"Wait, wait—I know you're all in a hurry, but don't rush just yet," Shichen blurted before the crowd could completely swallow him up.
If he didn't stop them now, he really was going to be buried under everyone.
Not that it didn't feel pretty great.
Tohru and Yatogami Tohka had come in one after the other. Seeing how shy Tohka was, he'd assumed nothing steamy would happen. But once Tohru pressed in bold and teasing, Tohka's competitive streak kicked in and she sidled up too.
One on each side, they wrapped around his arms, squeezing in and refusing to yield, turning it into a contest—and letting him enjoy all the perks.
Tohka's easy to rile up; if she'd come alone, she would've stayed reserved.
After Shichen basked in it for a moment, Chisato and Yami came in. One look at the scene and—no need for words—they piled on.
Yami even shifted into her Darkness form: just a pair of horns, and off went the towel.
With a bunch of friends around, girls get bolder; and with someone already leading the charge, even more so.
Four people—no more, no less—left Shichen in blissful agony.
It was fine at first; after a while, he couldn't even enjoy it properly.
Chisato paused at his plea, then edged away a little.
Tohru and Tohka still clung to him, hogging the prime real estate.
"Shichen, I want to hold on too," Chisato pouted, eyeing their spots with envy.
"There's no room left. Don't even think about it," Tohru replied smugly.
"Yeah, you were late. No cutting," Tohka chimed in.
The two of them were suddenly teammates.
"Why? Shichen belongs to everyone."
"Shouldn't have dawdled."
"Exactly!"
"Yami, what do we do?" Chisato turned to her for help.
"Easy."
Yami flashed a mischievous smile and sat right down in Shichen's lap—there was still one open spot.
"Huh?" Chisato stared, stunned.
"This spot's great," Yami said with a wink.
"Yami… how could you betray me…?"
"Want in? We can share. Let's both sit on his lap," Yami said generously, scooting over.
"Now we're talking." Chisato giggled and squeezed in with her, each taking one of Shichen's thighs.
"Did either of you ask me?" Shichen said helplessly.
"What, you don't want this?" Chisato shot back.
"…Just don't start a fight."
"Heh-heh~"
"Tohka, I'm suddenly not loving this spot anymore," Tohru muttered.
"Same here…" Tohka stared hard at the two lap-sitters.
"Ahem, Chisato, how about we trade?" Tohru asked, shameless.
"Hmph, dream on." Chisato shot her down without hesitation.
"Rude! Aren't we besties?"
"Funny, that's not what you were saying a minute ago."
"Oh come on—I was just teasing you. You're right: Shichen belongs to everyone. I was totally planning to give you my spot later."
"I almost believed that."
"Ugh! In that case, I'll just take it!"
"What? Shichen, Tohru wants to start a fight!"
"I do not!"
"Hmph~"
"Chisato, pleeease, let me sit for a bit," Tohru begged.
"Nope. If anyone gets it, I'd rather give it to Utaha. Utaha, want it?" Chisato waved over to Kasumigaoka Utaha, who was already in the water with Irisviel.
"That good, huh?"
"Of course—we're besties."
"Then take it for a bit. I'll come over later."
"Deal~"
"You're doing this just to spite me, aren't you?" Tohru groaned.
"That's what you get for thinking only of yourself. Karma."
"I get it, okay? I was wrong. I'll share with you from now on, swear."
"Too late to repent. And the puppy-dog act won't work on me—I'm not Shichen."
"Mm… Shichen, look at Chisato being so selfish," Tohru complained to him.
Shichen tilted his head back, closed his eyes, and said nothing.
All he had to do now was play dead—can't take anyone's side.
Why not just enjoy this?
What if one stray comment ruined the perks?
Sometimes silence gets you more.
"Hmph~ Shichen won't help you either," Chisato said.
"Grr! Tohka, what do we do?"
"Let me think… Oh! If not today, then tomorrow," Tohka's eyes lit up.
"Tomorrow?" Tohru blinked.
"We're going to bathe tomorrow too, right? We just snag the seats earlier."
"Oh! Smart move, Tohka."
"Hee-hee~ Though what I really want is to try Shichen's massage."
"Hm? What massage?" Shichen finally broke character.
"Chisato said it."
Shichen looked at Chisato, puzzled.
"Don't mind the details. Just give us massages," Chisato said breezily.
"Wow, suddenly I'm your masseur? And I get nothing out of it?"
"Hmph~ Giving us massages is a perk for you, isn't it?" Chisato teased.
"…When you put it that way…"
"So, when do I get mine?" Tohka asked, hopeful.
"In a bit. Warm up first."
"Okay~"
"Warm up" took a while. Eventually, Chisato gave her spot to Utaha. Yami, having shifted back to normal, got embarrassed about staying on his lap and ceded her place to Irisviel.
Irisviel wanted to pull Artoria over too, but no way was she going to sit on his lap in front of everyone. If it were just the two of them, she might let herself be "coaxed."
"Artoria, are you sure you don't want to sit on Shichen's lap?" Utaha asked after a while.
"N-no, I'm fine right here…" Artoria sat opposite, shaking her head.
She still had a towel wrapped around her; even in the water it clung tight, tracing out her figure.
"Saber's still too shy," Irisviel laughed.
Honestly, she was a little shy too. Some of the women here were centuries older than her, but they were all girls at heart—while she felt more like a married woman. Sitting on Shichen's lap to vie for attention felt a bit off.
"I'm not shy…" Artoria muttered, head lowered; under the water her toes curled on their own.
"It's fine. She'll get used to it," Utaha said.
"Mm, we can help her."
"Right."
"…I get the feeling you two are teaming up on me," Artoria thought, suddenly wary.
"Shichen, about time for my massage, right?" Tohka couldn't wait any longer.
"Alright, alright—massage coming up. You two, give us a little space."
"Then we want one too."
"Okay—everyone gets a turn."
Once Utaha and the others had moved aside, Shichen wrapped his towel and stood, facing Tohka, who was already lying prone at the pool's edge.
The towel covered most of her, leaving only her shoulders and her lower legs exposed.
Even so, it drew the eye.
Maybe it was the bath, but her skin glowed rosy—flushed and delicate.
"Hurry up, Shichen," Tohka said, eyes closed, eager.
"Don't go moaning out loud," Shichen warned, setting his hands on her back.
"As if I would— mm~" She couldn't even finish the sentence before a sound slipped out.
Shichen had already started, his technique practiced, pressure just right, working along her meridians and muscles.
Tohka bit her lip, one calf tipping up, toes curling as she fought to hold it in.
That first slip had already left her blushing scarlet with embarrassment.
"Looks like… it feels amazing," Chisato observed from the side.
"I'm next!" Tohru said.
"Relax—everyone gets a turn," Shichen said, focused, moving from Tohka's back to her waist, then down her legs.
Even through the towel, he could feel the smooth, soft texture of her skin.
"Mm…" Tohka was about to lose it.
"Tohka, don't hold back. Just let it out," Chisato coaxed.
"No… mm~"
And that was that—no stopping it now. Tohka finally gave in and "sang."
In the steamy room, her "song" was lovely… and very easy to misunderstand.
"I wonder what Artoria would sound like," Utaha mused.
"We can find out later," Irisviel said.
Artoria: "…"
~~~
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