As they made their way towards the hot-spring, Yumi couldn't bring herself to look over at her Onee-sama. They were both holding towels and wearing the silky white robes provided by the resort, but little else. She was thrilled and terrified at the same time.

How was she going to handle the sight of her Onee-sama naked? What was the proper etiquette? Was she to avert her gaze as they entered the water? How close were they supposed to sit once inside? What if she got caught staring? What would her expression show? What if she couldn't control her actions? Would she do something to jeaporadise their relationship?

'Deep breaths, deep breaths, deep breaths,' she chanted silently. She could handle this. She just had to calm down. 'Breathe, breathe, breathe.'

Yumi sighed. This was hopeless. She was trembling as they entered the enclosure and couldn't help but jump as Sachiko locked the gate, the clicking sound startling her.

"Yumi, are you okay?" Sachiko questioned.

Yumi bowed her head as Sachiko came to stand beside her, unable to make eye contact. "I guess I'm a little cold."

"Cold? Then, lets get into the water. You'll soon be quite warm. Its simply amazing inside."

Placing her towel onto a nearby bench and taking a step forward, Yumi gathered up all her courage and turned her head to face Sachiko.

Unbeknownst to herself, her Onee-sama had already removed her robe and was now standing next to her wearing nothing but the bracelet she'd given her after the Festival.

Yumi's eyes widened instantly, her jaw dropped and her whole body became paralyzed. She couldn't believe the magnificance of the sight before her. Sachiko was an Angel. No, a Godess. She had no right to be granted with such an extraordinary vision.

Much as she wanted to, Yumi simply couldn't look away. Her eyes were too busy taking in the sight of Sachiko's exposed neck, the generous swell of her breasts, the tightening of her nipples as the cold air hit them, the smooth expanse of her buttocks, the firm conclave of her stomach and the way the tight curls between her legs were surprisingly well-trimmed and appeared to be only a slightly lighter shade of black than the hair which was now securely wrapped up in a tight bun at the top of her head.

Her Onee-sama was amazing. She was the total embodiment of what it meant to be a woman. How could she have thought she might be worthy of even sharing the same air as this Godess? She must've been delusional.

With her eyes locked onto Sachiko's form, Yumi continued to gape as she watched her Onee-sama step into the water. For as long as she lived, she would never forget Sachiko's image. The girl's naked body was now forever engrained in her mind's-eye and nothing or no one would ever be able to remove that image.

Closing her eyes, Yumi forced herself to regain some of her composure. She should not be staring so absentmindedly at her Onee-sama. What if Sachiko-sama had seen her? How would she have explained her reaction? She was the girl's petite seour, nothing more. She had no right to be looking at her as if they were...

What?

More than sisters?

Potential lovers?

'No! No! No! No! No!'

Yumi shook her head at the thought. How could she even use that word in relation to Sachiko-sama. They could never be lovers. It wasn't possible. The older girl would never think of her in that manner. The very idea was ludicrous. Sachiko-sama had no problem with their current position.

She could still remember the confusion in the girl's eyes when she'd mentioned a bathing suit earlier. Of course Sachiko-sama wouldn't feel one was necessary. She would never look at her as anything other than a sister. One did not have such notions of modesty around one's sister.

So why couldn't she get the image of Sachiko's body out of her head? Why was her mouth so dry? Why had her own nipples hardened in response to the sight of Sachiko's? Why could she feel a hint of moisture between her thighs?

"Yumi, are you coming in?"

"Huh?" Sachiko's words startled her. "Oh, the water? Yeah, sorry, I was, I was..."

Yumi kept her eyes closed, still unable to look up as her whole body began to tremble.

"Yumi, are you okay?"

She could hear the concern in Sachiko's voice, but was still unable to move.

"I'm fine Onee-sama. S-s-sorry to have w-w-worried you."

"You're trembling Yumi. Come here you'll catch cold."

Yumi startled as Sachiko's voice came closer. A moment later, expert fingers had untied the bow at her waist, and before she could protest, her Onee-sama's hands had moved up to her shoulders, causing the robe to fall uncerimoniously to the ground.

She gasped softly as the cold air hit her exposed body, her cheeks suddenly flaming. Not daring to look up, Yumi kept her eyes closed as Sachiko's hand grasped her own and she began to lead her slowly towards the water. She followed obediently, not knowing what else she could do.

As she entered the warmth of the hot-spring, Yumi found herself inadvertantly getting calmer. It was as if the energy of the natural wonder possessed a kind of soothing property. Relaxing further with each moment, she lowered herself hesitantly, until she was lying down in the water, her neck resting comfortably against the edge.

Finally daring to open her eyes, she turned her head to the right and squeezed Sachiko's hand. "I'm sorry Onee-sama. I don't know why I was so nervous. I'm sorry."

Sachiko looked at her pensively, her thoughts racing as a sudden understanding appeared in her eye. Her gaze softened then and an adoring smile came to her lips.

"No Yumi, I'm sorry. I never stopped to think that you might be feeling a little modest. You really have no reason to feel shy with me, you know. But I am sorry if I made you uncomfortable. You're always so bold and willing to try new things. I just never pictured you as being the type of person who would--"

"It's not that," Yumi interjected, a blush marring her cheeks. She had to be honest with her Onee-sama. If she'd learned anything over the past year, it was that hiding her feelings always led to trouble. She had to tell Sachiko-sama the truth. Well, at least part of it. There were still some things she was not ready to admit, even to herself.

"I mean, yes, it kind of is," she clarified. "I was a little shy about getting undressed, but in all honesty, I was more overwhelmed than anything else. You're so beautiful Onee-sama. I couldn't help it."

"Oh, I see," Sachiko's words came out softly, a sudden redness appearing on her pale skin. "You were looking at me?"

Yumi closed her eyes as her blush deepened. "I'm sorry."

There was a long silence before Sachiko finally responded, during which Yumi felt as if the whole world had stopped.

"Yumi...it's okay. I don't mind having your eyes on me. I'm not embarrased. Okay, maybe a little," Sachiko conceded, her own blush deepening.

"But you are after all my petite seour, and there's no one else I feel closer to in this world. I have nothing to hide from you. And I hope that you will always feel as if you can trust me with your feelings. I don't want there to be any secrets between us. You mean the world to me."

And with those words, Sachiko lifted their intertwined hands and placed a soft kiss against Yumi's knuckles.

Tears formed in Yumi's eyes and she moved herself closer to Sachiko's side. Their state of undress no longer bothered her. All she cared about was being close to her Onee-sama. With that thought, she squeezed Sachiko's hand tightly and lowered her head down to the girl's shoulder.

Sachiko had no idea how long they'd been in the water. Time had stopped for her. Enjoying the warmth of the hot-spring with her most important person by her side was almost like being in a state of Nirvana. She had no comparison for what she was feeling.

Opening her eyes, she gazed over at Yumi with love. The girl's eyes were closed and she seemed completely at ease. This pleased Sachiko. She'd been a little worried by Yumi's earlier reaction. She didn't want the girl to feel uncomfortable in her presence.

Although, when she thought about the idea of Yumi's gaze on her naked form, Sachiko couldn't help but blush. What had Yumi been thinking? Had she met with the girl's approval? Why was she suddenly so interested in knowing what Yumi thought of her body? She wasn't normally so self-concious about her appearance. She knew she was beautiful. She'd been told so by others her whole life. So much so that the words had ceased to have meaning for her.

Except when Yumi said them...

'You're so beautiful Onee-sama,' she'd told her with a blush on her cheeks.

What had been going on in her mind when she'd said that? What was that look in her eye? She'd seen various emotions displayed on the girl's face over the past year, but the look she'd given her at that moment was something new. Yumi's eyes had been half-open, pupils slightly dilated, her voice had held a somewhat huskiness to it, and there was an energy about her that she couldn't quite recognise.

Yumi couldn't possibly have been...

Sachiko let the thought trail off, refusing to give it form.

'No! '

She couldn't allow herself to think that way. She was reading too much into the situation. Yumi adored her as a sister. That's all there was to it. She obviously appeared beautiful to the younger girl, but that didn't mean there was anything improper about her thoughts.

It was natural to be awe-struck by an older sister on occasion.

Wasn't it?

Sachiko sighed at the thought. Who was she kidding? Her relationship with Yumi wasn't as simple as that. Deep down she knew that. The love she held for her own Onee-sama didn't compare to that which she felt for Yumi.

Yumi was the centre of her world. She could recognise Yumi in any crowd, any situation, any form. She loved every part of her. She was drawn to her in a way that broke past all convention.

So why not admit to the possibility of that love being more than platonic?

'No! '

She couldn't do that. The idea was out of the question. The heat from the hot-spring must be getting to her. Those thoughts were impossible.

Sachiko sighed again, a little louder this time.

"Onee-sama?" Yumi opened her eyes and looked up at Sachiko with a dazed smile. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Yumi," she reassured the girl with a smile. "I think my neck's just getting a little stiff, that's all."

"Oh!" Yumi let go of her arm and abruptly sat up. "Please Onee-sama, let me massage your shoulders for you."

Sachiko was about to refuse the request when she noted the eagerness in the girl's eye. Yumi really just wanted to make her happy. Besides, she always enjoyed Yumi's massages. The girl had definitely become an expert in handling her.

"Thank you Yumi, I'd like that."

With that, she presented her back to Yumi and lowered her head to give her easier access. She couldn't contain the soft gasp that escaped her lips at the first touch of Yumi's hands on her skin. She'd never reacted to Yumi's touch like this before...

What was the matter with her? It had to be the properties of the Hot-spring. The heated water had simply made her skin more sensitive. Right?

Urging herself to relax, Sachiko took a deep breath and closed her eyes, determined to enjoy Yumi's massage in the same way she always did. Her determination began to falter however, as Yumi's fingers and thumbs began to expertly knead the soft flesh around her neck. Her skin seemed to enflame with each movement of Yumi's fingers.

In the past, there'd always been the barrier of clothing...

That wasn't the issue though, Sachiko realised. This wasn't the same as her usual neck rub.

But then...it wasn't like Yumi was doing anything different. The lack of a cloth barrier shouldn't be causing her whole body to burn. This was not the proper reaction to her younger sister's touch.

"Mmmm," Sachiko couldn't help but moan as Yumi's fingers found an exceptionaly tight knot.

"Onee-sama," Yumi spoke huskily into her ear, the girl's breath tickling the skin of her neck. "Is this okay? You're very tense here. Have I got the right spot?"

Sachiko could merely nod as an incomprehensible sound escaped her lips. What was the girl doing to her? Her touch was incredible.

"A little further down Yumi," Sachiko found herself saying a moment later, the words coming out of their own accord. "Yeah, that's it," she praised as Yumi complied, the girl's fingers expertly working their way down her back.

"That's the spot," Sachiko confirmed, her voice breaking slightly as a small shiver went down her spine.

A second later, Sachiko bit her lip to stop from reacting too loudly. She could not however contain the tremor that ran straight through to her centre.

In an attempt to get better access to the knot between her shoulder blades, Yumi had pressed herself closer to Sachiko and she could now feel the girl's taught nipples brushing against the skin of her back.

Her own nipples responded in kind and a second later, she heard a soft moan escape Yumi's lips, before all contact was broken abruptly.

Sachiko could tell Yumi was embarrased. She too felt as if her cheeks were on fire. What had just happened? She couldn't leave it like this. She had to re-assure her petite seour. No, she had to re-assure herself as well.

With that thought, she turned to face Yumi, who now had her back turned.

"Yumi," she said the girl's name quietly, not wanting to startle her as she moved closer.

"Onee-sama?" Yumi questioned softly, refusing to turn her head around.

Sachiko looked at her with adoration and somewhat timidly moved her hands to Yumi's abdomen, taking care not to startle the girl.

"Come here Yumi," she whispered into the girl's ear, guiding her backwards until her own breasts were pressed up against her back.

She couldn't contain the sharp moan that escaped her lips at the contact.

'So this is what Yumi must've felt like when her nipples had touched my back...'

Yumi gasped, but complied nevertheless, surprising Sachiko as she moved her hands to cover her own, holding them in place around her waist.

"Are you okay, Yumi?" Sachiko questioned huskily, lowering her chin to Yumi's shoulder as she struggled to control the reaction of her own body.

She could feel the girl's breath become shallow, just as her own was beginning to quicken. Closing her eyes in an attempt to stabalise her reaction, Sachiko repeated her question.

"Yumi, are you okay?"

After what seemed like an eternity, Yumi surprised her with a featherlight kiss against her cheek.

"Yes, Onee-sama," she whispered breathlessly, returning her head to its previous position as her hands pressed reassuringly against the back of Sachiko's, tightening their embrace.

They stayed like that for a long moment, neither girl wanting to break the contact. They both realised something important had transpired, but neither girl was quite yet ready to confirm its meaning. They were happy to simply enjoy the intimacy of their position, unwilling to let their thoughts drift past the moment.

It was Sachiko who finally broke the embrace.

"Lets get out of the water," she whispered into Yumi's ear. "Before we both turn into shrivled prunes."

Yumi giggled and complied with the request.

Sachiko instantly missed the contact of Yumi's body, but ignored her sudden need to return. Instead, she stepped out of the water and briskly dried herself off.

Letting the towel drop, she moved to grab her robe when her eye caught Yumi's.

The girl was staring at her with wide eyes, her mouth slightly open and her cheeks flushed. She appeared frozen in place, gaining the look of a deer caught in headlights. As their eyes met, Sachiko noticed Yumi's blush deepening.

She felt an answering redness appear at her own cheeks. To think that Yumi's eyes had once again gazed at her while...

As she wrapped the robe around herself, Sachiko found her own gaze making its way down Yumi's form, taking in the girl's naked-ness for the first time. She couldn't help but linger at the slight swell of the girl's breasts, surprised by how much the girl had filled out. She was sure Yumi had grown since they'd first met.

Not stopping there for long, she moved her eyes further down, passed her flat stomach, before coming to rest at the tantalising curls between her legs. They were a few shades lighter than the hair on Yumi's head, actually appearing to have an auburn tinge to them.

Sachiko stopped herself cold. What was she doing? What was she thinking? Why was her mouth suddenly so dry? What was the cause of the sudden moisture between her legs? Why did her centre feel like it was crying out for something?

Why did she suddenly want to grab a hold of Yumi and taste every last inch of her body? What would it feel like to press her lips to Yumi's neck...to her breasts? How would the girl react if she were to run her tongue over her nipple before taking it into her mouth?

Sachiko's blush deepened.

Forcing the thoughts from her head, Sachiko tied the sash of her robe into a hasty bow and reached for Yumi's towel.

"Yumi," she said the girl's name throatily as she moved towards her. "Come here, you'll catch cold."

With those words, she hastily spread the towel around the girl's back and closed it up at her chest, taking special care to avoid contact with Yumi's breasts.

"Dry yourself off Yumi," she said the words curtly, maybe a little harsher than she'd intended. "I'll see you in our room when you're done."

And with that, she picked up her own towel and rushed out of the enclosure, determined to push all improper thoughts from her head.