Natalia Kuzmina stretched across her bed like a contented cat, her body humming with satisfaction. The morning sunlight filtered through the blinds, painting golden stripes across her rumpled sheets. Her muscles ached in the most delicious way imaginable, particularly between her thighs where she still felt the phantom sensation of fullness, the lingering memory of Satori claiming her completely.
"Mmm," she murmured into her pillow, burying her face to hide her smile even though no one was there to witness her uncharacteristic vulnerability.
She hadn’t expected to sleep so deeply. Normally, she woke before her alarm, eager to train, to prove herself worthy. Today, however, her body had demanded recovery from the previous night’s exertions, and she’d slept straight through it, lost in dreams tinged with his scent and touch.
Rolling onto her back, Natalia reached for her phone, an unfamiliar flutter of nerves rising in her chest. She needed to hear his voice, to confirm that last night hadn’t been some vivid, impossible fever dream. Her finger hovered over his contact—no longer labeled "Parasite" but simply "Satori"—a small change that represented an earthquake in her world.
She pressed call before doubt could creep in.
The phone rang twice before he answered, his voice a low, rough rumble that sent an electric current straight to her core. "Hey, Nat. What’s up?"
Nat
"Where are you?" she asked, her voice emerging more breathless than she’d intended, betraying her need.
"I’m with Luka," he replied. She could hear the distinctive hum of an engine in the background. "On the highway, heading to the Chiyoda Ward. Dad’s treating me to an Aspect evaluation."
Natalia sat bolt upright, alarm cutting through her post-coital haze. "An evaluation? At VHC Central?"
"Yeah. Apparently he pulled some strings."
"But..." She bit her lip, suddenly aware of how transparent her concern would sound. What if they discover you’re lying? What if they realize your power isn’t what you claim? What if they take you away from me? "Will you be okay?"
A pregnant pause. When he spoke again, his voice carried a hint of smug satisfaction. "Are you worried about me?"
"No," she lied reflexively, heat blooming across her cheeks. "Just... don’t embarrass the family name."
He laughed, the sound warming her from the inside out like liquid sunlight. "I’ll do my best. Gotta go—Luka’s giving me the dad-look for being on the phone while he’s trying to tell me about another one of his legendary hunting stories."
After the call ended, she flopped back onto her pillow, staring at the ceiling with unblinking intensity. He was gone for the day. That was good. It gave her time to process, to untangle the complex web of emotions and desires that had utterly consumed her.
When Natalia finally ventured downstairs, she discovered the living room completely transformed. Scented candles flickered on the coffee table, infusing the air with notes of jasmine and vanilla. Gentle instrumental music drifted from hidden speakers. The furniture had been rearranged to create an open space in the center of the room, where plush cushions surrounded a low table adorned with an elaborate display of face masks, bottles of fragrant oils, and a rainbow array of nail polishes.
Kimiko knelt gracefully on one of the cushions, dressed in a silk yukata the color of midnight, her fiery red hair pinned up in a loose bun. She looked up as Natalia entered, her face brightening with a warm, welcoming smile that crinkled the corners of her eyes.
"There she is! I was beginning to think you were going to sleep all day."
Natalia froze in the doorway, taken aback by how youthful Kimiko looked. Without her usual business attire, with her hair swept up instead of in its typical sleek style, she could have passed for a college student—twenty-four or twenty-five at most. The resemblance to Satori was suddenly striking and undeniable—the same sharp jawline, the same intense hazel eyes, even the subtle quirk of her lips when she smiled.
"Since the boys are out," Kimiko continued, gesturing with elegant fingers to the elaborate spread before her, "I thought we could have a proper girls’ day." Her perceptive eyes flickered over Natalia’s face, sharp and knowing despite her light tone. "You look... flushed. Did you have a good night’s sleep? You seem a bit... glowing this morning."
Natalia instinctively tugged at the collar of her sleep shirt, her heart racing as she suddenly realized she hadn’t checked for visible marks before coming downstairs. "Um, yeah. Fine. Great. Just... still waking up."
"Wonderful!" Kimiko patted the cushion beside her, the silk of her yukata rustling softly. "Come, sit. I’ve prepared everything for a complete spa experience. It’s been ages since we’ve had any real girl time, just the two of us. No interruptions, no distractions."
Natalia hesitated at the edge of the arrangement, desperately searching for a plausible excuse but finding none that wouldn’t seem suspicious. She finally settled onto the cushion, crossing her legs awkwardly beneath her. "This is... unexpected."
"The best things often are," Kimiko replied with a knowing wink that sent a jolt of paranoia through Natalia. She reached for a ceramic jar of green clay that smelled of mint and tea tree. "Let’s start with these revitalizing face masks. You’ve been training so hard lately, your pores could use some tender loving care."
Before Natalia could protest or retreat, Kimiko was already dipping her slender fingers into the jar and leaning forward with the determined focus of a mother on a mission. The cool clay felt surprisingly soothing against Natalia’s heated skin as Kimiko began to apply it with gentle circular motions.
"So," Kimiko said, her voice deceptively casual as her fingers worked their way methodically across Natalia’s forehead, down to her temples, "tell me about what you’ve been up to while we were away. You and Satori seem to be getting along much better these days. Almost like... different people."