091. This Is What Boys Are Like

An angelic girl was taking a bath in his house.

The moment this realization hit Kanade Natsukawa, his emotions became a chaotic swirl.

Washing dishes, scrubbing floors, or doing laundry—those were all fine. But bathing? In his house? This felt entirely different. It wasn't that he didn't trust Mahiru; their relationship was a peculiar mix of trust and close friendship. However, bathing at his place? That was a line she'd never crossed before.

It was as though her impulsive act was daring him to do something inappropriate… No! That was his imagination running wild. Mahiru wouldn't think anything strange of it; she likely just felt it wasn't a big deal to bathe at a friend's house.

But… didn't this level of trust also demand a certain level of respect? If he let his mind wander, he'd be trampling on her faith in him.

That was it! She was just being practical. After all, hadn't he stayed at Chika Fujiwara's house last night and used their bath without a second thought?

Convinced by this argument, Kanade nodded to himself, as if affirming his own logic.

"Kanade, can you hear me?"

Mahiru's sweet voice, mingled with the sound of splashing water, floated out from the bathroom.

"Yes, what is it?" Kanade replied, walking closer to the bathroom door.

Being closer made it easier to hear her, but it also came with risks. Her silhouette on the frosted glass door danced tantalizingly in the light, stirring thoughts Kanade didn't dare entertain.

His gaze darted away to avoid any inappropriate imaginings, but unfortunately, it landed on the laundry basket nearby. Inside lay Mahiru's neatly folded school uniform… along with other, more intimate items.

Kanade crouched down and buried his face in his hands. Why did this feel so awkward?

There was a wall separating them. He wasn't even seeing anything inappropriate, so why was his imagination running rampant?

He suddenly remembered a piece of advice from a friend: "The allure of what's hidden is far more tantalizing than what's in plain view."

The unknown creates room for fantasy, while the fully revealed leaves nothing to the imagination. The thrill lies in uncovering the mystery, step by step, savoring the process—

What nonsense are you thinking about, you degenerate?!

Kanade clenched his fists and lightly pounded the floor, using the pain to anchor himself back to reality.

"Kanade? Are you there?"

Her voice broke through his turmoil, and he quickly stood, thankful for the interruption.

"I'm here! What's wrong?"

"You weren't answering… You're not doing anything strange out there, are you?"

"Of course not!" Kanade shot back, offended by the implication. "I'd never do something like that!"

"Oh? But I didn't say what kind of 'strange' things I was talking about…"

Mahiru's voice trailed off, her cheeks glowing red in the steamy warmth of the bath. She sunk deeper into the water until only her amber eyes peeked above the surface.

Why is Kanade like this? she thought, her mind a whirl of exasperation and embarrassment.

True, some of her classmates had mentioned that boys her age often had "certain urges," but still! Thinking about her clothes in that way was… unacceptable!

Unless…

Mahiru's thoughts stuttered to a halt. What if Kanade needed some kind of… outlet? After all, repressing those instincts wasn't healthy, right?

"Ugh…"

Her face grew redder as conflicting thoughts bubbled to the surface.

"Really, Mahiru, I'm not doing anything strange," Kanade said, breaking the awkward silence.

"Guu…"

Kanade blinked. "What?"

He moved slightly closer to the door, straining to hear her clearly. But the closer he got, the more it felt like he was invading her space.

Thankfully, her voice returned, steady but soft.

"Clothes. I need clothes. I'm done bathing."

"Oh… um…" Kanade glanced at the laundry basket. "But those are already…"

"I'm not wearing those again!" Mahiru's voice rose indignantly, as if the suggestion was a personal affront. "There's a fresh pair in my bag. Bring it here. And… Kanade…"

"Yes?"

"Get me one of your shirts to wear. A clean one."

"Got it."

Kanade quickly turned toward her bag, rummaging until he found the item she mentioned. It was brand new, adorned with cute designs that suited her perfectly.

As he held the garment in his hands, the realization hit him again.

I'm holding Mahiru's…

Nope. Not going there.

Kanade slapped his cheeks lightly and prepared to deliver the requested items. But another thought crossed his mind as he headed toward the bathroom door.

Why is she so comfortable using my bathroom and asking for my clothes?

"Mahiru," he muttered, a faint smile tugging at his lips, "are you really okay with this…?"