Chapter 233: Healthy Bath Time (1)

Ṛｅɑｄ өɴ КαțṚҽаđίηǵСағҽ

Clean water, plumbing, heating facilities. Just turn the faucet, and warm water comes pouring out—what bliss.

As the tub filled with water, it struck her anew just how much of a blessing this was.

Thanks to this, she could wash up right away with her childhood friend without any special preparations.

“Hehehe…”

There was no rule that said bathing together had to happen after intimacy. It was something they could do anytime, and now that the idea had crossed her mind, she figured she might as well try it.

‘I want to wash Riley too…’

From head to toe, thoroughly.

She wanted to cherish him tenderly.

It was also a way to show her gratitude. Thank you for coming to get me when I was drowning. Thank you for always being by my side.

‘There are so many people I’m grateful for.’

Riley, of course, but also her friends and benefactors. Maybe she should give them gifts later? Handmade ones, perhaps?

Humming to herself as she filled the tub, the bathroom door suddenly opened.

“Done yet?”

“Not yet! Just wait a little longer.”

“Got it. I’ll get undressed first.”

Ah, what is this conversation?!

‘This feels just like a couple…’

A couple.

No, a cohabiting couple.

“Aah… ngh… hnn…”

As she squirmed and let out strange noises, Riley watched this pitiful spectacle in real-time from outside the bathroom. Life with Sugar was never boring.

Sometimes, he even seriously wondered if she needed to be sent to a clinic.

Either way, when he undressed and stepped into the bathroom, Sugar gasped.

Her childhood friend’s naked body. A man’s bare form.

Her eyes darted around before she hastily grabbed a towel and wrapped it around Riley’s lower half. If that thing swayed into her line of sight, she wouldn’t know where to look.

“What’s with the towel?”

“B-Because it’s a precious area…”

“We’re going to wash it anyway.”

“Well, yes, but…”

“Are you embarrassed?”

“It’s not that I’m embarrassed… It’s just… well…”

“Even though it’s gone in and out of you so many times—”

“Eek!!”

Her face burning red, Sugar bolted out of the bathroom.

As she fled, she muttered under her breath:

“How can he say s-something like that…! Unbelievable…! Idiot, pervert, lewd bastard…!”

“I can hear you.”

“I meant for you to hear it!”

“I’m taking the towel off.”

“No, don’t!”

“You’ve already seen it plenty, though?”

“No means no…”

She refused firmly.

Sugar was always unpredictable, but this was unexpected. One moment, she’d cling to him all lovey-dovey, and the next, she’d blush like a pure maiden.

“So, why?”

When Riley asked in puzzlement, Sugar fidgeted with her fingers, hesitating before finally speaking.

“…It makes me feel weird…”

“What?”

“If I see that… I’ll get all strange…”

In Sugar’s mind, this time was solely for bathing—she planned to wholeheartedly wash Riley, then tuck him in all fresh and clean to relieve his fatigue.

But if she saw that, she’d get flustered. Her body would tremble, her lower stomach would tighten, and she’d end up like a rabbit in heat. Then bath time would no longer be bath time.

“So, cover it up…”

Riley muttered honestly in response:

“…Now I’m the one who’s going to feel weird.”

“Huh?”

“N-No, never mind.”

Brushing it off, Sugar undressed behind him. Hiding in a corner, she neatly folded her clothes and placed her hairband on top.

Wrapping a large towel around herself from chest to thighs, she was ready.

When she re-entered the bathroom, her childhood friend was waiting on a stool. Thankfully, he still had the towel covering his lower half.

In front of him was an extra stool, and just as she tilted her head in confusion—

“Come sit in front.”

“Huh? No, Riley. I’m going to wash you.”

“I was going to wash you.”

“I brought it up first because I wanted to wash you.”

“I agreed because I wanted to wash you.”

“…”

“…”

“Let’s take turns… I’ll go first!”

Sugar moved the extra stool behind Riley and settled in. Sitting normally wouldn’t work because of their height difference, so she knelt instead, balancing deftly.

“By the way, why are there two stools?”

“Just happened that way. Didn’t buy them for this.”

“Hmph.”

Grinning, Sugar placed her hands on Riley’s head.

“I’ll start with shampoo. Close your eyes and tilt your head back a little.”

Obediently, she brought the showerhead to her childhood friend’s hair. The lukewarm water soaked through his golden strands, deepening their color.

“How’s the temperature?”

“It’s fine.”

“Good.”

Once his scalp was thoroughly wet, she poured shampoo into her palm and worked it into a lather.

“Wow… It smells like Riley’s shampoo…”

“Well, it is the shampoo I use.”

“Are you gonna wash my hair with this later too?”

“It’s the only shampoo we have.”

“Hehe…”

“Why are you laughing all of a sudden?”

“We’ll smell the same then…”

Sugar’s bright laughter echoed off the bathroom walls, creating a dreamy atmosphere. The steam rising from the warm tub, the scent of shampoo, the soft sound of bubbles, her humming—everything blended together.

The gentle touch of her small hands massaging his scalp made his body relax completely.

“Is the pressure okay? Tell me if it itches or feels uncomfortable anywhere.”

She worked her fingers from the crown of his head down to his nape, then back up, carefully rubbing behind his ears and the sides of his head. Her touch was soft but deliberate, never teasing—just firm enough to be satisfying.

She was already doing such a good job that Riley had nothing to complain about. His shoulders slackened, his body melting under her care. The sound of the lather only deepened his relaxation.

“Gotta clean your ears too… Oh, want me to clean them properly after we rinse?”

“…Yeah.”

He’d let her do it before. It wasn’t bad.

…Okay, if he was being honest, it was really good. She was surprisingly meticulous.

Despite her destructive tendencies, Sugar was skilled with her hands. She handled things delicately yet thoroughly.

‘Kinda like… a mom.’

Washing him, cleaning his ears… Riley’s own mother had never done anything like this for him, but still.

“I’m gonna rinse now, so keep your eyes closed tight…”

The sound of running water filled the bathroom as she washed away the suds with lukewarm water. Even the way her hands moved was soothing.

Sugar’s touch was always like this—gentle, never hurtful, yet undeniably firm. A service meant only for Riley.

“Shampoo’s done! Next, I’ll scrub your back.”

As Riley swept his wet hair back, shaking off the water, Sugar grabbed a shower towel from the corner, wet it, and lathered it with body wash.

Then she paused, staring at his back—the next area to wash.

The defined ridges and shadows of his muscles.

A place she’d deliberately avoided looking at while shampooing.

Her gaze traced the lines of his back as she swallowed quietly.

‘Damn it… This is way too hot…’

Who knew the day would come when she’d get turned on by a man’s back muscles? She’d never understood why girls swooned over jawlines, collarbones, or biceps before—but Riley’s body alone triggered something in her.

Quickly shaking her head, she started spreading foam over his back, as if trying to hide it from view.

“Hahh… Hnn…”

“Weird. Why are you breathing so hard just from scrubbing my back?”

“Riley, your back is so broad… Ugh, this is exhausting. Huff… huff…”

She could hear him chuckling in disbelief from in front of her.

“Okay, done here… Oh, do you wanna do the front yourself?”

“If you started, you might as well finish.”

“Eeeh…”

He wasn’t wrong, but…

Feeling like a martyr, Sugar stood in front of Riley.

“Tilt your head up…”

Crouching down, she scrubbed his collarbone with the towel, quickly covering the bite marks and hickeys she’d left with foam.

She washed his broad chest—the same place she always buried her face in—and his firm abs, which had pressed against her navel countless times. Determined to do this properly, she cleaned every inch thoroughly.

“Okay, now we’re really done…”

Having finished his upper half, Sugar swayed slightly as she handed him the towel. Her face was burning red, all the way to the tips of her ears.

I’m reaching my limit…

She quickly turned away, splashing cold water from a basin onto her face to cool down.

“Nnngh… Riley, you’re too much…”

“What did I even do?”

He’d just been sitting there! Riley clicked his tongue as he washed his lower half, but Sugar just pursed her lips, refusing to explain.

“Hey. Come sit in front. It’s your turn now.”

“Yeees…”

She brought the bath stool over and sat in front of Riley, who had just finished showering. Tilting her head back slightly and closing her eyes tightly, just as he had done earlier.

Soon, she felt warm water and familiar, large hands massaging her scalp.

“Ooh… Ohh… Mmph…”

“Stop making weird noises, you pervert.”

“Haaah…!”

“Seriously, why are you getting more worked up?”

Once her hair was fully wet, the shampooing began. Riley squeezed out a generous amount, adjusted for her long hair.

The soft sound of lathering continued for a while.

“…Your hair’s really long.”

“Right…? Must be a pain… Sorry.”

“What’s there to apologize for? But doesn’t it get annoying to wash every day?”

Sugar answered his sudden question.

“It’s a hassle… but you like long hair, don’t you?”

A memory from nearly ten years ago.

Back then, even as a child, Sugar had found her long hair bothersome to maintain and had considered cutting it short—but she stopped after seeing his unenthusiastic reaction.

“…So that’s why you kept it long all this time?”

“Huh? Of course.”

The secret behind Sugar’s hair length was revealed.

Her tone implied it was obvious—as if questioning it was absurd.

Riley opened his mouth, then closed it again, unable to articulate the surge of emotion tightening his chest. His fists clenched unconsciously.

Back when they’d washed up together after a passionate session in her room, he’d noticed the array of hair care products lining her bathroom. Her hair was naturally soft even without them, but she still put in the effort to keep it looking its best—for him.

“Uh… Is it weird? Does it make you uncomfortable…?”

Sugar asked cautiously, misinterpreting his silence as disapproval as he wordlessly ran his fingers through her strands.

Without answering, Riley rinsed out the shampoo lather, meticulous and thorough with her long hair.

“…Hey.”

“Hmm…?”

After a long pause, he finally spoke.

Sugar tensed slightly, waiting, and Riley let out a slow breath.

“You…”

“Me?”

“…”

But he fell silent again.

Confused, Sugar glanced over her shoulder.

“Riley? You can say it…”

“…I’ll give you a reward.”

“Huh?”

Suddenly?

Out of nowhere?

At this moment?

“What kind of reward?”

“Dunno. Name what you want.”

“Eh? Uh… Anything?”

“Anything. One thing.”

Anything she wanted.

In other words…

“A… wish coupon?”

“Yeah. A one-time wish coupon. From me to you.”