After coming out of the sea, Yuzuru and Arisa relaxed on beach chairs, enjoying a quiet moment together.
“Hey, Arisa…”
“…”
Yuzuru called out to her as she lay beside him.
But she didn’t respond.
She wasn’t asleep, though.
As if to prove it, she turned her face away with a huff.
“I’m upset.”
That’s what she seemed to be saying.
Ever since Yuzuru had touched her backside, Arisa hadn’t spoken to him.
“Come on, forgive me. …I know I was in the wrong.”
“…Are you reflecting on it properly?”
At last, she spoke.
She had enough sense to know that ruining the mood over something like this, during their honeymoon, would be a waste.
…More importantly, she wasn’t actually that angry.
She was just teasing him.
After all, it hadn’t even been fifteen minutes since she’d started ignoring him.
“I am.”
“Hmmm… what should I do…”
She glanced at him briefly.
She could forgive him now.
But that would be a bit boring.
That was how she felt.
“Then… as an apology, give me a massage.”
“A massage!?”
Yuzuru tilted his head.
Was that really enough?
If anything, it sounded more like a reward.
“Is that a problem?”
Arisa lay face down, smirking mischievously.
“Not at all.”
Yuzuru stood, then straddled her again, carefully starting from her shoulders.
“Mm… ahh…”
Each time he applied pressure, soft breaths escaped her lips.
It was clearly pleasant—but also a bit exaggerated.
(This is… kind of tough.)
His bride was already dressed provocatively.
Touching her smooth, pale skin, kneading it, while she let out sultry sounds—
it stirred him far more than it should.
But since this was meant to be an “apology,” he couldn’t act on impulse.
He had to endure it.
“Arisa… like I said earlier, those sounds—”
“Ahh… I’m not doing it on purpose. You’re just so good at it, Yuzuru-san… I can’t help it…”
She cast him a sidelong glance.
His heart skipped.
At the same time, a mischievous thought crept in.
“But this is just a massage. No tickling or anything strange. If you do, I won’t talk to you again.”
She warned him firmly.
“Of course… I understand.”
“And if your hands feel even slightly inappropriate, I’ll assume you’re not reflecting at all.”
“…Understood.”
Suppressing his urges, Yuzuru continued steadily.
Shoulders, back, arms, waist—
he worked through her upper body before pausing.
“Anywhere else?”
“My hips, please.”
He frowned.
“Wouldn’t that be… inappropriate?”
“It would, if you make it so. Do it properly. There are pressure points there too.”
“…Right.”
He refocused on her hips.
They were already full and shapely, but the swimsuit made them look even more so.
(Pressure points… where, exactly?)
For now, he pressed just below her waist.
His fingers sank into soft flesh.
“How’s this?”
“Ah… that feels nice. Please keep going…”
He adjusted his fingers little by little, asking for feedback.
Resisting the urge to grasp or stroke, he kept to firm, careful pressure.
“Do hips really get tense?”
“Mm… somewhat… ah…”
Her voice was relaxed, pleased.
If it felt this good, then yes—there must have been tension.
(If a large chest causes strain… maybe hips do too?)
He continued, quietly musing.
“Could you do my legs too?”
“…Alright.”
He worked her thighs, calves, and the soles of her feet.
Somehow, he managed to finish without losing control.
“So… does that mean I’m forgiven?”
Feeling like he’d won a battle against his instincts, he asked—
only for her to shake her head.
“Not yet.”
“…What?”
Before he could react, she turned onto her back.
Then pointed to her neck and collarbone.
“Here too, please.”
She smiled teasingly.
The area she indicated was dangerously close to her chest.
“…Alright…”
Reluctantly, he obeyed.
So close, yet unable to touch—
it was torture.
“This is enough now, right?”
Surely this was the end.
But again, she shook her head.
This time, she pointed to the base of her thigh—
near where her swimsuit barely concealed her.
“My pelvis too, please.”
“T-that’s a bit—”
“I won’t forgive you otherwise.”
“…Fine! I’ll do it!”
He pressed along her inner thigh and pelvis.
Just a few centimetres more, and he’d cross the line—
but he didn’t.
That restraint made it all the more agonising.
“Good work.”
Finally, she signalled the end.
Yuzuru let out a deep breath, pulling his hands away.
“So… I’m forgiven now?”
He asked.
She tapped her chin thoughtfully.
“Hmmm… what do you think?”
“…Seriously?”
Seeing his despair, she giggled.
“Fufu. Well… if you understand properly, then yes.”
“Understand…?”
“That touching my body is a privilege.”
At that, Yuzuru nodded vigorously.
“O-of course! I’m very lucky!!”
“Good. Then I forgive your rudeness.”
Finally relieved, Yuzuru sat down in the sand.
But while his mind relaxed, his body had other ideas.
“Um, Arisa… can I ask one thing?”
“What is it?”
“…Tonight, would you be up for it?”
“…Honestly.”
She sighed, frowning slightly.
He quickly waved his hands in panic.
“N-no, I mean—only if you want to—”
“You’re like this the moment I forgive you.”
She shrugged, then smiled faintly.
Turning over onto her stomach again, she spoke.
“If you go through that massage one more time… I’ll consider it.”
With a teasing smile, she laid out her condition.
“Ugh…”
His face twitched.
“Don’t want to? That’s fine too…”
“N-no! I’ll do it… I’ll do it! Please let me…”
And so, shoulders slumped—
Yuzuru began the massage all over again.
