I Will Do Everything In My Power To Bring Happiness To The Enchanting Beauty Who Can No Longer Smile. - Chapter 37: A Fateful Incident at the Hotel.

A Fateful Incident at the Hotel.

“…Phew.”

As I sank into the bath, both my body and mind began to relax. A lot had just happened, but now, soaking alone in the warm water, I could finally feel at ease.

I gazed absentmindedly at the ceiling above.

“…”

And yet, my thoughts inevitably drifted back—to what had just happened.

Her damp hair, clinging gently to her skin, her flushed cheeks… and the figure beneath that single bathrobe that could hardly conceal her curves.

It was something I could never have seen through her usual clothes. The sight sent a tingle through me—like my heart had been lightly stroked.

…No, I can’t. I’ve just finally calmed down—don’t overthink it.

Tsubame said she was “happy,” but I’m not sure my body or heart can take this.

With another sigh, I dipped my face below the surface of the water.

Even that didn’t wash the thoughts away. …Once I’m out of the bath, it’ll probably all come rushing back again. Accepting that, I lifted my face back above the water.

“…Just what is she planning?”

What came to mind was the look on Tsubame’s face just before I entered the bathroom. Not quite like back then, but there was no mistaking it—she was definitely scheming something.

…Not that I have the faintest clue what it could be.

It scares me, and yet—I can’t help but feel a little excited. Is it because we’ve grown close again, like we used to be? Or maybe… maybe I’ve come to enjoy her pranks too.

Or perhaps—simply because I’m a man.

“…Haaah.”

Another sigh, one of many, as I remained in the bath. But this time, not out of frustration or stress.

If I stayed in here much longer, I’d just keep sighing endlessly. And to be fair, I had been in here quite a while already.

I figured it was time to get out. I pulled the plug and stepped out of the tub.

I quickly dried off with a towel, slipped into my underwear, and then slid my arms through the sleeves of a bathrobe. As I did, my hands paused for a moment.

Just as Tsubame said—the robe was incredibly comfortable. The texture was soft, almost luxurious.

I could understand why she liked wearing it so much. It looked perfect for lounging or even sleeping in. …Wait, aren’t bathrobes technically meant to be substitutes for towels?

Well, it’s warm enough. Maybe I’ll just wear it to bed. The room’s warm anyway—probably fine either way.

I tied the sash securely and checked my reflection in the mirror. …Now that I looked again, the neckline did seem a bit loose. But I guess that’s just how these are designed.

Well, it should be fine.

Thinking that, I opened the door to return to the room—

“Whoa!?”

“Got you, Shigure.”

The moment I stepped out of the bathroom, Tsubame was right there—startling me into shouting.

Before I could recover, she threw herself straight into my chest.

“—Nn.”

A tight embrace, firm enough to almost make a sound. I froze—not just because it was sudden… No, all of it was tied to that hug.

The soft sensation pressing into me was far more intense than anything before. Looking down, I saw… her figure, crushed gently against my chest…

“T-Tsubame…”

“Operation success. Fufu.”

I instinctively called her name, but her reply—along with her expression—left me speechless.

“You feel closer than usual, Shigure… My heart’s racing like crazy.”

Tsubame had buried her face into my neck, where the robe left skin exposed. From that distance, she could probably hear my heartbeat—loud and clear.

And I, too… felt a heartbeat that wasn’t my own.

Thump, thump. The sound of life, of blood flowing through veins. It was louder than usual, likely because there was so little separating us.

Thump, thump. Thump, thump. Soon, our heartbeats began to synchronize.

She looked up at me with deep, black eyes—sparkling, like stars scattered across a night sky. Eyes full of life.

“…U…”

I tried to look away, but I couldn’t. There was no way I could.

That soft pressure against my chest… it was overwhelming.

In the past, I had barely managed to avert my eyes during hugs like this… no, to be honest, I’d never really succeeded. But even then—on days like today—there had always been a reason. Like flipping her emotional switch, or seeing her smile and feeling happy for her.

Even without that, the affection I felt for Tsubame had always outweighed any temptation.

But now… after everything that just happened… I felt like I was going to explode. In every possible sense.

“Tsuba…me…”

“Yes?”

I called her name again—but that’s as far as I got. In front of her smile, everything else became meaningless.

It wasn’t quite the radiant smile she showed when I gave her that present… but it was far deeper than anything I’d seen from her before.

She had broken through another layer of her shell today. And that, by itself, was truly something to be happy about.

…So why couldn’t I tear my eyes away?

“…?”

Tsubame tilted her head slightly, question mark clear in her gaze. Then, resting her chin gently along the curve of my collarbone, she looked up at me.

God, how is she this cute?

“…The thing is. If you hug me like that right now… things could go very badly. Actually, they already are.”

“Then why don’t we just… let things go badly?”

“……”

Every word she said chipped away at my rationality—precisely, and probably on purpose.

Even so, I clung to what little reason I had left—

“—Because I care deeply about you, Tsubame.”

“…!”

“That’s why… I don’t want to do something I’ll regret later.”

I forced the words out. Stumbling over them, yes—but I got them out.

Tsubame stared into my eyes. Deep, starry black.

“…Fufu.”

Then, her lips curled slightly—and she let out a quiet laugh.

“I figured you’d say that, Shigure. Got it.”

With that, she loosened her arms, and I let out a relieved breath.

…And quickly turned my attention away from the slight pang of disappointment in the corner of my heart.

She took a step back and smiled. It was so breathtakingly beautiful, I couldn’t help but hold my breath.

But that wasn’t the only reason I froze.

The sash of Tsubame’s bathrobe had come loose—likely from that intense hug just now.

“Tsubame—”

I’d made the wrong decision. I should’ve turned away without a word. I realized that far too late.

Soft fabric slipped and fluttered downward.

“Ah.”

What was revealed beneath was skin that until now had only been partially visible.

The full curve of her ample chest, which had only been glimpsed before, was now nearly half exposed to the air.

Beneath that was a toned abdomen—not just slim, but subtly defined with muscle. It highlighted not just “beauty,” but something else—something deeper.

And further down—

“…Ah—”

At the exact moment I forcefully turned my eyes away, she grabbed the edge of her bathrobe and quickly pulled it closed.

Just before I averted my gaze, I caught a glimpse of Tsubame’s face—it had flushed as red as a ripe apple. That image burned itself into my mind.

“S-sorry.”

“No, it’s okay… I was being lazy and only tied one of the knots.”

Apparently, the bathrobe—perhaps they all were designed this way—had two places to tie it shut. That’s what she meant.

“…It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Since you saw me like this. Not everything, but still.”

My heart pounded so loudly, it echoed through my body. And yet, her voice reached me clearly.

Tsubame’s phrasing was a little peculiar, but… she was probably talking about when we used to take baths together as kids.

“Now that we’re older, it’s… a bit embarrassing.”

“…”

I could hear the embarrassment in her voice. When I dared to glance back for just a moment, I saw her cheeks glowing red, her lips forming a small, shy smile.

I quickly shut my eyes tight and turned my whole body away.

“…Can you at least put something on underneath?”

“…Yeah. I will.”

And with that, the unexpected moment finally came to a close.

***

We lay side by side on the bed. The incident from earlier still lingered in my mind, but somehow, we had managed to settle back into our usual rhythm.

Under the covers, we were watching animal videos on the in-room monitor.

“Hey, Shigure-kun.” 

“What is it?”

Tsubame turned toward me with a soft rustle of her pillow. I mirrored her movement, our eyes meeting.

“There’s something I wanted to tell you.” 

“What’s that?” 

“You only need to come with me on your days off, for work. That’s enough.”

Her words made my eyes widen. I had been meaning to ask about that.

“…But—”

“It’s okay. I realized I’ll be fine. You and your mom are here. Usui-san is here too. I’m not alone.”

Her voice was soft, like a secret being whispered under the covers—just like when we were kids.

“During the shoot, I made eye contact with Usui-san. She smiled and waved at me. That’s when I realized it was the first time we’d ever actually made eye contact.” 

“…”

“It made me feel like my world had gotten a little bigger… So it’ll be okay.”

She gave me a gentle smile as I listened in silence.

“But… if you could, when I finish work and we meet again… I’d really like it if you gave me a hug and said, ‘You did great,’ or maybe patted my head.”

“Something like that… I can do that as many times as you want.”

“Okay… then that’s enough for me.”

For a moment, I imagined us at school… but if it would make her that happy, I figured it’d be fine. Still, I should probably try to find a spot where we wouldn’t draw attention. Though knowing her, that might be impossible.

Well, I’ll figure it out when the time comes.

Just then, Tsubame let out a small, soft yawn. It was getting late.

“Alright, time to sleep.”

“Yeah… Shigure-kun.”

“…I know.”

Tsubame slowly reached out her hand. I hesitated briefly, then took it and gently pulled her close.

She curled up beside me and hugged me tightly. The warmth of her body felt even closer than the night before—probably because of what had happened earlier.

“Good night, Shigure-kun.”

“…Yeah. Good night.”

As she entwined her legs with mine, I flinched slightly, but managed to respond and embrace her in return.

It took a while to fall asleep, but as I watched her peaceful sleeping face, drowsiness naturally crept over me—

—And thus, a long, long day came to an end.
Though the next morning began with yet another unexpected moment: Tsubame’s bathrobe was once again casually undone.

A new everyday life had begun to show itself—bit by bit.
And surely, little by little, that everyday life would continue to change into something new.