Led by Ichikawa, I arrived at the Ichikawa residence. No matter how many times I see it, it’s a mansion...
“Excuse me...”
I whispered my greeting, trying to make as little noise as possible.
“Konuma-kun, why are you tip-toeing?”
“Well, it’s early morning, so I have to make sure I don't leave any trace that I was here...”
“Am I talking to a Mr. Thief?”
She didn't need to add ‘Mr.’ to thief...
“Konuma-kun, I’ll take your lunch box.”
“Ah, yeah. Thanks for the meal...”
I replied while handing over the lunch box.
“It was nothing. You’ll take a shower first, right? Do you have the uniform you’re wearing today?”
“Ah, yeah...”
Rather, my brain, after pulling an all-nighter, couldn't keep up with the situation progressing so smoothly. Why am I at a girl's house just as the sun is coming up...?
Feeling lightheaded, I was led to the washroom-cum-changing room.
“But you didn't bring any clothes to sleep in, right? I can't really have you wear mine, and I definitely can't have you wear my dad's. I think you can wear my running pants, though.”
“Ah, no, you don't have to go that far...”
“And for the top, I think this T-shirt I got as a sample a long time ago will be the right size. Can you wear this?”
“A T-shirt you got as a sample...”
I wondered what she meant, but when I looked at what Ichikawa held out to me—
“T-This is...!?”
For a moment, I thought with my sleepy eyes that it looked like some kind of live T-shirt, and there, the words ‘amane LIVE HOUSE Tour’ were written.
“Could this be... a live T-shirt for amane-sama!?”
“That way of calling me... Yeah, it is. The tour itself ended up being canceled, and it seems they stopped production before these could be made, so there are only a few of them, including this one.”
“Isn't this incredibly rare...!”
If I told Azuma, she’d probably literally have her hands reaching out from her throat for this.
“Oh, just take it...! For now, go take a shower. Here, a bath towel and a regular towel.”
“O-Oh...!”
“Feel free to use the shampoo and conditioner. Oh, if you’re going to use body balm, use this.”
“Thanks... ...Body balm?”
Tilting my head, I twisted the lid of the tin (?) Ichikawa handed me, and inside was a cream-like substance.
“What’s this?”
“It’s something you rub on your body after getting out of the bath.”
“Huh...?”
The things a young lady says are either on another level or just incomprehensible. Eh, cream? Looking closely, there are also things like salts (is that what they call bath salts?), is this ‘The Restaurant of Many Orders’? Am I going to be eaten...?
“Well, take your time!”
With that, Ichikawa left the changing room.
As I took off my clothes, I felt a strange awkwardness realizing I was going to be naked in Ichikawa’s house.
Even so, she’s almost too prepared. Could it be that Ichikawa expected things to turn out like this?
...No, expected or not, Ichikawa came to pick me up, so she must have planned for this to happen.
I felt deeply grateful for her concern.
I entered the bathroom and took a shower.
I washed my body and hair using products with labels I couldn't read, which seemed a world apart from the shampoo and body soap we have at home.
After getting out, drying my hair, and getting dressed, I quietly left the changing room to find Ichikawa, still in the same clothes as before, waiting for me.
“This way, my room.”
“I-Ichikawa’s...”
Doing as I was told, I arrived at Ichikawa Amane’s room.
“Here, please sleep in the bed. ...I’m going to take a shower.”
“Eh, why...?”
“Because I went for a run...?”
“Ah, right, of course...”
...Then please don’t make such a strange pause.
“Look, if you don’t sleep soon, you’ll just keep losing sleep time.”
“No, that might be true, but...”
Even so, I was understandably hesitant... but then Ichikawa made an impatient face and whispered a small “Sorry.”
“Sorry?”
The moment I thought that, Ichikawa hugged me and—
“Ichikawa...!”
—pushed me down onto the bed just like that.
“Good night, Takuto-kun.”
At the sweet sound of those words, which I hadn't heard in a while, I let go of my consciousness.