The Emperor's Strange Wife ✔

8

. . .

Zima woke up and saw Aki sitting on the edge of the bed.  He was wearing a black kimono and was just in his own thoughts. Zima got up and shivered it was night and a bit chilly. Aki turned and his face seemed to be less mean once he saw Zima was awake. He quickly grabbed a black outfit from the corner of the room and placed it in front of Zima.

"Why didn't you wake me up when you woke up," asked Zima.

"You seemed so peaceful and I didn't want to disturb you." Aki seemed to be moving his eyes from Zima's chest to her face. His face seemed red, but it was dark in the hut to clearly see. Zima grinned, and moved closer to Aki, she tugged playfully at the collar of Aki's kimono. Aki knew where she was going. 

"Here I'll help you dress, I wanna take you somewhere, to get some drinks."

Zima's face lit up and she stood up and put her underwear first. (Aki pretended not to be looking) Aki then slipped her kimono on her body and pulled her closer to him. He placed his hands on her hips, and Zima tied his hair up in a bun. Zima noticed that this kimono was kinda short, and it stopped at the midway of her thigh. Zima was never allowed to wear such clothing, her father would be levied if he ever saw her in something that did not stop at her ankles. "Kinda short don't you think," Zima said tugging her kimono down.

Aki shrugged, "I think it suits you." Aki took Zima's hair and put in a bun with hair clips.

"I love it," Zima whispered. She kissed Aki on the cheek and ran out of the hut. It was breezy and not as cold anymore. Zima turned around and saw Aki leaving the hut right behind her. Aki gestured her to come and started to walk away from the beach. Zima ran to catch up with him.

Zima slowed down once she caught up with him. Aki spoke first, "Have you ever had alcohol?"

"Nope," Zima replied.

"Well I thought we should make a toast, to your first drink, and for my first time laying with someone, and a toast for our future," Aki said.

Aki stopped and kissed Zima's forehead, it seemed like he was about to say something but stopped and kept walking. Zima shrugged it off. Zima could make out a bar not that far from them.  As they got closer the sign said, "Eight." Aki entered and held the door for Zima.

Zima looked around the bar. There was a counter that had eights stools that were in a horizontal line. And around five other tables that were spread out across the bar. There weren't many people, and Aki liked it that way. Aki sat them at a table that had two chairs across from each other. The bartender bowed to him and asked for his order. "Just two bottles of sake, Zima I will be right back I need to use the bathroom." Aki got up and disappeared into the back. Zima played with the bottom of her kimono. The bartender came back with two bottles and two smaller glasses. He bowed at Zima and left.

'Hmm, one bottle if probably for me the other probably for Aki," Zima thought. She popped open one bottle and poured some into the glass. She brought the glass to her lips and took a taste. It was strong and didn't even taste good, but oddly Zima wanted more. Next thing she knew she finished a glass, so she poured herself another. Then that cup finished, and then it seemed that Zima was pouring and drinking countless of glasses, till her bottle finished. She was a bit droopy, and everything seemed to be moving around her.

'Aki won't mind if I take some of his,' Zima poured herself another from his bottle, and continued the same steps over, and over.

Meanwhile, Aki exited the bathroom, and once he spotted his table he noticed Zima's body was slumped over the table. "Zimaaa..." He said unsurely.

He noticed the glass in her hand, and a bottle of sake in another. Aki told himself, 'Oh dear please don't tell me.'

All of sudden Zima jumped back to life, "AKI! My sweet sweet Aki!" she yelled throwing her glass cup in the air.

"Zima did you drink a whole bottle of alcohol," Aki asked concerned,

"No, I drank two!" she yelled smiling stupidly.

"ZIMA, who knows how long your gonna be drunk! Why didn't you wait for me to come back," Aki was not expecting her to finish both bottles so quick when he was only in the bathroom for six minutes.

"HEY!" She yelled, putting her finger on Aki's face, "Did anyone ever tell you how handsome you are," Zima tried to walk to him but she immediately fell flat on the floor. Aki quickly helped her up, to check if she was okay.

"Zima are you alright?" Aki asked concerned.

Zima giggled, "Stop flirting with me, I have my husband who went to the bathroom."

"Zima I am your husband," Aki replied

"Oh, my I have two husbands like I had two bottles." Zima face lit up as if she was a scientist that discovered the meaning of the universe.

"What?" Aki said, 'She's gonna be like this all night, might as well start taking her home,' he thought. The bartender helped Aki with Zima, and Aki paid him. Aki lifted Zima onto his shoulder and carried her out.

"No help I'm being kidnapped by my fake husband!" Zima yelled, pounding her fists on Aki's back.

"Zima please it's me, Aki," but before Aki could say anything else, Zima threw up.

"Oh Zima gross, I'm never letting you near Sake again," Aki could not make out what she was saying back because it was only mutters and slurs. When Aki was able to reach the beach again, he put a half passed out and covered in throw up Zima into the bathtub.

'This is only to help her clean up,' he thought. He took off her Kimono and her underwear. And filled the tub with water. He washed the throw up out of her hair, and off her body. Zima was muttering and slurring words the whole time. He wrapped a towel around her and got her out the tub. He placed a white silky gown on her and laid her on the bed. Once he was sure she was asleep he went to clean himself up. When he was done, he opened the bathroom door and noticed that Zima was not in her bed sleeping anymore. Aki panicked and quickly got dressed in a simple long sleeve silky white shirt, and pants. Aki checked all over the hut but she was not in, and he ran out of the hut faster than ever.

Zima was in the water and was struggling to get shore, she was practically drowning. "ZIMA!" Aki yelled and he ran into the water and swam to her. He pulled her head out the water, and she coughed up water all over Aki's face. But that was the least of his worries. "Oh wow, fake husband you saved me, your so much better than my real husband who is still in the bathroom."

Aki shook his head and brought her to shore. He changed her into dryer clothes, and let her hair dry in a towel. She fell asleep again, but Aki made sure not to leave her out of his sight. Zima almost drowned, and he was not gonna lose her already. Aki stayed up the whole night to make sure Zima did not hurt herself. And the whole night continued from Zima waking up every 20 minutes, every time she just did something crazy, and then goes back to sleep, and repeat the steps.

When Zima woke up the next morning, she had a pounding headache and had no memory of what happened last night. All Aki told her was she was never allowed to have alcohol again.

 . . .