"So this... is your new studio, Tetsu."
Hoshino Ai looked around the brand-new workspace, a sound of wonder in her voice.
"It's completely different from [KaZoKu]."
"The sponsorship from the Sakurakouji family was very generous, so basically everything we bought is the latest model," Tetsuya replied as he looked down, altering a garment for her with a needle and thread. "Speaking of which, you're the first guest to come here since the new studio was completed."
"Heeh... So not even Nagasaki Soyo or Togawa Sakiko have been here yet?"
"Mhm. We haven't had any work that required using this space until now. Drawing designs and ordering the exhibition apparatus could all be done at home. But to alter this outfit, I really needed to come here."
"..."
Ai's gaze shifted back to the garment in front of him.
The piece Tetsuya was currently altering was the exclusive performance outfit he had tailor-made for her. The reason it had been sent in for alterations wasn't hard to guess.
"I'm sorry, Tetsu. I really didn't mean to trouble you at a time like this," Ai said in a low voice. "I already told my manager that my chest and hips were only a little bit tight... but she insisted I had to come to you to get it altered, or she wouldn't let me continue with my lessons..."
Her expression and tone were extremely reluctant.
But Tetsuya just shook his head.
"Regarding this matter, I completely agree with her... This outfit must be altered as soon as possible before you go on stage for the [TGC]."
"Eh? Why?" Ai asked, full of confusion. "Didn't you pick a very elastic fabric for me, Tetsu? I don't feel uncomfortable at all when I wear it!"
"Well... the main reason isn't your personal comfort, but the overall look," Tetsuya answered with a wry smile. "Because I specifically chose a form-fitting design, even the slightest change in your figure will be very obvious on the outfit. This... how do I put it... while a change of this degree doesn't affect wearability, the visual effect is a little... not ideal."
"...Visual effect?"
Ai thought for a moment, then suddenly asked a question that nearly made Tetsuya drop his needle and thread.
"You mean it looks really erotic?"
"..."
Hearing such a direct statement, Tetsuya subconsciously looked away. It was only when Ai gradually moved her face closer to his that he had no choice but to nod and admit, "Yes."
Although his answer was honest enough, it seemed Ai had no intention of letting him off the hook.
"Then if you saw it, Tetsu, would you feel excited?"
"...I would."
As always, Tetsuya maintained his habit of answering any question Ai asked.
And upon hearing his answer, Ai's expression turned regretful.
"What's this? If I'd known, I would have put it on for you to see just now!"
"Let's not!" Tetsuya quickly refused. "I don't want to get distracted while I'm working."
"But what I heard was... your work actually gets better when you're excited, Tetsu."
Ai raised a finger and tapped her cheek, feigning confusion.
"Don't tell me Chihaya Anon and the others were lying to me?"
"That's not it, it's just that there's simply no need..."
Knowing he couldn't fool her, Tetsuya could only sigh.
"After all, when it comes to you, Ai, you're already charming enough for me, even without this outfit."
"Even without this outfit? Oh~ I see~"
Ai propped up her chin and asked in a playful voice.
"You mean, you prefer me when I'm not wearing anything, Tetsu?"
Instead of reacting to the simple and heart-fluttering confession, she chose to deliberately tease him with a literal interpretation.
Tetsuya, of course, hurriedly tried to defend himself.
"That's not what I meant! I mean, with your charm, you don't need any tricks to be more than enough!"
However, faced with his explanation, Ai deliberately placed a hand on the collar of her shirt and continued as if she hadn't heard him.
"If you want to see, Tetsu, I can show you anytime."
"Haaah... It seems you don't plan on letting me go easily today."
Having confessed all his inner thoughts, Tetsuya felt he had been honest enough, but Ai was still relentless.
If that's the case... then don't blame me for a little counter-attack!
"By the way, are you sure it's okay to provoke me like this, Ai?"
Tetsuya put down his needle and thread and put on a serious expression.
"I may not have known anything before, but I've studied up a lot since then. On the night of the concert, you were the one who couldn't hold out."
"...Ngh!"
Hearing this embarrassing fact that had plagued her for over a month, a faint blush instantly crept up Ai's face.
But it was precisely because of this period of reflection that she now had the resolve to face that failure.
"I admit I was a little overexcited back then, and... I really didn't expect to be so sensitive to your touch, Tetsu," Ai said, her face red. "But if it were now, I'm fully confident I could make you lose control first! If you don't believe me... want to try?"
"..."
Faced with her counter-question, Tetsuya was suddenly caught in a dilemma.
He never would have thought that his counter-attack, far from dampening her spirit, would only fuel her fighting will. For the past month, she had been so embarrassed about it that she hadn't dared to be alone with him, yet now, not only had she overcome the impact of that failure, she was ready to launch another attack...
"Ahem... I haven't finished my work. I'll let you off the hook for now."
Tetsuya quickly picked up the needle and thread and focused his gaze back on the garment.
Seeing this, Ai instantly realized he was planning to retreat...
But how could she, with her own offensive desires now stirred, possibly let such a good opportunity go?
"I'm not kidding, Tetsu."
As Ai spoke, she placed a hand on her chest and, through her outer shirt, unfastened the front clasp of her undergarment.
Hearing the faint but familiar click, Tetsuya, realizing what she was doing, felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead. Although it was just the two of them alone here, his knowledge of romance and his moral compass were still at a middle school level. He simply couldn't bring himself to be intimate with her in a public space like a studio.
"I surrender, Ai! It's my fault, I shouldn't have provoked you. So... let's end the mischief here!"
Tetsuya pleaded for mercy.
"Please, clasp it back up. I'm begging you."
"...No."
Ai stood up from her chair and, like a predator about to begin the hunt, circled around to his side with slow, silent steps.
"Since you brought it up yourself, Tetsu, you must be confident you can win against me, right? In that case, let's just test it out right here."
As Ai drew closer, her familiar, slightly warm scent instantly stirred all of his senses. Combined with the unnatural restlessness in his body recently, his body reacted in an instant.
"I'm really sorry, Ai..."
Tetsuya threw his hands up in surrender, his tone utterly sincere. But Ai, who also hadn't been alone with him in a long time, how could she possibly back down now?
"Apologizing now? Too late!"
The corner of Ai's mouth lifted slightly. She pulled her bra out from under her shirt and casually placed it on the workbench. Then, she moved directly in front of him, preparing to sit on his lap. However, before she could, the sound of the studio door's handle turning suddenly echoed behind her.
"Crap!"
Already on high alert, Tetsuya reacted subconsciously.
If a stranger came in and saw Ai like this, he couldn't even imagine what would happen.
So, to hide her as quickly as possible, he grabbed her by the shoulders, pushed her down under the workbench, and hid her. Ai, whose reaction was a half-beat slower, didn't make a sound, simply covering her mouth with her hand and obediently crouching beneath him.
Fortunately, the person who walked in was not the stranger he had feared.
"...It's really all been renovated."
Closing the door behind her, Nagasaki Soyo looked around the new studio and said happily.
"I'm already starting to look forward to working here!"
"Good afternoon, Soyo..."
Seeing her, Tetsuya instantly let out a sigh of relief.
"Is your meeting over?"
"It is! Here are the documents my mother gave me for you."
Soyo took the papers out of her bag.
"Honestly, I told her I had band practice today, but she still kept me and asked a whole bunch of questions about you. Oh, right, before the joint exhibition, you need to set aside a day. My mother wants to meet you."
"Mhm, got it."
Tetsuya nodded, then subconsciously moved his chair back to let Ai out. But then, the sight of the undergarment on the desk, which Ai had just taken off, made his brain short-circuit.
Today, Ai was wearing a summer short-sleeved shirt made of a rather thin, close-fitting material. If she stood up now, there was no way he could explain her current state to Soyo.
Meanwhile, hearing Soyo's voice, Ai also relaxed her guard. But unlike Tetsuya, her attention was now completely focused on the conspicuous bulge in front of her, one that she had provoked and which had yet to subside.
"I should have a week free before the exhibition, so any day that's convenient for your mother should be fine—?!?"
Halfway through his sentence, Tetsuya's voice unintentionally shot up an octave.
Soyo looked at him strangely.
"What's wrong, Tetsuya? Your voice sounds funny."
"N-nothing!"
He subtly used his hand to block the troublemaker below him while replying with feigned calmness.
"I just almost... bumped into something... ah, no, that's not right either..."
"?"
Soyo subconsciously looked over at him. The very familiar performance outfit and the undergarment next to his hand instantly came into view.
"Ah... right. Speaking of which, you did say you were going to alter Hoshino Ai's clothes today before you left."
Trusting in his work ethic, Soyo naturally saw everything on the table as part of his job.
"In that case, I won't disturb you. I'll just leave this file here."
To avoid bothering him, Soyo deliberately placed the file far from where he was working.
"These are the models I mentioned before, our first clients. Take a look when you're done, okay?"
"...!"
Hearing this, Ai, who had been engaged in a battle of offense and defense with Tetsuya under the table, immediately stopped her movements. Soyo, having put down the file, threw a "see you at home tonight" over her shoulder and left the studio...
"That scared me to death!"
After Soyo left, Tetsuya let out a sound like he'd just escaped death.
"There has to be a limit to your games, Ai! If she'd found out just now, we both would have died a miserable death!"
Tetsuya looked down and couldn't help but complain to her.
But Ai seemed not to have heard him. She silently crawled out from under the workbench and went straight for the file Soyo had brought.
"These print models... what's this about?"
"Ah... they're new models. They're planning to order a batch of fashion for the end of the year. It's the first job Soyo's mother's company helped us get. Since they've helped us so much, it's nothing to help them out a little."
Tetsuya explained.
Meanwhile, Ai flipped through the file, her brow slightly furrowed.
Since it was a file on models, it naturally included photos and specific body measurements. After seeing the measurements of these models, Ai began to mutter, looking displeased.
"This bust and hip measurement... tsk, the modeling industry is truly not to be underestimated."
"...Ai?"
Seeing her expression visibly sour, Tetsuya, who had been about to lecture her some more, looked completely lost.
"Is... something wrong with these models?"
"It's nothing."
Ai shook her head. She glanced at the outfit on the workbench, then silently picked up her undergarment again.
"...Tetsu."
"Yes?"
"I will use this joint exhibition to prove to you that I will absolutely not lose to these models."
"Huh...? But I never intended to compare you to anyone, and besides, they're just my clients..."
"I'll be coming to you for alterations often from now on."
Today's battle may be undecided, but... the external war is clearly more important than the internal one.
When I get home today... I'll add another set of stretches to my routine.
Ai thought to herself.