I Will Do Everything In My Power To Bring Happiness To The Enchanting Beauty Who Can No Longer Smile. - Chapter 16: A Method to Make Her Fall Asleep.

A Method to Make Her Fall Asleep.

As I returned to the living room, I found Tsubame watching a video of a turtle munching on vegetables.

“Are you ready?”

Noticing my presence, Tsubame paused the video and looked at me.

“You can keep watching for now. I have something to do in the kitchen first.”

“Alright.”

“I’ll call you once I’m done… Oh, by the way, I wanted to ask you something.”

“What is it?”

“Do you drink herbal tea? It doesn’t have a strong flavor.”

“Yes, I do.”

I felt relieved. Some people find it unpalatable, but it seemed to be fine for Tsubame.

After confirming with her, I headed to the kitchen. I reached into the back of a shelf I rarely used and took out a box. A neatly affixed instruction sheet was attached—not from the manufacturer, but handwritten by my mother.

Following the instructions, I began preparing the tea. The guide on the box was quite general, but my mother had experimented with different methods to perfect the flavor.

Since it was my first time brewing it myself, I proceeded carefully. Eventually, I managed to prepare it successfully.

“Tsubame.”

“Yeah, I’m ready too.”

I carefully carried the teapot and cups to the table. Tsubame had finished watching her video and stood up immediately.

We climbed the stairs and headed toward my room. Come to think of it, I hadn’t mentioned this yet.

“I was thinking we’d go to my room. Is that okay?”

“Yeah.”

Though it was quite late to confirm, her response reassured me, and I led her inside. It had been a while since I last invited Tsubame into my room.

As I opened the door, a soft, subtly sweet fragrance filled the air.

“What’s that smell?”

“It’s an aroma candle. I have other scents if you don’t like this one.”

“No, I like it.”

“Glad to hear that.”

The scent came from an aroma candle I had borrowed from my mother.

“Now that I think about it, didn’t your mom used to run an esthetic salon?”

“Oh, you remember well.”

My mother used to work as an esthetician at a salon. Both the herbal tea and the aroma candle were things she had used in her work.

Even now, whenever my father or I are exhausted, she still takes care of us, so these aren’t old supplies.

“That makes things easier to explain. I actually learned a bit of massage from my mom. She and my dad were often tired, so I picked it up by helping them out. I wanted to try it on you too.”

“Really?”

“I’d like to, if you’re okay with it. But first, I want you to relax with some herbal tea.”

I guided Tsubame to sit on the bed, then poured the herbal tea into cups on my cleared study desk.

“It’s just a simple massage, though.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. If an amateur tries anything too advanced, they might end up hurting someone. My mom always warned me that a wrong move—especially around the neck—could be dangerous.”

So, today I would only be doing a light massage. Even if the tea and aroma candle gave off a professional touch, my actual skills were limited.

“Here, have some tea. If the smell bothers you, don’t feel pressured to finish it.”

“Thanks… It smells wonderful.”

“Good.”

Hearing Tsubame’s approving words after she took a sip reassured me, and I took a drink myself.

As she enjoyed the tea, she pressed down on the mattress a few times, testing its softness.

“This mattress is really soft.”

“Yeah, I switched it out. My mom used to use this for work.”

“So it’s not the one you usually use?”

“Mom said this type makes it easier for women to lie on their stomachs, so I decided to go with it.”

I had vaguely hinted at it to her, but directly stating the reason would mean mentioning… certain aspects of her body. Women with larger chests often found lying on their stomachs uncomfortable or even painful. Of course, not everyone experienced that, but it was best not to dwell on the thought.

“By the way, Tsubame, if you ever feel uncomfortable with the massage, just say so. I’ll be careful, but it does involve touching you.”

“It’s fine. If it’s you, I don’t mind being touched anywhere.”

“…I appreciate the trust, but the way you said that could be problematic.”

If it were anyone else, things could have gone very wrong.

That said, I had no intention of betraying her trust.

As we continued chatting, Tsubame finished her tea.

“Do you want a refill?”

“No, I’m good. If I drink any more, my stomach will slosh around.”

“Got it.”

Drinking too much before lying down wouldn’t be ideal. Keeping that in mind, I set the cup aside.

“Alright, let’s move on to the massage.”

“Okay.”

Tsubame nodded and reached for the hem of her clothes.

—Wait, what?

“Hold on, Tsubame, stop!”

“…Huh? What’s wrong?”

“You don’t need to take off your clothes!”

I quickly stopped her just as she was about to remove her uniform. Clearly, I hadn’t explained well enough.

“Really?”

“Yeah. I’m only doing a basic massage. I was thinking of working on your hands, head, shoulders, back, and maybe your legs a bit, but you don’t need to undress for that.”

“What about that… oil massage thing?”

“I do have massage oil, but… that would basically mean you’d be almost naked.”

“I’m fine with that.”

“Well, I wouldn’t be fine with it, so no.”

Technically, I had the supplies for an oil massage, but performing one on a woman—especially Tsubame—was an entirely different issue. Even if I used towels to maintain modesty, it wasn’t something to take lightly.

Besides, the relaxation effect from the tea and aroma candle was more than enough. Oil massages were more for skincare and beauty treatments.

“…So yeah, that’s the deal.”

“I understand.”

She nodded, and I let out a sigh of relief.

That was close. If I hadn’t stopped her in time, I might have seen something I really shouldn’t have.

“But are you sure? Won’t it be harder to massage through clothes? I’d think you’d at least be fine with just an inner layer.”

“I can manage over clothes. I know the pressure points well enough.”

“I see.”

To be fair, it would be easier with just an inner layer, but my self-restraint wouldn’t hold up.

After clarifying, I continued.

“Let’s start with a hand massage. Lie down for me.”

“Alright.”

Following my instructions, Tsubame lay down.

It was possible to do the massage while sitting, but lying down would help her relax more.

She turned onto her back, and after informing her, I gently placed my hands over hers.

“Relaxation is key, so don’t tense up. Let’s start with a deep breath.”

“Okay.”

The most important aspect of a massage is relaxation.

I gently touch her hands, guiding her to take deep breaths. To make it easier, I breathe along with her.

Gradually, the tension leaves her hands, making them feel heavier. My mother once told me that some people find it difficult to relax, but she seems to be doing just fine.

“Keep your eyes closed just like that. …Oh, right. Once I’m done with your hands, I’ll use a warm towel to soothe the area around your eyes.”

“Thank you.”

I had forgotten about it, but I decide to do it later, perhaps while massaging her head. With that in mind, I continue kneading her palms gently.

“If it hurts, let me know. It should feel just the right amount of pressure—slightly painful but still comfortable.”

“Okay. …Ah, that spot hurts a little.”

“…I figured. How about this?”

“That feels nice.”

The spot Tsubame pointed out was a pressure point in the center of her palm, known as Rōkyū. It is believed to help with stress and insomnia.

Using the pads of my fingers, I apply gentle circular pressure, making sure not to cause pain. I also press a few other stress-relief points, but each time, she flinches slightly, as if they are all tender.

It seems like her lower back, shoulders, and legs are also in poor condition.

“I tend to get muscle soreness from all the different poses I do.”

That was something Tsubame mentioned in passing.

At least now I have a better idea of which areas need attention—her shoulders, lower back, and legs. Her digestive health might not be great either.

Oddly enough, her neck seems fine. I’ve heard that younger people are prone to neck issues, but then it hits me—Tsubame barely uses her phone. She likely hasn’t developed straight neck syndrome.

After that, I have her lie on her stomach to work on her other hand. This time, I’ve gotten a better sense of the right amount of pressure, allowing me to massage without causing discomfort.

“Alright, now let’s move on to your head massage. I’ll just prepare a warm towel first—wait here for a moment. Do you feel too hot or cold?”

“No, I’m fine. I feel a little warm, but it’s actually nice.”

“That’s good.”

It must mean her blood circulation has improved. Now that I think about it, she winced slightly when I pressed pressure points for cold sensitivity. That could be a factor as well.

With that in mind, I quickly leave the room and dampen a towel with water. Wrapping it in plastic wrap, I heat it in the microwave to create a warm compress.

It comes out quite hot, so I let it cool slightly on my way back to avoid burning her.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Tsubame.”

“It’s fine. I didn’t wait long.”

I had secretly hoped that she might have dozed off, but as expected, she was still awake.

Telling myself that there’s no need to rush, I snap the towel in the air a few times to let out excess heat. …Alright, this should be safe enough now.

“Tsubame, how does this feel? Is it too hot?”

“I think it’s fine. I just place it over my eyelids, right?”

“Yeah. Keep it there for about a minute or so.”

She gives a small nod before placing the towel over her eyes, as if using it as a blindfold.

“…This feels nice.”

“If you’re not getting enough sleep, your eyes don’t get enough rest either. Even though you don’t use your phone much, eye strain still builds up. …I’ll start your head massage while the towel is on.”

As I speak, I place my fingers on her scalp. The head also has several important pressure points.

Tension in the scalp often connects to stiffness in the neck and shoulders. However, I make sure to use only the pads of my fingers, being careful not to damage the hair roots.

“Alright, that should be enough for the warm towel. I’ll finish up the head massage soon, too.”

“…Mmh.”

I almost let out a surprised sound. Her response was slightly delayed.

Even if she doesn’t fall asleep, I had at least hoped she would relax. But maybe… she might actually drift off.

I remove the towel and give her head a final gentle massage. Too much stimulation wouldn’t be good, so I keep it moderate.

Then, I glance at Tsubame—her expression isn’t as tense as usual. Her breathing has become steady.

“…I’ll massage your legs next.”

“…”

There’s no verbal response, but she gives a small nod.

I want to work on her shoulders and lower back as well, but moving her now might wake her up. I’ll either wait until she wakes naturally or ask her mother to do it later.

With that thought, I shift closer to work on her legs while she remains lying on her back.

As I begin loosening her tight muscles—

Suu, suu—I hear the sound of quiet breathing.

I soften my touch and glance at her.

Tsubame’s eyes are closed, her chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm.

She’s probably asleep.

Internally, I pump my fist in victory and continue the massage gently.

If possible, I’d like to let her sleep for a few hours. …Though considering the night ahead, I can’t let her sleep too long. At the very least, an hour.

With that in mind, I finish massaging her legs and slowly step away—

At that moment, her fingers twitch slightly.

…So much for that.

My small hope is shattered—though perhaps, not entirely.

Her eyelids flutter open, just a fraction, barely the size of a pinky nail. From beneath, her dark eyes peek out.

Then, her hand slowly reaches forward.

…Toward me.

“Come here.”

Her voice is barely louder than a whisper, like the buzz of a tiny insect.

I think I must have misheard.

I want to believe I misheard.

“…Shigure-kun.”

She calls my name again, and her outstretched hand grasps mine.

“Shigure-kun… will you sleep with me?”