Even now, Marin spends more time in the bathroom than usual. This is because she cleans herself in more detail than usual, especially the most personal parts. She also spends quite a bit of time after she's done showering, choosing the underwear she feels good wearing. Especially between the black underwear that looks sexy, or the white ones that give a pure impression.
What Marin is doing might be seen as her getting ready for something to happen. However, it would be fair to say that she was hoping something would happen.
“Yeah, this is the one—”
In the end, Marin decided to wear white underwear. Because she thought it looked very cute. Then Marin came out and told Kouta that she was done and it was her turn next.
"Okay, thank you."
Then Kouta thoughtlessly went to the bathroom to clean himself up and at the same time left Marin who was thinking more and more about whether or not something would happen tonight—
'Am I moving too fast, we've never really been on a date, to hand-holding, to kissing— Wait— It’s feel like I want something more than that— Ugh— It’s because Kouta’s fault, he holding hand like that with Sajuna-san, which mean it’s fair for me to want more than that, right? Wait— Maybe because of my jealousy that I want more than just a simple one and move toward something more lewder!!’
Marin thought that before she remembered that there were many girls around Kouta and most of them were pretty and cute. Even as far as she could tell some of them were staying at Kouta's house without any reservations which showed the closeness between them. Which means that Kouta could be dating any of the girls.
At this point, Marin should not be thinking of approaching Kouta and the like. However, this might be a first love for her and Marin is an open and honest person, then perhaps a little competitive. So rather than just giving up, she thought of moving forward. Especially the feeling of jealousy she feels and not wanting to lose to another girl. She might think that she will get more than a handshake.
Even so, Marin was still thinking clearly. There was one thing she wanted to do first. However, when she saw Kouta coming out of the bathroom. Then she could see Kouta's beautiful pink hair and a face that could be considered cute, but could give off a dominant aura when he acted as the protagonist when Marin was cosplaying as Shizuku, making Marin dream again and imagine the indecent things she felt in the past few weeks. Forgetting what she thought before.
Marin can hear the voices of anime characters speaking in her ears. However, she can't focus on listening to or watching the anime she loves. Although she wanted more than a handshake, it was a long way to go. She had to do something after all.
"So do you find this anime interesting?" Marin started the conversation which was answered by Kouta.
“It’s good— But it’s quite a slow start I guess—”
“Really, well— I swear it will be good soon.”
“Oh, I can’t wait.”
Marin used the brief conversation to slowly sit closer to Kouta. Because earlier she was a little too conscious so she sat in the corner of the sofa instead of sitting next to Kouta. Her eyes focused more and more on Kouta's hand and when she thought that he was getting closer. She was immediately startled when Kouta's hand suddenly moved and before she knew it.
"Hm, it seems that you are quite uneasy for a while. Oh, you’re face quite red—"
Suddenly Kouta turned towards Marin and since they were already sitting close together, Kouta's face was very close to hers. Moreover, before Marin could digest Kouta's words. She immediately felt Kouta's hand on her forehead as if he was trying to check whether her body temperature was hot or not.
“Hm— I don't feel anything. How about like this?" Kouta removed his hand from Marin's forehead and moved to use his forehead to gauge whether Marin had a fever or not.
Kouta's movements were fast and swift enough that Marin did not have time to think or react to what Kouta was doing. Right now what happened was that Kouta's face was right in front of her because their foreheads were pressed against each other.
“Hm, yeah. I don’t feel anything. So you don’t have fever or anything like that—”
“Well— Yeah— I’m perfectly fine.”
“If that’s the case, I wonder why your face is so red— and you look restless and can't keep still—”
“That’s— Ah—”
Kouta's previously gentle tone of voice suddenly changed slightly as he interrogated Marin. In addition, he also moved closer to Marin as if to corner her. Because of the sudden change, Marin lost her balance as she was slightly surprised by the change. So she actually fell on the sofa and Kouta who looked at her from above. He was on top of her.
“So is there something? Because you've been staring at me—” Kouta asked Marin, but he spoke with a facial expression that looked like he was teasing her.
Even Marin knew it—
"Do you perhaps realize it?"
“Hm— I wonder? It’s not like I will know you’re jealous about me holding hands with Sajuna.” Kouta replied with a smirk on his face and his words seemed to sting Marin's heart because she knew that Kouta had realized it and she had been played by him.
At this point, Marin should be angry and feel very embarrassed by this situation.
“Hee— You don’t answer my question. Huh—” Kouta spoke in a tone that Marin recognized.
“Eh—” Marin's heart is pounding and she starts to remember when the two of them acted. The acting between Shizuku and also her master who is the protagonist of Eroge. A man who goes undercover to an all-girls school.
“Look, I don’t want to ask the same question twice— Or you’ll need a punishment. But right now, I’m so understanding. “So is there something, Kitagawa-san?” Kouta asked Marin another question, a question that Kouta wanted Marin to answer directly. Even though Marin knew very well that Kouta already understood, he still did all this so that Marin would express her feelings with her own mouth. Even though it was very embarrassing for her.
Plus Kouta deliberately called her by her surname which showed that he was not happy about having to ask her twice.
Small things like that— Small things like that— It really made Marin's heart flutter even more because she was excited. Because what Kouta was doing was absolutely right for Marin.
What could have been a long night for both of them was just about to begin.
