Chapter 0025: Hot Springs (3/4)

Chizuru walks into the women’s bath and notices the place is empty except for an old woman in the corner shouting about her Gacha being stingy as fuck.

She doesn’t pay much attention and decides to walk to the showers with a towel wrapped around her.

“Madame Chizuru.” She hears the voice of that old lady call her out and gets more than a little creeped out.

As she turns to look in the direction she was called from she realizes who the old lady is.

“Eh? Grandma Kinoshita!” She gets startled at the presence of Kazuya’s grandma.

Nagomi Kinoshita looks around like a shady person that’s about to do a crime and looks at Chizuru with a passionate look that gives the poor girl chills.

“Looks like we’re alone.” Hearing her, Chizuru almost runs out of the bathroom in terror.

“Come here, sit and allow me to wash your back.”

“You don’t need to worry yourself I can clean up myself.” She tries to back away.

“Nonsense. I want to wash the beautiful back of my good friend’s granddaughter.”

Chizuru isn’t able to escape and resignedly takes a seat with grandma Nagomi.

“You know Chizuru-chan, this might be a selfish thing for me to ask but I hope that you can give my Kazuya a chance.” She scrubs Chizuru’s back

“…Um-”

“No need to give me an answer honey, just consider these the ramblings of an old woman. Ahh, such an ample bosom, such luscious hips. The Kinoshita family would be lucky to have you become a part of them.”

“Eyahh~” She moves on to Chizuru’s breasts as the girl moans so cutely that anyone would be utterly smitten with her.

“I’ll make sure to wash you clean.” She brings the scrubbing towel between Chizuru’s legs.

“Eek~”

“Really. Your presence would be like a ray of sunshine on the Kinoshita family. Kazuya hardly has much going for him. Honestly, I apologize for his incompetence.”

“Why are you saying these things, grandma? I have nothing going on with Kazuya-kun. We’re just friends.”

“I know Chizuru, you don’t have to do anything with Kazuya. I’ll still consider you as part of our family. I know better than anyone of Sayusato’s situation, she doesn’t want you to be left alone after…” She trails off.

“…And you’re such an amazing and gentle girl. If you ever feel like you need something, or if you just need to talk to someone, you can rely on me, okay?” Nagomi puts her hand on Chizuru’s head and ruffles her hair a bit.

Chizuru doesn’t say anything and stays quiet.

Nagomi continues, “This trip is also something of a bittersweet one for me. Today is the anniversary of my late husband’s death.”

“I’m so-“

“It’s perfectly fine dear. It’s been many years. It’s been many years since the incident. And also… Although this day is a mournful one, I for one am very happy.”

“…” Chizuru is silent as Nagomi continues.

“I got to meet with such an amazing girl. I even got to bathe you. I left the hospital with such an amazing friend. Thank you Chizuru-chan for making this trip feel wonderful for me. And you don’t have to worry about Kazuya, Even if you abhor him to the end, I will not mind at all.”

“G-Grandma…”

“What is it, honey?” Nagomi is very happy that Chizuru addressed her without her name as usual.

“What if… What if I was lying to you? What if I’m not the person that you think I am?” Chizuru’s posture is completely slouched in her seat as she looks down anxiously.

“Lying? That’s simply part of being human Chizuru-chan. And you don’t have to worry about me, I’d still love you even if you were an alien.” Nagomi’s tone is cheerful as she answers Chizuru without hesitation.

…

Back in his room he and Chizuru are playing poker to decide who’s going to sleep on the side of the window and who’s sleeping on the side of the door.

There wasn’t any reason that they were doing this, they were just bored waiting for their food so they started playing the game.

“Yes! I won.” Chizuru Pumped both her fists into the air, yet Kazuya’s attention wasn’t on his loss in the game. His attention was completely on her jiggling tits that were hidden within the confines of her yukata.

She notices and quickly fixes her clothes, “Why are you such a pervert?”

“What kind of question is that? I know how to appreciate a lovely girl that’s all.”

“You and your cheezy lines.”

“Admit it. You like them.”

“Where’s the food? Is it not here yet?” Chizuru comment on his claim and changes the topic.

“Another game?”

“What’re the stakes?” She’s all for another game.

“Strip poker?” Kazuya looks at her with a cautious look as if he’s sure she’ll throw something at him.

“I’m not drunk. Some real stakes, will you?”

“Those are very real stakes.”

She stares at him as if she’ll murder him once he falls asleep.

“Money?”

“I’m in. How much are you betting? I’m short of cash and I’ll be taking yours.”

“How are you of all people short of cash? Don’t you charge an exorbitant price for your rental stuff?”

She looks away in embarrassment, “I have my expenses.”

”Right… How about favors?“

“Denied. Even if I trust you, I don’t do blank favors. It’s a matter of principle.”

*Ring*

By now they had taken so long deciding what to bet that the food was delivered to their room.

“It’s here. Let’s dig in.”

“Itadakimasu~” Both of them dug into the food.

“Mhm~” With her first bite Chizuru almost moans at the amazing taste and Kazuya had the first-person experience of seeing that innocent bliss on her face.

He freezes in his place with the bite halfway to his mouth as his mouth forms an arc looking at her happy expression.

“Stop looking at me like that and eat your damn food. You look like a creep.” As usual, he can count on Chizuru to destroy any romantic atmosphere that might end up being created even if by mistake.

She takes another bite of her food while thinking, ‘You should be glad. If it was anyone else, I’d have punched them for looking at me like that.’

“Right…” He also takes a bite of his food, “Mhm. This is good.”

“Let’s bring out the drinks,” Kazuya says and opens two porcelain bottles of the authentic sake that came complimentary with the meal.

He pours them into the cups and notices Chizuru trying to sneak a bite of his food.

He stops her with a light swat on her hand with his chopsticks, “No stealing my food.”

“But it looks so good.”

“Then you should’ve ordered your own.” He hands her the cup of sake.

“Cheers?” He extends his hand with the cup.

“Cheers!” She gulps it down like it was cheap water.

Just as Kazuya was thinking that she had an alcoholism problem since the sake was extremely concentrated, she started coughing.

‘Yeah, that’s the reaction one should have after drinking this strong of a drink as if it was a cheap shot.’

Kazuya quickly got up and put his hand on her back, rubbing it.

“Here. Drink some water.” He brings a glass of water close to her mouth as she takes tiny little sips to ease the burning in her throat.

“Easy girl.” He rubs her head a little.

“What am I, a dog?” She looks at him with red eyes from the coughing and the burning in her throat.

“What?” He looks at her with an innocent face.

She narrows her eyes at him in a cat-like fashion.

‘I want to put cat ears on her head…’ He thinks absentmindedly and takes his seat again.

“What happened? I know for a fact that you don’t drink something like that so abruptly.” He asks her.

“It’s fine. I just didn’t know that it would be so strong. I’ve never drunk such strong sake before.”

“We were drinking whiskey just the other night.”

“That whiskey was diluted. This sake on the other hand was neat. There’s a difference.”

“Right. Let’s just get back to our food.” Kazuya brings his attention back to his food.

He notices a very unstealthy Chizuru trying to take his food again.

“Hey, what did I say?”

“No. Stealing. Food.” She enunciates each word, “I can ask for it though, right? Will you please feed me Kazuya-kunn~?”

Her words almost shatter his entire worldview as he looks at her in disbelief, ‘Of course… she’s drunk. What the hell’s wrong with Chizuru this weekend? It’s like she’s got a whole different vibe. First, she went far too along with my weird role-play idea, and now this… I’m sure that the normal her would never put herself in such a vulnerable situation. With a guy especially.’

In the end, he can’t resist her beautiful expression of begging and agrees, “Fine. but you have to do the same for me.”

“Deal.” She vigorously nods her head.

They have a weirdly flirty dinner with Chizuru getting more drunk after she asked Kazuya to order a bucket of beer. Which were 4 bottles, of which she finished 3. At which point Kazuya put a stop to it.