Kumiko leaned back against the white brick wall and sighed in defeat as she nudged a trash bag with her foot. Beside her, Tsutomu muttered something under his breath while continuing to stare off into space. She turned to him in frustration, demanding to know what he'd said. 

He flinched before giving his answer. "I'm sorry. I just never thought she'd be that kind of model..."

"Well, it is surprising," Kumiko remarked, softening her tone upon seeing his apologetic expression. "But, I guess it makes sense."

"How so?" Tsutomu asked with a raise of his eyebrows.

"Spiders like to wrap their prey up in silk. Therefore, you could say that they have a natural inclination towards bondage."

Tsutomu gave her an incredulous stare. "Yes, but there's no pleasure in the act. They only do it to restrain their prey."

Kumiko paused to consider the reason in his words, then remembered the changes that had occurred when she'd first made the transition from fox to human. "You're looking at things from a mortal's perspective. Given long life and increased intelligence, most animals would find more creative ways to satisfy that urge."

"You're... speaking from experience, aren't you?"

"Not really," Kumiko quickly denied. "I consider myself to be rather chaste."

"Of course," Tsutomu replied, though the slight smile which had crept onto his face indicated that he believed otherwise. "So, do you have another plan in mind? Seeing as this one hasn't worked?"

"Yes. It's pretty simple."

"Oh? Would you care to tell me?"

Kumiko took a deep breath. "One of the best ways to catch a predator is to lure them with some bait. I was thinking..." Her voice trailed off as she gazed up at his sharp, handsome features.

"No," Tsutomu protested, shifting away from the wall and crossing his arms. "You promised not to get me involved."

"I know, just let me finish," Kumiko urged, checking the vicinity to make sure nobody was within earshot. "I thought that I could pretend to be a man. Shapeshifting and all."

Tsutomu stared at her with a puzzled expression. "You can do that?"

"Yes, but it's been a while. You could say that I'm out of practice." She remembered the last time she'd tried genderbending to scare an unlucky traveler with an apparent clone of himself. Almost five centuries had passed since then, and though her skills had grown considerably, she'd become so comfortable with this body that the idea of assuming a different form seemed daunting.

Even so, there was nobody more qualified to deal with Akane than she was. She had to pull herself together and make good her promise to keep Tsutomu safe, even if it meant playing the part of an eager man prowling the streets for babes.

She forced a smile and did her best to reassure him. "But I'm sure I'll perfect it again in no time. You can trust me."

"I hope so." Tsutomu loosened his shoulders and leaned back once more. "I'd love to see you pull it off."

"That I will," Kumiko said for emphasis before she became aware of faint, unintelligible chatter coming from within the building. It grew louder by the second, and she soon made out two distinct voices - one animated and baritone, and the other strained and irritated. The photographer and that willowy woman were debating about whether to have noodles or yakiniku for lunch.

She reached out to grasp Tsutomu's forearm, her eyes widening in alarm. "They're coming. We have to hide."

"Right." Tsutomu complied by shifting away from the wall and inching backward with her. They ducked into the nearby alley just as a party of five emerged from the building's main entrance.

"...Fine. But, we'd better go somewhere else next time."

"Don't worry about it, Mariko. I'm a man of my word..."

"Whatever, Shinji."

The conversation came to an end, thus allowing Kumiko to focus on the fading sounds of five pairs of shoes rubbing and clicking against the pavement. She took small, steady steps from out of the alley as Tsutomu cautiously followed. "Looks like they're gone. Where were we?"

"Being out of practice?"

"Of course," Kumiko remembered the subject of their interrupted conversation and resumed her planning. "I might need a few hours to get it right. On top of that, I'd need decent men's clothing. You own some, don't you?"

"Well," Tsutomu replied, his tone of voice becoming spirited. "I'm sure I could find something from my youth..."

Kumiko stiffened as it occurred to her the sort of outfits he had in mind. The Mod-influenced styles featured in vintage magazines would only get someone laughed at nowadays, so she felt inclined to dismiss his response. "On second thought, that might not be such a good idea."

Tsutomu's expression turned glum. "Oh. I had a feeling you'd say that."

"Hey, don't worry. Your heart's in the right place." She tried to comfort him to little avail as he turned away from her.

"So... is there something else I could do to help?"

Kumiko thought once more about Akane and the others heading off to dine at some yakiniku place. If she was quick enough, there was a chance she could catch up to them while using her powers of invisibility. At the same time, it would be beneficial if someone could provide her with everything necessary for either tonight or tomorrow.

She came to a practical realization and rushed to answer Tsutomu's offer.

"Yes. I want you to browse stores for the latest fashions. What you pick needs to be suitable for a night out, and I would much prefer stuff in medium size."

Tsutomu shifted so that his line of sight was perpendicular to her face. "I believe I can do that. There's just one thing, though."

"What is it?"

He inhaled deeply, slipping a hand into the pocket of his long black coat. "I... I'll need some extra cash since it won't be wise to use my credit card."

After a moment of consideration, Kumiko figured that it wouldn't be unreasonable to accommodate his needs. She dug around in her handbag and, upon retrieving her cream-colored purse, opened it up before handing him a five thousand yen note which he took tentatively.

"Thank you. What happens when I'm done?"

Kumiko shoved the purse back into her handbag. "Head back to the apartment and meet with Futoshi. I'll call as soon as I can."

"Understood."

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some stalking to do."

Tsutomu stared at her in shock, but she did not bother explaining further. With a spin of her heels, she took off down the street, quickening her pace until she was narrowly weaving around stunned pedestrians.

******

The smell of roasting flesh and the sound of juices sizzling was nothing short of rapturous for Akane as she watched Shinji flip a slice of beef tongue over on the gridiron, revealing a marbled surface that was consistently and deliciously brown.

She pressed her lips tightly together to prevent her mouth from watering, then took a sip of green tea. The grassy taste did nothing to quell her appetite, and upon placing the steaming cup back down on the table, she sought to distract herself by meditating on this morning's events.

It had all been eye-opening, to say the least. Before today, Akane had never really considered the safety and willingness of others when it came to fulfilling her pleasures. Every man she'd encountered was just meat or livestock to be consumed, but after acting out roles akin to both predator and prey, she was beginning to wonder if there were ways to make use of a lesser being without causing any lasting harm.

However, Shinji's voice cut into her thoughts before she could make any progress. She raised her head to see him taking a slice of tongue off the gridiron and dipping it in tare sauce.

"Aren't you going to eat?"

"I... I will." She picked up her chopsticks and tried to mimic his actions, only for the piece of beef tongue to slip and land unceremoniously on her plate. He smiled at her in amusement.

"A bit clumsy, aren't you?"

"I..." A sense of indignation arose inside of her at this slight mockery, and for a moment, she wanted nothing more than to bind him to a chair, then flog him until he screamed 'red,' which was the safe word that he'd taught her.

Judging by the way he stiffened and leaned back, Shinji had sensed her ruined mood.

"Sorry. I was just teasing."

"Apology accepted," Akane managed to reply, though she couldn't resist giving him an intense glare to show that he wasn't completely forgiven. She ate the rest of her meal in silence as Shinji turned his attention back to the gridiron, and she savored the explosion of flavor each slice of meat created in her mouth.

By the time everyone had had their fill of food and idle conversation, she found herself wanting nothing more than to leave and enjoy a few hours alone. As Shinji departed the table to pay, she attempted to make an exit, only for Mariko to call her back.

"Hey, not so fast! You've forgotten this." The woman discreetly produced a white envelope from beneath the table and handed it to her as soon as she returned. "Your payment for today."

Akane grabbed the envelope with uncertainty. "Th-Thank you..."

"So, would you mind meeting us again at nine o'clock two weeks from now? Our magazine publishes one issue each month, and while our readership is low at the moment, we hope for it to increase over time."

"Of course. I will."

"That's great to hear. It's not easy finding girls like you." Mariko spun back around to face the slender and bespectacled young man in charge of lighting, an action that Akane supposed meant she was finally free to go.

She navigated her way out of the restaurant with difficulty and, upon stepping out into the street, realized she had no idea which direction would take her back home. As a result, she ended up doing what she usually did - wandering around aimlessly while stopping to observe anything that caught her interest.

A few blocks away, she came across something never seen before during her five years spent in human form - a large storefront with a sign that read 'Pets First.'

Unable to hold back her curiosity, she stepped towards the automatic doors, and they slid open immediately as if inviting her to discover the mysteries that lay within.

She entered the shop with purpose in her stride, only to freeze in wonder at the scene which greeted her. Puppies and kittens of various shapes and colors frolicked in their enclosures, looking adorable as well as scrumptious. She stared at them, mesmerized, until a bright idea dawned in her mind.

Like the tiny creatures in front of her, handsome men also had the potential to provide quality entertainment and company. Perhaps, instead of treating them like livestock, she could capture one to keep as a pet. She'd pamper him with toys and food so that in time, he would become nothing but loyal and submissive. Then, he'd spend the rest of his short life by her side, eventually dying of old age and leaving her to start the process anew.

With a smile of pride, Akane congratulated herself for coming up with such a brilliant plan. She departed the shop, feeling ecstatic at what awaited her and eager to begin searching for the perfect specimen.