“Ahh… my legs feel like lead…”
After arriving at the hotel and sitting down on the bed, Arisa muttered that with a sigh.
She slipped off her slippers and began massaging her pale legs.
“I’m tired too… Let’s just take a shower and get some sleep.”
At Yuzuru’s suggestion, Arisa nodded as if in full agreement.
“Who’s going first?”
“Do you want to?”
“No, either is fine… shall we decide with rock-paper-scissors?”
It wasn’t important enough to argue over, nor meaningful enough to insist on yielding.
So they quickly settled it with a game of chance.
“Alright, I’ll go first then.”
“Go ahead.”
Yuzuru won.
He got off the bed and headed into the bathroom.
The bathroom was a standard unit bath.
He pulled the curtain to keep the water from splashing out and turned on the shower.
“Ah…”
As he washed himself, a thought suddenly crossed his mind.
(…Maybe I could’ve invited her to join me?)
Normally, he’d never even consider it—
But this was a trip. Just the two of them.
Maybe, with the right timing, they could’ve ended up bathing together.
(No… that’s probably too soon.)
That would mean seeing Arisa completely naked.
And honestly, he wasn’t confident he could stay composed in that situation.
By the time he finished thinking that over, he was done washing up.
He put on the bathrobe provided, dried himself off, and stepped out.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“That was quick.”
Arisa came to greet him immediately—
But for some reason, she suddenly froze.
Then, flustered, she looked away.
“Uh… what’s wrong? Is something weird?”
Her reaction clearly wasn’t normal.
Yuzuru panicked slightly, wondering if something inappropriate had been exposed.
“No… nothing’s wrong.”
“R-really? Then why won’t you look at me?”
Even as she insisted nothing was wrong, she refused to meet his eyes.
But when he pressed her, she finally gave in and glanced at him.
“I just thought… you looked a bit… alluring…”
After saying that, Arisa covered her face with both hands, embarrassed.
Yuzuru tilted his head.
“R-really…?”
He’d never once thought of himself as “alluring.”
Still, it didn’t seem like a bad thing, so he decided not to dwell on it.
“I-I’ll go take my shower!”
“Y-yeah…”
And just like that, she hurried off into the bathroom.
Left with nothing to do, Yuzuru dried his hair and watched some TV while waiting.
“…Sorry to keep you waiting.”
Before long, Arisa emerged wearing a bathrobe.
Her fair skin was slightly flushed, her flaxen hair still damp.
She looked even more alluring than usual.
“What’s wrong?”
“…I think I understand how you felt earlier.”
“Is that so…”
She lowered her gaze shyly, then looked up at him again with her emerald eyes.
“I’d like to dry my hair…”
“Oh, right. Sorry—I’m done with the dryer.”
Yuzuru tried to hand it over, but Arisa shook her head.
Then she climbed onto the bed and moved closer to him.
“A-Arisa…?”
She sat down in front of him, turning her back towards him.
Then glanced over her shoulder.
“Could you dry it for me?”
“…Ah, I see!”
Finally understanding, Yuzuru turned on the dryer—
But then stopped.
“Sorry… could you tell me how to do it properly?”
Her beautiful flaxen hair was clearly much more carefully maintained than his.
He couldn’t just treat it like his own.
“You can just dry it normally…”
“Alright… tell me if I do anything wrong.”
Carefully, he began drying her hair.
He shaped it gently with his hand while applying warm air—
Making sure not to mess it up or overheat it.
“Feels nice…”
Contrary to his worries, Arisa let out a relaxed voice.
Before he knew it, she’d leaned back—
Resting her weight against him.
Yuzuru, now more used to the task, relaxed a little too.
“Glad to hear that.”
He replied, while trying not to look at the soft glimpse of her chest peeking from her robe.
He knew he shouldn’t look—
But he couldn’t help noticing.
(Even without anything underneath… it still holds its shape that well…)
Even through the robe, its form was unmistakably clear.
“…Mm…”
At some point, Arisa had closed her eyes.
She’d gotten sleepy.
Seeing her so defenceless made him want to tease her a little.
He turned off the dryer and set it aside.
Then reached around her from behind, gently hugging her, and whispered by her ear—
“Arisa, I’m done.”
“—Kya!”
Startled, she jolted.
Then blinked in surprise as she turned her head.
“Did I fall asleep…?”
“Yeah.”
“I see… sorry.”
“No, don’t worry about it.”
As he said that, Yuzuru lightly adjusted her bathrobe—
Fixing the neckline that had slipped open without her noticing.
“I-I can fix it myself…”
Blushing, she straightened her posture.
Then slipped out of his arms and turned to face him.
“Let’s go to bed.”
“Yeah… I’ll go change over there. Tell me when you’re done.”
Yuzuru got off the bed, took his sleepwear and underwear, and went into the bathroom.
After changing, he called out—
“Arisa, are you done?”
“…Yes, I’m done.”
Only then did he return to the room.
Arisa was already changed into her nightwear, sitting neatly on the bed.
“Shall we sleep?”
“Yes.”
Yuzuru climbed into bed.
Arisa remained sitting stiffly.
“Come on, get in.”
There was only one bed—a double.
Not something Yuzuru decided alone—they’d agreed on it together.
And it wasn’t their first time sleeping side by side.
“Yes… excuse me.”
She slipped into the bed, her face tense as she looked at him.
Yuzuru chuckled softly.
“You don’t have to be that nervous.”
“S-sorry… I’m just… a bit flustered. Aren’t you?”
“Well… I guess I am”
Once she pointed it out, he became aware of his own racing heart—
Which only made him more nervous.
“…Let’s turn off the lights. Is that alright?”
“Yes… um, can I come closer first?”
“Sure.”
She moved closer until their bodies were almost touching.
Then looked up at him expectantly.
“Um, Yuzuru-san… before we sleep…”
“Goodnight.”
Before she could finish, Yuzuru leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.
Her eyes widened for a moment—
Then she smiled, satisfied.
“…Goodnight.”
After hearing her reply, Yuzuru turned off the lights.
And the two of them spent a quiet night—
Feeling each other’s warmth and breathing close by.
