Miss Heir wasn't very kind to me.

Chapter 158, Section 33: "The Tortoise and the Hare"

"There's no other way, we'll just have to spend the night here," Masumi said.

"Oh, yeah."

She pressed her cheek against Masumi's back, and in the chilly autumn night, her burning body heat penetrated through the fabric.

Upon entering the hotel, a huge touchscreen comes into view.

To protect privacy, the hotel has no human window; instead, there is an automated calculator that displays photos of the rooms and the fees for three services: "rest," "free time," and "stay."

"Asami."

"Ah, yes." Mami swallowed hard, looking nervous.

Do you have cash with you?

"Ok?"

Mami tilted her head in confusion.

Masumi sighed, "They only accept cash here, and unfortunately all the cheap rooms are booked. I'm a little short on cash in my wallet."

"Ugh, that's so lame." Mami poked his cheek with her finger from behind. "In this kind of situation, the guy usually pays, right?"

"Sorry, I'll pay you back later."

"Oh, there's no need to do that."

Mami gestured for Masumi to put her down.

As her soft, delicate feet touched the tiles, accompanied by a painful sound, Mami bit her lower lip, while Masumi frowned almost imperceptibly.

"How much money does Masumi-kun need?" she asked.

"Two thousand yen."

"What? Only this much?"

Asami pulled two thousand-yen bills from her wallet as if she were throwing out a ten-thousand-yen coin.

"It's all on my tab."

"You're really generous, but don't you think it's a bit strange in this kind of setting?"

Masumi took the banknotes from her hand, turned to face the screen of the automatic calculator, and suddenly found herself in a dilemma.

"What is it now, Masumi-kun?"

"I'm wondering how to use this thing." Masumi wondered, "After selecting a room, the machine just popped out the room card, and I can't find a place to insert coins."

He turned around and asked, "Do you know how to use this machine?"

"Go to hell! Masumi-kun."

Asami blushed with embarrassment, reacting like a high school girl experiencing her first love, and said with trembling lips.

"I've never been to a place like this before, how could I possibly know about such things!"

"I didn't mean anything by it." Masumi sighed helplessly. "Never mind, let's go to our rooms and rest first."

"Ah."

Mami nodded with her head down.

They took the elevator to the third floor, walked through the corridor, and until they opened the door, a transparent silence stretched between them.

Masumi pressed the light switch in the room.

Mami cautiously and fearfully scanned the room, and couldn't help but gasp.

"Wow, that's amazing."

The entire guest room completely lacked the stereotypical image of a dilapidated, cramped, and narrow rural hotel. In the space of about eight square meters, there was a double bed in the center, with clean white sheets that were so straight that not a single wrinkle could be seen.

Facing the headboard was an LCD TV. Masumi wondered if NHK's billing staff would come here to collect their subscription fees.

"You can even sing karaoke here, right in the room."

Asami, her eyes sparkling, picked up the microphone. "What are these buttons over there?"

She pressed it out of curiosity—

The light suddenly dimmed, followed by scattered pink spots of light that cast ambiguous shadows in the room.

"Oh, so it's a karaoke ambient light..." Mami nodded knowingly.

Masumi glanced at her without saying a word. When did this girl become so innocent?

"It's really beautiful, but I feel like the atmosphere is a bit..."

Mami paused halfway through her sentence, then, as if realizing something, blushed and looked away.

Have you realized it yet?

"Oh, there are vending machines over there."

She changed the subject and walked deeper into the room.

"There are two! One sells drinks, let me see what the other one is..."

In the quiet room where only the two of them were, the sound of swallowing saliva could be heard.

Masumi shook her head and closed the door.

click-

The sound of locking.

Masumi then noticed the payment machine next to her. It turned out to be a post-payment design; the room would automatically lock after the door was closed, and customers could not leave until they had settled their accommodation fees.

"A room where you can't leave without doing ○○!?"

Mami stared in astonishment, her eyes widening.

Masumi nodded expressionlessly, "Yes, a room where you can't leave without paying."

"Hey, that's right."

She chuckled softly.

"Speaking of which, this room is surprisingly luxurious."

“After all, it’s a room that costs 18,000 yen,” Masumi said.

"No way, it's so expensive?!"

Asami blurted out, frowning, "How are we going to make a profit here?"

"..."

There are probably ways to recoup the losses, but...

Masumi was speechless for a moment, and seemed to realize that her words were somewhat inappropriate. Mami kept quiet, and steam naturally rose from her cheeks.

Ugh... Embarrassment and shame welled up inside me.

She walked to the double bed, tugged at the perfectly wrinkle-free white cotton sheet, and changed the subject.

"What a big bed! Even two people could sleep in it without feeling cramped."

Masumi also cracked a lighthearted joke, "I thought you were going to make me sleep on the floor."

Am I really that unreasonable?

Asami puffed out her cheeks as if in a huff, then looked away and muttered under her breath, "Anyway, it's not like I haven't slept in the same bed with Masumi-kun before."

She sat down forcefully on the edge of the bed with her full, peach-shaped buttocks.

"Ughhh~"

She suddenly let out a strange cry.

"What happened?"

"The springs under this bed are so strong!" Mami clutched her chest, still shaken. "How can I sleep well like this?"

"Uh, I think I understand the intention." Masumi scratched her face awkwardly.

"...It seems that's how it is."

Since entering this guest room, the conversation has been interrupted and silences have occurred far more frequently.

"I'm going to take a shower."

She stood up from the bedside, and as if to cover it up, quickly left after speaking in a deliberately casual tone.

Masumi let out a quiet breath, finally having a moment to calm down...

Mami's loud shouts echoed from the bathroom again.

"Masumi-kun, come here quickly!"

"what happened again?"

"This bathroom is amazing! Masumi-kun, come in and take a look!"

"Sure, but let's make this clear first, is your outfit alright?" Masumi asked, still a little worried.

"Don't worry, I'm properly dressed. Besides, isn't the bathroom glass transparent? You should be able to see through it, right?"

That's absolutely right.

Ignoring the potential problems that might arise later, Masumi walked straight into the bathroom.

Inside the bathroom, enclosed by transparent glass, there is a rather spacious oval-shaped cat-leg bathtub.

"What a huge bathtub."

Masumi said in a daze.

"Right, right?" Asami had an expression and aura of "acknowledging her desires."

"It even has a massage function and you can take a bubble bath. It's incredibly luxurious!"

"It's so big, even if two people lie down inside, it won't be cramped at all."

Mami tugged at his sleeve, her beautiful coffee-colored eyes sparkling.

Seeing her expression, half touched and half excited, Masumi carefully chose her words and politely declined:
"Um... I'm not used to having someone next to me when I take a bath."

Since it was the girl who mustered up the courage to take the initiative, it's better to be tactful when rejecting her.

"Ok?"

Mami tilted her head slightly, and the next moment, she suddenly realized what he was referring to, her cheeks flushing red.

"You've misunderstood, Masumi-kun! I was just making a comment! I didn't mean to want to take a bath with Masumi-kun!"

Masumi sighed, "How can such a textbook example of tsundere lines be delivered?"

"What about this?"

Her elbow struck Masumi's side mercilessly.

"Hiss~" Masumi hissed in pain.

"Alright, I'm going to start taking a shower now. Masumi-kun, you can go out now." Mami placed her hand on his shoulder and kept pushing him out.

"No peeking."

"understood."

Masumi replied absentmindedly, glancing at the unobstructed glass wall. Was there any need to peek anymore?
"Well, even if Masumi-kun peeks, there's nothing I can do about it."

A mischievous smile played on her lips.

"Don't worry, it won't happen."

After leaving the bathroom, he turned off the ambient light, lay down on his back on the bed in a position that would prevent his clothes from wrinkling, and stared blankly at the ceiling.

Although she tried her best to forget what kind of hotel this was, the constant, suggestive sounds of the shower made it difficult for Masumi to relax.

Watching TV might help you relax.

He picked up the remote control, pressed the power button, and the LCD screen displayed a video of a male and female wrestler grappling.

Masumi's face darkened, and she quickly turned off the TV.

Ugh, I can't stand it.

Indeed, we must not be careless anywhere.

"——Masumi-kun!"

Mami suddenly called him from the bathroom.

"what's up?"

"I didn't bring any spare underwear. Could you go buy me some?"

"To the convenience store?"

"No..." Her syllables were tinged with the dampness of the bathroom through the glass.

"They sell them in that vending machine... Masumi-kun, just pick one that's similar..."

She lowered her voice out of shyness, yet tried to raise it because she was worried she couldn't hear herself. Her lovely voice made his heart flutter slightly.

"okay."

Masumi got out of bed, walked to the vending machine, and found the women's underwear section that Mami had mentioned. It had all kinds of styles, and without exception, they were all amazing.

Just imagining Mami wearing them makes one blush and their heart race.

"Hurry up, Masumi-kun," Asami urged.

"understood."

Masumi swiped the screen with her finger, feeling a bit tricky, and frowned deeply. "Hiss~ A piece with a hole in the middle is definitely out of the question, as is leather. Pearls, chains... wait a minute! This one seems to be a regular style."

He felt as if he had been saved. He placed the order and paid, took the newly bought underwear, stared at the floor, and walked to the bathroom door.

"Give."

"Thank you."

The glass door to the bathroom was closed, and before Masumi could breathe a sigh of relief again, Mami's voice, filled with complex emotions, rang out once more.

"Masumi-kun, are you sure this is a 'close enough' style?"

"Huh? Aren't these just regular briefs?" Masumi asked, surprised.

"Because the others are even worse, I finally managed to pick this one. How about I exchange it for you?"

"..."

Mami did not respond.

Silence fell on the other side of the glass door, broken only by the rustling sound of fabric licking against skin, probably someone putting on his newly bought underwear.

So... I guess I've passed the test.

Amidst the whirring of the hairdryer, Masumi lay back down on the bed, resting her head on her arm, lost in thought.

So, this is my first time traveling alone with a girl, or at least it's a trip... because emotionally it felt like hanging out with friends, but now I'm starting to realize...

Especially in a hotel like this, it's hard not to have some thoughts.

The room suddenly went dark.

The light control switches are all located in the narrow passageway squeezed between the bathroom and the doorway, which means...

Wearing a white bathrobe that hugged her beautiful body curves, Asami walked over with her slightly damp black hair.

"Hmm? Why did you suddenly turn off the lights? Are you sleepy?"

"That's true, it's already this late. You should rest first, I..."

Mami interrupted him softly.

“...If I don’t do it this way, I’ll be shy.”

"what?"

The bathrobe was wide open, falling to the ground with a soft thud that made Masumi's heart tremble slightly.

Asami opened her arms wide, trying her best to appear bright and beautiful.

The bright lights that kept you awake disappeared, and in the darkness, her beautiful curves were reflected in your eyes, making you want to hug her tightly.

The voluptuous curves of her legs, from slender calves to full thighs, drew Masumi's gaze. As if spotting an opening, she suddenly moved closer.

As my heart raced, Asami's moist lips suddenly appeared.

"Masumi...kun."

She called out Masumi's name in a timid tone, barely uttering the first word.

"Ah."

Her throat tightened, barely allowing air to pass through, and Masumi replied, feigning calmness.

Mami fell silent. This time, she had to speak with a determined expression.

"Masumi-kun, would you like to... be with me...?"

Finally, the crucial words remained stuck in her throat, unable to be uttered, so Mami simply resorted to actions instead.

Strands of hair brushed against Masumi's collarbone, and her shoulders were gripped, pinning her down so she couldn't move.

Their eyes met, and Mami breathed softly into his ear.

“Masumi-kun has always tolerated my willfulness and done so much for me, so I want to repay Masumi-kun…”

"This way of repaying kindness is so outdated," Masumi sighed, looking troubled. "Something like repaying with one's body."

Mami's face darkened, and she gently shook her head.

"After all, I'm a useless person, and this is all I can think of."

It was an expression as if he were entrusting the other person with his most precious possession.

Looking at her expression, Masumi suddenly felt a dark, uneasy feeling, like a few coffee stains on a pure white shirt.

Don't belittle yourself like that.

Masumi's expression darkened.

"Didn't you tell me before that you've started to trust yourself again?"

“That’s right.” Mami nodded at first, but then immediately denied it. “But it was my own choice, and I don’t dislike doing this kind of thing with Masumi-kun.”

His voice trembled slightly at the end.

"It's alright, just do what Masumi-kun feels like, even if we don't finish it..."

Masumi suddenly reached out her hand.

"Well."

Mami let out a cute sound for a moment, and her shoulders suddenly trembled.

Seeing her cowering, Masumi reached out and grabbed the elastic strap of Asami's bra, pulled hard, and then let go—

"Snapped!"

A red mark was flicked onto her snow-white skin.

Mami cried out in pain.

"Masumi-kun, what are you doing! That hurts!"

"Happy birthday."

Masumi said coldly.

"Huh? What are you saying all of a sudden?" Mami looked confused. "It's not my birthday today."

"Then what are you wishing for here?"

"..."

Mami glared at him resentfully, letting out a deflated sound.

"Honestly, it's rare for me to muster up the courage to do this."

"This kind of behavior should be called recklessness, not courage."

"Don't lecture someone when they're only wearing underwear."

Asami lay on the bed with her back to him, like a sulking child, her voluptuous body submerged in the dim light.

It was only at this moment that Masumi noticed the hidden detail in the lingerie set he had just bought...

The front is triangular, but that doesn't mean the back is well covered. On the contrary, because of the hollow design, the squeezed outline looks like an artificially ripened peach.

"Don't catch a cold."

He lifted the blanket and covered Mami with it.

"……understood."

Asami gripped the corner of the blanket with her fingers, like a turtle tucking itself into its shell. Her body curled up into a small ball under the blanket, but she relaxed with a sense of relief.

A strange feeling suddenly arose in her heart.

Even though I was lying on the bed, I felt like a tortoise that had crawled a very, very long distance.

The boy next to her was a cunning rabbit; every time he ran a certain distance, he would stop and extend his paw at her, who was moving slowly.

As she pondered, a quiet smile quietly bloomed on Mami's lips.

Fingers close to the chest gently caress the collarbone and shoulder blades.

Ugh... My shoulder hurts so much, it's all this guy's fault.

As Mami pondered how to vent her anger on Masumi the next day, she closed her eyes and merged into the darkness.

(End of this chapter)