Primals (Reverse Harem 1)

“Maybe I should,” I answer.

“Unless you don’t want to.”

I lift my head to meet his gaze. “How are you so carefree?”

Toshi just shrugs.

“How about you?” I prop my head on an arm. “What are your plans for today? Shouldn’t you be at school?”

“No.” He sits on the edge of my bed, his lean back turned to me. “Actually, I was thinking today that I’d take you to see a bit of the countryside. You should see at least that before you go home.”

“Hmm.”

Tempting. On one hand, I’m concerned that Kyle and Theo might be worried about me and it’s been long enough. Though by now they’ve probably gone long past that and into the territory of being mad. Hell, I would be in their place.

But then if they’re already mad...I’m thinking this space between us is actually doing me some good, giving me room to mull over things. Surely, another day apart won’t hurt.

Just one more day.

“Fine. Let’s do it,” I tell Toshi.

He turns his head towards me, a grin on his lips.

“I mean I’d be crazy to turn down an offer like this. But, are you sure you want to? You’ve showed me around plenty, I think, to meet the requirements for your school project.”

His grin vanishes, his expression turning serious. “I’m sure.”

That gleam in his eyes tells me this isn’t about the school project anymore. Maybe it never was.

I look away, my hand going to my forehead to rub it, hoping he doesn’t see the blush staining my cheeks. What am I, twelve? Grow up.

“Your head still hurts?” Toshi asks.

“Yeah.” I let my arm fall to my side. “If we’re going anywhere, I have to get rid of this hangover first.”

Toshi’s grin returns. “Oh, don’t worry. I know just what will make it go away in no time.”

A GENTLE BREEZE BLOWS, sweeping back tendrils of my hair and cooling the sweat off my brow. I tuck some behind my ear as I straighten up, having already caught the breath I’d stopped to chase.

“Water?” Toshi asks, holding up a bottle.

I nod and he tosses it to me. I catch it, pressing the bottle against my warm cheek before gulping some of its contents down.

Toshi moves closer. “Are you okay?”

I stop drinking, putting the cap of the bottle back on and wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

“Yeah.”

Toshi wasn’t kidding when he said he’d cure my hangover. In fact, it’s almost as if it never happened. Of course, the taste of that concoction, whatever that was, will be harder to strike out from my memory, but at least, it worked.

Now, I feel brand new, even more so since we started climbing this mountain.

Well, we’re not exactly climbing it, just following one of the trails, taking the time to commune with nature.

And again, Toshi’s right. This, along with the sleepy town we just passed by earlier, are a different side of Japan, a contrast to the hustle and bustle and all the lights and sounds and gizmos of the capital. It’s the other side of the coin but just as fascinating, with a magic entirely its own.

Of course, I was also just on a mountain two days ago but that was at night and I was too distracted to admire the scenery. Now, in broad daylight, I can.