✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* Enchanted waters (Ken Sato x OC)✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

Chapter 12

Slowly backing away from the door with a sigh, I walked toward the drawer he had instructed me to open. Inside were various mini shorts and an array of shirts, all neatly folded and carrying a pleasant, comforting scent.

I carefully selected a black shirt and one of the odd-looking shorts, closed the drawer, and began dressing myself. The clothes felt different against my skin—a mix of softness and unfamiliarity. As I pulled the shirt over my head, a pang of unease settled in my chest. These were Kenji’s clothes, not mine. Everything here felt foreign, from the fabric to the very air I was breathing. It was a stark reminder of how out of place I was in this world.

Once I was fully dressed, I noticed the various pretty bottles lined up on top of the dresser. My curiosity got the better of me, despite the lesson I should have learned in the shower. I grabbed the nearest bottle, removed its cover, and inhaled its contents.

The scent was pleasing, a delicate blend of something floral with a touch of wet earth. It reminded me of the few times I’d encountered flowers by the shore—their fragrance carried by the wind, fleeting yet unforgettable. The memory brought a small smile to my face, a brief moment of comfort in this strange place.

Pleased with the scent, I turned the nozzle toward myself and sprayed it onto the black shirt I was wearing. Content with the smell, I began inspecting the bottle, but my heart sank when I read the words printed on it.

“Toilette water? As in toilet water?” I screamed internally, chucking the bottle back onto the dresser, disgusted with both it and myself, now drenched in it.

“Did I really just spray toilet water onto my body?” Glancing down at my hands—the perpetrators—I felt a wave of embarrassment wash over me.

Why did I always have to touch things? And why did my body always bear the consequences? Letting out a frustrated sigh, I turned toward the door, trying to forget the incident. The scent lingered, clinging to me like a reminder of how little I understood this world. Everything was so confusing, so alien. Even the simplest things, like water and clothes, seemed to have different meanings here.

But I had to adapt. I had no choice. Besides, at least the toilet water smelled good... for some odd reason.

I was about to open the door when something in the far corner of the room caught my eye. Intrigued, I made a quick detour, not wanting to keep Kenji waiting too long. What I found was a piece of paper, decorated with a kaleidoscope of colors. It depicted an average-sized female shadow and a smaller male shadow, both smiling and holding up their fingers in a peculiar way.

Looking down at my pale hands, I mimicked the pose, giggling as I struck a similar stance to that on the paper. The image seemed to convey something positive, quenching my curiosity. Just as I turned back toward the door, it swung open, and there stood Kenji—his hair damp and his body emitting a pleasant scent, much more agreeable than a few minutes ago.

“Did he take a shower? How long was I in that room?” I wondered, utterly confused and slightly embarrassed.

“Sorry, I took a shower while you were changing...” Kenji began, but then paused mid-sentence as he sniffed the air. “Are you wearing my cologne?” His direct eye contact caused me to shrink back, feeling a twinge of guilt.

Before I could respond, he bent down, sniffing the side of my neck, before straightening back up. When he pulled back, his face held a mix of amusement and mild confusion. “That’s... definitely my cologne,” he said, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “But it’s okay. You didn’t know.”

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, relieved that he wasn’t upset. But the embarrassment still lingered, and I felt my cheeks flush with warmth. I could only nod, still too flustered to even think about explaining my mistake.