Episode 272: Cooking Class, Finished

「Well then, everyone, good work today.」

「「「Thank you very much!」」」

Sara-san gave the closing remarks, and the cooking class successfully came to an end.

Since everyone managed to achieve their goals for the most part, I think we can call it a success.

「Alright, let’s head out then.」

The atmosphere felt like we were just going to disperse right there, so I gave the signal to wrap things up. We wanted to stop by the student council room anyway, and it was more convenient that way.

The others were likely still working, and the former president was covering for Sara-san’s absence. We couldn’t just ignore that and head straight home.

「Wife, are you just stopping by today?」

「Yes. It’s too late to start anything major now. If the boys had been a bit more serious, we might have finished a little earlier, though.」

「Eh? I, is that… right?」

Hanako-san looked at me with a slightly strained expression. I could more or less tell what she wanted to say, but I felt differently.

The root cause was my own blunder and mistake, which means I’m the one responsible for us running late.

「W-Well, whatever. More importantly, about Kazunari’s finger…」

「Yes, I know. I shall… do that thing with my mouth once more later.」

「S-Sara-san!?」

「Fufu… I’m joking. There is a first aid kit in the student council room, so let’s make sure to disinfect it properly.」

Whew… she scared me.

For a second, I actually thought she was going to do it again and felt glad… no, I mean, I was surprised.

If she did that to me over and over, things would start getting dangerous for me in all sorts of ways.

As for what kind of「dangerous,」well, that’s obviously a secret.

「Kazunari…」

And there was Hanako-san, staring into my eyes with that dead-eyed look.

I really wish she’d stop that: those eyes are definitely trying to see exactly what I’m thinking, aren’t they?

「I am ready to do it for you whenever you like, Kazunari-san?」

And as for Sara-san, she’d already realized my true feelings.

Seriously, it’s so hard to keep secrets from these two…

「Good work today.」

「Good work~!」

「Good work.」

Greeting everyone as we entered the student council room, I saw only three people inside, including the former president.

Todo-san wasn’t there either, so it seemed the patrols weren’t finished yet.

「I think the others will be back soon. Why don’t you have some tea and take a break?」

「Understood.」

「Then I shall prepare the tea… ah, but…」

「I’ll make the tea, so you look after Kazunari, Wife.」

「Ugh… I-I suppose I have no choice… I’ll leave it to you.」

It was rare for Sara-san to give up tea duty.

Especially when it came to my tea, she’d never let anyone else touch it until now.

I guess she was prioritizing my finger that much, but honestly, it was already fine… though I wasn’t about to say anything unnecessary.

There was a risk of digging my own grave, and it would be rude to Sara-san. The right move here was to stay quiet and just let her be kind.

「Oh, that’s rare. Satsukawa-san yielding Takanashi-kun’s tea…」

「I hear people who say unnecessary things don’t live very long. Do you?」

「M-My apologies…」

Pierced by Sara-san’s cold gaze, Uesaka-san shrank into himself.

Truly, the mouth is the source of all disaster.

「Good work today~!」

「Good work.」

Just as Sara-san was peeling the band-aid off my finger, the group out on patrol returned. Todo-san was with them, so it looked like they’d all gone together today.

「…Oh, Takanashi-kun, what happened?」

「Kazunari cut his finger during the cooking class.」

「Eh!? Takanashi-kun, are you okay?」

Todo-san wore a shocked expression and hurriedly looked toward my hand.

But since Sara-san had a firm grip on it, she probably couldn’t see it from where she was standing.

I felt bad for making her worry over a scratch that barely counted as an injury… but the one I felt most guilty toward was Sara-san, who was currently treating me.

「I’m fine. It’s just a tiny cut. I could’ve just left it alone…」

「Honestly, Kazunari-san, that is a no-no, alright?」

「I-I’m sorry…」

Crap!

I accidentally said something unnecessary…

Sara-san scolded me in that cute way of hers.

She was going to the trouble of treating me, so it was plain rude for me to say something like that… I’m such an idiot.

Plus, I literally just decided a minute ago not to say anything extra.

「Ahaha, you can’t do that, Takanashi-kun. In times like this, you have to do exactly what Satsukawa-senpai says.」

「Y-Yeah, you’re right.」

Todo-san seemed to realize the injury was light after seeing my reaction.

Though she might have just been reading the room because of Sara-san.

「I’m almost finished, Kazunari-san.」

「Okay.」

Sara-san spoke as she efficiently finished the disinfection. Then, finally, she applied a new band-aid.

This should definitely be enough. Honestly, it was a cut that didn’t even need disinfecting, so I could just leave it like this now…

「There, all done. Please let me know if you feel any pain. Also, please show it to me again tonight after you get out of the bath—」

「「「AFTER THE BATH!!!???」」」

Everyone… well, not everyone. I didn’t hear Hanako-san or Todo-san’s voices. So the ones who shouted were the original student council members.

Sara-san only mentioned doing the disinfection after the bath, so was it really that shocking?

「W-W-Wait a second!」

「Hey, Satsukawa-san, did you just say ‘after the bath’!?」

「Eh? Yes, I certainly did. Is something wrong?」

「Everything is wrong!!」

「When you say after Takanashi-kun’s bath, does that mean you two are alone together every single day that late!?」

「T-T-Takanashi-kun, what on earth does this mean!?」

「N-N-No way, are you actually showing yourself after a bath to Satsukawa-san!?」

…Hmm?

Ah, crap, that’s what it is!

So much stuff had been happening lately that I completely forgot. Right, I hadn’t told the rest of the student council about us living together yet!!

What should I do… should I stop Sara-san from talking right now?

But the student council members weren’t the type to go around spreading rumors, and they might actually be able to help us if something happened.

Then again, this isn’t the kind of thing you just tell people casually…

「Even if you say ‘that late,’ we are living together after all…… Oh, had we not mentioned this? I was under the impression the explanation had already been given.」

Ah… yeah, of course this would happen.

I knew it.

Apparently, Sara-san had been under the same misunderstanding as me, thinking we’d already explained it.

But the result was that I didn’t have to agonize over it anymore, and I did think it was better for everyone to know. So I guess this was for the best, probably.

Besides, the student council already knew so much. Adding one more piece of info shouldn’t be that shocking…

「「「………」」」

Not that shocking………

「「「WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!!!!????」」」

Right!?

Of course that’s how they’d react!!

Man, how many times have I heard people scream like that today… no, that’s not the point!!

I mean, living together is definitely going to get a reaction like that.

Everyone already knew Sara-san was doing housework at my place every day, so I thought the reaction would be more like「within expectations,」but…

I guess there was no way they wouldn’t be shocked.

「L-L-L-L-Living together!!??」

「Wait, hold on, that’s going way too far!!!!」

「T-T-T-This is bad. What are you going to do if people find out the student council President and Vice President are living together!?」

「Uwaaaaah, I really didn’t want to hear that part!!!!」

「Aaaaaah, this is the hardest hit yet!!!!」

And so the traditional game… I mean, the usual development begins.

However, even for me, setting the President/Vice President roles aside, I’m aware that things would be bad if the cohabitation leaked. There were several possibilities, but the biggest issue would be the school having something to say about it.

If it ended up affecting our future paths, it could be a real problem. That’s why I tried not to mention it casually.

「Wait, wait a minute. Takanashi-kun, are you two truly living together!?」

The usually calm Uesaka-san rushed over to me in a panic.

Looks like there wasn’t a punchline this time about him already hearing it through Natsumi-senpai.

「Yeah… um, we are.」

When I admitted it honestly, Uesaka-san put a finger to his brow in a「we’ve got a problem」pose.

I felt bad for forgetting to tell them, but his reaction seemed strangely meaningful. Did the former president have some other reason for concern?

「It is quite alright. We are fiancé and fiancée, after all.」

And Sara-san dropped the answer that was quickly becoming a classic.

To be honest, though, I intended to use that same answer to push through if anything happened.

The engagement and the living together both have parental approval, so there’s nothing indecent about it…

Seriously!!

Nothing at all!! (Important enough to say twice.)

So I didn’t think the school had any right to complain.

「Well, it’s true that if you’re engaged, you likely have permission from your parents to live together, and I don’t think anyone else has the right to interfere with that, but…」

「Naturally. So it shouldn’t be an issue…」

「Ah, don’t mind me. It’s just a matter for our side… looks like we’ll need another meeting later…」

The President whispered something at the end that I couldn’t quite catch.

But it still felt meaningful, so maybe there’s something else going on that we just haven’t noticed.

「S-Satsukawa-san, are you seriously living together!!??」

Before I could worry about that, the girls swarmed around Sara-san.

「Yes, it is true.」

「What will you do if you’re caught!?」

「I won’t do anything in particular. I have permission from my parents, and externally, it is simply a rehearsal for our marriage. In the first place, I have no intention of letting strangers or the school interfere with our lives.」

「S-She’s as strong-willed as ever…」

「But what is this… I’m shocked, but looking back, it kind of feels like old news…」

「Oh, I thought the same thing. For these two, it actually feels weirder if they weren’t living together…」

「I agree, but the fact that we’ve started thinking like that is a problem in itself…」

「…At least you’re self-aware, so that’s something.」

「H-Hanako-san, shhh!」

Hanako-san’s calm remark hurt in many ways… or rather, it pierced right through me.

Does that mean we’ve caused so many scenes that everyone has just gotten used to it!?

「Takanashi-kun!!!???」

「No way… no way… have you already!!!!????」

And this side was the same as always too.

The guys swarmed around me…

Lately, it feels like it’s always like this.

Wait, what do you mean by「already」!?

Clonk.

Well… there was no way a sound like that would actually happen in my own bathroom.

But whenever I get in the tub, that’s always the image that pops into my head.

In reality, it’s like a hot spring… or maybe more like a public bath? Well, it’s all bath-related, so it’s not wrong, I guess.

Speaking of hot springs, that reminded me of the talk about everyone going on a hot spring trip together after that incident.

We haven’t discussed any specifics yet, and I don’t know if we can actually go, but it might be time to bring it up.

We’ll need to pick a place, and adjusting schedules is better done sooner rather than later.

After all, there are a lot of people… so it might be difficult.

Since everyone is gathering for the school festival, it would be good timing to bring it up then.

The hardest one to coordinate might be Nishikawa-san.

「Kazunari-san, how is the water?」

…Yeah.

I know it’s time to stop trying to escape reality.

The reason I can hear Sara-san’s voice while I’m in the middle of a bath… well, there’s only one reason, isn’t there?

It’s because Sara-san is in here too!!!

This is weird. How did it end up like this?

When we started living together, I was supposed to have persuaded Sara-san that I wanted her to stop coming into the bath for various reasons.

For the record… how I persuaded her is a secret, obviously. That’s something for after we’re married… cough, it’s nothing, so that’s why it’s a secret.

Anyway…

Even though we didn’t have a promise or anything, Sara-san suddenly barged in.

「Fufu… it has been a while since I last washed your body like this, Kazunari-san.」

「Y-Yeah…」

Sara-san looked to be in a very good mood as she was currently in the middle of carefully washing my back.

Truth be told, considering the risks, I really wanted to decline… but there was no way I could say「Please stop」to a Sara-san who looked this happy.

Saying that would just make her sad, and besides, my true feelings were that I was happy about it.

Now then, stop trying to escape reality and pull yourself together!!

「Kazunari-san… would you let me wash your hair too?」

「Y-Yeth!」

Wait, being asked like that as a request, my resolve just vanished in an instant—

「Fufu… I am so happy♪」

But Sara-san really did look happy. And I was feeling about half happiness and half terror. Regardless, to accept this situation, I have to resteel my resolve… don’t lose, me!

「Alright, let me rinse your back now.」

Ignoring my internal struggle, Sara-san applied the shower to my back while carefully rinsing it with her bare hands as if stroking it.

Since that’s a spot I can’t reach properly on my own, it felt incredibly refreshing.

I didn’t not have the thought that I wanted Sara-san to feel this comfort too, but that’s dangerous… no, it’s just impossible.

Sara-san might let me if I asked, but if I did that, my reinforced adamantite-grade willpower, currently protected by Phase Shift Armor, would break in a heartbeat.

「Alright, let’s wash your hair next.」

「O-Okay…」

The time had finally come.

Washing my back was just the opening skirmish, so to speak. If it’s just regular washing, the risk of trouble is low, and as long as I’m careful, it’s not that big a deal.

But washing my head is a bit different. Because Sara-san leans her body in, and when that happens, naturally…

「Well then, let’s begin.」

And I could tell from her presence that Sara-san had closed the distance.

So I steeled my resolve even more to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances. Right at that moment, a slightly cold sensation spread over my head. That would be the shampoo.

Sara-san began moving her hands busily to spread it all over.

While carefully washing my hair, she occasionally pressed down on my head as if giving a massage. This actually felt really good…

Scrub-scrub…

Since both of us had fallen silent, the only sound echoing in the bathroom was the noise of Sara-san washing my hair.

Seriously… what on earth are we doing?

「Alright, let me rinse it now.」

In the end, nothing in particular happened until Sara-san finished washing my hair.

Then she rinsed the shampoo off with the shower and proceeded to apply the conditioner.

Since nothing happened from start to finish, I felt embarrassed that I’d been so over-conscious and wary.

「There, that’s everything.」

「Whew… thank you very much.」

That said, it was a relief that it ended without incident.

Maybe I’m just overthinking it, but this situation still carries a high danger level, no matter how you look at it.

I should probably try to persuade Sara-san again when the time is right.

Though I imagine this was an irregular occurrence because she was thinking about my finger.

「…………」

「…………Sara-san?」

Even though the washing was done and there was nothing left to do, Sara-san didn’t seem to want to leave the bathroom.

I wonder what’s up… she usually leaves right away.

Press…

「Whoa!?」

Wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-what happened!?

Sara-san… Sara-san just hugged me from behind!?

Wait, wait a second, this is bad, this is way too bad!!!

「Kazunari-san…」

P-Please don’t use such a bittersweet voice!!

And besides, the soft sensation against my back is bliss… no, it’s too dangerous!!!!

The bathing gown is thin, and I’m not wearing anything!!

So the soft… no, seriously, stop thinking about stupid stuff, me!!

「S-S-S-Sara-san!?」

「Kazunari-san.」

「Y-Y-Y-Yes?」

「Um… it does not have to be every day, but once in a while, let’s do this…」

Sara-san’s voice, tinged with a hint of acting spoiled, was just too much for the current me in many ways!!

I’d noticed for a while that Sara-san felt that way, but it’s a bit of a problem.

I have happy feelings about it too, of course, but I want to avoid the risk of me losing control as much as possible.

「Is it… a no?」

Ugh, that’s the killer line…

Being asked like that, how could I ever say it was absolutely a no!?

But realistically, how would it be? If I can endure it… and it was fine today without this… but…

「Kazunari-san…」

Squish.

!!!???

Aaaagh, Sara-san’s spoiled voice and the softness against my back just increased…

Following the cooking class, this is the second Heaven & Hell… no, Hell & Heaven of the day!!

「Kazunari-san… I wish to make you happy with everything I can possibly do…」

I know that too.

Sara-san just purely wants to do what makes me happy, and she’s been consistent about having no other motives. So this is strictly my own problem.

But what should I actually do? If I give permission here, there’s no doubt Sara-san will be happy.

And if I think about it in terms of the few things I can do to repay Sara-san, like I thought during the cooking class, then I guess this counts as one of them?

「Kazunari-san… what do you think?」

Right…

Either way, I can’t and don’t want to refuse a request from Sara-san.

Being spoiled by Sara-san makes me feel nothing but happiness. And to be honest, I’m happy to have Sara-san do this for me too. Sara-san has probably noticed that, which is why she’s asking like this.

Yeah, it’ll be fine.

As long as Sara-san has no ulterior motives, it’s just a matter of me working hard. Why wouldn’t I accept such a happy effort of my own accord?

Besides, I decided for myself that I’d accept all of Sara-san, didn’t I?

Then I’ll just accept this too!!

「I… I understand. As long as it’s only once in a while…」

「Fufu… I am so happy.」

Sara-san’s voice sounded truly happy.

I guess this was the right choice after all…

It’s okay. If it’s just my problem, I just have to work hard. I’m a man… no, a true man who can overcome any hardship for Sara-san’s sake, after all.

「Thank you for listening to my selfishness.」

「No, it’s not selfishness at all. I’m the one who should be thanking you, always.」

「I am the one to give thanks. Do you not always listen to my selfishness, Kazunari-san?」

The fact that she believes this from the bottom of her heart is what makes Sara-san amazing. But from my perspective, everything she does is for my sake, and it’s definitely not selfishness. So being thanked actually makes me feel guilty instead.

「Sara-san, that’s not right. What you do isn’t selfishness at all. So I’m the one who should be thanking you.」

「Kazunari-san…」

Squeezing tight… Sara-san pressed her body against mine. Her voice sounded happy and blessed. She whispered my name right into my ear.

Seriously… I’m a lucky guy.

Since I get to be with such an amazing woman from now on and forever, there’s absolutely no guy luckier than me. I could state that for a fact.

「I love you, Kazunari-san.」

「I love you too, Sara.」

Returning feelings with feelings. That was another thing I’d decided for myself again today. I managed to say it shockingly naturally, so I want to give myself a little credit.

「I shall make you happy with all my strength from now on and forever. My darling…」

「I-I’ll make you just as happy, Sara…」

I said it. It’s still incredibly embarrassing, but I think I managed to say it naturally.

I’m still not used to calling her by her first name without an honorific, but still…

Chu…

A warm, soft sensation on my cheek.

Naturally, it was a kiss from Sara-san.

「Fufu… a reward♪」

「Sara-san…」

Chu…

!?

A second sensation on my cheek. Why!?

「A punishment. Please call me Sara again… my darling.」

「I, I understand.」

Wait, this is getting a bit problematic…

We’re in the bathroom, I’m shirtless, and Sara-san is in a thin bathing gown. And although it’s probably unconscious, the strength of her hug against my back has been increasing for a while now.

For some reason, Sara-san’s voice sounds tinged with acting spoiled too, and in this situation, that’s cheating… no, it’s too dangerous!!

I’m fine for now, but flirting like this is actually a bit scary for me…

「Is something the matter?」

「No, it’s nothing… it’s nothing, Sara.」

First, maintain your composure. Don’t let Sara-san catch on any further… you can do this.

「Ah!?」

!!!!!

What!?

What surprised her!?

What did she notice!?

There’s no way she noticed that, right!? (Whatever that is.)

「I-I am so sorry. At this rate, your body will catch a chill. Please excuse me.」

「Eh!? Ah, y-yeah, you’re right. I should get in the tub…」

Of course she’d say that, I knew it.

But honestly, I might have been saved by this development…

「Then I shall step outside, so please take your time soaking in the tub.」

「Okay. Thank you.」

「No, I am the one who was happy. …Please do not forget your promise. If you forget, it is a no-no, alright?」

「Y-Yes.」

I couldn’t see Sara-san’s face, but just hearing her voice, I could imagine her happy, smiling face.

Thinking about that, I don’t feel like this is a hardship at all, and I can endure as much as I need to as long as Sara-san feels happy.

So I’m fine… I’ll definitely be fine.