Chapter 153: Lingerie Panic
"Keiko..." I called softly.
"Hmm?" she replied, her voice calm as the steam surrounded us.
I wrapped my arms around her from behind, holding her close while we relaxed in the onsen, still basking in the warmth of our earlier intimacy. The quiet ripples of water and the faint scent of minerals made the moment feel romantic, almost unreal.
But soon, the heat started to overwhelm me. "It’s getting too hot... I’m out, sorry!" I blurted, standing up quickly and making my way to the room.
On the way, I grabbed a towel to cover myself, and just before I slid the door shut, I heard Keiko chuckle softly behind me.
Steam still clung to my skin as I leaned back on the sofa, clothes on, trying to catch my breath.
My heart was still racing—not only from the heat of the onsen, but from the fact that Keiko and I had just shared one of the most intimate moments we’d ever had. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if the water was too hot, or if it was Keiko’s presence that made me feel like I was going to boil alive.
I grabbed the TV remote, pretending to be absorbed in some late-night drama just to cool down. That’s when I heard the sliding door behind me.
“Ryusei…” Keiko’s voice, soft but nervous.
When I turned, I nearly jumped out of my skin. She wasn’t in her bathrobe anymore—she was in lingerie.
Red. Lacy. Dangerously thin.
The kind of thing you see once in a glossy magazine and think, nah, that’s not real, people don’t actually wear those.
But there she was—Keiko, standing there with flushed cheeks, her curves barely contained, looking like she had stepped out of some forbidden dream. My jaw dropped, and I immediately whipped my head away, face burning.
“Ehhh?!” I squeaked like a broken kettle. Smooth. Real smooth, Ryusei.
She coughed softly, then quickly pulled a robe around herself again. I peeked from the corner of my eye—her ears were crimson.
Before I could even figure out what to say, she walked up and pressed something into my hands.
“Please… I wanna see you too.”
I blinked down at the fabric. It took me a moment to even register what it was. Then my brain short-circuited.
Lingerie.
For me.
“What the hell, Keiko?!” I yelped, holding the thing up like it was a cursed object. “You—you actually bought me this?!”
She nodded, lips pursed, her face glowing red. “I was curious.”
“…Curious?!” I gasped. “Curious about what, exactly? Whether I can pull off being a Victoria’s Secret model?!”
Keiko buried her face in her hands, muffled, “Don’t make it weird!”
Too late. It was weird. Weird, terrifying, and… okay, maybe a little exciting.
I groaned dramatically, running a hand through my hair. “Keiko, seriously, what kind of things are you reading lately? I swear I need to check your bookshelves before you corrupt yourself any further.”
Her eyes snapped up. “It’s not like that! Just once… please? I even bought it especially for you.”
I stared at the delicate, silky, tiny thing in my hands and laughed nervously. “Special for me? Great, thanks, just what I always wanted in my thirties.”
She smiled shyly but didn’t back down. “Please, Ryusei.”
There was a long silence. My face was on fire. My pride screamed no, but her eyes… her eyes were shining with that same softness that always broke me.
I sighed. “Fine. But promise me something.”
Her head tilted. “What is it?”
“Don’t laugh at me.”
She pressed her lips together, nodding solemnly. “I promise.”
That was the biggest lie of the century, but I had no choice.
So, with the dignity of a condemned man walking to the gallows, I shuffled to the bathroom.
---
Okay… how hard can it be? It’s just clothes. Clothes with… too many holes.
Wait...
Why are there straps here? Is this… supposed to go around my neck or my thigh?! Who designed this, a sadist?! I’m gonna strangle myself before Keiko even sees me!
God, if Junpei ever finds out about this, I’ll have to change my name and move to another country.
Okay… okay, deep breaths. Just put one leg here… and… oh god this can’t be right…
---
Finally, after ten minutes of fighting fabric, I managed to “wear” it. Or at least… 70% wear it. I wasn’t confident. My reflection in the mirror was enough to make me question all my life choices.
Still, I had promised.
I inhaled, exhaled, then kicked the door open dramatically. “Ta-dah.”
Keiko’s eyes widened. Her jaw dropped. For two solid seconds, she was frozen. I thought maybe she was impressed.
Then she burst into uncontrollable laughter.
“Pffft—hahaha—oh god, Ryusei—you—you put your arm in the leg hole! Aaaahhh I can’t—!”
“Wha—hey!! You promised!!” I shouted, covering my burning face. “You swore you wouldn’t laugh!”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry—!” she wheezed between laughter, “but—but it’s just—you look like a tangled pretzel!”
I looked down. She was right. I had one strap twisted like a seatbelt across my stomach, the lace part jammed against my shoulder, and… yeah, okay, it was a disaster.
I groaned. “God, this was supposed to be a romantic night! Instead I look like I lost a wrestling match with a spider web!”
Keiko wiped her tears of laughter, still giggling. “That’s why I love you, Ryusei. You’re always such an idiot.”
“…Excuse me?!” I snapped, though my ears burned.
She smirked. “It’s true.”
“Oh, you’ll regret saying that.”
Without warning, I tore off the cursed lingerie and tossed it aside. Naked. No shame now. Keiko gasped, startled, as I marched over and scooped her into my arms.
“W-wait, Ryusei! What are you doing—”
“You laughed at me. Now pay the price.”
I tossed her gently onto the bed, pinning her down as her eyes widened. She tried to glare but her cheeks betrayed her, pink and glowing.
“You’re crazy…” she whispered.
“Crazy for you,” I grinned, then kissed her deeply.
Her body relaxed beneath mine, laughter melting into warmth. She clutched my shoulders, kissing me back with the same passion, and in that moment the lingerie disaster didn’t matter.
The night became ours—messy, clumsy, but overflowing with love.
---
Later, as we lay tangled together, Keiko resting her head on my chest, she murmured softly, “Happy birthday to me.”
I chuckled, stroking her hair. “Happy birthday, Keiko. Sorry for ruining the lingerie show.”
She giggled sleepily. “No… I liked it. You… you always make me laugh. That’s why I love you.”
My heart swelled. Even if I looked like a disaster, even if I embarrassed myself a thousand times, as long as I had that smile—Keiko’s smile—I didn’t mind.