"No way!"<br/><br/>Ichi and a few of his friends and coworkers were gathered in the employee lounge for lunch. They were gathered around a table, counting up their tips after the first shift. Relaxing was the number one thing people thought of at the word "vacation," and for a lot of people, massages, facials, and the like were synonymous to relaxation. As a result, the spa staff at Iwamura's fanciest resort were never short of customers, but their pay varied from day to day. Without tips, it was enough to get by, but you always tried for the extra cash. Most of them would never be able to stay in a place like<span style="font-style: italic">this</span>, but if you were good you could live comfortably.<br/><br/>Ichi usually came out on top when they were counting up tips, but today it was by almost fifty bucks. A boy called Hibayashi was grilling him for it.<br/><br/>"You're cheating. I don't know how, but you're doing it," the boy said, glaring at him.<br/><br/>Ichi pulled a Popsicle out of his mouth, closing his eyes and waving it demonstratively. "I swear that so long as I have been on the Iwamura Maui Resort Spa Staff I have never engaged in criminal activities, secret overtime hours, or any other form of "cheating" which would lead to extra tips from my clients."<br/><br/>"Cut the crap, Ichi," a girl named Mitsuki laughed.<br/><br/>"It's because he's sexy," another girl, Kokoa, said, half joking. "All the rich, fat ladies with their rich, fat husbands tip him extra just for being eye candy." She tossed her soft dark hair, pretending to flirt, "Same for us girls. The better you look on-the-job, the better they feel, and the more they pay. You'd better step up your game, Hiba-kun."<br/><br/>Hibayashi seemed to shrink a little bit. "J-just because I'm not comfortable wearing make-up and styling my hair every day... I give great massages, shouldn't that be enough?"<br/><br/>"They<span style="font-style: italic">asked</span>for a great massage," Ichi said, smiling. "That's the part you get paid for. You earn tips by giving them what they want. For most of these guys, already married and with plenty of money, they want a nice face to fantasize about while their worries are rubbed away."<br/><br/>"Yeah, but..." the boy leaned in, as if this was some grand secret he was collecting the courage to share with his fellow male. "Is it worth getting all... girl'd up every morning for?"<br/><br/>"Well.. considering I mostly do it just because I<span style="font-style: italic">like</span>it... yep."<br/><br/>The affectionately nicknamed Hiba-kun looked slightly dejected after that comment. "Say, I could drop by your house in the mornings and help you get ready," Ichi offered, tossing into the trash the wooden stick that had been his Popsicle. "We could get you all dolled up."<br/><br/>"I'll take a rain check," the boy declined, rubbing the back of his head embarrassedly.