White steam filled the bathroom as Takumi, wearing only a towel around his waist, stared at Maria with a deadpan look.
"This is the 'method' you were talking about?"
"Of course it is!"
Her cheerful voice came from the bathtub, where Maria leaned on the edge with her chin resting on her hands, eyes glinting mischievously.
"The most direct way to deepen a bond is total honesty! Takumi-nii and Mio-sama have already been plenty honest with each other, but a bath play session is essential! It'll help Mio-sama relax and vent her frustration—and you'll get a clean back out of it, win-win, right?"
Curled up in the corner of the tub, Mio was blushing furiously, too embarrassed to speak. Even with the towel wrapped around her, her sins of the flesh still floated visibly above the water's surface.
At first, she tried to hold the towel down with her hands, but realizing it was pointless, she simply leaned back against the edge—her overflowing curves gently bobbing in the steamy air.
…She's definitely grown again, Takumi thought, his eyes unable to look away. The faint pink hue of her skin, her quivering lips, that shy but enticing expression—everything about her was beautiful.
Noticing his burning gaze, Mio lowered her eyes, shy yet secretly pleased.
Maria, meanwhile, clapped her hands. "Alright, enough dawdling! Mio-sama, go wash Takumi-nii's back. It's the perfect chance to release your stress—and to make him happy too!"
Mio's voice trembled. "R-Release stress like this…?"
Maria immediately raised her tone. "Mio-sama, look! Takumi-nii is sitting there with his unguarded back turned to us. That's like entrusting his rear to a comrade on the battlefield—pure trust! This isn't just washing his back, it's returning that trust he's placed in you. You do want to respond to that, don't you?"
Her nonsense was strung together so neatly that it almost convinced even Takumi. At first it sounded reasonable—until he thought about it. Then he realized it was utter bullshit.
But when Mio stood up tremblingly, every thought in his mind short-circuited. Maria was right—whoever said it was nonsense, I'll fight them myself!
Takumi eagerly sat down on the stool, facing away.
Mio stepped out of the tub, holding her towel carefully over her burdened chest, then knelt behind him.
"T-Then I'll start now…"
Her voice was small, eyes nervously tracing the broad lines of his back.
It was her first time ever washing a man. His back was wide, the muscles firm and defined—so strong it made her heart pound wildly.
"Mio-sama~~"
Maria's teasing voice came again, laced with envy.
Hearing it, Mio bit her lip, remembering what Maria had said earlier—about the other girls around Takumi, especially Yuki Nonaka, and the growing number of admirers that made her feel insecure.
Determined, she swallowed hard, gulp, and loosened the towel's knot—unleashing her secret weapon.
Duang~~~
"Eh!?" Takumi's brow twitched; something felt very different behind him.
Before he could react, Mio wrapped her arms around him tightly.
"Please… just stay still. If you move, I'll kill you a hundred times."
Her whisper was so soft it almost sounded like a kitten mewing for food. She was mortified—but if this was what it took to stop other girls from stealing him away, she would endure it!
Maria had called this her ultimate trump card—her unrivaled weapon among all the girls.
Pouring body wash onto her hands, she worked up a thick foam and began sliding her hands up and down his back.
The heat from her body, the sensation of her trembling skin—it was all too vivid.
"Mm~ mm~~ that's right, Mio-sama, a little harder. Make sure you wash the back well—ah, and don't forget the front later!"
Maria even started giving instructions like some kind of erotic coach. At the same time, she casually pulled out a small cake.
"Tada~ this is the dessert I bought earlier! Takumi-nii, open up—say ahh~"
She lifted a bite-sized piece with a fork toward his mouth.
Takumi sighed, enduring the suffocating softness pressing into his back. "Who eats cake while bathing? This is… way too much."
At this point, it felt like a literal pleasure palace. If this continued, he wasn't sleeping tonight.
As he spoke, a piece of cake dropped onto his shoulder, sticking there.
"Oh my~ we can't waste food, especially something I bought for you."
"Wait, what are you—"
"You'll see~"
Without hesitation, Maria leaned forward and bit the crumb right off his skin.
"Takumi-nii, please don't move. You wouldn't want me to waste it, would you?"
Her body trembled slightly, cheeks flushed, her voice sweet yet shaky. Despite her teasing tone, her emotions were far from calm.
Then she turned toward Mio with a mischievous grin. "Mio-sama, you should try some too."
By now, Mio had completely lost her composure. She moved purely on instinct.
"Ahh—!!"
Takumi gasped sharply, almost falling backward.
Maria smirked darkly, her voice dripping with satisfaction. "Looks like it's going well~ Mio-sama, just a little more effort, and none of those other girls will ever take him from you!"
But before she could finish her victory speech, Takumi's hand shot out and grabbed her by the hair—wet silver strands sticking to his palm.
Maria froze, eyes wide, meeting his furious glare.
"At a time like this, you still dare scheme? You're really underestimating me!!"
"W-Wait, Takumi-nii, I was only trying to help Mio-sa—mmph!!"
Her protest was cut off as Takumi sealed her lips with his own.
Mio, watching the scene for only a second, made her choice.
"Maria, don't you dare run away—get down here!"
She reached out, helping Takumi push Maria back down into the steaming bath together.
The steam thickened, the water rippled, and the bathroom was soon filled with the sound of splashing and breathless gasps.
...
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