Starting a New Life in Tokyo by Inheriting a Shopping Street [12]

Although she was being toyed with, Ogawa Fumika did her best to steady her hand and continue the ear-cleaning. She simply had to be more cautious and more deliberate than usual.

Which, of course, made the whole process take that much longer.

“A-almost done,” she said, voice trembling slightly. “Now I’ll use the puff to clean off the flakes. It might tickle a little—Chiba-kun, please bear with it.”

“Okay,” Chiba Shuuichi replied casually, eyes still closed.

Fumika flipped the ear pick around and began gently rotating the soft puff inside his ear. It was easily ten times more ticklish than before, yet oddly pleasant.

Shuuichi inhaled sharply. That’s so unfair. He was a grown man, and even he nearly let out an embarrassing noise.

Without thinking, his hand tightened on Fumika’s thigh—eliciting a quiet, stifled whimper from her.

“Ch-Chiba-kun… does it really tickle that much? It’s almost done, just hold on a little longer.” Fumika was struggling to keep it together too. The sudden pressure on her leg was… more stimulating than she’d expected.

Finally, the first half of the ear-cleaning session came to a close. Fumika whispered, “That side’s finished. How do you feel, Chiba-kun? More comfortable?”

“Much better. You really saved me, Fumika-neesan.” Shuuichi opened his eyes and smiled up at her.

“That’s good… I’m glad I could help.” The way he smiled in the sunlight—it made her vision blur a little.

“Then, I’ll leave the other side to you as well,” Shuuichi said, and turned over, his face now angled toward Fumika’s lower stomach.

His casual shift startled her again. His warm breath, even through the fabric of her skirt, brushed across her skin and made her instinctively squeeze her thighs together.

“Fumika-neesan, you smell really nice. What perfume is that?” Shuuichi tilted his head to look up at her, but couldn’t quite catch her expression—only dim lighting under the hem of her skirt.

Only then did he realize: Wait… if I can’t see her face from here, how is she supposed to see inside my ear?

This position really isn’t suited for ear cleaning, is it…?

Fumika snapped out of her daze and hurried to reply, “I’m not wearing perfume. I handle essential oils and aromatherapy a lot at the salon, so the scent kind of sticks. Is it too strong? I can’t seem to wash it off.”

As she spoke, her voice fell. No matter how she looked at it—her thighs, her weight, her age, even her scent—everything felt like a flaw.

“It’s not strong at all. I told you, it smells really good,” Shuuichi murmured, then leaned in to inhale again, as if trying to prove his point.

Fumika’s cheeks burned, but somewhere in that embarrassment was a twinge of delight. He likes the way I smell… just like he likes my thighs…

Buoyed by that thought, her mood lifted, and with it came fresh energy. A faint, unconscious smile curved her lips as she started the second half of her work. At the same time, Shuuichi finally solved the mystery in his head.

He watched as Fumika used one arm to hold up the fabric that blocked her view, then hunched over to peer down at his ear.

That looks exhausting… Shuuichi thought, impressed despite himself. He reached up and rested a hand gently on her slender waist, just in case he slipped and rolled off her lap.

The moment his hand made contact, Fumika’s body gave a subtle shiver—but she didn’t flinch away or say a word.

By now, her mind wasn’t on any of that. Even through the fabric of her skirt, his breath against her skin made her flush with heat. She still had to concentrate on cleaning his ear, but it was becoming harder and harder to focus.

As time passed, the sunlight outside softened, losing its earlier intensity—yet Fumika felt her face growing hotter and hotter.

Maybe it was from the effort, but her breathing came short and fast. Her damp lips parted slightly, her breaths uneven.

Shuuichi, possibly starting to doze off, let his hand slip lower down her waist.

Fumika couldn’t see his face. She couldn’t tell if he was teasing her, like Sayuki always did… or if it was just an innocent accident.

“Chiba-kun, I’m all done,” she said at last, putting away the ear pick. With one hand, she fanned her flushed face.

“…”

No response.

Fumika called out softly, “Chiba-kun?”

Still nothing.

Don’t tell me he fell asleep? she wondered—and quickly found the proof. His hand had stopped moving early on, simply resting there quietly.

Carefully, she shifted to find an angle, and at last managed to glimpse his face.

He was asleep. Peacefully, beautifully asleep.

If it weren’t for how uncomfortable this position is, I could look at him like this forever…

“Mmm…” Shuuichi stirred, slowly opening his eyes. “Sorry… Fumika-neesan’s lap was too comfortable. I drifted off.”

“It’s fine!” Fumika waved her hands quickly—though the motion made her blouse brush his face a few times in the process.

Shuuichi sat up, holding her waist for balance, and the moment their bodies parted, Fumika felt an unexpected pang of loss.

He touched his ear, as if savoring the sensation, then smiled sincerely.
“Could I trouble you again sometime, Fumika-neesan? It feels way better than doing it myself. After one time, I think I’m already addicted.”

Fumika ducked her head, voice barely audible. “It’s no trouble at all… as long as Chiba-kun needs me…”

...

That evening, Ogawa Sayuki saw off the renovation crew. Regulations were strict about construction hours—anything beyond that was considered a public disturbance, and it didn’t do neighborly relations any favors either.

She went to the management office to collect her sister. The two of them sat on the stairs outside the beauty salon, chatting.

“So, how was it? What did you two do?” Sayuki asked with a sly smile, eyeing her sister from head to toe.

Fumika touched her cheeks, which were still warm with leftover blush, and mumbled, “I helped Chiba-kun with his ears…”

“Just that?” Sayuki raised an eyebrow.

“…And a lap pillow,” Fumika added shyly, lowering her head.

“Ha! I knew it—he’s totally got his eyes on your thighs,” Sayuki said, sounding more smug than surprised.

“Chiba-kun said they’re really comfortable,” Fumika murmured, unable to stop the tiny smile tugging at her lips. “He said my legs were grade-A. He even liked how I smell.”

“Click, click, click—just as I thought. That guy’s nowhere near as innocent as he looks.” Sayuki clicked her tongue. “At this rate, sis, he’s gonna eat you up before you even notice.”

Fumika replied in a voice so soft it was barely there, “I’m so much older than him… and I’ve been married before. I just hope he doesn’t mind…”

Sayuki snorted. “You really let that scumbag mess with your head, didn’t you? What’s so wrong with being yourself?”

“There’s no charm left in me. Kids these days already call women like me obāsan. Remember back in school? When the boys talked about our pretty English teacher, they still called her an old lady. And now we’re her age…”

Sayuki ignored the self-pity, focusing on something else entirely.

“Still… Chiba-kun’s taste is seriously mature. Most students would be into girls their own age, right?”

---

T/N: tsk those students have no taste

This is a fan translation of 从继承商店街开始东京生活 by 净消尘土 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!