The Story Of How I, A Gloomy Guy, Ended Up Surrounded By the Top-Tier Beautiful Girls In Class After A Seat Change

Chapter 116: I Want to Take a Bath After Airi (Straightforward)

I got completely distracted from catching beetles and ended up enjoying Airi’s breasts.

After that, I kept recalling the feeling of that lucky pervy moment as we returned to the village.

(Airi’s breasts…Airi’s breasts…)

“Good job, Ryota!”

“O-Oh! You too, Airi. Good job.”

“We’ve already set the bait on the tree! Now, we just wait until morning, right?”

On the way back home, Airi showed me a mischievous smile as she said that.

(We’re just waiting for the beetles to come, but still…)

All we did was put some weird mix of overripe banana and shochu in a stocking…I wonder how effective that’ll be.

“Hey, Airi. Will beetles really come with that? To a beginner like me, it feels like such a simple trap that I can’t help but doubt it.”

“They’ll come! And even if they don’t…we’ll just stay another night and catch them!”

It seems Airi is really determined to get those beetles no matter what.

“Why do you want beetles so badly?”

“W-Well…”

“Well?”

“Um…”

Airi fidgets while looking down. Is there a reason she’s having trouble saying it?

(Come to think of it, I never asked why Airi wants those beetles so much.)

I thought she just wanted to relive a childhood game or something…but is there another reason?

“Is there some special reason you want beetles?”

“Y-Yes. Actually, um…well…”

“Why do you seem so hesitant? Wait, Airi…you’re not planning to sell them, are you?”

“Of course not! I’m not that desperate!”

Airi playfully hit my shoulder as she said that.

“Then, can’t you tell me? Or is it something you can’t say to me?”

“N-No, it’s just…embarrassing.”

“Embarrassing?”

“Yeah…Actually, since the beginning of this year, my mom’s part-time job ends later than before. So recently, when I get home from my part-time job, I’m always alone…”

“Huh? And what does that have to do with beetles?”

“That’s why! I get lonely! When I’m alone, I feel lonely, and even when I tell people that, they just say, ‘Call your boyfriend.’ So, I thought about getting a pet, but…pets like dogs and cats are banned in my apartment complex.”

Still, of all the things to choose…she picked beetles?

“Pfft…”

“Hey! Ryota, you laughed! That’s mean!”

“Sorry, sorry. But, well, it’s just that your reason for wanting beetles is too cute.”

“C-Cute!? Really?”

“Yeah. It’s very like you, Airi.”

It’s so childlike.

“But now that I think about it, maybe I felt like I could tell you everything since you already know I don’t have a boyfriend…”

“Tell me everything? What do you mean?”

“…Never mind! I just want to live with beetles!”

Airi said that and started running ahead.

“Whoever gets home first gets to take the first bath! I’m going first!”

“Wait…Airi!”

I reached out my hand and stood there watching Airi run back to the house.

“If you say something like that, of course, I’ll choose to take the bath after you…!”

As I looked up at the night sky, filled with stars in the countryside, a warm smile spread across my face.

—

Chapter 117: Airi’s Bath ♡

The long day in the countryside had come to an end, and it was already night.

When Airi and I got home, BB, the former big-breasted grandma, had prepared dinner for us.

“Wow! Airi’s favorite mushroom mixed with rice and fried oysters! It looks so delicious!”

“Well, you see, when I told the village meeting that Airi brought a boy, the whole village gave us a lot of things.”

BB laughed as she continued to set the food on the table.

Fried oysters, mushroom mixed rice, clam miso soup, natto, and avocado salad…huh.

When I think of the countryside, I picture nothing but stewed dishes, but this is an unexpectedly fancy dinner. However, something feels off. If my knowledge is correct, all the ingredients in this menu are supposed to be foods that boost energy…

When I glanced over at BB, she was grinning mischievously.

(I see…Could this mean that she approves?)

Eating this to boost energy and not stopping anything that might happen tonight…?

Now that I think about it, when we mentioned that Airi and I would be sleeping in the attic together, she didn’t say anything. So, could this be…?

“It looks delicious! Let’s eat!”

“Hey, Airi! Don’t wolf down your food in front of our guest.”

“Okay…”

Scolded by BB, Airi quietly began to eat.

“Come on, Ryota, you eat too.”

“Oh, yes. Thank you for the meal.”

Encouraged by BB, I sat next to Airi and began eating as well.

“Ryota, don’t hold back, eat a lot, okay? Oh, I can’t wait to see great-grandchildren soon.”

“Munch munch…huh? Great-grandchildren? What do you mean, Grandma?”

“It’s nothing.”

BB winked at me, trying to brush it off.

(Yup, this BB…She’s doing this on purpose.)

Of course, if something were to happen between Airi and me, I’d be absolutely thrilled, but Airi is still childish. She probably only thinks of sharing a futon with me as something like a little camping trip.

So no matter how many energy-boosting oysters I eat, I’ll just end up frustrated. (Of course, I’ll hold out until I get home.)

“Thank you for the food! Ah, that was so delicious!”

“Wait, you’re already done? You eat so fast!”

“It’s just that you’re slow, Ryota! Anyway, since I was first earlier, I get to take the first bath! I’ll go now!”

As always, Airi hurried off toward the bathroom, her large chest bouncing as she went.

“Sorry about Airi, as always.”

“N-no, it’s fine! I’m used to it.”

Left alone with BB, I continued eating while making small talk with her.

“To think that Airi would have such a close male friend.”

“Do we look close?”

Since coming here, Airi and I had been together all the time, so being left alone with her grandmother now made me feel a bit uneasy.

I’m already a shy introvert, and this situation is tough for me. W-what should I talk about?

“Airi, you see…”

As I silently ate, BB began to speak.

“She lost her father when she was very young. For a while, she lived here, but just when her mother’s job was finally settled, they moved to the city.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes. Honestly, her mother is a fool. We scraped together what little money we had to send her to a university in the city, but she quit after a year to do some gravure modeling. Then, before we knew it, she had a child. It’s really embarrassing as a parent.”

“H-heh…”

BB started ranting about her daughter, and I was at a complete loss as an outsider.

Wait, gravure? So, Airi’s mother was a former gravure idol? I should ask Airi for her mother’s name later…

“But, you know, even that foolish daughter worked hard for Airi after her husband died. Even though they were poor, she raised Airi to be an honest and straightforward child…”

Tears welled up in BB’s eyes as she spoke.

“Um, are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Still, I’m so happy that Airi brought such a good young man.”

“A good young man? You mean me?”

“Yes. You remind me so much of her late grandfather.”

“H-heh…”

Someone like me?

I mean, I’m just a shy virgin otaku…

“Please make Airi happy.”

“Uh, I…yes.”

Even though we’re not actually dating, I had no choice but to read the situation and respond that way.

☆☆

After dinner, I waited in the attic for Airi to finish her bath.

I could have stayed in the living room, but I didn’t want to end up in another awkward conversation with BB, so I returned to the attic.

“Haah…Airi sure takes long baths.”

I couldn’t help but think about how much of Airi’s essence must be in the bath…Wait, no, that’s way too creepy. Still, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

The chance to use the bath after a female classmate? That’s not something that happens in a normal life.

Airi’s bathwater…Oh no, if I keep thinking like this, my lower half is going to…!

“Ryota! I’m done with the bath, go ahead!”

Airi peeked her head into the attic from the ladder.

Caught with my lower half stirring, I quickly imagined my mother’s face to calm myself down. This was my secret technique for instant lower-body suppression, honed through countless near-embarrassing moments with my parents.

“Ryota? Hurry up and take your bath.”

“O-oh! Right, I’ll go take a bath.”

I managed to respond with a calm face, despite walking a bit awkwardly.

“Um, Ryota?”

“Hm?”

“Earlier, when you were talking with Grandma…about Airi…”

“Talking with your grandma? Oh, were you eavesdropping, Airi?”

“N-no! The hook on the bra I brought for changing was broken, so I went to get another one, and I just happened to overhear it!”

Airi seemed unusually flustered as she explained.

So, she overheard the conversation between BB and me…Wait, hold on!

Did she just say the bra hook broke!?

(Is that something that happens when your chest is too big…? Gulp.)