“………”

Amamiya Tōru fell silent.
I licked her wounds, one by one.
There were too many of them, so I had to lick every part of her body.
Oh dear. What a bother.

“Hey, Mashiro, where the hell are you putting your face all of a sudden?!”

She grabbed my head.
　Pushed back forcefully, I lean my back against the bath’s side again and meet Amamiya Tōru’s gaze.

“Did you just try to lick my chest?”
“Until you take back what you said, I’ve got time on my hands. Thought I’d lick your wounds instead.”
“Why does it always come to that?”
“It’s an old saying. A trick, really, but a ‘spell’ that silences even crying children.”

　There, there, pain, pain, fly away—

Muttering, I grasped the calf of her left leg submerged in the bath, lifted it, and licked her knee.
I’d suspected it before, but apparently I rather enjoy running my tongue over Amamiya Tōru’s soft skin. Kissing the spot, then licking it.
There’s no taste to it, yet the sense of fulfilment within me grows undeniably stronger.

　I continued, lifting and licking her shin, then the top of her foot.

“There’s no wound there!”

When my lips touched the top of her foot, she, who had been silent, admonished me.
Well, it wasn’t what I wanted to hear, so I ignored her and kept licking.

“～～～～～! B-but, you see. I said I liked Mashiro so much, I thought about her, yet I still put myself first. I’m such a terrible person, aren’t I?”
“I heard that earlier. So?”
“So…?”
“I actually want Amamiya-san to value herself more. Did I ever say I disliked that, even once?”
“………You didn’t, but—”
“Then that’s just your own delusional persecution complex — or rather, aggression complex.”

Cutting her off decisively, I resumed licking her body.

Or rather.
This hand that’s been clutching my left arm since earlier — it’s getting rather bothersome, I must say.

“Would you like to lick me too, Amamiya-san?”
“Eh?”
“It feels a bit one-sided for me to be the only one licking your body. Why not engage in a little mutual wound-licking?”
“………’Engaging in mutual wound-licking’? That’s not quite the right usage.”
“Let’s entwine ourselves, just the two of us.”

At my words, Amamiya Tōru averted her gaze from me, her expression remaining transparent.
　Her ears were red.

Huh?

For me, it was eighty percent joke.
I’d assumed she wouldn’t take any of my invitations until she said something like retracting her “I have no right to be by Mashiro’s side” statement.
I understood it was that important a matter for her to consider seriously.

　But Amamiya Tōru, her ears still crimson, pulled my left arm without meeting my gaze, her expression unchanged.

Eh, really? Huh?

She gently traced the white line.
Then immediately began licking along it, tracing it.
The sensation of her tongue, crawling over and over.

This time I froze, simply staring, staring at Amamiya Tōru’s face as she licked my scar.

　A wet thread connecting my arm and her tongue.
It drew a languid curve, glistening and reflecting light – that saliva was incredibly erotic.

“Could it be—”
“………Eh?”

Amemiya Tōru stopped licking, looked at me, and tilted her head.

“You’re not actually thinking, ‘Honestly, I don’t care anymore,’ are you?”
“Huh?”
“I won’t let this conversation end until you retract the lie you told yourself, you know?”
“…Mmm.”

The transparent girl puffed out just one cheek, looking rather pitiful.
Even that alone seemed adorable.
My honest reaction to such a small gesture made me realise once again how much I truly loved Amamiya Tōru. Moments like this were wonderful.

“Right then. …Mashiro.”
“Yes.”
“……………Are you absolutely sure? That someone like me can stay by your side from now on?”
“You’re being tedious. I’ve already shown you how I feel through my actions.”
“………I see. ―――”

　Fufufu

“Thank you, Mashiro. I want to stay by your side forever. I want to be with you.”…

… … … Eh?

Just now.

Huh? Somehow, just a little bit, Amamiya Tōru……
smiled?

That smile was an expression of Amamiya Tōru I’d never seen before, right here.
As if she, who had been transparent until just a moment ago, had suddenly, without meaning to, let it slip out, she showed a smile. Her eyes crinkled at the corners, the corners of her mouth lifted. Her lips parted slightly as she smiled genuinely.

“………? What’s wrong, Mashiro?”

Startled, I refocused my attention on the Amamiya Tōru before me, but she had already reverted to her usual transparent self.
But I know. It was definitely not my imagination.
Her smile, dazzling, a light distinctly her own, is etched into my mind.

“Nothing at all. …Shall we get out of the bath now?”
“Right, understood.”

Then Amamiya Tōru wore the pyjamas I lent her.
I put on one of the two extra sets I had.

We enjoyed a small Christmas party in the living room.

　Dad, who’d come home while we were bathing, exchanged greetings with Amamiya Tōru, and we all ate a delicious meal together, including cake.
Both Dad and Mum welcomed Amamiya Tōru with smiles. Even though I hadn’t explained the situation yet, my parents treated her very warmly, simply introducing her as my friend.
Amamiya Tōru herself surely didn’t feel uncomfortable at all.

　At the end of the party, my parents gave me presents, just to me.
It felt a little awkward at that moment, but Amamiya Tōru seemed completely unfazed and said to me, “That’s lovely for you.”
When I shot my mum and dad a look that clearly said, “Why in front of her?”, they just smiled back.

　With the party over, all that remained was to prepare for bed and return to my room.
Of course, I intended for Amamiya Tōru to sleep with me in my bed.

However, it was still a little early for bedtime. I left Amamiya Tōru, whose mental state had improved somewhat, waiting in the room, and went downstairs to the living room where my parents were, saying, “I’m going to the toilet.”

Then I explained Amamiya Tōru’s situation, my own wishes for the future, and various other matters to my parents.

“We can’t let her stay indefinitely,”

Father said in a low voice.

“By the end of the winter holidays, she’ll have to decide what she’s going to do.”

Mother explained the timeframe.

“It’s another family’s domestic situation. It’s difficult for us to intervene.”

My parents spoke in unison.
They mentioned that in the worst case, they would report it to the police.

Would consulting the police mean they would arrest Amamiya Tōru’s father?
Would that mean Amamiya Tōru could be free?
Wouldn’t it just end up settling into the status quo? Wouldn’t it really?

　As I discussed it with my parents, such doubts began to grow within me.

But apparently, until the winter holidays end – until then – Amamiya Tōru could stay at my house.

Well then, until then.

I.

I just have to sort it out.

I returned to the room with drinks and two glasses.
　Amamiya Tōru was waiting quietly, sitting cross-legged on the carpet beside the bed.
Then we chatted about trivial things for a bit.

It was still early compared to usual, but after everything that had happened today, sleepiness came quickly for both of us.
We dimmed the room lights and lay down together on the bed.

Two high school girls on a single bed.
We inevitably pressed close together, our faces drawing near.

“Sorry about the underwear. Just bear with me without them today.”
“Yeah. It’s fine.”
“Let’s go buy some tomorrow.”
“Yeah.”
“Good night, Amamiya-san.”
“………”

The usual bedtime exchange.
As we were casually chatting in that mood, she suddenly fell silent.
Then,

“Mashiro, your attitude towards me has changed quite a bit, hasn’t it?”
“Eh? Really?”
“Yeah. I feel like we’re somehow closer than before.”
“You don’t mean physically, do you?”
“Emotionally.”

Well, that makes sense.
After all, we are, for all intents and purposes, in a mutual relationship.
And we’re also in a position where we do certain things together.
Looking at it in terms of time spent, isn’t it only natural for the distance between us to shrink?

So then, I don’t understand what she’s trying to say.

“…Well, about that…”
“Yes?”
“Shall we drop the formalities?”……

Bringing that up now is rather underhand, isn’t it?
Amamiya Tōru.

“Good night, Amamiya-san.”
“…Mm. Good night, Mashiro.”

We lay side by side, facing each other, and closed our eyes.

　◇

The next day.
I went with Amamiya Tō to buy her new underwear.
Returning to that flat was an option I considered, but I decided it was better not to go back for now, at least.

Then, come evening, Father came home from work carrying a paper bag.

My parents handed that paper bag to Amamiya Tō.

“A belated Christmas present.”

Amamiya Tōru received a new smartphone.

　◇

Then the next day.
And the day after that.
Day after day passed.

Amamiya Tōru gradually grew accustomed to life in our home.

An adult who showered her with affection, just like her own daughter.
And me, who had been with her all along, creating countless memories.

Surrounded by such people, Amamiya Tōru began to show glimpses of a smile, albeit fleeting and rare.

　This was a significant change for her.
The colour I most wanted to see.
More. Just a little more. Almost, Amamiya Tōru seemed on the verge of becoming an ordinary, typical high school girl.

But just as rare as those smiles.

　Ameyama Tōru would occasionally stiffen as if frightened by something, becoming almost transparent, as if she might vanish at any moment.
I know what she fears.
It’s just a little longer.
Once we eliminate this cause, the day she can smile from the bottom of her heart should draw near.

Therefore.

Therefore——.