Chapter 66: Kamishiro Hisui (Beginning of the Night)
A call came through the room phone informing us that dinner was ready. A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door, and my aunt entered the room carrying trays of food, accompanied by a female attendant.
One after another, the dishes were placed skillfully on the table at the center of the room. It was a traditional multi-course meal featuring the seasonal bounty of the late autumn mountains.
The main dish was a steak made from locally raised wagyu beef.
Three beautifully marbled slices were arranged on a small iron plate along with a selection of vegetables.
When the attendant lit the solid fuel beneath the plate, the savory aroma of sizzling meat quickly filled the room, awakening our appetites.
Finally, we were handed a printed menu of the night’s courses and given a brief explanation of each dish.
"Once you've finished eating, just let us know through the intercom. We'll come clear the table and lay out your futons. Our head chef is especially proud of tonight’s dishes, so please enjoy them. Well then, take your time."
After my aunt and the attendant left the room, the three of us put our hands together and began our meal with a cheerful "Itadakimasu."
『The natural ingredients are prepared in a way that brings out their flavor with minimal alteration. This must be the work of a true artisan… Japanese cuisine runs deep.』
Every dish we tasted was delicious. I’d never been picky about food to begin with, but ever since I became Alice, I’d developed a preference for lighter flavors—and the seasoning here was just right. While vegetables were the main focus, there were rich elements too, like steak and tempura, giving the meal a well-balanced variety.
At first, I doubted I’d be able to eat that much, but before I knew it, I’d finished everything on my plate. The fact that each portion was on the small side probably helped too.
On the veranda between the room and the indoor bath, there was a small table and a matching set of chairs. I sat in one of them, lost in thought.
Alicia had said she would step aside if I ever fell for someone else.
Even though she’s the closest person to me, I can’t physically touch her. That kind of relationship must be making her anxious about our future.
It would be easy to deny it with words. But whether that would actually ease Alicia’s worries is another matter. All I can do is try to prove my sincerity through how I treat her every day.
『Alicia, I’m going to do my best.』
『Huh? Ah… okay. Um…?』
I blurted it out one-sidedly. Alicia didn’t seem to understand what I meant at all.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
A voice called out from inside the room. The attendants were clearing the dishes and laying out the futons.
I slid open the fusuma between the veranda and the room and stepped back inside. The table and food from earlier were gone, and two neatly made futons were laid out side by side, with a space between them.
I thanked the attendants as they were leaving and waited until their presence had completely faded.
"Tou—!"
The moment I heard the door click shut, I dove onto the futon with my whole body.
The comforting fluffiness and the clean scent of the sheets wrapped around me like a hug.
"Futons are pure happiness…"
"…Alice, what on earth are you doing?"
As I rolled around on the futon, cocooned in the bedding, Hisui emerged from the dressing room and looked down at me with a baffled expression.
She’d gone to soak in the bath again after dinner.
Her signature ponytail was now let down, giving her a different vibe that momentarily made my heart skip a beat—
"Playing… a roly-poly bug?"
I gave an awkward, hard-to-explain response.
"…What kind of half-baked name is that? Geez, you were rolling around like a maniac, now your yukata’s all messed up. Come on, stand up."
"I-I can fix it myself."
"This isn’t the kind of thing to be embarrassed about. Come on, up."
Giving in, I stood obediently in front of Hisui. With practiced hands, she quickly adjusted the rumpled yukata back into place. In no time, it was neat and proper again.
"Whoa, thanks, Hisui."
"You're welcome."
"Though… I guess all that’s left is to go to bed now."
I sat down on the futon and stretched out my legs.
"Alice, you’re not going back to the bath?"
Hisui sat down beside me—maybe a bit closer than necessary—and asked.
"I want to go again once or twice between early morning and sunrise… and if I can, I’d like to try the large public bath too."
"You’re not going now?"
"I’m still kind of nervous about going when there are a lot of people around. I mean, today was the first time I’ve ever seen a naked woman in real life—outside of family—and that was you."
Hearing that, Hisui’s expression shifted into a mischievous smirk.
"Oh? So I was your first…? How was it? My body?"
Could you not phrase it like that? Someone might get the wrong idea if they overheard.
"I-It’s not like I got a good look… It was only a glimpse when you got in the bath. I didn’t stare or anything."
…But your chest was amazing.
"Is that so? …Then, want to take a better look now? If Alice wants it, I don’t mind."
Hisui loosened the front of her yukata with a finger, giving me a teasing peek at her cleavage.
"N-No way! You and I aren’t a couple, Hisui! Stuff like that is off-limits!"
"My, what a shame."
That almost turned into a betrayal of Alicia’s trust.
That was close—too close. Just as I sighed in relief—
My vision flipped, and the world spun upside down.
Before I knew it, Hisui had pinned me down.
"…But, Alice. You did promise to give me a memory, didn’t you?"
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