At first, I had been utterly bewildered, but the hot spring felt wonderful, and after a while, I started to relax. However, as my nerves settled, I became much more conscious of our actual situation.
Lilia-san and I were currently sitting side-by-side. Even with towels wrapped around us, it was an overwhelming setup, and my heart was naturally racing.
Still, I couldn't let my agitation show. Lilia-san was already completely overwhelmed; she had no composure left at all.
Alice was quite shy as well, but she usually kept talking by resorting to self-deprecation or jokes. Lilia-san, on the other hand, was the type to lapse into total silence, staring down at the water with a bright red face. If I didn't take the lead, we might have stayed like that forever.
I had to be the one to step up. If I didn't act as composed as possible, my own nervousness would infect her, making the atmosphere even more strained.
It would be fine. I had survived plenty of mixed baths since coming to this world; surely I had enough experience... Wait, now that I thought about it, why did I keep ending up in mixed baths? Actually, never mind. Let's focus on the present.
"Lilia-san, you don't need to be quite so tense. I know it’s embarrassing, but if you’re this stiff, you won't be able to enjoy the bath."
"T-That’s true, but... the embarrassment is just... You seem so composed, Kaito-san."
"Not really. My heart is pounding too, believe me. But you're so much more nervous than I am that watching you actually helps me settle down a bit."
"I... I see..."
"I’ll do my best to keep my eyes forward, so please try to relax, Lilia-san. You must be exhausted from the party. Since we have the chance, I’d rather you use it to refresh yourself."
It was a fair point. People usually worried about my fatigue, but Lilia-san had been through the wringer too. She’d given her gift in that high-pressure slot, got caught in the crossfire of the staring contest between Shiro-san and Machina-san, and then served as a judge for the Hidden Talent Show. She had to be drained.
"Not looking... Um, Kaito-san? This might be a very strange question, but... d-do you... want to see? I mean... do you have those kinds of desires...?"
Well, that escalated quickly. She had asked something much bolder than I expected. She was probably experiencing a sort of "high" from the sheer stress and embarrassment, but knowing that didn't make the question any easier to answer.
Answering was one thing, but I needed to find a way to do it without making things weird between us. Then again, staying silent would be just as awkward.
"...Of course. I won't deny that I have those thoughts—those desires. You’re a very attractive woman, Lilia-san. And you’re my lover..."
I decided to be honest. I was embarrassed, but there was no point in lying about it.
Hearing my response, Lilia-san remained silent for a moment, her face still crimson. Then, she hesitantly opened her mouth.
"...Um... Well... T-Then... would you... like to see?"
She had actually said it. Her mind was clearly in a state of pure panic; she had floored the accelerator and was charging straight ahead. She was acting without any regard for the consequences, driven by the sheer weight of her own tension.
And this response was even harder. Much, much harder.
If it was a simple matter of whether I wanted to or not, the answer was yes. I almost nodded in my own confusion... but I couldn't go through with it.
If we were on a proper vacation together, I probably would have said yes. But this was just a break during the Anniversary Party. Based on how things went with Shiro-san, it was certain we would have to head back eventually.
If I just went with the flow now, the awkwardness when we returned to the rest room would be unbearable. More than that, I’d be left feeling restless for the rest of the night.
"Um, that is... a very tempting offer. But we only have a limited amount of time for this break. Maybe... maybe another time? When it's just the two of us on a trip?"
"...Time? We don't have... Oh..."
Lilia-san looked blank for a second, but then the reality of the situation crashed down on her. Her face turned even redder than before.
I might have made things worse. A strange, itchy sort of awkwardness settled between us.
"............Um... Kaito-san... Let’s go... on another trip together soon."
"...I'd love that. Let’s go somewhere, just the two of us."
Although her voice was faint enough to disappear, I was still happy to hear Lilia-san's feelings, which she had conveyed after taking our previous conversation into account. I felt my own face growing hot as I returned her smile.
Serious-senpai: "So if she can't faint, she just panics and floors the accelerator... Who knew that sealing away her escape route would actually boost the Sugar Power like this...?"