smile. “Hi,” she cooed like sugar wouldn’t melt in her mouth. “You must be Shirai.”

He looked away as if his name were a source of personal embarrassment. “Um…Yeah.”

“So,” she asked, ignoring his embarrassment, “where are we going?”

Shirai stuck his hands in his pockets. “Have you eaten?”

“No.”

The boy smiled in relief. “Great. I was thinking we could get some dinner.”

“Excellent,” Kitsune replied. “Lead the way.”

He nodded and started off down the street, nearly jumping out of skin when she grabbed hold of his arm. Part of Kitsune thrilled at the effect her very presence was having on this frightened young man. She was a beautiful young woman, and knew very well the effect she had on most men; but not even her other first-timers had acted like this. Could this be his first date, she wondered. For that matter, was he still a virgin? Kitsune felt a forbidden thrill as she considered the possibilities. She felt powerful.

Regardless, Kitsune resolved that she was going to have fun tonight. A quick look at Shirai’s clothes indicated that he wasn’t rich, and the idea that he’d turn into Casanova as the evening wore on was laughable; but she was still determined to have fun. Even if she wasn’t going to be swept off her feet, she could at least get what enjoyment she could from teasing him to death.