Holidays at the Hot Springs

Cecilia was significantly smaller than her husband, by almost a full foot at 5' 3" in height. Her shoulders were broad for a woman but with good reason; they had to support her magnificent figure. Cecilia had an almost hourglass figure; her waist was trim and visibly smaller than her hips and chest, even if it wasn't as small as she wanted it to be. It was almost hourglass because her round hips and taut handful of ass were not nearly as large as her breasts. Far more than a handful each, just about the size of her head, her jugs were massive, pert, high, plush masterpieces of feminine flesh that seemed to defy gravity and gave her an almost top heavy appearance. Even wrapped up in a t-shirt, sweater, and navy-style pea coat, the lushness of her figure was impossible to hide. A pair of casual pants hugged her hips and clung to her bubble butt before loosening over her shapely legs; a pair of practical winter boots on her feet. Her naturally dark hair was currently colored honey blond, a few locks getting whipped about in the wind, the rest of it up under a toboggan style hat and it normally fell down to her shoulders, cut to nicely curve about her heart shaped face. Her face was pretty and wholesome with pixie-like features and delicate structure, sweetly full lips, and a narrow jaw. Her eyes were the deepest, richest brown Jason had ever seen and seemed to glow at times with warmth and wit. Her smooth, clean skin was soft as satin and was a few shades paler than her husband, creamy and glorious to behold.

The couple all but sprinted to the door, legs churning up snow that was already halfway to Cecilia's knees. If there was a bell, it was covered in snow. Jason winced and dropped one of his bags onto the ground, hoping the snow wouldn't soak through to what was inside, and then lifted a fist to pound hard on the door once. He repeated the heavy knock once more and then waited. The wind clawed at them with a fresh howl, both of them bowing their heads as if to duck its swipes, unable to hear any motion or calls from within over it.

The door opened without warning and warm, brilliant light cut the swirling white and momentarily blinded them. A woman's voice, quite high but elegant and collected, spoke, "Irrashiaimase, okyaku-san. Ni kite kudasai. Fubuki totemo abunai deshyoo nee." Their vision cleared in just a moment; in front of them was a small room that was large enough for two or three people with a stone tiled floor and a low bench along one wall. Hooks for coats were hung along the same wall and against the interior wall was a waist high open dresser with slots for shoes and boots with a line of slippers set on the top shelf. The inner door had a wooden door that was currently open and hooked to the wall opposite the bench and coat hooks and beyond that a traditional sliding door of lattice and paper. It too was open and the woman who had spoken was kneeling just beyond it and straightening up from a low bow as they got their first look at her.

The young Japanese woman was stunningly beautiful; her face elegant and gracefully lovely with features that were fine, delicate, and in a balance and proportion that was almost inhumanly perfect. Her almond shaped eyes were large and striking, a shockingly light bluish color, and both newlyweds felt a jolt run through them as those eyes briefly met their gazes before being cast demurely down. Her lips were a pert and slender yet full at once as they curved into a surprised smile of confusion and their pink tone was stark against her skin; it was flawless and looked smooth and soft as the finest silk and was the color of virgin snow on a mountain top, pure white perfection. Her hair was the glossy black of obsidian and was gathered up at the back of her head into a bun and held in place by a red lacquered comb save for a pair of long locks that were allowed to fall down on either side of her face, long enough to brush her collarbone as she settled upright. She was small, a few inches shorter than Cecilia, and looked very petite; the hands palm down on her lap looked tiny and fragile, a white polish on the nails. It was hard to guess at her age, as it often was with Asian women, she was clearly over eighteen yet not as old as twenty-five year old Cecilia. She was wrapped in a formal yukata robe and likely had a layer on beneath it, masking the shape of her body as such Japanese garments tended to do; the garment was a rich blue and had a pattern of silvery snowflakes on it.

God, she was gorgeous. The thought ran through both Cecilia and Jason's minds as the stared for a few moments, their erstwhile hostess doing likewise from beneath her lowered lashes. Then a particularly ferocious gust of wind made them both wince, their clothes and bags blowing about. The Japanese woman's yukata and hair stirred but she did not turn her face away from the sudden burst of cold or the scathing rush of air.

Cecilia hurried into the small entrance room, Jason pausing to pick up the bag he'd dropped earlier before following after her. They warmth of the place made them both sigh, the change in temperature dramatic enough to make their senses swim for a few moments before Jason set both bags down and turned to firmly close the heavy wooden door behind them. He rested his hands on it, leaning against it for a moment and breathing, catching back the breath that the winter wind had stolen. "That is much better," he murmured.

His bride was still shivering a little but smiling, "You're not kidding, babe." She had set her own bags down and then turned, "Arigatou gozaimasu, Jou-san," she started and then stopped, blinking. The inner doorway was empty; no sign of the young woman who had just been there. "Where'd she go?"

"Probably to get the manager," Jason guessed as he hung his hoodie on one of the coat hooks. "A pair of guests at this hour is one thing, but a pair of gaijin is quite another." He held out a hand to her, "Give me your coat and hat, doll, and then take your shoes off. If we act like guests are supposed to it should help them deal with the situation."

They had both gotten their shoes untied and were about to take them off when they heard footsteps approaching the open inner doorway. Looking up, they could see the woman from before walking just behind a Japanese man clad in a russet yukata that went to his ankles and a pair of black slippers on his feet. He was tall, particularly for Japan, only two inches shorter than Jason and had a lean and wiry build. His robe wasn't quite closed until midway down his chest and showed his clean, smooth skin over clearly defined pecs. He was handsome, almost pretty actually, with gracile features that were almost delicate. His face was a bit narrow and his eyes were half-lidded as he approached, the keen dark orbs beneath the lids were merry. His pretty, thin lips were in an easy smile and his black hair was tousled and a bit longer than usually seen on Japanese men, falling just past his jawline. He looked to be a bit older than Jason, in his mid-30's perhaps, but certainly not yet 40. His arms were crossed over his stomach, hands tucked into his sleeves and he moved with confident, relaxed steps. "Yare, yare!" He then laughed a bit and coughed, "Forgive me, it's a habit of mine," he said. His smile grew a bit at the surprised looks on the Americans' faces. His English was slightly accented but spoken with sureness and a lack of hesitation. His voice was a sonorous and pleasant tenor that was warm and inviting, the kind that made one start to agree with the speaker before you even heard what they were saying. It was also vaguely familiar; a tickling thought at the back of their minds told them they had heard it somewhere before. "Welcome to the Kuzonoka Ryokan." He bowed, "My name is Inarinoko Shigeo, very pleased to meet you."

"I'm Jason Kalt and this is my wife, Cecilia," he answered, both of them bowing in answer to Shigeo. "It's nice to meet you."

They all straightened and Shigeo gestured to the young woman behind him, "This is my foster daughter, Shiroyama Yukiko."

She bowed low and a pink blush sprang up on her cheeks, "It's nice to meet you. I'm very sorry for earlier, please don't think badly of our ryokan. I was surprised and afraid to speak English, so I went to get Shigeo-sama." Her English was more heavily accented than Shigeo's, with barely there, phantom vowels inserted between abutting consonants and at the end of some words, a slight slurring of her r's and l's. She hesitated a bit in her speech, though whether that was due to her proficiency or her embarrassment was unclear.

The Americans bowed again. As they straightened, Cecilia shook her head, "It's quite all right. We must have been a real shock!" She smiled at the stunning young woman, "The last thing you expected on a windy, wintery night. And you shouldn't be afraid, your English is great. Among the best I've heard here in Japan." People kept trying to talk to them in English everywhere they went, and to teach them some new words, and most of the time it was a struggle to understand them. This was amazing! Two people with English this good? And all the way out here in the country? What were the odds? Yukiko's small answering smile was dazzling and she inclined her head in thanks.

Shigeo nodded, "Well, we weren't expecting you but I guess the storm blew you into our waiting arms, right?" He laughed, "It can't be helped! We'll do our best to help you enjoy your night, safe and warm. Please, give me your bags and I'll show you to our best room."

Cecilia handed up her bags and both swapped out their shoes for slippers, stepping up onto the brilliantly polished hardwood floor of the hallway. Jason carried his own baggage as Shigeo led them through the passage and out into the large main hall before taking them into one of the wings. As they walked, the smiling innkeeper asked the name of the place they were going to stay so he could call and let them know the Kalts were safely arrived with them for tonight, at the least. He also laughed and called them lucky, since he knew that his rates were much better than any of the inns in the city. He told them of the general layout of the place, pointing out the bathroom that was nearest to the room they would have.

Within a few minutes he had led them to a large room with tatami mat floors and a kotatsu table as well as a pair of cushions to sit on. There was also a low bench underneath a fairly large window that had not only curtains but also a pair of sturdy shutters, both of which were open. On one side of the room was the small bedding closet where the futons, pillows, and any extra blankets were kept and beside it a larger closet for clothing and bags. There was an elegant nightstand near the door that held an old style rotary telephone. Shigeo set the bags he was carrying down and inclined his head, still smiling. "Well, I'll let you both get settled in. There are yukata for you in the closet, of course, so please relax and get comfortable. Dinner was almost ready before you arrived, so we'll call you up when everything is prepared and laid out. Yukiko-chan always makes far too much, so don't worry about it." Rather than bow, he lifted a hand in a little wave and stepped back before shutting the door. They heard him humming a bit as his footsteps retreated down the hallway.

Jason set his bags down and strode over to the windows, looking out into the darkness of the early evening. The snow still fell heavy and thick but the wind seemed to have died down considerably, now just a steady pushing hand instead of a violently swirling and gusting assault. He couldn't see the far off peaks but could see the grounds of the stone garden outside and the land immediately around the ryokan; all covered in gleaming white save for the wooden walls of the onsen, steam billowing above them. "Now that we're out of it...it really is something to see." He turned and sat down on the bench, "You okay, CC?"

"Yeah." She had the closet open and was examining the yukata hanging there. No way was she going to be able to close the front of any of these. Oh, well, she'd give Jason and Shigeo a thrill. And herself too. "I'm really glad to be out of that mess." She paused and her lips were set in something not quite a pout and not quite rumination.

"But," he prompted.

Her lips quirked into a quick smile before she sighed and tugged her sweater up and over her head. The t-shirt beneath was stretched deliciously and dangerously over her ample chest. "But," she nodded, "I have a...a strange feeling is all. I mean, finding this place so suddenly like that..."

Jason shrugged, "There could have been plenty of signs for it that we just didn't notice on the way, and couldn't have seen once the storm kicked up." He peeled his own shirt off; his bare chest and arms were firm and strong, though not as defined or as cut as they once had been, a thin layer of hair on his pecs and down the center of his chest to just above his navel.

"Maybe," Cecilia acknowledged. "But what about that radio announcement in English? And the fact that there's this ryokan all the way out here on this mountaintop and the two people who work here just happen to speak the best English I've heard come out of a Japanese mouth?" She frowned and shook her head, "It's...just weird." Her husband quirked his eyebrows and undid his jeans, sliding them down his legs. Cecilia broke off her worrying to sigh and lean against the wall to watch him as he selected a robe for himself. He was in good shape for an academic his age and she loved his body; so strong and manly. Ohh, just watching made her want to walk up and run her fingers through his chest hair and feel his hands groping her-

She blinked, "Uh, what? I missed what you said, babe."

Jason grinned a little as he shifted the yukata around to get the best fit he could. It was the largest one in the closet and still too small for him. It left a wide triangle of his upper chest exposed and the sleeves came down to just below his elbows, the hem of the garment just below his knees. He'd kept his boxers on to preserve his dignity and the bottoms of them could clearly be seen edging out from the end of the robe. "I said that it is weird but it may just be one of those wild, one-in-a-million coincidences. I mean...what else could it be? It's not like anyone could have possibly set this up, right?" Though part of him agreed with her; this was all incredibly convenient and that alone made it kind of suspicious.

"I guess," she said, her face doubtful.

"Hey, look, we'll play it safe. We'll send a few e-mails home before we go for dinner or anything, let people know where we are and what time it is, our plans, all that. And we'll watch those two closely, okay?"

Cecilia laughed and smirked at him, "You're already watching one of them closely, you hentai gaijin. Ogling sweet little Yukiko like that."

He flushed but shrugged, "I can't help it. She's gorgeous! So graceful and sweet, kind of effortlessly sexy." Jason waggled a finger back and forth, "But I wasn't the only one. You couldn't stop checking her out either."

"Hee!" Her grin was slow and wide, her eyes warm and her pink tongue slipped past her lips to wet them. "You caught me. God damn, I would wreck that girl," she sighed. "I know, right?" Jason gave the same appreciative, lusty sigh. "Though I bet she's not the only one you want to wreck. You were checking Shigeo's ass out pretty hard."

His wife flushed. "I..well, yeah, I was! I mean, even through a robe, he's got a great ass. Not quite up to yours," she winked, "but damn close."

Jason felt a moment of worry and doubt but pushed it aside. Jealousy was stupid in this case; Cecilia went out of her way to grope his butt and tell him how hot he was, find little ways to make sure he knew that no matter how much she scoped out other guys and girls, he was her number one. "He's a good looking guy. So what are the odds, huh? The two best looking people in Japan, both with great English, all alone with us on the mountain."

She laughed again, "Sounds like the setting for porn. If we're lucky...maybe..."

Jason blinked. "You think we could have our first threesome here? On Christmas Eve in Japan?"

"Mm. Who knows? I like the idea...and from that," she glanced down and his gaze followed the motion only to flush at the visible bulge in the fabric of the yukata, "I can tell you do too."

"Who wouldn't?" He sighed and shook his head, "Well, maybe. I mean, I wouldn't say no to either of them."

"Neither would I. So...maybe."

"Yeah." Jason took a deep breath. "So on the off chance we get a shot at them, we take it?" He wasn't sure if they were goofing around or serious. He knew that he...well, maybe it was both.

"Totally." Cecilia grinned and leaned up off of the wall, "Not that anything'll happen...but it's so fun to think about."

He nodded. "And to do other things about, not that we have the time." "Perv," she grinned.

"You know it, sugar pants." Jason opened up one of the bags he'd brought in and slid out a thin laptop, "I'm going to send those e-mails. You should get changed, CC. I bet it won't be long before dinner."

Outside the sky darkened to blackness and the wind blew steadily on, the floating, flitting crystals of snow seeming to gleam against the backdrop of sky and slope. The outer lights of the ryokan shone on but dimmer now as a thick blanket of snow covered the fixtures, some so completely that the light within was just a glow. The storm no longer ravaged the landscape with crushing force but steadily drummed on like the hammer of a blacksmith shaping iron, relentless and measured as it crafted the mountain into wintery glory. Looking out at it seemed to almost dim the lights around them, mute the talking and the laughter of the others, and send a faint chill down Jason's spine as he took a few moments to look out through the high set windows in the main hall of the inn.

"Kalt-san?" He turned and felt a bit of a foolish smile spread over his lips as Yukiko looked up at him, the petite girl kneeling beside him at the long table that guests and staff alike were sharing. "You should be careful," she said with a faint lilt to her sweet voice that turned into a playful, teasing thing, "if you keep looking out at it, you'll drink so much sake to warm back up, Shigeo-sama will have to pour you into bed!"

Across the table from him, Cecilia snorted faintly. "Or maybe he's hoping you'll have to, Shiroyama-san." All four of them laughed at that, though Yukiko was still sober enough to cover her giggle with one hand. True to her prediction, the yukata Cecilia wore could not fully contain her ample figure and the front of the robe was open enough to expose a heart breaking, blood flow shifting expanse of lush cleavage. The pale blue robe went down to just above her knees and left most of her shaved, shapely legs bare. She'd noticed with some delight that all three of her dining partners couldn't keep their eyes off of her, the men in particular, of course. The rush she got from being so exposed and being ogled, combined with the sake, was making her more flirtatious and risqué than she ever would have been with two strangers otherwise.

The four of them, for indeed Jason and Cecilia were the ryokan's only guests, were seated at a lone long rectangular table in the great hall; tatami mats underneath it, each seated on a square cushion rather than a chair. The room would normally have other tables as well but they were all put away since they weren't needed, making the space seem even larger and more vacant than it already was. On the wall opposite Cecilia was the ryokan's shrine, adorned further with the New Year's shelf that would be piled with treats in the upcoming days before being eaten as part of the celebration. Above the shrine hung an old clock with a swinging pendulum; the classic mechanism ticking faintly as the clockwork gears within sliced time into neat bits. Across from Jason was a large old-style television that looked like it might be older than either of the Americans, though there were more modern devices plugged into it. There were all off now but a just as old looking radio perched atop the TV was on and set to a station playing traditional music softly. At the head of the table was not a seat for a person but a waist-high (on Jason) Christmas tree strung with red and green lights, silvery tinsel, and a merrily glowing star on top. There were a few wrapped presents beneath it; though one had already been taken from beneath the branches and opened. It ended up being a box with three bottles of a "special Christmas" sake that supposedly had holly flavoring it. The very idea seemed bizarre to the Americans but as they were used to the Japanese enjoying food concepts that were outright abhorrent or dangerous sounding to them, they'd decided to risk it and been pleasantly surprised. The drink was smooth for sake and very mild in flavor, which made it quite dangerous. The meal wasn't even fully over yet and one bottle was already gone.