Chapter 4: The Hoodie and the competitive swimsuit

Things had gone swimmingly when Shinomiya-san and I secured our target competitive swimsuit in Akihabara and wrapped up our planning meeting. Unfortunately, actually holding the photoshoot the next day proved impossible.

We had hashed out the details and all that was left was to take the pictures, but on the morning of the shoot, Shinomiya-san messaged me. "I am so sorry. Today won't work out anymore," she wrote, appending an apologetic kaomoji. We hadn't rented a studio or arranged a joint shoot with anyone else, so rescheduling wasn't a problem at all.

"Hey, Takumi. Can I tell you what I just realized?"

It was the beginning of a new week. I was absentmindedly staring at a sight I had grown completely accustomed to in our classroom───a crowd of boys and girls gathered around Shinomiya-san───when Arata suddenly turned to me with a dead-serious expression.

"I'm sure it's something stupid, but I'll humor you. What did you realize?"

"Something stupid!? If you're gonna say that, maybe I just won't tell you!"

"Fine by me. I didn't need to know anyway."

"Why, dude!? Don't be so cold, just listen to me!!"

This is what happens when you turn down someone trying to act mysterious. What a pain in the ass to deal with first thing in the morning. I didn't mind him shouting, but I really wished he would stop grabbing my shoulders and shaking me.

"Okay! Okay, I'll listen, just calm down for a second!"

"Right!? You wanna hear it, don't you! Man, you should've just been honest from the start!"

As he laughed heartily and slapped my back with heavy hands, I felt an emotion that bordered on murderous intent. On top of amplifying his own obnoxiousness, the guy was needlessly strong, and his slaps actually hurt.

"To get straight to the point, what I noticed is───Shinomiya-san's smile!"

"...Come again?"

"Her smile, dude, her smile! Obviously, she was lovely and gorgeous before, too, right? But there was always something a little artificial about it, like she was acting."

"...Right?"

"But today's Shinomiya-san just hits different! If you asked me to put it into specific words, that'd be tough, but... how do I put it? She seems totally natural? It's like her saintly aura has intensified. Anyway, her charm has doubled!"

Should I praise him as a dedicated fan club member, or should I be severely creeped out by how closely he watches her? Either way, he was incredibly perceptive to pick up on such a minor change. As for me? Of course I had noticed. Though saying her charm had "doubled" was pushing it.

"I wonder what happened over the weekend? D-Don't tell me it's someone she likes... O-O-Or m-m-m-maybe she got a b-b-boyfriend...!?"

Arata's mouth broke down like a wind-up toy with a busted spring. I highly doubted how a slight loss of artificiality in her smile naturally led to that conclusion.

"Hey, Takumi, what do you think!? Do you think Shinomiya-san got a boyfriend!?"

"How did we even get to that topic...? More importantly, keep your voice down."

"When a girl goes through a sudden change, the market dictates that she's fallen in love! Listen to me, Takumi. This is an unprecedented crisis. If a report actually breaks that Shinomiya-san is dating someone, it'll be mass panic!"

It wasn't like she was some mega-hit idol bound by a no-dating clause. She was just a high school student; her getting a boyfriend wouldn't cause that kind of uproar. Probably. Most likely. Maybe.

"I need to relay this to the club members and launch an immediate investigation, or it'll be too late! Takumi, you gotta help───"

"You seem to be having a lot of fun this morning, Anno-kun."

"...Good morning, Shinomiya-san. It's just the same old boring morning as always, you know?"

Speak of the devil. As we were having our idiotic conversation, Shinomiya-san walked over, a soft, gentle smile gracing her lips.

"Is that so? For someone saying that, you seemed to be engaged in a rather amusing discussion. If I recall... something about whether I had gotten a boyfriend?"

Her face was smiling, but her eyes were completely dead. It was the most terrifying expression imaginable. Arata, who had been breathing heavily through his nose just a second ago, shot to his feet, straightened his back, and swore an oath.

"Good morning, Shinomiya-san! I swear to God, Anno and I weren't talking about anything vulgar! Please rest assured!"

"That is fine, then. However, please allow me to correct the record before any strange rumors spread. I do not have a boyfriend. Do we understand each other, Kuki-kun?"

"Y-Yes...! Understood! Thank you for going out of your way to answer, Princess!"

My best friend bowed deeply, revering the generosity of his liege for forgiving his insolence.

For the record, "Princess" was Shinomiya-san's official title within the Shinomiya Rinoa Fan Club. This was my first time hearing someone actually say it to her face in real life.

"I am glad you understand. It is wonderful that you two are such good friends, but morning homeroom is about to start. I believe you should return to your seat?"

"Yes, ma'aaam! I will do just that!!"

Without so much as a goodbye to his friend, Arata bolted for his desk like a frightened rabbit. I glared resentfully at his retreating back while simultaneously trying to figure out how to deal with my neighbor, who was currently radiating an ominous aura from every pore.

"Honestly. I was wondering what you two were talking so happily about first thing in the morning... Can't you have a slightly more meaningful conversation?"

"Let me just say one thing. I'm completely innocent in this matter. I didn't confirm or deny anything. Arata was just monologuing."

"If you had properly denied it by saying, 'I highly doubt that,' then you would have been found innocent. Saying nothing at all is unacceptable. You are thoroughly, undoubtedly guilty."

"You're being as unreasonable as ever."

Seeing me heave a heavy sigh, Shinomiya-san giggled. That bit about her saintly aura increasing was total bullshit. If you asked me, it was her bratty aura that had intensified.

Just as I was thinking about how mad she would be if she heard that, the smartphone in my breast pocket vibrated. It seemed I had received a message, and the sender was none other than Shinomiya-san herself. Wondering why she was going out of her way to text me, I checked the contents.

"Please come to the roof during lunch break without anyone noticing."

I'm a fairly inconspicuous guy, so I could sneak up to the roof easily enough. But wouldn't that be impossible for the wildly popular Shinomiya-san, who gets swarmed the second she walks down the hallway?

"You do not need to worry about me. I have formulated the perfect plan."

As if reading my mind, a second message arrived to dispel my concerns. Nothing in this world is truly perfect, and in fact, self-proclaimed "perfect" plans are universally full of holes.

"Got it. I'll sprint to the roof as soon as lunch break starts."

"There are no cardboard boxes for you to hide under, so please be very careful."

Almost exactly as that reply came in, the classroom door slid open and Miko-sensei marched in, more energetic than anyone else. I decided to spend my morning classes plotting a route to the roof where no one would spot me, like a certain special agent bearing the name of a snake.

＊＊＊＊＊

"You certainly took your time arriving, Anno-kun."

"I was actually trying to hurry..."

Lunch break rolled around. After much deliberation, I concluded that walking boldly would be less suspicious than sneaking around nervously. Ignoring Arata's invitation, I booked it to the roof in a dead sprint. There was no guarantee my premeditated plan would actually work, after all.

"You're just way too fast, Shinomiya-san. There's nobody else around, so how on earth did you get up to the roof without standing out?"

I scanned the area, but we were completely alone. It was so far removed from the hustle and bustle below that I half-wondered if she had erected a people-repelling barrier.

"Hehe. It is quite simple. Try to remember what our final class of the morning was."

"Huh? The last class of the morning was P.E., right? What about it?"

Forcing students to undergo grueling physical exercise on a gloomy Monday to kick off the week should be illegal. They say a sound mind dwells in a sound body, but they could have at least scheduled it for the middle of the week when mental fatigue starts setting in.

"During P.E., we are given time to change, which means class ends earlier than usual, correct? Taking advantage of that, I hurried to the locker room the exact second we were dismissed."

The rest went without saying. She finished changing before the bell rang, returned to the classroom, grabbed her bag with that same momentum, and headed straight for the roof. Why was Shinomiya-san going to such lengths just for a lunch break?

"Knowing you, you dense blockhead of an Anno-kun, you are probably wondering why I would go to such trouble."

"...I just find your actions so mysterious that it's actually scaring me, you know?"

Who's a dense blockhead? At least call me slow on the uptake.

"I suppose I will give you the answer as a special treat today. Behold───this right here!"

"Don't tell me that's───!?"

She pulled a rectangular box wrapped in a cute pink cloth from her bag. Could this be the stuff of legendary urban myths───?

"That's right! It is my handmade bento! I made it especially for you, Anno-kun, to thank you for everything you always do for me!"

With trembling hands, I timidly accepted the bundle. I hadn't been this nervous since the first time I attended a cosplay event with my camera. To think the day would come in my life when a girl would make me a bento.

"Thank you, Shinomiya-san. Wasn't it a lot of work making this in the morning?"

"It was incredibly difficult! ...Is what I would like to say, but I actually made most of it last night, so it was just the simple task of packing it today."

"Even so, it still took time and effort... Wait, did you reschedule our photoshoot just for this?"

"No, the rescheduling and the bento are unrelated. Some things just came up... But more importantly, let's eat! If we dawdle, lunch break will be over, you know?"

Prompted by her words, I checked the time. There was less than ten minutes before afternoon classes began. She was right; if we leisurely chatted at this pace, I'd have to fight through the second half of the day on an empty stomach. For a growing boy, that was a cruel fate.

"Well, unless you mean to say you don't want to eat the bento I so lovingly made to show my gratitude?"

"Uh, I never said a single word about not eating it?"

"Even after I worked so hard and woke up early to make it... You're so cruel, Anno-kun."

Shinomiya-san covered her face with both hands, doing a very obvious impression of weeping. Don't peek at me through the gaps in your fingers.

"If you don't stop messing around, we're actually going to run out of time."

"Mmm... Anno-kun, isn't your reaction a bit bland? Don't you have any intention of enjoying a conversation with me?"

"I'm enjoying myself plenty, though? If I wasn't, I wouldn't have bothered coming all the way up to the roof..."

If our secret meeting was discovered, it would be far beyond a simple nuisance. The reason I braved the danger to come here was, needless to say, because the time I spent with Shinomiya-san was comfortable. Well, the fact that "refusing" was never an option to begin with was also a major factor.

"Thank you very much. I like talking with you too, Anno-kun."

"...Much obliged."

The soft smile she gave me made me feel strangely embarrassed. To hide it, I shifted my gaze to the bento box, untied the string, and opened the lid.

Inside was the ultimate combo: fried chicken and tamagoyaki, the undisputed champions of boys' favorite side dishes. There was also kinpira gobo as a garnish. Indeed, if she hadn't prepped this the night before, it would have been a nightmare to make.

"Itadakimasu."

"Please, dig in."

With Shinomiya-san watching over me, I took my chopsticks. First up had to be the fried chicken. The soy sauce and ginger had thoroughly soaked in, and even though it was cold, it retained a crispy texture. This was an absolute rice-stealer.

"Um... is it to your liking?"

"............"

The tamagoyaki was fluffy, sweet and savory, and wouldn't have looked out of place if served at a high-end restaurant. The kinpira gobo was sliced thin, yet still had a satisfying crunch. The bold flavor made it the perfect side dish.

"U-Um... Please don't just stay silent, give me an answer. Is the seasoning okay? Is it genuinely delicious?"

Shinomiya-san asked, looking anxious. Crap, I was so absorbed in eating that I completely forgot to answer.

"It's perfect. Everything is so delicious it feels like a waste to eat it."

"Phew... I am so glad it suits your tastes, Anno-kun. You didn't say anything, so I started getting worried."

"Sorry, sorry! Part of it was how good it was, but it's also been so long since I've eaten someone's home cooking that I was kind of moved by it."

When was the last time I had eaten my mom's home cooking, busy as she always was with work? For that matter, we hadn't even had a meal together as a family in a year. It would be nice if she came home for the end of the year.

"Jeez, that's exaggerating a bit too much. If you'd like, I could make you a bento every day from now on? If you're okay with it, that is..."

"Hahaha. I'm happy to hear that, but I'll just accept the sentiment. I'd feel bad asking that of you, and more importantly, it's impossible for us to have secret meetings like this every day."

It only worked out today because P.E. happened to be right before lunch, but that wouldn't fly on a regular schedule. If anything, if people witnessed Shinomiya-san sprinting down the halls and dashing up the stairs, it would look 120% suspicious.

"It's true that continuing our secret meetings like this would be impossible. However, Anno-kun, are you aware that there is a way to solve this problem in one fell swoop?"

"Oh...? If there's such a revolutionary method, I would very much like to hear it."

It sounded about as plausible as successfully inventing a machine to stop global warming, or coming up with a way to eradicate conflict from the world.

"You're too naive, Anno-kun. There's no such thing as impossible, you know? In other words, we simply need to make it so our secret meetings aren't secret anymore."

"You're being unusually cryptic. If a secret meeting isn't a secret meeting anymore, then it's just a boy and a girl on good terms having lunch together, isn't it?"

"My, you're unusually perceptive today. Exactly. We simply need to announce that you and I are in a relationship!"

"I hate to interrupt when you're pitching this like a brilliant idea, but if we did that, there would be a fresh corpse rolling around this school building, you know?"

The day a lie like that spread, I would lose far more than my peace of mind—I'd lose my life. And it would be a gruesome, tragic death following a brutal torture session at the hands of the Shinomiya Rinoa Imperial Guard.

"It will be fine. I will properly protect you when the time comes. I'll say, 'Please do not do anything horrible to my precious Anno-kun!' How about that?"

"Don't give me 'How about that?'! Did you forget our conversation from this morning? Even Arata panicked over his own wild delusions. You only need to think for two seconds to figure out what would happen if those delusions became reality!"

"Mmm... I thought it was a brilliant idea... Is it really a no-go?"

"Of course it's a no-go! In the first place, Shinomiya-san, could you really date a guy you don't even like just for a lie?"

Setting aside the loss of my own life for a moment, the fatal flaw in this plan lay right there. Being friends was one thing, but skipping straight to a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship was way too massive of a leap.

The feelings you hold for an idolized figure are different from romantic love. It wasn't something to be treated so lightly. Sure, some people dated others on a "trial basis," but I, at least, couldn't do it.

"I proposed it because I thought I would be fine with it if it was you, Anno-kun... but you're right. Someone like me wouldn't be good enough, would I?"

Shinomiya-san slumped her shoulders, looking genuinely sad. It was such an unexpected reaction that my brain instantly crashed. I assumed this was her usual messing around, but was she actually being serious? My overheating brain frantically searched for words.

"Ah... no, it's not that you aren't good enough, Shinomiya-san! If anything, it'd be an honor. I'm the one who should be asking if I'm good enough..."

"............"

My defense fell on deaf ears as Shinomiya-san kept her head bowed. Moreover, her shoulders began to tremble slightly. Was she... crying? I had no idea what to say at a time like this.

"...P-Pfft."

"S-Shinomiya-san?"

While I was panicking over what to do, I suddenly heard a laugh. It was like a dam that had been holding back pressure to its absolute limit finally burst.

"Ahahaha! Jeez! I'm joking, it's a joke! Please don't take it so seriously."

"...Excuse me?"

"I just wanted to tease you a little bit, Anno-kun. Obviously making a bento every day would be a hassle, and I know perfectly well that telling lies just for that isn't a good thing."

Shinomiya-san slapped my shoulder repeatedly, laughing uproariously. It seemed───or rather, exactly as I should have expected───I had been made a plaything by this faux-saint once again.

"I really don't think you should toy with a man's innocent feelings, you know?"

"That is why I am feeling a tiny bit remorseful this time. I never expected you to get quite so flustered, Anno-kun. Does this mean I have a talent for acting?"

"Well, yeah... I think you do. An extraordinary talent for it."

It wasn't just limited to her fake crying just now; when Shinomiya-san fully immersed herself in a scenario and a role during our photoshoots, she was staggering. In those moments, I believed she even surpassed a top cosplayer like Yuzuha-san.

"Thank you very much. Having you say that gives me confidence, Anno-kun."

"That being said, make this the last time you pull a joke like this, alright? It's too bad for my heart."

"I cannot make any promises, but I will say that I will do my best to behave."

As she spoke, Shinomiya-san shot me a wink that practically sparkled with stars. She had a habit of thinking she could get away with anything as long as she acted cute, so I would have to give her a proper lecture eventually. Sadly, however, that time was not now.

"Talking with you really is fun, Anno-kun. May I ask to do it again tomorrow?"

"Are conversations with me on a reservation system or something? I don't mind, but let's at least try to be inconspicuous while we're at school, okay?"

Since we sit next to each other, not talking at all would actually be unnatural. But if we spoke loudly during breaks, that would attract the wrong kind of attention and potentially mark me for a purge by the Imperial Guard.

"And staying after school on purpose is a bit strange too. Ah, in that case───"

"You better not be about to say, 'Let's all meet up at Anno-kun's house after school!' or something."

"How did you know!? Did you read my mind!?"

Shinomiya-san's eyes widened in disbelief. I hit her with an exasperated, sigh-laced comeback: Of course I'd know.

"It is the perfect place to talk without worrying about who's listening. That said, I'm not going to tell you to come over whenever you please, either."

"Mmm... What exactly would earn your permission, then, Anno-kun?"

Shinomiya-san puffed out her cheeks and pouted. Truthfully, she was welcome anytime, but I was terrified that if she hung around every day, my body would become dependent on her. The fact that she was currently staring fixedly at me with such an impossibly cute pufferfish face was equally troublesome.

"Y-You come over when we have photoshoots, right? Isn't that enough?"

"But don't you think we need to deepen our friendship for the sake of those photoshoots!? Don't you!?"

Suddenly changing tactics, Shinomiya-san leaned in aggressively. This point-blank range, close enough that our noses might touch, was dangerous. To make matters worse, a certain soft, bountiful fruit was pressing against me, which was absolutely terrible for my rationality. The fact that I had seen part of the real deal in the flesh only made my imagination run wilder.

"If you'd like, why don't we do the shoot we missed yesterday, today? I brought my swimsuit specifically for that reason!"

"Why did you bring that to school!?"

Don't tell me this was her plan from the very beginning.

"Why, you ask? Because this time's scenario is 'After school, at the house of a male classmate she's interested in, she shows off the swimsuit she'll wear for tomorrow's swimming class...'! If we're shooting according to that situation, isn't it only natural to be prepared?"

I literally could not argue with that logic. To recreate that situation, a weekend, let alone early afternoon, wouldn't cut it. Modestly showing off a swimsuit while bathed in the sunset filtering through the window. That was exactly the kind of picture I was after.

"Or perhaps... you don't want to take my picture, Anno-kun? If that's the case, I could always tell everyone how you secretly photographed me───"

"I literally just said I wasn't against it! Let's go to my house after school and have a photoshoot! In fact, please let me take your picture, I'm begging you!"

"Hehe. You should have just been honest from the start. You really are a contrarian, Anno-kun. You should probably fix that, you know?"

"Hahaha! Sorry to disappoint! I've been praised as an honest, good boy on my report cards since I was little! You're the only one who calls me a contrarian, Shinomiya-san!"

I swear I wasn't acting like an elementary schooler who couldn't help but be mean to his crush. Shinomiya-san, who teased me at every possible turn, was the one at fault.

"Does that mean I was able to become your first, Anno-kun?"

"Why do I feel like there's a hidden meaning in the way you phrased that?"

"You took my first time, Anno-kun, so I suppose we're even..."

"Like I said, stop speaking in ways that only breed misunderstanding! And stop blushing! It makes it look too real!"

Anyone listening would definitely take it the wrong way. The fact that she was fidgeting with her cheeks dyed crimson, despite knowing full well we hadn't done anything of the sort, was making me embarrassed, too.

"You must take proper responsibility for making me like this, Anno-kun."

"...Just do whatever you want."

My defeated, shoulder-slumped mutter was drowned out by the chime signaling the end of lunch break.

＊＊＊＊＊

"Hey, Takumi. You free after this?"

All our classes had ended, and the dreaded hour had arrived. Students heading to club activities, students staying in the classroom to chat with friends. As everyone went about their business, Arata approached me with a solemn expression just as I was packing my bag.

"I thought about it a lot today, man... But I just can't stop worrying about Shinomiya-san."

Arata glanced at the desk next to mine. For the record, Shinomiya-san had scattered smiles around the room and exited the classroom the very second homeroom ended. She was likely already off school grounds. It goes without saying where she was headed.

"Is today the national holiday for making wildly misleading statements or something...?"

"D-D-Don't get the wrong idea! It's not like I'm in love with Shinomiya-san or want to confess to her or anything, okay!?"

I couldn't help but offer a wry smile at an excuse that would put classic tsundere heroines to shame. To think the day would come when I'd hear such a textbook line live from my own best friend's mouth.

"I know. It's about what we talked about this morning, right?"

"As expected of my best friend! Thanks for being so quick on the uptake!"

Arata slapped my shoulder, beaming from ear to ear. I really wished he would drop the habit of hitting people the second he got excited. My body wasn't a punching bag.

"I'm planning to gather the fan club and properly debate whether Shinomiya-san actually has a crush or a boyfriend. You're not a member, but since you sit next to her, I definitely want you to join!"

"Are you serious? The person in question explicitly denied it. What is there to even debate?"

"That's exactly why we need to debate it, man! Are you telling me you'd just swallow the excuse of an idol caught in a secret rendezvous by a tabloid when she says, 'He's just a friend'!? You wouldn't, right!?"

"Well, no... I guess not... But even so, considering Shinomiya-san denied it, don't you think prying into it unnecessarily is a bad idea?"

Everyone has a secret or two they want to keep hidden. In my case, acting as a photographer fell under that category. What Arata and the others were trying to do was essentially expose Shinomiya-san's private life. It wasn't a pleasant thought.

"I think sometimes, the role of a fan is just to quietly watch over them."

"I-I guess you have a point, but man... I'm still curious───Wait, where are you going, Takumi!"

Having finished packing, I stood up, slung my bag over my shoulder, and tried to leave the classroom, only for Arata to frantically grab my shoulder.

"Sorry, Arata. I have errands today. Let me know what conclusion you guys come to tomorrow."

"Wha───Hold on, Takumi! The meeting can't start without you!"

With a quick "See ya," I shook him off and left the room. I could hear my best friend's tragic cries echoing behind me, but I ignored them completely. Honestly, if the absence of a single participant jeopardized the entire meeting, they should just cancel it.

"Sigh... The Shinomiya Rinoa Fan Club is terrifying. Don't tell me they'd actually go as far as tailing her?"

I let out a heavy sigh as I walked out of the school building. I didn't want to suspect my classmates, but considering they were already planning to pry into her private life, it wouldn't be surprising if some guy crossed the line into borderline criminal territory.

Of course, if they actually did something like that, expulsion would be the least of their worries. But Shinomiya-san possessed a level of charm that made people desperate enough to want to know anyway.

"...I need to be careful, too."

Right now, I was flying completely under the radar simply categorized as "the boy who sits next to her," but one slip-up in this environment meant instant death. I had to tread carefully.

With these thoughts in mind, I began my commute. It was about thirty minutes by train from the school to my house. Neither too far nor too close, but not having to transfer was a nice subtle perk.

"Where are you right now, Anno-kun? I've already arrived at the station!"

As I was aimlessly swaying on the train, a message from Shinomiya-san popped up on my phone. It goes without saying where she had arrived—it was the exact location I was currently heading to.

"I'll be there in about ten minutes, so wait for me."

"Understood. Please hurry up, alright?"

After school. We were executing our hastily rescheduled second photoshoot. The main issue here was the exact same one we faced with our secret roof meetings: how to arrive without anyone noticing.

"Why don't we just walk home together?" she had whispered to me during class. I nearly let out a weird yelp that would have blown our cover on the spot.

After some written correspondence, we settled on the simple plan of leaving school separately and meeting up at the station closest to my house. Or rather, it was more accurate to say there was no other option.

The moment I arrived at the station and passed through the ticket gates, Shinomiya-san was already waiting for me, approaching with puffed-out cheeks for some reason.

"You're late, Anno-kun. Didn't I tell you to take the train right after mine? What in the world were you doing!?"

"I told you I was on cleaning duty this week, so I'd be leaving school late, didn't I? Plus, I hurried as fast as I could."

As Shinomiya-san interrogated me right off the bat, I laid out my excuses while mentally begging for mercy. Furthermore, if she had any complaints, she should direct them at Arata, who had stopped me when I was trying to leave. If it weren't for him, I could have caught a train two departures earlier.

"I suppose it would have been better if I had helped you clean and we came together. Waiting for you by myself was quite the ordeal, you know?"

"An ordeal? What the heck do you mean───Wait, don't tell me!?"

Had my exact fears already come to pass? Alarms blared in my head as I frantically scanned our surroundings, on high alert.

"What is the matter, Anno-kun? You suddenly started looking around frantically... Did you see a ghost or something?"

"Depending on how you look at it, it might as well have been a ghost. More importantly, can you tell me what the 'ordeal' was?"

"Ah... By ordeal, I meant that killing time for the hour we were apart until we met up was very difficult."

"...Oh, is that all."

She made it sound like an absolute crisis, so I was panicking thinking a stalker had shown up. It turned out she just didn't have any way to kill time. Talk about an anticlimax.

"What is with that reaction? Put yourself in the shoes of the person left waiting! Just standing around blankly is agonizing, you know!?"

"Yes, yes, I am terribly sorry about that. I'm an idiot for actually getting worried thinking something had happened to you."

Please don't scare me like that. If something had actually happened to her, I would have forever regretted letting her go alone.

"I see... So you imagined something untoward, Anno-kun? Did you perhaps think something straight out of an erotic book had happened to me?"

"Alright, let's cut the idle chatter here and head to my house. If we dawdle, it'll be night before we know it!"

"What kind of things did you imagine, Anno-kun? I would like to use it for future reference, so please, do tell!"

Her eyes were practically sparkling for no good reason as she tugged on my sleeve. I consciously ignored her and started walking toward my house. What exactly did she plan on "referencing" from my delusions?

"Why are you ignoring me? Did you imagine something so dirty that you can't even look me in the eye? You really are a closet pervert, Anno-kun!"

"Can you shut your mouth for a second!? What kind of guy do you think I am! I'd never imagine something like that happening to my classmate!"

"Ehh... You've taken so many photos of me in compromising positions, yet you don't think about me at all? Does that mean I lack appeal? If that's the case, I'll lose all confidence as a woman."

Shinomiya-san drooped her shoulders, looking utterly deflated. The sheer rollercoaster-like whiplash of her moods was giving me a headache.

"You're fine. You're more than appealing enough, Shinomiya-san. Please don't make me spell it out for you."

My face felt hot. Saying it out loud was actually pretty embarrassing. I couldn't look her in the eye. I picked up my pace so she wouldn't notice.

"Hehe... Thank you very much. Well then, I will do my absolute best to ensure we take some incredible photos later!"

Shinomiya-san, who had trotted ahead of me, spun around and flashed me an incredible smile. I'm a massive idiot. Why wasn't my phone already in my hand? Lamenting the fact that I couldn't capture this moment for eternity, I desperately etched the image into my brain so I would never forget it.

"Anno-kun? You're staring off into space. What's wrong?"

While I was completely captivated, Shinomiya-san quickly closed the distance and peered up into my face from below. The destructive power of those upturned eyes made my heart rate spike.

"N-Nothing! Come on, let's hurry up and go!"

"Ah! Were you perhaps captivated by my smile? Are you blushing? Are you!?"

With a total brat-tier move, Shinomiya-san completely ruined the emotional moment, flipping the table on my sentiments. If we kept making a scene in the middle of the street, we'd bother the neighbors and end up becoming the subject of rumors, so I broke into a full sprint to escape.

"Hey! Don't leave me behind!"

"Anno-kun, you meanie!" Shinomiya-san wailed with a half-smile as I happily made my way home, listening to her voice at my back.

＊＊＊＊＊

"Alright, Shinomiya-san. Before you change, let's review today's shoot."

With this being her third visit, the tension was gone, and we took a breather in the living room to conduct our final pre-shoot meeting.

"Today's situation is, 'After school, at the house of a male classmate she's interested in, she shows off the swimsuit she'll wear for tomorrow's swimming class...' right?"

"Yes. She is wearing the swimsuit under her uniform, so the image is of her taking off her clothes to make the boy's heart race."

"We'll use my room again for the location. After taking photos of you shedding the uniform and showing off the competitive swimsuit, what should we do?"

"Let me see... How about borrowing the bathroom so I can take a shower? It might be nice to bring out the texture of the material, right?"

Not a bad idea. After all, the swimsuit Shinomiya-san brought today was the prototype Manager had given her. It made sense to use the shower to see how it looked when wet while being worn. Although, being a prototype, I was a bit worried about how transparent it might become.

"Besides, taking a bath in a swimsuit has a sort of immoral, faintly erotic vibe to it, don't you think? Something is bound to happen!"

"You aren't a hormonal teenage boy, so please don't start panting over your own delusions. If you say things like that, I won't be able to agree to it even if I want to."

For someone who claimed to want to see a side of herself she didn't know, her thoughts definitely leaned heavily in that direction. But then again, in the sense of exposing her true self, it also felt somewhat logical. As the person accompanying her on this journey, I was in a bit of a bind.

"Well, jokes aside. Once we're done shooting in the room, let's take some photos of you taking a shower. Do you have any other requests?"

"Let's see... If I take my clothes off, I have to put them back on, so how about we take pictures of me changing? The idea is that you're secretly photographing me through a crack in the door."

"...Are you being serious right now?"

"I wouldn't suggest it if I wasn't. Aren't you getting the urge to take secret photos yourself, Anno-kun?"

Shinomiya-san flashed a wicked grin. Taken out of context, that last sentence alone could cause a massive misunderstanding and paint me as a guy with some seriously messed-up fetishes, so I really wished she'd stop.

"I don't particularly like taking secret photos, you know?"

"Oh, really?"

Shinomiya-san leveled a look of pure skepticism at me, practically screaming, I don't believe you. To have a fetish slapped on me just because I made a mistake one single time was deeply offensive.

"Really! That was genuinely a coincidence, an accident, a momentary lapse in judgment!"

"Jeez, you really are a contrarian, Anno-kun. If you ever feel like taking secret photos of me, you can sneak them whenever you want, alright?"

"I don't think you can even call it a 'secret' photo at that point. But whatever. Next up, based on our reflections from last time... Do you remember what we're supposed to be careful of?"

"Um... What was it again?"

Shinomiya-san tilted her head blankly, immediately filling me with dread. She had held the seat of top student in our grade from enrollment until now; how could a brain like that forget something we discussed so recently?

"Please tell me what I should be careful of, Anno-kun."

"Sigh... I mean, we need to make sure we don't get swept up in the heat of the moment like last time."

"My, my? Did something like that happen?"

My head hurt. She knew exactly what she was doing. If she knew, I wanted her to say it herself.

"Hehe, I am joking. I know. I shouldn't strip off everything right away, but gradually expose what is underneath, correct?"

"...Correct."

Last time, I had let myself get swept away by Shinomiya-san's momentum and the flow of the situation. As a result, we got great pictures, but the photoshoot escalated way beyond what I had anticipated.

"Even though you're wearing a swimsuit underneath this time, I want you to be mindful of taking your clothes off teasingly. I think that will make the boy in the scenario's heart race even more."

"I see. So what you're saying is that you like being teased, Anno-kun? Hehe. I'll have you know, I also absolutely love teasing you and watching you writhe in agony!"

"That's not what we're talking about! Also, for the record, there isn't a man in this world who hates the scenario of a girl taking off her clothes on the spot to show him the swimsuit she's wearing underneath!"

And I will accept no objections. Especially when the partner is a peerless beauty like Shinomiya-san, whom everyone admires. Honestly, if this weren't a photoshoot, I was confident my rationality would be blown away before I could even blink.

"Then I shall share a very special piece of information with you, Anno-kun. Actually... today will be my first time revealing myself in a swimsuit since becoming a high school student."

"Wait, really?"

I wondered if she had gone to the pool or the beach with anyone last summer, but then I remembered her saying she didn't have any trustworthy friends. Incidentally, our high school didn't have swimming classes, so no one existed who had been blessed with the sight of Shinomiya-san in a school swimsuit.

As if reading my thoughts, Shinomiya-san leaned over the table, bringing her face close to mine.

"You are the only one who gets to see me in a swimsuit, Anno-kun."

"It's a special privilege," she whispered, a faint trace of embarrassment topping off the sweetness of her tone. Thump. My heart gave a massive leap.

"Hehe. Well then, I will go to the bathroom to change. Please get the camera ready, Anno-kun!"

"Ah, yeah... Got it."

"I will leave the door slightly open, but you absolutely cannot peek, understand? Promise me you won't peek?"

"You don't need to lay the groundwork for a comedy routine, just go change!"

Telling someone "Don't push, don't push" didn't actually mean "push" in real life, unlike a comedy sketch. It would be a lie to say I didn't want to see or take pictures, but knowing that acting on it meant my total destruction, there was no way I'd do it. I let out a deep sigh as I watched Shinomiya-san skip toward the bathroom, giggling playfully.

"Sigh... I guess I should get ready too."

Since we'd be using the sunset filtering through the window as a backdrop, we'd be shooting against the light this time. I would make minor adjustments while shooting, but I needed to set the baseline configurations.

When I first started out with the hand-me-down camera my dad gave me, I struggled with the technical jargon. The f-stop that controls light intake and bokeh, the focal length of the lens, the shooting distance to the subject, the depth of field determined by all those elements combined, etc...

At first, it was all Greek to me, but the fact that I've managed to get this far is all thanks to my dad teaching me the ropes, and my mom happily letting me practice on her. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have become Yuzuha-san's exclusive photographer, nor would I be in a relationship where I held private photoshoots with Shinomiya-san in my house.

"I'll have to thank them properly when they come home... No, wait, should I apologize first for bringing a female classmate over while they're gone?"

We weren't engaging in any illicit sexual acts, nor was I letting her into my parents' bedroom, so I'd like to believe they wouldn't get angry.

"Maybe I'll give them a call sometime. I'd like to hear their voices, and I'm curious what they're up to."

I don't consider myself a lonely person, but it's a fact that living alone in a needlessly large house can take a mental toll sometimes. I had seriously considered getting a pet, but gave up on the idea knowing I didn't have the confidence to care for it alone, not to mention the expenses. That memory was still fresh. That was exactly why the time I spent at home with Shinomiya-san was noisy, but so comfortable───

"...This is bad. In so many ways, really..."

"What is so bad, Anno-kun?"

I was fiddling with the camera settings, lost in thought, when someone suddenly spoke to me from behind. I whipped around in a panic, only to find Shinomiya-san standing there with a smile. And for some reason, she was wearing a long hoodie instead of her uniform. She wasn't wearing a skirt, and if I hadn't known she was wearing a swimsuit underneath, my brain would have boiled over.

"U-Um, Shinomiya-san? Where did you get those clothes?"

"These? I brought them from home along with the swimsuit, of course. Why do you ask?"

"You actually brought casual clothes too!? Actually, how did you even fit all that in your school bag..."

"Do you not know, Anno-kun? There is a very convenient invention in this world called a vacuum seal bag."

If she had prepared something like that to bring to school, it meant she fully intended to do the shoot today from the very beginning. She could have just told me beforehand. Though, knowing Shinomiya-san, she probably kept quiet precisely because she wanted to surprise me.

"Regardless of that, Anno-kun. You were spacing out with your camera in hand, but what were you thinking about?"

"H-Huh!? I-I wasn't thinking about anything shady, I'll have you know!?"

The sudden change in topic caused a completely unhinged, squeaky voice to leap from my throat.

"I didn't say you were. Were you perhaps fantasizing about me changing? You really are a closet pervert, Anno-kun. If you were going to imagine it, you should have just come to the bathroom."

Shinomiya-san chuckled, actively provoking me. If I was a closet pervert, then Shinomiya-san was a straight-up exhibitionist. If you wanted me to watch you change that badly, maybe I really will go peek, I raged internally.

"You really are so much fun to tease, Anno-kun. If we stay together like this, I feel like I'll become a master teaser."

"Considering we sit next to each other, that's just perfect... Not!"

My reflexive tendency to play the straight man to her jokes was definitely part of the reason I kept getting played with, but I couldn't stop because, truthfully, I didn't mind it all that much.

"Hehe. You look like you're about to get seriously mad, so I'll stop teasing you now. If your parents happen to return, please let me know, alright? I want to greet them properly."

"You don't need to worry about that... wait a minute. Why are my parents suddenly being brought up?"

"Because I heard you mutter, 'I'd like to hear their voices soon,' of course. Ah, if you are about to get scolded for holding a secret photoshoot with me, please tell me! I will explain the situation to them!"

I really wanted to grill her on exactly where she had been eavesdropping on my soliloquy from, but I shelved it for the moment. "How exactly do you intend to explain this to my parents!?"

"I plan to tell them the unvarnished truth. For instance... 'Anno-kun took pictures of me in a very lewd state, but please rest assured, we did not do anything untoward!' perhaps?"

The fact that it wasn't a total lie was what made it so incredibly frustrating. It was like hiding a tree in a forest—masterfully blending lies into the truth. The purely misleading explanation gave me vertigo.

"Got it. I absolutely will not tell you if they come home, nor will I introduce you. I'm not inviting you over again until they leave for work."

"Please don't be so cruel! What are we supposed to do about our photoshoots until then!?"

"...We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

Assuming our relationship lasts that long, we can figure it out then, I almost said, but swallowed the words at the last second. I hope things stay like this forever, I couldn't say, not even if my mouth were torn open.

"This conversation is over! We're behind schedule, so let's start shooting!"

We had spent too much time chatting, and the clock had already passed 5:00 PM. If we didn't hurry, the sun would set, and we wouldn't be able to shoot the scenario as planned.

"It's a shame, but I suppose we should. If I teased you so much we had to reschedule again, that would be a disaster."

"We're dangerously close to that as is..."

With a sigh, I followed Shinomiya-san, who was humming a tune as she headed for my room. I really wished she would bring just a fraction of her modest, demure school persona into my home, but then again, having her innocently hyper and cute self all to myself made it an even trade.

"We are in your room, but where should I stand first?"

"Let's see... could you stand in front of the desk for me?"

Even though the swimsuit was the main event, we'd start with a shot of her showing off the hoodie to the boy. It was the running start before the jump.

What was needed here was the girl's innocent smile. Shinomiya-san struck poses happily, almost like a fashion show. I proceeded to shoot her from various angles: front, side, and back.

"Yeah. Perfect. Next, could you sit on the edge of the bed?"

"Understood," she replied with a smile, before dropping onto the bed with a soft poof.

From here, we'd capture the moment she's looking for the right timing to reveal the swimsuit to the boy—the master of the room. The concept was that at first, she playfully provokes the boy who keeps glancing at her, but as he fails to make a move, she grows increasingly frustrated and finally resorts to the use of force.

When I conveyed this to Shinomiya-san, she gave a firm nod with a smile and immediately struck a pose.

Spreading her legs slightly inward, she casually wedged both hands between her thighs and flashed a sweet smile. The tension had left her shoulders, so both her posture and expression felt incredibly natural.

"Three, two, one..."

Click. The shutter clicked. I changed angles and took a few more shots. If the silence dragged on too long, Shinomiya-san was liable to go out of control, so I spoke up.

"Next, could you get completely on the bed and sit with your knees pulled up?"

"Understood. Like this?"

Because she leaned her upper body back slightly, the hem of the hoodie rode up, offering a tantalizing glimpse of the competitive swimsuit's bikini line through the gap in her legs. Slowly but surely, a flush began to creep across her cheeks.

"How is a pose like this?"

Before I could even give a cue, Shinomiya-san voluntarily leaned back on her hands and spread her legs wide, striking a classic 'M-leg spread'.

"I saw this in a picture once... What do you think?"

"Y-Yeah! It's really good!"

The surprise change in pose had given me a much clearer view of her V-line than before, and the shock caused my voice to crack. Fighting the overwhelming urge to gulp down my saliva with sheer willpower, I pressed the shutter.

"...How about this?"

She rested her back against the wall, brought her legs together, and slowly lifted them. This accentuated the way the swimsuit dug into her secret areas, making the pose even more provocative precisely because she was still wearing clothes over it.

Shinomiya-san's switch had been completely flipped. I probably should have warned her, but at this point, nothing I said would reach her ears. Instead, I decided to flip my own emotional switch off and become a mindless machine that simply issued directions and clicked the shutter.

"Alright. Let's put your legs down for now and move on to shooting the swimsuit. First..."

"I know..."

Replying with a feverish voice as she returned her legs to the 'M' position, Shinomiya-san shyly averted her eyes from the camera, gripped the hem of the hoodie, and slowly began to pull it up.

"Stop right there. Can you give me some eye contact?"

"...Mnn. Understood."

I signaled her to stop just before the hoodie reached her chest.

A girl slowly stripping off her clothes to monopolize the gaze of a boy she likes, her face melting into a potent cocktail of excitement and embarrassment from being stared at so intensely.

"That's a fantastic expression, Shinomiya-san."

"R-Really?"

"You're terrifyingly appealing."

If we didn't have a contract, and if I wasn't staring at her through a viewfinder, I might have just surrendered to the sweet atmosphere and pushed her down. But the real show started now.

"Shinomiya-san, let's move on. Could you stand up for me?"

"Y-Yes..."

Taking Shinomiya-san's hand as she sluggishly rose to her feet, I twirled her around so her back was facing me, then stepped back while raising my camera. Perhaps sensing my intent, she stopped lifting the hoodie just as it cleared her waist.

"Perfect, Shinomiya-san."

Shinomiya-san's bewitching peach-like rear, which I hadn't been able to immortalize during our last shoot, was fully exposed. It possessed a completely different, intoxicating magic compared to the two massive fruits on her chest, and I unconsciously zoomed in to capture it.

"Hey, Takumi. Are you a breast man or an ass man? Tell me!"

I could almost hear Arata's voice in my head, but looking at Shinomiya-san, choosing was impossible. I wanted to bite into both equally.

"I want to shoot from the front, so could you turn around? Then, lift the hoodie just a little bit───Yeah, that's good."

Telepathy. With her left hand, she pulled up the center of the hem, exposing just the V-line with pinpoint accuracy, while resting her right hand near her private area.

Before I could even verbalize the shot I wanted, Shinomiya-san was already bringing it to life. A seasoned pro like Yuzuha-san was one thing, but to be able to do this on only her second shoot? I could feel my own excitement spiking.

"H-How is it, Anno-kun?"

Shinomiya-san asked in a trembling voice, her face bright red. Crap, I was so absorbed in shooting that I forgot to talk to her.

"We're getting some incredible pictures. Alright, let's take it off."

"U-Understood..."

Replying in a tiny voice, Shinomiya-san crossed her arms and slowly lifted the hoodie. This time, I had her stop at her chest and clicked the shutter while altering angles from the front and sides. Finally, she forcefully threw it off───

"............"

The moment I laid eyes on Shinomiya-san clad in the competitive swimsuit, I lost all vocabulary. At the same time, I internally raged at the shop manager for handing over something so absurd while simultaneously offering him my infinite gratitude.

The prototype competitive swimsuit Manager had given her was white. It was a sleeveless design, made from premium fabric with a subtle sheen and just the right amount of transparency.

It featured a zipper running from the collar down the torso. The material clung tightly to her body, tightening her silhouette and actively enhancing Shinomiya-san's already peerless beauty.

The back was clean and stylish, highlighting her waist and the hip line that had captivated me moments ago, rocketing its sex appeal into the stratosphere.

But the most striking feature of this swimsuit was undoubtedly the bold cut of the chest. It looked like a gemstone given a princess cut, an alteration that elevated the allure of Shinomiya-san's twin peaks by several magnitudes.

If the zipper were lowered even a fraction, those bountiful curves looked ready to spill out completely. Swallowing hard at the urge to capture that miraculous moment, I continued to shoot in a trance.

Just as my excitement was peaking, Shinomiya-san was equally high, instinctively firing off poses she wanted captured one after another without me needing to direct her. It was hard to believe this was only her second shoot.

"Umm... Could you come a little closer?"

Shinomiya-san requested in a feverish tone. I gave a firm nod and stepped closer, one step, then two, keeping the camera raised. In sync with my movements, she hooked her fingers onto the chest zipper, showing it off to me.

"You want to see, don't you?"

The metallic zzzt of the zipper echoed loudly in the quiet room. As it was slowly lowered, Shinomiya-san's twin peaks, finally freed from their long imprisonment, bounced with a tayun, as if trembling in joy.

"I'll let you see from even closer."

With that, she dropped to all fours and crawled toward me. The LCD monitor was filled with a close-up of her plump, cherry-blossom pink lips and her cleavage, squeezed together by both hands to emphasize its size and softness. Simply framing the shot from her eyes down exponentially multiplied the sheer obscenity of it.

"What if... I did this?"

Sitting up, she raised one knee while spreading her legs, sliding her hands apart to peel back the chest of the swimsuit. This exposed even more of her bewitching fruits, to the point where the cherries resting atop those hills were practically visible.

"............"

Her eyes were moist, and a glossy, seductive smile was carved onto her lips. The girl before me was a succubus—a creature that stole a man's reason, drained him of his life force to the very root, and led him to his death while embracing him in heavenly bliss.

"It seems you still haven't had enough. In that case..."

Smiling bewitchingly, Shinomiya-san reached for her nether regions. Sticking her tongue out playfully, she gently lifted the fabric of the swimsuit, inviting me toward the secret place dripping with sweet honey.

What the hell are you thinking!? screamed my rational mind, demanding I stop her. Meanwhile, my instincts roared at me to instantly photograph this unprecedented invitation to a treasure vault no one had ever touched. The fierce internal battle ended with a decisive victory for my instincts.

With an empty mind, I photographed my classmate from every conceivable angle.

"Phew... Alright. Great work, Shinomiya-san. Let's wrap up the shoot in the room here, take a break, and then move to the bathroom."

Exhaling deeply to expel the magma-like heat boiling inside my body, I set the camera down.

"Yes... Thank you for your hard work."

Shinomiya-san's cheeks were still flushed, but her expression was brimming with satisfaction. Perhaps she had awoken to a side of herself even she hadn't known existed. She looked so fulfilled, an expression I had never seen on her before, that I impulsively hit the shutter button.

"Did you just take a picture?"

"Sorry, sorry. You just looked so captivating I couldn't help it."

Apologizing, I draped a large bath towel I had prepared over Shinomiya-san's shoulders. Even indoors, staying in a damp swimsuit was a surefire way to catch a cold.

"Hehe. You are so well-prepared and kind, Anno-kun."

"It's the least I can do. What do you want to do for our break? Rest in the living room? I can get you something to drink if you want?"

"Thank you for your concern. But I am perfectly fine. I am actually feeling incredibly good right now, so if you are okay with it, Anno-kun, why don't we head straight into the bathroom shoot?"

"...Alright, then."

Holding various poses consecutively makes a photoshoot as much a test of stamina as anything else. Proper rest is essential, but the model's emotional momentum is equally important. If she was feeling it, riding that wave and finishing the shoot in one go was a valid strategy. I could always call it off if she started looking tired.

We arrived in the bathroom. While I was adjusting the camera settings and figuring out how to start, Shinomiya-san handed me her bath towel and picked up the showerhead. She turned the faucet, letting the water run into the tub to adjust the temperature.

"Yep, the temperature is perfect."

She smiled, looking back at me. The peerless beauty who usually sat next to me in class was currently standing in my bathroom in a competitive swimsuit, about to start something. It was an utterly surreal sight. I decided to start shooting right then and there.

"Come to think of it, you are the first boy I've ever shown myself taking a shower to, Anno-kun."

"That's... well, I would assume so."

Even in a romantic relationship, there aren't many opportunities to show someone you're showering. Moreover, showing it off to a mere classmate—competitive swimsuit or not—would normally be considered insane.

"At this rate, it seems you'll be taking all sorts of my firsts, Anno-kun."

"The phrasing! Please refrain from making wildly misleading statements!"

"My, what sort of things were you imagining, Anno-kun? I'd love for you to tell me, but the photoshoot comes first."

Her teasing smile vanished in an instant. Shinomiya-san brought the showerhead to her chest and let the water flow. The familiar shhhh of running water was a sound I heard every day, but right now, the one bathing in it was an unparalleled beauty.

With her free arm wrapped under her armpits, her breasts were naturally pushed together and lifted, the softness conveying perfectly even through the swimsuit.

A clear stream of water cascaded into the world's most magnificent valley, exposed like a precisely cut jewel. The glossy enamel fabric, now soaked, began to turn faintly translucent.

"Can you sit on the edge of the tub while keeping the shower running?"

"Yes, I'll try."

Fortunately, Shinomiya-san still retained her composure, and her voice was steady as she replied. Her posing, however, was incredibly suggestive.

Leaning her back against the wall, she perched on the corner of the tub. She bent her right leg inward and stretched her left leg along the rim, dangling it into the empty basin. Finally, she let her right arm hang lazily between her legs, like a final fortress guarding a great treasure.

"Yeah, perfect."

Water trickled down her stomach, forming droplets at her groin that fell steadily. The water pooled and eventually cascaded over the edge of the tub. It was a completely mundane, everyday phenomenon, yet I was able to capture frame after frame of images that utterly devastated my rationality.

And whether she naturally looked like this or not, Shinomiya-san's expression under the shower had organically melted into a deeply sultry look.

"Anno-kun, is it alright if I get inside the tub?"

"Of course, go ahead."

Turning off the shower, Shinomiya-san stepped into the empty bathtub. I felt a pang of regret that I hadn't filled it with water, but I was also excited to see what kind of poses she would offer next.

"I'd love to do a bubble bath photoshoot someday."

She murmured innocently as she sprawled out in the tub. I understood the sentiment perfectly. I could easily picture myself writhing in agony over the sheer cuteness of Shinomiya-san playfully frolicking with bubbles.

"If we did that, I wouldn't have to wear a swimsuit, right?"

Dropping a nuclear bombshell of a statement, Shinomiya-san clamped the showerhead firmly between her cleavage and flashed a bewitching smile. If her fan club saw this, they would either drop dead on the spot or shriek in adoration, wishing they could be reincarnated as a showerhead.

"Or perhaps... instead of taking pictures, would you perhaps like to join me, Anno-kun?"

"...Excuse me?"

The sudden proposal brought my shutter finger to a dead halt, and I looked directly at Shinomiya-san's face. True to form, she looked at me with the gaze of a predator toying with its prey, licking her lips as she spoke.

"I asked if you would like to take a bath with me. Did you not hear me?"

"I heard you perfectly well, which was exactly why I reacted like that!?"

I accidentally yelled my retort. Bathing together was something only cohabitating couples or newlyweds did; the idea of Shinomiya-san and I—two people bound only by a contract—taking a mixed bath was absolutely out of the question. Just thinking about it made my brain boil.

Not wanting her to notice my heart hammering like it was going to explode, I turned my back to her. But as if mocking me, Shinomiya-san pressed her body firmly against my back. The bountiful sensation transferred vividly through my clothes. And then───

"If you join me now, I will wash every inch of your body for you. It comes with full-contact service."

She whispered directly into my ear, her breath so hot it felt like it could burn me, melting my mind with its sweetness. It was a miracle I didn't scream, considering how hard my heart leaped into my throat.

"If you prefer, I could even wear the junior high school swimsuit you vetoed instead of this competition one to service you?"

"D-Don't call it service..."

"I'll cover myself in thoroughly lathered body soap and rub myself all over you to wash you. And when that's done, of course, the front..."

Demonstrating her words, Shinomiya-san slid her body up and down against my back, reaching her hands around to my chest. It was a back-hug that allowed me to feel her with all five senses. I started feeling dizzy, losing track of whether I was standing or falling.

"Ah, or perhaps... being the closet pervert you are, Anno-kun... would you prefer the raw sensation of me wearing absolutely nothing?"

Close your eyes. Don't think. Don't imagine. Shut down your brain. Let the information coming into your right ear exit cleanly out of your left.

"By the way, Anno-kun. Could I borrow your phone for a second?"

"M-My phone? It should be in my back pocket..."

Before I could finish, Shinomiya-san groped my back pocket. She was like a thief plundering treasure.

"It has a passcode... ah, but it uses Face ID. Anno-kun, could you lift your head for a second?"

Shinomiya-san thrust the phone in front of my face. I knew exactly what she was trying to do, but I was powerless to stop it, and the phone unlocked instantly. With quick, practiced fingers, she rested her head on my shoulder and brought the phone back in front of my face. And then───

"Say cheese!"

Flash. By the time I realized she had taken a two-shot selfie of us, Shinomiya-san was already pulling away, giggling.

"Hehe. Your blank, melted expression is incredibly cute, Anno-kun. I feel like I could use this for all sorts of things."

"I'm not even going to ask what you mean by 'things', so delete that picture right now!"

"Fine. I will delete it from your phone. Although, I have already sent it to mine, so it is too late."

"Where is your phone!?"

If it hadn't saved yet, I could still fix this. I could just drop it in water and fry the data completely.

"My phone is resting on top of the washing machine. However..."

Hearing that, I bolted out of the bathroom and checked the top of the washing machine in the changing area, but all I found was the bath towel she had draped over her shoulders before the shoot. Lifting it revealed her neatly folded school uniform.

"You won't be able to get it without moving the underwear resting beneath my uniform, though."

"Wh-a... t?"

"Go right ahead, Anno-kun. Please pay me no mind and retrieve your phone."

Touching Shinomiya-san's uniform—the clothes she wore to school every day—was already a taboo. Laying hands on her underwear was a feat utterly impossible for me to perform.

"By the way, the underwear I wore today is my absolute favorite from my collection... What would you do if I told you it was my special occasion lingerie?"

"!?!?"

A voiceless scream escaped me. In other words, it was different from the set I had seen during our first shoot. That red underwear had been incredibly cute, so if this was supposedly even better, what on earth did it look like? It was impossible not to be curious.

"...Ugh. You little devil!"

But sadly, the only thing I could offer was the parting shot of a loser turning tail and fleeing in disgrace. If I actually touched it, she would absolutely record the decisive moment on my own phone to use as fresh blackmail material. I had to avoid that at all costs.

"That picture... don't you dare show it to anyone, got it?"

"Of course I won't. At most, I'll make it my lock screen."

"Please don't. Just keep it in your gallery to look at at home."

It was better than her home screen, but if she set it as her lock screen, someone might catch a glimpse of it by accident. If that happened, I was finished.

"I'm joking. I won't show it to anyone or brag about it. This is my own special, precious treasure."

"Calling it a treasure is a massive exaggeration..."

I was about to tell her she surely had more important things to cherish, but seeing Shinomiya-san clutch the phone to her chest with such a joyful smile, the words died in my throat.

"Setting that aside, Anno-kun. I would like to change clothes now... is that alright?"

"Huh? Ah, of course! You're soaking wet, if you stay in that swimsuit forever you'll catch a cold!"

Shinomiya-san let out a cute little sneeze. I hastily shoved the bath towel into her hands and turned my back to exit the changing room.

"Ah! If you'd like, we could take pictures of me right after I take the swimsuit off? This large bath towel can cover my whole body, what do you think?"

"I am not taking pictures! Stop saying stupid things and hurry up and change!"

I wanted to take those pictures more than anything, but having no idea what stunt she'd pull next, I opted to run away like a frightened rabbit.

From behind me, I could hear Shinomiya-san pouting, complaining, "Anno-kun, you meanie," with her lips pushed out, but I ignored her with every fiber of my being.

Thus, our second photoshoot came to an end. Though, a whole other ordeal occurred regarding the ice cream I had prepared to reward Shinomiya-san for her hard work after she got out of the bath, making it chaotic to the bitter end.