Volume 5 Chapter 5

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Chapter edited by: Kashima

♠

The third morning after coming to Tokyo.

When I woke up, there were no signs of Ayako-san in the bed next to me.

It was 6:50 am.

I woke up on my own before the alarm, but apparently, Ayako-san had started her day before me.

For some reason, I had a bad feeling and got up immediately.

I folded the futon and hurriedly headed for the living room when I had a sudden realization.

Wait a second.

It could be a bad idea to act hastily here.

Because we’re living together in a 1LDK.

It’s too small for two people to live together, and there’s barely any space just for one.

If you’re not careful… It’s likely that, in many cases, you violate your significant other’s privacy.

For example, when she is changing clothes, or in the bathroom, or taking a bath.

There’s the risk of getting into those situations.

Fortunately, to this day, I’ve somehow managed to avoid such incidents. And if possible, I’d like for it to stay that way.

…Well, I can’t say that there isn’t a part of me that’s not expecting something to happen. I am also a man. The embarrassing appearance of my girlfriend… To be honest, I want to see it.

From the moment I knew we were going to live together, I had fantasized a lot about this. It would be a lie to say I’m not waiting for an embarrassing and happy fanservice event while she’s changing clothes or taking a bath.

But.

But…

I can’t allow myself to get carried away by such perverse feelings.

I think being considerate is more important than anything now that we’re living together.

We’ve got to respect each other’s boundaries as much as possible.

So, if I can avoid said fanservice events, it’s better to avoid them.

“…Phew,” I breathed deeply and woke myself up.

And then, I thought.

Right now, the most likely situation is that she’s in the bathroom and changing clothes.

There won’t be any issue if I knock on the door before coming in.

As long as she’s paying attention while she’s changing, everything will be fine.

If you’re living with someone in a 1LDK and you want to change clothes without being seen, you need to use the bedroom or bathroom.

And right now I’m in the bedroom.

So in that case, Ayako-san would have to use the bathroom to change.

Basically.

As long as I knock on the bathroom door, I should be able to avoid the fanservice event one hundred percent. Yes, definitely.

“…”

Huh? Isn’t this weird? Why am I so desperately trying to avoid a fanservice event?

I’m already Ayako-san’s boyfriend, so perhaps, even if I end up seeing her changing clothes, I’m in a position where she can forgive me. But, hmm… hmm… Better avoid it after all. Yes, let’s avoid it.

Since we haven’t been dating for long, I’ll be as much of a gentleman as possible.

With that determination, I opened the bedroom’s door.

And then…

Ayako-san was changing in the living room.

I opened the bedroom door and there she was.

In other words, right in front of me.

A pretty close distance away, my girlfriend was changing her clothes.

I don’t know if this was good or bad timing, but she had gotten pretty far and had already taken off more than half of her pajamas.

She wasn’t wearing her bottoms anymore.

Her black underwear that covered her white buttocks and thighs suddenly appeared in my eyes.

But more than the lower half of her body, it was the upper half that attracted my gaze.

Most of the buttons on her top were undone, revealing a deep cleavage.

Her ample breasts gave off an overwhelming pressure from their size and weight.

Normally, they’d be enveloped by her underwear… But right now, the restrictions that should have been there were nowhere to be seen.

Therefore, her breasts obeyed the laws of motion and momentum and were voluminously swaying around to the rhythm of her actions. If her top were to slide off a little more, I could see her entire front…

“…Kyaaa.”

“Uwaa, s-sorry!”

Her scream brought me back to reality and I quickly closed the door.

My heart was beating very hard.

Ayako-san’s sensual appearance was clearly recorded in my mind, and the excitement made me lose my cool… On the other hand, I started feeling something similar to tiredness.

“…Is it normal to change in the living room…?” I muttered with a deep sigh.

I wasn’t expecting this pattern.

It looks like it will be hard to avoid these fanservice events while we’re living under the same roof.

Even during breakfast, there was some awkwardness.

“Uhm, Ayako-san… I’m really sorry about earlier.”

“D-Don’t worry. You don’t need to apologize so much.”

She shook her hands on the other side of the table.

“I’m also sorry. I should have properly changed inside the bathroom, but… how to say this… uhm… I-It was too much of a pain, and since you were sleeping I thought it would be alright,” said Ayako-san shyly and apologetically.

We apologized to each other and I thought that would be the end of it, but…

“…L-Listen, I don’t want you to get the wrong idea, so let me explain properly,” said Ayako-san with a firm face. “I don’t always sleep without a bra!”

It was a voice full of conviction that showed she had no intentions of letting others question this.

Huh?

Are we going to keep talking about that?

I thought that I could finally eat breakfast in peace.

However… this isn’t the first time we’ve talked about how you don’t wear a bra, Ayako-san…!

The day we started dating you weren’t wearing one either…

“Normally, I tend to wear a sleep bra.”

“A-A sleep bra…?”

If I remember correctly, it’s a bra that women use during sleep.

“I took it off last night because I had a hard time sleeping with it… I always, and I mean it… sleep with a bra. I’m not such a shameless woman that I would sleep without one,” said her quickly, emphasizing.

I don’t think it’s shameless to sleep without a bra, and would be inclined to tell her not to wear it… but as a woman, it looks like it’s something she can’t allow.

“M-Must be tough for women. They have to wear a bra even when they sleep.”

“Yeah… it looks like many of them don’t wear them anymore, but… uhm, well, if it’s my size, they could lose their shape while sleeping…”

She had a hard time saying it and I felt as if my gaze was moving onto her breasts, but I used my will of steel to not look at them.

Now that she mentions it, I remember hearing that, the bigger they are, the more a woman should wear a bra at night.

Right… yeah, Ayako-san should wear them. After all, if she doesn’t, then who would?

“Haah… Seriously, them being this big is a problem. They’re so heavy and make my shoulders sore, and it’s hard to find swimsuits and bras of my size, so I need to buy expensive ones.”

“True, your bra is from a pretty expensive brand.”

“Yeah… I don’t wear brand names because I like it, you know? It’s just that I can’t find ones my size…”

At the start, Ayako-san nodded deeply, but then started thinking mid-sentence.

“…Hey, Takkun,” she asked, looking at me with suspicion. “Why do you know the brand of my bra?”

“…”

Shit.

I messed up. I opened my big mouth…!

“Uhm… W-well, you see…”

“…”

“I looked at the tag when I washed it the other day… to search for it online.”

When I told her the truth under the pressure of her gaze, Ayako-san’s face got all red.

“Y-You even searched it…”

“No, you got it wrong! Don’t misunderstand, I simply wanted to know how to wash it! I didn’t want to harm it by washing it incorrectly, so I thought about consulting the official recommendations on how to it properly… T-That’s everything, I swear!”

I desperately tried to justify myself, but Ayako-san stared at me.

“…Takkun, you told me you had washed it without looking too much.”

“I-It was just the tag. I simply saw the tag! I don’t remember anything but the tag!”

“…Even if that’s true, you got a good look at the tag, right?”

“…”

“Then… Y-you saw my breasts’ size…”

“…I-I may have, but I don’t really remember. I simply wanted to know the brand to know how to wash it.”

“You’re lying, I’m sure you saw. You already know, right? That I’m… a G cup.” TL/N: DDD in America.

“Huh? No… It wasn’t G. It was much bigger… Ah.”

It was too late when I noticed that I had fallen under her trap question.

Ayako-san’s face got even redder and her eyes were burned with embarrassment and anger.

“So you saw everything…!”

“No, uhm… I-I’m sorry.”

“…Geez, you’re such a pervert, Takkun.” Said Ayako-san sulking and angry.

If I were to say this out loud, she’d get even angrier, but she looked really cute being embarrassed and angry.

After an agitated breakfast, we needed to hurry and get ready for work.

However, it looked like Ayako-san was going to work during the afternoon today.

So the only one getting ready was me.

“…Wow.”

When I finished changing clothes and went out of the bedroom, Ayako-san’s eyes lit up after seeing me.

“It’s been a while since I saw you in a suit, Takkun.”

“Since my coming-of-age ceremony, I think.”

I laughed and looked at my appearance.

I was wearing a suit that I bought when I got into university. I chose a safe design to use it for job searching.

“I’m still not used to wearing it, so it’s a little embarrassing.”

“Don’t worry. You’re tall and have broad shoulders, so it suits you. I… yes, I like how you look in a suit.”

“Haha, thanks.”

It may have been a courtesy compliment, but I didn’t feel bad from the praise.

“But… you need to wear a suit as an intern? I don’t think LiliSTART is a company with such a formal dress code.”

“…They told me I could go however I wanted, but despite that, I thought that I should wear a suit at least for the first day. It could be a ‘casual wear trap’ as well.”

“Casual wear trap?”

“It’s when you are ridiculed during the job interview for coming to work in regular clothes just because they said ‘come with casual clothes’.”

I’ve never experienced it, but when I read the job search manuals, they often mentioned this ‘casual wear trap.’

When you job search, businesses say to ‘please come with casual clothes’ just as an act of modesty and you must politely read between the lines and wear a suit or formal clothes.

It’s somewhat annoying, but if that’s the social etiquette, guess I have no choice but to follow it.

“I’m sure you’ll be fine there… but well, it’s true. If you go wearing a suit, you’ll be safer.”

Then, Ayako-san looked at my suit again, but her eyes stopped on my neck.

“Oh? Takkun, your tie is a little off.”

“Huh…? Really?”

“Yes, a little.”

I tried to fix it, but I couldn’t do it properly.

It had been a long time since I wore a tie and there was no mirror in the bedroom, so I didn’t manage to adjust it well.

“Let me do it for you.”

While I was trying to adjust it, Ayako-san extended her arm. It was a little embarrassing, but I lifted my chin and let her do it.

The dextrous movement of her fingers adjusted the position of my tie.

Naturally, our faces got closer to each other and a weird and embarrassing feeling invaded us.

“…I’ve already fixed your tie like this once before, haven’t I?”

“Yes. I think it was when you had just gotten to high school.”

“Back then… I feel like I fixed it without thinking.”

I remember.

Back then, Ayako-san saw me as the neighborhood kid.

That’s why she fixed my tie as if it were normal.

It was like fixing her little brother’s clothes or the son of a relative.

It was a very normal and natural response as an adult.

But back then, her kindness was a little painful for me.

I was very frustrated that she treated me as a kid and didn’t see me as a man.

But now, even though she’s doing the same as she was back then, I felt very happy and satisfied.

“What are you thinking about now?”

“…Huh?”

When I asked, Ayako-san started blushing.

“I-I’m not thinking anything special…”

“We look like a couple of newlyweds, don’t we?”

“…I-If you already know, then don’t ask,” she shouted with a pout and tightened my tie a little more.

The same act now had a completely different meaning than in the past.

Because our relationship and our feelings had changed.

And that made me extremely happy.

Thanks to our little play during the morning, my head felt like it was in the clouds and I was wondering if I could do my work properly at the internship like this… But when I got onto the train that was packed with people, my mood calmed down.

So tight…

Traveling in crowded trains in Tokyo is tough.

Well, Ayako-san is traveling under the same conditions every morning now, so I guess that I can’t complain over something like this.

I came out of the train and followed the flow of people coming out of the station towards my destiny.

LiliSTART.

The company’s office where I’ll do my internship is located on the third floor of the building.

Ayako-san’s company, LightShip, is located in a similar building, and I guess most companies in the city are like this.

When I got off the elevator on the third floor, the person in charge received me.

“Oh, hello, welcome.”

The man with clean cut hair greeted me with a smile.

The identification card hanging on his neck said ‘Yoshino.’

“You’re Aterazawa-kun, right? Pleased to meet you, I’m Yoshino.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Takumi Aterazawa,” I said and deeply bowed.

I had many phone calls with Yoshino-san, but this was the first time we had met each other in person.

He had brown and curly hair, piercings on his ears and had extremely casual clothes, with branded shirts and jeans. I heard that he was a little over thirty, but he looked pretty young, maybe because of his fashion sense. I think he could pose as a university student.

“Hope we can work well together from now on!”

“Oh, aren’t you an energetic one? Yes, yes, university students must be like this.”

He cheerfully smiled and patted my shoulder.

“Come, follow me. First, let me explain things to you in the meeting room.”

“Yes, thank you!”

“Ahaha, you don’t need to be so tense. We’re a pretty easygoing company,” said Yoshino-san with a smile, seeing through my nervousness. “Aterazawa-kun, is this your first time as an intern?”

“Yes, it’s my first time.”

“That’s why you don’t need to be so nervous, this isn’t a job interview,” he said, laughing again.

Hmm. Since Oinomori-san recommended me, I had decided to not be rude in any way, shape or form… but this seems like it will be different from what I expected.

“We only started the internship program this year. Naturally, that means this is the first time I’m in charge of an intern. So you don’t need to feel intimidated and just take it easy.”

“Yes…”

“You also don’t need to wear a suit, you can wear casual clothes. Actually, didn’t I tell you that you could come with any outfit you wanted?”

“Yes, you did… but I thought that it would be polite to come with a suit even if you said that.”

“Ahaha, you’re saying the same thing as the other girl.”

“…Huh?”

“That girl also came in a suit. I see, if you tell serious youngsters that ‘any clothes are fine,’ they’ll come in a suit. I’ll be careful next year.”

“Uhm, other girl…?”

“It’s another intern. Besides you, there was another girl from a Tokyo university, didn’t I tell you?”

First time I’ve heard about this.

But well, thinking about it, that’s normal.

It would be weirder to only have one intern.

“That girl arrived 5 minutes ago. It’s still a little early, but since you’re both here, I think I’ll start the explanation.”

I walked alongside Yoshino-san and he urged me to enter the meeting room.

Inside, there was a woman.

Her hair was pinned up just like someone looking for a job would have, and her suit was a discreet color.

I supposed that was the other intern.

I couldn’t see her face, but I could easily see her nervousness from her upright posture.

“Sorry for making you wait alone.”

“…N-No problem, it’s fine.”

When Yoshino-san talked to her, she jumped in surprise.

She turned around with clumsy movements that displayed her nervousness and looked towards me.

The moment her eyes met mine…

“Huh…?”

Her eyes opened up completely and I gasped.

“T-Takumi-kun…?!” She said in shock.

She called me by my name, the same way she used to in high school.

That’s why.

I couldn’t help but do the same.

Just like my memories from my high school days.

“A-Arisa…?”

I couldn’t believe my eyes, but that was definitely her.

Her haircut, her makeup, and her appearance were different to how she was in high school, but her voice and surprised expressions were exactly the same as before.

Arisa Odaki.

There she was, the woman I had called ‘girlfriend’ in high school.

♥

“…Yes, yes, really… sorry, I know it looks like I’m informing you afterwards. When I return home, I’ll go visit properly… …Yes, thank you very much. …Not at all, Ta… I mean, Takumi-kun is doing pretty well. Rather, I feel that it’s him who’s taking care of me… …Yes, yes. Then, if you’d excuse me…”

I couldn’t see the face of the person on the other side, but I bowed my head over and over. This seems to be a peculiar gesture that Japanese people do, but now I felt like I had the obligation to.

“…Haah.”

Once the call was over, I sat on the sofa and let out a sigh.

The person on the other side of the line was Tomomi-san.

Takkun’s mother, in other words, my boyfriend’s mother.

I managed to inform her about our cohabitation, even if it was through a phone call.

It looks like Takkun spoke with his parents beforehand and got their consent, but as a girlfriend… or rather, as an adult, I at least wanted to inform them.

When I think about it again, even though it has only been three months since we began dating, I feel that it was pretty rude that the cohabitation was accorded previously behind my back.

Tomomi-san said “It’s fine, no need to worry. Ayako-san, do your best at work, and if Takumi gets in the way of that, don’t hesitate to kick him out.”

She said it with a very light tone, but… I feel guilty nonetheless.

I wonder what’s she actually thinking.

Well, maybe she thinks that her consent isn’t necessary as parents, since this cohabitation is a matter pertaining to us two alone.

Takkun is already an adult… But even if he is one, he’s still a university student that relies on his parents, so without doing anything, it’s better to ask them first… Ah, but I wonder if I’m treating Takkun as a kid…

Hmm… I don’t know.

I don’t know the answer at all.

What should I do, how should I do it, what’s correct socially…

“…Well, there isn’t a right answer,” I muttered.

There is no right answer in love.

Each person has their own way of loving.

After all, each person has their own way of interacting with their parents and the world.

There may be some theories and patterns, but that doesn’t mean that following them is the correct answer.

Besides, we’re a couple with an age gap of over ten years.

A thirty year old single mother and a twenty year old university student.

We’re in a particularly unusual relationship, so it would be a mistake to trust in common sense.

We need to find the correct answer by ourselves.

“…Haa. Oh my, it’s so late already.”

Changing gears, I hurriedly did the house chores.

Since I need to work during the afternoon today, I need to do everything in the morning.

Well, let’s begin with… laundry.

I headed to the bath and put the clothes in the washing machine.

While I did, my hand suddenly stopped.

I found Takkun’s shirt.

The one he was using yesterday under his jacket…

“…Ha.”

I kept staring at his shirt, paralyzed in place until I came to.

No.

No, no, no, no, no.

W-What the hell am I thinking?!

What are you trying to do with Takkun’s shirt?!

I can’t… It’s not right.

Just because I’m his girlfriend… doesn’t mean I can do whatever I want!

B-But… now that I think about it, Takkun washed my underwear.

Both my bra and my panties.

He even saw the tag.

In that case… I can’t be blamed for taking a peek too, right?

I mean, he looked all he wanted at my underwear, so one of his shirts is no big deal…

“…”

I desperately justified myself and looked at the shirt again.

I looked around.

Even though no one else could be there, I checked the area carefully… and then, with utmost care, I buried my face in his white shirt.

Ah… It’s fantastic.

It’s weak, but it smells like Takkun.

It’s the smell when he’s close or when we hug. Ever since we started to live together, the amount of times I’ve smelled his scent has increased.

My heart was beating like crazy, but my mind was calm, it was a weird sensation.

Somehow, I felt as if I was embraced by Takkun.

What do I do?

I wonder if it’s alright to wear it…

If I’m not wrong, this is the famous ‘wearing your boyfriend’s shirt’ trope.

Vrrrrr.

The phone I had left over the sink strongly shook.

“~~~~?!”

I was so surprised that I thought my heart was going to come out of my chest.

After throwing the shirt in the washing machine, I hurriedly answered the phone.

“…Yes, no problem. At that time, please. Yes…”

The call was to confirm the delivery service.

I asked Miu to send me some things that I didn’t bring over, and it looks like they’ll get here soon enough.

“…Haah~~.” I deeply sighed and sat in place.

Oh, this is bad on my part.

Or rather… What the hell am I doing?

I can’t believe I was sniffing my boyfriend’s shirt ecstatically… I look like some sort of pervert.

As if I were frustrated.

“…”

I started living with my boyfriend in an unexpected way.

We spend more time together than ever and it’s a lot of fun.

And even then… No.

It’s because of that.

It’s because the distance between us has shortened so much… that my desires keep growing and growing.

I find myself desiring him more and more.

“…I want to see Takkun soon.”

It had only been a couple of hours since we separated, but I whispered such a thing.

Anyways, I was anguished, and in a certain way, in a good mood.

Unaware of the tests that were waiting for us…

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