CH 10

I finished my part-time job and went home.

“I’m home.”

“Ah, welcome home.”

Ando-san, wearing an apron, greeted me. I stiffened.

“Matsuo-san, what’s wrong?”

“Ah, My bad. It’s nothing.”

“Fufufu, Dinner will be ready soon. Or would you like to take a bath?”

“Ah, I think I’ll take a bath first. Ando-san wouldn’t like it if I smelled of sweat.”

“I don’t think so. I think the smell of sweat from a man who is working hard is wonderful.”

“I-I see.”

I laughed awkwardly and headed for the bathroom to undress. There, I took off my sweaty clothes and put them in the laundry basket. I entered the bathroom, took a shower, washed my hair and body, and soaked in the tub.

“Hah~ …”

The extreme comfort of it made me let out a sigh.

“….. this is bad.”

I was in a kind of crisis. When I started living together with Ando-san, I had one secret resolution in mind. That is, I would never lay a hand on her.

If I did and things got awkward between us, Ando-san would really lose her place. Especially after she started to smile in front of me more than before.

Still, her emotional wounds have not healed. Some fragility is still there. So I need to heal her heart a bit more, in the course of a few more peaceful days.

But when her heart is healed and she is calm, I’ll ……

“….Hah, What am I thinking?”

Even if that happens, I’m not going to touch her. Because she trusts me and relies on me.

If I actually see her as a woman and flirt with her out of my sexual desire ……I might hurt her heart again.

So I won’t touch her. Instead, I want her to stay with me.

Until she is strong enough to live on her own.

“… but that apron is … bad .”

I had lost a little bit of my confidence.

*****

When I got out of the bath.

“Whoa”

On the table was a can of beer, a glass, some edamame (green soybeans), and a bowl of chilled yakisoba.

“Ando-san, this is…..”

“A-A drink after a bath tastes good, doesn’t it? So I thought, …… Ah, I shouldn’t have done that?”

“No, it’s nothing like that. Thank you, Ando-san.”

“Ehehe.”

She was smiling. I sat down at the table, opened the beer can, and poured it into the cup.

“Then, Ando-san, I’ll start first, Itadakimasu”

“Yes, I’ll be right back with your food.”

“Thank you.”

I was in a great mood and was able to enjoy the beer and snacks.

******

After eating Ando-san’s home-cooked food, delicious as ever.

“Hmm~, I think my muscles are a little tense. Let’s do some stretching.”

I said.

“Ah, Matsuo-san.”

“Hmm?”

“If you like, I can give you a massage.”

“A-are you sure?”

“Yes. It may not feel so good, but…”

“It’s okay. Then, please.”

“Yes.”

I lie down on the bed.

(Ah, s**t. ……)

It smelled like Ando-san. This room was 1K and not very spacious, so it could not accommodate two beds. Therefore, I always have Ando-san sleep on this bed.

Before it used to smell like a man, but now it smells like a cute girl. ……

What am I thinking? I just decided in the bath not to be conscious of Ando-san that way.

“Where do you feel the tension?”

“At my back.”

“I understand.”

Ando-san said so and pressed my back firmly. She was petite and slender, but I could feel her strength pressing down on me.

“H-How is it?”

“Ah, it’s really good. Ando-san, you’re so good at everything.”

“N-No, it’s not like that.”

“I mean, I’m seriously trying to do my best… at this rate, I’m going to become a hopeless man. “

“I-It’s fine. If it’s Matsuo-san.”

“Hahaha, thank you.”

“But, Matsuo-san,… you have muscles, don’t you?”

“Hmm?”

“Which reminds me, you were on the baseball team, weren’t you?”

“Yes, I was. I worked hard and trained myself up back then. Even now, I work out once in a while.”

“Ah, that’s right. You said you would play catch with me, right?”

“Yes, I did. So, do you want to play sometime?”

“I would love to. Anything with Matsuo-san. ….”

“Hahaha, you say that so sweetly.”

“Oh, your arms look stiff too, can I massage them?”

“Yes, please.”

The massage that Ando-san gave me was really good and felt so good. I just fell asleep.

*****

He was quietly sleeping.

“…… Matsuo-san, have you fallen asleep?”

I called out softly to him, but he did not reply. My heart began to pound.

“Thank you so much, Matsuo-san.”

I said.

“I am so much happier now because of you. The happiest I’ve ever been in my life….”

As I continued to speak, tears naturally spilled down my cheeks.

“I don’t know how much longer I can stay with you, Matsuo-san. ……”

I gently touched his cheek.

“If possible, I would want to stay by your side forever. …”

Then, surprisingly naturally to myself, I kissed him on the cheek. Slowly pulling away, I finally came to myself.

“What am I doing….?”

“……Ando-san.”

“Heh!?”

N-No way, He heard me!?

“…… more, rely on me …… munyamunya.”

Hearing his voice, I was relieved.

“Mou~, Matsuo-san, You scared me.”

I said with a smile and poked his cheek that I had just kissed with my finger.

“I hope I can tell you someday.”

That I love you

I, you….No, I am too shy to even say it in my heart.

For a while, I couldn’t move properly, writhing on my own, feeling the smell of the person I love.