Chapter 242: Safe Word
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 242: Safe Word
Renka, who had been cautiously watching me right after we opened the cafe, jumped as if she'd seen a ghost the moment a customer walked in.
“W-Welcome...! This is Cafe 24...!”
Renka greeted the customer, her words stumbling over each other.
As she fumbled through taking the order and started operating the espresso machine, I watched her and spoke up.
“Should I make it?”
“N-No...! I'll make it...!”
“What was the order?”
“A cafe mocha with light whipped cream...”
“I thought they asked for extra whipped cream?”
“Th-They did...? I’m sure they said light...”
“That was the ice.”
“Ah... was it...?”
“Pull yourself together.”
Stung by my sharp rebuke, Renka rubbed her face with her slender hands and nodded obediently.
Her expression was sullen, though.
She looked like she wanted to demand who was responsible for her being in this state.
“Just make the drink for now. I'll add the whipped cream and syrup.”
“....I can...”
“I said I'll do it.”
“.....”
“Answer me.”
“F-Fine.”
Somehow, Renka managed to make the cafe mocha and handed it to me.
After adding the whipped cream and syrup and giving it to the customer, I took advantage of the lull to call Renka over to a corner where there were no security cameras.
“What is it...? I know I messed up the order earlier, and it won't happen again...”
She timidly poured out her excuses before me.
I looked down at her, let out a dry laugh, and said.
“I'm not here to talk about that.”
“Then...?”
“I was thinking it's about time we set a safe word.”
“A safe word...?”
Renka tilted her head, mulling over my words, and then her eyes widened to twice their size.
Proof that she understood the exact meaning of the term.
“Th-That's something S&Mers decide on when they do BDSM or concept play...!”
“You even know the word 'S&Mer'? Most people don't know slang like that.”
“.....”
Renka's shoulders twitched slightly. She'd flinched, having unconsciously blurted out words from the manga I'd recommended to her.
I grinned at how easy she was to read and asked.
“How do you know it?”
“Th-That's not what's important! It's your attitude right now...! Are you saying you want to do that kind of thing with me, or what...!”
“I'm not saying we're going to do that... I'm suggesting we set one so you can tell me if what I'm doing makes you genuinely, truly uncomfortable or if you hate it.”
“What you're doing...?”
“Yes. This.”
With that, I stepped forward, intending to slide my leg between hers like I did in the changing room.
But Renka, predicting my move, quickly clamped her legs shut and tensed up, thwarting my attempt.
“How dare you...!”
Renka snorted as if to say ‘pathetic’ and crossed her arms.
It was funny how her confidence soared after successfully defending herself once, when just a moment ago she didn't know what to do.
“It was just an example. Why are you so smug? Anyway, if you don't like this kind of thing, just say the word we agree on.”
“....Then you'll stop?”
“For the time being, I'll respect it.”
“B-But you're ridiculous, you know that? Isn't it normal to stop when someone says they don't like it, even without setting a special word?”
“I'm giving you a great deal of privilege right now, Captain. You won't find another master who treats their slave this well.”
“I told you, I'm not a slave...!”
“Think whatever you want. So, what should the word be? You think of one, Captain.”
“I'm not choosing one...! I don't understand why I have to say a special word for you to stop in the first place...!”
“Then I'll decide. How about 'blueberry'?”
Renka's face scrunched up in a frown.
“No...! Why 'blueberry'? That's so tacky...!”
“What's tacky about it? It suits you, Captain.”
“F-Fine, if we have to, just make it 'tangerine'... Tangerine...”
Just a moment ago she was refusing to agree, and now she suggests 'tangerine'...
Is she just playing along with my game to get this over with?
Or was she secretly looking forward to this?
I really hope it's the latter.
“'Tangerine' is good. A short word is easier to say.”
“I'm never going to use it... I just hate 'blueberry'...”
“Let's just say that's the reason. We should set an action, too.”
“An action...?”
“Like a motion. A safe motion.”
“Why do we have to decide that too, you piece of sh...”
“Were you about to swear?”
“....Why are you making such a fuss about deciding one...!”
Finding her cute as she argued with me with as much restraint as she could muster, I lightly pressed my lips to hers.
The sudden contact, a soft thump... like a scene straight out of a drama, made Renka's eyes go wide and her body go limp.
“Ah...”
I grabbed the arm of the completely drained Renka, who let out an exhausted sigh, pulled her upright, and said nonchalantly.
“See? If I do this, you can't speak, Captain.”
Renka bit her lower lip and clenched her fists tightly.
It was obvious at a glance whether she was burning with a competitive spirit or trying to calm her fluttering heart.
“What should we decide on? Want to grab my hair and pull?”
“.....”
“Ah, that won't work. If things get a little rough later, you might grab it unintentionally and I might get the wrong idea... Let's pick something else.”
As I subtly hinted at things to come, a startled Renka's mouth opened and closed silently.
“Wh-What...? What's that supposed to mean...? You're not thinking of anything weird, are you...?”
“I think you and I are thinking the same thing, Captain.”
“Y-You crazy bastard...! You said you wouldn't do that kind of thing...!”
“You never know what might happen.”
“You piece of trash with a head full of nothing but weird shit...! Die...!”
“I like the sound of that. Say more.”
Was my nonchalant attitude getting on her nerves?
Renka, trembling all over, pushed past me with her shoulder and headed for the counter.
Watching her back as she walked away, looking more embarrassed than humiliated, I savored the sweet scent lingering on my lips from our kiss and walked toward her.
Then, I asked in a mischievous tone.
“Should we decide this later?”
“....Shut up.”
“Okay. We'll decide later.”
“I told you to shut up...! Don't talk to me from now on.”
“No.”
“Then I won't answer you.”
“That's childish.”
“You're the one who made me childish.”
“So it's my fault?”
“Of course.”
“Then I'll have to take responsibility.”
“....What?”
Renka's face went blank again.
I just said it casually, but she seems to be reading all sorts of meanings into it.
This is a serious case. I should let her rest a bit before I start teasing her again.
I gently wrapped my arm around Renka's waist, pulling her twitching body into a brief hug before letting go, concluding our morning skinship.
“You...!”
I ignored Renka, who was about to unleash a torrent of curses, and greeted the customer who had just walked in with a smile.
“Welcome.”
* * *
“Where are you?”
-I was just on my way back from a walk with my grandparents.
Hearing Chinami's innocent voice suddenly got me turned on, making me want to smack Renka's ass.
Suppressing the urge, I continued the call with Chinami.
-But isn't it your work hours?
“It's lunchtime, so there aren't many customers. It's fine.”
-Aren't cafes usually busiest during lunch and after work?
“Fewer people come during the actual lunch hour.”
-Oh, is that so?
“That's how it is. You're coming back in a few days, right?”
-That's right. I plan to stop by the cafe to see you and Renka as soon as I get back, Junior.
“I'd love that. Should I come pick you up?”
-No, it's okay. I'm coming back by car with my parents.
“Alright. Send me a picture tonight.”
-A... A picture...?
“Something like the one you sent last time, if that's okay?”
-Aha... Okay...
Ahh... my sweet Chinami... I want to see her so badly.
It's been so long since I've touched her ass that I'm having withdrawal symptoms. My hands are even starting to shake.
After a bit more conversation with a shy Chinami, I hung up.
Just then, Renka returned from lunch. She saw me putting my phone away and clicked her tongue.
“Who said you could be on the phone while working? I'm telling the owner.”
One of her cheeks was slightly puffed out.
It looked like she was sucking on something... Could it be candy?
How dare she eat candy without my permission... I'll have to give her demerit points.
“Go ahead. But what are you eating?”
“A peppermint candy.”
“The one from the gyudon place?”
“Yeah.”
“Who said you could eat that?”
“What...?”
She seemed to space out for a moment, caught off guard by the unexpected question.
Then, her gaze sharpened.
“Wh-What, are you trying to control even this kind of thing...?! Does this mean I can't even eat a snack without your permission...!?”
“You ate it without reporting to me, so starting today, I will.”
“Don't give me that bullshit...! I'll kill you, seriously...!”
“Enough. Give it to me.”
As I slowly approached Renka with a displeased look, she asked in a trembling voice.
“What are you doing right now...?”
“I'm going to take your candy.”
I stopped right in front of Renka and bent my knees. She threw her arms out to block me.
“N-No...! Don't...! This is really not okay...!”
Then she started shaking her head frantically and crunching on the candy.
It seemed she thought I was going to take the candy from her mouth with my own.
A few kisses and she's already getting sharp.
“Why?”
“What do you mean, why...?! You can just get a new one...! And I haven't brushed... no, anyway, you can't...! The candy's all gone...!”
So she was reluctant to kiss because she hadn't brushed her teeth right after eating? I don't mind, though.
I gave a meaningful smile to Renka, who had let her true feelings slip, and said softly.
“You haven't swallowed it all yet. I think there are still pieces left.”
“A-Aren't you completely insane...? I was just about to swallow it...!”
“You'll be in trouble if you swallow it.”
“Tangerine...! Tangerine...!!”
She said she'd never use it... but now that she's in a pinch, the safe word is coming out.
She's a quick learner, which is commendable, but it's a little funny to hear the word 'tangerine' pop up so suddenly.
Should it be a full sentence? I'll have to think about that.
“Using it for every little thing isn't great, though...”
“A-Anyway, you promised, so don't do anything...!”
“Do you think that's some kind of magic word?”
“You said you'd respect it...! Right...?”
“I did say that. Alright. I'll let it slide this time.”
I shrugged and obediently backed away. Renka let out a long sigh filled with relief, her Adam's apple bobbing as she swallowed.
She quickly swallowed the rest of the candy and pointed to the back door of the cafe, as if telling me to get lost.
“Just go eat...”
“I'll be back soon.”
“Please, take your time...”
“Are you worried I'll get indigestion?”
“No... Don't get the wrong idea...”
“Then are you saying this because I make you uncomfortable?”
“Who said you're uncomfortable...? That's not it...”
“Then it's settled. I'll be back soon.”
“....Do whatever you want.”
“Okay.”
I patted Renka on the back. Even though she was drained, she swatted her arms around in a cute show of defiance, and I chuckled.
Her mental fortitude is so weak, what am I going to do with her?
I'm about to start coming on much stronger... If she doesn't want to be completely exhausted, she'll have to train herself.