Chapter 53 - Present Exchange
(1)
December 25th
Piroriin.
I wake up to the sound of my phone.
Right now Airi is sleeping next to me.
...I just wanted to say that.
I get up, put on my clothes, and check my phone.
It's from Makoto.
"Good morning!! What a great morning today is"
...That's it?
Well, it is sunny, though.
"Yeah, it is."
I replied with just that.
"Judging by that, I guess it didn't work out again, huh."
I can't say the reason, but I just replied, "Yeah, it didn't."
"Alright! We win!!"
Huh?
"I have no idea what you mean."
"Kanna said it before, remember? That bet."
Oh, that thing? ...Wait, what!?
"...Did you do it?"
"Yeah, I'm at Kanna's place right now. Kanna's sleeping next to me."
No way!
"...Congratulations."
"Thanks♪ You guys do your best too."
Is this a bragging message or what?
"U-Um... Toya-kun?"
Looks like Airi woke up.
"Huh? Where's Toya-kun?"
She's looking for me with an anxious voice.
Is she still half-asleep?
I sit down on the bed and pat Airi's head.
"I'm right here."
"Ah, Toya-kun... Good morning."
"Good morning."
"Hey~ Can I ask you for something?"
"What is it?"
"A lap pillow~"
I sit cross-legged on the bed.
Airi rests her head on my lap...
"I love you~♪"
She looks so happy.
Just then, both Airi and I notice something strange.
Now of all times...
"A little late, huh."
Airi said that and laughed.
That smile of hers hurts.
Knock knock.
Someone is knocking.
"Toya? Isn't it about time you got up? It's already noon, you know?"
"I'll come down in a little bit."
While I'm saying that, Airi hurriedly puts on her clothes.
Haah, did Makoto and them beat me to it?
I had plenty of chances.
What am I even doing?
As I stand there frozen, Airi, who has finished changing, hugs me from behind.
"Are you still worried about last night?"
"Well, yeah... What was I even doing..."
"There's still plenty of chances, you know. Okay? Don't get down about it. Stay over at my place tonight. I've got something special."
Something special?
What could it be?
Just then, my phone rings.
It's from Kanna.
"Hello, Kanna?"
"Yo, Toya. ...Did that idiot Makoto say anything unnecessary?"
"Unnecessary?"
"Well... You know, that thing!!"
"Oh, he told me."
"That bastard... I told him to keep his mouth shut."
Weren't you the one who brought up the bet in the first place, Kanna?
"Where's Makoto?"
"He's in the bath right now."
"I see. Well, how should I put this... Congratulations."
"Thanks... But that's not it, how did things go on your end?"
"...It didn't work out."
"After all that I told you, you still messed up again?"
"A lot happened, okay."
Just then, Airi whispers, "Let me talk."
I hand the phone to Airi.
"Hello, Kanna?"
"Oh, Airi. Too bad, huh. I heard Toya screwed up again?"
"It couldn't be helped this time. Please don't blame Toya-kun. I think it was my fault too for not doing anything. I'll do my best next time too."
That thoughtfulness hurts right now.
Do my best at what, exactly?
"I see. Well, do your best."
"Okay!"
"Well then, I'll head over to Airi's place around evening."
"Got it."
"Later."
And with that, the call ended.
"I'm hungry. Let's go downstairs quickly, okay?"
Saying that, she left the room.
I followed her.
(2)
After eating lunch at my place, we studied at Airi's house.
The condom was still tucked away in my pocket.
Around 3 o'clock, Airi said, "I'll bring some tea," and left the room.
I hid it under the pillow.
I felt a little guilty.
What was I doing, two days in a row?
Is that all I can think about?
...Well, it wasn't.
Around 4 o'clock, Kanna and the others arrived.
Makoto looked proud, and Kanna seemed a little shy.
We stopped studying and talked.
After a while, we were called for dinner.
As usual, it was a feast.
"Toya-kun is staying over tonight, right~?"
said Airi's mom.
"Yes," I nodded.
"So how was last night~?"
Ugh! That's the last thing I want to be asked right now.
"Nothing happened~"
Airi answered for me instead.
Yep, it's been officially declared that nothing happened.
"Oh, right. Rie-chan, is that stuff still left~?"
"That stuff~?"
"Hmm~..."
Airi whispered something to her mom.
"Oh~ Yeah, there's still some left~. I'll bring it out later~"
said Airi's mom.
Hearing that, Airi's dad spoke up.
"...I see, so Toya-kun was nervous, huh."
"Dad, you shouldn't say things like that~"
"R-Right."
"Toya-kun is still a middle schooler, after all... It can't be helped~"
"...Y-Yeah, I suppose."
I suddenly got nervous and lost my appetite.
After that, Airi and I took baths separately.
"You two should just get in together," Makoto and Kanna teased.
Would you two get in together, then?
When I came back from the bath, Makoto and Kanna were laughing.
"It's not that funny, you know~ Toya-kun did his best~"
Airi was the only one protesting fiercely.
Did she tell them... Yeah, she told them.
I suddenly felt blue.
"Don't worry about it," Airi said.
That kindness hurts.
On the table, cake and shampagne were prepared.
The cake was a decent size, but with four people, we finished it off.
"Phew~ I'm stuffed, I'm stuffed~. Well then..."
Makoto took out his luggage.
"Shall we do it?"
And so the present exchange began.
I gave to Kanna, Kanna gave to Airi, Airi gave to Makoto, and Makoto gave to me.
When Makoto and Kanna opened their presents, they were surprised.
Makoto got an aromatherapy candle, and Kanna got a scarf.
"You had something like this prepared..."
"Uh oh, this is bad, Makoto."
...What did they prepare?
I got a DVD, and Airi got... Akamamushi?... And another DVD... On top of that...
"What were you thinking?"
"Hey, isn't this the kind of vibe for these things?"
Makoto made an excuse.
"You guys are too serious."
Kanna got defensive.
Isn't that called shifting the blame?
"What kind of effect does Akamamushi have?"
And Airi is about to open it!
"Whoa! You should give that to Toya to drink instead!"
Makoto said in a panic.
Yeah, that's right... That figures...
"Well then, Toya-kun, let's swap?"
Saying that, Airi swapped my DVD with the Akamamushi.
"So now the DVD is mine~ It's my choice how I use it, right~"
With that, Airi put it into the DVD player without any hesitation.
"Wait, Airi!"
Did she see the package!?
"Tosaka-san, you should stop now!"
"Airi! It's the same thing as last time!"
Makoto and Kanna tried to stop her, but it had already started.
Some pointless introduction played, and then the main feature abruptly began.
It was what you'd call an amateur, pickup-type video.
"You really like this kind of stuff, don't you."
said Kanna.
Looking closely, the actress looked a bit like an older, more mature version of Kanna... but I'll keep quiet about that.
Airi watched without saying anything, staring intently.
Was there something that caught her interest?
When the DVD viewing ended, it was past 9 PM.
"Guess it's about time we head home, Kanna."
"Yeah, I suppose."
Saying that, the two of them stood up.
I saw them to the front door.
Airi seemed to be preparing something in her room.
"Do your best this time, for real."
"If worst comes to worst, drink that."
Both of them said whatever they wanted.
After watching them leave, I went back to Airi's room.
...Huh?
What's this smell?
It's the scent of lavender.
On the cleaned-up table, there was a device emitting steam.
An aroma diffuser.
The mist generated by ultrasonic waves effectively diffuses the fragrance.
Did she prepare this?
"What do you think? It helps you relax, right?"
Ah, so that's what the secret plan was?
Yeah, it does help me relax.
In fact, I was clearly reacting as she hugged me from behind.
"...Want to get into bed?"
I followed her lead and got into bed, and Airi switched the lighting to the room light.
Today, Airi was the one putting in the effort.
Airi initiated the kiss. Then she took off my clothes, and after that, I took off her clothes too...
Airi caressed me.
Maybe it was the effect of the aroma... It felt good...
I was swept away by the feeling...
(3)
Nice one, Makoto-kun!
This was a great hint.
I watched Makoto-kun's DVD intently.
I was a bit embarrassed, but I couldn't afford to say that.
When the DVD ended, Kanna and Makoto-kun said they were going home.
It was past 9 PM.
While Toya-kun was seeing them off, I cleaned up the table and prepared the aroma diffuser I had ready.
I put in lavender aroma oil, which is said to have a relaxing effect, and set it up.
Soon, the room was filled with the scent of lavender.
When Toya-kun came back, he seemed to notice right away.
I wonder if this helped him relax?
He seemed tense again today...
Just because those two succeeded doesn't mean I need to rush, right?
I said I'd match Toya-kun's pace, didn't I?
But... today, I'm going to do my best too.
I hugged him from behind.
It seemed like his tension had eased.
"...Want to get into bed?"
Toya-kun got into bed as he was told.
...I know he has it hidden under the pillow, after all.
I stayed still for a while.
I was the one who moved first.
I turned off the main light and turned on the room light.
Then I asked Toya-kun for a kiss.
As if invited, Toya-kun kissed me, and I touched Toya-kun just like I saw in the DVD.
I took off his clothes, had him take off mine, and then I caressed him.
He twitched in response, but after that, he caressed me too.
Toya-kun isn't saying anything?
Am I still not trying hard enough?
But... he's reacting, isn't he?
Unable to hold back, I asked?
"...Does it feel good?"
No answer.
"Toya-kun?"
He didn't respond to my call either.
Was I too aggressive?
Did I gross him out?
I carefully peeked at Toya-kun's face.
"!?"
Well... It seems the aroma worked a little too well.
Lavender has excellent sedative properties, promoting relaxation and sleep on a mental level, and on a physical level, it works to calm blood pressure and heart rate.
...He was sleeping soundly.
I got a little annoyed.
The guy who always calls me cute is sleeping right next to me in this state.
Are you even a man!?
I gave his head a little tap.
He didn't notice at all.
He seemed to be in a deep sleep.
I let out a sigh.
Then I hugged Toya-kun.
I turned off the light.
Listening to his now completely calm heartbeat and breathing, I fell asleep.
The aroma strategy was a failure, huh...
It looks like it's going to take a while longer for me to become one with him, in body and soul.