Chapter 203

However, when Tachibana said these words, her gaze never left Haihara.

Haihara, of course, noticed those gazes.

She asked, somewhat puzzled:

Is there something strange about me?

Ms. Tachibana's gaze was so intense that Haihara wondered if she was dressed strangely or if her makeup wasn't done properly.

Miss Tachibana, however, looked quite strange.

At first, she was able to maintain a calm and gentle gaze towards Haihara, but later her eyes gradually Haihara, revealing a dazed expression.

It is indeed difficult to understand why someone would look at a stranger like that.

Miss Tachibana's hands, holding the ginger soup, began to tremble, mirroring her wavering heart. Yet, her long, beautiful eyes remained fixed on Haihara.

"Miss Tachibana, the ginger soup is going to spill."

Perhaps it was because she noticed the ginger soup in Ms. Tachibana's bowl sloshing around that Kirishima Ai compelled to offer a reminder.

At this moment, Miss Tachibana suddenly came to her senses.

She paused for a moment, then lowered her head, looked at the cola-colored sweet soup in her hand, and gave a slightly disappointed smile.

"Ah, oh... sorry, I was just spacing out."

Miss Tachibana said this, but she didn't drink the ginger soup anymore; instead, she put it back on the coffee table.

Throughout this process, Haihara remained silent, simply sipping her cola ginger soup.

It's still morning, in terms of time.

The warm cola ginger soup dispelled some of the chill of late autumn.

After finishing their drinks, Ms. Tachibana naturally started chatting with Haihara; she seemed to be a very talkative person.

However, Ms. Tachibana was a little too enthusiastic.

Even though they were complete strangers who had only just met, she took Haihara's hand without any distance between them, gazing at Haihara's hand with warm eyes:

"You're not married yet?"

She certainly saw the ring on Haihara's finger, on her left middle finger. It was a very beautiful ring, and whoever chose it must love Haihara very much.

Haihara lowered her head, looked at the ring, and said calmly:

"I have indeed decided to spend the rest of my life with someone."

She made no attempt to hide it.

Ms. Tachibana did not show any surprise upon hearing this.

She continued touching that hand, but her body gradually leaned towards Haihara, causing her breasts, which were impossible to look away from, to sway, making one curious about their feel.

After she raised her head, her long, wine-red hair fell down to Haihara's hands and skin.

The woman Haihara was meeting for the first time looked at her with an undisguised affection, her eyes holding something difficult to understand—a sense of melancholy, bewilderment, even sorrow, as if Haihara something that both captivated and saddened her.

Haihara has no recollection of ever flirting with such a busty beauty.

Tachibana still looked at Haihara with that same gaze:

"I used to know someone who was very similar to you, and she also planned to spend the rest of her life with someone."

"But in the end, she cried pitifully because of that person and did something that broke everyone else's hearts..."

Her voice was melodious and light, and her tone was sincere. However, this time, Ms. Tachibana from Haihara to Kirishima Ai standing to the side.

Kirishima Ai was unaware that Tachibana was looking at her.

She was just thinking about what Haihara had said about spending the rest of her life together.

Haihara clearly noticed Kirishima's dejection as well.

She looked at Kirishima Ai and said to Tachibana -san:

"Miss Tachibana, I think we've been bothering you for too long. I should take my child and go home now. Thank you for your hospitality."

Ms. Tachibana was not angry at Haihara's slightly aloof Haihara; on the contrary, she seemed quite used to it.

She sat back down and smoothed her long, flowing hair, which exuded elegance.

"It's alright. Please allow me to bring you lunch once it's prepared. Our large public bath is also always ready for you. I wish you both a pleasant time."

And so, their first meeting with the innkeeper came to an end. After thanking Ms. Tachibana, the innkeeper Haihara returned to their rooms, leaving Ms. Tachibana alone, gazing at the room that Haihara's presence.

The room still smelled of the hot cola from before, but soon, a stronger floral scent gradually overwhelmed it.

After Haihara and Kirishima Ai left, only Tachibana remained in the room. Tachibana didn't rush to clean up the teacups and paper bowls for ginger soup that Haihara and the others had left behind, because she had told the guests not to bother.

She stood up, closed her bedroom door, and locked it.

After that, Tachibana turned her head and glanced at the wall that was separated from the outside by only a glass wall. She walked forward to the wall and then naturally drew the curtains inside the room to prevent any light from coming in.

Even so, the room was not completely dark.

This woman, as sweet and alluring as a ripe honey fruit, walked step by step to a corner of the room and looked at a mirror placed there.

The mirror reflected Tachibana's image.

Perhaps "beautiful" is too inadequate to describe it.

That woman was as beautiful and alluring as a field of blooming flowers, yet within that beauty, she did not lose her maternal purity and innocence.

Her long, wine-red hair cascaded over the woman's white dress, radiating a vibrant sheen.

"Why am I seeing you here? I was never ready at all..."

She said, stunned.

In the mirror, what stands out most is the woman's eyes, which radiate a soft glow.

Tachibana had only drunk a little tea since she met Haihara, but now she seemed drunk, her cheeks gradually flushing red.

She stroked her burning cheeks with both hands.

"Her scent is so wonderful, like moonlight before dawn, the sweet and alluring aroma of ripe grapes... This is terrible, I can't calm down at all..."

This woman, who should have been meeting Haihara for the first time, muttered to herself.

Like a lustful, infatuated woman, she muttered these strange words.

After murmuring and pondering for a long time, Tachibana seemed to finally calm down a bit, and the heat on her face subsided slightly. Then, Tachibana slowly looked towards the coffee table, the place where she and Haihara had been drinking tea together not long ago.

Besides the paper bowls for ginger soup, Tachibana also served them tea.

One step at a time.

Tachibana walked to the coffee table, gently knelt down, looked at the teacup that Haihara had used, and then carefully picked it up.

This teacup was obviously used by Haihara.

There was still some tea left inside.

She might look a little strange, but she wasn't doing anything odd. She was just doing what she was supposed to do after entertaining the guests—cleaning up their belongings.

She first carefully observed the spot on the rim of the cup where Haihara's lips had touched it, noticing the sheen and the almost dried marks.

Then, she stuck out her tongue.

She cleaned and tidied up the things Haihara left behind in this way.

At first, it was just a gentle, caressing lick and a delicate, savoring sensation.

But soon she felt unsatisfied. She began to rub her skin against it, and began to kiss the teacup that Haihara had used, as if she were kissing a lover.

It was as if this could alleviate her thirst and loneliness.

Yes, that woman left her so little that even such an item made her incredibly ecstatic.

This elegant and dignified mature beauty maintained her graceful and noble dining demeanor at this moment.

Finally, she drank the tea that Haihara had drunk in one gulp, savoring the taste that belonged to Haihara with her tongue and throat.

Tachibana gently touched the remaining water droplets on her lips.

"..."

What a pity, it was cleaned up so quickly.

When she looked again at the teacup she had already tasted, all that remained was loneliness and emptiness.

At that moment, Tachibana couldn't help but wonder how she could possibly satisfy this almost inexhaustible desire.

She couldn't imagine any way she could get satisfaction from women.

Until her hand slowly moved to her abdomen, like a mother expecting something to grow there, but in reality, there was nothing there; the woman had never given her what she wanted.

Tachibana's face was flushed as if she were drunk. She slowly rubbed her stomach, revealing a motherly, gentle, and holy look in her eyes.

"I long... I long for you to come to me, so I can give birth to you myself and become your mother..."

Chapter Nine: A Girl in the Prime of Her Youth

After returning to her room, Haihara noticed that the girl's enthusiasm for the trip seemed to have been dampened a bit. From the moment she left until now, Kirishima Ai had been sitting somewhat lost in the corner of the hotel room.

To others, this would look like a child throwing a tantrum, but Kirishima Ai hasn't said a word yet, just pretending to play on her phone, and occasionally glancing at Haihara.

However, Haihara felt that Kirishima Ai didn't know what to say, or from what standpoint to speak.

This is different from their usual indifferent attitude.

Soon, Haihara walked up to Kirishima Ai.

Kirishima Ai subconsciously looked up, and then saw Teacher Haihara looking down at her:

"Just now, you went to that landlady's place. It was boring, right? Actually, you wanted to leave as soon as possible."

Haihara's tone was the same as usual.

Those who are not familiar with her may find it difficult to guess what she was thinking when she said such things.

As for Kirishima Ai, just like someone who didn't know her well, she didn't understand why Teacher Haihara was saying that.

She did want to leave as soon as possible.

But.

"... It's not because I'm bored."

For some reason, despite her awkward personality, she spoke her mind.

But Haihara said:

"Yes, I understand."

Kirishima Ai's previously dejected eyes opened slightly, but soon she heard Haihara continue speaking.

"Anyway, you don't seem to be in a good mood right now, and you don't look very energetic."

At that moment, a sense of apology welled up in Kirishima Ai's heart.

Since this was supposed to be a trip, and of course, people should be happy when they're on vacation, she had been in a happy mood the whole time. But after just a short while listening to the adults talk at the landlady's place, she suddenly changed her attitude.

She herself knew that this was just a child's awkward and immature side.

If it were with her own mother, that would be one thing, but this time she was with Teacher Haihara. She had invited Teacher Haihara herself, and now she's spoiling Teacher Haihara's fun.

"Sorry, I'm just... a little dizzy from the car ride."

Kirishima Ai used this excuse to cover up her actions.

At this moment, she remembered that before her parents divorced, they would leave her out in the same way when they were having dinner with friends.

I wasn't particularly sad, though.

At that time, I just felt a little lonely.

But now that she's older, why would she suddenly have this reaction?

Kirishima.

Suddenly, Haihara called out Kirishima Ai's surname.