Chapter 46: Marin Kitagawa's Unusual Judgment
In the end, Eriri took a bath together with Mashiro.
Perhaps because she used to do this with Rita back in England, Mashiro showed no discomfort. Instead, it was Eriri who, after suggesting it herself, ended up feeling incredibly shy.
Observing this, Shunsuke clicked his tongue in annoyance. "If you don't like it, just let me handle it!"
After a quick rinse, Shunsuke left a change of clothes for both Eriri and Mashiro in the bathroom cubicle.
These were clothes Eriri had left behind in the past.
Thankfully, both girls had slender builds, so sharing clothes was no issue.
Koizumi was likely also wearing Eriri's clothes, as all three of them shared a petite, delicate frame—the kind most people in Japan found adorable.
"You two continue washing up; I'll go prepare dinner. Eriri, make sure to help Mashiro get dressed," Shunsuke called out before stepping out of the house.
Girls usually take their time in the bath, and with someone as clueless as Mashiro and a pampered lady like Eriri, who knows how long it would take.
As Shunsuke stepped outside, he noticed it was still raining. With a faint smile, he summoned Star Platinum to cloak himself.
"TOKI WO TOMARE!"
Time stopped. Raindrops froze mid-air, suspended in delicate strands that created a unique beauty.
With Star Platinum's precise control, Shunsuke moved through the rain, not touching a single drop.
Three seconds had passed.
When time resumed, Shunsuke didn't summon The World to connect seamlessly this time; instead, he advanced step by step with Star Platinum.
"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA—!"
As Shunsuke walked slowly, Star Platinum punched at the falling raindrops continuously.
With Shunsuke at its center, it created a two-meter radius shield where not a single raindrop could break through, making it seem as if he were walking in his own personal kingdom, where nothing could touch him without his permission.
Luckily, there were no pedestrians around at this moment. If any devout onlookers witnessed this scene, Shunsuke could probably start a Japanese cult to rake in money on the spot.
He even thought up a name: "Himekami Society"—it had a nice ring to it.
"ZA WARUDO!"
Midway through his walk, he seamlessly summoned The World.
This time, however, things didn't go quite as smoothly.
The World lacked the precision of Star Platinum. Although it operated beyond human limits, it couldn't fully intercept the endless rain, allowing a few drops to slip through and hit less critical areas.
After testing his stand's powers, Shunsuke stopped playing around and began stopping time in rapid succession.
When time resumed again, he was already standing at the front door of the Izumi household.
If this were in other countries, Shunsuke wouldn't have dared to act so conspicuously, given the nearly omnipresent surveillance cameras that could easily catch him. But in Japan, where Western society's privacy concerns limited public surveillance, he had nothing to worry about.
Entering the Izumi household, Shunsuke made his way down the hallway and was greeted by the sight of a blonde-haired beauty wrapped in a bath towel, just stepping out of the bathroom.
"Eh, Senpai, you got here so quickly from your house?"
Marin greeted Shunsuke with a smile, tilting her head as she dried her hair with a towel.
"So casual about saying hello..." Shunsuke was slightly taken aback. "Kitagawa-san, how do you even judge what's embarrassing? I really don't get it. Girls are so hard to understand."
Just a little smudged makeup made her too shy to show her face earlier. But now, with no makeup and just wrapped in a towel, she greeted him like it was nothing. Strange.
Without any makeup, Marin looked less glamorous but surprisingly pure. Shunsuke thought this suited her soft features better—it was actually a little heart-stirring.
"Senpai, your heartbeat just sped up—did I charm you?" Marin teased, leaning close as if listening to his chest.
Shunsuke replied directly, "Yes. 'As if a lotus fresh from the water, untouched by artifice.' This is from a famous poet, and I think it suits you perfectly right now, Marin. My heart's fluttering."
Marin's confident smile vanished. Her face flushed as she fumbled with her towel, trying to act composed.
"Haha, Senpai, you're exaggerating! Using that poetry to describe me is over the top."
Though Marin sometimes came off as an airhead or a bit rebellious, her knowledge of literature was actually quite good.
Getting into Sobu High proved her capabilities, and she was well aware of who was the author of that poet.
"Maybe. But I think that line suits the scene perfectly. I mean it, Kitagawa-chan."
This time, Shunsuke closed the distance, adding a soft "chan" to her name for that hint of affection.
"W-well, I… I'm going to get dressed!"
Marin stammered, then tried to dart back to the bathroom.
"Hold on—at least have the ginger tea Mrs. Izumi made first. I'll grab your clothes for you."
Grabbing her wrist gently, Shunsuke stopped her, and Marin froze, her cheeks flushing as she seemed lost in her own thoughts.
—Hmph, thinking you can flirt with me?
Shunsuke smirked in triumph. High offense and low defense types like her really shouldn't try to take the lead.
So, hand-in-hand, he led Marin to the dining room. She followed along meekly, looking all too obedient.
...
As he stepped onto the balcony, Shunsuke noticed Mrs. Izumi putting Koizumi's and Marin's soaked clothes into the dryer.
Koizumi's clothes were adorably cute, while Marin's were predictably bold.
"Shun-kun, you shouldn't be looking at this! You'll get a sty!" Mrs. Izumi spotted him and jokingly wagged her finger, still holding a lacy pair of panties in her hand.
"I just came to ask if you've got Kitagawa's clothes ready. If not, I'll go grab them from your bedroom." Shunsuke sighed, taking the panties from her and hanging them up. "Besides, it's just laundry. How many times have I helped you and Sagiri wash clothes? Why would I start caring about this now? If I were to get a sty, wouldn't it have happened already?"
Feeling confident and unbothered, Shunsuke spoke with righteous conviction.
"Huh, you're right." Mrs. Izumi relented, realizing he had a point.
"Alright then, hurry up and get those clothes ready. Kitagawa's wrapped in nothing but a towel, and if Eriri sees her like that, it's going to be a whole scene. Leave the rest to me," Shunsuke said, waving her off.
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