Chapter 86. Bronya: Win!
After chatting with Elysia for a little over half an hour, he finally stopped when the girl began to feel sleepy and reluctantly said goodbye.
Putting away his phone and rubbing his cheeks, Xander quickly headed toward where Seele and the others were.
The three of them had gone to a dessert shop earlier, so they wouldn't be too bored while waiting for him.
When he hurried back to Seele and the others, he was surprised.
The table that originally seated three was now surrounded by six, and when they noticed he'd returned, Kiana, Mei, and Sirin all waved at him.
Both sofas were already full.
Seeing that her brother had no seat, Seele scooted aside and let him sit between her and Bronya.
She immediately explained, "We just happened to run into Kiana and the others, so everyone decided to go shopping together."
"Yeah, yeah. It's New Year's, after all. The more the merrier~"
Kiana was bundled up thickly, with those two big, country-style braids on her head.
Her smile was simple and honest.
Beside her, Mei also smiled and said, "And coincidentally, we were planning to go to the hot springs this afternoon too. We told Bronya just now and realized it's the same place."
"Such a coincidence?"
Looking surprised, Xander opened his mouth to eat the cake Seele fed him with her own fork, then took a sip of the drink Bronya lifted for him.
Sirin frowned again and again at the sight.
"You punk, living the good life, huh."
"Sigh, it's… okay, it's okay."
"Tch, scumbag."
Seeing Sirin's cute, disdainful expression, Xander couldn't resist teasing her.
He leaned back a bit and patted his thighs with a smile.
"There's still room here. Want to sit?"
"?"
A question mark seemed to hang over Sirin's forehead, and then her face flushed red as she roared, "Get lost!!!!"
"Aww, don't have such a temper. What will you do if you can't get married later?"
"Then I'll stay single for life!"
"Looking this cute, that'd really be a shame."
"Hmph, forget it. Even if you praise me, I won't consider a scumbag like you."
"Did I say I meant me? You sure have an imagination."
"Get out!!!!"
Their bickering quickly had everyone laughing.
Seeing Sirin so mad she looked ready to rush over and bite, Kiana hurried to hold back her sister and soothed, "Okay, okay. Xander, stop bullying Sirin."
"Alright, I won't stoop to a kid's level."
That deliberately helpless look made Sirin fume again.
Next, Xander wrapped his arms around Seele's waist and, to the girl's soft little gasp, lifted her onto his lap.
"If you won't sit, someone else will. It's crowded anyway, so Seele can sit here."
"Mm… we're still outside…"
Seele's face flushed.
Though she said that, her body very honestly leaned back a bit more, which made Kiana click her tongue in wonder.
"Xander, you're really something. First it was Seele and Bronya, then that European someone—El… E-Elysia? Forget it. And now a fiancée suddenly pops up, and you still say you don't understand love?"
And that fiancée was really beautiful.
The first time Kiana saw her, she practically drooled.
Okay, maybe that's kind of scummy.
But seeing that Seele and Bronya didn't seem to mind, they naturally had no reason to butt in.
If they were happy, what business was it of others?
"I really don't understand," Xander replied aggrievedly, making Kiana roll her eyes on the spot.
"Fine, fine, you don't. You just don't want to teach me, huh? Seriously, it's not like I'm going to steal your wife."
A friend's wife is off limits.
Of course Kiana understood that!
With a pout, Kiana chomped down and swallowed the cake on her plate in one go, then promptly choked half to death.
"Husband, this concubine can't finish."
While Mei was flusteredly helping Kiana drink water, Kaguya—who hadn't said much—pushed over her half-eaten cake, rubbed her belly, and spoke weakly.
"Then I'll eat it. I happen to be a little hungry."
Watching her husband polish off the rest in a few bites, Kaguya showed a happy smile.
It wasn't that she couldn't finish.
She just wanted to try that anime-and-game scene where the girlfriend can't finish and the boyfriend helps her eat it.
It felt… kind of wonderful.
After making a ruckus for a while, the group swept grandly through the mall.
When Xander realized he not only had to rack his brains to comment on the clothes chosen by six people but also carry things for six people, he suddenly felt maybe he shouldn't have come along.
…
Testing the water temperature, Xander stepped into the hot spring and leaned against the pool wall with a long, relieved sigh.
Finally, it was time to relax.
Only, looking at the empty hot spring with just himself, he let out another sigh.
In the original plan, the four of them had only booked a single large suite.
The big outdoor bath in the courtyard could be shared by four, which counted as a benefit for him.
Unfortunately, after the roster expanded to seven, Seele and Bronya didn't bring up the previous idea and instead dragged Kaguya to Kiana's room.
Seriously, wouldn't six people together be crowded?
Split two over here!
They really didn't know how to make efficient use of resources.
He was a proper gentleman and wouldn't do anything.
Probably.
Elsewhere, Kaguya, wrapped in a bath towel, was quickly surrounded by a curious Kiana and Sirin.
They kept asking this and that, but Kaguya didn't find them annoying at all.
Instead, she responded with great interest.
Soon, who knows what they talked about, but the three girls' faces—and even Mei, who was eavesdropping at the side—were all flushed.
As for Seele and Bronya, they dawdled in the shower area for ages.
"Bronya, are you still not done washing?"
Seele sat on a little stone stool, feeling her butt go numb, while Bronya beside her stayed seated and didn't leave.
"My hair is much longer than yours, Seele."
Bronya glanced at her, speaking with pointed meaning.
"Th-then Seele will help Bronya wash it."
Seele hurried behind her and efficiently rinsed the foam from her hair.
After quite a bit of effort, she finally finished tidying those silvery tresses.
"Phew, done."
Just when Seele thought Bronya would finally go soak in the bath, what Bronya did next left her dumbfounded.
"Thanks, Seele. You go soak. I'm going to see Xander for a bit."
"Eh?"
T-that's not right.
Seele reached out, but only grabbed a handful of air.
She watched her Bronya stand, put on a bathrobe at the door, and look back to wink at her with a teasing glint.
After all they'd done together, if Bronya still couldn't see through Seele's little thoughts, she might as well quit.
Kiana and the others were all here.
Seele didn't dare make a move openly.
Since that was the case, Bronya would accept this opportunity without the slightest mercy~
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