You Came with the First Spring Breeze... - Episode 6: A New Love

Episode 6: A New Love

The long rain cleared up, and as the sun began to shine through the thick clouds of summer, I had grown tired of my regular visits to the employment office. I decided it was time to start going to interviews at the companies Yoshi had introduced to me.

I pulled out my summer suit and took it to the cleaners. My long vacation was about to come to an end. My battery was recharged to about 50%. It wasn’t fully charged, but it was enough to start walking forward again.

After walking for about five minutes from my apartment, the bright, cheerful sign of the dry cleaners came into view. In the flowerbed by the store entrance, morning glories swayed gently in the breeze.

That day, Yoshi had shown up unannounced with some dumplings and shared with me what he had learned about Aki’s past.

She hadn’t relied on her family’s support and had managed to attend university. She couldn’t survive on regular part-time jobs, so she had no choice but to work in the sex industry. And her first experience had been with a customer.

On the other hand, Mita, who had joined the company with us as a colleague, had quit after about three years and started his own business. He launched a staffing agency, which was growing steadily. Mita met Aki and convinced her to leave the sex industry. After that, he became possessive, treating her like a sex toy. He played with her as much as he wanted and then discarded her like trash.

Aki had told Yoshi at the group date that she just wanted to have a normal relationship with a normal person.

Her approaching me wasn’t about revenge for being cheated on. Yoshi said that Aki probably just wanted to experience a real relationship—to love and be loved, to argue, to betray and be betrayed.

She didn’t know any other way to build a romantic relationship than through sex.

It was the first time I’d realized how much a girl, who was used by men and treated like a convenient object, could be so broken.

I had hurt her as one of those men. I had only thought of her as an outlet for my desires.

Without realizing it, I had crouched down in front of the flowerbed. Hugging my suit, which I hadn’t washed since last summer, I felt hot tears streaming down my face.

I felt overwhelmed by guilt and helplessness for Aki. I wished I could see her again.

And then, I would say to her, “Please, let’s start as friends!”

Just then, the dry cleaner’s door creaked open.

“Hey, are you okay? Are you feeling sick?” The elderly lady from the cleaners came out, concerned.

I wiped my tears and runny nose with the suit I was holding and handed it to her.
“Please clean this.”

“Sure, sure. A jacket and trousers, right? Come on in.”

Wiping the rest of my tears on my sleeve and sniffling, I walked into the store.

“Imai! We’ve got a customer at the counter!” the lady called to the back of the store.

A lively voice responded, “Coming!” and as the woman stepped out from the back through a rectangular cutout in the wall, my thoughts and words were instantly snatched away.

She froze as well when she saw my face, looking like she had been splashed with cold water.

“A-Aki?”

“Tomoya-kun…”

“Oh, you two know each other?” The old lady, her tone completely different from ours, looked back and forth between us, then, sensing something, bustled off elsewhere.

“A jacket and trousers, right?” Aki repeated, her voice trembling slightly.

“There are no stains, right?”

Well, except for some tears and snot, but…

“Regular dry cleaning is okay? Or would you prefer the deluxe service?”

“Dry cleaning is fine… No, actually, the deluxe service.”
It was an indulgence for a cheap suit, but I wanted to show off a little.

“You work here?” I asked, trying to make conversation.

“Yeah, only recently. I was unemployed too, so I figured I should do something.”

“I see.”

“What about you? Are you recharged?”

“Well, almost. But I’m ready to get back to work.” I glanced at the suit in my hands.

“Good, good.” Aki smiled, her grin brighter than the morning glories outside.

I felt like I needed to say something more, but the more I tried, the more my words got stuck in my throat.

“Do you have a membership card?” she asked.
I handed her my card, and while writing down the address on the receipt, she said, “I had no idea you were this close.”

“Yeah, same here.”

I wanted to invite her to dinner or something, but I swallowed the words down.
You’re not ready yet, Yoshi’s words echoed in my mind.

“That’ll be 4,400 yen,” she said.
I paid in cash and took the receipt.

“Um…” I hesitated but forced the words out. Even though I was about to leave, there was something I had to say.
Aki looked tense, waiting for me to speak.

“I’m going to get a real job. And when I do, there’s something I want to tell you.”

“Have you sorted out your feelings?” she asked gently.

I nodded without hesitation.
“Yeah, a long time ago.”

Aki seemed to visibly relax.

“Shall we exchange contact info?” I asked.
Aki took out her phone, and we exchanged QR codes.

“Is it okay if I message you?”

“Yes, I’ll be waiting.”

With a lingering sense of longing, we both waved lightly and said goodbye. I walked out, passing by the spot where I had been crouched and crying just minutes before.

When I get a job, I’ll confess my feelings.

I’ll show her a typical, clichéd way to start a love story.

I don’t have much experience with relationships either. I don’t know much about girls’ bodies or their emotions. But I believe we can figure all that out by talking, touching, and getting closer.

There’s one thing I do know for sure:

My new love has already begun.

Author’s Note:

Not yet! It’s not over yet!

Thank you for reading until the end.

In the final comments, some expressed disappointment about the lack of a “serves you right” element.

Indeed, indeed!!

I can’t believe I let that slip…

Originally, this work was a short romantic story. I wanted to stay true to that narrative, wrapping it up with romance. However, since I tagged it as “NTR,” as you’ve pointed out, a “serves you right” element is essential.

I thought about a sequel! But since I’ve received so much support here, I’ve decided to continue this series. I made that decision just now.

So, this marks the end of Chapter One, and Chapter Two will follow.

I haven’t started writing it yet, but I plan to update as soon as I can.

I hope you continue to enjoy it!

End of Chapter 1

To be continued in Chapter 2