Chapter 3: Humiliating truth

Yuki: (stuttering) "I...I..I"

Nora would have been lying if he didn't ask that question to understand why she chose him as a matcher. But he genuinely wanted to save her as well. He felt awful to pull off the scummiest move in history as she was now struggling to find words. But it was her only rope out and the only one he could find.

Yuki: (stuttering) "I...i.i.."

Both Nora and Madame Rouge were waiting for answers.

Yuki: (blushing) "I....chose you...because.."

Both said in unison: (curious) "Because?"

Yuki took some deep breaths, and she finally let it out. 

Yuki: "I chose you because...you looked very cute...like...a little puppy."

Both in unison: (confused) "?"

Yuki: (nervously) "Umm... I mean not that I am comparing you to a dog by all means! It's just the very first thing that came to my mind when I first saw your face in the file."

Both Nora and Madame Rouge stood there in silence. She clearly was escaping the question and answering with the weirdest initiatives.

Nora: "I don't know what to say really..."

Yuki: "Ummm....i....I also think you make good coffee..."

Nora: (confused) "Well, thank you....it's automated though..."

Madame Rouge: (Disappointed) "This is not getting us anywhere..."

Due to her impatience, Madame Rouge suddenly took out a hologram PC out of her vest. It was a small portable device the size of a standard wallet. A holographic screen and keyboard displayed itself.

Yuki: (concerned) "Madame Rouge? What are you doing?

She went through various file concerning her employees to finally fall upon "Yuki Yumihiko".

Madame Rouge: (satisfied) "We will finally understand where the story starts and ends"

Hearing that Yuki, slammed her hand on the table which made Nora jump a little from his chair.

Yuki: (panicking) "Umm! Madame Rouge no need to go through such extremities!, i can tell you myself!"

Madame Rouge: (sarcastically) "Sure, You have been doing a very good job at that so far."

She selected the file concerning her name and found data of her matcher's preference. Yuki's heart was beating in fast pace. She looked at Nora who seemed remorseful. She knew doom was at her mercy, so she tried to articulate whatever came to mind of him.

Yuki: "Ummm...ummm!.. I love the way you breathe....and.."

Nora: (uncomfortable) "Yuki..."

Madame Rouge: "See! This is not getting us anywhere, i will unveil the curtains in just a minute."

Madame Rouge looked away from her hologram PC to witness her stupidly cute reactions while scrolling down her preference list.

Madame Rouge: "Here it is at last!"

Yuki: "Madame Rouge, Please I will do anything you ask of me! I beg of you! Anything but that!"

Madame Rouge: "You are feeding my curiosity even further! What secrets could you be hiding to be in such a state?"

She reached her preference list and now was looking at it. She could not help but giggle as she kept on scrolling down and down. Yuki was already dying from shame. Suddenly Madame Rouge's face was rendered still when reading something shocking.

Madame Rouge: (slightly blushing) "Oh my....i did not expect that."

From all the tension that arose it was to no surprise that Nora would snap.

Nora: (tensed) "Can we stop the suspense already! It will be best for all of us here if you just blurt it out!"

Yuki: "Not all of us..."

Madame Rouge: (teasingly) "Fine I will tell you, Mr No Fun."

There it was the missing puzzle as to why the story of her venue to his apartment.

Madame Rouge: "From the descriptive sides: Grey eyes, dark hair, Nice face, attractive, 'Oh my!...' Nicely built, 5/8 in height (173 cm), Race oriented preferences: black."

The description was accurate, Nora couldn't help but feel uncomfortable to hear his physical features from Yuki's preferences. Meanwhile, our little Yuki, was covering her face planted on the table in her own world.

Madame Rouge: (teasingly) "Everything good so far Mister Nora?"

Nora: (blushing) "Yeah...Yeah."

Madame Rouge: (teasingly) "Miss Yuki?"

Still covering her face on the table.

Yuki: (defeated) "Please just end me...."

Madame Rouge: (amused) "Alright next we move on to the personality trait-"

Yuki: (desperately) "Noooooooo..."

Madame Rouge: "Personality traits: "Caring, Kind, Reserved, Confident, Humble, Creative, A good sense of humor, Optimistic, Good Energy and Warming. 'Euh humm..i see that's a must any man could have! You have good taste Miss Yuki.' "

Nora's head started to spin in circle as if struck by multiple jabs to the jaw. Of course Miss Yuki was already defeated and pleading for the countdown to end.

Madame Rouge: (amused) "Finally! The cherry on top!"

Yuki, still being on the table covered ad mist the rubble of cringe, quickly caught up to the last part of the survey. To this she rose from her chair and slammed the table again.

Yuki: (overly panicked) "Madame Rouge! With all the respect I have for you and more to come, I Beg! No! I implore you! Stop this or else I will!

Madame Rouge: (teasingly) "You will?"

Yuki was trying to form a sentence but her boss intimidating smile made her retract her actions. Instead, she gave a desperate look at Nora, to her surprise he was already beaten down to a pulp by the jabs from before. Being too far deep in this mess, he wanted nothing but a nice cup of coffee and a trip to a quiet place.

Nora: (embarrassed) "I....I..."

Madame Rouge: (Intimidating) "Miss Yuki, The client doesn't have a say in this conversation unless I give him the opportunity."

Feeling defeated, Yuki fell back on her chair and got back to her little fantasy world.

Madame Rouge: (amused) "Where was I?, Oh yes silly me! The requester's personal liking!, I would like to point out that it is split in two parts. This concerns the likings of the other wants to do with you. As for the second part it is what you may imagine. It can either concern the physical interaction from basic to sexu-

Nora: (embarrassed) "Yeah I can imagine! Just go along!"

Madame Rouge: (smugly) "Ok!, you mood breaker...First the Basic interaction specified by Yuki."

Yuki was tapping her foot at full speed to endure the remaining parts and to avoid hearing what she wrote.

Madame Rouge: (passive aggressively) "Miss Yuki?"

She stops her feet almost immediately.

Madame Rouge: "Thank you."

Madame Rouge: (teasingly) "Again! The basic interaction and she quotes: "Must hug gently but warmly, must be moderately teasy, "Teasy, huh?", kisses goodbyes after departure, Hold hands outside, Play games together "Ohhhhhhh....so cute."

Nora was surprised and also a little bit happy to her likings so far. He thought to himself of all those moments where he would do and act the way she wanted. Surprisingly he couldn't help but smile.

Madame Rouge: (curious) "Mister Nora? Mister Nora?"

Nora: (surprised) "Yes?"

Madame Rouge: (teasingly) "You seem to be very happy up in there?"

Nora: (embarrassed) "Eumm...i'm sorry."

Madame Rouge: (smugly) "It's ok, I won't tease you on that."

The last part would be the most embarrassing of all. The requester's "Sexual attractions and fetishes", comparable to being stripped naked and thrown on a street. Madame rouge started to talk.

Madame Rouge: "As for the-"

Nora raised his hand and halted her words.

Nora: "Ok that's enough."

Yuki raised her head surprised.

Yuki: "?"

Peace was finally on her side, Nora could not bare to let her be ridiculed any longer.

Madame Rouge: "Are you sure? We were almost done here."

Nora: "Yes, i thinks that's largely enough for today."

Both Nora and Yuki sighed in unison at the air of safety finally brought back. Madame Rouge giggled a little.

Madame Rouge: (amused) "You know, youngsters I may seem devilish, but I am just as sassy as anyone would."

Nora thought to himself, "I'm pretty sure you are one of a kind Ma'am."

Madame Rouge: (amused) "I don't normally do those type of things, but I thank you both deeply for this memorable entertainment. Mostly you Mr Nora."

Nora: (tired) "....."

Yuki: (defeated) "...."

Madame Rouge: "I will make you an offer, let's skip the last part about the "Intimate patronage" if you will, instead I want to hear the answer from Yuki herself if she wants to stay or not?"

The room felt a sudden shift in suspense. Yuki's eyes widened in shock. She was now looking at her boss who held the same smugy emotion but with a slight empathy.

Yuki: (shocked) "Madame Rouge?..."

She looked at Nora who was as surprised as her. She did not advert her attention from him. Those lapse of seconds felt like a safe heaven for her, she was drawn in by his face, but it did not concern attraction but mostly what it represented. A discovery, a new life, a future, a love and hate relationship. Her imagination ran wild as if trapped in the gaze of time. All those moments they could have in just a single answer.

Yuki: (unaware) "Yes... I want to stay here forever."

Her mouth uttered those dangerous line that would normally require further thinking or a lifetime decision. Hypnotized and blinded by love she felt at home with him and her gut feeling, she knew where she needed to belong. Unfortunately coming back to reality only makes the revealed dreams awkward.

Yuki: (panicked) "Euhmmmm.....i..i..I mean..."

Nora was now the one covering his red tomato face.

Madame Rouge: (smiling) "Very well! It is the 2nd time I am pulling the strings to make a love relationship work. I will gladly take care of the work load coming my way for you two."

Nora and Yuki: (surprised) "Really?"

Madame Rouge lifted herself from her chair.

Madame Rouge: (teasingly) "Of course! It is also part of my job to negotiate compromise of any form for a reasonable price of course. Nora started to sweat.

Nora: (curious) "How much?"

Madame Rouge: "It doesn't necessarily have to be money, the amount of fun i had today already counts as payment."

Nora: "*sigh*....."

She lifted herself of the chair and began walking to the exit door.

Madame Rouge: (teasingly) "Make sure to be a good wife Yuki and give us good reports."

Nora and Yuki: (embarassed) "?!"

Madame Rouge: (jokingly) "On that note I will see you on the wedding day."

Those were the final jabs which they could not withstand, both fell on the floor comically. 

She opened and waved before closing the door. After the authoritative sassy woman left, both our lovey doveys were now left alone in the kitchen.

Chapter 3 End