Pearled Oysters Volume 2

~5~ Rui

      "Mari, we need to talk about this."
      I swallowed hard. Kumi sounded like she was once again going to say something I absolutely didn't want to hear.
      "It's alright, Kumi, we can talk about it later."
      "Mari..."
      "Kumi, I don't think it's the best time."
      "If we put it off, it'll be worse because we'll be too late. You have to take this seriously."
      "I am taking this seriously!"
      "Then act like it and let's talk about it."
      "But..."
      "Are you two going to chat the whole time, or are you going to pick a song?"
       I looked up from the selector at the same time that Kumi turned from her attempt to make me share it. On the opposite side of the table we were greeted with the stares of an annoyed Jackie and an overly confident Susaki.
      "Regretting our little bet?"
Instead of selecting the song I wanted, I handed the selector to Kumi and stared at the taunting smirks.
      "Not at all. I have full faith in us."
      "Will you listen to me then?"
      I sighed. And gave in.
      "Fine. I'll sing the high part."
      Even though I've never sung the high part before and you have your entire life.
      "Trust me. It'll make a difference."
      The music started and I was surprised to see that she had chosen a rather intense rock song that was used as the opening for an anime neither of us watched. Normally it was sung by a guy with a girl coming in for the chorus and a bridge. Kumi was planning on singing the guy's part which was quite a ways from the cutesy high singing she had been doing. I was so sure this was going to end horribly, and then I heard her sing. If I wasn't already attracted to girls and in love with her, I still would have been in danger. My entire body wasn't trying to melt, it was trying to evaporate and then become a torrential downpour. She owned me body heart and soul just with that voice. I was so entranced that I was almost late for the start of my section. I closed my eyes and did my best to sing the high part.

     My wife has always unconsciously done things like a boy would. Despite desiring to be more shapely and cute, she seemed to think she was more boyish than she was. Most of it was easy to get her to see. I just had to help her with presentation. But her voice... somehow she had gotten into the habit of singing deeper than her voice was naturally. It was hollow and flat when she did. It looked painful and was nothing like her speaking voice. While I could sing high notes because of practice, I was actually more comfortable singing alto and it was closer to my natural speaking voice. I wanted her to stop hurting herself. Finally getting to hear her try for the notes that I thought she could actually reach was a treasure. Second to that had been seeing how she reacted to me singing in my actual range. And Hayami really had the better voice for the high part. My voice sounded like I had swallowed a toy's squeaker, but her's had a radiant quality that made me want to hear her perform western operas. We finished our duet and the four of us stared at the screen.
"Come on."
Hayami was almost jumping in anticipation and she chanted her impatience.
"Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on and show them that we are the best!"
I took hold of her empty hand and gave it a squeeze. The screen then changed and showed our score.
"Looks like the streak continues."
Jackie laughed with only slight cruelty in her mirth, and Susaki cuddled her with a smirk on her lips.
"As agreed. We're going to Jokou no Ōkan and you two are paying for our food."
        I tensed at hearing the name of that old club. A place so close to my mother's world. A place where they knew Kumi Aramatsu. Senji and Aya would likely be there at this time. So would she.
       "What's wrong?"
       Hayami turned me to face her as she peered into my eyes.
       "The place... we'll be going to... it's not a part of your normal world. It's not even within the districts we go to together. There are memories there for me. Not all bad but not all good. We haven't talked about that stuff yet, so I'm nervous."
        "It's not like I'm about to have my first encounter with the world of Lady Rin."
        "She owns that place. The club itself was built in honour of the one she gave away as she puts it. But that's not why I'm nervous. It is not her world you'll be stepping into. It's mine."
       I was trying to get her to think about how it might feel to take someone into a world where it was the raw distillation of everything that she was and that she came from. However, that was something we had done while riding on being freshly in a passionate relationship and without actually considering anything through discussion. And so of course she immediately answered.
       "Then I'll gladly step—"
       "It's not that simple! Think back. If we had taken our time at the beginning and were still just dating, now that we're relaxed, would you have so easily taken me to the hangout spot? Without warning any of the boys."
      "..."
      "And if you were sure the girls you once had crushes on would also be there after the most awkward and painful goodbyes?"
      Hayami stayed silent as what my words flowed into her mind. She didn't say anything, but her grip on my hand tightened as if by reflex. Susaki seemed to pick up on what I was talking about.
      "Kuku, it's okay. We don't—"
      "We're going! I always intended for her to meet my friends. I just happen to still be terrified that something will happen in a well connected club so far from home. There's also someone I need to introduce my wife to, or else I'm not worthy of her."
"Always the dramatic speaker. Look..."
As she spoke Jackie put her hands on Hayami's and my shoulders.
"You two go. We'll take a rain check on dinner. But it sounds like this is a moment better faced without our interference."
"Awww look how well behaved you become. My good girl."
      Susaki took her girlfriend by the hand and led her towards the door, leaving Hayami and me to face the world I had left in the shadows.