The room was small but clean.
A single bed topped with a thick, cozy futon occupied most of the floor space, leaving just enough room for a small tea table tucked away in the corner.
As Aoi was taking in their surroundings, the System's voice rang out in her ear, cold and sudden.
[Ding! Mission Issued: Sleep in the same bed as Giyu Tomioka.] [Reward: Portkey (Allows for space-time travel; Note: This item can only be triggered passively).] [Penalty for Failure: Stamina will be reduced to zero.]
Sleep... in the same bed?!
With who? Giyu Tomioka?!
Aoi's mind reeled. This damn System! Why is it always issuing these mortifying, socially suicidal tasks?!
"I'm bathing first."
Giyu seemed entirely oblivious to the mental war raging inside the girl standing next to him. He dropped the short sentence, grabbed his change of clothes, and disappeared into the bathroom.
Soon, the sound of splashing water filled the silence, walling the room off from the outside world.
Aoi slumped onto the floor, her fingers tangled in her hair, her face a mask of pure despair. She stared at the wide bed, then at the meager bedding Giyu had set aside to lay on the floor. Her thoughts were a chaotic mess.
No, absolutely not! This is too embarrassing!
But... if my stamina hits zero... I'll literally die!
Slide—
The bathroom door creaked open.
Aoi jumped, her heart leaping into her throat as she snapped back to reality. Giyu stepped out, having finished his bath. He was shirtless, with nothing but a single towel wrapped around his waist.
Water droplets clung to his hair and skin, tracing the sharp lines of his neck and sliding down his well-defined chest before disappearing into the edge of the towel.
"!!!"
Aoi's face exploded into a brilliant crimson. It was as if she'd been physically scorched; she spun around instantly, slamming her hands over her eyes. "Why—why did you come out without clothes on?!"
Giyu seemed genuinely puzzled by her reaction. He looked down at himself, then spoke in a level tone. "I'm changing."
With that, he walked over to his travel pack and began to dress right there, completely unbothered by her presence.
Aoi's internal monologue was a frantic scream: This guy! He's definitely doing this on purpose! Giyu Tomioka, do you have any idea how attractive you are?!
Stop it. If I keep thinking about this, I'm going to get a nosebleed!
Calm down, Aoi! Get a grip! she scolded herself. This is just a mission! It's for survival!
Taking a deep breath, she peeked through the gaps in her fingers. Thankfully, Giyu had already pulled on his familiar haori and uniform, though his hair was still damp. He was idly drying it with a towel.
Only then did Aoi dare to drop her hands, though the heat in her cheeks refused to subside. She cleared her throat, trying to make her voice sound even remotely normal. "I—I'm going to go bathe now!"
She practically bolted into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her with a resounding thud.
The small space was still filled with the scent of Giyu's soap. Mixed with the lingering steam, it sent the temperature of her face skyrocketing all over again. She splashed cold water on her burning cheeks and glared at her reflection in the mirror, letting out another silent wail.
Kazama Aoi, you are pathetic! It was just a shirtless guy! Is it really worth this much of a freak-out?
But... he really is in incredible shape...
Agggh! Stop thinking about it!
She scrubbed herself down quickly, changed into the clean yukata provided by the inn, and eventually worked up the courage to crack the bathroom door open.
In the room, Giyu had finished drying his hair. He was sitting cross-legged by the tea table, reading something by the dim light of a lamp.
Aoi stood awkwardly by the door, her hands and feet feeling like they didn't belong to her body. Her gaze darted back and forth between the wide bed and Giyu. The internal struggle began anew.
System, are you absolutely sure there's no other way? she pleaded, making one last desperate stand.
[Ding! Host, please complete the mission as soon as possible.] The System's cold, robotic voice offered zero sympathy.
Giyu seemed to sense her distress. He looked up, those deep, sea-blue eyes settling on her. "You take the bed," he said calmly.
"Then... what about you?" Aoi asked reflexively.
"I'll sleep here." He gestured to the floor. His tone was as flat as ever, as if this were the most natural arrangement in the world.
It's because you're being so "natural" about it that I can't find a way to bring it up! Aoi was losing her mind. She couldn't exactly charge over and scream, "Tomioka-san, please, come sleep in the bed with me!"
That would be insane. He'd think she was a total creep.
She bit her lower lip, steeled her nerves, and decided to try a flanking maneuver. She walked over to the bed but didn't lie down. Instead, she stood there with a heavy frown, looking deeply troubled.
"What is it?" Giyu asked.
Here's my chance!
Aoi took a second to summon her "inner actress," adopting a voice that was as pitiful and reasonable as she could manage. "I... I'm a little scared to sleep alone. Usually, I have a doll to hold..."
She kept her head down, not daring to meet his eyes. Even to her own ears, the lie sounded incredibly flimsy.
However, Giyu simply watched her for a few silent heartbeats before letting out a quiet, "Oh."
...Oh?
Just "Oh"?
Aoi snapped her head up. Looking into his unreadable eyes, her confidence wavered. What does that mean? Does he not believe me, or does he just not care?
Just as she was preparing to lay the act on even thicker, Giyu stood up and walked over to the bed.
"You... what are you..."
"Sleep on the inside," Giyu said, his words brief and final.
He... he agreed? Just like that? He didn't have a single follow-up question for her ridiculous excuse?
Giyu seemed to find nothing wrong with the situation. He patted the outer side of the mattress, signaling for her to get in.
One bed. One quilt. Two people breathing.
The air in the room felt like it had turned to lead. It was so quiet she could hear the rhythmic thumping of their hearts. Aoi could feel the radiant heat of the man beside her through the thin fabric of their yukatas and the quilt. Her entire body was stiff; she didn't even dare to move a finger.
[Ding! Mission Successful. Reward Dispatched!]
A split second later, a large, warm hand pressed against her forehead.
"Do you have a fever?" Giyu's voice rumbled from beside her, carrying a hint of rare, subtle confusion. "Your face is very hot."
"N-no!" She jerked her head away as if she'd been electrocuted, dodging his touch.
Her reaction was so explosive that it only made her look more suspicious. Giyu's blue eyes seemed extra piercing in the dim light as he studied her, likely trying to discern if she was lying.
Aoi's heart hammered against her ribs. She scrambled for a cover story. "It—it's probably just because the bath was too hot! It was a bit stifling in there! Yeah, that's it!"
Giyu didn't push the issue. He simply withdrew his hand, lay back down, and closed his eyes as if nothing had happened.
But the scent of his clean soap and the steady sound of his breathing acted like an invisible net, pinning Aoi in place within those few feet of space. She lay there, rigid and wide awake, her mind a whirlwind.
The mission was done. The reward was hers.
But... now what?
Was she really going to stay like this, inches away from Giyu Tomioka, until morning?
She stole a tiny, cautious glance at him out of the corner of her eye. He appeared to be asleep. In the moonlight, the sharp lines of his profile looked unexpectedly soft. Those eyes that usually held so little emotion were closed now, his long lashes casting faint shadows against his skin.
This guy... he actually looks pretty harmless when he's asleep.
Maybe... sleeping like this for one night isn't the worst thing in the world.
As the thought crossed her mind, the tension that had gripped her all evening finally began to bleed away. Exhaustion hit her like a wave. Lulled by the steady rhythm of Giyu's breathing, she drifted off, her eyes sliding shut as she sank into a deep sleep.