Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 Our Local Sentou

   By Emi Tsuruta

   Note: this is one in a series of posts about my life.  If you'd like to
know more about my friends and me, drop by my home page at:
/~emitsuruta/

   One day, I was up in my old room in my parents' house in Japan getting
ready to go out, when I heard these loud metallic crunching noises coming
from downstairs.  I went down, and asked my mom what was going on.

   "Oh you know how the sliding glass door to the bath always sticks.  We
finally decided to get it fixed."

   "Oh shoot.  I kind of wanted to take a shower." I walked over, and took
a peek into the bath room.  The workman was wrestling with the door making
a horrible racket.  He was just your typical middle aged guy.  He was
wearing a onesie, probably his company's uniform.  "Um, excuse me," I
called out.  "Is this going to take long?  I kind of want to use the
shower."

   He looked at me curiously, and took off his cap, scratching his head.

   "I think I'm going to have to take out the frame here, and put in a new
one.  It'll take a while for the plaster to dry.  Maybe you'd better go
someplace else."

   I looked back at my mom, a bit upset.

   "Your father and I were checking into an inn," she offered.

   "Oh no!  I don't have time.  I'm supposed to meet Miori in Tokyo at 6."
Miori is the girl I met at the Shinto festival.

   "You could go to a sentou," she suggested.  Sentous are public bath
houses.  They are pretty common in Japan, although I guess they are less
popular than they used to be.  I'd been to one a few times, but not lately.
I'd gotten so used to having a bath in our house.

   "OK, OK.  Where's the nearest one?"

   "There's Shimizuyu and Well Heartopia near Zaimokuza beach.  Takinoyu
went out of business."

   I didn't have much time, so I ran back upstairs, and stuffed a change of
clothes into my bag.  Mom gave me directions, and I bundled up in my winter
coat and boots, and headed out.  Shimizuyu is south of the station and
quite a long bus ride from my house.  I guess it's not that far really.  It
just seemed like it because I was in a hurry.

   The building was kind of older, Japanese style with white walls, grey
tile roofing and a noren curtain over the entrance.  I slid open the door,
took off my boots, and put them in a locker.  I went in the women's side,
and just inside the door was the bandai, a raised counter where this older
guy was sitting.  He had a white handkerchief tied on his head and a towel
around his neck, and seemed quite at home sitting there in his t-shirt.  I
guess it was pretty warm inside the bath house.  Maybe he was the owner or
something.

   "Irasshai (=Welcome)," he smiled.  I was feeling a bit nervous, this
being my first time and all, but he seemed harmless enough.  I handed him
my four hundred yen, and he nodded for me to go in.  The women's change
room was divided in two by a high bank of lockers running up the middle.  I
peeked around the end, but there was no one there, no one in the change
room at all.  I glanced back at the man, but he seemed to be reading the
newspaper.  I didn't really want to change out here where he could see, so
I walked around to the far side of the lockers.  Sun was shining in through
the windows, and outside I could see some trees and the wall of the shop
next door.  I couldn't believe how out in the open it all was.  Do women
actually change here?  I guess no one is going to come down the alleyway,
but still!

   Anyway, I didn't have much time, so I stuffed my bag into one of the
lockers, and hurried to undress.  I took off my coat, and put it in the
locker.  It was hard to stay calm though knowing that that man was just
round the corner.  Maybe he was used to the situation, but I certainly
wasn't.  Still, I'd better hurry it up, if I want to make it to Tokyo on
time.

   I kicked off my shoes, and pulled down my jeans and panties.  I took off
my socks next, but I was starting to feel a tingle of excitement from being
bottomless.  I stripped out of my sweater, blouse and bra, stuffed them in
the locker, shut it, and pulled out the key.  Only then I suddenly realized
I'd left my towel in my bag inside the locker.  Oh shoot!  I've got to stop
doing this.  I put the key back in the lock, but I'd couldn't get the
locker to open.  I looked closer, and realized that the shoulder strap from
my backpack had gotten caught in the lock.  I struggled with the door and
key, and there was no handle or anything to grab onto.  I was starting to
worry.  Here I was stark naked, and I couldn't get to my clothes.  I
eventually realized I'd have to ask the man at the desk to help.

   I looked down at my naked body.  Because it was winter, I didn't have
any tan lines or anything, but I really did look horribly indecent with my
breasts sticking out and my fluffy black pubic hair glistening in the
sunlight.  I tried to cover my body with my hands, but that just looked
silly.  Anyway, I couldn't just stand here forever.  I peeked my head
around the corner, and looked over at the man on the bandai.  He was still
reading the newspaper, but he looked up when he saw me.

   "Is something wrong?" he asked.

   "Um, I...  uh...  I can't get the locker open."

   He squinted at me annoyed, but soon got up, pushed open the swinging
door in the counter, and came over.  I bit my lip bracing to see his
reaction when he realized I was naked.  He glanced down at my pussy
briefly, but didn't seem that surprised.  Maybe this kind of thing had
happened before.  Even so, I was shocked by how calm he was.  Here I was, a
beautiful (?) young woman in the flower of my youth, standing here naked. I
was so nervous my whole body was shaking.  I didn't know what to do, how to
act.  I guess I should have covered up, but I didn't want to make this any
weirder than it already was.  There was a piece of fluff on my leg, so I
reached down, and brushed it off.

   He didn't stare, but even so, I felt horribly embarrassed.  I finally
moved around behind him to hide, as he fiddled with the lock.  He turned
the key, and pulled on the strap finally wrenching the door open.  He
turned to look at me, and scolded,

   "You can't let things get caught in the door.  These are old lockers,
and can't handle that kind of thing."

   I bowed an apology.  Clearly I never intended to mess up the lock.  It's
not like I wanted him to see me naked!  I don't know why he had to get so
angry.  He's the one who is getting a free look at me, shivering here in my
bare scuddy.  He squinted at me for a moment, still crotchety.  He took
pity though, and finally left, waddling back over to the bandai.

   I let out a sigh of relief.  That was just so weird.  Still, I didn't
have time to worry about that now.  I grabbed my towel, and hit the
showers.

   Once I'd showered, I slipped into the pool, and tried to calm down.  By
the time I got back dressed, I had regained my composure enough to face the
owner.  When I came back out, he looked up, and finally smiled.  I guess he
had got a kick out of seeing me naked after all.

   I didn't quite make it to Tokyo for six, but I ended up having a good
visit with Miori anyway.  She was still on about coming to the States.  I
didn't bother telling her about the sentou owner.  They had a bath at her
house, so hopefully, she doesn't have to worry about these things.

   When I got back to the house that night, my parents were off at the
hotel, so no one was home.  It felt strange to be home alone.  The door to
our bath had been torn right out, and there were tarps and buckets of
plaster everywhere.  I kind of wanted to take a bath, so I phoned my mom,
but she told me to wait till the work was all finished.  I reminded her
that my friend, Michiyo, and my older sister, Norika, were coming to our
house the next day.  She told me that the workman should be done by then. I
watched a bit of TV, and then went to bed.

   The next morning, I woke up to the sound of the workman knocking on our
door.  I was still in my nightie, but mom and dad weren't home, so I had to
go down, and let him in.  He did look a bit surprised to see me in my
nightie.  I didn't have on any make-up, so I shielded my face, and ran back
upstairs.  Anyway, I don't have time to fool around.  I had to get ready,
and go meet Michiyo.  I decided to just quickly wash my hair in the kitchen
sink, and then head out to the sentou.

   I tiptoed back downstairs, and peeked into the bath.  The workman had
gone back outside to get his tools, so I grabbed my shampoo, a sponge and a
towel.  I set them down next to the sink in the kitchen, and pulled the
thin yellow curtain across the doorway leading to the bath.  I heard him
come, and go.

   I quickly washed, and rinsed my hair, and then started to sponge off my
legs.  I wanted to sponge off my whole body, but I probably shouldn't with
the workman here.  He seemed the serious sort - probably married with a kid
or two.  I didn't like feeling all sticky though.  I peered over at the
wispy curtain, floating up in the breeze, trying to tell what he was doing.
He was right there, just on the other side, with his back to me, setting up
his stuff.  He seemed completely absorbed in his work.

   Watching the door, I lifted up my nightie, and sponged at my tummy and
underarms.  He disappeared inside, so I quickly pulled down my panties, and
sponged between my legs.  I felt really antsy, but I somehow got up the
nerve to pull my panties right off, and shoved them in the washing machine.
I rubbed soap and water all over my nether regions, getting a bit excited.

   Suddenly, I heard my cell phone ringing.  Oh shoot.  It must be Michiyo.
I'd better answer it.  I glanced back at the washing machine, wondering if
I should fish out my panties.  There were dirty anyway, so I ended up
leaving them there.  It was kind of thrilling sneaking around bottomless.

   I peeked through the curtain into the bath to make sure the workman was
still there, and then ran around though the dining room and living room to
the front hall where my bag was.  I quickly bent over, and fished my phone
out of my bag, but the workman had left the front door open.  I covered my
pussy with my hand, but the breeze was getting me even more excited.

   "Hello, Michiyo.  Yeah, it's me." I tiptoed over to the front door, and
leaned out to grab the handle.  It was a beautiful morning out, bright,
sunny, much warmer than the day before.  I didn't see anyone outside, so I
paused for a moment savoring the feeling of the warm sun on my pussy.  The
breeze was blowing up my nightie, tickling me.  When I turned though, I
suddenly realized the workman had come out into the hallway, and was
staring down at my bare behind!

   "Emi, are we still on for today?" I heard Michiyo ask.  I was more
worried about this workman.  He looked confused, wondering why I was out
here half naked.  I was coming up blank though.  I couldn't think of a
single good reason.  I just stood there, frozen, shuddering a bit from the
feeling of the breeze on my hello kitty.  I blinked at him innocently. 
Luckily, he seemed too shocked to do much of anything.  I pulled the door
shut, and pushed the front of my nightie down to cover my pussy.  He was
just standing there gawking, so I slid past him scurrying back to the
kitchen.  Oh god.  I hope he doesn't come looking for me.

   "Emi?  Emi?  Are you there?" Michiyo repeated.

   "Oh yeah, sorry.  There's a workman here...," I noted.  "Anyway, I've
got to get ready.  I may be a bit late.  I'll call you when I'm at the
station, OK?"

   I checked the bath again, but he wasn't there.  I quickly sponged off,
and then circled around to the stairs, wondering if he was still in the
front hall.  He wasn't there either, so I dashed up to my room, and got
dressed.  I left the house in a terrible rush.  I sure hope he doesn't tell
my mom about this.  She'd freak if she found out.

   Anyway, I caught the bus to the sentou, took off my boots, and dashed
into the women's changing room.  There were more customers there than the
day before.  There were two women, naked, fresh from the bath, a couple of
girls already dressed, and another man (the real owner?) and his wife
sweeping the floor.

   I was so shocked to see this guy in the change room with these naked
women there.  They weren't that upset though.  They were even kind of
laughing because the guy was deliberately sweeping right next to them, so
he could get a better look at their naked bodies.  One of the women quickly
pulled on a t-shirt, and wrapped a towel around her waist, but the other
woman just stood there nervously smiling, letting him look as she did up
her bra.  The two girls looked on, but the man's wife was laughing her head
off.  Eventually, the guy let them be, and came back to the bandai, so I
could pay him.

   Another quite sexy young woman came out of the bath naked, and dried off
right in front of him.  I was amazed at her self confidence.  I'd been so
embarrassed the day before.  Judging from how these women were acting
though, it was no big deal.

   I was still a bit apprehensive, but all the other women were changing on
this side of the lockers, so bowing to the pressure, I joined them. 
Husband and wife had disappeared, but just as I was about to take off my
panties, the man came back into the room.  I waited for him to go back to
the bandai, and then stripped naked.  I have to admit I felt embarrassed,
but also excited knowing he was watching.

   I went into the baths, showered off, and took a quick dip in the pool.
There was another girl there around my age.  Was her bath under repair too?
Or more likely these women were all tourists in town to go swimming at the
beach.

   The girl and I finished bathing, and came out to the changing room at
the same time.  The guy seemed especially interested in the two of us,
since we were younger than the women earlier.  He got down off the bandai,
and kept walking past us obviously trying to get a better look at us while
we were still naked.  The other girl didn't seem too worried.  I felt a bit
anxious though, out here on display.  I arched my back trying to look sexy,
but actually, I didn't have much time, so I soon got dressed, and headed
out to meet Michiyo.

   That night, Michiyo came back to our house with me.  The workman had
finished installing the new door, but the plaster still wasn't dry.  My
sister Norika was there too, and my parents offered to get us a room at
their inn, but I suggested we go to the sentou instead.  I kind of wanted
to show it to Michiyo and Norika anyway, and see what they made of it.  I
kept wondering if I was the only one who thought it was weird.

   When we got there though, instead of the old men, there was a boy our
age on the bandai.  I recognized him though.  He was one of the boys
Michiyo and I used to go to school with.

   "Naoya, what are you doing here?" I asked, surprised to see him.  I
hadn't seen him since graduation.

   "I'm just helping my parents out over the break," he smiled.  Thinking
back, I remembered him saying that his parents ran a sentou.  I think he
even invited us here, although I didn't go at the time.  Naoya is a nice
enough guy, and was even kind of one of our group, but he is kind of goofy,
and not particularly suave around women.  He always seems too eager if you
know what I mean.

   "Three?" he asked.  I nodded, and we paid.  Michiyo had gone all quiet
all of a sudden, embarrassed I guess to run into Naoya here.  He motioned
for us to go on through, but Michiyo looked a bit hesitant.

   "Did you know he'd be here?" Michiyo whispered.  I shook my head no. 
There seemed to be a few women in the bath, but there was no one in the
change room.  Norika moved a bit further down, and started changing.  I
guess she really didn't know Naoya that well, but Michiyo looked distinctly
uncomfortable about the idea of getting naked in front of him.  He was
looking down at a magazine or something, trying to make out as if he didn't
care.  I was a little nervous too, but tried not to think about it.  I took
off my boots, pants and tights, but when I looked in my bag, I realized I'd
forgotten my towel.

   "Do you want a towel?" I asked Michiyo.  She nodded.  I pulled my
sweater down to cover my panties, walked over, and asked Naoya,

   "Um, could I get two towels?"

   He looked up.  He glanced down at my bare legs, and then over at Michiyo
and Norika.  Michiyo blushed, and held her slacks up to hide her panties.

   "Uh...  yeah...  sure," he nodded, clearly a bit excited.  Seeing Naoya
brought back a lot of memories.  He'd always been pretty nice to me.

   He brought back two towels, and handed them to me.  I smiled at him, and
then scooted back to my locker.  I gave Michiyo her towel, and waited for
Naoya to turn away.  He definitely took his time about sitting down. 
Norika was kind of shielded by the two of us, so she just nonchalantly
peeled off her top, and undid her bra.  I was the closest to the door, so I
waited till he was definitely looking away, and finally pulled off my
panties.

   "This towel's kind of small, don't you think?" Michiyo said holding it
up against her body.  "More like a washcloth than a towel."

   Naoya overheard her, and looked up again.  I grabbed my own towel, and
held it up to cover my pussy.  It was one thing to have those old men
ogling me, and quite another to have a boy I know here.  Norika was naked
by then, and she calmly walked back to the bath, and went inside.  Naoya
craned his head, trying to get a look at her bare behind.  He saw me spying
on her, and went back to reading his magazine.

   Michiyo looked tense, so I walked over to ask him,

   "Do you have any bigger towels?" He paused, surprised I would approach
him bottomless, and then finally said,

   "Oh, yeah.  Let me just check." He came right into the women's change
room, so I had to back up to make way for him to pass.  He disappeared off
round this corner into a back office.  He must have stumbled or something
because soon we heard this loud crash.

   "Are you alright?" I asked.

   "Yeah, yeah.  I'm fine."

   Michiyo offered me my panties, but I waved her away.  I was embarrassed,
sure, but this was my third time here, so I was kind of getting used to it.
She tried to force me to take my panties, but I refused.  Just for a joke,
I grabbed her panties, and tried to pull them down.

   "Kyaaa!" she squealed.  It wouldn't have been so bad, but just then,
three guys came in the main entrance.  Over the counter, they could see
into the women's change room, so I quickly tried to hide.  Michiyo hit me
on the shoulder, but I told her to shush.  The guys seemed to be
construction workers, young men, wearing hachimakis (headbands) on their
heads.

   Soon, Naoya came back out.  I was standing with my back to him, so he
did get a look at my bare behind before he rushed over to take their money.
One of the guys kept peering in, trying to get a better look at us. 
Eventually, they disappeared into the guys changing room, but we could
still hear their voices.  Naoya turned back to me, and said,

   "I can't seem to find the bigger towels.  I don't know where my mom put
them."

   Michiyo shot me this look, but what could we do?  He said he couldn't
find them, so we'd have to make do with the small ones.  Eventually, he
settled back into his seat.  Michiyo and I quickly finished undressing, and
headed into the bath.

   "What took you guys so long?" Norika asked.

   "Michiyo wanted a bigger towel."

   Norika laughed.  We sat our bare bottoms down on the little plastic
stools, and ran the water.

   "Hey, it's cold," Michiyo complained.  My water was cold too.  We looked
over at Norika, who was already soaking in the pool.

   "Mine was alright," she told us calmly.  We tried a couple more taps,
but they all seemed to be for cold water.  Michiyo and I looked at each
other.  We had to ask Naoya.

   "I'll go," I offered.

   "But put something on," she called after me.  I spread the small
washcloth out over my bush, and slid open the glass door.  I paused for a
moment to get up my nerve, and then walked over to the bandai, peering up
shyly at Naoya.  He looked kind of shocked to see me topless this time.

   "All we're getting from the t-t-taps is c-c-cold water," I shivered.  He
just sat there staring at my bare breasts.  My nipples were kind of poking
up from the excitement, so I must have looked pretty indecent.  I felt so
weird standing here naked.  He went out into the front hall this time.

   "I thought I'd turned all the water heaters on.  It must be one of these
switches," I could hear him saying.  I pushed open the sliding glass door,
and peered out into the front entrance hall.  There wasn't anyone there. 
The workers we saw earlier had gone into the baths on the guys' side.  I
felt so strange standing here in the buff.  I tiptoed out into the hall,
and scurried over to the front door.  It sounded pretty quiet, so I
carefully slid it open, and peeked out.  There was snow on the streets, but
no cars.  I was almost tempted to step outside.  Unfortunately, it sounded
like Naoya was coming, so I quickly shut the door, and scooted back to the
girls change room.

   "Everything seems alright there," he assured me.  "Are you sure you're
turning the taps right?  There's kind of trick to it."

   I just looked at him, unsure.  He asked,

   "Do you mind if I come in, and show you?"

   I knew Michiyo wouldn't like it, but what could we do?  I backed up out
of his way, and let him come in.  He glanced over at me, but dutifully went
to the bath, and rapped on the glazed glass door.

   "Emi?" Michiyo called out nervously.

   "It's Naoya.  Can I just show you how to adjust the tap to get hot
water?"

   Michiyo didn't answer, but I was getting tired of standing out here
naked, so I motioned for Naoya to go on in.  I knew of course that Michiyo
wouldn't like it, but I guess I was a bit curious how they all would react.

   "Excuse me for barging in like this," he said politely.  His eyes were
just gleaming though.  I think he'd always had a thing for Michiyo (and
probably for me too for that matter).  Michiyo looked up in horror at him
as he went in.  She was kneeling by one of the taps, blushing like crazy,
and desperately tried to cover her pussy at least.  She does have the
cutest little ass though.  Naoya peered down at it, before finally coming
around next to her, to show us how to use the taps.

   "Sorry, this'll just take a second." He showed us this big steel dial
that you have to rotate.  "There.  That's hotter, isn't it?"

   I was so nervous I almost slipped, but I finally managed to set my bare
bottom down on one of the stools.  I found the dial, and turned it.

   "Oh, I see now.  Thanks," I blushed.  He looked pretty pleased with
himself.  I took the adjustable shower head off its cradle, and started
spraying warm water all over my body.  All wet, I probably looked even
sexier still.

   Norika cradled her head on her hands at the edge of the tub, and asked
him,

   "Do you come into the girls' side often?"

   "To clean it when there's no one here.  Usually girls don't like it if I
come in."

   I could certainly understand that.  Michiyo looked mortified.  She got
up onto the stool next to me, and took off the other shower head.  Her
cheeks were so red.

   Naoya backed away, checking out my ass, comparing it to Michiyo's.  I
glanced back at him, all excited myself.  Michiyo didn't seem quite so
happy, but her obvious embarrassment just fueled the flame.

   "So were you guys in the same class?" Norika asked, amused.

   "Yeah, I guess we were," he said sitting down on the edge of the tub, so
he could watch us shower.  He was trying to act normal, but a huge bulge
had formed in his trousers.

   "Here, why don't you get him to scrub your backs?" Norika teased.  Naoya
grinned, keen, but Michiyo shook her head no, horrified.

   "Um no thanks.  Michiyo and I aren't really used to bathing with guys,"
I told them.  I touched Michiyo's shoulder, but she looked over at me with
this fire blazing in her eyes.  I'd never seen her like that before.  I
don't know if she was excited or what, but anyway, she was definitely
worked up about something.  Naoya's obvious hard-on wasn't making things
any easier.

   "Um, I was thinking...," Naoya went on.  "Now that Emi's back maybe we
should organize some kind of reunion...  you know for people from our
class."

   I didn't reply at first, so Michiyo looked over at me, urging me to make
him go away.

   "OK, OK.  Can we talk about that later?"

   Naoya was so fascinated by Michiyo's ass that he didn't respond at
first, but slowly, my words sank in.

   "Um, yeah, OK," he said finally getting up.  "Anyway, it's great seeing
you gals again.  We should definitely do something." He headed over to the
entrance, but turned around to look at me this time.  He clearly didn't
want to leave.  I bowed to him again, and reluctantly he slid open the
door, and went back to the bandai.

   Michiyo looked relieved, but I had mixed feelings.  He isn't such a bad
guy.  I went over, and got in the bath.  Norika was still chuckling at our
awkwardness.

   "He looked pretty happy to see you two," she joked.  I rolled my eyes.
When we were done, I went to the glass door, and peeked out to see if Naoya
was watching.  Luckily, he seemed to be talking to some customers on the
other side, so we all dashed out, and quickly got dressed.  On our way out,
he asked,

   "Can I get your cell numbers?  I'll phone up Morisawa and Yuuji and them
and set something up." Morisawa was another classmate who kind of hung
around with us, and Yuuji was a guy that Michiyo kind of liked.  I hadn't
seen them for ages.  I wrote down my cell number on his pad, but Michiyo
went outside, too embarrassed to consider giving him her number.

   "OK, I'll call you," he shouted after us.  I waved goodbye, and left. 
Norika had this catlike smile the whole way home.

   "What?" I asked.

   "No, it's just you two seem pretty popular."

   I laughed, but Michiyo just winced.

   Emi Tsuruta
/~emitsuruta/