My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

Page 208

"To maintain a nonchalant expression while doing things that would only be done to the one you love—this is the only way!"

I pondered that sentence for a moment, repeating it in my mind, and then—

I patted my knee lightly.

It was like a sudden enlightenment. To do something you'd only do for your sweetheart with a nonchalant expression—ah, so that's how it is! This way, the other person will be going crazy trying to figure out what I really mean!

"Senior!"

I was deeply moved and stood up from my chair, taking Senior Sister Ya Shuang's hand in mine.

"Master...please allow me to call you Master!"

Senior Sister Ya Shuang immediately revealed a bold and fearless smile and said:

"Alright, I'll accept you as my apprentice!"

An eerie, noisy laugh echoed through the quiet, cramped printing room.

Nan Xiaoyue ◆ Things that can only be done for the person you like

"Hey, I'm here to take a shower!"

I carried a change of clothes in one hand and walked towards the living room while taking off my shoes.

Kawanami and I still habitually take turns taking showers at one of our parents' houses when neither of our parents is home. It's convenient and saves money, and we've always done it this way, so it's just a return to the old routine.

It's absolutely not because Yui was busy with student council affairs and didn't spend as much time with me, and I was lonely, that I did this. Absolutely not.

Now, of the four of us who are supposed to go home, I'm the only one left—although I have plenty of ways to kill time, I feel like I've been left behind.

"...I think I should go get a job too..."

Actually, I do some short-term jobs occasionally... but I'm not really short of pocket money—my parents, like Kawanami, are the type who don't take care of their children much but give them a lot of pocket money.

As I pondered these things, I peeked into the living room, but saw no one.

"……strangeness?"

As I walked around the living room with my head tilted to the side, I heard the sound of water coming from afar.

Ah, that's the sound of water running in the bathroom. So he went to shower first.

I glanced into the locker room and spotted a figure inside the frosted glass. They moved quickly today; maybe they'd already exercised.

"........."

Watching the figures moving inside the frosted glass, a feeling welled up and swelled in my heart.

Is this what they call being bewitched? The emptiness and loneliness brought about by the lack of female companionship gave rise to a thought in me.

Let's give him a scare.

I put my change of clothes on the washing machine, then took off my shirt, skirt, bra, and even my underwear, and wrapped myself in the towel I had left there for myself.

Then, I opened the bathroom door with a relaxed attitude.

"...Huh?"

Kawanami, his head covered in shampoo foam, turned to look at me with one eye closed.

Seeing my sexy pose, his mouth dropped open and he said:

"—Mmm!"

"Ah—so you were in there—I didn't even notice—"

"That would be best!"

I reached behind me and slammed the door shut.

"I'm too lazy to put my clothes back on, so I'll just shower with you ♪ I'll also wash your back while I'm at it ♪"

"How disgusting..."

Kawanami, with an expression of genuine reluctance, grabbed a bath towel and covered his crotch.

I leaned in to take a look without any hesitation, saying as I did so:

"It's not the first time, is there any need to hide it?"

"I have no obligation to show it to you anymore. You're the one who doesn't need to hide anything, right?"

"Ah, that's true."

"Wait...you idiot!"

I deliberately untied the knot in the bath towel behind Kawanami's back, and he quickly closed his eyes.

I chuckled and leaned against Kawanami's bare back, whispering in his ear:

"What's wrong? Why are you panicking? It's not the first time, is it? It's just my naked body... Ah, or is seeing my naked body something that makes you uncomfortable?"

"...Don't make dirty jokes at me."

"Huh? I didn't do that!"

"Ugh—isn't this annoying?!"

He always says he can't look at my body with a erotic eye. How lame of him.

If he plays too much, he'll have an allergic reaction and develop hives. Let's stop playing here for now and I'll start washing Kawabata's hair, which is covered in shampoo.

"Is there anywhere else that itches?"

"In many places, your hands are quite small."

"I'm so sorry, please forgive me, sir/madam—"

"It hurts so much! Don't scratch me! I'm going bald! I'm going bald!"

After roughly washing my hair once, I turned on the showerhead to rinse off the shampoo. From under the white foam, strands of hair, unlike the usual edgy style with messy ends, gradually appeared, now lying flat against my head.

"I think you look better without weird hairstyles, don't you?"

"None of your business. This has nothing to do with whether it suits you or not; it's just that I like it. It's like a girl wearing nail polish even if the man doesn't like it."

"Oh──..."

But I think straight hair looks cool and is great too...

"Alright. Now it's the body's turn."

"It's been washed."

"That would be best. You always wash your hair first."

"How long are you going to keep remembering this...?"

...Of course I remember, there was a period when I washed you from head to toe.

"Don't worry, I'll just wash your back."

"……oh."

I took a bath towel, squeezed on some shower gel, lathered it up, and used it to wash my back, which was a little wider than usual.

Ah—perhaps I shouldn't have done that. Washing like this inevitably brings back memories of my past failures.

In the past, I adored every inch of his skin, muscles, and even every pore. My eyes were only on these things, and I thought they all belonged to me. I thought that because I put so much effort into it, Xiao Xiao would be very happy, but I never thought to look at his expression.

Immature and foolish, the arrogance of a child. The term "dark history" is simply insufficient to describe the immense scars inflicted upon it.

I've reflected on my actions and tried to correct this bad habit. However, I still haven't completely changed. Perhaps I'm just that kind of person by nature, and I'll probably make similar mistakes again in the future.

Since that's the case, at the very least, for the guy I hurt the most... even if I can only do a little bit, I hope it will make me take some responsibility...

"...I'm saying..."

It's rare for me to be sincere, so I spoke to the person in front of me with their back turned.

"I think you should do the washing."

"Huh? You were the one who said you wanted to wash in the first place..."

"That's not what I meant... I meant, you help me wash."

"...Huh?"

Kawanami opened his eyes wide and turned around. After rinsing off the foam with the showerhead, I grabbed his face and turned it back to face me.

"Take a look to your side first."

I brought over another chair from the bathroom and sat down back-to-back with Kawanami. Then, I gently unwrapped the towel from my body and held it in front of me, leaving only my back exposed.

"That's all right."

I felt him turn his head. There was a moment of silence, then he said:

“…What do you mean?”

"I've washed you hundreds of times already. I'm tired of it, it's your turn this time."

"What do you mean 'I'm tired of washing it...'"

This is called rehabilitation. The things I used to annoy him, he'll do for me this time; maybe that will soothe his old wounds... perhaps.

I swept my loose hair from my shoulders to the front, revealing my neck.

"Okay, hurry up."

Kawanami hesitated for a moment, but after I handed him the bath towel, he sighed deeply and said:

"……All right."

A bath towel soaked in shower gel was gently placed on my back.

You can feel the smooth texture of the cloth and foam. Mixed in with it is a slightly rougher, more tactile sensation from your fingers.

"Um!……"

My back was being gently washed, which made me a little itchy. Being touched on my back is nothing new, but his hand movements always felt exceptionally gentle.

The bath towel moved from my back to my waist. How should I put it? It was predictable, but in this position, my buttocks are visible. But well, it's not the first time. Just as I know everything about this guy, he knows everything about me. That's what childhood friends are all about.

"...Will this work?"

After washing his entire back and waist, Kawanami said.

Is it all done washing...? That's it?

I always feel a lack of satisfaction and a lack of accomplishment. Me—

"—No. It's not over yet."

I leaned back slightly...

She slightly lowered the bath towel she was holding to her chest...

"Front."

I looked back at him over my shoulder and said it.

"This time... let's switch to the front."

Kawanami's eyes widened even more, and then I seemed to see his ears turn red. Perhaps it was just the increased body temperature from the bath that caused his ears to turn red, but if that were the case, his wide eyes wouldn't have been wandering around, peeking at the gaps revealed by the slightly lowered towel.

Kawanami's hand trembled slightly.

Immediately afterwards...

—One after another.

Hives started appearing on Kawabata's arms.

"Ugh... Oh no, sorry, I have to go out!"

Kawanami hurriedly rushed out of the bathroom while covering his crotch with a bath towel.

I was left all alone, speechless for a long time—then, I looked up at the ceiling where water droplets had condensed.

"...I just started talking and I messed it up......"

I'm so incorrigible.

Later, I sighed as I washed myself clean and soaked in a warm bath before leaving the bathroom.

Looking back now, wasn't that guy a bit too vain? I just asked him to help me wash, and he overthought it. The places I used to wash for him weren't that simple.