Episode 179: A Shocking Conversation

Now, is it about time for the call?

While I was getting ready for my next job, I checked the clock. Before I knew it, it was around the same time as yesterday.

If the timing’s the same, I think it should be soon…

Pi-roro, pi-roro…

Instead of a regular call, a RAIN call rang out. Since it’s the same as yesterday, I figured it’d be a video call, and checking the screen confirmed it.

When I hit accept, my precious Sara-san appeared on the screen. Seeing her for the first time in a full day made me so happy that I had to desperately fight to keep a grin off my face.

「Good evening, Kazunari-san.」

「Good evening, Sara-san.」

Wait…?

Feeling an atmosphere that’s slightly different from usual, I reflexively stared at the Sara-san on the screen to see what it was.

Then I realized that unlike yesterday, Sara-san’s wearing a yukata. Seeing Sara-san in something unfamiliar made my heart skip a beat.

I’d seen Sara-san in a yukata once before during that night festival, but there’s something different about a ryokan yukata.

「Fufu, is something the matter?」

「No… are you just out of the bath, Sara-san?」

「Yes, actually, it hasn’t been that long since I got out.」

Looks like I was right. I’ve seen Sara-san after a bath a few times, but just thinking about her being in a yukata makes me flutter.

「Kazunari-san, by any chance, is there something wrong with me?」

Sensing something off in my reaction, Sara-san asked a bit anxiously.

I didn’t mean for it to happen, but thinking that I was acting so suspicious that she pointed it out makes me a bit embarrassed.

「S-sorry, it’s just, Sara-san’s yukata…」

「Yes, through the flow of conversation with everyone, we decided to wear yukata today. …Ah, is there something strange about it?」

Sara-san started looking herself over to check her appearance, so I decided to tell her quickly.

「…My heart was racing.」

「…Eh?」

「Seeing you like that made my heart race, Sara-san.」

Sara-san went silent, her eyes wide.

Honestly, it’s embarrassing to be so honest, but it wasn’t like anyone else was listening, and I wanted to convey my true feelings.

It seemed to be worth it, because Sara-san leaned toward the screen with an incredibly happy smile. By the way, it looked like Sara-san had propped her phone up somewhere while talking.

「Kazunari-san.」

「Yes.」

「I’m… so happy. If you were right here in front of me, Kazunari-san, I’m sure I’d be hugging you and kissing you right now. It’s because of that that being separated by a screen is so frustrating.」

My eyes naturally drifted toward Sara-san’s lips.

Sara-san is low-key a kiss monster, or rather, she doesn’t hesitate to kiss me whenever her emotions get high, so I couldn’t help but be conscious of it when she said that.

「Just looking at you, just being by your side, my heart is always racing, you know? Of course, it’s the same right now. And when we touch, when we hold each other, my heartbeat gets so strong that I get a little embarrassed thinking you might feel it.」

When I’m being hugged by Sara-san, I’m usually either heart-pounding with a mix of various emotions or acting like a pampered baby without thinking about anything. It’s usually one of the two.

「No, I’m the same way. Just touching you, Sara-san…」

「When I hold your face against my chest, Kazunari-san, I feel your warmth and your breath slowly melting into my body, and the pounding of my heart gets even stronger… that makes me so happy that I find myself wishing we could stay like that forever.」

(……!!!!)

(……!!!!)

Sara-san’s face turned a bit red as her expression changed to one of longing.

If Sara-san and I were right in front of each other now, we’d definitely be hugging…

「Well, I’m so happy that everything else just flies out of my head.」

「Fufu… if my holding you makes you feel happy and secure, Kazunari-san, then that’s more wonderful than anything. Therefore, if that’s how you feel, then it’s actually exactly what I desire, you know?」

Sara-san really doesn’t waver; her way of thinking is consistent.

She prioritizes me over herself, acting for my sake through and through, truly believing that my happiness is her own.

That’s exactly why I want her to feel happiness for herself during this upcoming birthday party, not just happiness gained through me. I want her to be delighted.

「By the way… do you have a preference for this kind of yukata, Kazunari-san?」

「It’s not the yukata itself, but seeing you in it made my heart race. I just thought… I wanted to see it with my own eyes instead of through a screen.」

「If you go that far, then I wish for you to see it too. …Ah! In that case, I’ll prepare a yukata for sleeping, so how about I wear it when I stay over at your house, Kazunari-san?」

Ehhhhh!!!!!!!!!!

??

I feel like I’ve been hearing some kind of commotion for a while now.

Is someone making a scene in the next room or something?

No, more importantly, the yukata talk.

I can’t let her go that far just for my nonsense.

「You don’t have to go that far! I’m sure there’ll be an opportunity to see it eventually, so let’s save it for then.」

「…Is that alright? I was willing to prepare it immediately if it’d make you happy, Kazunari-san. Besides, I could even hold you and say ‘good boy, good boy’ to you while wearing a yukata, you know?」

I was almost lured in by the incredibly attractive temptation of being held while she wore a yukata, but… no, I can’t. I don’t want to put that much of a burden on Sara-san.

「U… no, I can’t let my selfishness go that far. Please show me your yukata whenever we go on a trip together someday. I’ll look forward to it until then.」

It was something I thought of on the spot, but Sara-san seemed convinced by it, nodding with a smile.

「Fufu… I understand. Then, although it’s regrettable, I’ve forced you to endure it this time, Kazunari-san. So during our trip, please act like a pampered baby with me in my yukata enough to make up for it, okay?」

「Y-yes, thank you.」

It was a strange exchange that I didn’t quite understand how it ended up there…

But if Sara-san’s happy, then I have no problem with it at all.

And as an aside, this promise’d be fulfilled in the not-so-distant future.

And not just with the two of us, but right in front of our friends…

「Haa… that bath felt so good~」

「Honestly, are you an elementary schooler, trying to swim just because it’s big?」

「For real. You definitely would’ve swum if Satsukawa-san hadn’t warned you.」

「St-stop, don’t remind me of that.」

Yuri’s childish, so she really might’ve done it, but she stopped immediately once Sara warned her.

Sara’s mellowed out lately, so her way of speaking isn’t as sharp as it used to be, but…

「It’ll be a nuisance to those around us, so shall we stop now?」

The words itself weren’t much, but there was a pressure behind them saying「You’ve had enough, right?」Anyone who isn’t incredibly thick-skinned’d feel that and stop instantly.

「My apologies, was I a bit too harsh?」

「It’s fine. Yuri’s an idiot, so being told clearly like that is just right for her.」

「Yeah, yeah, exactly what Natsumi-chan said.」

「Honestly, it’s impressive she listened after being told just once.」

「No, the bloodlust was…」

So she did have enough intuition to feel Sara’s pressure.

In any case… it looks like we’re acting as a bug repellent. There were several boys who looked like they wanted to talk to Sara, but they all seemed to give up.

「Satsukawa-san’s really popular, though. There were four of them just that I noticed.」

「Ooh, as expected of Yuri, being pointlessly sharp.」

Yuri noticed too, and apparently even counted them.

I thought there were only two or three.

Even so…

「A man who gets intimidated just because we’re here is a hundred years too early to be confessing to Satsukawa-san.」

「Whoa, Yuri, that’s a bit too pitiful for them.」

「The hurdle to confess to Satsukawa-san’s already insanely high, and then we’re right there too.」

「Well, that’s true.」

「Is that so? Kazunari-san gave me a proper confession even while Natsumi and the others, and even my mother, were right there, you know?」

「「「Hah!?」」」

The three girls’ expressions turned to pure shock.

Crap, the topic turned to Takanashi-kun again.

We have to get back to the room fast…

「Save that talk for when we’re back in the room. Hurry up, let’s go.」

The three of them looked intensely curious, staring at Sara’s face as if they wanted to hear everything right now… but I can’t let her tell Takanashi-kun’s heroic tales in a place like this.

「My apologies, it’s become later than I thought, so please let me make a call first.」

After returning to the room and checking the time, Sara spoke up sounding a bit panicked while holding her phone.

True, the bath time ran a bit late today.

「Go ahead~. In exchange, tell us that Takanashi-kun story from earlier afterward, okay?」

「Eh? Yes, I don’t mind, but…」

Oh boy, I’m washing my hands of this.

Sara went to her bed at the far end of the room, set her phone on the table in front of her, and started operating it.

She intended to do a video call today too.

By the way, the three girls near me looked somewhere between excited and slightly terrified… which is it?

But expecting a commotion, they started preparing pillows and towels to cover their own mouths.

They want to hear the story that badly, huh…

「Good evening, Kazunari-san.」

「Good evening, Sara-san.」

The call connected immediately, and Sara’s smile, like a blooming flower, spoke volumes of her joy.

If any other boy saw that「I love you」aura, they’d probably start bawling.

While I was thinking that, the two of them continued their talk, with the three girls watching with bated breath.

「…My heart was racing.」

「…Eh?」

「Seeing you like that made my heart race, Sara-san.」

「Whoaaa, Boyfriend-kun really said it!」

「Yeah, I’m getting embarrassed just listening to this.」

「Typical idiot couple…」

Takanashi-kun often gets pushed around by Sara, but he says what needs to be said and moves when he needs to move.

He’s the type who can act decisively in crucial moments, so even if he’s embarrassed, he can say those things for Sara’s sake.

「When I hold your face against my chest, Kazunari-san, I feel your warmth and your breath slowly melting into my body, and the pounding of my heart gets even stronger… that makes me so happy that I find myself wishing we could stay like that forever.」

「Hiiiiiiiii!!!」

Yuri shook her head frantically while trying to hide her blushing face with her hands.

Again…

「Yuri, c-c-c-calm down!!」

「You too!」

「Satsukawa-san’s lovey-dovey space is too strong!!」

「This is really Satsukawa-san, right!? Not an imposter!?」

To think that Sara’d make such a longing expression… people really do change.

She’s like a different person from back when she said she didn’t understand love.

And it looks like the three girls are the same as yesterday.

They won’t be building up a tolerance anytime soon.

「If you go that far, then I wish for you to see it too. …Ah! In that case, I’ll prepare a yukata for sleeping, so how about I wear it when I stay over at your house, Kazunari-san?」

「「「EEEEEEHHHHH!?」」」

That was close, I almost shouted too!

Wait, what was that just now!?

When she stays over… n-n-no way…

「Wait, wait, wait, didn’t she just say something really dangerous!!??」

「No, it’s bad, everyone has to keep quiet about this!!」

「No way… is Satsukawa-san actually…」

「Don’t say it! Anything but that!!!」

「S-Sara is… Sara is… Sara is…」

「Natsumi-chan! Pull yourself together!!」

I was dazed for a while, not even noticing that Sara had finished her call or that the patrol notice had come and the three had returned to their room.

When I came to after Sara tapped me, I was too scared to ask directly and tried to ask in a roundabout way, but without knowing my mental fatigue, Sara spoke straightforwardly about things I hadn’t even asked.

Thanks to that, I realized they really had just stayed the night and felt relieved…

But seeing Takanashi-kun’s struggles reflected in Sara’s innocence, I secretly felt like I wanted to praise him later.

Regardless… explaining this to those three tomorrow’s going to be a pain.