I Accidentally Sent a Love Letter to the School's Most Prestigious Young Lady Instead of My Childhood Friend, and Now She's Bowing to Me, Asking, "Please Date Me—On the Premise of Marriage!" - 34

After getting out of the bath and cooling down in my room, it was time for dinner.

We were led to a Japanese-style room where a course meal was served, with lavish dishes being brought out one after another.

Appetizers, clear soup, sashimi, hot pot, dessert sweets…

It was a luxurious feast that would satisfy even growing adolescent boys and girls. We noisily enjoyed the food, patting our full stomachs as we leaned back deeply into the zabuton cushions.

“I’m so full!”

“I ate so much…”

“That was wonderful.”

“My stomach is packed!”

Each of us said what we wanted while stretching out or lying down.

“Since we’re always so busy at school or in the club room, it’s nice to relax in a place like this.”

“I realized how important it is to satisfy your appetite without any worries.”

“This is my first time having a proper course meal! I’m amazed by how delicious it is!”

“I went a bit overboard in the bath, so at least I can eat calmly.”

Everyone was talking smoothly, but it seemed they’d eaten too much because it was so delicious – no one was trying to move from their chairs.

Soon, ten, twenty minutes passed…

“I’ll make some tea,” Shion-san was the first to move.

“I’m going to buy some cola!” Airi also started moving. Eventually, everyone seemed to have digested their food somewhat.

“Then, let’s relax in our rooms,” following Shion-san’s words, we stood up, thanked the innkeeper and staff for the delicious meal, and each returned to our own rooms.

◇◇◇◇◇◇

After that, I relaxed in my room to digest my food, then headed to the men’s bath – different from the mixed-gender open-air bath I’d visited earlier.

After taking a bath and thinking “that was nice water,” I strolled leisurely through the hallway feeling good.

When I passed by the vending machine, I found Haru and Shion-san enthusiastically playing table tennis, so I joined for a match.

“I’m pretty confident in table tennis, Haru.”

“Do you think you can beat me? I was in the table tennis club in middle school.”

“Well, soccer or basketball might be different, but table tennis!”

“Don’t underestimate table tennis or you’ll get hurt! Here!”

Haru was just smashing everything. She hit everything with powerful smashes and made many mistakes, but her momentum overwhelmed me and I suffered a bitter defeat.

Then next was my match with Shion-san.

“Yuu-sama. I should mention that I’m the type who hates losing.”

“Shion-san. I also really hate losing.”

“Table tennis is quite profound, isn’t it? Hya!”

“Even though you’re Shion-san, I won’t hold back! Here!”

Shion-san was a defensive player. I was completely defeated by her persistence in returning every ball.

I struggled for an hour, but in the end I couldn’t win a single game against either Haru or Shion-san, so I bought a Pocari Sweat from the vending machine and retreated.

◇◇◇◇◇◇

Then, while quenching my thirst, I visited the separate relaxation room.

I sat down next to Airi, who was sitting in a massage chair getting her shoulders worked on, and surrendered myself to the vibrations as well.

Then Airi, who had her eyes closed and looked comfortable, suddenly murmured to me:

“I think maybe it’s about time you made a choice, Yuu-nii.”

“A choice…?”

I understood what Airi meant, but it felt so sudden that I asked anyway.

“Between Haru-buchou and Shion-senpai. Which one you’ll make your girlfriend.”

“…Well, I guess that’s what this is about. But why here and now?”

“Seeing you getting all flustered between them in the bath was honestly hard to watch. Either way, you won’t last like this. You should properly choose someone and properly do sexy stuff to release tension. This is important.”

“Hmm… To be lectured by Airi who has little experience with the opposite sex… Well, I’m just a mob virgin though…”

“I really don’t have experience with the opposite sex, but I’ve got quite a bit of life experience, despite how I look. So, even if it sounds arrogant, this is my advice.”

“……..”

I stared intently at Airi as she said this.

Airi’s face was squishing and unsquishing along with the shoulder massage. She didn’t look particularly serious, but I could tell she was genuinely thinking about my situation.

I sat up straight, placed my hands on my knees, and turned to face Airi.

“Actually, I’ve been thinking about both of them all along.”

“…Is that so. Well? Which one do you want to choose? Which one are you leaning toward?”

It didn’t feel like vulgar curiosity. But I could sense genuine curiosity in Airi’s voice – she really wanted to know.

“If it’s Haru… I thought it would be Haru. But now I’m wavering between them after experiencing Shion-san’s seriousness.”

“She is serious, isn’t she? Haru-buchou is too, but Shion-senpai especially.”

“At this point, I like both of them. But I have to choose one, and I think I should choose. I just don’t want to make the unchosen one unhappy.”

“…That’s difficult.”

“It is difficult. I’ve been thinking about it for quite a while. So rather than thinking about it now, I might be waiting for some kind of trigger.”

Airi didn’t respond to my words, instead sinking back into the massage chair.

I also sat deeper in my chair, shaking with the vibrations.

It was a moment where both the massage and Airi’s concern soaked into my body and soul.