The Aquarium - “Should We Continue?” ※
Click.
The sound of the apartment door unlocking rings out in the quiet hallway.
I step inside with Hanamori, and close the door.
Click.
The lock catching.
Then, a soft rattle as the chain swings.
The sound of us being sealed into a private space together lingers, unnervingly loud, in my ears.
We stand together just inside the entryway.
I look at Hanamori; her cheeks are flushed, looking up at me slightly.
Glossy eyes.
A small, quiet intake of breath.
Faintly parted lips.
By the time I notice, I’ve already pulled her into an embrace.
“…Ah…”
A small sound slips out.
Hanamori’s breath falls against my neck, close enough to tickle.
I lean my face in, and our lips touch, softly.
Just a few seconds of kissing.
Pulling back, touching again.
Chu, chu, a light sound, repeating over and over.
Soft lips.
Eventually the kiss lengthens, our tongues touching.
Tongues tangling again and again, breath mixing together. Hot breath spills from the gap between our lips.
My head goes hazy, my footing unsteady.
—It feels good.
The kiss keeps deepening.
Only wet sounds and our small voices fill the room.
“…Mm… haah…… Asami-san… you’ve been holding back all day, haven’t you……”
Hanamori whispers, breathless.
Eyes narrowed slightly, a little mischievous.
“You’re just too cute, Chisa.”
“Only using my name at times like this, really…… that’s not fair……”
She says it with melting eyes, wrapping her arms around my neck.
“You’re the one who said normal use is the last name.”
I laugh a little, murmuring, then press my lips to hers again.
Our sweet voices spill from deep in our throats, mixing together.
Wet sounds spread slowly through the quiet room.
Our breathing grows more ragged.
My hand reaches for her chest, over the dress.
The instant I gently cup it—
“…Wait, hold on a second.”
Hanamori grabs my arm, stopping me.
“…Eh.”
“I mean…… we’re still in the entryway? I haven’t even taken my shoes off.”
“…Ah.”
“Don’t just say ‘ah.’”
Hanamori says it, glaring at me half-jokingly, then laughs, exasperated.
Caught up in it, I can’t help laughing too.
How little self-control do I even have. Acting like some wild animal — embarrassing.
The sound of the shower comes from the other room. A steady rush of water, continuing at an even rhythm.
Just that sound alone stirs something deep in my chest.
Thud, thud — my heart won’t quiet down.
Hanamori comes out.
Wearing one of my slightly oversized sweatshirts, drops falling from her wet hair.
“…Haah……”
A small exhale. Her flushed cheeks are unbearably sultry.
I finish my own shower after her and come back to the room.
Hanamori’s sitting in a chair, leaning back loosely, scrolling her phone.
“So, should we resume the sex from earlier?”
…There’s no way I can just ask that.
I can’t find my way back into it.
“…Want something to drink? I’ll make café au lait.”
Trying to cover my restlessness, I stand up to head to the kitchen — and just then—
She hugs me tightly from behind.
“…!”
Softness against my back.
Slender arms around my waist.
Even through clothes, her body heat comes through.
Thud — my heart gives a loud jump.
“…Nagi.”
She whispers my name by my ear, breath mixed in.
“Should we continue?”
Her voice trembles slightly.
Clingy, aching.
That temptation is too cute. Unfair. There’s no way I could hold back.
I pushed Hanamori onto the bed right then and there and pressed my lips to hers. Long, slowly.
When our lips parted after the lengthy kiss, a sweet sound echoed.
Touching again, our tongues intertwining once more.
With every breath that mingled and every entangling of our tongues, shivers ran through my entire body.
To think a kiss alone could make me burn like this.
Undressing Hanamori revealed her full, rounded breasts.
Even though I had the exact same things, hers were shaped so much more beautifully than mine, and the colour too… As those thoughts crossed my mind, I found myself entranced.
“…Geez, you pervert. …Don’t… stare so much.”
Hanamori averted her eyes in embarrassment, attempting to cover her chest with her hands.
The gesture and her expression were so achingly adorable that my heart squeezed tight.
I shed my clothes as well and held Hanamori close.
As our skin met, it was smooth, soft.
The sweet, refreshing scent of body soap hovered in the air.
Each time I adjusted my embrace, a soft, supple sensation yielded against my chest.
“Nnh…”
Hanamori hugged me back just as tightly.
Her nails dug into my back to the point of pain.
Yet the sheer strength of that hold was unbearably endearing to me.
“…I love you.”
Hanamori’s voice was a mere raspy whisper.
A voice so quiet it was almost imperceptible.
She was surely embarrassed.
“I love you too, Chisa…”
Whispering that, I showered kisses over her ear, her neck, her collarbone.
Sliding my hand down to her chest, each time my fingertips caressed the soft swells—
“…Ah…” a small voice leaked out in response.
That sweet voice slowly filled the quiet room.
Gently, again and again.
Each time my fingertips touched her chest, I drew them away on purpose.
Bringing them close as if to tease, then pulling back once more.
At a distance so close it barely brushed her plump pink peaks, I played with her.
A light poke.
“…Ngh.”
A sharp intake of breath for just a fraction of a second.
Again, poke, poke.
“Nnh… ugh… nnn…”
Every time, sweet, quiet whimpers spilled from deep within her throat.
A voice trying to endure, yet unable to hold back.
Then, I flicked her with my tongue, a light, fleeting touch.
“Ah… Ahn!”
Drawing back instantly, then another light flick…
“Ahn… nnn… geez…”
As I enveloped her breast with my lips and flicked the tip of my tongue repeatedly over her, her voice grew louder, and Hanamori instinctively covered her mouth with the back of her hand.
Even so, hushed, raspy breaths leaked through the gaps between her fingers.
“…Ngh, nnh… phew…”
Her eyes narrowed, moist and glistening, her expression melty and dazed—she was so irresistibly cute.
Her sweet, moist-laced gasps softly filled the quiet room.
My hand glided slowly downward.
Over her underwear, my middle finger gently traced that central line.
“Nnh…!”
Hanamori squeezed her eyes shut, her body jolting in a small spasm.
I could feel through my fingertips the sudden tightening of her arms around me.
Even through her underwear, the dampness was distinct.
“…Ngh.”
I slowly slipped off her underwear and gently stroked her exposed entrance once more.
With every trace, my finger slid smoothly across the slick wetness.
Hanamori’s eyes drooped with arousal, her voice melting into something sweet and heavy.
One finger.
“…Ngh.”
Then, two.
“Nnh… nnn…”
Inside her, it was warm and soft.
Each time I slowly moved my fingers, tiny wet squelches lingered lewdly in my ears.
As I gradually picked up the pace, the sounds and Hanamori’s voice grew progressively louder.
“Ah… nnh… geez… Nagi… that’s… no…”
Hanamori grabbed my wrist as if to stop me. Her voice was plaintive, sweet.
It seemed like a refusal, yet somehow felt like she was clinging to me all the same.
I whispered teasingly right into her ear.
“Want me to stop?”
“…Ngh.”
After a beat, Hanamori murmured quietly.
“…Liar.”
“…Don’t… stop…”
Her rough, hot breath brushed against my ear.
That pleading voice stirred a protective urge inside me. She was unbearably cute.
While kissing her deeply, I worked my fingers in and out of her again and again.
Nothing but lascivious sounds and sweet cries filled the room.
Afterward—
“…Ah……”
“…Mm……”
A breathless sound, and Hanamori’s body jolted, small and repeated.
Her fingers, clutching my back, tightened.
We looked at each other, both out of breath.
Hanamori, cheeks still flushed, dropped her eyes a little bashfully and murmured.
“…Might be the first time.”
“Eh, first time for what?”
“That…… kind of, floaty…… feeling. Like that.”
“…Eh. Really?”
“…I never really…… had that feeling before.”
“Really……? That kind of makes me happy.”
“My ex was pretty careless about it. And the one before that too.”
“…No, I don’t want to hear that. It makes me imagine things.”
“Jealous, huh. Then let’s talk about it more.”
“…You really do have a rotten personality.”
We laughed together, still holding each other close.
After that, we just stayed wrapped in each other’s arms, quietly, skin against skin.
“…Hey. Chisa.”
“Mm?”
“Say that ‘I really like you’ from earlier one more time?”
“Eh, no.”
I answered instantly.
“Why not?”
“When you ask me to say it…… I don’t feel like saying it anymore.”
“Seriously, you’re impossible. So contrary.”
We looked at each other and laughed. Close enough our lips could touch.
—After a stretch of silence.
“…Nagi.”
No answer, but I tried whispering it anyway, quietly.
“I love you.”
But all that came back was the steady, even sound of sleeping breath.
I couldn’t help laughing.
“What is that? You’re asleep?”
I looked at Asami-san’s face, right there beside me.
Completely at ease, unguarded, sleeping. Slow, peaceful breathing.
This moment felt unbearably dear to me.
I don’t know what comes next.
But I found myself hoping it would just go on, and on, forever.
I closed my eyes too.
Held tight in Asami-san’s arms, feeling her heartbeat.
I felt at peace. My consciousness slowly melted away.