Chapter 22: A Bare Yukata


TL: Akabane


***


After taking the train and bus from the aquarium, we got off at a bus stop in a rich natural setting and headed for our destination, guided by our senpai.


We headed for our destination, an old private house renovated into a hot spring hotel along the river. It looks like a place where great writers of the past would stop by and make progress on their manga.


Well, Yuzu and I are not here to make manga, but to protect Akahane-senpai from wasps.


As we listen carefully for the sound of wings, Senpai beckons to us, "This way," she says.


"Welcome, Chizuru-chan."


"It's been a while. You've grown up after not seeing me for a while."


I followed her into the inn and was greeted by a kindly elderly couple.


It seems that this inn is run by senpai's grandparents, and senpai had chosen this hot spring resort as a training camp to meet them.


"I'm home, Grandpa and Grandma. They two are juniors from the same school, Kurose-kun and Koikawa-san."


"I'm Kurose. It's nice to meet you today."


"I was looking forward to seeing you at the hot springs."


"Welcome!"


"I can't offer you much hospitality, but you can make yourself at home."


I can't believe they welcomed us on such short notice.......


In order not to make the two kind people sad, I will definitely protect my senpai!


With renewed determination, I followed my senpai.


The entire inn was built with the warmth of wood. Although it is a two-story house, the upper floor seems to be the private space of the old men, and guests stay on the first floor.


The house is limited to one group per day, and there was only one bedroom, as if they did not expect many people to stay there.


"This is our room."


The space is spacious.


There is a room with a dugout, and behind the fusuma seems to be a sleeping area. Three sets of futons are already laid out.


"Um ...... am I going to sleep there too?"


"Even for me, it's embarrassing to sleep with Kurose-kun, but I can't let a junior student sleep in the hallway."


"No problem!　I'll keep an eye on Kohei!"


That makes me sound like a dangerous guy. I don't need you to keep an eye on me, I won't do anything strange.


Otherwise, we need to keep a close eye on her and watch for wasps to show up at any time.


"I don't expect you to do anything strange, Kurose-kun. Maybe I'm the one who should sleep in the hallway."


"You don't have to worry about anything weird!"


"Stay here, senpai!"


"You two so fresh."


Senpai seems to be smiling.


She had seen us holding hands at the aquarium. Even if I deny our relationship now, she'll just think I'm embarrassed.


"Well. I'm going to start making manga, what about you guys?　You can go to the hot spring with me if you want."


"I want to go in with my senpai!　I want to hear about your manga!"


That's not fair!　I want to talk manga with her too!


I wanted to say that, but I suppressed my jealousy.


The hot spring is an open-air bath with a view of a crystal clear river. Surrounded by nature, it would not be surprising if wasps appeared in the outdoor bath.


I wanted to stay close by and protect the two of them if possible, but if I desperately asked them, "I want to take a mixed bath with you, senpai!" I would frighten them, and the gentle old couple might turn into a demon.


So, I went to the hot spring by myself and Yuzu went to the hot spring with senpai.


We decided to enjoy the hot spring after dinner, and as soon as we sat down at the sunken kotatsu, she began to draw something in her notebook.


She said she was going to bring in a manga during summer vacation, and I wondered if she was thinking of a character design.


As a ...... fan, it's a dream come true to think that the design of the Undersea King is being created right in front of my eyes.


I want to watch forever, but staring at it takes away from my concentration.


We read our manga, careful not to miss the sound of the feathers. We had just finished reading most of the manga we had brought with us and were about to exchange them for Yuzu's when we heard the sound of a stomachache.


Yuzu's cheeks turn red.


"Be quiet. You're making my senpai lose focus."


"It can't be helped. I'm hungry."


Hungry...


This time, my stomach rumbled.


Yuzu and senpai laughed at me because it sounded so loud.


"I'm sorry. I interrupted you......."


"I don't mind. It's about time for the food to arrive, so let's clean up the table."


Senpai said smilingly, and the fusuma (a sliding door) opened.


A healthy dish with plenty of vegetables is brought in.


The main dish is grilled fish. Combined with the atmosphere of the old house, it was a delicious meal.


"Well, what about the hot spring?"


"Can I go in first?"


I want to make sure there are no wasps before the senpai enter.


And if there are wasps, I have to give up the hot spring for whatever reason.


On a mission, I grabbed my yukata and went to the hot springs.


I look at ...... and there are no bees.


When I listened carefully, I could only hear the rustling of leaves and the murmur of the river, but no sound of wings at all.


This would allow the Yuzuhana to enjoy the hot spring.


By the time I felt at ease, I was one step away from being overtired, so I quickly got up and went back to my room.


"Did you feel good?"


"Yes. My exhaustion was gone."


"That's good to hear. Shall we join you?"


"Yes!"


Yuzu and senpai then went to the hot spring.


Perhaps they enjoyed plenty of manga talk, but it was after an hour that they returned in their yukatas.


I love it. I wish I could have had a manga talk with a god writer too.......


I'll have to ask her to tell me what she talked about when she's done killing the bees.


After drying her black hair, senpai started to design characters again, and we went back to reading manga.


Then, around the time the date changed, it was bedtime without incident.


The windows are closed, and I've already checked to make sure there are no bees in the room. It seems that today is not the day to get stung by bees.


We were all lying on the floor in a row, with senpai, Yuzu, and I.


Yuzu and I are very conscious of each other. I thought there was no way I would be able to sleep under such circumstances, but I guess I had been so tense and tired all day that I soon started to hear her breathing.


The thought of Yuzu in her yukata next to me made me nervous, and I couldn't sleep, but gradually began to feel sleepy.


"Nngh!"


With a snap.


Yuzuhana depressingly brushes the futon off her head.


I wonder if she's dreaming of fighting bees, and this time she kicks the futon away from her.


I was just preparing myself to get kicked off too, when I heard the following words.


"Samu......"


She turned over and clung to my arm.


I felt something soft and squishy.


Is this that feeling?　It's that thing, isn't it!


I'm happy ...... happy, but it's too much stimulation for me right now!


Yuzu turns over and the soft thing moves away.


Phew. I'm relieved. I raise my upper body to cover the futon that was kicked off so I don't catch a cold, but then I get a little nervous.


"--!"


The underwear!　Her cleavage!


Don't look at it so hard!　--I know this in my head, but my eyes are glued to her.


We used to be a married couple. When we were close, we bathed together every day, and I saw enough underwear to get tired of it.


But after the divorce, we became friends, and I almost fell in love with her again. ......I started to get a little nervous at the slightest thing, just like the old days.


Underwear is too exciting for me like that!


If I had to decide whether or not I wanted to see them, of course I would, but Yuzu would be embarrassed if her yukata was bare when she woke up.


I should put it back on while I still can.


The next moment I put my hand on the yukata, Yuzu's eyes fluttered open.


She looks at my face, looks at my hand, and notices the yukata that's hanging open.


Her face flushed.


"Why?　Why did you take off my clothes?"


"No, no. I'm putting back the clothes I left on."


"Well, why don't you just leave it alone?"


"I can't just let it go. Don't worry, I didn't see any underwear."


"......Really?"


"......I really did catch a glimpse."


Yuzu's eyes narrowed as she honestly admitted it.


With a still gaze.


"Ecchi."


"Well, don't say that. I'm sure it's not Yuzu's fault for being so flirtatious. You're the one who touched me first."


"What?　I didn't touch you."


"You did. You hugged me when I was sleeping."


"That's just because you're a bad sleeper. You touched me of your own volition."


"I explained to you why. We are going to be friends beyond the boundaries of sex!"


"Even so, this is still too early."


Yuzu said shyly and turned over.


It's still too early to ...... then, you mean I'm allowed to touch you eventually?


"I'm going to ...... go to bed. Good night."


"Oh, good night......."


"......And thanks for trying not to catch a cold."


"Oh, oh. You're welcome......."


The day will eventually come. Thinking about it made me instantly nervous, and I couldn't fall asleep.


***


The next day.


The excitement of last night had completely subsided, and Yuzu and I were in alert mode.


When senpai insisted on taking a morning bath, Yuzu accompanied her, and when she wanted to go for a walk nearby to get hungry, I accompanied her with insecticide spray in hand.


But the bees were not in sight, not even a sound of their wings, and finally it was time to go home.


Rubbing our stomachs, which had been bloated from the extra lunch we had been served, we thanked the old man and woman and headed for the bus stop.


It was only a few minutes before the bus arrived. The slightest carelessness could be fatal. I was on guard until the very last minute, my eyes wide open, spray in hand.


It's ...... and the bees are nowhere to be seen, and finally the bus is approaching.


"I guess I'd better put some insecticide spray in my bag for once."


"So, but you might get bugs, right?"


"If you hold the insecticidal spray, you'll scare the driver away. Maybe you should put a fly swatter in your bag, Koikawa-san."


"But......."


"No problem. If you get any bugs, I'll knock them out. Besides, the bus has already arrived, so you don't have to worry."


You never know when a wasp might appear. I'm anxious to give up my weapon, but as ...... senpai said, I'm afraid we'll be denied a ride if we don't.


We did as we were told and put our insecticide spray and fly swatter in our bags.


Then.


Boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!


We heard the sound of wings mingling with the sound of the engine and realized that a wasp was flying over our senpai.


"Whoa!"


She said she would take it down, but as expected, she looked surprised when the wasp appeared unexpectedly. Senpai reflexively raised her hand and tried to knock the wasp off.


Instantly, all the knowledge I'd acquired about wasps over the past few days rushed through my brain-- 


"Don't move!"


With a snap, Senpai stopped her hand.


The wasp circled above her and flew behind a bush.


Rushing into the bus, senpai sighed.


"I'm so surprised......."


"Me too......."


"But I'm glad everything turned out okay."


"Yeah. If senpai had attacked bee, you would have been stung!"


The wasps were on alert and had not yet entered the intimidation stage.


Both the insecticide spray and the fly swatter were intended to turn back when the other side attacked. It is a last resort, so to speak.


If the wasp is just approaching and has no hostile intent, the safest course of action is to do nothing. The website I looked up had such information.


"I didn't know. As a senpai, I was supposed to protect you, but on the contrary, you saved me."


"Thank you." she thanked me, and I felt a sense of accomplishment.


Now the first bee sting was averted.


I told her about the wasp measures, so she might be able to avoid the second one as well.


Anyway, so now I've escaped the fate of death!


"You're welcome!　Please keep drawing fun manga!"


"We're looking forward to your debut!"


"I'm so glad. When I debut, I'll be the first to sign your book."


The best reward of all made us smile from the bottom of our hearts.



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