It didn't take Kagura long to fetch cleaning tools; soon she hurried back upstairs.
One relief was that Kagura had come out today dressed in her convenient maid outfit, so even if it got dirty, it wouldn't matter. Her wardrobe had plenty more of the exact same style to change into anyway.
"Maruzensky-senpai, don't just stand there staring! Come help me, or we won't finish cleaning by tomorrow morning!"
After swapping her shoes for slippers at the entrance, Kagura placed a pile of cleaning supplies in the middle of the living room. While making preparations, she called out instructions to the dazed Maruzensky, who quickly snapped back to reality and clumsily started helping.
The sheer chaos initially made Kagura hesitate for a moment, uncertain where to start. But being a housework expert, she swiftly decided the cluttered living room had to be tackled first.
She assigned the simpler tasks to Maruzensky—taking out the trash bags Kagura packed and sweeping the floor before mopping. Kagura herself handled the tougher spots, like cleaning the crevices beneath the sofa. Even a casual glance revealed plenty of garbage and dust there. It was hard to imagine how the owner managed to coexist peacefully with such surroundings.
"Ugh…this stain's way too stubborn…"
Some stubborn dirt beneath the sofa refused to yield to the mop, so Kagura lay flat on the already-cleaned floor, reaching beneath the sofa with a rag to scrub it by hand.
"Kagura-chan~ I just tossed out that bag of trash. Do you need—"
Maruzensky, having just returned from throwing out garbage, stepped back inside intending to ask about the next task. Instead, she froze at the sight of Kagura sprawled on the ground, backside raised, diligently scrubbing under the sofa.
Granted, Kagura's maid dress was long enough to cover everything properly, so even in this submissive position nothing was actually visible. Yet, for some reason, Maruzensky couldn't tear her eyes away. The same impulse she'd felt earlier that morning resurfaced—her hands itching with the temptation to give that adorable butt a playful slap, or even give it a firm squeeze.
Wait…what am I even thinking?
Maruzensky wasn't some innocent student oblivious to these thoughts. She quickly recognized how inappropriate her sudden urges were, especially since Kagura hadn't even entered honkaku yet. Realizing she'd had such perverse thoughts about her kouhai made her feel deeply ashamed.
From their very first encounter, Maruzensky had sensed Kagura's unique charm. Simply being around her brought a sense of unmatched relaxation and comfort, leading Maruzensky to frequently cuddle or playfully tease Kagura. She had attributed this initially to Kagura's gentle, motherly personality and exceptional homemaking skills, making her easy to rely upon. But now she realized her feelings weren't purely platonic dependence anymore.
"Maruzensky-senpai~? What's wrong? Why are you spacing out over there? Keep daydreaming and we'll never finish."
Kagura's call snapped Maruzensky from her daze. Kagura had finished cleaning beneath the sofa and was standing in the middle of the room, waving at her with a puzzled look.
"Oh…nothing. I just threw out the trash and cleaned the floor. Kagura-chan, is there anything else I can do?"
"Tons! There's still plenty left to clean. You didn't think only the floor needed cleaning, did you?"
Grumbling in annoyance, Kagura wanted to tackle the tall cabinets next, and glanced around for a high stool—only to realize Maruzensky had none.
For Kagura's short stature, a tall stool was essential for housework. Each time she climbed up on one, she couldn't help but nostalgically recall her past 170cm height, then sadly compared it to her current mere 140cm…
Eclipse-san, will I seriously never grow taller again?!
Having searched fruitlessly for a stool, Kagura vented her frustration internally.
——Forget it. Don't I know exactly what my own condition is?
Eclipse's blunt reply crushed whatever faint hopes Kagura briefly entertained.
"Um… Kagura-chan, are you trying to clean that cabinet?"
Maruzensky noticed Kagura's dilemma. Due to her height, she usually never bought tall stools, typically lounging directly on the sofa. Only now did she realize even she couldn't comfortably reach high enough to properly clean the cabinet.
"Oh, I know—Maruzensky-senpai, stand on the stool, then let me ride on your shoulders! That way we'll reach it!"
Kagura quickly estimated: neither she nor Maruzensky alone could reach, but combined they definitely could. So she proposed this solution.
"Eh? Y-you mean…"
"What else? Should I let Senpai ride on me instead?"
"Uhh…"
Kagura's suggestion obviously made more sense, but somehow Maruzensky felt strangely uneasy hearing it phrased that way.
Not giving her senpai time to hesitate, Kagura hurriedly pushed Maruzensky onto the low stool, then had her lift Kagura up. With a bit of effort and some wiggling, Kagura grasped the cabinet, leveraged herself up, then spread her legs to sit securely on Maruzensky's shoulders.
"Careful standing, Maruzensky-senpai! If you fall, we'll both crash down!"
"O-okay…"
Maruzensky nodded, gently gripping Kagura's legs to keep her stable.
Truthfully, Kagura's lightweight frame was no burden at all for a powerful Uma Musume like Maruzensky—but she felt strangely strained, for reasons completely unrelated to Kagura's weight.
Kagura-chan's skin…it's so smooth and soft…
Ever since Kagura sat on her shoulders, Maruzensky felt enveloped by a mysteriously comforting sensation. Outwardly, she kept a perfectly neutral expression—serious and composed—but inwardly she fought desperately to suppress an increasingly improper urge. If one looked closely, they'd notice Maruzensky's cheeks had turned faintly pink.
As Kagura wiped the cabinet above, her occasional movements caused her delicate skin to gently brush against Maruzensky's face, leaving a cool sensation—though she wasn't sure if it felt cool because her face was burning, or simply due to the weather.
She desperately wanted to take a deep sniff, but picturing herself panting against her kouhai's thighs…
That scenario is too creepy no matter how you imagine it!!
"Guh…"
Maruzensky felt her impulse steadily intensifying. Yet her rational mind still kept her instincts locked tight. Amid the fierce struggle between base desire and noble spirit, she now vividly understood what true agony felt like.
Fortunately, Kagura's exceptional housekeeping skills meant this torment didn't last long. After about three minutes, Kagura finally finished cleaning the cabinet, dramatically blew a puff of air, then shut the cabinet door. Lightly tapping Maruzensky's head with her clean knuckles, she said:
"All done, Senpai~ You can let me down now~"
"Y-yes…"
Feeling finally liberated, Maruzensky quickly replied, carefully grasping Kagura's waist to maintain balance. She stepped down carefully, crouching so Kagura could slide safely onto the floor. Maruzensky felt slightly dizzy—any longer, and she genuinely feared losing control, pressing Kagura down onto the sofa and shamelessly burying her face beneath that skirt.
If I really did that…my life as a respectable senpai would be completely over…
Deeply relieved she'd managed to control herself, Maruzensky exhaled slowly.
With Kagura finishing the cabinet, the living room finally sparkled clean. Under the glow of the setting sun, the polished floor shone brightly, dazzling Maruzensky.
Hm? Wait…it's sunset already?? Where'd my time go?!
Maruzensky only now realized hours had passed, and they'd barely managed to clean the living room!
"Whew…finally finished the living room… Maruzensky-senpai, why are you just standing there? Time for the next spot! Your bedroom hasn't been restored yet!"
Without a moment's rest, Kagura—who'd barely caught her breath—immediately dragged Maruzensky into the next epic round of cleaning…
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