The Price of Being Hers

"Sorry. You’re definitely fun to be around, but I don’t think I see you as a romantic partner."

The memory hit me out of nowhere. That day I confessed my feelings to Yuna. The memory of being rejected in a single stroke. It’s a thought that returns to haunt me periodically. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget it for the rest of my life.

"...Nina... Nina!"

"Ah... sorry. I just zoned out for a second."

"Honestly, Nina, you’ve been like that since we were kids."

Since we were kids. Can the "me" from back then and the "me" of today even be considered the same person? So much has changed.

"So, where are we headed for the next lecture?"

"Oh... right. We need to get to the Natural Sciences Building."

"What? There’s only five minutes left! We’re going to be late, let’s ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠go!"

"...Wait...!"

Yuna grabbed my hand and started to run. I could see her back as she pulled me along. Her long, golden hair, shimmering as it swayed, was exactly the same as the Yuna I had always known. But the height of my gaze as I looked at her had changed. I used to view the world from a point higher than her eyes, but now, I was looking at the world from the exact same level as hers.

Yuna’s hand, clutching mine tightly. It was so soft and warm. If you only looked at this moment, you could say I was happy. After all, I was spending precious time with the girl I truly loved. But reality wasn’t that simple. I had so many worries, but the thing that tormented me the most right now was the gaze of the people around us.

"Yuna... wait a second...!"

I managed to make Yuna stop and caught my breath.

"If we don't hurry, we're going to be late!" Yuna scolded me, her arms crossed as I panted.

"But... that's... if we run like that..."

"Hmm?"

"It's just... my skirt is blowing in the wind..."

With my hands on my knees and my head bowed low, I whispered the biggest problem I was currently facing to Yuna.

"Hmm? I can't really hear you?"

"I said, if I run like that while wearing clothes like this..."

"Heh, you're cute."

Yuna looked down at me and smiled. I was in a truly desperate situation, but Yuna seemed to find it amusing.

"Alright, alright. But if we're late, it's on you, Nina."

"Okay..."

...And so, it was on the way back after the lecture.

"Honestly, we were late because of you, Nina."

"Yeah... I'm sorry."

When we entered the lecture hall, the class was already well underway. But what could I do? I couldn't possibly let a video of my panchira end up plastered all over social media.

"It can't be helped. Instead, you have to take proper responsibility, just like I said earlier."

"Okay..."

Responsibility—what could she mean by that? I was curious, but I didn't have the courage to ask.

"Let's grab something sweet on the way home."

Yuna grabbed my hand and led me away again. There are so many embarrassing and difficult things happening, but in this moment, I am genuinely happy. Because I get to be with the Yuna I love.

...The sweetness of the crepe we ate on the way back hadn't even faded yet, and we were already in front of our apartment. Yuna and I had entered the same university as adults, and now, we were living together. I had known for a long time that Yuna’s family was wealthy, but I hadn't realized it was to this extent. It wasn't just a studio apartment; she had rented an apartment near the university. We were living alone together in a brand-new apartment with four rooms. I hadn't asked for details, so I wasn't sure, but surely she hadn't bought the whole place, right?

At first, I had been horrified, saying I didn't have the money to live in a place like this, but Yuna had brushed it off, telling me not to feel burdened. Yuna acted as if it were nothing, but in a normal friendship, this would be a situation that would cause anyone to feel burdened. However, I decided not to feel too much pressure about that, at least. Because—

Yuna sat on the sofa, legs crossed, watching me with a smile. As soon as we returned home, without even a moment to catch my breath, I was forced into the Obedience Pose in front of her. Following Yuna’s command, I hurriedly put on my Dog Collar and crouched before her. Then, I slowly spread my legs and raised both hands, fists clenched, slightly above my shoulders. The short tennis skirt I’d been wearing all day revealed my underwear the moment I spread my legs. I noticed it and instinctively tried to close my legs, which immediately drew a sharp remark from Yuna.

I still wasn't fully used to skirts. Just standing still made me feel anxious because of the cold ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠breeze, and being in such a shameful position made me feel as if I were completely naked. As my face turned bright red and I turned my head away from Yuna, she uncrossed her legs and reached out toward me. I flinched and squeezed my eyes shut. Yuna grabbed my chin with one hand and turned my face toward her. As she lifted my chin with her finger, I was forced to meet her gaze.

"You're like a cute puppy, trembling like that."

Just as Yuna said, I was trembling. The Obedience Pose itself was quite difficult, but I think the bigger reason was that I was completely overwhelmed by Yuna.

"So then, you need to take responsibility for earlier, right, Nina?"

It seemed she was talking about being late for the lecture earlier.

"But that couldn't be helped...!"

Even in this shameful position, I retorted with a tone of injustice.

"Hmm?"

For a split second, I felt Yuna’s gaze shift. I was terrified by the look in her eyes.

"If I run like that while wearing clothes like this... naturally... my underwear shows... so... that's why..."

At first, I had spoken casually, but seeing Yuna's eyes, I instinctively switched to a formal register.

"That's because you're the one wearing such daring clothes, Nina."

"But Yuna is the one who made me wear this...!"

I had retorted again before I could stop myself. Of course, I didn't want to wear clothes like this. Since I started living with Yuna, she had forced me to wear such feminine outfits, and while I had gotten somewhat used to it, the psychological resistance was still significant. Furthermore, she had recently been making me wear clothes with more exposure, which was quite distressing. For this tennis skirt today, I had begged her to at least let me wear safety shorts underneath, but Yuna had refused point-blank.

"Hmm, it seems you aren't reflecting on your actions at all."

Yuna stood up and walked past me. As I turned my head to follow her, I heard her command.

"Stay."

"Yes..."

I couldn't offer any resistance and desperately maintained the Obedience Pose. I heard the sound of a door opening. It seemed Yuna had gone into her room. Because she had forbidden me from entering that room, I had never been inside, but I had some idea of what it was used for. It felt like I had been holding this position for over ten minutes. My legs, crouched and spread, were shaking, and my breathing was becoming ragged. Just as I was about to collapse, the door to the room Yuna had entered opened. I hurriedly corrected my posture and tensed up again.

"Get up."

As soon as Yuna’s command fell, I managed to lift my exhausted body. Even standing up, my legs were shaking so much I felt like I would collapse again. When I turned my head toward Yuna, she was grinning and holding out her hand.

"Ta-da! This is Nina's punishment for today!"

Yuna was holding handcuffs in one hand and a Paddle that looked like a table tennis racket in the other. Both of them looked so clearly intended for their purpose that I instinctively took a step back. Yuna moved behind me in an instant and whispered ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠softly, as if tickling my ear.

"Put your hands behind your back."

"Ugh..."

As I obediently gathered my hands behind me, Yuna took them and began to cuff me. Fortunately, they were leather handcuffs, so they didn't hurt, but the feeling of Yuna’s hands holding mine to restrain me was quite different from the feeling of her hand pulling mine at school earlier. When she even locked them so I couldn't free myself, I completely lost the freedom of my hands. Realizing that from now on, I wouldn't be able to resist no matter what Yuna did to me, I felt a complex mix of emotions. Yuna looked me over from head to toe, my hands bound, and then nodded and pointed to the table.

"Come here and get up on that."

"On... that...?"

"Yes."

Yuna answered with a smile. I had tried to ask a useless ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠question to buy time, but Yuna had answered instantly. Fortunately, it wasn't a very high table, so I was able to climb up in one go. Standing tall on the table, I was trembling with anxiety, not knowing what to do.

"Good. Now, get on your hands and knees."

Realizing that it was meaningless to resist Yuna any further, I obediently did as she said, awkwardly getting onto my hands and knees on the table. Since I couldn't use my hands, I first slowly knelt and brought my forehead down to the table. Pressing my forehead against the hard surface hurt quite a bit as my weight shifted onto it, but that was the least of my concerns right now. My skirt was so short that I felt like my underwear would be completely visible from behind. I was much more worried about that. I was so embarrassed that my face was bright red, but then Yuna pushed a cushion against my face.

"Oops. Can't have you hurting your cute face."

"Tha... thank you..."

I was almost moved by Yuna’s consideration, but I immediately pulled myself together. After all, it was Yuna who was making me do these strange things in the first place, so there was no reason to be moved. Perhaps completely unaware of my feelings, Yuna suddenly flipped my skirt all the way up.

"Eek?!"

"Heh, Nina, you make such cute sounds, don't you?"

"Augh..."

Then, Yuna began to gently rub my buttocks with the leather Paddle and said,

"You know what we're going to do from here on out, don't you, Nina?"

"Ye... yes..."

I was so tense that I couldn't even get my voice out properly.