Anime Girls are Moist

Because of what Sawae said, Sumika's face suddenly went hot.

Stammering, she said,

"W-we should head home! Sawae's just joking around again…"

She hadn't even finished speaking when a muffled rumble of thunder sounded overhead. Immediately, fat raindrops poured down in a torrent.

Rei Ao reacted quickly, leading her under a nearby overhang, preventing her from getting wet. He was certain this downpour wasn't his doing. Though they weren't soaked, the chill made Fujimiya Sumika shiver. Rei Ao frowned at the ever-intensifying rain.

"Sumika, let's catch a cab back."

Sumika bit her lip. She'd never expected their romantic date to end in a heavy rain—how unromantic! But soon a thought struck her. Could this storm be some kind of destiny? Sawae's message flashed in her mind, making her curl her toes with embarrassment.

"Um…"

Her voice was nearly drowned out by the rain.

"It's already late, and it's pouring… W-why don't we…go to a nearby hotel and get two rooms?"

Acting on impulse, she blurted it out. It took all her courage. She didn't dare look at Rei Ao's face, only stared at her half-soaked shoes.

Rei Ao stayed silent for a few seconds—though those seconds felt unbearably long to Sumika, enough that she regretted suggesting it. Thankfully, he did respond:

"Alright. I know a decent place nearby."

"Should…should we run for it?"

"…Mm."

Sumika nodded shyly. Then they dashed through the downpour toward a hotel not too far away.

By the time they arrived at the hotel, both were in disarray, dripping wet. Sumika's hair was plastered with water; her dress clung to her body. Meanwhile, Rei Ao's white shirt had turned translucent, faintly revealing his abdominal muscles.

The lobby was empty except for a well-made-up woman at the reception desk. Noticing their drenched state, she smiled knowingly without a word. Before they could speak, she announced:

"We only have one room left today."

"…"

Rei Ao raised an eyebrow. Was this real or just an excuse?

After double-checking the computer, the receptionist looked regretful.

"So sorry; with the sudden rain, many people came in for the night. The last room left is one with a single large bed."

Sumika felt her face go hot all over. A single large bed? With Rei Ao? Her mind went blank. Is this fate?

"I'm afraid other hotels are probably in the same situation,"

the woman added gently. "It's tough to find anywhere in this weather."

Rei Ao glanced at Sumika with a silent question in his eyes. Sumika took a deep breath, recalling what Sawae always said about fortune favoring the bold.

"Th-then…we'll take it,"

she heard herself say, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Certainly. One moment, please."

The clerk smiled pleasantly and processed their check-in. For Sumika, it all felt like a dream.

"All done. Have a pleasant stay!"

…..

In the elevator, the mirror reflected their bedraggled images: wet clothing, reddened faces, eyes not quite daring to meet. Only once they'd entered the room did Sumika feel slightly more alert.

The room was larger than expected, with a big bed in the center, plus a sofa and small coffee table. Sumika stood there, water dripping from her hair onto the carpet.

"Sumika, why don't you bathe first? Otherwise you might catch a cold."

Rei Ao inserted the keycard into the slot, bathing the room in warm light.

"R-right, I will!"

Sumika nodded, grabbing her toiletry bag and hurrying into the bathroom. She shut the door, finally letting out a huge sigh of relief. In the mirror, her face was red as a tomato, yet her eyes sparkled intensely. They'd actually gotten a room together!

Hot water rinsed away the chill, but couldn't wash away the chaos in her mind: She and Rei Ao, alone in one room—? The notion both thrilled and terrified her. Rationally, she felt certain nothing would happen—they were just sheltering from the rain—but still…!

…

When Fujimiya Sumika emerged in a bathrobe, Rei Ao was sitting on the sofa, scrolling through his phone. He stood at once upon seeing her. Though Sumika's shy appearance was tempting, Rei Ao averted his eyes politely.

"All set? Then I'll shower, too."

"Mm!"

Sumika nodded stiffly. Rei Ao shed his jacket, set it on the sofa, picked up a hotel bathrobe, and headed to the bathroom. Soon the whoosh of running water reached Sumika's ears.

She sat rigidly on the bed, drying her hair with a towel. Her mind was a battlefield of conflicting thoughts: It's really nothing…just sleeping…

Yet she felt anxious, with a glimmer of eagerness.

Time ticked by. Suddenly, rustle—Rei Ao's jacket slipped off the sofa, startling her from her haze. Going to retrieve it, she spotted a small box fall from its inner pocket onto the carpet with a soft thump.

"Huh…?"

She bent down to pick it up, then froze: it was a box of protection. Even if she had zero experience, she recognized it from the grocery store.

"!!!!"

Her mind roared; her body went rigid. Did Rei Ao…carry such a thing? Had he been planning this from the start? Did he have that in mind?

Dozens of thoughts bombarded her. She felt helpless. Right then—

"Splash—"

The bathroom door opened. Rei Ao emerged, towel-drying his hair. Spotting the item in her hand, he, too, paused. Their eyes met—Sumika's face burned with embarrassment, the box in her grasp practically scalding.

Rei Ao cleared his throat:

"If I say I can explain, would you believe me?"

"I—I believe you!"

Sumika nodded rapidly, dropping her gaze. Rationally, she trusted him, but she couldn't stop her runaway imagination. The atmosphere in the room became excruciatingly awkward, suffocatingly tense.

~~~

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