How To Ruin A Love Comedy

Splash.

Miyuki, her shoulders drenched in the steaming water, wore a weary expression as steam billowed up around her in the bath.

A house with an indoor open-air bath—she must say she was impressed.

Though it was a bit disappointing that the small sliding window only showed the fence outside, it was still a nice open-air bath.

Matsuda mentioned that he rarely used it; she couldn’t understand why he would leave such a good spot untouched.

“Sigh.”

Letting out a languid breath, Miyuki thought back to what had happened earlier.

Because of Matsuda’s caresses on her hips and waist while they kissed, she was so startled that she almost bit his tongue as she had in the café.

Then came a tingling sensation, and her body seemed to suddenly heat up, accompanied by a strange sense of arousal.

It was an unfamiliar feeling, but it was surprisingly… ‘Pleasant, I think…’

When Matsuda told her to stay over because he felt lonely, and pulled her close into a warm embrace, her heart pounded wildly, and her chest filled with a fluttering excitement.

That thrill did shatter when Matsuda’s hand found its way to her rear, though.

【Matsuda-kun...! What are you doing...!】

【Sorry, sorry.】

When she raised her voice to question him, Matsuda’s tone was a mix of half-jest and half-sincerity as he apologized.

As Miyuki replayed the situation in her head, she vigorously shook her head back and forth.

‘Is he not nervous at all...?’

While her whole body stiffens at the very act of kissing, Matsuda can’t keep his hands still and starts to... grope her.

Last time, he seemed like he was holding back; is he starting to give in now?

Is this just how men are, or is this something unique to Matsuda? She couldn’t quite tell.

It was even amusing when she thought about it—It was her first time feeling a man’s touch on her hips, and yet, how remarkably composed she could be. It must be proof of how much she trusts Matsuda.

And it even feels as though her mindset is gradually opening up...

Whether that’s a good sign or not, she wasn’t sure.

*Plop. Plop.*

Melting her body in the bath, Miyuki found herself lost in various thoughts as she stared at the tightly closed window.

‘It’s still raining quite a bit…’

The sound of the rain hitting the wall and reverberating felt like a serene echo, naturally bringing her a sense of calm.

Yet, whenever she thought of Matsuda, her biological rhythm went haywire.

It’s good that he, once a problematic student, is changing by taking her advice. His somewhat authoritarian tendencies show, but it’s clear he’s trying for her…

Opening her eyes to the once utterly unfamiliar territory of relationships also brings joy.

Simply being with Matsuda is enjoyable.

Lost in such thoughts, Miyuki unconsciously muttered a phrase saturated with all kinds of emotions.

“I’m going crazy...”

*Brrrrrrrr!*

“Ah!”

Just then, her phone vibrated loudly in its holder attached to the bath wall, startling her out of her thoughts.

It was a call. The caller ID showed it was her mom, who was most likely worried because she hadn’t returned home so late.

Quickly stepping out of the bath, Miyuki dried her hands with a towel and answered the call.

“Hello...?”

-It’s already past eight-thirty, why aren’t you home yet?

“Ah, sorry... I was hanging out with a friend. But mom, it’s raining a lot, is our house okay?”

-Yes, of course, it’s fine.

“Did you close the windows?”

-Obviously. Hurry back. The rain is supposed to get much worse starting at 10 o’clock.

The humid atmosphere typical of rainy days has its own kind of charm but brings with it a sense of loneliness.

And at Matsuda’s place, even if you close the door with the integrated window, it’s not very soundproof.

As lonely as Matsuda was already feeling, if she told him to sleep alone...

She imagined it would be quite hard to lie alone late at night when the rain would be falling even harder than it was now.

‘Should I really stay the night?’

When Matsuda suggested it, hugging her tightly, his voice was laced with happiness and satisfaction. And within that voice, there was no trace of sexual desire.

Of course, he did try to touch her hips afterward, but at least when he said it felt good to be warm, he was sincere.

‘What should I do?’

She did trust Matsuda.

However, this sudden, unexpected invitation had left her hesitant.

-Miyuki? Are you listening?

“Ah, yeah... um...”

Her voice trailing off, Miyuki contemplated how she was feeling at the moment.

And she quickly came to a conclusion—Her desire to be with him outweighed other emotions.

Isn’t that enough?

She might question herself if she - who was leaning towards making such a bold decision - was really the same Miyuki Hazanawa, but she believed that right now, it was better to be true to her feelings rather than her logic.

Having quickly sorted out her thoughts, Miyuki finally spoke up.

“Mom, I’m going to stay at a friend’s place tonight.”

-A friend? Who?

Miyuki hesitated for a moment, unable to answer immediately. She had made up her mind, but telling her mother was a different matter entirely. She was apprehensive about how her mother would react if she knew she was staying at Matsuda’s house.

She had often slept over at friends’ houses before, but they had all been same-sex friends. She had never stayed overnight at a man’s house, not even at Tetsuya’s, her longest-known friend. She always made sure to come home before it got too late.

No matter how mature and capable of rational thought she might be, what parent wouldn’t worry about their daughter spending the night with a man? And she couldn’t really mention the names of her real friends; her mother knew most of them anyway.

Even if she were to lie, her mother might call to verify the story, and the lingering feeling of discomfort wasn’t something she wanted to deal with.

Thinking quickly on her feet, Miyuki responded.

“I’ve made a new friend at the academy.”

-A new friend? Isn’t it a bit presumptuous to stay overnight with someone you’ve known for just a semester?

“We’ve become really close... and my friend suggested that I could stay over.”

Both parts were true: they had grown close, and the offer had been extended to her. So, it wasn’t a lie.

With a minimum burden on her conscience, Miyuki sent a silent prayer to the heavens, ‘Please, don’t let Mom ask me to give the phone to my friend...’ as she awaited her mother’s response.

-Okay? So you’ll be at your friend’s place now? And you’ll go straight to the academy tomorrow?

Somehow, she felt her mother would agree.

A sigh of relief escaped Miyuki’s lips as she responded.

“I’ll head home early in the morning. I have to change into my uniform, after all...”

-Fair enough. Just come home safely, and don’t stay up too late chatting with your girlfriends.

Her mother’s words seemed to assume she was staying with a female friend.

‘All those years of sticking to the rules are finally paying off,’ Miyuki thought to herself, chuckling inwardly.

“Okay, I will.”

- Make sure to say hello to your friend’s parents for me, and thank them as well.

“I don’t wanna.”

At Miyuki’s playful tone, clearly relaxed now, her mother, Midori, chuckled on the other end of the line. A bright laugh escaped from Miyuki as she continued.

“I’m kidding, I’ll definitely pass your thanks to my friend.”

-Good. By the way, how’s Matsuda-kun doing?

A jolt went through Miyuki, as if someone had stepped on her toes.

Swallowing hard, she replied, “He’s doing fine... but why bring up Matsuda-kun all of a sudden?”

-I just remembered he said he’d join us for dinner after the cultural festival. How about hot pot this time? I heard he likes hot pots.

Somehow, it felt like her mother was more excited to see Matsuda than she was.

“He has a good appetite, he’ll eat anything.”

-Well, ask him anyway.

“Alright... I’m going to hang up now.”

-Mhm.

After ending the call, Miyuki debated whether to linger in the bath a little longer but eventually shook her head and took a shower. As she cracked open the bathroom door to grab her school uniform, she paused. Neatly folded on a shelf beside the door was a T-shirt and a pair of comfortable athletic shorts.

Matsuda must have left them there for her. Probably didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable in her damp uniform.

A smile graced Miyuki’s lips as she unfolded the T-shirt. The size was enormous; it would probably cover her down to her knees.

‘The size would be too big even for Matsuda-kun as he is now. Had he been heavier in the past?’ She found herself wondering what old photos of him might look like.

The T-shirt carried the faint citrus scent she had often noticed around Matsuda. Her mind relaxed, Miyuki took a moment to enjoy the softness of the fabric.

‘Huh?’

Her eyes fell on a small plastic box beside the shorts, tilting her head in curiosity.

As she realized what it was, her mouth dropped open.

It was a camisole and a pair of hipster panties, the kind you could easily find at a convenience store.

‘What is this...? Why...?’

Could this be considered thoughtful too? Or did it have another meaning? She wanted to think it was the former, and she was grateful, but she couldn’t be sure of Matsuda’s intentions, given that he wasn’t exactly what you’d call “innocent.”

Staring blankly at the lingerie set, she finally gathered the clothes and returned to the bathroom.

***

In the end, Miyuki wore the underwear Matsuda had bought. She felt too awkward not to.

‘Wearing a bra to bed is so uncomfortable.’

Yeah, that was the reason. It had nothing to do with going along with Matsuda’s plans.

Thinking as such, Miyuki emerged into the living room fully dressed in the t-shirt and pants. At that moment, Matsuda, who had been lying on the couch, looked up.

“You’re out?”

Hearing his nonchalant tone, Miyuki realized that the underwear was probably just a considerate gesture. While she felt relieved, she also found herself oddly disappointed.

Dragging her feet toward Matsuda, she noticed that his hair was damp and asked, “Did you take a shower?”

“Yeah.”contemporary romance

“When?”

“While you were showering, I used the other bathroom. Are you going to sleep?”

It was hard to answer. Fidgeting with the hem of her t-shirt, Miyuki finally replied in a meek voice.

“.... Yeah... But I have to wake up around 5 AM to go home.”

“Then we should go to bed early. Come on, lie down.”

“You’re not suggesting we... sleep together, are you?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“No, it’s just...”

To be honest, she had expected him to say that, but hearing it out loud still made her nervous. Caught in indecision, Miyuki finally laid down when Matsuda patted the spot next to him, as if telling her to cut the pretense.

Staring directly at Matsuda, she set her boundary.

“Hey, just like before... You can’t touch me, got it?”

“What about cuddling?”

“You’ll just end up doing... something weird if we cuddle!”

“What weird thing?”

Seeing him play dumb while knowing exactly what she meant was slightly infuriating, yet not altogether unpleasant. Perhaps she had become accustomed to his antics over time.

“Absolutely not...”

“I’m kidding. I promise, no funny business. Just cuddling.”

“...Really?”

“I promise. Pinky swear?”

Matsuda extended his little finger, appearing both trustworthy and somehow childlike.

“I still feel uneasy about this...”

Nevertheless, Miyuki found herself moving closer to Matsuda. Despite her words of caution, her actions indicated a level of trust in him. Matsuda, recognizing this, let out a soft chuckle.

“Shall we leave the window open? It might be nice to fall asleep to the sound of the rain.”

“Do as you please...”

In response to her slightly petulant tone, Matsuda’s eyes curved into crescent moons. With a light smile, he gently pulled Miyuki into his arms, resting his chin atop her head just like before.

‘It’s warm…’

Matsuda’s embrace was incredibly comforting, so much so that her eyes naturally began to close.

“Feeling sleepy?”

At the sound of his deep, resonant voice, a light shiver ran through Miyuki’s frame. Why did she find herself wanting to feel that curious thrill again?

“I don’t know...”

Tap. Tap.

Matsuda, taking in her noncommittal response, began to rhythmically pat her back. Feeling an immense sense of comfort, Miyuki snuggled even closer to him, as if wriggling into his warmth.

“Comfortable?”

“Mmm...”

“Good.”

Today, his voice sounded even more gentle and kind than usual. As Miyuki’s eyes slowly closed, the corners of her lips subtly lifted into a smile.

Matsuda’s hand was gently caressing her back before she even realized it.

As her mind emptied of its complex thoughts, her body began to relax, growing languid. Sleep was coming, gently but surely.

‘This is nice…’

Such wholesome physical intimacy felt like something she could indulge in every day.

‘Who would’ve thought…’

Who would’ve thought they’d ever be so close, sharing their warmth in sleep? She had always thought of herself and Matsuda as incompatible, like water and oil. But now, the situation felt surreal.

‘Someday... we’ll…’

Someday, there would be more intimate moments between them. What would she do when that day came? She had no idea, no sense of what to expect.

She decided to stop thinking. Rather than piling up worries, she chose to focus on the sweet moment she was sharing with Matsuda... no, with Ken.

“Feels good...”

Miyuki mumbled, not even realizing she had spoken her feelings aloud before drifting into sleep.

︵‿︵‿୨ * ୧‿︵‿︵

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Devil }

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