We finished our snack and dove into the second round of games. Much like the first round, it was a nail-biter, but Fate-san emerged victorious this time, leaving us tied at one win and one loss each.
Afterward, I whipped up a simple dinner—honestly, it was so basic it barely deserves to be called cooking—and we ate together.
Once we finished the meal, I thought about stargazing with Fate-san like I had planned. However, the sun had only just dipped below the horizon; the stars would be much clearer if we waited a while, so we decided to hit the bath first.
"Fate-san, I’ll head in and get the bath ready. You should go ahead and get in first."
"Huh? Why don't we just get in together?"
"............What?"
"I mean, we don't have to go in separately. We can just go in together."
Well, this was a problem. She said it so casually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, that I could only blink at her in stunned silence.
"Do you hate the idea of bathing with me, Kai-chan?"
"N-No, it’s not that I dislike the idea, but... are you really okay with this, Fate-san?"
"Why wouldn't I be? We’ve done it before, haven't we?"
"...I mean, I suppose so, but..."
I was in a corner. She had basically dismantled my entire argument with that one line. I didn't actually mind the idea of sharing a bath with her, and clearly, Fate-san didn't have any reservations either. The bath in the cottage was more than spacious enough for two people...
"Then there’s no problem!"
"...I suppose not."
Having run out of reasons to refuse, I ended up giving my consent, pushed along by Fate-san’s beaming smile.
We moved to the bathroom, and I entered the bathing area first. I had made sure to ask Fate-san to keep a towel wrapped around her, no matter what.
The cottage bath featured a wooden tub—probably not genuine cypress, but it certainly had that rustic, high-end vibe. It was fairly spacious, though smaller than a proper hot spring resort bath. Given that this was a tourist spot meant for solo travelers or couples, it wasn't designed for large crowds. Still, the craftsmanship was exquisite, and the whole room exuded an air of luxury.
"Kai-chan, I’m here~"
Turning toward her cheerful voice, I found Fate-san wrapped in a towel, just as I’d asked. The sight was... overwhelming. Seeing her like this, the sheer scale of her chest was impossible to ignore, and since she’d let her hair down—instead of her usual twin tails—the atmosphere around her felt entirely different.
"Oh, right! Kai-chan, wash my back for me~"
"Wh-What!?"
"Come on, it's fine. I'll give yours a scrub afterward too. Thanks in advance~"
Her sheer momentum was staggering, but I couldn't just leave her sitting there. Resigned, I picked up a sponge and approached.
"...Um, alright then. I’ll wash your back."
"Yay, thank you!"
"T-Then, excuse me."
I saw Fate-san starting to move as if to remove her towel, so I quickly crouched down, making sure not to look down from above. I focused my vision entirely on her back. After soaking the sponge in body soap and rinsing her with a bucket of warm water to test the temperature, I set to work.
"Is the pressure okay?"
"Mhm, you can go a bit firmer if you want."
"Understood."
I gave her back a thorough scrub. Once the lather had spread over her entire back, I reached for the bucket again.
"Alright, I’m going to rinse you off now."
"Wait, wait! Kai-chan, aren't you forgetting something?"
"Forgetting? Did I miss a spot?"
"No, silly... here, reach your hands out toward me. Use both!"
"Reach out? Like this?"
I had no idea what she was planning, but I reached my hands out toward the front of her face from behind. Suddenly, she grabbed my hands and yanked me forward.
The strength difference between us was astronomical. I was pulled off-balance and tilted forward until I was pressed flush against her back, my arms essentially wrapping her in a hug from behind.
"Wait! Fate-san!? What are you...?"
"Oh? Isn't this how people in your world wash each other? Using their bodies to spread the foam?"
"Where on earth did you get that idea!?"
"Shaltan told me. She said Ein washed your back like this during the Six Kings Festival."
Alice. I am definitely punching her later.
"While that... technically happened, this situation is quite different..."
"Hmm? I don't really get it, but this is nice. Maybe it’s because we’re not wearing clothes, but I can feel Kai-chan’s warmth more than usual. It makes me so happy~"
"~~~!?!?"
Was she doing this on purpose, or was she just that oblivious? It seemed to be the latter. I didn't sense that she was teasing me like she had during the massage earlier.
"Mmm, but I guess I still like hugging from the front better than from behind..."
"Wait, Fate-san!? What are you doing!? Don't turn around—let go of my hands!! That’s definitely—!"
My mind went completely blank after that. I lost the ability to think. All I know for certain is that despite the incredibly soft sensation, both my thoughts and my body completely froze in place.
Looking back, Fate-san was... a terrifying woman. She might get shy about typical couple-like affection, but just like that time at the bathhouse, she had zero shame and was incredibly proactive when it came to things like this.
Serious-senpai: "..."
???: "Fate-san is truly something else... Wait, Serious-senpai?"
Serious-senpai: "..."
???: "Oh, she’s dead. Well, nothing for it. Doct—"
Serious-senpai: "I’m awake!!"
???: "—tor. There she is. You revived quickly."
Serious-senpai: "Sugar Hell if I'm awake, Madness Hell if I lose consciousness... Is there truly no escape for me...?"