Konan narrowed her eyes in pleasure and let out a soft, muffled hum.
"Mmm... Mirai, your hands are amazing... A little to the left... Yes, right there..."
Kurenai and Rin sat across from them. Hearing Konan's little moans, they both blushed even harder.
Kurenai turned away and pretended to study the pattern on the bamboo blinds. Rin stared down at her knees, tracing absent circles in the water with her finger.
"Kurenai, Rin, you should try it too!" Konan suddenly turned and called to them. "Mirai gives great massages!"
Kurenai hurriedly waved her hands. "No, thanks!"
Rin shook her head too. "We're fine..."
"Don't be shy!" Konan beckoned them over. "A hot spring and a massage—that's how you really relax! We've got a mission tomorrow. How can we do our best if we don't unwind?"
Mirai turned to look at them too, his tone casual.
"Konan has a point. And as your teacher, it's my duty to make sure my students are fully relaxed so you can focus on the mission. Come on."
Kurenai and Rin exchanged a glance.
Kurenai looked torn. Rin's ears had turned bright red.
"We really don't need to..." Kurenai's voice grew softer and softer.
"Konan's right. Relaxing will help with tomorrow's mission." Mirai sounded perfectly serious, as if he were explaining a teaching principle.
Kurenai hesitated for a long while. Finally, after Konan urged her again and again, she slowly stood up from the pool and sat on a low stool beside Mirai.
She faced away from him, her towel still wrapped around her, her shoulders rigid.
"Relax." Mirai placed his hands on her shoulders.
Kurenai took a deep breath.
Mirai pressed his fingers into her trapezius muscles, neither too hard nor too gently, working his thumbs over the pressure points in small circles.
Kurenai