Chapter 489: Yes, Harder! (2)

"No… no," Erina blushed as she quickly clarified. She would never rub Sui's back in such a suggestive way—it was far too embarrassing! "But... it does feel nice," she admitted, her voice trailing off.

"Oh? Is that so?" Sui responded, amused. Erina hesitated, still shy, but whispered, "Then... I'll keep rubbing for a little while longer. Just don't turn around and look, okay?"

"I know, I won't look if you don't want me to," Sui reassured her, although he thought to himself that after the shower, he could look all he wanted.

Erina, pressing her body lightly against his back, continued rubbing. 

"How does it feel now, Sui?" she asked softly, her voice carrying a shy yet endearing tone.

"Hmm, it's pretty good, but you could use a bit more strength," Sui remarked.

"More strength?" Erina pondered for a moment before standing up and wrapping her arms around him from behind. "What about now?"

"Now the pressure is perfect."

After enjoying her backrub, Sui offered to return the favor. Erina hesitated, then shyly agreed. She sat back down on her small stool and turned her back to him. 

Sui picked up the towel and began to gently rub her back.

"How does that feel?" he asked.

Erina sat stiffly on the stool, her hands awkwardly resting on her knees. This was the first time a boy, other than her childhood friend Hisako, had rubbed her back. Feeling both nervous and flustered, she whispered softly, "A little more strength, and it would be better."

"Like this?" Sui applied a bit more pressure.

"Just a bit harder... ah! Not too much! Be gentler!" she yelped.

Sui couldn't help but notice how strange their conversation sounded. Erina, too, realized this, her ears turning bright red from embarrassment.

Watching her flushed face, Sui whispered teasingly, "This isn't the first time you've called like that."

Erina was so mortified she nearly buried her head into her lap.

Once the backrubs were finished, they both sat on small stools, applying soap and helping each other lather up.

"Don't look at me," Erina said bashfully as she applied lotion to Sui's back. Noticing his gaze lingering on her, she blushed deeply and couldn't help but grumble in protest.

With her golden hair tied back and her cheeks flushed with both heat and embarrassment, she looked gentle and beautiful. Foam still clung to her face as she turned her head away, unable to meet Sui's eyes.

"Come on, haven't you already—" Sui began to say, but Erina quickly covered his mouth in embarrassment, cutting him off.

"I don't want to hear it!" she exclaimed, her face a mix of frustration and shyness.

Once she moved her hand, Sui sighed in exasperation. "I wasn't even finished."

Erina shot him an angry glare and snapped, "I know exactly what you were going to say!"

"Oh? Then tell me, what was I going to say?" Sui grinned, enjoying her flustered reaction.

"You were going to say that I've already..." Erina trailed off mid-sentence, suddenly realizing what she was about to admit. She glared at him, her face red with shame and indignation.

"Anyway… at night, you—" Sui started, but before he could finish, she cut him off again, this time with her hand.

——

The next day, Sui received an invitation from Utaha to visit a university together. Since he only had a theory class in the afternoon—which wasn't his favorite—he decided to take the opportunity to skip it and agreed to meet her.

They arranged to meet downstairs at their apartment building.

Utaha appeared dressed in her usual attire, the Toyosaki Academy school uniform, with a white headband adorning her head. Her long, slender legs were wrapped in black stockings, and her graceful, composed presence made her seem like a literary character who had stepped out of a novel. Passersby couldn't help but glance at her as she walked by.

Of course, Sui was well aware that this "perfect" girl in everyone's eyes was, in reality, a lazy, venomous girl with a sharp tongue.

"So, which university are we visiting today?" Sui asked as they walked side by side.

"It's the one I mentioned before," Utaha said, her wine-red eyes glancing at him. She continued walking naturally by his side, as if they were a couple.

"Ah, right. Todai University," Sui recalled her saying it was her ideal school.

"Yes, I've already been recommended for admission, and graduation is coming up soon. I wanted to visit the campus ahead of time," Utaha explained, a calm smile on her face. "It's like a preview of my future environment."

"Impressive. You truly are the academy's most talented girl," Sui praised her with genuine admiration.

Utaha gave a serene smile, as if to say, "Did you really need to tell me that?" Then, with a playful glint in her eyes, she asked, "But does this mean I'll have to rent my own place near the university?"

Sui rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That's right. I guess that means I won't see you as often anymore."

Utaha brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, her beautiful eyes flickering with amusement. She chuckled softly, "Are you going to miss me?"

"I wish you'd move out already," Sui teased, rolling his eyes.

Utaha narrowed her wine-red eyes playfully and pretended to be upset. "Oh? You won't miss your gentle, beautiful senpai at all? I'm heartbroken! I'll be so sad living apart from you!"

"You'll be sad because there'll be no one to cook for you, wash your dishes, clean your room, or do your laundry," Sui retorted.

Utaha blushed, embarrassed, and pinched him lightly in retaliation.

Soon after, the two boarded a train to Todai University. Though still in Tokyo, it was quite a distance from Sui's home, taking over an hour to reach the campus.