You’re More Beautiful Than the Moon

Chapter 13 - You’re More Beautiful Than the Moon

Noa was getting ready for the main event in their trip; however, she was having an inner dilemma in her head.

Wait a second! I am about to see Cho-chan naked! Isn’t that weird? How do people do this? Isn’t it embarrassing? It's already embarrassing even if we were just strangers, but, I mean, that’s the person I like, and we’re going to bathe together? Huh? I was nonchalant about it until now, but thinking rationally about this, I’m getting really nervous… What should I do?

“Hey, Noa! Are you ready to go?” Sakura barged in.

“Eek! Oh, Sakura-chan… Just give me one more minute, please!”

“Okay… Keisuke went ahead to the man’s bath, and Cho-san is waiting for us at the entrance.”

“I’m going!”

I’ll just have to firm it. I simply won’t look, and then it will be alright!

Noa and Sakura went to the entrance of the ladies’ locker room, where Cho awaited them. The three of them went to a locker each to get a towel and to strip. Cho and Sakura quickly changed into just having a white towel over them, while Noa hesitated.

“I’ll go in first,” said Sakura.

“Is something wrong, Noa-chan?” Cho asked.

“N-no, I’ll go in a minute; you can go ahead too.”

“If you say so… Come soon, okay? This is the best time to use the hot springs, because there are fewer people at this time of day.”

As Cho walked out too, Noa sighed and started changing too.

This is nerve-wracking.

Noa tightly wrapped the towel around herself and went after Cho and Sakura to the shower section, washing herself first as it was in the rules. After that, Noa finally made her way to the hot spring, where Sakura and Cho were already waiting for her.

“Everything’s good?” Cho asked.

“Yeah…”

“Let’s go in then,” Sakura said.

Cho and Sakura took off the towels and submerged themselves in the water till their necks, while Noa first sat at the edge, with only her shins and feet underwater.

“It feels so good!” Sakura exclaimed.

“I know, right?” Cho added.

“Here I go…” Meanwhile, Noa whispered to herself as she stepped in the water.

She was supposed to remove the towel too, but she accidentally left it in front of her chest, so the towel’s bottom ended up touching the water.

“Noa-chan, you can’t wear a towel in the water, you know?” Cho warned her, pointing above her head.

Cho’s and Sakura’s towels were on top of their heads, which meant she was signaling to Noa what people usually do in onsens.

“It’s not like you have to do what others do, but the towel generally can’t touch the water, at this place at least.”

“Sorry…”

Ugh, I’m so ashamed! Why did I even want to try this in the first place? Well, it’s not that I’ll regret it…

Noa reluctantly placed the towel in between her crimson horns, but as she did so, her eyes got caught on Cho. Her ponytail was done up higher than usual, which made Noa stare a bit at the sight of Cho’s nape. Then, her gaze soon wandered to Cho’s slightly flushed and relaxed cheeks. After that, Noa’s eyes drifted away, almost like her vision was being pulled by an unknown force; she started looking downward at things Noa could only imagine as being soft.

Noa suddenly realized what she was doing, stopped herself and covered her eyes with a quiet shriek escaping from her mouth.

So much for my plan of ‘not looking’...

While Noa was mentally fighting with her thoughts, unbeknownst to her, Cho was also taking glances at Noa herself.

“What was that?” Sakura inquired.

“Nothing... It’s just, aren’t you guys embarrassed at all?” Noa fought up the courage to ask the question she’s been meaning to.

“I’m as calm as I can be,” replied Sakura. “I love relaxing in hot water.”

“But doesn’t the presence of others disturb you at all?”

“Not really; I guess I’m not the type to care that much about that stuff.”

“What about you, Cho-chan?”

“My heart is beating really fast, but I guess I’m also more used to it. It could be because of the cultural difference.”

“Right. My heart just won’t slow down.”

“Isn’t that just because you two are next to one another?” It felt to Noa as if Sakura had just dropped a bomb as a tease.

“Huh? Sakura-chan!?”

“Sorry! I won’t tease you guys. After all, if Keisuke was here, I would be similar to you right now.”

“What are you saying, Sakura-chan!?”

As Noa’s and Cho’s faces burned in scarlet, Noa splashed water on Sakura in embarrassment.

“Hey, splashing is not allowed!” Sakura half-jokingly and half-seriously said, laughing at the spectacle.

After soaking herself for a good chunk of time, Noa was the first to get out, dry herself and put her yukata back on. 

She went back to their room to find Keisuke lying on the floor.

“Yo! You’re done already?” Keisuke greeted her.

“Yeah, I got a bit dizzy.”

“Gotcha. Want to order pizza for dinner?”

“I would love to! Were you waiting for someone to order with?”

“Pretty much. I was thinking of ordering two with salami and two with ham as toppings. What do you think?”

“I think that’s good.”

“Also, I didn’t forget my promise, so I’ll be buying you blueberries as well.”

Noa tilted her head, not understanding for a second.

“Remember what I said before the relay race?” Keisuke elaborated. “I said I would get you blueberries if you won, right? And you won, so I’ll get you some just as I promised.”

“Oh, right! Thanks, Kei-kun!”

“No worries! There’s one more thing…”

“What’s up?”

“Good luck with Cho-chan! Don’t hold back or feel bad just because of me, okay? Give it your all!”

“Thanks, Kei-kun…”

“It’s not my place to stop you in the first place. It’s your win, so make sure to enjoy it!” Keisuke wryly smiled. “All right, I’ll place the order then.”

“I really appreciate you, Kei-kun… I’ll go take a walk.”

Keisuke nodded back at Noa in approval as she stepped out of the room.

Noa followed a trail to the outside of the hotel, entering a garden area. The sun had already gone down beyond the horizon, hence the starry sky and a full moon. A warm, gentle breeze caressed Noa’s blue cheeks, signaling the coming of summer, with only a few cherry blossom petals fluttering in the air, indicating it was the end of spring. 

The rocky path outside led Noa through the garden, passing by countless flowers and a few benches along the way, arriving at a creek. The path continued through a wooden bridge that went into the building, connecting the garden with the lounge area.

It seems this path goes full circle. This place is really enchanting.

A familiar figure stood in the middle of the bridge, similarly adoring the scenery. Noa walked up to Cho, who only noticed Noa when she stood beside herself.

“Noa-chan… The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?”

Huh? Does she even know what that means? Well, not that it matters right now… What a cliché saying, though.

Noa went behind Cho to hug her tightly, resting her head against Cho’s back and affectionately wrapping her hands around Cho’s belly.

“Eh? Noa-chan!?”

“You’re more beautiful than the moon, Cho-chan.”

“Huh?”

“I love you!”

Noa felt Cho’s body heat up along with her immensely blushing face, opposite to her mind that probably froze down from the sudden shock. Noa could tell just how flustered Cho must’ve been. 

The feeling was similar to what Noa herself was feeling, but just saying that Cho’s was on another level would be an understatement. Noa was starting to feel more embarrassed by the second, so she let go of Cho when Cho turned around in an instant to wrap herself around Noa.

“I can’t believe this is happening! I’m so happy right now, and it still has yet to properly sink in, but…” Cho took a deep breath. “I love you too, Noa-chan!”

Noa once again wrapped her arms around Cho as a couple of teardrops formed in both her and Cho’s eyes.

“I’m the happiest person in the universe right now!” Noa stated quietly, almost as a whisper, so only Cho could possibly hear it.

“Me too!” Cho’s response was in the same way.

Noa and Cho comfortably cuddled like that for a long while, and they probably would’ve continued for hours if not for the sound of a pizza delivery drone disturbing them.

“Oh, I almost forgot! We ordered pizza for you guys.”

“Really? I’m starving, now that I think about it.”

“Let’s go pick it up!”

“Wait! One more thing. So, are we like… dating now?”

“Of course, silly!” Noa chuckled. “That’s a given, after all that.”

“So you are my girlfriend, and I am yours?”

“Naturally!” Noa burst out laughing. “You’re so cute!”

Cho just pouted in response.

They went to get the pizza hand in hand, bringing it back to their room and joining back with Keisuke and Sakura.

They thoroughly enjoyed their dinner and went to sleep soon after that. Noa and Cho slept next to each other, once again holding hands, that time under the blankets of their futons.

“I can’t wait to have all my memories of you… and to make many more new ones with you, of course!” Cho whispered.

“Thanks, I feel the same way,” Noa whispered back.

“I’m glad. I love you!”

“I love you too! Good night!”

“Good night!”