My, My, Imai! Vol. I

Imai:
When everyone was finally in the lakehouse, Imai let Shigure take everyone's suitcases to the rooms. Now alone with Hatori, she took a deep breath and smiled, idly looking about the place. Really, it wasn't much different from the Main House, save for some of the furniture, but all-in-all, it was the outdoors that were a true change in scenery. But she liked it all the same.

"Don't let him guilt-trip you into doing anything you don't want to, okay? You were the one who brought us out here, so it's really your vacation, too."


Hatori:
The doctor gladly let the chore be given to Shigure upon entry of the lake house, using the freedom to open the curtains that were drawn shut over the windows. It was clean, but without being lived in constantly, dust built up over time and there was no stopping that. Hatori opened them to let the morning breeze filter the musty smell out, peering over his shoulder when Imai addressed him.

"Do you really think I would let someone like Shigure con me into anything I didn't want to do?" He would have been almost offended if it were anyone other than Imai saying things like that. "I'm not out in the water swimming now, am I?"

With a bit of a smirk, he turned back to what he was doing, flapping the heavy material before letting it settle against the wall. The view was magnificent and Hatori was certain, with any luck, he'd be able to catch up on the sleep he missed out on to wake up early for this drive.


Imai:
"Now that I think about it... No, I don't really think you'd let him do that."

Imai chuckled before stepping up to the window, looking out at the expanse of water. She stayed silent as he shook out the curtains. She didn't mind the musty smell at all, really... She was too immersed in the fact that she was free to really notice the dust, cobwebs, and the smell.

For once... She could say and do just what she wanted, with nothing to hold her back. And she had her two most cherished people to share those moments with her. No words could express the feelings that welled up inside of her, still, at the very thought of it.

"... I couldn't thank you enough for this, Hatori. It's beautiful."


Shigure:
Shigure, still inside of the room that Imai would have to herself, stood at the door with his ear carefully cupped against it. He was listening in on their conversaton like the snooping little ferret he was.

And just to keep the two from getting suspicious about his prolonged absence, he finally stepped back from the door to open it with a wide grin.

"All set! So! How 'bout that swim? Boring old Hatori can stay in here while we go have fun!"


Imai:
Imai only rolled her eyes.

**Here he goes again... I hope he doesn't do this the ENTIRE time we're here...**

"I hope you know that I don't own a bathing suit, Shigure."


Shigure:
"Don't you worry your pretty little head about that, Imai-chan. All of your clothes for this trip are from Aya... He's practically made a clothing line in your name!"


Hatori:
By this time, Hatori had already claimed a spot for himself on one of the dusty couches, opening his sandwich bag with the rustle of brown paper while seeming not to be paying attention to the conversation exchange.

"If you want to go swimming, Imai-kun, then by all means indulge." She was right to think that Hatori would be just fine on his own while Shigure showed her around some. They had two whole other days ahead of them, anyhow, and he would have his own time then.

"Though one isn't supposed to swim until forty-five minutes after eating." With that bit of information tossed out, the doctor idly took a bite of his sandwich and followed it with a long sip of his lukewarm coffee.


Imai:
Imai couldn't help but chuckle a bit at Hatori's words. She'd heard that it was really an old wive's tale... That swimming right after eating would cause one to sink like a stone.

But his medical books had taught her different, of course. It didn't cause you to sink, but rather caused cramps, which in turn had caused a bit of trouble in swimmers. But she'd never heard of casualties because of it. But a bit of a nap didn't sound like a bad idea.


Shigure:
"Well, then... It's only been about... A half-hour since we've eaten. I guess a bit of waiting couldn't hurt!"


Imai:
Imai was still sitting at the window, looking out at the lake.

"Why don't we go swimming after lunch?"


Shigure:
"Are you tired?"


Imai:
"Just a little... Besides... You were the one who woke us all up so early. We have two more days to fill up, a nap and lunch couldn't hurt, could it?"


Shigure:
"You're right... Let's all take a nap, take some lunch, and we'll figure out things from there."

Really, he didn't mind. He was a bit sleepy himself from all of the excitement... And he knew Hatori was tired, and Imai seemed a bit drowsy herself. After a nap, everyone would be in a more lively mood! What could a few more hours of waiting hurt, anyway?


Imai:
After awhile, Imai finally retreated to her room... Thankfully, there were three. She wouldn't have to put up with Shigure's snores, and neither would Hatori.

While she rarely napped in the day, Imai's nap lasted a good while. Lunchtime came and went, and an hour passed since the trio had eaten...

And Imai suddenly found herself pushed into her bedroom by Shigure.


Shigure:
"Alright... It's been an hour, the food's settled, you're going swimming! Go put your suit on! Aya was ever-so-very kind enough to make one for you!"

He'd seen the bathing suit, and while he didn't think that his 'little sister' should be trapsing around in one, he really didn't see the harm in it. Besides... In his lecherous mind, he was actually hoping that it might do something for the stone cold Hatori. He remembered Aya's words...


Ayame:
--"Oh! 'Gure! She'll look absolutely STUNNING in the clothes I've made for her! She's got such a perfect little body that I can't stop making clothes for her! Even if she doesn't get to wear them, I still can't stop making her clothes!"--


Imai:
When Imai heard the door shut behind her, she saw a pink, flowery suitcase beside the dresser. She knew that it was obviously hers. After a moment, she finally figured out how to open it, and looked down at the sloppily folded clothing inside. She could easily recognize a dress, a few intimate articles (she had a disturbed feeling about Shigure packing her panties for her), and other articles of clothing. She plucked out the little black bathing suit from the mess that was her suitcase and proceeded to change.


Shigure:
Shigure sat with Hatori, smoking a cigarette as he waited for Imai to finish getting ready. He had a lecherous grin on his face, but he kept looking at his watch.

**Any time now... She walks out of there, and Ha'ri might get a 'semi'... I'm such an ass, but I can't help myself; I'm sure Ha'ri will thank me for it later! But, really, how long does it take a woman to put on a bathing suit? There isn't that much to it, is there?**

"You almost done, Imai-chan?"

Shigure stood, still grinning like a fool as he walked to the bedroom door to speak through it.


Imai:
"I'm not coming out!"


Shigure:
"Aww, why not?"


Imai:
"Have you lost your marbles?!"

Imai poked her head out of the door, offering the dog a dirty glare. Her cheeks were stained red, and as she spoke, she spoke in a hushed and scolding tone as though she didn't want Hatori to hear.

"This isn't CLOTHING! This is a PEEP SHOW! I'm NOT letting you two see me like this; I'm practically naked!"


Shigure:
"Hatori's seen you naked before, hasn't he? This isn't anything he hasn't seen before! --Don't look at me like that! You used to run around the house naked after a bath when you were five! I'm practically a brother to you, anyhow; it won't do anything to me! Honest, I swear!"


Imai:
She was losing this battle with Shigure, and he knew it-- she could see it in his eyes.

"Fine... But I'm going to wear something over it."

She shut the door in the dog's face and she stayed in the room for a short while longer before coming back out. When she emerged, she looked like she was only wearing a yukata... She had nothing else proper to wear over it.


Hatori:
The sandwich had been finished and all the while the naps were taken, Hatori didn't get to sleep like he had hoped. He did, however, still feel rested after relaxing those mere hours on the couch while the sun shine beat down upon him through the open windows of the lake house.

It was so peaceful-- Until Shigure had come through and shattered the silence faster than the good doctor could blink an eye. Letting out a heavy sigh, Hatori pulled himself into a sitting position, looking anything but amused as the banter between dog and rooster escalated. Honestly, could Shigure be anymore bloody obvious about what he was trying to do? Hatori had figured it out long ago, but was doing his best to keep what little peace he could spare by not saying anything. However, things were starting to get a little out of control.

When Imai came out, Hatori appeared to be just the way he had been left, sitting with a stern expression and a lit cigarette squeezed between two elegant fingers while his legs were crossed. He still had no intention of going anywhere too near the water, but was no longer so vocal about it. Also, since he saw nothing of this bathing suit Shigure was having a conniption over, he didn't feel any pressure of making comments. Nor did he look disappointed any. In fact, he was in one of those hard-to-read moods as he took a lazy drag of his cancer stick.


Shigure:
He was mildly disappointed at the fact that Imai had put something over it... But he was determined. He had a feeling that Imai would get a reaction out of any man.. Unless he was dead below the waist.

He had already been dressed in his bathing suit before he'd even had Imai put hers on... He was VERY eager to go swimming!

"Well! Now that we're ready, why don't we go hop in?"

He turned to Hatori, mustering a smile instead of a grin, this time around.

"Don't just sit there, Ha'ri... At least come and watch! This'll be the first time our little cousin has gone swimming; you wouldn't miss THAT, would you?"


Hatori:
There was no answer right away, cold eyes fixed absently at the opened view before him while another swirl of smoke slithered in heavy circles above his head. Shigure was heard, but ignored entirely as he finally stretched his arm out to snub out the cigarette in a nearby by ash tray on the table in front of the couch. This trip wasn't all about HIM or what HE thought Hatori and Imai should see, and the doctor was going to keep this indifferent defense up as long as he had to in order to keep the dog in check.

Tipping his head to the side, his rather blank stare came to settle on Imai, his voice as placid as the lake outside the window when he proposed his question.
"Would you like for me to come outside with you?"
If she was too shy, he would understand and be more than willing to sit by himself right where he was.


Imai:
Imai was slowly getting more and more suspicious of what Shigure was trying to get the doctor and her to do. But the only thoughts in her head were that of her complete and utter embarrassment. This was just as bad... Maybe even worse... Than the time Hatord walked in on Ayame talking about her breasts!

But Shigure did have a valid point... This was the first time she was going to go swimming, and she really didn't want Hatori to miss it while sitting inside all by his lonesome. She silently promised to herself that she would do something with him that evening... Just her and Hatori.

She kept her arms crossed over her chest as she stood timidly beside Shigure. Slowly, she nodded, her cheeks staining themselves pink.

"Onegai, Hatori-san...?"


Shigure:
"See there? Even SHE doesn't want you to miss it, Ha'ri! Come on! You don't even have to get your toes wet!"


Imai:
She hated that Shigure had been right... Really, she had nothing to be embarassed about! Hatori was her doctor, after all; he'd seen everything that there was to see about Imai, inside and out.

She wanted to stomp on Shigure's foot to shut him up, but she'd done that already that morning... And didn't want to look like a brat.


Hatori:
Another moment went by, but then the doctor set his feet flat on the floor and pulled himself up to stand. The couch had been comfortable and his body wanted to lounge a bit more, but he would get the chance again on a chair outside near the lake. Imai had asked him, and this was for her alone no matter what two cents Shigure had to put in the ordeal.

Without a word, he was the one that took silent lead of their mini procession, opening the door they had come through hours ago to head back outside. It was considerably warmer outside than that morning, so he removed his jacket along the way and hooked it on the rack tucked away in the corner before making his exit.


Imai:
When the trio finally made it outside, Imai noted that Shigure was more than happy to leave them all behind to run to the water as though determined to be the first one in. He was just like a dog, that way-- loved to play in water. She just hoped he didn't SMELL like a dog once he got out.


Shigure:
"C'mon, Imai-chan! The water's FINE!"
Shigure cried out after resurfacing from a rather large cannonball into the sparkling water.


Imai:
Heaving an exasperated sigh, Imai carefully crept closer to the water as though she were afraid that a monster would come out and get her. She still had her yukata on, and just was she was about to step into the water...


Shigure:
"Oh, no you don't! You're not going to ruin a perfectly good yukata just because you don't want us seeing your belly button! We're all friends, right? We're not perverts!"


Imai:
"You should reconsider that statement before you apply it to yourself, Gure-ni-san..."

But after a bit of prodding from the dog, Imai finally relented. She felt so embarrassed, but resolved that she'd get as far into the water as she could once she'd taken the yukata off. She really wasn't looking forward to letting Hatori see her like this.

Reaching down, Imai pulled away the belt of her yukata and gripped the collar of it. Pulling it down her shoulders and shaking out her hair a bit, she dropped it on the ground. So much for not ruining her yukata.

Her bathing suit wasn't as bad as she made it out to be. Sure, it was a two-piece, but Ayame had done well and had kept it from being lewd, thankfully. It was black, which brought out the color of her hair and eyes and accented the light hue of her skin. The bottom seemed to be held together by a floppy, stringed bow at each hip, and the top was held together by the same method around her middle-back and neck.

... Oh... How embarrassing! She felt completely naked, and as soon as she could, she all but ran into the lake to hide herself.


Shigure:
Shigure simply couldn't help but think that his precious little cousin was quite the piece of eye-candy. And if he thought so, he felt confident that Hatori would more-than-likely think so as well, despite himself. Shigure called to the doctor from the water.

"Are you sure you don't want to join us? It'll be FU~U~U~N! I packed another suit, just in case!"


Hatori:
Hatori was not the leering type unlike one person that he wouldn't mention the name of, but it started with a Shi- and ended with a -gure. However, no matter how cold and determined he was, he happened to be male and there was natural instinct to take a quick peek out of primitive curiosity. Was it any redeeming that he felt dirty after wards? For one always insisting not to be on Shigure's level, he had been just as ogling (though not really, but he beat himself up despite medical knowledge of it being 'normal').

"I'm fine right here," he insisted, keeping his eyes fixed out just over the horizon and as far away from Imai's curves as possible. It was one thing to look at her as a doctor, but completely different when not in a professional manner.

Though not as open about it as others might have been, Shigure's plan didn't completely fail. Hatori just had supreme control over himself and his senses, no matter how natural they may or may not have been.


Shigure:
And he knew, just by how Hatori found everything else but Imai interesting at the moment, that his plan had gone over well. He didn't expect Hatori to excuse himself to the bathroom, or drag Imai into a clump of bushes... Not by a long shot; his idea had gone as planned.

**Score one for the basic instincts of the human male! Score ZERO for Hatori! -snicker-**

"Alright! But you're going to miss out on all the fun!"


Imai:
Once Imai was in the water, she felt a bit more comfortable, and the blush that had ridden across her face was diminishing. When she looked to Hatori, she noted that he was looking elsewhere...

She felt a little relieved, not letting the thought that he might not be AT ALL interested in her cross her mind.

Eventually, Imai loosened up and was soon swapping splashes and dunks with Shigure. It really was a sight; just as much fun for anybody to watch as it was to participate. And Imai had never looked happier.

The smile on her face never faltered, and her laughter was lighter... Less dry. She no longer held it all in, and she looked as though she were walking on top of the water instead of playing in it. Her eyes glittered and shined like the sun, smiling themselves even without the help her features offered. It was a sight for sore eyes.

She was free. Even if only temporary, she was finally free.


Hatori:
It was less like leering when Imai was already in the water and eventually her's and Shigure's splashes managed to snag Hatori's attention as he sat just yards away from the water on a weathered lawn chair left out on the last visit by the family no doubt. He sat on just the edge of it, elbows resting on his knees as his back leaned over and hands folded between his knees. He wasn't far away enough to where he couldn't see the happiness though and it warmed his heart in unexplainable ways.

It was in this moment alone that Hatori felt no regrets of taking the credit for an idea that hadn't started off on his own. He wasn't exactly thankful, but he was most certainly pleased with the concluding results of that afternoon. Night time had yet to encroach and remained indifferent for now, but he was confident that it would go off without a hitch as well.

No matter what sort of consequences he may face for this later, should Akito reconsider this trip being a good idea, it was worth it just to see Imai smile genuinely.