Chapter 1
[ Summer of Beginnings ]
The sunset was dyeing the window panes of the office building a deep crimson. After a meeting that had seemed endless, a young wedding planner was tidying up documents with a thoroughly fed-up expression on her face. Yoshino Ishida, twenty-seven years old. Her neat features and tall, slender, model-like figure were beautiful enough to elicit teasing from brides declaring, "I want you to be my wedding planner." However, those beautiful eyes were currently clouded with fatigue and frustration over her work.
"Yoshino-san, good work again today. See you tomorrow."
At her colleague’s bright voice, Yoshino nodded without speaking. Her taciturn nature was famous in the workplace, and while she was sometimes teased for being "ditzy" or "off in her own world," she didn't mind. Rather, she preferred finishing her work over indulging in idle chatter.
Sliding her bag over her shoulder, she took the elevator down to the first floor. Stepping through the glass automatic doors, she frowned at the muggy summer air. The city was already enveloped in the hustle and bustle of the night. The moment she stepped out toward the road to hail a taxi, she noticed him.
Across the sidewalk, at the entrance of an old building, a man was standing still. Under the faint glow of a streetlamp, his figure looked like a silhouette portrait. However, that silhouette was by no means young. It was the bearing of a man with advanced years, yet dignified. Yoshino stopped in her tracks, involuntarily staring at his figure. For some reason, this person’s silhouette tugged at her heart.
As if noticing her, the man slowly turned his gaze toward her. Because of the distance, his expression was unreadable. However, his gaze was clearly locked onto Yoshino. She started, coming to her senses, and hurriedly waved down a taxi. The car stopped, and she slid into the back seat. Just as the car was pulling away, she looked out the window once more. But at the entrance of the building across the street, there was no longer anyone there.
"Was it an illusion...?"
Her whisper was drowned out by the sound of the engine.
That night, Yoshino had a strange dream. An older man wearing a white shirt. His face was not clearly visible even in the dream, but his hand was definitely touching her shoulder. A warm, large hand. It gave her a mysterious sensation, as if her chest were tightening at the touch.
"No, I can’t, Yoshino. You are already..."
Waking from the dream, she lowered her gaze to the wedding ring placed on her nightstand. A polished platinum band. She was a married woman. Her life with her husband was peaceful, and she had no complaints. Yet, why a dream like this?
The next morning, she got ready as usual and headed to work. Inside the subway car, she was reflecting on the events of yesterday. Who was that man? Why had he left such a strong impression on her?
Arriving at the office and settling at her desk, a colleague spoke to her with unusual excitement.
"Yoshino-san, did you know? Today, a really famous university professor is coming to our bridal fair! Professor Takumi Nagai—he’s a sociologist and apparently an authority on the theory of marriage!"
"Professor... Nagai?"
Yoshino’s heart leaped. For some reason, that name connected with the man from last night. While her mind understood it was impossible, her body reacted on its own.
"Yes, that’s right! I’m thinking of going to take a look, want to come along, Yoshino-san? Rumor has it the professor is quite stylish."
Yoshino found herself nodding to her colleague’s invitation. She didn't understand why she did it. It was as if she were drawn by that name, and her feet moved on their own.
The venue for the bridal fair was the hotel’s grand ballroom. Surrounded by glamorous dresses and wedding cakes, young couples were laughing happily. In the center of it all, a man was giving a speech.
"...Modern marriage is not merely a contract or an institution, but an act of redefining how two souls lean upon one another. The center of gravity is shifting from traditional purposes like economic stability and the continuation of bloodlines toward spiritual satisfaction and self-actualization. However, it is precisely because of this that deep dialogue with your partner and an attitude of trying to understand each other are indispensable..."
The man on the stage spoke in a calm tone, but with a persuasive manner. His graying hair was neat, and his slim-fitting suit perfectly suited his build. The wrinkles on his face spoke of intelligence, and his deep eyes shone as they reflected the light. He was the very embodiment of an "intellectual, mature man."
Yoshino stared at his figure, taking a breath. There was no mistake. The person she saw last night was this man. And the man in her dream was surely him, too.
"He's wonderful, isn't he? Don't you think so, Yoshino-san?"
Her colleague whispered in her ear, but Yoshino couldn't reply. She could only feel the thumping of her heart accelerate.
The speech ended, and it became time for questions and answers. While young couples raised their hands one after another, Yoshino just watched the scene in silence. Then, just as everything was ending and Professor Nagai was trying to leave the venue, she stood up involuntarily.
"U-Um, excuse me...!"
Her voice resonated through the venue louder than she expected. As all eyes turned toward her, Yoshino’s face grew hot. However, keeping her eyes fixed on Professor Nagai’s, she continued speaking.
"...Um, can marriage really... be sustained solely by... 'souls leaning upon one another'...?"
The question was so serious, and held something vaguely sorrowful, that it seemed out of place with the atmosphere of the room.
Takumi Nagai stopped in his tracks and slowly turned toward Yoshino. Then, narrowing his intelligent eyes, he smiled softly. That smile seemed to pierce Yoshino’s heart directly.
"...That is a good question. Souls leaning upon one another may be the ideal form of marriage. However, reality is more complex. Sometimes, it contains loneliness, mismatches, and... even forbidden desires. The important thing is how you accept and face them within yourself. It is to find that answer within your own heart."
His words struck deep into Yoshino’s chest. Forbidden desires. That was exactly what she was feeling right now.
The professor bowed once and left the venue. Yoshino could only watch his retreating back. Her heart was still in disarray, and her body was hot. She intuitively realized that she was about to become involved in something outrageous.
[ Temptation Behind the Scenes ]
A few days after the bridal fair, Yoshino was busy at her office with a meeting for a certain request. The client was the daughter of a famous company president. The scale of the wedding was large, and the demands were detailed. Yoshino had several documents spread out and was focusing hard on her work.
"Ishida-san, good work. Do you have a moment?"
Suddenly, the voice called out from behind made Yoshino jump. Turning around, she saw the head of the sales department standing there.
"Y-Yes. What is it?"
"Actually, there was an inquiry to our company from Professor Takumi Nagai, who gave the speech at the bridal fair the other day. He said, 'I would like you to introduce me to the female planner who asked the question that day.'"
At the department head's words, Yoshino’s world stopped for an instant. Blood rushed to her head, and her ears rang.
"Eh, um... me?"
"Yes. It seems the professor remembered your name and face. It’s an honor for our company as well. The professor is someone researching modern marriage from a sociological perspective, so you might be able to have a beneficial exchange of opinions with each other. Would you like to meet with the professor sometime soon?"
The department head's proposal was one Yoshino could not refuse. As part of her job, there was no reason to decline. However, her heart was swaying between joy and fear.
"...Understood. I will meet with him."
The cheeks of Yoshino, who answered in a tiny voice, were flushed.
On the day of the appointment, Yoshino chose a one-piece dress in a pale hue, different from her usual suit. She applied natural makeup, aiming to look slightly more glamorous than usual. She didn't understand why she did such a thing herself. However, when she thought that she was going to meet that man, she couldn't help but put in extra effort.
The meeting place was a quiet coffee shop near the university. Shortly after Yoshino took her seat, Takumi Nagai appeared. He carried his jacket over his arm, and his shirt sleeves were rolled up slightly. That slightly unkempt appearance, conversely, exuded sex appeal.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. You are Yoshino Ishida-san, correct?"
"Y-Yes. Thank you very much for taking time out of your busy schedule."
Yoshino, out of sheer nervousness, bowed stiffly. Professor Nagai gazed at her with kind eyes and sat in the seat opposite her.
"Please don't concern yourself with that. I am the one who is honored to have the opportunity to speak with a young and beautiful planner like you."
At his straightforward compliment, Yoshino’s heart pounded. She knew from his earnest gaze that this was not mere pleasantry.
"Are you still thinking about the question from that day?"
He got right to the point while taking a sip of coffee. Yoshino put strength into her hands gripping her cup.
"...Yes. Because I am married, too. I think the 'souls leaning together' that you spoke of, Professor, is a very wonderful thing. However, in reality... I feel there are difficult things, as well."
"For example, what kind of things?"
"...For example, that there is a part of me seeking a deeper, more passionate... connection with my husband. However, I don't know if that is right, or wrong..."
Yoshino was pouring out her true feelings with surprising honesty, even to herself. She felt she couldn't lie to this man. Professor Nagai listened to her words in silence, nodding.
"That is a perfectly natural emotion, Yoshino-san. Marriage is not a harbor of rest. Sometimes, it is a stormy sea. And within that sea, searching for your very own lighthouse is also a way of life."
"A lighthouse...?"
"Yes. A light that illuminates and guides you. Whether it is a person or whatever else, it is something that becomes an emotional anchor."
His words were poetic, and resonated deep within Yoshino’s heart. He was accurately verbalizing the conflict within her. Speaking with this man made her feel as though her heart were being seen through, and at the same time, she felt a sense of relief, as if she were deeply understood.
"Have you already found your own lighthouse, Professor?"
Yoshino found herself asking that involuntarily. She thought herself rude for asking, but she just wanted to know about him.
Takumi Nagai narrowed his eyes for a moment. Then, looking Yoshino straight in the eye, he said in a low voice:
"...No, I haven't found it yet. However, right now, very close by, I feel like I am about to notice that light."
At that moment, Yoshino felt her core grow hot. His gaze slowly crawled up her lips, her neck, and the cleavage of her chest. It was distinctly the gaze of a man. Yoshino took a sharp breath and looked down. Her cheeks were burning, and her heart was beating like a warning bell.
"Ishida-san, you are very beautiful. And the fact that you yourself do not realize that beauty makes you even more charming."
His words were almost like a curse. Yoshino couldn't say anything back. She could only feel her entire body reacting to his presence.
"If it is alright with you, would you like to meet and talk again? Not as a matter of work, but as private time."
His invitation was the final trial for Yoshino. If she refused here, she could escape this sweet danger. However, somewhere in her heart, she was wishing that she didn't want to let go of that hand.
"...Yes. I would like that."
Her answer was almost a soliloquy. And so, Yoshino, by her own will, opened the forbidden door.
[ The Falling Night ]
The next arrangement was for a weekend night. The location was a unit in a downtown apartment building that Professor Nagai apparently owned. From the moment Yoshino accepted that invitation, she understood what this night meant. Within her heart, reason and passion were clashing violently.
"No, Yoshino. You are a married woman..."
Every time she whispered that to herself, his deep eyes and sweet voice flashed through her mind. If she touched his intellect and felt his masculinity, there would be no turning back. While she feared that fact, she was simultaneously anticipating it.
When she stood before his apartment building, Yoshino’s legs were shaking. The hand knocking on the door felt heavy. However, the moment the door opened and his figure appeared, something within her broke through a dam.
"Welcome, Yoshino."
He was not wearing his jacket. From over his white shirt, his toned chest was visible, looking extraordinarily sexy. He softly took Yoshino’s hand and invited her inside.
The room, as if reflecting his personality, was simple and elegant. In the spacious living room were floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and a large window with a view of a beautiful nightscape. And on the sofa table, glasses with ice and a whisky bottle were placed.
"Would you like something to drink? Did you like wine, or perhaps a cocktail?"
"...Whisky, please."
Yoshino produced a voice that was surprisingly calm, even to herself. He smiled satisfactorily at her answer and poured amber liquid into the two glasses.
"Well then, to the sofa."
Yoshino sat on the sofa as she was told. Professor Nagai sat opposite her, rather than next to her. However, that distance was by no means far.
"Yoshino, how do you usually spend your nights?"
His question was a routine one. Yet, when asked in this situation, it held a completely different meaning.
"...At home, with my husband, watching TV, or reading..."
"That must be a very happy time."
At his words, Yoshino’s chest tightened. Happy—yes, it was. Without a doubt. However, it was a quiet, and slightly unsatisfying, happiness.
"However... sometimes, I also think that... I want to feel something more."
Yoshino wrapped both hands around her glass and said that as if murmuring to herself. Professor Nagai said nothing to her words, only gazing at her silently.
"And you, Professor...?"
"Me? I am always alone. Busy with research and writing. However, recently, I have come to feel this quiet time is a little lonely."
Saying so, he tilted his glass. Then, gazing into Yoshino’s eyes, he continued slowly.
"Especially since meeting you."
Those words resonated directly in Yoshino’s heart. She could no longer endure it. She wanted to convey this aching in her chest, this throbbing, to him. She placed her glass on the table and turned her body toward him.
"Professor..."
At her call, he moved. Rising from the sofa, he sat down next to Yoshino. Then, softly, he placed his hand against her cheek. That hand was warm, and trembling slightly.
"Yoshino, you are really beautiful..."
His breath brushed against her lips. Yoshino closed her eyes. And the moment his lips overlapped hers, an electric current ran through her entire body.
His kisses were gentle, yet persistent. At first, they were just a light touch of lips, but they gradually deepened. His tongue licked Mino's lips, then parted them and entered. Mino let out a small sigh and accepted him. Her tongue intertwined with his, exchanging sweet saliva. The sensation made Mino's mind melt.
Stopping the kiss, he traced his lips along Mino's neck. He gently nibbled on her earlobe and kissed her collarbone. Mino trembled, gripping his shirt tightly.
"Ah... mm..."
The sounds escaping her lips were incredibly sensual, even to herself. She could no longer maintain her composure. All she wanted was to surrender to his caresses.
Professor Nagai slowly slid the strap of Mino's dress with his fingers. Mino's shoulders were exposed, her pale skin illuminated by the night light. He kissed her skin and slid his hand down to the front of her dress.
"Mino... this is beautiful too..."
His hands gently cupped her breasts over her bra. Mino surrendered to his touch and thrust out her chest. His fingers gently pinched her hardened nipples.
"Ah...!"
Mino cried out involuntarily. As if enjoying her reaction, he pinched and rolled her nipples again. Then he pulled up her bra, revealing her breasts.
"Your skin is like porcelain..."
As he murmured this, his lips latched onto Mino's nipple. Enveloped in his warm mouth and teased by his tongue, Mino lifted her hips.
"No... I can't..."
Her protests turned into sweet sighs. Her body was responding more and more to his caresses. She could feel her love juices already overflowing from her private parts, wetting her underwear.
He laid Mino's body down on the sofa and slipped his hand under her skirt. He stroked her thighs and finally touched her center with his fingers.
"Ah...! No..."
"You're wet... Mino. You want me this much..."
His fingers traced the cleft of her vulva through her underwear. The sensation made Mino arch her back. He slowly pulled down her underwear, finally revealing her most private part.
"What a beautiful shape..."
He gazed intently at her private parts, then parted the petals with his fingers. Then he ran his tongue over the plump bud at its center.
"Ahhh! No, stop, not there... it's dirty...!"
Mino's face turned red with shame. However, he didn't care, rolling her clitoris with his tongue and sucking it.
"It's not dirty. Everything about you, Mino, is beautiful..."
As he spoke, his fingers were inserted into her vagina. His fingers stirred inside, stimulating her G-spot. That sensation, combined with the caresses to her clitoris, sent Mino's body into a climax.
"Ah, ahh! I'm...coming...! I'm coming...!"
As Mino cried out, her body convulsed violently. She nearly lost consciousness from her first intense orgasm. Professor Nagai licked up every last drop of her love juice, then looked up and smiled.
"Mino, that was wonderful..."
He lifted Mino's body and kissed her deeply once more. She almost melted again at the taste of her own love juice on his lips.
"I want to feel more... Mino. I want to know all of you..."
His whisper stole the last vestiges of Mino's reason. She nodded. There was no turning back now. She had willingly desired to be his that night.
He picked Mino up and carried her to the bedroom. After setting her down on the bed, he began to unbutton his shirt. Mino gazed at him in rapture. His strong chest, his toned abs. She was captivated by the alluring physique of an older man.
He unbuckled his belt and threw off his trousers, revealing a fully erect member. Mino gasped. His was incomparably larger and harder than her husband's.
"Are you scared?"
he asked, stroking her cheek. Mino shook her head. She was scared, but more than that, she strongly desired him to penetrate her.
"...Please...put it in..."
He smiled at her plea. Then he spread her legs and positioned himself between them. The tip of his penis touched her wet opening.
"Mino, I'm going in..."
Saying this, he slowly pushed his hips forward. A great heat pushed its way into her, stretching her open. Mino frowned at the pressure, but the feeling of being filled was stronger than the pain.
"Ah... ah..."
He stopped moving once he was fully inside her. Then, kissing her forehead, he whispered.
"Are you okay, Mino...?"
"...Yes...I'm...okay..."
Mino answered, wrapping her arms around his back. He slowly began to move his hips again. His fleshy shaft rubbed against her vaginal walls. Each time, Mino let out a sweet moan.
"Ah, mm... ah..."
His rhythm gradually quickened. Her body swayed in time with his movements. The bed creaked, and the sound of their skin colliding echoed in the room.
"Mino... you're amazing inside... it feels so good..."
His words, escaping with his heavy breaths, excited Mino even more. She wrapped her legs around his waist and moved her hips herself, wanting to be bound to him more deeply.
"More... please... deeper..."
At her invitation, he began to move violently, thrusting his hips against hers. Mino's body was about to be swallowed by waves of pleasure. She couldn't think of anything anymore. She was simply savoring the pleasure of this moment.
And then, she felt the climax approaching again. Her insides tightened, and her body tensed.
"Mino, I'm... coming... together..."
His words were the trigger. Mino's body convulsed violently again.
"Aaaah! I'm coming...!"
"Mino...!"
He, too, released something hot inside her. Feeling that heat, Mino lost consciousness.
He collapsed onto Mino and kissed her sweaty forehead.
"...Mino..."
At his call, she slowly opened her eyes. His eyes were filled with tenderness. Mino gently wrapped her arms around his back, feeling his warmth.
That night, she had been completely seduced, both in mind and body, by an older man who was not her husband. It was undoubtedly a forbidden act. But within that sinfulness, she had found an intense joy and a deep sense of relief she had never known before.
Outside the window, night was deepening. Their bodies were still intertwined. Mino buried her face in his chest and whispered softly.
"...I wish I could be your lighthouse..."
Those words dissolved into the silence of the night. Mino hadn't heard how he responded. She only desperately wished that this warmth would last forever.
The summer night was still long.
