It had been months since Natsume and me had broken up. I felt bad for Yuki, because Natsume refused too completely give up on us. She had stopped pursuing me, but she continued to text, even flirty sometimes inappropriate ones. I never encouraged or hid them from Fuuko and Fuuko felt pretty much the same way as me about it. Natsume, it seemed didn't like to lose at anything, even love. The story was finally starting to unfold, and I could have died when my phone rang.
"I, you, how'd you know?" Natsume inquired, "You have to come watch me."
"I see, Osaka then?" I asked in response.
"Yup, just like you said it's awesome."
"Cool. I'd love to watch you win. Last time it was right after my first time with Fuuko and I could only think about her, so I missed the whole game. I've been saving for it too, so she doesn't have to pay for everything this time."
"You didn't have to tell me all that, but I'm glad you're coming. Can I see you for a date while we're there?"
"Natsume, you're not being very fair to Yuki, are you?"
"Me and Yuki aren't dating. I'm afraid the team will find out. We had sex the day you told her I loved her, and we know how we both feel, but right now isn't good for us."
"This is what happened with us. Do you want to go through it all again with her?"
"I can make the three of us work. I'll work around your schedule. I don't mind that you prefer Fuuko. You said you cared about me too. So, can't you be there for me? I need you."
"No, you need someone, and you're scared to let that someone be anyone to close to you. I thought I had broken through your defenses, and you and Yuki would be happy, but guess you're to stuck in your ways. Fine one date, but Fuuko is going to bring a date to. The four of us can double. We'll do dinner, a romantic stroll, and then sex. If you decide to go through with it, I'll give you one night a week and one weekend a month. How's that sound?"
"Yes, thank you Yuni. I love you," I could hear the joy dripping in her tone. Now I just needed to convince Fuuko and Yuki to make this gamble with me.
The night came and I was sitting at a table waiting for Natsume. She walked in looking even more handsome than usual and I found myself wondering how I had been attracted to both her and Fuuko. They couldn't be more different, but there was something striking about her.
"O, it's just us?" Natsume asked the joy making her voice a bit too loud.
"Afraid not love. I just asked Fuuko to bring her date in a little bit. She said that was fine they'd go for a walk nearby first."
"I see. We better make the most of it then."
"Yeah, this time is for going over the ground rules. Don't be rude to Fuuko. Don't interfere with Fuuko's date. Lastly do remember everything you do with me you're consenting to Fuuko doing on her date as well."
"What does that mean? I couldn't...." Natsume began, but her voice trailed off as Yuki walked in clinging to Fuuko's arm, "This isn't going to work."
"That's fine. Fuuko has a restless streak and she's quite fond of Yuki. Not to mention it's a boon for Yuki. Fuuko is very skilled."
"Thanks Yuni, but you're pretty skilled yourself."
With that bit of banter, we all sat down, and dinner began. We all ate and when Natsume started flirting with me Fuuko started rubbing Yuki's arm and whispering in her ear. When we finished our food and Natsume leaned in to give me a kiss, Fuuko wasted no time leaning in to give Yuki a deep and passionate kiss that lasted until Natsume couldn't control herself anymore.
"Break it up you two we have a walk to get to."
"Natsume if you break the rules again dates over," I warned this wouldn't work if she could just end everything that made her unconvertable.
We enjoyed the walk Fuuko and Yuki strolled slightly behind us and every time Natsume started to creep toward me, she would glance over her shoulder and then take a step away from me. Finally, the stroll came to an end in front of a hotel. I looked up at it, it somehow seemed to be a harbinger of doom there in the twilight, and I couldn't help but wonder if I had made a cosmically huge miscalculation.
"I got us joining rooms so we can meet up after and grab dessert," I informed the group and Natsume looked genuinely confused.
"What do you mean after and adjoining rooms?" Natsume asked.
"We'll I might have agreed to do all this, but not even I want to watch my girlfriend ravish another woman."
I could see the realization dawning on her face, but before she could say anything Yuki piped up, "We might be a while Fuuko said she's going to show me everything she knows so we can figure out what I like going forward."
"So, wait, you'll sleep with just anyone?" Natsume now looked hurt. This woman always missed the point.
"I'm helping you out. So, don't be like that. For you to be with Yuni like you want they require a partner for Fuuko so she's not lonely. Yuni knows I'm not into Fuuko so she asked me to do this for you. I love you so much I quickly agreed. If this is what you want. I already said I'm all yours. If letting Fuuko enjoy my company let's you do what you want that's enough for me."
"Yuki, you can't do this to me. We can find another way."
"Dates over," Fuuko said from right behind Yuki, "You were warned earlier not to interfere with my date. So, what only you deserve to be happy and to feel loved. Yuki loves you and you want to have sex with my girlfriend. We're both supposed to what go have coffee while you scratch your itch?"
"Fuuko, that's a disgusting thing to say," Natsume screamed into the night.
"Yes, but she's not wrong. You say I can't, but why am I supposed to be ok with you, but I'm supposed to abstain for you. Does that sound fair at all?"
"Pick someone else. When I'm not around. I don't want to know about it."
"Do I have that luxury? At least you know I only love you. That should mean you hurt less than I do."
"Don't be like this Yuki."
"Fine. I mean it doesn't really matter. I told you this wouldn't work Yuni. She will never give up on you. She can't. So, I'm going to deal with it my way instead. I can't keep watching you pine over Yuni. So, I'm quitting the team. Next semester I'm transferring. I'll miss you Natsume, but I'll get by. Just so you know Yuni was never going to sleep with you. Nothing you can do will ever make her cross that line. There engaged and in true deep devoted love. The kind I always hoped to share with you. I'm sorry we can't go back. I wish this was the stories Yuni knows. Sounded like we were happy than," Yuki said and turned and walked away and Natsume watched her go.
"What does she mean your engaged and was never going to be with me again?"
"The sentiment sounds fairly complete to me miss. ex. she has chosen. I have accepted her choice. We have been graciously trying to help you move on, because my Yuni-Chan is far to kind. You have lost Yuni and probably Yuki, but good news you kept all your secrets and your volleyball future is safe."
"No, we discussed it. Yuki agreed we couldn't be together. The risk of the team finding out was too great. Yuki loves the team almost as much as I do. We've been teammates since junior high."
"Yes, and now for a truth I probably shouldn't tell you. In her first year of junior high her mother told her she had to play a sport. She refused so her mom signed her up for volleyball. She was told each semester she could sign up for something new or fully comet to the sport she was playing. She had already picked out the next three sports by which ones were the easiest to skate by in. Then she met you and she's never looked back," I told her, and she looked at me as if realizing this was a story I shouldn't know so it must be true.
"It doesn't matter I ruined things with her. She's hurt that I chose to pursue you over her. I can't blame her. Why did I do that?"
"I have my theories, but I don't know. In my old life I couldn't let you go either, so I kept hurting Fuuko and we kept hurting each other. Yuki was probably hurting to, but she hid it well and she was always stealing you away from me. So, honestly, I had little concern as to how she felt then, but I know she loves you enough to stick by your side through that whole life and now she chose to try this gamble even though she had no faith in it. So, I'm sure she'd still give you another shot."
"I'm going. Yuni can we still be friends or did I ruin that?"
"Sure, just never calling me your bestie. That's what you always called Yuki."
She left me and Fuuko alone in front of the hotel and Fuuko looked at me with hunger. I rolled my eyes, "You know I didn't really rent rooms, right?"
She chuckled and led me into the night.