A small, local bathhouse in Osaka is the biggest one available in places like Kanazawa. It's been more than a long time since I've been able to enjoy the hot water in Osaka, nonetheless with Torabe.
I made haste in getting in the large communal tub, while Torabe took his sweet time washing off with one of the many shower faucets.
Torabe joined me a moment after and we both sank into the water as we exhaled all the pent-up exhaustion from the previous hours. The aromas of the bathhouse mixed and dispelled amongst each section of the large building, which was tucked neatly amongst many other different establishments.
The bright, fluorescent lights which lined the ceiling gave the mist a bright glow as it collected in the corners of the room. The water licked gently at our bodies as various other people we had no connection with joined in the tub. Torabe and I grew closer as more people climbed in.
There was a somewhat uncomfortable feeling with being so close to another body in a public place, but on the other hand, it was a lot easier to be open and social with them. I think this struck Torabe well because he ended up talking a lot more in the bathhouse than any other time I was in Osaka.
"Karusu…is Nao the same as when we were in college?"
"Hm…I'd say so. Although since we've started working she has been a lot tamer."
"I see. You've been taking good care of her then, huh?"
I slightly laughed, "well, we're working in the same field, I can't risk having her making some vital mistake and ending up hurt. Sometimes that girl is so unpredictable."
"She's a really good person though," Torabe smiled to himself, staring off at some invisible object suspended in the middle of the ceiling ahead of us.
"She is," I gave a simple response.
I had a slight suspicion that Nao was the person he was interested in. Part of me knew she wasn't, but on the surface it still made sense.
We made sure to slowly get out of the bath and make our way back to the lockers without disturbing anyone else at the showers or otherwise. It didn't take long for us to step outside into the frigid, Osaka air once more.