Chapter One: “The Princess Wants to Win Over the Prince” — Part Ten

“You don’t need to be embarrassed, Senpai. We’re both girls — it’s perfectly normal to share a bath.”

Even so, Iori-senpai showed no sign of taking her clothes off.

“…Maybe we could just take separate baths after all? It’s a small bathroom.”

“No.”

I took hold of her right wrist and looked up into her face. Senpai’s cheeks were flushed deep red, her eyes glistening.

“Oh, I know! If you’re embarrassed, I’ll undress you myself.”
“What?”
“You don’t have to hold back.”

I reached for the buttons of Senpai’s blouse. With every button I undid, her face grew redder and redder.

“Hehe — you’re adorable, Senpai. Shall I take your underwear off too?”

Laughing softly, I slipped a hand around to her back. The moment my palm touched bare skin, Senpai gave a startled shiver.

“What would you like?”
“…”
“Come on, Senpai. I won’t know unless you tell me.”

I leaned in closer as I spoke. I gave her back a light poke, and Senpai let out a tiny eek.

“H-Himena-chan…”
“Yes?”
“…Take it all off.”

Her voice was shy — but unmistakably sweet. Senpai was gazing at me with soft, imploring eyes.

Oh no. I couldn’t hold back any longer.

“Leave it to me, Iori-senpai! I’ll have you completely bare in no time—!”

I reached for Senpai’s underwear with trembling hands — and in that instant, my vision filled with the very familiar sight of my own bedroom ceiling.

What?! What happened?! Where did Senpai’s naked body go?!

I blinked several times. Gradually, memory reasserted itself, and I understood that the blissful scene from a moment ago had been a dream.

And if it was a dream, the least it could do was show me Senpai undressed! Would it have killed it to give me the top half, at minimum?! Where was the consideration?!

W-well, if I go back to sleep, maybe I can see Senpai’s— wait, what time is it?!

I’d been about to go back to sleep for the continuation, and slapped my own cheeks to stop myself.
This was no time to be escaping into dream worlds. I had to make Iori-senpai my girlfriend in the real one.

I scrambled out of bed and spread my makeup across the dressing table. Today, too, I had to be as cute as I could possibly be if I was going to make any impression on Senpai!

“…Though Senpai might not actually be interested in cute girls.”

For a moment, that worry flickered through my mind. However much effort I put into being cute, Senpai might not be interested in girls at all.
I let out one single sigh and exhaled every last drop of that doubt with it. There was no point agonising over things I couldn’t know. Better to do what I could actually do — keep showing up for Senpai.

I’m not giving up. No matter what.
Right then. I fired myself up and sent Senpai a LINE message.

Want to have lunch together today?!

She happened to read it almost immediately, and replied: Sure.
The happiness of that hit me all at once. My whole day’s worth of joy was now guaranteed — because I was going to have lunch with Iori-senpai.