{"id":28,"date":"2014-03-01T05:08:00","date_gmt":"2014-03-01T05:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hildred-billings.com\/site\/2014\/03\/01\/out-now-usotsuki-a-renai-rensai-gaiden-novel\/"},"modified":"2014-03-01T05:08:00","modified_gmt":"2014-03-01T05:08:00","slug":"out-now-usotsuki-a-renai-rensai-gaiden-novel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hildred-billings.com\/site\/2014\/03\/01\/out-now-usotsuki-a-renai-rensai-gaiden-novel\/","title":{"rendered":"OUT NOW: “USOTSUKI.” A Ren’Ai Rensai: Gaiden Novel"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/a><\/div>\n
The REN\u2019AI RENSAI: GAIDEN (Another Story) series is a companion piece to the main Ren\u2019Ai Rensai series focusing on alternate views to stories you\u2019ve already enjoyed and couples deviating from the series\u2019 norms.<\/strong><\/em>
“USOTSUKI.”<\/strong>
Approximately 76,000 words<\/em>
Fate struck Haruka and Kaori one warm spring day not so many years ago. Without question they accepted their destiny, swearing to love each other and to forge a new life built on their unwavering devotion for what they had.<\/p>\n

Kaori, the dutiful career woman who always has her eyes on the next stage of her life; Haruka, the easy-going musician who will do anything to support her girlfriend\u2019s ambitions. One of them is lying. Maybe they both are. It\u2019s these amassing lies about their families, their friends, and their jobs that will lead them to discovering who is the biggest \u201cusotsuki,\u201d or liar, between them.<\/p>\n

Their relationship might just survive it<\/p>\n

“USOTSUKI.” takes place from May, 2010 – September, 2013<\/em><\/p>\n

Amazon<\/a> – B&N<\/a><\/p>\n

EXCERPT<\/b><\/p>\n

<\/b>
<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

             The woman picked up the cup with both hands and blew the steam off the top. The way her lips made a delicate O shape, pushing that pink gloss outward, was too enticing for Haruka to stare at directly. She kept her eyes on the white saucer on the counter as the customer sipped the tea\u2026 but Haruka made the grievous mistake of looking up as the woman swallowed. <\/span><\/span><\/b><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>\u201cOh, that is lovely,\u201d came a satisfied voice. \u201cHow much is it?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>Haruka told her the price, and the woman quickly made the decision to purchase a small package. She rang her up on the register, taking the woman\u2019s money while trying to keep her hand from passing over those manicured fingers. <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>\u201cBy the way,\u201d the woman began again, taking her receipt and her bag by the handles, \u201cis that Ephemeral\u2019s latest CD?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>Haruka\u2019s jaw nearly fell off her face. \u201cYou know Ephemeral?\u201d The rock tunes held a steady undercurrent to their conversation, the lead singer\u2019s scratchy vocals belting out a chorus about a crimson-colored love affair. <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>The woman nodded. \u201cThey\u2019re one of my favorite bands.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>No way. <\/i>This dainty looking woman, with the pressed outfit and perfect hair and make-up? She <\/i>was into rock music like Ephemeral\u2019s? \u201cThey are my favorite band right now,\u201d was all Haruka could say.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>\u201cAre they?\u201d The woman clutched her bag to her chest. Her curving <\/i>chest, as Haruka couldn\u2019t help but notice. This was the kind of day that could only get better or worse, depending on if she lived in a comedy or a tragedy. <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>\u201cYeah\u2026 did you hear that they just transferred to a major label?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>\u201cAbsolutely. Everyone in their fan club heard about it.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>\u201cYou\u2019re in their fanclub?<\/i>\u201d Not even Haruka bothered with that. Sometimes her favorite bands came and went so quickly that she learned to not join fanclubs until she was sure they would be around for a while \u2013 or that she would be interested in them. \u201cI only heard about it online, on their website.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>\u201cUh huh\u2026\u201d The plastic handles of the bag tumbled in the woman\u2019s hands, stretching as her skin turned red. Is she nervous? <\/i>Haruka hid her hands behind her back, so the customer couldn\u2019t see her <\/i>nervous habits, like flicking her fingernails. \u201cActually,\u201d the woman then continued, with a meek voice, \u201cI have tickets to their show this Saturday. The fanclub only live celebrating their anniversary and getting onto a major label\u2026 I have an extra ticket\u2026 but nobody to go with\u2026\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>Haruka nodded. Then the words sank in.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>The entirety of her thoughts, feelings, and words were lodged in her throat, blocking her ability to swallow or speak. Is she asking me out? <\/i>That pretty side-glance, that charismatic smile, those fluttering lashes\u2026 this felt like something straight out of a teen drama, where the (bluntly heterosexual) female lead waited for the good-looking hero to ask her out. Does that make me the good-looking hero? <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>Behind her, the lyrics from Ephemeral\u2019s song about knee-shaking love played out. \u201cTake the one you love by the shoulders and tell them that you love them.\u201d <\/i>That was the lead singer\u2019s way of expressing that sort of desire. Haruka, however, would not take this young woman by the shoulders and scream, \u201cYes!\u201d even though she wanted to. Instead she said, \u201cI hope you can find someone to go with.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>A flash of disappointment covered the woman\u2019s complexion. \u201cMaybe\u2026\u201d It was replaced with deep, churning red. \u201cAre you <\/i>available Saturday night?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>She\u2019s asking me out! <\/i>Heart pounding so hard that it almost bruised her ribs, Haruka\u2019s mouth went dry. Say yes, idiot! <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>\u201cI\u2019m, uh\u2026 Douyoubi kana\u2026<\/i>\u201d Haruka scrambled to remember what she was possibly doing that Saturday. She had to work during the day, and at night her father was hosting a small party with his friends, but\u2026 Nothing important. <\/i>Still, how could she blurt out yes to a complete stranger? She didn\u2019t know this woman from the Empress. There were friends of Haruka\u2019s who would have no problem saying yes \u2013 many of them foreign and from countries where being forward like that was permissible. But Haruka still had it pounded into her head that she should be demure, in a fashion. Like this woman before her, who managed to ask her out while looking like a sweet thing who knew not what she did. I am pretty sure she knows.<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span><\/span><\/i>\u201cOh, you must be busy. Please forget I asked.\u201d The woman turned and took a step.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>\u201cNo, wait!\u201d Haruka lunged across the counter, one hand extended toward the woman. \u201cI mean\u2026 I\u2019m not busy. If you really can\u2019t think of anyone else to go with\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>The woman glanced over her shoulder, relieved. I almost ruined her day. <\/i>And almost ruined her own.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>A cell phone came out of the woman\u2019s purse. \u201cLet me get your number\u2026 Miss\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>\u201cHuh? Oh!\u201d Haruka pulled out her phone. \u201cMy name is Haruka. Haruka Kitamoto.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>The woman typed into her phone. \u201cNice to meet you, Haruka-san. <\/i>My name is Kaori.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>Kaori. <\/i>Haruka remained in a daze as she inputted the woman\u2019s name and number into her phone. That\u2019s a pretty name. <\/i>It evoked the word for \u201cscent,\u201d perfumed, laced in lavender, like the tranquil moments after a bath when everything was clean. But the wink Kaori gave her as she waved goodbye and left was anything but clean.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>\u201cSee you Saturday, Haruka-san,<\/i>\u201d she said, hand over the doorknob. The bells jingled as the door opened. \u201cI look forward to it.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>Haruka stood as if living in a dream. When her father returned minutes later, he asked her what was wrong, and all she could say was, \u201cI hope you don\u2019t need me Saturday night.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

 <\/span><\/b> <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The REN\u2019AI RENSAI: GAIDEN (Another Story) series is a companion piece to the main Ren\u2019Ai Rensai series focusing on alternate views to stories you\u2019ve already enjoyed and couples deviating from the series\u2019 norms.“USOTSUKI.”Approximately 76,000 wordsFate struck Haruka and Kaori one warm spring day not so many years ago. Without question they accepted their destiny, swearing… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[43,36,4,10,42],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-excerpt","category-gaiden","category-new-release","category-renai-rensai","category-usotsuki"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paRtqI-s","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hildred-billings.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hildred-billings.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hildred-billings.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hildred-billings.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hildred-billings.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.hildred-billings.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hildred-billings.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hildred-billings.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hildred-billings.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}