The wonderful time of the holidays is always short-lived.
By the time Amane-san finished her first thorough cleaning of her dorm room.
It was already almost six in the afternoon.
Speaking of which, this was the first time Amane-san had tidied up her little nest since moving in so many days ago.
After putting away the cleaning tools.
Amane-san opened the refrigerator, and after choosing for a long time, she finally picked a bottle of chilled coconut juice.
Then she took out the ice cubes she had made from the freezer.
First, she poured the coconut juice into a cup.
Then, she casually dropped in two fresh milk ice cubes.
That taste.
Amane-san shivered all over.
It wasn't because it tasted that good.
She was just chilled.
Carefully putting away the remaining ice cubes.
Amane-san planned to eat something simple to get by.
After all, if Suzune wasn't around.
She didn't have to rack her brains daily to research meals.
Just dealing with three meals a day wouldn't be a big problem.
However... she always felt like something was missing.
If Suzune were here, she would always say the taste was mediocre, even if she didn't mean it.
Then she would always finish all the food.
She would even complain that Amane-san, with her big appetite, should make more.
Those times were truly wonderful.
Amane-san ate instant pasta.
While looking at the school's internal forum.
Checking if there was anything new lately.
Just as Amane-san was reading a message about Karuizawa-san and Hirata-san starting to date.
Before she could even lament that Hirata-san was indeed a role model for the class, with considerable popularity even in other classes.
Amane-san's phone suddenly rang.
She picked up the phone and looked.
It was actually a call from Kushida Kikyo.
Normally, Amane-san and Kushida-san communicated mainly through messages.
Calls were rare... this should be the first time Kushida-san had called her since her phone information was entered.
It must be something important, right?
Amane-san pressed the answer button.
"Hello? Is this Amane-san?"
Kushida-san's tone seemed a bit hurried.
She looked very anxious.
"It's me. What happened on your end, Kushida Kikyo?"
For Kushida-san to be so anxious, it shouldn't be a small matter, right?
"It's like this, I was just taking a shower, and halfway through, the water heater suddenly broke. I called Yuu-chan and Ruri-san, and Yuu-chan said she was watching Ruri-san's club competition... right now, only you, Amane-san, can help me. Please help me."
Kushida-san's words made Amane-san blink in a daze.
So, you need hot water to shower in this season?
She had always taken cold showers.
Only once had Horikita-san made her wash with hot water.
She had thought Horikita-san was afraid of the cold.
Now it seems, she was the one with the problem!
"Of course, no problem. I'm in the dorm right now. Kushida Kikyo, just bring a change of clothes and come over."
Amane-san readily agreed to Kushida-san's request.
After all, having the water heater break in the middle of a shower.
No matter how you look at it, it's a troublesome problem, right?
"Then I'll trouble you, Amane-san. I'll be right over."
"Mhm mhm."
After Amane-san hung up the phone, she turned on the water heater in advance to start heating the water.
Ensuring that Kushida-san could use it as soon as she arrived.
Amane-san was quite meticulous in these aspects.
After about three minutes.
Amane-san heard a knock on the door.
As soon as Amane-san opened the door, Kushida-san, draped in her school uniform, quickly entered Amane-san's room.
Amane-san initially didn't see what had darted in.
After she closed the door.
She realized that Kushida-san was actually... "Kushida Kikyo, why did you run out dressed like that?"
Amane-san's face was slightly flushed as she pointed at Kushida-san's attire.
Finally, she simply covered her eyes.
Though the gaps between her fingers were quite wide.
"Sorry, I didn't expect the water heater to suddenly break. I've already washed my casual clothes, so I could only wear this."
Kushida-san awkwardly covered her chest.
Kushida-san was currently wearing a bath towel wrapped underneath.
Over the bath towel, she had her school uniform on backward.
Her lower half was normal, though, just the school's super-short skirt that let the wind blow through when she walked.
And black... ahem.
Amane-san indicated that she saw nothing.
"Oh, Amane-san, no peeking!"
Unlike the serious Horikita-san.
Although Kushida-san said that.
She didn't hide anything.
She just made a cute 'X' sign with her hand in front of Amane-san.
Then she took off her school uniform.
Wrapped beneath the bath towel was a figure that didn't quite match her age.
Speaking of which.
Amane-san looked at her own.
This time, it was an evenly matched opponent.
"I would never peek," Amane-san retorted, not very confidently.
"Hehe, I'm just kidding. Well, I'm going to take a shower now, I'll borrow Amane-san's bathroom. Of course, if Amane-san wants to, we can shower together~"
Kushida-san's foot, which had already stepped forward, stopped.
She turned back and winked at Amane-san.
This, this, this... this must be Little Kikyo hinting at something, right?
Just as Amane-san hadn't had time to react,
she heard Kushida-san close the door.
"Phew, good thing I have an iron will. Anyone else would have long since..."
"Amane-san, could you please bring me my toiletries?"
Kushida-san poked her head out from the door crack and said apologetically.
Only then did Amane-san see the toiletries placed by the table.
Amane-san casually picked them up and handed them to Kushida-san.
"You're really troubling Amane-san."
"It's nothing..."
"Amane-san, your face..."
"Don't worry, I'm fine!!!"
"Ha, haha... really?"
Kushida-san was startled by Amane-san's expression.
It was a complex expression filled with many emotions.
It wasn't until she heard humming coming from the bathroom
that Amane-san's mood finally calmed down a bit.
Sure enough, the difference between looking at herself and looking at others was that big!!!
Unfortunately, Suzune's was still a bit... it didn't have the visual impact that Kushida-san brought to Amane-san.
Kushida-san was kind-natured, spoke gently, and was good at socializing.
Her figure was also very nice.
She looked like the template of a perfect girl in every way.
However, such a girl, surprisingly, hadn't had any intimate rumors with other boys until now.
It was inevitably a little strange.
Outgoing girls should find partners more easily than introverted and solitary girls.
Karuizawa was an example.
As for solitude or anything, Amane-san stated that she wasn't subtly referring to anyone.
Kushida-san was quite fast at showering.
Since Kushida-san's school uniform was already soaked,
Amane-san could only take Kushida-san's clothes to dry.
Then she had Kushida-san temporarily wear the one Horikita-san bought for her to tide her over.
You can't just let someone sit there without wearing anything and chat with you, right?
Although Amane-san would be very willing... ahem.
Just as Amane-san was pretending to look at her phone, but was actually lost in thought,
there was a sudden knock on the door.
Amane-san instinctively walked over and opened the door.
"Amane-san..."
It was Horikita-san outside the door.
But what kind of outfit was Horikita-san wearing?
Horikita-san was wearing a soaked white shirt, and her hair was still dripping wet.
Amane-san looked outside strangely.
It wasn't raining, either.
"Horikita-san, what happened to you?"
"Ah, well, when I was showering, the water heater broke halfway through, so..."
"Horikita-san, did your water heater break too?"
Horikita-san heard another person's voice in the room and couldn't help but glance inside.
Kushida-san was looking at her with a mischievous expression.
She was even wearing the clothes Horikita-san bought for Amane-san!!!