“You know what,” said Yuto, “Because I’m a nice boy, I’ll give you a handicap, Mister Pervert. For round three, I won’t play. You play alone. If your skirt flip beats either of my first two, then you win.”

“Deal,” said Aya, before Jiro could protest. “Don’t forget why we’re here,” she said to Jiro. “Win the game and we get a clue about my ship.”

“You could just judge me the winner,” Jiro said flatly.

“I don’t like cheaters. But here’s a hint, Jiro.” Aya whispered into Jiro’s ear, “Try to remember what really turns me on.”

“You're taking forever Mister Pervert. Hurry up and pick a place.” Yuto yawned. “It won’t matter, though. There’s no way you can win.”

Jiro walked circles around the mall to buy more time. He tried to recall what had turned Aya on. There was the time at the beach … where she had adjusted her bikini bottoms in front of her friends. And that time at her house when she did naughty things behind her father’s head.

The inspiration came in a flash. It was the same rush of inspiration that had come in Tae’s apartment, when the furry kaiju had trapped him in her shower. It’s not just voyeurism. Aya likes it when there’s danger. When there’s a chance of being caught … and of being punished.

He turned to Aya. “Take off your panties.”

“What?”

“Take off your panties, Aya.”

“That’s not part of the rules!” complained Yuto.

“As long as she flips her skirt anything goes, right?” They were in a relatively quiet pocket of the mall, and there were not so many shoppers around. “Hide behind that potted plant and take them off.”

“Couldn’t I go to the bathroom …”

“No. Take them off here.”

“Why the sudden change Jiro?” said Aya. “You’re being bold. Okay, I’ll do it.” She stepped behind the potted plant and began to step out of her panties, not bothering to take off her shoes. A man came out of the bathroom and tried to sneak a look at Aya, but when he saw Jiro and Yuto, he averted his gaze.

“Okay, they’re off.” Aya showed them the pink lace balled in her fist. “What do you want me to do with them?” she said breathily. She was already starting to get the wide-eyed look. Good … it’s working!

“Now,” said Jiro, using the same stern tone that he had used with Tae, “We are going to go to that police box.” He pointed a finger. Near the entrance of the mall was a walled-off area with a sign that said POLICE in English letters. Outside the entrance was a buff policeman, standing with one hand on his hips.

Aya hesitated. “We’re not going to do anything illegal, are we?”

“Do not question me. You must do as I command. Am I understood?”

Aya looked at him. She did not seem angry. Only surprised … and a little bit intrigued.

“Am I understood?”

“Yes …”

“Say yes sir.”

“Yes … sir.” Aya’s voice had deepened slightly. She was getting excited.

“You are under my command. You are here to obey. And do you know what happens if you disobey?”

“I … am a bad girl,” Aya sad breathily.

“And what happens to bad girls?”

“They get … punished.”

“That’s right. So will you obey?”

Aya nodded and bit her lip. Her face was really flushed. Okay, it’s working … keep urging her on like this. We’re just getting started.

“Now we will go to that police box. And when we get there, you will speak to the policeman and hand him your panties.”

“Jiro I—”

Jiro swatted Aya on the butt through the fabric of her skirt. She let out a little yelp. A few shoppers glanced at them and then quickly moved away.

“I said no questions. Do you understand me?”

Aya nodded submissively and bit her lip again. She glanced over at the policeman. He had crossed his arms now and was dutifully scanning the crowd for any troublemakers.

“And then …” Jiro leaned forward and whispered the rest of the instructions into Aya’s ear. A look of surprise came over Aya’s face. “Am I understood?”

“Yes … sir,” she breathed.

“Good. Let’s go.”

Together the three of them squeezed through the afternoon crowd toward the police box. When they drew near, the policeman noticed them approaching. After a hesitant glance at Jiro, Aya stepped forward.

“Um … hi,” said Aya. “Here.” She held out the panties she had just been wearing moments before. There was a dark stain on them. Apparently, the first two rounds of the skirt-flipping showdown had done plenty to turn her on. At the sight of the pink lace fabric, the policeman stiffened and raised an eyebrow. “What is the meaning of this?”

“I, um, found this. In the women’s bathroom. I want to report a lost item.”

The policeman relaxed slightly. His eyes slid toward Aya’s chest. “You look a little developed to be in a school uniform.”

“I drank a lot of milk growing up.”

“Sure ...” He looked at the three of them. “Some kind of family outing?”

“Ah yes,” said Aya. “I mean no. I’m here with my … um … boyfriend. And this is his little brother.”

“I’m not this pervert’s brother!”

Jiro nudged Yuto with his knee. “What he means … sir, is that I am his brother. But he’s angry because I didn’t buy him a toy. And also because I brought my, uh, girlfriend with us. He loves me and he wanted to have me all to himself.”

Yuto opened his mouth to speak but Jiro silenced him with another nudge.

The policeman frowned. “Well, it’s not my place to ask about family circumstances. If you could step inside …”

The police box was small. Just a few shelves against the far wall and a desk to one side. “Hold on a moment,” said the policeman, shutting the door behind them. “I’ll need to record the lost item, and you’ll have to sign some papers … Now where did I put that lost item form …” He walked to the shelves against the far wall and began rifling through the stacks of paper.

The moment the policeman turned his back Aya reached down, pinched the fabric of her schoolgirl skirt with her fingers, and pulled, baring herself to the policeman.

“Lost items report … lost items report … where did I put it …”

Jiro could not see beneath Aya’s skirt from where he stood. But he had a pretty good idea of the view. It was heavenly. Smooth buttery legs. A well-trimmed brush. Muscular thighs. Not a tan line to be found anywhere. Aya was clearly getting excited by the thought of getting caught. Her cheeks were flushed deep red. She was breathing hard, her chest rising and falling, threatening to tear out of the schoolgirl uniform. It’s working … but she needs one more push.

The policeman kneeled down. “I swear it was in here somewhere … Maybe it’s in these drawers …”

Jiro leaned forward and whispered softly into Aya’s ear: “Now sit down. In the chair.”

There was a swivel chair next to the desk. Aya did not protest. She sidled over with her skirt raised and slid her bare bottom onto the cushioned seat.

“Now,” Jiro whispered, kneeling down beside her. “Spread your legs.”

Aya let out a soft noise, somewhere between a moan and a purr. She looked at Jiro. Her pupils were heavily dilated. He could feel her hot breath on his face. Jiro nodded and mouthed: do it.

Aya stood her feet up on her toes and then slowly, ever so slowly, she spread her knees as far as they would go. Everything was exposed. Now if the policeman turned, there would be nothing to hide.

“Ah here it is!” said the policeman. He whirled around with the paper in hand.

Aya dropped her skirt and snapped her legs together.

The policeman blinked. He had turned too fast. He had seen everything. He looked at Aya in the chair. Then he looked at Yuto and Jiro. His mouth opened and shut and then opened and shut again. There was a bewildered look on his face. Oh! thought Jiro. He’s confused. His brain refuses to believe what it just saw!

“Aya!” he said, filling his voice with worry. “Are you okay?!” He turned to the policeman. “I’m sorry … the weather was so hot today. My girlfriend, she’s not feeling well.”

“A-ah yes,” said Aya huskily. “It’s the h-heat you know. Oh god I’m so horny. I mean hot. I’m so hot. The weather is hot I mean, not me.”

The policeman looked at Aya. He frowned. “Your face … it’s flushed … and your breathing is labored. Are you okay? Do you require medical assistance?”

“N-no it’s fine … just let me sign that form for you …”

The policeman watched Aya for another moment. Then he shook his head briskly as if to chase away the sight of her.

“Is there a problem officer?” Aya asked with a smile. “Is there something on my skirt?”

“Ah ... mhm.” The policeman cleared his throat and looked away. “N-no, there’s nothing. If you could just sign here …”

“Wait!” said Aya, standing up suddenly. “I just remembered. These panties are mine. Oops. The heat must have gotten to my head. Come on guys, let’s go.” Aya and Yuto went out the door. When Jiro moved to follow, the policeman stopped him with a hand on his shoulders.

“Excuse me,” said the officer. “Can we talk for a moment?”

Jiro turned around. Next to the officer, he could see the swivel chair where Aya had been sitting moments before. The seat was soaked.

“Sure …” said Jiro, trying not to look at the mess. “What is it?”

“You’re a lucky man,” he said wistfully. “What a beautiful girl. Make sure you never let that one go. I swear I saw …”

“You saw … what?”

The policeman shook the thought away. “Nothing, it’s nothing. Too many pretty girls at the mall today. I’ve got my mind in the gutter … Anyway, I wanted to say thank you.”

“Thank you?”

“The little boy with you. He’s your brother, right?”

“Wha— oh, that’s right. Yes, my brother. Yuto”

“Yuto is his name, is it? I want to say thank you for playing with him. I see him around here sometimes. But he’s always alone. And always wearing the same clothes … I thought he was an orphan or something.” The policeman clapped Jiro on the back. “When you’re not too busy getting the hot stuff on with your girlfriend, make some time for your brother too, ok? He usually looks so sad … but today he seemed happy.”

Yuto did not look happy when Jiro got back.

“You cheated,” he said with his arms crossed. “You cheated, and I’m not gonna tell you where your ship is.”