Chapter 45
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Splish.
Miyuki pressed her shoulders against the hot water and wore a languid expression in the steaming bath.
This was the first house she'd seen with even an indoor open-air bath... She didn't know whether to call it impressive or what...
It was a shame that all she could see through the small sliding window was the wall outside, but it was still a wonderful open-air bath.
Matsuda had said he hardly ever used it, but she couldn't understand how he could leave such a wonderful place sitting unused.
“Haa...”
After letting out a languid sigh, Miyuki thought about what had happened earlier.
Because Matsuda had kissed her while stroking her hips and waist, she had been so startled that she had nearly bitten his tongue again, just as she had at the café.
Afterward, along with a ticklish sensation, a strange excitement had come over her as her body suddenly heated up.
It was an unfamiliar sensation, but it felt rather...
‘I think I liked it...’
When Matsuda had hugged her after saying she should stay the night because he was lonely, then said it felt nice because she was warm... her heart had pounded like crazy, and her chest had fluttered.
That fluttering had abruptly vanished when Matsuda then tried to put his hand on her butt, though.
【Matsuda-kun...! What are you doiiing...!】
【Sorry, sorry.】
When she had raised her voice a little and demanded an explanation, Matsuda had apologized in a voice that was half playful and half sincere.
Picturing the situation in her mind, Miyuki shook her head from side to side.
‘Doesn't he get nervous at all...?’
Her whole body became stiff whenever she kissed him, yet Matsuda couldn't keep his hands still and kept... feeling her up.
The last time, he had seemed to resist temptation, but was he finally starting to get worked up now?
She didn't know whether men were normally like this, or whether Matsuda was simply especially lewd.
Come to think of it, it was kind of funny.
Even though it was the first time a man's hand had touched her buttocks, she could remain this calm.
That was proof of how much she trusted Matsuda.
And it seemed as though her mind was gradually becoming more open... but she couldn't tell whether that was a good sign or not.
Pitter. Patter.
While warming herself in the bath and thinking about all sorts of things, Miyuki looked at the tightly closed window.
‘It's still raining hard...’
The patter of rain against the wall was like white noise.
It made her feel calm all on its own.
But whenever she thought about Matsuda, her biorhythm went completely haywire.
She liked seeing him, once a delinquent student, change as he followed her advice.
Even though he could be somewhat domineering, she liked that it was obvious he cared about her.
She enjoyed gradually awakening to a relationship with the opposite sex that had once been utterly unfamiliar.
She simply enjoyed being with Matsuda.
As Miyuki thought this, she murmured a single phrase that unconsciously condensed all sorts of emotions.
“I'm going crazy...”
Vrrr-!
“Gasp!”
Then the phone inside the holder attached to the bath wall began vibrating, startling her so badly that she nearly jumped out of her skin.
Someone was calling. The caller was her mother.
Her mother seemed to be worried because she hadn't come home despite how late it was.
Miyuki hurried out of the bath, dried her hands with a towel, took out her phone, and answered.
“Hello...?”
-It's already almost eight-thirty. Why haven't you called?
“S-sorry... I was out hanging out with a friend... But, Mom, it's raining so hard. Is everything okay at home?”
-Of course it is.
“You closed the windows, right?”
-Obviously. Hurry home. They say the rain will get even worse after ten.
The gloomy, clammy weather unique to rainy days had a certain charm, but it brought loneliness along with it.
And even with the door that doubled as a window closed, Matsuda's house wasn't very soundproof.
He had said he was lonely and asked her to stay the night...
If he lay alone in bed late at night while the rain came down even harder than it was now, he seemed like he would have a very hard time.
‘Should I stay the night...?’
There had been happiness and contentment in Matsuda's voice when he had made the suggestion and hugged her tightly.
And there hadn't been a trace of sexual desire in that voice.
Of course, he had later tried to fondle her butt, but at least when he said it felt nice because she was warm, he had been sincere.
‘What should I do...?’
She trusted Matsuda.
But because it was such a sudden proposal, with no warning at all, she found herself hesitating.
-Miyuki? Are you listening?
“Ah, yes... um...”
Trailing off, Miyuki thought about what exactly she was feeling right now.
Then she soon reached a conclusion.
Her desire to be with him was stronger than her misgivings.
Wouldn't that be enough?
She couldn't help wondering whether she was really Hanazawa Miyuki for making such a bold decision, but for now, she thought it was right to follow her emotions rather than her reason.
Having sorted through all her thoughts in a short time, Miyuki spoke.
“Mom... I'm going to stay at a friend's house tonight.”
-A friend? Who?
Miyuki couldn't answer right away and hesitated.
She had made up her mind, but telling her mother was a different matter.
She was afraid of how her mother would react if she said she was staying at Matsuda's house.
She had spent the night at friends' houses many times.
But they had all been female friends; she had never once stayed at a man's house.
The same was true of Tetsuya's house, even though she had known him the longest.
She had always gone home before it got too late.
No matter how old she was or how capable she was of making rational judgments, what parent wouldn't worry about their daughter staying over with a man?
But she also didn't want to give the names of her real friends.
Her mother knew most of them.
Even if she lied, her mother probably wouldn't call to verify it, but Miyuki thought it would be better to avoid being left with a guilty conscience.
Miyuki quickly racked her brain and answered.
“A new friend I made at the academy.”
-A new friend? You've only known them for one semester. Isn't it rude to impose?
“We got really close... And my friend was the one who suggested that I stay the night...”
It was true that they had gotten close, and it was also true that her friend had made the suggestion first.
So it wasn't a lie.
Having at least preserved a shred of conscience, Miyuki prayed to God,
‘Please let Mom not ask me to change friends...’ and waited for her mother's response.
-Oh? So you're at your friend's house now? Are you going straight to the academy tomorrow?
It somehow sounded as though her mother would give her permission.
Miyuki answered after letting out a sigh of relief inwardly.
“I'll get up early and stop by home. I need to change into my uniform...”
-True enough... All right, then. Behave yourself and come home. Don't stay up talking with the girls until you oversleep.
It sounded as though her mother hadn't even considered that she was at a boy's house.
Miyuki privately congratulated herself, thinking that all those years of protecting her virtue were finally paying off, then said,
“Yeah. I will.”
-Be sure to greet your friend's parents, and tell them I said thank you too.
“No.”
Midori let out a dry laugh at Miyuki's suddenly relaxed, coquettish tone.
Miyuki burst into a carefree laugh and continued.
“I'm kidding. I'll be sure to tell them.”
-All right. Oh, by the way, how's Matsuda-kun doing?
Twitch.
Miyuki flinched as though she had stepped on her own foot.
After swallowing nervously, she answered.
“He's doing fine... But why are you suddenly asking about Matsuda-kun...?”
-I remembered that you said you'd come over for dinner after the cultural festival. Should we have hot pot this time? Does he like hot pot?
It almost felt as though her mother was more pleased to see Matsuda than she was.
“He has a big appetite, so he'll eat anything...”
-Still, ask him.
“Okay... I'll hang up now.”
-Okay.
After hanging up, Miyuki considered getting back into the bath, but soon shook her head and took a shower instead.
Afterward, she opened the bathroom door slightly and was about to retrieve her uniform when she stopped upon seeing a T-shirt and a pair of comfortable training shorts neatly folded on the storage stand beside the door.
Matsuda must have put them there.
He must have been considerate enough to realize that putting on her damp uniform would feel unpleasant.
With a smile on her lips, Miyuki unfolded the T-shirt.
It was enormous. At this size, it would probably reach almost to her knees.
It would have been oversized even on Matsuda as he was now. Had he perhaps been heavier in the past?
She suddenly found herself wanting to see an old photograph of him.
A faint citrus scent that often lingered around Matsuda wafted from the T-shirt.
Feeling at ease, Miyuki touched the soft fabric, then—
‘Huh?’
She tilted her head at the small plastic box lying beside the shorts.
Then, after realizing what it was, she stared with her mouth hanging open.
It was a camisole and a pair of seamless panties.
The sort of women's underwear commonly sold at convenience stores.
‘What...? What is this...?’
Was this consideration too?
Or did it have some other meaning?
She wanted to believe it was the former, and she was grateful too, but...
Since it had been bought by Matsuda, who couldn't exactly be called innocent, she had no idea what he was thinking.
After staring blankly at the underwear set, she gathered up the clothes and went back into the bathroom.
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In the end, Miyuki put on the underwear Matsuda had bought.
It had felt too uncomfortable not to.
Sleeping while wearing a bra was uncomfortable too... That was all it was.
She absolutely wasn't going along with Matsuda's plan.
Thinking that, Miyuki put on the T-shirt and shorts and emerged into the living room.
At that, Matsuda, who had been lying on the futon, raised his head.
“You're back?”
From his casual tone, the underwear had simply been an act of consideration after all.
She felt relieved, but for some reason, she also felt a little disappointed.
As Miyuki headed toward Matsuda almost dragging her feet, she noticed the moisture in his hair and asked,
“Did you shower...?”
“Yeah.”
“When...?”
“I showered in the other bathroom while you were showering. You're staying the night, right?”
She was embarrassed to answer.
Fidgeting with the hem of the T-shirt, Miyuki spoke in a tiny voice.
“.... Yeah... But I have to get up around five in the morning and go home...”
“Then we should go to bed early. Come on, lie down.”
“Are you... planning to sleep together...?”
“Then what, you're not?”
“No, I mean...”
She had honestly expected that to be the case, but hearing it for real made her nervous.
Unable to move one way or the other, Miyuki finally abandoned her pretense when Matsuda patted the spot beside him and hesitantly lay down.
Then she looked straight at Matsuda and warned him,
“D-don't try to touch me like you did earlier... Okay?”
“Can't I hold you while we sleep?”
“You'll do something weird while you're holding me...!”
“What weird thing?”
Seeing him pretend not to know when he clearly did made her feel irritated.
That said, she didn't feel bad about it.
Maybe it was because she had gradually gotten used to seeing him act that way.
“Anyway, you can't...”
“I'm kidding. I won't do anything like that. I'll just hold you tight.”
“.... Really?”
“I promise. Want to do a pinky swear?”
Matsuda held out his little finger in front of her.
He seemed reliable, yet somehow childlike too.
“I'm nervous, though...”
Miyuki's body was already moving closer to Matsuda.
Despite what she had said aloud, it meant that she trusted him.
Matsuda gave a low chuckle at her behavior and said,
“I'm leaving the window open, okay? Let's fall asleep listening to the rain.”
“Do whatever you want...”
At her slightly petulant tone, Matsuda's eyes curved into crescents.
With a light smile, he carefully drew Miyuki into his arms.
Then, just as before, he rested his chin on the crown of her head.
‘He's warm...’
Matsuda's arms were incredibly warm and comforting.
Comforting enough to make her eyes close on their own.
“Sleepy?”
At the low, resonant sound of his voice, Miyuki's body gave a faint shiver.
Why did she feel as though she wanted to experience that strange excitement she had felt earlier again?
“I don't know...”
Tap. Tap.
Hearing her ambiguous answer, Matsuda patted Miyuki's back in a steady rhythm.
Feeling an immense sense of comfort, Miyuki wriggled like a worm and pressed herself completely against Matsuda.
“Comfortable?”
“Yeah...”
“Good.”
At his voice, which sounded even gentler and kinder than usual today, Miyuki's eyes slowly closed and the corners of her lips lifted slightly.
Matsuda's hand had somehow begun gently stroking her back.
As the complicated thoughts in her head emptied out, all the strength drained from her body, leaving her languid.
She was getting sleepy. Very, very sleepy.
‘This is nice...’
This sort of wholesome physical affection seemed like something she could enjoy every day.
‘We...’
Who could have imagined that they would become the sort of people who slept pressed against each other's bodies like this?
She had thought Matsuda and she were like oil and water, completely incompatible, but now she felt a strange sense of how far they had come.
‘Someday... we too...’
Someday, they would share even more intimate physical affection than they had today...
What would she do when that day came?
She didn't know. She couldn't imagine it at all.
She should stop thinking about it.
Rather than needlessly piling up worries, she should focus on spending this sweet time with Matsuda... No, with Ken.
“Feels good...”
Miyuki quickly drifted into half-sleep and fell asleep without even realizing that she had voiced her innermost thoughts.