Episode Forty-Six

“What sort of girl is Haibara Yōme?”

That night.
Having emerged from the bath, I asked Ibara, who was already fully prepared for bed.

“Yōme?”

“Yes. What sort of girl did she seem to you?”

“Hmm. As I’ve said before, she’s the ambitious, stoic type. I think ‘Cinderella’ is a motif that suits Yōme perfectly.”

“What does that mean? That she gets bullied by her stepmother or something?”

No, no, Yōme laughed.

“Just a normal dual-income household. She’s a neat freak who loves cleaning, mentally tough and resilient in adversity, gets on well with her siblings but is the youngest… Personally, though, the biggest thing is probably that thing.”

“That thing?”

“When the spell breaks… Hey, Shigure-san.”

“What?”

“Why did you suddenly ask about Hime?”

“Eh?”

Um, umm. How should I answer that?
Well, I do have confidentiality obligations.
I can’t tell her that Hime became the official ambassador for ‘Cinderella’, or that I’m working on the collaboration products.

“…Well, actually. I’ve been a bit curious about it lately. Seems Hime and Ibara were quite close, after all.”

I blurted out that flimsy excuse, and Ibara’s mouth twisted into an unusually pleased smile. What’s with that face?

“Hmm? Is that it?”

Ah, bad feeling.

“Hey, hey, hey, Shigure-san. Could it be… jealousy? Did you get jealous of Himeiba after finding out about ‘Himeiba’?”

“No. It’s not that.”

“Oh, come on. I told you it wasn’t like that with Himeiba. Shigure-san, you’re surprisingly possessive, aren’t you?”

Ibara chuckled softly.
　This is bad. Ibara’s little devil side is showing.
She shed her hanten and got down on all fours, creeping closer like a feline sizing up its prey.
In an instant, she was close enough to make the sweet scent of body milk reach me.

“Um… I-Ibara?”

“Hime is my friend, and I respect her as an idol. But Shigure-san is special.”

　She said it in a tone that was somehow superior, as if explaining something to a stubborn child.

“You’re my special witch-sama.”

“…………I know that.”

“Huh?”

“I know Ibara is the most special, the most important princess to me too.”

“Huh?”

Ibara gaped, her mouth agape.

“What’s that face for? You know exactly what I mean. You just wanted me to say it, didn’t you?”

“Eh, ah—yeah. Maybe. I suppose.”

“Oh, come on. You’re always teasing me.”

I pressed my index finger against Ibara’s lips.
Feeling her breath catch, I said.

“You really shouldn’t tease your elders too much, you know.”

　At my feeble resistance, Ibara’s ears flushed crimson.

“…Knyuuuuu…”

What was that sound? Where did that come from?

“…You’re the one who’s been toying with a younger girl’s innocence all this time…”

“Eh? What?”

She was saying something, but with my finger pressed against her lips, it was just mumbling I couldn’t make out.
　Bang bang bang! The agitated Ibara pounded the bed beside us. The fairly high-end mattress shook violently.
What’s with the sudden outburst?

“Shigure-san, hug! Today’s hug time!”

“Ah, yes. Go ahead.”

At Ibara’s somewhat angry-sounding command, I spread my arms wide. Hug-waiting pose.
Like a beast seizing its prey, Ibara lunged fiercely into my chest.
Fluffy pyjamas and the soft body wrapped within pressed tightly against my entire frame.
Ibara wrapped her arms around my back and hugged me tight.

“…Mm, fya…”

From those lips, sweet sighs escape as if she were in the midst of a massage.
Hugs, are they really that pleasant? I know Ibara enjoys them, but…
Lately, I feel like the duration of our hugs has been gradually increasing.
Not just once, but sometimes she asks for two or three in a single night.
It’s not just the length. Recent hugs feel… deeper, somehow.
　It’s not just holding each other; it’s as if she’s trying to fill every gap between our skin, clinging tightly.
Ibara’s breasts are flattened against mine, enveloping them, and our thighs press together perfectly through our thin nightwear.
Suddenly, Haru’s words flashed through my mind.

　──That schoolgirl, Ame, is looking at you with lust in her eyes.

Could this be what he meant?
Does Ibara now want to touch me more deeply?
Is that why she presses her body against mine like this, clinging?
The moment that thought occurred to me, a strong desire stirred in the back of my neck.
I want to find out.
　I wanted to know. What Ibara was feeling right now.
Aki-san had said, “Wanting to confirm someone else’s feelings just shows you’re confused yourself.”
I suppose she was right.
Still, I wanted to know.
I needed a signpost, to see where our path was leading.
Pathetic for an adult, embarrassing for someone older.
But the word ‘temptation’ drove my body forward.
　Summoning every scrap of knowledge I possessed, I tentatively slipped my hand around Ibara’s back.

“…Mm…”

I traced my fingers gently along her spine, from top to bottom. Repeatedly, over and over.

“…Shigure-san…?”

“Sorry, did you mind?”
“…No. It feels nice. More.”

More. More, you say.
Does that mean her back? Or somewhere else?
Fortunately, I have two arms. For now, I kept stroking her back with my left hand while lowering my right hand further down.
The base of her back. Around where it meets her waist.
I gently traced upwards with my index, middle, and ring fingers.

“Hii!”

“Ticklish?”

“…It’s fine.”

“Would you like me to stroke here too?”

Ibara nodded silently, rubbing her face against my collarbone.
I stopped my right hand and concentrated on the left.
As I repeatedly ran my fingers over the area, changing the angle and speed, her hips suddenly jerked.
Ah, so that’s it.
　Ibara likes this sort of thing.

“…Huuu…”

I repeated the same motion on the same spot.
Each time, a small moan escaped from Ibara’s lips near my ear.
How long did I keep this up?
Probably not that long, I reckon.
Ibara in my arms had completely gone limp, leaning her weight against me, utterly defenceless.

“Hey, Ibara.”

“…Fai…”

She was limp as a ragdoll. It felt like there wasn’t a single bone in her body.
Her eyes were glistening, her cheeks flushed and warm.
I’d thought asking her directly would be impossible.
But now, after loosening her up this much, perhaps I’d get an honest answer.

“I have a question, you see.”

“…Hmm.”

“If I’m misunderstanding, I’m terribly sorry…”

Ibara blinked, urging me to continue.
I swallowed hard.

“Ibara… could it be you’re looking at me with lecherous eyes?”

In my arms, I felt the girl’s body stiffen.