Ayaka kept her head low as she stepped into Kawagoe Station, the hem of her modest skirt brushing against her knees. She'd chosen a pale blouse today—clean, simple, nothing flashy. She hadn't worn a bra. It was one of those small rebellions that made her feel more in control, though she didn't know against what.
Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Riku waiting at the platform. Dressed in a black T-shirt and faded jeans, he looked like he belonged nowhere and everywhere at once. He gave her a lopsided smirk as she approached.
"Morning, Ayaka-chan," he said.
She didn't respond.
They boarded the train together and sat in the front-row seat of the unreserved car. The train wasn't crowded—just a few scattered passengers—and yet Ayaka kept glancing around like every pair of eyes was staring through her. Her fingers twisted around her handbag strap.
Riku leaned in, voice low. "You always look sexy when you're trying not to look guilty."
Ayaka glared at him but said nothing. Her silence was all the permission he needed.
The train ride was a blur of tension and denial. She stared out the window, ignoring his thigh brushing against hers, ignoring his fingers grazing hers when he handed her a drink from the vending machine. She pretended not to hear him whisper "slut" under his breath like a twisted term of endearment.
Ogawa Station was quieter than Kawagoe, tucked between sleepy hills and old neighborhoods. From there, they walked two blocks to a discreet love hotel, its walls pastel pink and ivy-covered. Ayaka hated how familiar it felt already.
Inside the room, she didn't even sit down. "No staying too long," she said immediately. "No roughness. No calling my husband names."
Riku raised both hands mockingly. "So many rules today. Is this the Ayaka-chan who kissed me back last time in her own kitchen?"
"Just... just don't push it."
"Fine. You're the boss," he said, but his grin told another story.
Ten minutes later, she'd broken every rule.
Their clothes lay scattered around the room—on the lamp, on the minibar, and on the floor next to the bed, where a condom wrapper fluttered beneath the ceiling fan.
Ayaka sat on the edge of the mattress, her knees pressed together, arms wrapped around herself. Her breath still trembled. Behind her, Riku slept soundly, one arm flung over the sheets, like he owned the bed. Like he owned her.
She stared at the nightstand.
A box of condoms—empty now.
She picked it up, took a photo, and then deleted it. She didn't know why she did that. Proof? Reminder? Punishment?
The clock on the wall read 2:22 p.m.
She left quietly.
The air outside smelled of concrete and heat. Ayaka walked back to Ogawa Station, trying to suppress the throb in her legs and the bitter taste in her mouth. She bought a bottle of green tea from the vending machine, hoping it would wash something—anything—away.
The train heading back to Kawagoe was mostly empty. She sank into a seat near the middle of the car and took a deep breath, resting her bag on her lap.
Her phone buzzed. A LINE message from Riku.
"You forgot your panties. Keeping them as a souvenir 😉"
She didn't reply.
Ayaka opened the LINE app and scrolled their chat mindlessly. Every photo, every text, every emoji—it was a rabbit hole of her own betrayal. She didn't realize someone had sat beside her until she heard her name.
"Sato-san."
She flinched hard.
Turning to her left, she saw a gentle-faced elderly woman in a patterned blouse and wide-brimmed hat.
"Hayashi-san... Oh. You startled me."
"You seem lost in thought," Hayashi said with a warm smile. "Are you okay?"
"Oh. Just... scrolling. Nothing important."
"What are you doing out here in Ogawa?"
"My eldest daughter lives nearby," Hayashi replied calmly. "She called me—her son came down with a fever. Poor thing couldn't skip work, so I came to help."
"That's kind of you…"
Then the old woman's tone softened. She adjusted the scarf on her neck, eyes kind but firm.
"Sato-san… How was the love hotel?"
Ayaka froze.
"Huh…?"
"I saw you coming out of it," Hayashi said gently. "My daughter's house is just a few buildings away. I wasn't going to say anything, but… I saw you."
Ayaka looked down at her knees, fingers tightening around the bottle of green tea. Her throat tightened. There was nothing she could say. Nothing that could explain it away.
"I won't ask why. Or who," Hayashi continued. "But I've seen you since the day you married Minato. And I've known Minato since he was born."
Ayaka's chest ached. She blinked rapidly, holding back tears.
"He's a gem of a person. Kind. Gentle. Too gentle, maybe," Hayashi said. "Please… don't do this to him. Whatever's going on… it's the Sato household's matter. I'll keep quiet. But remember who he is."
Ayaka swallowed the lump in her throat. Her lips trembled. She didn't speak.
A metallic chime rang through the train car.
"Next stop: Kawagoe Station."
The silence between them was heavy, but nothing more needed to be said.