Ashiya rested both elbows on the back of the park bench as she slouched with her knees apart "So what happened while we were gone?"
"Your dorm pipes got fixed." Kadoma handed a peach juice to Ashiya and a royal milk tea to Nakao hoping she sounded nonchalant.
"Well, since that was the point of us leaving in the first place…" Nakao stretched her legs out and crossed her ankles as she opened her can "But that isn't why you're blushing."
Kadoma knew her face was hot, but she wasn't ready to talk about it yet. "I want to hear about Ashiya's two weeks with Sano at a resort first."
"We were working, just so you know. I didn't have all day to plan ways of accidentally bumping into him unlike someone else." Ashiya looked pointedly at Nakao.
"I need a fake identification card to get into his favorite bars" Nakao frowned "the only progress I've made is not having a restraining order issued against me for stalking."
"It can't be that bad." Kadoma rested both elbows on her knees "Did he say anything to you?"
"Nanba looked directly at me while he flirted with two women at a nightclub so I want to hear good news from both of you."
"Ouch." Ashiya wished there was something she could do to help Nakao with Minami. "I saw Sano in his swim trunks."
"Did he see you in yours? Was cuddling involved?"
"Not at the beach. It was very late and the sound of his strong steady heartbeat was putting me to sleep. His arms made me feel safe, but I didn't mean to say that out loud for him to hear." She looked at her two friends grinning at her "What? I was half asleep!"
"I take it you were sleeping in Sano's arms because your bed was too uncomfortable."
"We were outside, but that isn't the point."
"Of course it isn't, Ashiya, please feel free to skip over the part explaining why you were sleeping on Sano outside."
She ignored the sarcasm and the smirk "He put his right hand against my cheek and kissed me then said he was staying by my side."
"I am so glad for you, Ashiya." Kadoma leaned back with a smile.
"The way he was looking at you in class for the past month I thought you two already had your first kiss."
"Oh yeah, we…um…kinda?" Ashiya rubbed the side of her forehead "Does it count if sake was involved and I gave him a black eye?"
"That's what happened to his face?" Nakao couldn't believe Ashiya didn't say something sooner "You punched him for kissing you?"
"Nakatsu, Noe and Sekeime were passed out drunk so it was just the two of us. I didn't know what he was planning to do when he pinned me to the wall" She felt her face heating up "He wasn't letting me breathe and when he stuck his tongue in my mouth I was sure I was going to suffocate."
Kadoma had no idea she was that naïve or that he loved her enough to wait and try again in a more romantic manner.
"It's your turn, Kadoma. What happened with you and Kujo?"
"He started calling me Sho-kun when we are alone." She really didn't want to reveal anything else that will spoil Ashiya's innocence. That ought to be left entirely to Sano.
"Try again." Nakao wasn't about to believe that was all Kujo did in the past two weeks. "Did I mention that Minami didn't leave the nightclub alone?"
"It involves the karate club's tradition of scrubbing each other's backs in the shower after training and how I wasn't participating which caused the vice-captain to question my team spirit." Kadoma watched Ashiya's face for any indication of enlightenment before continuing "I was also bluntly reminded that not practicing proper hygiene reflected poorly on the entire club."
"What excuse did you give?"
"He spoke in a low deep voice and stared at me in a way that made me forget the excuses my brother and I practiced. He took me to the empty secondary shower room to help me overcome my lack of team bonding."
"Does he know?"
Kadoma nodded "Kujo already knew. I don't know how he managed to have my towel and clothes there including the cloth strips I use." She paused to make sure Ashiya still seemed as clueless as ever. "He turned on a shower then faced the other wall telling me to cover any scars on my body that I don't want him to see. I hesitated so he reassured me that he was only here to help me overcome my lack of trust in my fellow team members."
"You didn't!"
"Trust has to start somewhere so I covered my 'scars' and he washed my back with a soft soapy cloth, which felt wonderful, and then he left me to finish my shower alone."
"Is he still helping you with your trust issues?"
"Yes, as long as the secondary shower is empty and I keep my scars covered. Yesterday Kujo said I'm making excellent progress and soon I may take the next step in scrubbing his back with a brush to fully experience proper teamwork."
The next evening when Sano came back to the dorm room sweaty and tired from practicing the high-jump he headed straight for a long hot shower. Five minutes into it Ashiya knocked on the door.
"Do you want me to scrub your back with the brush?"
He dropped the soap in shock "N-no, I'm fine. Thanks."
She was relieved he didn't have any trust or teamwork issues, but she was going to ask again after the next competition just to make sure.