Episode 25: You Can’t Possibly Refuse, Can You?

What on earth did I want to do?

My alcohol-addled brain couldn’t possibly reach an answer.
My head ached and my ears rang. To top it off, my heart had been pounding like a drum since I shouted, leaving me breathless.

　The pain in the back of my head where I’d hit it finally snapped me back to reality. Looking up, I saw Seno-san, completely naked, still on top of me, wearing a solemn expression.

My eyes drifted to her round breasts, dotted with red marks.

A breathtaking sight.

But, somehow, it felt utterly mismatched with the seriousness of the situation, and a chuckle bubbled up from deep within my stomach.

　I knew I absolutely shouldn’t be laughing, but the alcohol only made it funnier and funnier.

“Heh heh…”

“…?”

Unable to hold back the laughter welling up, I burst out laughing. Seno-san looked startled. Well, of course she would – suddenly laughing in a situation like this was bound to seem strange.

　But the tension drained from my shoulders.
Because… I finally understood. I finally realised that every single worry I’d had up until now was nothing but unfounded anxiety.

Because this girl thought I’d dumped her. Can you believe it? Both of us thinking the other had been dumped.
It was a bolt from the blue. I couldn’t hold back the laughter any longer.

“Heh, heh heh… Ahahahaha!”

“…What are you suddenly laughing at?”

“Ow!”

A sharp slap landed on my cheek. It wasn’t a hard blow, but my cheek stung and tingled nonetheless.

Using my elbow to push myself up, I reached out to Seno-san, who was still frowning angrily. I grabbed her slender shoulders firmly and pulled her into a tight hug. It was meant to include all my apologies for before.

“I’m sorry. I thought you were just toying with me. I was scared to confirm my feelings, scared to face them… I’ve been running away this whole time.”

“…What on earth is that supposed to mean?”

“Well, with a start like that, it’s only natural to feel insecure. You never said anything, and unlike you, I’m not used to romance.”

“Who was it who kept saying women don’t have romantic feelings? What was I supposed to say to that?”

A voice full of complaint murmured in my ear. But her arms were wrapped tightly around my back, and that alone made all my unease vanish.

“Sorry. So… tell me again. How do you feel about me?”

I pulled away, facing her directly.

　That night. I wanted to replay what happened that night when we met at Seno-san’s family home.

I gently placed my palm on her cheek. Then I drew my face closer and pressed my lips to hers, as if to confirm.
They were moist and soft. I felt a tingling sensation, like pins and needles, right at the core of my head.

　Truthfully, I’d always found these lips captivating. Touching them felt far better than I’d imagined.

Nothing scared me anymore. I should have found the courage to do this from the start.

After lingering for several seconds, I reluctantly pulled away.

“…You said you’d tell me after we kissed, right?”

As I spoke, I glanced at Seno-san’s expression. She let out a small sigh.

“Well, I did say that back then… but unfortunately, time’s up.”

“Eh?”

She grabbed my shoulders and threw her weight against me. Once more, my body slammed against the floor. Seno-san placed both hands beside my face and smiled maliciously.

“You want to know, don’t you? How I feel. If you let me hold you, I might just tell you.”

“…Huh?”

“You can’t possibly refuse, can you? After doing whatever you wanted with someone’s body just now.”

“H-hold on a moment.”

Flustered by the unexpected turn of events, I tried to pull away. But before I could, Seno-san swiftly grabbed my breast through my clothes.

“Yikes!”

“Don’t run away.”

“Wait, just wait a moment! I’m not mentally prepared yet…”

“Do you feel sorry for doing this? Then just give up. Come on, Kaori.”

Called by name, I looked up at Seno-san through tear-filled eyes. She smiled, looking genuinely pleased.

＊＊＊

My heart was pounding so loudly I feared it might burst through my eardrums.
I’d begged to at least do it on the bed, but she’d dismissed me flatly. My shoulder blades ached where she’d pressed me down onto the floor.

Only now did I finally understand how Seno-san must have felt when I’d pushed her down on the floor before and she’d complained bitterly.

Her lips pressed against my neck sent shivers down my spine.

　Truth be told, it had been an age since anyone had held me like this, let alone a woman. It felt like uncharted territory, and I wanted to run away right then and there.

Considering what I’d done to her before, imagining what I was about to expose of myself to her made my head spin.

　Seno-san shoved her hands into my clothes, yanked them up in one swift motion, and flung them onto the floor. My underwear vanished in an instant, and before I knew it, I was naked.

“Wait, the light, the light!”

When I pushed her shoulder in protest that it was too bright, Seno-san grinned, one side of her mouth curling up.

“But you didn’t turn it off for me earlier, did you? You stared at my naked body in this bright light, yet you don’t want me to see you?”

“But you’re always perfectly fine being completely naked! You never cared about the light before! I can’t do this, it’s embarrassing!”

Being seen naked by a woman is far more humiliating than being seen by a man.
Between women, there’s no faking it. Any shortcut you take gets spotted in an instant.
I felt reluctant to expose myself naked under this glaring light to this woman, perfectly groomed from head to toe.
As I let out a wretched cry, Seno-san suddenly chuckled.

“…Oh well, I suppose I have no choice.”

She picked up the lighting remote on the table, and with a soft beep, the room plunged into darkness.
　I’d begged her to turn off the lights, but this atmosphere was almost too perfect.
As the room was dimly illuminated by an orange glow, Seno-san leaned over me again and gently grasped my wrist.

“Don’t be so afraid. I’m not going to do anything terrible. It’s what you always do to me, isn’t it?”

“I know… but please, be gentle…”

　I found myself uttering words like a virgin, and Seno-san burst out laughing.

“…All right.”

She drew her face closer, confirming I wouldn’t refuse, then her lips touched mine as if to verify.
Her palm rested on my heart, as if checking the relentless, rapid rhythm of my beating pulse. Resigned, I closed my eyes.

　Seno-san was far more accustomed to embracing women than I’d imagined.
It wasn’t strange, given she’d had a girlfriend before, but seeing her past experience shine through made me feel just a tiny bit jealous.

But that jealousy vanished completely the moment her fingertips began skilfully exploring inside me.

I couldn’t stop the sounds escaping me.
Her fingertips pressed precisely, pinpointing the most pleasurable spots as if aimed.

“W-wait, Seno—”

“Call me Rei. You know my name, don’t you?”

“U-ugh—”

“Kaori.”

“Re-re-rei…”

“Mm, that’s right. Good girl. Say it again.”

Whispered gently and softly in my ear, in a tone like she was talking to a child, it made me feel faint.

　I clung to her with trembling arms. The dull headache and ringing in my ears grew worse, but the overwhelming sweetness tormenting my entire body was unbearable. I shook my head from side to side repeatedly.

As the alcohol broke down, her thoughts gradually sharpened and the drunkenness faded. Yet, in another sense, her body, feverishly consumed, was entirely at her mercy.

“Feels good?”

“Why… like this…!”

How did you know? It’s your first time holding me. Seno-san seemed to realise what I wanted to say and smiled with just her lips.

“…How many times do you think I’ve been held by you? I’ve a pretty good idea what feels good.”

Ah, I can’t take it anymore.
My fingertips dug into her slender shoulders.

　A sharp tingle shot through my ear. At that moment, I recalled something I’d once asked Seno-san.

—Isn’t it… unsatisfying?

I never imagined I’d experience the answer to that question firsthand.

—It’s not unsatisfying. There’s nothing lacking.

She was right.