“So tell me your story, Susumu-san,” Natalia requested. She’d brought her chair around her desk to sit beside us. We used the desk as a table for the teacups she’d set out. Apparently, she’d prepared the tea while I was knocked out by her heavenly kiss.

“Oh, sorry. I wasn’t thinking. It might be slightly insensitive on my part, but I do hope you will appreciate my gesture!” Natalia murmured, glancing to the teacup she’d set out for me. Honestly, I had no idea of what to do with it.

“I-I..." I stuttered. “I’m just a simple man. I lost my way in life. My reason to live. This morning, I intended to set things right. Not that they ever could be, but then it attacked me on the train on my way to work.” I clapped my hands to my cheeks while I relived the horror of what noh-face had done to me.

“That’s sad enough,” Natalia murmured. “But, I know there’s much more you aren’t sharing. What troubles you so?” Her asking this surprised me, but not more than the statement she followed it with. “I sense discomfort in your aura.”

Rui eyed me and I remained silent. I wasn’t able to put my grief into words, so she spoke for me. “Do you remember the girl I was briefly working with, Natalia?” Rui’s eyes slid from me to her.

Natalia nodded. “I recall something you mentioned. It was another girl you had a bit of a crush on.” She giggled softly.

CRUSH? I noticed that she had deep feelings for Reiko-chan, but I didn’t suspect they were that deep. Girls’ love? The forbidden fruit? I wasn’t sure I could see them being together in a romantic way, given how many men Reiko-chan had dated in those last days. I didn’t know her sexual orientation, but that explained a few questions this conversation posed. She had actually dated that man with cold eyes. She clearly went for handsome men, as well.

“Yeah, a little bit,” Rui admitted with a sigh. “I barely knew her, but she impressed me. She had so much tenacity. She would have made a great partner. I blame myself for what happened to her…” She sighed. “Anyhow, we’re here for information, not comforting hugs.”

“Before we get down to discussing business with you, I think we need to address some of the turmoil roiling inside Susumu.” Natalia smiled reassuringly. “I can understand why you’re grieving. It’s a normal process, even for yokai. That brings me to another subject. Your condition worries you greatly, and that worries me.”

I nodded and smiled weakly, not that she could possibly know. “Y-”

“You just smiled, didn’t you?” Natalia grinned.

I froze, stunned. “W-what? I... but... I don’t have a mouth!” I reached my hand to my noh-mouth to make sure it hadn’t mysteriously reappeared.

“I sensed positivity in your aura.” Natalia winked. “My kind have a talent for reading emotions. Speaking of which, I keenly sensed your embarrassment downstairs when everyone noticed the tear in your bodysuit. It got my attention. We need to do something about your clothes. Fortunately, you can consult an expert. I will share what I know about the Noh-face with you, but I wish to help you beyond that.” She sipped her tea and set her delicate cup down on the saucer. “Therefore, take off all of your clothes, Susumu. I’ll get you something to cover your body while I mend it.”

I gasped and blushed. Those words gave me a noh-nose bleed. A torrent of blood fell from my face in exaggerated volume. It was the first time a girl had ever told me to take my clothes off. I couldn’t help having lewd thoughts.

“Stop doing that, Susumu-san!” Natalia warned me. “The more blood you lose, the faster your mind will erode. So be careful.”