Seamus said, “Asuka! How nice to see you! Would you like something?”

Asuka looked at the cane in his hand. She nodded. “Sensei -“

“Call me Seamus.”

“But I’d rather call you Sensei. It doesn’t feel right to call a teacher by his first name. May I speak with you, in your office?”

“Of course.” Seamus opened his door and held it open for her, indicating that she should go in. She hesitated, then preceded him. She stood near his desk, looking at the framed picture of the Birmingham FC on the wall, and the copy of Led Zeppelin’s new record, In Through the Out Door, on his filing cabinet.

Seamus took a second to admire her slender thighs while she had her back to him. She seemed to sway, even when she was standing still.

She wore a plain white shirt and a short dark business skirt, though not as spectacularly short as the schoolgirl outfit she’d worn last night. Seamus closed the door. “Take a seat,” he said.

She sat neatly, with her hands clasped on her lap. Seamus sat behind his desk, since it was the only other chair in the room. He realised he was still carrying the cane, and hurriedly put it on the desk. He suddenly felt that it had a sinister glamour, lying between them, but it was too late to move it again.

He swallowed. “So, Asuka, what do you want to talk to me about?”

The clasped hands twisted. She blushed. “Well, I wanted to say I’m sorry about last night. I know we embarrassed you. I am very sorry.”

Seamus smiled, he hoped reassuringly. “I wasn’t embarrassed. And I was incredibly tempted by your offer.” He used the plural form of ‘you’. “I just wasn’t sure it was appropriate to take you up on it.” That time, he used the singular.

She amazed him by laughing, hand over her mouth. “Oh, Sensei, you didn’t need to worry about that. None of us are married, and we know our own minds. Chiaki and Yua were very disappointed when you didn’t spank them. And do what comes after.”

Seamus frowned. That gelled with what Gentaro had told him. Knowing this took the conversation in a new direction and there was no coming back from it, he asked, “And what about you?”

“Me, Sensei?” She seemed surprised. “Of course I was disappointed too.”

“I meant, did you want to be spanked? You brought out my wooden spoon and said I should spank Chiaki with it. Then Yua volunteered too. Did you want to watch while I used that spoon on Chiaki and Yua, or did you want to feel it too?”

She smiled, bowed her head and looked up at him through her eyelashes. Seamus knew that was practised, perhaps in a mirror, but it still made its impact. He felt his heart beating harder, faster. She said, “I hoped the first time you spank me you would use your hand. Chiaki says that feels much more … intimate. Then you should use the wooden spoon, because that’s exciting. And then…”

She looked at the cane, on the desk between them. Then she raised her eyes, to look directly at him. “I hoped, no, I hope that you would fakku me.”

“So what you’d hope for is the same as Chiaki. And Yua.”

“Oh, no. They want it for play. To feel sexy. To come nicely.”

She smiled, thinking she’d said something silly. “Of course I want that too. It sounds lovely. But what I want is for it to be real. I want you to be in charge of me. Look after me, but make me serve you, and keep me strictly disciplined. I’ve always wanted to be someone’s, and I want to be yours. Just you.”

Seamus shook his head. He’d learned that what she said wasn’t wrong by local workplace standards. But to make that offer, or perhaps it was a demand, after being in his house for only about half an hour: was she mad? He said, carefully, “Asuka, we met last night. We’ve never spoken before, or not personally, like a conversation. How do you know that even if that’s the relationship you want, I’m the right man?”

“Sensei, I’ve watched you since you arrived. You’re honourable, you work hard but you still smile and, well, you’re nice to people. I’m glad you’re handsome, but even if you weren’t… Well, even last night, when I was disappointed: I hoped you’d want all of us, but I understand why you didn’t take us. You were mistaken, I think, but you were doing what was honourable as you saw it. Even though I hope you were very tempted.”

Seamus sputtered. “Oh god yes, I was tempted. I think you have no idea how much. I wanted all of you, but I think you know that I wanted you the most. You have something special about you.”

She crossed her legs, somehow managing to hitch up the skirt without touching it. “Oh? And what would that be? What makes me special?”

Seamus looked at her. “Chiaki and Yua, they’re very sexy, and any man would be happy to have either of them or both in his bed. But they are a little obvious, and no less sexy for that. But you, you’re more reserved. And I sensed then, and I still do now, that you hold yourself in reserve but that when you let go you’d be like a volcano.”

Asuka smiled, delighted, then made a sort of rushing sound with her mouth. He took it that was her impression of a volcano. He smiled back at her, but he was aware that his cock had responded to that.

He added, quickly, “And you’re very pretty, no beautiful, and you’re elegant. Elegant and sexy is an unusual combination in my experience, but you manage it.”

Asuka stood. “May I?” She picked up the cane without waiting for him, and touched it to her bottom. Then she gave it a swing of no great force, and yelped. “Hmm. While you have that I’d best be extra good, hadn’t I? Very good to my man.”

Seamus couldn’t help but imagine her doing that naked In his apato. It occured to him that he should say, “But I’m not your man,” but he couldn’t. Instead he said, “Put that down, Asuka.”

She nodded. “Yes, Sensei. You’ve just given me my first order. And … see? I do as I’m told, if it’s you who tells me.”

She put the cane down on the desk. “And you’re right. Only my Sensei should hold that. I should only be allowed to feel it. Would you like me to call on you tonight? Make you your dinner and eat with you? I’m very good in the … kitchen.”

“Christ, Asuka, you’re very good at all this. Have you done it before?”

“No. I think I was waiting for someone like you. Gentaro is a nice man too, and very handsome. But he’s not thoughtful like you. I know that you’re the one. May I please visit you at home tonight?”

“I will warm the sake.”

“I’ll bring the champagne. I hope we’ll have something to celebrate. Sensei.” She poked her tongue out at him.

Seamus stood, knowing she would notice his erection, and put his arms on her shoulders. Then he drew her in and kissed her, letting his hands slip down to hold her firm little buttocks. She let her body relax against his. They stayed standing like that for a long time, then, because it felt exactly the right thing to do, he smacked her bottom.

She said, “Ooh. That’s the first.” She was laughing at him.

“That’s enough for now, Asuka. I’ve got to get to work. And so do you.”

As she had done when she left her apartment, she swung her hips for him as she left. Seamus closed the door and went back to sit at his desk. He would see Asuka, and Chiaki and Yua, at their lesson at two that afternoon. He knew things were happening that he was likely to have little control over. He found it impossible to regret that.