Aoishiro
Chapter 7
I lent a shoulder to Yasumi as we climbed up the long stairs.
By the time I thought to call someone to help Yasumi and me, we'd reach the main wing of the temple and opened the sliding doors.
Syouko: .....
Geez...this wasn't a good sign.
Though this was a random event, I knew I couldn't carry her myself, but I wasn't thinking clearly. No, I was thinking, but it was like the idle racing of an engine.
As soon as I'd opened the doors and taken off my shoes, Ayashiro and company came running over.
Ayashiro: Is Yasumi-chan ok?
Syouko: She's not as bad as when she first collapsed.
Yasumi: I'm...fine...
Ayashiro: The futons are just finished drying, so come over here.
She was weak and didn't have strength, but she didn't want anyone to worry, so Yasumi gave a weak smile. Ayashiro returned the smile and continued down the hall.
This looked to be the conclusion of the matter then...
Syouko: Ah...
Momoko: Ah?
There's something I left undone. I turned to face Momoko, who was lending a shoulder to Yasumi and gave her an order.
Syouko: Momoko. Could you go down and get our stuff from the taxi? The meat you like so much is also there.
Even if it were a level surface, it would have been a reckless decision to both carry the groceries and help Yasumi up the stairs, so I left the groceries below.
At first, I was going to leave the stuff at the bottom of the stairs under the sun, but thanks to the good will of the taxi driver, he let us keep them in the refrigerated taxi. We'd introduced ourselves, but we still shouldn't just leave them there...
Momoko: Why a taxi? Where did sensei go?
Syouko: I'll explain later.
Well, it was a a natural question, but I wanted to explain the details of sensei's absence from the beginning so I'll postpone it until an appropriate time. It wasn't good to make the driver wait too long either.
Momoko: Huh!? What about the taxi fare?
Syouko: I've already paid it.
Momoko: I'll rush down now! Please take care of Zawacchi!
Soon after Momoko's footsteps faded away, we arrived at the room where the futon was prepared. I thought it'd be better for her to sleep on her side so I helped her change. This should be the conclusion of the matter then...
Girl with long hair: .....
I noticed a small girl. It seemed she had been there a while, but had been behind Ayashiro.
Since no one else was paying attention to her, I thought for a moment I was the only one that saw her. This was an old temple and Ayashiro was an eyewitness to the ghost incident in the morning. She didn't look too much different from an ordinary girl though.
Her skin was pale, as if she'd been raised at the bottom of the ocean. She was wearing a luxurious kimono and her hair, which was the same color as the kimono, was not braided and flowing down her back.
Syouko: Nn?
Her pale skin, and long, white hair.
Was this the girl we found in the ocean?
How did I forget about the girl we picked up?
It's probably because Yasumi's condition distracted me.
It seems that the girl who had been sleeping soundly, had woken up while Yasumi and I were out shopping.
Just like there are sinking rapids, it seems there were floating rapids too.
Girl with long hair: .....?
I didn't know if the girl knew that Yasumi was the one who first found her, but she was staring intensely at Yasumi. The girl reached out her small, pale hand towards Yasumi and gently slid it along Yasumi's curved cheek, causing her eyelids to flutter open.
Yasumi: ...mi-cha...
Ayashiro: Nami-chan
Ayashiro chided Nami-chan, who was touching Yasumi's cheeks, and gently gripped her hand.
Yasumi: ...!?
Ayashiro: Come on, stop touching her and let her rest.
Girl with long hair: ....., .....
Yasumi: It's ok. Her cool hands feel nice...
Syouko: And this girl?
Ayashiro: She woke up a little before Momoko called, I think.
It was a natural thing to do since we were talking about her in front of her, but the girl turned her interest to me. This time, her small hands reached out towards my face and she seemed to want to say something, but...
Girl with long hair: .....
Syouko: Eh? Yes?
Her words didn't reach my ear, though I could clearly hear a sigh.
Syouko: This girl, could it be?
I didn't want to commit myself to an opinion so I didn't say the words out loud. As if to confirm my opinion, Ayashiro nodded.
Ayashiro: She hasn't said a word. It might be some sort of disability.
Syouko: How about communication in writing?
This time she shook her head.
Syouko: So in the end, we don't know anything about her, not even her name.
Syouko: Huh? But didn't Ayashiro just call her...
I remembered that she was called by a name...
Syouko: ...Nami?...
Huh? For a moment, my heart swelled, but it was only for a moment.
Ayashiro: We're just temporarily calling her that. If she didn't have a name, it'd be inconvenient in various ways.
Syouko: Eh...about that name...
I looked at the girl with long hair...Nami's...luxurious kimono.
From the obi belt down, it was like a flare skirt and the hem widened out. It was different from a normal kimono, and above looking showy, it looked comforable.
It used blue and white as a base coloring scheme which gave it a refreshing and cool look. The red goldfish accents on her long sleeves were cute.
Akiko-san liked kimonos so I was used to seeing simple ones, but this was the first time I'd seen such a dazzling one.
That might be because of the motif. The impression that kimono gave was...
Syouko: An impression of waves...
I don't know why, but I blew out a breath.
Syouko: So this wave design is the origin of her name.
Ayashiro: And also because of her long hair.
Syouko: I see.
Ayashiro: Yes. The kimono that the monk-sama prepared along with her hair make an attractive match...
Girl with long hair: .....?
Ayashiro; Did you see? The color of Nami-chan's eyes are blue like the ocean, like the color midori.
Yasumi: ...The color of her eyes...and the color of her hair...if it were just the color of her hair...
Syouko: Yasumi?
Yasumi: Ah...
She realized she was muttering in a delirious way and blushed. As if to hide, she lifted up the cover of the futon. We'd prepared the futon so she could rest. But talking by her pillowside like this was putting our priorities backwards.
Yasumi: It's nothing. I'll just rest like this. Could you wake me up in an hour?
Syouko: Why?
Why just sleeping for an hour?
Yasumi: I have to prepare dinner.
Geez...her health was the most important thing.
Ayashiro had the same thought. She patted Yasumi's head saying she shouldn't push herself and gently admonished with an alternate plan.
Ayashiro: I'll take care of dinner tonight.
Yasumi: Ayashiro-sempai will?
Because of working there this morning, I'm fairly familiar with the kitchen. If you just tell me how to make the dishes, I'll work something out.
Yasumi: If it's Ayashiro-sempai, it'll be fine. But still, it's my job...
Yasumi was the type who liked to be helpful and prove her own worth. That way still could feel relaxed but...
Syouko: ,,,,,
Geez, really.
It's true that she was a useful person. If not, she would already be...
This time, I put my hand on her head and stroked her soft hair.
Because she was from a single mother household it was probably ingrained in her that she be useful, but she should also remember that she can rely on others a bit more too.
Syouko: Yasumi's current job is to rest and recover your strength. Otherwise, the swimsuit you bought would just go into storage.
Yasumi: Yes, that's true.
Syouko: Ayashiro, should I help you too?
Ayashiro: Syouko-san, if you came and helped me too, then who would direct the cleaning?
Syouko: Ok, understood.
In place of Yasumi who was feeling bad, Ayashiro and some other members went to prepare dinner. I took the rest of members to do cleaning. Since it had been a full day, I also sent members to clean indoors. I was in charge of cleaning outside...
I used the tip of my bamboo brush to clean the stone pavement, making a dry, brushing sound as I went about the Shoushinji compound. I looked at the wayside, but there wasn't much garbage. Perhaps the wind blew it to another place more suitable which was not so high up or it was because there were not many visitors.
Of course, there weren't any misguided visitors for us to throw out either.
Sweeping up the mountain, the temple lived up to its name as there were white sal flowers everywhere.
Lasting only one day and then falling to the ground while maintaining their flower shape, the summer tsubaki gave a sense of the evanescence of life.
I looked at the pure color of the flowers which were dyed in the sun's rays...
I remembered the illness that flushed white skin...
Mixed with the simple tone of the bell...
I pondered that while letting my body move on its own. I went from the main temple to the altar bell, cleaning the road.
Yuukai: It seems the spirits will come out. Thank you very mcuh.
The monk called out after finishing ringing the bell. I stopped sweeping and returned his greeting and thanks.
Syouko: Not at all. You're taking care of us so it's natural to do so.
Yuukai: How is the manager-san doing?
Syouko: I think it's the same symptoms as before so if we let her rest, she'll get better.
The monk smiled broadly and rubbed his ample beard while thinking.
Yuukai: She was feeling weak in the morning too. Is there some sort of sickness?
Syouko: I don't think it's a chronic disease that requires a doctor...
Yuukai: Fumm...so you're saying it's not contagious, but a weak condition that she was born with.
Syouko: It doesn't seem like she was born with it. When she was a child, she was quite energetic.
Yuukai: Umu...they say sickness and health start with the mind. Maybe it was a change in her body when she was growing.
I'd only heard rumors too, so I didn't know much.
Yuukai: Did she try traditional Chinese medicine?
Syouko: Whether those medicines work or not depend on the person and the difference in reaction to each medicine is great. She also seems to eat balanced meals.
Yuukai: I eat three meals a day, but her problem might be due to food?
She wasn't too heavy or too thin and ate properly every day.
Syouko: .....
Then, I couldn't of anything else except that it was a physical condition.
Syouko: If there really were a magical remedy that could cure all kinds of sickness, it would be useful...
Yuukai: If we're only talking about stories, there is such a thing called Yasuhime's hinokusuri (Note: kusuri means medicine).
Syouko: ...hinokusuri?
Yuukai: It was called a secret among secrets, crimson among crimson, a princess amoung princesses...
A secret medicine...
...Crimson medicine...
...A princess's medicine...
Yuukai: Do you remember the story of Yasuhime?
Syouko: Yes.
It was an old legend about a traveling Buddhist nun (bhukkhuni) going around and healing the people of Urashima, who had collapsed due to disease.
This was a story about the source of the calamity, the Oni King Matamu, who was sealed in the sacred tsubaki tree, and an eternally young woman.
The source of her power was said to come from eating the flesh of a mermaid. Though it might have come from something else.
Yuukai: After Yasuhime left Urashima, the Nekata family created a formula called Hinokusuri.
Yuukai: Like how Yasuhime could cure disease, if you drank this medicine, your disease would be healed.
It was like what I had been talking about, something that exists only in a story, a magical remedy that could cure any disease.
Yuukai: During some time, the head of the Nekata family sold the medicine and earned a fortune. The pharmeceutical companies were taken aback by its effect and in a frenzy to know how it was made.
Yuukai: Even gathering skilled healers, they couldn't make the same thing, and when they asked about the medicine, they got no reply but "It's a secret method."
Yuukai: The pharmaceutical companies got tired of waiting and hired skilled healers, went to the island, and tried to use force to get the answers.
Yuukai: However, besides the rites of Kurou-sama and the Hinokusuri, the head of the Nekata family had inherited one more thing.
Syouko: Nekata Kurou-ryuu (the Nekata Kurou style of swordsmanship)
Yuukai: It seems the pharmaceutical companies and the other rogues were chased from the island.
It's true that it would be nice to have that medicine. But even if we had that medicine...
Syouko: Because of the festival for Kurou-sama, we can't go to the island. And even if we reached the island, with those conditions, we couldn't get our hands on the medicine...
So in the end, it was like a piece of mochi drawn in a book.
Yuukai: Considering the manager-san's body, even if you obtained the medicine, it'd be better not to drink it.
Yuukai: Hinokusuri can also be pronounced as Ninokusuri
Syouko: ....Ninokusuri? It's not 'hi', but 'ni'?
Yuukai: The 'ni' is the first character of tanchouzuru (red crane), or also the first character of tanshu (cinnabar) or shinshu (cinnabar). To summarize, it's mercury.
Syouko: Wouldn't that be poisonous?
Yuukai: It's said that too much medicine becomes poison and the opposite is also true.
Yuukai: You, captain-san, are still young, so you might not have this experience, but as I'm in active service, I've used many disinfectants and mercury is the best...
So after countless years, mercury became known as a medicine for perpetual youth and longevity and was used by wise hermits in the mountains. Maybe the mermaid flesh was also some sort of metaphor.
Yuukai: Well, Hanako-san is more familiar with these types of stories so if you're interested, you can ask her about it.
Hinokusuri...was it...
After sweeping around the alter bell, I headed back to the main tower. I looked at the ocean that was facing the stone steps and saw, surrounded by the ocean, the Urashima we were talking about. With the sun's rays shining from the western horizon, the island sparkled and wavered in a brilliant red color.
Momoko: Iya...ho...!
Nami: .....?
Looking at Momoko who had raised her hands up high, Nami made a perplexed face and raised both her hands into a banzai position.
Momoko: You did it, Nami! Tonight, we're going to make a train by holding each other by the waist.
Nami: .....?
Momoko brought both her hands together in a clap while Nami faced her with a perplexed look.
Momoko: Meat, meat, it's meat!
It was as the uproar said, the main dish was meat. With the lecture this morning about curry and the fervant speech about the wonders of meat, maybe this was the result. The type of meat was pork and it was even the area's speciality, kurobuta (black pig).
This was how the food was prepared; the pork was boiled until the lean meat disappeared, then strained and cooled. It was a simple, cold pork, shabu dish. Onions were diced and cooked until they lost their astringent flavor and mixed with a salad that was washed and cut up finely to add color and make up for the lack of vegetables.
It was easy to make a large amount of this dish and you didn't have to worry about the dish getting cold. It was a good dish for a training camp.
Yasumi picked a good reciple.
Momoko: Delicious! This one is delicious too!
Though there weren't a lot of cooks, their hard work showed.
There was ponzu sauce, grated daikon, sesame sauce, shredded dried plum, miso sauce, daikon with chili pepper for a spicier sauce, etc. There were many sauces to give a variety of flavors, which were fun to try.
To accomopany that simple dish was not a soup like miso, but zoni, rice cake soup. The smell of honeywort gave a refreshing feel and was suited towards summer.
Aoi: Un? Today's dashi stock has katsuobushi in it (dried bonito).
Yasumi: It's a celebration for the lifting of the restriction on fish.
Momoko: All right, Zawacchi!
Yasumi: That's fine, but you should still eat your vegetables, such as hijiki.
Syouko: Monk, by the way...
The monk looked this way.
Syouko: Did you find out anything about this girl?
Yasumi was working hard at feeding the small mouth with the meat that she put on her small plate. At times, Yasumi, or Ayashiro would say 'Aa..un' to feed the girl though unexpectedly she could use chopsticks well. Maybe it was because her parents were fussy about that sort of discipline as were some parents or Seijou students, so her chopstick usage was refined.
Nami: .....?
Maybe she noticed my gaze because Nami stopped using her chopsticks and looked at me.
Syouko: .....
Perhaps it looked like I wanted something because just like she was being fed, Nami picked up a cold pork shabu and brought it to my mouth.
Syouko: Eh...to...
Nami: .....?
As if to say it was weird that I was hesitating, she cocked her head to the side.
Nami: .....
She opened her small mouth wide as if to suggest I should do the same.
Yasumi: Syouko-sempai.
Yasumi urged me in a low voice, so I prepared myself and opened my mouth.
Syouko: Ah...ah...un
When I opened my mouth, I don't know why, but my eyes closed.
But still, I could feel everyone's gaze on me so it didn't seem I lost my sense of touch.
Nami's movements were gentle and relaxed so I couldn't help but feel that time passed slowly.
My cheeks flushed...
The edge of the meat passed my lips and at last, the cold meat was on my tongue. I closed my mouth loosely so the chopsticks could be removed.
Syouko: Nn...
Nami: .....
Nami continued staring at me as I chewed the meat.
Syouko: That was good. Thank you.
Nami: .....
After thanking her and petting her head, she seemed satisfied and returned to eating her own meal.
Migiwa: Ah...Osa and Nami had an indirect kiss...
Syouko: Be quiet.
Ayashiro: Syouko-san, I'm envious.
Syouko: Eh?
Ayashiro: I'd also like to say 'Ah...un' and have Nami-chan feed me.
Ayashiro said an unexpected thing, but I should've been expecting it.
Syouko: It's fine if you just stare at her as if you want something.
Of course, I don't remember looking at her like that...
Yasumi: Fufu...
Syouko: Yes?
Yasumi: I'm happy that at this training camp, I was able to see sempai make a face that I hadn't seen before.
Syouko: True.
It wasn't a strenuous training camp so stuff like this was going to happen.
Syouko: By the way, Yasumi, is your body ok?
Yasumi: Yes, since Ayashiro-sempai took charge of dinner, I was continually resting during that time...
Momoko: A person who didn't work doesn't get to eat, so, Zawacchi, I'll confiscate this piece of meat!
Yasumi: Ah, Momo-chan! That's mean!
Though she said it was mean, she was smiling as if she was used to this pattern of behavior.
They were more friendly to each other than family and I was somehow envious of their relationship.
Momoko, who was hoarding the meat, quickly filled her stomach. She then clenched her fist and proceeded to another topic.
For the sake of everyone, in the hot weather, I've dug a hole and made various other preparations!
Syouko: She actually did it.
Momoko: And following Hime-sempai's orders, I've also returned.
Ayashiro: It sounds a little dangerous.
Momoko: Since we've ate meat and Zawacchi's also recovered, let's continue with the plan!
Momoko: Let's have the test of courage and confirm if what Hime-sempai saw was a ghost!
Following Momoko's speech, one section applaused.
Well, I guess it was ok...
Syouko: Fuun!
After eating and cleaning up, the schedule said that we would take turns for the bath and then sleep.
Though today was the test of courage, it was basically free time.
I walked out to the outside compound with a bamboo shinai in one hand to practice swinging until the sweat was running. It was about time to take a bath so I returned to my room to get a change of clothes...
Syouko: Yasumi...
Yasumi: Ah...
Nami: .....
On the way, I met Yasumi who was leading Nami around.
One hand was holding Nami's and the other hand was holding a bag with a change of clothes and towels.
They looked to be going to the baths, so I, full of sweat was going to turn around and return to the compound when I was asked a favor.
Yasumi: Sempai, Nami-chan and I are going to the baths, could you help?
Syouko: Me?
Yasumi: Nami-chan seems attached to sempai.
Syouko: It seems that she's more attached to Yasumi.
Nami: .....
When it comes to taking care of unpleasant things, Yasumi, with her attention to detail is an ideal choice if you ignore her weak body condition.
If I were Nami, Yasumi would surely...
Maybe it was because it was Yasumi, but the two of them looked like sisters, or parent and child. They had that pleasant atmosphere about them. Sometimes, Nami would copy Yasumi and pet her head, and maybe because she was making a motherly smile, it looked a little weird. As time passed, I felt a little guilty.
Syouko: Nami's a well behaved girl, so even if it's just Yasumi...
Momoko: Yes, yes, let's stop the lovey-dovey talk and just go in.
The person who interrpted me was Momoko, who was staring at me for who knows how long.
Syouko: Lovey-dovey...
Momoko: Well, it's like "You're more pretty", "No, no you're so wonderful", that kind of talk!
Momoko: So, the father and mother should just both go in the bath.
It's true that the baths at Shoushinji were large so the three of us should fit easily and I was just heading to the baths...but
Ah...I see.
Momoko, Yasumi's self-appointed guardian, and was with her from 'Good morning' to 'Good Evening' was worried about just the two of them in the baths. Taking a bath cost an unexpected amount of energy and Yasumi had collapsed in the afternoon. If she collapsed, there would only be Nami who couldn't raise her voice so it was a cause for concern.
If that was the case...
Syouko: What about Momoko then?
If Yasumi were Nami's guardian, then Momoko was Yasumi's self-appointed guardian, so, was there something wrong with her body...
Momoko: I have to do some preparations for tonight's fun.
As if she were planning something wrong, she used a weird way of speaking.
Momoko: Since I've returned, I have to see it through to the end.
The test of courage didn't really matter, so I don't know why Momoko was going this far.
Syouko: Geez, there's no helping it then.
Syouko: Fu...
After washing up in the shower area, I sunk into the full bathtub. I heard that the water was pulled from the source of a spring, and then put into an ordinary bath, which was a surprising thing. Of course, it wasn't made of high-class materials like Japanese cypress, but I didn't know if it was the water which brought in something new, but the smell of wood was pleasant. And also, there was just Yasumi and Nami so we were monopolizing the huge bath. I could stretch out my arms and legs as much as I want.
Yasumi: Huh? Nami-chan, did you get something in your eye?
Nami: .....
Nami shook her head and her hair which was full of bubbles flowed.
Yasumi: Nami-chan's hair is long and pretty.
Syouko: It really is long and pretty.
It was uncommonly long, like a princess from the Heian period. The length looked like it would drag her down, and if it was let down, it would spread across the bed. I wondered if it hurt at all.
Syouko: Letting it grow and maintaining it would be troublesome, right? I've never had long hair so I'm not too familiar with it.
Yasumi: That's true. Even my length is a little troublesome.
It couldn't compare to Nami, but Yasumi's hair was also rather long. Because it was braided, which made it wavy, you couldn't really see how long it was. But when she let it down to wash, it reached passed the middle of her waist. So that was it. Yasumi was used to washing long hair, so as Nami was staying still, she washed her hair.
Syouko: It seems that this girl was pampered like a princess, right?
Yasumi: Eh?
Syouko: Her hair is not only long, but it's long enough to be inconvenient.
If she could properly wash it herself, then there wasn't a problem though.
Syouko: Just washing it is troublesome.
I don't know if she was just copying Yasumi, but Nami held up some hair that was on the other side of where Yasumi was washing and massaged it.
Still, it looks like she left everything up to others.
Syouko: Do you want to change places for washing Nami's hair?
Yasumi: It'll take just a little longer, so it's fine.
Syouko: Ok.
Then I'll leave it to Yasumi.
I sunk up to my shoulders in the bath. The water loosened the weight of my body and with that pleasant feeling, I closed my eyes.
During some circumstances, I had to make due with only a shower but being surrounded by water in a bath was an exceptional feeling.
Maybe it was like the forgotten memory of when I was a fetus that was engrained in my body. It was that kind of feeling.
The bath put a pause in the conversation. There was the sound of water and the soft rubbing of hair, and the sound of bubbles.
It was probably Yasumi's shampoo since there was a refreshing smell that was different from the wood. It eased the mind and spirit.
Because of that, I was inadvertently drowsy...
In the country of dreams, I heard a dry sound.
Aoi: Osanai-san, Aizawa-san, Nami-chan
Aoi-sensei stuck the upper half of her body through the door. Her glasses turned white due to the water vapor. She came from the dressing room and the surroundings were cloudy.
Syouko: Sensei, what is it?
Aoi: You were taking a while so I was worried if you collapsed or something.
It seems she came to our room looking for us and heard we were in the baths. So she waited a while and came looking for us, and listened for a while and finally came to see our condition.
Syouko: Thank you for coming all this way.
Yasumi: It's taking some time to wash this girl's hair.
Aoi: Yes, yes, it does look like it takes some time.
Nami was full of bubbles from the roots of her hair to the tips of her hair so it was natural to wonder who it was. In that case seeing was believing.
Yasumi: Ok, we're going to wash it off in the bath, so close your eyes.
While we were talking, it seems Yasumi finished up.
Yasumi: Ready?
Nami: .....
Yasumi filled a bucket and poured the water over her head.
The water that poured down her body made Nami's hair flow.
Two times, three times, she carefully washed out the hair. The bubbles that were at first crowded around the drainage melted and disappeared.
Yasumi: Ok, all clean.
Yasumi put down the bucket and patted Nami's head. Nami half closed her eyes and reached her small hand towards Yasumi...
Nami: .....
She held a strand of hair from her shoulder.
Yasumi: Eh? You want to wash my hair?
Nami: .....
Yasumi: Ahaha, I'm happy but...
Nami smiled and looked happy but she also looked troubled.
Maybe it was because she couldn't talk, so she sometimes used a forceful attitude. Yasumi needed some help to refuse.
Aoi: Is Nami-chan done?
Yasumi: Yes, though we're not finished yet.
Aoi: Then, Nami-chan, come over here.
It was Aoi-sensei. From the half-open door, she held out a bath towel and waved.
The longer the hair, the more time it would take to dry. Sensei decided to take up that task. Because sensei's hair was also long, she knew that it would take a while.
Nami: .....
Aoi: Ara, it seems she needs Aizawa-san's permission.
Nami looked at Yasumi and Aoi-sensei to see if sensei was a suspicious person causing sensei to give a weak smile.
Yasumi: Nami-chan.
In the end, with Yasumi's urging, Nami went to sensei.
Aoi: Nn...it'll take some work to dry this hair.
Yasumi: Thank you for your help.
Aoi: Why is Aizawa-san saying that?
Nami was the closest to Yasumi and Yasumi took it upon herself to take care of her. But she didn't have to look after her by herself and I wished she would rely more on other people too. There was our advisor, sensei, and also the captain of the club, me, and other reliable people. Without thinking, my mouth tightened and I sunk into the bath.
Aoi: Aizawa-san and Osanai-san, don't stay too long.
She probably thought the same thing as us so Aoi-sensei smiled. She was an adult it seems.
Syouko: Ok.
Yasumi: Okaay.
Yasumi: Fu...
Yasumi, who finished showering and stepped into the bath, took a break and let out a sigh.
Syouko: Yasumi also worked hard.
Yasumi: Yes, I'm a little bit tired.
Yasumi used one hand to massage her opposite arm as she said that.
Yasumi: If I don't rest a bit, I won't be able to lift my arms.
Syouko: You don't have to work until you're in that condition.
It'd be fine if she didn't push herself and changed places with someone.
Yasumi: Ahaha, I just...
But still, she always gave her all and worked too hard, that's the kind of girl Aizawa Yasumi was...
Syouko: Geez, there's no helping it.
Yasumi: Eh?
Syouko: If we take too long a bath, I'll be soaking too long. Yasumi, go sit over there please.
I pointed to the seat that Nami was sitting in.
Yasumi: Eh? Eh?
Syouko: I'll wash Yasumi's hair.
Yasumi: Eh? That's ok, I'm fine.
Syouko: It's fine, just sit over there.
I chased the retreating Yasumi to the seat where she sat in front of me.
I used all ten of my fingers to gently wash her hair.
Syouko: Is this amount of strength ok?
Yasumi: Ho...
She let out a breath indicating it felt good and I carefully worked my way down. Since I got a good reaction, I sometimes massaged and twisted her hair as I washed it. Yasumi's hair, which wrapped around my fingers, was thinner and softer than my own. In order not to cause pain, I carefully washed and smooth bubbles formed.
Yasumi: Hah...
Syouko: But still, Yasumi.
Yasumi: Yes?
Syouko: Before, Yasumi and Nami looked like parent and child, or siblings.
Yasumi: Eh...
I didn't think it was a particularly surprising thing to say, but circumstances being circumstances, perhaps talk of parents or siblings was too sensitive a topic.
Though it wasn't my mother or my sister, I also lost close relatives. As I carefully moved my hands, I thought of a safer topic to ask about.
Syouko: So, I bet your older sister washed your hair like this in the past.
Yasumi: Not really...
Yasumi: Did sempai also have her hair washed?
Syouko: By Natsu nee-san?
I let my fingers guide themselves by touch.
Syouko: Natsu nee-san was great at kendo, but beyond that, she was rather clumsy...
The Natsu nee-san I adored required a lot of looking after and in those days I was happy to do so.
Syouko: She would get stuff in her eyes, get twisted around, and wash with ordinary soap.
Though thinking back on it now, I didn't think it was that bad.
Yasumi: Ahaha...
We talked about silly little things which we didn't know about each other.
Yasumi: .....
In the middle, the conversation died and we sat in silence. It was quiet and calm. The water vapor that filled the bath wasn't so much that it was hard to breathe.
Syouko: Well, it's about time.
Yasumi: Ah...could we stay a while longer?
Syouko: I don't really mind...
I listened to Yasumi's request since she seldom made one and washed my hair.
Yasumi: Nn...It feels good.
It was about time so I called out to Yasumi.
Yasumi: Ah...huh?
Syouko: Eh?
Yasumi: .....
After she gave an answer like she was dreaming, her body made a motion like a pendulum then...
Moved backwards...
Then to the side...
I had a bad feeling. It looked like she was going to fall. I was behind her, so it wasn't as dangerous as hitting her head on the bed but...
Syouko: Hey, Yasumi?
Using my chest like a pillow, Yasumi's face peaked out from it.
Yasumi: .....
I didn't know when she pushed herself too hard but she was passed out.
Syouko: Yasumi!?
Geez, why does this happen when I'm with her.