Sophie Takes Tokyo

"Tokyo!?!" Alex said, looking up from his book in shock.

"We leave in 3 weeks," Sophie enthused, weeks of pent up excitement finally bursting free.

"Last year you surprised me with the trip to Parrot Cay, now it's my turn. So...my mum is coming to look after the kids, and then..."

"Wait, wait, wait," he interrupted, "Tokyo...as in Japan? As in the land of the rising sun?"

"Oui," she squealed in delight, pushing off the duvet, sitting up, and pulling her blonde hair to one side, "I've booked 4 nights at the Aman Tokyo. It looks amazing! Plus, I've already planned some great things to do. And it's autumn, so the parks will look spectacular..."

Her energy was infectious, but Alex couldn't help wondering if such a long journey, and the inevitable jetlag, was worth it. Not to mention having to reschedule an entire week of meetings at work. But his wife had already anticipated such concerns and had carefully prepared a convincing closing argument.

"You know I've always wanted to go to Japan..." she pouted, unbuttoning her cute J Crew pajama top, "...I promise to make it worth your while."

-----

"So, what did you think of the dinner, wasn't it great?" Sophie asked, clutching her husband's hand as they strolled along the heaving streets of Ginza.

"Uh-huh," came the distracted response.

His attention was being pulled in every which direction as an explosion of sights and sounds pummeled his senses. Neon signs, large advertising screens and boards, and buildings like miniature vertical cities. Then there were the people. A seething mass of people everywhere. A black carpet of bobbing heads. Pedestrian crossings a dozen deep despite it being 9pm on a weeknight. The smart, the casual, the trendy and the eccentric, it seemed Ginza catered to all. Delicious aromas and the noise of good times wafted out from the restaurants and bars at street level, whilst the glass and steel towers overhead promised hundreds more.

"Ugh," she said in frustration. "You really have no culture! What were you expecting? You know that Geisha's aren't just prostitutes? They are professional companions and entertainers before...the rest. It takes years of training to become one. I thought the dancing and music were beautiful. And the drinking game! I think it's the first time I've played one since we were students. You know...It was really hard to get those seats..."

Alex snapped out of his trance and realized his wife was misinterpreting his silence. "Sorry Sweetie, it was a great dinner," he reassured with a genuine smile.

"I really enjoyed it. Honestly. I'm just a bit overwhelmed by this place. That's all. There's just so much going on. It's like this whole town is Times Square on steroids. Which makes it hard to find somewhere special to have a drink on our last night...before I take you back to the hotel and have my way with you."

And he stopped, leaned forward, and kissed her frown away.

"Oh!" they suddenly cried out as they were unceremoniously bumped by a gaggle of youths who hadn't expected them to stop mid-flow on the busy sidewalk.

"Sorry," came a polite female apology from the group as it squeezed past them and disappeared down a gap that seemed to have materialized between two tall buildings.

Curious, the couple peered into the dimly lit alley. It was at once both mysterious and charming. Drawn in, they started after the shadows. Advancing along the uneven cobblestone, the noise from the main street retreating into the distance. Eventually the modern buildings gave way to a series of higgledy-piggledy old wood structures. As if a giant had scooped up a few tea houses from ancient Tokyo and plonked them squarely in the 21 st Century.

As the group of youths passed under an old looking street lamp, Alex just had time to make out the smiling face of a pretty young thing before she disappeared with her friends into one of the old crooked doorways.

Intrigued, he led his wife to the same entrance, and the wooden stand by its side. On the stand was a cream coloured menu, the sort that was typical of restaurants aimed at tourists and new comers. Except it wasn't a normal menu. 'Sexy Showtime Theater', the title read in English. It was followed by lines of Japanese characters that seemed to give a price per person, a list of show times, and some other information that was indecipherable to them. Their best guess was that the 9pm show was just beginning, that it cost 7,000Yen per person, and that it would be risqué in some way.

"Ha, that's probably more like what you were expecting from the Geisha dinner!" Sophie joked.

"Maybe," Alex replied, with an edge of excitement, "Except I'm not sure what a sexy showtime theater is... Though it's probably weird and funky and involves an assortment of cartoon characters and school girl uniforms in some way."

Sophie chuckled, and was just getting ready to move on when an old man appeared from behind the hanging half curtain and pointed to a ticket vending machine.

"Oh...no...thank...you..." she said slowly, bowing her head with each word.

"Hang on a second," Alex said, holding her shoulder, "Let's check it out. It's just past nine so we can catch the last show. Besides, it's not like we are going to bed any time soon anyway..."

"Seriously?" came the raised eyebrow.

"Come on...think about it," he pushed, "you know there is a whole 'under the sheets repressed sex thing' going on in this country on the one hand. And a perverted 'sex is not a big deal so let's film a homemade video with your mother' on the other. This is part of the real Japan. And you saw those trendy locals going in. They looked like they just wanted to have fun...wholesome sexy showtime fun! Come on...let's check it out, and if you don't like it we will leave, scouts honor."

Sophie took a moment. Her husband had never been a scout. But equally, she had never been to a strip club or sex show, and now that the opportunity was presenting itself, was a tad curious. Besides, given her recent antics, a sex show hardly seemed taboo anymore. Plus, Alex had a point, she had read that sexuality was a big part of Japanese culture, and that they had different norms to westerners.

"OK. But if and when I want to leave...we go," she puffed.

"Scouts honor," he swore, holding up a few random fingers.

After buying the tickets they went down some overly lit stairs, through a small lobby with posters and more vending machines (500 yen for a can of lukewarm beer and 1,000 yen for used female panties), and into the surprisingly small theater.

The four rows of movie theater style seats in front of the stage weren't even half full. There were a few old men in the front row, then the group they had followed sitting behind in the second row. The air smelled mildly stale: a lingering mix of smoke, beer and mold. The décor was drab and dated. It had clearly seen better days. But the depressing feel of the place didn't seem to be holding back the loud dance music and high energy movements of the scantily clad nurse that was gyrating on stage.

Two uniformed employees standing either side were clapping in time with the music, pausing only to signal for them to sit in the second row. Following Sophie to take their seats, Alex settled in and watched as the performer danced away in her naughty costume. The whole thing was surreal.

After another minute of the acrobatic routine, the music changed, the tempo slowed, and the dancer moved more purposefully. Unlike at a western strip club, there was reverent silence as the nurse's outfit was playfully discarded. Leaving her in knee-high red PVC boots and a matching G-string. Her small A-cup breasts and slim Asian body on display, not an ounce of cellulite to be seen. Then on all fours she crawled around the stage, teasing them with a hint of brown eye behind the tiny red string.

Although the display was more utilitarian than erotic, Alex still needed to re-arrange himself. But before doing so, he instinctively glanced to his left to see if Sophie, or anyone else, was looking.

A movement caught his attention. To the left of his wife's legs. There was a ruffling of white material. Leaning forward a fraction to get a closer look, he had to do a double take. For right next to Sophie, a short white skirt had been pushed out of the way and a wrist was visible between a pair of beautiful smooth female thighs. Was it doing what he thought it was...? Forgoing discretion, he craned forward to get a better look. Allowing his eyes to drift up to the leg owner's heaving chest and beautiful young features, which had an expression of sensual satisfaction. It was the girl from the alley!

Suddenly a male face popped out from the other side of her, giving Alex a fright. They looked at each other for a moment, before the man grinned confidently and raised his hand from between the girls legs to wave. Alex instantly felt the heat of embarrassment, like a busted peeping tom. And was about to break contact when the young man lifted his chin, nodded in the direction of his previous handiwork, slipped his hand back to where it had been, and then nodded towards Sophie. Was he bragging? Challenging?

Alex sat back into the old leather seat and ran his fingers through his brown hair. The air began to feel heavy, the space shrank, and his heartbeat increased. As if the kinky action next door wasn't enough, the performer then removed her red G-string and slid around the stage, trying to give the old men heart attacks as she sat in front of each one and unabashedly spread her dark pussy lips for them. Looking down at his wife's tight jeans, dirty thoughts piled up.

Sophie had long ago clocked what was happening under the white skirt. How could she not? The girl's thigh had pressed against hers almost as soon as she had sat down. And Sophie felt intuitively that the physical contact was purposeful. Not only because the girl was separating her legs, but because she was actually getting off on the knowledge that a stranger was somehow part of her lewd sex act. And the blonde had done nothing to detach herself. In fact, she was a willing participant, thrilled at the intimacy. Turned on and jealous as she imagined her neighbor being diddled so blatantly, barely able to resist the urge to rub herself in sympathy.

It was therefore like an electric shock when her husband's hand unexpectedly found her right thigh. And she welcomed it slipping down and cupping between her legs. Parting them and slipping forward to grant better access. Pushing back against the girl's leg, hoping that she might notice their shared experience.

But just as Sophie was starting to tingle, a piercing light jolted her back to reality. The protective cloak that had emboldened her dark side was shattered by lights turning on overheard. Flinging her husband's hand off, she bolted upright, flush with embarrassment. Looking around in brief panic before realizing that it was simply the end of the performance, and nothing more.

The naked nurse was bowing to polite applause, before one of the uniformed workers made an announcement, and the old guys in the front row queued by the stage with their cameras to take photographs of their favorite medical specialist.

"Let's go," Alex croaked, dryness in his throat.

His wife was just as keen to get back to the hotel, and they made a beeline for the exit. But soon after hitting the cool fresh air in the alley, a male voice called out.

"Hello?" It said, to no response.

"Hello?!? Where are you from?" it tried again, more loudly.

This time the couple stopped and turned.

"We are university students here in Tokyo, and we like practice English. Can we please drink with you in bar?" The young man said self-assuredly, advancing with his partner out of the shadows.

As the students stepped into the light, the girls white skirt was unmistakable. She was very pretty. Big almond eyes, medium length straight black hair, and a warm smile. Around 5"1', with a slim Asian body. Probably very much like the nurse they had just watched. The guy was attractive too, and on the big side for a local, not much smaller than Alex.

"Que ferons-nous," Sophie murmured in French.

Whilst she wanted to head back to the hotel for a good seeing to, the idea of having a drink with this naughty couple was an unexpectedly fascinating prospect. But before either one of them could say another word, the pretty girl spoke up.

"Vous êtes français, j'étudie le français!"

And that sealed the deal. 10 minutes later they were all sitting on the 12th floor of a glass clad building, in a retro bar that looked like a Japanese take on a New York jazz club from the 1920's. The crowd had that naïve youthful energy that existed among university students. Off the tourist track it oozed authenticity, and made Sophie nostalgic for her student days. She instantly liked it, especially once the Mojito's arrived.

Mick and Maiko, as they introduced themselves, were in their last year of university. He was a mechanical engineer and she was studying design and French. Sophie remarked on just how many people seemed to speak some French in Tokyo, and how many stores had French names. Maiko explained that her generation was not repeating the mistake of their parents and only learning to speak Japanese. After English, French was a very popular language choice as Japanese loved France and French Culture. For them Paris was the Tokyo of the west, and she had already been...twice.

After the students finished it was Sophie and Alex's turn to introduce themselves.

"...You have two young children?" Mick interrupted in shock, "But you still look so good and fit. I thought maybe you were student too," he added, without any hint of sarcasm or creepiness.

Sophie blushed, but didn't take offense. In her limited experience Japanese could be quite direct, so she put it down to cultural and linguistic differences. And it was flattering to have the young man complementing her, especially when his own girlfriend was so cute.

The enjoyable and easy conversation flowed until their glasses were empty.

"Where are you staying?" Maiko asked, as Alex insisted on getting the bill.

"The Aman."

"Ah-so..." she replied longingly. "I hear it is very beautiful. I Hope to go inside for dinner or drink once Mick finally invite me!"

And she covered her mouth and giggled in the way that Japanese woman do. Mick looked a little annoyed at being the butt of her joke, but Alex was captivated by her girly innocence. At a glance she looked the type that would wear Hello Kitty underwear. Except, given her previous antics, she was just as likely not to be wearing any! And the way she looked at him betrayed an underlying coquettishness, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes that hinted at what could be that wasn't yet so.

"What if we get the last round at the hotel then? It's not far. Then I can give you a quick tour as well," Sophie suggested.

She was enjoying the company and could empathize with what it was like to be a poor design student.

"Merci Beaucoup, I would like that very much." Maiko said, bouncing up and down eagerly. "Mick?"

He nodded his consent.

-------

"C'est vraiment très beau," Maiko gasped as they entered the breathtaking lobby.

"I love texture, rough and smooth together," she explained, running a hand over the stone wall at the entrance of the lounge bar. "This is special type of Japanese sandstone, Hokkaido Sagan, very rare...very expensive."

Sophie was impressed by her new friend's passion and knowledge. "Start without us boys. I'm going to show Maiko the spa before it closes."

"Come, you'll love the design there, it's..."

And the girls wondered off, chatting like old acquaintances, as the boys settled at the bar.

"Konbanwa," the smart looking hostess said with a polite nod, "May I offer you a drink?"

"Sure, thanks, I'll have an Asahi. Mick?"

"Hai, same please," he nodded.

The hostess smiled and disappeared. After a few minutes of small talk, Alex couldn't resist bringing up the theater.

"So," he started, hoping he wasn't overstepping a line, "You see show's like that with Maiko often?"

"Sometimes," Mick replied coolly, like it was no big deal, "we like sex, so sometimes see show or go to sex club. You and Sophie?"

"First time we've visited anything like that together."

"Ah-so." Mick smiled. "So first time you see Japan girl naked too then...you like?"

"Yes. Sure. I mean, they're attractive, of course..." Alex muttered bashfully.

Mick laughed. "In Japan culture it's OK to have wife and like other woman. It's normal. No problem. While in Japan you should try Japan girl..."

And with perfect timing the waitress arrived just in time to hear him, placing two cold beers in front of them whilst blushing. Alex signed the bill and watched her walk away with renewed interest.

"Maiko likes you," Mick continued, "She wants to try sex with Gaijin. With foreign man. You like Maiko?"

Alex scoffed into his beer.

"You very lucky to have such sexy wife. Blonde woman very rare and special in Japan, especially so beautiful. And not Russian, but French! If you like Maiko maybe we can...how do you say...exchange?" he added, deadly serious.

And even as the words were processed, Alex struggled to believe the conversation was actually for real. That this young man had so audaciously offered his girlfriend in return for Sophie, as if the ladies were sex objects to be traded. Not that he was offended by the idea of sharing his wife, after all, twice in the last year he had invited other men to tag team her. Nor was the idea of having Maiko unappealing...he could already imagine just how tight her pussy would be.

No. The idea in itself was very appealing. Instead his mind immediately skipped to the practicalities of implementation. How would Sophie react to such a proposal, and how could he convince her to go along with it? Plus, he hadn't been with another woman since they started dating during college over a decade before. How to ensure she wouldn't object? The morality of the situation didn't even enter into the equation.

"Sorry if I misunderstand," Mick offered, seeing the intense expression on his host's face.

"Oh no...It's fine Mick. Really. Don't get me wrong, we are more open minded than most," he explained, choosing his words carefully, "But even if I am interested...getting Sophie to agree would be another matter..."

"Ha, Gaijin woman much trouble. Luckily Japan woman do as told," Mick chuckled, raising his glass in salute, not quite understanding why westerners gave their women so much freedom.

Imagining the erotic possibilities, Alex spotted the gorgeous ladies entering the bar. The hot European and the exotic Asian. What a trophy the pair would make. The opportunity was too good to miss. He had to seize the moment or he would never forgive himself.

"We're back," Sophie announced with a huge smile as she sat in front of the boys, "one final round for the road?"

Buzzing from the earlier drinks, and energized by her young companion, Sophie was reluctant to let the evening end. She raised her hand and started to look around for service. Her husband could see she was in the mood to have some fun...and it gave him an idea.

"Sorry sweetie, the bar already called last orders," he lied, improvising.

"Really? That's crazy!" she frowned, "it's still morning for me, I'm just waking up! Let me speak to someone, this is the Aman after all. Surely the bar doesn't close this side of midnight..."

"..It's actually good news..." Alex suggested quickly, pulling her hand down. "Because I was thinking it might be fun to go back to the room and play that drinking game we just learned at the Geisha dinner. We have a mini bar and..."

"...Great idea!" Sophie interrupted excitedly. "It would be like when we were students again!. Oh...and then Maiko can also see the inside of a room. Wow...excellent thinking darling."