Chapter 29: Kissing Isn’t My Only Talent, You Know
Alone in the silent changing room.
I noticed my own hands, undoing the neatly tied obi of my yukata, were trembling ever so slightly.
I was nervous — terribly so.
Yui-san had said she’d wait for me outside in the bath and left me behind rather promptly.
I recalled our exchange just minutes before.
“You absolutely mustn’t do anything, you hear?”
She said it as if to emphasise, then smiled and nodded.
“I know. It’ll be fine.”
She said that, but was it true?
Even when we watched the fireworks, she’d broken our promise to do nothing and kissed me without a second thought. Could she really keep this promise to do nothing?
I asked my heart, which was beating so hard it was almost funny.
Why is it pounding so hard? If I didn’t like it, I could just stop.
Yui-san would never force me. She respects my opinion.
I know that, so why did I agree? I don’t understand myself.
As I slipped out of my yukata and stood in my underwear, my heartbeat grew even more intense.
Taking a deep breath, I reached behind me and undid my bra clasp. I slipped it off my arms and placed it gently in the basket.
The sight of her neatly folded clothes in the basket beside mine felt uncomfortably vivid.
What should I do? My heart is really pounding. This makes it seem like I’m expecting something to happen.
Anyway, I just need to keep a straight face. It’s because I’m conscious of it that Yui-san finds it amusing and teases me.
I slipped the underwear off both legs. Standing there with nothing against my bare skin made me feel uneasy and fidgety.
Steeling myself, I stepped forward and placed my hand on the door leading to the open-air bath. I peered through the slightly ajar gap.
In the dim light, her silhouette, long black hair gathered up at the back, appeared faintly through the mist.
“Yui-san, I’m coming in now. Please close your eyes.”
“Eh? Close my eyes? The whole time?”
“Until I say it’s alright.”
Cutting off her disgruntled words, I said that. When she replied, “Right,” I felt reassured and slid my body through the door.
Beyond the steam, Yui-san’s white back came into view, and I moved my feet slowly, step by step.
It’s a bit nippy outside, so let’s just get in already.
Thank goodness it was milky white water. I was relieved not to be able to see Yui-san’s body, submerged up to her chest.
After rinsing myself, I dipped my toes into the bath. The enveloping warmth was just right, and I couldn’t help but sigh.
“Hey, are you done yet?”
Yui-san said impatiently, so I hurriedly submerged myself up to my shoulders and turned my back.
“…Yes, I’m done.”
Knowing her gaze would definitely turn towards me if I opened my eyes, I curled up, hugging my knees. Then I heard a splash, and at the same moment, a white arm stretched out from behind me.
Huh? Before I could react, she pulled me tight against her from behind. Yui-san, who’d been in the bath a little longer than me, was warm, her smooth body pressed close.
Something soft touched my back, and suddenly, it felt like all the blood in my body started boiling.
Wait, hold on. This is too sudden, I might freeze up.
“Hey, why are you facing away? Turn towards me.”
Her lips drew close to my ear, taking my breath away.
Hey, Yui-san, you’re pressing against my back.
I wanted to say it, but saying it would make it obvious I was conscious of it. I couldn’t say it. Absolutely couldn’t. We hug all the time, it’s just a single layer of fabric separating us, so why was my heart racing like this?
“Why? Because it’s embarrassing.”
“The water’s cloudy, I can’t see a thing. So show me your face, please.”
Her shoulders were gently grasped, urging me to turn around.
I turned as prompted, almost too easily. The line from her nape to her collarbone that flooded my vision was so breathtakingly beautiful that I hesitated over where to look. In the end, I found myself staring back into her eyes.
Yui-san smiled gently.
Somehow, it seemed like I was the only one feeling flustered and nervous. Yui-san looked perfectly composed, and that was a bit infuriating.
As I was thinking that, Yui-san’s arm gently drew my body closer from the front.
“Your face is red. Cute.”
“Yui-san, just a moment…”
I start to protest that embracing naked clearly goes beyond the bounds of senior and junior, but swallow the words.
The bare skin pressed together, without a single gap, feels so incredibly good I lose my voice.
I never knew a woman’s uniquely smooth, soft skin could feel this good.
I don’t want to think about it, but I think I understand just a little why Yui-san wants to have sex with girls.
Resistance was probably futile now. Resigned, I quietly rested my head on her shoulder. Wrapping my arms around her back, I pulled her close.
What should I do? It’s so warm and incredibly pleasant. I want to stay like this forever.
My heart kept pounding. Though nervous, somehow just being held by Yui-san made all the tension drain from my body.
“Hehe…”
Then I heard her laugh softly in my ear.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Because you’re quieter than usual. Are you nervous? You’re cute.”
It’d be unreasonable to expect me not to be nervous in this situation. Whose fault do you think it is?
She gently stroked my cheek, and the sensation of her fingertips felt so good I closed my eyes.
“Yui-san, why are you so calm…? Am I really that unattractive? My breasts aren’t even that big…”
Objectively speaking, I think my body is average. I don’t know what kind of figure Yui-san prefers, but I have no confidence in my own body.
In fact, the reason my ex-boyfriend cheated on me and dumped me was because of my body. A body that can’t feel pleasure during sex, that’s insensitive, couldn’t possibly be attractive.
“…Kanata. Give me your hand.”
She took the arm I’d had around her back, and with a splash, lifted my hand out of the bath. Where she pulled me towards was the expanse of Yui-san’s pure white chest.
Glancing sideways at my startled expression, she pressed her palm against my heart.
The beat I felt was slightly faster than mine. I found myself looking into Yui-san’s eyes.
“I’m nervous too. My heart’s pounding like crazy.”
“Sure it’s not the alcohol?”
Hadn’t she been drinking earlier? Wasn’t that why her heart was racing?
She’s used to seeing women naked, yet she genuinely gets flustered over seeing me?
“You’re so suspicious.”
Yui laughed as she said it, but I thought it was her fault for making me feel that way. Quite seriously.
“Well then, make my heart race even more.”
Her face drew closer abruptly, so I hastily pressed my palm against her lips to stop her.
“…Kanata, your hand… it’s in the way.”
“Wh-why were you trying to kiss me?”
“If you put your hand over my heart, you’d understand. How much I’m racing for you. You want to know, don’t you?”
Her palm was removed from my lips and gently returned to my heart.
“Um, Yui-san…”
My voice trembled slightly as I called her name. Before I could come up with another excuse to refuse the kiss, her lips silenced my words. I saw the fire ignite in Yui-san’s eyes.
That gaze sent a shiver down my spine.
After several brief touches of a kiss, she licked my lips. I knew what that signalled, but in a last-ditch resistance, I kept my mouth shut and resisted.
“…Open your mouth.”
Hearing her say it clearly, I realised I was already obeying. As if it were the most natural thing, my body was at her mercy.
Oh dear, I’d realised something terrible. If Yui-san ordered me like this, I might not be able to resist anything she said.
A soft tongue slipped into my mouth. She held me tight as my body tried to escape, and when her tongue tangled with mine, breathing became unbearably difficult.
“Mmm, mmm…”
My head was spinning, growing hazy. The sweet taste of our tongues brushing together felt so good. All the strength drained from my body, leaving me limp and floppy.
The sensual sound of our kiss echoed, making my head feel even more daft.
Her mischievous fingertips slowly traced each vertebra down my spine, stroking my back. I couldn’t help it — my body twitched and trembled.
My own heartbeat was too loud; I had no room to spare for Yui-san’s heartbeat.
What should I do? It feels good… maybe. I’d never felt this way about a kiss before.
It was the first time I’d ever thought, I want more.
After her fingertips traced my back, then moved across my side, and the moment she stroked from my waist to my thigh, my body shook so violently I pulled away from her lips as if exploding.
Even when I tried to push her shoulders away, releasing my hands from her chest, the arm around my waist pulled me back. I wasn’t allowed to pull away.
Her tongue gently traced my neck, then suddenly sucked hard, making me gasp and cover my mouth with my hand.
“…Can you feel my heart pounding?”
Her pulse beat faintly against my skin. But mine was racing so wildly, I couldn’t tell whose heartbeat was whose anymore.
My knees felt like jelly. I couldn’t take it anymore. I surrendered. I waved the white flag and let my weight fall onto Yui-san.
“I don’t know anymore, I’m going to die from this pounding…”
I rested my cheek on her shoulder. Please forgive me. I won’t doubt you anymore. I could feel Yui-san’s laughter through our touching skin.
“…Yui-san, you absolutely love kissing, don’t you?”
When I pointed it out, Yui-san laughed oddly.
“Why’d you think that?”
“Because you’re good at kissing… It’s weird, it feels so good, it’s strange.”
My true feelings slipped out, and when Yui burst out laughing, ahaha, I realised I’d said too much. But it was too late. Words spoken once couldn’t be taken back.
“Did you like it? So you like kissing too, Kanata?”
She traced her lips softly with her thumb, smiling defiantly.
“…Kissing isn’t the only thing I’m good at, you know. If you’ll let me, I could show you things that feel even better.”
I heard a devilish whisper. Or rather, she was already a devil, this person.
Naked, embracing, kissing, hearing such an invitation… could any woman resist?
“…So this is how you seduce girls, Yui-san? Just playing around?”
“Hardly. If it were just play, I wouldn’t go about it so roundabout.”
If it’s not play, then what is it? Before I could ask, mischievous fingertips gently traced up my thigh, and I hurriedly pushed her shoulder away.
No, no, I won’t let myself be swept away. Absolutely not.
“Yui-san, I… I feel like I’m going to faint…”
The moment I said it, her fingers stopped dead.
“…No?”
Her deep black eyes fixed on me.
Ah, how blissful it would be to fall asleep in her arms. If only I could just give in.
But if I did, I’d surely face hell.
If I let her hold me even once, I’d never forgive her for holding another woman.
Then I’d become the sort of woman Yui-san dislikes – a troublesome woman.
That’s the one thing I must avoid.
Because even if I gave her my body, Yui-san wouldn’t become mine alone.
“…No.”
The words I somehow squeezed out might have trembled pitifully.
With a slight sigh of disappointment, Yui-san murmured, “What a shame.”
“All right… We’ll continue this another time.”
Her gentle lips pressed against my cheek.
It was probably only a matter of time before I gave in to her.
Because Yui-san treats me so kindly, just like a lover would.
Don’t look at me with such adoring eyes.
When you have no intention of making me your lover.
Falling for someone who won’t return my feelings is too painful. That’s why I can never bring myself to tell you I like you.
It’s unfair. You say you like me, yet your body craves me, so why don’t you want my heart?
It’s because you keep acting so ambiguous. Because you make me choose everything.
So I find myself wishing you’d just take everything from me.