It was a sweltering summer day, the sun relentlessly pummeling the sidewalk as I took my usual midmorning jog. I hadn't quite hydrated enough beforehand and with the heat positively wringing every last drop of sweat out of my body, I had decided to pack it in early and take a shortcut through the park next to my apartment on the way home. The trees offered some much needed, merciful shade as I passed under their leafy boughs, whilst the pavement I ran next to that was still exposed to the sun radiated a shimmering haze. Just a bit longer and a nice cool shower awaited me, I thought to myself. Just a few hundred more feet.
I stopped by the entrance to my apartment building's parking lot, leaning on the hot brick wall and panting heavily, using my already drenched tee to wipe the sweat from my brow. I paced back and forth a few times, head rolled back and hands on my hips, before noticing someone else in the parking lot.
After wiping the sweat from my eyes one final time I saw that it was Ms. Fumi, an older kitsune woman who lived across from my own apartment. She was dressed as if she had just come back from the office—a dark longsleeve button up shirt and tight pencil skirt that must have been roasting in the heat—and I felt a twinge of pity. After all, it was Saturday, and even with the miserable weather it still felt wrong for her to be whiling away her time in a dreary workcenter.
Ms. Fumi was unloading groceries from the trunk of her car, piling the bags onto her arms in a clear desire to only have to make one trip up to the top floor. Her nine tails swished impatiently behind her as she muttered glumly to herself, and as I walked across the baking asphalt, I resolved to give her a hand. Ms. Fumi heard me approach well before I spoke up, her tall ears flicking back on her head as she gazed over her shoulder at me.
"Hey, Ms. Fumi," I said, still a little breathless from my run, "need any help?"
"That'd be wonderful, hun," Ms. Fumi answered, smiling as she recognized me. "You always seem to be around to lend a hand."
"Ah, just in the right place at the right time," I said as I picked up some of the heavier bags.
Still, there was a kernel of truth to her words. I had taken a liking to Ms. Fumi, who always seemed to have a kind thing to say to me regardless of how stressful the workday had been. She was one of the best neighbors someone could ask for: Polite, quiet, and unobtrusive. A peaceful life—and, I suspected, a lonely one.
I followed her into the building, my arms laden with the bags I had taken from her as we stepped into the elevator. Ms. Fumi's dark tails neatly bunched together out of the way behind her, giving me ample space to stand. Ms. Fumi gave a soft sniff, and I suddenly remembered that shower I had planned to take.
"Eh," I said sheepishly, "sorry if the sweat smells a tad unpleasant..."
Ms. Fumi laughed, shaking her head. "Don't you worry, I'm not going to be upset about a little thing like that. Besides, it still beats bringing my groceries in myself!"
I laughed along with her, and a few moments later the elevator doors opened to our floor. I carried the bags over to her door while Ms. Fumi fished out her keys, and once it was open, she ushered me inside.
Despite living across from Ms. Fumi for nearly half a year, this was the first time I had ever walked into her apartment. It had the same basic layout as mine but much larger; an open kitchen that lead into a spacious living room, tall windows that let in a glut of natural light and a hallway off to my right that must lead to what I assumed to be the bedroom, bathroom, and whatever extra rooms Ms. Fumi's apartment had over mine. The entire apartment had a modern yet cozy feel to it, bedecked in warm colors and decorated with small landscape paintings and comfortable-looking furniture. Hell, it even had a real (electric) fireplace beneath the TV.
Still, I wasn't there to gawk. We unpacked the groceries swiftly, Ms. Fumi directing me where everything went, and soon we were down to the last few left. As I opened one of the bags, I found several bottles of rich wine neatly packed between a cardboard divider. I took out one of the bottles and gave it a quick cursory examination, and while I wasn't exactly an expert on the qualities of wine, I could tell it wasn't the cheap kind that would masquerade as the 'house special' at a restaurant.
"Really going all out here, Ms. Fumi," I said with a smile as I turned around with the bottle in hand. "Expecting any visitors for dinner?"
Unfortunately, my joke didn't seem to go well with my neighbor, and Ms. Fumi's tails sagged slightly as she answered, "No, I'm afraid not. I haven't had a gentleman caller in quite some time."
"Ah," I said awkwardly.
I certainly hadn't meant to bring Ms. Fumi down like that, and to say I felt guilty was an understatement. I didn't want to imply anything about her personal life, though it's true that the entire time I had lived across the hall from Ms. Fumi, I had never really seen her entertain visitors. Before I knew it, I was speaking again to try and repair the situation.
"Well then, perhaps I can be your gentleman caller for the night?" I said without thinking.
Ms. Fumi started slightly and looked at me curiously, prompting me to continue.
"How about it? Does dinner tonight work for you?"
Ms. Fumi was silent for several seconds, looking at me with furrowed brow before a soft smile graced the gently careworn lines of her face.
"Is this your way of asking me for a date?" she said, her tails swishing in amusement.
"Yeah, I suppose it is," I replied with a relieved smile.
An adorable feminine giggle quite unlike what I had come to expect from her escaped Ms. Fumi's lips, and she gently pressed her hand to her mouth to suppress it.
"Very well then, you young cad," she said in a light, teasing voice, "I'll expect you here by seven o'clock, and don't you dare make a lady wait!"
"You can count on it," I said confidently I said as I turned to walk out of her apartment. "Make sure you put on something nice!"
***
Was I having second thoughts about my rash preposition to Ms. Fumi? I didn't think so, but that didn't calm the rather severe case of nerves I was now experiencing. I had stayed confident in my plan right up until the realization hit me in the shower, as so often happens. I had asked a woman old enough to be my mother (but with how kitsune age, did that really matter?) for a romantic evening date in her apartment. Sure, perhaps it had come from the right place, but did I really have the right to impose upon Ms. Fumi like that? Did she only say yes to avoid being rude?
Regardless, it was nearly seven now and time to face the proverbial music. I didn't own a suit, so a nice pair of jeans and a collared shirt would have to suffice, though hopefully the small bouquet of flowers I had grabbed from the local florist's shop would make up for that. Straightening out my shirt, I crossed the few steps from my apartment door to Ms. Fumi's and rang the doorbell.
It only took a few moments for her to answer, and I struggled to keep my jaw from dropping at the sight. Ms. Fumi had transformed from her tired office worker persona to a figure of truly radiant beauty. She was wearing a simple yet elegant red dress that flaunted her curvaceous figure in all the right places, while her long dark hair had been patiently combed out and flowed down her body in gentle waves. The tip of each of her nine tails had a cute red ribbon tied at the end, and a long emerald necklace hung around her neck and drew the eyes down inevitably to where the gem rested just above her bounteous chest.
"Well, you did tell me to wear something nice," Ms. Fumi said with a coy smile as she caught me staring.
"Ah, right," I said, my mind brought abruptly back to the present. "Here, I got these for you, Ms. Fumi," I said as I presented my small bouquet to her.
She smiled again, taking the flowers from as she teased, "Well, I hardly felt as though you were going to be giving them to anyone else." I gave a soft laugh and looked away, making her touch my arm softly and say, "Really, it's been long enough now. Call me Natsumi."
I looked back at Ms. Fumi—no, Natsumi—and stood up straighter, hoping to reclaim some of my earlier dignity.
"Well, Natsumi, are you going to invite me in or not?" I joked.
"I wouldn't dream of refusing such a handsome suitor," Natsumi said silkily as she guided me in through the door, three of her soft tails wrapping around behind me and pulling me in.
The lighting was dim, with only a few lights on in the kitchen, a couple candles burning on the small dining table, and the merrily crackling electric fireplace as illumination. The exotic scent of incense hung thick in the air, and refined music played from a speaker placed upon the fireplaces mantel. I recognized the piece: In the Fen Country, by Ralph Vaughn Williams—it made me wonder if Natsumi had ever been listening in (even unintentionally) to my apartment with those big fox ears of hers.
She sat me down at the table, one of her hands and three of her tails running across my chest as she turned away and returned to the kitchen. Natsumi filled up a tall floral vase with water and delicately eased the flowers I had given her inside, placing it on the counter which separated the kitchen from the living room. Then she proceeded to putter about in front of the stove, the metallic clinks of silverware and plates echoing out from where she stood. I suddenly became aware of a strong, delicious fragrance which cut its way through the incense. It had a rich profile ever so slightly tinted with the scent of seafood and enhanced with a healthy coloring of garlic and another spice I couldn't quite place.
Natsumi returned from the kitchen bearing two plates, her tails drifting behind her like a dark cloud with their red ribbon accents. She placed one plate in front of me before setting the other at her place across from me, her fluffy tails separating to make way as she sat down. One of her fine wines had already been uncorked and allowed to breathe for a few minutes at the table, and Natsumi wasted no time in filling deep both our glasses with a chardonnay that was assuredly bitter, dry, and strong. Before I had a chance to thank the mature kitsune for the drink, she indicated down to my plate and began to speak.
"Seared swordfish, complimented by grilled asparagus and scalloped potatoes," Natsumi explained with a hint of pride in her voice. "It's been quite some time since I've been able to show off my cooking for someone."
I smiled, glad my nose hadn't let me down in assessing the meal Natsumi had prepared for our dinner. Every last bit of food on my plate looked immaculate: the swordfish was cooked to perfection and sprinkled with rosemary and fine minced garlic, the asparagus were laid over each other in an alternating pattern similar to a hash and drizzled with a rich, dark sauce, and the scalloped potatoes formed a tasteful half crescent around the rest of the plate and had been seasoned with cracked black pepper.
"Showing off indeed," I said reverently, "I highly doubt that any of the restaurants around here could match your skill."
Natsumi gave a light laugh as she set the wine bottle aside and leaned back in her chair. "Well, I suppose becoming a chef always was my backup plan. Still, I think I should be grateful it never came to fruition; you know what they say about working for one's passions—they won't stay enjoyable for long."
"All the same, I think that a master like you is wasted filing paperwork in an office, Natsumi. You have real talent in the kitchen."
"I suppose so, but I'm needed where I am," Natsuki said as she looked away momentarily. I opened my mouth to speak up, but she silenced me with a gentle glance as she laid a hand upon my own.
"I know, I know," Natsuki said softly, "I push myself too hard, for people who don't appreciate me—but nothing gets done if I'm not there to oversee it. And it's not a bad job, my pay is respectable. It's earned me this apartment and many comforts aside, after all."
"And yet I know how stressed it leaves you," I pressed, lacing my fingers with Natsuki's own as she looked up with her face quickly flushing red in surprise. "Natsuki, you deserve better. A smart, talented woman like you shouldn't be stuck in a perpetual grind within middle management."
Natsuki looked away swiftly, her mouth open as if she didn't know what to say. For the second time today I felt guilt at laying far too heavy a burden upon my kind neighbor's heart, and the regret I felt wounded me deeply. This was meant to be a relaxing night for Natsuki, and here I was laying everyday problems upon her when they occurred often enough in her everyday life.
"I'm sorry, Natsuki," I said as I unraveled my fingers from hers and reached for my glass of wine, "I don't mean to intrude upon your private life. Why don't we just enjoy the night, yeah?" With that I gingerly gripped the bottom of my wine glass and lifted it to the center of the table, offering Natsuki a toast before our meal.
"Here's to you, my foxy lady," I said as I raised my glass.
Natsuki smiled, and gently tapped her wine glass against mine in turn, responding "And to you, my ambitious young suitor."
A gentle metallic ring and a sip of wine later, we both set about enjoying our delicious meals.
The swordfish Natsuki had prepared was simply divine, dry and yet with a rich, meaty flavor complimented by the taste of the wine, while the asparagus and scalloped potatoes formed a counterweight to the meal's flavor which constantly refreshed the palate for fresh tastes. The atmosphere of the night was enhanced by the gentle music (now playing the Fantasia on a Theme) drifting over from the mantelpiece and the flickering glow of the candlelight as Natsuki and I laughed and propositioned one another.
The conversation was lively and flirtatious, with Natsuki becoming particularly more open as the evening wore on and a second glass of chardonnay was poured. More and more my eyes were drawn to the deep, gorgeous valley made by her two round breasts; perhaps it was a quality of the wine, or indeed my own inhibitions breaking down as I spent such an enjoyable time in the company of my kitsune neighbor. Awkwardly (likely as a product of my growing inebriation), Natsuki noticed my gaze.
"Ara ara!" Natsuki whispered silkily as she caught me glancing at her emerald necklace being slowly swallowed up by her deep cleavage, "Is an old fox like me really that distracting for a young man like you?"
"Age has nothing to do with it," I found myself saying as I leaned forward over what little was left of my dinner. "A gorgeous woman like you would be the desire of any man. I can't believe that I'm really the first one to have spent an evening with you in so long."
"Well, it's hardly as if..." Natsuki retreated, stammering slightly as she tried to make excuses.
"No, none of that," I said as I took Natsuki's hands in my own. "Natsuki, you are a beautiful woman with a brilliant mind and I won't stand for hearing any less. I don't care what else there is to say, that's the final truth of the matter and it's the reason why I came over to visit you tonight."
I squeezed Natsuki's hands gently, and I watched as her stunned visage slowly melted as tears welled up in her shimmering brown eyes as she turned away from me, her tall ears flicking back in embarrassment. Her stern working woman's exterior had finally broken down to reveal the vulnerable woman beneath, and—though I may not have been prepared before this evening—I was more than ready to support her after.
"I don't know what to say," Natsuki said quietly, still looking away from me but tightening the grip of her hands on my own. "It—it has been a very long time since I was able to imagine myself being the target of affection from a young man like you. For so long, I believed you'd never see me this way, see past—"
Natsuki paused, slow teardrops falling from her eyes as she blinked and sniffled. When her eyes opened again, she gave a slow wave of the hand as she indicated her face, her body, and fluffy tails.
"Past all of this," she finished in a soft, timid voice wholly unlike her. "All this time, and I thought..."
"Thought nothing," I said softly. Natsuki's face lightened with a tender smile as I renewed my grip upon her hands. "I may be a young man, but I know an angel when I see one."
Now Natsuki's tears truly began to flow, running down her eyes in fluid streams as her hands tightened around my own even as several of her long, fluffy tails curled around my legs and squeezed them close. She let out a soft laugh, looking away for a moment before meeting my eyes again.
"And what about you, darling?" Natsuki asked with a gentle press. "All these months we've lived next to each other, and I still don't know much about this handsome new Prince Charming!"