"Wow, this is Kotaro's room, huh?" Misaki exclaimed cheerfully as she entered.
Ugh... I'm so nervous...
Kotaro usually kept his room tidy, but ever since he knew Misaki was coming, he'd been cleaning like it was New Year's Eve three days in a row. Still, he couldn't understand why he couldn't achieve the same pristine cleanliness as Misaki's room.
"Can I take a look around? Don't worry, all your dirty stuff is on your computer, right?"
"That's way too transparent!"
"Ah, really? That's true..."
"..."
Both of them lowered their heads, their faces flushing red.
Misaki suddenly perked up and began looking around, her hands clasped behind her back as she toddled about with an endearing gait.
"Hmm, you've tidied up quite nicely."
"R-really?"
"Yeah, I'm surprised. I thought it would be messier... Kotaro, you're quite thorough."
Misaki grinned mischievously, patted my forearm, and praised me. I fell even deeper in love with her wonderful Senpai demeanor.
"How big is this room, anyway?"
"The brochure said it's six tatami mats, but it can't possibly be that big, right?"
"You're right..."
Misaki winced. Not long after moving in, I'd wondered, "Isn't this a bit cramped?" and found an online article where a former student had measured the room and concluded it was actually only 5.1 tatami mats.
"Well, it doesn't matter, does it? We can still enjoy it, even if it's small."
Her casual tone made my heart suddenly feel lighter.
"Right... Wait, where are you going?"
"Hmm? To check the water supply!"
Misaki turned around with a smile. Damn, she's adorable every time! I thought, flustered as I followed her.
Kotaro's apartment consisted of a narrow corridor with a perfunctory kitchen and a unit bath. He was grateful just to have a bath and toilet, but the whole place felt like a run-down apartment made even more dilapidated. The only saving grace was the laughably low rent and utilities.
"I see, so it's a unit bath... If we squish together, maybe two people could fit?"
"Huh? Did you just say something?"
"N-no, never mind."
"If we really tried, I suppose two people could fit..."
"You can hear me, can't you?!"
He patted my back firmly. It stung a little, but he followed it up by stroking my back apologetically. What a cute creature.
"Senior Misaki, please come this way."
Once the tour was complete, he produced a cushion.
"Oh? How thoughtful of you!"
Misaki smiled brightly. There wasn't enough space for a sofa, so we ended up sitting side by side, leaning against the bed.
"We sat in the same order during the drinking party, didn't we?"
"...Don't say things like that now... You're making my heart race!"
"...Should I show you the cleavage?"
Hamster-senpai muttered, glancing repeatedly at the neckline of Misaki's dress.
"...If I say yes, will you actually show it to me?"
Another fleeting glance.
"...Thank you."
"...Mm, no problem."
Both of them were beet red. Misaki fanned her face with her hand, then inexplicably began fanning her cleavage as well. It was a feast for the eyes. I wanted more.
"We can hear the sounds from the next room perfectly fine..." Misaki muttered. It sounded like they were watching a comedy video—the cheerful chatter and unfamiliar laughter of the neighbors drifted through the thin wall.
"Exactly! The walls are so thin."
"Did they hear our conversation earlier...?"
"That's possible, but they might also be listening with headphones. Since this is a corner room, as long as the person laughing just now can't hear us, we're fine."
"I see. But..."
"...Couldn't we just lower our voices?"
"...mm..."
Misaki's cat-like eyes widened. Even Kotaro could feel his excitement building with each word he spoke.
"...Are you just going to... do it... like that?" Misaki murmured, glancing up at him as she stroked his thigh. Even through his jeans, she could feel his swelling erection, and a soft, "mm..." escaped her lips. She seemed to be trying to suppress her voice, but the husky sound, thick with breath, was strangely alluring.
"Mmm... That feels nice, but... I'd like to talk first, maybe... ah... Misaki-senpai...?"
Misaki's expression softened into a dazed, almost dreamy look as she persistently rubbed the bulge in his crotch. When he reached for his zipper, her wide eyes snapped open.
"O-oh! Right. We should just talk normally."
Misaki hastily forced a smile, placing her hands on her cheeks and letting out a cute, "Uwaa..." She sighed softly.
"...I wasn't this ecchi before, you know..."
"I like it."
"...I guess I just got corrupted by your insatiable libido, Kotaro. Yeah."
"Sounds like we're both to blame, huh?"
The two chuckled softly at each other.
"Ah, sorry about that. Let me get you some tea first. What would you like?"
"Mm, thanks. I'll have tea."
"Would a drinkable yogurt be okay?"
"Did you even need to ask that?!"
We laughed at the joke, and I brewed the tea I'd bought at the supermarket yesterday. As the warm aroma filled the air, Misaki's eyes narrowed into a contented smile, her expression softening like a cat basking on the porch. The tea had a smooth, round mouthfeel. We both relaxed into silly grins, then grinned at each other's goofy faces and chuckled.
"Senior Misaki, would you like to go to the café again sometime?"
"Mm, I was just thinking the same thing."
A surge of happiness made my lips tingle, and on impulse, I tried kissing her. We both turned bright red, and the taste of the tea became indistinct.
*****
"Senior Misaki, do you have any siblings?"
Having only known her for a short time, I wanted to learn more about her, so I started by asking about her family.
"Nah, I'm an only child."
"Oh, really? ...Were you spoiled rotten growing up?"
"...Well, 'spoiled rotten' is exactly the right word."
Misaki blushed and lowered her head, looking a little embarrassed.
"Apparently, I was their long-awaited child. And with this appearance of mine, people are always saying things like, 'Senior Misaki, you're so cute and petite!' Ugh...!"
At the usual moment when she would snap back, I praised her a little, and she gave me a complicated expression, like she'd lost all her energy but was also happy to be praised. She was adorable.
"Senior Misaki, you call your parents 'Dad' and 'Mom'... That's kind of cool."
"R-really? Everyone else always said it was weird."
"Well, it is a bit unusual, but that's what makes it cool, I think."
"H-heh? Oh, really? Hahaha, you might not be as hopeless as I thought."
"Why did you suddenly start acting like a villain from a spy movie?"
Misaki took a small sip of her tea. Her relaxed sigh was cute. It still felt surreal to have my idol, whom I'd fallen for at first glance, living in the same space as me.
"What do you call your parents, Kotaro?"
"Daddy and Mommy."
Misaki choked.
"Are you alright, Misaki-senpai?!"
"S-That's way too blatant, you know...! ...Was that... was that really true?"
Misaki glanced up at him with concerned eyes. She must have thought it would be rude to dismiss it as nonsense if it was genuine. What a kind person... he smiled inwardly.
"It's true."
"R-really? Um, well, I mean... that's such a... refined way to ask!"
"Sorry, I'm kidding."
"...! ...!"
Misaki flushed crimson and started smacking Kotaro's cheeks with her palm. He wanted to keep teasing her, she was so cute, but decided to stop there.
"Haaah... Seriously. So, Kotaro, do you have any siblings? The glasses-wearing kind?"
"Why just glasses-wearing ones?! Besides, I don't wear glasses anymore!"
"Your university debut, I see."
"That way of putting it makes me so embarrassed..."
"Well, this hair of mine is making its university debut too, so it's fine, right?"
Misaki twirled a strand of her bright brown hair, grinned mischievously, and traced the shape of Kotaro's glasses around her eyes. It was somehow cute, even though he couldn't quite put his finger on why.
"Kotaro, you've derailed the conversation. So, you have a younger sister? Waaah?"
He pinched her cheek, intending to tease her, but it was far softer than he expected—soft and squishy.
"..."
She glared at him, cheeks still pinched. In retaliation, she pinched his cheek too. Still cute.
"...Pfft. ...Right, I have twin siblings, six years younger."
"Wow, they must be adorable."
"Yeah, they're incredibly cute. They're so affectionate too."
"Hmm, I see why they say Kotaro is so nurturing," Misaki murmured, leaning forward with a playful lilt in her voice. Her manner was utterly natural, a sweet display of affection that nearly made me stumble.
"So, what's Kotaro's romantic history?"
"...Do I really have to say? You're the first person I've ever confessed to, Misaki-senpai."
"I've taken Kotaro's first..."
"You don't need to say that while turning beet red..."
We were both beet red.
"Well, um..." Kotaro scratched his cheek awkwardly, smiling with embarrassment. "I think... maybe because I've always been taking care of my younger brother and sister, I ended up being drawn to older people as a reaction."
"Hmm? Tell me more."
Misaki leaned in close. Her cat-like eyes, framed by long eyelashes, sparkled with curiosity. She was too cute to look at directly.
"...It's a pretty common story, I think? Preschool teachers, a fourth-year senior in elementary school, the student council president two years above me in middle school... I always fell for people who were completely out of my league."
"Huh, ho, hmm? So you fell for me the moment you got to university?"
"...Exactly."
Misaki grinned widely, her face flushed red. Though she was teasing me, she was also embarrassed by what she'd just admitted.
Oh, I see... So Kotaro likes older women, huh? I murmured, absentmindedly stroking Kotaro's thigh.
"It's getting a little warm in here."
"Is it? Then I'll turn on the air conditioning..."
Just as Kotaro reached for the air conditioner remote, Misaki casually shrugged off her knit parka. Beneath it, she wore a pale pink sleeveless dress, revealing her slender arms.
"Hmm? What's wrong, Kotaro?"
"Uh, no, I just... I really like that dress of yours..." Kotaro mumbled, averting his gaze.
Misaki chuckled mischievously. "Oh, really? So you like all my clothes, huh, Kotaro?"
"Ah, no, it's not just your clothes. You're just so cute and beautiful, Misaki-senpai. That's why everything looks good on you."
"Ugh...!"
Caught off guard by the sudden serious compliment, Misaki made a strange sound deep in her throat.
"Seriously, you had me blushing one minute, then suddenly go all serious and start complimenting me... You're giving me heart palpitations!"
"What a thing to say..."
Kotaro smiled wryly as Misaki leaned in close, acting a little spoiled. Her voice was cheerful, almost bubbly. Being around her was relaxing, but if he let his guard down, he felt his facial muscles might melt.
"...h."
The sweet scent of Misaki's hair made his heart flutter.
Suddenly, the conversation stopped.
"Mmm...h."
When he gently wrapped his arm around her shoulders, Misaki let out a seductive sigh. Thinking about what was coming next, his hands trembled with nervousness.
"Kotaro... you're so naughty today."
Misaki whispered mischievously, stroking the hand she'd placed on his shoulder. Her usually cool and composed face now overflowed with affection for him.
"...I'm sorry."
"I'm not blaming you."
Misaki giggled softly, gazing steadily into his eyes.
Her long eyelashes lowered smoothly, and her clear eyes narrowed slightly.
Sensing the serene atmosphere being eerily invaded, Kotaro swallowed hard.