“Hello?”
“I’m sorry for the late notice, but we’ve just finished our bath. Shiro-chan is now eating dessert pudding.”
“A cold dessert after a bath is nice, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is… Oh? She was just rubbing against my leg…”
“…Now she’s by my feet. It’s ticklish.”
I can hear Nanami-san’s voice through the phone. It seems the cat is with her as well. Since calling it just ‘the cat’ seems a bit impersonal, it might be better to give it a name.
“Akizuki-san, could you tell Nanami-san to come up with a name for the cat?”
“Oh, that’s a good idea. Shiro-chan, what do you think we should name the cat?”
“…I’d like to brainstorm with Fujihara-kun and decide later.”
“Then I’ll think of some names too… please tell her.”
“Got it.”
After ending the call, I finish preparing for the bath and leave my room. I had seen it from the window earlier, but the bathhouse, surrounded by bamboo, is in the courtyard.
You can move from the east and west wings, as well as the living room, to the courtyard. The door to the changing room has a plate that can be hung. When the “In Use” plate is on it, it means someone is inside—right now, it’s not on.
I turn the doorknob and enter the changing room. The baskets have room numbers written on them—I choose the one for room 5.
“…Hmm? Is that a sound? Is it just my imagination?”
I’m a bit slow to react because I had let my guard down thinking no one was around.
The door leading to the bathhouse opens with a clatter.
“Ah, I can’t believe I forgot something…”
A shock of electricity runs through me—through the steam coming from the opened door, I see a completely naked figure.
(—It’s over. My cause of death will be assuming no one was inside. I assumed no one was in after Nanami-san and the others finished their bath.)
You can’t live in a co-ed dorm without being cautious—however.
“Akoya, you said you weren’t going in yet… You always change your mind.”
For a moment, I don’t understand what’s happening. However, when I see the girl coming out of the bath—she has semi-long hair and seems like a strong-willed beauty—I realize what’s going on.
“Hey, if you’re talking, you should respond.”
This is bad—there’s nothing I can do. The girl walks towards me and, for some reason, reaches out to my chest.
“Why do you always wrap your sarashi so tight? It’s so stiff… I keep telling you, if you keep doing this, your breasts will lose their shape.”
(At this distance, she can’t see… Maybe she has poor eyesight without glasses or contacts. But even so…)
“I want to emulate Akoya’s strictness, but I need to cut down my body for the next stream. No matter how much I try, I’m still a bit pudgy, so feel it for yourself.”
(Don’t—if she touches me, she’ll definitely notice…)
“…Hik! Ugh, I might catch a chill, so I’ll head back. Where did I put my barrette?”
It seems she came back to get a barrette she forgot to use for her hair in the bath. Without her glasses, she mistook me for someone else.
It looks like she found her barrette, and the storm has passed—though my mind is still spinning.
(…Right, it would be bad if the real Akoya showed up…)
I quickly retreat—leaving the changing room and heading back to the east wing. As I turn around, I see someone coming out of the west wing.
(That was close… No, it was a complete disaster. I hope nothing more happens…)
The residents of Shizunami Dormitory, excluding Akizuki-san, include three women—now I remember Akizuki-san saying there was someone who wasn’t happy about my living arrangements.
I can only pray I won’t be expelled from the dormitory. And from tomorrow, I’ll make sure not to make such mistakes again—learning that the bathhouse plate is not reliable is a valuable lesson.
