The train could be heard clinking under me between breaths as I laid awake with my eyes closed. Where I was didn’t matter. The comfort I had wasn’t worth losing as a hand brushed against my cheek.
“I know your awake and enjoying yourself. Stay there a little longer. Our destination is still twenty minutes away.” Came Lexi’s voice from above as her delicate hands massaged my face. Such fine fingers she had as I held them against me, guiding them towards my neck. It was quite stiff from laying here, but she made it all go away. “Time to get up.” Whispered her voice.
“How long was I asleep?” I asked as a hand intertwined with mine.
“You slept as long as you needed. You’ve been staying up late for me, haven’t you? Now I’ll return the favor tonight. Will be up till the moon leads the day.” Nestling her head into my chest I knew she was digging to my heart.
“Where are we?” I asked as I moved past her back to our seats.
“About a hundred and sixty miles north of Sapporo.” She replied standing much to close.
“Why?” As my arm rubbed against hers.
“Why what?”
“Why did you bring me this far away? What if I still had work to do?” My tone let loose the anger that had boiled over.
“Do you?”
“No but” I uttered before being outspoken.
“I’ve never brought anyone, woman or man, here before. It’s always been a room for one when I come. The beauty of mountains and ocean are truly captured with this ryokan nestled between them. I only hoped to share that experience with someone else for once. To share it with you.”
I didn’t say anything, but I followed her off the train and onto what barely could be called a train stop.
She led me through a seaside village she was familiar with. We seemed like ghosts, however. All the lights were out and nothing but our walking feet, steady breathing, and my beating heart could be heard as they echoed off the peaking mountains that surround us on two sides. It soon grew to three as the inn Lexi praised laid atop a hill upon the foaming sea with the mountains clinging to every other side. A place nearly severed from this world but clinging on still by a single worn path that twisted and curved by the rugged peaks that laid on stone thrones. We walked that abandoned path to the inn and I discovered reservations had already been made as an elderly woman, of nothing but bones, called “A room for two facing the sea just as requested” as we were shown towards it. But as I went to go in, I felt skeletal fingers behind a tissue as they clung on my cheek and seemed to tear my flesh.
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“A bit of lipstick dearie.” The elderly lady said as she left laughing to herself.
Inside I found two robes laid out for Lexi and myself. I was going to put one on when I was stopped by a silk hand.
“Now’s not the time for a yukata. I don’t wish to dirty it as I show you the peaks.”
“All we can see is the sea from here and even that can’t be seen well in the moonlight. We should wait till the morning.” I said looking out the window at the boiling waves and at my cheek, in the reflection, that still had remains of lipstick.
“Don’t play around James. I know you came for something besides mountains. I should say someone really. I’m untouched you know. I’ve refused all men because I’m only for you.” I heard a dress float to the floor like a feather and I saw in the window’s reflection Lexi’s bare body.
I can’t allow myself to go through with this. Does marriage and loyalty mean nothing in this world? I thought as I looked at my wedding ring.
My eyes focused on hers in the window. They still held deep blue in them, but they were different from before. The blue before held life and joy or at least I believed they did. For now, they held nothing. A nothing that scared me.
“Lexi I’m not playing this game with you anymore.”
“You say that but you’re still here.” Her reflection nimbled towards me. “Do you speak truthfully or do only lies leave you?”
“I never lie. I’m heading back to the station.” But her hand caught mine and I hadn’t the will to pull away. Why couldn’t I?
“You don’t pull away? You’re much stronger then I, yet here I am keeping you or do you stay because you long for that which we never shared. A night.”
“I shouldn’t.”
“It’s only a night. Who would a night together harm anyhow? Only you and I would know.” She spoke into my ear softly with a voice that seemed to tread on clouds themselves.
“But it’s wrong.”
“What you’re trying to do is wrong. Your deepest desires shouldn’t be locked away. Throw yourself onto me. I’m open to you. I know it’s what you seek, and you know that you’ll never be satisfied otherwise.” As she unbuckled my pants.
“I can’t fall to your seduction. You’re a temptress!” I pulled away with what resistance I could muster.
“You must remember the sweeter names you called me before. One and only, sweetie pie, lovely, darling, Lexu, but to call me temptress is wrong. If I recall correctly, and I do, you were the one who approached me. Myself out of all the two-million inhabitants of that city was hand selected by you…you didn’t have to you know? You could’ve as easily went on your marry way, but you want me no matter how often you tell yourself you don’t” She said pressing her body against mine as my hands felt every inch and crevice of her. Pushing her to the laid-out mats I shuffled towards the door and held the handle in my hand.