My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

Page 210

"Hehehe..."

I weathered the crisis with a fearless smile, and finally, the girl picked up the showerhead and helped rinse the foam off my back.

Taking advantage of this break, I immediately said:

"I can wash it myself from the front."

"Really? Why are you being so polite with me?"

I'm saved. She didn't use any attack that went beyond touching. If it were like in a manga or light novel, where she used something other than her hands... that is... some part of her body to attack me, even I might find it hard to remain completely calm.

I took the bath towel, which was covered in shower gel, from the woman's hand and gained a brief moment of peace. In that instant, I became careless and negligent.

The woman seized upon my carelessness to deal with me.

"Then, let me wash your hair for you."

嗄？

"It feels good to have someone wash your hair, right? Come on, turn over here."

"No! Wait—"

"It's okay!"

She turned me around 180 degrees, and right in front of me was Yui, who was wrapped in a bath towel.

Jie looked at my face, smiled, and said:

"Okay, close your eyes."

"Pfft!"

Then they poured water directly onto my head from the showerhead.

After thoroughly wetting her hair, she continued:

"Can I borrow the shampoo for a moment?"

I slightly opened my closed eyelids.

I saw the woman lean out and pass through my left side.

"Heave-ho..."

I shifted my body to the right to let Yui grab the shampoo, giving me a clear view of her back and buttocks. Plus, my left leg was right under Yui's abdomen—essentially sandwiched between her bulging breasts and thigh; if Yui lost her balance even slightly, she would be completely exposed.

Do not react. Do not react.

My tiny waist or perky buttocks, visible even through a towel, are none of my concern. The lump of fat dangling beside my left leg is also none of my concern. All I need to do is stiffen my body, turn to stone, and get through this ordeal!

"Got it, got it. Okay, now lower your head—"

After squeezing the shampoo onto her hand, Jie pulled me back to face me, making me assume a shy, bowed-head pose, and began lathering it on my head.

Generally speaking, having someone wash your hair feels very comfortable and even gives you a sense of security. But for me, it didn't feel reassuring at all.

Because, from my lowered gaze and the gap in my drooping hair, I can see...

"Is there anywhere else that itches?"

Did she notice? Or was she doing it on purpose?

Did she know that if I just turned my eyes slightly upward, I could catch a glimpse of her chest peeking out from under the towel?

...So big.

I usually spend all my time with Isana, so I might have become a little numb.

But upon closer inspection, it's clear that she's quite voluptuous.

A clear cleavage formed between the two mounds of flesh, and even though it was wrapped in a bath towel, it seemed to sway slightly... every time she moved her arms.

And the shape is beautiful too. Even without a bra, it forms a firm and full bowl shape—wait a minute.

No bra support? ...Is that really the case?

Try to remember. Remember what just happened? Wasn't she teasing me like this, wrapped in a towel, when she was actually wearing underwear?

How do I know it won't be like that today?

This guy's goal is probably to tease me. In that case, she's likely already planned how to end it. Like, "It's not like you're naked, what are you so nervous about? Pfft—" kind of ending.

I saw right through you.

Since that's the case, there's nothing to be afraid of. Even if she's wearing underwear or a swimsuit, it doesn't change the fact that her breasts are right in front of her, so there's nothing to be afraid of. If I say I'm not afraid, then I'm not afraid.

I should pretend to be calm—no, that's not right.

Things have calmed down.

"How does it feel to let me wash your hair?"

Seeing the somewhat smug attitude on Jie Nu's face, I lifted my dripping bangs and replied:

"Yeah, it's nice to do this once in a while. It's so relaxing not having to move my arms."

"……that's all?"

"What else do you want?... Never mind that, you should probably take a bath, right? Even though it's in the bathroom, you'll still get cold dressed like that without a hot bath, won't you?"

“Eh!”

I secretly grinned to myself.

"Just so you know, don't bring any fabric into the bathtub. It's unhygienic."

Fabric.

Bath towels go without saying, but underwear or swimwear are also included.

"It's too much trouble to put your clothes back on, isn't it? Since you're already inside, you might as well take a shower."

But you can't help it. Because under that towel, you're wearing underwear or a swimsuit. If you don't want to admit it, your only option is to shrug it off and leave the bathroom.

Seeing the girl's timid expression, I knew I had won this game. It seems I'm still a cut above you. You'd better practice for a few more years! Hahahaha!

"...That's true."

Just as I was certain of my victory, the woman hesitated for a moment and touched the knot in the towel.

"It's really troublesome... so let's go to a bar."

Huh? ...What did she say?

Leaving me stunned aside, Jie stood up, stepped into the bathtub, and placed her buttocks on the edge of the tub.

Are you trying to find an excuse to tell me that this counts as "getting" her?

But I guessed wrong again.

The girl sat on the edge of the bathtub, her back to me—then with a rustling sound, she spread the bath towel to her sides.

You can't see it from my side.

My eyes couldn't see anything because the bath towel was spread out.

Only her ears, which had turned a deep red, could be seen through her black hair.

"...Don't keep staring at me..."

The faint sound jolted me awake, and I quickly looked away.

Could it be... that he was really naked under the towel?

So now, we're all completely naked, and we've unexpectedly ended up crammed into a narrow, enclosed room?

The questioning, which is too slow to react, gradually paralyzes the brain.

By leaning against the side of the bathtub, most of the area below the chest is indeed covered. But even so, it's not complete protection. If I stand up even slightly and peer into the tub from above, I'll see Yui's completely naked body. If... if it really happens—

With a soft thud, I heard the towel fall to the ground.

Then came the dripping sound... the sound of body immersing in hot water.

Finally—

--Swish! It was the sound of a large amount of powder being scattered.

"Huh?"

Looking up, I saw that Jie Nu's neck and below were submerged in hot water.

"Hoo--..."

Yes—below the neck.

They were all soaked in milky white hot water.

"This feels so good... Thank you, Mom, for buying this..."

Add—bath salt!

It's that thing by the window! Turns out she poured a huge amount of it into the hot water! Now, as long as Yui is soaking in the hot water, her skin won't be exposed—it's more protective than a bath towel!

"Strange? What's wrong with you? Water bucket?"

The girl stretched her arms out from the edge of the bathtub, rested her chin on them, and smiled mischievously.

"Why do you look like you're having a disappointed expression?"

...That woman is awful...!

"No... I just rarely use bath salts, so I looked at them a few more times because I found them unusual."

"Is that so? Then—"

Jie Nu tilted her head slightly and said:

"Want to soak together?"

(Illustration 008)

...How dare they push their luck!

"No, no... that would be a bit..."

"Really? What a pity, this would have been a great opportunity."

As she spoke calmly, she comfortably and relaxed, letting her shoulders sink into the warm, white water.

Then, with a splash, it emerged from the hot water with its toes and said:

"Oh dear—what a pity! This was such a chance to easily see me naked!"

Blah, blah, blah.

Like a child playing in a hot spring, Yui slowly swung her feet.

"Okay, if you really want to see it... then you'll have to rely on your own abilities next time, right?"

...I think you'd already thought of that line a long time ago.

What do you mean by "your own ability"? Does it mean you have the guts to take off your own clothes? How dare you look down on me...!

As she chuckled softly, Jie happily kicked the hot water, making it splash loudly.

"Okay, well, you're a boy going through puberty, right? I bet you're really interested in girls' naked bodies, aren't you? Now you know there's no such thing as a free lunch; you can't just see whatever you want. You've learned a lesson, haven't you?"

Damn it, I thought it was a brilliant plan to bring them back from the brink of death... but it turns out she had already anticipated this. This time, the adequacy of preparation determined victory or defeat—though I'm unwilling to accept it, I must admit I lost.

"Let me make this clear first, I'm not as unguarded as Dongtou. Today is just a special exception; normally I wouldn't even wear underwear..."

--Pop!

……Um?

Just now... I think I heard something come loose...

"But speaking of which, I never expected you to be so lecherous despite your seemingly quiet demeanor. You usually act like you have absolutely no interest in girls, but when you actually meet them, you're like this—"

The woman was engrossed in her story and didn't notice.

She didn't notice, but—it was definitely happening.

The milky-white hot water that was covering the woman's body was steadily decreasing!

"Hey, look! Hot water!"