บท 188: Ch 188. Yukino, So Flat Yet So Warm
"Yukino, I'm back from my IV drip. Let me give you a hug first."
At the entrance of Apartment 1507, Hoshimi squeezed through the door crack and embraced Yukino, pushing her further into the room.
Once their bodies were fully inside, Hoshimi turned around and kicked the door shut with his heel.
"Good evening, Yukino~" Hoshimi let go of Yukino, placing his hands on her shoulders, and grinned at her.
Yukino slightly tilted her head up, looking at Hoshimi, and said, "Hoshimi, you smell strongly of disinfectant."
Hoshimi shrugged nonchalantly. "Can't help it, I've been at the hospital for a while, and the smell just sticks."
Yukino nodded slightly, as if accepting his explanation. She didn't ask any more questions, instead turning to the shoe cabinet and handing Hoshimi a pair of plain gray slippers.
Hoshimi took the slippers, examined them closely, and exclaimed, "Yukino, did you buy these for me?"
"Yes..." Yukino, standing at the entrance, turned her back, unconsciously raising her left hand to grip her right elbow, replying somewhat vaguely.
Understanding the meaning behind it, Hoshimi's lips curled up. He put on the slippers in front of Yukino and, in a serious tone, praised, "Yukino, your taste is impeccable. These plain and simple slippers are practically a masterpiece, reflecting a longing and yearning for a humble life, while also..."
"Enough with the flattery." Yukino, her cheeks slightly flushed, interrupted Hoshimi. She gently pushed his arm and, her gaze flickering, said, "You should go wash up; the smell of disinfectant is too strong."
Hoshimi's eyes lit up, and he grasped Yukino's hand, breathing heavily as he asked, "Yukino, did you prepare pajamas for me?"
"Pfft~" Yukino softly spat, giving Hoshimi a gentle shove. "No, don't get any ideas. Just hurry up and take a bath."
No pajamas, huh...
Hoshimi's excitement slowly calmed down. He blinked and asked, "Yukino, then what will I wear after the bath? I can't wear your clothes, can I?"
"What are you thinking?" Yukino gently pinched the soft flesh on Hoshimi's waist and explained, "We have a dryer at home. You can leave your clothes outside while you bathe, and I'll wash and dry them for you. You can wear the same clothes afterward."
"That works," Hoshimi nodded, then leaned closer to Yukino, smiling slyly, "But don't you think that's a bit troublesome, Yukino? Maybe you should just prepare a set of pajamas for me. I can even pay for them myself."
Yukino didn't respond, just blushed and forcefully pushed Hoshimi towards the bathroom. "Go take a bath already."
Even though Hoshimi often mocked Yukino for being emotionally unintelligent, she understood the symbolic meaning of certain objects.
Slippers were something she had already accepted and acknowledged at this stage, but pajamas were another matter entirely.
Once she prepared pajamas for Hoshimi, this shameless guy might do something really outrageous...
"Alright, I'll go bathe." Hoshimi sighed slightly in resignation.
This would be his third bath today...
Once in the morning after getting up, again at the hotel for his disguise, and now one more time. So much time had been wasted just on bathing today...
What a hassle. Lying really is a bothersome task.
As these thoughts crossed his mind, Hoshimi suddenly caught a whiff of a mouthwatering aroma.
After a moment of sniffing, he identified it as meat soup or porridge!
Originally heading toward the bathroom, he turned around and looked toward the kitchen, asking, "Yukino, what did you cook? It smells amazing~"
"Meat porridge," Yukino replied, standing at the kitchen door to block his view. She urged, "Go wash up quickly, and you can have some warm porridge afterward."
"Got it, no problem." Hoshimi winked and then entered the bathroom to take a bath.
Yukino's bathroom was separated into wet and dry areas, with the outer section split into two parts: a washbasin and cabinet on one side, and a washing machine and dryer on the other.
The inner section was similarly divided, with a partition separating the toilet from the shower and bathtub.
Hoshimi took off his clothes and placed them on the washing machine, keeping his phone close to him.
A phone is a valuable item and must be well protected, or it could lead to big trouble.
Big, real trouble.
Like, getting killed big...
However, one needs a valid reason to bring a phone into the bathroom, so Hoshimi played music on his phone while bathing and hummed along to the tune.
This way, Yukino wouldn't question why he brought his phone into the bathroom.
The sound of running water, music, and Hoshimi's humming blended into a harmonious mix in the bathroom.
When Yukino entered, she was greeted by this harmonious melody. She stood still, listening to the Chinese song Hoshimi was humming.
Although she didn't understand the lyrics, the song still sounded pleasant. Hoshimi's voice was quite good, and it was enjoyable to listen to.
After listening for a while, Yukino got to work. She walked over to the washing machine and looked down at Hoshimi's clothes.
A shirt, pants, and... a pair of boxers...
Yukino's cheeks flushed slightly as she fought her embarrassment to pick up Hoshimi's boxers and set them aside for hand washing later.
Since the shirt and pants were dark-colored, she tossed them directly into the washing machine for a full wash.
After setting the washing machine, Yukino, her heart pounding with a mix of emotions, began hand-washing Hoshimi's boxers.
Inside the bathroom, Hoshimi continued to wash and hum his tune, while Yukino crouched outside, scrubbing his boxers.
Only a frosted glass pane separated them...
The sound of running water echoed continuously, marking the passage of time.
When Hoshimi finished his bath and turned off the music, he heard the sound of the dryer running outside.
He raised his voice through the frosted glass, asking, "Yukino, are the clothes dry yet?"
"Almost, Hoshimi. Just wait a bit longer."
Hearing Yukino's cool voice, Hoshimi suddenly felt the urge to rush out and 'hug' her.
The thought crossed his mind, and he was almost ready to act on it.
However, in the next moment, Hoshimi smiled and dismissed the thought. Not today.
He had already gained enough through his lies today. Pushing further made him feel a bit uneasy...
"Hoshimi, the clothes are in the dryer. After you change, come to the living room."
Before long, the sound of the dryer stopped, and Yukino's calm voice followed.
Then, Yukino left the bathroom, leaving the space to Hoshimi.
...
Shortly after, Hoshimi, now dressed in warm clothes, entered the living room, where he was greeted by Yukino holding a steaming bowl of meat porridge.
"Hoshimi, eat this while it's hot."
Hoshimi's eyes sparkled as he took the porridge and placed it on the table.
"Yukino?"
Without warning, Hoshimi pushed Yukino onto the sofa, burying his face deeply into her flat chest.
So flat—this is so Yukino.
So warm—this isn't Yukino at all...
If marriage is like a besieged fortress, this outsider might be feeling, for the first time, the desire to enter the city...
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