Miss Heir wasn't very kind to me.

Chapter 204, Section 6: "I've never heard of keeping jellyfish in the bathroom requiring the owner to be present."

Masumi heard thunder in the distance.

The leaden-gray sky covered by rain clouds has only a little bit of daylight left, and the rain, which has been falling since morning, is almost extinguishing the daytime.

Strong wind blows.

A cold wind, carrying moisture and raindrops, swayed the grass and trees. "It looks like it's going to rain heavily," Masumi frowned slightly.

Standing at the entrance of the shopping mall, he sent a Line message to Chiai and her two companions who were shopping in Sannomiya.

Masumi: "It looks like it's going to rain heavily here. What about Sannomiya?"

Ai-chan: "It's already downloaded, and it's huge!"

Ding-dong-

As Chiai spoke, she sent over a photo. Masumi zoomed in to examine it; it was taken with her phone through the glass window of the store.

Masumi: "This is an incredible downpour! Are the three of you alright?"

Ryujinin Michiyo: "No problem, no problem."

Ryujinin Michiyo: "Listen, Masumi-kun, I just bought some super cheap doujinshi at Suruga-ya in Sannomiya! Only 110 yen each!"

Masumi: "Oh, congratulations."

Masumio: "We're going to try out the sauna at the newly opened gym next. Masumi, come along too."

Masumi: "No need for that. I'll wait for you guys at the coffee shop when you get back."

Rinne didn't reply; she was probably in class at this time.

Masumi puts away her phone and notices Kaigetsu's gaze.

"umbrella……"

She stared at the transparent umbrella in Masumi's hand and said, while holding a steaming brown paper bag, it was a melon bun she had just bought at the Yamabuki Bakery on the second floor.

"It's delicious...I want to take it home...and share it with everyone..."

That's what she said.

"I'll hold the umbrella, and Haiyue can hold the melon bag." Masumi opened the umbrella.

"Ah."

Just as I stepped outside the complex, the rain suddenly turned into a torrential downpour.

The raindrops pounded against the umbrella through the thin plastic sheet, sounding as intense as a rapid drumbeat.

Masumi and Kaigetsu walked on the asphalt road with shallow puddles. Under the moist, vast sky, the colorful umbrellas coming and going on the street looked like a swarm of jellyfish in a shallow sea.

They were carrying transparent umbrellas and drifting through the crowd, so they were probably the ones that looked most like jellyfish.

However, it is said that real jellyfish are not social animals, but only happen to be concentrated in the same body of water due to ocean currents, and each jellyfish is still an independent individual.

"Then I'm probably a lobster," Masumi thought to herself.

"Haiyue? Move a little closer to me, your shoulder is getting wet."

"Hmm." Haiyue frowned in distress, "My shoes... are all wet..."

The pantyhose were wet from the rain, reflecting the faint light collected from the rainy day.

Her fair and rosy legs displayed an alluring amber color, which stood out strikingly against the backdrop of glossy black stockings.

"Because the rain comes down at an angle," Masumi said.

The slanting wind caused the raindrops to fall not only from above, but also from the side.

Masumi looked down at Umizuki, her long, flaxen hair, which stretched along her silhouette, absorbed the moisture and clung to her skin.

The bulging melon bag in her arms was almost completely soaked, and the shape behind the paper bag could be vaguely seen.

The rain seemed to be lessening when they went out, so Masumi only brought one umbrella. After all, even if he brought two umbrellas, Kaigetsu would definitely want to share one with him.

I should have bought a disposable raincoat while I was in the shopping mall.

As if seeing through his troubles, Haiyue murmured weakly, "It's okay... just get closer... and you'll be fine..."

As she spoke, she moved closer and closer to Masumi, no longer just leaning her shoulders together, but almost being half-embraced by Masumi.

“That time at the LiveHouse… it was also a rainy day like this…” she said softly.

"Ah, is it the time you went to see Future Live?"

Masumi recalled.

Early plum blossoms in Kobe in early June.

Seeing Kuon Mirai's flustered state on stage at the LiveHouse on Kaigan-dori in Chuo-ku, the jellyfish girl seemed to see this as a reflection of her own experience and fled in panic.

“No.” Haiyue shook her head quietly: “It was… the time I ran away…”

"Oh, I see."

After Haiyue finished speaking, she fell silent. Her already fair and translucent, almost bloodless profile looked even paler than usual.

"……Cold?"

“A little, but… Masumi… is very warm…”

She moved closer, as if seeking warmth, the jellyfish girl unconsciously rubbing against him, so Masumi took the initiative to put her arm around Kaigetsu's shoulder.

"Hurry up and go home."

Masumi looked up and saw a gloomy, rainy sky that seemed to have no end in sight.

"Ah."

The two walked for about ten minutes before returning to the coffee shop. Haiyue's clothes were mostly soaked, but they carried a warmth that seemed to ferment from the rain.

Although the rest of his body was a bit cold, a faint warmth rose from the skin pressed against the girl's, especially from the throbbing part of his chest.

Masumi found it unbelievable from the bottom of her heart.

Moreover, you can hear a certain sound as soon as you close your eyes.

It was a subtle murmur, not very noticeable, like a clump of water vapor.

Masumi listened carefully and realized that the sound did not come from outside like the sound of rain, but from—her own heart.

◇

"I've already prepared the bath water. Haiyue, wash yourself and then go in for a soak."

Masumi wrapped a towel around Kaigetsu's body and gently wiped her.

"Where's Masumi? You're all soaked too..." Kaigetsu asked.

"It's okay for me, I'll go in after you've finished soaking."

If Mami were here, she would probably tease him with a hint of sarcasm: "Hey, Masumi-kun is so considerate, but actually you just want to take this opportunity to enjoy the bathwater with the lingering fragrance of a beautiful woman, right?"

As someone of a higher caliber than Mami, I, Rugu, would probably go further and say, "I would never give Masumi such an opportunity, so let's go to a bar together."

Hmm... Before I knew it, I had figured out all the tricks these girls around me used.

If that's the case, will we be able to handle them more easily in the future?
the answer is negative.

At least for now, he can hardly handle Haiyue alone.

"Masumi... she'll catch a cold like this..."

"I won't catch a cold. Last time I just got a bit of a cold when the seasons changed," Masumi explained. "Besides, once you've had a cold, your body will have antibodies."

"There are... many kinds of germs that cause the common cold... and antibodies... can only fight one kind..."

Huh? I can't even fool her.

Haiyue pulled out her trump card: "If Masumi isn't going... then I'm not going either..."

This is a weapon that can only be used against people who care about you.

Masumi sighed, "It's going too far to threaten others with your own health."

Creatures in nature will stop at nothing to achieve their goals.

"If Masumi isn't healthy... I'll feel terrible too... and then I'll become unhealthy..."

"..."

Masumi stopped wiping her body, hesitated for a moment, and then put on a defeated expression.

"I see."

"However, you have to wear a swimsuit." Just like the boundaries in general works.

"Ah."

Haiyue nodded expressionlessly, and for some reason, Masumi suddenly felt that Haiyue looked a little cunning.

Because of my previous experience with Mio on Miyako Island, it wasn't too difficult for me to accept.

But at least for now, Masumi didn't want to break this delicate balance so quickly. To the girls, he was doing something despicable, and perhaps cruel. After changing into her swim trunks, Masumi waited at her door. Taking off her soaking wet stockings was probably troublesome; changing took her longer than expected.

Masumi sneezed slightly; dressed like that, she'd probably catch a cold more easily.

Crack——

Hearing the noise, he turned around and saw a girl in a dark blue one-piece swimsuit standing in the doorway, looking as if she were saying, "Hmm?"

The long, slender limbs peeking out from the swimsuit had skin that was still smooth and supple, without a single scar or callus; the proportions were simply perfect.

Masumi thought that if he were a painter or photographer, he would definitely want to use his paintbrush or camera to capture her beautiful figure, but he didn't want others to see Haiyue's body, so he would only keep it to himself for the rest of his life... But in that case, wouldn't he just be a lecher?
Masumi shook her head, pulling her thoughts away from the jumbled mess, and said to Kaigetsu:

"Sit here."

"On Masumi's legs?"

"It's on the stool."

Haiyue nodded and obediently sat down lightly on the bathroom stool.

Masumi crouched behind her, her narrow field of vision centered on her moist eyes—reflecting the entire open back of Kaigetsu's swimsuit.

Although it was somewhat concealed by crisscrossing straps, almost everything from the back of the neck to the upper edge of the buttocks was still visible.

"Let me rinse your hair first."

"Ah."

Turn on the showerhead and let the water flow over Haiyue's radiant flaxen hair, then squeeze out some shampoo, lather it up, and scrub her scalp.

Washing a girl's hair is much more difficult than Masumi imagined, and Kaigetsu's hair is quite long, almost reaching her waist when completely straightened.

Tick-tock, tick-tock—
Water droplets slid down the ends of her hair and landed in shallow puddles on the bathroom floor, bouncing and rippling, making a soft sound.

Under the intense light of the bathroom, Haiyue had a strange sense of transparency, which made her blend into her surroundings while also making her appear light and airy, as if she might dissipate into the water at any moment.

Seeing her figure, Masumi inexplicably thought of Hina, the female protagonist in "Weathering With You," whose body became ethereal and transparent due to overuse of her weather maiden powers.

He suddenly became very worried that Haiyue would disappear from his sight, perhaps tomorrow, perhaps the day after.

Although this worry was completely illogical, he was still affected by this feeling and pinched the girl's soft upper arm from behind.

It hasn't disappeared; you can still touch it, and it's as soft as a baby's.

"Masumi?"

Haiyue's puzzled voice came from the bathroom.

Masumi withdrew her finger as if she had been electrocuted.

"Oh, it's okay, I'm already done washing."

"Aren't you going to wash up in front?"

"If it's just for warmth, then the goal has been achieved."

"Oh."

There was no hint of disappointment in Haiyue's tone as Masumi spoke, and she stopped squatting.

"Alright, let's go to the bathtub—"

"Waaah!"

Just like in the room that morning, she suddenly sat down, and caught off guard by the girl's weight, Masumi immediately fell to the floor.

"Haiyue!? What are you doing?"

The girl folded her knees and sat on Masumi in a duck-sitting position.

"I'm the only one who took a shower... Masumi's body is still dry... It's not fair..."

Haiyue said in an extremely serious tone:
"I want to share my warmth and moisture...with Masumi..."

"I appreciate your kindness, but this isn't a good idea."

Masumi sighed and looked down at her light gray swim trunks. "And all that's left is a peach-shaped watermark."

"Hmm...it left a mark on Masumi..."

"Don't just learn a line from a comic and then use it carelessly."

Speaking of which, could all the 110 yen doujinshi that Asami mentioned on Line just now be this kind of thing?

"Oh."

Her outburst caused Masumi's body to stiffen, and she began to tremble in all aspects, including her emotions and physical condition.

He could definitely feel that he wasn't covered in water droplets, but rather sweating.

The knees and thighs felt the girl's very prominent buttocks.

That presence only lasted for two or three seconds after I stood up, before it was restored as if sending a signal after I got into the bathwater.

The water level rises according to Archimedes' principle, reflecting Masumi's current mood.

Archimedes was truly remarkable; he could contemplate science even during the most relaxing time of his day, such as a bath. Masumi felt ashamed, realizing that her mind was now filled with mundane thoughts.

The bathtub in the coffee shop was narrow; after all, for a long time, it was Masumi's private bath, while her father preferred to go to the spacious public bathhouse in the shopping district.

When she was little, Masumi could straighten her legs, but now she has to bend her knees, and there's a beautiful girl on her legs now.

So, is growing up a good thing or a bad thing?
Hot water fell on them like gravity, as if the two of them were trying to fill the gap between them.

Haiyue used Masumi's body as a beach chair, lying on it and feeling her whole body relax, entrusting her weight to the person behind her.

It felt like giving someone your most precious possession in return.

"It's fine if you can't straighten your legs..." Haiyue said.

"Eh? Why?"

"Because... I can get very close to Masumi..."

"This is... proof that our relationship is very good..."

"Huh? Is...is that so?"

"Yes." Haiyue nodded firmly: "Young men and women bathing together... will end up together..."

"You only do this because you're together, right?"

The cause and effect relationship is completely reversed.

"Are Masumi and I... together?"

Kaigetsu explained Masumi's reaction by tilting her head and asking.

In one of his pupils, which was turned to the side, a shimmering light drifted, like the ripples of a shallow tropical sea.

Her eyes held two vast oceans.

"Hmm...they're together, aren't they..."

Masumi replied.

It's not quite at the level of a so-called romantic relationship; the form of this relationship is also vague, but it definitely connects the two people.

Haiyue seemed quite satisfied with his answer, a faint smile curving her lips like ripples on a calm sea stirred by fish.

"Taking a bath at noon feels like a luxury," Masumi remarked.

"Me too," she said reassuringly. "It feels... so warm..."

"Hot water?"

"Um...and...Masumi..."

Masumi kept quiet, then suddenly turned on the cold water tap of the shower next to her with great force.

Although the price to pay for calming down is quite high, and it will also affect Haiyue, if I don't do this, I will eventually fall into an even worse situation.

"Ah ah!"

Haiyue made a cute sound in an instant, like a jellyfish in distress, turned around in the water, and hugged Masumi tightly.

Their legs were also intertwined.

"Haiyue?"

The jellyfish girl faced Masumi expressionlessly, slowly raising her face.

Her thick, long eyelashes were damp with moisture, trembling heavily as she parted her red lips slightly:
"I want to... help Masumi... become a useful person..."

Masumi was taken aback: "Help me?"

"Well, so..."

She took a deep breath, and the moisture condensed her courage, so that what she exhaled was no longer a weak murmur.

"I want to try singing for Masumi."

(End of this chapter)