Chapter 25 I Was Invited to a National Idol's House

I Was Invited to a National Idol’s House

Even though it was raining, the taxi we were in pulled up in front of a high-rise apartment building. As we stepped out and entered the lobby, a receptionist greeted us, likely due to the building’s tight security. Amane-san acted as if it were completely normal, but I was surprised by how heavily guarded her life was.

As expected of a current top idol…

After taking the elevator and walking down the corridor, we finally arrived at Amane-san’s apartment. She welcomed us inside.

“Wow, it’s so spacious.”

That was my honest impression.

The large living room had expansive windows that usually offered a panoramic city view. Today, with the rain, visibility was poor, but on clear days, the view must be spectacular. A big gray sofa dominated the room, looking incredibly cozy.

In one corner of the marble kitchen, there was a coffee machine. So, Amane-san drinks coffee. It perfectly matched her mature vibe, I thought.

“Amane-chan, you’re a college student living alone, right? You live in a really nice place.”

“Well, I pay the rent myself, so I can choose how and where I live.”

Apparently, she earns quite a lot.

Being a top idol certainly has its perks…

“We got a bit wet. Let’s take a bath, Kanade-chan.”

“Yeah, we don’t want to catch a cold.”

Amane-san and Shirasaki-san shared such a conversation.

“Sorry, Amagi-kun. You can use the bath later; we’ll go first.”

Since Amane-san is the homeowner, I had no objections to her going first.

When I nodded, the two of them left the living room and headed to the bathroom.

“Why don’t you join us, Amagi-kun~?”

I could hear Amane-san’s voice from afar.

“N-no way!”

I reflexively shouted back.

She was probably joking, but it was bad for my heart.

Just being here at her place was nerve-wracking enough.

Kanade’s PoV

I was in the bathroom with Amane-chan.

Even though we were both girls, there was an odd tension in the air.

As I was pondering this, Amane-chan started undressing without hesitation.

Her natural and straightforward attitude surprised me.

That’s just how Amane-chan is…

I also took off my clothes, trying to act composed. Then, Amane-chan looked at me and said something unexpected.

“Kanade-chan, you’ve grown quite a bit. In many ways~.”

Amane-chan made a somewhat perverted comment.

With that leering gaze, if it had been anyone else, I’d probably have smacked them.

“You were so cute and tiny when you first joined.”

“I don’t need to hear that from you, Amane-chan.”

Mine are pretty big too, but Amane-chan is probably about the same size.

Probably an E or F cup…

While thinking about such irrelevant things, I stepped into the bathroom.

There was a large bathtub inside, and we slowly sank into the warm water, sitting across from each other. The steam softly enveloped the air, and it felt wonderful.

“Ahh… This feels great. Sharing a bath with someone is kind of refreshing. If I had a younger sister, maybe it’d feel like this.”

Amane-chan muttered to herself.

As far as I knew, Amane-chan didn’t have any siblings.

Since I have a younger sister, this didn’t feel all that new to me.

But this was my first time sharing a bath with someone outside my family.

Maybe that’s why I was so nervous earlier.

“Hey, Kanade-chan.”

“What?”

Hearing her call my name, I turned to respond.

“Kanade-chan, do you like Amagi-kun?”

“…Huh?”

An unexpected question caught me off guard, and I let out a silly noise.

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“I was just curious. Watching you today, I wondered…”

“It’s not like that. You’re imagining things, Amane-chan.”

Even though it was true, I couldn’t admit it.

I’m an idol, after all, and while it’s not explicitly forbidden, relationships are implicitly discouraged.

“Hmm, I see. It’s just that I remember you crying a lot a while back, and I thought maybe it had to do with Amagi-kun or some heartbreak.”

“You remember something from that long ago? Anyway, Amagi-kun and I aren’t like that. We’re just good friends.”

When I denied it, Amane-chan stood up from the bathtub.

“I see. Then I guess I don’t need to hold back.”

Huh?

Her meaningful words startled me.

No way, does Amane-chan have feelings for Amagi-kun?

That’s absolutely impossible…

If that’s true, she’d be an overwhelmingly strong rival.

I’ll have to get serious about pursuing Amagi-kun.

A sense of urgency began to take hold of me.

After Amane-san and Shirasaki-san finished their bath, I headed to the bathroom alone. As I undressed in the changing room, inappropriate thoughts crept into my mind.

Just knowing they had been here, undressed, filled me with a strange feeling.

As I entered the bathroom and stood by the tub, I noticed the water they used was still warm. Steam rose gently, spreading a lingering warmth throughout the room.

I tentatively touched the water’s surface, and the sensation made my heart race.

“What am I even thinking…”

I told myself that as I slowly sank into the bathtub.

The warm water enveloping me felt pleasant, but the thought of them being here earlier made me tense.

“Phew…”

I closed my eyes for a while, taking deep breaths to calm myself and sort out my feelings.

What am I even doing?

Thanks to Mika-san, I’ve had the chance to be around idols, but this feels like crossing a line. Still, I can’t deny that this thrill is sparking my creativity. Song ideas kept popping into my head. I needed to remember these melodies before they faded…

Surprisingly, being around the Luminous Stars members has been inspiring for songwriting.

I was composing the next Luminous Stars song in my head during this rare moment.