Chapter 27 – So She Actually Registered

“…No. I won’t be distracted by that. Besides, what are you going to do if that smell gets all over your room?”

…Honestly, if Yui’s scent got all over my room, I’d welcome it, but I obviously can’t say that, so what should I… Oh, I know. I’ll be a bit embarrassed too, but she probably already saw it before anyway. It’s too late now.

“Th-then, maybe I should take a bath. Want to join me, Mana?”

Thinking that, I said it. Then, maybe because I’d taken back control of the situation, Mana’s face turned bright red and she started getting flustered.

“Huh? T-take a bath together… Wh-what are you saying?! Th-that’s obviously not okay!”

“Why not? We’re childhood friends, right? So I think it’s fine.”

Of course I know that being childhood friends doesn’t make it okay, but I tilted my head and asked with a puzzled expression.

“I-I’m a girl! Y-Yuuto, do you even understand what you’re saying?”

…Well, even in my previous world, what I’m saying would be pretty crazy. But thanks to this bath topic, I’ve successfully diverted Mana’s attention away from Yui’s scent, so it couldn’t be helped. …Yeah. It couldn’t be helped. I definitely don’t have any ulterior motives. If you asked me if I wanted to see or not, I’d say yes, but she’ll probably wrap a towel around herself anyway, so I won’t be able to see anything. In other words, that’s not what this is about.

“I know. …Oh, is it that our bath at home is too small?”

“N-no, that’s not it… Y-Yuuto, you’re a boy, so you need to have more of a sense of danger or wariness!”

“? I don’t really get it, but if it’s you, Mana, it’s fine, right?”

“—! I-it’s not fine… but are you really okay with this, Yuuto?”

While hesitant, she looked at me with eyes that seemed to expect something as she said that.

“Yeah. I’m fine with it. If you’re okay with it too, Mana, why don’t you go get a change of clothes from home?”

“Eh, ah, o-okay. I’ll go get them.”

Her face bright red, Mana nodded and left my house to go get her clothes from home. Looks like I managed to pull it off.

Thinking that, I sniffed my clothes a little. …Yeah. I don’t smell like Yui at all. It’s not smelly, nor does it smell particularly nice. That’s about it. …Mana sure noticed though. Does she have a good sense of smell?

“Guess I should prepare some towels.”

I need to get a towel for Mana to wrap around herself and one for me to wrap around my waist. She might bring her own towel along with her clothes, but it wouldn’t hurt to have some ready here.

【I registered like you told me to. Also, tell me your name】

After finishing preparing the clothes and towels, I casually checked my phone and saw a message from the delinquent girl… Yuna, whose contact I’d just registered. So she actually registered.

【It’s Yuuto. Sorry for the late reply. Looking forward to getting to know you】

The teacher called my name, so I think she knows it, but maybe she wanted to hear it from me directly? Thinking that makes it seem really adorable.

【Not like I’m planning to be friends with you or anything, but whatever, nice to meet you, Yuuto】

Right as I got that reply from Yuna, Mana came back with her change of clothes.

Chapter 28 – Please

“I-I brought them, but are you really sure about this?”

“How many times do I have to say it? If you’re not against it, Mana, then it’s fine.”

Honestly, if I were in her position, I’d probably ask multiple times like Mana is doing now, so without thinking anything of being asked repeatedly, I said that. Of course… or maybe I shouldn’t say “of course,” but I kind of hid my phone while saying it. …I mean, it’s basically confirmed at this point. That Mana is what you’d call a yandere.

“O-okay. Th-then I want to take a bath together…”

“Then let’s get in quickly. I’ll go in first. I prepared a towel for you too, so feel free to use it if you want.”

Saying that, I left Mana near the entrance and headed to the bathroom. I don’t think it’d be a good idea to undress together in the changing room.

So anyway, I took off my clothes, wrapped a towel around my waist, and entered the bathroom.

“Y-Yuuto, I’m coming in.”

As I was randomly showering, I heard Mana’s voice from the other side of the door.

“…Yeah.”

I’m the one who invited her, but now that Mana’s about to come in with nothing but a towel, I’m getting nervous.

“Y-Yuuto! Wh-why aren’t you covering your chest?!”

“Huh?”

…Chest? Mine? Wait, I’m a guy.

“I’m a guy though.”

“That’s exactly why you should!”

Her face bright red, she kept stealing glances at my chest while saying that. I don’t get it. …Wait, do guys’ chests have value in this world too?

“Well, I don’t mind, so you don’t need to worry about it either, Mana.”

“D-don’t worry about it… Huh? Wh-what? I do mind, and you should too, Yuuto!”

“It’s fine because it’s you, Mana.”

“…B-because it’s me?”

“Yeah. Because it’s you, Mana.”

“R-really? You’re not this defenseless with anyone else? Just me?”

“Uh… Y-yeah, I guess?”

More than defenseless, I’m planning to act oblivious with others too, but I haven’t done anything with anyone other than Mana yet, so I’m not lying. With that thought, I nodded, albeit hesitantly.

“Th-then, o-okay. If you’re fine with it, Yuuto, then it’s okay.”

Good. Looks like she didn’t find anything suspicious and nodded. I can really feel her gaze on my chest, but honestly, I’m not embarrassed at all about her looking there—in fact, I’m totally fine with her looking—so it’s no problem.

“Anyway, I’m gonna wash my hair.”

“O-okay.”

“Aren’t you going to wash yours, Mana?”

“Ah, I will.”

“Yeah? Then feel free to use the shower.”

“O-okay.”

When I said that, Mana nodded, her face still bright red. I might be imagining it, but her shoulders look red too. …Now that I think about it, I might be in the most danger here. There’s a beautiful girl like Mana right in front of me wearing nothing but a towel. And on top of that, she likes me. Is there any reason not to make a move? There isn’t. But if I made a move here, I wouldn’t be able to keep up my act of being oblivious. …It might be pathetic for a guy like me to think this, but please. Please, Mana, make the first move.

Mana probably doesn’t have the slightest idea I’m thinking this. That’s why, really, nothing happened and we both just finished washing our hair.

“Mana, if you don’t mind, could you wash my back?”

Thinking that at this rate nothing would happen at all, I said that to try and tempt Mana.