Episode Thirty-Three

Beyond the service entrance lay a more ordinary dwelling than expected.
A toilet stood immediately upon exiting, serving as a sort of small waiting area.
The room had a door leading to a kitchen-diner. Across the hallway lay another toilet and the staircase to the second floor.

“My room’s at the back upstairs… and the bath’s over there.”

Ibara, clutching her bath towel tightly, pointed down the hallway.

“Aki-chan said she’d laid out some spare underwear for me to use.”

“Honestly, I could never sleep with my feet pointing towards that person…”

　I think she’s an absolutely lovely person. Plus, she’s a mature beauty with a straightforward personality.
I doubt she’ll find romance at this café, but if she went out there, she’d probably be incredibly popular. What if she decides to quit the shop? I’d hate that. I’d cry.

“Shigure-san, you’re thinking about Aki-chan again.”

“How did you know⁉︎”

“You really were thinking about her…”

Ibara pressed her lips together in displeasure.

“Come on, let’s go inside. You’ll catch a chill.”

“Ugh…”

She had a point, of course.
But was this really okay?
Ibara and a bath. To take a bath, you have to take your clothes off. All of them.
　We’d inevitably see each other, and be seen.
Would that be acceptable?
Honestly, it felt embarrassing.
Terribly embarrassing.
A twenty-four-year-old showing herself naked to a high school girl. What kind of punishment game was this?
But I did want to bathe. My body was genuinely cold, and it would probably wake me up.
To push through this night, I needed to warm myself up.

“Let’s go.”

Ibara murmured in a slightly hoarse voice.
A soft, plump finger touched my cold palm.
Ibara’s fingertip slid down, tracing my lifeline.
She rubbed between my fingers, then clasped them tightly.

“I-Ibara?”

“…What?”

“What do you mean ‘what’?”

What’s with that grip?
It’s just… a bit too emotionally charged, I suppose. Or rather, the touch feels clammy.
Hey, Ibara breathed out a damp breath.

“If you don’t get undressed soon, you’ll catch a cold.”

The joined hands were gently pulled.
No good. I can’t escape.
Tentatively, I followed where I was led.

　The corridor wasn’t particularly long; they soon reached the combined washroom and changing area.
The cramped space, about two tatami mats in size, contained a washbasin, a washing machine, a plastic clothes rack, and a basket for dirty laundry.
Ibara closed the washroom door and locked it from the inside.
The muggy humidity she felt was probably due to air leaking in from the bathroom.
　Ibara’s fingers touched the second button of her blouse.
The top button was already undone.
The soft pop I heard was probably just my imagination. There was no way I could have heard it.
One, two… she undid the buttons of her blouse, teasingly slow.
Why was this happening?
I felt myself starting to look at her strangely.
To put it bluntly, without fear of misunderstanding, I felt myself starting to look at her with a lecherous gaze.

　Perhaps I really am tired.
I must be completely mad. To look at a schoolgirl seven years my junior, who I’ve slept beside all this time, with eyes like that.
Her fingers stopped when they reached the fourth button.

“Shigure-san too,”

Ibara murmured softly.

“Take yours off. It’s unfair that only I have to show you my naked body.”

“Er, Ibara. I think I’ll just come in later after all.”

“No.”

Ibara shook her head.
She was the one standing by the entrance to the changing room. Unless she moved, I couldn’t get back outside.

“You’ll catch a cold. You need to warm up properly. So, Shigure-san… take it off.”

Ibara’s words carried a tone that was almost like a plea, a desperate urgency.

“Everything, you know. Underwear too.”

Well, I am going to take a bath, so naturally I’ll take everything off.

“…Right then, I’ll take it off. But don’t stare too much. And don’t compare yourself to me.”

I hooked my fingers under the hem of my turtleneck jumper and slipped it off gently.
I placed the discarded garment in the laundry basket and undid the fastening on my skirt.
　My legs, thighs, and bottom were fully exposed beneath my eighty-denier black tights.

“…Ugh…”

Ibara groaned.

“What? Oh, did I snag it somewhere?”

“N-nothing.”

She turned away abruptly, yet kept glancing sideways at me.
　Hmm, does it bother her that much? My nakedness.
But then, thinking back, I might have been the same once.
Comparing my own body to others or adults, getting down about the tiniest differences, or conversely finding some value in them.
In other words, it’s just adolescence, I suppose.

“Does it bother you?”

“──Not at all!”

Ibara shook her head firmly. It was obvious.
　You cute little thing.
Thanks to that, I felt a bit more at ease. I wasn’t the only one feeling embarrassed or ashamed.
I slipped off the camisole straps and removed my tights.
All that remained was my underwear. Good thing I’d made sure to match the top and bottom.
Not quite as ample as Ibara or Aki-san, but I placed my hands over my chest and struck a pose.

“Hehe, what do you think? Surprisingly sexy for me, right?”

“……………….”

“Sorry, silence’s not helping.”

Embarrassing.
I’d done something completely out of character.

“Next’s your turn, Ibara.”

“…I know.”

Ibara’s fingers hurriedly touched the fourth button. Then the one below it.
All the buttons came undone.
　The damp fabric clinging to her skin peeled away as the blouse fell from Ibara’s shoulders.
My breath caught because I was mesmerised. By her fine, translucent skin and her full, rounded curves.
Without flattery, she looked like an angel. Her stomach, in particular, was beautiful.
Smooth and silky, it stirred a mischievous desire within me.
　Knowing it was wrong, my hand still reached out.

“Mmmph!”

Ibara’s body jerked and bent.

“Eh, ah, sorry. Were my fingers cold?”

“………………………….”

Her face flushed red as she pressed her hands to her stomach, glaring up at me with resentful eyes.

“F-Forbidden.”

“Eh?”

“Suddenly touching my stomach is forbidden. Absolutely not allowed.”

Oh dear. Hearing that just makes me want to touch it more.
Maybe I could sneak a touch later? It’s not like it’s her chest or anything.
Still flushed, Ibara murmurs.

“…My stomach being weak is all your fault, Shigure-san…”

　What on earth?
Is she talking about not getting enough probiotics in her daily breakfast or something?
Why bring that up now?
Before I could ask why, Ibara’s fingers undid the hook on her skirt.
The red and pink checked fabric fell with a rustle to the floor.

“…I took it off.”

She said this, her face red, covering her underwear with her arms.

“But don’t look too much.”

“But you were looking too, Ibara.”

“But I don’t like being stared at.”

“Eh? It’s fine, Ibara’s beautiful. Not embarrassing at all.”

“Shigure-san is really beautiful too.”

Ugh. A sudden counterattack.
The little composure I had left peeled away, layer by layer.
Oh, for heaven’s sake. Stop blushing, me.

“Beautiful, so. Hurry up and take yours off.”

“…It’s a bit late now, but… isn’t taking them off one by one incredibly embarrassing?”

“Hurry up. It’s getting cold.”

“Right, right.”

I reached round my back and hooked my fingers into my bra clasp.
Feeling eyes that felt like they could burn holes, I snapped back to my senses.
No, this was a bit much. Even between women.
I spun round, facing away from Ibara, and pulled my bra off in one swift motion.
Without hesitation, I took off the rest in one breath.

“Ah!”

Ignoring Ibara’s cry, or perhaps it was surprise, I tossed the discarded underwear into the basket.
Without pausing, I opened the door leading to the bathroom.

“Ugh…”

Behind me, Ibara was grumbling for some reason, but I paid it no mind.
If she’s cold, she should just get in already.