You turn on the fan of the living room and push open the sliding doors and mosquito nets of the large floor-to-ceiling windows that lead to a garden at the back of the house. Although it's so far from town and almost isolated now that the old lady next door moved to a nursing home, this large garden makes it worth it. All kinds of vegetables grow all year long, and the scent of the three pine trees providing cool shade delights you.

You put a few snacks on the small dish left on the wooden deck the other night and pour water in a plastic bowl next to it. You don't look up. For some reason, you know he's there, waiting, watching. You light up a mosquito coil, but place it far away from the dishes. The smell is powerful, and maybe your guest doesn't like it.

As usual, you retreat and sit down on a plush cushion on the tatami mats, leaving the window open. The taste of the beer is delicious, but it's the sight of the fox sniffling and then gulping down swiftly the sausages that really makes you happy. He's an odd one, that fellow, but beautiful. Grey and white fur, except for black on his paws, his ears and the end of his tail. You don't know much about foxes, but he seems bigger than average. Certainly not afraid of humans, or at least not of you.

"Cheers, pal! I'm glad you liked those. I'll get you more next time," you tell him with a soft voice, raising your bottle in slow motion. Again, you don't want to scare him. He reacts at your voice and steps back a little, but don't run away. You frown; there's a limp that wasn't there the other night.

"The bath is ready." The automated voice of the bath unit interrupts your thoughts. Just then, there is a soft knock and the entrance door opens.

"I'm here!" Kanako's cheerful voice sends shivers down your spine. "And I brought dinner."

She crosses the kitchen area and joins you, and her radiant smile makes things south tingle. To your regret, you haven't moved in together. It's already hard to be discreet, and it's best not to feed the rumor mill. She's 35, like you, but her parents live close by, and in this tight and conservative community where everything you do is judged and frown upon when you deviate from the norm, she isn't ready to tell them she loves women on top of men. Yet. You refuse to push her. You're not the one living with the crushing weight of traditions and group pressure.

"Oh, thank you darling, put everything on the table here. The bath is actually ready, care to share?"

Kanako grins and sets down the various boxes of goodies she bought at the convenience store on the other side of town where she lives. She leans over and gives you a long and tender kiss. A blush covers her pretty face and yours burns as well.

In the countryside, this much south, the fad of white skin that city girls try to follow at all costs is a hopeless quest. You don't complain. You love how radiant and full of energy your girlfriend looks with her healthy, deep tan that makes her chocolate eyes and her perfect white teeth shine. It's an excellent match for your light brown skin color at this time of the year. With your pale complexion, you need to be extra careful with the punishing sun here, and can't afford to get burned.

"Yes! Soaking in hot water with you is always a good plan. Can we eat first? I'm famished..."

"You and me both. Sit down, I'll fetch another beer. But look who came back tonight..."

From the kitchen, you don't miss Kanako's yelp of reluctant surprise. "Wow! That fox again? Incredible."

"You don't like him, do you?" You handle her a beer. "Why is that? It's a bit like a dog or a cat."

"No, it's not! Sweetheart, foxes are different. You need to be careful. Don't let it grow used to you, your food... your scent. Stop giving him anything."

"Meh... why is that? He's a wild animal, I get it, but..."

"It's a fox. They mean trouble. And besides, this one acts very strangely. Don't encourage it." There's an intense light in her eyes that you haven't seen yet.

"O... OK. I'll stop feeding him, then. But... well... I won't throw stones at him, you know?"

"Fair enough."

You grunt, not so happy with the situation, but let it go. Sometimes, the cultural divide between you and your girlfriend runs deep. "I thought you'd be actually here before me."

You hope to drag her attention away from the fox, which is still sitting on your deck, clearly fascinated with human life. As a home nurse, Kanako has a small car that she uses to visit her patients all around the county. She never parks it in front of your house, though.

"No, I stayed at the dojo for a bit more practice, with the upcoming tournament and all, before going home for changing clothes."

"Is that so?" You quirk a playful eyebrow. "Wasn't it for catching up with Mori sensei?" You nudge her in the ribs.

She rolls her eyes and slaps you on the head. "Oh, that's what you wish, you devilish temptress! No, I won't do all the hard work on my own. We do this together, or not."

Both of you snicker like teenagers. A couple of months ago, you realized you shared a crush on your large and impressive kendo instructor. Instead of bringing stress and jealousy in your relationship, this has fueled many fantasies and hot nights. None of you would be against bringing him to your bed one of these days. The biggest challenge being that it's impossible to say whether he is interested in either of you. Even less both.

But well, he's a man, and while not so young anymore, still in excellent shape and full of energy. And the two of you are more than just cute, although you are no longer in your twenties. But you have a nagging feeling that a man like that doesn't care much for innocent, soft things but need something more in his bed.

At least that's why Kanako and yourself have been telling each other each time the topic comes up. Next to three times a week. Usually after practice, when the sight of his thick neck and wrists, not to mention his large frame in his training armor and the sound of his rich and tough voice, leave you all kinds of bothered. Talk about a fine specimen of a man. The kind that makes you glad all options are open when it comes to picking bed partners.