The youthful romantic comedy between my “commuting wife” and me is too sweet!! - Chapter 9

Episode 9

Miu, of course, didn’t have a change of clothes, so she was rummaging through my T-shirt shelf, spreading them out and deciding which one to borrow.

Which lucky shirt would Miu pick from the pile? I found myself absentmindedly watching her as I entertained this silly thought.

At that moment, a previous conversation suddenly came to mind.

“Oh, by the way, Miu. Didn’t you mention wanting to go to a public bath before?”

“Huh? I did, but… what about it?”

I recalled her saying something like she’d been to a hot spring before but never to a public bath.

“There’s a bathhouse nearby. If you don’t mind, want to go?”

There’s a bathroom in my apartment, but it’s a unit bath. 

She hadn’t said anything when she stayed over before, but I imagined it might be inconvenient for her, not being used to it. 

Honestly, even I found unit baths to be a pain when I first moved in.

As a Japanese person, soaking in a proper bathtub is part of our culture. 

So, I thought going to the bathhouse might be a good idea.

“Yes, I’d love to go!”

As expected, Miu’s eyes lit up as she responded.

Opportunities to visit public bathhouses are rare. 

I’ve hardly ever been to one in my life.

“Alright, let’s go, then. Hurry up and pick something to wear.”

“Okay!”

Miu nodded enthusiastically and went back to her showdown with the T-shirts.

In the end, the chosen ones were a band T-shirt I’d gotten overseas and one of my usual hoodies. 

As for the bottom, I lent her a pair of my shorts, but I couldn’t help but worry they might fall off. 

She tied the drawstring as tightly as she could, but with her slender waist, it still felt unreliable.

“This feels a little embarrassing to go out in.” 

Miu said, turning toward me after checking herself in the mirror. 

Her face was slightly red.

“Why?”

“Doesn’t this outfit scream, ‘I stayed over at my boyfriend’s place and borrowed his clothes’?”

“Well… that’s basically the truth.”

An oversized T-shirt, baggy shorts, and an even baggier hoodie. 

Everything looked enormous on her petite frame. 

It was obvious she was wearing borrowed men’s clothes.

The last time she stayed over, I’d lent her clothes too, so it must’ve looked similar. But that time, we didn’t go outside.

“Hehe, but I kind of like this. It smells like you, Souma-san.” 

She said, blushing as she sniffed the sleeve of my hoodie.

“Does it smell that different?”

I sniffed the hoodie myself, but it didn’t smell unusual to me.

“It does! It smells sweet, like you. Oh, can I take this hoodie home?”

“No, I wear that one a lot.”

“Aw, but I want to keep smelling it…”

She looked genuinely disappointed.

“Then, how about one you don’t wear much?”

Miu didn’t give up easily.

“Well, if it’s one I don’t use much, then sure…”

“Yay!”

She pumped her fist in victory, smiling brightly.

And just like that, despite the plan being a simple bathhouse visit, it was decided that one of my hoodies would be leaving my wardrobe.

Before heading to the bathhouse, we stopped by a convenience store where Miu bought underwear, a travel shampoo and conditioner set, and a toothbrush.

When I offered to pay, she refused, saying she didn’t want me seeing the underwear she picked. 

Apparently, convenience store underwear was too embarrassing to show. 

I only got a glimpse, but it was modest and had plenty of coverage—a very “practical” design.

Afterward, we went to the bathhouse. 

It was Miu’s first time, so she seemed a bit nervous. 

We agreed to meet at the entrance an hour later.

I didn’t usually take baths since I only had a unit bath, but soaking in a tub after so long reminded me how nice it could be. 

I probably wouldn’t go on my own, but when Miu stayed over, going to the bathhouse like this might be a good tradition.

On the way home, we walked along the quiet night streets, talking about nothing in particular.

I glanced to my side and saw Miu wearing my oversized clothes.

She usually wore her school uniform or stylish outfits, so seeing her in baggy casual clothes was amusing. 

I couldn’t help but laugh, which earned me a scolding.

As we walked, we talked about her first bathhouse experience, laughed at stupid stories about me and Yuuta, and listened to her stories about her friends. 

Our conversation never ran out.

Even though we’d been together since the evening, we kept talking nonstop.

At school, Miu was quiet and reserved. 

I rarely saw her initiate conversations. 

But when it was just the two of us, she seemed more talkative, and that made me happy.

Maybe it was the unique situation of staying over at her boyfriend’s place and visiting a bathhouse for the first time that had her in such high spirits.

Was this side of Miu something only I got to see?

Thinking that way made every moment of our conversation feel special.

I listened to her chatter, nodded along, and occasionally asked questions to dig deeper. 

Just talking like this felt incredibly fun.

Looking back, this kind of easy, enjoyable conversation never happened before we started dating.