Chapter 28 - Head Start Over

(cont'd)

I step out into the lounge area again, and Gorilla and Fire Colossus are still talking. I'm scared of annoying them so I think it's best if I don't turn on the background music.

About the background music… It's just one of the many things in the shop that keeps me up at night.

It all starts with the owner, Kichirou-san.

Why is he running a massage shop if he can just be a doctor? He healed my brother's condition just fine basically for free. I suspected that he's not actually giving our guests massage therapy, but some sort of an actual medical therapy and that explains why his service is expensive.

Then there's the storage room that is always locked where he keeps his 'massage solutions'. Massage solutions. I think they're medicines too.

I really want to know more but Fumio-san said I shouldn't ask questions, and I think it's better if I stick by that rule. Just like the boss once said, if I want to pay for my brother's treatment, my silence is how I pay for it.

But why? It's not like he's doing anything illegal. Well… I can only wonder.

My brother and I just moved to this neighborhood, at an apartment that is much better than the one we lived in. If I ask questions that might cross the line, I might get fired. I don't want to go back to how things were.

Wait… My brother can take care of himself now thanks to Kichirou-san, so we're doing much better than we ever had even if I get fired right now. Well, I still don't want to get fired. I don't think I can get a higher pay anywhere else.

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Two hours soon pass and, "Thank you, gentlemen. I hope you all come back again. We'll give you a 25% discount if you three come together." Boss is back in the lounge area, having finished his service to the three guests, and is wearing his fancy kimono once again.

"Uhuh. I don't know about these two, but I'll come back again even if I have to pay full. You're good, man." Blade Tornado says to Kichirou-san. I did not expect such expression of gratitude from this kind of man.

"He's alright. I feel like I can train all day today." Gorilla nods, looking much brighter compared to earlier. Boss probably did something to the big man's injuries.

"Owner. Can you give me a call, in case Old Phantom comes by?" Fire Colossus hands Kichirou-san a piece of paper, probably containing his phone number.

"I have to get his permission first." Kichirou-san says.

Yeah. Another rule from Fumio-san. Whatever is said by customers in the shop, stays in the shop. That includes the identities of our guests. Even though this shop is a lot more high-class than the hostess bar I worked at before, people are still the same. I have heard some unsavory things talked about by some guests, and it won't do us any good if I babble.

Soon, "Have a nice day, dear guests." I bid the three goodbyes as they step out of the main door.

Phew… They were a bit scary at first, but they're an interesting bunch. I hope they come again.

"Kotone. Close up the shop." Kichirou-san says.

What?

"It's only 11 in the morning?" I ask.

What if we get new customers today? Or walk-in ones? More than half the time I spent in this shop is watching over an empty establishment. I want to reduce idle time, if possible.

"They'll be the only guests today." Kichirou-san says as he puts on his winter haori over his kimono. Looks like he's leaving again. In the days when we get customers who booked appointments, after dealing with those appointments, he would often close up the shop and go out. I can only follow the order and go home. Fumio-san is always here anyways. As for Kichirou-san, I don't know where he goes.

"Wait... No. Instead. Why don't we do something together?" He suddenly changes his mind, and he takes his winter haori off again.

Wait. This is new. What does he mean? 'Do something'? It can't be something like 'that', right? No. It couldn't be. It's been two months since I've known him, and he doesn't seem like that type of man.

If he is, then at least one of the girls from Musume46 would have felt something weird and at least one of them should have stopped coming.

"W-what are we going to do?" I can only ask.

"How would you like a raise?" He asks. .

Of course, I would love a raise. But for what price?

"I would love to, Kichirou-san. But I don't think I did enough to deserve it."

"Well. You keeping up a calm front in the presence of our clientele, no matter what type they are. Dealing with the unclean intentions from male guests, or keeping quiet about the things you heard, you've done a good job in those." Kichirou-san says.

Isn't that what's expected of me though? Well, except for the uncomfortable remarks, but even those are rare.

"I have unpopular opinions and unsavory thoughts myself. Who am I to judge?"

"Oho~" He simply smiles at me. His smile looks benevolent… but why am I getting a bad feeling?

"Okay. Why don't we do this? Do you want to work on something to get that raise?" He asks.

"What is it?"

It couldn't be that bad, right? Suddenly, just like magician, he pulls out something out of thin air and hands it to me. I'm no longer surprised by this exact trick by Kichirou-san's as I've seen it a couple of times already.

What interests me instead is the familiar looking thing that is now in my hands; a box that is like the one that contained my kimono uniform two months ago when it was new.

"Another uniform?" I ask as I open the box.

Looks like a set of clothes, but… Huh. A set of gi? Why is he giving me these?

"What are these for, Kichirou-san?"

Is he mistaken?

"I don't have a fighting bone in my body… sir."

"It doesn't matter. Change to those and meet me at the massage room after you're done. I'll check on Fumio." He simply orders me before going back in the service area.

That's weird… I'm not going to be beaten up, am I?

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It hurts.

And I'm a hot sweaty mess.

As soon as I entered the massage area a few minutes ago, I found Kichirou-san already waiting. The massage table and the other furniture are also set to the side to make space at the center of the room for me and him to occupy.

He then asked me to follow his movements and that movement is what I'm doing right now. Full front splits, while breathing in a weird and uncomfortable pattern.

"FOCUS…" He snaps me back from my thoughts.

Does he want a yoga partner or something? He could have just said so. What's with the gi?

"AH!" Oh no. I'm starting to cramp up. This could be bad. My calves cramped up before, but thighs?

Suddenly, Kichirou-san lays his palms on my thigh and his palms starts glowing. Soon, a cool and refreshing feeling travels from the part of my thigh that is cramping and it spreads throughout the rest of my legs.

I have no time to marvel the experience as, "Start over counting your breathing repetitions.", he orders immediately.

1…

2…

3…

8…

9…

"*gasp!**inhale…**exhale…*" I can't do more, or else I'll faint. I feel spent too.

"I guess you won't be seeing that raise anytime soon." Kichirou-san shrugs as he slowly stands up from his splits.

Damn. How can a man his age be so flexible? Anyways… What did he mean?

"What do you mean, Kichirou-san?"

"If you manage to complete 64 continuous breathing repetitions in this pose, I'll give you a bonus."

64?!

I can barely do ten!

"And there are 15 more poses like this. And if you complete 64 continuous breathing repetitions in them, you will also be rewarded. That's like 16 bonuses. Isn't that fun?" He smirks.

Okay… This… I don't know what to say. How much is the bonus though? Oh… Looks like he figured out what I'm thinking.

"As for the bonus, I'll set aside 16,000,000 yen for you. Each pose you complete 64 breaths in, I'll give you 1,000,000 yen." He says.

So that means… If I can complete what he's asking me, then that's 32 months, or almost three years or work in this place.

I can basically get a condo unit and pay for a quarter of its entire price for the down payment. It won't take my whole youth to own a property as long as Kichirou-san is satisfied with my work.

What worries me though is…

"While your shop earns quite a lot, it's far from allowing you to give me that bonus."

Can he even afford to give me that bonus?

"Ah. While I love spending time in my shop, it's not my main source of income."

Oh… Come to think of it, there are days when he would be gone for hours. Now it makes sense why he would sometimes close up the shop after just working on one appointment.

He must be working as some sort of a doctor during those times.

That well-known superioris doctor I went to with my brother for consult once said that she would take at least ten sessions to fully heal my brother's kidneys. Kichirou-san on the other hand, if what Haruto said was reliable, only took a minute or two to heal Haruto's kidneys. That means Kichirou-san is levels above just any superioris healer. So that also means that his treatment must cost billions of yen.

Now I get it.So. Boss can afford to give me a bonus. But how about me?

64 breath repetitions in one of these poses… Continuous repetitions at that…

Can I do it?...

Screw it.

It's not like I'll die. And even if somehow, I injure myself, Kichirou-san is a doctor.

"You're really serious about this, Kichirou-san?" I ask.

"Yes." He nods confidently. He seems to be confident that I can't do it.

"If I can do it, you won't go back on your word, right?" I ask just to be sure.

"We can put it in a legal-binding contract if you want." He says.

Damn. He's serious then. Good.

"Then I'll do it."

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Good grief…

This is so embarrassing. Being carried princess-style like this must be my first time. If only I haven't spent my legs earlier, I would be running away right now. I always dreamt it to be a boyfriend or husband to carry me like this first, but it's this heartless demon Kichirou who made me go through that torture.

"W-what are we doing in the shower room?" Why are we here?

He does not answer and simply unlocks that door in the shower room that only Kichirou-san and Fumio uses, and we enter.

Why do they keep it locked? It's just a room with a bathtub. Wait a minute. He's not planning on bathing me himself, right? I know I can't move, but…

"Careful with your head." He says as he slowly puts me down in the tub.

Is he really going to clean me?

"Whatever you're thinking, you're mistaken." He says however, making me feel bad.

I know that you can tell what people are thinking, but can you at least not call it out?

He then waves his hand in the air and a glass bottle, containing some green-yellow solution, appear on his hand. He then puts it down beside the tub within my reach.

"Here's what you're gonna do. Take off your gi. Fill the tub with water enough to soak entirely your body. And then mix that medicine in the water." He instructs before walking out.

What just happened? Let's think about it later. He's the doctor so I'll do as he says for now.

"oohh.. That feels nice."