Barred Doors and Sudden Downpour
Of all times, with the rain pouring down, tracking down a total stranger from my childhood—knowing only his face and name—was no easy feat. Even figuring out where to start felt utterly daunting. But once I've set my mind to something, giving up without even trying just isn't my style. I wracked my brains and decided to head back to the neighborhood where I grew up. I'd go to the children's home and follow the traces of those kids. I couldn't expect much, but there had to be records of which schools they'd transferred to. The more I thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.
"That won't work."
Until the staff member at the facility shot me down like that.
"Why not?"
"Even if you ask why... you're an outsider. We can't just hand over students' personal information."
"...Isn't there any way around it?"
"I'm sorry."
It was such a textbook response, I had nothing to say. Thinking about it, it was obvious. Even if I claimed I'd left this place with those kids, nothing would change. My goal was right in front of me, blocked by an invisible wall. Losing the one lead I'd found, I let out a deep, despairing sigh.
"You okay?"
Risha, who'd come all this way with me, asked from beside me. I looked up at her.
"Your face looks awful."
Yeah, it probably did. To be honest, I felt sick to my stomach. Just being in this place right now. The old wounds I'd thought healed were oozing pus again, making me shiver involuntarily. An unseen hand kept dragging me down into the depths. My body wasn't actually sinking, of course, but the feeling was real enough. Any movement might bring up bile, so I stayed perfectly still, my face drained of color.
Then, suddenly, someone took my hand. The trembling that had me shaking like a candle in a gale storm began to subside bit by bit.
Warm.
Risha held my hand tight, her voice laced with concern.
"If it's this painful, wouldn't it be better to just bury it and move on?"
"... "
I glared at her without thinking. My face twisted into a natural scowl of resentment. You're gonna tell me to drop it too? Like Dana?
Risha just smirked, unfazed by my piercing stare. She spoke softly, as if to soothe me or tell me not to worry.
"I said I'd help, didn't I?"
"...Yeah."
Suddenly, I got curious. How much does Risha really know about me? She'd told me before—she knew what I'd been through. That she'd learned because she was interested. But that answer was so vague, it left me wondering just how much this girl holding my hand actually knew. And what did she mean by "interested"? You can't just learn someone's life story from mere curiosity.
"You didn't, like, dig into my background or anything, did you?"
"I was curious."
"...Pardon?"
What did I just hear? It didn't sound like a denial, no matter how I spun it. Her?
"......"
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"No, even so, that's kinda... yeah..."
"Yeah?"
"Kinda, uh, y'know..."
"Yeah?"
".........Creepy, isn't it?"
Someone else had pried into my past without me knowing. It didn't feel bad or anything. Especially since it was her. I was just surprised that Risha, of all people, had taken that much interest in someone as unremarkable as me. I really was a weirdo. Taking it as some kind of obsession, getting thrilled at the idea of being obsessed over by Risha—my heart pounding on its own. That was definitely twisted. I shouldn't like being obsessed over. Wasn't the reason I was shaking like I might puke right here because of the obsession those kids from my past had shown me?
But why was this different? What made it different?
While I was lost in thought for a moment, she smiled as if my "creepy" comment pleased her. No, it wasn't a compliment.
"Wanna get out of here for now?"
"Yeah..."
Staying longer wouldn't yield anything and would just sour my mood further. I took Risha's suggestion. Clinging to her hand under the excuse of my trembling body.
"Let's head back today."
"But we didn't make any progress..."
"It's not just today. It's getting late anyway."
As she said, the sun was already dipping low. We'd killed time at the dessert shop, and this facility was pretty far from my old neighborhood. If we didn't start heading back soon, it would get dark in a flash. I nodded, whispering a quiet "yeah."
And that's when it happened.
The rain started falling on our heads.
It began with one drop, then two, quickly building into a downpour amid the rumble of thunder.
......
I open my eyes and I'm in a hotel. Why did things turn out like this? I mutter, feeling a bit hollow.
It's not uncommon for pretty girls to duck into a love hotel during rain and rub their pussies like crazy, but I wasn't pretty, and I wasn't your average girl either. This had definitely happened last time too. Twice was pushing it...
And besides, "Coming all the way to a hotel feels a bit much, doesn't it?"
I had no comeback for Risha's words. Because, well, once we got inside, the rain had already stopped. It'd felt like a quick shower from the start.
"... "
No, I didn't know. How could I guess when it was coming down like that? Our clothes were soaked, it was late, getting dark, and we couldn't risk anything bad happening—we just needed a safe spot. By the time we entered the hotel, the rain had stopped, but there were still some clouds, so the chance of more wasn't zero, and we'd already paid. The staff asked if we wanted to cancel, but I said no, it's fine... yeah.
Risha eyed me with those snake-like narrowed eyes and said, "Pervert."
"Wha—hey, that's rich coming from you..."
"Am I wrong?"
"......"
I was genuinely dumbfounded, just like I said. Anyone else, maybe, but Risha calling me a pervert? She had no right. Not when she was always groping my body like that. Sitting me on her lap like a doll, pressing on my lower belly, burying her face in my nape while stroking my inner thighs until weird feelings bubbled up—who was calling who a pervert here?
"Hng."
"...What're you staring at?"
"You've gotten bolder."
".........We couldn't get caught in the rain, that's all."
"Then now that it's stopped, shall we go?"
Bad kitty. I didn't answer. Risha watched me leisurely, chuckling.
Then she asked if it was okay.
"Your roommate's gonna be pissed."
"Why bring up Dana here?"
"You watch her mood so carefully."
"......I told Dana."
That I might be late tonight, or maybe even crash elsewhere. At that, Risha's face turned even more mischievous. Exposed to that gaze, my face felt like it would burst red.
"She must be in a bad mood. Your friend."
"......"
"You two might end up fighting again."
"Fighting...?"
"Lily. If Dana and I fight like last time, whose side will you take?"
Sides? What is this, kindergarten? When I didn't answer, Risha smiled languidly. She drew close and patted my back.
"Don't worry. I won't put you in a tough spot."
Right then, I wanted to ask her something. Are you okay with it? Me hanging out with other girls? But I didn't. What overconfident nonsense would that be?
"Ah."
And at the same time, I realized it. Why being "obsessed over" by Risha didn't feel bad at all. It wasn't obsession—it felt more like being raised, domesticated. The word was a bit out of left field, but that's how it hit me. Like she'd released me into her vast estate, watching quietly no matter what I did. Whatever you do, you're still in the palm of my hand. That's the confidence radiating from Risha. Though she'd probably want to know if anything happened. Digging into my past might've been part of that watchfulness.
"... "
But that rubbed me the wrong way too, in its own way. It meant she didn't cherish me that much. And at this rate, she might fatten me up until I was squealing like a pampered pig. A chill ran through me.
"Honestly, I'm more worried about someone else than Dana."
"Who?"
"Guess. I'll go wash up first meanwhile."
With that cryptic remark, she headed to the bathroom.
......
Left alone, I puffed out my cheeks like a pouting kid. Cocky. Bad kitty. I'd thought she was more focused on me. Was it all in my head? What about all my agonizing over opening up to you? Ugh.
My lips jutted out on their own.
"... "
This was a bit off-topic, but my own changes surprised even me. Where had the girl gone who swore no polar bears in yuri, TS girls forbidden? My yuri purist title was starting to ring hollow. The OG yuri fundamentalists would beat me senseless, and I'd have no defense.
But I liked it. For real. I liked them. And I wanted those girls to like me back. Greedy, huh? Alicia, Serina, Dana—all of them. It was still too light to call it love or affection yet. Saying it like that might make it flutter away somewhere.
"... "
Ah. Getting too serious, not like me. I decided to lighten up a bit. My gaze drifted to the bathroom door.
I'd forgotten for a sec, but me and Risha, y'know. Sex... sex... sex partners. Anyway, that. As sex partners, it's fine to act like it. No, we should.
Like I'd been possessed, I stripped off my clothes. Wrapping myself in one of the hotel towels, I opened the bathroom door.