Given Eriri's usual demeanor, Kanade Natsukawa wasn't at all worried about her trying anything strange.
For one, he hadn't done anything to upset her—well, unless you counted being late to their "date." If that did irritate her, then he would accept whatever "punishment" she had in store.
Still, their current situation wasn't exactly conducive to her signature "Twin-tail Whirlwind Strike." At most, she might flick her ponytail at his cheek or—if she really wanted to escalate things—draw a little turtle on his face with a marker.
Childish antics like that were about as far as Eriri could go, but even such pranks didn't seem in character for her.
Eriri wasn't someone who could easily let loose in front of others. Even with close friends, she instinctively tried to maintain a composed image.
Of course, she likely knew her "graceful young lady" persona was entirely unconvincing. In reality, her "brain full of risqué doujinshi ideas" persona was well-known among her friends.
Confident that Eriri wouldn't pull any serious tricks, Kanade closed his eyes and agreed, "Alright, I'll leave it to you, Eriri."
After all, he was genuinely tired. Having a cute girl provide a lap pillow and even offer a massage? How could he refuse?
"Mm-hm, leave it to me!" Eriri nodded eagerly, though her nerves were already creeping in.
In truth, she'd been second-guessing her bold approach. Her attempts to subtly guide things felt a little too aggressive—how could they possibly succeed? Yet, Kanade had gone along with it, leaving her no choice but to follow through.
But…! Charging ahead recklessly wouldn't do. This needed to progress naturally, right?
Eriri swallowed hard, her throat dry.
Calm down.
Seeing Kanade relax and fully close his eyes, she hesitated.
It wasn't that she was scared. Well, maybe she was a little scared.
This whole idea had been a spur-of-the-moment impulse. She hadn't actually expected the stars to align so perfectly, creating an ideal opportunity.
This is entrapment! I'm being seduced into crime!
Her mind wavered as she fought the urge to act. She wanted to, but couldn't quite bring herself to take the leap.
Meanwhile, Kanade, noticing the delay, started to grow suspicious.
Why hasn't she started yet? Even if this were a prank, shouldn't there have been some kind of action by now?
"Eriri, haven't started yet?" Kanade asked.
"!"
His question jolted Eriri from her thoughts. Panicking, she blurted out, "I-I'm starting right now—'personally'!"
"…Huh? Starting what?" Kanade wondered if he'd misheard her.
"...!!!" Realizing her slip, Eriri frantically corrected herself.
"P-personally massaging you! That's what I meant!"
Kanade hesitated, still unsure. "Uh… but—"
"No talking! No moving either!" Eriri cut him off sharply, her tone leaving no room for argument.
"..."
Hearing the frustrated edge in her voice, Kanade decided it was best to stay silent.
There's definitely something going on, he thought, but what?
Ultimately, he resigned himself to waiting, hoping she'd get it over with quickly—whether it was a prank or something else entirely.
"..."
Relieved that Kanade wasn't questioning her anymore, Eriri finally exhaled.
However, her nerves had reached a breaking point. Her voice shook as she muttered, "D-don't open your eyes, okay? Absolutely not! I'm… not very skilled at this. I might mess up…"
"Please, anything but that," Kanade quipped lightly. "Have mercy, Eriri-sama. My sins surely don't warrant such harsh punishment…"
He wasn't genuinely worried about her injuring him. He was just trying to lighten the mood, sensing how tense things had become.
"Pfft… We'll see how you behave," Eriri pouted, though her expression softened slightly.
Even so, her emotions remained in a strange state—like returning home to find a carefully hidden stash clearly tampered with, yet no one mentioned it.
So embarrassing!
Still, she couldn't let it show. Maybe Kanade had only noticed that she was up to something, but not what. Or maybe he had figured it out completely and was waiting to see what she'd do next…
What would she do? Charge forward, of course!
No turning back now.
If she backed out, all her previous embarrassment and nerves would've been for nothing. Even if Kanade had guessed her intentions, she was determined to go through with it.
After all, as long as Kanade kept his eyes closed, anything that happened afterward could be explained however she wanted.
Resolved, Eriri acted.
She leaned forward slightly, slowly lowering herself closer to Kanade. Her movements were gentle and deliberate, so even if he suddenly opened his eyes, she could claim she was just adjusting her position for a better angle.
But as it turned out, Kanade had no intention of opening his eyes. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying the massage so much that his expression visibly relaxed.
Is it really that comfortable? Eriri wondered, genuinely curious.
It was her first time giving someone a massage, and she hadn't expected it to go so well.
Her lips curled into a small, triumphant smile.
What does this mean? That I'm naturally talented?
No!
It means she deserves this moment! She provided Kanade with such a satisfying massage—this was her rightful reward!
Sure, she was technically the one giving herself the reward, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that it all felt justified.
With her doubts gone, Eriri felt a sense of peace wash over her.
What "cowardly little thief"? No, this was perfectly fair—an equal exchange!