Disclaimer: If I give offense in my characterization of Japanese culture, I sincerely apologize.
Chapter 1: I Meet My Husband and His Father
I don't know why I'm writing this down. I want to tell my story but I should just tell it; I should speak my story, like one of the oral histories we are taught as children. Typing it on a laptop seems very dangerous. Stupid, maybe. I am many things but stupid is not one of them. No matter: I find I must write my story down, because the story needs to be told and I cannot find the strength within me to simply speak it out loud to you.
So, to the story:
I met my future husband at university. It was one of the better schools. I would write the name but I am afraid to in case this is read by others. Let's just call it "university." University is where I met the man who would become my husband.
What can I say about that time? We were both 19. We had worked so hard to be admitted and, after, the hard work never stopped. I studied hard and tried to not stand out in any way from the other girls who also were my classmates. I knew that the nail that sticks up gets hammered down. Perhaps I studied a bit harder than they did; perhaps I was a bit smarter than they were. I attributed my excellent marks to the fact that I didn't attend parties and I didn't date. Because of my lack of social activity, perhaps I was a bit different from the other girls. My thought at the time was that there wasn't time for any of those extra activities, even if I desired to take time away from studies--which I did not. I lived at the library, always studying. But when I wasn't studying, I was reading Western romance novels.
That was ironic because I was studying to be a scientist. Scientists are not known for interest in Western romance novels. I kept my interest to myself, reading only in a quiet corner of the university library--and then only after my studies had been completed for the day. Instead of watching television, I read.
Kenji--the boy who would become my husband--also studied, but not as hard as I did. He didn't have to. His father was a powerful CEO of a major
keiretsu.
No, I'm not going to write down which one on this paper, lest it be read by others. You may already know which one, because Kenji's father was known to many. For this story, I will say that Kenji's father was powerful; Kenji would have a job after graduation in one of his father's companies. That was a given. Thus, he needed only to study just hard enough to not dishonor his family. Which, to be clear, he did; he did study hard and received decent marks. He understood his obligations and willingly honored them. He was a good man. He still is a good man, as far as I know.
Kenji was also handsome and good-natured. He had a kind spirit and a beautiful smile. I liked him from the moment we first met at the library. He needed some quiet space to write a paper, and he chose a table that was near to where I was quietly reading
Anne of Red Hair
. We started to talk quietly. Eventually, I put down my book and he forgot his paper for a few minutes. Eventually, he invited me to share a coffee with him. I agreed and then he returned to his studies; I returned to my reading.
As I have said, I didn't date. But I made an exception for him. To this day, I don't understand why I did that. Perhaps I felt the stirrings of our future life together, that night in the university library. In any case, I agreed to a future date where we would share a coffee and continue our pleasant conversation.
After exams were over, we met at a café near a park and had coffee. He told me some stories of growing up. I didn't know then with certainty, but I quickly guessed his family was wealthy because of where they lived--Tokyo. As you know, a family must be wealthy to live there in the center of everything. I told him a little bit about myself, but not too much.
After the coffee, he asked "Are you hungry?" That's how kind and considerate Kenji was.
"
Hai,
" I admitted, nodding slightly. I
was
hungry. I wanted also to continue our conversation. I enjoyed speaking with Kenji.
We shared some noodles and he walked me back to my room. He asked for my phone number and I gave it to him. That was our first date.
Our second date was two months later. We had coffee and noodles again. We spoke about our studies and what we might do after graduation. I thought it was a very good date.
After I was back in my room, he texted me.
You looked very pretty tonight,
he texted. That's how kind he was to me. He always gave me the nicest compliments.
We had a third date in the next semester. At the doorway to my room, he kissed me before he said goodnight, and I kissed him back a little bit. After that kiss, we understood we were now boyfriend and girlfriend. We had several more dates in the months after that night, but we did nothing that would interfere with our studies. We kissed at the end of each date, but nothing more than kissing. After all, we were only boyfriend and girlfriend at that point. More than kissing would not have been appropriate.
I find I must be honest here. In truth, sometimes we did more than kissing. When he desired, I let him touch my breasts. In my dorm room I took off my blouse and white bra for him. I enjoyed the look on his face as his fingers gently rubbed and pulled on my small nipples. I enjoyed the feeling of having his mouth and lips gently suck on my breasts and nipples. That is not all: three times during our months of dating, he grew red-faced and short of breath as he caressed me and sucked my breasts. On those three occasions, I unzipped his trousers and tugged on his penis until he shot his sticky white semen out in long spurts. Afterwards, I cleaned him. Then he kissed me passionately and gave me many compliments. Nothing else happened. That was enough for both of us.
After a year of dates, I met his parents and then I understood Kenji better. His father was confident, powerful, always wise. Kenji's father's spirit was very strong. He obviously loved his son as well as his wife--his son's mother. He gave them everything.
After that meeting, Kenji met my parents and they were very effusive in their praises of him. I suppose they despaired of me ever finding a husband--but now there was a boy in my life and we were serious. They loved Kenji, even if (at that point) they didn't know who his father was. They were happy for me, that I had found such a kind and caring man.
We continued to date steadily throughout the rest of our time at university. Eventually, graduation was near and Kenji asked me to marry him. At this point we were both 21 years of age. Before I said "
hai"
(yes) to his proposal we had a serious discussion about our future together. We agreed to postpone having children until he was settled in the corporate world. I would graduate with a rather prestigious science degree, but I would not work. Instead, I would make the home for him and--eventually--for our children. He would work hard and rise in his father's
keiretsu.
One day, he might have a high position; we could then afford to live in Tokyo. Until that time, he would have to commute to work, as so many do.
We agreed on our life plan so I agreed to marry Kenji. In many ways, that was the smartest decision I ever made. In other ways, though, the decision led to many sad points in my life.
To this day, I sometimes look back on that decision to marry Kenji. What if I said "
ie
"? (Which would have been very rude of me.) Or even "
kekkou desu
"? ("No, thank you.") What if we never met in the library? What if I graduated and found a job in a research lab and began my career at the proper age?
What would my life be like then?
There is no use thinking such thoughts. Life is a series of decisions. You must make the best decisions you can. Kenji loved me. In my heart, I believe he loves me still. And I still love him, even though I have made difficult decisions in my life that, if he ever learned of them, would cause him deep pain. This is life, though. You must do the best you can. This is the lesson I give to you: you must do the best you can, though you may (like me) make many mistakes along the path.
I have tried to do the best I can, though many I am sure would tell me I made bad decisions, bad mistakes, along my life's journey.
*****
On the night when we agreed to marry each other, we had sex for the first time. Until then, we had kissed in private but not too much more, except as I have said before. He had touched and sucked on my breasts and, three times, I tugged on his penis until he reached orgasm.
On the night of our engagement I gave him my body.
Neither of us were uneducated about sex. We both knew how sex happened, what to do. At least, we knew the theory of it. Experience was a bit different.
I knew it would hurt, so I was prepared for the pain. What I was not prepared for was how suddenly the penetration happened, and how quickly it finished.
Kenji's penis is handsome. It is long--almost six inches--and full, and sticks up at a nice angle. I was happy to let my future husband put his stiff penis into my body. He rubbed my labial lips first to help me be ready, and soon I was wet for him: ready for him to put his penis into my vagina. My legs opened widely and I guided him into me. There was a tug and some pain, but I was ready so I didn't make a sound when it happened. I wanted our first time to be good for him.
He paused, halfway in, looking at me to make sure I was not in too much pain. As I said, he is kind and considerate. I knew I was lucky to have found him. I nodded for him to continue, so he did. Soon he was fully inside me and he moved back and forth rapidly, moaning in pleasure. His moans made me happy, because I liked to give him pleasure.
I thought that maybe my own pleasure might come, as well. As he thrust back and forth, I felt something grow inside me, a tightness, a heaviness, a pressure. I started to pant in time to his thrusts.