Episode 7: Fancy Having Sex with Me?

“Eh? Like, between women?”

“Shhh! Ritsu-san, your voice is too loud!”

A quiet weekday afternoon in the café.

Suddenly, words entirely unsuitable for a peaceful tea time were uttered, and I hurriedly silenced Ritsu-san.

　Perhaps unable to grasp the intent behind the question, Ritsu-san looked puzzled as she picked a macaron from the cake stand and popped it into her mouth.

Thankfully, I’d only seated Ritsu-san at the counter so other customers couldn’t hear. I breathed a sigh of relief.

As for why Ritsu-san was at my part-time job’s café… Well, it was because I’d invited her. I’d said, “We’re doing an afternoon tea set at our shop, so please come if you’d like.”

Of course, I wasn’t doing it purely for the shop’s sales.

It was because I had something I wanted to ask Ritsu-san, who is Yui-san’s friend.

That thing I wanted to ask… well, it basically brings us back to the question at the beginning.

I was surprised when Ritsu-san actually dropped by straight after university on the very day I invited her.
　Yui once said, “Ritsu’s best quality is her quick response. If you invite her for drinks, she always comes,” and it seems that wasn’t entirely untrue.

“…Why not just ask Yui? Wouldn’t that be quicker?”

Leaning her cheek on her hand, Ritsu’s drooping eyes stared intently at me. She certainly had a point…

“… It’s a bit too raw to ask the person involved, you know?”

“Well, yeah… It’d be awkward if I asked weird questions and got told everything step by step, wouldn’t it?”

Ritsu gave a mischievous smile, thinking Yui would definitely do that. This time, I shot her a lingering, resentful glare.

“…Yui-san wouldn’t do that.”

“Oh my, when did you start getting so attached? How sweet.”

　Ritsu said teasingly, but that wasn’t what I meant. I wanted to say that, as I’ve said many times before, I’m simply not Yui’s type, so there’s no way she’d make a move on me.

“But you know, I really don’t know what kind of sex Yui has. You don’t ask your friends about that sort of thing in detail, do you?”

“It’s not about Yui specifically, it’s just… generally speaking.”

“Er… so you want to know how women generally do it with each other?”

Leaning close over the counter, Ritsu whispered as quietly as possible, and I nodded vigorously in response.

It was simply a question.

When I really thought about Yui’s motives from my perspective, it boiled down to this:

She doesn’t bother with girlfriends because it’s too much hassle, but she wants to have sex with cute girls.

　But then I wonder: what does Yui actually get out of it?

Repeating it endlessly without any affection involved – is sex between women really that good?

“Ah, I see… OK, so that’s the starting point then.”

After moistening her lips with the milk tea I’d recommended, Ritsu gave a defiant smile.

“Next time, ask Yui. ‘Which finger do you always use, Yui-san?’ Then I’m sure she’ll tell you what you want to know, Kanata-chan.”

That night, after receiving that advice. The chance came abruptly.

“Eh… Nails? You want to do it? Mine? Not your own?”

　Yui froze, nail file in hand, looking utterly flummoxed.

All I’d done was offer to do it for her while she sat in her usual spot on the sofa, humming to herself as she filed her nails.

The scent of nail polish remover hung in the air as Yui’s manicure vanished cleanly. Her fingertips looked unusually fresh.

The other day, I recalled the moment she held my hand. Simple black polish on short nails.

Last week, I’m certain it was a deep navy. Her fingertips, which change colour so frequently, seem to mirror her fickle nature.

“…Is something wrong?”

“No… it’s not wrong, but…”

　Ignoring Yui-san, who was unusually hesitant, I snatched the nail file from her hand. Plonking myself down beside her, I held out my hand, urging her on.

I scrutinised the right hand she reluctantly offered. As I ran the file over the tips of her nails, which hadn’t grown much, Yui-san watched me, as if gauging my reaction.

“…Do you find it enjoyable, filing someone else’s nails?”

Enjoyable? If asked, I wouldn’t say it was particularly enjoyable. But I saw it as a chance to study Yui-san’s hands closely.

“It is enjoyable.”

“…Hmm.”

I moved the file evenly, adjusting the length, recalling the usual length of Yui-san’s nails.

“But Yui, your nails are quite short, so there might not be much to do.”

Even when filing, her nails — always well-maintained — only needed a slight length adjustment and smoothing of the edges before returning to their usual state.

“It’s boring, isn’t it? That’s enough.”

Looking unusually restless, Yui said this as if she couldn’t bear it any longer. I shook my head from side to side, still clutching her right hand.

“That hand too.”

“Eh?”

I said that, shifting my gaze to her left hand. Honestly, no matter how I looked at it, I couldn’t see her nails as being long. They were well-groomed, feminine hands.

She seemed reluctant to have her nails done… or rather, slightly troubled.

When she first offered her right hand, it felt odd. If someone else was going to do your nails, you’d normally offer your dominant hand, the one you find harder to do yourself.

“…Yui-san, you’re left-handed, aren’t you?”

I thought to myself, what a belated question. It wasn’t that I hadn’t noticed her holding chopsticks with her left hand while we ate together… I knew and asked anyway.

“Yes, I am… Why?”

“Then…”

Resolving myself, I took Yui-san’s left hand. I thought she might refuse, but she didn’t pull away. I gently grasped her index finger.

“Is this the finger you use when embracing a woman?”

I could tell she’d drawn in her breath. Seeing Yui-san, usually so composed, flustered for the first time gave me a slight, fleeting sense of satisfaction.

Perhaps caught off guard by such a sudden question, she stared straight at me.

Her gaze seemed to probe the true meaning behind my question. So I stared back, refusing to be outdone.

　There was no reason. I simply wanted to know you. More properly, to reach deeper into your heart.

After a long pause, Yui-san, worn down, let out a small sigh.

“…No.”

But the words that came back were unexpected. Huh, no? I tilted my head.

“My ring finger is longer than my index finger. The ones I use are the middle finger and the ring finger.”

I clasped her hand, as if to check the length of her fingers. It was true, they were long and beautiful, I thought, but indeed, her ring finger was slightly longer than her index finger.

As I squeezed her ring finger, my hand was gently squeezed back. Her long fingers slid smoothly between mine and wouldn’t let go.

“Hey… why did you want to know that?”

　Despite seeming slightly flustered moments ago, she’d already reverted to her usual composed self. Her gentle question made me realise she’d taken control of the conversation.

I tried to convey with my eyes that I wanted her to let go, but Yui just smiled brightly and tightened her grip.

She was smiling, but her face clearly said, I’m not letting you escape.

“Um… well…”

Liar, Ritsu. You said Yui-san would tell me if I asked her this. I feel like I’ve pressed the wrong button somehow.

“…Ritsu-san told me to ask you that.”

I’m sorry, Ritsu-san. I couldn’t bear it anymore and let your name slip out.

“Hmm… You saw Ritsu? When?”

“Today… She came to my part-time job.”

“Oh? When did you two get so close? Makes me a bit jealous.”

Her mischievous thumb rubbed against our joined hands. She was smiling, but the grip on my hand felt slightly forceful, not like the usual Yui-san.

“So, why did Ritsu tell you to ask me that?”

It felt like she was closing off every escape route, one by one. Unable to bear it, I glanced at Yui-san.

　When she locked eyes with me, it felt like she could see straight through my soul, and I instinctively looked away. Putting it into words felt too risky, too likely to cause misunderstanding…

Just as that thought crossed my mind, the fingers of her free hand lifted my chin from where I’d lowered my head.

Our eyes met, and I almost forgot to breathe.

“…Hey, Kanata. You want to ask me something, don’t you? I won’t tell you if you stay silent.”

　Yui-san’s voice calling my name, making me feel like crying, was far gentler than I’d imagined.

“…I’m sorry.”

I couldn’t take it anymore. Any more back-and-forth would only expose my flaws. When I surrendered and apologised, Yui-san chuckled softly.

“Oh, come on… What was that? That’s cheating.”

She laughed softly, as if the taut string had snapped, just like she always did, and I couldn’t tell what to make of it.

“But, Yui-san, you were angry…”

“Not angry, not angry.”

She pulled my hand, drawing my head to her chest. Patting my head gently, I finally understood I’d been forgiven.

“…I’m sorry, it was an insensitive question.”

“Not at all, I was just teasing a little.”

　Everyone has one or two things they don’t want asked about, yet I might have been lacking in consideration.

“So? What did you really want to know?”

Yui-san asked while twirling my long hair playfully. I too, idly rolling the file I’d been clutching, looked up at her.

“…I just wondered, is it really that good, being with another woman?”

　Yui-san’s hand stopped abruptly. Had I blurted something out again?

Her fingers released my hair. Her palm pressed gently against my back, slowly stroking down my spine.

I’d never been touched like this before. Just as I thought to pull away, as if she’d read my mind, her arm wrapped around my waist, drawing me closer.

“…Interested?”

　A sweet voice whispered in my ear. Startled, I tried to push her shoulders away, but my hands were caught effortlessly, and our gazes locked directly.

Her eyes were a deep colour, almost like I could be sucked in.

“…Want to have sex with me?”

“…Huh!?”

Heat rushed to my face. I could feel myself blushing visibly, but there was nothing I could do about my heart pounding wildly.

　Those mischievous eyes were fixed on me. I couldn’t tell if she was serious or joking.

It felt like I was being tested.

“Um, Yui-san, you like girls who are cute and not a hassle, right…?”

“Did you hear that from Ritsu?”

“I don’t think I fit that description.”

Cute or not aside. I was well aware I wasn’t the ‘not a hassle’ type.

　I’m the type who overthinks things. I don’t really go with the flow or momentum of the moment.

I should know better. Objectively speaking, I’m hardly the kind of playmate Yui-san would want.

“…What am I to you, Yui-san?”

Roommate. Daughter of a friend of my father’s. Junior at university. There are all sorts of labels.

What on earth is this person thinking when they look at me?

“Hmm… a cute but troublesome junior.”

She said it with a cheerful smile, so I pulled my hand away from her. I tossed the file I was holding and stood up.

“You idiot, Yui!”

I spat out a parting shot and stormed back into my room with a loud slam.

　Yui-san didn’t come after me.

I admit I was definitely in the wrong this time, and for Yui-san, it was probably just a bit of payback.

Even so, that was too much. There are limits to teasing.

I leaned my back against my room door and slid down to sit.

“Honestly, I can’t… it’s awful…”

My heart wouldn’t stop pounding.

　As if to interrupt my confusion, my pocket vibrated. I pulled out the phone I’d left inside.

One notification on the chat app. The name Hayakawa Eita appeared.

‘I’ll go to the shop tomorrow to return the umbrella when Aosawa finishes work. I’ll treat you to dinner as thanks.’

I sighed. Oh dear, because Yui-san lent her umbrella, this has turned into a hassle after all.

“…It wasn’t me who lent it, so if he wants to thank someone, he should thank Yui-san.”

The muttered words echoed in the room, reaching no one. The thought of tomorrow’s shift made me gloomy, and I flung myself onto the bed as if to shake off the thoughts.