A few minutes after the phone call that had taken a heavy toll on my nerves, I heard the door to the dressing room open.
I casually glanced over... and promptly tumbled off the sofa.
"Why—Why aren't you wearing any pants!?"
"B-Because the track pants were so baggy they kept sliding off! I’m wearing the top, so... i-it's fine, right!?"
Akise shouted, her face turning a deep crimson. Her current state was far too much for my eyes to take.
She was wearing one of my T-shirts, but the size difference was so extreme that the neckline hung low enough to fully expose her collarbones. It looked as though the shirt might slip right off her shoulders at any second.
But the bigger problem was her lower half. She wasn't wearing anything. Just bare, exposed legs.
The hem of the T-shirt technically kept her covered, but everything from the midpoint of her slender, soft-looking thighs down was on full display.
"D-Don't look so much..."
Akise gripped the hem of the shirt tightly and peered up at me with moist, upturned eyes.
Swallowing the urge to yell at her to at least wrap herself in a towel, I scrambled to my feet. It was definitely dangerous to stay sprawled out on the floor in this situation.
"I’ll go find a smaller pair of shorts. Just sit and wait for a second."
"O-Okay, I understand... Eek!?"
Akise, who had nodded modestly and started to walk, suddenly lost her balance.
The water she’d tracked in when she arrived soaking wet—so much had happened that I’d completely forgotten to wipe it up!
My body moved almost on instinct.
"Akise!"
In the nick of time, I managed to dive between the falling Akise and the floor.
"Ow... Are you okay?"
"Y-Yeah..."
When I opened my eyes, Akise’s face was inches from mine.
Because I’d used my body as a cushion to catch her, she was now nestled perfectly in my arms.
Our upper bodies were pressed together, and I could feel a distinct, yielding softness against my chest... but my mind was completely captivated by the sight right in front of me.
"Yeah, I'm okay..."
"T-That’s good."
"T-Thank you. For, um, saving me..."
"Yeah..."
We stared at each other from a distance of less than ten centimeters.
Her dripping, flaxen hair, her wet, trembling eyelashes, those large, moist eyes, her flushed cheeks, and those plump lips... the sight dominated my vision, seizing my consciousness and refusing to let go.
Her wet hair fell around us like a cage, sealing us away from the rest of the world.
"............"
"............"
We were close enough to feel each other’s breath. Without a word, without even a twitch, we simply stared into each other's eyes.
In the silence, a lock of her bangs slid down and brushed against my cheek.
Almost unconsciously, I reached out to brush the hair away, and Akise narrowed her eyes as if it tickled.
"Nngh..."
"...Sorry. For touching you. Did you hate it?"
"...It’s fine. If it’s you."
When I tried to pull my hand back, Akise’s fingertips gently caught mine.
She guided my hand until it rested on top of her head. When I searched her gaze for her intent, she called my name in a sweet, coaxing voice.
Carefully, gently—terrified of hurting her—I placed my palm on her hair and began to slowly stroke it.
Her damp hair felt like silk against my rough fingers, welcoming the touch without a single tangle. It felt incredible.
"Nnh..."
My heart rate suddenly spiked as Akise narrowed her eyes like a cat and let out a soft sigh.
Perhaps she felt the thumping through my chest, because the corners of her mouth curled into a tiny smile.
"...Your heart is pounding."
"Of course it is..."
"Hehe, I guess so. ...Mine is pounding really hard, too. Hey, stroke my hair more...?"
Akise closed her eyes and leaned even more of her weight against me.
As she moved, the fingertips that had been stroking her hair slipped down to her cheek.
She didn't pull away; instead, she nuzzled her cheek into my hand, looking blissful.
I felt as though her body heat was flowing directly into me. My entire body felt flushed, and my ability to think was becoming paralyzed.
My gaze followed my fingers as they caressed her cheek, eventually settling on her lips.
They were a soft, natural pink. The curve of her mouth, smiling sweetly instead of speaking, was right there.
Her flaxen eyes opened slightly and fixed on mine. There was a look in her gaze that seemed almost like a plea—
Rumble, rumble... CRACK!!
"Kyaa!?"
"Whoa!?"
We both jumped at the sudden, deafening roar.
Akise’s shoulders twitched violently, and I reflexively pulled back.
"W-Was that... thunder...?"
"...Seems like it. Sounded pretty close."
I answered while feigning composure, but my head was a mess of confusion.
What was I just doing? What was I about to do?
The shock of the thunderclap had instantly chilled my heated mind and body.
If anyone asked why I’d done it, I could only blame the atmosphere and the momentum of the moment. In that heat, I had been seconds away from doing something irreversible.
I felt like offering my profound gratitude to the thunder for the perfect timing.
I kicked away the flicker of regret with all my might and gently nudged Akise’s shoulders.
She moved off me more easily than I’d expected, murmuring with a slightly disappointed look.
"...We were almost about to kiss."
I wished she would give me a break; having her put it into words made me even more self-conscious.
If she didn't look at least a little bothered by it, I wasn't going to know how to act.
I let out a long sigh and tried to reset my mood.
—"Thank you, Yanagida-kun. For being someone that girl can rely on."
The words of Akise’s father flickered through my mind. I couldn't betray the trust he had placed in me.
"Anyway, let's get your clothes in the wash."
It took about two hours for the washing and drying to finish.
We spent the time chatting and playing some of my video games.
As it turned out, Akise was remarkably good at them.
"Back when I was a shut-in, I had nothing else to do at home, so I played quite a bit."
"...I see."
That was a heavy topic. I found myself at a loss for words.
Once we finished with the games, we sat side-by-side on the sofa to relax. Recalling our recent lunch breaks at school, I realized that I felt strangely happy just sitting here with her.
Suddenly, Akise looked at me with a worried expression.
"Isn't it almost dinner time? Are you going to be okay for food?"
"Ah... well, I have a stock of cup ramen, so I'll just eat that after you head home."
Normally I would have gone to the supermarket, but the rain was still coming down. It was a dull meal, but it couldn't be helped.
Akise gave me a flat look.
"...Is that what you always eat?"
"Well, I can't really cook... so I usually buy bentos or side dishes from the store."
"If you keep living like that, you're going to ruin your health...!"
Being the target of such genuine worry made me feel incredibly awkward.
I had actually tried to cook for myself once.
Specifically five years ago—shortly after my mother passed away—I’d picked up a kitchen knife to try and lighten the burden on my father, who was drowning in work and chores... but since I’d never even helped my mother in the kitchen, I’d ended up cutting myself pretty badly.
Since then, both my father and I had been looked after at my grandparents' house, and I’d never touched a stove again.
When I briefly explained that I’d been injured once and had lost interest, omitting the family details, Akise listened with a serious face.
"I see... Did the knife become a trauma for you?"
"No, it's not really like that. I just never felt the urge to try again."
"Thank goodness... In that case, why don't you try cooking with me?"
"Cooking with you?"
When I repeated her unexpected proposal, Akise gave a vigorous nod.
"If you're living alone, being able to do simple cooking will help you save money and keep you healthy! I'm not saying you have to make everything yourself, but eating only instant food really isn't good for you..."
She trailed off and scanned my body thoroughly.
"...Looking at you again, you really do have a great build, Yanagida-kun. You were all muscular when I saw you earlier, too..."
That was a slightly weird way of putting it.
Feeling a bit ticklish as her fingertips poked my upper arm, I tried my best to respond calmly.
"I was in a club until middle school, and I still do strength training. I probably have more stamina than your average Go-home Club member."
"Heh, so you were in a club! With your height, was it volleyball or basketball?"
"No, it was badminton."
Akise’s eyes widened. It was the reaction I always got.
"That's unexpected... Why did you choose badminton?"
"No real reason. I did it as an elective in elementary school and just kept going with the flow... I enjoyed it, for the most part."
"Hmm, you do have long limbs, so I bet you're strong! Are you not going to play in high school?"
"...Ah, well, yeah."
I ended up being vague.
Sensing something from my unnatural reaction, Akise changed the subject with a forced, bright voice.
"...Anyway! Let's do it—the cooking! I'll teach you everything from knife skills to plating! You'll be making that burdock root dish yourself in no time!"
"...That’s an appealing offer."
I smiled, grateful for her consideration... but just then, a chime sounded, making my shoulders twitch.
I might not be traumatized by knives, but I might have developed a trauma for that ringtone.
"Ah, a message from Papa. He says he's almost here! ...You don't have to be so scared. He seemed like a nice person, right?"
"I know that, but... there's just a lot of pressure."
"Ahaha. Papa said he wanted to talk to you sometime, so I thought it was a good chance... Sorry, okay?"
Akise stuck out her tongue playfully. She looked adorable.
But, that aside, she needed to realize that the damage she’d dealt to my heart was quite severe...
"...Next time, at least give me a moment to prepare mentally."
"Okaaay."
As I wondered what she meant by "next time," Akise went back to the dressing room to change.
...What is this feeling? Like something is progressing without my knowledge, or like the ground is being systematically cut from under me... Am I overthinking it?
Lost in thought, I walked with Akise to the apartment lobby once she was ready.
"You didn't have to walk me down."
"It would have bothered me if I didn't."
In the lobby, I could see a small car parked near the entrance through the heavy downpour.
Akise waved, and the driver's side door opened. A man holding an umbrella stepped out and walked toward us. It was definitely her father.
He was a middle-aged man in a sharp suit. He was about my height and had a gentle face that bore a strong resemblance to Akise.
The man stopped in front of us and gave a soft smile.
"Goodness, what a downpour. I'm already wet just coming from the car. ...Nice to meet you, Yanagida-kun. I am Nobuyuki Akise, Haruka's father. You can just call me Nobu."
"N-Nice to meet you, I'm Tatsumi Yanagida. Um, Nobuyuki-san."
"You really don't have to be so formal..."
The father—Nobuyuki-san—looked genuinely disappointed. The gesture made me see the family resemblance even more clearly.
"I have plenty I’d like to talk about, but it’s late... Tatsumi-kun, thank you for looking after my daughter. Let me thank you properly another time. Let's go, Haruka."
"Okay, Papa. Oh, wait a second."
After responding to Nobuyuki-san, Akise turned back to me, her cheeks puffed out in a pout.
"...Yanagida-kun, you're calling Papa by his first name already."
"Eh? Ah, no, there are two of you here, and besides—"
"Yanagida-kun."
"Yes!"
"I'm definitely going to win the next midterm exam!"
Overflowing with some mysterious determination, Akise stepped under Nobuyuki-san's umbrella and headed for the car with a spring in her step.
Seeing Nobuyuki-san looking at us as if he were watching a heartwarming scene made me feel inexplicably irritated.