(Arata)
The dark vibe of the room was highlighted by the blue fluorescent lights that hung encased in square glass lanterns from the ceiling. The door closed behind me and I let my eyes adjust while straightening my dress.
An intimate and luxurious ambience exuded; the air in the room hummed from the soft jazz music, creating a serene yet enigmatic atmosphere. Two plush single sofas, upholstered in sumptuous blue velvet, sat side by side, their rich fabric catching the faint shimmer of the lighting. Between them stood a sleek table laden with an indulgent array of fine liquor bottles, crystalline glasses, and an assortment of tiny square and round chocolates.
I gulped, downing the collecting saliva in my mouth.
"Relax!" I murmured under my breath.
Swivelling my head I observed other occupants of the room. Dominating the space was a grand, comfortable bed draped with elegant fabric canopies, cascading down in soft folds.
Bed with drapes were my favourite, they were always so romantic. Its bedding consisted of a deep blue velvet spread, that seemed irresistibly soft, luxury mingled with an inviting sense of cosiness. The entire room felt like a cocoon of sophistication and comfort, and I wondered what he had planned and where he was.
"You came," a dark, hypnotically attractive voice came from the left, and someone emerged from the shadows as if he had been a part of it.
The voice was not natural; he was using a voice enhancer to change it just like he did in his videos, and I wondered how he was doing it. There had to be a recorder inside his mask
My heart jumped into my throat, the tall man strode on his endless legs and lazily sank into the sofa, spreading those legs. Both his hands rested on the armrests, covered in leather fingerless gloves with metal studs on his knuckles.
The head was full of silverish hair: a wig elegantly adjusted.
My eyes had adjusted by that time and I observed his attire. The face was covered in Kaneki’s signature mask. A black leather, one-eyed ghoul mask with a zipper mouth, gave him a sinister and menacing appearance. The mask covered most of his face, symbolising the duality of Ken as both human and ghoul. The jagged, skeletal teeth on the mask’s design added an eerie and unsettling touch.
My excited eyes wavered at his attire after ogling his face. His upper body was clad in a black, skin-tight, high-collared top, with metal accents that resembled surgical stitching. The tight fit highlighted his extremely muscular physique. The man seemed to spend all of his free time in the gym.
The black slacks pushed above his knees and I could see the black boots covering his feet. The overall ensemble was sleek and monochromatic, dominated by black, with metallic highlights that enhanced its futuristic and combat-ready aesthetic look. He had caught the essence of Ken.
He tilted his head and slid further down into the sofa as if giving me full access to take in his body.
My mouth could rival the dryness of sandpaper and yet I couldn’t take my eyes off him. It was like my deepest darkest desires had come to life and now sat in front of me.
Inviting and sinful.
"You look stunning, why don’t you come closer? I won’t bite." He extended his leather-covered hand towards me. That voice shook my knees and I knew I would wobble. But I needed to move and speak or he would assume I was mute.
The one black and the other red-eye freely roamed over my body and I couldn’t decipher what emotions passed in them. He was using lenses and there was no way to know the real colour behind that jelly lens.
The confidence he oozed, the way he sat screamed he was a dominant male, someone who was unfazed and domineering.
Pouring every ounce of determination into my legs, I commanded them to move and strutted forward.
Deliberately he patted his muscular thigh as I was about to sit on the other sofa. Excitement trilled into me like an open tap. Shoving it down, I sat on the other sofa and pressed my legs together. They were trembling like the last leaves of the tree in October.
"Hi!" I finally spoke and my voice came out shaky.
Why was my voice shaking?
He tilted his head towards me and I could sense the amusement in his voice. "So you can speak."
"Yes!" I nervously fetched the hems of my dress and pulled it down, it barely covered my knees. His eyes followed my hands but he didn’t comment.
"You wore blue. It suits you, you are a stunner." His eyes slid up my body, slowly as if he was savouring a rare wine.
What was with this man and the colour blue? He seemed obsessive, the colour held this tinge of sadness to it.
When his peepers reached my flushed face he said.
"So you still believe I am a serial killer?"
I quickly retorted. "Who knows? You are hiding under a mask."
A throaty chuckle escaped him.
"And yet you are here, but relax. I don’t hurt women, although I do make them scream.....in pleasure," he suggestively added and I pressed my knees tighter.
A tingling sensation had hit my lower body. With difficulty, I took in the collecting saliva and didn’t break eye contact with him.
"Would you like some wine? I am sure it will help you relax?" He casually asked, picking up a bottle and slowly shaking it. The red liquid sloshed inside.
Yes, that was a good idea. Wine always calmed my senses, making me open up more. One or two glasses wouldn’t hurt.
"I would like a glass."
Unscrewing the cork, he tilted the bottle and filled the large rounded wine glass.
Slosh! The sound of the pouring drink was relaxing.
Picking it up, he extended the glass towards me, and I accepted. Our fingers lightly brushed against each other. Callous and warm, that’s what his tips were like.
He took the other one and raised it towards me. I clinked mine with him and our eyes met. Intense and needy, they remained interlocked with mine. Excitement bubbled inside me as he said.
"May the night unfold in the way you desire and I provide. Cheers."