Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818093093152263860/episodes/16818792436241882059
Plop.
I got into the private open-air bath first and waited for Toka. I had my towel and swimsuit ready… but what’s this? I was totally fine at the beach, but suddenly I felt embarrassed in the bath. I don’t even understand why myself.
“Phew, this water feels amazing!”
Man, this is the best. Playing all day, eating until I’m stuffed, then relaxing my body in an open-air bath overlooking the sea. And I get to do it with someone I like? Today is pure happiness. Doesn’t it feel like I’ve already completed my life?
“…But still, isn’t she late?”
Toka still hasn’t come.
No way… she’s not actually planning to wear that bikini, is she? Nah, nah, but knowing her, she’d definitely get all worked up about it herself, then freeze up when the moment comes!
“S-sorry to interrupt…”
Just as I was thinking that, she finally arrived! Barefoot footsteps approached with a pat-pat sound. Oh no, my heart suddenly started drumming like crazy.
I turned around—
“…Ah.”
Toka stood there, her cheeks flushed, clutching her towel tightly over her chest.
“Wh-why are you staring so hard?”
“N-no, it’s just… it suits you.”
“What do you mean, the towel suits me…?”
“Well, it does…”
I did it. I panicked and said something weird.
“…Fufu.”
“You laughed!?”
“Well, it’s the first time anyone’s ever told me ‘the towel suits you’.”
“Well, I guess that makes sense…”
“But… I kinda like it.”
Saying that, Toka slowly lowered her feet into the water. From the rectangular cypress tub, water equivalent to Toka’s volume splashed out.
“Whoa, warm!”
Creating ripples in the water, Toka got into the bath with me.
“…”
“…”
It felt a little awkward. Ripples danced on the water’s surface. …Yet, for some reason, there was enough space between us for one person to sit.
“…You don’t have to keep that much distance.”
My voice trembled as I managed to speak to Toka.
“Eh? W-well, I’m not really keeping distance…”
“No, there’s clearly enough space for one person to sit…”
“…Then I should just move closer, right?”
With a pouty face, Toka slid right up next to me. The moment our shoulders touched, my heart leapt. Glancing sideways, I saw her clutching her towel tightly against her chest. The way she wrapped it around herself to keep it from falling felt unbearably endearing.
“…Ryo-kun, your face is red.”
“Well… it’s hot…”
“Hmm…”
Narrowing her eyes suspiciously, Toka leaned into me just a little. The space between our shoulders had completely vanished.
The only sounds reaching his ears were the occasional waves, the splashing water, and Toka’s soft breaths.
“Ryo-kun…”
Suddenly, Toka’s frightened voice rang out.
“What’s wrong?”
“My towel’s floating up…”
“Huh?”
I instinctively looked at Toka, and saw her towel was indeed about to slip off.
“…Why don’t you just take it off?”
“Bu-but, I-I have small breasts…”
Toka was quietly angry! Her hand hurriedly covering her chest trembled in the steam.
“T-Toka seems really self-conscious about her chest size, but I don’t care about that at all…”
“R-Really?”
“Because, I like everything about Toka…”
I’d said something so corny it made my teeth hurt… Maybe I’m just hyped up and acting a little weird today too.
“S-s-saying something like that makes me blush… you know?”
Toka looked somehow pleased as she gripped the towel over her chest tighter.
“I’m blushing too…”
“…”
“…”
We were both too self-conscious, and the conversation just stopped…
“…Want to get closer?”
“U-uh, sure…”
When I said that, Toka gently wrapped her arm around my left arm. We pressed closer together, and suddenly everything felt kind of dangerous…
“I kinda wanted to see your swimsuit properly…”
“S-so much!?”
“Well, I bought it specially…”
“So, wanna see it?”
“Yeah.”
Toka nodded hesitantly.
“Then, later…?”
“Huh? Not now!?”
“It’s weird to wear a swimsuit in the bath, right?”
“Well, I am wearing a swimsuit though.”
“Hm?”
“Eh?”
Toka’s face flushed red like some kind of gauge was rising.
“Waaaaaah!”
“T-Toka!?”
“No, no! Don’t look! I never even thought about swimsuits!”
“Whaaaaaat!?”
Toka splashed noisily and got out of the water! She vanished from the hot spring at a speed I couldn’t follow.
W-Wait, did she just come in naked…? Left alone with a splash in the water, I stood there dumbfounded for a while…
◇
After getting out of the bath, Toka, now changed into a yukata, buried her face in the bed pillow and writhed.
“So embarrassing, so embarrassing! I got completely naked in front of you, Ryo-kun!”
“Well, you were pretty much naked when I put cream on you too…”
“Waaaaaah! Don’t say that!”
Toka was suffering deep psychological damage. Seriously, I’ve been feeling totally unsettled all day! There’s no way I’m sleeping tonight, for all sorts of reasons!
“Come on, you don’t have to force yourself.”
I sat down near Toka and stroked her hair. My sanity was steadily draining, but I figured this was proof she trusted me…
“Ryo-kun is about to become my senpai…”
“What do you mean?”
“In a few hours, it’ll be Ryo-kun’s birthday…”
“Ah, that’s what you meant! Respect your senior, junior!”
“You’re so bossy.”
“Come to think of it, you mentioned birthday presents the other day. I’m looking forward to it.”
“……”
When I casually said that, Toka suddenly stood up with a serious expression. She immediately started rummaging through her belongings.
“Toka?”
“…It’s a bit early, but I’ll give it to you now. I’d get nervous if I didn’t do it while the topic was up.”
“Really!? Thank you!”
“I haven’t given it to you yet.”
Then Toka trotted back holding something. She plopped down onto my lap.
“Um, well… I don’t know if it’s something you’ll like, Ryo-kun…”
“Hm?”
As I looked puzzled, Toka slowly attached a large ribbon hair accessory to her own hair.
“This ribbon is the one I wore when I did my very first job…”
“Yeah. It’s really cute.”
“S-so, you see—”
Toka looked up at me from my lap.
“I’m giving you… everything I have…”
“Huh!?”
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