Aki

 

Roommates Alice and Gemma need a third roommate. Aki is everything they were looking for and more – he is clean, well-mannered, and easy to get along with. Alice invites him to be her yoga partner and gives him a spare yoga kit. During a yoga session Gemma arrives home with ex-roommate Penny who mistakes Aki for a girl. Gemma and Alice, amused by her misgendering, suggest Aki play Penny along.

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The soft hum of conversation enveloped the cozy coffee shop, its warm, dimly lit interior a sanctuary from the brisk early autumn air outside. Although 27 Alice and Gemma still claimed 23, friends long before they became roommates, they sat across from each other at a small wooden table near the window, a pot of steaming oolong tea shared between them. They were a study in contrast, once people looked past slim and pretty.

Alice with her long, almost blonde hair, radiated an aura of effortless elegance. Her delicate features and hazel eyes framed by long, dark lashes hinted at a quiet confidence. She wore her favourite, form-fitting, black, turtleneck sweater because it accentuated breasts against slender frame, high-waisted, skinny-legged jeans and clean, scruffy, sneakers. A silver pendant dangled from a chain around her neck, glinting in the soft glow of the café's ambient lighting.

Gemma, on the other hand, was a vibrant burst of energy with her unruly curly red hair that seemed to defy gravity. Her emerald green eyes sparkled with what she liked to think of a mischievous glint, and freckles that adorned her cheeks added to the look. She had a more casual, almost bohemian style, wearing a loose-fitting floral blouse, short stretchy skirt worn over plain leggings. A leather cuff bracelet adorned her wrist, and a pair of worn-in boots hinted at her love for exploring the city streets.

As the steam from their teacups mingled with their laughter, they started talking of the third bedroom in their city centre apartment. It had been empty since Penny left, a blank canvas waiting for an occupant to fill it with life.

"We really need to find someone to rent that third bedroom, Gemma," Alice said, her fingers tracing the rim of her teacup thoughtfully while she listed outstanding household bills.

Gemma shrugged, her red curls bouncing with the motion. "I know, but I'm just not keen about having a stranger move in with us. What if they're weird or messy?"

Alice leaned in, her hazel eyes locking onto Gemma's. "We've got to at least try. We can't keep paying for that room ourselves. Besides, if we choose carefully, we could find someone who fits right in."

Gemma sipped her tea, contemplating the idea. "You have an idea?"

Alice hesitated for a moment before revealing her idea. "Well, I am thinking maybe we should consider a male roommate."

Gemma's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "A guy? Are you sure about that?"

Alice nodded. "I am. Think about it, Gemma. If we bring in another Penny it might recreate tension between us. You must remember competition for bathroom time and borrowing our clothes. It could get messy again."

Gemma's expression softened as she began to see the logic behind Alice's suggestion. "I guess you're right. But what if we don't get along with a guy either?” She giggled “or imagine one of us gets along with him too well.”

Alice grinned. "I've thought of that too. How about we look for someone young, like an 18 year old? Way too young to be boyfriend material, so no potential for romantic entanglements plus he would be the one trying to fit in.”

Gemma raised an eyebrow, intrigued but cautious. "That's an interesting approach. But has to be someone not our type as well, right Alice?"

Alice chuckled, her eyes twinkling. "Sure, we'll make sure he's not 'our type,' then. Good thing we both like them tall and strong, right?"

Gemma blushed a little, her laughter filling the air. "You know me too well. Alright, I’m in…provided he’s house trained."

The roommates began their quest by posting online for a perfect third for their city-centre apartment. As they continued discussing what the third should not be the aroma of freshly ground coffee and the gentle hum of the café enveloped them, a comforting backdrop to their exciting new venture.

A week passed, then another, the hunt for the perfect third roommate intensified as they struggled with the pile of household debt. Alice placed a ‘room to let’ in the local store. Several applicants came and went, each unsuitable in their own unique way. It began to feel as if they would never find the right person to share their city-centre apartment.

Alice and Gemma sat together on the living room couch, sipping on mugs of tea, there was a soft knock on the apartment door. “Here we go again” they exchanged knowing glances “this one is from the card in the store?”

“Yes the one who sent a ‘roommate cv’ - they get weirder and weirder right?” Gemma set her tea aside and rose to answer it.

As detailed in the personal section of his application Aki was a young man of Japanese descent, jet-black hair neatly combed back into a tight ponytail, he introduced himself with a warm smile and a slight bow. He stood about 5 feet 4 inches, slightly built yet with an air that could be either shyness or a quiet confidence that intrigued the roommates. Best of all he looked and smelt clean - okay so far.

Conversation flowed naturally, he was easy to talk to, sharing details about his job and interests, which included a love for cooking. 

This last piece of information made Alice's eyes light up with enthusiasm. "That's fantastic!" she exclaimed. "We could all take turns cooking."

Gemma nodded in agreement, secretly relieved that finally a potential addition to their household had arrived. "And it's a plus that you leave early for work. It'll help with our morning routine."

Aki  was eager to demonstrate he would fit into their lives. "I'm pretty good with mornings. I promise I won't hog the bathroom. Talking of routine what about cleaning, do you have a rota?”

The cleaning rota question pretty much settled it but they thought up a few more questions then a tour of the apartment, the roommates said they would let him know. They agreed Aki was the best applicant “nothing weird about him.”

“No? A cleaning rota? That’s not weird?”

“No silly, 

“If you ignore the Nokia phone.”

“And not using texts”

“Is this 1990?” They laughed, agreed he came across like an old man trapped in a boys body, agreed that persuading him he needed an iPhone would be top priority. Gemma sniggered “how else will we send him shopping lists on his way home?”

Sitting in their favourite café a week later Gemma and Alice agreed their choice of new roommate already felt like a win. Aki was punctual, leaving the apartment before Alice and Gemma even stirred from their slumber, the only evidence of his presence the freshly brewed pot of coffee he left for them each morning. Even on days the agency had no work for him he made coffee then waited for them to leave.

Best of all, Aki had demonstrated ability to whip up authentic Asian dishes at a moments notice, a welcome change from the usual lazy night pizza or pasta. Alice mentioned one concern - Aki had not put a single item in the laundry basket “I hope his room doesn’t begin to smell like my brothers room did.”

When they arrived home they realised her worry was unfounded. Sounds of tumble dryer welcomed them, the balcony was full of drying washing. “I washed all our sheets to make up a white-load, hope that is okay?”

“Did you wash everything in the hamper together in the machine?”Alice noticed Gemma shared her worried look.

Aki had separated delicates, hand washed them and returned dry clean to the hamper he looked pleased with himself. 

“How come you are a laundry expert?”

He looked uncomfortable “well…I was a laundry virgin” pleased with the shocked look at his use of ‘virgin’ he smiled “Susan explained everything”

“Susan?”

“Susan was my parents housekeeper, she suggests we devise a laundry rota.”

Gemma knew she did not like this ‘Susan’ woman who had encouraged Aki to hand wash their underwear, but she had to admit a laundry rota was a good idea.

As days turned into weeks the roommates grew closer, sharing stories, laughter,  chores, and the ups and downs of life. Alice, who was often the more reserved of the two, found herself  growing fond of Aki, his friendly demeanour made that easy. 

One evening as the three of them lounged in the living room after watching a movie Alice said “Aki , would you be interested in being my yoga partner?” Explaining how Gemma had lost interest in yoga, “just after I bought us matching kit.”

Aki agreed, said an exercise partner did make it easier to keep to a routine, “sure Alice, we will motivate each other, sometimes from the comfort of my warm bed I find it all too easy to put off running”

Alice reciprocated by offering to be his running partner, “evenings I mean not before work” they agreed running would be ad-hoc. Monday and Thursday would be yoga followed by film night.

“You can count me out” Gemma said in a casual way “the yoga I mean.”

“Did we even count you?” Alice added a giggle that nearly hid her continued annoyance over the whole yoga debacle. 

Alice already wore her yoga clothes when Aki  arrived home Monday. “I left yoga clothes on your bed” Aki looked down at his clothes, button-down shirt and 501s’. “You need to wear proper kit”

“Sure, you’re the expert. I'll be right back.” As he headed to his room Alice and Gemma exchanged glances. 

Gemma thought Alice a little childish in suggesting Aki wear her yoga kit but she stayed quiet and let Alice make her point one more time, it was not worth falling out over. Alice had spent a lot of money on buying matching yoga clothes for them but, in her defence, she had warned Alice beforehand yoga was not for her.

Gemma couldn't help but feel a sense of protectiveness toward Aki, she waited until Alice left the room then lowered her voice and told Aki the full yoga kit story before saying “they really suit you…” Gemma smiled “and I think they look cute on you…cute in a roommate way I mean.” 

Aki chuckled, appreciative of her gesture “colours aside they are same as any other exercise clothes.” He slipped his feet into the designer sneakers Alice had set beside his yoga mat, turned to Gemma, laughed softly “look, we wear same size in everything.”

“I guess that makes our shoes sharable now” Gemma added a soft laugh “One size fits all with stretchy yoga clothes, just you stay out of my closet.”

“Even your new black nikes in the shoe cupboard?” 

“Sure, consider my shoes your shoes Aki” this time Gemma omitted the laugh and replaced it with a glare at Alice “hers would be like boats on your feet.”

“I do yoga barefoot, the sneakers are for after” Alice said as she stretched. Aki slipped off the sneakers and mirrored her. She began leading Aki through a vinyasa sequence while Gemma bustled around in the kitchen preparing dinner. Body stretches coupled with material stretches had sparked off an unwanted reaction inside his yoga pants. He realised, by the way she avoided looking at him that Alice had also noticed.  

Over dinner Aki said he enjoyed yoga and was looking forward to Thursdays session.

“Are your yoga clothes comfortable?” Aki nodded a yes as he chewed, Gemma looked at Alice “and are my sneakers comfortable?”

“Really comfortable” he mentioned the clothes would be ideal for running as well adding his cheap running clothes were stretched out “never thought I would have some designer kit, one small problem is the…” He tapped the chest padding “makes it look as if I have little breasts”

“No one wants to see your budbys” Alice said, Gemma sniggered as Alice mentioned the padding also prevented joggers nipple. “Probably why you see soccer players on television wearing a sports bra under their shirt.”

Aki agreed, feeling thankful his earlier embarrassing event had not been mentioned. Out of the blue, Gemma said “is there anything for inside the bottoms?”

“Stop it…” Alice sounded annoyed with Gemma, Aki blushed, a nervous laugh escaped and soon they all saw the funny side. 

Gemma topped up her and Alice’s wine glasses and fetched another water for teetotal Aki, they settled before the television - Alice and Gemma on the sofa, Aki took the easy chair. As soon as the romcom finished Alice and Gemma picked up their iPhones and began talking about messages from potential men friends. Gemmas interest wandered “you should get an iPhone Aki, how do you cope with that old Nokia?”

Aki mentioned battery life in defence of his Nokia, explained his lack of interest in social media and texting. Gemma had consumed sufficient wine to overcome his social boundaries asking why he rarely connected to the wifi, what does he do in his room for hours. Rather than be offended at the intrusion he explained in detail that he wrote sci-fi fiction, had enrolled on a writing course and did not want the internet distracting him. 

“And the Nokia? What is that some hipster thing?”

“Gemma” Alice cut in

“It’s fine, the Nokia is dual sim, Rakuten for calls from Japan and a local sim, I do use Line occasionally.” 

The wine had emboldened Gemma.“Apart from your application form we know nothing about you.” This time Alice looked attentive and remained silent.

Aki said his fathers company transferred his parents to England while he was in university, when he graduated he joined them and his father was transferred back to head office soon after. Aki stayed on, that was when he moved into the apartment. 

Gemma had fallen asleep whereas Alice was wide awake and ready to learn more. Aki mentioned how he was between girlfriends then, incase Alice got the wrong idea said “I mean girls of my own age.”

Alice was both offended and pleased at the same time. Offended by how she had just been classified as an ‘older woman’. Pleased that, perhaps, Aki’s arousal may have been of her doing. “Could I read something you have written some time?”

Aki said he was flattered but he had written nothing worthy of her reading, he mostly wrote in Japanese. 

When Aki arrived home Thursday an Amazon gift package lay on his bed beneath a note ‘I hope my gift does not offend, just return if you do not want them’. He did not recognise the writing but it had to be Alice or Gemma, respecting the senders obvious desire for anonymity, he decided not to mention the gift. 

Initially he thought it was a cruel joke - three panty style pairs of underwear. Maybe Gemma playing a joke sending panties to go with the yoga clothes, surely not Alice - surely she wouldn’t think that amusing. He noticed a slip of paper that had fallen to the floor, instructions, a longer look brought a smile to his lips. Not black, white, and skin colour panties as he initially thought but three gaffs. Aki put a pair on, the gaff was stretchy but tight - easily securing his cock between his legs. Still alone in the apartment he checked out his reflection in the hall mirror before donning the plainest yoga pants - black with lemon slash across one thigh. Rather than a top they had a matching sports bra, its lemon slash across one cup. After a struggle he had the bra fastened and slipped a baggy white tee over the top. “Just like a soccer player” he said to himself  as he tested out the bra by running on the spot. It felt okay and, with autumn chill in the air, an extra layer under his running top would help prevent ‘frozen nipple’ while running. That must why soccer players wear them.

Alice arrived home, slipped into her room and changed into her matching yoga outfit without a Tee shirt. The Amazon package went unmentioned as they settled into the first vinyasa sequence. Alice acted more instructor like, watching him closely, not afraid to correct “not quite Aki, watch how I do it”. Watching her closely had the same effect on Aki as the stretchy material did during their previous yoga session, this time the gaff coped admirably. His mind wandered…

“Aki …I said loose the Tee, I cannot properly see how you are holding yourself” Alice waited, looking impatient “what?” Aki expected her to laugh or, at least, make some comment about his sports bra but Alice continued with the session “…now arch your back like this.”

Aki  was thankful it was just the two of them, Gemma was on a date. As on the first yoga/film night Alice and Aki watched a film together after dinner, this time without wine. Alice joked she was getting into bad habits as they sipped their steaming mugs of bedtime green tea “Gemma was upset I took those sneakers back. Sorry if she was mean to you” nodding toward Aki’s feet “we should teach her a lesson, take her up on her offer…” 

Next morning Aki wore the sports bra under his usual running gear, a mile in he found himself wondering if they sold a male version. It would be the same, he imagined, but more masculine like his male running kit. 

He liked the routine of life at the apartment; times for yoga, times for films, times for writing, times for clubbing, times, like now, for running - alone in the cold early morning air. He sped up, the icy air burnt his throat a little.

The apartment routine continued, Gemma and Alice went from disastrous date to disastrous date while Aki silently thought how pointless dating apps are and lumped them in with social media, texting, and alcohol. 

He preferred to meet people at work and share activities as friends. Working for the agency meant he met new people most weeks so there was, usually, a girl to go clubbing with. If one turned into a friend, perhaps even a relationship then that would be great, but it had not so far.

Alice pushed Aki a little harder each yoga session, and Aki returned encouragement when they ran together, they exercised well together. With Alice’s encouragement he had gotten into the habit of changing out of the Levi 501s’ that he once lived in constantly into yoga pants or leggings as soon as he got home. 

“Gemma is late” Alice said as they finished a yoga session, like yoga twins, they slipped baggy tees over matching yoga pants and sports bra. She asked how their shoe prank was coming along. They laughed as Aki demonstrated walking in Gemma’s heels. “Gemma did say ‘my shoes are your shoes Aki’ are you ready to make her eat her words?”

With her period due Alice was feeling mean, hateful. Gemma would be seething inside at the sight of him wearing her best heels. “Ignore her if she pretends to be moody at first, it is her time.” 

Gemma was not alone “Penny this is Aki. Penny just popped in to meet her replacement.” 

Alice gave the guest a polite yet overly brief hug. 

His eyes drank in Penny, her every detail - same height as him, blond, almost white, severe asymmetrical bob, centre parting beginning to show darker roots, blue eyes, full lips, a wide mouth, not fish wide, cute wide like Maki Oyama. “Are you hungry Penny? I have cooked way too much.” Being forceful was not his strong point but Aki did his best “please say you’ll stay.”

“Penny has hollow legs” Gemma looked down “are they my heels?”

Aki had been so thrown by the cute newcomer that he had forgotten his footwear, he blushed.

“You did tell Aki ‘my shoes are your shoes’ Gemma” Alice raised an eyebrow then threw a lopsided smirk.

 “Alice did not believe I could wear heels this high, I’ll change.”

Gemma smiled “no keep them on, two minutes would not be much of a test.”

“Heels, skinny jeans and a tee would be a good look for you” Penny smiled “show off your slim ankles perfectly.”

“That is almost teen-uniform at the mall” Alice cut in and smiled at Gemma.

His mind wandered, thought about the poster he once had inside his closet door…Penny was so like a blonde Maki. During the evening he added; slim, narrow hips, and small breasts to her list of perfect attributes. He especially liked knowing she was 18, a year younger is just right. 

Then he discovered the one thing he disliked about her - Peter, her boyfriend.

Aki liked how, despite Peter, when she caught him looking she paused briefly before looking away then smiling. He noticed Penny had been distracted by her iPhone.

“I have never met anyone called Aki before, there are loads of famous actresses and singers listed online; Aki Maeda, Aki Morita, Aki Toyoda…the list goes on and on.” Penny smiled “did your parents name you after someone famous…” she put her hand flat on his upper arm “sorry, you must think me silly babbling on like a schoolgirl.”

To Penny, his arm, wrist or hand was not off-limits during a conversation. As her attention flitted around the table from person to person she had a habit of grazing his wrist or forearm with her fingertips. Aki was not a touchy person but soon he learnt inattention would result in her touch. He liked that.

“I don’t think so Penny but you have aroused my curiosity, I will ask them and let you know.”

“Aki is a common name meaning autumn or bright Penny. Aki’s parents must have powers of foresight” Alice said, as Penny had mentioned actresses she avoided pronouns “she graduated with a masters degree at seventeen Penny.” She banged her knee against Gemma’s under the table. Gemma glanced at Alice and winked.

A couple of bottles of wine disappeared during the evening, they included him in their chatter but, zoning out, he decided his pony needed tightening, he was, after all, king of tight hair. His elastic band snapped, not wanting to parade in the heels he ran his fingers through his hair letting it fall into a centre parting. “I need to get a trim” he said more to himself than anyone. 

The conversation on the sofa paused. “That would be a shame, that length suits you” Penny said “and I bet your boyfriend likes it when you wear it loose.” Aki  blushed, Gemma and Alice silently elbow nudged.

“I only date girls Penny.” 

“…I need the toilet”

Pretending she had not known all evening Gemma spoke in a low voice “Penny thinks you are a girl”

Alice broke into a gentle laugh “should we tell her?” 

Aki watched Alice and Gemma like they were a program on television, and only madmen think they can interrupt televisions. 

“Why? I doubt they will meet again, will you play along Aki?” Gemma smiled. “You will won’t you?”

“No, Gemma” Alice cut in using a rising infliction to indicate it was a question “unless you are game…it would be such a laugh.”

Aki  found his voice “how can I ask her on a date if…”

“A date with Penny?” Alice sounded surprised. At the sound of the toilet door opening she added “please…we will owe you, big time, and Gemma will get you a date.” Aki weighed up the situation, shrugged and whispered okay. He imagined they would laugh about the evening when they were on that date.

While Alice showered and Gemma dozed on the sofa Penny asked to borrow Aki’s phone saying she had misplaced hers - even though two iPhones sat on the coffee table. Aki handed over his Nokia. Penny dialled, her purse rang “silly me, it was in there all the time.” 

Penny hugged then cheek kissed Gemma and Alice in turn then waved a goodbye to Aki from across the room. 

Aki’s Nokia pinged several times, he ignored them just like the other 1037 unread messages. 23:37 it began to ring which would be about right for a breakfast call from Japan “Aki, it’s me…Penny. I can’t sleep, you awake?”

“No” Aki added a little giggle hopeful Gemma had already spoken to her.

She wanted to know why he had been ignoring her, was it over the boyfriend comment, then why ignore her texts? Penny talked in the confident way strangers talk at a bus stop. Sensing embarrassment she pushed her advantage to the max “what sort of girls do you like? do you have a type?”

Briefly forgetting the situation he made his move “someone like you I guess, now I’m blushing Penny…”

“How much like me?” She giggled “now I’m blushing as well…my boyfriend would be horrified if he overheard me flirting like this. And with a cute girl I’ve only just met as well…hey…how often do you have apartment movie night?”

Pleased that Penny had moved onto a less embarrassing subject Aki went into detail about movie nights saying how nice it had been to have a guest for once “especially someone my age.”

“Is that an invitation? Okay, see you Thursday” She giggled and before Aki could speak Penny said she had to go and ended the call.

What the fuck was that about? 

Aki felt tempted to ring her back but it was late, he would ring first thing while he still had a chance of recovering from being misgendered and not correcting her during a hour long telephone call. Common sense filled the next unsleepable hour. Being misgendered once was bad enough, now he had allowed that to happen a second time. Despite Penny having a boyfriend she openly flirted like it was not cheating. Perhaps it was not flirting with a supposed girl. 

Aki had an idea, a plan began to form. 

At 3am the plan did not seem the slightest ridiculous. Revealing his true gender too soon would shut the door on any chance he had of ousting Peter, but if they became friends before Penny realised her mistake he had a chance. Like sheep jumping over a fence an increasing number of minor details leapt into his head while waiting for sleep. 

When Aki left for work Gemma and Alice were still sleeping, no rush, after work would be soon enough for the Penny chat. In the cold morning light he had come to his senses, he would talk to Gemma and Alice before telephoning Penny and reveal her mistake. Or perhaps Gemma might keep her promise and, somehow, get him a date despite Peter. Meanwhile he assessed his situation; a temporary misunderstanding, innocent fun. He would be the same Aki when Penny found out the truth. - the same Penny with a boyfriend, a boyfriend who would not like her hanging out with another guy. 

His mind was a mess, Aki come full circle.

He asked Alice about Peter the second she came home. “She mentioned you and Peter dated at one time.”

“When did she say that?”

“Last night.”

“When last night?”

“When you showered” Aki lied like some bad-ass magpie.

Alice laughed, not her usual laugh, a forced laugh “Peter…my ex, well, for a start let me tell you that he is a pig. They have been dating since Penny moved out, what else do you need to know?” Alice calmed, said it was no big thing, Peter was not really her type, too possessive, into computer games. “Penny asked if it was okay to date Peter after we ended it. I said it was…then I realised it wasn’t.”

“Thats why you are so cold toward Penny?”

“She said that?”

“No, I noticed it last night.”

“Why all the questions?”

“If Peter is out of the picture…she might need a friend.” Aki explained his hare-brained scheme to get Penny for himself. 

Alice avoided mentioning the weaknesses in his plan and Aki did not mention how he intended to go from female friend to boyfriend. “You’re thinking Penny talking about a female friend will not arouse Peters suspicions. I like this sneaky, scheming, side of you Aki.” She warned Gemma might not agree initially but assured Aki “together we can convince her.” 

As if there were ever any doubt Alice’s support settled the matter for Aki.

Gemma mentioned Aki’s recent late night telephone calls to Alice “I hear him talking every night when I brush my teeth, he must have a girlfriend.”

Alice played along not mentioning who the other party was. “At least your bedroom is far enough away you do not have to hear the ‘no you hang up’ ‘no you hang up’ that goes on for ages. At times I’m tempted to burst in and end the damn call myself.”

Gemma laughed, mentioned how Aki was secretive at times, said it was a small price to pay for such an easygoing roommate “is it just me or does it feel like having a younger brother staying with us?”

“You mean a nice younger brother, not a complete arse like my brother.”

Alice looked up from her book as Gemma mentioned Aki was cooking a lot of pasta, more than they usually cooked. There was a knock at the door. Gemma answered “Penny…this is a surprise!”

“Aki invited me to dinner, did she not mention it?”

Gemma almost corrected the pronoun but caught herself in time. Alice and Aki had persuaded her to take part in prolonging the misunderstanding.

“Typical scatterbrain Aki” Gemma said as they hugged a hello. 

Alice stayed seated, watching, pleased the way Penny flicked her eyes toe to head before hugging Aki so briefly it looked awkward.

“New jeans?” Penny said. 

Aki told the tale of how Alice had pulled the tags before realising they were a few sizes too small for her “my first skinny jeans.”

“Just one size” Alice claimed while fooling no one.

“Lucky Aki, they are look good” Penny said as she tucked his baggy tee into one side of the waistband, stood back, smiled “there, that’s better…cute.” 

“We think Aki looks cute in most things, don’t we Alice” Gemma noticed he wore a sport bra despite having showered after yoga.

Alice avoided looking at Gemma “I guess we all did at their age.”

Penny recognised there was the same edge to Alice’s voice that she had when she paid Peter a compliment - when Alice had Peter that is.

Gemma lay awake planning what she would say to Alice - eventually sleep came, a couple of hours, enough to abate her anger a little. “You ‘accidentally’ bought skinny jeans ‘happened’ to be Aki’s size?” Gemma snorted in derision. 

“If I did plan that Gemma, and I am not saying I did, no-one made him invite Penny and wear them for her” Alice said “and before you get all high and mighty, when Penny is told of her misgendering it will be Aki’s decision and his alone.”

“So this farce isn’t only a way to hurt Penny?”

“How could you say that?” Alice said crossing her arms in defence. “Aki is our roommate and friend, I simply put what he wants first…and so should you.”

“Okay, fine…I will not interfere, just remember Alice - when the shit hits the fan, and it will, everything is down to you”

“You are worrying about something that has not happened. He just invited her to film night like you did, it’s not like they are dating.”

Gemma made it clear she did not want to discuss it further.

Gemma walked back from the pizza shop with Aki, she waited until they were home before asking “were those girls you were talking to outside the pizza shop your coworkers?” 

Alice paused mid-bite. 

“Ellen and Lucy…no they are Penny’s roommates.”

“How do you know them?” Gemma said, Alice chewed slow and silent.

“From when I visit, you know, like Penny visits here.” 

“Have they mistaken you for a girl as well?”

Aki pretended not to hear and took his tea into his room. 

Gemma and Alice were readying for bed when he reappeared wearing black distressed skinny jeans over fish net tights, gilet worn loose over a stretchy vest that showed evidence of a padded bra. He said “going clubbing with friends” as he laced up new sneakers.

“Oh to be a teenager again” Gemma said.

“I like your new outfit”Alice looked at her iPhone - 23:37 “are you wearing a new bra as well?” 

Aki blushed “Penny…” his blush deepened, he giggled nervously “says clubbing braless is slutty”

“Do you take everything she says as gospel?”

“Pretty much…” Aki shrugged “actually I’m meeting Ellen, Lucy, and Penny there” Aki tried, without success, to hide his joy “you’ll be pleased to hear, Alice, that Penny has dumped Peter.”

“Then you are just the ‘man’ to cheer her up.” Gemma said wiggling her fingers around ‘man’ 

Alice glared at her “Not now Gemma.”

Gemma waited until Aki left “now Penny and Peter have split up can we all get back to normal?”

“I’m not sure that is up to us any more.” Alice ticked off, on her fingers, the new clothes Aki now owned “the day after I gave him those skinny jeans he wore them to go clothes shopping. I think we have let the ‘she/her’ side of him out of the box.”

“No Alice. Not ‘we’, you opened that box, you!”

“Whatever.”

The aroma of coffee awoke Gemma, she checked her iPhone - time to get up. Aki sat in the kitchen dressed in the clothes from the night before. He was telling her about the club when Alice came into the room, she laughed then made a remark about 'the walk of shame’. He feigned being shocked “the club shut at 9am then we all went for breakfast.”

“Well, you sound sober, I suppose you’ll sleep until evening.”

He reminded them that being teetotal and teenage meant all-nighters did not disrupt the day. “Quick nap and a shower then I’m meeting Penny for lunch.” 

“When did you go clothes shopping?” Gemma said.

“Odd times and Sakura sent me some stuff.”

“Sakura?”

“A friend, you know, from home.” 

Gemma and Alice delved deeper, learnt he had been discussing passing as female to Penny with his mother and Sakura. Alice tried to hide her surprise “forget talking about this ‘new you’ with your parents for a second…you enlisted the help of your ex in sending you underwear to fool Penny?”

“More a selection of clothes.”

“A kit for her ex’s inner woman? Did it come with instructions?”

“When you say it like that it sounds strange” Aki let a little laugh escape “Sakura is not just my ex, we have always been friends…”

“In that case it all sounds perfectly normal.” Alice said.

“Don’t interrupt Alice, the thing is Aki we do not understand because you only tell us odd things when we press you.”

“Sorry, I’m just not that comfortable talking about myself, and when I do you interrupt.” He looked in the far distance as if searching for a story to tell and began to explain “Sakura’s family live next door to mine, our parents are close friends, and we dated a while” he paused “now we are just friends…sometimes friends with benefits.”

“He is like a one man soap opera.”

“Don’t you mean one woman?”

“Your parents talk to your friend with benefits?”

Aki tried western abruptness “I was getting to that part before you both interrupted.” Finally he had the floor to himself. “I don’t understand why you two are fixated on clothes. Wearing female clothes is not such a big thing in Japan, cosplay is a popular hobby and everyone agrees experimenting in England is best. My parents think it a ‘phase I’m going through’ and when the novelty of wearing women’s clothes wears off I will go home and leave all this behind. Aki paused “Sakura and I are not so sure about the last bit.”

After a pause Alice said “what happens if Penny finds out and ghosts you?”

“Loosing Penny I would be…” Now that Aki wanted someone to interrupt they kept quiet, he took a deep breath “devastated, but that wouldn’t change a thing.” Alice and Gemma remained quiet preferring silent embarrassment to speaking. “I can find another room if it is awkward to have me around…”

Gemma took the lead in assuring Aki they wanted him to stay.

Alice heard the apartment door open followed by voices in the hall, she part closed her bedroom door - closed enough not to be seen yet open enough to hear Penny and Aki’s conversation. Ak called out ‘anyone home’ then made tea, they sounded excited, whatever the ‘something’ was they took it into the living room. Fearing discovery Alice mussed her hair, lay on her bed while listening, what ever the ‘something’ was Penny already owned one.

Finally realising they were discussing an iPhone Alice felt angry with Aki. They had been suggesting he get one since he moved in. Now, with one word from Penny her puppy dog buys an iPhone. Still unseen she watched from the doorway as Aki tucked Penny’s bobbed hair behind one ear, watched her smile widen at his touch. Alice announced her presence “I must have fallen asleep, what time is it?”

Squeezed into the overstuffed easy-chair they shared one cup of tea, one colour of nail polish, one colour of eyeshadow, one look of innocence. They were in danger of becoming one of those annoyingly happy couples or perhaps they already had - the sort of swoony, hand holding, teenage couples Alice often saw near the university.

Penny had already left the apartment and her half of the chair when Gemma arrived home. Aki showed her his iPhone and talked excitedly of FaceTime, instant message and a dozen other things as if Gemma had never seen an iPhone before. Gemma laughed, in a nice way, and welcomed him to the twenty-first century. 

“Penny is amazing, she set up my account and got all the applications working.”

Alice smirked “I doubt anything bad will come from that, it’s not like you have any secrets from her.” 

“When you put it like that it does sound careless” he smiled and wiggled his  Rakuten sim card “but without this I’m safe as houses. I didn’t log into Line on the phone so she won’t be able to read what Mum or Sakura say.”

Alice was not entirely sure why she was so angry but she did know she wanted to be angry. She told Gemma about the chair incident - that calmed her a little, but did not mention how seeing them so happy together left her feeling angry. Did not mention how Aki being unavailable made him desirable. “How could I not have noticed how close he was to the edge Gemma?” 

“Edge? You do know ‘falling for someone’ is a metaphor?” Gemma laughed softly  making an effort to lighten the mood. She placated Alice with soothing words then gently suggested she might be feeling a little guilty at encouraging Aki, “you did help him with clothes and stuff.” 

“Now Aki has half the population of Japan coaching him my help, or lack of, makes no difference.”

Gemma giggled, suggested they were only sitting so close to share the screen. 

“Perhaps I am overreacting, and I just don’t like this ‘Sakura’ woman he talks to…and why is she coaching him?”

“Could be she likes that sort of man” Gemma paused, waited for Alice to look at her “some women do you know.”

“Don’t be mean to me.”

Yoga night, after dinner, they watched a zombie film. At the first sight of a zombie Penny joined Aki in the chair, pulled his arm around her shoulder and buried her face in his chest “tell me when the scary bit ends.” 

Gemma noticed a smell and looked over to see Penny painting Aki’s fingernails in the same deep pink colour she wore, Penny looked over at Alice and smiled.

“Aki said you broke up with Peter last week” Alice used her best concerned friend tone.

“It was for the best, with Peter being so much older he wanted to get serious” Penny shrugged, smiled “I told him - I’m not ready for that.” Finished with his fingernails Penny slid out of the chair like a cute Pantherophis guttatus to paint Aki’s toes.

“But you and Aki…” Alice saw Gemma glare at her but continued anyway “look serious from where I’m sitting.”

Toes painted Penny slipped back beside Aki, let her head rest on his shoulder “That was then, this is now.”

Aki was on the receiving end of encouraging iPhone related comments at work, he expected his painted nails to be the subject of comment yet they went unmentioned. Until lunch break that is, Eliza, and Martha, coworkers he had gone clubbing with several times patted the empty seat between them. As he put his tray down Eliza tapped a fingernail on the back of his hand “Nice colour.”

Aki ‘mmm’d’ chewed slow, blushed fast.

“You did a good job, look…” Eliza held out his hand toward Martha “do your toenails match?”

“Stop teasing” Rebecca said

“My girlfriend painted them” Aki said as if that would make it okay.

“She did?” Eliza smirked

“Did you paint your ‘girlfriends’ as well?” Martha said wiggling her fingers “like nail twins” silence fell over the table. 

Eliza was out of smart-arse remarks for a few seconds “painting a mans nails is like a brand to make sure coworkers you used to go clubbing with know you are coupled up.”

“You mean Aki is off-limits?” Martha said.  

Eliza agreed, hiding her true, spiteful, feelings she lightheartedly said “could that be the reason why you sometimes wear a bra under your clothes?” she smirked at Aki “does she let you wear her panties as well Aki?”

Rebecca glared at Eliza, “it is not unusual for women to like their man to do things like that” her lips tightened “that is the difference, Eliza, between having a boyfriend and having one night stands.” 

Eliza huffed and stormed off.

Beyond ‘hi’ Aki had not previously spoken with Rebecca, with his lunch barely started he was forced to continue sitting at the table of awkwardness.

Rebecca ended the awkward chewing, sipping, chewing, and so on “Eliza and her friends are such bitches to you sometimes…”

“They were only teasing.”

“To your face…”

Aki laughed  briefly to release the tension “at least she hasn’t noticed my jeans.”

“If only that were true” Rebecca let her fingertips rest on has forearm in a Penny-like way, told him they had been laughing about his clothes for weeks “I know its nothing to do with me, but someone needs to tell you…they call you ‘Tranki’ behind your back.” Rebecca paused, suggested he consider working for a different employment agency. Coworkers would accept whatever he wore the first day as being nothing more than the way Aki dresses. “Just voicing my thoughts, as I said it really is nothing to do with me.”

Penny wore a summer dress, white with big flowers and thong style sandals, said it might be her last chance to wear the dress before the weather turned. “Where are Gemma and Alice?”

“Today is Saturday…so shopping”

Penny leant in for a kiss, led him to his room and closed the door. Aki put music on and sat on the bed next to her, they kissed a little - just like when they hung out in Penny’s room.

“Can I look through your clothes?”

“Sure” 

“Unzip me” She stepped out of her dress and tried on a couple of skirts then shimmied into Aki’s clubbing jeans, the ones with embroidery to the pockets, she lay down to fasten them “wish I had as slim hips as you.”

She admired herself in the mirror then peeled the jeans off with a ‘phew’. Trying on Aki’s Levi 501s’ she unhooked her bra, tossed it on the bed and began looking through his lingerie drawer, selected a bra and put it on. She looked in the mirror “your bra makes my tits look massive, wish I was brave enough to go out dressed like this, or perhaps, with just a jacket over.”

Aki said most Japanese bras had thick padding to make mountains out of molehills “Japanese girls envy western girls curves.” Aki smiled “you could go make tea dressed like that” he teased.

“Okay, you put my dress on while I make tea” Penny took Aki’s plaid shirt from the closet and wore it unbuttoned.

As they sat drinking tea Penny told Aki how she and a friend were kissing, she let a nervous laugh escape, “to be totally frank we had our tops off and were cuddling. Not serious, we were just experimenting the way girls do. My parents caught us, freaked, and that is how I came to leave home at 17.” 

Sensing she had more to say Aki sipped his tea in silence, rested his fingertips on her forearm.

“What I am trying to get around to saying is I can’t get enough of us making out but at the moment sex would freak me out. I will understand if that is a problem for you…” 

Aki assured her that was fine, laughed softly “you look very butch, whatever did you see in me?”

“Potential. And don’t think for a second you can call me butch and get away with it I’m shocked at you” Penny sounded shocked but could not hide her amusement “you sure it’s okay if we stay above the waist for now?” Penny quickly buttoned up the shirt when she heard a key in the door. 

“Anyone home?” Gemma called out. Aki noticed the smell of alcohol as Penny poured tea. Gemma looked Aki to Penny and back “have I interrupted something?”

“I’ve never worn Levis’ before and I never see Aki wearing a dress.”

“So you are both…what do they call it…crossdressing, that’s the word.”

“Sure” Penny smiled while Aki seethed inside.

Alice arrived also smelling of alcohol.

“So…you two are dating now?” Gemma smirked uncharacteristically.

“We haven’t talked about that yet.” Aki glanced at Penny

“Aki…you can be such an idiot sometimes, of course we are dating…” Penny kissed him briefly “you do understand that means no clubbing with girls from work, right?”

“I like it when you boss me around.”

“I have not started yet.”

Gemma asked “in what world did you imagine you were not dating Aki?”

“Now Peter is history Aki is acting shy” Alice smirked.

Penny looked either angry or embarrassed, Aki couldn’t quite work out which. To calm the situation (and to have a stab at Alice for her attack on him) he explained that couples often said ‘shall we start dating’. “Once people get to late twenties and time is running out they ‘date with a view to marriage’ and, as desperate as that sounds, they even put that in their profile on dating sites…just an idea.”

Alice’s anger was clear “so when teenagers date that is with a view to…”

Penny, like Alice, looked amused at the way Aki had backed himself into a corner. He came out fighting “teenagers either casually date, or date with a view to living together.”

“Which one describes you and Penny?” Alice had a real smug look.

Aki concentrated on perfecting an embarrassed look while staying silent. Penny finally came to his rescue “the second one Alice, not that it is any of your business.” 

Aki and Penny were an hour into a late night FaceTime call “what are those two packs of tablets I saw in your underwear drawer?”

“The yellow tablets? Sakura sent them for a joke” Aki explained they were Chinese herbal tablets that claimed to kick start puberty. He said how the last girls in class to develop took them for three weeks, missed a week then if nothing had happened they took the remainder for three more weeks. Whenever puberty kicks in - be it straight away or six months later - they claim ‘the tablets did it’.

“What proof do you have they don’t work?”

“Give any girl on the cusp of puberty aspirin and a fairy tale and she will swear the magic tablets worked rather than time itself.”

“If you believed that you would have thrown them out” 

“Okay, I’ll prove it to you.” 

Penny watched as Aki necked a tablet. He felt a fool for taking the tablet, and what would Sakura say if she found out - she already teased him over how Penny was training him.

The agency had simply said ‘okay’ when he telephoned, as of five o’clock he would be jobless. He FaceTime’d Sakura with all his news - well most of it. She giggled when he explained the nickname Tranki was a portmanteau of transgender and Aki.

Sakura said “you have to admit ‘Tranki’ is pure gold” then moved on to questioning him about the conversation with Penny “I know, but tell me again - word for word this time.” As pointless as it felt Aki went through a complete ‘I said’ and ‘she said’ of the conversation. “So you said you left because your coworkers were being mean about your nails and your clothes, and Penny said?”

“Good decision - like I just said Sakura”

“Nothing else?”

“No”

“Oooh she is good” Sakura paused, sipped her tea in the way Aki knew she did for theatrical effect “she never tells, asks or suggests you do something.” 

Sakura proved her point by instantly calling up the top five bullet points from earlier conversations with Aki;

I used Veet last night, feel how smooth my legs are.

Going braless makes me feel slutty.

I miss having a high pony it’s a really cute look.

That’s the place where I got the stray hairs on my lip removed.

I love the way heels show off slim ankles perfectly.

Aki declared them simple coincidences “we just like similar things.” 

“Your legs are like silk today Aki, I love the way your pony swings as you run, need I go on? Admit it - you like it when she praises things you do…things she ‘never suggested’ in the first place. Do I need to list five more?” 

Sakura paused, sipped her tea once more for theatrical effect “and now you are dating with a view to living together?” Aki stayed quiet, Sakura smiled innocently  “Remember that song ‘Perfect Half’ you know, the one Raglaia covered?”

“Of course” 

“Either Penny is an idiot or she is skilfully creating her perfect girlfriend.”

“Should I tell her I know what she is doing?”

“Oh, now I understand - Tranki is the idiot in the relationship.”

Awake Alice thought it might be a lost cause now that Penny had staked her claim on Aki.

Asleep Alice had had a dream in which it was her who said ‘of course we are dating Aki’. And in that dream she was turning Aki back into a man. From that night on she avoided noticing what he wore, or tried to. From that night on she looked forward the time when Penny discovered his secret. 

Awake Alice thought how she would be there to comfort him, help him put the crossdressing fad behind him, help him find comfort in rebound sex. She heard knocking and snapped out of her daydream.

“Hurry up” Gemma was banging on the bathroom door. Alice turned the shower off and opened the bathroom door without drying or even wrapping a towel around her and walked past Gemma.

Most workday mornings started with light bickering. Alice was due any day now and leaving wet footprints throughout the apartment was her way to transform bickering into smouldering anger. Alice smiled as she walked along he hall toward the kitchen leaving wet patches on the tiles. She opened the door and screamed.

Aki screamed right back, Alice slammed the door on him, answered Gemma’s ‘what is it.’  “Aki is still here.” 

Alice and Gemma put their makeup on together while Alice described Aki - stretchy black mini, black leggings, white tee, heels, a thin gold ankle chain that was new.

“You saw all that in the time it takes to scream?” They laughed and walked into the kitchen together. Gemma’s gaze unashamedly examined Aki “where are you off to?”

“My writing course begins today, am I overdressed, is this okay, should I go casual, wear sweats and sneakers?”

“Calm down, you look fine…stop staring” Alice said as she crossed her arms. 

Aki blushed, nervously apologised, said asian women had small breasts then apologised for the inappropriate comment.

“They have to be that big to fill the massive bras she buys” Gemma said with a laugh “and what you are wearing looks perfect. Tell us about the course.”

After giving a brief synopsis Aki said “I quit working for the agency last week.” It felt good for it to be out in the open finally. He told them how he had been leaving the apartment at his usual time then returning home after they had left for work. “Are these clothes too dressy for when I register at a new agency?”

“I think you should ask Penny.”

Aki missed her sarcasm completely “of course I should, thanks Alice.”

“You are such a bitch when you are due on.” Gemma said in the lift. With halloween a few weeks away Gemma suggested they throw a small party, Alice agreed with a keenness. 

Alice said “we are having a halloween party, a fancy dress party.”

“Fancy dress sounds fun” Penny said without looking up from the iPhone they shared, Penny said she was already committed to a party with friends that night, “but I do want to see your costume Aki, would it be okay if I just look in?"

He looked pleased,“I hoped you would.” 

“Everyone got their costume?”

Gemma and Alice had costumes from previous years.

“Getting mine in town nearer the day” Ak said. He would shop for a back-up as the cosplay costume Sakura had sent from Japan was due for delivery the day of the party. 

Penny asked Aki what his costume would be.

“Aki is being secretive, our guess is vampire or witch” Gemma answered for him “if it’s witch I hope she does not cast a spell over us.”

“Or over me” Penny laughed then suddenly added “not a slutty witch I hope. I can only resist so much.”

“At least give us a clue” Alice said as she locked eyes with Aki and smirked “will your character be male or female?”

Not a single halloween costume remained in the fancy dress shops. Ak had left it too late to buy a back-up, it was still touch and go wether the courier would bring his costume later that day. 

He made his way to a goodwill shop and checked out a few things from the rack. 

Next shop was bigger, had more choice, had a similar blue rinse assistant watched in disinterested manner. A second assistant, thirtysomething and expensively dressed, appeared from the stock room and watched as he held up a dress, looked at his iPhone and back to the dress before putting it back. 

“Can I see?” She took his iPhone, zoomed in, she shuffled the clothes rack pulled a black dress from the rack “try this for size.” She peeped around the changing room curtain, declared it too big. “Found these out back” she handed him two more dresses. Like porridge in a nursery rhyme, the next dress was too small and the third perfect. The dress had a fitted bodice and pleated skirt that came to about two inches above his knee. 

“Now this” the sales assistant handed him a waist nipper, he looked uncertain “just a fashion item.” He liked it and, remembering what Sakura had said, he asked about layered petticoats. Rather than waste time trying them on he bought both and added a worn looking, ankle length, black coat to his purchases. Checking his reflection in the mirror then his watch he dropped off at the clothes at a dry cleaners and headed for the department store as fast as heels allowed. 

He had spent ages dressing that morning  - favourite black, stretchy mini skirt, sheer black pantyhose, spike heel ankle boots. A black padded bra beneath a diaphanous floral blouse completed his outfit and an oversize, mens, tweed jacket semi-concealed what lay beneath. 

Penny had suggested he wear ‘something you feel comfortable wearing…like leggings and a tee, perhaps sneakers’. Sakura had helped him choose what he actually wore for such an important day. As he sat on the high stool at the cosmetics counter with passers-by staring like he was a manikin doubt crept in. 

“Cheer up session?” Samantha (call me Sam, everyone does) said as she paused the makeover. Aki said lunch date. “I see in the appointment book you are back again later.”

“Party tonight, it’s a really busy day Sam.”

“Men don’t understand what we go through to look good for them.”

Aki did not want to get into all that so changed to taxi driver talk “you busy today?” When Sam had talked herself out on that subject he slipped in “any holidays booked?” Aki pulled out his iPhone, showed Sam the picture of his costume, zoomed into the models face “I was hoping for something as close to this as you can for tonight.”

Aki, with stomach full of butterflies, walked into the coffee shop, Penny sat at a table with three strangers and an empty seat. She saw him, smiled, said something, her companions turned to look, she stood to greet him. They moved like a mirror-pair; fingers rest on upper arm, smile, brief lip kiss, and step back. “Aki, these are my coworkers and friends…Patsy, Nigella, and Sue.” The empty chair was at five o’clock to Penny, apart enough that everyone could turn toward him when he spoke.

“No bags, aren’t you cutting it fine to buy a costume.” Penny said as they stood to leave. 

“I can always wear my old 501s’ and get the theatrical department at uni to create a zombie look.”

“Good job I am picking you up” Penny said with a lightheartedness Aki thought to be a warning tone.

Aki’s busy day continued; collect dry cleaning, home to shower, back to the department store.

Sam was just as talkative when Aki returned for his second makeover. “Can you send that picture to my iPad?” She used the iPad in the way an artist uses a reference picture when painting. The cosmetics counter staff were packing away, the shop floor devoid of customers. “Hope that dress is not as expensive as it looks, he’ll rip it off to…”

“She” Aki said to put a stop to any ripping off by the man in Sam’s imaginary scenario.

“Sorry, that was wrong of me to assume…”

“It’s fine, honestly” 

Two sales assistants walked over arm in arm, one looked at the iPad, at Aki, at the iPad “Sam is finishing off a makeover for a party.” 

Sam said “zoom out, look at her costume Diane” Sam resumed the makeover “where did you buy that?”

“It is a cosplay costume a friend sent from Japan”

“Never seen the like of it” Diane said

“You are going all Welsh again Diane” the second sales assistant. 

“Sorry Cath”

Aki said “the style is called ‘cute metal’ or ‘cute goth’ style.”

“Tell me what it looks like.” Cath said.

Sam tapped her face beneath her eye as Diane described the dress to Cath; “a deep mauve corset top with black details, worn with layered black skirts, some in a shiny satin fabric, gathered at the waist, I’m guessing it has underskirts,  and has a hi-low hem, with the front of the skirt being shorter than the back. There are layers of black lace and mesh overlay to the neckline, bodice, and arms. Black lace along the hemline. And a large, black bow at the back of the waist.”

Sam added “and Aki has black hair, a little longer than shoulder length and black eyes that will work perfectly with the classic gothish night-time look I am creating. Upper and lower lid eyeliner, apricot blended to a dark grey green eyeshadow, lip enhancer and colour to match corset top” Sam smiled.

Leaving the department store Aki gulped at the thought of the total cost, it would take a lifetime to use even a half of the makeup he carried. Running late he took a Uber home, checked his iPhone for the Nth time in the hope of a delivery notification. 

Seeing the apartment party ready he felt a little guilty at not helping. Music came from Alice’s room, Gemma looked as ready to party as a half eaten zombie could “we couldn’t be the same, Alice is a witch.”

“I know” Aki said, noticing the parcel on his bed - he looked more pleased than someone calling their roommate a witch should look. 

“What is with that tatty old coat on your bed?”

“Part of my costume, a scruffy look, you know spooks live in boreal forests right?”

“You will look more like a moth eaten gangster if you wear that”

“You’ll see…can you lend me your curling tongs.” He made tea, took it into his room, quickly changed into the backup dress and a petticoat. “Siri FaceTime Sakura…Sorry it is so early” He lied and sniggered at her total bed head.

“I’ve been up eleven minutes I’ll have you know.”

“You were right, look, no sign of what hides within, stretchy pants, petticoats, and pleated skirt work perfectly.” 

Sakura told him to stop fannying around and get into his costume. He carefully ironed the costume while describing the makeover. “I can see” Sakura said as he stepped out of his dress, petticoat and bra. She said turn around then asked if he had been taking the tablets she sent.

“Like I told you when you took them - they are snake oil.” Aki began to dress in his costume secretly pleased Sakura had noticed.

“Well something has happened to your chest and they look like little breasts to me.” Aki turned away as he hitched the back of the corset top. “And the only snake in that room is inside your panty girdle” Sakura blushed deeply at her own crude comment.

“Your face has gone the colour of my corset top” Aki smiled then got serious “Penny mentioned stopping at hers tonight…I am so nervous Sakura.” He singled out a bunch of hair and twirled it into the heated tongs. 

“That is enough…your hair!” Sakura was back to normal colour, she watched him release a perfect ringlet just before it singed  “now the other side.”

“No, one side is enough” he said as he removed a stud and tried to thread a silver drop earring in.

Aki’s confidence in the look he wanted intended surprised Sakura a little. She smiled, agreed, watched as he fastened the first stocking, chided him to check the seam. He stepped into his heels, did the twirl she asked for then a second. He heard sounds of newcomers in the living room, his excitement ramped itself up a few more notches. Sakura could see his chest rising and falling, she engaged her calm tone, said what she had said a dozen times before. “Okay, you look stunning, enjoy your evening, stay in character and when you get to Penny’s apartment let her take the lead, it will be fine.”

“But if she freaks…”

“Then Uber home, text me and I’ll be in London before your tears dry.”

Aki thought he might slip into an active party unnoticed, he need not have worried. As he opened his door it was as if a stranger walked into a bar full of regulars. His inner cosplayer drank in the attention as he crossed the room and joined Alice and Gemma. Black clothes, a hat, a cape or black lipstick served as fancy dress for most. Alice and Gemma, had made a little more effort. “Who knows I’m a man?” He whispered. 

“I thought I did…” Alice laughed “but even I am not so sure anymore.”

“Be serious, I mean at the party. What if someone tells Penny?”

Alice smiled “who knows a certain someone has a penis Gemma?”

“Only us, everyone else only knows you are our roommate.” Gemma said.

Alice smirked toward Aki as a young man walked over “I even invited someone your own age to keep you company as Penny couldn’t come…perfect timing…Gregor, this is Aki.”

The party turned out to be more of a halloween themed buffet with soft music and drinks. Without Penny there Aki was glad background music did not encourage dancing. It had not gone unnoticed to Gemma that Gregor had taken a shine to Aki, following him around like a dog follows a bitch on heat. And it had not gone unnoticed to Gemma that Alice looked pleased by this. 

Aki kept an eye on the door. Alice was misinformed, Penny was coming…he should have been rescued already but she was late. To avoid Gregor Aki popped into the bathroom for the Nth time, checked his makeup saw, as Sam promised, his lips had plumped up a little more. 

Alice waylaid Aki, she was acting more than a little drunk “I think Gregor has taken a liking to you” she giggled “when I invited him he asked if you had a boyfriend” Alice smirked “I said no, hope that is okay?”

“You set me up?” Aki did not try to conceal his anger “invited Gregor, the only single man knowing Penny was not here and telling him I am unattached.” 

“Not the only single man but shall we keep that to ourselves for now?”Alice giggled briefly - until she noticed Penny had arrived and was watching them from across the living room.

“What is going on you two?” Gemma asked.

“You pretended to be my friend then did that? Fuck you Alice” at that heads turned. Aki walked away, turned back, “sorry for swearing Gemma.”

Gregor followed Aki to the kitchen and was trying to persuade Aki to have a vodka shot when Penny stood next to him “Aki please stop flaunting your bosom at this man like that” pleased with the blush that followed Penny stepped back and let her eyes leisurely examine Aki head to toe and back again, Aki returned the examination taking in her mid thigh. sparkly, green party dress.

“Penny this is Gregor.”

Not ready to admit defeat Gregor held out a shot glass toward Aki.

“Hi Gregor, Aki just told you she does not use alcohol…” Penny glanced at him, smiled, looked back at Aki “I need to steal my girlfriend back.”

Gregor walked away, Penny took a sip from Aki’s glass and smiled.

Aki returned the smile, their pinkie fingers interlocked, “I thought you weren’t coming.”

“That why you flirted with him?”

“Please don’t say that. He has been following me all evening, wouldn’t go away.”

“You should have said what you said to Alice” Penny laughed softly “though Gregor might have taken ‘fuck you’ to be a notice of intent.” He realised she had been there a while, watching “you looked so angry with Alice, what did she say to you?”

Aki tried ‘nothing’, Penny kept up the pressure until he told her the backstory. He told Penny that Alice being drunk was an act, he had been watching her. “Alice even said I did not have boyfriend to encourage him.”

“I hate siding with Alice but, you do not have a boyfriend.”

“That is not funny”

“Did you tell him you had a girlfriend?” 

Aki swallowed hard “I should have thought of that…you make it sound obvious.”

“That is what people say when they are officially dating and I have the paperwork right here in my purse. At least my friends are expecting me to arrive with my girlfriend.” Penny laughed, “but not such a cute girlfriend…” She said, her eyes taking in the small details of his costume “I am so relieved you are not wearing some tacky, slutty, witch costume like that thing Alice is wearing.” Penny adjusted the way his single ringlet hung “I brought a bag of ‘suitable to meet my friends’ clothes for you, just in case.” Saying how she loved the whole gothish look Penny continued “how could I have doubted you after seeing your lunchtime look?” then asked about the little corset. 

Aki explained it was a fashion corset top, not a corset, paused “my chest looks even bigger in this.”

Penny smiled “who said those tablets were snake oil?”

Alice hugged Aki goodbye then Penny “shall I tell you a secret?” Penny nodded, leant in a little. Aki looked as worried as a mongoose on a Wednesday. Alice leant neck kissing close and whispered “your girlfriend is a man.”

“Didn’t hear.”

“Aki has a cock, he is a man.”

“I know” Penny kissed her cheek and, wearing a broad smile, closed the door behind her.

Aki was pleased Penny filled the silence with smalltalk as they rode the lift. She talked of the second party, her party, a tram ride away, out past the outskirts of the city and into the suburbs. 

Penny hooked her pinkie with Aki as they circulated, introducing Aki to her friends before the music became dancing loud. Aki sounded nervous when he asked how she knew so many people.

“Mostly school friends, youth club, that sort of thing. We have a get together occasionally - a chance to show off new expensive shoes or a flashy car or a new girlfriend.” 

“I like your shoes Penny, are they new?”

Penny playfully elbowed him in the ribs, said she would see him later. Aki brushed his fingers on her forearm “I don’t know anyone, please don’t leave me…”

“Oooh…are you Penny’s needy baby?” She pecked his cheek “I like that” and walked off as the music moved up a few decibels. Aki moved onto the dance floor and blended in.

From the touchlines new partners, like Aki, were openly pointed out as who is with who. Aki mislaid Penny as she circulated. Penny saw the nervous look on his face as he scanned the touchlines and made an effort to stay undetected by him, she watched as a newcomer danced apart but with Aki. Penny’s interest peaked when he stepped slow song close to match the music. Aki stepped back, away from him, said something and walked to the bar with him a step behind like a Mk.2 Gregor.

“do you know who that is talking to Aki?” Penny asked her friend.

“That’s Tom, Tom Smith you must remember him”

Aki put her bottle of water on the bar, said something to Tom, walked away and started dancing. Soon Tom was right back dancing with Aki. Penny liked the way Aki scanned the room as if seeking rescue while dancing - she added that to the list that she kept in her head titled ‘Things I Love About Aki’. Suddenly Aki stepped back, pivoted and began dancing with a woman leaving Tom gyrating to an empty spot. Aki and her new dance partner spoke as the music quietened and walked to the restroom together. 

“We don’t know each other” the girl sharing the mirror said to Aki as he repaired his face “I’m Tina, my friend pointed you out, Penny and I lost touch when she moved to the city.” Tina discretely held her iPhone close to Aki’s purse and tapped ‘receive only’ when the NameDrop banner popped up. “Penny has never brought a date to one of these nights, how long have you been dating?”

Aki liked the new information, it gave him a warm, proud feeling. He told Tina more than usual, even mentioned they were dating with a view to living together, then regretted talking in such a western fashion. Sakura would be horrified if she heard him being so boastful to a stranger. “How long were you friends, were you close?” Aki asked.

“Like forever, close like sisters” Tina smiled as she checked her makeup one last time “nice to meet you Aki, must go or my boyfriend will think I’ve deserted him.”

Watching her girlfriend fend off first Gregor and now Tom left Penny with a good feeling - proof, if proof were needed, that men posed no threat. That just left one outstanding possible threat to deal with - Alice who was circling like a shark.

Finally getting Penny to himself as they waited for the last tram back to the city Aki said “what did Alice whisper to you just before we left, you answered I know?”

Penny laughed saying Alice was drunk “you guess and I’ll say if you are right.”

“Penny, Alice was not drunk, she was scheming. Just tell me please.”

“Here in the street?” Penny looked serious “okay…she said you are a man, have a penis.”

“Why did we go to the party if you are breaking up with me?”

“What…no! - I already knew my girlfriend’s secret, and that is okay. I wasn’t sure if I was supposed know, and you don’t help.”

“I don’t help?”

Penny squeezed his hand a little “when I looked at you tonight I thought I might be wrong…”

“You are not wrong.” A nervous laugh escaped. “I have been terrified of what would happen when you found out my secret.” 

“Seems you worried about nothing” Penny said as the tram arrived. With people all around they fell into a silence that lasted all the way back to Penny’s apartment, and yet, did not feel in the slightest awkward. 

Finally breaking the silence Penny said “Ellen and Lucy will be out until the club shuts at least” as she made late night tea then confessed she had had a girlfriend before but, as soon as things began moving below the waist she backed out. She knew she was repeating herself and babbling but rushed on regardless. Peter had been her first real boyfriend and she had the same problem “as soon as his hand slid up my leg I slapped him away.”

Aki waited, unsure what to say, the silence stretched out.

“What I’m trying to say is I am emotionally attracted to women, but not in a sexual way and attracted to men only in a sexual way.” Handing Aki a pack of condoms Penny said “I’ve been trying to imagine how this moment will play out over and over in my head for weeks, is it okay if you stay dressed?”

That worked for Aki, in the bathroom he removed his panties, put on a condom and smoothed down his costume. 

Penny had been so confident, so in control since they met that meeting nervous-Penny for the first time came as a surprise, she was waiting in her bedroom “tell me what to do Aki, shall I take everything off?”

Ignoring the question Aki hugged her, noticed a towel on the bed. They began to kiss. Sex was exactly as expected - awkward - almost satisfactory. A little blood on the towel after confirmed his suspicions. 

They showered separately and wearing bathrobes sat in the kitchen drinking fresh tea. Penny asked if he would like to stay the weekend “I put a nightie on the bed in case you want to wear something over your underwear” in control Penny was back!

Back to normal, they talked about how Alice had blind dated then outed him as if the last hour or two had never happened. “It’s obvious that Alice wants to take you from me.”

“That did not happen before tonight and it will not in the future” Like a fool Aki told Penny how Alice gets flirty at times to prove his point. 

“She does? What do you mean by ‘flirty’?” 

They hatched a plan that Aki suggested might be too harsh and Penny deemed too soft. 

Penny woke Ellen and Lucy “and please put your clothes on before you come out of your room” then began rooting through her closet, no hint of last nights nervousness remained. She hung Aki’s costume in the closet, slipped off her bathrobe and dressed. She lay a pleated skirt and blouse on the bed and left. Aki quickly dressed and slipped quietly into the kitchen where Penny was making coffee “Ellen and Lucy won’t be here long - they spend every Saturday shopping.”

“Hello Aki” Lucy smiled, sat down and put on a blouse.

“I asked you to dress.”

“What’s the problem?”

“You wouldn’t like it if I paraded myself in bra and skirt in front of your boyfriend.”

“No one has a boyfriend in the apartment…oh, you mean Aki” Lucy smirked, called out “Ellen, Penny is being weird and we have to dress for breakfast.” 

“Hello Aki, what a nice surprise” Ellen said as she walked in and smiled at Penny, “you didn’t mention Aki was coming today.”

“I’m not sure Aki arrived this morning” Lucy said as she nudged Ellen, they both sniggered.

“At least I know Aki’s name this morning.” Penny shot back.

“Ouch!” Ellen said. 

Meanwhile in Aki’s apartment, as they cleared the party detritus Alice said “I did something terrible last night.” She explained how she had blind-dated Gregor and blind-sided Aki. 

She did not explain how, if her plan had worked out, Aki would be in his room sobbing. Worse than that - he had not even come home. Uncertain of what might happen when he did come home Alice set about strengthening her excuse by apologising at being so drunk.

Thinking that was the extent of ‘something terrible’ Gemma said Aki might see it as a joke when he has calmed down, a joke in poor taste, but a joke. 

“That is not the worst part, I told Penny that Aki is a man…!”

Gemma looked stunned, mouth half open, hands full of dirty plates “what did Penny say, did Aki hear?”

“Penny said ‘I know’ all quiet and calm as if I had just told her she had a snag in her stocking.” Alice stared at a glob of dried hummus on the floor awhile, “I don’t think he heard…he still looked happy as they left.”

As soon as Lucy and Ellen left the apartment Penny said it might be a good idea to practise while they were alone. Like the night before they both remained clothed, unlike the night before Penny was vocal and came twice before saying “did you cum?” 

Aki said he had been holding back, gave a little laugh “ladies first.” 

“You can do that? Friends say their boyfriends are done way too quick.” Penny wriggled around under him, put her hands under his tee shirt, unhooked his bra, made Mmming noises and began to suckle. Aki was loosing control, he pumped with a sense of urgency. 

“Did I do that?”

“You certainly did, I was out of control for a while. My nipples are so sensitive.”

Penny looked pleased as she dressed “You really are the perfect girlfriend above the waist. I felt you pressing that into my back during the night” said she had been researching how to overcome that problem online, had read about something like the gaff he wore but was locked in place. Aki went to interrupt but she said “hear me out” and continued “when we agree it is time I will leave the key on your bedside.”

“Either of us could decide when it is time?”

“I thought I might decide at first” Penny sounded surprised, threatened even.

They took a tram across town, Penny tried to sound calm but she repeatedly brought the conversation back to what she called ‘your belt’. 

Still on a high from her unquestioning acceptance of his penis-deceit he agreed. 

“And with you wearing it at your place I can relax. I would not put it past Alice to slip into your bed when you are asleep.”

“I would kick her out.”

Penny kissed his cheek, said she knew Aki was trustworthy, Alice was another matter “I will feel better once we get our own apartment.”

“Are we still apartment hunting Monday?” Aki returned the kiss, of course they were.

“That will not work at all” Penny told the sales assistant, she explained she wanted something that would give her boyfriend a flat front.

“You want to hide his manhood completely, until it is needed?” Heather, the sales assistant asked and went off to the stock room. Heather was Alice’s age, perhaps a little older, wore her brown hair in a pixie style. She wore a scoop neck tee shirt and pencil skirt.

Penny asked “are you 100% okay with doing this?” 

Aki said now they had talked about it more he was, said the idea of wearing a chastity for her felt like their kinky secret. He said he liked that.

Heather lay a wide flat box on the counter, Aki caught Penny’s eye, nodded at the box printed ‘Sissy Belt’ in pink letters. Heather saw them both looking, smiled “he will never know what it is called once it’s out of the box…unless you want him to know of course.” The one she demonstrated was made from a pink silicone with stainless inner “or, if you prefer, there are several skin tones to choose from.” The Sissy Belt fastened around the waist, held everything back out of sight. Shower proof it could be worn for extended periods. Penny asked to see how it locked.

“Far better than we imagined” Penny told Heather “isn’t it Aki?” as they exchanged a little smile.

Heather thought of her commission and looked pleased, she lifted the belt out of the box revealing another layer. She explained how front attachments locked in place, lay the three sizes of butt plugs out that also locked in place. 

Penny and Aki exchanged a look. 

“We will not be needing those” Penny said.

Heather smiled “perhaps this might be more what you had in mind” she smiled and took a fake vagina from the box and locked it in place.

Penny smiled, touched it, nudged Aki “go on, you touch it. It feels almost real” 

Heather said how once everything warms to body temperature you will think he is a girl “hence the ‘sissy belt’ name. She left them to answer the phone. Penny’s finger explored the surface “what do you think?” 

Aki said it was more than he imagined - whatever that meant. 

“Is that yes or no?”

“Remember when I said I like you bossing me around?” Aki smiled “I’ll be okay with whatever you decide.”

“I think we will take it, but we don’t need the penis and butt plug, just the vagina” Penny told Heather “is the belt difficult to put on?”

Heather said the accessories were included in the price “you don’t have to use them of course. There is a knack to fitting, most bring their boyfriend in first time” Heather explained that Penny would be present and she wore gloveswhile demonstrating.

“Could you do that now, I mean if you have a skin tone in stock” Penny smirked at Aki, he mouthed no, no, no. 

“Sure, no problem, is he nearby?”

“No Penny…”

A side of Penny neither she nor Aki had known existed revealed itself. “He is right here beside me.” She smirked at Aki then watched Heather for a reaction.

For Heather a crossdressed man brought in by his wife was, pretty much, an every day occurrence. Someone like Aki was not. Heather regained her composure and flipped the open sign. She guided them toward a changing room “I’ll get my gloves.” 

Enjoying his embarrassment Penny said “don’t be shy Aki, slip your skirt and panties off for Heather.”

Aki’s panty girdle had failed miserably in controlling his cock, he covered it with his hands. 

“My word!” Heathers face revealed her surprise “everyone says asian guys are tiny.”

“They lied.” Penny giggled.

“This might be a little cold” Heather snapped the second glove on, picked up a can of ‘cock away’ and sprayed Aki. He let out a little shriek as the ice cold jet of gas hit. By the time Heather had fastened the belt around his waist ‘cock away’ had done its job. She pushed his balls up, arranged his empty scrotum, 

 slipped his cock into the tube and pulling it between his legs clicked it shut all the while explaining to Penny “there all done, and skin tone will make it undetectable once he has panties on.” She stood facing Aki and clipped the fake vagina in place “what do you say sissy?”

“Do not call Aki that Heather” Penny said a little more abruptly than she intended. 

“Saturday night and you are staying in?” Ellen said as she waited for Lucy “last chance Penny…Aki?”

Penny declined again saying her and Aki wanted to watch television and eat pizza. Finally alone Penny thanked Aki for choosing to wear the chastity belt, she enthused how perfect he felt as she slid a hand up his skirt “can you feel that?” He could not, guessed she might be exploring the fake vagina. “I was surprised you were so willing, eager even, to let Heather lock you in your Sissy Belt. Was being locked away like that while I watched a turn on?”

“I need to be released for a few minutes Penny”

“Heather warned me you would say something like that. Shall I tell you what she said?” Penny did not wait for an answer “She said sissys get turned on and want to masturbate after being fitted with a chastity “is that why you want out for a few minutes?” 

Aki denied it. “Please don’t call me a sissy Penny”

“I was just teasing” Penny smiled and kissed him then told him why she would not release him “I would like to spend a couple of nights in bed with my girlfriend without worrying about, you know. I thought that would be fair after last night and this morning…or am I being selfish?”

“Not at all” Aki lied “you are right, it was all about me last night and this morning.”

In bed they talked for hours like they did on the telephone every night. Mean Penny vanished, compassionate Penny took her place.

“When did you know I have a penis?” Aki asked

“That first night” Penny said “the boyfriend comment was just me teasing you.”

He waited a while “so was leading me on just teasing as well?”

“I wasn’t the one who bought you skinny jeans” Penny laughed softly “and that certainly backfired on Alice”

Aki ‘Mmm’d’ into Penny’s neck.

“Then you just picked up the ball and ran with it”

“What?”

“Its a sporting term Aki, means same as letting the genie out of the bottle.”

“If I picked up the ball and ran with it what did you do?”

“Ran right after you.” Penny shuffled into Aki’s spoon a little tighter “had you worn women’s clothes before?”

“No…well…if that includes cosplay costumes then yes.” Penny turned to face him and Aki explained how he developed a liking for playing female characters when he and Sakura would go to cosplay events. “When it became every time Sakura didn’t like that, that is why we went back to being friends.” 

“So you had all the skills - dress sense, makeup, and passing even before you met me?” Penny sounded excited “what are the odds of that?”

“Quite low I guess, Sakura taught me all those skills as a joke and suddenly it was not funny…”

With Lucy and Ellen still sleeping off Saturday night Aki acted like a manikin for Penny next morning. He modelled her swimsuits then bikini collection. Pleased that only the tiniest of bikini bottoms showed The Belt, she talked excitedly about how they could sunbathe together on their balcony at their new apartment. 

She handed Aki a lingerie set and watched as he put it on, she adjusted the bra straps, thumbed his nipples through the thin material “my 32a bra fits you just right, no more padded bras for you.” 

They had been having such a good time Ellen’s knock on the door announcing ‘coffee’ surprised them both. As they drank coffee together Ellen and Lucy talked about their night out for a while, their conversation paused “are you and Aki living together now?” Ellen said, Lucy sniggered.

“She is stopping over a couple of nights is all, her roommate upset her.” Penny said wondering why she had ever moved in with either of them. They seemed so immature now she had Aki. 

Aki told them how a roommate had blind dated him right in front of Penny. Although neither had even heard her name before that moment they both declared Alice a bitch of the first order.

Monday morning Aki and Penny sat in a coffee shop two minutes walk from what would soon be ‘our apartment’ - Penny estimated her office to be ten minutes away in sneakers, perhaps fifteen minutes in heels. Feigning innocence they skirted around what to do with the rest of the day until Aki suggested they take advantage of Lucy and Ellen’s absence.

Aki’s iPhone pinged, Penny picked it up, read the message ‘Did you tell her about me?’ and pointed the screen at Aki “who is that?!”

“No idea” Aki swallowed loudly.

Another ping ‘Tina’

“Tina who?”

Aki searched his memory banks for a ‘Tina’ who could possibly know his number “only Tina I can think of is from the party, but I never gave her my number…I mean why would I?”

Penny calmed as Aki explained the encounter, Tina said she was a friend of Penny, said you were ‘close like sisters’ before you left home.

“Was there a notification about name drop on your iPhone after you met?” Penny looked pleased when Aki said there was “Tina and I weren’t ‘like’ sisters. We are sisters.” Penny smiled, kissed his cheek, said “don’t look so worried, it’s fine”

Monday night Aki complained of feeling frustrated as he readied to leave for his own apartment “can I take the belt off for a while, only until I get home?”

“Until you are in your own apartment?”

“Yes, ten minutes alone then I’ll put my Belt on. I promise.” 

“So you want me to release you and send you home, to Alice, frustrated and randy?” 

Aki started to dress “you can be so unreasonable.”

Penny enjoyed watching Aki sulk as she instructed him what to wear “you think making you wait one more day is unreasonable?” She smiled “I waited eighteen years for you.”

“What time will Aki be home?” Ellen asked when she arrived home. Penny quietly sipped her tea unansweringly while watching the amused look on Lucy’s face.

“Aki and I talked while you were showering yesterday” Lucy said, now Ellen struggled to hide her amusement “I mentioned that coffee shop on the corner are hiring.”

“That would work, you two could meet after work every day.” Ellen suggested “I mean even if, as you claim, Aki does not live here.”

“Then Aki wouldn’t have to wear those awful ‘factory clothes’ to work” Lucy added. 

Penny smiled and nodded her agreement “they are…a little unfashionable that is all.”

“Aki would look cute wearing a green apron”

“With thick eyeliner?”

“You mean like a goth barista?” 

“Enough, both of you” Penny sounded angry but her eyes told a different story.

Ellen and Lucy ignored Penny, continued their conversation.

“Did you see Adrian today?”

“Yes”

“You know how Adrian looks when he gets out of his new Porsche” Lucy said

“You mean sort of…like the way Penny looks around Aki.”

“She is cute”

“We talking car or Aki?”

“Fuck you both.” Penny cut in with a laugh.

“Have you L’d each other?”

“You mean…” Lucy waggled her tongue. 

“You two are disgusting” Penny said

“No Lucy is being disgusting” Ellen said while looking as if butter would not melt in her mouth “I mean have you used the L-word on each other?”

Penny dealt a killer blow to their tasing “I will miss you both…”

By arriving home late and leaving early Aki avoided Alice and Gemma until Tuesday night. He pretended to be warming up when he heard the door. “Be with you in a minute” Alice said as she disappeared into her room. “We missed you past couple of days” Alice said during the session, then next second she was back to instructor “no, like this…” Alice was stalling for time, she stretched out the session until she heard Gemma’s key in the door.

“Something smells good” Gemma said from the hallway.

“Aki is home, she made a pasta sauce” Alice said purposely using ‘she’. 

Alice bided her time until they were plating up dinner “why didn’t you call, we have been worried about you.”

“I mislaid my iPhone” Aki smiled “and who keeps telephone numbers in their head nowadays?” He saw them exchange nervous glances. Penny had said not to make it easy for them but he swallowed and folded “I stayed at Penny’s the weekend” he smiled and got back on script “so good to be back in my own bed after her sofa.” Penny would be pleased the way he worked that line into the conversation.

Gemma answered the door “Hi Penny.” 

“Perfect timing.” Aki said with a smile and pulled the spare dining chair next to him, handed her a fork “just pasta in tomato.” 

Penny smiled as they made small talk while eating “is it good to be home Aki?” Aki glanced at Penny, knowing what was coming he used a forkful of pasta to avoid joining the conversation.

Alice was second glass of wine relaxed “I thought you had kidnapped Aki”

“Quite the opposite Alice, it took me until last night to persuade her to come home” Penny smiled “your Gregor set-up hurt us both.” Penny used the pasta delaying tactic “but lets put that behind us.”

Penny left after the film at her usual time, as they kissed in the hall she whispered ‘keep to the plan’ to Aki.

“I told you your Gregor joke was the reason Aki disappeared.” Gemma said once they were alone. “Are you sure you told Penny about Aki? You were very drunk and she is totally oblivious.” 

Alice said she was pretty sure but accepted Gemma’s ‘get out of jail free’ card with gratitude “perhaps I am remembering something that did not happen.”

In her apartment, alone in her bed Penny pulled the to do list, they had made together, from under her pillow and smiled. It summarised what Penny and her girlfriend had decided during an all-night talk — Aki is her girlfriend, even during sex it would be her - her girlfriend, her cock…she giggled, The Belt will make sure of that.

While waiting for sleep Penny relived snippets of their party night conversation; ‘I knew your secret when we met’ - ‘it wasn’t my place to snoop’ - ‘we were only acquaintances back then’ - ‘heels and sports bra do not make a woman…but they were a start’. Like listening to a voicemail the words played over until Tina popped up in Penny’s thoughts. Even though they had only messaged so far it felt good to have a sister again, and with Tina’s help she might have parents again one day…

Gemma waited until Aki left the apartment “Aki asked me about giving notice, I said ‘anytime’s fine’. He paid until the end of the month to give us time to find another roommate.”

“Did he say where is he going?” Alice said.

“No, and he hasn’t mentioned Penny to me all week”

“I noticed that, you think they are cooling off?” Alice looked pleased - as pleased as if she had fitted into size 6 jeans “you think they have parted.”

“Perhaps he is going home…” Gemma looked serious “no doubt you will make your move in case he does.”

Late Thursday, after yoga, Aki reappeared wearing a stretchy, sparkly, dress whose hem looked as if it had had an argument with his knees “I am going dancing” he purposely left his iPhone on the coffee table. 

“It wouldn’t hurt to see who is texting him, might be an emergency” Gemma said when the late night film finished “all from Penny.”

“Looks like Aki might have ghosted her” Alice wore a non committal expression that hid her inner joy in thinking Aki was available. Gemma could go from tolerant friend to red-haired Kuchisake-onna at the drop of a hat this close to her period if Alice confessed her true feelings. Evenso inner Alice told herself she had no choice - the heart wants what the heart wants. 

Alice put on a little foundation, a hint of eyeshadow, and brushed her hair into a high pony before leaving her room next morning. She was drinking coffee when Aki came home looking tired. “Stay over somewhere?”

He smiled, talked about the club that closed at six followed by breakfast at a greasy spoon cafe. 

Aki called Penny the second he was alone “Someone checked my phone while I was out last night.” 

“Perfect.” Penny said

“I think what we are doing is mean.”

“She tried to break us up.”

“True.” Aki giggled “being apart feels horrid.”

“You were here all night” Penny laughed

“That was then this is now.”

Saturday, as a distraction, Gemma persuaded Alice to go on a man hunt. She was surprised to see Aki settled in his chair, wearing sweats and watching a sci-fi film on a Saturday night. 

She tried to persuade Aki to join them.

“Misery does not need company.”

“Aki, I am shocked at you talking that way”

Alice tottered into the room wearing skyscraper heels “don’t mope indoors all alone on a Saturday, please come with us” She glanced at Gemma “I’m not in the mood for picking up some random man, we could go together Aki, be Gemma’s wing girls.”

He pretended the film was required watching for next writing class, said he was not ‘moping’ - quite the opposite as Alice was the second woman to ask him out. He sniggered.

“What the fuck was that about?” Gemma said the second the elevator doors closed. 

“He just needs cheering up, what with Penny dumping him.”

“He said that?”

“No…but he has not said she didn’t” Alice outlined the lack of him talking about Penny, going dancing alone and was about to continue with the list when Gemma cut in.

“I cannot remember seeing you so, so…” Gemma struggled to find a suitable word among her word list. 

Alice began talking hoping to shut her up “I hope the queue is short, I’ll freeze in this tiny dress.” 

“The one you call slutty when I wear it?” Gemma was ready for a second attack on her friend “the sort of dress that might ensnare a teenager on the rebound?” “Besotted” Gemma said as if the word was written on the wall and had been revealed by the opening lift doors  “I cannot remember seeing you like this with a man, you are totally besotted with Aki.” 

Alice was tearing up as they slipped into their Uber but Gemma kept up the pressure “I warned you from the start this would end badly.”

“Don’t be mean Gemma, I can’t help it.”

Gemma softened “I’m done, I’ve said my piece, now let's have a night of partying. Whatever happens I will try to be okay with it.”

Gemma and Alice threw themselves into partying. Three drink Alice held back, if Aki needed cheering up she needed not to be too drunk - and yet smell and act drunk enough that she could blame alcohol if it went badly. Alice made an excuse to leave the club early “I don’t feel well Gemma.” 

Gemma said she would stay till closing “whatever is going to happen I do not want to be there.” 

The apartment was in darkness when Alice arrived home, only music escaped beneath Aki’s door. She put her ear to the door, recognised Miyuu’s ‘Southern Waves’, she tapped a fingernail on the door, “Aki, are you awake” she said softly then quietly opened the door. In the darkness she saw the shape of Aki laying atop the bed. 

Nothing unusual, he often fell asleep while listening to music.

Alice weighed up the situation. Gemma would not be home for a couple of hours. Alice cupped her hand to check her breath then shimmied her panties from beneath her dress and tried to quieten the thumping in her chest. 

She ran through her plan - softly slip in behind Aki, a gentle sleep wank until he hardened, ease him onto his back, cock out, climb aboard…by the time he realised it was not a dream and fully woke he would be inside her. 

Alice slowly, quietly, opened the door and approached the bed…

Now her eyes had grown more accustomed to the darkness she realised two people lay atop the bed, the nearest snuggled back into the spoon, Mmmd, eyes slowly opened. Alice saw Penny smile. After turning off the music, Alice backed out and closed the door.  

Alice consoled herself - they were only asleep on the same bed. Not even undressed. Not even lovers. She pulled a pillow over her head and next thing she knew sun shined through the small gap in her curtains and someone was showering. Her iPhone pinged.

‘That you in the shower?’ - Gemma

‘Penny’

‘Here???’

‘Fell asleep on Aki’s bed’

From her room Gemma heard Aki’s door close, heard Alice walk to the kitchen and turn on music, she glanced at the clock (11:16) and ran for the bathroom. She sat ear-to-wall, a smile escaped as she eavesdropped Aki telling Penny what he wanted her to wear, heard Penny whine ‘what if people look’ and Aki reply ‘that is the whole reason to rock a vintage look’ giggle ‘I’m supposed to be the insecure one in this relationship…’

Gemma just managed to join Alice in the kitchen as Aki’s door started to open. 

“Good morning Alice” Penny said with a smile, thanked her for turning off the music saying she was too sleepy to get up and do it herself let alone get up and go home. 

"Alice came in our room?” Aki said as he walked into the kitchen.

“You spent the night together?” Gemma said with mock disapproval and a smile. 

Penny smiled, said her roommates are being mean. “Meaner than usual since I told them we are getting our own place.” Aki blushed. 

“That is sudden” Gemma said as Alice mouthed a silent ‘wow’ at her.

“Not really” Penny smiled innocently “as I said to Alice we are dating with a view to living together.”

Alice wore the look of a vegan who had been slapped around the face with a beef steak.

Gemma filled the silence by commenting on the retro look of Penny and Aki - they wore full, pleated, mid-calf length, skirts with a clingy knitted woollen jumper tucked into the waist band that revealed outlines of modest breasts modestly “have you decided - heels or white tennis shoes with ankle socks?” Penny said as she poured their coffee.

“With fully fashioned stockings? It can only be heels…” 

“And how would you describe ‘your look’?” Gemma looked pleased for the young couple. And pleased she and Alice could soon get back to a pre-Aki normal.

“At the mall we’ll look just like two heroines from a 1950s’ film noir in a colour world” Aki did that annoying thing some young couples do - he tapped at his iPhone, Penny’s iPhone beeped, they smirked at each other.

As Penny and Aki walked along the hall to leave Alice made a vomit noise, Gemma glared at her, “last nights alcohol” Alice lied. 

“That’s just how couples are Alice” Gemma said as she stepped into the bathroom.

Alice watched Penny follow Aki along the hall. 

Penny paused, turned, looked straight at Alice “Siri add condoms to shopping list.” 

Aki shushed her “Alice will hear you.” 

“I know…” Penny said as casually as if Aki had just told her she had a snag in her stocking.

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