Like the Indulgence Apartments, the Desire Hot Spring was completely free to use and open only to members of the Uchiha clan.
It was another benefit provided within the clan.
There was no need to advertise it.
After watching the construction site every day for the past month, the clan members were already bursting with curiosity.
The moment word got out, people began flocking over.
By the time Gentō brought Kurenai to the hot spring facility, a line had already formed outside.
He glanced inside. Good grief, both the Men's Bath and the Women's Bath were full.
Figures crowded the large pool in the Mixed Bath, and even the secluded little pools were occupied.
Gentō:
"..."
He was a little dumbfounded.
There were way too many people.
Fortunately, he had planned ahead.
As the Clan Head, surely he was entitled to a few privileges?
Taking Kurenai by the hand, he skirted the crowd and followed a narrow path through the bamboo grove to its farthest end.
A small hot spring pool lay hidden behind several dense clumps of bamboo, enclosed by a bamboo fence. A little wooden sign hung at the entrance, reading "Reserved for the Clan Head."
Gentō had specifically asked the craftsmen to set this pool aside. It was not open to anyone else.
The pool was small, only three or four square meters, with smooth pebbles lining its edge and fine moss growing in the gaps.
The water was crystal clear, sending up wisps of white steam. A few bamboo leaves floated on the surface, spinning slowly.
Bamboo enclosed the pool on every side, leaving only a small patch of sky visible overhead.
A faint fragrance drifted through the air, mingling with the distinctive mineral scent of the spring water. Just breathing it in made the whole body relax.
Gentō looked back at Kurenai.
"Let's hurry up and get in!"
Kurenai stood beside the pool, her face already crimson.
How could she not know what Gentō had in mind?
But she said nothing. She simply lowered her head and turned into the changing room beside them.
A moment later, the changing room door opened.
Kurenai stepped out.
She wore a deep red bikini, its pieces held in place by thin strings.
Bows were tied at either side of the bottoms, leaving a stretch of her fair, delicate waist exposed.
Her skin was already pale, but against the deep red fabric, it looked almost dazzlingly white.
At eighteen, her figure had begun to fill out. The fabric stretched taut over the curves of her chest, her slender waist looked small enough to encircle with two hands, and her legs were long and straight.
She did not know what to do with her hands, letting them fall to her sides one moment and folding them across her arms the next. Her blush had spread to her ears, and she kept her lashes lowered, not daring to look at Gentō.
Gentō could not take his eyes off her.
"Kurenai, you..."
His gaze made her feel hot all over. Gritting her teeth, Kurenai strode to the edge of the pool and stepped straight in.
As the warm spring water rose over her body, she could not help drawing in a soft, sharp breath.
The temperature was perfect, neither too hot nor too cool. It enveloped her like a gentle hand.
Warmth seeped through her skin and flowed along her veins, spreading through her entire body until even her bones seemed to soften.
Her tense muscles and the exhaustion buried deep within her body slowly melted away in the warmth.
"Mmm~"
An involuntary, blissful murmur escaped her as she leaned back against the stones at the pool's edge and closed her eyes.
Her voice was meltingly soft.
Hearing it sent a rush of heat through Gentō.
He stripped off his clothes in a few quick motions, hastily pulled on a pair of swimming trunks, and jumped into the pool.
Water splashed up and landed on Kurenai's face.
She opened her eyes and met Gentō's gleaming gaze.
Gentō swam over and sat down beside her.
Their bodies were almost pressed together.
Even through the warm water, they could feel the heat of each other's skin.
"Kurenai..."
He reached out and rested a hand on her shoulder.
Kurenai's shoulder drew in slightly, but she did not pull away.
Gentō's hand slid down from her shoulder, along her arm, and came to rest on her waist.
Her waist was slender and soft, her skin smooth as silk and even more slippery when wet.
"Y-you keep your hands still..."
Kurenai spoke softly.
Gentō leaned close to her ear, his warm breath brushing against it.
"How about I give you a massage?"
Kurenai said nothing, merely lowering her face even farther.
Gentō took that as agreement.
He placed his hands on Kurenai's arm and began to massage it.
His fingers pressed gently against her skin, moving in slow circles.
"Mmm~"
Kurenai bit her lip, but a soft murmur still slipped out.
That soft, slightly trembling sound scratched at Gentō's heart like a kitten's paw.
The spring water swayed gently around them, sending out tiny ripples.
White mist curled above the pool, mingling with that faint fragrance. It relaxed the whole body, yet left a subtle, restless heat behind.
The bamboo rustled overhead.
A few bamboo leaves drifted down onto Kurenai's shoulder. She reached up to brush them away, but Gentō's hand got there first and plucked a leaf off.
His hand did not withdraw, settling naturally on her shoulder instead.
The spring water had left the skin of her shoulder faintly flushed and silky smooth.
He pressed gently with his fingers, kneading the muscles around her neck and shoulders.
The muscles there were a little stiff, probably from her usual training.
"Does my massage feel good?"
"...Yes."
Kurenai's voice was muffled, her face still lowered.
Gentō moved his hands down from her shoulders and pressed them against her back.
The contours of her back were smooth and graceful.
His fingers worked down either side of her spine, inch by inch, with just the right amount of pressure.
Kurenai's breathing gradually grew heavier.
Not with discomfort, but...
Even she could not quite explain it.
The spring water rippled gently around her, every movement feeling as though something were teasing her skin.
The fragrance grew more noticeable. Breathing it in made her heart flutter uneasily, yet she could not bear to hold her breath.
Gentō diligently massaged Kurenai's back.
Kurenai kept her eyes closed, her lashes trembling softly as her breathing turned shallow and quick.
"Mmm~..."
Gentō's massage was so skillful that Kurenai went completely limp, leaning against the pool's edge without the strength to move.
The water continued to sway gently, and the fragrance grew richer, mingling with the rising heat of the spring to envelop them completely.
The atmosphere between them gradually grew hazy...
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