I wasn't the first—but I was the first. There had been a bit of messy, desperate scrambling.
Maybe this was the reward for that. "First in line gets the VIP treatment." I could almost hear someone saying that.
"Watch your step—it's slippery. One at a time, please."
With that, Hisui-san moved from the bath area to the changing room.
The other two followed him and disappeared inside. Once the door closed behind them, that was our cue.
Our group, drunk on heat and anticipation, began to move as well.
I was a bit behind, positioning-wise. I had been sitting more toward the back. The tiles were genuinely slippery, and any careless move could lead to a fall. Running to grab a good spot wasn't an option.
I figured everyone would just line up nicely in arrival order—but there was a brief hesitation.
The ones in the lead suddenly froze and started fussing with their appearance, like they'd suddenly remembered to fix their hair or something.
Are you guys serious right now?!
Sure, I get it. You want a drink of water, maybe splash some cold water on yourself—but this isn't the time for that!
I wanted to scream at them inside. Were they hesitating like penguins, afraid to be the first in the water in case a shark was lurking?
Understandable, but still—
We've been human test subjects, charging into minefields all this time. This is where you don't hesitate if you want the highlight reel or audience engagement!
You'll miss your shot at grabbing Kairos by the forelock!
So, instead of forming a neat line, the front-runners veered to the sides, parting like the Red Sea.
And honestly, I was grateful. I said a silent thank-you as I slipped ahead.
Two of us reached the changing room door at the same time—it was me and the reporter girl. We exchanged a quick smile and both raised our fists.
"Rock, paper, scissors—shoot!"
I threw scissors. She had paper.
"Yes!"
I couldn't help but do a little victory pose. Behind us, the others gave us a round of random applause.
With a sort of after you, after you gesture, they waved me on.
Well then—I'll gladly accept the honor.
The reporter girl gave me a thumbs up. Good luck.
When I opened the door, I saw the smaller girl hugging him. As she noticed my arrival, she gently pulled away.
There was something about the distance between them—it felt practiced. Intimate, but respectful. Like they'd done this many times before.
"Um… are you sure this is okay?"
I found myself asking.
"Yes, please," Hisui-san replied with a warm smile, holding out his arms.
The room was bright, different from before. And there he was, up close for the first time.
A man's naked body. It was the first time I'd ever seen one like that—yet, it didn't even register as erotic. It looked like a work of art.
His frame was on a whole other level compared to us girls. Small in stature, but more muscular than I expected. And then… that, confidently making its presence known.
All I could do was stare in awe.
"You can jump in like you're going for a mascot if you want."
I guess he mistook my staring for hesitation, because he tossed out that line of support.
Wait, he's saying it's okay to just hug this living sculpture?!
"Um… okay then… please take care of me!"
I gathered my courage and went for it—wrapped my arms around him.
"Welcome," he said softly in my ear, as his arms returned the embrace.
And just that… just that was enough to make my mind go blank for a moment.
"…Actually," he said with a wry smile, "might've been safer to do this over there instead—before someone ends up wetting themselves with excitement."
Uh… yeah.
Sorry. I'm… already at my limit.
Whether it was sweat or something else, a drop of moisture hit the floor by my feet.
This novel has been lovingly translated by https://www.patreon.com/Jenuinez_translation