Even after they had dinner, the air between Wada and T.M. Opera O could only be described as awkward.
They had initially thought that after relaxing in the hot spring for a while, they would be able to ease up a bit.
Yet unexpectedly, the air between the two had became even more awkward compared to when they first arrived.
As things began to become worse and worse, it caused both Wada and T.M. Opera O to feel physically and mentally exhausted, feeling incredibly uncomfortable; thus, they turned off the lights and went to bed early.
Unfortunately, neither of them was able to sleep.
Sleeping on the same tatami mat. Despite sleeping with two separate blankets with there being a person's distance between them, made them incapable of even having the will to sleep.
Finally, unable to bear the suffocating atmosphere any longer, Wada slowly sighed, voluntarily turned over to face T.M. Opera O, who had her back to him, and softly said:
"T.M. Opera O, you can't sleep either?"
"Ugh?!"
However, Wada's words made T.M. Opera O instantly spooked.
He could even see a violent tremor under T.M. Opera O's quilt—her tail had probably perked up again.
"Ryu- Ryuji? I- I'm fine, I almost fell asleep just now."
T.M. Opera O swallowed, not even daring to turn around, curling her body under the blanket, and replied tremblingly:
"I- is there something, Ryuji? I really want to sleep."
"...I think we should talk."
When Wada said this, T.M. Opera O became even more nervous, fidgeting all over.
'She's really nervous, as expected.'
Wada could, of course, see the anxiousness T.M. Opera O was displaying.
He also understood what T.M. Opera O was thinking at this moment; after all, in such an environment, it was impossible not to think of things developing that way, especially for a glass cannon like T.M. Opera O.
Wada didn't say much after that. He just silently lifted his own blanket, moved next to T.M. Opera O, and watched her curl up like a caterpillar, her whole body shaking.
But Wada had made up his mind this time. Soon, just as his hand touched T.M. Opera O's quilt, T.M. Opera O suddenly sprung up from the tatami mat and backed up a distance away from Wada.
"Wait— wait! Ryuji, I'm not mentally prepared yet! Let me think a bit more, just a little more!"
"Even an Overlord like me needs some time for such matters, and it's not easy to explain to my parents. I think we should take it one step at a time!"
After T.M. Opera O got rid of her blanket, she immediately sat curled up on the edge of the tatami mat.
However, Wada still slowly moved towards T.M. Opera O's back.
And even though she clearly felt Wada slowly approaching, T.M. Opera O felt as if there was an invisible wall surrounding the tatami mat, not being able to move further from the edge at all.
This push-and-pull psychology made her very conflicted, and she could only close her eyes, blushing intensely.
Soon enough, T.M. Opera O felt a pair of hands wrap around her waist, gently pulling her closer, and she immediately felt that her sanity was just a hair's breadth away from collapsing.
"I won't do anything, T.M. Opera O. Now, relax a little."
Wada whispered into T.M. Opera O's ear.
When the warm sensation entered her brain through her ear, T.M. Opera O became even more nervous.
But once her reasoning began functioning again, she finally registered what Wada's words meant.
"...Huh?"
"Don't worry, I won't do anything. You're feeling incredibly nervous right now, like me before the Kikuka Sho. So let me help you a bit."
"Now, let's just stay like this for a while. My body might not feel as comfortable as your lap, T.M. Opera O, but it should be a little better than the tatami mat."
Saying this, Wada hugged T.M. Opera O's body a little tighter, as she felt his chest pressing against her back.
Under Wada's comfort, T.M. Opera O slowly became less nervous.
Her body gradually adapted to the body heat of the person she was laying on and she began to slowly relax.
But after relaxing, a question she had been pondering before surfaced in her mind once more.
With a somewhat unwilling tone, T.M. Opera O couldn't help but ask:
"Really... you're not going to do anything?"
"Do you actually want me to do it, T.M. Opera O?"
Wada teased, making T.M. Opera O blush again.
But perhaps because Wada had already given his definite answer, T.M. Opera O felt relieved instead.
T.M. Opera O then pouted slightly, unhappy, and asked:
"Is it because my figure isn't good...?"
"Sure enough, all men like bigger ones, right? My body isn't as good as Meisho Doto's, and I'm not as pretty as McQueen..."
"Ryuji, do you really... think I'm beautiful? Do you really not like me?"
When it came to her body and appearance, T.M. Opera O was never that confident in herself.
Every Uma Musume on their team was a beautiful Uma Musume that each had their own charms.
Compared to them, the slightly above average T.M. Opera O was a bit overshadowed by the rest.
The only things she could use to cover up her insecurities were her nearly narcissistic confidence, her swagger as the Overlord, and her elaborate attire, all of which undeniably added points to her appearance.
But now, in Wada's arms, stripped of her elaborate makeup and with her crown removed, she was just an ordinary Uma Musume, with no special features, with even her personality being normalized.
It was only now that T.M. Opera O could finally shed all her disguises and ask Wada this question.
"Haven't I answered this question many times, T.M. Opera O? When did you become so unconfident?"
Wada also found it amusing.
His hands, wrapped around T.M. Opera O's waist, gently stroked her stomach, making T.M. Opera O's cheeks flush with embarrassment. (T/N: 🤨)
But T.M. Opera O neither resisted nor disliked Wada doing this.
"I just want to hear you say it, Ryuji."
"—Then I'll tell you, T.M. Opera O."
Wada chuckled at her words and whispered into T.M. Opera O's ear:
"What I care about is you, T.M. Opera O. Whether you are valiant and heroic, gentle and elegant, or even spoiled and willful, these are all you. The important thing is you, not what kind of you."
"I can accept any version of you, as long as it's you, that's enough."
"...Are you confessing to me, Ryuji?"
Once the sweet words entered her ears, T.M. Opera O, who had been nervously curled up at first, was now no longer shy.
Facing the big boy holding her, T.M. Opera O smiled slightly and gently tilted her head back...
And just like that, their faces connected.
A fleeting kiss, like a dragonfly touching the water, landed on Wada's cheek.
The warmth came and went quickly, leaving no time to react, and T.M. Opera O quickly withdrew her head, her cheeks flushed.
This was certainly not T.M. Opera O's first kiss. Her first kiss had already been given to Wada when "T.M. Opera O" was controlling her body.
But this was an action she had taken voluntarily with her own mind, and clearly, for her, the meaning was different.
She knew she couldn't have feelings as strong for Wada as her other self did.
Many things between them were still things she hadn't experienced, but even so, the feelings in her heart were already overflowing. It was clear the importance Wada has in her heart.
They didn't need confessions or lengthy words between them; everything was understood without speaking.
But... while love might not be describable in words, it could be responded to with actions.
"Ryuji... we can be considered to have already surpassed the Emperor, right? Perhaps we can really retire."
"But you probably don't want to retire so early, just passing by like a shooting star, right?"
Wada understood T.M. Opera O's meaning perfectly and said with a slight smile:
"That's why we're not doing anything. The rest... let's act upon after our careers are over."
"That's right."
Saying this, T.M. Opera O completely relaxed. There was nothing more that needed to be said.
Perhaps in their hearts, the future they envisioned at this moment had the same outcome.
But for now... they didn't need to think so much, just leaning on each other like this was enough.
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It's game over for Doto...
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If you spot any errors, feel free to comment about it and I will fix it as soon as I can.