Chapter 8: The End.
 
Hisao woke up with his head resting on his arm and Rin pressed firmly against her back as the sun rose through the cracks in the blinds. He smiled before looking at the clock that displayed “6:00.”
‘I don’t want to go to work…’
Hisao laid still for a while longer before deciding he had to get up. He slowly slide his body off to the side of Rin being sure to let her down on the bed as gently as possible. She gave a nonsensical mumble as he got off the bed and Hisao turned to look at her. Her body was covered from the neck down but her outline was seen through the sheets and then Hisao realized he was completely nude. With a red face he looked around for his boxers, put them on, and went to the shower.
 
He quickly showered, went back to the room with the sleeping Rin, put on his work clothes and went to the kitchen. He took the black erase marker off the whiteboard on the fridge and wrote Rin a note:
        “Feel free to make yourself at home. Going running with Emi after work. Be home late. –Hisao”
With that he left, locking the door behind him, and went to the train-station with a grin he couldn’t erase.
 
Rin woke up with her face turned to where Hisao had been resting as she slowly opened her eyes. She didn’t move or make any noises as she stared at the empty space for a few minutes.
‘I guess he went to work.’
She rolled over and stared at the ceiling with a blank expression.
‘The bed smells like Hisao.’
She sat up straight in the bed as the blanket fell off her torso, exposing her chest to the cold air giving her a shiver down her back.
‘It’s cold. I should also shower.’
With that she got out of the bed with a couple hops and walked to the other room she hadn’t seen yet assuming it was the bathroom. She used her hip to turn the knob of the door and then walked in, pulling the door closed behind her with her foot. She looked around the room, it was simple with a toilet on the right side, a sink on the opposite wall, and the shower/tub at the back. With a shrug she got in the tub, pulled the curtain closed with her foot and mouth before turning the knobs on to get the water flowing. The water flowed down Rin’s chest, rolling further down before dripping down to the bottom of the tub. She leaned forward into the water with her eyes closed as she wet her hair. The water dripped down from her hair as the steam rose through the room and fogged the mirror above the sink. She started to feel very hot as her mind wondered to the events of the previous night. Her breathing started to get heavy and she opened her mouth as her breathing became ragged. She leaned against the wall of the shower with her head tilted down as she tried to calm herself.
‘I’m not the me I usually am. I don’t know why I can’t stop thinking about that and him.’
Her expression became frustrated and she decided to try and take her mind off of it with painting. She finished showering, turned the water off and stepped out looking at the fogged mirror. She looked around and found a cabinet hanging next to the mirror. She opened the cabinet and found a stack of towels, she took one and dried herself before letting it fall to the ground and leaving the room. She found her suitcase of clothes laying the bedroom. She opened it, put on some clothes and left the rest hanging half way out of the suitcase before heading to the kitchen.
 
She read Hisao’s note with no change in her expression, opened the fridge and found some milk, eggs, and other random ingredients. Looking around she decided to look through the cabinets, eventually finding a box of cereal.
‘This is nice and simple.’
With that she poured herself a bowl and carefully brought it to the living room and sat it on the coffee table before sitting on the ground to eat it.
 
After eating she looked around and started to think of Hisao again with a frustrated expression.
‘I need to paint.’
She managed to set up her easel in the living room with the towel from earlier under it and started to paint from a chair she brought from the counter in the kitchen.
 
[…]
 
Hisao was waiting on a bench staring at the clouds.
‘Maybe I should be more like Rin.’
“HI-SA-O!”
Hisao snapped out of his absentmindedness and looked towards the voice.
“It’s an Emi.”
“What’s the supposed to mean!”
“Nothing. Ready?”
“You bet! I don’t even need to stretch!”
Emi stuck her tongue out as Hisao laughed and did some small stretches for his own legs. He gave Emi a nod before starting a light jog onto the track.
“Take it easy on me, ‘kay?”
“Sure!”
They started with a very light jog, almost the pace of a brisk walk and Emi let Hisao go that for a lap.
“We’re gonna pick it up a bit okay?”
Hisao was already breathing heavy and gave her an exhausted look.
“Sure…”
With that he matched her pace for another lap and was panting, he realized he couldn’t keep the pace up.
“Emi… I need… to slow… down…”
“Okay, go at a pace you’re comfortable with, I’ma go on ahead.”
With that she took off at a pace Hisao could hardly sprint full out at as he resumed the pace he had on the first lap. By the time he finished the third lap he was at his limit and came to a full step bending over and holding himself up with his hands on his knees. Emi yelled from the other side of the track,
“That won’t do! You have to walk to cool down!”
Hisao gave a wave and started walking with his hands behind his head.
‘This is totally worth it, right?’
Eventually Emi caught up to him and slowed down to his pace.
“That was a good job Hisao, but you haven’t been running at all have you?”
Emi gave a pout as Hisao looked away and mumbled back, “No…”
“No slacking off! You’ll have to run 3 times a week from now on!”
Hisao gave an exhausted expression as he resigned to Emi’s will.
“Yes ma’am.”
“Who’re you calling ma’am, I’m not that old!”
Hisao chuckled a bit as he lowered his arms and came to a stop where they had started.
“It’s getting dark already, Emi.”
“Yeah, I still need to finish my routine though. Meet me day after tomorrow, same time?”
Hisao gave it thought for a few minutes, “Yes, sure.”
Emi smiled and gave a wave, “Later.”
Hisao waved and went ahead to the bus-stop.
 
[…]
 
Rin was still painting when Hisao got home, she had left the bowl sitting on the coffee table, but other than that hadn’t made any more mess.
“I’m home.”
Rin didn’t respond or acknowledge his existence. Hisao let out a sigh and decided he would go ahead and get changed, then make dinner.
 
“What do you want for dinner Rin… there isn’t much in the fridge.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
Hisao thought for a few moments before coming up with an idea, “Pizza?”
“Sure, I just need to paint, Hisao.”
“Okay, okay, what toppings though, last question.”
“Shrimp. Now stop talking.”
Hisao stared back aggravated before he thought about it for a few moments.
‘Right, paintings very important to her. I guess I’ll need to learn to respect that more…’
With that Hisao placed the order for the pizza, they said it would take 30 minutes.
‘Well, I guess I can take a shower while I wait.’
“I’m going to go take a shower Rin. I’ll leave the money on the counter in case the pizza guy gets here early.”
She nodded without looking away from her painting. With that Hisao got a light tee from his closet as well as a pair of pajama bottoms and took them to the shower.
 
Rin gave a frustrated look at her painting.
‘Why does it keep coming out like this? It’s no good. I’m frustrated all the time lately. I don’t like this.’
The painting was unlike her usual works. It had a heart broken into two pieces on a plain blue background. Between the two hearts was a thread going back and forth between the two sides, attached to a needle. It was as if someone was sewing the heart together again. On the wall two others that with the same general concept were stacked.
‘I need to do something about this. It must be Hisao’s fault.’
As she came to this conclusion Hisao stepped out of the bathroom with a wide stretch as he yawned.
“Hisao. It keeps coming out the same.”
“What do you mean Rin?”
“The paintings, it’s all the same thing.”
With that she gestured to the painting on the stand as well as the two on the wall. Hisao’s eyes studied each one slowly as he took in the paintings.
‘For once I kinda understand what the art is about. Rin must be having feelings similar to mine. What am I supposed to do about that?’
“Rin…”
“I don’t understand, Hisao. I want to paint but the same thing keeps coming out even though I want something different. I usually never have problems with my paintings.”
At this point she stood up with a clearly frustrated look and turned to Hisao.
“It all started when you came back. The heart’s kept appearing in the paintings and now they won’t go away and I can’t draw things that aren’t them. What am I supposed to do Hisao. I need to draw other things. I can’t keep drawing the same thing again and again.”
“Rin, calm down. It’s okay.”
With that he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Rin.
“I’m sorry. I’ve been really dense.”
Rin started to tear up in his arms as she pressed her body into his.
“Why am I crying? I don’t understand anything anymore Hisao. I can’t stop thinking about you and I can’t paint.”
“It’s okay Rin. Everyone cries at times. Tell me, how does this make you feel?”
With that he pushed Rin back a little bit and she looked up to him with tears rolling down her soft cheeks. Hisao leaned forward and softly kissed Rin on her lips before drawing back. Rin looked back to Hisao with a small smile while still crying.
“It makes me happy, but I still can’t stop crying.”
“Rin, I love you.”
Rin only pushed herself back into Hisao. She wasn’t able to say anything until her tears stopped. Even then she couldn’t look up when she talked.
“I thought of you when I made those paintings. I’m not good at words.”
“That’s okay. I understand, Rin.”
“Can I stay here for a while? I don’t want to go to the atelier.”
“Yeah, stay as long as you want. You’ll have to call Sae and let her know though.”
“Okay.”
With that Rin pulled herself off Hisao and wiped her face before her expression slowly went back to normal. She sat down on the couch before leaning back and staring at the ceiling.
Ding. Dong.
“Rin, the pizza’s here. The timing couldn’t be better, I guess.”
Hisao got up to go and answer the door. Rin nodded in response and sat upright as she watched Hisao answer the door.
“That’ll be ¥1117.”
Hisao handed him ¥1300
“Would you like any change?”
“No thanks.”
“We hope to have you order from us again, have a good day sir.”
“Thanks.”
Hisao closed the door as he left and put the pizza on the coffee table in front of Rin.
“Do you want some tea to go with this Rin?”
“Sure, straw too?”
“I think I have a few.”
Hisao went to the kitchen and started the tea. Then he rummaged through the cabinets and a few drawers, finally finding a straw as the tea finished. He brought the kettle and two cups to the table, letting the kettle rest on a coaster and poured them each a glass, dropping the straw in Rin’s cup before Hisao spoke up,
“Here you go.”
Rin stared expectantly at Hisao for a few moments before saying, “Fork.”
Hisao stared back with a red face before realizing how hard it would be for Rin to eat pizza without a fork. He immediately got up and brought her a fork back.
“Sorry…”
“It’s fine.”
The rest of the meal went by speechless, with Hisao occasionally glancing over to Rin. After they both finished Hisao yawned and stood up.
“I’m going to bed Rin. I have to go to work early tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
With that Rin stood up too and walked past Hisao into the bedroom. Hisao watched with wide eyes.
‘Am I- Are we doing that again? I don’t know if I can handle that. I definitely want to though… It felt amazing. I’ve never felt so close to Rin.’
Hisao straightened his back and went in to the room.
 
Rin had stripped down to her underwear and was laying with the sheet of the bed up to her thighs and the cover on the floor. She gave Hisao an expectant stare as he walked into the room. Hisao walked in and eyed Rin from head, down the curve of her neck, to her blue and white stripped bro to the panties that matched it, down to the sheet and along the curve of her thighs that the sheet clung to.
“Well?”
“Well… what?”
“Clothes.”
Hisao got nervous before taking his shirt and pajama bottoms off and climbing in bed under the covers with Rin. Rin turned on her side towards Hisao with expectant eyes.
“I want what we did last night.”
“What kind of relationship do we have Rin?”
“I don’t know.”
“I need answers, Rin. Tell me, please.”
“I can’t give you any Hisao.”
Rin’s face had become frustrated as she looked at Hisao. He looked back at her while he thought about what he should say next.
“Hisao, I don’t know, but I think I know what you want. I only want you Hisao. I haven’t wanted anyone else and I don’t think I will. I can’t say my feelings because words can’t say the things I want to. That’s why I like painting, it lets me say what I really want to say. I like being with you and I like talking, but when I’m painting I need to paint okay? When I need you I need you to let me have you. I think it’s something like I am yours and you are mine. Is that not enough?”
At this point Hisao started to cry.
“Rin… I don’t know what to say to that. Yes, that’s enough Rin. It’s more than enough. It’s more than I ever could have asked for. I’m sorry for being so pushy. I’m sorr-“
Rin cut Hisao off mid-sentence with a kiss. Rin could taste the saltiness from where his tears had rolled over his lips but she didn’t care. She pressed her body closer to Hisao’s as she continued to kiss him.
“Enough talking Hisao.”
He only nodded back in agreement. He wrapped an arm around Rin’s waist and pulled her close as she gave her weight to him. He started to kiss her neck before sucking on it gently and moving his hand down to hold Rin close by her butt. Rin squirmed a bit as his hand reached her panties but then pushed her body closer to him, signaling that it was ok. Her breathing became ragged and he could feel her warm breath against his neck and feel her chest expand and contract as her breathing became more and more erratic.
“Hisao, panties.”
Hisao understood what Rin meant and after taking off his own boxers, he kissed his way down Rin’s body, pulling the sheet over his head as he passed her naval and then lowly took her panties off, tossing them behind him. He then kissed her thighs, Rin’s leg jumping in response to the first kiss before relaxing. Rin scooted up in the bed so that Hisao could get to a more comfortable position. He kissed up Rin’s thighs as she moved until he reached her pussy. He started by kissing right above it as Rin’s body shook for a moment. He pulled Rin’s legs over his shoulders as he began to lick her. Her legs crossed in response and pulled his head towards her body as she arched her back up. Her breathing had switched to gasps.
“Hisao. It’s… hard to breathe…”
Hisao started to back when he heard her, but Rin’s legs tightened around his head the moment he tried to pull back.
“Don’t stop.”
Rin began to slowly thrust her hips back and forth as Hisao did more and more with his tongue and it became harder and harder for her to breathe.  Hisao kept his hands at Rin’s waist throughout as his grip tightened and loosened with Rin’s motions. Rin’s mind became hazier and hazier as she built up to a climax.
“Soon.”
Rin gasped out the word as she started to move faster and more violently with her hips and pushed her back further into the bed. Hisao didn’t change his pattern as Rin came closer and closer to climax.
 
She let out a final thrust as she climaxed before loosening her grip on Hisao. He rustled under the sheets for a few moments before climbing up to Rin’s face.
“Well?”
“It felt good.”
Rin kissed Hisao before she gave an expectant stare.
“Condom.”
Hisao rolled backwards and reached into his drawer and pulled out his last condom before putting it on.
“Okay.”
Rin gave another stare as Hisao stayed motionless. She gave a dejected look before telling him in a flat tone,
“Take charge.”
With that Hisao grew red for a moment before gently pushing Rin onto her back and climbing between her legs. He reached down and placed the tip inside Rin as she tensed up and gave a slightly pained expression. He remembered that it happened last time before slowly forcing himself the rest of the way in, holding himself up with one hand above Rin’s shoulder. Rin gasped in as he moved and then slowly let out her breath as he stopped.
“Is it okay?”
“It is now.”
He started to slowly move as Rin’s body moved with him. He had taken his other hand above her other shoulder by now and used it to brace himself as he slowly built up speed. Rin’s breasts slowly started to move up and down with the motions of their hips, Hisao watched in wonder as he became quickly excited.
“Rin… I’m not going to last very long.”
“That’s fine.”
He continued to move as his breathing quickly became heavier and heavier and his hands gripped the bed more and more tightly. His face became exhausted as he focused on trying to hold in his pleasure and last longer.
“Rin…”
She didn’t reply with anything more than ragged breathing. He continued at that pace until he couldn’t take it any longer and with a final thrust his reached his climax as Rin let out a gasp of air. He slowly pulled out and turned over catching his breath.
“That felt amazing Rin.”
“It felt good, I want to do that more from now on.”
“Sure. I’d like that too.”
Hisao gave a small chuckle before he kissed Rin on the cheek.
“That made me tired though.”
“Same.”
…
“I’ll be big spoon tonight.”
“What?”
“Big spoon. Uh… the one who puts their front to the others back when we go to sleep.”
“Oh.”
Rin gave the simple answer before turning her back to him. Hisao awkwardly moved his body close to Rin.
‘She’s so warm…’
He slowly maneuvered his arm under her pillow and wrapped the other around her waist as he aligned his body to match hers. Rin settled into him as he finished positioning himself by leaning back. She gave a peaceful smile before she quickly fell asleep. Hisao followed soon after.