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As Sayaka Kirasaka entered the bathroom, the lights flickered on. The shower started running, water sounds flowing through the door gap. Through the frosted glass, backlit by interior lighting, the silhouette of a tall, graceful figure could be vaguely seen.
"Mmm~"
Clothes fell piece by piece to the floor. When Sayaka stepped under the shower, she couldn't help but let out an almost instinctive, somewhat suggestive sound from between her lips, her beautiful green eyes unconsciously narrowing slightly.
So good~
No one could resist the temptation of a hot shower after a day of intense physical activity that left them drenched in sweat.
Though she'd found a clean lake in the forest earlier and managed something resembling a bath, that had been cold water—completely inadequate for washing away the oily residue left by perspiration.
Plus, the lakebed was all mud. Even if she'd cleaned her body, her feet would still get dirty from the silt.
It was impossible to get truly clean.
"...Hey Bokue, are you out there?"
Standing quietly under the shower, letting the warm water continuously wash over her body, Sayaka asked tentatively.
In less than a second, the youth's voice came through the frosted glass from outside.
"I'm here. What's wrong? Is there a problem with the shower?"
"No... nothing like that."
Sayaka stammered.
"I was just calling... just confirming you were still there."
Seeming to realize that "just calling you" sounded rather intimate, the War Dancer girl quickly changed to a more businesslike phrasing.
"Of course I'm here. Didn't you tell me not to leave?"
Looking out through the bathroom's frosted glass door, the youth's silhouette vaguely appeared against the door. With a soft click of the lock mechanism, he seemed to be leaning back against it.
"But while you're confirming, why'd you change how you address me? Not using my full name anymore?"
"Eh? Full name... oh, you mean that..."
Sayaka froze slightly, only now realizing she'd just called him "Bokue" instead of his full name.
Her cheeks rapidly heated up, making her words come out broken and stuttered.
"W-what's wrong with that? Your name's so long—I'd get tired constantly saying the whole thing. B-besides, you've been calling me Sayaka from the start. What's wrong with me using your name? You have no position to criticize me, really..."
"That's true."
Bokue paused outside the door, glancing sideways toward it.
"By the way, didn't you say you had something you wanted to tell me?"
"I do! Don't rush me!"
"What, need to work up to it?"
"...Yeah."
This time she didn't stubbornly argue, the War Dancer girl somewhat silently admitting this point.
"I don't know if Yukina told you—about me, I mean."
"She mentioned a bit. Said you have androphobia."
"...I see. Did Yukina explain the reason for my androphobia?"
"Not in detail. Just said it was due to family circumstances."
Bokue's tone remained as casual as always, as if they were discussing the most mundane topic imaginable.
"It is indeed... family circumstances."
Sayaka's voice carried a hint of loneliness.
"When I was young, my biological father had a terrible temper. He often resorted to violence against my mother and me. So Mom ran away early, and I gradually couldn't endure Father's violence anymore. I developed androphobia and fled that home. During my escape, Master found me and brought me back to the Lion King Organization to be trained as a War Dancer. That's where I met Yukina."
"The first time I saw Yukina, she was only seven. You probably know, Bokue—most Sword Shamans and War Dancers in the Lion King Organization are actually orphans. Like Yukina—she was sold by her biological parents."
"So after that, I considered Yukina my family. And because of my androphobia, I'd be extremely hostile toward any male who approached Yukina. I didn't want Yukina to suffer what I suffered as a child, no matter how small the probability."
"That's exactly why I had such a bad attitude toward you when we first met... I'm really sorry."
The girl's confessions mixed with water sounds came from inside. Bokue stood outside against the glass from beginning to end.
"Oh, and about suspecting you'd make moves on Yukina and Miss Nagisa—I'm sorry about that too."
Bokue: "..."
To be fair, he deserved the first apology, but this second one was... well.
After all, he had indeed made moves. And not just on one—he'd made moves on both.
Click.
Just as the War Dancer girl finished speaking inside the bathroom, the bedroom door handle was suddenly pressed from outside.
Hmm?
Bokue reflexively looked up.
The next second, the door opened. A certain silver-haired princess—fresh from her shower, still damp, wearing nothing but a towel—appeared in the doorway.
That large white towel was like thick snow cover, not only pressing down the towering peaks but barely covering the long path leading to the valley's depths.
She entered with one hand pressing a towel to her hair, barefoot, leaving a trail of misty footprints on the floor.
"Oh? Is Miss Sayaka still showering inside? Not done yet?"
La Folia dried her hair as she approached the bathroom door, tilting her head curiously to peek at the light coming through.
"Eh?"
Meanwhile, Sayaka—still showering inside—froze.
"That voice... Princess La Folia? You've finished showering already?"
"Yes~ I just finished and came to chat with you two. Didn't expect you weren't done yet."
La Folia smiled, tilting her head.
"But I really didn't expect this. Earlier Miss Sayaka mentioned having androphobia, yet now you're having Mr. Keikain guard your door. Honestly, you two have quite a good relationship, don't you?"
"Wh-what? I don't have anything with this guy..."
Hearing this, Sayaka panicked unprecedentedly, reflexively trying to deny it, yet somehow couldn't bring herself to make a definitive statement, giving off an inexplicably tsundere feeling.
"Well, let's say that's how it is~"
La Folia narrowed her eyes with a slight smile.
"Then Miss Sayaka, keep showering. I'll chat with Bokue-kun for a while."
"More importantly—"
This was when Bokue finally spoke up.
"La Folia, could you please get dressed first?"
"Hmm?"
The silver-haired princess looked down at her tightly wrapped towel, shaking her head somewhat puzzled. She even did a little twirl with raised arms.
"But I'm already wrapped in a towel, aren't I? And what's the big deal? Back in the forest, Bokue-kun faced that scene without batting an eye. Don't tell me this much bothers you now?"
"I don't care, but I'm worried Sayaka might have a reaction—"
Before Bokue could finish, with a bang, a small fist slammed against the glass from inside the bathroom door, leaving clear marks.
Then came the War Dancer girl's voice, suppressing her anger from within.
"Bokue, don't you dare look!"
"...See what I mean?"
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