Chapter 167 First Massage At The Store
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
At last, it was time to make use of the soundproof treatment room.
Haruto stepped inside and turned to Rin, gently guiding her through the next steps.
”Once you open that door, there’s a shower and a toilet. You’ll find a changing area as well. Please change into the treatment outfit.”
The outfit Haruto handed over wasn’t the disposable paper type commonly used in esthetic salons. Instead, it resembled a medical examination gown, split into a top and bottom. The material looked soft yet durable, and the fastenings were thoughtfully designed—with Velcro strips along the front and back, it could be removed easily, even while lying on the treatment table. It was Haruto’s own original design.
”Y-Yeah… Got it,” Rin replied, her voice slightly flustered as she took the garments and stepped into the changing room.
Thud.
As the door closed behind her, Haruto turned his attention to preparing the room. There wasn’t much that required setup, but he did adjust the monitor installed on the wall.
The screen displayed the operational status of both his massage clinic and Harue’s esthetic salon. With a quick glance, he could check whether either was currently in session, and whether any customers were waiting. It was a simple system, but one that allowed the two of them to back each other up.
For example, even though Haruto had entered the treatment room, he could see from the monitor that Harue was also in the middle of a session. If a new customer were to arrive while both were occupied, Haruto would normally have to pause his treatment to assist. But if Harue’s session ended first, she could handle the reception instead.
Originally, the monitor had been installed to help manage the treatment room’s availability. But with no other staff yet employed, it was now also doubling as a scheduling tool between the two of them.
Click.
The door opened again. Rin stepped out slowly.
”Does this… look okay?” she asked, tugging slightly at the hem of the outfit.
”It looks perfect,” Haruto replied with a reassuring smile. “Ah, I forgot to mention—please remove your underwear as well.”
”I-I already did… There was a guide in the changing room.”
She glanced away, clearly a little embarrassed. The “guide” she referred to was a diagram posted on the wall that explained how to properly wear the treatment outfit.
”As expected of you,” Haruto said with a nod. “Alright then, please lie down here, face-down.”
Once she was in position, Haruto began working gently over Rin’s shoulders, his hands moving with practiced care. He focused around the shoulder blades, applying pressure and easing the tension in small increments.
As he worked, he brought up a topic that had been on his mind.
”By the way… didn’t Ayase-senpai’s parents object to her becoming an instructor?”
”Object? That’s putting it mildly. They were completely against it,” Rin said with a dry laugh.
”I figured as much,” Haruto murmured.
He remembered hearing back in high school how her parents had urged her to quit swimming to focus on academics. There had been a huge fight over it. That memory resurfaced now—and with it, a quiet realization.
”In that case… could this shoulder issue be related?”
”Heh, you figured it out,” Rin said, her voice tinged with both pride and weariness.
She explained that she had defied her parents’ wishes and pursued work as a gym instructor anyway. The strain she now carried was the result of that stubborn resolve—not wanting to fail, not allowing herself to slow down.
”I understand where you’re coming from, Senpai, but this is too much. You’ve been pushing yourself too hard.”
”I know… I’m sorry. To be honest, I was seriously considering surgery this time…”
Her tone dropped, almost a whisper.
Rin’s shoulder had deteriorated to the point of nearing a rotator cuff tear. Though some might consider surgery a straightforward option, it wasn’t something to take lightly. Surgery always carried risks—especially for someone whose body was central to their career.
”Alright, I’m going to remove the top half of the treatment wear now,” Haruto said gently.
”Uh, yeah…”
He hesitated, then added, “Also—this part may be a little delicate to ask, but… if you’d prefer, I can have you handle the massage around the chest and glutes yourself?”
”Huh… Oh, um, yes! If that’s allowed, I think I’d feel more comfortable doing it myself.”
Haruto’s suggestion was met with immediate relief on Rin’s part. It wasn’t unusual to feel self-conscious about those areas during treatment, so her reaction was completely natural.
But what Rin didn’t know—what Haruto hadn’t yet revealed—was that this arrangement was actually part of a small experiment he had been planning all along…
Notes:
• Rin – Second-year member of the swimming club; currently experiencing a physical problem that Haruto may help solve.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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