Chapter 139 – Kami

Chapter 139 – Kami

A week had passed since Uta disappeared. I knew it was in vain, but I tried looking for him all over the city that day. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I didn't want to believe he was actually gone, that maybe he was trying to live as a human being.

God or not, Uta had his whole life ahead of him. Why shouldn't he be allowed to live it? Instead of experiencing an actual childhood, he was forced to sit alone in a shrine on that cold mountain.

Mio and I were over at Kana's house today to cram the rest of our winter homework on the last day of break. I just couldn't get my head in order. All I had left of Uta was his ring that still wouldn't come off my finger.

"Alright." Kana sighed as he brought snacks into the living room. "Eventually you're going to have to talk about it."

"Pft. As if talking ever cheers anyone up. What Saeko needs is a good fucking. How about we double team you? Shayle brought some of those juicy dick-granting potions, and I happened to get my hands on a few vials." Mio waved one in the air, but I was unfortunately not in a mood to humor her.

"And sex doesn't always cheer someone up." He snatched the vial and placed the plate of cookies in her hand instead.

"Works for me every single time, but fine. I'll shove it for now. Come on, girl. Put the pencil down." She suddenly and forcibly charmed me to actually lie down on the couch.

"D-Damn it, Mio! This isn't how you're supposed to cheer someone up either!" I groaned, unable to move or do anything.

The two of them, like amateur therapists, sat at each end of the couch. Mio was by my head, eating cookies. She lowered one down to my mouth to feed me by hand.

After that day, these two were the only ones I confided in. I was scared that telling more people might invite bad omens when it came to gods. While Mio was more readily inclined to believe in the existence of gods— her reasoning was that her world had them, so why shouldn't this— Kana went through an existential crisis trying to ruminate on it.

"You can probably break out of it," Mio began, munching so messily that crumbles sprinkled on my face. "But what's the fun in that?"

"It's just... doesn't seem fair to Uta. He looked so sad right before leaving. I wish I could have done more," I said.

"Saeko, do you think you're fixated on Uta because he reminds you of yourself?" Kana asked.

Mio and I stared blankly at him.

"Whoa, buddy. There's a world of difference between them in case you haven't noticed. For example, have you seen these tits?" Mio asked.

"That's not what I meant! Saeko, what words go through your head when you think of Amaterasu?" Kana posed a question to me that was answered in an instant in my head.

"Controlling, mean, cold, abusive, negligent... I can go on, but do you really want to stay here all day?" I asked.

"Man, I really hope she doesn't smite us... Now do any of those words sound like a certain two people in your life?" he continued.

"My parents." The answer came to me as naturally as I sucked dick.

Now the more I dwelled on it, the more similar Amaterasu and my parents seemed. Both were absent parental figures in life, wanted to dictate every little thing, and never showed an ounce of affection.

"Okay, talking-therapy session over." Mio snatched back the vial from Kana. "I was promised a reward for studying, and my ass aims to collect on it. Time for fucking-therapy session. We're gonna double-team Saeko, and that's all the therapy she needs."

"Drop your control over me first, damn it!" I cried.

School had begun once again. Students were back to their routines, greeting classmates and friends, and groaning about needing to wake up early. I, like any other, missed being able to sleep in late, and knowing that college entrance exams were coming, wished our break would continue for much longer. There would be no more breaks from here on out. It was a straight shot of three months until graduation.

Nervous? Not really. Anxious? More than I could describe.

Mio and Kana split from me at the shoe lockers to find their other friends. As I headed upstairs, my butt received a hard slap that almost sent me flying.

"Welcome back, Saeko!" Kameshiro creepily sniffed the hand that dealt the blow and raced past me

I charmed a student ahead of him to stick their foot out, tripping him onto the floor. That was one guy I couldn't get rid of any sooner.

"Morning, Saeko!" Koga called out to me in the hallway. "I-I'm surprised you're still wearing the collar."

"It's a nice change in style from what I usually wear anyway." I smiled.

The two of us walked together since our classes were adjacent to the other, catching up about what we did over winter break. I had offered to hang out with Koga after the New Year, but I was disappointed to learn that he had gone to the countryside to visit family in Okayama. While overhearing other students, our topic of conversation steered to post-high school plans.

"Have you already chosen a university to go to?" I asked.

"Oh, I'm actually going to take over my family's farm and candy shop. If school taught me anything, it's that I wasn't really cut out for it," Koga said.

"Your parents aren't forcing you or anything, are they?" Those words left my lips a little too harshly that even he was taken aback.

"No, not at all! It's what I want and what I've decided for myself. My folks were nothing but supportive. Besides, we live in the digital age. Even if I'm out in the boonies, I can still contact all of my friends. What's wrong? Did your parents force you to choose something you didn't want to do?" he asked.

"It's not that." I shook my head and sighed. "Say, what if your parents gave you an ultimatum. Like you had to get into Tokyo?"

We stopped in front of our classes and backed up against the window to let students pass. Fellow classmates waved and greeted us on their way in. Others made no effort to hide their jealousy, seeing that I was talking to a boy. If only they knew how much Koga and I had sex.

"You know... I'm not sure. Even if they force me into cram school or hire tutors, no amount of studying is teaching this thick head of mine. Sorry. Wish I had more words of wisdom, but I'm just a geek with more anime and manga knowledge than I know what to do with." Koga shrugged.

Talking with Koga wasn't entirely a waste. It made a lot of sense. Some people's brains were just wired differently. I could sit Mio and Hana down for a lesson on behaving properly, but they would always be troublemakers. Parents were only able to control their child so much until they just stopped budging.

The first bell suddenly rang, and students heading to class quickened their pace.

"No need to apologize. If anything, thanks for talking with me. Let's hang out some other time since we missed out over winter break. Maybe more intimately." I entered my class, then glanced over my shoulder to give a wink that made him beet red.

Throughout the day, the atmosphere of third year students was more subdued than usual. First and second years were obviously excited at the prospects of going up a grade, but for us who were soon to graduate, meant that we would be saying goodbye and entering a new phase in our lives.

Today, at least, were mostly just complaints of having to take the entrance exams.

After school, I went to the nurse's infirmary in hopes of talking to Yumi, but I found Shayle instead, who was putting some things away into the medicine cabinet.

"Hey, Shayle— Shayle?!"I stumbled back out the door, noticed a few students still walking the halls, then went back inside and shut it closed. "What are you doing here? Where's Yumi?"

"I'm filling in for Yumi for the day since she's been called to substitute at an all-boys elementary school. As you can see, I haven't gone back to Elza yet. Thought I'd spend some time on Earth for fun," Shayle said.

"I'm Saeko." When I took his hand, he folded his fingers over mine and kissed my knuckles, sending a shiver through my body.

"Is there actually someone in here?" Mio asked me.

"Yeah... another god. His name is Kon," I said.

Kon turned his sharp eyes to Mio and seemingly took interest. He stood up and walked circles around her to inspect her. Because my gaze followed his every movement, Mio gave me a weird look, wondering what I was doing. All I could do was shrug and wait.

"Go on. Why is it that you have come to my shrine? You are not my mikos, and you certainly have not come to profess worship of me. Then for what reason?" Kon asked.

"I was hoping you could help me. I want to speak with Amaterasu," I answered, only to receive a hearty laugh.

"No one simply speaks with Amaterasu. She resides deep within the heavenly palace, far from reach to the likes of myself and especially you. I shall hazard a guess— this is regarding your relationship to Utako, isn't it?" He cast his eyes to the ring on my finger.

"It is. I want to see Uta again. That's my right as his wife."

The lesser god went back to his cushion and sat down cross-legged. He chuckled, placed a hand to his chin and fell into thought, and continued to stare at me. Something about this was funny to him, but I wasn't sure what. It seemed like an inside joke that only he knew.

"Very well. I shall help," Kon said

"Really?" I gasped.

He continued. "On one condition: I would like to lay with your companion. Her wild appearance reminds me of a farmer girl I made love to centuries ago."

"Y-You want Mio?"

"Who wants me?" Mio turned to me after her name was brought up.

"W-Well... In exchange for Kon's help, he wants to have sex with you," I hesitantly told her.

Her eyes glistened. "Can't say I ever fucked a god before, but I'm down."

One side of me was scared of what that might entail. Would this god make Mio his wife? What if a succubus was able to overpower a god and accidentally drained him to death? Either way, this was our only lead.

"Mio says she's okay with it, but how?" I asked. "Neither of you can—"

"Have her wear this. If you two are to head into Takamagahara, then she must carry within herself something that is divine." Kon took off one of his tiny earring bells and handed it to me.

I helped Mio put it on her ear, and she immediately became aware of Kon's presence.

"So this the guy that wants to fuck? I hope he knows what he's getting himself into." Mio licked her lips.

"Stunning. To think that such foul language could come out of such a beautiful woman's mouth." Kon nodded to himself.

"I'll... step outside and let you guys do your thing," I said, backing away and shutting the door on the way out.

The noises were very sensual at first. I even started masturbating and thought about joining. Partway through, however, Mio's dominatrix tendencies surfaced.

Crack!

The sound of her whip made me flinch.

"Oh? You were a masochistic sub all along, huh? What kind of pathetic god kneels and begs? Come on~ Tell me how much you like my feet!" Mio cackled.

"I'm not a masochist— stop!"

Crack!

"We stop when I say stop!" she shouted, cracking the whip again.

"Ow! Please, this isn't what I had in mind! I'm— aahh!"

Another half hour passed and a naked Mio opened the door to let me in. The shrine smelled heavy with sex. Kon was lying on his back, half-naked and twitching, red whip marks scarred his once pristine body.

"What did you do to him?!" I cried, running over to check on the god.

"What? I gave him what he wanted," Mio said.

"If he doesn't help us because—"

"Whew!" Kon sat right up. "That was the most fun I've ever had. Thank you, Saeko. Thank you as well, Mio! What a thrilling experience."

Today I learned even gods could be hopeless perverts.

"Alright, time for your end of the bargain," I said, trying not to be grossed out by him.

Kon dressed himself in his robes again, but some of the marks were still visible on parts of his exposed skin. He walked over to the altar and picked up a larger, handheld bell and rang it three times. The echoes rippled back and forth, overlapping with each other, and distorting reality before my very eyes.

When everything settled down, Mio and I couldn't fight the dizziness and fell to the ground. I wanted to barf because of how nauseous that made me.

"What... happened?" Mio groaned.

Kon helped me and Mio to our feet, then walked to the entrance of his shrine to open the door.

In the distance, across a literal sea of clouds upon which rowboats traveled out of torii gates toward, was a sprawling city built upon a mountain. Like a picture right out of a history book about ancient Japan, traditional architecture of tiled rooftops, pagodas, floating lanterns, and enormous cherry blossoms in bloom.

An enormous sun wreathed the mountain from behind, and a moon, smaller in size floated above it. Flying humanoid creatures with red skin and long noses, serpentine dragons, and crows soared above the celestial city, home to the kami of Japan.

"Welcome to Takamagahara," Kon said.