Chapter 163

Heart-Pounding Massage Season 3 #2

After dropping Miyuki off and returning to the Academy, I spotted Renka saying something to Chinami.

Judging by Renka's serious expression, Chinami must have told her we were going somewhere alone...

Chinami seemed to be listening earnestly to Renka's impassioned speech, but when she saw me approaching, she flashed a bright smile and waved.

"Junior...! Over here!"

I waved back and asked, "What were you two talking about?"

"Ah... well..."

Just as Chinami was about to explain, Renka cut in.

"Chinami, didn't you say you wanted to go to the restroom? Go ahead. I have something to discuss with Matsuda about the tournament."

"Ah, right."

Chinami went inside the Club Room.

Renka watched her go, and once Chinami disappeared into the restroom, she closed the Club Room door.

Then she crossed her arms.

"You're going to give Chinami a massage?"

So she had told her the truth.

The bond between those two was truly deep.

"I plan to. But didn't you say you had something to discuss about the tournament?"

"You know that wasn't true."

"True. So, is there a problem?"

"There is. I was supposed to head home with Chinami today, but thanks to you, I have to go alone."

"Then I'll give you a ride home."

Had she been waiting for that answer?

Renka nodded without hesitation and said, "Let's grab ice cream and cake on the way back."

Yeah, right. She was just trying to buy time.

Clearly, leaving Chinami alone with me made her anxious, and she intended to drag things out in a shop until late at night.

"I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"We only agreed that I'd take you home. I never said we were going to a dessert shop."

"You're supposed to go to places like that on impulse. I'll ask Chinami."

"Someone who absolutely despises going anywhere with me suddenly wants to visit a dessert shop... Isn't that awfully suspicious?"

"...Who said I despise going anywhere with you? I never said that."

It was written all over her face that she was lying.

Our Renka was terrible at playing dumb.

"Oh, really? Then let's go next time."

"What do you mean, next time...! I want to go today...!"

"By the way, President."

"What...!"

"Could you do a Santa girl cosplay for Christmas?"

Was she dumbfounded by how casually I changed the subject?

Renka's mouth fell open slightly.

"...Are you actually insane?"

"I think it would suit you well. Do it for me."

"I won't...! I said I won't...! I wouldn't do it even if I died...!"

If I asked her to do it in exchange for eating cake together today, there was a high chance she would accept.

She was worried sick about what her precious friend might suffer at my lecherous hands; if she could settle it with a mere cosplay, she would jump at the chance.

If she refused, it would mean Renka didn't see me as quite that lewd.

I could have used this to build another memory with Renka... but I'd have to hold back my tears and push it to next time.

Because right now, my relationship with Chinami was what mattered.

"Why are you getting angry? Alright. I'll give up for now."

"...For now? So you mean you'll ask me to do it later? Ah, no... that's not the issue... I'm telling you, let's go get dessert!"

"I can't. I'll get some to-go today and give it to you tomorrow."

Faced with my utterly resolute attitude, Renka frowned deeply.

She marched right up to me and raised a slender index finger.

"If you... if you try to force Chinami into anything, you're a dead man...!"

"Aren't you being a bit too distrustful?"

"I have every right to..! Just look at the things you do to me...!"

"That's because of the wishes, and because you're the President. Do you really think I'd ask my kind, gentle Master to do a cosplay like that?"

"Because it's me... Does that mean I have a bad personality?"

What was this? Was she actually feeling a little hurt because I indirectly called her ill-tempered?

Didn't she have even a shred of conscience...?

A slave like that needed to be whipped until her rear turned red.

"The President herself should know that better than anyone. But wait a second..."

Trailing off, I stared intently at Renka's palm.

Finding my gaze uncomfortable, Renka flinched, hiding her hand behind her back and taking a half-step away.

"W-What is it?"

"It looks like your fingers are a bit chapped."

Clucking my tongue, I pulled a small, portable tube of hand cream from my pocket.

I had brought it to subtly initiate physical contact with Chinami, but I would make a special exception and let her use some too.

Uncapping the hand cream and tipping it over, I grabbed the bewildered Renka's wrist and pulled it toward me.

Then, taking advantage of her standing stock-still in surprise, I quickly squeezed a little hand cream onto the back of her hand.

"Rub it in yourself."

"Grabbing me however you want..."

She grumbled, but seeing her meticulously rub the cream into her hands was quite cute.

"If I'd asked for your hand, you wouldn't have given it to me anyway. Right?"

"...That's true, but... anyway, regarding Chinami..."

"You're too obsessive... Am I really that untrustworthy?"

"That's why I'm warning you... Don't you even know that...?"

Click.

While we were talking, the Club Room door opened, and Chinami stepped out with wet hands.

Seeing Renka's scowling face, she shook her head as if to say she was hopeless.

"You're getting angry at our junior again, my close friend. With the tournament just around the corner, pushing him like that might ruin his spirit. Please refrain from doing so."

At those words, Renka merely glared at me.

Chinami still believed we were discussing the tournament.

Because of that, Renka couldn't say anything more to me.

This was exactly why she shouldn't have lied.

She could have just said she was worried about Chinami and wanted a word with me... Her overprotectiveness was simply too much.

...

In front of Renka's house, which always exuded a classic, antique atmosphere.

I parked the car and turned to look at the backseat.

"Head on in."

"...Keep what I said in mind."

She threw in a warning right until the very end.

Chinami let out a long sigh and rebuked Renka.

"My close friend. I know well how competitive you are, but this is our junior's first time participating in the tournament. You should be encouraging him; how could you snap at him like that?"

"Chinami, that's not it..."

"And you should be thanking him first. It's not a given that our junior would drive you all the way to your house."

"...O-Of course you're right. Thank you."

Watching Renka express her gratitude to me with an awkward smile, I bit my lower lip.

I felt like I was going to burst out laughing. Seeing Renka so flustered was just too funny.

Renka was getting battered from all sides today... It really was a day of many hardships for her.

"I'm fine. I think she can say those things because we're close. Isn't that right?"

As I put on an act of generosity and pressured Renka, she ground her teeth softly and replied.

"R-Right... I'm going."

"Get some rest."

Renka got out of the car and looked back countless times as she walked away with anxious steps.

After confirming she had gone inside the house, I drove the car toward the love hotel.

Perhaps because it was a Monday and the sun hadn't fully set yet, the parking lot was extremely quiet.

I chatted casually with Chinami as I parked the car in one of the many empty spots, and we headed into the lobby together.

Afterward, we received a keycard from the kiosk and took the elevator up together.

"It's really been a while since I've been here, too."

Chinami said, sniffing the cheap air freshener.

I grinned at her and nodded.

"Yeah, it has."

"Should I take a shower and get ready in the massage room like last time, then text you?"

"No. Today, you can just come to the bedroom."

At that, Chinami's eyes went wide.

"Eh...? Why?"

"The bed in the massage room is hard, you see. It's small, and the room itself is cramped, so it's uncomfortable to give you a proper massage in there. It'll be much better to do it on the spacious bed in the bedroom."

"But... the bedsheets will get completely soaked with oil...?"

Our Chinami worried far too much.

They just sent it all to the laundry anyway.

But she wasn't worried about squirting like a fountain, was she?

"It's fine. I'll lay out several layers of towels to cover a wide area."

"Is that so...?"

"Yes. You just need to come out wearing the disposable underwear and a robe. Got it?"

"A-Alright..."

A flush lingered under Chinami's eyes.

Did mentioning the bed make her feel something strange?

It was entirely possible that Chinami was just as much of a pervert as Miyuki.

Or maybe not.

...

"Junior... where are you...?"

Chinami's cautious voice drifted from inside the bathroom.

Gathering my things in the massage room, I brought my lips close to the crack of the bathroom door.

"I'm in the massage room."

"Why...?"

"To move the massage supplies."

"Aha... I see..."

Why was she suddenly asking such questions? Had she suddenly grown extremely nervous right before the massage?

Figuring that was the case, I grabbed the supplies and opened the door leading to the bedroom—

"Hya!?"

I saw Chinami, who was supposed to be in the bathroom, let out a bizarre shriek as she hurriedly spun around.

"Hm?"

She was wearing a robe, but her hair wasn't even wet.

She couldn't have finished her shower already... Was there no shampoo?

"What's wrong?"

Approaching Chinami, I noticed the packaged disposable underwear sitting on the bed and grasped the situation.

She must have been about to shower when she realized she hadn't brought the underwear, so she came out to grab it.

"Junior...! G-Go away...! Shoo...! Get away...!"

Chinami tried to shoo me away while covering her front with a towel.

Even the way she spoke, as if chasing away a dog, sounded cute.

This was an unexpected fan service scene straight out of a visual novel... It would be a shame to just back off now.

Bursting into involuntary laughter, I set down the steamer and other items, then walked right up to Chinami.

"Hk...!?"

Startled, Chinami shrank back completely.

At the same time, one side of the oversized robe slipped smoothly down her shoulder, revealing the alluring side of her breast.

If the robe had slipped just a little more, or if she had come out completely defenseless, an even better scene would have unfolded, so it was a bit of a shame.

No, there was no need to feel regret. I was going to see it today anyway.

"Junior...! Why are you staring so intently...!"

Unaware that her important parts were exposed, she only kept interrogating me.

She wore a deeply embarrassed expression. Having finished my appreciation, I flashed her a benevolent smile and said, "Sorry for coming out without a word. I'll go back inside, so text me when you finish your shower."

"...Okay... hurry up and go...!"