A members-only training gym located in front of the station.

　I became a member on a friend’s recommendation… and after that, I hardly used it at all, just wasting money on the annual fee.

　Coming here after a long time, the inside of the gym had changed quite a bit.

　New machines had been added, and the locker room had been renovated too.

　After changing into workout clothes and doing a light warm-up, I was training on a simple machine for beginners when—

“Huh? A rare face around here.”

　I heard a familiar voice.

　Turning around, there she was—a friend I knew well.

　Hair dyed a bright color, narrow eyes. Her body was slim yet muscular and toned. Not a hint of unnecessary fat. The sports bra-style workout wear suited her trained physique perfectly.

“Long time no see, Kae.”

“Yeah, seriously—it’s been forever, Yuiko.”

　I stopped my arms and said that, and she replied in her usual lighthearted tone.

　Inukai Kae.

　My university classmate, and someone I still go out for drinks with from time to time.

　One of the few friends whose relationship continues without getting tangled up in work.

　I look at her again.

　Or rather… I can’t take my eyes off her.

　Wow. As expected, Kae has an amazing figure.

　Hard to believe we’re the same age.

　Makes sense—she’s a dance instructor, after all.

　The cut of her workout wear leaves her midriff totally bare, but there’s no flab whatsoever. In fact, her abs are faintly split.

　As her age peer… it kinda depresses me.

　I could never show up in front of people in something like that.

“Hmm? What? Staring at me?”

“Nah. Just thought you have a great body.”

“Haha, thanks. But coming from you, Yuiko, doesn’t that sound kinda snide? I think you’ve got a pretty nice body yourself, y’know?”

　She grinned mischievously… and glanced at my chest.

“Whoa—still as impressive as ever after all this time. Eye candy, eye candy.”

“Cut it out—that’s sexual harassment.”

“Hahaha. Sorry, sorry.”

　Kae laughed lightly.

“But hey, what’s up? You coming to the gym on your own initiative? You ignored all my invites before.”

　It was Kae who introduced me to this gym.

　About a year ago. I’d hit over thirty and thought it was time to get serious about working out, so I signed up… only to go two or three times and then drop off. The classic pattern.

　So why had I come back after so long?

　…It’s a little hard to say.

“Hmm? Well, whatever. Working out never hurts.”

　She said that casually, then plopped down on a nearby machine.

　After that, I trained together with Kae.

　…Or at least, that’s what I’d like to say, but a out-of-shape thirty-something can’t just suddenly go all-out like that.

　Taking moderate breaks in between, I kept doing light exercises suited to my level, while sneaking glances at Kae going hard with high-intensity loads.

“Phew—post-workout protein hits different every time.”

　After training, taking a break in the gym’s lounge area.

　Kae was chugging her own protein shake, but I wasn’t at that level of dedication, so I just got a sports drink from the vending machine.

　Ahh—delicious. Feels like I’m coming back to life.

“Oh, right—bought a new leo the other day. Wanna see?”

“Yeah, show me.”

　I perked up immediately.

　Kae’s hobby is… reptile breeding.

　She keeps a ton of lizards and a few snakes. Basically turned one whole room in her place into a reptile setup. Her name screams “dog person,” but she’s got zero interest in mammalian pets. 　 [TL/N: ‘Inukai’ means “Dog keeper” in japanese]

　Secretly, my own hobby of “watching reptile videos” came straight from Kae’s influence.

“Whoa, cute. Pure white and so pretty…”

“Right? Spotted it at a reptile event, and I fell head over heels—bought it on the spot.”

　She swiped through her phone screen, and adorable shots of a white-bodied leopard gecko flowed by one after another.

“Is this one an albino?”

“Not quite. It’s a cross between albino and blizzard—a blazing blizzard morph. The white is insanely beautiful.”

　Leopard geckos vary in body color and patterns by individual, and those genetic traits are colloquially called “morphs.” Crossing different morphs can create new ones blending both features.

“Sigh… I’d decided not to add any more leos, though.”

“You did say last year you’d overdone it.”

“Yeah, yeah. Last year, things were just clicking for me. All the pairings I aimed for meshed perfectly, they mated right away and got pregnant… Normally, it’s not that easy to even get to mating.”

　She said with a sigh mixed in, then—

“Oh. Speaking of mating…”

　As if she’d just remembered, she continued.

“Yuiko, you been having sex lately?”

“Pfft.”

　I sprayed my drink everywhere.

　Talk about a sudden topic shift!

“Cough… Wh-what the hell are you asking out of nowhere?”

“C’mon, you know I’m curious, right? We’re both divorced thirtysomethings—wondering how the nightlife’s treating ya.”

“…”

“You’re the only one I can ask so casually.”

　“…I’d prefer you didn’t ask so casually, though.”

　But… yeah, maybe that’s true.

　Even for me… the only friend I could casually talk about this stuff with is Kae.

　If I had to consult someone about that incident, it’d have to be her.

“So? How’s it going for you, Yuiko?”

　…

　“…Let’s change spots and talk.”

“Ooh, drinks it is? Awesome—I’m not letting you off easy tonight~”

　Kae broke into a huge grin.

　After leaving the gym, we headed to a casual izakaya.

　…When I invited Sanzawa-kun, I tried acting fancy and booked a slightly upscale trendy spot, but for drinks with a friend, nothing beats the familiar dive.

　We settled into a private room, clinked glasses, and started with some jab-like chit-chat about recent goings-on.

　About an hour in, the talk finally shifted to the main topic.

　A pretty vulgar main topic, at that.

“Sigh… I see… So the guy couldn’t get it up, huh…”

　Sipping her lemon sour, she said it in a heavy tone.

　I’d braced for her to recoil or laugh at the story, but Kae took it seriously and heard me out.

　By the way—my drink was a non-alcoholic highball. I played it off as “dieting,” and she didn’t pry further.

　Well… it is kinda dieting, so not a total lie.

“So Yuiko, you got all shocked about it.”

　…

　“…Shocked isn’t quite it—I just don’t know what to do.”

“Yeah, I get it, I totally get it. I’ve been through it a few times myself. Man, you really don’t know how to handle it. Just pure awkwardness—the air gets brutally tense.”

　She said it like she truly empathized. With way more dating experience and partners than me, Kae seemed pretty used to situations like this.

“How old’s the guy? Could be an age thing, y’know?”

“I think age is fine… He’s only twenty-three, after all.”

“Twenty-three!?”

　Kae’s eyes went wide.

“No way… Yuiko, you snagged a guy that young!? That’s practically a crime!”

“I-It’s not a crime! He’s an adult!”

“It’s crime-adjacent… Whoa, wow, I’m shocked. Never thought straight-laced Yuiko would be doing it with a guy that young…”

　Of course, I kept the baby-making stuff secret from Kae too. I’d only explained Sanzawa-kun as “a guy I’ve gotten close to and hooked up with a few times.”

　Kae had her own fuck-buddy types, so she didn’t dig too deep there.

“Nice~ I wanna bang a twenty-three-year-old too. Bet it’d make me feel young again.”

　She let out a deep breath, saying something I couldn’t tell how serious she was.

“But yeah, for a guy in his twenties, it’s unlikely a physical issue. Probably mental.”

“Mental… yeah, you’re right.”

“Could just be an off day for him, so don’t overthink it… Oh. Wait, maybe…”

　Kae grinned slyly and leaned in.

“You suddenly remembering the gym out of nowhere… That for him?”

“—!”

“Getting yourself in shape and pretty for the next hookup? Whoa—kinda cute, actually.”

“~! Sh-shut up! Leave me alone!”

　I denied it in a fluster and took a sip of my non-alcoholic highball.

　I couldn’t really argue back.

　Because… she nailed it.

　“…Can’t help it, can I? Sex was such a long time coming for me. If we’re gonna do it… I wanna show off a pretty body.”

“Yuiko…”

“Plus, that guy… when he stripped, it was insane!”

　I poured it all out.

　Maybe the alcohol’s fault, but I was in a weird hype.

“He’s got this amazing body! Lean, ripped, abs all defined—youth just exploding off him! Getting shown a body that fresh and vibrant like that… it made me feel like my body’s this huge sloppy mess…”

　My voice gradually sank.

　…

　“…Maybe him not getting hard was my body’s fault… If I’d been a bit skinnier, a bit more toned, he might’ve actually gotten excited…”

“No no, way too negative!”

　Kae said it like she was at her wit’s end.

“Listen, guys actually prefer a little meat on ’em, y’know? More than a ripped-abs girl like me—they go for that slightly lax vibe you’ve got. Way better guy appeal.”

　She said it firmly.

　I knew she was comforting me, but hearing “meat on ’em” and “lax” to my face stung a little.

“Here I am busting my ass to train ’cause I know I don’t appeal to guys. Doing it for myself, and those dudes still nitpick… Ah, no, off-topic.”

　She exhaled once, then looked at me afresh.

“Anyway—no reason for you to mope, Yuiko. Got it? Listen up. A guy’s dick? Super delicate and high-maintenance thing.”

　Kae leaned forward a bit.

“It goes soft over the tiniest stuff, or flops mid-way. Even the guy himself can’t control it—total pain in the ass. Like a separate creature at this point. Won’t listen to its owner, like a stubborn pet.”

“I-Is that how it is?”

“Yup. Dicks are just like that.”

　Oh.

　So that’s what dicks are like.

“If the woman overreacts every time, it just piles pressure on the guy. Like I said at first—don’t overthink it. Have confidence in yourself. You’ve got a body that’s properly sexy, the kind that turns guys on.”

　…

　“…What kinda compliment is that?”

　I lightly shot back.

　Felt like my heart lightened a tad.

“Yeah… Thanks, Kae.”

“Mm. Well, even saying that— it’s still better if you put in some effort.”

“Effort…?”

“Effort to please the guy, that is. Yuiko, you doing the service right? Like this, or this.”

　She moved her hand up and down for the first “this,” then pointed at her mouth for the second.

　Realizing what she meant, my cheeks burned hot.

“Th-that’s…”

“Can’t just lie there ’cause you’re a woman, y’know? Sex is two-way communication. And the guy’s young, right? Hooking up with an older sis type—he’s probably expecting some technique.”

“!”

　…

　“…Y-yeah, is that how it is?”

　Did Sanzawa-kun… expect that from me too?

　From me… some nighttime skills.

　I wanted to meet expectations, but… sadly, I didn’t have that much experience or know-how. And if I went full throttle and he ended up thinking “Whoa… this thirtysomething woman’s lust is wild…”—I’d never recover.

“But… I don’t have that much experience.”

“Hmm—not like direct technique or anything. For example—”

　Kae leaned in closer, beckoning me with a flick of her fingers.

　I brought my ear near, and she whispered softly.

　The content—shocked me.

“Wha—huh!? Wh-what are you even saying!? You’re joking…!”

“Nah, pretty serious.”

　To my horrified self, Kae nodded solemnly.

“Back when I dated that much-older guy… around fifty, I think. His nights were kinda meh ’cause of age, but when I did this, he went wild.”

　…

　“…For real?”

“Sounds dumb, I know, but guys— no matter the age—seem to love that stuff. Delicate, sensitive… but in the end, such idiots, really.”

　…

　…

　To Kae, waxing philosophical, all I could do was stare in stunned silence.

　The idea she’d shared… was outrageous.

　Normally, no way I’d go for it. Not even for a million yen, not even at knifepoint—I know I’d never do it.

　But—right now.

　Tormented by worry, desperate enough to grasp at straws, that wild idea hit me like divine revelation.