Episode 3: Watching Anime at the Home of the Underclassman Voted Most Desirable to Marry
Friday, November 5th—the second Friday since I went to the collaboration café with Asahi.
After lunch, while I was pretending to read Ryūmei Yoshimoto’s Theory of Collective Fantasy in the classroom, Asahi sent me a message.
“I have something I’d like to discuss with you, senpai. May I come to your classroom after school today?”
I hid my smartphone inside the book to check the message and immediately replied.
“Absolutely not.”
“Why not?”
“If you come looking for me, it’ll definitely cause a commotion in the classroom.”
“There won’t be any commotion, so I’ll drop by after school.”
“Don’t make it a done deal. Can’t you tell me what you want to discuss over text?”
“If we don’t meet in person, I can’t convey my enthusiasm about it.”
“I’m top of the grade in Japanese, you know? I’m very good at sensing the author’s feelings in the texts I read.”
“I think you might refuse once you understand my feelings, so I’d like to tell you in person.”
“Could you not come to discuss something you know I’ll refuse?”
“Understood. Then I’ll compromise; you can choose the meeting place.”
“Why are you acting all high and mighty? You’re the one asking a favor, aren’t you?”
“Where would you be willing to meet me? The courtyard, maybe?”
“The courtyard is too visible; I’d like to avoid that.”
“Then let’s meet on the rooftop. There won’t be anyone after school.”
“Wait a minute. I haven’t agreed to meet you yet.”
“If you’re not keen on coming, you don’t have to. But I’ll believe you’re waiting on the rooftop. By the way, while I’m waiting, I’ll be playing the video of you talking to a cat at full volume, so you’d better hope no one hears it.”
…What a sly girl.
She said that; now I can’t not go, can I?
“East building or west building, which rooftop will you be on?”
“East building. You’re so kind, senpai♪”
And so, I was forcibly roped into meeting her after school.
☆☆☆
About 22 minutes later, the ending of Fairy King Chronicle started playing.
As Asahi operated the recorder to switch Blu-rays, she asked me.
“Senpai, how was it?”
“Honestly, it was quite painful. I’m despairing over the fact that I have to keep watching this.”
“I’ll give you a massage, so please hang in there.”
Asahi stood up, moved behind me, placed her hands on my shoulders, and began pressing with her fingers.
Every time Asahi applied pressure, her long hair swayed, releasing a gentle scent of shampoo.
“Senpai, how’s the pressure?”
“I feel the stimulation on my trapezius muscles is just right.”
“Tra… trapezius muscles…?”
“That’s the shoulder muscle. You can’t judge a book by its cover; you have quite a grip strength, Asahi.”
“I’ve been giving my parents massages since I was little, so maybe that’s why.”
“You’re really a filial daughter. I’d like a daughter like you, Asahi.”
“If you don’t mind, I can give you massages anytime♪”
“That’s wonderful… I feel the fatigue from watching anime gradually fading…”
“If you’re back to neutral, you can keep going, right?”
“Yeah. I believe it’ll get interesting from episode eight, so I’ll hang in there a bit more.”
“Then please lie down on the sofa and watch episode seven. I’ll massage your back.”
“No, receiving a full-fledged massage at someone else’s house is a bit much.”
“Don’t worry about it~ Come on, take off your blazer♪”
Under Asahi’s smiling urging, I lay down on the sofa.
Thus, while Asahi stood beside me pressing her fingers into my back, I continued watching the anime, but I felt sleepiness creeping in due to how comfortable it was.
But if I fell asleep, Asahi would be disappointed, so I fought to stay awake.
“Asahi, I’m happy you’re massaging me, but aren’t you getting tired?”
“No problem.”
“It’s okay if you stop massaging me.”
“Got it. If I get tired, I’ll stop on my own, so please don’t worry and focus on the anime.”
“You really want me to watch this anime that badly…”
In the end, with Asahi not stopping her massage, another 22 minutes passed, and episode seven ended.
In gratitude, it still wasn’t very interesting.
“Thanks for waiting; next up is finally episode eight.”
“Yeah, I’m looking forward to it.”
“By the way, if you don’t find episode eight interesting, please watch until episode thirteen. It gets even better from episode thirteen.”
“And if episode thirteen isn’t interesting either?”
“In that case, I’ll recommend watching up to episode twenty.”
“Do I not have the option to quit…?”
Since I had no veto power, I could only pray that it would get interesting from episode eight.
“By the way, senpai. The button on your blazer is about to fall off, isn’t it?”
Asahi picked up my blazer and pointed to the button on the sleeve.
“Yeah, it is. But the buttons on the sleeves don’t serve much purpose, so I thought I’d just leave it.”
“No, no, wouldn’t it be troublesome if the button falls off? I’ll resew it while you watch episode eight, okay?”
“Eh? You can do that?”
“Of course. You learned sewing in home economics too, right?”
“I did, but I just followed the textbook during class and never got the hang of it. After the exam, I even forgot how to tie a knot.”
“At least remember that much.”
“I’m of the philosophy of forgetting things unrelated to my life.”
“But wouldn’t it be more convenient to fix it when a button falls off your clothes?”
“Well, that’s true, but fixing it is more trouble than the inconvenience of missing a button…”
“I see. In that case, if your clothes need mending in the future, please bring them to me. I’ll fix them right away.”
Asahi said this, puffing out her chest.
This girl has such high feminine skills.
“Then, sorry to trouble you, but could I ask you to?”
“Understood!”
After energetically replying, Asahi stood up, fetched a sewing kit from another room, and prepared to start mending.
She placed my blazer on her lap and compared the thread colors in the sewing kit.
My blazer resting on Asahi’s lap gave me an indescribably strange feeling.
Will Asahi mend clothes like this for her husband and children in the future?
Experiencing a sense of being her husband made my heart race a bit…
“I happen to have thread the same color as your blazer, so it won’t be noticeable.”
As she spoke, Asahi effortlessly threaded the needle and tied a knot.
Then, after cutting off the thread on the button, she inserted the needle into the blazer.
But at that moment, she paused and looked at me with a puzzled expression.
“…Senpai, aren’t you watching episode eight?”
“Yeah. This is a rare sight, so I wanted to watch.”
“I’m just sewing…”
“But you’re really skilled, Asahi. You didn’t hesitate when cutting the thread and removing the button. When I did sewing in home ec, I had to check the textbook multiple times and was really nervous.”
“Resewing a button isn’t that difficult. More importantly, it’s hard to work when someone is watching, so please don’t focus on me.”
“Ah, sorry. I’ll keep watching the anime, so please continue.”
I sat back on the sofa and started episode eight with the remote.
At first, I was aware of Asahi mending my blazer within my field of vision, but she gradually faded from my consciousness. Episode eight was really interesting, and I became engrossed in the story, literally oblivious to my surroundings.
When I came to, the ending of episode eight was playing. Twenty-two minutes had flown by.
“…It’s incredibly interesting, as if the earlier episodes were a lie.”
“Right, right?”
At some point, Asahi, who had finished mending the blazer, smiled proudly.
“Do you feel like borrowing the whole Blu-ray set now, senpai?”
“I do. If you don’t lend it to me, I’d even consider subscribing to the anime site that has Fairy King Chronicle.”
“Ehehe. I’m glad I got you hooked. Ah, I’ve finished fixing your blazer; please check it.”
“Thank you.”
I took the blazer, and the nearly falling button was perfectly fixed.
“Now that I think about it, you’re really considerate. You gave me a massage, introduced me to an interesting anime, and even fixed my button. I feel like I should properly thank you.”
“Then next time, please tell me about an anime you recommend, senpai.”
“While I’d like to, most of the anime I know feature Maya Kanzaki.”
“Ah… In that case, I’ve already seen them all.”
“Right? So I’ll have to think of something else.”
She gave me a massage and fixed my uniform button, so to thank her…
“Would 3,000 yen suffice?”
“Please don’t try to settle it with money.”
“Then let me ask, is there anything you’d like me to do?”
“I was just thinking… if that’s the case, can you indulge me in a little self-praise?”
Asahi said this with a slightly embarrassed smile.
“Actually, after watching ‘The Fairy King’s Tale,’ I really wanted to become a fairy, so I made a cosplay outfit.”
“Huh? Really?”
“Yes. It’s Luna’s costume, the one Shizakura-san plays, but I’ve never shown it to anyone after finishing it. So, can I show it to you?”
“Of course.”
“Thank you. I’ll go get it from my room, please wait just a moment.”
Asahi left the living room, smiling happily.
While I waited, I glanced at the illustration of the fairies on the Blu-ray disc box lying on the table.
The fairies were all dressed in high-exposure outfits typical of another world. Their clothing covered a bit more than the green bikini armor.
If you wanted to wear something like this, you’d either have to visit a cosplay shop or make it yourself.
…Oh no. Just imagining Asahi wearing such an outfit made my heart race uncontrollably.
As my thoughts started to drift into weird territory, Asahi returned to the living room.
On the hanger she brought out was a costume so well-made it looked like it had been pulled straight from ‘The Fairy King’s Tale.’
“This is such a high-quality outfit. Did you make it all by yourself, Asahi?”
“Yes. I spent a lot of effort trying to find fabric that matched what I had in mind.”
“I see. So you had to start by finding the right materials. Did you do the tailoring yourself too?”
“Yep. I even made the patterns myself.”
“This is seriously professional.”
“No, not at all. My skills are just average.”
“No way. The average person wouldn’t be able to make an entire outfit.”
“Well, to me, there are still a lot of things I’m not satisfied with.”
“Is that so? From an outsider’s perspective, it looks perfect though… By the way, can you actually wear this?”
“Of course. The pattern is based on my measurements, and I’ve already tried it on, so it fits perfectly.”
“I see.”
“…Senpai, would you like to see me in cosplay?”
Asahi, looking a little embarrassed, asked me directly.
What a foolish question. Of course, I’d want to see a friend in a somewhat provocative outfit, right?
However, if I answer honestly now, she might think less of me, or worse, hold it over my head.
And even if I said I wanted to see, it’s not like she’d actually put it on. Normally, she’d probably get embarrassed and act like she never said anything.
While it was a bit disappointing to give up the chance to see Asahi in cosplay, for now, I’d better play the part of the cool, older classmate.
“It doesn’t really matter to me.”
“Please show a little more interest!”
Asahi clenched her fists, protesting with all her might.
Since she seemed a bit hurt, I tried to cover for myself a bit.
“But if I were to say I wanted to see it, wouldn’t that be considered sexual harassment?”
“Ah… That’s true… But if you don’t show any interest at all, I’ll be a bit hurt too.”
“Asahi, are you saying you want me to see you in cosplay?”
“It sounds kind of strange to put it like that… but I really want to show off how well I can wear it.”
Wait… is she serious?
“W-Well, if you want to show it off, I wouldn’t mind seeing it.”
“Thank you. I’ll go change now, so why don’t you watch episode nine in the meantime?”
“O-Okay.”
Leaving me behind with a slightly trembling voice, Asahi took the cosplay outfit and left the living room.
This was an unexpected turn of events.
To calm my nerves, I picked up the remote and started watching episode nine.
However, even though the anime was interesting, I couldn’t focus at all because my mind was racing.
I looked away from the TV and picked up the Blu-ray case from the table again, gazing at the fairy illustrations.
Just thinking about Asahi already dressed in that outfit made my heart pound uncontrollably.
At this rate, when I actually see her in cosplay, my heart might not survive…
☆☆☆
About ten minutes later, the door suddenly opened.
I immediately paused the anime, and there she was—standing at the entrance of the living room in a fairy costume, complete with a golden wig and elf ears.
“…So, this is what it looks like on. How is it…?”
Asahi stood at the entrance, looking off to the side as she asked, avoiding eye contact.
She seemed really embarrassed, unwilling to meet my gaze.
Her face flushed red, and she tried to cover her exposed cleavage.
The sheer impact was beyond anything I had imagined. If she ever released a photobook, I’d buy it, even if it cost 30,000 yen.
“Senpai…? What do you think…?”
As I stared, entranced, Asahi continued asking, still not looking directly at me.
If I were to thank her sincerely right now, I’d just come across as a total pervert, so I tried to reply as normally as possible.
“It looks like something made by a professional. I think it suits you really well.”
“Hehe… Thank you.”
Asahi lowered her head and gave a shy smile.
“…”
“…”
For a brief moment, we stood there in silence.
Neither of us knew what to say next.
Asahi still wouldn’t make eye contact with me.
If I don’t say something soon, this will get really awkward.
But if I make a careless comment about the costume, it might come off as sexual harassment.
N-No, wait. Since Asahi willingly put the outfit on, maybe I don’t need to worry so much?
I decided to stop overthinking and just casually say what came to mind.
“…Since this is a rare opportunity, how about we take a picture?”
The moment I suggested this, I immediately regretted it.
“Cosplay is all about taking pictures, right?” That dumb thought crossed my mind, so I blurted it out to break the silence.
Asahi finally looked my way for the first time.
“…Sure.”
“—Huh?! You’re okay with that!?”
“Yes. Cosplay is about taking pictures after all.”
“Well, yes, but… are you really okay with it? If I take a picture of you like this, it means I’ll have something on you…”
“Huh? Something on me?”
“Of course. You haven’t shown this outfit to anyone but me, Asahi, because you’d be too embarrassed if others saw it, right? So, if I uploaded the photo online, you’d be in trouble.”
“But Senpai, you wouldn’t upload it online, would you?”
“Well, I mean…”
“I trust you, Senpai. So, if it’s you, I don’t mind being photographed.”
Asahi looked me straight in the eyes and smiled as she said that.
She had a look of absolute trust in me.
“Either way, nothing’s certain, right? I could still betray you.”
“That’s okay. Senpai would never do something like that. I’m sure of it.”
“Even though I just said I might betray you…”
“I trust you more than you trust yourself, Senpai. You’re not the type of person to leak private photos online.”
“I see…”
…Wait, what?
“Why do I feel like you just gave me a compliment but also said something terrifying?”
“I’m just stating the truth. If you don’t use the presale ticket voucher by the deadline, I’ll have no choice but to leak the cat videos.”
“That’s so cruel…”
“Well, anyway, shall we start my cosplay photoshoot?”
“No, I was half-joking about taking pictures.”
“Why? You’re the one who suggested it, so please take responsibility.”
“Even if you say that, I’m not exactly equipped to handle photo editing or anything…”
As I gave my flustered reply, Asahi puffed her cheeks in dissatisfaction.
“Hey, does that mean my cosplay isn’t worth photographing?”
“Wait a second. I didn’t say it wasn’t worth photographing.”
In truth, I really wanted to take pictures from every angle and keep them forever, but if I showed too much enthusiasm now, it’d probably gross her out. So, I swallowed my feelings and held back.
“I don’t want to hear excuses. If you’re not interested, I’ll just take selfies.”
Before I could respond, Asahi raised her smartphone and sat on the couch, leaning close to me.
Then she adjusted the camera angle so that I was in the frame too.
“Wait, why are you including me in the photo?”
“Since you’re not interested in my cosplay, I want to take a picture to commemorate that.”
Asahi said this with a pout and snuggled even closer.
At that moment, I felt something soft pressing against my arm.
Glancing down instinctively, I saw that it was Asahi’s left breast pressing against my arm.
“—!!”
I immediately looked away and tried my best to keep my composure.
But my heart kept pounding out of control.
I had suspected before, especially when she was in her pajamas, but… Asahi’s breasts were pretty big…!!
And the soft sensation of her chest pressing against my arm right now was beyond belief.
Sure, she had leaned on me while solving puzzles in our real-life “dating sim” before, but this felt even softer than that. Why…?
Then, I realized something serious. Asahi’s cosplay outfit left her shoulders completely bare, but there were no signs of any straps.
Does that mean Asahi isn’t wearing a bra right now…?!
“Senpai? What’s wrong?”
Asahi, noticing my obvious discomfort, tilted her head in confusion.
“N-Nothing. Nothing at all.”
I tried desperately to calm myself down, but it was no use.
The more I tried not to think about it, the more focused I became on the sensation against my arm…!!
“Alright, Senpai, I’m taking the picture~”
“Wait, wait!”
If she took a picture of me like this, I’d be in big trouble.
If she looked at the photo later, she’d realize my arm had been touching her chest.
“It’d be better if the picture only featured your cosplay, right?!”
Practically shouting, I tried to escape.
But just as I stood up from the couch, Asahi grabbed hold of my right arm.
“You’re not getting away until we take a picture together.”
Asahi, looking quite pleased with herself, wrapped both arms around mine.
Two soft mounds pressed against me, delivering the ultimate sensation.
The situation had gone from bad to worse.
Yet, Asahi was so focused on taking the photo that she didn’t even seem to notice how her chest was pressing against me.
Still, I couldn’t bring myself to say anything, and seeing her innocent smile made me feel an overwhelming sense of guilt.
The soft sensation enveloping my arm… I’ll never forget this feeling for the rest of my life…
