A bizarre sight—an ex–beautiful idol (20) and a normal male college student (18) squeezing together inside the same bathtub.
The college guy had a towel wrapped around his waist, and the ex-idol was wearing black soccer shorts and a white practice shirt while soaking in the water.
…This bathroom looks like some kind of magazine-exclusive scandal scoop.
Sasaki hasn’t said a word for a while. I can’t tell what she’s thinking.
“Hey, aren’t you acting kinda weird today?”
“Weird how?”
“Like… you’re really close for no reason. I appreciate you coming over because you were worried, but suddenly saying you’ll stay over, and now we’re taking a bath together…”
“…”
Sasaki sinks into the water until only her upper lip shows, blowing bubbles while staring right at me.
“Hey, say something at least.”
“Puku puku.”
“I don’t get you at all.”
While I’m holding my head in confusion, Sasaki suddenly forms water guns with both hands and sprays water right into my face.
I still have no clue what she wants, so I just take the attack without resisting.
“Makishima, you’re so boring. Fight back already, come on—”
Sasaki wiggles her finger, provoking me.
That pissed me off, so I stood up and splashed her with a wave big enough to overflow the tub.
“Oh, now you’ve done it—”
Sasaki stands up too, and in that tiny bathtub we end up throwing handfuls of bathwater at each other.
A totally pointless battle. And yet somehow… kind of fun.
“Geez, now there’s barely any hot water left.”
“What are you even trying to do here?”
Sasaki is drenched from head to toe.
Her hair and clothes cling to her, dripping water.
Especially her soaked clothes—they stick to her slender frame, making it stand out even more.
Gravure shoots are one thing, but seeing it live is on a different level… Crap, if I keep staring, my lower half is gonna—
I bend forward and step out of the tub.
“I’m getting out.”
“Eeh? Let’s refill it and do round two!”
“Are you a kid?! If we refill it again we’re gonna run out of hot water for today!”
I slide open the door, letting in a chilly breeze.
“Can I take a shower?”
“I don’t mind, but I don’t have any women’s shampoo or conditioner.”
“It’s fine, it’s fine! …Having the same scent might be kinda nice anyway.”
“Huh? What? Should I go buy some right now?”
“No, no! That’s not it! Um, actually… if possible, could you lend me some room clothes?”
“Room clothes, huh. I’ll bring them after. Just wring out what you’re wearing now and toss it in the washing machine.”
“Roger!”
The door closes and the sound of the shower starts.
I dry myself off beside it, change into my jersey, and return to my room.
Might as well have some water after a bath.
I sip some natural mineral water, waiting for Sasaki.
“Seriously, Sasaki keeps saying she’s the older one, but she acts like a total kid.”
After drinking, I check my phone—there’s an email from the coach.
Wait, the coach? Crap! I need to reply right—
“Starting tomorrow, you’re suspended from club activities for one week.”
A w-week off…?
“The concussion is one thing, but you’ve been overworking yourself. Rest. That’s an order.”
His message felt strict but kind at the same time.
A whole week without training…
Since high school, I’ve never had a full week off.
It’s frustrating, but it can’t be helped.
I’ve been warned about overworking before. The coach probably thinks this is a good chance to force a break.
I reply: “Understood.”
“Alright, I should find some clothes for Sasaki.”
I pick out room clothes from the dresser.
Nothing in Sasaki’s size, obviously, but I choose the smallest T-shirt and a pair of soccer shorts and place them in the bathroom.
Just as I try to tidy up the scattered clothes—
…Huh?
I open the middle drawer of the three-tier dresser and feel something is off.
“That’s strange…”
I pull out the suspicious item—a DVD.
Before dinner, I hid all my “stuff” at the very bottom drawer.
But in the second drawer… between the clothes… one of the DVDs is wedged in.
“I definitely put them all at the very bottom… Wait—”
I check the clothes around it.
It’s… a black undershirt.
“…No way.”
I collapse to my knees.
Sasaki… saw it?
No. No way! Please tell me I’m wrong!
“Makishimaaa—thanks for the clothes—”
“…”
Sasaki walks in wearing my oversized white T-shirt and red shorts.
She dries her short, light-brown hair with a towel, again sniffing the clothes.
“Yep yep, smells like Makishima.”
“…Hey, Sasaki, more importantly. You saw it, didn’t you?”
“Saw what…? Ah.”
Sasaki freezes.
Her gaze shifts to the DVD in my hand, and she wipes the sweat forming on her forehead.
“…So you saw it.”
“I-I didn’t see it! I definitely didn’t see anything like ‘Doki★ Stranded on an Island Full of Older Women! Get Caught and It’s *You-Know-What*!’ or anything like that!”
“You totally saw it!!”
＊＊＊
“Well… Makishima is a guy, so I guess it’s normal. But still, that title—‘Doki★ Stranded on an Island Full of Older Women’—is kinda… you know… a little gross.”
Sasaki attacks my heart directly, blushing as always.
Someone please kill me.
“But! I don’t think it’s bad that you like older women! Not at all!”
“Sorry, Sasaki. I’m going outside for a bit.”
“Makishima?! You don’t have to get that depressed!”
I step outside and let the night breeze cool my head.
“Haah… Sasaki must think I’m disgustingly gross deep down.”
While I’m sulking and staring toward the courtyard, the elevator beside my room opens—and the naturally curly-haired creep suddenly appears.
“Yo, Makishima. Lookin’ alive.”
“Azaki? Huh? What’re you doing here this late?”
“Bringing your reward from the mixer the other day. Tomorrow’s Tokyo Frontier match, third round.”
He hands me two SS-seat tickets.
“The new spikes will arrive next week, I’ll hand them over at practice.”
Azaki waves and turns around.
“H-Hey, Azaki—!”
“What? SS seats aren’t good enough?”
“No, not that! …Sorry, but I got banned from practice for a week. Next week I...”
“Ah. Then I’ll give ‘em to you the week after.”
“Ah? That’s it? You sound kinda cold, dude.”
Azaki comes back and pats my shoulder.
“…Just rest. You’re my important partner. We’re gonna shine together on the first team, right? So rest now.”
In an uncharacteristically cool tone, Azaki says, “See ya,” and gets back in the elevator.
Together… on the first team.
“I’m going too. To the first team.”
Even if concussions keep me from practicing… even if scoring still feels painful… even if Sasaki found out about my fetish…
Everything feels unreasonable, but—
“Welcome back, Makishima. Cooled off a bit?”
I return inside and hand Sasaki the ticket.
“Hey Sasaki. Want to go out with me tomorrow?”
“Eh?”
I’m going to rest for a whole week.
It’s something I need in order to rise to the next level.
✳︎✳︎
Post a Comment