Chapter 153: What must be protected?

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Translator: Soafp

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The fireworks lit up the summer night, one burst at a time.

For the 20 minutes they soared into the sky, Sora leaned shyly against Ginji’s shoulder. When Sora turned to glance at Ginji, lit by the glow of the fireworks, she found him looking at her too.

“Watch the fireworks, would you?”

“You're one to talk!”

“Ahaha!”

“Haha, well, I guess we're two of a kind.”

Their voices were drowned out by the booming fireworks, so they laughed out loud together. When the final burst lit the sky, Ginji stretched with a big yawn.

“Alright, time for round two.”

“My obi's way too tight. I'd rather go home, change, and then eat.”

“Come on, food always tastes better at the festival!”

“You've got a point. So… what should we do at home? Wanna watch a movie?”

“Sounds good. How about a horror flick?”

“Ooh, classic choice!”

Chatting like that, they made their way back to the shrine lined with food stalls. Following the flow of people returning from the fireworks show, they did another lap around the stands. In the end, Ginji had yakisoba, yakitori, and even shaved ice. Unlike earlier, Sora got called out to several times during their second round, but each time, the guys would back off once they saw Ginji.

After the stroll, they hopped on a bus toward Sora's house. On the ride, Ginji messaged Tetsuya that he wouldn't be coming home.

Ginji: Not coming home tonight. Lock up for me.

Tetsuya: Got it.

Short and simple. The kind of understanding only a reliable little brother could have—knowing not to ask unnecessary questions.

Once they arrived at the nearest bus stop, they chatted about the festival as they walked to her house. After stepping through the entrance, taking off their shoes, and heading upstairs, Sora let out a long sigh.

“Aaahhh—”

She let out a totally unladylike groan as she untied her obi. Then, without hesitation, she started slipping off her yukata.

“Whoa, hey!”

“Oh—s-sorry! I just always undress as soon as I get home!”

Truth is, Sora usually hangs out in her underwear when she's at home.

“Seriously… I mean, I am a guy, y'know.”

“Huh? I know. Bring it on!”

Blushing furiously, Sora looked over her shoulder, yukata halfway off.

“…I'm going home.”

“I was kidding, I swear! I'll go change upstairs. Oh, and I've got clothes for you too, so just wait here!”

With loud footsteps, she dashed upstairs.

“Geez…”

Sighing, Ginji headed to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of cold tea. Truthfully, he was seriously flustered by everything that just happened. Just seeing Sora in a yukata was already a critical hit. If it were just some joke or a calculated move, he could've brushed it off with a witty comeback—but when it came to Sora, she was dead serious. If Ginji gave the okay, she'd go all the way—maybe even past the finish line into completely uncharted territory.

Of course, Ginji was a normal teenage boy. It's not like he hated the idea of being with her—in fact, he was plenty curious about it. But he knew that if they crossed the line now, things could spiral into a full-blown, indulgent lifestyle.

Sora was the “devoted” type. If he let his guard down, she'd do everything for him—literally. Not as a figure of speech. If he accepted it, she would take care of every aspect of his life.

The girl he loved was far beyond what most people would consider “normal.”

“I need to hold back… at least until I can take responsibility. I mean, surely tonight will be fine…”

Ginji, ever the serious type, wanted to wait until he had his future figured out before doing anything too intimate. But lately, it was getting harder and harder to resist Sora's growing allure. He poured another glass of tea and drank it down, hoping it would wash away the temptation. But of course, no such luck.

Footsteps approached.

“Sorry to keep you waiting! I figured this might happen, so I prepped your PJs and a futon ahead of time. Toothbrush too. Want a body towel? Or are you more of a sponge guy?”

She appeared in a T-shirt, open hoodie, and shorts. With her usual short hair, she looked younger than she did in the yukata. She was holding a change of clothes for Ginji.

“That's exactly the kind of stuff I'm talking about!”

He couldn't help but snap at how overly prepared she was.

“Did I forget something?”

“I'm amazed there's nothing missing!”

He wiped away cold sweat, wondering just how long she'd been planning this.

“Preparation is key! I'll go get the bath ready—you've been sweating, right?”

“You're the host. You should go first.”

“I've got to wash the yukata and do other stuff, so it saves time if you go first.”

And so, Sora began getting the bath ready. Ginji, not wanting to just sit around, started organizing the pile of yukatas she had hung on a rack for laundry. Soon enough, Sora called out that the bath was ready and ushered him to the bathroom.

No point in arguing—he opened the door.

“…Whoa, this is big.”

The tub was easily twice the size of the one at his house. And it smelled really good. When he dipped his hand in, the water felt silky—she'd used bath oil. This was Ginji's first time experiencing bath oil in his life. Outside the bathroom, Sora was already folding up her yukata and starting the laundry.

“How's the water?”

She called out from behind the door. Ginji tried not to think about it, but he was keenly aware that this was where Sora usually bathed. The thought alone sent his heart racing.

“Y-Yeah. The scent caught me off guard—it's nice.”

“It's a bath oil Ai-chan recommended. My skin's kinda sensitive, so I prefer it over bath salts. Take your time and enjoy it, okay?”

“Uh, also… which one's the shampoo and which one's the body wash?”

All the bottles were labeled in some fancy language that wasn't even English. Ginji stared at them in confusion.

“Oh, right. I was just about to explain—”

The door opened. Sora stood there, hoodie removed, with a look of resolve on her face.

“WHOA WHOA WHOA!”

“I'll wash your back.”

Full of energy and ready for action, Sora stepped inside the bathroom. Ginji quickly grabbed the body towel to cover himself.

“I was unsure, but then I remembered—‘If you're unsure, charge ahead,' said the master!”

“WHO THE HELL IS THAT MASTER!?”

Whoever that master was, Ginji swore to punch that master if they ever met.

“It's okay, Ginji. I just want to wash your back with a pure heart… No ulterior motives. Haa… haa…”

“Your breathing's not pure! Calm down! Think about it—what if I barged in on you in the bath to wash your back? That'd be a disaster, right? What you're doing is exactly that!”

“…Huh? Th-that'd be embarrassing, but… if it were you, it'd be okay. You love me, I love you more than anything in the world, and we're actually dating… So there's no problem, right?”

“You're way too strong-willed!”

“I've taken the safety off when it comes to love.”

“You sound like some kind of martial artist!”

“I just want to wash your back. I saw it in a manga once and always wanted to try.”

“…You really won't do anything else?”

“Not a thing.”

“…Fine. I'm counting on you.”

“Yay~”

And so, Ginji gave in. Sora, grinning from ear to ear, gently washed his back with care.

Later, after a very satisfied Sora left the bathroom, Ginji soaked in the tub and let out a massive sigh.

“…I might be in trouble.”

Ginji Momoi, a man among men.

Tonight, he wasn't so sure he could protect his chastity.