Chapter Thirteen: Sexology:

March 3rd, 2010.

Noon.

The newlyweds shared tea and sweets together. Tsuzuki marveled at Anna's clothing choice today. She looked like a traditional wife in her bright green kimono with pink flowers print. Looking at her made him feel out of place with his own clothes. His own suit didn't really fit with her kimono. His wife drank her tea.

"Mmm," she said. "I almost forgot what traditional tea tastes like." Tsuzuki only nodded. The dolls sat in the background, watching them. The shinigami glanced at the emperor and empress on the top row. Anna noticed the look on his face.

"What is it?" she asked. He pointed to the dolls.

"That's us at the top!" Tsuzuki said. Anna looked and saw the emperor and empress dolls. She couldn't help but to smile.

"And what about the rest?" the woman asked. Tsuzuki pondered her question.

"Our friends, I guess," he said at last. Anna handed him the tray.

"Another dango?" she offered. Tsuzuki's eyes lit up brighter than the sun.

"Of course!" he said. Her husband took a skewer and had a bite.

"Delicious!" he cheered. Anna smiled as her new husband ate up more sweets. Could every day be like this? The bamboo fountain clanked outside.

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April 5th, 2010.

10:00 a.m.

Tsuzuki and Anna sat on the couch at Kimoto Manor while Tana pulled out her notes.

"May I record this session?" she asked.

"Yes," Anna said. Tana drew out a tape player and hit record.

"The date is April fifth, 2010 at ten a.m.," she began. "I, Fujimoto Tana, am here with Tsuzuki Asato and his wife, Anna." She faced the couple. "This is day three of their month long chastity vow. How have you two been doing?" Tsuzuki frowned.

"I'm in hell!" he complained. "Three days and I haven't been able to handle it." Tana jotted down her notes.

"And you, Anna-san?" she asked. The woman's face looked close to stoic.

"Boring," she said.

"I see," Tana replied.

"No, you don't," Tsuzuki argued. Tana paused and glanced up at him.

"Excuse me?" she asked. Tsuzuki clenched his fists.

"You don't see it."

Tana raised an eyebrow. "Why is that?" Anna tried to grab Tsuzuki's hand to stop him, but he pushed her off.

"I'm stuck in Kabukicho on a case! Kabukicho! The red light district. Too many hookers!"

"Surely you're not thinking about cheating."

"No! It's driving me crazy! Those girls keep hitting on me and I can't get them to stop!" He held out his left hand. "They see this ring as a challenge!"

"Please keep your voice down," Tana murmured. Tsuzuki took in a breath and lowered his eyes.

"Now," Tana continued. "This is normal to encounter this type of temptation." Tsuzuki opened his mouth to speak, but the therapist cut him off.

"Usually," she added. "I would tell the client to avoid temptation during the detoxification period. However, your case is different." Her eyes shifted from husband to wife and back again.

"Tsuzuki-san," Tana addressed him. "Your job requires you to be in the red light district, am I correct?"

"Yes," Tsuzuki grumbled. Tana wrote down more notes.

"Alright," she said. "There are ways around these problems." Tsuzuki and Anna perked up.

"Ooo, you'll let us sleep together again?" the husband asked. He noticed Tana frowning and quickly drew his mouth closed.

"Anyway," she said. "In this case, I recommend that you keep in touch every night." She stopped them from speaking. "Nothing lengthy, just one thirty minute call a night. No phone sex, just checking up."

"Checking up?" Anna asked.

"Exactly," Tana replied. "Just thirty minutes a night." The couple pondered this suggestion. Anna held her husband's hand.

"Alright," she said. "I'll give it a try." Tsuzuki sighed.

"Sure," he said. Tana finished her notes for the session.

"Any other questions?" she asked. When the couple didn't respond, Tana closed her notepad.

"Okay then," she said. "I will check back with you guys next week." Tana picked up the tape recorder. "This concludes follow-up session number one." The therapist pressed stop. "I will see myself out, good day." She rose to her feet and took a bow. The couple didn't stir until they heard the front door close. Husband and wife didn't even look at each other. Tsuzuki rose to his feet.

"I have to get back to work," he said.

"Alright," Anna replied. "Call me tonight?" Her husband didn't turn around.

"Yeah," he said. The shinigami vanished before her very eyes.