When Two Wounded Hearts Find Solace In Each Other, Snow White (The School's Beauty) And I Were Mistakenly Labeled As A Silly Couple. - Chapter 10: Until The Clothes Dry, I'll Continue Hugging Snow White To Keep Her Warm.

Until The Clothes Dry, I’ll Continue Hugging Snow White To Keep Her Warm.

“My body is okay, but my clothes aren’t dry.”

Having finished wiping herself, Himeno looks at the clothes on the floor.

Due to being completely soaked, the clothes are wet as well. If she were to put on the now wet clothes, despite having wiped herself, it would lower her body temperature again.

Today, the warm spring sunlight is shining, so the clothes would eventually dry after a while. However, until then, Himeno won’t be able to wear them.

Even with the warm spring sunlight, it’s not enough to raise her body temperature once it has dropped, as evidenced by Himeno still shivering a bit, although it’s better than when she was wet.

I can’t directly look at Himeno in her underwear, but I can tell her body is still trembling since she’s pressing her back tightly against me.

“What should we do? I didn’t have my gym clothes in the bag.”

It seems her gym clothes are in a different bag she left in the classroom.

I would like to go and get them for her, but if I go to the classroom now during class, the teacher will likely say something. Moreover, if I attempt to bring Himeno’s belongings, I might be treated like a criminal in the future.

“Please, Taka-kun, warm me up with your body.”

“Y-Yes waaa?”

Hearing Himeno’s request, I can’t help but make a strange noise as she holds my hand, pressing her back tightly against me.

It’s a completely different scenario from the time I hugged her after we ate those alcohol-infused chocolates, and I ended up a bit drunk. This time, Himeno’s bare skin is exposed, and the thought of using my body to warm her up feels quite daunting.

Even if she were dressed, it would still require a fair amount of courage.

“You have a close childhood friend, right, Taka-kun?”

“Yeah.”

While they seem to know each other by name and face, they haven’t had the chance to talk as they’ve never been in the same class.

“To make the girls think I have a special someone, I think Taka-kun, you need to be closer to me than to Shikibe-san.”

“Tha’… That’s true.”

Himeno’s words left me without a counterargument.

Marika grabs my hand, treating me like a younger brother. Unless we get closer than that, it would be impossible to make Himeno believe there’s a specific guy in my life.

If there’s no room for suspicion among the guys, being together would be meaningless.

It’s a strategy to eliminate the jealousy among the girls.

“Um… as a practice for being affectionate, could you, um, warm me up?”

Even if it’s framed as practice for being affectionate and warming each other up, it must be quite embarrassing for Himeno.

“Right now, without you, Taka-kun, I probably can’t go to school… I…”

Her voice trembles slightly, and I wonder if her blue eyes are holding back tears, haunted by those memories.

I’ve heard stories in the news about students becoming truant due to bullying, and in the worst cases, some resort to suicide. Knowing Himeno lives alone, it’s apparent she can’t rely on her parents for support. Someone nearby needs to step in and help her.

In her vulnerable state, Himeno is reaching out to me for assistance. The weight of responsibility settles on my shoulders as I realize the gravity of the situation she’s facing.

“I understand.”

I can’t just ignore the bullying, and above all, Himeno herself has helped me before. Embracing a girl who is exposing her bare skin takes quite a bit of courage, but more than anything, I need to understand Himeno’s plea for help; that’s what makes a man.

I take a deep breath, a loud exhale, and then perform a 180-degree turn. Himeno’s white back comes into view.

In my mind, an image of Himeno in her underwear replays itself, almost making me feel like my nose is about to bleed. I manage to hold back the embarrassment.

“P-please, go ahead,” Himeno says, turning to face me. As I see her directly in front of me, I can’t help but let out a strained sound.

In anime, there are often scenes where heroines have near-nude moments, considered fanservice. However, seeing it in reality for the first time is overwhelming, and I suffer a bit of psychological damage from the embarrassment.

Certainly, I won’t have a nosebleed like in anime, but the sight of a beautiful girl in her underwear has its own kind of impact.

“All right, I’ll hug you now.”

“Y-Yes.”

I gently and slowly embrace Himeno, who has turned bright red from her hairline to her visible ears. The sensation of her skin, felt through the shirt, is surprisingly soft, far more delicate than one would expect from her slender figure. It’s a realization that this is indeed a girl’s body.

“If it’s not stronger, my body won’t warm up,” she says.

“Even stronger?”

Even now, the sensation is intense enough, and my rationality is already compromised. I’m not sure what would happen if it were any stronger.

I can’t make any aggressive moves, but there’s a potential impulse to push her down.

“It’s okay if it’s you, Taka-kun. Please, hug me tighter.”

“U-u… Understood.”

As she requested, I hugged Himeno even tighter. Under normal circumstances, I would undoubtedly refuse, but Himeno is currently in a vulnerable state, so I suppress my instincts with reason and follow her lead.

(Dangerous…)

Feeling the direct sensation of Himeno’s chest as I hug her tightly, my rationality is slipping away more than I anticipated.

Presumably, she trusts that I won’t take advantage of the situation, and I can’t betray that trust. If I shatter this newfound trust, she might distance herself from me, potentially facing bullying once again. Avoiding that outcome is crucial.

“Taka-kun, your body is warm.”

As if seeking more warmth, she wraps her arms around my back.

To an outside observer, it might look like a couple cuddling in underwear, but the reality is different. I’m comforting Himeno, who is overwhelmed by fear, and trying to provide warmth.

“Taka-kun, thank you.”

Despite the school bell ringing, I continue to hold Himeno, who has expressed her gratitude.