Translated: Sei, MTL-sensei-tachi
Edited: Sei, Grammarly no Danna
Source: Syosetu

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Chapter 21, A Shock


"Senpai... it's so big."

　A faint breath reaches my ears.
　He looked at my body and said, somewhat excitedly.

"Is that so?"

　I could tell by the hint that he nodded at my words.

"Then... I'll do it, okay?"

"Ou"

　I nodded my head in agreement with his words, as if he had made up his mind somehow.

"Hard..."

　While rubbing my body, he lets out a short word.

"Is that so? ...Well, I've been working out."

　After I said that, I continued.















"Kai also has gotten a lot firmer than when you first entered the school, right."















　I said to Kai, who was rubbing my back hard with a body towel.

"I-I guess so... Hehe, I wanted to be like Aniki, so I did my best."

"I see. You're doing your best... But I told you to stop calling me Aniki?"

"Didn't you say it was okay when we were alone?"

"It's not like we're alone now."

　With that said, I look around.
　A little further away, Ike was washing his hair and Asakura was washing his body.

　…… But there is no one else.
　We were now at a certain hot spring inn, and it was reserved for us.

"Still, I'm surprised you found this place."

　As he washed my back, I asked Kai in a good mood.

"I heard about it from a senior member of the soccer team. There is a hot spring inn that is a good place to stay. They sometimes come here after practice, but it's always empty."

　The interior is beautiful, but the location is inconvenient. We had to take a bus from the station and walk another 15 minutes from the nearest bus stop.
　On top of that, the exterior is old-fashioned, and there is a popular hot spring inn closer to the bus stop, so I guess this is the result of them taking all the customers.

　I wonder if the management will be okay.... I worry about things I don't need to worry about.

"Okay, next, I'll wash Kai's back."

　I turn around and say to Kai.
　He looked up at me and then answered.

"Please be gentle, okay?"

"Hmm? Ou, I'll handle it good."

　I lather the body towel with soap.
　Then I did, slowly, not too hard

"Ah, that's good..."

　I guess it's okay to be a little stronger.

"... Hmm, that's intenseee!"

　Ha~a Ha~a, Kai was breathing hard.
　Mmm, It's a little hard to control.

"...What are you doing, you guys?"

　Asakura suddenly asked with a dumbfounded expression.
　While rubbing Kai's back, I,

"Why don't you join us, Asakura?"

　Asked him.

"...Right. Sorry, Kai. Next, I'll wash Tomoki's back."

　Asakura said, Kai seemed to have a disappointed expression on his face, then.

"……Understood"

　After saying that, I rinsed off the bubbles with hot water, then got up and headed for the hot tub.
　I turn my back to Asakura.

"Please"

"Yeah"

　Asakura responded by saying a few words and then started rubbing my back with a body towel.
　However, there was no strength in it at all.
　I wonder what's going on.

"Asakura?"

　When I called out his name,

"Hey, Tomoki, now that we're having a naked relationship. Why don't we have a heart-to-heart talk."

"That might be a good idea."

　Went to a hot spring with a friend and had a heart-to-heart talk.
　It's a situation I admire.

"I have a question. Depending on the answer... I've decided to punch you."

　The sound of Asakura's firm voice reached my ears.
　I could hear the seriousness in his voice, and I knew it wasn't just a simple matter.

"……What?"

　A hint of hesitation came from behind me.
　Then Asakura asks me.

"Isn't Tomoki two-timing Touka-chan and Hasaki?"

　In Asakura's words,

"Eh? I didn't."

　I answer with the truth.
　When I wondered why he was asking me such a question,

"If you're trying to play dumb, it's no use, okay? ...I saw Tomoki cuddling with Hasaki in the park the other day, stroking her head and making out with her, you know."

　...... Did you see that?
　Asakura asks in a trembling voice.
　And then I realize.

"You're really a good guy, aren't you? Asakura."

"... What are you talking about, Tomoki? If you're trying to divert the conversation――"

　I shake my head at the sound of his voice, which is filled with anger.

"You thought for the sake of Touka and Hasaki that you couldn't forgive me if I had been unfaithful, right? And you didn't just make up your mind based on what you saw, you also tried to ask me about the situation. So, you're a good guy, Asakura. "

"...In the end, how is it?"

"I didn't two-timing.... Kana had confessed her feelings to me before. But I refused, saying that I couldn't go out with her because I was Touka's lover."

　At my words, Asakura asks again.

"Isn't that strange? Hasaki is still approaching Tomoki, and Tomoki stroking Hasaki's head is something that can't be explained, right?"

"It's hard for me to say, but.... Kana is not going to give up just because she was rejected once. Also, when I patted Kana on the head, it's because I was being a bit rude to her. That was my way of apologizing."

　I tell the truth.
　Then, after a slight thought, Asakura opened his mouth.

"I understand. Tomoki is Touka-chan's lover, not that you' re having an affair with Hasaki, right?"

"Yeah, that's right. ...Thank you for understanding."

　I turned around and looked at Asakura's expression.
　...... He had a look of despair on his face.

"I understand, Tomoki's situation is well.... But"

　Asakura looked at me with a sorrowful expression and then grabbed my shoulder with a firm grip.

"... Asakura, what's up?"

"Still, can I punch you?"

　It was probably hot water.
　Asakura grabbed my shoulder and said that, it must have been my imagination that he seemed to be shedding tears. 

　☆


　After getting out of the hot spring, we were in the Japanese-style relaxation hall.
　This place was also reserved, as a matter of course.
　Asakura talks to me while sitting in the massage chair.

"I am sorry, Tomoki. I lost my temper"

"Don't worry about it. .....We're friends, right?"

　Tomoki...... Asakura muttered, then,

"... When you show me your deep feelings, it's like I'm being shown the difference in the status as a man, that makes me shock."

　After a distant look, Asakura felt depressed.
　...... Asakura's male heart seems to be sensitive.

"Don't worry too deeply, Asakura"

　Ike then patted Asakura on the shoulder and give a follow-up.

"Ike, who has been happily going to and from school every day during the summer vacation with a beautiful girl named Tatsumiya, the vice president of the school, said that, it wouldn't be a follow-up..."

　Said Asakura, with white eyes and a breathless look on his face.

"Did going to and from school with the Tatsumiya have anything to do with it?"

　Ike said with a puzzled attitude.
　His words and actions made Asakura's despair deepen.
　I put my hand on his shoulder, then looked at him and slowly shook my head.

　I meant that you shouldn't take what this insensitive protagonist says seriously in terms of romance.

"... I want a girlfriend"

　Asakura covered his face with his hands and muttered in a trembling voice.

"Yuuji-senpai! Sorry to keep you waiting!"

"After all, the boys' bath time is so short."

　While we were having this exchange, I was approached by a voice.
　When I looked, I saw Touka and Kana, who had come with me, getting out of the hot spring and coming towards me.

　The two of them had changed into the yukata provided at the inn. The yukata is available for free to day-trippers. Again, I wondered if the inn was running well.
　Unlike usual, they have their hair tied together.
　Perhaps they had not yet dried, they were slightly wet.
　The atmosphere was so different from the usual that I was surprised.

"Hey, there was another table tennis table in the next room, can I use that?"

　Touka asks Kai.

"Yeah, and you can rent a racket at the reception desk."

"In that case, let's play a little."

　After Kai's explanation, Ike called out to everyone.
　No one had any objections, so we moved to another room.
　There were two ping-pong tables set up there.

"I borrowed a racket and a ball."

　With that said, Kai brought five rackets and four ping pong balls.

　We thanked him and took the rackets.
　Then, Ike casually asks me.

"Hey, Yuuji. Would you like to have a match?"

"Yeah, sure. We can use it first, right?"

　I asked the others,

"Fine! I'll be cheering for senpai!"

"Yes. I'm rooting for you, Yuuji-kun, so do your best!"

"I'll be cheering for Tomoki-senpai too, so... We won't use another one."

　Touka, Kana and Kai continued to say.
　I'm embarrassed when people look at me like that...

"I don't want to cheer for either side, so I'll be the referee!"

　Asakura said, his expression twisted in frustration.

"...Why are we so far away?"

　Ike stood in front of the ping-pong table, shrugging his shoulders, and the game began.

☆

　The match was my defeat.
　I think we were playing a good match until about halfway through the game, but once Ike got into the zone, it was as if I lost my edge.

"You're strong after all"

"I'm an experienced man, though. At first, I was afraid I might lose."

　We praise each other's good work.

"Good work, senpai! Here, please use the towel♡"

　After the fierce battle with Ike, I was drenched in sweat, and Touka offered me a towel.

"Oh, thank you"

　I took it and wiped the sweat off my face.

"This is the girl I have to surpass. Her cleverness has broken through the sky..."

　I noticed that Kana muttered with a serious expression on her face.
　...... Let's pretend I didn't see it.

"Next time, let's do it in pairs. I'll pair up with Yuuji-senpai ♡"

"No, Yuuji-kun. I want him to pair with me."

　Before I could answer, they began to argue.
　When Asakura saw the scene, he gnashed his teeth in frustration and then asked Ike about it.

"... Ike, would you mind playing a little round with me?"

"Of course it's okay"

　Ike answered that question.
　It must be boring for Asakura to just watch.

"I'll pair with him!"

"I don't agree with that! ...Let's settle this with a ping-pong match!?"

　Touka and Hasaki were saying to each other.
　With that being said, I was soaked in sweat from the match with Ike and decided to sweat it out again.

"I'm going to go take another bath "

"Then, I'm going to wash senpai's back again..."

Kai reacted to my words with a big smile on his face...

"You are our referee. Do you understand?"

　Kai was forced to be the referee by Touka,

"No way..."

　He muttered sadly.

☆

　Then I headed for the bathroom, but an old man with a curtain in his hand was switching between the men's and women's baths.

"Is the bathroom different from the morning?"

　I was curious, so I asked him, and he turned around and said.

"Actually, I should have changed it this morning. I forgot, so I did it now. You don't have to make such a scary face. Young people these days lack patience..."

　The old man says to me with a hint of annoyance.
　I'm not mad at you, though.
　Even though I'm not happy about it, I can't help but complain about it.

　I entered the undressing room through a different entrance than before.

　Then I took off my clothes and stepped into the bathroom.

　After showering off the sweat, I turned my attention to the bathtub.
　The bath water was strong, sticky, and muddy.
　As I headed for the bathtub, looking forward to getting in...

　In front of me was an unbelievable sight.



"Eh... Tomoki-kun?"



　Her confused voice echoed in the quiet room.
　I raised my head and looked at the owner of the voice.

"What are you doing in a place like this, Tomoki-kun?"

　With a twitching expression, Makiri-sensei, filled with anger and embarrassment, was asking why I was soaking in the hot spring.

"……Ha?"

　I didn't know what it meant, and I couldn't grasp the current situation at all.

　There was only one question in my mind right now.

　――Why is Makiri-sensei here?

　My head goes blank as I'm stared at by the reddening Makiri-sensei.

　I thought so without being able to say anything...