Chapter Ten: Polly Love:

Hotaru sighed over her coffee. “I have a little problem.” Her new friend, Mariko, eyed her.

“What’s the matter?” she asked.

“I’m in love.”

“Ooo!”

Hotaru bit on her lower lip. “With two people…”

Mariko pursed her lips together. “Oh.”

“Yeah.”

The friend leaned in with a glow in her eyes. “What are they like?”

“Well, Hiroyuki’s really cute. He’s a cop.”

“A cop?”

“Yep.” Hotaru’s face turned bright red. “I’m so much older than him too!”

Mariko narrowed her eyes. “How old is he?”

“Twenty-five.”

“That’s not too bad.”

Hotaru chuckled with a sweat drop on her head. She doesn’t know that I’m a demon. Telling her won’t help either. The loli demon cleared her throat. “Anyway, he’s single and a good man.”

“And the other one?”

Hotaru’s face burned red. “She’s really pretty!”

Mariko tilted her head. “She?”

“That’s right.” Hotaru narrowed her eyes. “Is that a problem?”

Her friend shook her head. “No, you just don’t look bi.”

“Look bi?”

“I just thought you were straight.”

“I used to be.”

“What do you mean?”

Hotaru shook her head. “Long story. Anyway, not the point. She seems to like me back. She’s smart, funny, and nice.”

Mariko took a sip of her coffee. “Let me guess, you don’t know who to choose?”

“Yes!”

“So… which one do you like more?”

“Both.”

Mariko pursed her lips together, thinking. Her face lit up as an idea crossed her mind. “Why not both?”

The color drained from Hotaru’s face as she shook her head. “No…”

“Just listen for a second.”

“I won’t cheat on either one of them!”

“No, no, no, no, no,” Mariko said, shaking her head. “Not cheating, honey. I’m talking about polyamory.”

Hotaru’s face went blank. “Huh?” Mariko set down her cup.

“You see, it’s like this,” she began. “Cheating is unethical. You’re lying to your lovers. No fun there. Polyamory is ethical non-monogamy. Everyone has full knowledge and consent in various relationships. Plenty of fun for all.”

The loli demon blinked. “So… open cheating?”

“No cheating. Everyone knows everything.”

“Okay… are you…?”

“Nah, my husband and I are swingers.” She noticed Hotaru’s jaw dropped to the table. “Oh, don’t act do surprised. Everyone in Japan isn’t vanilla and monogamous.”

Hotaru shook her head. “Of course! So, I should go out with both the guy and the girl?”

“Yes! You need to be open about it.”

“But what if one or both don’t want to be in a polyamorous relationship?”

Mariko shrugged. “Then they aren’t meant for you.”

The loli demon sat, weighing her options. She could have Hiroyuki and Ryo? It wouldn’t be cheating if we were all open about it? Hotaru pressed her lips together.

“Can I have time to think about this polyamory thing?” she asked. Mariko leaned back, shrugging.

“You’re a grown girl,” she said. “You can decide for yourself.” She put her hand in the air. “Check, please!” Hotaru looked at her mug, running the possibilities in her head. Maybe she could give the polyamory concept a shot. It couldn’t hurt, yeah?