Chapter 185 – Bathing, and Scrubbing

Once the hair was thoroughly cared for, Mahiru seemed a little hesitant as she  took out the bottle labelled as shower cream.

“…Erm, well…same for the body.”

Amane understood what Mahiru meant, and sensed his body getting tense.

“…Err, well, I-I’ll handle the front…ju-just the back.”

“Th-that is fine.”

It would be really awkward if he let her wash the front. Thus, he allowed her to do as she wanted, and did not refuse her offer to wash the back as she said she wanted it.

He saw Mahiru nod bashfully in the mirror, and for the time being, lowered his head.

Mahiru kept forming bubbles behind him, and there was the sound of fabric being rubbed.

He was painfully aware that it was awkward and unbearable to have only breathing sounds and scrubbing noises in the bathroom.

“…Let us, start then…”

Mahiru probably was done lathering bubbles, for she said timidly, and a soft, bouncy sensation returned his back.

Amane knew it was the shower cream that was lathered, but it was a male’s instincts to wonder if they touched, especially when she was up close, wearing a bikini.

The feeling of the bubbles spread gently on his back, feeling ticklish.

Amane felt anxious partially because of Mahiru’s delicate movements, but more importantly, because the bubbles were applied gently.

He usually would not spend the effort doing so himself, so he was not used to it.

“…You back is unexpectedly big, Amane-lkun.”

Amane heard a teeny-weeny voice as she washed the back and scrubbed away the grim.

“Unexpectedly, you say…but mine’s definitely bigger.”

“It is this big because it is you…I am relying on your back after all.”

He felt a palm gently pressed near his shoulder blade.

“Do you remember? You carried me when I twisted my ankle.”

“Yeah, I do. When you got hurt saving a cat.”

“…I was really happy back then, though I did not express it out.”

“Well, you had nowhere to go.”

“…You always find me…till now, I do think that you will always find me, Amane-kun.”

Mahiru’s palms slid on his back, and wrapped around onto his chest.

The distance between them became zero. Mahiru continued to stick onto Amane, and put her lips on his shoulder.

Amane felt the incomparable softness and mass covered in bubbles, and sighed.

“I’ll carry and support you however you want if you wish for it. Besides, I promised to keep an eye out for you. I won’t let you run away.”

“…Yes.”

“But it’s bad for me to carry you now, especially with what we’re wearing. If possible, please move away?”

Amane hinted that they touched, and Mahiru shivered a little, but she showed no signs of letting go.

“…I wish for you to be by my side. You not have to carry me. I will not burden you entirely…we shall move forward, side by side.”

“…Sure.”

“And it is said you will be happy, Amane-kun.”

“Chitose⸺!”

*Her and her stupid ideas again, *Amane instinctively groaned, “Ch-Chitose-san merely suggested, but I wanted to do this.” but Mahiru said as she latched onto Amane’s body with both hands, ensuring that he did not frown anymore.

Instead, Amane pried away her arms for the time being.

He turned around, and saw Mahiru widen her eyes, seemingly taken aback. He embraced Mahiru up front instead.

“Ah, e-erm?”

“…Chitose suggested that you hug me, right?”

“Y-yes.”

“I’ll add on to that…guys prefer to be hugged from the front.”

This alone should be fine, Amane convinced himself as he embraced Mahiru’s soft, silky limbs that were covered in bubbles, whispering into her ears. She instantly turned limp, and tumbled.

She blushed, and he took the bubble net she used, lathering it next to her.

“E-erm, Amane-kun…”

“We’re going to scrub each other’s backs, right?”

“…E-erm.”

“I think I have the right to do that to you. What about you?”

He deliberately hushed his voice, and she shivered, I did, she answered with teary eyes. Amane made sure not to betray his own embarrassment as he chuckled, “That’s fine.”

Mahiru was being extraordinarily aggressive, and seized the advantage. Amane could not remain passive.

He knew she would run away if she hated it, so he gently put the bubbles onto her back.

As expected, her back was more delicate than his. He was impressed by how she took care of her own back.

“Ah…i-it tickles…”

“…I think your entire body is a weakness.”

Amane knew that Mahiru’s ears were a weakness, but he did not expect her back to be one. It seemed that she was weak on every part with a skin. She would shiver on mere contact with the neck, and she probably was the overly sensitive type.

He touched her back, and at most the waist, through the bubbles, but Mahiru pursed her lips as she shivered, and at the next second, glared at him.

“…Yo-you are too much.”

“I wouldn’t have done this if you didn’t say to scrub each other’s back.”

“B-but…”

“But?”

“Shihoko-san, and Chitose-san, both did…”

“Don’t compare us to those with kids and experience…though it’s too late to say that.”

Mahiru invited, and stated it. Amane merely did the same.

Try looking from the side of the one being pushed around, Amane scrubbed Mahiru’s back, and she gave up on resisting, her face was completely red as she obediently leaned on Amane.