Yuzuru and Arisa each entered the bathroom, modestly covering themselves with small hand towels.
At this point, there shouldn’t have been anything to be embarrassed about—
And yet, the awkwardness remained.
They ended up glancing at each other and laughing.
“Um… shall we wash each other?”
“Yeah… then, I’ll go first… if that’s okay?”
“Understood.”
Yuzuru sat down on the bath stool.
Arisa crouched behind him and picked up the shower head.
“I’ll start by wetting your hair.”
With gentle hands, she dampened his hair.
Then she asked—
“Do you usually wash your hair first, or your body?”
“My body first.”
“I see.”
She took a sponge, lathered it lightly with soap—
And began washing his back.
“How is it? Does it feel good?”
“Yeah… it feels nice.”
Her touch was neither too strong nor too soft—
Just right.
After finishing most of his back, Arisa spoke again.
“Then… I’ll wash the front now.”
She reached her arms around him.
Naturally, it turned into something like an embrace from behind.
Yuzuru could feel the soft warmth pressing lightly against his back.
“How is it?”
Each time her hands moved, that softness shifted as well.
Is she doing this on purpose? he wondered—
But when he glanced at the mirror, her expression was completely serious.
“It feels… good, I think.”
“I’m glad.”
Her hands came to a stop.
“…Arisa?”
“Um… for the lower part… please wash that yourself.”
It seemed she had finished everything except his head.
Yuzuru took the sponge from her.
“Ah—of course!”
He carefully washed himself, more thoroughly than usual.
“…I’ll wash your hair now.”
Arisa lathered shampoo in her hands and applied it to his hair.
She gently massaged his scalp.
“Any itchy spots?”
“None in particular.”
“That’s good… alright.”
She rinsed his hair with the shower.
“Then next, conditioner—”
“No, that shampoo already has conditioner in it, so it’s fine.”
“Oh, is that so? I do think it’s better to use them separately…”
Even as she said that, she turned off the water.
Yuzuru stood up and turned towards her.
“Then… your turn—”
“Ah!”
Arisa immediately covered her face with both hands.
“D-don’t stand up so suddenly!”
“S-sorry…”
“Honestly…”
Her face bright red, she sat down on the stool.
Yuzuru picked up the shower head.
“How do you usually do it?”
“I shampoo first, then conditioner, and finally wash my body.”
“Got it. These are the ones you brought, right?”
He pointed at the shampoo, conditioner, and body soap she had brought from home.
Arisa nodded.
“Yes. Please go ahead.”
Yuzuru nodded, then began by wetting her hair.
After that, he lathered the shampoo.
“…Wow. It smells like you, Arisa.”
“Well… I use it all the time.”
Blushing slightly, she let him continue.
He applied the foam and began washing her hair—
Carefully working through her scalp, then her long strands.
“How is it? I’ve never washed hair this long before, so I’m not sure I’m doing it right…”
“It feels fine. Please… continue like that.”
Since there didn’t seem to be any issues, Yuzuru kept going.
After rinsing out the shampoo, he picked up the conditioner.
“How should I use this?”
“Apply it from the ends and work it through the length. …Just don’t put it on the scalp.”
“Got it.”
He carefully ran it through her hair, as if combing each strand by hand.
Handling her hair—so smooth and beautiful—made him strangely nervous.
“I think I got a bit on your scalp… is that bad?”
“A little is fine. I’m not that strict about it either.”
Checking with her along the way, Yuzuru finished applying it—
Then rinsed it all out thoroughly.
“That should be good for your hair?”
“Yes. Then… please wash my body.”
“Alright.”
Taking the sponge in hand, Yuzuru nodded.
